The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-28 00:00:00

SHIPS OF WAR.

At Hong Kong.—The British steamers Arracan, Esk,
Highflyer, Sparrowhawk, Sydney, and Zenobia ; the gun-
boats Clown, Hardy, Haughty, Insolent, Starling, Staunch,
.and WeazeJ ;thetXren4ll ate4lWa norolida =l4 apon; Liao
Spanish steamers Jorge Juan and Reina de Castilla; the
American steamer Hartford and the frigate John Adams.
At Macao.—The Portuguese corvette Dom Joas and the
lorcha Amazona.

At Swatow.—The British sloop Acorn and the gunboat
Grasshopper.
2At Ningpo.—The British gunboat Algerine.
At Amoy.—The French steamer Saone.

At Shanghai.—The British steamers Australian, Centaur,
Nimrod, Pioneer, and Urgent ; the gunboat Kestrel ; the
French steamers Forte and Hong Kong ; the Russian
steamer Switzerland ; the American gunboat Saginaw.
At the North.—The British frigates Actreon and Cam-
brian ; the steamers Adventure, Armenian, Assaye, Ata-
lento, Beagle, Bentinck, Chesapeake, Coromandel, Cowper
Cruiser, Encounter, Feroze, Furious, Fury, Hesper, Impe-
rieuse, Inflexible, Magicienne, Odin, Pearl, Renard, Ring-
dove, Roebuck, Sampson, Scout, Simoom, Snake, Sphynx,
Vulcan, and Waterman ; the gunboats Banterer, Bouncer,
Bustard, Dove, Drake, Firm, Flamer, Forester, Havoc,
Janus, Leven, Opossum, Slaney, Snap, Watchful, and
Woodcock ; the French frigate Capricious° ; the steamers
Alon Prah, Andromaque, Calvados, Dordogne, Driade,
Duchaplor, Entrepenante, Europeono, Forbin, Garonne,
Gironde, Imp6ratrice Eugenie, Jura, Kienchew, Loire,
Marne, Marceau, Mogen, Nievre, Prejent, Perseverante,
Renommee, Rhone, Rhin, Saizon, Teoywan, and Ven-
geance; the gunboats Avalanche, Dragonne FUSCO, and
Mi train°.

In the Canton River.—The British gunboat Cockchafer ;
the French steamer Durance.

THE MEMBERS FOR EDINBURGH AND THEIR
CONSTITUENTS.

The members for Edinburgh, Mr. Adam Black
and Mr. Moncreiff, Lord Advocate, met their con-
stituents in the Music Hall there on Monday, and
the meeting being one of unusual interest owing to
the keen controversy that divides the city on the
subject of the Annuity Tax Act passed last session,
whereby, though the tax is reduced one half, the
voluntary dissenters will not be able to evade it as
hitherto, the hall was crammed within 10 or 15
minutes after the doors were opened. The number
present was probably 2,200 to 2,400 ; and the meet-
ing seemed nearly equally balanced between sup-
porters and opponents. The members were followed
to the platform by a large number of leading citi-
zens, including Sir W. Gibson Craig, Sir William
Dunbar, M.P., Sir W. Johnston, Mr. Wemyss,
M.P., Mr. Maitland, Solicitor General for Scot-
land, Mr. W. Chambers. Mr. R. Chambers, Pro-
fessors Pillans, Christison, and Blackie, Capt. Sir
William Hamilton, &c. The Lord Provost occupied
the chair.

Mr. BLACK was received by the whole assemblage
rising, one half waving the hats and hurrahing,
and the other half hissing and hooting. The up-
roar continued for several minutes, during which
cries of " Order, order," " Turn him out," &c., were
heard. Partial quiet having at length been ob-
tained, Mr. Black said it was not his intention to
imitate these hon. members who during the last
session of Parliament inflicted upon the house
interminable speeches which seemed to have no
other object but to show how long and how often
they could speak, as if they were trying for a
wager. (Hear.) I can assure you that I neither
speak here nor in the House of Commons but with
reluctance, and never unless I think I have some-
thing to say. (Cheers and hisses.) I would not
have troubled you upon this occasion unless I had
suspected you might charge me with want of eou-
rage had I hesitated to defend my public conduct.
(Hurrahs and hisses.) The questions that came
before Parliament last session were so numerous
and so momentous that if I were to make observa-
tions on them all I should exhaust the patience of
the most indulgent. I will only hurriedly glance
at a few of the most important, in order that I may
discuss at greater length the two measures in
which I took a more prominent part. (Hisses and
counter cheers.) Early in the session Mr. Glad-
stone, in a wonderful display of oratory, introduced
the question of the French Treaty and the- Customs
Bill. (A voice, " Come to the annuity tax.") I
considered it my duty to vote in favour of both, as
I have no doubt they will lead to a great extension
of the commerce of both countries, and promote
the material wealth and the happiness of two neigh-
bouring nations, comprising between 60,000,000
and 70,000,000 of people ; and what I consider of
even more importance than the extension of com-
merce is the tendency of mutual intercourse and the
interchange of commodities to cement the pacific
relations of the t wo countries—(cries of " Humbug,"
" Shame," and cheers and hisses)—and, instead of
spending countless millions for war or protection
against each other, I trust they will cultivate the
arts of peace, and unite their sympathies in favour
of light and liberty among the great community of
nations. Another important measure which I sup-
ported passed the House of Commons, but which
I cannot help thinking was followed by very unfor-
tunate consequences—the repeal of the Excise duty
on paper. (" Of course," and laughter.) The
second reading was carried by a majority of 53 in
March ; but in the third reading, in May, this was
reduced to 9, and had there been no Scotch mem-
bers in the house it would have been lost by 11.
And when the members began to consider the effect
of the expenditure for the war in China, and for
the proposed fortifications of the country, they were
led to regret the loss of the million tram the repeal
of the paper duty. This I believe was the cause of
the great change in the division between the second
and the third reading; and it was this that em-
boldened the House of Lords to do what lam con-
vinced was an unconstitutional act—(cheers)— to
reject a money bill—to refuse to pass a bill forming
apart of the ways and means of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer. I agree with Mr. Gladstone
in considering that a gigantic innovation. This
was felt by members on both sides of the house to
be a damaging blow, from which it was difficult
to find any way of recovery. Lord Palmerston
made the best that could be made of it—(No,
no)—and in a very statesmanlike speech moved a

resolution asserting the rights of the Commons,
which met with nearly unanimous support.
Another motion connected with the paper duties

brought on a crisis which threatened the stability
of the Ministry—the repeal of the Customs duty on
paper, which there was a strong impression ought
not to be passed as long as the French prohibited
the exportation of rags. This question was con-
verted into a vote of want of confidence, and there
is little doubt that had it been lost the Ministry
would have resigned; it was only carried by a
majority of 33 in a very full house, the whips on
both sides having exerted themselves to the utmost.