The Press. — London, England, 1858-01-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS, JANUARY 16, 1858. that the cause is to be found in tho manner in which the app ea of the army . was carried out early in the last year. It appears to b as e been done in the manner most calculated to give offence. Com manding officers were not desired to report the number of m en who might be discharged without injury to the service from their respec tive regiments, but a peremptory order was given that out of each bat talion 0 00 men should on a certain day be sent to their homes. It is obvious that the composition of different regiments must greatly differ. In one there may be scarcely 100 men who are not first.rate soldiers ; in another 400 may be discharged without material inconve nience. The Secretary of State for War did not, however, take this into account, but acted on his celebrated principle—that the musket makes the man, and not the man the musket. We know of the cases of two sergeants, who, having been ten years in the service, having served throughout the late war, from the landing at Varna to the cap . t u re of Sebastopol , an d having " never missed a turn in the trenches," were turned adrift with a sovereign in their pockets on account of bl e mishes which existed at the time of their enlistment. What account of her Majesty's service, what of their country's gratitude, is it likely that these men would give in their native villages? Can we wonder that after such treatment, when forty-seven men in one district were recently invited to re-enlist, they should one and all have answered, „ We have been taken in once; we won't be took in no more " ? They felt that they had come forward in an emergency, that they had served their country well, and that they had been rewarded with ingratitude. Is it a marvel, then, that their treatment should have been noised abroad, and that the ardour of their neighbours should have been checked? Neither can we congratulate the authorities in th e treatment of their recruits any more than on their success on obtaining them. We stated before that the same musket and knapsack were given alike to the small and the large man. The same plan has been pursued with the cavalry. In time of peace the average height of our Light Dragoons has been at least five feet eight inches, and their horses, arms, and equipments have been regulated accordingly. Having lowered the standard to five feet four and a half inches, we should naturally infer that the equipments also have been altered ; but our inference would be perfectly wrong. All the old accoutrements remain exactly as they were, and we hear no rumour of a change. Swords so long that the men cannot draw them, and so heavy that the men cannot lift them. are still the order of the day. And, as if to show that the authorities were incorrigible, 3,000 excellent light saddles supplied to the Turkish Cossacks have been returned to this country, and, we suppose, allowed to rot, without any use being made of them. This week brings us intelligence of the capture of General WALKER and the temporary suspension of filibusterism. We say "tem porary" advisedly, because we believe that the whole American people are Filibusters at heart. Natio oohs La sat. It may suit the Govern ment of the day to affect a dislike of such proceedings, and to im prison, and perhaps put to death, those whose only crime in their eyes is that what they did they did prematurely. In this we do not mean to bring any very black charge against America. The Monro doctrine is, after all, an exceedingly natural one for them to adopt. But we do say that uncommon circumspection and resolution are demanded of Vie British Government to avoid the loss of power and prestige in the West. We would, above all, impress upon the public that any dis countenance shown to WALKER by the American Government is not to be accepted as a proof that they have abandoned an aggressive policy. To do so would be treason to the youth of that country, while not to resist them would be treason to the manhood of ours. The situation of affairs in China is still perplexing. What are wo about, or what are we ever likely to be about? Whether a nation has or has not a right to isolate herself is a very difficult question to decide. If we say " No," we seem to sanctiAn an amount of inter ference which is incompatible with national independence. If " Yes," we stultify our own proceedings. But, to put theory on one side, what practical good are we to sustain by the present war with the Celestials ? Do we expect that they will surrender at discretion, and allow us to overrun the country without any serious resistance ; or do we imagine that we should have nothing to do but to slaughter them in detail whenever some few hundred " scholars " cntured to stand against us? If so, we, the public, are, we think, greatly mistaken. Probably there are no countriPo in which a guerilla war could be waged with areater success than in China ; and we can not but fear that, if England plunges into a war which has for its objet the opening up of the country to British trade, she may experience some great disaster that will check her progress for a considerable number of years. The Government continues to practise a petty policy of conceal• meat is all matters concerning the state of India. It was but a few days since that we were assured by the Ministerial journals that there was no ground for attaching the slightest credit to the rumour that sir Cour; CAMPBELL had abandoned Lucknow. The notion was not to be entertained. He was at the head of 12,000 disciplined troops, and was on the point of commencing a campaign in Gude which would sweep that province of the rebel swarms and suppress the rebellion at a blow. 61 At the very moment this daring assertion was put forth it was known to the authorities that Sir COLIN CAMPBELL had retrlated upon Cawn pore. We need no further proof of this than the single fact that the telegram announced by the Government on the 29th of December con tained a statement to the effect that the sick and wounded and women were en route to Cawnpore. Our letters now tell us that these impedi menta were never sent on in advance by Sir Comm CAMPBELL, but that he accompanied and protected them with his whole force on their departure from Lucknow—in a word, that when they left Lucknow, he left it, and hence that the despatch from him (and despatches came from no one else) which announced the departure of the sick, wounded and women, must have told of his protecting presence with them. This system of telling only one portion, and that the brightest, of the facts related, is eminently unsatisfactory and shortsighted. The public now have no longer any faith in official statements. They doubt good news, if there be any, and never credit bad as the worst. It is unworthy, too, of a Government which professes to be popular, and assumes to itself the complete confidence of the nation. We do not assume to ourselves any singular foresight ; but our readers will do us the justice to admit that upon Indian matters THE PRESS from its foundation has at least exhibited clear views, and drawn consistent conclusions. A striking letter in the Times of Friday from " Index," in which certain remarks occur relative to Oude, remind us that soon after the annexation of that province we expressed our fears of future troubles. The passage occurs in Tux PRESS of June 21st, 1836, and is as follows : While the general accounts from India are fall of congratulation on the quietude of Oude, and the submission with which the change of Government has been received, private letters warn us not to place too much reliance on this apparent tranquillity. A communication from Lucknow of the 2:ith of April, written by a gentleman of high character, and with excellent opportunities of observation, says that the change is viewed with universal dissatisfaction, and that the ex-King, with all his faults, is greatly regretted. It was probable that the spring crop ( ltubbee) would be collected quietly by our revenue officers, but the autumn crop (Kurreef ► might not be got in so easily :—" [ think this quietness is only the forerunner of something that is to come hereafter—Cabal fashion. Our Government is not popular, and the men in office are not of the cut of Phere—people that would mollify the change of Governments. According to my ides the country will not be settled for three years to come." From the tenor of the above, and similar communications, we are satisfied that there is urgent need of vigilance ; and that though the present tranquillity may last for some months longer, yet that the elements of resistance are gathering, and will probably break out with all the greater violence from having been for a time suppressed. It will be the first duty of Lord Can ning to look narrowly into the actual state of Oude. His Government, with opportunities of gaining correct information, and with full time for preparation, will be inexcusable should It be caught unawares. These observations speak for themselves ; and we should not have drawn attention to them but that in certain quarters the notion is still carefully propagated that after the first irritation consequent on our assumption of sovereignty had subsided uo one foresaw or anticipated the slightest resistance to our rule. REQUIESCAT. Thy step is drear, thou dark New Year—there's blood upon thy brow ; And though thou tell'st of victory, we cannot hail it now. One passing bell above the strife flings out its awful voice ; If bride can smile on bridegroom's bier, then England may rejoice. In conquest's brightest, proudest hour, all glorious though it be, Our hearts grow cold as thine to think, dead Havelock, on thee. Oh, sorest blow our stricken land has borne from Arm Divine; Oh, bitterest drop in that red cup, that drink of deadly wine! Oh, martyr chief, whose steadfast strength, 'mid danger and dismay, Poured on our gloom the golden light of Plassy and Assaye. Bethink ye of that hour when close the foeman's legions drew, The countless on the dauntless came, the traitors on the true ; When gallant eyes grew dim with tears, and hope was faint and low, And gentle hearts were breaking in the leagur of Lucknow ; Right through the accursed host he swept, right onward to the mark, As leaps the life-boat through the waves that whelm a drifting barque. His requiem be the benisons iu fainting accents showered, His monument our heroes saved, our maidens undeflowered. ethink ye, while for crumbling power in blind and fated pride, The cold Iscariots of our land betrayed the crucified, 'Mid waltring hearts and faltering lips he never blenched to own To Paynim fierce, or Christian false, the God he feared alone. And whoa upon the gory sod, beneath the torrid zone, The victor laid him down to die, say not his work was done : His work is doing evermore, when warrior hearts shall turn The might of undespairing strength from his proud tale to learn ; His work is doing evermore, when herald hands shall wave The banner of the Cross he loved above its champion's grave. ::Fnr~