The Press.
London, England, 1858-08-14 00:00:00

THE PRESS, AUGUST 14, 1858.

After some repetition of Mr. Lindsay's remarks, he
proceeded :
But this I will say, that England has been insulted ;
England's Parliament vindicated her, and we have had
Cherbourg fetes to make up. I am perfectly willing to
acknowledge all that, but, with my right hon. friend, I
cannot help feeling and thinking that there is something
behind. What is all ►his for? If Igo down to Liverpool
I see dock after dock full of merchantmen ; I see them
coming in from all parts floating into that basin in every
breath of heaven, laden to the very brim with the world's
produce. That is England. But at Cherbourg I saw
nothing of the sort. I saw a solitary 90-gun ship ready to
be launched on a Sunday ; and that was France. That is
the difference between England and France. Depend
upon it we that are here need not be alarmed by anything
that my friend has seen—[Mr. LINDSAY : " Hear, hear '1
—while we have institutions like the present. And now
come to the moral of my tale. Depend upon it, that while
you have stalwart arms —that while you have clear-thinking
heads—you will need to fear no despot that the world
aft 'ram, let him come from France, or Austria, or Naples.
The free soil of England, washed by the free ocean that is
around her, guarded by her sailori, is free against the
world in arms. I sin but a poor creature, yet I could turn
out to-morrow. Depend upon it, every man, woman, and
child amongst us knows what we have in England. We
have freedom here. We should lose that freedom if we
were conquered by anybody from abroad ; we should cease
to be England—we should cease to be the head of the
world, which we now are. We hold up to nations a torch
that they see in darkness; and inasmuch as their darkness
is greater than our light, the more brilliant is our illumi-
nation. Well, then, my friends, depend upon yourselves—
depend upon your intelligence—depend upon institutions
like these, and every despot in Europe will tremble, as
they do now, at your name. You are England ; you stand
at the head of civilization, and you need not be alarmed ut
any Cherbourg. You are England, against the world in
arms. (Loud cheers.)

she Eastern seas, as dependent on the right decision ottliis
question.
Your petitioners would further represent that, owing
to the withdrawal of British protection, end the impression
abroad that Sarawak has been abandoned by this country,
the Chinese inhabitant.; of Sarawak, instigated by events
in their own country, ruse in insurrection, to the injury of
British life and interests.
That this insurrection was successfully and Minted'•
ately repressed by the energy of Sir James Brooke, but
that the situation of Sarawak must iieeebsarily coati",
uncertain and precarious, from the withdrawal of the
recognition and protection formerly given ; that no petty
native State thus situated can advance in civilization, and
that the time has arrived when fur her own interests
and the security of those British subjects residing ill
her territories Sarawak should be placed under the
formal protection of Great Britain, or some other power.
ful State.

Your petitioners humbly submit this is not a question
to be delayed or lightly regarded, and being deeply im•
pressed with a sense of the responsibility incurred should
British life be sacrificed, or British interests injured inane
sequence, more especially at a time when events passing in
India and China render a measure of permanent and steady
protection imperative, they respectfully, but strongly, urge
upon your hon. house the importance of preserving and
improving the advantages already gained—advsntages which
comprise the maritime command of the southern shot° of
the Chinese Sea, the possession of an extensive coalfield,
the value of which in its powers of ultimate supply can
scarcely be overrated, the means of establishing and main.
taining electric communication with China, the develop.
went of a county rich in tropical productions, the increase
of trade and spread of British influence, and the advance•
went of civilization in the Eastern world.

That these advantages should not be lost to a nation
whose constant policy it should be to seek and Wag,
every new outlet to the commercial enterprise of its people,
but that, on the contrary, a trade which now amounts to
above a million of dollars yearly should be fostered and en•
couraged by every legitimate means, and security afforded
to a commerce of which a steady increase may be autiei-
pated to follow the secure development of a country pos-
sessing such abundant resources.
Your petitioners pray, therefore, that the protection of
the country may he granted to Sarawak, and that such other
measures maybe taken as will tend to insure the advantages
above referred to ; that the policy of 1847, for the mainte-
nance of British influence and the peace and security of the
coasts of Borneo, may be carried out, so far as may now be
found practicable, in order that British interests, now
seriously compromised by indifference and neglect, may be
legitimately secured, and that justice may be done to the
honourable motives and services of Sir James Brooke,
so frequently acknowledged, but hitherto so inadequately
requited.