The Press. — London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

SEPTEMBER 23, 1854. THE P THE TWA SCOTTISH AIRLS. A RESPECTED contemporary deliberately states, in a leading article, that the command of the Baltic expedition was in the first place offered to the Earl of Dundonald, who would accept it only on con dition that the war with Russia was to be prosecuted " in earnest." The Earl of Aberdeen, it is further assorted, would not assent to these terms, and consequently the command was given to Sir Charles Napier, who, it may be assumed, has been a good deal more hindered by the Premier's instructions than by the shoals and sands of the Baltic. A document which was found on board the Russian vessel recently captured in the Black Sea, with important despatches on board, seems to confirm the statement to which we have referred. It would appear to have been sent out for the information and comfort of the Court of St. Petersburg, and to have been transmitted thence to console Prince Paskiewitch under the painful circumstances of his position. It was unluckily torn during the ransacking of the vessel, and a portion is lost, but apparently an unimportant part. We give all that has been supplied to us. We are aware that Lord Dundonald himself has stepped forward to shield Lord Aberdeen, and this fact does not, of course, add to the authenticity of the subjoined document ; but the chivalry of Lord Dundonald is well known, and so is the chi valry of Lord Aberdeen, and our readers are as capable of deciding on the whole case as we are. MYSELF No, my Lord, the honour, although great, is not more than your deserts entitle you to expect. The command of the expedi tion would be entrusted to you in full confidence that you would carry out the views of her Majesty's Government. Lord D.: I should assuredly endeavour to do so. The magnificent fleet which you propose to place in my hands is capable of achieving anything. MYSELF : Against an ordinary enemy, no doubt. But the navy of Russia is a very fine one, the fortifications of her harbours are splendid, and her whole service is animated by the conviction that the eye of the greatest and wisest Sovereign she ever possessed is upon every thing. [lf I might ask your E. to take care that this speech is written very clearly in the copy you transmit to his I.M.] Lord D.: My belief is that your lordship overrates the resources of Russia; but I will neither argue the question nor dispute with you as to the virtues of Nick. But if he is strong, so much the more reason why our strength should be put forth to the utmost. I will do my best. Shall I put myself into communication with Sir James ? _ _ _ MYSELF : Not until we understand one another a little better. What should you have to say to Graham ? Lord D.: I must have gun-boats. Plenty of them, and as soon as possible. MYSELF : It is my duty to inform you that the views of her Majesty's Government do not comprise gun-boats. Lord D.: But, my dear Lord, I must assure you of the absolute necessity of them. You do not know the navigation of the Baltic. Take it from a practical man that it is quite impossible to bring the large ships up to the fortresses. MYSELF : The views of her Majesty's Government do not comprise the bringing large ships up to the fortresses. Lord D.: Then how the devil do you mean to take the fortresses themselves? MYSELF: The views of her Majesty's Government do not comprise the taking the fortresses. Lord - b. : Eh? 0 ah I see. Y3u mean that with such a magnifi cent armament as that now lying off Spithead we can afford to dis regard the smaller places, and make a dash upon Cronstadt. Well, I do not know that we can do better. --- . MYSELF : Her Majesty's Government will wish you to do a great deal better. _ _ _ Lord D.: What—get the Russian fleet out, and smash that in the first place ? Easier said than done. I shall shell Cronstadt like the very deuce, but I doubt whether even that will bring them out, unless we are lucky enough to set a few of them on fire. MYSELF : Any such course would meet with the extreme dis approbation of her Majesty's Government. Lord D. (impatiently) : Then her Majesty's Government must be good enough to explain itself, for shiver my blessed timbers if—that is to say, I am incapable of pointing out any other way of going to work. MYSELF : You have precisely indicated the requisite position. You are not to go to work. Lord D: My Lord, you are an old man, but I am older than your self, and I did not come here to be trifled with. Keep your riddles for your ambassadors, and for the House of Lords. lam a sailor. If you want me, tell me so, and ril do my duty. MYSELF, (mildly): Had we not wanted you, should I have troubled you to attend here ? Pray restrain your temper. We wish you to take the command of this expedition. But though you are a sailor, and a gallant one, you are something more, and you are quite able to see that an expedition is only a feature—an important one, no doubt—of a whole scheme, and, therefore, regard must be had to the rest of the arrangements. Lord D. (frankly) : Certainly. That's true enough. If I send a boat's crew to cut out a frigate, they are to cut her out, and come back, and not to pull for shore, and act on their own notions. That's all right. BESS. 901 I meant no more than this. I'll go to the Baltic, smash the fortresses, and take Cronstadt, or try hard for it, and then I'll wait orders. MYSELF: You see something of what I mean. But still you go too far. We do not want you to attack Cronstadt. Lord D.: What ! Destroy the small places, and leave the big place alone! Hang it ! look at the big Duke and the others, and ask yourself if that's worthy of such noble vessels. MYSELF : I have made the inquiry you recommend, and have re ceived an answer in the negative. I feel painfully that it would not be worthy of such an armament, and therefore Lord D.: And, therefore, we'll have a shy at the great place. MYSELF : And, therefore, we'll fight shy of the small places. Lord D.: Then what [I omit some very emphatic theology] do you want me to do with the fleet? MYSELF : What you first proposed. To go to the Baltic. Lord D.: And do nothing ? MYSELF: Dear me, no. Any manoeuvres you can execute, any exercises through which you can put the men, any hydrographical knowledge which you can acquire by means of surveys, will all be valu able services to the navy and to the country ; and 1 have pleasure in undertaking that they shall be duly set forth to Parliament. About October, I shall trust to receive a summary of them from your own lips. Lord D. (restraining his wrath) : But—but—but---what is all this to do with the war. What harm will all this do to Russia ? MYSELF : The views of her Majesty's Government do not comprise the doing any harm to Russia. Lord D. (furiously): D—(the rest it torn of). WHEN DOES PARLIAMENT MEET You remember, you remember, How the session fleeted by, How a meeting in November Was suggested in July ; How each Minister, outrageous, Met the hint with wild defiance, Declaring Europe linked In an anti• Russ alliance. You remember, you remember, How the session fleeted by, How a meeting in November Was suggested in July. _ You're recalling, you're recalling, Lord John"- 'Aged his word How _ luny plei That Austria's isolation Was a notion too absurd ; That a splendid Austrian army, With its cannon, foot, and horse, Would " advance " on the invader, And would "turn him out by force." You remember, you remember, &o. You are thinking, you are thinking, How the lordly PALM once spoke, How he made the Austrian junction A most amusing joke ; How he laughed at Austria's friendship As a thing that might be spared ; She could " join or stand aloof"—he Was—something—if he cared. You remember, you remember, &c. You've been reading, you've been reading, How these slightly-clashing words Were explained to those the l'remier Calls, .S'cottice, "my birds ;" How, flatly contradicting What both John and Pam had said, He declared we needed Austria, And he " hoped " to gain her " aid." You remember, you remember, &c. Now you're sulking, now you're sulking, At the telegraph from Dover, Which finally announces That the Austrian throws us over. With an army such as Palmerston 111-pleased beholds arrayed, She won't "advance" to please Lord John, Or lend the Premier "aid." You remember, you remember, NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS. (At the service of the Coalition Jotirna/e.) LOSOPHEIL—The idea of the weekly journal referred to, that" the comprehensireness of its " relations saves the Government from falling," though brilliant as a Northern light, is not original. The thought first occurred to the Yankee doctor in Washington's militia,- who, to keep his seat un horseback, mended his legs to their utmost stretch, on the prim cipk that " the broader the base the stouter the superstructure."—See Cooper's " Spy." MllMiris