Victoria, Hong Kong, April 15, 1847.

I have the honour to report to your lordship, for the information of her Majesty's government, the details of certain military operations in which the troops under my command, jointly with a small naval squadron under Captain M'Dougall, of her Majesty's steam frigate Vulture, have been recently engaged upon the Canton river. On the afternoon of the 1st instant I received a communication from his Excellency Sir John Francis Davis, Bart., her Majesty's Plenipotentiary in China, informing me that, in consequence of the repeated aggressions of the Chinese upon British subjects in the neighbourhood of Canton, and the unsatisfactory replies of the imperial high commissioner to his demands for redress, his excellency had come to the conclusion that there was no alternative but to proceed to Canton with a force and demand reparation on the spot. Upon receipt of the above letter I lost no time in communicating with Captain M'Dougall, of her Majesty's steam frigate Vulture, the senior naval officer in these waters, and the result of our deliberations was, that whilst we could not conceal from ourselves the difficulty of undertaking such an expedition with so small a force as that which would remain at our command after providing for the security of this island, still the advantages attendant upon prompt and energetic action, before the hot season set in, appeared to us to justify the enterprise, provided the operation was conducted upon the principle of a coup de main, and that no guns were left unspiked in our rear. I was likewise influenced in my decision upon this question by a desire to teach the people of Canton that the troops in the garrison of Hong Kong, with the co-operation of the naval force in these seas, are at all times prepared to chastise aggression, without waiting for reinforcements either from England or India. About midnight of the day on which I received Sir John Davis's communication, the troops embarked on board the vessels, and according to the distribution noted as follows:-Her Majesty's steamer Vulture: 18th regiment, 24 officers, 403 non-commissioned officers and rank and file. Her Majesty's sloop Espiegle: 42nd regiment Madras native infantry, 4 officers, and 145 non-commissioned officers and rank and file. Honourable Company's steamer Pluto: 42nd regiment, 12 officers, 268 non-commissioned officers and rank and file. Hired armed steamer Corsair: 18th regiment, 4 officers, 106 non-commissioned officers and rank and file. Total, infantry - 44 officers, 922 non-commissioned officers and rank and file. Hired lorcha, No. 1, armed as a gunboat: detachment royal artillery, and all the ordnance stores, &c. Hired lorcha, No. 2: detachment royal sappers and miners, with tools, scaling-ladders, and other materials. At nine o'clock the following morning, the squadron arrived at the Bocca Tigris, when the Vulture, taking up a convenient position, with the Old and New Arrunghoy batteries on one side and the North and South Wangtung batteries on the other, lowered her boats, in which two detachments, the one under Lieut.-colonel Brereton, C.B., royal artillery, the second in command, the other under my immediate superintendence, were instantly disembarked, and the respective batteries having been surprised and taken possession of without opposition, the guns were spiked, the ammunition destroyed, and the garrisons permitted to retire without molestation. At six o'clock the squadron arrived at Wampoa, beyond which the Vulture's draught of water would not permit her to proceed. The following morning the troops were distributed in the seamers Pluto and Corsair, and the armed boats of the Vulture, with the exception of the detachment of sepoys on board the Espiegle, and a party which it was deemed prudent to leave for the security of the Vulture, in consequence of the greater part of her crew being employed on boat service. I here established my head-quarters on board the Pluto, to which vessel Sir J. Davis likewise removed from the Vulture. About 11 o'clock we arrived at a reach of the river on which stand four strong forts, viz. Pachow, Wookongtap, Napier, and Wampoa creek. The attack on the two first I intrusted to Lieut. col. Brereton, C.B. and that on the two others, which was led by Major Aldrich, Royal Engineers, I reserved for my own immediate supervision. To gain access to Forts Pachow and Napier, which were approached simultaneously, it was found necessary to blow in the gates, after which the guns were spiked and the troops re-embarked. On proceeding towards Forts Wookongtap and Wampoa Creek, a well-directed fire of round shot, chain shot, and grape, was opened by those batteries upon the steamers and boats; and I consider it due to Lieut. col. Brereton to state, that, but for the intelligent manner in which that officer directed the crowded boats under his command to be steered upon the salient angle of Fort Wookongtap, a very heavy loss must have inevitably ensued, as the showers of grape which were poured from guns of large calibre fell thickly around the boats almost immediately after the lieutenant-colonel had caused this judicious movement to be made. The greater

part of the seamen being employed in pulling the boats, the guns of the steamers Pluto and Corsair were chiefly manned by the acting gunners of the 18th regiment, and I have much satisfaction in stating, that, on the batteries opening fire, they were promptly replied to by the steamers, in a style that would have done credit to experienced artillerymen. The gunboat of the royal artillery also opened its fire, and threw some shot into Fort Wampoa Creek. On the troops reaching the shore, the garrisons of Forts Napier and Wampoa Creek evacuated the works by the rear, but entrances were speedily effected by means of powder-bags, which were applied to the principal gates by Captain Durnford and Lieutenant Da Costa, of the Royal Engineers. The guns having been all spiked and the magazines exploded, the expedition next proceeded to the French Folly fort, a strong work, surmounted by a keep, commanding one of the narrowest bends of the river. The descent upon this fort was equally rapid as upon those that preceded it, and the gate having been blown in, it was ascertained from the preparations obviously made in the batteries for our reception, that a very few minutes' delay would have brought upon us the fire of this formidable work. Four other batteries were afterwards spiked without opposition, and by six o'clock in the evening the greater part of the troops had landed at the British factories, after having spiked or otherwise rendered unserviceable eight hundred and seventy-nine pieces of heavy cannon, as per annexed return. It became now necessary to secure our position from attack on the land side, and fortunately the situation of the factories in relation to the surrounding suburbs enabled me, by a series of defensible barricades, to shut up all the avenues of approach. The following day, the 4th instant, the detachment arrived from the Espiegle, and additional measures were taken to strengthen our position, and to obtain local knowledge of its environs. The same day Sir John Davis was waited upon upon at the British Consulate within the factories by the Chinese high commissioner Keying, to whom he prescribed certain terms, failing compliance with which before six o'clock the next evening, his excellency declared his intention of breaking off all further negotiations, and of employing the force under my command, in conjunction with that of my coadjutor, Captain M'Dougall, in redressing by more serious hostile operations the injuries complained of. The ensuing day, the 5th instant, the high commissioner requested that the period allowed him for consideration of the proposed terms might be extended to eight o'clock the following morning. After this request had been granted, intelligence was received of bodies of troops moving into the city. I accordingly lost no time in making my dispositions for the assault. I will here inform your lordship that my confidence in our dispositions for the attack was much strengthened by the result of a reconnaisance made at daybreak that morning by Captain Clark Kennedy, the acting assistant quarter-master general, and Lieutenant Da Costa, of the Royal Engineers. Those officers penetrated, during that still period of the morning, to the city walls, which they ascended in two places, and ascertained satisfactorily that sufficient space existed thereon for making a lodgment. Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary having informed me that all his demands had been fully acceded to by the Chinese authorities, I gave orders, with his excellency's concurrence, for the return of the troops to Hong Kong, with the exception of the light company of the 18th regiment, under Capt. Graves, and a small party of sappers, under Lieutenant Da Costa, both which it was thought prudent to leave behind in the factories, until the various local improvements prescribed by the treaty are fully completed. At twelve o'clock on the 8th instant, the troops accordingly re-embarked, and arrived in Hong Kong the afternoon of the following day. The Pluto has since been sent back to resume her position off the factories, and as a further precaution I put on board her, with the concurrence of Sir John Davis and Captain M'Dougall, two intelligent subalterns and thirty picked men of the 18th regiment, to act as marines until the arrival of the naval commander-in-chief. I have since received several reports from these detachments, all which represent the aspect of affairs as perfectly satisfactory; and I shall be much mistaken if the lesson we have given the government and people of Canton be soon forgotten, whilst the discipline and forbearance of the troops, during our occupation of the suburbs, and which I have acknowledged in the annexed general Order, can scarcely fail to engender amongst the Chinese inhabitants feelings of respect to which they have been hitherto strangers. I cannot conclude this despatch without congratulating your lordship upon the whole of these operations having been carried into effect without the loss of a man. More especially, as in the crowded state of the boats, and the strong tide that was running at the time, any one shot taking effect from the heavy batteries opposed to us on the 3rd instant, must have inevitably cost me seventy or eighty men, as it would have been impossible to render

any assistance, under the circumstances of our position. The gratifying task now only remains to me of doing justice to the merits of the officers under my command, who have principally assisted me in the conduct of these operations. Of Lieutenant-colonel Brereton, C.B. the second in command, I cannot speak too highly. His long experience, his distinguished military reputation, and his professional attainments and resources, have been apparent in every step throughout this expedition; and I cannot sufficiently express my acknowledgments for the scope he has given to all these valuable qualities, and for his perfect and most cordial support. Lieutenant-colonel Phillpotts, the commanding royal engineer, never quitted my side from the commencement to the end of the operations. To him I am indebted for the most judicious and scientific advice, and to him also for the admirable plan for the attack upon the gateways of the city of Canton, and for which I desire this able and meritorious officer may have all the credit to which he is justly entitled. My sense of Major Aldrich's services is not easily expressed. I had appointed this officer to act as my aide-de-camp, but I soon found that his abilities and knowledge were much too valuable to be lost in a secondary situation. I charged him therefore with several operations under my own superintendence, the leading features of which I have already detailed, and on the approach to the factories I employed him in all the descents upon the forts in that neighbourhood, and which duty he performed with a promptitude, skill, and ability beyond my praise. To Captain J. Bruce, 18th regiment, the assistant adjutant-general, my utmost acknowledgments are due for indefatigable and most useful services. Every detail connected with the armament, equipment, and embarkation of the troops, on this sudden emergency, was carried out under his judicious superintendence. He undertook also, on our arrival at Canton, in addition to his other duties, that of a field engineer, and in twentyfour hours, by means of his incessant activity and personal exertion, every approach to the position was barricaded in such strength, that every officer and man slept in the secure conviction that it was unassailable by any force the Chinese could bring against us. Neither would I limit my approbation of the services of this officer to the present occasion. Captain Bruce has been three years and a half on my staff, of which two years and a half assistant adjutant-general, and in every situation, but in this last in particular, his services have been to me invaluable. In the absence of the assistant quarter-master general on sick leave, Captain Clerk Kennedy, 18th regiment, conducted the duties of this department to my entire satisfaction, and evinced the utmost intelligence combined with the best arrangement. Without putting me in possession of his intention, he made the reconnaissance already referred to of the city wall, on the morning of the 6th instant, and succeeded in ascending the rampart in two places, before the guard was alarmed, and in bringing me back the most satisfactory information, respecting the space afforded upon it for lodgments. It was this proof of Captain Kennedy's zeal, combined with the knowledge he had so gallantly obtained, that induced me to select him to conduct the column under Major Fitzgerald in the projected attack upon the city, which the submission of the Chinese authorities so happily averted. Lieutenant-colonel Cowper, C.B., 18th regiment, afforded me every assistance and support with the fine regiment under his command. Major Fitzgerald, of the 42nd regiment Madras Native Infantry, a firstrate officer. He unites conduct with enterprize, and to both may be added a zeal that communicates its spirit to every officer and sepoy under his orders. To Captain Durnford, of the Royal Engineers, I am likewise highly indebted for the excellence of all his arrangements, and the skill, zeal, and efficiency with which he carried them into effect. Also to Lieut. Da Costa, of the same corps, whose name has been already mentioned in this despatch as having rendered meritorious service. Sir John Davis having placed at my disposal his Excellency's own aide-de-camp, Lieut. Edmund Sargent, of the 18th regiment, I gladly availed myself of this officer's services, and am happy to have this opportunity of acknowledging them. Captains Graves and Campbell, commanding the flank companies of the 18th regiment, and Captains Stuart and M'Leod, commanding the flank companies of the 42nd Madras N.I. were frequently employed in the more important operations, and evinced all the coolness and zeal that might be expected from British officers. Lieut. Paterson, commanding the detachment of royal artillery, afforded me every satisfaction. The medical arrangements of the deputy inspector of hospitals, Doctor Kinnis, were such as to meet with my entire approbation, although, fortunately, circumstances did not render the application of them necessary. I cannot close this despatch without informing your lordship that if any thing had been wanting to encourage me in the recent undertaking, it was to be found in the ardent zeal and cordial co-operation of Capt. M'Dougall, R.N. my distinguished coadjutor, whose conduct throughout these proceedings has

afforded one proof more of the united feeling which binds our two services indissolubly together.

RETURN OF THE IRON AND BRASS ORDNANCE TAKEN AND SPIKED BY THE BRITISH FORCES UNDER THE COMMAND OF

MAJOR GENERAL D'AGUILAR, C. B., ON THE 2ND, 3RD, AND 5TH APRIL, 1847.

Forts of the Bocca Tigris.-Arrunghoy-194 iron ordnance, 14 brass ordnance; total, 208. N. Wantang Island-140 iron ordnance, 10 brass ordnance; total, 150. S. Wantang Island-101 iron ordnance, mounted, 3 iron ordnance, dismounted, 5 brass ordnance; total, 109.

Forts of the Staked Batteries of the river.-Pachow Fort, right bank-35 iron ordnance, mounted, 29 iron ordnance, dismounted; total, 64. Woogongtap, left bank-35 iron ordnance, mounted, 6 iron ordnance, dismounted; total, 41. Rapier's Island, 48 iron ordnance, 1 brass ordnance; total 49. Whampoa Creek63 iron ordnance, 2 brass ordnance; total, 65.

Forts of the City of Canton.-French Fully-38 iron ordnance, total, 38. Dutch Folly-23 iron ordnance; total, 23. Ruge Fort-26 iron ordnance; total, 26. Zigzag Battery-20 iron ordnance; total, 20. Segment Battery-30 iron ordnance; total, 30. Shaneen Battery-56 iron ordnance; total, 56.

Total: 847 iron ordnance, 32 brass ordnence. Grand total, 879.

Time did not admit of taking the calibres of the guns in their several forts; their bores were found to be of unusually large diameter, some of nearly thirteen inches, and none under five inches. All were mounted upon new garrison carriages, on the English construction, and with iron truck wheels.

WM. BRERETON, Lieut. col. R.H.A.
Commanding Royal Artillery.

Her Majesty's ship Vernon, Penang, 8th May, 1847.

Sir, I have the honour to inclose, to be laid before the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, the report from Captain M'Dougall, of her Majesty's steam-ship Vulture, the senior officer at Hong Kong, relative to the combined naval and military expedition up the Canton river, in the early part of last month, which I have but this moment received, and I beg you will assure their lordships that it is only my unwillingness to detain the mail longer than may be absolutely necessary, which prevents me from calling their lordships' more particular attention to this wellexecuted and bold enterprise, which reflects so much credit upon the Honourable Major-General D'Aguilar, Captain M'Dougall, and the whole of the officers and men under their respective orders. I have, &c. S. H. INGLEfield. Rear Admiral and Commander-in-Chief. To Henry G. Ward, Esq. M.P. Secretary of the Admiralty, London.

(Signed)

[The enclosure consists of a despatch from Captain M'Dougall, dated on board the Vulture, describing the same series of operations, so far as the marine force took pars in them.]

BANKING IN INDIA. (From the Times.)

The increase of banks in India during the last ten years has been extremely rapid. In 1837 the aggregate paid-up capital of all the banks was only 875,0007., and it now amounts to upwards of 5,000,0007. The deposits held by each bank have usually been small in proportion to their capital; and to account for this, in some measure, it is mentioned that, before the chartered banks of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras were allowed to commence business, their whole capital was obliged to be paid into the Government treasury, instead of their being allowed to call it up only as they could find profitable employment for it, and that this circumstance rendered it impossible for them to allow interest to their customers. The Union and Agra and United Service Banks, however, allow as high as 4, 5, and 6 per cent., but, even with these rates, their aggregate deposits are only 800,0007.-exactly one-half of the aggregate amount of their paid-up capital. The true reason, therefore, most probably, consists in other facts, which are pointed out-namely,

the universal propensity for hoarding amongst the natives, together with the eagerness of Europeans to make money as rapidly as possible during their stay in the country, so that, 66 as soon as a man finds his deposit increase with his banker, he looks out for some more profitable investment, and either purchases Bank Stock or Government securities."

The chartered banks may be considered the sole banks of issue in India, for although the Union, Oriental, Commercial, and other unchartered banks issue notes, the total aggregate amount of their circulation is estimated to be below 50,000l., or about 3 per cent. on the circulation of the other banks. Bills of exchange appear to form the chief medium by which payments are effected amongst the natives. "In every large town are native bankers, who have correspondents all over India, and who deal in bills of exchange." These bills are called hoondees, and it is very rarely that they are dishonoured. "In the course of six years' daily dealing with them," says the present writer, "I only recollect one instance of a dishonoured hoondee."

The

The chartered banks are prohibited from lending money for a longer period than three months. Four-fifths of the bills under discount are Government acceptances, payable at from ten to sixty days' sight, the rest being private acceptances payable at or within three months. These advances, which, it will be seen, must, under any circumstances, be turned over four times a year, are granted at rates varying from 5 to 11 per cent. per annum. present rates of interest and discount charged are enormously high; in Calcutta the average rate of interest on loans on deposit of Government securities for the last seven years is 7 per cent., and in Bombay 63. "The banks in question allow no interest on deposits, and charge no commission, so that the rates of interest and discount are their sole source of profit, except a very considerable item made in local exchange operations." They are obliged at all times to keep cash equal to one-fourth of all their liabilities, but the amount generally retained is about one-half. They allow no account to be overdrawn, and do not advance money on the security of any bank shares, nor any mortgage, nor discount bills without the signatures of two parties unconnected with each other in partnership."

66

The rates of interest charged by the banks are usually from 1 to 2 per cent. above the rate paid by the East India Company. A summary of the interest paid by the Company will, therefore, furnish the means of estimating the profits realized by the banks. From 1799 to 1810, the rate paid by the Company on various loans was 8 per cent. From 1810 to 1822 it was 6 per cent. ; and in 1822 the first Five per cent. Loan was opened; the second Five per cent. Loan was opened in 1825-6, and a third in 1829. In 1824 the first Four per cent. Loan was opened. In 1841 there was again a Five per cent. Loan, which closed, however, in 1843, to give place to one at 4 per cent., which continued till October last year, when the Five per cent. Loan of 1841 was re-opened. Before this loan closed, in 1843, it was selling at 14 discount, and in 1844-5 it rose to upwards of 10 per cent. premium, and as speculations are now going on in anticipation of its closing within a short period, and parties are borrowing money from the banks at almost any rate of interest in order to subscribe, a similar premium is again looked for.

Each chartered bank has nine directors, three of whom are appointed by the Government, the others (two of whom retire annually, and are not re-eligible) being elected by the proprietors. The Government holds a certain amount of the stock of each.

The following is a statement of the position of eight of the principal banks (chartered and unchartered) made up to December last from the published accounts :

£

Circulation and depo

sits

securities 1,742,011 Loans and credits...

1,342,035

949,388

Net profits for half

year

60,520 Other securities

19,655

EAST-INDIA COLLEGE, HAILEYBURY.

Monday, the 28th inst., being the day appointed for closing the first term of the present year, a deputation from the Court of Directors attended for the purpose of receiving the report of the principal on the conduct and proficiency of the students, and of distributing the prizes and medals awarded to the successful competitors in the branches of Oriental and European literature. The deputation consisted of the following members of the Hon. Court:

Henry St. George Tucker, Esq., chairman; Lieut-gen. Sir James Law Lushington, G.C.B., deputy-chairman; William Wigram, Esq.; John Cotton, Esq.; William B. Bayley, Esq.; Majorgen. Archibald Galloway, C. B.; E. Macnaghten, Esq.; John C. Whiteman, Esq.; and Ross D. Mangles, Esq., M. P., who on their arrival proceeded to the principal's lodge, and thence to the council-room, accompanied by the principal, the Oriental visitor, and the several professors, when the principal's report on the discipline and literature of the past term was read.

The deputation and the professors then proceeded to the hall, where the students had been assembled. The chair was taken by the chairman, who was supported on either side by the members of the deputation.

Amongst the visitors we observed-His grace the Duke of St. Alban's, the Lord Bishop of Madras, Lord A. Beauclerk, Sir Charles D'Oyly, the Hon. R. Moore, the Hon. - Hastings, W. W. Bird, Esq.; John Bird, Esq.; Capt. Berford, Lieut. col. Hay, John Carnac Morris, Esq.; Western Wood, Esq.; Wm. Prinsep, Esq., &c. &c.

The following members of the civil service (on furlough) were also present; viz. E. C. Bayley, Wm. Strachey, E. Wilmot, T. D. Lushington, H. M. Lushington, G. L. Farrant, H. Hebbert, M. R. Gubbins, T. B. Gubbins, Hon. E. Drummond, C. Chester, Rob. H. S. Campbell, J. J. Ward, Esqs., &c. &c. The Chairman having taken his seat,

Mr. HOOPER read the following Report of the prizes and distinctions obtained by the students :

3. Campbell.

4. Nasmyth.

5. Watson. 6. Johnston.

7. Edwards.

8. Bax.

The medals and prizes having been delivered

The CHAIRMAN, in a short but very impressive address, expressed the very great gratification which his colleagues and himself had derived from the satisfactory reports which had been presented to them by the principal and professors of the college, to whom he tendered his sincere thanks for their successful exertions in maintaining the character and efficiency of the institution; he referred to the brilliant and able address of his predecessor, and hoped that the advice given by him would never be

Forsyth

Thompson.....

Ritchie Holloway Blair

Ashburner Dickinson

College, June, 1847.

THIRD TERM.

.Highly distinguished, with prize in Classics,

prize in Sanscrit, prize in Persian, prize in Hindustani, and prize in Hindi.

.Highly distinguished, with prize in Mathe

matics, prize in Law, prize in Teloogoo, and prize for general proficiency at the Easter examination.

.Highly distinguished, with prize in Sanscrit. ......Highly distinguished, with prize in Political Economy and History, and prize in Law. Highly distinguished, with prize for the best English Essay.

importance of the study of law, and also urged upon them the necessity of acquiring a knowledge of the native languages; and after wishing them success in their future career, he bade them all an affectionate farewell.

NOTICE was given that the next term will commence on Friday the 10th of September, and that the students must return to the college within four days of that date.

PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

JUNE 25.-The Ex-Raja of Sattara.-Mr. HUME moved for copies of a despatch from the secret committee of the Court of Directors of the East India Company to the Governor-General of India, respecting the ex- Raja of Sattara, dated the 24th March, 1846, and of the answer thereto; with copies of the several documents referred to in that answer; also, of letters addressed by the present Governor-General to the Court of Directors, or the secret committee, relating to the case, from the period of his lordship's arrival in India to the present time. The hon. member then complained of the injustice of the government in refusing, as they had done on a former occasion, the documents necessary to enable the house to form an opinion on the case. The papers were lodged in the secret department, and he thought it a piece of extreme injustice in the right hon. baronet at the head of the Board of Control, to withhold the requisite evidence. Whatever the case might have been, the raja had never had a trial. If inquiry had been allowed, he should be able to show, by the first officers connected with the government of India, that there was no case against the raja. If his motion were agreed to, an unanswerable case could be made out in defence of the deposed prince. If there were anything proved against the raja, he should be as anxious for his punishment as he was now anxious for justice to be done to him. He would prove that the raja was the victim of a conspiracy as foul as ever was got up to crush an innocent man, and the president of the Board of Control was as guilty as any of the concoctors of it, for he sided with them, and approved of their acts. All that implicated the raja was published, all that exculpated him was kept back. He

considered the conduct of the right hon. gentleman and of the Board of Control illegal, unjust, and grossly improper; and he did appeal to the justice of the house to see that fair dealing was observed by government in such a case.

66

Sia J. HOBHOUSE: The honourable gentleman has asked that justice should be done to himself and to the Raja of Sattara. (Mr. HUME.-I don't want it for myself.) I beg to ask the house for justice for myself. I must tell the house in what manner the honourable gentleman has chosen to deal out justice to a public officer. The honourable gentleman has altered his motion no less than four times. (Mr. HUME.-Well, I had a right to do so.) In his first motion he accused myself and the Board of Control of illegality. (Mr. HUME.-I do so still.) He dropped that charge, and next said our conduct was impolitic and unjust. He then dropped that accusation. He next brought another charge, and said whether or not the withholding of these papers was illegal, still that the refusal of them was impolitic and unjust; and now the whole foundation of his case was merely to ask for two despatches-one of the 24th of March, 1846, and the other the letter which was written in answer to that despatch. How was it possible for me to meet charges thus dropped one after the other? The honourable gentleman appeals to what took place in private conversations. All I can say is that the honourable gentleman told me that the papers furnished were so satisfactory as to the conduct of the Board of Control, that he could not complain of the refusal of other papers. I gave him my reasons for granting certain papers you cannot have the latter," I said, "because they are secret papers. And my refusal was supported by the right honourable member for Tamworth and by the whole house. I do not believe if the hon. gentleman had divided on that occasion that four members would have gone out with him. The hon. gentleman has brought many charges against us in very vigourous phraseology, but I venture to say that his allegations are about the boldest fictions ever attempted to be palmed on the public. (Laughter.) (Mr. HUME. Let the public see the papers and judge between us.) The hon. gentleman has chosen to say that the Governor-general expressed his belief in the innocence of the Raja of Sattara. I tell him it is not true. (A laugh.) (Mr. HUME.-Well, produce the documents.) As for myself, I should be very sorry to put myself in competition or contrast with the hon. gentleman, but when he talks of the injusticethe illegality-the tyranny of the Board of Control, he ought to know the facts, and I beg leave to tell him that he has not stated one of them correctly. Of all the extraordinary statements in which the hon. gentlemen has indulged, the most marvellous is that relating to the despatch of the 24th of March. The hon. gentleman's friend and patron Mr. G. Thompson (of whom I shall have a word to say presently,) gives this account of the production of this despatch, that he found it one morning on his breakfast table, and that nothing on earth should induce him to disclose how it came there. The honourable member for Montrose knows that it could not have found its way to the breakfasttable of Mr. G. Thompson without a gross betrayal of trusta violation of the oath of the person who obtained it. Now, I ask the honourable gentlemen, does he know how it came there? (Laughter). I accuse him of having tampered with some public servant either in England or in Calcutta, and thus obtained papers which the person charged with their custody was sworn by his solemn oath to conceal. But the case does not concern the present Board of Control alone. Sir R. Grant, Lord Auckland, Sir James Carnac, again Lord Auckland, the Court of Directors, all investigated and decided this question. The House of Commons has twice voted on this question, and it has been nineteen times before this house; and what is the result? The hon. gentleman talks of the interest it excites. There are 2,000 proprietors, and out of these the greatest number that ever voted was 82, of whom 56 were against re-opening the question, and the other 26 took the view of the hon. gentleman. The hon. gentleman says that the court of pro. prietors voted for the production of those papers by a majority of two. What was the consequence? The Chairman and the others the other day reversed their own vote, and by a large majority refused to re-open the question. The fact is that this case has been got up by a house of agency in Bombay, of which the honourable gentleman is the dupe and the tool. (Laughter.) The hon. gentleman has presumed to say, that the Board of Control has gone beyond the power it has a right to exercise, but has the Court of Directors complained of their doing so? On the contrary, by a majority of eight they voted against taking the question out of the hands of the Secret Committee. The hon. gentleman has, therefore, proved himself not a fit person to make such charges against the responsible servants of the Government. [Mr. HUME-Give us the papers. (Laughter.)]

When this question was before the House on a former occasion, I stated that when a fitting time came I should have no objection to produce the letters in question. I can assure the hon. gentleman that the letter he has produced is the real one-perhaps he knows how it was purloined. We have written to India to ascertain who it was that stole the other letter, and whether the hon. gentleman had any connection with the matter, and if he did not take them himself he was the receiver of them.

Mr. HUME. It is very impudent of you to say that, when I was in England the whole time.

Sir J. HOBHOUSE.-But do you mean to say you could not have written to India? I insist upon it that the documents, if produced, would disprove every word which you have dared to assert this night. The honourable gentleman is the receiver of those stolen goods, and he comes down to this house to accuse me of conduct of which I am totally incapable. But these papers, sir, shall be produced, and I am certain that when the house shall have seen them, it will free me, and the Board of Control, from all the charges that have been brought against us. But, sir, I do not think it a proper thing for the hon. gentleman to avail himself of the impropriety of other persons, and to say to us that, as he has by some means got those stolen papers, we shall produce the originals. However I must say that those papers are not in favour of the case of the Raja of Sattarah, and the assertion of the hon. gentleman that the letter of the Governor-General exculpates the raja, and bears out these invectives which the hon. gentleman has used I utterly and solemnly deny. The hon. gentleman, sir, has spoken much about the injustice and unfairness with which the raja has been treated; what does he think of the injustice which he has himself done to a man whom he has brought charges against. What does he think of his own conduct towards Colonel Ovans? How is he borne out in his assertion against that gentleman? (Mr. HUME.-By his own handwriting.) Why, sir, who is this Colonel Ovans, against whom the hon. gentleman has brought those accusations? He is as good an Indian servant of the Crown as could possibly be. A gentleman of honour and reputation; and this is the gentleman-an English gentleman-who is stigmatized as a suborner of perjury. (Hear, hear, from Mr. Hume.) You call "hear, hear" (addressing Mr. Hume); do you say "hear, hear?" Mr. HUME.-I do.

Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE.-Why, do you believe the charge? Mr. HUME.-I do, and will prove it if you grant me the papers.

Sir J. C. HOBHOUSE.-Why, sir, the honourable member for Montrose is, in my opinion, as capable of forgery, or subornation of perjury, as Colonel Ovans, neither more nor less. But when this Mr. Thompson-Thompson, I think, is his name, attempted to bring the case before the Court of Directors, the solicitor to the Court of Directors would not allow the charges to be advertised, because they were, in bis opinion, libellous, and could not with safety be published. Thanks to the hon. member for Montrose, the charge is published to-night. But, sir, I do not think it right that such charges should be brought against public servants who, like Col. Ovans, have done their duty to their country well and faithfully, and who have never been charged with anything base or equivocal, until a set of men, who have a pecuniary interest in blasting the acts of as honourable a man or set of men as could be found, bring forward charges, and get hon. members in this house to state and support them. (Hear, hear.) Mr. HUME.-Sir, I do not accuse Colonel Ovans of forgery, but I do accuse him of having brought documents to the government purporting to be original documents of the Raja of Sattara, when he had the seal of the Raja in his possession, and must have known that the seals attached to them could not therefore have been the real seals belonging to the Raja of Sattara.

Lord JOHN MANNERS said that the right honourable gentleman, the President of the Board of Control, had not met, and had not refuted one of the serious charges which had been made by the honourable gentleman the member for Montrose. The honourable gentleman had proved in a most convincing statement that the Raja of Sattarah had been deposed and punished on evidence so utterly untrustworthy that it would not have been received in a court of justice in England. The right honourable gentleman, instead of replying, had confined himself to a very strong and personal attack upon the honourable member for Montrose, and he had asked the house to wait for the receipt of a letter from India before coming to any opinion on the charges. He (Lord J. Manners) understood from the honourable member from Montrose, that he could not go to a division upon his motion. He only hoped, then, that the hon. gentleman would bring the question before the house, and press it as soon as possible to a division, and whenever he did so he should have his cordial support. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. WAKLEY said that the right hon. gentleman, the Pre