The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-10 00:00:00

BOMBARDMENT OF KAGOSIMA.

Mr. BUXTON roes to move the following resolution :
" That this house, while only imputiag to Admiral Kuper
a mierionoeptice of the duty imposed epos him, deeply
regrets the burning of Kagosima, ae being canny to those
wages of war which prevail among civilised anion, and to
which it is the policy and duty of this country to adhere."
The hon. gentleman review( dat Noun length the chain.
stances ceder which Ude country bed emended a treaty
with and established a footing in Japes, the nature of nor
relatious with the goverament of that cocotry. the events
which bad followed the murder of Mr. Richardson by the
followers of Satsuma cm the ?diced*, and the manger in
which our fleet had aveagrd that act by the utter &eau.
tin of K • He readily ecquitteal Admiral Kuper
and the Foram Secretary of any deliberate intention
inflict such • crust injury epee aa innocent end
unoffeeding people, end wee willing to attribute it to sod-
dent or a mirooneeptioa of instructions ; but the fact was
that the whole of our proceeding. in Japan were most
suable, and he claimed from the government that they
should do all in their power to dear the character of our
reentry from the state that meted upon it.
The motion bawls( bees seconded by Mr. A 17017 N.
who condemned the arrogance of the English merchants
and residents in Japan as hemp been the nal canes of the
enmity felt towards as by the natives.
Mr. LONOFIELD proposed, as an amendment, to omit
from Mr. Buxton's resolution the words „while only im-
yetis' to Admiral Kuper • misoinception of the duty int.
poerd on him."
Sir J. HAY said be had gnat pleasure is seoncling the
amendment. He eaneidwei that the grave imputation
sought to be thrown upon Admiral Kuper by the cane
token by her Majesty's government, sad by the speeches
made by some hoc members during the debate, reflected no
credit upon the government or upon those hoe. members
' who endeavoured to cast discredit upon an Mbar Sand
in • difficult position, and who bad carried out
the most automat duty imposed upon him by the bar-
barous orders of the Foreignoffice in • manner which bed
done violence to his feelings, bat reflected credit on his
judgment and skill, Colonel Neale wee recommended
for distinotioa,while Admiral Kuper had roosted so reward,
and had not even been protected front the sedeeerved oh.
logs heaped upon him from all parts of the many.
Admiral WALCOTT said he had mad with attention the
official papa submitted to the house on the subject wader
discussion. He deplored as much as earns could the cir-
ounisteroose which led to the attack made upon • popula-
tion at coos innocent and unoffeeding ; but he had arrived
at the eaclusioo that, lamentable as was the occurrence,
sod deeply as it was regretted by the country at logs, ha
could impute so blame whatever to Admiral Kuper in on-
onion with it. The admiral had been entrusted
with the national flag, end ire honour required him not
to lose on fastest in replying to the Sr. of the
batteries upon the squadron under his command.
Lord STANLEY could never understaad the ground
that had been set up for the double claim which was made,
Ind on the government of the Tycoon and next on Prince
Satsuma ; whilst he thought that the amount so claimed
was exorbitant and absurd. He feared that our policy in
Japan would, no far from improving oar position is that
country, frustrate the very objects we had is view, and
that it would be a long time before the sad impression
produced by late ovate would be removed.
Lord B. MONTAGU argued that the government had no
bane before them but to enforce the demand far redraw
for the murders and acts of violence cantata(' by the
Japanese on Width subject*.
far F. CROSSLEY said this war is Japan seemed to
him to be simply honibk. (Haar. hear.) He considered
that when Englishmen went abroad the least that
could be expected of them was that they should
respect the manners and customs of the people.
He did not blame the government for seeding out strict
orders; on the other hand. he thought the government bad
oat out rather lax orders. But when Admiral Kuper
seised three valuable downers three or four moles off, he
might have detained them at some distance from the Japa-
ns, @home. But whet did he do with them ! He dragged
them under the mine of Kagosima—(bear, hear)—and said
to the Peoria" Fire if you dare." Hs further told the
Japanese, "You are • barbarous nation, sod weare infloribly
your superiorsin civilisation." That was sotveryoomplimen-
tary language to nes towards the Japanese people. (Hear,
hear.) He (Sir F. Croaky) asked, were we to allow a
thing of this nod to take place, and not lift up the voice of
reproof against it ! It was said that the town was built
only of paper and wood. That waa the very reams why
Admiral Koper should not have boirbarded it. (Hera,
hear.) He traded the Foreign-office would in future give
insfactioos that hymen life was not to be namilloal un-
neemnerdy ; above all that the taking of Maness bursas
We was on ell amnion to be avoided. (Hear, hoer.)
Mr. LIDDELL said that the hon. gentleman had
attacked the Foreign-Mice for the way in which they
mat out instructions. Hs should like the Foreign-
er!** to be a little mere careful how they made
treaties. (Hear, boar.) He hoped that her Majesty's
'ornament had some policy lam violent than that
which had boss exhibited already, sad that the &ul-
terior of the Japanese sad of ICagasions would mess. No-
body, however, bad reminded the bone of the sufferinp of
our own countrymen at the legations, and of the dreadful
risks to whisk they were exposed. Daily and nightly they
were Hobbs to be attacked, and sometimes they could set
foretell whether they should see the light of day. (Minis.
tonal ebeere) lion. gentlemen mast remember
that Mmethings were not to be stopped by still
further irterwahrg the hostility and animosity al the
Japanese. He trusted the Hone of Commons would take
this subject late its owe hawk, by reconsidering the taros
of this treaty. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. KINGLAKE said our government had, by the
bands of Admiral Kuper, distinctly interfered with the
sovereignty al Japan. It was the right ef every tedepeodent
notice to erect batteries wherever itches*. How did Admiral
Kuper deal with that right! In a communication with
the Japanese antimatter he annally stated that it would
be his duty to parrot the noestradiso of any Ulna
which weld commend the asekory, off the town of
Yokohama. He (the hon. nosenber) sot believe that
this aggressive policy bad been deliberately urged fain
Llewstegobrest.lt rowelled in this way was Meer
Ale for ministers at home Is send out stringed Metro&
Lima to on stlaratar at Japy bat natertuaately the
Weider there wee rrtoanded by sterehmets who were de-
taratined to take the fullest advantage of our treaty. Sods
wade of things made it more inumbent on the rovers-
meet hoer time to time to refresh the recollection of their
W
lve abroad as to the earn matins of his duties,
=hee woad vision to soggest Io tb• government wee

:VENING, FEBRUARY

•
that It would be will perhaps to take advantage of the
union between the treaty powers, sad engage thensMillome-
thing like a rational system of dealing in each • way as
should leave to the Jspaniee the sovereignty of their own
land and the liberty to work or not as they thought it.
(Hear, both)
LAYABD, after remarking that he was not inclined
to disagree with mach of what bed fallen from Mr. Buxton,
called the attention of the house to the state of our previous
relations with Japan, sod to the causes whir h had led to
the treaty with Japan—a treaty which, he contended,
the &Stith government was bound to make, but which bad
not been forced upon the Jemmies. He described the
state of the country at that time, and the parties into which
the riding powers were divid,d. Our policy, he said,
had been a peaceful and conciliatory policy. Never-
theism, in spite of concessions on our part, outrages were
committed by the Japanese upon British subjects, and be
detailed the circumstances attending the deliberate and
unprovoked murder of Mr. Richardson on the high read is
open day. Could the British government have suffered
this outrage to remain uoredressed!. Onr demand for the
surrender of the retainers who had committed the act it was
our duty to make from both the Tycoon and the Daimio.
Mr. Layard then gave a minute description of the operations
against the Prince of &thorny justifying the mordant of
Col. Neale and Admiral Kuper, and expressing his belief that
the loss of life among the inhabitants of the city was very
I. mintier out objections to the resolution he
contended that the boning of the town was not, as alleged
in the resolution, cookery to the usages of war, and he read
I a list of oases in which towns had been destroyed (insisting
particularly upon Clisrlestno), and the act had been justi-
' tied by the laws of war. We had no political object in
Japes; he said ; our objects were commercial only ; but
be complainedof the difficulties thrown in the way of the
government by a certain class of British traders. The
conduct of the Tycoon was not in accordance with the treaty,
and the oonsthesoce had been that Col. Nosie had demanded
the removal of the restrictions. Whoa any question was
✓oiled in Japan about theta& trade the Japanese, who were
vv-7 canning, always replied that it was a question of free
trade and nothing else, aod that was thethouse made by the
Tycoon for not allowing merchants to go into the open
market. All our relations, however, with Japan were com-
mercial relations. We had oo political views with reprd to
that country whatever. It was the hen. gentlemen below
the gangway who were always telling the government that
it was their deity to procure the opening of fresh markets,
and it wee their primers neon the government whi:..rhkt
to these difficulties. (Opposition cheers.) If his
hon. ft:ands, instead of making exciting speeches,
In the country, leading the people to imagine that the go-
, verament were always forting the Chinese and Japanese
into a war, ware to use their great influence to prevail upon
the merchints and manufacturers to be Imo greedy of gain,
and to be content with extending their trade moderately, be
TM quite sure that everybody would be willing to give the
goveroment credit for doing all that they could to extend
the trade of Great Britain, which was capable of extension
I in many ways, and there would be tither Chinese aod Jo-
passes difficulties. (Opposition chows.) From what be knew
of those difficulties and of oar relations with the two empires
in question, be believed that they almost all arose from
sit undue forcing of British trade upon them. (Hear.)
I The traders thought that government had nothing to do but
support them in all their preposterous orensesions ; that
cook not be done, bat if his boo. friend would have
petitions every effort should be made to open the porta.
lie could not agree to this motion, booths* it insisted on
the bombardment having I -ea inconsistent with the usages
of war, whores it was masistent with the maps of all
intim". He shoed, therefore, if his hon. friend
persisted, Le obliged to move the previous question.
Sir J. ELPHLNSTONE defended Admiral Kuper, and
complained that that eater was left ender the ban of the
wonky, whilst Colonel Neale was thanked and decorated.
Mr. FORSTER had hoped that his hon. friend the mom-
her for Southwark would have consented to the very mo.
deists motion of the boo. member for ilaidatose, but he
regretted 'o find his hoe. friend on the swami defending
an action such as when committed by another country he
bed most elegem:lily denounced. He should have
felt glad if Lord Banall bad stated to Colonel
Neale that his instructions had been misinterpreted,
but that be did not blame him or the officers who exe-
cuted them. Now, what Earl Russell had failed to
do it became the duty of the house to
.do, and not
merely to express their regret, but their surto Ma They oth-
staat/y discussed the thalami of other powers, sad no doubt
it was thought that there were acts behind their words,
but if they posed over them transactions the expression
of their opinion on other °opinions would do more hum than
good. It was therefore their ditty to express their opinion
and their judgment in natters such as them upon the con.
duct of the minister of the crown, sod be did trust that',
the house would ogres to the moderate resolution of the
boo. member foe Maidstone. (Hear, hear.) He hoped the
hoe. gentleman would accept the amendment. It was
their duty to express their regret, and be thought the go.
easement would accept the amended resolution. They
could not undo the harm already done—they could not
compensate the people whose homes had been burned--
they could not call bark life to the women and children
destroyed—they could not unteach the Japanese that
this was one of the ways of carrying on our
oommercial transactions with foreign countries ; but this
they could do—they could express to them how
much the house deplored the sad occurreace at Eagorima,
and they could do more than that, for they mould tell their
admirals sod ministers abroad, and their ministers at hoot*,
that the house would hold them responsible for such out-
rages even though they might be committed in the
far East, where the people were is • lass fortunate
politica than the people of this country. (Hear, hear.)

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL denied that there was any
sullicreot foundation for the inference that the admiral
wilfully and wastouly shelled the town on the second day.
Clearly, the coemequenoes of the fire on the wooed day were
the result of the coetinuation of the conflagration on the !
list ; bat If hoe. members voted for the reeolotioe they would I
affirm that the tows wee wilfully fired on the second day,
and the whole responsibility would rest with Admiral
Kuper. It was due to the public service sad due to him
that they should put the fairest and best construction, and !
not the worst and moat sinister, on the words used in his
despatch. (Hear, hear.) If they believed that be confined
his fire to the fortificatioes and batteries bow could they !
affirm • resolution, as far as he was concerned, that the
burping of the town was °outcry to the usages which pre-
vailed among civilized nations . Were they falsely to send
fo-tb to the world such an impeachment and awsuation
satinet themselves as that they wilfully, wantonly,
and tionecessarily did that which they regretted and
deplored, and which, he was sure, the instruments
who did it regretted and deplored as much as themselves?
He was sure the house would say that the operation were
directed against the fortifications. castles, and batteries of
those with whom we thought fit to enter into a state of
war, that they were ant contrary to the urges of drilled
nations, and that the admiral dad not a Melly and wantonly,
and without regard to the exigencies and necessities of the
service, destroy the dwellings of a multitude of peaceful
inhabiteste, aid that it would pot therefore do an injustice
by affirming the treolatioe, though, he believed, they eor-
cbally agreed to the emend principles which bad been so
justly enunciated by hie hon. friend who brought forward
the subject. (Mears.)
Mr. WHITESIDE said the question came to this,
wire we ready ourselves to act upon those principles
which we were so ready to press norm others It
bad been said that se ruled only to bleat and that we
misquoted only to spare ; but if the house upheld this
transaction in Japan our laurels would be tarnished, sad
we should In vain represent ourselves to the whole world
as the Naos* humus, country on the face of the sixth.
(Hear, hear.)
Lord PALMERSTON observed that the treaty with
Japan--• wise end useful measure—had bees entered into
with the treaty-mekiag poser of the country, the Twos,
the absent of the Mikado not being required. No man
could doubt that when Brinell subjects were exposed to
repeated act of outrage, it would be unbecoming and
crimioal on the part of their government to suffer those out-
term to pass unnoticed. A demand was accordingly made
for redress and satidaotioa. It had been asked why there
should have been a double doomed. Because there had
bees a doable default. Satisfaction was given by the
Tycoon, but the Priem of Satsuma refused. Were we to
submit to this refusal or to compel • compliance? It was
ornery that he and the other daimice should be taught
that they could not commit outrages upon British subjects
s,th impunity. He justified the course taken by FAri
Bass who did not asy, "Go and barn the
tows ;" •od be viediosted likewise the proceedings
of the admiral. His lordship oonthrued :—The fire
on the tows on the fist day was not the result
of say isteatiou on the part of the admiral, but
wee, as bad bees properly diatribe& the iocideotal
result ot an maim not brought on by us but begun by the
Japanese. (Hear, bear.) Well, then, it is Dart said that
we shined the castle of the Winks. It was the duty of
the admiral to do so. It was our object to teach the
Daimio and hie retainers that they could not months
the lives of British subjects with impunity. (Hear,
hear.) We are called upoo to say we mere;
that result We eatarally concur in that man-
meat,—(hear, herd—but that has been *treacly ex-
premed in the most formal manner is the Lords' Commis-
storms speech at the opening of the series, sad adopted is
the meet formal maser by the bouts in their answer to
the speech. (Hear, bear.) Well, it is not meal for the
house to go on repeating in • lees formal manner
that which in the most funnel manner has been
expressed. (Hear, hest.) Having disposed of the question
of regret by wipe the house has already in a formal aseser
expressed its regret, I proceed to another point, namely, the
assortiou that the bresbardmeat of tomes is terminates{
with the practice of civilised nations in timed war. Why,
sir, that assirtioa is not canard. There are ia-
numerable Molasses to the oratrary. (Hear, hear.)
I lamest that the sweeties of civilised nations hes been such
—I do sot defend it, sad wish it were doom away with al-
together. It is set oar pneseiee. We hart atalakned from
it in the case of Odom dansg the Crimea war, although
we led many isdacemests to desdoy some part of the tore
which contained sissy stores essential to the supply of the
! Rusin army.. (Hear.) Bat we abstained because Gimes
was not • fortified tows, sad bowie it would set be agree-
able to the feeling of the country to attack as us-
, defended town for the purpose of depriving the
enemy of stone which were nee zy for hostile operatiom.
Bat I deny oath* the proposition that boenhardreeate are
iecomiblest with the modem of civilised nations, though it
is a practice which we dim of, and are not disposed
Wallow. The I do not accept the truth
of the statassenk Ida swept the feeling earl spirit is which

10,

1864.

that statement is made. (Hear.) I should hope, then, that
my hon. friend might be satisfied with the diecurion and
the tone which had prevailed ia this debate. (Hear, bear.)
No one can deny that if the destruction of
house and property is the result of as opposing
force, and a defending force, that is one of those
incidental calamities of war which we mast all lemma..
Tberefore I hope that my hoc. (need will not press his
motion to a division. When the amendment is disposed of
I should propose to move the previous question as the most
convenient cod fitting method of dealing with the subject.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. Lonitheld's amendment was then agreed to.
On Mr. Buxton's motion being pat,
Mr. BUXTON said that be 114 in the early part of the
seeping, stated that his object was that this 0100 of
suns should not be made use of as a precedent bereafteM
did not think the expression in the Queen's speech was
sufficient for that purpose, but combining that with the
deer and vivid expression of opinioa by the Attorney-oe-
perk' sod the noble lord, he thought his object was suffi-
ciently attained, and therefore he should withdraw his mo-
tion. (Loud cries o "Oh," sad "No, no," from the op-
position benches.)
The SPEAKER then put the question, when several mem-
bers objected to its being withdraws.
The house then divided on the previous question, "that
the questim be now put," and the numbers were :
Ayes
Now 163-78
Connequently the question was not pat.
CRIMINAL APPEAL

Sir F. KELLY obtained hays to bring is a bru to
&mood an act of the session of the 11th and 12th years of
her Majesty, chapter 78, to provide a further appeal in
criminal caw,. sad for the further aineadatent of the ad-
o:lois:ration of the crimisal law.
CHURCH RATES COMMUTATION.

Mr. NEWDEGATE obtained leave to brie. i• a bull for
the commotetioa of church rates, and it was afterwards rend
a first tents.

TRESPASS (IRELAND) BILL

Mr. W. 0. GORE obtained lawn to introduce a bill to
armed tin Ise of trespass in aerial's cases in Inland, and ft
Wu afterwards read a tint Uwe.
CHAIN CABLES AND ANCHORS.

Mr. LAIRD, in • committee of the wbole boom, ob-
tained have to bring in a bill for regulating the proving a•d
sole of chain cables and anchors, and it was afterwards reed
• first time.

BANK ACTS (SCOTLAND).

The CHANCELLIIR of the EXCHEQUER 'moved that
the house would. is Thursday next, realer Itself into •
oommittee on the Bask Ante (Elootlaad).—Apeed to.

SIR J. LAWRENCE'S SALARY BILL.

This bill was brought is sad road a first time.
The louse adjourned, as illll manilas past 1, until Than•
day.