The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-03 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 3, 1861

ATTACK ON A BRITISH CONSUL BY
CHINESE PIRATES.

The following is an account received from Mr.
Thos. Taylor Meadows, her Majesty's Consul at
Shanghai, of the recent attack made on him by
pirates ou the Yangtsze :
I believe I shall satisfy a common wish among
my friends here, and possibly impart to foreigners
generally some information useful in these times,
by giving a detailed narrative of some portions of
a recent excursion en the Great River, and more
particularly of an attack made on me by pirates on
Saturday, the 20th inst.
I had loft Shanghai in my own yacht, or Anglo-
Chinese schooner-rigged excursion craft, on the
evening of Tuesday, the 16th, with the intention of
proceeding up the Great River as far as Chin-
keang, and of visiting, either on the way there or
back, various places on each bank. A strong
north-west gale having driven me back during the
night of Wednesday, and forced me to spend 30
hours in the Lew (Lew-ho), I found myself at
daybreak of the following morning moving along
the left (northerly) bank of the Great River, about
opposite to Kea.shan Point, and still only about
75 (sea) miles from Shanghai. I was close in shore,
going against an ebb tide with an E.S.E. wind
nearly aft, but a little on the port quarter. It was
so light that the crew had to scull from time to
time to keep the craft moving over the ground. In
an hour or two we heard a firing of guns in the
direction of Keang-yin, and though the distance
seemed too great, I thought it must be the sound of
Imperialist and Taeping cannonading at that city.
Afterwards, between 8 and 9 o'cock, the firing
recommenced nearer ; and we then descried some
miles in advance, but in the middle of the stream,
two or three craft, which my boatmen at once de-
clared to be pirates, firing at and chasing a trading
junk which was escaping first from one and then
from another by rapid changes of her course. In
this way the junk and the pirates disappeared
behind one of the long reedy islands which have
formed themselves in that part of the river. As we
continued skirting the bank, we passed a pretty
large northern affluent,something like the Lew river,
the mouth of which was staked across, leaving in
the middle a narrow passage for small boats only,
and on both sides of which earthen batteries had
had been newly thrown up. On these a number of
the country people were standing, looking at the
doings of the pirates.
For some time before we neared the place where
we had seen the pirate craft I was busy in the
cabin, when I was told that two were approaching
us. I took my Jacob's rifle and went out on to the
fore deck, when I saw, broad on the port beam, and
making directly for us, two two-masted craft, both
less than my own, but the houses or main cabins
of which were much smaller, and the fore deck
much larger in proportion, and one of which
had a gun in the bows, while the other had one gun
in the bows, and a second amidships between the
two masts. They each pulled eight oars, and be-
sides the pullers had, the smaller some six or eight
men, the larger some twelve or fifteen men, evi-
dently set apart for working the guns, throwing
powder bags, &c., and boarding. They were dressed
uniformly in light blue jackets, of native cotton
cloth apparently, and with red caps on, or red
handkerchiefs tied round their heads. When I
emerged from the cabin they were about two hun-
dred yards off and pulling hard. I shouted to
them to be off, and as they still continued advanc-
ing, was bringing my Jacob up to the present when
a man on the craft most on our bows answered
a word or two in a tone of assent, and the craft
herself at the same time turned toward her comrade.
In the meantime my recently engaged European
servant, Andrew M'Cutchem (a Belfast man), had
also appeared on the fore deck, and my Chinese
servants, were bringing out the remainder of my
guns and pointing them at the pirates, who, after a
little clamorous consultation, made off towards the
middle of the river. About a quarter of a mile fur-
ther on, when the pirates were still less than a mile
distant, we met two " white topped" Nigpo traders,
to each of which my people shouted that the craft
in advance of them were pirates, &c. "They thereon
both turned back, one firing a couple of useless
shots. They ran into a small affluent, the mouth of
which we just then passed. The country people there
asked us to go out and attack the pirates, saying that
they were ready to help as. I may mention here
that, during the excursion, I found a greater or less
number of trading junks in the mouths of all the
affluents, where the front that they showed as a
body, the guns some had, and the certain backing
of the rural volunteers, was sufficient to deter
pirates from attacking them. My yacht was at
some distance from the nearest affluent when the
pirates approached as above, and as I was in the
main cabin, and my servant was in the cooking
room behind it, they thought they were going to
make an easy prey of an unmanned trader.
There are now on the Great River a number of
Chinese merchant craft of the same partially acci-
dentallised appearance as those used here by
foreigners for yachts, and coasting traders. After
events showed that the sole reason for the pirates
making off was their not being at the moment pre-
pared to engage the two foreigners who suddenly
appeared.
I anchored to await the flood, and while doing
so employed myself in taking to pieces and clean-
ing the lock of my Sharpe's breech-loader, which I
had found out of order on leaving Shanghai. I
then handed it with a stock of cartridges to my
English servant as his weapon in case of an attack,
giving him at the same time some instructions
as to the loading and firing of the rather
peculiar arm. Though too short in the stock for
me to use conveniently, it is in itself a very effi-
cient weapon. I also gave instructions to my
Chinese servants and boatmen as to the duty each
was, in case of attack, to perform as regarded the
handing to me of the guns and the re-loading of
them, and the handling of the vessel.
At about noon we weighed again, and continued
our course with the wind in the same quarter, and
now a steady though very light breeze. Our course
being at this time about S.W. by W., slanting
across the river toward the Keang-yin Hills, on its
right bank, the wind was just a little abaft the port
beam.
We bad not proceeded above a mile, when we
descried, about two or three miles ahead, the two
pirates whose acquaintance we had made in the
morning, and another of the same build. They
were moving in the same direction as ourselves,
but in a very irugular manner, running along-
side of each other, and crossing each other's courses
as if to speak. They were in time joined by a
fourth from the left bank of the river; and similar
movements were kept up. At one time, one
parted company, and keeping close to the wind
went off at right angles to our course, but he soon
after returned and rejoined his companions. Their
motions became at length so very
suspicious—they
shortened sail, for instance, so as to allow us to
gain more rapidly on them, while they were careful
to keep to windward of course—that I deemed it
best to-make at once my last preparations. I had,
therefore, my arms brought out and placed on the
raised hatch on the foredeck. These were as fol-
lows :—.A Jicob's single-barrelled 32-gauge rifle ;
two long single-barrelled shoulder wild-fowl guns
(Col. Hawker's kind); two double-barrelled shot
guns with longish barrels, two deuble-barrelled
shot guns of the usual length ; and, lastly, a pair of
holster and a pair of belt revolvers, of the London
Armoury Company (Adams's patent), making in all,
of guns and pistols, 31 barrels, exclusive of the
breech-loader handed to my servant. When these
preparations were made I seated myself comfort.
ably on a rattan arm-chair on the port (the pirate's)
side of the foredeck, stretching my legs out on the
bulwark, and thereby screening from view the
guns, swords, &c., that were arranged on the hatch.
I sat about an hour in this way, watching, with
my people, the motions of the pirates ahead. As
we gradually neared them, and when we were
about half a mile astern, one of them luffed, and,
keeping close to the wind, went altogether away in
the direction of the right bank. The other three
then formed in a line parallel to our course, so that
we should have to pass them, one after the other, at
a distance of about 100 yards to leeward. I had
previously, when we first observed their strange

motions, given the order to my chief boatman, who
steered, to keep straight on our own course with-
out paying the least attention to the Orates, and
precisely as if there was no other iessel in the
river but our own. This order h now strictly
observed; and the pirates had in consequence the
deliberate and undisturbed selection of the position
they thought most effective. They were about 30
or 40 yards from each other. The leading one had
one gun and about 15 men, the second two guns
and some 20 men, and the third two guns and
some 25 men—in all five guns, six or nine
pounders, and some 60 men, who must have been
partly, if not altogether, southern fellows, as, in
the morning, my people had heard the two that ap-
proached us hailing each other in Canton and Full-
keen dialects. On our side we were two Europeans
armed with small arms, and ten Chinese, the latter
non-combatants, except in so far as they aided me
in loading. My craft was slipping along at about
three miles an hour through the water, which was
scarcely ruffled by a ripple. We were going along in
6 or 8 fathoms, and in the middle of the river, which
is there four miles broad. The weather was clear
as well as quiet, only a thin layer of white clouds
somewhat obscuring the sun:
As we got nearly abreast of the rearmost pirate,
all three simultaneously hoisted the lower portions
of their mainsails e and though, with the exception
of the men doing this work, their red-capped crews
were clustered in front of or under the house abaft
the mainmast in seeming indifference, there could
no longer be the least doubt what their intention
was. I then rose, told my servants to put the rat-
tan chair into the cabin, and taking up my four
revolvers, moved forward and placed them on the
dog-hold hatch, just abaft the foremast, where there
was most space for me to work, yet where one step 1
to port or starboard enabled me to fire along
either side of my craft. I then took my Jacob.
As I did so, a man in the rearmost pirate waved a
red flag, and the attack began. All three turned
their heads towards us, their crews raised a
clamour of ferocious yells and cries, and the
pullers took to their oars and pulled hard. I still
did not fire. I expected that, from the Chinese
usual mode of aiming along the line of metal, their
shot would pass over us if we were even closer,
while I should have a better chance with my
smooth bares. I was at last just about to take
aim, when the leading boat, then about 60
yards distant, fired and sent not a round shot but
a shower of grape across us. It was well aimed,
so far as level was concerned, but passed a few yards
in advance of myself, just across our bows where
no one was standing. At the same instant rattan
shields were raised and somehow shipped all round
the pirate craft, one in advance of each puller, and
others round the bows screening the fellows at
the gun there. Catching sight, however, of
one of their red head-dresses over the top of one
shield on the starboard bow, I aimed about a
foot below it at the shield, and the fellow got the
bullet through his shoulder. This I was told after
the fight by my boatmen who, from their position
aft, could see better, and who said that this man
was very badly hurt in the shoulder. I myself
had no time to watch the effect of my shot, for the
two leading craft were coming very near indeed—
looked, in fact, as if they must in thirty or forty
seconds close with us. I therefore fired my smooth
bores in rapid succession into them, beginning with
the long singles and ending with the short doubles.
By the time that was done my head coolies had
reloaded Jacob, which I again fired. Marking then
that our assailants' onset had been somewhat
checked, and that they could not immediately close
with us, I reserved my revolvers for their original
purpose, that of repelling an actual attempt to
board, and commenced recharging the smooth bores.
ll‘Cutchens, who was immediately in front of
the cabin door, had fired the Sharpe into the
leading vessel immediately on my beginning,
and then kept steadily on recharging an d
filing, aiming like myself always at the most avail-
able mark in that pirate craft, which at the mo-
ment seemed pressing nearest, and more especially
at the pullers. The pirates in the meanwhile dis-
charged all their guns at us, and then reloaded and
again fired, again with grape, with the exception
of one gun that fired a round shot. But our fire
checked the pullers so much that all three craft,
instead of coming alongside, fell astern, so that
after the fourth or fifth rifle shot (I did not again
discharge the smooth bores), I and my man were
obliged to jump up on to the roof of the main
cabin, run to the after part of it, and fire thence.
Before, however, they fell much astern, the third
boat had passed somewhat on to the starboard
quarter, and thence made an attempt to set fire to
our mainsail, as it projected out on that side before
him. I had just discharged from the cabin roof
my rifle down the line of the pullers' shields' in
the second craft (the oars were going, yet I
could not, high up though I was, see anything of
the men), when a fellow rushed out openly from
the house of the third craft, with a thick bam-
boo tube at the end of a stick, and from which he
discharged a shower of balls of white fire, one of
which fell short of the mainsail only by a few yards.
By the time I had fired about 12 Jacobs, and
Andrew had nearly exhausted his stock of 20 cart-
ridges, the action was nearly over. The pirates
could have almost maintained, with their sails alone,
those distances of 50 to 70 yards astern of us, into
which they first fell on bearing down slantingly on
us ; and if their oars had been kept steadily and
vigorously going they could have gained upon us.
But at the period indicated they had not only all
ceased pulling, but had got their three craft close
to the wind, endeavouring to get out of the reach of
the dangerous missiles that were being sent into
them. The Sharpe was made over to me when I
was in England by Mr. Kerr, the superintendent
of the works of the London Armoury Company,
who had himself brought it from the United
States. Fired at 200 or 300 yards distance
against an iron target, it flattens a conical bullet
of two-thirds of an ounce weight into a little
leaden cake; and I have knocked the sand
up with it in the midst of a flock of wild geese, on
a bank that was at least 1,000 yards off. The Jacob,
which throws a still heavier bullet, is well known
to be the very king of shoulder weapons. No small
arm has yet been proved equal to it for power and
accuracy ; and mine is an excellent example, made
expressly for me by Blanch. The smooth bores
did invaluable service in checking the spirit of the
first rush at us, but it is to the two rifles that I at-
tribute the definitive repulse of our assailants.
What was originally the leading craft went off
first, with not a man visible about it, even the
steersman managing to keep out of sight ; and I am
inclined to think that its crew must have suffered
most. Apart from such loss as they may have suf-
fered in killed and wounded, it was satisfactory ,to
think that all of them must have felt considerably
humiliated and discouraged at the signally abortive
result of their deliberate attempt to murder and
rob a peaceful foreign gentleman and his ser-
vants. They had sent nine showers of grape and
one round shot at us, besides the fire-balls above
mentioned. Yet the two foreigners, though
they had been fighting exposed to full view, re-
mained unhurt, and were still actively engaged in
As they were going off, I sent
assailing them.
after them
first two rifle shells at 600 and 1,000
and then a solid bullet at 1,500 yards elevation.
The 1,000 yards shell was seen to strike the -water
in very good line with one of them, and only a little
short. The 1,500 yards bullet, sent chiefly to show
them the range of the weapon, must have gone rig,ht
over the middle craft, if it did not actually strike
her. Shortly after that, they were in a cluster
with their heads together; and wishing them joy
of their mutual felicitations I descended to put the
arms in order again, and attend to our further pro-
gress.

We have no loss to grieve us on our side. My
English servant received without injury a spent
grapeshot on the waistband; and the coolie who
loaded my rifle was also struck, but also without
being hurt. All the Chinese behaved very well.
None went down below ; and the coolies just
mentioned and a body servant who helped him
in loading, stood up to their work quite exposed,
although several of the first volleys of grape flew
with great farce about us. The steersman stuck to
his post and kept the vessel steadily on her course,

though his hat was brushed off by a ball that then
split the after-cabin door just in front of him.
Lastly, two men whom 1 had in the morning ap-
pointed to push off closing pirates with the long
bamboo boat poles, so that I might have more op-
portunity to use my revolvers, did come forward
with the poles just at the time when a close of the
pirate craft seemed imminent.
The short flood of that portion of the river having
soon ended, it was quite dark before we reached
theKcang-yin hills, and about 9 p.m. I was obliged,
by the sinking of the wind and a heavy rain, to
anchor for the night close to the north bank,
opposite Keang-yin itself. At daybreak on the
following morning we descried, lying along the
opposite bank of the river, nine heavily armed
southern lorchas and west coast junks, and, steal-
ing away from them—with the very first of the day-
light and up the river in advance of me—our three
foes of the day before. I had no longer any doubt
of what I had concluded on the preceding day,
that these pirates were a light squadron detached
from the piratical southern craft hired by the im-
perialist authorities to oppose the Taeping rebels.
The country people of the left bank, no friends of
" long-haired" rebels, had positively denied that the
three pirates belonged to these latter. They were
keang-taou, not chang-maou, they said.
Now in going on and leaving my assailants
kohind me, I had been willing to meet the same men
again in returning, should they think fit to attack
me. But viewing the objects which were taking
me up the river, I did not feel bound to incur the
risk of fighting a succession of reinforced or fresh
crews, drawn from 200 or 300 of the greatest ruffians
in China. Further, a strong northerly wind was
setting in, and it was quite clear that my projected
excursion would require many more days than I
could spare from Shanghai. I therefore turned,
left both lorcha fleet and the flying squadron behind
me, and reached Shanghai without further adven-
ture to myself. But on the afternoon of the follow-
ing day, while lying at anchor off the mouth of the
Tung-chow creek, I saw a trading junk hotly pur-
sued by a pirate away down the river, in the direc-
tion of Lew-ho and Weosung. The pirate was first
firing at her from the windward, but the trader
having cast off her boat, must, I believe, have even-
tually escaped, as she seemed rather increasing, the
distance between the pirate and herself, when both
disappeared below the horizon.

11112. HORSMAN, M.P., AND BLS

CONSTITUENTS.

STROUD, WEDNESDAY.
The Right Hon. E. Horsman, the member for
this borough, met a large body of the electors and
non-electors this afternoon in the Subscription
Rooms for the purpose of giving an account of his
stewardship, and defending himself against the
various charges of inconsistency which have been
brought against him in connexion with the course
pursued by him daring the last session.
Captain HALLIWELL presided, and. briefly opened
the proceedings by requesting that a fair hearing
should be given to the hon. member as well as to
any other gentleman who might desire to address
the meeting.
The right hon. gentleman commenced his speech
by observing that since he last had the honour of
meeting his constituents political events of unusual
importance had occupied the public mind, and
events of still greater importance might occur
before the lapse of another year. At home we had
many unsettled questions to deal with—financial
difficulties, increased taxation, a disorganised Par-
liament, a Ministry entirely divided against itself,
and as a consequence every great question of prin-
ciple or policy was degraded into a compromise.
(Hear.) Abroad we had every cause for thankful-
ness that we had just ended the calamitous Chinese
war. But there was another war nearer home for
which the note of preparation had already been
sounded, and when that war should break out the
interests of England in the Adriatic would take her
into the thickest of the fray. Never did he remem-
ber a Parliamentary recess in which it had been
more the duty of representatives to meet and take
counsel with their constituents, not only as to the
past, but with regard to the future, in order that we
might reaffirm the principles on which our admi-
nistration should be conducted at home„ and, what
was not less important, declare unmistakeably the
policy by which in the face of Europe every elector
should support the discharge of England's high
responsibilities abroad. In reviewing the business
of the last session it was his intention to notice the
events in the order in which they had occurred.
When he last had the pleasure of Meeting the
electors the all-absorbing question was that of
Parliamentary Reform. That was a question on
which candidates and Cabinets wore alike to be
tested. On Parliamentary Reform the Ministry
of Lord Derby was defeated and expelled ; on
Parliamentary Reform the House of Commons was
dissolved ; on Parliamentary Reform the new
Cabinet was constructed. Parliamentary Reform
was the special mission—a comprehensive Reform
Bill—that was the slang phrase. A large and
comprehensive Reform Bill, that should throw into
the shade the lilliputian measure of Lord Derby,
was the one pledge and purpose of its creation,
and the condition and end of its existence. Two
sessions had now passed away, but where was the
Reform Bill ? In what corner of the constitution
were the promised thousands of new electors to be
found ? What service to the cause of Reform had
been rendered by Lord J. Russell's cunningly-de-
vised legislation, unscrupulous machinations, and
successful manoeuvres, by which the public inte-
rest had been sacrificed to personal and private
ends, were fresh in the recollection of all present.
Perhaps some of them might be still weeping over
the grave of their buried hopes, and those feelings
he desired to spare as much as possible. (Cries of
Oh! oh ! and laughter.) The second question of
importance in the session was the commercial treaty
with France, and on that subject he had exercised
the same independent judgment as he had done on
the question of Reform, and with the same result,
for many of those who at the outset most strongly
condemned his opinions had since seen reason to
modify their own. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) He
need not make any apology for alluding to that
treaty, although he believed that many of his
constituents had already forgotten all about it.
(No, no.) lie was certain that a large number
of them remembered it with perfect in-
difference; but, as ho was addressing a commercial
community with whom the treaty had been a mat-
ter of some interest, he would endeavour to point
this 'Aral, that on questions of trade as well as of
Reform it was very dangerous to rush too impul-
sively into action on first impresions. (Hear.)
That the treaty was recommended on two grounds
—first, as a commercial transaction in the interest
of free trade, and next as a political transaction in
the interests of peace. Now, he had objected to it
on both these grounds. As a treaty of reciprocity,
he held it to he a departure from the principles of
free trade, and therefore an abandonment of our
national policy (" No, no," and " Hear, hear"); and
as a means of strengthening the alliance with
France, and winning that great military Power
over to a policy of peace instead of war, he held it
to be a practical delusion. He did not intend to
fight the battle of the treaty with any arms of his
own, but would cite as witnesses the Ministers of
the Crown by whom the treaty had been negotiated.
Mr. Milner Gibson, in speaking to his constituents,
said that the opponents of the commercial treaty
were animated by the anti-Gallican spirit of the
last century; but he forgot that it that spirit did
exist it was first evoked by Lord Palmerston and
Lord John Russell. (" Oh, oh !") It was a matter
of history that at the end of the Session of 1859
Mr. Bright made the modest suggestion that we
should enter into some arrangement with France
respecting the wine duties, but both the noble lords
whom he had named scouted the proposal. And
orn what grounds ? They said it was a treaty of
Issciprecity that was asked for, and it was inud-
n tissible because it was at variance with the prin-
ciples of free trade, and they were indignant in
appeals
principlest o the
of House s
tradee of Commonsagainst
theto A vindi-
cateian .
*Teat change had come over
oh !" and laughter.) But
a irtiie
two noble lords, and they
announced that they
the-in e sj
it:ru
opinionsaarPy s
it
aBoc6f3; 't
(h"ao s those Oh,
h
treaty whieh they had
previously
concludedeviouslyo that verybieetedto,
and
sorry to say that the liberal party, who cheered
called' upon Parliament to ratify it ; and he was
the Government when they said that recipr o-A

city was inconsistent with free trade, cheered
them more loudly still when they declared that free
trade was founded on r eciprocity. (Hear, hear, and
laughter.) He found himself unable to follow the
Government or their party in that course of apos-
trophizing. On the first occasion they spoke the
language of truth ; on the second that of expediency.
[A Voice.---" Ain't that your own picture ?"]
(Laughter.) And what was that expediency ?
There was an impression in the House of Com-
mons that it was the noble lord's pledge with re-
gard to the Reform Bill that caused the conversion
of.members to the treaty. It was supposed to have
been found that the Reform Ministry was about to
be brought to an untimely end by its own inability
to grapple with Reform ; for when, in the recess,
the Cabinet assembled to frame their measure,such
ardent Reformers were they that it was said the
15 members of the Council had no less than 15 dif-
ferent opinions on Reform, and that such unflinching
and uncompromising Reformers were they that they
did not agree on a single principle, and they differed
upon every detail until the fragmentary bill became
a confused mass of useless statistics. (Laughter.)
But, then, something must be done to continue to
the country the blessings of a Reform Ministry
even without the blessing of Reform. It was stated
that the wiles of secret diplomacy were set to work,
and it was discovered that, although the most
ardent Reformers were sincere and determined on
Reform, they were much more ardent worshippers
of peace and of commerce as a blessed instrument
of peace, and it was advised that if a bad Reform
Bill could be supplemented by a good French
treaty the Government might still go on and the
Liberal copartnery be kept out of the Gazette.
(Laughter.) The treaty was rapidly negotiated,
and they could say,—

" We struck in time, the bargain was agreed,
We still have shifts against a time of need.
Tho rats that always trust to ono poor hole,
They never can be rate of any soul."

(Laughter.) As he had been no party to the
Reform pledge, neither had he any motive to
escape from it by supporting the treaty. He
cheered the Minister as loudly as any man when the
Minister solemnly declared that black was black;
but he declined to cheer when the Minister said
equally solemnly that black was white. (Oh, oh,
and groans.) [A Voice—" This is a wholesale
abuse of the Liberal party."] He was merely
stating facts. (Hear.) Facts were truths, and
truths ought to work conviction. If the facts were
not palatable, he was not responsible for them.
(Laughter.) He stated at the time that the treaty,
so far as related to bringing about a policy of peace,
would prove a delusion. Was he wrong there ?
(Yes.) Why the ink was hardly dry on the treaty
before Lord J. Russell declared the alliance to be
at an end—that he was seeking for other alliances
on the continent as against France; and in the
very last week of the session Lord Palmerston
spoke of the Emperor of the French in language
more personally offensive than was ever before in
a time of peace employed by a Prime Minister to-
wards the ally of his Sovereign. (Hear.) These
were two facts. He would mention another in con-
nexion with the treaty. At the beginning of the
session the treaty was announced in the Queen's
Speech as a matter of immense importance, and
especially intended to strengthen our relations with
France. That language was repeated in the middle
of the session in the reply to the Address. But at
the close of the session, when the Queen prorogued
Parliament, the treaty was never mentioned at all.
And why was that ? It had been found a concession
barren of results. Every insignificant measure that
had been passed was pressed into the service in
order to swell out the Speech ; but instead of tak-
ing credit for the treaty the Ministers were afraid,
they were ashamed to mention it. (Oh, oh, and
Hear, hear.) His opinion respecting that treaty
remained unchanged, or if it had changed at all, ho
was only the more strongly convinced of his first
opinions. He had watched the progress of Mr.
Cobden's negotiations, had perused the proceedings
of the various Chambers of Commerce, and had
studied the new tariff; and the very qualified
guarded approval by which the Chambers of Com-
merce endeavoured to conceal their disappointment
fully convinced him that the Ministers of England
were not justified in sacrificing a very large amount
of revenue and imposing on our own people a very
large additional taxation in order to bribe the
French nation to benefit themselves by becoming
freetraders—(Oh, oh, and hisses)—especially when
the Emperor was a freetrader already, and, as
every one knew, had ample means for the conver-
sion of his people. (Laughter.) These were his
objections to the treaty. The Emperor must in
two or three years have granted a more free com-
mercial intercourse, and we had paid him 20 mil-
lions of money to induce him to do that which he
would have done without any. (Cries of " No, no
—you're wrong in your reckoning.") But he had a
still stronger objection to the treaty. It was a
humiliating triumph of the peace-at-any-price
party, and he would state how it was achieved.
There was a middle• class party—happily a very
small portion of intelligent and moral and sound-
hearted—(oh, oh, and hisses)—English middle
class—so small that ho hoped it had no disciples
in Stroud—whose principle of action is trade at
any price—(Oh, ob)',•--and there was enthroned in
high places a more aristocratic party, whose prin-
ciple had been place and patronage at any price.
(Laughter.) Now these two parties had nothing
in common except an inability to see or hear any-
thing that did not tell in favour of their own views.
He believed that they despised each other most
cordially, but they assisted each other most effectu-
ally. He would not place them on the same level,
for Mr. Cobden, Mr. Gladstone, and Mr. Bright
had this very high title to our respect. We might
deem them unsound in opinion, illogical in their
conclusions, but we felt them to be strong because
they were known to be sincere, and at times even
fanatical in their belief. He would not degrade
them by a comparison with mere purse-worshipping
politicianswho posessed neither the fire of patriotism
nor the pride of statesmanship—men who made
merchandise of the constitution and safety of
England by sudden conversions, not veiled
even in the decent hypocrisy of converted
sinners, bat rather exhibiting the profligate auda-
city of some cool, calculating, skilful gamester
whose character is so well known that he surprises
nobody, while he sticks at nothing. (Oh, oh, and
uproar.) Next in importance to the treaty was the
budget. Now, the faults of.the budget were on all
sides universally acknowledged. It was the first
principle of a budget that the income should balance
the expeuditure,,but the budget of last year did no
such thing. It professed to find an income of
£71,000,000 to balance an expenditpre of
£71,000,000, but they managed to do this by
borrowing £4,000,000 from the income of 1861,
creating a deficiency to that extent. Besides that
they took an insufficient estimate for the Chinese
war, and nothing at all for our now fortifications.
With this unusual deficit they proposed to repeal
the paper duty, and make up that deficiency by
adding to the income-tax. To that proposal he
objected on two grounds—first, that the revenue
could not spare the paper duty, and next, that it
was a less objectionable tax than the income-tax.
And he should be surprised if his constituents did
not agree with him in that conclusion. (No, no.)
On tho first point there could be no difference of
opinion. Taxes ought to be repealed when there
was a surplus, but that there was none was proved
by the fact that the Government had to impose now
taxes, and also to raise a loan. It was obvious, then,
that the revenue could not bear the repeal of the
paper duty. Now with respect to the second point.
It was said that the paper duty was a more objec-
tionable tax than the income-tax. To that he en-
tirely objected, and on a ground also that interested
his constituents. Putting aside the moral and
constitutional grounds, he would assert that
merely upon a fiscal comparison of their merits
the income-tax was much more odious, oppres-
sive, and objectionable than the paper duty.
(Hear, hear.) It was said that the income-tax was
a direct tax, and thaf, as all direct taxes fell
on the rich, the income-tax ought to be a popular
tax. Now, there never was a greater financial
fallacy. The returns which had been published
showed that the tax fell with a cruel and crushing
weight upon the poor man whose income was ggo,

while the person who paid on an income of £50,000
a year hardly felt the pressure at ail. The number
persons who paid on £l,OOO per annum was Rl5,
while the number who paid on £l5O was 145,691,
—not less than 172 times as many. The income of
those at £l,OOO a year was put down at £786,000,
while the incomes of the poor class was charged on
£13,667,357. The amount actually paid by those
assessed at £l,OOO was £22,950, while the amount
paid by the lower classes was £318,795. But, com-
paring the pressure on incomes of £l5O a year with
incomes over £lOO,OOO the result was still more
remarkable, for 51 individuals were paying on that
amount, while 145,694 were paying on £l5O, the
sum paid on in one case being £5,036,000, and in
the other £13,667,357. These facts showed that
the tax was to be judged of not by the amount
paid, but by the severity of its effect on the payer,
and this especially affected the poorer classes. (A
Voice—" What have you done to relieve them ?")
Voted agailist the income-tax last session, and had
always done so. (Hear, hear.) If any of these in-
come-tax philanthropists, whose bowels were always
yearning for the poor, said that the repeal of the
paper tax—which, in reality, would principally
benefit the papermakers, the booksellers, and the
newspaper proprietors—was a boon to the poor and
the struggling class, he would toll them that they
were experimenting on the credulity of their
auditors to an extent that their intelligence
would detect and defeat. But before leaving that
point, he wished to make one more remark.
There were some persons who thought they were
doing the public good service by setting class
against class, and exciting the poor against the
rich, stating that the upper classes are the natural
enemies of the poor, and meaning by the " upper
classes" the landed gentry. But the returns to
which he had referred showed that there were
150 individuals of the commercial class who, by
their own endeavours, had raised incomes averag-
ing close upon £lOO,OOO. Now, there were not
50 noblemen who had that, or half that income.
Would any one tell him that these commercial
magnates were not a portion of the upper classes ?
There was an aristocracy of millowners, as well as
an aristocracy of landowners. They were equally
eligible to be raised to distinction, and it was only
the other day that the Queen raised to the peerage
the son of a poor shepherd. (Hear, hear.) [The
right hon. gentleman then proceeded at consider-
able length to answer the charges of inconsistency
which had been brought against him by Mr. Ber-
nard, in having expressed opinions since his elec•
tion for Stroud in direct opposition to those which
he enunciated when he represented Cockermouth,
and in his own justification cited several passages
from his former speeches, pointing out certain por-
tions which had been imperfectly quoted, and men-
tioning one instance in which a passage contained
in a private letter had,been represented as part of
a speech delivered by him in the House of Com-
mons.] Those who had read and attended to his
speeches would tell them that he never had be-
longed to that political school to which they were
attached. (A Voice—" What school is that ?")
They would tell them that •in 1835 he braved un-
popularity in refusing to give any pledge through
which he could not see his way about the exten-
sion of the suffrage, and he said that he would
not be a party to any claptrap plan unless it would
have the effect intended. (Laughter.) When he
first entered Parliament the Radical party had
leaders of whom any party might be proud.
They were men of high character, great emi-
nence, and vast political knowledge, with most of
whom he was very well acquainted. They had
their councils and their organisation, but he
never was directly or indirectly associated with
them, and for this reason—that there were from
the first differences of principle between them and
him. They were for organic change as an instru-
ment of improved administrative government ;
whereas from the first day he entered Parliament he
avowed his principle to be improved administra-
tive government in every department as the best
means of effecting organic change. Whether in
the army, the navy, the church, or the law—colo-
nial or foreign administration at home or abroad, he
had voted in favour of those improvements, what-
ever might be the Ministry. There was not a
single question in which he had not been in advance
of the Liberal Government themselves when they
were out of office. He had always protested against
that blind and suicidal policy of the Whigs by which
they refused concession after concession, until they
had disgusted and broken up their party. They
aimed at resuscitating and reconstructing them-
selves in office by promising a Reform Bill. Then
with regard to the question of national defences.
Last year it was charged against him that he had
submitted a proposal to the Government which
shocked the friends of economy as well as the
sincere advocates of peace. When he said that the
Emperor might mean invasion it was said it was a
provocation to war. When he stated that the
expenditure for the defence of the country would
be £8,000,000 it was said that he was extravagant.
When he went further, and said the sum should be
raised by loan, some persons thought he was labour-
ing under insanity. It was upon that occasion that
Lord Palmerston sneered at what he called "the rifle
fever." During the recess the rifle fever began to
spread. The Prime Minister caught it, and became
a rifleman and the vice-president of a rifle asso-
ciation. Next session the Queen congratulated
Parliament on the progress of the rifle fever,
and a few months afterwards reviewed some 22,000
rifle patients. (Hear, hear.) But, to crown all, in
July, 1859, his proposition having been defeated,
Lord Palmerston, in July, 1860, came forward,
reproduced his (Mr. Horsman's) arguments and
his proposal, pointed to the Emperor of the French
much more strongly than he (Mr. Horsman) had
done, took the sum of £10,000,000, and even the
most novel and boldest part of his scheme, namely,
that the sum should be raised by way of loan.
(Cheers.) Of course, a large majority having fol-
lowed Lord Palmerston into the lobby when he
opposed his (Mr. Horsman's) plan, a still larger
majority followed him when he accepted it.
(Laughter.) With respect to foreign affairs they
knew how often he had ventured to warn them as
to the dangers into which they might run from
their special alliance with France, and last session,
when the eyes of the Government were opened to
the aggressive policy of France, lie suggested that
they should withdraw from that exclusive and spe-
cial alliance and cultivate a better understanding
for their common security with all the other Cabi-
nets of Europe. He was blamed for the boldness
of his counsel on that occasion, but a very little
time afterwards, Lord John Russell said the Govern-
ment had adopted those views, and, amid the
plaudits of the House of Commons, added that Eng-
land was seeking other alliances and was once more
prepared, if the necessity should arise, to lead
Europe against any further aggression. (Cheers.)
The right hon. gentleman next referred to the six
great questions which were brought under the con-
sideration of Parliament last session, and proceeded
to ask if it was possible to point out one on which
he had any cause to regret the course he had
adopted. (A voice, " Yes, you have—upon every
one," and laughter.) There was not one of those
questions on which at the commencement of the
discussion he was not at issue, and at painful issue,
with the Government and the Liberal party, brt
there was not one of these.questions on which the
Government and the Liberal party before the close
of the discussion did not come round to his
views. (Laughter.) There was no vote, or sena_
ment, or speech of which he had the smallest
cause to feel regret. He was sensible of the gene-
ral kindness and courtesy lie experienced from his i
constituents, and, although he knew that some of
them differed from him, and he was afraid would
always do so, yet they were frank and manly op•
ponents. He did not ask any one for their cle-
mency, mercy, or even for their forbearance. He
stood there for justice, and not to him alone, but
justice to themselves. They had sent him to Par-
liament to represent their principles. (Derisive
cheering., and great laughter.) Tie would ask them
to which of the principles they sent him to repre-
sent had he ever proved himself false (Cries of
"To every one," laughter, and interruption.) He
hoped he should not be met by an evasion like
that, but that they would tell which specific prin-

ciple be had been false to. (A voice, "To Reform,"
followed by cries of hear, hear ) They sent hito
to Parliament charged with their political inte-
rents, which one had he abandoned ? They did
not send him to Parliament to be a mongrel. spaniel
or a lackey. (Cries of "We sent you to be a
watch dog." Laughter.) But one of their com-
plaints was that he barked too much. (Laughter.)
He did not come there as the ally or nominee of
any particular party, but if the constituency would
hold a public meeting and allow him to express
his sentiments, and they thought him worthy to
represent them, heshould feel it a pride and honour
to undertake that service. On that understanding
he went into Parliament, and he now stood before
them bold and strong in the conviction that he had
done his duty to them, that their Parliamentary
good name, their high character, their unsullied
honour had not been damaged in his keeping. He had
not served them perhaps as ably as they might have
desired, but this testimony he deserved—that he had
served them industriottily, independently, and faith-
fullytothe best of the ability that God had given him.
(Cheers, amid which the right lion. gentleman re-
sumed his seat.)
On the conclusion of the right hon gentleman's
speech, Mr. BOWLEY moved the following reso-
lution :

" That this meeting, having listened to the ad-
dress of Mr. Tiorsman, regrets that he has felt it his
duty to pursue a course of Parliamentary conduct
during the past session of which it cannot but
record its disapprobation—a coarse which, in their
opinion, is calculated neither to promote pence or
liberty in Europe, nor the true honour of this em-
pire. This meeting desires to express its confidence
in,her Majesty's Government, and feels disappointed
that during the late session of Parliament, instead
of receiving the support of Mr. Horsman, to which
it was entitled, it was subjected to repeated attacks
which this meeting considers undeserved."
The resolution, on being put to the vote, was
carried almost unanimously.

Mr. TionsmAN said that, notwithstanding the
vote, he hoped to be for many years the Liberal re-
presentative of the Liberal constituency of Stroud.

GALLANT AND PERNEYERING LIFE-

BOAT SERVICES.

The following important communication from
the Rev. J. Pellew Gaze, hon. secretary of the
Brooke, Isle of Wight, Branch of the Royal Na-
tional Lifeboat Institution, detailing the gallant
and persevering services of one of the society's life-
boats recently placed at the back of that island,
will be read with interest :

Brooke, Isle of Wight, Jan. 1, 1861.
On- the morning of Monday, Dec. 31, 1860, a
vessel was seen close to the shore in Compton Bay by
the officer of the Coastguard, Mr. Cutajar, and
Charles Harding, boatman.
Blue lights were shown and pistol fired until
between 6 and 7 a.m., when the ship fired a gun,
presumed to be a signal of distress. Shortly before
7 in the morning the usual signals (two discharges
of the 32-pounder from the Coastguard gun battery)
having been given, the crew of the lifeboat belong-
ing to the National Lifeboat Institution assembled,
and the lifeboat was launched at 7.30, and after a
pull of three miles through a severe heavy ground
sea and breakers, and against tide, reached the
vessel in Compton Bay, which proved to be the
brigantine John Westley, 109 tons, in ballast, of
Guernsey—the master's name George Abbott. After
communicating with the master, and pointing out the
dangerous position of the ship, on a lee shore, with
reefs of rocks close at hand, and hanging only by a
single anchor, the coxswain of the lifeboat urged upon
him the necessity of securing his own safety and
that of the crew by coming on shore in the lifeboat.
The proffered assistance was however declined, and
the boat returned at 9.30 a.m.

At midday the sea increased very considerably,
and the ship appeared to be labouring heavily ;
when, as it was impossible after launching the boat
at Brooke to pull round the point to the westward
into Compton Bay, it was determined to take the
boat there by road,. and to revisit the ship, from
which a second distress signal had been fired.
The boat transit to Compton Bay was accompanied
with no ordinary difficulties ; gates had to be re-
moved, gate-posts cut away, and by dint of very
great exertion the boat was lowered on the skidds
over the cliff into the bap, the carriage being taken
down afterwards. The boat was then replaced on
her carriage, and amid very heavy breakers launched
at 4 p.m., to search for the ship, in a thick fog and
drizzling rain.

After-finding the ship, and on reaching her,
the coxswain again urged the master and crew
to come on shore, and pointed out the uncer-
tainty of any assistance being possible
during the night, the weather being very thick,
with drizzling rain, and every appearance of a
S.W. gale. All assistance was again declined. By
this time darkness had come on with increased surf,
and, indeed, so heavy was it, that a sea coming over
the stern of tho boat on her return from the 'ship
filled her to tho thwarts, but she immediately self-
ejected the seas. The lifeboat on this occasion
returned at half-past 6 p.m.
It being impossible to return the lifeboat to the
boat-house, she was replaced upon her carriage, the
stores safely stowed, and guards appointed to take
charge of her during the night, Ist January.
Signal guns of distress having been fired from the
ship, at 2.30 a.m. the signal guns from the Coast
Guard Battery again gave the alarm, and it was
reported that the ship was stranded in Compton
Bay. The crew of the lifeboat (many of whom,
though worn out with the previous day's labour,
had never left the boat-house) repaired imme-
diately to the scone of danger, and wore mustered
there.

At this time a heavy gale was blowing, with
driving rain. At length it was discovered that the
ill-fated ship had gone on shore under the White
Cliff, between Compton Bay and Freshwater-gate,
and that the crew during the early part of the night
deserted the ship, and were taken on board a tug
steamer from Southampton.
I have also to inform you that the lifeboat has
again returned safe to the boat-house at this station.
It is my painful duty to add, that owing to the
refusal of the master of the ship to leave the vessel
when urged by the coxswain of the lifeboat, a fatal
accident has happened to D. 111`Leod, a commis-
sioned boatman of coast-guard, at this station.
This morning the unhappy man was lowered over
the cliff in company with a comrade, to ascertain
deny of the ship's crew remained on the wreck,
when upon his being hauled up again, a piece of
rock fell and smashed his skull to atoms. The de-
ceased was a man of quiet respectable habits and
regarded with esteem by those with whom he was
associated. He leaves a widow, on the eve of her
confinement, and five children, totally unprovided
for.

I feel it my duty to speak in the highest terms of
tho conduct of the coxswain of, the lifeboat, John
Haytcr' and the rest of the crow, who have never
been absent from their respective posts from seven
o'clock on Monday morning to midday on Tuesday,
and who, owing to the heaviness of the sea and
thickness of weather, ran very great risk on this
rocky coast._

Nor can I close the report without tendering,
through you, my heartfelt thanks to Mr. Cutajar,
the officer of coastguard in command of this station,
and the men under him, for their valuable and effi-
cient assistance rendered during a very trying and
anxious service.

(Signed) JOAN PELLEW GAZE, Hon. Sec.
Brooke Station, Isle of Wight Branch of
the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

WALMEIt (NEAR DEAL), JAN. 1.
This morning about 9 o'clock, after a most tem-
pestuous night, the fog hanging over the Downs
cleared away in the direction of the Goodwin Sands
for a few minutes, when a vessel was observed to
be on shore upon the off side of thorn. The wind
had modezated, but the surf on the beach was
heavy, and with a fresh breeze from the S.W. The
Widmer lifeboat of the National Lifeboat Institu-
tion was launched as soon as possible, and proceeded
under sail directly for the sands, which were crossed
under considerable difficulty, the lifeboat being
frequently filled by the seas which broke into her ;
but the vessel was at length boarded, and found to
be the French barque Duguay Tromin, of St.Vaast.
The barque had been deserted by her crew, and the
sea was making a wreck of her. Tho long-boat had
apparently been hoisted out, by which it is supposed
the crew had left, but no intelligence of their safety
has as yet been obtained. A candle was found
burning in the cabin, and some papers, from which
the foregoing particulars were gleaned. No other
boats were observed to be near the vessel. A steam
tug lying in the Downs proceeded round the South
Sand Head at the same time as the lifeboat was
launched, but the latter got to the wreck first.

[AnvEltTrsEmENT.l—Holloway's Ointment and Pius.—
Bronchitis, Asthma, Shortness of Breath, Palpitation.—
Now is, unfortunately, the season thr the
prevalence of
these complaints, and their ov.ious nature is borne out by
the weekly bills of mc.rtality. Early and proper treatment
should ho adopted without hesitation or del
nether need
ari•io if Holloway's remedies boat laud,laud,; i
ointment
may be safely and advantaQously rubbed on the back and
chest, every night and rimming, precisely as salt is
rubbed
upon nieat' to preserve it. It penetrates internally,
91
appeases pulmonary excitement. Holloway's
pills should
be taken at the same time, as they act with energy on the
circulation, glands) and alnoltients, and materially waist
in rendering t4O ma &aural and permanent._

STATE OF TRADE.

-4--

LEEDS, ian.l.—Considering the character of the
weather, which has been miserably sloppy and
uncomfortable for all persons passing to or from
the cloth-halls or warehouses, there has
been a fair amount of business done in the public
cloth market to day. As a rule, settling accounts
rather than buying goods is the order of the
day for the first market or two of the new
year, and to-day's proceedings are not of an
unexceptionable character. In a review of
the woollen trade of this district for the
past year the _Leeds Mercury of this day says :
" Viewing the home trade for the year in the aggre-
gate, we think it will not be an improvement on the
previous year, nor will it be much less. However,
if under the unfavourable circumstances of the past
year the trade has maintained a firm position, it
must be considered satisfactory. The foreign trade
in the aggregate, like the home, has shown no
decided improvement. To the United States,
Brazil, Buenos Ayres, and the East Indies our ex-
ports have fallen off considerably, but the deficiency
is more than counterbalanced by the increase to
China and Hong Kong and North America. The
present state of the woollen trade is sound and
healthy. Stocks are not large, nor is there any great
preparation going on—nothing beyond what the
usual requirements of the season warrant ; and as
to the prospects of the new y ear, let us hope they
will improve as it proceeds."
ROCHDALE, 31st.—The closing flannel and wool
markets here for the year 1860 have been of a
rather quiet character. Prices of goods, however,
continue steady, the manufacturers are well
employed, and the prospects for the spring trade
are of a fair character, though they are somewhat
" sicklied .over" with a feeling of fear as respects
continental affairs. The flannel trade of this dis-
trict for the year 1860 has been ono unparal-
leled as to its extent, and the same maybe said as to
the aggregate profits. Throughout the greater
part of the year the demand has been in advance
of the supply, and this circumstance would warrant
the inference that the manufacturers have obtained
highly remunerative prices for their goods. Pro-
fits, however, have been diminished by both the
advances which from time to time have been made
in the price of wool, and by an increase in the cost
of production. Notwithstanding these drawbacks,
there is no doubt themanufacturers have had a very
profitable year. Wool is moderately firm at present,
but it is not so buoyant as it was a few months ago,
the fears about a deficient supply having become
little more than a thing of the past."

COUNTRY MARERTS.

SHEFFIELD-JAN. 1.

At the market to-day there was a good attendance, and
an active business was dono in new wheat, which was in
advance from is to 2s per qr. Th. samples of old wheat
wero also a little dearer. Oats, beans, barley, and other
articles firm. The following are the quotations :
Red wheat, per load of 3 imperial bushels...24s Od to 28s Od
White // 1) ...Ms Od to 289 Od
New rod , 9 I ...20s Od to 2550 d
New white „ ~ ...24g Od to 265 6d
Beans ~ ~ ...20s Od to 225 Od
Peas, per qr
Grinding barley, per qr 338 Od to 35s Od
Malting ditto, „ 35. Od to 43. Od
Oats 1, ' 2ss 6d to 34s Od
Millers' prices for flour-2s 3d, 25 sd, and 2s 7d per
141 b.