Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-08-25 00:00:00

THE NORTHERS TIMES.--LIVERPOOL, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1857.

the amalgamation of the West. Iqdia and Australian M:il
Companies had come before the Government; alsp, whe-
ther the chairman of the West Indian Mail had not
obtained the consent of itasharehoklms to an amalgamation
with the Australian Mail Company, under a more or less
pcssitive asanrance that the existing Government contracts
would be farther extended without competition for t.vo
years, and whether this was to be a aivernment guarantee
for the sum of 5910,000 out of the public purse for services
to be performed in the years 1862aand 1863,
Mr. NVilson replied, that the onlycommurrivation that
he had with the companies was a peronnal intimation from
the chairman, in which they stated their desire to tarry the
arrangement into effect. The reply to this was, that they
must make their proposa's to the Admirality, from whom
they would come back to the Treasnry, lie had just
received a communication from the Admiralty, but be had
not yet time to fully vnsider it. As to the arcond question
he could give no reply. To the third question; he replied
that the £910,000, or whatev. r the sum might be, would
be money paid for service to be performed.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

SYSTEM.

[By British and Irish Magnetic Telegraph.]

HOUSE OF LORDS—MONDAY.
The Muse met at five o'clock.

THE CHUM{ OPIUM TRADE:

The Lord Chancellor laid upon the table the opinion of
lacy officers with respect to the c titivation, sale,. and
exportation of opium to China by the Etst'lndiaamioany.
Lord St. Leonards remarked that the usual course was
to take the opinion of the jadges of the land in such

cases.
L r 3 Campbell observed that the constitutional advisers
of the house were the jadges of the land, and their opi-
nian might be taken upon a question of legislation as well
as jurispru ice.
he Lird ChancAlor explained that it was considered
in xpedient to consult the judges on questions which
might subsequently come before them in their official
capacity.

SIR COLIN CAMPBELL ON THE PURCHASE

Oneold-officer, who had served Cl years in Portugal, Spain, France,
the Cape of Geed Hope, &c., in speaking of odic srs being purchased" over,
is ask: d—" And do you thinik that [hay felt it? To which he replies—
'No question about it; I have known many haste= sof fts-having
cause i the most bitter anguish; the very iron going into their souls."
Let us hear another officer—and this shall be the last. He entered
the service at fifteen, was in two pitched battles before he was
sixteen, served in the Peninsula, at Walchcren, in America, in the
West Indies,in China, in India, and in the Crimea. What doss he
say? He declares that the purchase system has an injurious effect
on the army. " I have known," he said, " many estimable men,
having higher qualities as officers than usual, men of real promise
and merit, and well educated, but who could not purchase. When
such men were purchased over, their ardour cooled, and they fre-
quently left the service ;. or when they e ett'nued, it was from
necessity, and not for any love for their profession." This same
illust:ions soldier having mentioned to the commissioners that he
had once purchased over an officer who was on the s aft' of the
Horse Guards, thus continues:—" The cffizer next below me was a
man wh ,ra I would bow to, as Possessing every quality that a man
ought to possess—possessing abilities as high at a y man I have
ever known; he could not purchase. It was in-1825 that I bought
my majority, and in 1347 I passed through Cawnpore, and found him
j-ist promoted to he a major in that regiment, having in the mean
time been to Australia. Final' y, ha left the serviee. He remained
in the service till he got this majority; he did no-: sell out ; he had
seine little income to maintain himself; but all tope was gone, and all
that interest which it is so necessary for a man to take in his pro-
fession." The man who gave 'his evidence is a real soldier. Nursed
in the British army, he knows the noble ambition which inspires the
boy who eaters the service, and the deep- anguish he meet feel when
he is passed by on account of his poverty. And as he t,ld the com-
ma sioners, ha- knows well the very" great inconvenieece and
embarrassment- to which officers are put in crder tee avoid being
thus superseded. And whois this witneas who thus comes forward
to condemn the purchase system? He is no other 'than Sir Colin
Campbell.—Dizitd Netos: