The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-04 00:00:00

bear.) To recommend to the Bank, or any public body, to
overstep the law, is not a matter to be lightly, and without
due consideration, done. We were unwilling to adopt that
course until we found the necessity urgent and pressing
upon us. (Hear, hear.) I believe we did not delay kali-
I am quite sure we did not do it too soon—(cheers)—and I
am convinced that these best acquainted with the state of
matters of such moment will do us the justice to think the
occasion required us to do that which no Government ought
to do without all due consideration. (Hear, hear.) My
right hon. friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will, to-
morrow, in moving the preliminary stage for a hill of indem-
nity, state to the house more in detail than is expedient at
the present moment the various circumstances which made
us think that course necessary. (Hear, hear.) With regard
to that par?graph in the Speech which the right hon. gentle-
man (Mr. Disraeli) has quoted in his usual gay manner,
referring to the perfect peace which fortunately prevails all
over Europe, the right hon. gentleman made allusion to
what fell from me on that festive occasion to which he re-
ferred, and seemed to c-nsider that it announced to the
country at that time that we were in danger of some great
invasion, not from the Emperor of Chins or the King of
Naples,.but from some • other nearer Governments. I made

no such intimation, and I felt no such apprehension.
(Hear, hear.) On the contrary, all the Governments of
Earope had expressed the most friendly disposition to us ;
and, with regard to the Government of the neigh-
bouring country of France, it is impossible to speak too
highly of the friendly communications which passed. Not
only did the Emperor of the French say that if we were
desirous of sending troops across Egypt to the succour o.!
our East Indian possessions, he would use any influence he
might be possessed of with the Egyptian Government to
enable us to do so ; but he even said that if it would
be convenient to send troops through the territory of France
he would afford us every facility. (Cheers) Therefore it
would have been most ungrateful and most unfounded in-
deed to have entertained the slightest a oprehension of any
unf,iendly feeling existing on the part of a country which
did everything in its power to show the sincerity of the
friendship which it professed. (Hear, hear.) The right
hon. gentleman said the few words I spoke on that occasion
were calculated to animate the hearts of the people of this
country. That was my intention. (Cheers.) I thought
the accounts we were receiving of the deeds of our troops
in India were calculated to animate the heart of every Eng,-
lishman—tlke heroic actions of our countrymen, scattered as
they were over every part of India, and called upon in
small bodies to resist sudden surprises from overwheiming
numbers—l felt I was only speaking_ the sentiments of all
my fellow-countrymen when I said that I believed such acts
were calculated to animate the hearts of the people.
(Cheers.) With regard to what the right hen. gentleman
himself said of the gallant deeds of our countrymen in India,
and the gratitude which every man ought to feel to those
brave men who showed themselves equal to any emergency
in all parts of India, every member of this house must have
joined to the full extent in the sentiments expressed by the
right hon, gentleman. (Hear.) It will be my duty upon tho
earliest day which the forms of the house will admit of to bring
down a message from the Crown recommending that a pro-
vision should be made for Sir H. Havelock in addition to the
honours already bestowed upon him by her Majesty. (Lend
cheers ) lam sure the house will feel pleased in associating
itself with the Oran in marking the distinguished services
of that gallant general. (Cheers.) General Wilson has also
been created a baronet, but as he belongs to the service of
the East India Company, they claim'to themselves the pri-
vilege of doing for him what the Crown will do for General
Havelock. (Cheers.) The right hon. gentleman wished that
we should new explain to the house what course the Govern- '
meat mean to recommend in regard to the government of
India, and also in regard to the measures of Parliamentary
reform. The right hon. gentleman, no doubt, would be glad
to have those measures that he might con them over during
the Christmas holidays. I should hope he might
have the means of amusing himself in a manner more agree-
able during that season than in reading a bid about India or
a bill about Parliamentary reform. (Laughter.) Bat, how-
ever much the right hon. gentleman may wish for this Christ-
mas occupation, I am afraid I cannot indulge him—(loud
laughter)—because it is not the intention of her Majesty's
Government to enter into those subjects during the short
period which will elapse between the present time and the
next adjournment. (Hear.) It will be our duty, when
Parliament meets again, to state our views on those impor-
tant matters, and until that time the right hon.
gentleman must amuse himself with his own specula-
tions. (Laughter.) I cannot but rejoice that upon
an occasion when the heart of the country is fixed on mighty
events passing in another hemisphere—when tte minds of all
Englishmen must be dwelling on the brave actions of ther
fellow-countrymen in India- -I cannot but rejoice that it has
not been thought expedient IT the riche hon. gentlem. a to
move an amendment to the Address weich this house is de-
sirous of presenting to the Throne ; and I trust we shall
separate to-night after an unanimous concurrence in that
Address which rev two hon, friends, with so much ability
and good feeling have moved. (Cheers.) And I trust that
at the representative assembly of the country in a moment of
anxious interest —when such mighty concerns are hanging on
the balance as the restoration of our power over the vast
dominions of India, feeling- the magnitude of the interests at
stake, and anxious to show that in moments of danger and
difficulty this house and the nation are unanimous in support-
ing the national honour and affording every possible assi tance
to the Crown - I trust, I say, that the party of the right hon.
gent!eman will agree with the rest of the house, and that we
shall unanimously concur in the Address which my hon.
friends have so ably moved. (Cheers.)
The Address was then agreed to, and a committee was
appointed to draw up an answer to her Majesty's Speech, in
accordance with the resolution of the house.
The house adjourned.at a quarter to eight.

LAUNCHING THE LEVIATHAN.

The nncommonly tedious process of compelling this vessel
to take to the water was resumed yesterday afternoon, and
attended with more successful results than we have lately
hel to record. In spite of the utmost endeavours which
were made to get everything forward in time yesterday
morning, it was found Etpossible to fix the hoses of the
new hydraulic rams with sufficient strength to warrant the
recommencement of work till past 2 o'clock. By that hour,
however, all was ready, and the presence of an unusual
number of visitors, among whom were their Royal High-
nesses the Dukes Da Joinville and D'Anmale, the Marquis
of Staffed, Sir Joseph Paxton, Mr. Penn, the dockyard
authorities, &c., showed that, notwithso.n•ling the recent
mishaps, the confidence and curiosity of the public were •
still es great as ever. Almost with the first efforts the
Leviathan moved slightly and after this her tendency to
the water was still more marked than heretofore, the only
difference being that she was rather disposed to slip or run
awayfor some distance. Daring one of the slipping move-
ments, the greatest distance that she has ever shifted at
one time, took place. Almost directly the rams were applied
to her she dropped with a slow and equal motion for 1U
inches, the next time she moved 13, and the third
time only one inch. Each of these movements, how-
eve-, was a distinct slip --the mere first start being suffi-
cient to set her off. Just after .she had made the second
drop, the attention of all in the yard was distracted from
the vessel by a most painful accident which took place
outside, and in which a number of persons were seriously
injured by the fall of a scaffolding on which they stood. In
order to gratify the curiosity of the crowds who have daily
assembled outside the yard, a large scaffolding was erected
between the dead walls of two houses, about 15 or 20 feet
from the ground. On this crazy structure, the very aspect
of which was enough to warn prudent people from its
vicinity, numbers of visitors have stood all day for the last
week. Yesterday it was unusually crowded, upwards of a
hundred persons, most ottbem men of the lower classes,
being upon it, when suddenly, as the launch began, the
whole platform gave way, and with its occupants came with
a fearful crash to the ground. The cries and screams of those
who were hurt, the efforts of the uninjured to extricate
themselves, and the rush of the mob outside to the spot
for a few minutes made the scene one of indescribable con-
fusion and alarm. At last comparative order was restored
—all the more easily because nine-tenths of those who
had fallen had escaped unhurt, and the casualties were
ascertained. It was then found that a considerable number
hid been cut and bruised about the head, face, and body,
all more or loss severely, though fortunately none so much ,
so as to prevent their walking away after a short time.
Seven persons, however, were found to be so seriously in-
jured that it was necessary to remove them at ono° to Poplar
Hospital. There they were given into the charge of Mr.
Brownfield, the resident surgeon, who immediately be-
stowed upon them every care which their cases required.
Those admitted were Henry Ridley, 3), fractured
leg ; Robert Custance, 49, fractured leg ; Joseph Fisher,
39, fractured leg; Benjamin Wood, 33, fractured thigh and
severe contusions ; Henry Myers, 15, fracture of the arm ;
William Parry, 40, sprained ancle; and George Matthew,
30, sprained aside. A few minutes before 3 o'clock, after
this unfortunate accident had occurred, another push was
given at the Leviathan, when she suddenly slipped away
from the rams, and with a beautifully regular motion, and
with very little noise, glided down Gft. 7in. This great
step was made so quietly that it took the whole yard com-
pletely by surprise, every one looking on in mute amaze-
ment while the tremendous structure glided softly away at
the rate of six inches in a second. The strain and friction
caused by unwinding the enormous drums as she moved
slowly soon stopped her. After this the next efforts were
with some delay renewed and continued till four o'clock,
when the result of the two hours' vitrk was 14ft. 9in. for-
war 1 and 12ft. 7in. aft. At the commencement the figures
of total progress stood 418 inches forward and 427 inches
aft. Thus, den, the stern seems to have gained upon the
bows daring yesterday afternoon alone nearly three feet.
Her total distance moved since the first attempt last Sa-
turday is 48ft. 7in. forward, and 49ft. 7in. aft. She has
still, therefore, nearly 250 ft. more to go before she will be
entirely clear of the launching ways; but it is thought
quite within the limits of probability that she will accom-
plish this distance in a very short time.