The Press. — London, England, 1854-09-09 00:00:00

• la, 852 THE WEEK. AT the commencement of the present week a gloom hung over London such as has not been witnessed, we believe, since the time of the great Plague. Through some cause, yet unexplained, the cholera broke out with terrible malignity in the Golden-square district; in a few streets, as Brewer-street, Wardour-street, and Broad-street, the deaths occurred with appalling frequency ; the ordinary means of burial were found unequal to the emergency, and dead-carts went round at night to remove the bodies of the unfortunate victims of pestilence. The appearance of the streets this week indicated the extent of the cala mity : they were watered with a solution of chloride of lime to purify the air, and the faint odour thus emitted, though doubtless beneficial in its effect, gave reality to the impression of an infected district. Most of the houses—shops as well as private dwellings—were shut up, and business was almost entirely suspended. Females went about with handkerchief to mouth, and on the faces of many of the inha bitants who stood at their doors, or who collected in awe-struck groups in the streets, were visible traces of deep distress, leaving no doubt of the loss they had sustained. It was particularly remarked that the shops of the undertakers were, with scarcely an exception, closely shut up. In the general distress, however, a morbid curiosity, or craving for horror, seemed the predominant feeling. Wherever a hearse stopped, groups silently gathered about it to witness the body brought forth, and as the vehicle moved on the crowd dispersed, to con gregate round the spot where it next stopped. The report of the Soho Dispensary states the deaths from cholera in the immediate neighbour hood during the last fortnight at 150, and among the number is the surgeon of the dispensary, who was seized on Sunday night and died in a few hours. This mortality, great as it is, has, however, been exaggerated by vulgar reports and terror. It was commonly reported at the beginning of the week that black flags were hung out at the entrance of the infected streets, and this notion of the " black flag," which, on personal inspection, was not visible, raised in the vulgar mind an indescribable feeling of alarm. In this visitation the direct form of Asiatic cholera has been more fearfully manifested than on any previous occasion, and the cases are generally given up as hope less by our medical practitioners as soon as seen. During the last day or two the accounts are more favourable ; from the Soho districts the pestilence seems silently departing ; but, in the absence of any official returns (and the prudence of discontinuing them seems questionable), we can speak only from general rumour. The mortality last week was double the usual average. The Board of Health has displayed some activity, and has nominated a Council of Physicians. As a precautionary measure the step comes too late. There has been a strange want of those ordinary means of prevention which common sense suggests. The pestilence has found us with open sewers, untrapped drains, and nuisances of the foulest kind in the midst of thickly-populated neighbourhoods ; and the interval between the coming and the parting of the pest is much too brief to allow of measures to be taken to abate its virulence. We can only hope that the terrible lesson may not be lost upon us, but that the work of sanitary reform will be commenced in earnest as soon as the dread visitant which now afflicts the metropolis has taken its departure. Attention is once more fixed on the Crimea expedition. The decision to advance has at last, it would appear, been definitely taken, but the French and English force will be much weaker than originally contemplated. United they will amount to 50,000 men, the French contingent being reduced from 40,000, the original estimate, to 28,000. 20,000 Turks will raise the total army to 70,000. Before deciding on this great enterprise we must suppose that the com manders have thoroughly weighed its difficulties, and entertain a well grounded hope of success. Of the forces which can be opposed to them we have seen no reliable account, but the generals cannot be without some trustworthy information on this important point. The delay which has taken place has been in every way favourable to the Russians ; and if the strength of the fortress be at all propor tionate to its reputation,—and the force of the covering army as numerous as recent reports would lead us to suppose,—the opera tions now in progress will be for ever memorable in the annals of war. The main body of the expedition would, it was supposed, consist of about 60,000 men, the remainder following at an interval of some days. The Duke of CAMBRIDGE'S division had embarked on the 29th ult., and the expedition probably sailed at the commence went of this week. The point of debarkation was not known, but been decided on, during the reconnaisances lately authentic details of the late battles in Asia of the Russian commanders had not exagge tctories. The Turkish forces are completely for the time in the Baltic. The capture of only exploit of the year. General BARAGUAY had arrived at Dantzic on his way to France. be at Ledsund, and we may conclude, there any other of the Baltic fortresses was deemed bad most likely been deci ~, 4na4e by the commanders. . The p4blicattion of au 11 # ~ , ; ..,•Fa ii tir, he despatches r z: iv. ; i.. . . 4 their vii .4 ,4- •, - .s. 4.c. i .i! ' '''S ' ~. . ... g.llt over iv 7 % ~.. ,VA , j n the c '' ~'• ...It staff he ...-- ; : , '''' . ; rted to b gar" - timit me Attack on any pracrabtWAile season. THE PRESS. SATURDAY, In connection with the war must be mentioned the visit of Prince ALBERT to the camp at Boulogne. The Prince was received with great courtesy and kindness by the Emperor, between ten and eleven on Tuesday morning, and it is noticed that the Emperor and Prince " remained closeted " until four o'clock in the afternoon, when together they visited the camp. There have since been reviews, sham fights, and banquets, but these doings give only the superficial aspect of the Its real significance lies in the cordial alliance it now denotes between the two Courts, as well as between the two Governments and nations. In this way the straightforward policy of the Emperor has not been unproductive of some advantage to his throne. The formation of the three camps at Ambleteuse, Wimereux, and Honvault shows how powerful an army France has ready at any time to take the field; and this with a strong corps in the Baltic, another in Rome, another in Greece, and the army in the East. It is greatly to be regretted that a division was not spared to assist the Turks iu Asia. All the negotiations with Austria have resulted at last in that astute Power declaring that she intends to maintain her attitude of armed neutrality, while reaping a full harvest of advantage from the efforts of the allied Powers against Russia. Her position is too strong for the allies to dispute her choice. Perhaps nought else was to be expected from her diplomacy. Austria cannot be expected to bear much good will to a Liberal Cabinet numbering PALMERSTON and GLAD STONE among its members. For the present she finds it possible, by a neutral attitude, to reconcile her interest with her sympathies. The finding of the court-martial on Mr. PERRY, with the " testi monial" subscription —the holiday sports of the Ministers—the publication of the Irish Census Report—and the abrupt retirement of Archdeacon WILBERFORCE from the Church, fearing to abide the result of a judicial investigation into his doctrine—are the chief items of domestic interest. The newspaper-reporters have said things this week which deserve the harshest terms CORBETT ever hurled at them. A Wilts paper notices that, though Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT had just arrived from a visit to the Queen, he did not appear less affable than usual; and our daily journals this week, in recording the walk of Sir BENJAMIN HALL through the Soho district, assert that the people "seemed very grateful for his presence." The Irish census return suggests serious reflections. From the joint effects of famine and emigration, the population of Ireland had declined from 8,386,940 in 1846 to 6,551,970 in 1851. RUSSIAN SUCCESS AND ABERDEENIAN SATISFACTION. [FROM A MINISTERIAL PAPER.I THE public will be rejoiced to hear that the Noble Earl at the head of her Majesty's Government has not suffered in any appreciable degree from the effects of the good news which has reached him in such ample quantity this week. It was feared by his immediate friends that the excitement consequent upon sudden and pleasurable emotion might have been too much for the veteran statesman, and every means which kindness and forethought could dictate was adopted in order to break the fortunate tidings gradually to the individual to whom it was felt that they would be so intensely welcome. It v as, therefore, arranged that the despatches containing confirmation and detail of the two signal victories obtained by the Russians in Asia should first be imparted cautiously to his Lordship, and then that the triumphant result of the Austrian negotiations should be as carefully announced. We are honoured and happy in being able to state that these precau tions were rewarded by the most complete success. When the first defeat of the Turks at Bayazid was mentioned to him, and the field of battle sprinkled all over with Mahomedan fugitives was described, the good and wise statesman's eye brightened, and his countenance assumed a pleasant expression. But on listening to the news of the second Russian success, and the utter rout of our allies, a deeper feel ing seemed to manifest itself, and he exclaimed in a low but energetic voice, " Silistria is avenged !" This strong manifestation seemed to make it desirable to delay the imparting the Austrian news until the afternoon, when it was suitably announced to the Premier. Joy, pro verbially capricious, then took a different mode of expressing itself. " I kenn'd it, I just kenn'd it !" exclaimed the venerable and Caledonian statesman, and, playfully dashing a bundle of papers into the face of the narrator, he sprang upon the table with youthful agility, and executed the Highland fling with exceeding energy and precision. " Hech, sirs !" be said, smilingly descending from the platform on which he had thus distinguished himself, " there'll be a gay night in store for ma freend o' forty year ! Siccan a spell o' luck ! Guid forgie me that I should say sae—it's a a special providence. I did ma best, but we manna be vain, we manna be vain. But we'll have a wee bit of illumination the night." On consideration, however, of the present state of national feeling it was thought better to illuminate the back of the house only, and the feline travellers on the walls of the Argyll street gardens were, in addition to the Premier, the only aimiring spectators of the large N and E and double-headed eagle which testified that night to the pious joy of the Noble Earl at the new triumphs of Russia in Europe and in Asia.