The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-06-04
FOREIGN NEWS!

By the arrival Of the clipper ship Staghound, Is
days from San Francisco, we have two weeks later
dates from the United States and Europe. The
political news is Of very little interest.
The Fanny Major, arrived over on the 18th April,
10 days passage. Was to sail for this port again
about the. Goth, and will bring the n. Y. mail of
April 20. She will be due about Monday next
Great Britain.
The Steamship Great Eastern is to be launched,
the London Artisan says, in June or July.
The country is excited by electioneering movements.
1t is expected that Lord Palmerston will carry a
majority, but a small one. He continues to receive
addresses of confidence.
The Earl of Elgin has accepted the office of Plenipo-
Tertiary to the Court of Pekin, and viii proceed
thither as soon as he has been made sufficiently
acquainted with the views of her Majesty's govern
Inent.
In the House of Commons Mr.. Labouchere said
that from the most recent information it appeared
that the Northern ports of China were perfectly tram
quill.
Lord Clarendon, in reply to a question stated that
the treaty with Persia was of the most satisfactory
nature. Persia undertook to evacuate Herat within
three months after its ratification, and upon the full
tilment of that condition England would Immediately
evacuate the Persian territory. Commercial advan-
tages were also gained, as England was to be placed
upon a footing with the most favored nations, while
all further disputes between Persia and AfFghanistan
were to be referred to the arbitration of England.
Lord Palmerston said the treaty was in all respects
a better treaty than Persia had offered to accept at
Constantinople.
After presiding as Speaker in the House of Com
mons for eighteen years, to the satisfaction of all
parties, Mr.. Shaw Lefeyre announced his intention
TO retire from office at the close of the present Parlia-
ment.
Lord Palmerston moved the thanks of the House to
the Hon. Gentleman, and an address to the Crown,
praying some special recognition of his services, both
which resolutions were unanimously agreed to.
At Il subsequent slit ng, the House having gone
into Committee, Lord Palmerston moved a resolution,
placing at the disposal of the Crown $4,000 per
annum, to be conferred upon the Speaker for the term
of his natural life. The motion was carried at once
amid loud cheers.
The London Times in describing the scene says:
The interest CT the House was centered mainly ont he
demeanor of the Speaker himself. The simple and
unaffected dignity of Mr.. Shaw Lefevre has often been
remarked: it was. perhaps, never put to a more severe
test than on Tuesday night, and it came triumphantly
out of the ordeal. The resolution recording his
services was long and highly e~nlogistic, and it devolv-
ed upon him to read to the House this highly fatter-
ing record of his own virtues. The position was a
difficult one. Few could have read such a resolution
in their own praise without betraying some degree Of
consciousness, erring on the side Of ostentation or Of
false mOdesty. Nh. Lefevre read it from beginning
to end with simple dignity, and without q faler in
the tones Of that fine sonorOus voice which has so often
stilled the tumult of the House when at its -loudest.
1t was only after the resolution had been carried by
reclamation, and the Speaker rose to reply, that his
emotions escaped from control. This was perhaps
owing to the spontaneous and graceful compliment
paid him when he rose, OF the whole House uncover
ing-a mark Of respect which is usually paid only to
messages from the Crown. His words were few, but
well chosen and emphatic; his thanks warm; and the
fnltcring of that noble voice, for tho first and only
time trembling in its s~elfcommand, testified to their
sincerity. The whole scene was striking and grandly
impressive, worthy of the first political assembly in
the world.
LATER FROM CHINA.-The clipper ship Kate
Hooper, arrived at San Francisco, 40 days from
Hongkong, which port she left on the 18th March,
bringing ~forty-fve days later intelligence.
The summary of the China Mail and the H~ongkong
| 011Ckon fr IN uor1on mail Il nra o%or11o IL
operations Of the war as languid. No great accession
having been made to the British forces, they are kept
almost wholly on the defense Governor Yeh main
tains q sullen reserve, which BODIES that the Chinese
are engaged in some preparations. The fleet of Chinese
craft now and then make occasional attacks, and small
guerilla parties have endeavored to effect surprise
captures of foreign vessels, but with no success. On
the 18th of March, Admiral Seymour arrived from
the Canton River, where affairs are quiet, except an
occasional attack on the Macao forts. On the 28th
of February the Encounter, CoromandeI, Forbes and
HORgkOng, with eighteen armed boats, under COM
mand of Captain O'Callaghan, made an attack on an
equal number of armed junks, opposite the Fatee
Creek. The vessels grounded, and were unable to
bring their guns to bear, while the iunks were drawn
UP in a long line extending from Fatshan Creek to
Boat Passage, the latter s~heltering them. The British
force opened fired at 2, 900 yards, which was responded
to by the junks, with but little effect, the range of
their guns failing to carry 81 sufficient distance.
They stood Smelling and ~rocketing better than usual,
so much so that the English papers compliment them
on the management of their guns. The British force
retired, having SHOWN the OeIeStldIS CnaC tnelr large
vessels could approach nearer the Fatshan Greek than
heretofore thought possible. The fleet of junks at
latest dates remained stationary, and it is supposed
they have sunk batteries to impede navigation, and
have fortified the surrounding heights. The victory
of the campaign is the burning of five junks and a
battery of thirty guns by the East India Company's
steamer auckland, and the Hongkong governn emf
steamer Eaglet. The Hornet, on the 10th of Febru-
ary, drove off a fleet of junks from Escape Greek sup
posed to have been in command of high mandarins.
We have no accounts of the Americans being engaged
in any operations, and presume their force has re-
manned quiet.
A rumor, unsubstantiated, however, states that the
French steam frigate CatinGt had destroyed Swawtow,
in revenge for the capture of the Anais.
The Emperor it is rumored has communicated with
Yeh, giving him the following Instructions
You, Yeh, having for a long length of time, had
the management of affairs with the outside barbara
ans, should know best how to treat them. We have
every confidence in you. If they implore mercy,
grant it to them; but if they are stubborn and head
strong, drive them into the depths of the sea, and
cause them to learn the power and magnitude of the
Celestial Empire. 1t is said that Yeh has caused the
ploughshare to traverse the site of ground upon which
the east factories were placed, and that such has been
sown with salt.
Mr.. George Peabody, the American London Ban
ker, has given $500, 900 to the city of Baltimore for
the ndowment of a Public Library; and he contem-
plates increasing it to half a million.
I n