The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-05 00:00:00

JANUARY 5, 1856• the last few months some shining chapters . to o ur military annals. The fortitude . with which they endured starvation, pestilence, and storm was almost sublime. The courage with which, again and again, they braved the bristling batteries of the enemy was equal to the storming of Badajoz and St. Sebastian. Justice to genius and an enemy compels us to sa y that the young Russian engineer, TODTLE BEN, was a most direful antagonist. Justice to our bravo officers and army must frankly proclaim that seldom have our troops had more obstacles to eounter, o.:el rarely have they been equalled i nc in martial ardour. The stubborn courage of British troops has for the hundredth time been splendidly attested before the world. What makes their valour more glorious is, that from the first they had a greater proportion of the work than was suited for their comparative numbers. This, too, was our glory , and—politic or impolitic— success under such circumstances must add to our pride. It has often happened in our history that feelings approaching to penis have seized on the public mind — as during the mutiny at the Nore, the retreat to Corunna, and the rout in Affghanistan. Something similar took place last spring, when the campaign opened with an unsuccessful bombardment. Fortunately ter the country, the Whigs were not in opposi. tion. The Conservative party acted up to the prophecy of Mr D IS RAELI, when ho told the ex-Leader of the Whigs, during the Coalition, " that no future Wellington should experience " from a Conservative Opposition what WEL ' LESLEY on the Douro had to endure from the Whigs." Though the Allies in the early part of last summer had some disappointments to en• counter, the energy shown at the expedition to Yenikale had a decided effect in dishearten ing our foe. Vast stores, upon which the Russians counted, were completely destroyed at Kertch, and the terror of our arms was carried beyond the sea of Azoff. Tiie manner in which this exploit was performed reflected credit on the judgment of those employed in it. But, of course, so hazardous a game as war cannot always be a winning one. We had to suffer a repulse on the 18th of June—an anniversary glorious in our annals, and ever memorable in the history of Europe. Yet the spirit of our army was in nowise daunted. Whether fortune smiled or frowned, there was amongst our officers and soldiers the determination that Sebastopol must be taken. The Bth of September came, and, though our troops had to cross over two hundred yards from the trenches, the Redan was assailed with fearless ardour. The true history of that famous day remains still to be written ; when properly told we have no doubt that it will enhance the reputation of our arms. The position the troops were in was terrible, and if some of the younger sidiers faltered, numbers of them were firm in their duty. The cool- courage of English chivalry was splendidly exemplified in the gallant WINDHAM. Never were soldiers better led in " the imminent deadly breach" than by that heroic officer. At last the victory was won ; and Sebastopol fell after an unparalleled contest. The word "siege" misleads in appreciating the tremen dous nature of the protracted struggle. it was a battle fought from month to month, in which the enemy were aided by the possession of a vast fortified city, and a fleet protected from the fire of our guns. No exact analogy for such a peculiar contest is to be found in military annals. The whole struggle—the im mense preparations at both sides—the quantity of ammunition consumed—and the vast diffi culties encountered—exhibits a marvellous display of military prowess. To have been victors in such a fearful con test, carried on at the other side of Europe, is a glory to our national fano, and to the prowess of our troops. Our military successes _are prominent and s ta r tling. Our glory is beyond dispute, and the pulse of the nation heats as high as ever. But what is the prac tical result? " The way seems lengthening as we go." Are we to evacuate the Crimea ? All the military authorities incline to answer " Yes." if so, it, will become a subject for serious thought to consider what solid advan- THE PRESS. tages have been gained. We have upheld, and even increased, our military honour; but as regards the relative positions of the com batants, the change is not so great as we had hoped. The enemy will use the Crimea as another Torres Vedras. If we stay to fight him, wo play his game ; if we leave him there, he will be defiant This consideration shows that in the first instance there was precipitation in the descent on Sebastopol. We underrated our foe. Our operations against him should have been in another direction, and Sebastopol should have been reserved until we could thoroughly cut off his supplies. The loss of Kars tells of mismanagement somewhere; but we need not here say inure on that subject, upon which Ministers will yet have to answer. With respect to the navy, we state our firm confidence that, properly handled, it will be found equal to vindicating its name. The war was begun, as far as Ministers were con cerned, in a half-hearted manner. Their in. structions to our Admiral were of too diplo matic a character, and there was too much harping on " discretion." Kinburn has been occupied, and Sweaborg has been bombarded ; but there are different versions of the extent of the damage done in the latter case. There was delay in the preparation of gun-boats, though Government had timely notice that they would be wanted. It is certain that our officers and sailors are panting for an oppor tunity of showing their devotion to their glorious service; and, when it shall be given to them, we have no doubt that they will con firm the traditions of the blue-jackets. The country owes much to Lord DERBY and the Conservative Leaders for the total absence of factiousness on the part of the Opposition. If the Whigs had been on the left of the Speaker's chair, what virulent attacks, and how many inflammatory appeals, would have been made? All parties are now agreed that the driving of Lord DERBY from power by means of a conspiracy called a " Coalition," was an injury to England, and a calamity to Europe. The pretensions of Russia rose with the advent of the Earl of ABERDEEN, and the Czar advanced as the Coalition vacillated. True to their own honour, and the enduring interests of England, the Conservatives have stood by the Crown, and have aided it during the last twelvemonth, when the energy of the Executive was palsied by the small factions of the Whigs The lofty tone of the Conservative party has been appreciated even amongst antagonists, and its public example will not be lost upon the country. THE TURKISH LOAN.-THE FALL OF E. A RS. ON the 19th of last July her Majesty's Minis ters, by a majority of three, narrowly escaped a defeat on the Tu• lash Loan question. On that occasion Mr. DISRAELI denounced the scheme as a " delusion, a mockery, and a snare." On the same occasion the Govern ment organs commenced a series of the most virulent attacks upon the Opposition for the part they had conscientiously taken in resist ing this loan, and charged them with " a deli " berate conspiracy concocted with Messrs. " BRIGHT and GLADSTONE to upset the Minis " try." Nay more, the late Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH having become Colonial Secre tary, did not scruple, on the Southwark hust ings, personally to assail and to vilify all those (some his late colleagues) who had taken part in the opposition to the Turkish Loan, stigma tising them, amongst other epithets of oppro brium, with being " friends of Russia," &e. So much for the facts of July and August last ; now for those of November and December. The Turkish Loan of five millions was voted in the former months, and it was especially designated as being for the purpose of enabling Turkey to take the field with so large a force as should effectually protect her Asiatic and other outlying provinces. What resulted in the latter months ? At the present moment the five millions in question have been thus disposed of. Two and a half millions remain perdu in the Bank of England (doubtless to regulate our home balances) ; 500,0001. have been transferred through the hands of Messrs. BARING to those of Messrs. Burns- CHILD, with whom it now remains ; and the first instalment (amounting to half a million only) of this Turkish Loan, so urgently demanded on the 19th of July last, was paid to the Turkish Government on the 10th of December just past, twelve days after Kars had capitulated from want of those reinforcements which it would have supplied, and, we were told, it was express! y intended to supply. Now, we ask any candid reader to put these facts together, and say whether Kars was not, on the part of the British Government, deliberately suffered to fall a prey to Russia? How happens it that the Ministry, having the power to raise within a specific period five millions sterling, and five hundred thousand pounds of that amount at once, did not employ one shilling of it to the succour of the most important fortress in the Turkish empire ? Be it remembered. too, that this Turkish money was not to be raised by taxes on the nation, which it might require time to collect and to apply ; it was to be raised by a loan from the capitalists of Lon don, who would have arranged to make their payments at any time which might have been stipulated. If, therefore, the money was wanted for anything beyond a juggle, it was wanted for the equipment of au army to save Asiatic Turkey from Russian dominion ; yet not one penny of it was paid to Turkey till twelve days after the capitulation of its most important fortress to victorious Rus sia, a catastrophe brought on solely by the want of a relieving army which that loan would h ave supplied. Who can say, after this, that the Turkish Loan project of the 19th of July last was not a " delusion, a mockery, " and a snare?" THE EFFECT OF LAND CARRIAGE UPON RUSSIAN TRADE. IN the Hull Trade Report for 1855, published under the authority of a committee appointed by the Hull Chamber of Commerce and Shipping, we find the following observations : On taking a retrospect for the past year of the trade of this port, which, it is well known, is largely concerned with the North of Europe, it does not appear that the busi ness has been so much limited by the war with Russia as might have been reasonably anticipated, although it must be remarked that no port in the kingdom has suffered so much from the interruption of business with that country. The principal imports from Russia previous to the war consisted of hem, flax, iron, tallow, linseed, hides, wool, tar, and deals, wtth large quantities of wheat and oats, when prices in this country were such as to induce a trade in grain. The frontiers of Prussia being open for the transport of goods to and from Russia, it appears that the articles of flax, hemp, tallow, and linseed, to some extent, have been able to bear the heavy land-carriage charges for shipment from Memel and Konigsberg, so that the impor tation of these articles (linseed excepted) has been kept fully adequate to the consumptioa of this district. With a continuance of the war there seems no probability of a want being felt for• these articles, as with increased expe rience the arras ge nents for the land transport will be more maturely if cued; and this expense of carriage is not so injurious, on the whole, to Russia as was expected — that on their exports being greatly paid by the enhanced prices in this c.)untry, while their imports, as being much more limited in quantity, obtain the benefit of back car riage, which, being in considerable supply, can be fur nished at much reduced rates. A large portion of this land carriage goes into the hands of the Russian land owner. The land carriage on hemp, flax, and tallow, from the St. Petersbu.g district to Memel, is undet stood to be about 101 to 121. per ton, while return goods are taken at much lower rates; thus the lower values bear the heaviest charge. As with the trans port of Russian articles ore the Prussian frontier, so it has been by the coast of Sweden and the Gulf of Bothnia. Previous and suesequent to the blockade of the Finland ports considerable traffic has taken place be tween these two countries, and it is through this channel we have received the Finland tar; while considerable im ports into Russia have thus been effected of colonial and other produce THE rate at whim' wave-, tray et ettriously exem plified in the case of the late earthquake at Simoda, otT Japan, when the Russian frigate Diana was lcst. Twelve hours and sixteen minutes after the gigantic wave which destroyed her had receded ft r tl e !est time, leaving the harbour dry, the same wave in an infinitely diminished force reached the shores of San Francisco, 4,800 miles distant. The curious pheno mena which the wave presented, suddenly rising seven-tenths of a foot, and then receding, followed by a series of seven other waves of less magnitude, was remarked with great care at San Francisco, and there is no doubt that it was the same wave that that rose at Simoda.