The Sun.
London, England, 1867-07-24 00:00:00

~~~~

k

quartet's that mime had been used towards the tpatish
Government to obtain the release of the ship Queen It-
torts. Here again it was said there was a strong fooling
in Spain with respect, to the pesaesolon or Gibraltar. There
was also a British feeling in the matter, and he did not
think there was any likelihood, in the present state of pub-
lic feeling, that that British possession would be given up.
It had been asked why the Government did not prevent
the Tornado sailing in the first instance. To that he
had simply to say that the Government did
not possess the power to prevent it. It had
also been said there was an inadequacy in the law for
enforcing neutrality, but on that subject the Government
had done all in its power, as at. the commencement of the
session the whole subject had been taken into considera-
tion. With respect to the matter more particularly before
the house, it divided itself into three portions, viz., the
legality and jurisdiction of the capture, the treatment of
the crow, and the justice of the subsequent proceedings.
With respect to the first, he did not think that any blame
attached to the Spanish Government. If they thought the
vessel was infringing the laws of neutrality, they were
justified in seizing the ship, but if they were wrong in their
suspicions, then they would have to pay for the loss and
inconvenience occasioned. With respect to the treatment
of the crew, it was impossible to deny that there had been
undue and unnecessary harshness exercised by the
Spanish Government. Ho did all that was possible to
hasten on their trial and their ultimate release, and he
was glad he had succeeded, otherwise a feeling would
have sprung up in this country which it would have been
most difficult to allay. With respect to the question
of indemnity, that must ultimately turn upon the charac-
ter of the vessel, which would have to be proved at the
next trial. With respect to the procedure in the Spanish
Courts, he did not approve of the system in existence
in Spain, of hearing the charge, returning a verdict, and
then giving the person charged an appeal. It was not
in his opinion the same as giving the accused a hearing
and then returning a verdict. That, he felt, was the right
of every man—(hear, hear)—and such a right had been
claimed. (Hear, hear.) It had been said that we ought
to have at once demanded the return of the ship, but sub-
stantial justice would be done by going to a now trial ;
and what the Government proposed, therefore, to do was
to await the decision of the trial, but it was also the
duty of the owners of the vessel to watch their own
case. (Hear, hoar.) _
The subject then dropped.
INDUSTRIAL AND PROVIDENT SOCIETIES BILL
This bill was road a third time and passed.
The sitting was then. suspended.
The house re-assembled at six o'clock.
Lord S LANLEY, in reply to a question from Mr.
Layard, stated that the versions which had been received
of the story respecting the firing on a Turkish cruiser by
the Arkadi, a Greek blockade runner, were contradictory ;
but it did appear that on the Arkadi being chased by a
Turkish cruiser, she fired on the vessel that pursued her.
That was, no doubt, a violation of international law. He
was informed that two other blockade runners, the Owl
and the Cormorant, were now engaged, but his informa-
tion was unreliable.
Sir 11. BRUCE called attention to the mortality and
sickness among the officers and men of the naval squadron
for the suppression of the slave trade on the west coast of
Africa, and moved that the maintenance of that squadron
is no longer expedient.
Sir J. HAY said the slave trade was now much di-
minished, and the squadron had been reduced from 24 to
17 vessels. It was nut desirable to withdraw the squadron

altogether.
After a short debate the motion was withdrawn, and the
house was then counted mit ut fiva minutest) 8 o'clock.

ELECTION INTELLIGENCE.

BIRMINGHAM.
The polling demanded by Mr. Sampson Lloyd,
the Conservative candidate, commenced yesterday
morning. From the opening at Bto the close at 4
o'clock the numbers polled were largely in favour
of the Liberal. Great excitement prevailed in the
town. The principal streets were so thronged
that more than once it was not possible for foot
passengers to make their way through them. At
different points there were attempts to get up
street rows.
At half-past Fix o'clock in the evening Mr. T.
Avery, the Mayor of Birmingham, made the offi-
cial declaration of the poll at the Town Hall. It
was noticeable that the people who crowded the
large hall were of a respectable character. The
absence of the " lambs," who had done so much to
disturb the proceedings at the nomination on Mon-
day, was attributed to their having imbibed too
much drink. The Mayor announced the numbers
as follows :
Dixon ... ••• 5,819
Lloyd 4,211

Islajority for Dixon ... 1,605
Mr. DIXON addressed the meeting, congratulat-
ing the Liberal electors upon the great victory they
had won.
Mr. SAMPSON LLOYD also spoke. Ile said that
he had received the promises of more than 6,000
voters. lie could not say how it was that they had
not fulfilled their promises. Perhaps it was because
they had grown cold in the Conservative cause—
perhaps they had been deterred by the intimidation
which had taken place in the streets. (This state-
ment was received with a burst of laughter.) Al-
though his opponent and his opponent's committee
were too honourable to countenance this intimida-
tion, yet one man, who was engaged in protecting
his (Mr. Lloyd's) voters, bad his arm broken. He
(Mr. Lloyd) had also to complain that cabmen re-
fused to carry his supporters because of the attacks
which had been made upon them.
The MAYOR, who is himself a Conservative, said
that he had been in all the wards, and could say
that he had never in his life seen an election more
fairly or more properly conducted.

COVENTRY.
The poll opened yesterday morning, and after a
sharp contest closed at foJrackson,k o'clocthe Liber with a maal canjority
of 289 in favour of Mr. -
didate. The numbers were :
Jackson
Ferrand .

2,386
... 2,097