The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-26 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1863.

The douse of Commons yesterday resumed the
debate, which was adjourned on the 4th instant, on
the motion for the committee on the Salmon
Fisheries (Ireland) Bill, to which Lord Fermoy had
on that day made an amendment, to the effect that
the measure should be referred to a select com-
mittee.

Mr. CONOLLY and Mr. Dow SON now opposed the
bill, which would, they contended, amount to a con-
fiscation of the rights which the lower river pro-
prietors had acquired under the act of 1842.
Col. WHITE proposed that five representatives
of each of the two contending interests, who were
to be aided by a legal asssessor, should meet and
endeavour to come to some compromise upon that
subject ; and in order to afford the House an op-
portunity of discussing this suggestion he moved in
eonclusiou the adjournment of the debate.
A prolonged discussion then followed, which em-
latticed every topic involved in the general question,
and in the course of which several members ex-
praised their belief that the controversy which had
been raised could only be terminated by a compro-
mise, and that it was by the Government such a
settlement of the difficulty could be best effected.
The debate was not concluded at a quarter to six
o'clock, and was, therefore, again adjourned.
Oa the motion of Mr. SCHOLEFIELD, the Partner-
ship Ltw Amendment Bill was ordered to be re-
ferred to a select committee.

The Inclosure Bill was read a third time and
pissed.
The house adjourned shortly before six o'clock.

Earl RUSSELL, it is to be hoped, will see that
an end is at length put to the vagaries of Admiral
WILKES. The doings of that redoubtable sea
aptain are in truth no longer to be tolerated.
'When we learn now, for example, that it is
positively stated "in the telegrams from New
York that the Peterhoff private merchant steamer
of about 860 tons, from London to the Mexican port
of Matamoras, with British clearance and Mexican
consular manifest, Las been seized by Admiral
-Wriaexs within sight of the harbour of St. Thomas,"
it becomes manifest that there has come at last a
limit to our endurance. The flagrant affair of the
'Trent, while it was an outrage that could never be
(condoned with any regard to the dignity of the
:national character, could at any rate be passed by,
-with a sort of scorn, when the Government at
Washington had made, as they did, the most signal
amende, Isy delivering up, apologetically, the
Southern Commissioners who had been so disgrace-
fully torn from the deck of a British Mail Steam
Packet, and consequently from under the protection
of the time honoured banner of England. The recent
escapade of Admiral WILKES in British waters off
Bermuda is, in its turn, not forgotten. It was
anarked throughout by an insolence of demeanour
That amounted to nothing less than an outrage.
.And now comes this rumoured seizure by the
'tune notorious officer in the Federal Navy,
Of the private merchant steamer off St.
Thomas's. " The case," it is stated, "is to
be submitted to Earl RUSSELL, and the result
is regarded with great interest by the mercantile
community, since it is said that Admiral WILKES
is thus dealing with all vessels en route to Matamo-
ras." Furthermore, we read, "it is assumed that
the Peterhoff must be ultimately released, but an
adjudication at Key West occupies about six months,
and there is an appeal to New York or Philadel-
phia." Delays in the settlement of a matter o f
serious import like this, are no longer, however, to
'be endured. It signifies little or nothing that the
value involved in the ship and cargo in the present
instance is estimated at 170,000. Whatever it in
valved, a matter of £7O sterling or of £700,000,
the question under consideration would have
been the same precisely. Lord RUSSELL has—if the
report commented upon ba in any way true—but
one course to follow in dealing with it. And that
course he will follow we may rest assured. The
-most complete apology and the most ample resti-
tution! An apology and a restitution that ought
to be emphasised by the degradation of the offending
officer.

A lanentable increase of mortality in the metro-
polis is shown upon the examination of the last
r' tunas of the Registrar• General. The mildness of
`the seasons we take to be the cause. Of the sea-