The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-28 00:00:00

/IRE STN,' LONDON, TUESDAY EVENIN;i OCTOBER 28, 1862,

EARL DE GREY ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

was on .
A
on Fridayfter dinner evening
he returnedgthe guest of
theEMarlaydoerGory feßip
and spoke on
vt ha ar
inokuss fortop
ihoesr
olkfl a jpeusbtyl
j'es
imn itne irsetEetr. s ,
He would not
touch on party politics, he said ; but there were
some points upon which there could be very little
difference of opinion as to the course pursued by
Lord Palmerston's administration. With reference
to the American question he said :—" Upon those
questions which have arisen out of the unhappy
civil war in America there is little or no difference
of opinion in the country, and the general view of
the people of England is, I believe, that in preserv-
ing in the unfortunate contest a strict and impartial
neutrality her Majesty's Government have taken
the only course consistent alike with the position of
this country, and with the respect which was due
to the American people. (Cheers.) Very shortly
after I had the honour of addressing you upon a
similar occasion last year I was called to London by
my official duties, and I certainly did not think when
I left this peaceful neighbourhood that I was likely
so soon to be engaged in sending our troops to
America in consequence of the possible occur-
rence of war with the United States. I think
the people of this country have fully endorsed
the conduct of the Government in those diffi-
cult and trying circumstances. (Hear, hear.) Her
Majesty's Ministers felt that it was their duty to
demand reparation for an injury, and to take those
measures which might be necessary to secure the
success of that demand, if there had been any in-
clination on the part of the American Government to
refuse it ; but at the same time they felt it was their
bounden duty to make that demand in the most cour-
teous and considerate manner, so that if, unhappily,
war had ensued, the grave responsibility of that ter-
rible occurrence would not have rested upon them.
(Hear.) And I could only wish that the American
people would take a fairer view of the course which
this country has pursued in their affairs. There
seems to be in the minds of many people across the
Atlantic very bitter feelings against this country,
and we hear language used as if, in the course we
have pursued, we had inflicted some great injury
upon them. It appears to me not only that the course
we have taken—that of strict and impartial neu-
trality between the two contending parties—.was the
only course which it was just and right to follow
under such circumstances, but also that it was the
only course we could take with a due regard to the
dignity and character of the great people sprung
from our own race, and who inhabit those vast coun-
tries on the other side of the great ocean. (Cheers.) ,
You must, in a contest of that description, be strictly
neutral, or you will be rapidly dragged into the con-
test on one side or the other; and I think the feel-
ing of this country woald have been, if we had been
beset by great political difficulties and calamities,
that we knew, or fancied we knew, our own inte-
rests, and that it was best for us to be left to settle
our own affairs for ourselves. (Hear, hear.) I be-
lieve
that the best course England can take, so far ,
as we can at all influence the result of that great
contest, is by preserving a strict neutrality, and that
whatever steps her Majesty's Government may take
in the future must still be conducted in the strict
line of neutrality, which, whatever may be the in-
dividual feelings of this person or of that person,
preserves the even balance between the two con-
tending parties. (Hear, hear.) I would that those
who speak as if some great injury had been
inflicted by England on the United States would
recollect the deep suffering, the terrible evils
which that contest is inflicting upon us here at
home. They would give the Government some
credit for the patience with which they are watching
the progress of that terrible distress, produced by
no fault of the Government or of the people of this
country, but solely and singly the result of the con-
test in America ; and they should, above all things,
give some credit to the people of this country—to
the people of Lancashire—that they are not press-
ing the Government to do what might seem an easy
method of putting an end to the distress by stepping
in and interfering in order to terminate the conflict.
(Cheers.) I believe that in the course we have taken
upon that question we have received the support
and approval of the country, and that we shall re-
ceive the approval of future generations of Ameri-
cans when they, can reflect more calmly upon our
conduct. (Hear bear.) I believe, tint), :that I may
fairly claim that we have not misinterpreted the
feeling of the country in the manner in which we
have dealt with those intricate and difficult, though
happily not threatening questions, which have agi-
tated the mind of the Continent of Europe_ We
have adhered to the important principle of non-
intervention. We have refused to interfere in the
strife, and have prevented the interference of others;
but we have not concealed our sympathies—we
have frankly made them known, as I think became
the representatives and the ministers of England ;
not, however, wishing to force them upon other
people. (Hear.) Then there is one other point
upon which, perhaps, some difference of opinion
may exist, but upon which I do not think much
difference of opinion will exist in this room—l mean
the great question of national defence. Ido not
think that you will be inclined to blame her
Majesty's Government because they have thought
it their duty to take measures for placing their
country in an adequate condition of defence—
(cheers)—for placing it in a state in which we might
be able to maintain that proud position which has
been won for us by the statesmanship and valour of
our ancestors. I can assure you that there can be
no hesitation on the part of her Majesty's Govern-
ment to go forward in that course. The cost has
been great, and I trust that in the future it may be
diminished. (Hear.) No doubt it is the duty of the
Government—and I am confident that it is a duty
we shall endeavour earnestly and honestly to dis-
charge—to see that no single shilling is taken un-
necessarily from the'pockets of the people—(cheers)
—but I believe there is none of you who would not
willingly continue to encounter the present heavy
taxation rather than that we should again return to
the condition, in respect to our military and naval
preparations, in which we were before the Crimean
war. (Hear, hear.) I can say nothing to my friend,
Captain Other, as to the course her Majesty's Go-
vernmentpothrewrtofout
the
emt ultimatelyoayme (me—(laughter)—but
ug commissioners.ht takeer)loibnbus
ter
observed
vgaeadmr d t
tht
ooeo the re-
trout to rise at it, and even the skilled fisheflorylmdhanae
will not induce me to reveal the secrets hidden in
the breast of the Minister. (Renewed laughter.)
But there is one other point upon which I think
there is very little difference of opinion, and that
is in respect to the feelings with which the chief
of the Government is regarded throughout the
length and breadth of the land. (Hear.) I believe
that most of those who vote against the Govern-
ment, nevertheless, in their hearts, think that Lord
Palmerston is the beat Prime Minister we can have,
and for my own part I earnestly trust that it may
please God to preserve still for the benefit and ad-
vantage of the country the life of that illustrious
and eminent statesman. (Loud cheers.) But, gen-
tlemen, although I must not detain you for more
thanig a r
pleasuremoment
which
longer, when I reflect upon the yet
h e
shortly awaits us (alluding
higher
to the ball which was to follow the banquet), yet
there is one question upon which it would be im-
possible not to say a few words, when one is speak-
ing in the present day upon any public occasion ;
and that is, that terrible state of things which
exists in the bordering county of Lancashire.
ofdepen-
That the distress, the undeserved distress--caused
by no fault of the people or of theirm eGnivtehrnatmethntis,
official
dialthaeimd toof one of and which has struck down thousands from a state
theed parish or
ofde depen-
dence, prosperity,e,
either
u pa
on
nd
m athy throughout the
fepllow-
length and breadth of the land is only what must
ushpoounldtehxecite
Christian country ;but sad
necessarily occur in any Ch
charityth e of
deepest their
sy

indeed as is the conditisn of affairs, and
poignant
as is the regret which it must excite in the breast
of every right-thinking man, still we as English-
men may be justly proud of the spirit which has
been manifested by those suffering these privations,
and of the patience End forbearance and justice
which they have displayed in their terrible misfor-
tunes. (Applause.) I agree with my friend Mr. Al-
derman Kearsley that twat great and magnificent
spectacle is mainly due to the progress of education;
and if you want to kncw what is the result of the
educational efforts of lite years—if
you want to
bring it to a real practical test better than any
other to which by possibility you can put it—you
have only to look at Lancashire. But it is not by
words that we should express our sympathy. We
have other and more substantial means of doing so,
and we should not neglect them. We hear it said
sometimes that the rich men, the manufacturers of
Lancashire, are not doing their duty towards the
people who have lately been in their employment.
Now, gentlemen, I am not sufficiently well acquainted
with the facts to be able to pronounce a judgment on
the manufacturers of Lancashire; and it seems to me
that no man who has not taken the trouble mi-
nutely to assure himself of the state of these facts
ought to pronounce a condemnation so severe and
terrible as that which we sometimes hear drop easily
and lightly from men's lips. We ought to remember
that there are many ways not seen by the world—
not known, perhaps, out of their own parishes—in
which these men, for aught we know, are bearing
their part in the suffering endured by that popula-
tion. But if it be true to the utmost—if nothing at
all is being done by those who ought to do it, is that
a reason why we should hold our hand ? Is it not
rather a reason why we should come forward, and
not refuse to aid those who would, in that case, be
suffering under a double calamity P (Hear.) It was
well to hold back at first. It seems to me the time
has now come when we should take action ; the dis-
tress is becoming more and more pressing, and must
become more and more alarming as the winter goes
on ; and I cannot, therefore, avoid expressing my
opinion that the time has come for the country at
large to take their part in relieving the distress that
is afflicting at this moment our neighbours across
the borders of this county. (Hear, hear, and ap-
plause.)

late experiments took place under considerable dis-
advantage, as it had been lying for several winters
on the beach at Southsea, with the sea occasionally
washing over it, and no alterations whatever had
peen made in it since it left the makers' bands.
The anchors for the iron-plated frigate Royal Oak,
1,000 horse power, have arrived at Chatham Dock-
yard from the works of Messrs. Brown and Lennox
—the firm employed by the Admiralty to forge
anchors of the largest size. The two bower an-
chors weigh about 90ewt. each, and the sheet an-
chors 95 cwt. each. During the week they will be
taken to the testing house in the dockyard, where
they will be subjected to most powerful hydraulic
pressure to discover any flaw before they are placed
on board. The stream and other smaller anchors
will be supplied from the dockyard.
The Pylades, 21, 350 horse power, fitting at
Chatham dockyard, has her topgallant masts on end,
and has nearly completed fitting her rigging. Her
water tanks were put on board yesterdoy, and from
the energy with which the work on board is prose-
cuted everything betokens that she will be com-
pleted and ready to hoist the pendant by the date
ordered by the Admiralty—Nov. 27. It was ori-
ginally intended to place the Pylades in the first-
class steam reserve when out of the hands of the
dockyard officials, but it is now more than proba-
ble, from certain matters connected with the Ame-
rican complications, that she will ultimately be de-
patched to reinforce the squadron in North Ameri-
can waters, under the command of Admiral Sir A.
Milne, K.C.B.
Commander Wilson, of the sailing reserve at De-
vonport, has been promoted to the rank of Retired
Captain, under order of Council dated Aug. 1.
The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty :—F. Penfold, paymaster, addi-
tional, to the Wellesley; J. Orchard, first-class
assist.-engineer, to the Asia for the Tyrian ; A. D.
Garwood, first-class assist.-engineer, to the Asia for
the Charger ; W. P. Clapp, confirmed as assist.-
surg. to the Tribune ; and W. Evans, assist.-pay-
master to the Wellesley.