arose, what was the proper mode of applying the remainder-whether to the expenses incident to the expedition, or to redeeming the pledge of the superintendent in China. Although he doubted the strict legality of their claim, still he thought that some advance might be made out of the remainder to those who lost their opium through the requisition of Capt. Elliot.

Sir R. Peel said, that the Government were most desirous to do that which was just to the claimants, on the one hand, and, on the other, to that other party whose interests in such discussions were ever neglected-the people of England. Was it right that, having realized a certain sum on account of the ransom of a city, it should be applied to the liquidation of claims for opium, supplied on an emergency, or to the due prosecution of the war, undertaken for the purpose of obtaining satisfaction and compensation for that opium? The principle on which that war was conducted had been declared by the late Government. In the first place, it was to obtain redress for insults and injuries, not for compensation for the opium. If the House were of opinion that compensation for the opium was due in the first instance, why not vote the whole of the money necessary? If they were to apply money received as the ransom of a city to the indemnification of these losses, on the same principle, why not apply the credit of the Treasury-a treasury now empty-and trust to the success of our future hostilities for its repayment? It had been said that Capt. Elliot had pledged the Government; but that Government, under whose instructions he was acting, never admitted that responsibility; they repudiated the whole transaction, and refused to honour the bills he drew upon them. No doubt the merchants acted under an impression that the superintendent was warranted in demanding the delivery of the opium, and that Capt. Elliot thought he was acting under his instructions; but the Government who gave him those instructions had never recognized his authority in the matter. The Government did not refuse to recognize the claims of the dealers in opium; but they said there ought to be a full inquiry into the whole of the claims, which the Indian Government had been instructed to make. The cost of the expedition had been £1,500,000 already; he estimated that £1,000,000 more would be required for the present year. The war would be prosecuted with the utmost vigour, in order to bring it to a speedy termination. We happened to have got, most unexpectedly, the ransom of a city; was it to be applied to the vigorous prosecution of the war, or to the indemnification of the parties whose opium had been given up? If it were admitted that the claim for indemnification was upon the Chinese government, then it would be better that the money should be applied to an earnest and vigorous prosecution of the war, so that it might be brought to as speedy a conclusion as possible, and the money recovered. If they were determined to adopt a different course, then it would be necessary to vote another million to satisfy the claims, whatever our financial difficulties might be, and trust for the recovery of so large a sum to the future success of our arms. On the other hand, if they were of opinion that the inquiries into the claims ought first to be completed, then the money would be employed in obtaining as speedy a termination of the war as possible, by which means compensation might be got at an early period.

Lord J. Russell said, that if this were put forward as a legal claim, the argument would be perfectly correct, that it would be a claim going to the full extent of their losses. But it was rather a claim upon the equity and liberality of the Government. The ground on which the Government was under an obligation to compensate the merchants was, that the Government would, by the war, obtain payment for the opium which had been destroyed. If, at the termination of the war, the Government obtained restitution from the Chinese authorities, and then refused to meet the claim of the merchants, the injustice of such a proceeding would be generally admitted. But, in the course of military operations, a sum of money had been obtained by our representative in China. If the forces of her Majesty had attacked a certain town, and the Chinese commander had been permitted to retain that town, under specified conditions, on paying a sum of money to our generals or admirals, such a payment would have been properly and legitimately a ransom, and applicable

to the expenses of the expedition. But, in this case, the payment was made to the civil negotiator-the representative of her Majesty-by Chinese commissioners, who were the very same commissioners to whom the opium had been originally surrendered. The Chinese officers assumed to act solely upon their own authority; they stated that they were not authorized by the emperor to grant any demands, but they undertook, in their own name, to transact business with the British representative, and they delivered a sum of money to Capt. Elliot, and he thought, therefore, it could not be considered entirely in the light of a ransom. Though he thought the latter part of the motion, pledging the Government to propose a vote to the full extent of the sum received from China, was more than Ministers could be expected to accede to; yet, as this was not a demand for a new expense, but a claim he considered founded in equity, he should feel it his duty to give his support to the proposition.

On a division, there were, for the motion, 37; against it, 87; majority against the motion, 50,

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE EARL OF MUNSTER.

To the list of eminent persons, in this country, who have died by their own hands, we lament to add the Earl of Munster, who committed suicide on Sunday night, 20th March, at his residence, in Upper Belgrave Street, Belgrave Square.

From the evidence taken upon the inquest the following day, it appeared that the earl, since his return from the continent with his family, about six weeks before, but particularly during the last fortnight, had been unwell, and had exhibited great depression and dejection, though, naturally, he was remarkable for vivacity and buoyancy of spirits. He had symptoms of gout, which he was desirous of having removed, because, as he told his medical attendant, "he had some important business to perform." The symptoms were removed, but the depression still continued. "He appeared very much affected," this gentleman added, "by the late news from India, and often spoke on the subject, expressing himself in strong terms about the females who had been taken as hostages at Cabul; on which occasions he was much excited; and these things, I have no doubt, increased the depression." On the 17th, the earl attended the House of Lords, but returned home early, and appeared very low. This prostration of spirits increased to such a degree, that, on Sunday, Dr. Chambers was sent for to attend him; and this gentleman saw Lord Munster for the first time about 9 o'clock on the Sunday night. Dr. Chambers says, he was in the library, with Lady Munster, Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence, and Mr. Hamerton, his medical attendant. "I found him," he states, "bodily and mentally, very low, and was told that he had been in a depressed state throughout the day; he spoke rationally, but hastily, and in a hurried manner." The impression made by the earl's symptoms on both the medical gentlemen was unequivocal. On retiring for consultation, they both exclaimed at once, "Surely, he's going mad!" They suggested that he should be watched, and recommended him to go early to bed. The earl replied, "I shall not go to bed till my usual hour," which, he said, was 11 o'clock. The steward saw him with the countess at ten minutes past eleven. At half-past eleven, the footman was preparing for bed, when he heard the report of a pistol, and immediately after the library bell rang, and the earl came out of the library, and called the steward—“ Miller, Miller! here, here! I have shot my hand!" He then ran down to the pantry, to the footman, whom he desired to go for Mr. Hamerton directly, as he had met with an accident and shot his hand. His words were, " I have done a pretty thing for myself by playing with pistols; I have shot my hand." It afterwards appeared, that a bullet was lodged in his right hand. The earl then asked for a light, and the footman followed him up to the library, when he again directed him to go for a surgeon his hand was then 66 one mass of blood." The footman, before he went out, ran first to the steward, and then to the pantry for his hat; and whilst down stairs, he heard the report of another pistol, "about two minutes after the first." He, with the steward and under-butler,

ran up, and found his master lying on the floor, having discharged a pistol into his month. The jury had no difficulty in finding a verdict of "Temporary mental dederangement,” and there can be no doubt that this was occasioned by the conjoint operation of close application to the literary work upon which he was engaged, and of the disastrous intelligence from India, upon a disordered state of bodily health. It is one of a class of cases which include those of Sir Samuel Romilly, Mr. Whitbread, and Lord Londonderry.

It is well known that George Fitzclarence, the late Earl of Munster, was the eldest of the natural children of King William IV. by Mrs. Jordan, the fascinating comic actress, who lived with him, when Duke of Clarence, for many years, and bore him five sons and five daughters. He was born on the 29th January, 1794, and had, consequently, completed his 48th year. He entered the army at the early age of 13; his cornet's commission in the 10th, or Prince of Wales's Hussars, was dated 5th February, 1807. In the following year, he accompanied his regiment to the Peninsula, and was attached to the staff of General Slade. When in his fifteenth year, he distinguished himself at the battle of Corunna, and upon his return to England, he started to join the army in Portugal, where he was appointed aide-de-camp to Sir Charles Stewart. From this period to the end of the war, he served on the staff at head-quarters, and was present in twelve general engagements. At Fuentes de Honor, in 1811, he particularly distinguished himself, at the head of a squadron, in checking the attack of the French upon the right flank of the army; but, having been wounded in a charge, and his horse being shot under him, he was taken prisoner. Having observed the fall of several French hussars in his immediate neighbourhood, he imitated their example, and, in the confusion, succeeded in gaining the British lines. He had been made lieutenant in March, 1809. His promotion to a troop followed this battle (2nd August, 1811). He returned to England in 1812, but in the following year, he repaired to the seat of war, and at the hard-fought battle of Tou. louse, on the 10th April, 1814, he was severely wounded in a charge against the enemy's cavalry.

At the conclusion of the war, having exchanged (November, 1814) into the 24th Light Dragoons, he proceeded to India, and arrived at Calcutta in July, 1815. Although in the midst of the rainy season, he started to join the Governor-General in the Upper Provinces, and in eleven days accomplished the distance of 700 miles. In the interval between this period and the breaking out of the Mahratta war, he visited the north of India. At the conclusion of the peace with Scindia, he was selected to carry home the overland despatches, and arrived in England in June, 1818, when he received the brevet rank of major. Soon after, he had the misfortune to break his leg; but he turned the confinement to a useful purpose, by preparing his Journal of Travels for the press: it was published in June, 1819. In January of that year, he had the brevet rank of lieutenant-colonel, and on the 18th of October, 1819, he was married to Miss Mary Wyndham, sister to Colonel Wyndham, the member for West Sussex, and natural daughter of the late Earl of Egremont.

In March, 1822, he obtained a troop in the 14th Light Dragoons, and in December he was promoted to a majority in the 1st West-India Regiment, whence he exchanged, in the same month, into the 6th Dragoon Guards. In January, 1824, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-colonel (unattached), and in July, 1825, he had a company in the Coldstream Guards. In July, 1830, he received the brevet rank of colonel, and, five days after (27th July), he was appointed deputy adjutant general at head-quarters, in succession to Sir John Macdonald, placed at the head of the department; but relinquished the post a few months after. In 1833, he was raised to the peerage by the titles of Baron of Tewkesbury, Viscount Fitzclarence, and Earl of Munster, these titles being granted with special remainder, in default of issue, to his brothers, in order of primogeniture.

In 1833, on the death of the Marquess of Conyngham, the Earl of Munster was made Constable of Windsor Castle, a sinecure office of considerable value; and on the publication of the brevet which followed the birth of the Prince of Wales (23rd Asiat. Journ. N. S. VOL.37. No. 148.

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November, 1841), he received the rank of major-general. He was shortly afterwards appointed to command the troops in the western district of England. He was likewise colonel of the 1st Tower Hamlets Militia, and aide-de-camp to the Queen. He was elected President of the Royal Asiatic Society, on the resignation of the Right Hon. C. W. W. Wynn; and he was a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Geographical Society; corresponding member of the Institute of France, and member of many other learned societies at home and abroad.

He is succeeded in his titles by his eldest son, William George, Viscount Fitzelarence, who was born the 19th of May, 1824. The other issue of the deceased earl are-Lady Adelaide Georgiana, born October 28, 1820; Lady Augusta Margaret, born July 31, 1822; Hon. Frederick Charles George, born February 1, 1826; Hon. George, born April 15, 1836; and the Hon. Edward, born July 8, 1837. His lordship had another daughter, who died an infant.

The Earl of Munster, besides his Travels, and an account of the campaign in the Peninsula, published several papers on eastern subjects in periodical works. During his three years' residence in India, he attained a considerable knowledge of the Arabic, Sanscrit, and Hindustani languages and literature, and he has, for some years past, been engaged in a very extensive work, illustrative of the military history of the Mahomedan nations, from the rise of their founder to the present time, which continued to occupy his attention until the last moment of his melancholy end, and to which it, perhaps, contributed. He had collected a very large and valuable library of Asiatic and Egyptian works, and his last publication was a list, in Arabic, of military and historical works, which, with accompanying letters, lithographed in English and Latin, he disseminated amongst the various learned societies and individuals, not only in Europe, but throughout the East. In every object connected with discovery and enterprise in Egypt his lordship took considerable interest; and, with other members of the Travellers' and Oriental Clubs, formed an association of Egyptian travellers for prosecutiug discovery through the means of natives, and by whom an expedition was undertaken, which is now in progress, up the White Nile. He was a zealous promoter of Oriental literature and studies. In this somewhat deserted province of letters, the loss of so active a patron will be severely felt.

On the 30th March, a Cour tof Directors was held at the East-India House, when Colonel Sir George Arthur, Bart., K.C.H., was appointed Governor of the Presidency of Bombay.

The Rev. A. J. Rogers, B.A., of Jesus College, Cambridge, and Curate of Brading, Isle of Wight, has been appointed a chaplain on the Madras establishment.

The following ships have been taken up, by the Hon. East-India Company, for the conveyance of troops to India.

*

1,425...400... Apr. 18

The vessels are expected to sail within a day or two of the time stated above.

The Lords of the Admiralty have promoted Mr. Waghorn to the rank of lieutenant in the Royal Navy. This is evidently intended as an official acknowledgment of Mr. Waghorn's exertions in establishing the overland route to India.

The Queen has been pleased to make the following colonial appointments :Alastair Mackenzie, Esq., to be deputy sheriff of Port Philip, N.S. Wales; Francis Merewether, Esq., to be deputy registrar of ditto ditto.

Mr. G. W. Jaenisch has been approved of by the Queen as consul in the island of St. Helena, for the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen.

HER MAJESTY'S FORCES IN THE EAST.

AUGMENTATION OF REGIMENTS, &c.

In addition to the 10th Foot and 78th Highlanders, the 29th, 84th, and 86th regiments are to be embarked with the least possible delay from this country for the East Indies; and the 25th is to go on there from the Cape of Good Hope. Each of these corps, as well as all the Queen's infantry regiments borne upon the Indian establishment, are to be augmented to 1,000 rank and file. The increase to the six regiments just specified will consist principally of volunteers from the line at home, who are to be permitted to transfer their services, in certain proportions, receiving a bounty of 30s. per man. The establishment of an infantry regiment serving in India, inclusive of the depôt in the mother country, will therefore henceforth consist of the following numbers, viz.:-1 colonel, 2 lieutenant-colonels, 2 majors, 10 captains, 22 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 1 paymaster, 1 adjutant, 1 quartermaster, I surgeon, 3 assistant-surgeons, 1 regimental sergeant-major, 1 quartermaster-sergeant, 1 paymaster-sergeant, 1 armourer-sergeant, 1 schoolmaster-sergeant, 1 hospital-sergeant, I orderly-room clerk, 10 colour-sergeants, 41 serjeants, 50 corporals, l'drum-major, 18 drummers and fifers, and 950 privates. The 9th Lancers have likewise received orders to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to Bengal, so soon as tonnage can be taken up for their conveyance to that presidency.-U. S. Gaz.

It is in contemplation to send out a rifle regiment to Affghanistan, where the nature of the country renders the use of such an arm particularly desirable. The first battalion of the 60th, being at this moment in the Mediterranean, will probably be the corps selected.

PROMOTIONS AND CHANGES. &c.

14th L. Drags. (at Bombay). vens dec.

Assist. Surg. J. W. Moffatt to be surgeon, v. La

15th L. Drags. (at Madras). H. Bernard to be cornet by purch., v. Brett prom. ; Cornet and Adj. J. Cocks to have rank of lieut.

10th Foot (ordered to India). Brev. Col. J. Considine, from b.p. unattached, to be lieut. col., v. Brev. Col. Custance app. to the depôts; Capt. T. Miller (2nd), from h. p. unattached, to be capt., v. J. G. Paley, who exch.

12th Foot (at Mauritius). Lieut. J. F. Kempt to be capt. by purch., v. Walhouse, who retires; Ens. John Marcon to be lieut. by purch., v. Kempt; Richard Atkinson to be ens. by purch., v. Marcon.

18th Foot (in Bengal).

Capt. J. C. Kennedy, from 7th Dr. Gu., to be capt. v. Sir Harry Darell, who exch.

31st Eoot (in Bengal). Lieut. G. F. White to be capt. without purch., v. Bray prom. in 39th F.; Ens. G. F. Moore to be lieut., v. White; Wm. Bernard to be ens., v. Moore.

39th Foot (at Madras). Brev. Maj. E. W. Bray, from 31st F., to be major without purch., v. Bernard dec.

40th Foot (at Bombay). Capt. James Stopford to be major by purch., v. Boscawen, who retires; Lieut. J. M. B. Neill to be capt. by purch., v. Stopford; Ens. J. A. Macgowan to be lieut. by purch., v. Neill; F. Nelson to be ens. by purch., v. Macgowan; Lieut. T. L. K. Nelson to be adj. v. Neill prom.

49th Foot (in Bengal). Ens. George Weir to be lieut. by purch., v. Faunt, whose prom, has been cancelled.

63rd Foot (at Madras). Ens. John Hardie to be lieut. without purch., v. Leatham app. to 88th F.; C. J. Parke to be ens., v. Hardie.

78th Foot (ordered to India). Serj. Major J. M. Hewson to be ens. without purch., v. Wemyss prom. in the St. Helena Regt.; Lieut. T. M. Keogh, from 37th F., to be lieut., v. Eddington, who exchanges.