The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-19 00:00:00

IRISH JUDGES.

would have enabled hint to place it il ii;fferent terms be-
fore the house. He has, no doubt. unintentionally: mis.
qtlW el my speech alt,g,ther. I hav , referre.t to three or
four newspapers in this house—if I may it- allowed to
refer to newspapers in this house—and I have compared their
reports. I oo not pretent to r, collect the exte words I
usel, but referring to the Morning Herald, the pier that
has attacked me th, most, I ant rerne,ent_d to say that
Captain Chri.tio w a ab ait 70 yeirs of aoe —.thin. papers
in .ka me wty upwards of 70 years. I trill read from the
Times whet Isaid :--
" Who is at the head of the trios/301-U at Rd tklava ?
Captain Christie, an old gent'eman upwards of 70 years of
age, a gallant gentleman no doubt, but he cannot leave his
ship after dark for fear of a catarrh, which might en-
danger his existence. I know he is often five or six days
without being able to land at Balaklava. Are you then
surprised at the state in which Balaklava was?"

bets of this house, a,4,1 both its the profe,sicn of v, bleb
C,p'ain Christie was a niendtA-, and I will utp:e:tak, to
say that the ni,n who books the y,,ung st of the two is five
years older than the °quo% Any number of members of
this house would tak, the yourger man to be the elder of
the two. Such a mistake one of its nti,;ht easily mike The
hon. member for Aylesbury has seen Captain Ohm iAie, and
we have not. The hon. ntembe's opinion was that Capt.
Christie was a man about 70 years of age. He made that
statement. He was making a speech in the house- he was
excited tly wit he had 24:en at DOAlava, and we were
excited ity what, we had heard from the seat of war. But
what was the conduct of the hon. gentleman afterwards ?
At the very moment when he received a letter from Cap-
tain Christie he wrote to that officers agent in the most
frank terms. • What would have been thought of the hon.
member if he had come down to this house, and' asked the
house to notice particularly the fact that he had said
an officer was 70 years of age, but had since had a letter
from that officer, stating that he was not more than 60?
There would have been laughter from both sides of
the house, and that would bethe end of the affair. (Hear.)
My own opinion is, that the hon. member for Aylesbury
has only done that which al.y man may do, and rightly do,
who feels that at the head of a public department is a man
who is incompetent to tulfil his duty. And when a man
does that —for no one charges the hon. member with hav-
ing personal hostility to Captain Christie—if he has made
his statement in fulfilment of his public duty, what is to
become of us members of this house if there is to be a
weekly, foitnightly, or monthly hunt in this house on a
motion for adjourning the debate. Every one after this
discussion will come to the conclusion that the house is
treating the hon. member with rather less of that genero-
sity and fairness which are the usual characteristics of the
house, and it is for that purposei have risen to make these
few observations. _ _ _

During the time I was at Balaklava, on board the Agamem-
non, I had almost dailS, opportunities of seeing Captain
Christie. Against his private character I have nothing
whatever to say. He appeared to me to be a man about
70 years of age, and I had frequently heard a high autho-
rity say he was not a man competent to fill the position he
held. That opinion I formed myself strongly. I bad a right
to form it. At that time the existence of thousands was
dependent on those who were placed .t the heads of de-
partments ; and I, as a member of parliament and an En-
glishman, had a perfect right to express my opinion to the
country of any man at the head of any of those depart-
ments. There is no one impartial n,an, or one not wishing
to make political capital out of such matters, could venture
to say that anything more was to be inferred from my re-
marks than that Captain Christie was an old man—too old
to be at the head of his department. I did not know
whether he was 60 or 70 years of age. By his appearance
I was justified in saying he was about that age, as I might
express my opinion of the age or any man in this house,
and be mistaken. A few days after I received a letter from
Capt. Christie's brother. Now, no one is more ready in '
this house to atone for an error—if I have reason to believe
it to be an error—(oh, oh)—than I am. When a gentle-
man out of doors addresses an unseemly and unbecoming
letter to a member of parliament, and publishes th letter
in the newspapers' I apprehend, then, the duty of a ahem
ber of parliament ceases. Now, what was the letter? It
opened with a statement contrary to fact :
If your speech has been correctly reported, I have to
inform you that you have stated what is contrary to fact,
and have thereby done what you can to injure an absent
man."
It may be in the recollection of the house there was a
change of Ministry going on, and great excitemont in the
country, and I had not an opportunity of making a state-
ment in the house ; and, after receiving such a letter, I
very much doubt whether I should have made any state-
ment; and when I saw that letter published in the news-
papers, I might fairly have consilere l myself as relieved
from any further notice of it. I believe I did afterwards
receive a letter, whether from that same gentleman or
another I cannot say, but I remember I (lid write an
answer to it, and received a reply from the gentleman to
whom it was addressed, to say that he was the person who
had written to me. I have looked among my papers, but
am sorry to say I cannot find the letter. Some time after-
wards I received a letter from Captain Christie—that letter
was written under a misconception of facts. No doubt he
was informed I said he was 70 years of age. I never said
it—(hear)—the only thing I said was he was unable to un-
dergo exposure on account of the state of his health. The
moment I received that letter I wrote a reply, directed, as
he wished, to his agent, J. H. Smee :
" 9, Little Ryder-street, April 17, 1855.
"Sir,—l have to acknowledge the receipt of your note,
dated Balaklava, 26th March. I had already received a
communication from your brother on the subject of your
age. Had that communication been worded in a becoming
manner, I should have at once acknowleAged my error in
the House of Commons • but, as it was not so worded, and
as your brother thought fit to' publish it in a newspaper, I
did not consider it incumbent upon me to take any notice
of it. With regard to your suffering from disease—such a
statement was not made by me. I argued that a man of
your age could not perform the duties imposed upon an
officer in your position, without running the risk of injury
to his heillth.
, " With regard to your management of the harbour and
the shipping in it, that is now the subject of par iainentary
, inquiry, and I have no doubt that if you will inform Mr.
Roebuck of your arrival in England, he will summon you
before the committee, and you will then have an opportu-
nity of clearing yourself from any imputation that may
have been thrown upon you.
" I am, sir, your obedient servant."

In reply to Mr. H. BRUCE, as to whether a large por-
tion of the Irish Judges were incapacita'ed by ag or
other infirmities from the regular discharge of their
duties.

Mr. HORSMAN said the subject had been frequently
under the consideration of the Government, and was
still so. (Laughter )

HOLYHEAD HARBOUR.

In reply to Sir R. BULKELEY,

Sir C. WOOD said the repot of the engineers had
been already laid on the table, and the work to c.trry
out the northern breakwater would be carried out as
speedily as possible. A landing place was; about to be
opened there for the accommodation of railway pas3en-
gers.
In reply to Lord NAAS,

Sir 6. WOOD said the depth of water would be fr,
25 to 35 feet, and the area of the whole works would
cover 600 acres in extent.

PLANS OF THE EARL OF DIINDONALD.

In reply to Mr. FRENCH,
Lard PALMERSTON said the plans of Lord Thin
donald were last autumn referred to a committee of null•

tarp and scientific men ; but the difficulty of the case
seemed to increase as it was more looked into ; an f tar
really was not prepared to state what day the Govern-
ment could give a final answer on the subject.

Sir J. GRAHAM—Sir, I am extremely anxious that this
discussion, which is of a most painful character, should
not be unneoessarily prolonged. But I must say it is not
the character alone of the hon. member for Aylesbury that
is concerned ; a debt of justice is due to the memory of a
gallant man. (Hear, hear.) And, sir, I beg leave to state
that no transaction has for a long time given me such acute
and deep pain as this very transaction we are now dis-
cussing, for though it is no longer possible to render a
tribute of justice, which might soothe the feelings of a
gallant man now no wore; still there is a debt of justice
due to those relatives who feel the greatest interest in all
that happens. Sir, I alone am responsible for the ori-
ginal appointment of Captain Christie. He was unknown
to too except by reputation. He bore a high and spot-
less character in his gallant profession ; he had served
well and honourably, and he was recommended to me as
fully competent for the situation to which I appointed
him. I believe the first serious question raised with re-
spect to his competency was raised in this hi use by the
honourable member for Aylesbury. Certainty, sir, I
shall not attempt to eive evidence as to the precise words
used by the honourable member on that occasion ; but
it will be in the recollection of the house that the
allusions to Captain Christie by the hon. member were
very disparaging—namely, that he was an old men, a
sickly man—(uo, and cheers)—and as such mass unfit for
his duty. (No.) I certainly understood the hon„ member
to say he was so liable to catarrh as to he unable to leave
his ship for many days consecutively; and I leave it to
the house to judge whether the tone and substance of
what the hon. member said did not leave an impression
that an unlit person had been appointed et a crisis of
public affairs to fill a most important situation ? I have
said this matter deeply grieved me. I had heard too
much clamour with regard to this officer, and I ordered
inquiry to be instituted after that debate by the Com-
mander-in-Chief on the naval station, whether, in his
opinion, Captain Christie had effectually and well die-
charged the duties of the station to which he had been
appointed. Two faults, and only two, to the best of my
recollection, were alleged with respect to the manner
Captain Christie had conducted his duties. The first re-
lated to the discretion exercised by him with refer-
ence to the transports outside the harbour on the 14th
of November, the day of the heavy storm and incidentally
another question arose, which the right hon. baronet
alluded to, whether Captain Christie had not made a
serious mistake with reference to ordering a portion of the
Turkish troops bound from Varna to the Crimea, to go to
Balaklava instead of Euoatoria. Having received an
answer anti an inquiry, instead of handing Capt. Christie
over to the committee on which the bon. member sits, I
thought it more just, and on the whole better, to
submit the conduct of a gallant officer to the c ei-
stituted tribunal of his brother officers, that they should
investigate the charges and pronounce an opinion on
Captain Christie's conduct. This, I thought, would be
better than to submit Captain Christie to the ordeal the
hon. member wished him to sustain. For thet I am respon-
sible. I did not wish Captain Christie to'return to England
to be examined, but that he should be tried by court-
martial. Here is the point. I had reason to believe that
the bitter and cruel suspense in which Capt. Christie was
placed—finding himself superseded and ordered to be tried
by court martial, coupled with the statement made in that
house eo disparaging to him, broke the heart of a gallant
man ; and when in the committee I said I did believe that
Capt. Christie's death was in consequence of the circum-
stances I have stated The hon. member says when be re-
ceived a letter from Capt. Christie's brother, stating cir-
cumstances so minute its to prove the errors into which he
had fallen, that he bad not answered that letter. And
what is his allegation ? Why; that when he received a
letter. from Capt. Christie's brother, who was on the spot,
correcting two errors as contrary to fact, and injurious to
the character of an ab,ent man—be found that letter
couched in terms so offensive as to preclude him from
doing justice to that absent man. Now I appeal to this
house to say if that is not a dangerous deceriue to put
forward, coupled with the facts of the case. It is a
doctrine the honourable member on reflection will not,
I feel assured, adhere te. (Hear, hear.) With respect to
what fell from me on the committee,, I sincerely thank
the right honourable ge,tleman (Sir J. Pakington) tor
doing me justice. I brought charges against no one. I felt
regret for what was demanded of me. I said, and looked
steadily at the hon. member, that Captain Christie died a
broken-h acted man. I censidei ed that what the hon. mem-
ber said in the louse of Captain Christie was unjust to a
gentleman. I believe the statement had the worst effect on
the health of:, gallant officer, and I du think that the lesson
eualit net to be thrown away with reference to future
charges; that allegations against the character of absent
men night not to be brought forward 011 light grounds,
and that when errere ate preyed at have been committee,
there will be no hesitation in frankly acknowledging them.
Mr. ROEBUCK—As chairman of the S bistopol com-
mittee, I ti-pa the hue will excuse we if I say a few words
en the subject. I think there is something p culiar ill the
expreseittes Used by the light bin. gairtiew at tier uremia ,r
fur Carlisle. The charge against the hoe. member fur Ayles-
bury is th:.t in his opinion Captain Christie was about 70
years of age, and in his opitii on ince puble of pee forwieg his
duty. Hereupon the right Lou gentleman the member for
Carlisle thought it within the scope of his daty to deeise
an inquiry by court-mat do to be hel t into Cap-. Christie'e
conduct. Doling that iuqui.y ewe circuinstenees c One to
the knit' ledge of the right barenet, which caused hun
to order a court•mertiel. These two circumstances were not
mentioned by the hon. member for Aylesbuiy. The first was,
that Capt. Christie by his conduct conduced to the lass or
the Prince. The second was, that instead of sending troops
to Eupatai ie he sent them to Balaklava. These two cir-
cumstances were, in the opiniou of the right hon. baronet,
eo grave that ho superset": d Capt. Christie and ordered a
court-martial. Then the right hon. baronet tells us that in
giving his evidence before the committee, he did tix his eye
on the hon. member for Aylesbury, proving them eby that
the right hon. baronet the member for Droitwich is wig-
take,. Sitting there wholly unconcerned he thought, and
I thought, that the right hon. baronet was merely giving
effect to his statement of a fact, but the right hon baronet
the member for Carlisle now says that he gave a signficant
statement, anti that he intended to convey to the hun.
member for Aylesbury that Captain Christie had died of a
broken heart in consequence of the conduct of the hon.
member for Aylesbury. If Captain Christie died of a
broke. heart, what broke his heart? Because be was su-
perseded and ordered to be tried by a court-martial. What
caused him to be superseded and to be tried by a court.
martial ? The right hon. baronet has told us. The cir-
cumstances that led to his being superseded, and to his
trial, by court-martial, did not arise out of the states
went of the hon. member for Aylesbury. The statement
was that he was an old man. I never heard that such
a statement could ever be considered a charge. If it
is a charge, it is one to which I hope we n ay all be
liable. But it is surely becoming the generosity of
the house, before visiting any member with its displeas
sure, to consider well the cause of displeasure. What is
the accusation against the hon. member for Aylesbury ?
He said that Captain Christie was 70 years old—
decrepid—or if he did not say decrepid, he implied it, and
that from his age he was incapable of performing his duty.
Judging of the man from his appearance, the hon. member
for Aylsbury said that he was 719 years old, and also, judg-
ing from appearances, that he was unfit to perform the
duties of the office imposed upon him. That is the sum
total of what the hon. member said. Then the hon. mem-
ber says that the hon. member for Aylesbury received let-
ters and did nut answer them. He has told you that of
the letter from the sister of Captain Christie he is wholly
ignorant. (Cries of no.) The hun. member tells me so.
Of the letter which he received from the brother of Capt.
Christie he has told you that he conceived the opening sen-
tence of it to be so discourteous and disparaging that he
thought it did not merit an answer. To the letter of
Captain Christie himself the Us. member did send an
answer, admitting that ho had been inaccurate about the
age of Captain Christie, but that he was cut prepared to
retract the opinion which he had formed of being in-
capable to perform his duty. Is this, then, a statement
which cells on the house to visit the hon. member with that
sort ()Nil:ph-mut e which it hits manifested to-night—a dis-
pleasure which could not have been more severe if the hon.
member had beet, guilty of some dishonourable act. Hon.
members may dissent from the opinion that a statement
about age is nut dishonourable, but that does not meet any
view of what is dishonourable, It appears to me that Capt.
Christie was deeply wounded from what occurred, but tor
what occurred I hold the right hon. baronet the member
for Carlisle responsible, end not the hon. member for
Aylesbury. His being superseded, and being ordered to
be tried by a court-martial were the two events that cut
to the heart of Captain Christie. and for those two events
the right hon. baronet is re-ea eredble. One point has been
omitted, but I think it due to the honourable member to
make the statement on his behalf. The rieht honourable
gentleman said that he was unwilling to subject Captain
Cloistie to the ordeal which the hon. member desired.
There have been both noblemen anti gentlemen before
that committee—the honourable member for Aylesbury
was brought into contact with thew, I use that term—and
carefully abstained front putting questions to those geetle-
men. The right hon gentleman the member for Droitwich
will hear me out when I say that the hon. gentleman need
not h ive been afraid of that ordeal. It is au ordeal which
the right hon. baronet has gone through himself, and I
think he has not entre/ ed materially from it. (Hear.)
Admiral BERKELEY thought he might be considered
as good a judge of the character of Captain Christie and of
his professional abilities as the hon. gentleman ; and he
felt bound to say, though the right hot' baronet the mew-
her for Cerisle had taken the responsibility of the appoint-
ment, that he shared the responsibility, for the right. hon.
baronet had consulted the board before making it. No
roan !pure desired a court-martial than Captain Christie
himself. It ought not to be said that the right hon. ba-
ronet, in carrying out the rules of the service, was in any
way 1-10C.•LLAO of the "tied) of the gallant officer in questi u.Rather let it be seal of teose who malignantly attacked a
man behind his back. Why had not the hun. member, when
called npou by I hat touching letter of Captain Christie's
dome,e the
sister,
itilnosnweetrheadt
tetveerryanlidoulovuh d her
honourable
man
efficiency of the service was what the Admiralty looked to
in their appointments, and he must say au unprejudiced
mindwwould.
haveiir h
person would have said, judging from the appearance of
Captain Christie, that he was rather 45 than 70.
Mr. OTWAY said he had no doubt the hon. member for
Aylesbury had derived his information as to the nature of
Captain Christie's duties, and the way in which they had
been performed, from military authorities on the spot. He
trusted the hon. member would not be deterred from ex-
posing the monstrous abuses in our military system, for ho

" Captain Christie."
I sent it to the ad.iress in question, but whether it was
forwarded to Captain Christie, or not, I cannot say ; nor
do I know what became of the letter. Now, sir, with re-
gard to Captain Christie's position in the harbour of Ba.-
la.klavo., I may, perhaps, be allowed to refer to the evi-
dence taken before the committee, There is considerable
doubt on the subject. The evidence of the witnesses clashes
with regard to his powers. I myself formed my opinion
from what I saw. I have a right to do so, and to express
that opinion. I have refrained from giving any personal
opinion on the evidence, leaving that task to the commit-
tee ; but if I can ask hon. gentlemen for any justice or
fair play, I would ask them whether there is one word in
the extract which authorised a court-martial to be held on
Captain Christie. (Hear.) Because I said a man was 70
years of age, is that a reason for trying him by court-mar-
tial ? And now I actually find myself charged with the
murder of Captain Christie. The right hon. gentleman
behind me (Sir J. Graham), when in the committee-room
the other day, in a tone and manner that ne one could
mistake, and I appeal to the other members to confirm me,
when answering a question, turned to me and said, " Cap-
tain Christie is dead—a broken-hearted man." (Hear.)
Yes, it was well said by a right. hon. gentleman opposite,
if you would trust a bad case to good hands, go there. (Rear,
and laughter.) Who was responsible for Capt. Christie's
trial? What said the right hon. gentleman tell the com-
mittee that Captain' Christie was put on his trial for ?
Because I said he was an old man ? No, but because the
right hon. gentleman at the head of the Admiralty thought
he might be considered guilty of causing the loss of the
Prince and of landing Turkish troops at Balaklava which
ought to have been landed at Eupatoria. In what I may
have said about the loss of the Prince, I always felt sure
that Captain Christie had nothing to do with it. I was
there the day after the loss of the Prince, and I was told
by everybody that the Prince multi not come into 13 da-
kleva. Now, with regard to landing the troops at B da-
kleva instead of at Eupeteria, until the right hot. gentle-
man said so before the committee, I never heard a
word about it. Captain Christie was sent to be tried on
those two issues. I never raised them. If 0 +ptaln Christie
has beau an ill-treated man, who ill-treated him ? It was
the First Lord of the Admiralty (Sir James Graham) who
first listened to those matters which must have come from
other sources, and not from impute, i is I cast upou him.
I may ne mistaken as to Captain Car Lte's :age (Laughter.)
I remember a remarkable mistake as to ages, anti I will ap-
peal to the right hors. gentleman who corrected that rids-
take. In 1813, when a revolution broke out iu Servia, Lo; ti
Aberdeen who was then Minister fur Foreign Affairs, jus-
tified to a certain extent the non-interference of this coun-
try, and the carrying out of the Russian policy, en the
growl. I that the Prince Stirbey, who was then on the throne,
was too young a man, who had been taken front obscurit ,
and who had no claim to his position. The right hon. gen-
tleman then pointed out that this young man was 40 years
of age. The matter involved a question of great init.:rest,
but was Lord Aberdeen attacked or accused on account of
the mistake. But, when I make a mistake, you attack um
as if compelled to do so by poltical or party reasons. I
admit the mistake ate ut the age,; but if you think that by
crushing me—a poor man, a man of no weight in this
house •you may sacceed, but you will not crush the cause
with which lain identified. (Hear.) You arehere to shout
me down because I attack a sy-term by which you hon. and
gallant members sit in the house, and rise in the ranks of
the army without encountet iug the dangers and lighting
the battles of your country. (Oh, oh, and cheers.) You
mayhuut me down, but the country will not stand it. (Oh.)
Hon. gentlemen may repeat their cries, but I warn them
again that sooner or later—(Here the close of the sentence
was drowned in cries of " Oh.") 1N ow, sir, with regard to
Captain Christie, no man can be more grieved than I am
at his death. If I could have done anything to save him I
should gladly have done it. quite as readily as if he was
my nearest and dearest relative. But I contend I had a
right to say, as a Member of Parliament, he was incompe-
tent to hold his position if I thought so ; and I say a
member of Parliament has no right to be exposed to
attacks, as I have been more than once, for doing his duty
—for the country will believe that such attacks are only
made for party purposes. (Oh, oh, and cheers.)
Mr. FERGUS, in explanation, said the hon. gentleman
had totally misunderstood his question. The letter he re-
ferred to was not a letter from Capt. Christie, but a let-
ter from Mrs. Boswell, Capt. Christie's sister, forwarded
by himself to the hon. gentleman on the 28th February.
Sir J. PAKINGTON —As a member of the Sebastopol
committee, I feel bound to take some notice of the evidence
given by the right hon. gentleman (Sir J. Grale.m).
must say I never heard a more unfair representation of
that evidence than that which has been given by the hon.
member for Aylesbury. I heard the right hon. gentleman
allude to the then supposed death of capt. Christie, for
it had not then been ascertained, and the right hon. gen-
' tleinan with a depth of feeling which I think did him
honour, said he believed at that moment that Captain
Christie was dead of a broken heart. I heard no more
from the right hon. gentleman than what a man of good
feeling could have said who was giving evidence with re-
ference to Capt. Christie at a moment of such melancholy
interest. I cannot refrain from adding my very deep re-
gret at the etiurse the hen. member fur Aylesbury has taken
on this subject. He says this wetter is brought forward
for party purposes, and that there is an endeavour to crush
him. Let me tell him that if he is crushed he will have
crushed himself. (Cheers ) He will crush himself, as any
man will crush himself, who brings forward these loose
charges against public servants under circumstances which
prevent him from substantiating those charges. The ben.
gentleman is a man of great ability. He is a man able to
do good service, and I hope he w;11 do good service ; but if
anything will prevent his rendering good service, it will be
the want of precision and the want of care with which he
ventures upon these charges. How does this matter
stand now about. Captain Christie ? To an officer, profes-
sional character is everything. The hon. gentleman comas
down, and says, in reference to an officer, he is 70 years of
age, and too old for service, being unable to leave his ves-
sel for six or seven days at a time for fear of catching a
catarrh, and that he is unable to perform the public ser-
vice. He then receives letters both from the sister and
from the brother of Captain Christie. He receives that
touching letter, which has been read by the hon. gentle-
man who so ably bronght forwar this matter. He re-
ceives a letter also from the blether. Last of all, he re-
ceives a letter from Capt. Christie himsel -after receiving
which, I confess, I should have thought that no man of
honour would have done less than acknowledge his error
(Hear.) I regret the hon gentleman did not feel, after
eeei vine that letter, pointing tint an.lcorrec-ieg the errors
which ho had fallen, that his only course was to ha, t,
frankly acknowledged in the house the errors into which
he had fallen. (otter.) I take the course lam now taking
with great regret—l speak without any hostile feeling in
the matter—but I ain sure bon. members will agree with
rue in saying that the bon. member will beet consult h s
own public character by not inakieg any such charges as
those in future. (Hear-)
Mr. BRIGHT—I rim afraid that the discussions which
base recently taken place in this Louse have to some extent
tinged its character. I have been a member of this house
fw.""oYeare anti I have heard several al tore shoos of ono
kind and another, but I have never heard any altercation
before to night which bore to me the character of au un-
. to bavencno4emiZter.
generous treat
Layard) seems tothe tiret place,
hon.
In inent of one of the members. (Oh.) The
me to have done
Lave done under the
jus?f_ these transactions,-he appears to
subsequent coml:0 fault—(oh)—and with regard to the
that which any one of ua would
urazeree circumstances. (No, no.) I
want to ask hone
husembers whether any member
arged with some grave offence
of this houae is to be
if he states here that ea
person at the head cf
an important departmentetain
and appears to him much too ottt 70 yearn of age,
Poiot to two mom.
taanage the depart-
meat of which he is the head. I coZti

MR. LAYARD—THE LATE CAPTAIN CHRISTIE.
Mr. FERGUS would ask the indulgence of the boas,:
while he proceeded to rescue the character of a gallant
officer from great and unmerited obloquy. (Hear.) It had
been stated in that house that the harbour of Balaklava
had been entrusted to Captain Christie, an old man up-
wards of 70 years of age, who.from infirmity was unable to
leave his ship for six or seven days together without en,lan-
gering his life. The question was then asked, such a man
being in command of the harbour of Balaklava, who could
wonder at the state in which it remained? Now what were
the facts? He had known in close neighbourhood Captain
Christie many years. He had never known that officer to
have any physical complaint. He was 57 ',cars of age w hen
he left this country for Balaklava, and he was of vigorous
and athletic constitution. Captain Christie was never in
command of the harbour of Balaklava —he was in command
of the transports outside the harbour, and he was always
where his duty called him. There was every allowance to be
made for a gentleman who was, with a single eye, conscien-
tiously engaged in making investigations for the good of the
country, for any false information he might collect ; but t hat
gentleman was bound, after making incorrect statements,
when facts were explained, to give his statements full and
proper contradiction and explanation. In Feb. last a letter
was written to the gentleman who made the statement in
question :

" Sir, - I read with much regret your statements with
regard to Captain Christie. A reference to the Admiralty
books would easily show you that he entered the service
in 1813, being then 12 years old. I shall not trouble you
'with a detail of his services, but you will find he has
al-
ways been accounted an energetic and painstaking offieer.
At lialaklsva having been ordered outside the harbour,
along with the transports. previous to the gala of the 11th
of November, he saved the ship in which he was—the
Melbourne—through his own exertions in cutting away
the masts. He also 3 times sent in a lieutenant to beg the
senior naval officer to allow the Prince to go into harbour,
as she had only one anchor ; hut that was refused, and she
was lost. You will at once perceive that your statement
has placed an active an meritorious officer, 57 years of age
in the eyes of the country in the position of an imbecile
dotard. (Cries of hear.) Trusting to your known gene-
rosity of character I cannot doubt that you will pub-
licly correct a mistaken statement so publicly made. I am,
sure you will excuse the feelings of a sister,and the tres-
pass on your time, on behalf of an absent brother." (Cheers.)
Now, he wished, though not exactly to the question, to
aa that the statement with regard to the Prince transport
was perfectly correct, and would have been confirmed by
Captain Christie himself had he lived to take his trial by
court-martial ; it would be confirmed by the right Lou.
gentleman who was at the time at the head of the Adtui-
talt3r. Another letter was written to the hon. gentleman
"T 5. b
I o_roFther of Captain Christie, which bore truth on the
%al:itan
I it. These hitters were in the possession of the hon.
.7_ remained in
more than ten weeks. The relatives of Captain
suspense; but it was not suspeni,e to
Was kul ehrietie—it
**My aliv was anguish. (Hear.) Capt. Chtistie
"as dearer to he this professional position ; his reutation
he used that im than lire. He usedno exaggeration when
the gallant e...lPr7t catu—yethataanurish and alixiety did for
have done."l'r
otl'rtstion of the error 0
r servicedid ncootu ld not
and he broke dobsr°
midst of his duties,
Where neither gland?? the
and had come,
He begged to ask the Or Praise could relch him (eh gone
he received those lettersn. member for Al 1 * eers
)
to them ? . and whm,
answer he had given Mr. LAYARD.—I lly feel
to rests are at stake, and wheu tha e'hea m --.' i I
' when great in-
war is at its pitch, on accouut of wh,,thtur" upon tj,
the East, that the time of the house should be take„ Place in
questions of this kind—(oh, oh) —whi,h i„,ol,tahe" unin
matters. I ask hon. Inalrl 3eri—p.nit,p3 I shuuted Pu'"8`)"1
gentleman in particular—whether they Y';'"e
gallant intend to
renew to-night the unseemly scene which took place Le
other night ? (Olt, oh.) Those hon. gentlemen are bringi.,4l
on the house great discredit. (Oh, oh, and laughter.) There
.14 s feeling gaining ground in this country. (Cries of
ZQuestioa.") The questioi is the adjournment of this
'le' I Bis rising up in this country that the
time of thisST, a feeling
with, and that
this ha house is taken up and trifled
feeling is is
made the arena of personal altercation. That
gentlemen gaining ground, and I warn hon. and gallant
gains gro,,nPosite—aaughter)—that that feeling way
air, I will 'lawtoo wide and too vast in the country. Now,
put to me,
after the:question which the hon. member has
for if the h lm
on. mow_ the proceeding is not quite regular,
this quest. I uer had spoken to lon W9uld ha', . en to me before a
hraised
given him such information as

THE SUN', LONDON SATURDAY EVENING'. MAY l9. 1555'.

was quite sure the (nuntry wouid support hire, and would
viLimaAy be of his opinion. He risen on the preseLt,
oee,sion to pia a gile•stinn to the Fist, Lord of the Trea
sury. (N hugh.) A. tramp-,t hail saile 1 the other d,y
ha.ing on board 300 or 4014 P des. srmed and equipped by
this country for service agdast ItAssiv. lie wished t
know whether they were to be incorporattht in ti fore Lot
Turkish legi,n, or whether they were to firm a part of a
legion of their own c(amtlymen under their own national
flag and officers. lie believed that it the Polish standard
was heisted number, of Pules in the ILISSI4II service would
desert to it. do .oie itolde brd would make up his
mind to the raisig of a. Polish legion, and not hang back,
waiting on Austria. (Hear.)

TdE LONDON. GAZETTE OF LASY :117'.

FlUt_llilNtai V3l PA.141(.1.-..;, MAY 15.

This day had audience of her M.tjesty ;
His Excellency the Count Walewski, Aulhassal,,r from
the Emperor of the French, to deli'er his letter of recall;
T whom he was introduced by the Earl of Ctarend,.n,
K.G., her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign Atfai.s,
and conducted by Major-General th, Honourable Sir Ed-
ward Cost, K.C.H , her MajeatYs Master of the Ceremonies.

DOWNING-STREET, MAT 15.
The Queen has been pleased to constitute the Island of
Labuan and its dependencies to be a Bishop's See and
Diocese, to be called the Bishopric of Labuan, and to ap-
point the Reverend Francis Thomas kl`Dongsll, D.C.L.,
to be ordained and consecrated Bishap of the said See.