The Sun.
London, England, 1861-02-15 00:00:00

f plan, notwithstanding he must have felt that responsi-
bility was materially augmented by the difference of
opinion between himself and the French general in com-
mand. It was a. satisfactory feature of the case to find that
the event itself amply justified Sir Hope Grant in the course
he took, because it was found that the north forts, as he
calculated, constituted the key of the whole position, that
these once in our power, we commanded the whole of the
other forts ; whereas, had the attack been made on the south
fort, as proposed by General Montauban, and that fort had
been taken, the invading forces would have been cannonaded
by the fire of the other forts. He mentioned this fact le-
cause he thought it was greatly to the credit of Sir Hope
Grant that he showed not only the courage and bravery in
the field for which he was so pre-eminently distinguished,
but that he should have taken upon himself the immense
responsibility of acting upon his own judgment in a matter
of so much importance. At the same time, it reflected
equally great credit upon General Montauban, that, not-
withstanding the difference of opinion between himself and
Sir Hope Grant on this point, that difference did not in the
slightest degree diminish the cordiality and good under-
standing which previously subsisted, and which charac-
terised the way in which they acted together afterwards,
and which no doubt led to the satisfactory termination of
the war. With respect to that war, the events which
occurred after the taking of the Taku forts were, to his re-
gret, not of a nature to give Admiral Hope and the navy-
an opportunity of taking any striking or brilliant part.
No doubt, whatever he had to do was done well ; but
it was, of course, a matter of regret to the navy
that they were not enabled to take a more promi-
ninent part, and thus, in some measure, retrieve the
temporary disaster they experienced at the first attack
upon these forts. Another point on which, however, he
could most cordially congratulate their lordships was the
good order and the good conduct shown by our army in
their march to and in returning from Pekin, and the
friendly feeling which was shown to them by the native
population. They were, in fact, not received as an invading
enemy, but as a friendly force, and their reception by the
people appeared to him to hold out a strong hope that the
success of the expedition indicated success also when we
came to carry out upon a larger scale the commercial ob-
jects contemplated by the treaty. It was, indeed, most
gratifying to find that our troops were everywhere so well
received by the country people. When Mr. Parkes went for-
ward he found on his march a local commissariat in one
place which had been provided for the Tartar troops ; but
en the arrival of our troops the local commissariat trans.
ferred theirservices,to:the invading troops, and continued
afterwards to supplY„ theta, amply with all that they re-
quired. (Hear.) It might be said to be the result of sub-
mission to a superior force, but he could not help thinking:
that it was owing fully as much to the friendly feeling die-.
played by our troops, to their respect for property, and to
the good order which characterised their conduct. He could
only hope that when extended commercial intercourse with.
China was established under the treaty, those who were;
engaged in carrying it elr would keep up the good charac-
ter and act with the sanaiegood order and friendly feeling
which had distinguished our troops. (Hear.) He would.
not say one word upon the other bearings of the war. He
considered the question before their lordships that night
was a purely military question. They were only called upon
to pass a vote of thanks to the forces whose services had.
brought the war to a satisfactory termination, and therefore
he would not enter into any theory either as to the causes
or the probable future consequences of the war. Undoubt-
edly though the future of China was somewhat gloomy,
there was ample room under the treaty for the opening
up of our commerce upon a much larger scale. Upon
one point he could not but express his regret, namely,
that Lord Elgin should have thought it necessary to
demolish the magnificent palace of the Emperor. He
knew well the reasons which had been urged for that
course. It was true that some of our countrymen had
been disgracefully kidnapped while under the protection
of a flag of truce, that they had been disgracefully
treated, and that some of them had died under that treat-
ment. It was therefore right that some reparation should
have been made by the Chinese for these outrages, and there
were difficulties as to the shape which that reparation should
take. Had it been made a mere matter of pecuniary com-
pensation, it would have lowered the national character—
had we demanded that the real murderers should be given
up, we should only have had some poor wretches delivered
up who were guiltless of the crime, and upon whom we
could not have taken vengeance, while had we demanded
the surrender of Prince San-ko-lin-sin, the real author of
all the outrages, the demand would have been evaded.
(Hear, hear.) Nevertheless he must say that his own mind
was not satisfied with what he considered the unnecessary
destruction of the Palace of Yuen-ming-Yuen. He did not
think it was either a politic or a satisfactory measure. Of
course he spoke with great deference to the judgment of
Lord Elgin, who hadthroughout those transactions shown
such firmness, energy, and ability--(hear, hear)—but he
could not help thinking that the destruction of the palace
was a mistake in point of judgment and a mistake in point
of policy. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the motion pro-
posed by his noble friend opposite, he was perfectly satisfied
with it, and he believed that he might say their lordships,
without any distinction of party, entirely concurred in the
course which had been taken by her Majesty's Government
on that occasion, and in the propriety and justice of the
motion which had been submitted to their lordships. (Hear.)
The Duke of CAMBRIDGE said that after the full and
ample explanations which had been given by his noble
friend at the head of the War Department and the noble
earl with respect to the motion, it only remained for biro
to express his views upon one or two military points con-
nected with it. .In the first place, he could not but think
that we had now found out that when this country was
unfortunately compelled to go to war, the sooner it can
be brought to a conclusion the better; but that can
only be effected by the supply of ample and abundant
means for carrying it on. The Duke of Wellington had
said that England could not afford to have a little war; but
though it might be said that this was a little war, the pre-
parations for it were made upon a great scale, and the con-
sequence was speedy and complete success. He must say
on the part of the army that he had to express his full
satisfaction at the way in which the army had been sup-
ported by the civil officers of the war department. Every-
thing had been found ready when wanted. But while he
stated so much was due to his noble friend at the head
of the war department, it would be unjust and improper to
omit saying that a great part of the merit and success of
the expedition was due to his noble friend who sat on the
cross-benches (Lord Clyde). (Cheers.) The whole of the
troops engaged in that expedition were selected and sent
from India under the orders of his noble friend Lord Clyde,
and to him, therefore, must be attributed a great part of its
success. There were some other military points to which
he desired to advert. This was the first time we had had
a practical opportunity of effectively testing one of the most
wonderful inventions of modern times. He meant the
Armstrong guns. He had spoken to the officer who was
in command of a battery, and he said the Armstrong gun.
was the gun he could wish to go all over the world with,
and that in whatever position it might be placed the result
was satisfactory. It had been said that alterations in the
gun were required before it could be said that it was quite
satisfactory, and certainly to some extent that might be
true ; but at the same time the troops who had had expe-
rience of it in its present shape said it was the most perfect
of any arm of the kind that could beimagined. With respect
to the merits and behaviour of the officers connected with
the expedition itself, the conduct of that gallant officer, Sir
Hope Grant, had been so fully spoken of, that he would
simply content himself with saying that there never was
an officer who more efficiently conducted the operations
under his command. The greater credit was due to him,
because, as was well known, all combined operations
under a divided command were more difficult' than where
there was only a single command. The fact that a dif-
ference of opinion arose between Sir Hope Grant and the
French general in command, in which the former thought
it to be his duty to act on his own opinion, had been spoken
of by his noble friend as redounding to his credit. It was
satisfactory to find that that difference of opinion had
neitherunder-
disturbed nor interrupted the good feeling and good
standing which existed between General Meaotifintafaucbtoanryaoned-
Sir Hope Grant. He said that was a most
• independent
currence, because when military
men
is
point with-
outimpcfb-eh parties deserved
com-
mand could differ upon an
any interruption of good feeling
good feeling
awarded them, and he was
all the credit that could be
thingourcoauluidese!Celtithtathee French and.
happy to add that no
which had been shown
had bis:ied with each other in their the English troop
t distant expedition. (Cheers.) Another.
them forth on
at-
tempts to do their° bduty to the countries which had sent
porn
• t that required notice was, that a large portion of the
troops employed on the expedition were native troops sent
•
from -n
T d'a After what had been the state of the army in
India but a comparatively short time since, it might have
been thought that there was some danger in sending these
native troops on so distant a service, but he Was happy to
say nothing could have exceeded the good conduct and the
good feeling of the native troops from India employed on
this service. (Hear, hear.) With respect to the services
of the navy he was sure that it was animated by the same
ardour and the same desire to distinguish itself as the army
arid the only reason why it had not succeeded was, that the
same opportunities were not offered to it. Indeed, nothing
could exceed the gallantry and zeal of the officers in both
services. The navy had done their duty in China. It was
true that they had not the same opportunity as the army to
display their use and energy, but if it were not for the navy
the army would not have been enabled to obtain the glori-
ous result which they had achieved. (Hear, hear.) His
Royal Highness, after referring to the gallant services of Sir
Robert Napier, bxpressed his deep indignation at the con-
duct of the Chinese Government in reference to Mr. Nor-
man, Captain Brabazon, Mr. Bowlby, and the other
prissers taken by the Chinese. He thought it to be his
dutiTo say so much upon an occasion like the present.
Lord CLYDE, who was but indistinctly heard in tho
gallery, was understood to pass a high eulogium on the
great services of Sir Hope Grant when he was in India,
and he had therefore great gratification in learning that
that officer had displayed the same energy, courfatio B,anksand:
skill in China. He entirely concurred in the v
Earl GREY said that he was still
war with China was most unjust, bat ou: Govigument
were not responsible for the policy of of opiniote'yonanthad
navy
the
its
vr