The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-04 00:00:00

GREECE.

Mr. BAILLIE rose to ask a question of the Noble
Lord the Eectretary for Foreign Affairs. It appeared
from the papers presented to Parliament relating to
Greece, that her Majesty's Government had assumed
the right to dt mand satieactioe, or rather compensation,
for any damage or injury sustained by British subjects,
either from eats or rebellions in the countries in which
they had been residing, without reference to the laws or
the legal tribunals of those countriea It also appeared
by the answer given by the Noble Lord to the ques-
tion recently put to him by the Honourable and Learned
Member for Southampton (Mr. Cockburn) that her Me-
jesty's Government did not make any such pretensions,
with respect to any damage or injury which British sub-
jects might sustain when they went to reside in the
United States of America. He (Mr. Baillie) wished to
ask the Noble Lord—first, why a different course should
be pursued with reference to the States of Europe, from
that 'which had been pursued with reference to the
United States of America; and secondly, whether it
was true that the representatives of Russia and Austria
hal protested against our interpretation of the law of
nations; and whether those Governments had intimated
any intention of refusing to allow British subjects to
reside in the states under their rule, unless they would
renounce their allegiance to their own country ?
ALord PALMERSTON said, the Hon. Member :had
supposed that the Government had laid down the broad
assertion that the British Government would claim com-
pensation for any damage or loss which a British subject
might in any case sustain in Greece or in any other
country by reason of riots, disturbances, or other similar
causes. The GovernmeLt hart laid down no such pro-
position. Their demands were founded on the
particular circumstances of the particular cases to
which they applied, and did not involve
any general rule, such as had been assumed by the
Honourable Genleman.—(Hear, hear.) He (Lord
Palmerston) apprehended that all cases of that
sort must rest cn the particular circum-
stances connected with them. It was impossible

to maintain that in all csses foreigners were entitled to
compensation from the Government of the country in
which they sustained injury or loss such as that to which
the lion. Gentleman referred. On the other hand it was
equally impossible to maintain th:.t there ta ere
nut cases in which, by the law of nation?, da-
mages should not be given to persons so si:uatec'.
Vattel, one cf the best authorities on the law ef
nations, draws a distinction in thwe matters.
.

In speaking of war, that author said that the pillage and
the destruction cf towns, the devastation of countri,s,
and the ravaging cad setting fir,; to houses were measure s
in the lakt degree odious, without necessity ; that the
property of neutrals ought to be treAted in the same
winner as the property of enemies; and in civil war
the insurgents mi..) the enemy against whom war
Was made. He stated again the Cal. es in which compensa-
tion can be juetly demandeJ, which was in the cases
where wanton and unnecessary damage was done. tier
Nlajesty's Ministers drew nu distinction, as the Hon.
Gentleman supposed, between the tribunals of America
and other countries, but he thought in America he might
,ay the tribunals were more open to give justice in ttiese
matters thao the tribunal of some other countries he
could name It was perfectly true that Austria cud
Russia, in stating their opinion upon other claims
of a similar kind, argued upon . an imperfect
knowledge were of opinion that it was impossible to
draw a distinction between the subjects of a country
and foreigners residing in the country, and if a Go-
vernment refused to compensate its own subjects i., a
prticular case, they were entitled to refuse
compensation to foreigners.) This, was, how-
ell arjument, and notoing more. A case
had lately occurred in which an Austrian brig being
iu distress off some port of the Irish coast,
had suffered some damage at the hands of the
country peopla there. A prosecution was
commenced by the Irish Government, but failed
because uf the difficulty of ascertaining the exact place.
Liar Majesty's Government, however, with the liberality
which alwa) s distinguished them in matters relating to
I.treign• countries, had di termined to grant compensa-
tion to the owners of this brig to the amount of 1001.—
(Cheers.)
Mr. B. COCURANE wished to know what course
the Noble Lord proposed to take with reference to the
interests cf the Greek loan, and whether he meant to
take any steps ti compensate those who had suffered
from his Lordship's policy?
Lord PALMERSTON said it was but a short time
since the Hon. Member had censured him for pressing
loan claims upon a foreign Government too strongly.
The case of a loan was very different from the case of
British subjects who had sustained an injury. The loan
was guaranteed by three powers, and he did not think
that any one of the three powers could singly press the
subject without consulting the other two up'in the point.
In answer to Mr. M. GIBSON,
Lord PALMERSTON said that the Government had
decided upon compensating the Austrian brig about a
month ago.

POST• OFFICE.
Mr. ANSTEY rose to ask her Majesty's Ministers
whether the now v'cant office of Chief Clerk cf the
Money Order Department in the Post-office is to be filled
up by the appointment of the next senior clerk, or (if
otherwise) why the order of promotion hitherto used
is now to be departed trom; and whether they
will lay on the table of this House, copies of the memo-
rials received from and correspondence with the clerks
of that office since the Ist day of January, 1849, on the
subject of their salaries and leave of absence, and also
whether an offer had been made -to the clerks to allow
the promotion to go in its proper_ course, if they would
afterwards deny the facts which they had stated in those

Mr. HAY TER said ho bed to state in reply to the
Hon. Gentleman that the person appointed to the
head clerkship in the Money-order Office bad
been pieced over another person. It was considered
by the Postmaster-General that in appointing a person
to the head of that department he was bound to look out
for some one who was competent to the disch .rge
of the duties of the office, and he had therefore
selected a
..person who had distieguished himself for
general efficiency and meritorious services. He was
totally, unknown to the Postmaster-General, except
by his merit as an employee in the service,
He was quite ready to lay the memorials and communi-
cations alluded toby the lion. Member before the House,
but unless the House wished to have appeals refer, ed
to it, with , respect to appointments in all public
departments, he thought it would be a very inconvenient
practice to accede to any motion on the subject.
Mr. ANSTEY wished to know whether appointments
bad not, up to the present time, been made according to
rotation and seniority.
Mr. HAYTER replied that it was not so in all cases,
as promotion depeeded on efficiency and general capacity.
SECURITY FOR ADVANCES BILL.
Mr. H. HERBERT wished to know whether the
Government iutended to proceed with the Security for
Advances (Ireland) Bill this session?
The SOLICITOR GENERAL sa;d he was at pre-
sent in communication with parties, both in Ireland and
elsewhere, with respect to the insertion of additional
clauses for the purpose of extending the provisions of
the Bill further than when it was first introduced. He
hoped to proceed with the Bill this session.
THE NEW HOUSE.
Mr. GREENE said he had received a letter from Mr.
Grissell, the contractor for building the new Houses of
Parliament, in which he said it was of the greatest
importance that they should come to an early decision
with respect to any alterations which it might be
thought necessary to make in the new House at
Commons, adding that if their decision was delayed it
might have the effect of preventing the new House being
ready
the Noble Lord (Lord J. Russell). whether he would
by the session of 1851. He would thereLre ask
have any objection to their sitting in the new House to-
morrow, at twelve o'clock?
Lord J. RUSSELL thought it would be better to sit
in the new House to-morrow.
It was then understood that the House should sit in
the new chamber to-morrow.
(LEFT SITTING.)

hoPrstit
The HerculesNAif-A arrived on the 27th ult., at
he Ajax steem-ship,
Malta. tLroo7pl.sNili
pTEL L IGEN CE,
450.
Captain Michael Quin,
went out of harbour this afternoon, at half-past four
T screws 3t 0 TpllotwiNelrr6DoA.Yg.ti—ut,T,
o'clock, equipped for sea. She steamed out against tide,
at the rate of apparently about seven knots per hour,
and presented a most warlike and serviceable appear-
l'-Ico—rnore so than any other block ship we have seen.
She
sat well on the water, and appeared in excellent
trim. She saluted the flag of Sir Bladen Cape!, the
Commander-in-Chief, on passing Hollingsworth's-rooms,
and steamed through Spithead to the westward. She
will sail in a day or two for Queenstown, where she will,
for a time, Le'ir the flag of Rear-Admiral Manley Hull
Dixon, the Commander-in-Chief on the Irish station.
The KamPtschatka Rwsian war-steamer sailed from
Sentbameton last evening to the westward.
The Nile Indianan and an American line-of.l aeket
ship, two splendid vessels, arrived at Spithead this
morning to embark passengers and stock for their re-
spective destinations.
The Sealark, 8, will Le commissioned in a day or
two at this port (report says by Commander Mitchell)
for service on the coast of Africa, carrying out the
July mail.
The Birkenhead iron steam troop-shin will go out
again on Wednesday under Commander J. A. Stovers,
of the Blenheim, with stores for Commodore Martin's

.„ .
squadron in the Tagus. She will take cut the
of both services, and the supernumeraries from Sir
William Parker's squadron in tao Howe, 120,- which she
will find at Gibraltar, and bring them to England.
PLYMOUTH, JUNE I.—The Prcmethens steamer, ar-
rived to•day from Woolwich, and went :up harbour to
take in o)al. Her crew are to be paid advance on
Monday, ait which she will take in the mails and sail
for Madeira and the coast cf Africa.

Her Majesty's ship Albion, 90, was commissioned to-
day by Captain the Lion. J. H. Johnstone, late of the
Agincourt, 72, the command of which is taken by Cap-
tain Sir Henry Leeks.
The packet-brig Express, 6, Lieuteaant-Commander
W. Lory, arrived this morning from Falmouth, and went
up harbour to refit.
The Superb arrived at Malta on the 19th of May.
Light variatdm wind?.

CH-ATHA M. JUNE 3.—Captain M. F. Berkeley, one of
the Lords Corumissii.ners of the Admiralty, with Mr.
John Parker, M.P., First Secretary, and Sir Baldwin
Walker, K.O 8., Surveyor of the Navy, paid an official
'visit at this yard' on Saturday. Shortly after eleven A.M.
they landed at the Queen's-stairs, having come by rail-
way from London. They were received by the Captain-
Superie! endent, Captain Peter Richards, C. 8., and the
whole of the resident officers of the yard. The first part
of their inspection was the visit on board of the Nankin,
50 guns, fitting in No. 3 dock. They also viewed the
Creasy, 8.0 guns which is on the stocks ready for launch-
ing; thence they proceeded to the new slips recently
e' ected with iron-roofs and columns at the cast end of
the yard. Their Lordships, after taking n minute sur-
vey of the whole, returned to the Queen's-stairs and
proceeded by the Admiral's barge to the Black Eagle
Admiralty steam-yacht, Master S. B. Cook, that vessel
having arrived from Woolwich the previous evening.
As soon as they were on board the steamer proceeded to
Sheerness, their Lordships having left the yard shortly
after one P.M.