The Sun.
London, England, 1860-02-13 00:00:00

LIEUTENANTS IN THE ROYAL NAVY.

Lord J. BROWNE asked the Secretary to the Admiralty
whither any reply had been given to the memorial of the
Lieutenants of the Royal Navy presented in December last ;
whether it was the intention of the Board of Admiralty to
increase the pay and half-pay of those officers, so as to place
them more nearly on a position of equality with the Mas-
ters and the non-effective officers of the Royal Navy of the
same rank ; and whether it was intended to allow their ser-
vice in the Coast Guard to count as sea time ?
Lord C. PAGET said that the Board of Admiralty had
taken into consideration the memorial alluded to, and after
mature deliberation it was not their intention to increase

the full pay of lieutenants in the Royal Navy. With re-
gard to the half pay, when he brought forward the navy
estimates he would afford the noble lord the information he
required.

NEWFOUNDLAND FISHERIES.
Sir J. PAKINGTON asked the Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs whether the English and French Commis-
sioners sent to Newfoundland last year to investigate the
questions so long at issue between the two G overuments
with respect to the fisheries have made recommendations
which are likely to be accepted by both countries, and to lead
to a final and satisfactory arrangenament
Lord J. RUSSELL said that the commissioners had made
their report, but Government was not in possession of such
full information in reference to the subject as to enable
them to come to a final decision. lle could not state whether
the French Government would accede to the recommenda-
tions of the commissioners.
FRENCH CUSTOMS
ed TARIFF.
Sir S. NORTHCOTE mov an address for a copy of
the French tariff of oustoms duties now in force.
After a few observations on the same subject by Lord J.
MANNaRS and Mr. NEWDEGATF,
Mr. M. GIBSON said that the information requited
would be supplied by the documents that would be laid on
the table of the house. Those documents would show
clearly the amount of the existing duties on Bri-
tish productions imported into France, and supply
all the necessary details to which the hon. members
referred. With regard to the differen'ial duties specified in
the third article of the convention, these were 0 be consi.
dered as a part of the navigation laws in operation between
France and England. Ile would most willingly afford all the
information on the subject that was required by the noble lord,
but he thought it would be more desirable if that aoble lord
would put his motion in a more specific form.
THE ARMY ESTIMATES.
In reply to Mr. DISRAELI,
Lord PALMERSTON said he could not tell when the t
army estimates would be laid on the table.

CHINA.
On the motion for going into committee of supply,
Mr. COCHRANE called the attention of the house to
our relations with China. He praised the conduct of Lord
Elgin, and censured the course of policy which had been
adopted by Mr. Bruce. He contended that in regard to
the affair of the Poiho the Chinese were not open
to the blame that had been heaped on them, and he consi-
dered that Mr. Bruce had not acted in conformity with hie
position as a British Minister who was despatched by this
country to ratify a treaty with the Emperor of China. He
should have acted with groat deliberation and entered on
his delicate and important mission in a spirit of conciliation
by carefully abstaining from any act that was calculated
to excite any unfriendly or hostile feeling on the part
of the Chinese. He believed that the Chinese would not
have acted in an inimical spirit towards our country-
men, if the British Minister (Mr. Bruce) had
acted with judgment and discretion. The honourable
member adverted to the sentiments expressed by Lord
John Russell on a former occasion, in reference to
the policy the country should pursue towards
China, a policy founded on justice and conciliation,
and he called on the noble lord to act in conformity with
those statements. The subject was one that concerned the
national character and the success of our commercial rela-
tions with China. Under these circumstances he trusted
that the house would be furnished with full information as
to the limits of the authority conferred on the British re-
presentative in China in the late disastrous expedition to
that country.
Sir M. SEYMOUR entered into some explanations with
a view to vindicate the proceedings he had adopted while
in China, which he contended were in accord-
ance with humanity and sound policy. With respect to
the part he had taken relative to the blockade of
Canton, it was rendered necessary by the discovery
ho had made that the Chinese were resolved on
opening the Canton River generally to foreigners, but that
they wished to exclude this country from any benefits likely
to be realised by an admission of our vessels into Canton.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]