The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-09 00:00:00

'TELE EARL OF CLARENDON TO SIR J. ROARING.

- Foreign Office, Dec. 10,1856.
Sir,—l have received your despatches of the 13th and
15th Oct., reporting what had passed, in regard to the
seizure, by the Chinese authorities at Canton, of the crew
of the hrcha Arrow, sailing under British colours.
I have consulted the law officer of the Crown on this
matter, and I have now to state to you, that I am of opi-
nion that this act of the Chinese authorities constitutes
ao infraction of Art. IX. of the Supplementary Treaty.
The only possible defence open to them appears to be,
that 'the Arrow was not "an English merchant ship"
within the true intent and meaning of the Treaty ; but
Art. XVII., Rale 1, in Supplementary Treaty, recog-
nisei and includes this particular class of vessel; she had
a British master, British colours and papers ; and even
if her licence had been improperly granted in Aug.,1854,
this 'was a matter of British internal regulation, and to be
dealt with by the British authorities. This point is evi-
dently an after-thought on the part of the Chinese, and
the icily evidence of it is the uncorroborated assertion of
one of ihe crew whitat in custody.. lio.-Britiah,lorcha
would besafe if 'her crew were liable to seizure on such
grounds.
I have further to observe that there do not seem to
have been any such circumstances of urgency in this case
as would afford any justification or excuse for the arbi-
trary conduct of the Chinese authorities, who were, pro-
bably, emboldened by the absence ofany of her Majesty's
ships from Canton. , The Arrow was bound to Hong
Kong, and if any of her crew could be identified as hav-
ing been guilty of piracy, or were even suspected of it,
there would have been no difficulty in securing their ap-
prehension and delivery, had the Chinese authorities
taken the course indicated by Art. 9, viz., communicat-
ing with the British Consul. Only two o her crew were
charged with piracy, viz., Le-ming-tae, and Liang-kien-
foo the third 'detained (Woo a-jet)) is apparently only
wanted as a witness; and there was not the slightest pre-
text for seizing the other nine, who were afterwards re-
leased.

Tne accidental-and temporary absence of the British
master on board a neighbouring vessel could not affect
the, question. The British flag is clearly proved (by the
deiosition of Kennedy and Leach) to have been
.hauleddo n byithe Chinese Mandarin crew, notwithstanding
the, denial of this fact by the Imperial Commissioner ;
but evea if the flag had not beeu actually flying at the
moment, it is obvious that the national character of the
loreha, was well known to the authorities.
The expiration of the Arrow's sailing licence on Sep-
tember 27, previous to her seizure, does not appear to
have been known to the Chinese authorities ; and this,
again, is a matter of British regulation which would
not justify seizure by the Chinese.
The principle involved in this case is most important,
and the demands made by Mr. Consul Parkes appear to
me to be very moderate under the circumstances. I
consider that the re•delivery of the three men st:lt de-
tained, ana a subsequent formal demand for their extra-
dition before they are given up again, should be insisted
on as a sine qua non. They must be considered as having
been forcibly taken in breach of Treaty, and without any
justification or excuse, from on board a British
vessel, and illegally detained in custody by the orders
of! the Imperial Commissioner, with full know-
ledge of all the circumstances and in defiance of a formal
de nand by the British Consul.
[Under all the circumstances of the case, I approve of
the intention to seize and bold one of the imperial junks
as security for the redress which the high commissioner
has been called upon to afford in this case,
have thatade
intothe
conclude
circumstances
rycouum
shtaavnec
es caused
a 4 only to add,
rictinciulrytobe m
con-
nected with the grant of the licence to the lorcha in the
ycar 1854.—1 am, &c., (Signed) CLARENDON.

THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY TO MR. HAMMOND.
(Received Jan. 3.)
Admiralty, Jan. 3, 1857.
Sir,—l am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty to transmit to you copies of a letter from
Rear-Admiral Sir M. Seymour, and of such of its enclo-
Aires as have not been received at the Foreign-office, de-
titiling the operations at Canton; and in laying the same
blefore the Earl of Clarendon, I have to request that you
will move his lordship to inform mylords what instructions
a 6 to be sent to the Admiral by the mail of the 10th
ipst.—l have, acc., (Signed) Taos. Paum.

H. HAMMOND TO THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY.
(Extract.) Foreign-office, Jan. 10, 1857.
I have laid before the Earl of Clarendon your letter of
the 3d inst., enclosing Rear. Admiral Sir Michael Sey-
mour's report of the late operations in the Canton river,
and requesting to be made acquainted with the instruc-
tions which should be sent to him on the subject ; and
in reply I am to request that you will acquaint the Lords
Comwissioners of the Admiralty that Lord Clarendon is
of opinion that the admiral's conduct should be entirely
approved, and more especially the judgment, firmness,
and moderation with which be has acted, and the respect
which he has shown for the lives and properties of the
Chinese people.

THE EARL OF CLARENDON TO SIR J. BOWRING.

(Extract.) Foretgn•office, Jan. 10, 1857.
I have received your despatch of the 23d of October
last, with a report of the operations in the Canton river,
and I have to acquaint you that her Majesty's Govern-
ment entirely approve the course which has been adopted
by Rear-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour and yourself ;
and I have to instruct you also to convey to Mr. Parkes
a similar approval of his conduct.

Count de Conroy, the French representative, expresses
to Sir John Bowring his "moral adhesion" to the course
taken by the British authorities, and his recognition of
the fact that our common interests direct us towards the
revision of our treaties with China.

DEPOSITIONS REGARDING TIIE LORCHA

ARROW.

Thomas Kennedy, aged 21 years, a native of Belfast,
duly sworn, states—Between 8 a.m, and 81 a.m. yester-
day morning, Bth October, I was on board the lorcha
Dart, which was at anchor about 150 yards below the
Dutch Folly ; my own vessel, the Arrow, was lying
about 50 yards ahead of the Dart, nearer the Dutch
Folly, within easy hailing distance, also at anchor.
I was sitting on the deck of the Dart, when I saw two
Chinese boats, each having mandarins on board in uni-
form, and about 20 seamen besides the officers ; in all,
there might be about 60 men. Some of the officers had
official caps, with feather tails to their caps. I did not
take any notice at the moment whetherthey were armed.
A little after I saw the boats pass, the captain of the
Chusan lorcha, who was also on board the Dart, re-
marked to me that these mandarin boats were lying
alongside my lorcha. I answered, " They are probably
sending passengers to Hong Kong." As we were looking,
on 1 saw one of the mandarin seamen, who had a badge
on his breast and another on his back, and a uniform cap
on his head, haul down the English ensign from the
wizen gaff. I immediately afterwards saw the blue Peter,
which was flying at the foremast head, hauled down. but
could not see the man that did so, because the view was
interrupted at the moment. I then got on board a sam-
pan with the captains of the Dart and Chusan, and pulled
alongside the Arrow. It was about slack water. By the
time I reached the Arrow I found that all my crew Lad
been taken out, and were in the mandarin boats along-
side, bound by their elbows being tied behind their backs.
I noticed that the old man who acted as a sort of priest on
board was bound with a thicker rope and more com-
pletely secured ; he was also separated entirely from the
others. I asked my boy when I went on board who
hauled the ensign down. He said it was one of the mar-
darin chinamen. I asked particularly if it was one of my
men, and he said again it was one of the mandarin's
people. Immediately after I came on board they shoved
off. I tried to ask what was the occasion of this con-
duct, but was unable to understand the reply. I asked
why the flag was hauled down, and could get no satis-
factory answer. I hoisted the flag again. Nothing was
taken from the ship, but as I passed aft to hoist the flag,,
they called out to me, "Yu na ma," and " Vrae tae.'
I turned round and asked why they made use of such
lansuage, and the officers shook their heads at the sea-
men and made them keep quiet. They wished to take
all the men away, but I asked them to leave two men to
take charge of the vessel, and they did so. I understand
a little Chinese, and asked them myself to leave two
men. They then went away.
(Signed) THOS. KENNEDY.
Sworn before me at the British Consulate, Canton,
belowboard
this 9th. day of October, 1856.
John(Stgued) CHAS. A, WINCH
about-15I0w3a,:sois"ESTER, Vice-Consul.
states Leach,
aged 21, native of London, duly sworn,
the Doßwutnchvess Folly,et he
Daraboutt,
ly
ing
50
yards below the Arrow.
morning, the masters of die Chusanetween 8 and
9 yesterday
iehas
were on board breakfasting with and Arrow or
me. We three were
sitting aft together when I saw two mandarin boats pass
up the river, each having some 30
men on board, seamen
and rraudarins. The seamen had
on
badges in front and
behind, and the officers had long gowns and ca s Two
of the mandarin officers
had knives by thei p.
saw the two boats go alongside the Arrow
, a fr ster wards I
icl es. I
saw the English ensign hauled down by
one of
h
darin soldiers, with a badge in front and anothetrbeeman-
hind.
I saw the blue Peter hauled down, but could not discern
by whom. I went on board the Arrow with my two friends,
and when alongside 'found the crew of the Arrow in the
mandarin boats alsngside, bound; one, in particular,
more securely bound than the others. ThiN mad was in a

place by himself. When we went on board, I heard the
captain ask his boy in Chinese, who hauled the flag
down. I understand enough Chinese to know that the
answer was, the mandarin's people. Afterwards I saw
that they left two men of the crew, who were going
over the ship's side into the boats. This was at the cap-
tain's request. I have heard the deposition of Thomas
Kennedy read over to me, and fully confirm the state-
ments contained in it.. (Signed) JOHN LEASH.
Sworn before me, .at the sritish Consulate, Canton,
this 9th day of Oct., 1856.
(Signed) CHAS. A. WINCEESTER, Vice-Consul.

The examination of Chin-a Sing, one of the crew of the
loroha Arrow, before Mr. Consul Parkes, at Canton,
Oct. 9, 1856 :
Early on the morning of the Bth Oct. three or four
Chinese war-boats called " towmangs," left their anchor-
age at the Dutch Folly, and dropped down the river,
passing close to our lorcha-the Arrow. One of them I saw
come to an anchor not far below us, and she immediately
sent away two pulling boats, which pulled up to the lorcha
an,l boarded us. There might have been 18 or 20 men in
each boat • they were all dressed in uniform—a few only
I were armed ; two of them, I noticed, had swords. There
was one mandarin in one boat and three mandarins in the
other. • The first-named mandarin vv, re a crysal button
and a feather on his cap, the others opaque white buttons;
at least I can speak with certainty to two of ,them being
thus decorated ; and one of the latter also wore a fea-
ther. They all had personal attendants with them; who
held cotton umbrellas over them to screen them from the
sun. All four mandarins boarded the lorcha, and were
followed by their men, and anotheriperson- who pointed
out to the mandarins an old man, one of our crew, who
was known among us both by the surname Le and the
surname Leang. The mandarins ordered their men to seize
and bind this old man, and then addressing themselves to
the crew told us to be quiet, as they did not wish to hurt
u. Immediately afterwards they said they should require
us to go with them, and , we were ordered into the boats.
At the same time that this order was given, I heard the
maddatiffietTivdriiiihe4brystal'butiketr ortp_qt,, " This is
not a foreign lorcha, for there is no ftifergn-er'li:Cliord-.
wand ; haul down her ensign." Several of us assured
the mandarin that we had an European captain. I saw
one of the soldiers, in obedience to the command of the
mandarin, haul down the ensign, which was flying at the
time on the mizen-mast, and which he flung on the deck
without unreefing it from the halyards. As the crew
were being passed into the boat, our captain came on
board. I heard him demand of the officers what they
were doing to his vessel, and I beard him cry out,
" Who hauled down the flag l" Some of us replied,
"The mandarins ;" on which he ran aft and hoisted it
again. The mandarins said they did not believe he was
the captain, and immediat •ly went into their beats and
pushed off, taking with them eleven of our crew, besides
the old man Le, and leaving only myself and Leang-a-
yung on boards Old Le
H A lookedßßy Sm.;
Achit alarmed.s,
08u
IT
heard it then stated fur the first time that he was the
father of Le-a-kuer,,a pirate.—Before me,
(Signed)

Leang-a-yung, on being examined by the consul, de-
posed to the same facts as Coin-a-sing. He distinctly
saw the flig.hauled down by one of the soldiers. He
and another man were busily engaged in a sampan un-
mooring the lorcha at the moment when tlie mandarins
boarded.
(Signed) HARRY S. PARKES, Consul.

statement of facts re-
sANTECEDENTS:O R
F THE LORCEIA 'AROW.
gF. H. Block.'s name,
(Exy-act from the China Mail of Dec. 11, 1856.)
in connection with the lorcha Arrow, in the correspond-
ence between his Excellency Sir John Bowring and Yeh,
peWcteinwgiltlhinegal
iyhlisuisoenrzint tandeefotlolomwirn.
the Imperial commissioner, which appeared in the Ga-
xe.te Extraordinary of the 28th of Nov. last, and which
will entirely deprive his Excellency Yeti of any excuse or
pretext founded on the assumed fact of the register of the
lorcha Arrow being fraudulently obtained ; at the same
time vindicating Mr. Block from any imputation which
such an assumptiOn might cast upon him. We shall
therefore give, as briefly as may be, the history of the
lorcha, so far as is connected with her becoming a regis-
tered British vessel, and, indeed, so' far as is known on
the subject.

The lorcha Arrow was heretofore employed in trading
on the coast, and while so employed was taken by
pirates. By them she was fitted out and employed in
the Canton river during the disturbances between the
imperialists and insurgents. While on this service she
was captured by the "braves" of the Soo-tsoi-che-tong
Company, or guild, one of the loyalist associations or-
ganised by the mandarins for the support of the imperial
government. By this guild she was publicly sold, and
was purchased by a Chin-chew Hong, a respectable firm
at Can:on, who also laid out a considerable sum in re-
pairing-And otherwise fitting her out. She arrived in
this harbour about the month of June, 1855, at'which
time a treaty (which ended in a bargain) was on foot be-
tween Fong Aming, Messrs. John Burd and' Co.'s Corn-
pradere, and Lee-yeong-heen, one of the partners in 'the
Chin-chew Hqng, for the purchase of the loreba by the
former. Shortly after the arrival of the vessel here she
was claimed by one Quantal of Macao, who asserted
that she. had been his property before she was seized by
the pirates. Of course the then owners disputed his
claim ; upon which he commenced a suit in the Vice-
Admiralty Court. After a short time, by consent of the
parties, the question was referred to arbitration, and the
arbibrators appointed were Mr. Edward Pereira, on
behalf of Quan-tai, and the Hon. Mr. J. F. Edger, on
behalf of Lee-yeong been, as representing the parties
who opposed the claim of Quan-tai. These arbitrators
could not agreeand Mr. Geo. Lyall was appointed umpire,
who awarded that the possession or ownership of the lor-
cba should continua undisturbed ; but as he was not satis-
fied that Quan-tai had sufficient opportunities afforded
him of regaining what he asserted to have been originally
his property, he also awarded that the sum of- $2,100
should be paid him, being the sum at, which the
lorcha bad been sold by the Soo-tsoi-che-tong
and which appeared to be the Value' of the lorcha at
the time of such sale. Upon this award, a question
arose between Fong Aiming, of Messrs. J. Buud and
Co., and the Chin-chew Hong, as to who was to pay the
2,100 dollars, and it was finally arranged between them
that Fong Amiog was actually to pay the money to
Quan-tai, buethat the Chin-chew Hong were to allow
him out of the purchase-money for the lorcha the sum
of 1,000 clefs., being their contribution to the amount of
the award, and that the balance of 1,100 dol3. was to
be Fong Aming's hontribution. This sum of 2,100 dole.
Mr. Block advanced for Fong Aming, and paid it to
Messrs. Gaskell and Rrown, the proctors for Quan-tai,
who acknowledges the receipt thereof from him on ac-
count of Lee-yeong-heen, the partner in the Chin-chew
Hong, who had been made defendant in the suit. In
the accounts between the Hong and Fong Awing, the
BUM of 1,000 dole. was deducted from the total amount
of the purchase-money for the lorcha. The ownership of
the vessel was' transferred to Fong Aiming, and in his
name she is registered.

These are the simple facts connected with the purchase
of the lorcha by a resident in this colony and her regis-
try as a British vessel, and it is from the3e facts that the
Imperial Commissbner Yeh has arrived at the Erroneous
conclusion expressed in this letter of the 12th ult., where
he says that a register was purchased for Soo Aching
of the merchant Block for 1,000 dots.—the fact being,
that Mr. Block interested himself i❑ the matter solely
for the purpose of extricating his Cornprador (Fong
Atning) from the difficulty he had with the lorcha at
this place.
As an evidence of the truth of the above statement the
documents bearing reference to it have bc:sn placed in
our hands, for the inspection of any person who may
feel interested in the matter ; and we are assured that
Mr. Block received no remuneration whatsoever for his
assistance, nor did he derive any profits, either direc,ly
or indirectly, nor bad he any interest or share in the
lorcha.

TIM ALLEGED POISONING OF MRS.
_BACON AT STAJTFORD.

Mrs.B
ed thatmoiactually acknow-
leother-in-law dined
i
with them, she, by directon,of her husband, mixed
dgi on has,the dayit is
her said,
m
arsenic with the old woman s broth ; and further,
she said that afterwards her husband mixed more
of the same poison with her medicine, before hand-
ing it to his mother, and this mixture she also
drank: These disclosures the unfortunate woman
made when told by a female relative in attendance
on her that the body of her mother-in-law was
about to be exhumed for the purpose of being exa-
mined, and when she had finished the frightful
revelation, she said, "This will take a great weight
from off mymind."
The magistracy of Stamford are now exerting
themselves ; it was only a few days ago that the
clerk to the bench there wrote to the chief clerk at
Lambeth police-court, to request, in the event of
Bacon's discharge from the very serious accusation
against him in the county of Surrey, that he would
cause information to be taken against him on the
charge of poisoning his mother, so that he might
at once be forwarded to Stara°, d.
Inspector Young, and the officers engaged with
him, have been at much trouble in making the ne-
cessary inquiries respecting information that had
reached .hem that Bacon had insured the lives of
both his children in some burial society, and had
received the money since their deaths ; but the
officers have not been able to trace the rumour to
any authentic source.

COMMITMENT OF MONTEFIORE TO THE QUEEN'S Par-
a° frequently before the public in connection with the
--e :I E da r
forgeriesd Htoor sac
largee I l o nat
me fioourne, whose name has been
has been committed by
amount on the Cape of Good
Hope Bank, . a judge at Cham-
bers to the Queen's Prison. A writ of habeas corpus was
sued out on his behalf, and on Thursday evening he was
brought up from Whitecross-street Prison and delivered
over to the tipstatf of the Court of Exchequer. He
sa°llNe.g
was forthwith lodged in the Queen's Prison, there to re-
Ws
main. It is supposed that - next application will be
to the Insolvent Debtors' Court.

Naval and lYftlitary Intei)lw3vlw,3.

The following circular memorandum has been issued
from the Horse Guards, dated Feb. 5 :
" With reference to the circular memorandum, dated
sth Sept. last, Saing the establishment of regiments, it
is clearly to be understood that men are not to be en-
listed at the bead-quarters of corps or depots until fur-
ther orders, although under 'the strength authorised by
that memorandum.

"This notification is not to prevent commanding offi-
cers bringing to the General Commanding-in Chief's no-
tice the names of men whose term of 10 years' service
will expire during 1857, and who may wish to re-engage.
"By command of his Royal Highness the General
Commanding-in-Chief."

" G. A. WETHEIZALL, A. G."

An order has just been forwarded from the Horse
Guards to the various commanding offic rs of regiments
and depots announcing that the Secretary of State for
war bas received her Majesty's sanction to restore to the
whole of the non-commissioned officers in the army the
good conduct pay they were i❑ receipt of at the time they
were promoted to be serjeants, the rules of the service
having hitherto prevented a sergeant from receiving the
good•conduct pay be was in receipt of when a private a.
so ,n as promoted.
The gcl Dragoon Guards, commanded by C Dyson,
under orders for India, will proceed to that destination
in about 8 weeks, and will be quickly fol iwed by the
2d, or Queen's Bays, Colonel Campbtli,
Major-Gen. Sir J. Chatterton, commanding the el-
valry in Dubria, was incessantly employed during last
week in selecting the men of the 21 and 3d Dragoon
Guards ordered for Indian service.

The following promotions and appointments have taken
place in the corps of Royal Marines consequent on the
death of Gen.lJonos:—Lieutenant.General T.A. Parke,
C. 8., to be General; Major-Gen. J: R. Coryton, to be
Lieuteriant•General; Col.-Commandant J. A. Philips, of
the Chatham division, to be Major-General ; Colonel
Second 'Commandant E. A. Parker, of the,Second
L.00.1901244349f14044 •,,iTirripnt.-Col. H. W. Parke, to
be Col. Si3coiiil'CriMtnitillitikand. to retain command of
the Artillery compinierii Li-et:W.IW. A. 13. Stiarisharir,'
to be Col. Second Commandant at Woolwleb, vice S.
Hawking, retired ; Lieut.-Col. E.. Rea, to be Colonel
Second Commandant at Chatham. vice Parker ; Capt.
J. H. Gascoigne, of the Chatham division, to he Lieut.-
Col., and appointed to Portsmouth, vice T. Holloway ;
Capt. R. J. M`Killop, of the Portsmouth division, to be
Lieut.-Col., and appointed to Woolwich, vice A. B;
Stransham ; Capt. and Brevet Lieut.-Col., W. F. Hop-
kins, C.:13., to be Lieut.-Col:at Woolwich, vice P. B. Nol-
loth, retired ; Capt. C. Tate, to be Lieut.-Col—at
Chatham, vice E. Rea ; Lieut -Col. T. Holloway, of
the Portsmouth division, and Captain Mawbey, of the
Chatham diVisiOn, are- appointed to the Artillery com-
panies.. _

Her Majesty's sailing frigate Diamond, Captain C. B.
Hamilton, arrived at Spithead on Saturday from the
Mediterranean ; she left Malta on the Ch of Dec., and
is 24 days from Gibraltar. She xperie.ric-d a very
rough passage. On the 20th and 21st ult., off Cape
Fini-terre, she fell in with a heavy gale of wind from the
, which lasted 11 days; in this she carried away
her main yard, and threw overboard six upper deck guns,
the ship labouring heavily with a tremendous sea. She
brought home 11 supernumeraries from Malta, and one
from the Curlew at Gibraltar. On Thursday last, in the
Channel, she spoke the ships Koh-i-noor arid the Grand
Trianon, both outward bound. The Diamond sailed
yesterday morning for Chatham, to be paid off.
The old 50-gun frigate Conquestador, having undergone
the necessary alterations and repairs at Woolwich- pie;
is this day to be removed by the Dockyard Department,
and moored in Erith Reach, to be placed at the disposal
of the Ordnance storekeeper, for the purp me of a float-
ing magazine.

The Admiralty yacht Vivid, Master-Commander Allen,
returned to Woolwich on Saturday from special service,
in conveying the late governor and family from Jersey.
The paddlewheel steam sloop Vesuvius, having com-
pleted repairs and received new rigging, is ordered to be
removed from Woolwich basin, to be placed in the first-
class steam reserve at Sheerness.

The Northfleet freightship, 1,200 tons burden, arrived
at Woolwich on Saturday in the service of Government,
and cinmenced shipping a heavy cargo of 13 inch mor-
tars, battering guns, shot, shell, ammunition, artillery
waggons, and other war stores for China. The freight.
ships Wynard and Menagan, in the London Docks, are
likewise chartered for the same purpose.
Reductions on an extensive scale are ordered to be
put into execution in the Government Department at
Woolwich at the end of the present financial year. In
addition to the dismissal of the various cl-.rks engaged as
extras during the late stress of work, the services of the
whole of the temporary clerks, a number of whom have
been always attached to the establishment, are ordered
to be dispensed with. With a desire uf corresponding
with the rigid instructions of economy which have been
issued, about 2,000 artisans and I tboui ers are likewise to
be discharged at the end of March—namely, 1,000 from
the Royal Laboratory, 500 from the carriage department,
and about 500 from the storekeeper's and the gun fac-
tory departments. R-ports are current to the effect that
the majority of the Artillery officers employed in super-
intending the departments of Woolwich Arsenal are to
be superseded by civilians experienced in the duties of
the departments, the services of the military officers
baying been demanded by the Commander-in-Chief.
Other important changes are likewise to be made in the
store branch of the War Department, which will add
greatly to the efficiency of the establishment. Many of
those who are advanced in life are to be allowed to re-
tire on the superannuation list.

CRUELTIES OA BOARD AMERICAN

SHIPS.

The following is a special report from the manag-
ing committee to the members of the Liverpool So-
ciety of Friends of Foreigners in Distress, adopted
at a meeting held on the 4th February, 1857 :
" Ever since the foundation of the Liverpool Society
of Friends of Foreigners in Distress, is 1851, the atten-
tion of the committee has repeatedly. been called to the
sufferings inflicted upon foreigners by the system in force
at some of the ports of the United States for supplying
the American mercantile marine with sailors. A large
portion of the resources of the society has been applied
to the relief of the victims of this evil system.
" But the evil has reached of late to such a magnitude,
and threatens such rapid increase, that the committee
consider the sphere of their action ought no longer to be
canfin.d: to the granting of assistance to' the sufferers,
but that i thas become their duty to appeal to the autho-
rities of both countries, in the hope that steps may be
taken to attack the evil at its root.

" Hundreds of poor men of all nations are annually
cast among us from the cause mentioned, in an utterly
wretched condition, not only destitute of money and
clothing, but too often in a state .of ruined health frcm
the revolting usage they receive on board the American
vessels. Some of them have been carried off by force or
stratagem, leaving behind parents, wives, and children ;
others are enticed by the promise of good wages ; and
the great majority are turned away entirely destitute on
their arrival in England. -
" These are grave charges, and the society must of
course be expected to substantiate them; with this view
the committee have extracted from their books a list of
cases which they have examined during the last year ;
they amount to 79, and since the beginning of the new
year they have already 27 cases. Only 37 of these have
shipped of their own accord, while the remaining 69 had
been brought over against their will. With two excep-
tions they all complained of having been repeatedly and
grossly assaulted and ill-treated during the voyage, and
the fact that 82 of them were either obliged, on their
arrival, to be sent to the hospital, or otherwise received
medical assistance, sufficiently corroborates their com-
plaints.
"All sorts of contrivances, it appears, are resorted to
at New York to obtain seamen for the American packet
ships ; for instance the New York. shipping agents ad-
vertise ie English and in Germau for young men who
need not have been at sea before to work as deck la-
bourers at fixed wages ;' under this pretext they are de-
coyed on board, and when once there they are retained
by force. Others engage of their own accord as ordinary
seamen, cooks, carpenters, Ste., but are alike deceived ;
others again are enticed into public-houses, math)
drunk, and thus betrayed on board. It is on record
that many have been offered work on board a
steamer in the river, or to unload ships, and are thus
prevailed upon to step into a small boat to be carried
on board, which leaves them as .soon as they are put
on the deck of the ship, where they are retained forcibly.
"Among the applicants for relief there have been
coopers, carpenters, cooks, waiters, clerks, and sur-
geons, who have been carried off in this nefarious way.
Very soon after they are on board they are robbed of
most of their effects, and there is no redress to be ob-
tained ; their remonstrances are laughed at or answered
by ill-treatment, and the same means are employed to
force them to go aloft and to do all that able seamen
are expected to do.
" The cruelties which are practised upon these poor
unprotected men on board these ships would be incre-
dible, had they not been of late frequently confirmed by
the proceedings in the Liverpool police court ; bnt un-
fortunately in redress for these ferocious assaults, com-
mitted upon the high seas, there is no practical remedy
for these poor men on their arrival in this country.
It has been proved in that court that on board of the
Ocean Monarch men have been forced to draw with
their teeth iron nails from the deck, into which they had
been driven for that purpose to the depth of two
inches that they have been compelled literally to lick
up the dust from the deck of the cabin floor ; and at the
inquest held upon a Dutchman who had been beaten to
death by the third mete and the boatswain of the Guy
Mannering, the surgeon who made the post-mortem ex-
amination deposed 'that the head presen'ed an enor-
mously contused mass, the face was completely battered
in, and there were from 70 to 80 contused wounds upon
the feet, legs, thighs, and the back.' The hospitals of
Liverpool record many instances of the lamentable con-
dition in which the majority of these victims of savage
ferocity are brought in.
"It may, perhaps, be pleaded in extenuation that
these men ship under false pretences as able seamen, and
that when they are found "on board to be only landsman

the officers reel so annoyed and disipiminted that they
give vent itotheir.vexation 16, ill-treatment. Although
this would form no excuse whatever for the barbarous
crueltieS practised; yet even this will not avail, for
the shipping masters who are employed by the owners
to propre a prew, _,nd who must be supposed
to enjoy and to retain their confidence, are perfectly
aware of the condition and the quality of the men they
cngageat the wages of 20 dols. and 30 dole, per month ;
moreover, it is stated, in a recent case heard in the Li-
verpool Court 'tkat two Germans and a Frenchman who
. were decoyed on board of the .Albert Gallatin, when the
crew were mustered on deck, were objected to as not
being on the muster-roll, and were proposed to be cent on
shore ; the first bate, however; prevented this being
done, stating that he. would rather have these three
foreign-ers than three--seamen already on-the roll, -no
doubt thinking that the former would prove the cheaper
men, it being the practice in all cases that have been
brought before the society, including the one in question,
to turn off such, unhappy fellows on their arrival with-
out paying them anything. Of the many,cases which
have come under the notice of the society it would be
difficult to find any Men that could have passed them-
selves off as sailors, their outward appearance rendering
it impossible for them to impose upon the pradtised
judgment of a seaman or shipping master.
"It is,.ho wever, but justice to exonerate the majority
of the captains from any participation in the actual ill-
treatment. This has been generally practised by the
mates, boatswains, and crews.
" rhat such a syStem is fraught with the most dan-
gerous-consequences to the shipping interest must be
self-evident--an incompetent crew will always endanger
the safety of a
,vessel—but it is in behalf of humanity
that the society have taken up this subject, and in that
behalf they plead forcibly, earnestly, and urgently that
the proper authorities should devise means for putting an
end to a system which by its barbarity and cruelty must
prove a disgrace to civilised nature. -
"By order of the Committee.
"F. PRANGE, Vice-President,
"E. PICTET, Hon. Sec.
"16, Sir Thomas's-buildings, Liverpool."

LEGAL CRUELIT.
•

We have received the following letter, showing
that a child of nine -years old has been committed
to the county gaol for ten days for throwing stones
iu the town of Torquay. The editor visited the
gaol on Thursday morning, but the rules of the
prison did not permit him to see the intent prisoner.
The humane and kindhearted governor told him
that the 'child was -well-behaved and an object of
sympathy with 'those who had charge of him ; that
he was infantine in appearance, dressed in a tunic
with a belt, with habiti befitting his age, and
nothing like a criminal or ill-behaved cbild. We
saw the warrant under which- he was brought to
gaol. It states that he was fined is. 6d., and 3s.
6d. costs, and that, the father stating that he had
no goods on which the funds might be levied, the
Bench committed the child for t -11 days' imprison-
ment in the county gaol. This is a horridly absurd
sentence on the face of it. We do not, however,
mean to impeach the conduct of the magistrate, as
we do not know the facts of the case. They may
be bound by the local act of Parliament ; but, if
so, we would impeach the law. When standing
under the Cyclopean arch of the gaol and viewing
its rugged massiveness, -we could not help feeling a
cold ihudd,er at the thought that a poor child was
snatched frdm his playmates in the street and con-
signed to a stern imprigioninent for an offence which
might have deserved a parental bircbing, but
nothing more. With the exception of the discre-
pancy as to the fine, we believe the father's story
is subst•lntially correct. We may see what it will
have cost to add this poor child as an item in the
"increased criminal" returns. The cost of appre-
hension, of conveyance to Exeter, of maintenance
in gaol, of return fare to Torquay, all come out of
the county rate and the consolidated fund. There
is one consf)lation in the case. The child is ten-
derly cared for in prisoriby the excellent governor,
who told us that he could not help looking at him
as a father, having children of the same age ; and,
if he had only to receive children who might be
caught throwing stones, the
`fill
-precincts of the
goal would supplylenouvh to fill it. The following
letter is from the child's father":---

"Torquay, Feb. 2.

"Sir,—Being a poor man, I wish for you know of
the justice shown to my child, only nine years old, at
this Town-hall. He is now in Exeter Gaol, undergoing
his punishment. Ho was, with about a dozen other
boys, at play in one of the back thoroughfares in Tor-
quay, and as is mostly the case with boys, occasionally
throwing stones ; and he, as well as the rest, did throw
a stone, but not to do any damage to any one. But
the policeman happening to come by, and taking hold
of my little boy, the rest all running away, hesummoned
my child to the Town-ball, and he was sentenced to pay
5,4. or suffer a week in prison. Well, sir, because I was
poor—l have nine children to my table every day, de-
pending on my hands—and I could not raise the money,
they gave the chili an extra three days—that is, ten in-
stead of seven days ; and another thing, I was to pay
2s. more. Now, sir, I should like to know if this is
justice, because could not raise the money, to give the
child three days longer In prison than he was first sen-
tenced. Sir, I should be very thankful, if you see
anything wrong in this judgment, to see some little
remark in your paper.
"I am, sir, your obedient servant,
" R. TREBY, Cabinetmaker, 2, Melville-street,
"The father of the child ; and he never bad anything
against his character."
—Western Times.