The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-11 00:00:00

Ti l ° suy r NDON WEDNESDA
Y EVENING, NOVEMBER 11, 1863.
c.

The Right Hon. C. P, Villiers, UP., on the
Policy of the Government.

On Monday night Mr. Villiers and Mr. Weguelin ad-
dressed their constituents at a dinner given in Wolverhamp-
t2n to the retiring Mayor, Mr. 11. H. Fowler.
The ex-Ma.yon gave " The health of her Majesty's Mi-
nisters," coupling the name of Mr. Villiers with the toast.
Mr. VILLIERS, in responding to the toast, said, as one of
the body who had the honour to be included in the toast
they had just drunk, he begged, on his own part and that of
his colleagues, to tender to them their best acknowledg-
ments for the compliment they had paid them. The loyalty
of this country usually prompted people to do honour to
those in the service of the Crown, and such toasts were
commonly those of form ; but such was not the impression
left upon his mind after hearing the remaiks which his
friend had just made, and he felt bound personally to express
himself grateful at the manner in which the toast had been
received. (Hear.) A Minister was certainly not less sensible
than another man to the good opinion of his neighbour.
There was abundant reason for his being more so, for, if he
had to state the result of his experience in that position, it
would be that such was the trouble that it entailed, and
such was the responsibility involved in it, that nothing
could compensate for its possession but the hope that he
might deserve, and should obtain, the good opinion of
the country. (Hear, hear.) In this country men had the
inclination, as well as the power, to express their opinions
freely on public matters, and it was difficult to obtain gene •
ral agreement on questions of policy, and still more to unite
opinion in favour of any Government, When, therefore,
the merits of a Ministry could be mentioned with favour in
a promiscuous assembly like the present, he could not but
feel gratified at the circumstance. He was told that at
meetings of this kind politics were abjured, And certainly
he would not be guilty of violating not only rule, but good
taste, by saying anything that could provoke question or
dissent. He hoped, however, that he might be allowed to
express his satisfaction at observing upon frequent occasions
the friendly tone in which men who were opposed to them,
but:w ho were esteemed in the country, had alluded to the
Government, and how often they had seen manifested at
meetings of their opponents a disinclination to displace the
present Government, or rather, perhaps, men of such large
experience in public affairs as Lords Palmerston and Russell, '
and men of such extraordinary talent as Mr. Gladstone—
(cheers)—and their old friend the present Lord Chancellor.
(Hear.) If these things occurred he trusted he might re-
gard them as indicating no dissatisfaction with the policy
of the Government, and as an indication that the govern-
ment had been administered in a national spirit. (cheers.)
Great events had been passing in the world during the last
four years, and the Government had been frequently re-
quired to decide upon their action with regard to them. He
should not then enter into the precise course adopted by
the Government upon such occasions, but he thought that
he could point to some general results upon which there
was no question, and which possibly might exercise some
influence upon opinion. In the first place, peace during
that period had been maintained—(cheers)—not at the ex-
pense of honour, for when the privilege of the British flag
was assailed, as it was in a great question of maritime right
by the Americans, it was by universal assent vindicated
with spirit and success. (Cheers.) Again, in the face of
the strongest inducements to take an opposite course, the
pledge of neutrality to each contending party in the States
of America has been strictly and honourably observed.
(Hear, hear.) Again, duties on trade that might be written
in millions have been removed, and yet the revenue had

been left unimpaired—(cheers)—and lastly, there was then
a state of commercial prosperity in the country that
equalled, and presently would exceed, that extraordinary
year which preceded the one in which the disasters of
America occasioned such fearful disturbance in the great
industry of this country. (Cheers.) The consideration of
these circumstances might possibly account in some degree
for what, for fear of giving offence, he would not call con-
tentment, but for that political calm to which his friend
had just referred, and which certainly does pervade the
country at present—(hear, hear)—aad which also might
have influence upon the minds of men of experience and
judgment in thinking that it would be unwise at this mo-
ment to excite those feelings which in party contentions for
power are sure to be evoked. (Cheers.) He certainly would
not himself say a word in disparagement of his political
opponents. He knew that among them were meu of the
highest talent and most benevolent views; and he believed
that if they were not forward in seeking to displace the
present Government, they were actuated by considerations
for the best interests of the country. (Cheers.) He was not
going to contend that the present state of the country was
not also owing to other circumstances than those which he
had mentioned, and over which neither the Government
nor the Legislature had any control, and he would name
among the most powerful agents in our immediate pros-
perity the bountiful harvest, the best that was remembered
by our oldest men, which had been vouchsafed to us this
year by Providence—(cheers)—and already were all the
blessings that follow so directly from cheapness and abun-
dance of food, and which in former times used to be so
elaborately estimated in this borough, being traced to the
homes and comforts of the poor—(cheers)-tea circumstance
which reminded him of the fortune that had befallen this
country, if this crisis in a great industry was doomed to
occur, that it had come upon us later instead of earlier, and
not when we were committing the fatal error of relying
upon one source alone for our food as well as for our cotton,
and that we had not had at one time a dearth of food as
well as of cotton ; for they knew that the cotton famine
had actually occurred in the midst of three successive bad
harvests—(hear, hear)—and could any man realise to him-
self what would have been the extent either of the misery
or the confusion that would have followed if this misfor-
tune had formerly happened ? (Hear, hear.) But we see the
fact that from our timely wisdom of drawing upon the re-
sources of the whole world for our food we had never for one
instant lately been inconvenienced by dearness or scarcity.
(Cheers.) Who had not admired the manly patience and
resignation of the operatives in Lancashire under thir dis-
tress, and who that knew them doubted but that those feel-
ings were, above all things, strengthened and confirmed by
the belief that their misery could in no way be traced to the
bad laws or the bad government under which they were Hy-
ing ? (Cheers.) Ho thought the c,ndition of the country
was matter of congratulation on another account—namely,
that, as regarded matters of public policy, general opinion
had never been in a sounder state than at present. Not-
withstanding the great increase of popular influence in our
Governments`of late years, he never know the country more
tenacious of its honour, or more ready to defend it. (Hear,
hear.) Ha never knew the public better disposed to the in-
stitutions of the country, subject as they always were to be
reformed. (Hear, hear.) Again, never was there a greater
desire to promote the moral elevation of the people. He
would also say that though at no time were the people of this
country more averse to war, or more acutely alive to all its
misery and mischief, yet at no time had they been so pre-
pared—should that sad exigency arrive—to make the sacri-
fices necessary for the defence of their shores, or to resist
their enemies in any part of the world. (Loud cheers.)
And he would say further, that though England appeared
to be more wedded to her own form of government than
ever, and had the moat perfect faith in liberal constitu-
tional Government being the best suited to all the civilised
communities of the earth, or at least of the European race,
yet that never was she more satisfied that it is no province
of hers, and not the interest of any other country, that she
should by active intervention effect any changes in the form
of Government of other countries. (Cheers.) That prin-
ciple of non-intervention was, ho believed, regarded as
sacred in this country, and, for the peace of the world, he
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people—(cheers)—and the result must be insecurity and
discontent. All history, and one might say daily experience,
tended to confirm this opinion, or to show that intervention
ought to be deprecated, (Hear.) When the present Govern
nent should fall and there was one of those sketches given
of its actions, such as great men reoeive in the newspapers,
in justice they would have to be commended for the ,
firm-
ness and determination with which they had resisted all
inducements to interfere actively with the internal affairs
of other countries. (Cheers.) Non-intervention was the
great household principle of minding your own business
applied to nations at large, where it was useful to be ob-
served. (Hear, and a laugh.) He only wished that forbear-
anee could be carried still further, and that nations would
be somewhat more careful in the language they employed
towards each other. (Hear.) It arose frequently from
gnor I • ance, quite unwarrantable, and censures were often
unreasonable in those who cast them. Ho thought hard
measures had been dealt out both to the Federals and the
Southerners in this country. The most bitter reproaches
had been cast upon the President for desiring to retain the
Union, and against the Southerners for desiring to retain
what they called their property. Yet he could not help re.
membering that for the first ten years that he Was in Parlia-
ment ono of the prominent questions of the day was the re-
peal of the union with Ireland. Yet he never remembered one
English member who was for it, or one that would not have
voted any means to maintain it, or any Minister who would
not have been called a traitor who had thought of yielding
it—(hear, hear)—and he did not know to what length they
would not have gone to retain the Union had the eme.
nent man who agitated that question so perseveringly not
died. (hear, hear.) Again, for some years before he went
into Parliament he remembered well the kind of lan-
guage that used to be held towards Lord Brougham and
others who sought to emancipate the negroes that
belengea to Lngli4inen, and lie doubted if it Was very

different from that which the Southerners addressed to the
Abolitionists now. (Hear, hear.) They, however, as Eng-
lishmen, would have been indignant if other nations had in-
terfered with their national disputes, and not allowed them
to settle those questions as it seemed best to them to do, and
which in fact they did, to their entire satisfaction. (Hear,
hear.) Why, then, should the Americans not be allowed to
settle their own affairs in the way they think right, without
being so severely condemned by other people ? (Cheers.)
After some further remarks on local affairs, Mr. Villiers
concluded amid much cheering,
Mr. 'WEGUELIN said it had been a general complaint that
the discussions of the House of Commons had been fruitless
of results ; that politics had become languid and the mem-
bers flaccid—(a laugh)—that, content with the leadership of
one great man, they had shunted their responsibility and
were content to look on from a siding at the express train of
affairs which ra,n by them. (Laughter.) But there had been
an absence of party strife, which state of things must be at-
tributed to other causes. General questions had of late years
been settled by the triumph of those principles which had
established civil and religious liberty, had extended self go-
vernment and placed it on a wider basis, and had regulated
trade, currency, and finance. (Hear, hear.) But if party
spirit had been dead in late years, they should all rejoice
that the spirit of trade was reviving. (Hear, hear.) He be-
lieved the prevailing prosperity was sound, but they would
let him, as an old merchant, address to them a few words of
warning, because there were a few indications that this pros-
parity might be based on an even sounder foundation than
that on which it now rested. He referred to the sudden drain
of bullion and the consequent rise in the rate of interest.
He thought it was not wise to neglect these indications.
It might be that, after a time, owing to the measures taken
by the Bank of England, the drain of bullion would cease
and the coin which had been issued for the internal wants
of the country return; but, as far as his experience went, a
drain of bullion and a rise in the rate of interest were in-
dicative of something unsound in the state of trade and
credit. It was therefore desirable that not only individuals,
but especially banking corporations, should take the earliest
possible opportunity of checking any undue extension of
credit. (Hear, hear.) When they considered that the
Bank of England Reserve, which now amounted to not
more than six or seven millions, was practically the only
unemployed capital in the country, and that it was the only
source by which a balance of trade could be secured, they
would see that there was every reason why they should be
careful not to give stimulus to other than necessary trans•
actions. He made these observations,not because he thought
that a monetary crisis was at hand, but because they might
tend to those healthy restrictions which, if generally ob-
served, would go far to ward off misfortunes of a serious
nature, and place trade on a wholesome and permanent foot-
ing. The speaker concluded by acknowledging the toast
of the " Members of the Borough," and by saying that h
felt it a great honour to be the colleague of Mr. Villiers,
with whom he always worked on terms of the utmost cor-
diality. (Hear, hear.)

Naval and Military Intelligence,

THE NAVY.

The following will be the dimensions of the armour plated
wooden frigate Lord Warden, the preparations for building
which have been commenced beneath No. 7 shed at Chat-
ham dockyard, where she is to be constructed :—Length
between the perpendiculars, 280 ft. ; length of keel for ton-
nage, 233 ft. llin.; extreme breadth, 591 t. 9111. ; breadth for
tonnage, 58ft. 2iu.; depth in hold, 20ft. 91n. Unlike the
other vessels of her class hitherto built, the Lord Warden
will be provided with the same thickness of armour plating
thaonghout, and the principle of furnishing our vessels of
war with guns at the bow as well as at the brcadsides will be
practically recognised for the first time by the Admiralty by
the construction of a bow battery at the fore part of the Lord
Warden. The stem will project some Bft. or Pit, below the
water, which will render the Lord Warden more formidable
as a ram than any of the existing iron and iron clad war
ships. It does not appear to be finally settled whether the
twin-screw principle is to be adopted in the Lord Warden,
or whether she will be constructed to carry merely the ordi-
nary single screw, though from the marked success which
has attended the introduction of the double screw in those
ships in which it has been tried, it is probable that the Lord
Warden will be constructed to carry two independent screw
propellers, both working by means of separate engines.
The sheds adjoining that under which the Lord Warden is
to be laid down are being fitted with overhead tramways to
facilitate the removal of the timber and iron plates. It is
intended that the Lord Warden shall be completed and
afloat within 13 months from the present time.
By the extraordinary exertions of a numerous party of
mechanics and labourers, who have been employed day and
night on the work, the massive screw shaft for driving the
propeller of the iron frigate Achilles, at Chatham dock-
yard, has been successfully fixed in its place without acci-
dent of any kind. The principal portion of the machinery
will be fitted on board by Messrs. Penn and Son before
the vessel is undocked. The four iron masts arrived at
Chatham some time since from the establishment of Messrs,
Finch and Co., Chepstow, by whom they were manufac-
tured.

Her Majesty's gunboat Ranger, Commander Wratislaw,
from the 'West Coast of Africa, was yesterday paid out of
commission at Woolwich. In addition to their arrears of
pay, the officers and crew received a large amount of prize
money, the latter sum, including remittances, exceeding
£7,000. The commander's share amounted to £309. The
continuous service men have been granted 42 days' leave.
Preparations were commenced on board yesterday for re-
moving the boilers from the Ranger, in order to commence
the repairs without delay, With a view to her being recom-
missioned as early as possible. Command Wratislaw served
under the late Sir W. Peel in the Naval Brigade in India,
and was honourably mentioned in the Admiralty despatch
at the time of his commission as commander—viz., March,
1353.

The re-appearance of scarlatina among the cadets of the
Britannia at Dartmouth, after an entire cessation for up-
wards of a fortnight, has induced Capt. Powell to take the
more prudent course of commencing the Christmas vacation
at once, by granting leave to all the cadets excepting those
whose course of instruction is just completed, and who
'will remain for the passing out examination.
The Falcon, 17, screw corvette,Commander G. H. Parkin,
made her official trial of speed at Portsmouth yesterday,
under the superintendence of Captain A. Broadhead, com-
manding the reserve at the pCirt. The ship drew 14ft. Gin.
of water forward, and 15ft. Bin, aft, on getting under weigh.
The wind was moderate from S.-NT, but squally at times.
Six runs were first made at the measured mile with the fol-
lowing consecutive results in knots;---B'o9o, 8.651, 8.911,
8.275, 9.350, 7.610, The mean speed of the six runs was
8.632 knots. At half boiler power four runs over the
mile gave 5169, 5.042, 4138, 6.081. The mean speed of
the four runs was 5.148 knots. In testing the engines to
ascertain the time in which they could be worked, in
obedience to a transmitted order, they were stopped dead
in 11 seconds from full speed, frana the time of moving the
telegraph handle on the bridge ; started ahead in 13 seconds,
and astern in 9 seconds. At the conclusion of the trial the
Falcon again anchored at Spithead, but was ordered to leave
last evening, or at daylight this morning for Plymouth
Sound and Australia.
The Emerald, 35, screw steam frigate, 2,913 tons, 600-
horse power, which was paid out of commission at Sheer-
ness on Saturday, is now being disraasted in the large basin
of that dockyard, to take up her position in the third
sion of the Sheerness steam reserve,

The Tamar, 2, iron screw trooPship. 2,812 tons
horse power, Capt. F. IL Stirling, will be removed thi 500-
s day
from the basin of Sheerness dockyard to moorings in the
harbour, and it is expected the artisans of the dockyard will
, screw steam mortar
,
have completed operations upon her in a day or two, after
which she will be taken for trial at the measured mile off
Maplin Sands.
It is rumoured at Sheerness that the Lords of the Admi-
raltyshi l
p ,intend2o i. t 0
np placing a, c2i nc
log
horseth
steam mortar ship, 1,090 tons, 250 horse power, belonging to
the 3d division of the Sheerness steam reserve, in commis-
sion for foreign service as store ships. The officials of Sheer-
ness dockyard are instructed to report upon the fitness of
those vessels for the service, and the cost of their prepare-
tion. e Epuorwo tear. tso
and
d 2
the Horatio, 12 screw
Lieut. George Stanley Bosancluct, commanding her Ma-
jesty's gunboat Flamer, who was severely wounded in an
engagement
with Chinese pirates on the 28th of July last,
was yesterday promoted to the rank of Commander.
Lieut. Charles J. Wise was yesterday appointed to her
Majesty's ship Royalist.

and creditable manner. At 330 p.m. the King Arthur left
the harbour in tow of a Government steam-tug amid hearty
cheers from the people on shore, who had assembled
to have a last look at the regiment which had :been
quartered among them, the band of the regiment on the
poop playing " Auld Lang Syne." The ship anchored at
Spithead for the night, and will commence her voyage for
Madras at daylight.
The Morayshire, Indiaman, Commander Mather, arrived
at Spithead yesterday afternoon from Bombay and the Cape
of Good Hope, with troops—time-expired men and invalids,
under the command of Capt. C. F. Hunter, 72d Highlanders.
She sailed from Bombay on the 2d July; and the Cape of
Good Hope on the Gth of Sept., bringing a small mall from
the latter place from her Majesty's ship Himalaya. The
passage home has been a somewhat lengthened one, the
Morayshire having been detained off the Cape with strong
westerly winds and lain at anchor at the Cape four days. Off
the Western Islands very heavy northeast gales were ex-
perienced, after which westerly winds were brought up until
sighting the Isle of Wight on Monday, when a strong north-
east gale drove the ship some distance to leeward off the
island. The troops on board consist of CO time-expired
men, 53 invalids, 1 discharged man, 6 women and 10 chil-
dren, 5 soldiers discharged with ignominy, 3 deserters, 13
convicts, including a late lieutenant of the Bengal Royal
Artillery, sentenced to four years' penal servitude on convic-
tion of a charge of manslaughter of a native servant. Seven
aoldiers died during the voyage, and also one lady passen-
ger. Lieut. Easton, 32d Regiment, and an assistant-surgeon,
Indian Navy, also came home as passengers in the ship.