The Press. — London, England, 1854-03-18 00:00:00

THE PRESS. MARCH 18, 1854. "DRIFTING." TO THE EDITOR OF `!THE PRESS." Siu,—A single word may sometimes serve better than the longest disquisition to illustrate the character of an epoch, the conduct of men, the true nature of a transaction, or the real tendency of a combi nation of circumstances. Systems of government have been thus designated, and epithets accidentally applied have continued to be ap pended to them afterwards as a sort of convenient labels. Such a distinguishing mark, hitherto wanting to the present Administration, has at length been happily found for them by one of themselves. The Earl of CLARENDON, whose subtle spirit delights in searching into and defining the very essence of things—whose acute mind perceives hidden qualities invisible to common men—who has lately acquired so much renown by his profound dissertations on War, Peace, and Neutrality—the Earl of CLARENDON has, with his usual felicity of expression, characterised by two syllables the whole genius, policy, and conduct of the Coalition of 's2—drifting. At a time when energetic action should follow mature deliberation, when the nation ought no longer to be pulled and pushed hither and thither by the accidents of the hour, but, in the face of difficulties which might have been foreseen by sagacity, should be undeviatingly impelled by firm will along the course traced out by prudence and fortitude—at such a moment we are told by the man to whose especial care are entrusted the honour and the interests of England that we are drifting. Drifting? Will, then, the vessel of the State no longer answer the helm ? Is she a disabled wreck—a log upon the water, lying at the mercy of the winds and waves ? The officers in charge cannot exactly say in what condition she is. She is moving they rather think, but they are not quite sure of the fact, and they do not at all know how. On the whole, they apprehend that she is drifting? Whither? The captain and pilot hope that the ship may be drifting straight to a commodious port; but, on the other hand, they conceive that she may, with equal probability, be drifting towards a rocky coast ; or, worse still, far, far, out into some unknown ocean. Alas ! Piteous was the end of the good ship Tayleur. She was a ship of very peculiar excellence—a perfect model of naval architecture. Her captain was an ancient mariner, who had practised every system of navigation, under every flag, on board every species of craft. Her crew presented a combination of all the nautical talents of all the nations of the globe. In the cosmopolite combination of maritime capacity, however, which was the glory of the crew of the Tayleur, there was ono inconvenience. The able Portuguese and meritorious Greeks never could make themselves understood by the very distin guished Lascars ; and the language of the exceedingly eminent Chi nese was utterly incomprehensible to all the rest of the sailors. The ship, although built scientifically according to the most approved theory, had nevertheless one defect. She would not steer, and, at the very moment when to encounter the tempest the display of all her TO CORRESPONDENTS. 1.1 le impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive. Their insertion is often delayed, owing to a press of matter and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Communications should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the nano and address of tho writer, not necessarily fur publica tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. 253 admirable qualities was needed, it became apparent that she had but one mode of proceeding. She moved, not through the water, but on the water—she drifted ; nothing would she do but drift. In this diffi culty the eminent Chinese and distinguished Lascars showed their vast abilities in contending of and opposite evolutions, agreeing in this alone, that they totally disregarded the commands of the per plexed captain, who, becoming confused by the variety of his expe rience, issued contradictory orders and attempted incompatible intußu uvres. And so the model ship, in spite of the perfection of her equipment, and the universal talents of her crew, began to drift the moment she got fairly out to sea ; and she went on drifting till at last she drifted on to the rocks, where she was dashed to pieces in five-and-twenty minutes. I remain, sir, your obedient servant, A PASSENGER IN THE GOOD SHIP " GREAT BRITAIN." SEQUENTI 0 tremorum professores, Pileati pacatores, Quantos casus vos audaces Subiistis heu minaces, Pium munus ast inane Sturgi, Peasi,Sharletane! • Tres amici! qui per altum Ausi estis dare saltum, lit lonqinquas regionea Pererrare sub triones, Primates 0 ridiculi Silentis conventiculi Num vestra congregatio Pacisque vera ratio, Ferocem ergs Ctesarem Amorvo movit, qmererem, Vel rei novie stadium, Se.hare hoc tripucliani ? Tyranno enim monita Qutecnnque sint insolita, Vosque tres subfusci certe Linguam datis qui aperte Fuistis huic spectaculum, Prodigium, miraculum. 2)4';itgg+ LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1854. POSTSCRIPT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY. Lord MALMESDURY once more called attention to the charge brought against a late clerk of the Foreign-office of betraying the secrets of the Cabinet. The esprit de corps was so strong, he affirmed, amongst these gentlemen, that such an instance was unprecedented, and foreign Governments had de manded of the British how it managed to secure such entire secrecy. He read a letter from the gentleman accused, a nephew of the late Sir Jacob Astley, which indignan tl y denied the imputation. A young man just entering life had been cruelly used by the first man in the kingdom next to the Crown, and he hoped that the Premier would frankly repair the injustice ho had committed. Lord ABERDEEN had thought it impossible, from the authority on which he made it, that his former statement could have been denied; but, as it was denied, he felt bound to express his great regret that he should have been the means of F romulgating it. If the authority on which he had spoken was demanded, he was ready to give it. He then, after INEDITiE. J übet ergo vos intrare Hiberna tecta, et profari, Quie moverit 'mania Moliri tam Mania? An beet; benevolentis3 Vel signasint detnentise Graves ergo vos amici CELINA pacis tantum nisi, Vast() malum socium, Non vestrum hoc negotium! Ito domum gloriantes Recreati et ovantes. Te•te, Ricarde, patria Cobdene, vocat Anglia, I'romissam fldem solvere, Et Nicolaum volvere Humi fusum, regem dirum, Inquinatam ut papyrum Sin mera hem oratio Et falsa sit jactatio ; Nos ne tamen desperemus, Dum tutamen retinemus Arma, viros, nummos, naves, Denique-bombardas graves. Quorum dttro arbitratu, Nobis de "quo ante statu" Barbarorum contra regem Decernatur atque gregem Non terrarum fit pacator Lini vilis fabricator. • Joseph Sturge, of Birmingham; Henry Pease, of Darlington; Robert Charleton, of Bristol. referring to his own long experience of the Foreign office, passed a glowing eulogium on the ability, industry, and probity of those employed in it. If every office were as well served, the warmest reformer would be satisfied. Lord DERBY said that this retractation was satis factory to the gentleman accused and creditable to Lord Aberdeen. He agreed in the praises bestowed on the Foreign-office, and for that reason the present doubts ought to be fully elucidated. What had lately transpired had thrown a doubt upon the probity of some one. He approved of Ministers making known their impressions through the means of the press ; but when one especial paper obtained access to documents of a secret and confidential character, when the editor of that paper was on terms of intimacy with Cabinet Ministers, when his visits to Downing-street were frequent, when its general connection with Government officials was notorious, no one could be surprised if the public charged the Government with participation in the betrayal of information. Not long ago an important State document was transmitted to Russia containing the ultimatum of the British Government. None but members of the Cabinet should have been cognisant of it, yet the next day but one after its despatch it appeared in the Timte ; and, as the messenger was delayed on his route, the first know ledge given to the Czar of its contents was through the columns of a newspaper. The Government, or, if the Government failed, the house itself, was bound to sift the matter to the bottom ; and, if no one else took it up, he should himself take it in hand. Lord MALMESBURY expressed himself satisfied with the retractation of the charge. It. was evident that the betrayal bad taken place in this country. The time bad not allowed of its committal elsewhere. The subject then dropped. Lord CIANRICARDE, in moving for papers respect ing the exportation of Russian produce and the rights of neutrals, said that the prohibition of the exportation of Russian produce already bought by Englishmen was an injury only to this country and a direct benefit to Russia. British subjects received last year such strong assurances of a peaceable ter • urination of the dispute that they were fully war ranted in entering into me rcantile engagements with Russia. He entered at some length into the position of the German powers, and contended that the pro hibition of the transport by us would drive the trade of Russia into overland channels. Lord CLARENDON regretted any injury to British merchants in Russia, of whose character he spoke in the highest terms. But when asked by a merchant in Riga, who intended to continue his residence there, if he might export Russian produce as hitherto, he could only refer him to the admitted law by which any man, whether foreigner or native, who resided and traded in a hos ile country, was liable to be treated as an enemy. We had a neigh bour ally in the present contest, and before altering our former rules we were bound to see how far our new principle would be adopted by that ally. The matter had, however, been fully considered by the Government, who were about to take a final determi nation ; and all he would say at present was, that it was their intention to treat British subjects with every liberality consistent with the case ; and, in reference to letters of marque, to set an example of generosity to the world, and mitigate, as far as that mode of injury was concerned, the horrors of war. He hoped in a few days to be able to state his ulti mate resolution. The house adjourned at a quarter before seven. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FainAr. REFORM OF OXFORD UNIVIRSITY. Lord JOHN RUSSELL moved for leave to bring in a bill to make further provision for the good govern ment and extension of the University of Oxford. Acknowledging the advantages which he bad derived from the investigation lately completed by the com missioners appointed to inquire into the state of the universities, the noble lord indicated the principles whereon his proposed scheme of reform was based, and which embodied on many points the conclusions arrived at by the members of that commission. Ilia object was to widen the field of education imparted at the university, by comprehending in its scope ~. - - 4wmi