The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS•

SATURDAY,

believed that some terms may be decided on, which will save the dignity of
Russia, yet appear to answer the purposes for which the Allies first took up
arms. We do not learn that anything is said about the expenses of the war, nor
do the sentiments of Turkey appear to be thought worth much regard.
That our Government, with that of Austria and of Prussia, were intent on
patching up peace on any terms practicable, we never doubted. But the attitude
of France was always decided. Our policy has been, from the commencement
of the dispute, contemptible, through its vacillation; but the policy of the
Emperor NAPOLEON has been always firm and consistent. What will he do?
On the supposition that the Court of St. Petersburg is really anxious for peace,
the great stumbling-block to its conclusion is the duel before Sebastopol. It
was the Emperor NAPOLEON who urged forward the expedition to the Crimea—
it is he who has sustained it—it is by his energy that there is now in front of
Sebastopol upwards of one hundred thousand fighting Frenchmen—will he
now abandon the enterprise prosecuted with such zeal ? He is about, by all
accounts, to visit the Crimea himself, to push forward the operations of the
siege, or in person direct an assault. This has not a pacific look. How would
the negotiations proceed, when the Emperor whose will has to be consulted on
every point is at French quarters in the Crimea? Lord JOHN is currently re-
ported to have said to the Emperor, " If your Majesty is resolved to proceed to
the Crimea, Ido not see what business I can have at Vienna." The Eastern
question is on the point of assuming a new phase. The policy of Lord ABER-
DEEN Sir JAMES GRAHAM emphatically declared in the House last week,
now carried on by his successor, Lord PALMERSTON, and that policy tends to
alliance with the Northern Courts, and to rupture with France. United, emi-
nently prosperous, full of military ardour—with all her army departments in
the highest state of efficiency—France, greater than she has ever appeared
before, stands at the head of European monarchies, and reserves the declaration
of her sentiments.

Ordinarily there is a lull in the political world after any unusual excite-
ment. It seems to be settled that Lord PALZIRRSTON must be allowed to go on.
No one has confidence in him. Every one sees and deplores the weakness of
his Ministry, but there will be no opposition to it. The proceedings in Parlia-
ment have this week lost the animation which lately distinguished them•
During the debate on Army Reform on Thursday night the House might have
been counted out between seven and nine, had any member been so inclined.
The discussion on the whole was tedious, and 'mainly confined to details.

The accounts from the Crimea report an improvement in the general
health of the troops ; the men are now well clothed, well fed, and the huts
rapidly getting up. The climate, however, appears to be very variable—one day
freezing, another day oppressive and hot, while a third sets in with rain, hail,
and sleet. An excellent letter, which appears in our columns elsewhere, from a
young officer of the second division, gives a most lively and amusing detail of
his own " sufferings;' and at the same time a more cheering account of the
state of the men of his division ; indeed, the second division throughout have
not suffered so severely by any means as the other divisions of the army. The
arming of the different batteries is proceeding rapidly on the part of the Allies,
while Russian sorties are nightly continued with desperate tenacity of purpose.
The prodigious resources of the Russians in artillery, mines, barricades, and
loopholed walls, backed up by the dernier resort of the northern batteries,
which now count some forty in number, creates a serious doubt as to whether
an assault could be successful, except at the most tremendous sacrifice of life.
Everything at this moment bespeaks active operations. Rumours in the camp
are rife upon every point. Combined operations in the field and against the
fortress are hourly spoken of, but the when and where is kept a most profound
secret by the Allied Generals.
M. LA TROBE'S mismanagement of the Government of the colony of Vic-
toria is producing disastrous consequences. The puerile concessions which
he made in 1853 to the diggers, attempting first of all to oppress them most
unjustly, and then the moment they showed a bold front stultifying himself
and conceding everything and more than they asked, is the sole cause of the
present revolt. As far as the reports state, the diggers are in open rebellion,
and some desperate engagements between them and the troops have occurred.

Lord BACON tells a story of a weak and foolish man who, dressed in Lincoln
green, tilted at a tournament, and tilted very badly. The next day, to the
surprise of his friends, he appeared upon the field in orange tawney, and tilted
with worse success than he achieved the day before. When closely questioned
on this extraordinary behaviour, " Marry," he replied, " I did run the second
" day in orange tawney, so that it should be said that the man in orange tawney
" ran worse than the man in Lincoln green !" It is upon this principle we sup-
pose that Sir CHARLES Wow) has accepted the administration of our navy. The
Right Honourable Baronet was bad enough as Chancellor of the Exchequer,
worse as President of the Board of Control, and we presume that he has now
accepted the onerous duties of the Admiralty, peculiarly so at this present
moment, in order to show us how very much worse a First Lord he can make
than as either President or Chancellor.

MARCH 3, 1855.

If e'er about Reform or corn
The mob should raise a riot,
I laughed their clamour all to scorn—
The troops could keep them quiet.
For it was then my firm belief
The Whigs would ne'er have sway, sir,
And only with a Tory chief
Had I a chance of pay, sir.

When "open-question" Liverpool
Appeared to rule the nation,
I plodded on, a patient tool,
And lauded moderation.
For it was then my firm belief
Whatever folks might say, sir,
That be must he the fittest chief
Who gave me place and pay, sir.

When Peel and Canning came to blows
I stood a while divided ;
But Canning iu the ascendant rose,
And that my choice decided.
For it became my firm belief
Tories had had their day, sir,
And only a "juste-milieu " chief
Would give me place and pay, sir.

But though the Tory camp I fled
I feared the coming storm, sir,
And loudly cheered when Canning said
He'd still oppose Reform, sir.
For it was then my firm belief
(Which later years gainsay, sir)
Reform, whoe'er might be the chief,
Would risk my place and pay, sir.

When Goody came in Canning's room
I felt the ground was hollow,
And quickly left him to his doom,
Old Huskisson to follow.
For it was then my firm belief,
And is so to this day, sir,
That insecure, with such a chief,
Was either place or pay, sir.

To Tory ranks returned once more,
To Wellington we hurried;
To Peel eternal friendship swore,
And past resentments buried.
And it became my firm belief
That, though we'd gone astray, sir,
We now, at length, had found a chief
T' insure us place and pay, sir.

But Husky soon was bundled out,
Nor could his words recal, sir ;
The Iron Duke would have no doubt
'Twas no mistake at all, sir.
For it was always his belief
That they must still obey, sir,
Who chose to follow him as chief.
And take from him their pay, sir.

Two mortal years expelled from place
An outcast sad I wandered ;
And o'er my melancholy case
In deep dejection pondered.
And this became my fixed belief,
Confirmed by long delay, sir,
That of all human ills the chief
Is loss of place and pay, sir.

When Europe's thrones were shaken all
By threats of revolution,
It seemed the time to overhaul
The British Constitution.
And it became my firm belief
That Wellington for Grey, sir,
Must soon make room, and he as chief
Would give mo place and pay, sir.

THE VICAR OF BRAY.
In good old Doctor Sidmouth's days,
When Church and King no harm meant,
A Tory out and out I was,
And so I got preferment.
For it was then my firm belief
The Whigs would ne'er have sway, sir,
And only with a Tory chief
Had I a chance of pay, sir.

But, Tory as I still had been,
The ousted Whigs I mocked at,
And " New Whig Guides," with satire keen,
Young Peel and I concocted.
For it was then my firm belief
I ne'er should see the day, sir,
When I beneath a Whiggish chief
Should finger place and pay, sir.