The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-13 00:00:00

through, I believe, some papers on the Continent, that
there had been some mistake committed in the treaty.
That is quite incorrect. It arose from the necessity
of my making public an abstract of the treaty, while
the Chinese published the whole, and a translation
was made with many important omissions. Havinge,',
been asked seriously whether there was any ground
for the allegation that mistakes had been committed,-A
I am happy to say that there was no cause what-
ever for the alarm. The establishnient at. Hong- -;Seee
Kong having been alluded to, I feel it right, on this ee
most public occasion, to say that I look upon HoseiKong
still as the best position for British enterprise. VUnfor-
tunately it has been unhealthy ; but there is nothing in
its appearance or situation that should render it so, and
those who would substitute Chusan for it are, in my
humble opinion, in error. Chusan is an island contain..
ing 60,000 inhabitants, and is situated in the midst of an
archipelago, containing at least 1,000,000 inhabitants,
which it would at all times be difficult to prevent coming
into jealous and angry discussions with th:s country,
whilst our own colony is sufficient for all commercial
purposes.—(Cheers.) Before sitting down, I y, ill Once
more repeat my grateful thanks for the honour you have
done me, and trust yen will make every allow ante for
the imperfect manner in which I hare spoken. I have
a great dislike to anything that is egetistieal, but on
this occasion I was obliged to speak of myself more than
I wished to have done.—(Cheers.) Once more, from
the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your kindness.
When in this great assembly I think it hes met hero to
do honour to me, an humble individual—whin I think
that I am the observed of all observers, I can only ap-
peal to your own hearts, and trust you hill believe Low
warmly I thank you.—(Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN next called upon the company to ac-
knowledge the services and the merits of the naval and
military forces, which were the means, the instruments
of the great results produced in China. It was not now
for the first time that we had to commend the navy for
skill, bravery, and devotion to the interests cf the coun-
try. It was their proud boast that those qualities were
inseparably connected with the name of an English sailor.
Sir Henry Pottinger had alluded to one of the most me-
morable instances in which all those great qualities had
been remarkably displayed. It was a brave heart and
a clear head that imagined even the possibility of taking
a whole English fleet 250 miles up a river unsurveye'l
and previously unknown. He could imagine the swell
of triumph with which Sir William Parker, after all the
difficulties of that passage, saw the fleet safely anchored
under the walls of Nankin.—(Cheers.) Great as was
the responsibility incurred—great as were the effects of
success, such should be his glory, such should be their
gratitude. He gave " The health of Sir William Parker
and the Naval Service in China."—(Three times three.)
Admiral Sir IV. PARKER begged to return his most
sincere thanks for the honour which had been done to
him and the profession to which he had the honour to
belong. He should never forget the flittering manner in
which that great company had noticed their services in
China. It was his good fortune to he associated with
distinguished colleagues, with a firm and able pleni-
potentiary, with an active and enterprising generaL—
(Cheers.) Their instructions were clear and explicit,
and they were supported by the most gallant combined
forces. The officers and men of all ranks, and in every
branch of the expedition, whether civil, military, or
naval, exerted themselves with a spirit of emulation that
did them the highest honour. If merit therefore was
due, it was to be shared alike by all, for all did their
best.—(Cheers.) Happily, the utmost cordiality sub-'
sisted between the sister services, and he could confi-
dently say, that with unity of hearts and hands British
troops and British seamen would never ctsappoint the
expectations of their Sovereign and fellow-citizen's.
The CHAIRMAN then proposed " The health of Major-
General Shad and the military engaged in the opera-
tions in China" and paid a high compliment to the
gallantry and discipline by which less than 9,000 men of
all arms received the terrified and unconditional submis-
sion of a fortified city containing more than a million of
inhabitants.—(Three times three.)
Major-General SHAD briefly returned thanks.
The CHAIRMAN the rose and said—l have now to
propose to you the health of those without whose active,
cordial, and constant support the efforts of those whose
merits we have applauded would have been all in vain—
" The health of the Earl of Aberdeen and the rest of her
Majesty's Ministers."—(Loud and protracted cheers.)
The reception which you have given to those words
prove that you acknowledge with me how much we owe,
to him, who, finding the Chinese expedition begun
one who was his opponent in politics, still becense he
thought it right, because he thought it condnive to the
interests of England, gave that policy Ms constant and
his effective support.—(Cheers,) Let his reward be,
that the Administration of which he forms so valuable a
part, shall share in the glory which the Chinese ex-
pedition has conferred, not only upon us, but upon those
who are to come after us.--(Cheers.) I give :you
" The health of the Earl of Aberdeen and her Majesty's
Ministers,"—(Three times three.)
The Earl of ABERDEEN, in rising to respond to the
toast, was loudly cheered, and spoke as follows
Gentlemen, I beg to offer you the thanks of my col-
leagues and myself for the honour you have been pleased
to confer on us—an honour, gentlemen, coming as it
does from such an assembly as this, I request you will,
believe is duly appreciated by us. But in making these
acknowledgments, I hope that I may be permitted to ex-
press the high satisfaction I foci in the privilege of being
present at this most remarkable meeting.—(Cheers.) Itt,
would be strange indeed if I did not avail myself with
alacrity of any opportunity publicly to declare the
opinions I entertain of the abilities, the character, and
the conduct of the distinguished person whom yin have
this day met to honour.—(Cheers.) For, gentlin-n, it
has been my duty frequently to express those sentiments
to himself, as it has also been my more pleasing and more
important duty repeatedly to convey to him the gracious
approbation of his Sovereign.—(Loud cheers) P(rmit
me to congratulate you that this great meeting pos-
sesses nothing about it of a political nature.— (Cheers.)
Men of all parties and opinions unite to do honour to
one who has deserved well of our common country.—.,
(Cheers.) But, gentlemen, I may venture on thia
occasion—for I rejoice to meet here those with whom,
although differing on many points, I most cordially and
entirely concur in this—l may venture on this occasion
to cougratulate a Noble Friend of mine, who pre-
ceded me in the office which I now hale the honour
to hold, as being the means of obtaining for this country
the eminent services of Sir Henry Pottinger as Plenipo-
tentiary in China.—(Cheers,) Although my Noble
Friend was not so fortunate as to receive those commu-
nications from Sir Henry Pottinger after his departure
from England which came into my hands, still he must
have watched the whole course of his public conduct with
the most lively interest.—(Cheers.) I have for three
years been in constant correspondence -with Sir Henry
Pottinger, and it is no more than truth to declare that
I think no mail ever arrived from China without bring-
ing to me fresh reasons to be deeply sensible of his
merits and his just claims to the gratitude of his country.
—(Loud cheers.) You may readily imagine that in a
country like China, so distant, so different in almost
every respect from those of which we have any know-
ledge, with every desire on the part of the Government
at home to assume responsibility, to give every kind of
assistance, to provide by instructions for all contingen-
cies, yet very much, under these circumstances, must
always depend upon the judgment and discretion of the
person who, on the spot, is to administer the instruc-
tions he may receive.—(Loud cheers.) I believe that
there never was a man in whom a Government and the
country might more safely repose confidence in such a
situation than Sir,Henry Pottinger.—(Great cheering.)
And permit me to say that when difficulties
arose, as difficulties numerous and weighty did
arise, unforeseen and unexpected, by his ability, by his
firmness, his perseverance, and energy, he was enabled
to meet and overcome them all.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen,
it would ill become me to expatiate on the various ad-
vantages which may be expected to arise from the suc-
cessful labours of Sir Henry Pottinger. They are here
fully comprehended and justly appreciated. I will only
repeat the great gratification I feel in the opportunity
of paying my humble tribute to his transcendent shill-
; ties.—(Loud cheers.)

The CHAIRMAN—The Noble Earl who has just sat
down has in some degree forestalled me. The next toast
in rank as in justice is the health of the Noble Viscount
with whom the expedition to China originated—(Loud
cheers)—who drew the first instructions, and who, I am
sure, whether in office or ouf of oZce, Watched with
equal interest the progress that was made, and felt equal
pleasure in the successful results which attended the
policy he had begun.—(Cheers.) If I may be permitted
so to do, I am proud to bear my personal testimony to
the unwearied pains which the Noble Lord took in the
midst of the labours of a session of Parliament, distracted
with ten thousand other demands on his time, to make
himself master even of the minutest details upon that then*
new and complicated subject. I can myself recollect the
deliberation and the caution which he showed before his
opinion was forme3. I can well recollect the fortitude of
his decision, and the promptitude of action w hen that de-
cision was taken.—(Cheers.) I am sure you will all agree
with me, that it would not be right to let such an occa-
sion as the present pass without acknowledging the obli-
gations we owe to him with whom the whole originated.
I know you will agree with me that we must drink, with
the honours he deserves, " The health of Viscount Pal-
merston."—(Three times three cheers.)

Lord PALMERSTON—I beg you to accept my most
cordial thanks—first, for the very kind and flattering
manner in which you have been pleased to receive the
toast which has just been proposed to you ; and still
more do I thank you for having permitted me to be
present upon this most interesting occasion. Nothing
can be more interesting than such a meeting of the chief
men of a great metropolis like this, the greatest metro-
polis in the world, assembled to render just homage to
the merits of a distinguished fellow-citizen, who abroad,
in the performance of his duty, has conferred essential
benefits upon his country, and upon every branch con-
nected with its interests. Such is the occasion on
which we are assembled, and you may be sure that ex-
pressions of public gratitude of this kind are not only
amongst the best rewards which distinguished men can
receive when they return home from their duties, but am
amongst the most powerful incentives to the perform,
awe of those duties in the hour of difficulty —(Cheers,)
It is also a source of gratification to feel the truth of
that which has been stated by my Noble Friend the Earl
of Aberdeen, that there is nothing of a political character
in the omission of this meeting, We are here assembled,
men of all shades of polities—members of that Cabinet
which began the expedition, and members of the suc-
ceeding Cabinet, who, differiug from us upon many most
essential points, yet, as has been stated, felt it their duty
when clothed with the responsibility of office to continue
a service which was then in progress,—we are met her%
not only men belonging to all parties, but the aetiv
members of opposite parties, holding on other subjects
conflicting opinions, but assembled now with one com-.
mon feeling of gratitude to a distinguished man,
press to him our warm acknowledgment for
and important services he has performed fo his
—(Cheers.) My Noble Friend has congrata ~„t•