The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-17 00:00:00

USURY LAWS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER asked leave
:o bring in a Bill to extend the present Usury Law, relative
:o Bills of short date.—Agreed to.
TIMBER SHIPS' BILL.

The Timber Ships' Bill was read a second time and
agreed to.
SUPPLY.

The Report of the Committee of Supply was brought up,
and received.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at half-past ten o'clock.

HOUSE OF LORDS, shine 16.
Their Lordships met at Five o'clock.
RAILWAYS.
Messengers from the Commons brought up a number of
railway Rills, which were severally read a first time.
Earl FITZ WILLIAM laid upon the table of the House
the report of the select Committee lately appointed to
ascertain the best mode of satisfactorily adjusting disputes be-
tween landholders and railway companies relative to the pur-
chase of landed property fryrthe purposes of railways.

-AI A YNO. O'f H.
The Bishop of London, the Bishop of Winchester, Lord
Winchilsea, and the Earl of Breadalbane, presented a large
number of petitions against the third reading of the Maynooth
Bill.
MESSAGE FROM HER MAJESTY—SIR HENRY
POTTINGER.
The Earl of ABERDEEN moved the order of the day for
taking into consideration her Majesty's message recommending
their Lordships to concur with her in granting a pension of
1,5001. a year to Sir Henry Pottinger, K.C.8., for the period
of his natural life.
The Noble Lords having uncovered,
The LORD CHANCELLOR read her Majesty's message.
The Earl of ABERDEEN then said, he rose to move an
humble address to her Majesty, in answer to the message which
she had sent to their Lordships, and in doing so, it would
only be necessary to detain them for a very few
minutes, for he had already had opportunities in that
House
testimony to the great merits
Of the distinguishedof
on the present oc asion, w 3
bearing
person who,

the object of her Majesty's gracious consideration. He had
not been sparing in -those expressions of admiration and praise
of that conduct which was considered by her Majesty
to be so justly done. Those sentiments had
found an echo throughout the whole country. In every
part of the kingdom, whether in England, Scotland, or Ire-
land, Sir H Pottinger had been welcomed with enthusiasm,
and every effort had been made to do him honour.
But it was clear that the vast majority of those
persons who had so united in expressing such opinions,
had very little means of duly estimating the real merits
of Sir Henry Pottinger. They looked upon the bound-
less field which he had opened to British enterprise,
and to that inexhaustible source of commercial wealth
and prosperity, which, by his means, had been
rendered accessible to their fellow.countrymen. But he felt it
his duty to say that the real merits of Sir FL Pottinger would
have deserved their Lordships' approbation and the ap-
probation of the Sovereign equally as much if his
exertions in China had not been attended by such
magnificent results—for through his whole conduct in China it
was his (the Earl of Aberdeen's) good fortune in the relation
which he stood towards him to bear testimony to the conduct
which he pursued. Sir Henry Pottinger in being called
to service in China was removed from a service and from a
school to which he (the Earl of Aberdeen) might be permitted
to say the State had been greatly indebted. He knew not how
it was, but whether from long habits of self reliance or
from taking part in great affairs, the fact was
that the service of the East India Company had produced men
who, by the energy of their characters and the statesmanlike
views which they entertained, were peculiarly qualified to con-
tend successfully with the greatest difficulties, and to confer
most signal advantages on their country. When Sir H. Pot-
tinger went to China, he found the negotiation in a state of
complete confusion, and the utmost difficulty was placed in his
way to bring the matter to a right adjustment. He had been
engaged in the direction of both the naval and military forces
—he might say, of the largest force that had ever left this
country—and had, under a variety of circumstances, suc-
ceeded in giving peace to the empire. He had united, in the
most wonderful manner, those qualities which had enabled him
to consolidate the efforts of both the services, and had so suc-
ceeded in executing the duties of his office, as to convert hatred
and suspicion into confidence and friendship. It was the exer-
cise of those strong faculties with which he was so extraordi-
narily gifted, and it was under the most difficult circumstances,
that he had, after having exhibited his high qualities in the
sphere of India, followed it up in China with the same energy
and success. During the whole of the time in which he had
been employed in China, though it had been a great effort with
the Government to furnish him with as precise instruc-
tions as they could possibly give, yet much had,
of necessity, been left to his own discretion ; and
there was not, throughout the whole of his pro-
ceedings, a single act which had not met with the approba-
tion of her Majesty's Government. He would not enter into
details, but he would give the results of the negotiations in
which Sir H. Pottinger had been engaged, and which were
highly satisfactory to the country. By the returns which had
been given of the British imports into Canton in 184-1, there
had been 3,451,0001., and 3,:383,000/. of exports. Such was
the result in one of the ports of China, and their Lordships
would be able to judge of the effect which would be wrought on
British commerce with the whole of Chin:. The northern
ports showed equal returns, and with Shanghai and Amoy
especially the commerce was largely increasing. By the re-
port of the intelligent gentleman who acted a 3 Consul at Can-
ton the whole of the trade with China was conducted in the
most orderly and satisfactory manner, and ever since the en-
gagements had been formed the treaty had been fulfilled in
every respect by the Chinese Government to the letter. But
however great this success, and however great the trade which
had been opened by it, it was necessary to preserve it with both
moderation and justice towards those with whom we had to
deal. Without more words he would read the message of her
Majesty, and move a resolution, " that their Lordships would
cheerfully concur in giving effect to her Majesty's gracious
consideration of the services of Sir H. Pottinger."
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the Noble Earl
had truly stated that other opportunities had arisen for noticing
the celebrated individual who had now been brought under
their consideration by her Majesty's message. It was a singu-
lar fact, that while Sir Henry Pottinger had received instruc-
tions from one Government, and had other instrucitons from
another, he had succeeded in enjoying the confidence of both
Governments. He was glad to learn that a reward was pro-
posed for services which had conferred such a high benefit on
the country. If her Majesty's Government had gone further,
and conferred the highest reward which had been given for
diplomatic services, he believed that their Lordships would
have been quite ready to justify it; hut he knew how mush the
Government were bound by precedents, and therefore he
thought that on this account they were not to be blamed.
The Earl of ELL ENBOROUG H said that upon the subject of
the merits of Sir Henry Pottinger he would say nothing, con-
curring as he did in the meed of praise now awarded to him,
hut in common justice to Sir Hugh Gough, Sir W. Parker, and
the other officers who had served with so much zeal, energy,
and ability under them, and who had carried into effect the
instructions of Sir Henry Pottinger, he could not allow that
vote to pass without recording his appreciation of those great
services. It was well known that the Chinese were not
reasoned into a a peace but were beaten into it by arms, and
there appeared to be a strange misconception entertained with
respect to the naval and military operations that were then
carried on. These were not under the directions of Sir Henry
Pottinger, nay more, they were against his directions. He
had every wish to give his tribute of praise to Sir Henry Pot-
tinger's civil services, but he thought that the army
and navy were not to be overlooked on such an
occasion. The House of Commons had expressed
their approbation of those services, and Sir Hugh
Gough had obtained a reward of the greatest emolument in
consideration of them, but where, he would ask, was the re-
ward of Sir Wm. Parker? If he had only defeated a few ves-
sels in a single engagement, he might have expected at least a
little notice, but his services were carried over a period of seve-
ral months, in shallow water of difficult navigation, and over
no less than seventy vessels, with the most consummate suc-
cess. He thought, in conclusion, that he was bound, from a
sense of public duty, as well as in justice to the individuals con-
cerned, and with whom he had co-operated in carrying out those
splendid results, to record his appreciation of their deserts on
the present occasion.

The Earl of H ADDINGTON said that if his Noble Friend
had been aware of the discussions which had taken place in
that and the other House of Parliament, he would have known
that the thanks of Parliament were conveyed to both those
Gallant Officers for their exertions on the occasions referred to.
He was certain that no one who was present could forget the
language which the Noble Duke on his right hand had used on
that occasion. He did not, however, confine his remarks to
Sir H. Gough. The order of the Grand Cross of the Bath
had been conferred on the Illustrious Admiral, Sir William
Parker, and shortly after his return home a baronetcy had been
conferred on him. Since that the most important command at
the disposal of her Majesty's Government had been given to
him. He had been appointed to the command of the Medi-
terranean fleet. He would not enter into a comparison of the
naval and military operations that were then carried on, be-
;ieving es he (lid that the successful results which Sir H. Pot-
tinger had achieved were partly attributable to both; and
Parliament was desirous to record their appreciation of those
services.

The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH was well aware of the ap-
pointment which had been conferred on Sir W. Parker, but his
Noble Friend had not touched upon the point of honour. Another
officer, perhaps, could not be got so well qualified to take the
command in the Mediterranean.

The Earl of HA DDINGTON said that there were officers
equally well qualified to take that command.
The Earl of ELLEN BOROUGH said that, with the excep-
tion of Sir George Cockburn, there was not an officer in the
service so well qualified.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE hoped that nothing which
fell from him could be construed into any disparagement of the
services of Sir Wm. Parker. So far from saying anything to
his disparagement, he would be sorry to omit anything he knew
that would tend to the praise of that great admiral—for he
would call him a great admiral—but he thought that after the
greatest command in the habitable globe had been conferred
upon him, any eulogium from him as to his merits was per-
fectly unnecessary.
After a few words in explanation from the Earl of GLEN-
GAL, the address was agreed to.