The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-26 00:00:00

THE CHINA WAR.

Mr. COBDEN rose to move the following resolution :
—" That this house has heard with concern of the con-
fl;ote which bore occurred between the British and Chi-
nese authorities in the Canton river ; and, without ex-
pressing an opinion as to the extent to which the
Government of China may have afforded this coun-
try cause of complaint respecting the non-
fulfillment of the treaty of 1842, this house considers
that the papers which have been laid upon the table fail
to establish satisfactory grounds for the violent measures
resorted to at Canton in the late affair of the Arrow ;
and that a select committee be appointed to inquire
into the state of our commercial relations with China."
He said he had no private object or personal feeling to
gratify in lxinging on this motion. Sir J. Bowring was
a private friend of his, and he regretted that the Go-
vernment had been induced to have recourse to hosti-
lities. He called on the house to consider this ques-
tion as regarded the honour of the country, and con-
demned the double course of policy that had lately been
adopted in this country—one to the strong and another
to the weak. (Hear, hear.) In dealing with China
they should observe the same principles as they would
with America, France, or any other powerful nation.
(Hear.) He entered into a history of this outbreak,
similar to that which has already been puldished, and
remarked that as it arose from a question of breach of
treaty, it would have been better if Mr. Consul Parkes
had referred the question to his Government before he
bad recourse to hostile proceedings. (Hear, hear.) The
hon. gentleman then referred to the principles of inter-
national law, and said it would be presumptuous on his
part to offer his opinion after that that had been given by
Lord Lyndhurst in another plac., and that learned lard
had declared that the course pursued by Mr. Consul
Parkes was a direct breach of international law, for this
lorcha was not under the British flag—(hear)--the licence
having expired He next referred to the con., spon-
deuce of Sir John Bowring and Mr. Consul Parkes,
and with regard wherein Sir J. Bowring stated that the
Chinese were in ignorauca of the expiration of the
licence, that it was the most flagitious statement he had
ever read. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Consul Parkes
stated that when the lorcha was boarded, the captain,
a British subject was on board, and the English
flag flying, but the captain had said that be was not on
board at the time. There was a threefold illegality con-
nected with this affair. That of the breach of the law as
laid down by Lord Lyndhurst; secondly, Sir J. Bow-
ring's statement as to the license ; and thirdly, that the
Hong Kong Government had no power to violate
the statute law of this country by giving the
licence. It had been said said that by the proceed-
ings adopted by the Chinese they intended to insult us,
but the fact was the Consul had picked an unlucky
quarrel wi.h the Chinese, and he (Mr. Cobden) read a
letter from an American gentlemen named Cook, ,who
had held an official position at Wharnpoa for the last four
years, detailing the illegal use made of our flag to pro-
mote smuggling. He also detailed the course adopted
with reference to the license, and said what was called
by the captain a British subject was a loose fish,
and generally a runaway apprentice who was put forward
to give a colouring to the illegal trading under the Eng-
lish flag, and he described the whole as a disgrace to this
country. He condemned the arrogant and presumptuous
conduct of Mr. Consul Parkes to Yeh, the Governor
of Canton, and contrasted it with Me conciliatory
conduct of Yeh, both before and after hostilities. fie
alluded to Yeh's reiterated declaration that the Are ow
was not a British vessel, and that a Chinese buying a
license could not make a Chinese vessel a British vessel,
and in the words of Yeh, he said he believed that there
was a preconcieved design on the part of Consul Parkes
to pick a quarrel.

(LEFT SPEAKING.)

SOUTH-EASTERN RAILWAY.

MEETING THIS DAY.

The forty-first half-yearly general meeting of this com-
pany was held this afternoon, at the Bridge-house Hotel,
London-bridge ; the Hon. J. Byng, Chairman of the
Board of Directors, in the chair.
The report and statement of accounts have already
appeared in The Sun, and they were taken as read.
The CHAIRMAN, in moving the adoptisn of the report,
said that the statement contained in the report and ac-
counts was so ample that little remark was needed by
him on that occasion. The receipts were satisfactory,
and whilst there had been no increase of expenditure
everything had been done to ensure the safety of the
travelling public. The gross receipts on the half-year
enabled the directors to propose a dividend of 5 per cent.
per annum. (Cheers.) The directors were relaying the
line, which would incur great expense and occupy some
considerable time. The hon. gentleman then referred
to the gross receipts and expenditure, the discontinuance
of certain trains that were found not to be used by the
public, and said that the loans as they became due had
been paid off; and sums raised at an interest less than 5
per cent, and it was hoped that the reduced rate of in-
teres wouH be still greater reduced. Referring to the
steam-boats in connection with this line, the chairman
said that they were is an efficient state, and had ever
been so, and that there was a reserved sum of 17,5001.
to meet any casualties that might arise. In referring to
the late gold bullion robbery, the chairman said that
great credit was due to Mr. Rees for the ability he die-
played in conducting the prosecution, and added that
sufficient property had been recovered to defray the
expenses of the prosecution and leave a surplus of 5001.
(Hear.) They were still continuing the se irch for the
lost gold, and they were in hopes of its being recovered.
Mr. GORDON THO3ISON ( lirector) seconded the motion.
Lord A. PAGET called attention to the state of the
harbours at Folkestone and Boulogne, and advised the
directors to take some steps to allow the boats to leave
Folkestone at all hours, instead of as now at tidal hours.
A sum of money had been voted for the improvement of
the harbour at Folkestone, and he thought if the subject
was laid before the Government, they would give the
company some assistance towards improving the har-
bour. The same remark applied to Boulogne, and he
thought that it a representation was made to the Em-
9peror of the French, he would do something to improve
.ole.harbour of Boulogne. He (Lord A. Paget) should,
happy t 9 make one of a deputation to wait on the
Emperor of the French for that purpose. (Hear, hear.)
I
ocruignihrliutnoicbaet,iothnebbeetweteepnoile'toalkoefstcoonnio
It was high time something should be done to wake the
s
me nudn (Toul)°ngbneet wa eint
the two countries. (i
rhear.)sta t e lieef their congratulated
property
the meeting on the Har t,iesa fa t
or
in giving an increased dividend.so/
h he co
(Clear, hear.)
2
ansent, whicgnsidered
Mr. ADAMS called attention to a charge of 1,. ex-
penses for a bill now in Pa l
illegal.
The CHAIRMAN said it was charged as was usual in
these cases to the suspense account.
Mr. ADAMS complained that an amendment ha pro-
posed at the last meeting was not advertised with the
motion that was carried. It was an impsrtant amend-
ment relative t their extensions, and he intended to
move it again that day. After some further re-
marks on the report, he called attention to the
amount paid for accidents. (Hear, hear.)
This line, on a return of 583,0001., had paid 10,3491.
for accidents, whil-t the sum paid by the London and
North-Western Railway, with their immense traffic, for
the same period was only 8,864/. (Hear, hear.) He
complained of the numerous alterations of the time of
running the trains on this line and the Greenwich
branch, which, he said, was a great evil and of great in-
eauvevience to the public, often reeelting iu serious di!- ZpVitaMent9. He condemned the further propped
of this bw., arid moved an amendment that the
,lrvectors shout I ro,t proeoed with any more exl-t-neions
al the oi 'gins' shareholders were paid a dividend of
Mr. L'ItAYI3 seconded..the amendment,
5 per (Hea, hear )
it ids Ills extension
referred to the "hostile projects,"
said that
clench,. policy that had reduced the divi-
rt in connection with this line', ains
Mr. BELL
by the directores
de-
scribed in the repo '
the
xteiteiou policy that
course of which he reviewed th
theiat past ten years,
bad been adopted
and pointed out what he called their mistake that
was wade by them with reference t• the fatal
litheent. He
counselled the company making peace with
Kent and New Kent C :monies if they wished toEast
con-
serve the interests of the South Eastern proprietors,mr. Riese, M.P., a director, rose to correct the hon.
proprietor. •
Mr. BELL eaid that it was true be signed the subscrip-
tion contract of the Ea -t Kent— (1 tughter)—but he never
bad hell a share in either of the two above lines.
He co:nplaiced that the directors bad rot acted fairly

with the Cray's Company, and said that the conduct of
tho directors was open to coneiderabli objection.
Mr. RISE M.P., said that no doubt it would be satis-
factory to the meeting to know that Mr. Bell was a sub-
scriber to the East Kent to the extent of 4,000/.
(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BILL said that subscribing to the contract was
not tantamount to being a shareholder. (Cries of
" Oh, oh.")
Mr. RICH said that it would, no doubt, be very satis-
factory to the Parliamentary Committee to know that
Mr. Bell was not a subscriber—that it was all moon-
shine. (Hear, and laughter.) He asked Mr. Bell if he
bad not proceeded with the scheme, and had paid down
4001. on that contract. (Hear, bear, and laughter.)
Mr. BILL declined to answer the question. (Cries of
" Oh, oh, and laughter.) It was a very important ques-
tion, and ought only to have been asked in the com-
mittee room. (Laughter.)
Mr. Rica said that he thought it a very pertinent
question, and that it ought to be answered here. (Hear,
hear.) The hon. gentleman then proceeded to remark
that Mr. Bell was the solicitor to the Cray's line, and
asked the meeting to defer the discussion on these exten-
sions until the Wharncl.ffe meeting, to be shortly held.
(Hear, bear.)
Mr. &OTT called attention to the difference of the
rates of passenger fares on the line, especially between
the Kentish and Berkshire districts.

A fter some further discussion, the amendment was put
from the chair, when only one hand was held up in its
favour.

The report was then adopted, as was also a resolution
declaring the dividend at the rate of 5 per cent. _ _

The directors and auditors having "been re-elected,
some formal resolutions were passed, and the meeting
closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

THE MAINE LIQUOR LAW.

MEETING IN EDINBURGH.

On Monday night, a meeting was hold in Queen-
street Hall, under the auspices of the society for the
promotion of Maine-law principles. According to
the terms of the placard, posted abundantly on the
walls of the city, a medical gentleman from Dum-
fries, named Dr. M'Culloch, was to " dissect" Dr.
Laycock, an announcement which had the effect of
causing the medical students of the University to
issue an enormous counter-placard, which ran as
fellows :—" Dumfriesshire students, and students
in general, be at the meeting ina the Queen-street
Hall this evening at eight o'clock, to dissect Dr.
M'Culloch and support our liberal-minded Profes-
sor Laycock." Some time before the hour the
place was packed with an audience a considerable
portion of which beguiled the intervening time by
cries of " Three cheers for the Scotsman,' loud ap-
plause for Dr. Laycock, and counter-noises of all
kinds, condemnatory of Forbes Mackenzie and the
Maine.-law. As it approached half-past eight, a per-
son in the gallery produced a bell, and ringing it re-
peatedly demanded that the business should begin.
It was with difficulty that the platform gentlemen
could gain their places, and utterly impossible for
them to propose anybody to fill the chair in an
audible voice. Mr. George Johnston, of the tem-
perance coffeeroorn, Nicolson-street, gesticulated,
and seemed to utter same words, whereupon Mr.
John Hope, W.S., took the chair. He did not,
however, even attempt to say anything, the uproar
having become furious. He stood for about the space
of half-an-hour contemplating the surging and
vociferous crowds, who whistled and crowed, and
even attempted to propose resolutions. As the
evening wore on, the chairman abandoned the
attempt to conduct the business, and sat down
in consultation with his friends on the plat-
form. The ringing of bells, cheers for Dr.
Laycock," and " groans for and the same
for " M'Cullocb, " continued without intermision.
An elder ly female at length rose in the centre of
the hall amid awful yells of "order," and other ex-
clamations, which completely drowned her attempt-
ed speech. A medical student in the area, address-
ing his friends in the galle:y, besought them to be-
have themselves. A person sitting in the front
seat produced a bottle and drank the health of Dr.
M'Culloch. Growing weary of these methods of
amusing itself, the noisy portion of the audience
resorted to "Cheer, boys, cheer," "Rob Roy Mac-
grego-," " Auld Langsyne," and other tunes, the
singing of which, accompanied by stamping of the
feet, awoke the echoes in the hall. When the
night was wearing on to ten o'clock, Dr. M'Culloch
sent a note to the reporters, stating that in conse-
quence of the riotous conduct of the students he
would positively decline to lecture that night.
Afterwards, taking advantage of a momentary lull
in the general tumult, the Doctor cried out—" I
have no intention of saying anything to-nighf,"
when frightful roars came down from the galleries,
" Apologise, then, apologise 1' In a few minutes
after this Dr. M`dulloch left the platform, leaving,
however, the chairman and his friends (among whom
we recognised only ex-Bailie Gray) behind, who,
for some object or other, suck to their post until
after ten o'clock. The vigour of the disturbers was
at that late hour unimpaired. At last the chair-
man and the platform gentlemen hit the hall, and
the audience afterwards dismissed in great dis-
order. —Scotsman.