The Sun.
London, England, 1857-03-03 00:00:00

IM PERIA

lAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the wool-
sack at 5 o'cicck.

THE MEETING OF CONSERVATIVES.
The Earl of DERBY said he wished to correct a mis-
representation of a portion of the public press. He had
hid it down as a rub during his political life never to
notice any mis-statement regarding him that appeared
in the public journals. If he had now departed from
that rule it was not so much to set himself right with
the public, but to prevent injustice being done to others.
A report had surreptitiously been made of a meeting
that bad been held on Friday last. It was so far true
that a meeting had been held on that day, but not at his
house. The statement as to what took place at that
meeting was, generally speaking, most incorrect. He
was repoi ted to have said the reverse in many instances
of what he actually did, and in other points his meaning
was entirely misconstrued. He was at a loss to know
who it was that could have furnished the report, and
supposed it was written by some one who was present,
but who had given a grossly inaccurate accoun., of the
proceedings at the meeting. He made this explanation
in order that it should not be supposed that by his
silence he assented to the statements contained iu the
report to which he bad alluded.
CHINA..

Earl GREY. presented a petition against the
continuance of the war with China. The 'noble earl
said he begged to aik her Majesty's Govtiument
the questions of which he had given notice to the noble
earl the Lord President of the Council. Great ani'ety
existed with re-pect to the news arriving from China.
He wishtd to know whether the Government had re-
ceived any information, affording aoy prospect of an
early termination of the war in China; whether it was
still carried on for the purpose of obtaining the free en-
trance of the British into the city of Canton, or for any
other object ; and lastly, whether any reinforcements
had been sent to China ?

Earl GRANVILLE said the last intelligence from
Canton contained no account of any further operations
having been taken there, except those necessary for self-
defence. The Chinesahad taken the most hostile steps at
Hong Kong, and bad issued proclamations offering re-
wards for incendiarisms and assassinations. - Under such
circumstances there did not appear to be any
prospect of a speedy termination of the present
war. There was, however, no interruption in
our commercial relations. It was impossible for any
change to take place in the policy at present pursued
there, for if so it would have the appearance of receding,
which would lead to the most disastrous results in
Canton and in other parts of the empire, as the lives
and property of the British subjects, as well as
of other Christians, depended upon the determined
position of our forces in China. Wi:di respect to the
question whether any reinforcements had been sent to
garrison Hong Kong, he had to inform the noble earl
that one regiment had been sent there from India about
three weeks ago.

Their brdellipa then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—(YESTERDAY.)
The SPEAKER took the chair at four o'clock.
NEW MEMBERS.

Mr. CARR t )0k the oaths and his seat for Downpattiok.
Capt. BARNAIID took the oaths and bis seat for Ban-
don.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following private bills were read a second time
and ordered to be committed :—Eastern Counties Rail-
way ; Fraserburgh Harbour ; Great Yarmouth Water ;
Salisbury and Yeovil Railway ; South London Railway ;
Stockport, Dailey, and Whaley Bridge Railway; Strat-
ford-apon•Avon Railway ; Swansea Harbour Truss
and Swansea Dock Company ; West Somerset Railway ;
and the West Somerset Mineral Railway.
On the motion of Mr. T. GREENE the standing
order No. 175 was suspended in the case of the West
Somerset Mineral Railway Bill and the West Somerset
Railway Bill, and they were referred to the committee
of selection.