The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-16 00:00:00

rant concerning -coal, wood, water, provisions, and the
saving of ships and their crews in distress.
"After Laing informed which harbour your Excellently
his selected, that harbour shall bo prepared, and this pre-
paration it is estimated will take about five years. Mean-
while a commencement can be made with the.coal at
Nagadski' by the beginning of the next Japanese year
(Feb. 10, 18.55). Having no precedent with respect to coals
we reqiiest your Excellency to furnish us with an esti-
mate, and, upon due consideration, this will be complied
with if not in opposition to our laws. What do you ender-
san ypr sions?- and how much coal? Finally, any.
thing that ships may be in want of which can be fur-
nished from the productions of the empire shall be supplied,
the prices of merchandise and articles of barter to be fixed
upon. by Kurnhama, Kahci, Moiryama Yenoski. After
settling the point above mentioned, the treaty can be con•
eluded and signed at the next interview.
"Seal attached by order of the Imperial Commission.
MOIRTAISIA YENOSKI, Chief Interpreter.
ig KaTel, 7th year, Ist moon, 26th day (Feb. 25,1551.)."

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT SPARKENROk
BARMERS' CLUB DINNER-MR. COL VLLE,
M.P., IN DISGRACE.

•
We have been favoured with the following report of a
boisteroui and exciting meeting of the Sparkenhoe
Farmers' Club.. Adler the close of the meetings, a
dinner was held, to which the wives and daughters of
the farmers were invited, and a number of other ladies
attended. In proposing a toast—" The Ladies," the
hon. gentleman committed a flagrant breach of gal-
lantry, by making a most unprovoked attack upon the
ladies, which was warmly resented, and for which even.
an apology was inadequate to wipe away the stain.
'Our readers shall judge for themselves whether thediss
approbation exhibited was not well merited e" Set:keno
mortalium omnibus horis sapit."
The members of this the most prosperous agricultural
society in the county have this week held their annual
exhibition if Ashby-de-la Zouch, the ladies and gently,
men dining together. Among those present were the
Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, the• Ear? and Countess
71.Aridlline,irathieanHdonm.rnM. Miss
bßuutehsnenli tten
jEnraria•nodf
Howe, Lady Emily Curzon, C. R. Colville, t
M.P.,
CanhdesMterrfis'eled
Mrs. Wollaston, 'tee &o.
After the Chairman had, in an appropriate speech.
proposed the usual loyal toasts, he referred in the most
enthusiastic manner to the glorious achievements of the
British and French. The Duke of Beaufort responded
on behalf of the army, and Admiral Arbuthnot for the
Navy. Earl Howe and several other gentlemen then.
addressed the meeting, in responding to various toasts.
The CHAIRMAN next proposed the health of a constant,
able, honest, and warm supporter of the agricultural in..
terest, Mr. Colvile, the member for South Derbyshire.,
He had not given the toast earlier in the eveningeowin
to Mr. Colvile's own modesty, he wishing him not to
introduce the toast at all. (Three times three, and one.
more for the harriers.)
Mr. COLVILE said he returned them his most sincere
thanks. The Chairman had attributed to him a good
quality, which he never knew till to-day that he pos.
sessed, namely, extreme modesty. (A. laugh.)
Mr. COLVILE rose and said—A toast has been en-
trusted to my feeble hands, which I consider—and I
have no doubt you will, when you hear it—by far the
most important one that will be offered to your notice
this evening. It is no loss than !else health of the ladies
—(loud cheering)—and especially those ladies who have
honoured us with their presence to-day. (Renewed
cheering.) Heartily agreeing with the remarks that
have fallen from some of the previous speakers, I also
join with them in saying how extremely delighted
lam in seeing them here present. It is certainly a new
feature in agricultural meetings, and one which, I trust,
as it has answered so successfully, will be persevered in.
If you will allow me to say, I think thar one of the
greatest failings of our age, in relation to agricultural,
affairs, is this—that the farmers' wives are too proud for
their business. (No, no, hisses, and commotion.)
The CHAIRMAN—Fair play, gentlemen, fair play.
Mr. COLVILE —lt always gives me pleasure—(cries of
" No, no," down, down")—it always give me pleasure,
when I see so many gallant bachelors; with their future
wives, taking part in these meetings. Of this lam sure, ,
that everything I may say to-night will, from their
mouths, meet with due correction. It is, therefore, that
I have observed, with the greatest pleasure, so many
fair faces around me, and see them taking an interest
in agricultural affairs ; for, depend upon it, if you in-
tend to make a good dairy of cheese, you have not much
time to play on the pianoforte. (This sentence was the
signal: for an outburst of groans, hiSses, 'and Gam'
marks of disapprobation, mingled with cries of "Down,"
"We won't hear you," " Shame," " Enough," &c.
The disturbance was only quelled by a farmer getting
up and calling upon them as farmers and Englishmen,
who loved fair play, to hear every man out.)
The CHAIRMAN—Fair play, gentlemen, is the charac-
teristic of the British subject ; and you can answer any-
thing that may be said;
Mr. COVILE—I have no intention to say anything
to hurt your feelings. (A. Voice—" Retract what you
have said, then, like a man.") I was going to say—
(groans)—it gave me great pleasure to see so excellent
a show—(oh, oh)—of poultry here to-day. (Here one 4
of the farmers imitated the cackling of a goose.) When
I look down the list, I see that a majority of those pens
were exhibited by ladies, and I am sure that is a symp-
tom of the very deep interest they take in agriculture. I
only hope that all of yon, whipe,you go home, will
the ladies to enjoy thoie prizes they have so justly won
here to-day. (A cry of "Down! what do you think of
that for a members)! Parliament ?" &c.) But, gentlemen,
I think, having invited the ladies to join us at this meet-
ing, we are doing little to amuse them while we exhibit
but cows and pigs for their edification. How much you
would improve yourshow if you would add one thing more.
I find a prize is given to the labourer who has the great-
est number of children ; how much better it would be if
these babies could be exhibited ! (Hisses and groans.)
How different is the condition of the farmers now to what
it was ! Their greatest difficulty now is to find places
in which to put the corn they have grown. (Cry of
"Down.") I think that there is no amusement and no
employment in which Englishmen can be engaged which
affords a greater variety of pleasure than that of agricul-
ture. Having made these few remarks, I will now give
the health of the "Ladies," and join with it the wife of
our excellent president, Major Wollaston. (Mingled
cheers for the ladies and groans for the speaker.)
Mr. Ceurroer, of Sharnford, a tenant tenger, and-one ,
of the committee, rose and said—Our excellent chairman
said if we would hear the last speaker out, he would
give us a chance of replying. Before we drink the health
of the ladies, allow me to say a few words. (Great con-
fusion took place, caused by the conflict of opinion as to
whether the oompany should at once drink to the ladies;
or, before doing so, hear remarks in answer to Mr. Col-
vile. The toast was drunk ; and during the confusion
that prevailed, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, and
nearly all the ladies present, with many of the gentle-
men, left the tent.)
Mr. CAMPION resumed—We have been told by such
men as the last speaker, that one of the best things the
farmer can do, to improve themselves and the landlords,
is to educate themselves; and I do think the farmers'
wives are capable of attening to the duties of their sta-
tion, and that they are not the less likely to attend to
their duties if they are educated. (Cheers.) I regret ex-
ceedingly that a sarcasm and a slur should be thrown on
the education which they receive. (Cheers, and a voice,
" A tenant farmer's wife has as much right to play on a
piano as Mrs. Colvile has.)
Mr. SWINNERTON said—Before any further proceed-
ings take place, it is the wish of the committee to call
into consideration the language used by a certain gen-
tleman this evening, and I move that one be summoned.
(Hear, hear, and No.)
Mr. J. M. BAKER—I beg to second the motion.
A gent]: man, whose name did not reach us, said he
dare say Mr. Colvile did not intend to say anything that
could be in the least insulting, but he only spoke play-
fully. (A. Voice. "It won't do;" and another,
"Three cheers for the farmer's wives ;" which was re-
sponded to most enthusiastically.)
The CHAIRMAN—It is in the power of the committee
to do anything they please, but let me ask them to stop
it before they come to any decision. lam convinced in
my own mind that Mr. Colvile did not mean to insult
any one. He may have said two or three foolish things,
and I admit ho did wrong—(cheers) but do reflect over
it, gentlemen, and do not come to any decision until to-
morrow morning.
Lord HowE said— Will you pardon your old president
for one moment—(loud cheers)—if he does entreat you
that this matter may be allowed to pass over I It has
occurred most unfortunately, and I would have given
2001. myself if I could have prevented it taking place.
Nobody knows Mr. Colvile more than I do, and I assure
has made a mistake
and a most unfortunate one, I have no
well-meaning fellow
yon
never a
emox fir tee dk.
doubt ; but I do
in d(H- heenarr,tehde,ar
ocordial,He
implore the committee not to let this happy meeting be
marred by anything like that proposed. You may say I
am an impertinent fellow ; but, for my sake, pray give
up your ideas of holding a committee meeting on the
subject.
Mr. Convs said—l always think that the highest
morownal
V t . e H
co
oii —e
is,
when you have done wrong at once
to r eht
ehai
rm. m ehave
a knownlogy
m
) I
wfotrhaatgolioadlf tl manyie things iyears.
ng salt of you,
me o
say Ihaarveesakind iow joke
n
there
as a master of the hounds, awl as a brother farmer;n y
and
youl can give you my honour of this--that is no class
or
utary less,
know
no
I more respect than the farmers' • wives of England, for
I have got one myself, and that i
is my wife ; so that any-
thing I should say disparagingly
u of them (the farmers
wives of England) I should
say
disparagingly of my.
wife. If, therefore, I have done wrong in your estima-
tion,
ce I can only Ray I did not intend the slightest
offen •
, but what I said I meant as a joke. But some
of you seem to have taken it to heart. If any of you
will fell me in two words what I have said wrongly, I
will tell you what I meant. (A voice—" Say you were in
the wrong, and that you are sorry for it.") lam exces-
sively sorry that I have caused the least unkindly feeling
to arise in this meeting. Nothing in the world was farther
from my intention ; and I am quite sure, when I leave
this room, there is not a person present who will not
shake my hand. (Here about half-a-dozen of the com-
pany shook hands with the honourable member.) lam
sure the shortest reckonings make the longest friends ;
so we had better make it up, and shake hands.
Three cheers were then given for the ladies ; three
more for the farmers' wives ; three for Mrs. Colvile ;
three for Mrs. Wollaston ; and then the chairman left
the meeting.
After the chairman had left, the farmers who remained
behind commented very freely on the remarks made by
was
Mr. Colvile ; and amongst the sentiments proposed__y
good
the following —" Here's to the wife of a jolly
fanner, who can make a jolly good cheese, and play a
jolly good tune all a piano, to aptly good
jolly good p•
4101 T,,"