The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-03 00:00:00

CHINA.

Earl Grey presented a petition against the continuance
of the war with China. The noble earl said he begged
to ask her Majesty's Government the questions of which
he had given notice to the noble earl the Lord President
of the Council. Great anxiety existed with respect to
the news arriving from China. He wished to know
whether the Government had received any information,
affording any prospect of an early termination of the
war in China; whether it was still carried on for the
purpose of obtaining the free entrance of the British
into the city of Canton, or for any other object ; and,
lastly, whether any reinforcements had been sent to
China ?

Earl Granville said the last intelligence from Canton
contained no account of any further operations having
been taken there, except those necessary for self defence.
The Chinese had taken the most hostile steps at Hong
Kong, and had issued proclamations offering rewards
for incendiarisms and assassinations. Under such cir-
cumstances there did not appear to be any prospect of a
speedy termination of the present war. There was,
however, no interruption in our commercial rela-
tions. It was impossible for any change to take
place in the policy at present pursued there,
tor, if so, it would have the appearance of receding,
which would lead to the most disastrous results in
Canton and in other parts of the empire, as the lives
and property of the British subjects, as well as of other
Christians, dew:Tided upon the determined position of
our forces in China. With respect to the question
whether any reinforcements had been sent to garrison
Hong Kong, he had to inform the noble earl that one
regiment had been sent there from India about three
weeks ago.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY.
The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBERS.

Mr. Carr took the oaths and his seat for Downpatrick.
Capt. Barnard took the oaths and his seat for Bandon.

PRIVATE I3SINESS.

The following private bills were read a second time
and ordered to be committed :—Eastern Counties Rail-
way, Fraserburgh Harbour, Great Yarmouth Water,
Salisbury and Yeovil Railway, South London Railway,
Stockport, Disley, and Whaley Bridge Railway, Strat.
ford-upon-Avon Railway, Swansea Harbour Trust
and Swansea Dock Company, West Somerset Railway,
and the West Somerset Mineral Railway.

On the motion of Mr. T. Greene the standing order
No. 175 was suwended in the case of the West Somerset
Nlinerslßailway Bill, and the West Somerset Railway Bill,
and they were referred to the committee of selection.

RAILWAY RATING.

On the motion of Mr. Hadfield, a return was ordered
of the duties paid by railway companies in the United
Kingdom during five years last on passengers' traffic, and
distinguishing the amount paid by each company each year,
and the respective classes for which such duty was charged
and paid, and the amount paid by each class respectively,

TAXATION.

Mr. Gladstone gave notice that in conformity with what
he stated on a former day, he should move, on the motion
that the Speaker leave the chair to enable the house to go
into supply, that in order to secure the country that relief
from taxation which it reasonably expected, it would be
necessary further to reduce the expenditure of the state.

PER/31A.

Mr. Gladstone further gave notice that to-morrow he
should put three questions to the government on the subject
of the papers w►th reference to Persia. The first was
whether the financial year mentioned in the letter of the
President of the Board of Control, dated 9th December
last, had the same meaning As to the ensuing financial
year, as that of Sir Charles Trevelyan's of the 2nd Decem-
ber, and if not, by whose authority was that change
made ? Secondly, whether any estimate of the charge
for the Persian war for the ensuing financial year had
been presented by the East India Company to the Go-
vernment ; and if so, when it was so made, and when it
would be laid on the table of the house ? Thirdly, whether
any supplies or ammunition of war, the property of her
Majesty, had been despatched from this country, or from
any of the British possessions, in aid of the Persian war ?