The Press.
London, England, 1857-07-18 00:00:00

THE PERSIAN WAR.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER moved a
resolution granting 500,0001. towards the expenses
incurred in the Persian war. Glancing at the poli-
tical occurrences out of which the war had arisen,
and explaining the financial arrangements that had
been concluded with the East India Company, Sir
G. C. Lewis stated that in addition to the vote now
asked for a further sum of 300,0t01. was computed
to be required to defray all the cost of the operations
in Persia, 400,0001. for the war in China, and 100,0001.
for the additional naval charges. These outlays, he
said, the Exchequer was quite rich enough to supply.
Since his budget statement in February, the position
of the revenue had improved by 2,800,0001., partly
by augmented receipts and partly by retrenchments
in expenditure. To that extent, therefore, the
Exchequer was better supplied than he had ventured
to assume at the commencement of the last session,
while the new charges he had just mentioned,
together with the sum paid for redemption of the
Sound Dues, and the vote for the dowry of the
Princess Royal, amounted altogether only to
2,210,0001.
Mr. WALPOLE showed that very different estimates •
of these war charges had been before presented, all of
which had proved delusive, and expressed much
doubt whether the computations they had just heard
would prove better founded.

Sir E. Perry, Sir D. Colebrooke, Mr. Ayrton, and
Sir H. Willoughby having spoken,
Mr. GLADSTONE commented upon-the rapid growth
of war estimates. Those for the China war would,
he apprehended, prove equally expensive. Adverting
to the original cause of hostility at Canton, he cha-
racterised the transactions there as u'.terly flagitious.
The right hon. member proceeded to criticise at
various points the financial policy of the Government
in relation to their war expenditure.
Mr. MANGLES said, that although the 500,000/. now
asked for was to b 3 paid to the East India Company,
they had already advanced all the money, and more,
on British account. •

Lord J. RUSSELL asked how the operations at
Canton were to proceed in the absence of the troops
who had been stopped en route and retained for
service in India.
Lord PALMERSTON viewed with total indifference
the censure of his China policy. Mr. Gladstone and
Lord John Russell might continue to think the trans-
action at Canton flagitious, but the people of England
had endorsed a totally opposite opinion.
Mr. DISRAELI contended that the people of Eng-
land hail been deluded. At the election they were
told that the Chinese war would be carried on with
vigour, but now it appeared that there was not even
a war to prosecute. The Prime Minister still main-
tained that there was nothing but a local difficulty.
The discussion, which became considerably con.
fused and assumed a personal character, was con-
tinued for some time. At last the vote was agreed
to, as were the following votes of 400,0001. for the
war in China, and '2,00J seamen fur the increased
naval force.

The remaining business was disposed of, and the
house adjourned at two o'clock.

AN ESCAPE FROM DELHI.

TrtE Times published yesterday a very interesting
letter from a lady at Delhi, w:io narrowly escaped the
late massacre. The letter was dated Urnbalah,
May IR, and, after giving a few brief details of the
first alarm on the 11th of May, continues :
The Brigade Major (Captain Nicolls) sent his carriage
to me and told me to go to his house at once. About six
o'clock in the evening the order was given to retreat.
We got into Captain Nicolla' carriage, and put in as many
others as we could, and drove one pair of horses for fifty
miles, expecting every minute to be pursued and killed,
and we were told a regiment had left Umbelluh and was
cutting up whatever came in its way; so that unless we
turned off the road we could not escape. [They were
evidently on their way to Umballah via Kurnaul.] This
induced some to go off to Meerut, but we did not know
what to do, as there was danger there. However, the
report proved false, and we arrived safe at Kurnaul the
next morning. Here we were told that we must leave at
once; but I felt so exhausted and ill that I could not stir
further, so that half our party went on and the rest re•
mained till evening. We left Kurnaal about nine o'clock,
as we could not get horses sooner, and it was with
the greatest difficulty we managed to get on at el,
L— being obliged to threaten to shoot any one who
refused to give us assistance. When we arrived at Thwa-
nessur (a dawk station on the Umballah real) we halted
liar a couple of boars' sleep, and to get a change of convey.,
ance. We stopped with the Assistant Commissioner ; jbut
before we had rested two hours we were alarmed by being
told that a regiment of sepoye were come to attack us.
We had to fly from the house, and hide as best we could,
under the bashes, dc., in the garden; and I kept dear
baby in my own arms tie whole time until morning, when
Europeans were seen, and the cause of alarm proved to be
regiment of Irregular Cavalry marching to Umballah.
We could get no conveyances to go on with until the after
noon, when we left for Umballah at about six o'clock in a
cart drawn by coolies. The party consisted of about ten,
and we met with great difficulty on the road, for the natives
were so unwilling to assist us. We arrived at Umballah
on the morning of the 14th, at about eight o'clock, gaiter
fatigued and worn out.