The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-24 00:00:00

THE PfIESS.

people—that she has sympathy for all who desire, like her-
self, the triumph of right and justice.
Tell them that if they wish for peace, they must, at
least, make vows openly fur or against, us ; for in the
midst of a grave European conflict, indifference is a false
calculation, and silence an error.
As for us, nations allied for the triumph of a grand
cause, let us forge arms without suspending our manufac-
tures—without paralysing trade ; let us be as great in the
arta of peace as in the arts of war. Let us be strong in
union, and let us put our trust iu God in order to triumph
over the difficulties of the day and the chances of the
future.

BRITISH LAW IN INDIA.
Ir is gratifying to observe the importance
which is attached in India to the preservation
in the Presidencies of the authority of the
supreme courts, which is in fact the preserva-
tion of the principle of English jurisprudence.
The extension of this principle over the whole
of India would go far of itself to raise the
condition of the people and develop the re-
sources of the country. We have the more
pleasure in extracting the following remarks
from the Spectator of Madras, August 29th, as
we have reason to believe that they express
the sentiments of the most intelligent, wealthy,
and influential of the native population.
The remarks allude to the intention of Sir
Fitzroy Kelly at the ensuing session to bring
in a Bill to repeal the Act No. 28, A.D. 1848,
of the Legislative Council of India, so far as it
takes away the jurisdiction of the courts of
law or equity over the administration of the
late Nuwab of Surat ;
It has always surprised us that the lawyers in
Parliament, both lords and commouera, Amid be so
indifferent as they have hitherto shown themselves to
the encroachments of the Legislative Council,
systematic and rapid, on the prerogatives, functions,
and jurisdiction of her Majesty's supreme courts in
India. If not openly avowed, the manifest object of
those invasions has been the weakening and degrada-
tion of these safeguards of British liberty in the
East—ay, and in a great measure of native liberty
too—with a view to their ultimate subversion, and
the legal profession at home should have made it,
their special business to put the drag on the wheel
of the Company's coach—both for their own sake
and that of the composite India public. They have
a deep class interest in the maintenance of the high
tribunals in question, and of the profitable sphere of
action which they open to the English bar—
on interest which grows stronger as buoinees of the
higher and more lucrative order diminishes at home;
and it is their bounden duty to watch over the admi-
nistration of justice and the making of laws, in every
quarter of the Queen's dominions. Somehow or
another, however, this duty has never yet been per-
formed, and the consequences of its omission are
what we see them. Encouraged by long impunity,
the Calcutta legislators, who began with nibbling like
timid mice at the outskirts of the Royal Courts' dig-
nity and jurisdiction, gradually burrowed as bold as
rats underneath their foundations, and now carry on
a perpetual foray, insatiable as bandicoots, within the
hallowed precincts. Perhaps the strange apathy of
the home profession, while such mischief was
a-doing, arose from their reliance on the watchfulness
and integrity of the legal member of the Supreme
Council to whom they may have trusted to give
tongue on the approach of real danger, but if so they
leant upon a shadow and have had a fall accordingly
for it so happens that the said member has generally
forgotten his antecedents when he entered the
Council Chamber, and been foremost in leading the
attack on the supreme courts, and the laws which
they administer. If a legal Mark Antony were to
hold up the grievously-damaged Charters of the
Judicatories out here, he might well say—
See what a rent the envious Caeca made I
when he spoke of the handiwork of our barrister law-
makers in succession. Right thankful are we to per-
ceive, however, that one high member of the bar of
England seems at last awaking to the necessity of
showing the Calcutta Council that they must not
expect to pursue their way always uninterrupted.
Sir Fitzroy Kelly has put this notice on the records
of the House of Commons :—Bill to repeal so much
of an Act of the Legislative Council of India (No.
28 of 1848) as takes away the jurisdiction of courts
of law or equity over the administration and dis-
tribution of the estate of the late Nuwab of Surat,
and to enable her Majesty's Supreme Court of
Bombay to hold jurisdiction of the same."
It may be that the above is only a solitary case of
interference, arising out of the peculiar circum-
stances of the Surat affair in question, agitation
about which was set on foot in England, but we
esteem it hopeful nevertheless. It will give rise to
a discussion concerning the lopping of the jurisdic-
tion of the Queen's Bombay Court in this instance,
and we trust that this discussion ins; be incidentally

1113

widened by legal and other friends of India, so as to
embrace the general subject ; which it very well may
be made to do, without unparliamentary wandering
from the point. We can hardly suppose that the
lawyers in either liouse will miss the offered oppor-
tunity of expressing an opinion as to the freedom
with which the knife and shears have been used by
the Council, although too lazy heretofore (or too
indifferent) to make one for themselves. At all
events a move will be made iu the right direction,
and it is likely to suggest other movements from
which good will flow. The sight of his mouse on
the floor of Parliament may rouse up the dosing
legal cats, sharpen their appetites, and set teem to
keeping a sharp watch on the Legislative Council's
mouse holes. It will be no mean thing if we gain
even so much.

A " NIGHTINUALIC FUND" is to be inaugurated at a
public meeting to be held at Willis's Booms on
Thursday next, when the Duke of Cambridge will
take the chair. Of the value of Miss Nightingale's
services to the sufferers of our brave army at a most
trying time, there can be no dispute. The very
heroism and romantic character of her mission
raised at one time some fears for its success. But
her prudence was as conspicuous as her charity.
She was not only a "ministering angel" by tho
suffering soldier's bedside, but she restrained the
indiscreet zeal which would have made the office of
the nurse subsidiary to the teaching of peculiar reli-
gious doctrines. As the Fund is to be for the pur-
purpose of manifesting " national admiration and
respect" to Miss Nightingale, and at the same time
of " greatly enlarging her sphere of usefulness on
her return to England," we suppose that it will be
directed to some purely philanthropic purpose, and
thus have the double effect of honouring Miss
Nightingale and of relieving in some way the sum
of human misery and distress. Certainly no inure
grateful tribute could be rendered to her than the
touuding of an institution, having for its express
object the extension of those charitable labours to
which with unparalleled fortitude and constancy she
has devoted herself. We hope that the meeting on
Thursday may be of a character to show the high
sense which the country entertains of her mission
and virtues.

THE EMPEROR ALEXANDER, it is related by
correspondent from Odessa, iu reply to a Russian
merchant of that city observing to his Majesty that
the restoration of an honourable peace—but only an
honourable " peace—was all that was desired to
complete the prosperity of the city, isaid—" NVlio is
there that does not desire such peace? I more than
any one else."
THE BARON DE BUDBERO AND PRINCE GORT-
SCHAKOFF, Russian Ministers at Berlin and Vienna,
are on the eve of departure for St. Petersburg. The
Minion of Russian diplomatists expected to occur at
Warsaw, it is supposed will be held at SL Peters-
burg.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ENOLLND AND THE
UNITED STATES, according to the Patrie, though not
definitively arranged, is in a way of settlement,
through the efforts of the American Ambassador
in Loudon.
THE IMPERIAL GUARD of France are ordered to
rendezvous at some distance from Paris, in order to
enter the capital together on December 2nd, the
anniversary of the coup &kat. Their return will 14
celebrated with much pomp, and banquets it is said
will be given in the Patois de l'lndustrie to each of
the regiments in succession.
`THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT iS said to be negotiat-
ing, in common with the Austrian, for joint repre-
sentations to other Governments in reference to poli-
tical refugees.
THE SWEDISH GOVERNMENT has contracted a loan
for three quarters of a million sterling with the house
of Heine of Berlin.
JOSEPH WAGNER, who was convicted in the United
States of enlisting men for the British Foreign
Legion, has been sentenced to two years imprison
went, and a fine of 100 dots.
A CONVENTION has been concluded between France
and Austria for reciprocally delivering up criminals
This is the first arrangement of the kind ever con.
eluded between the two countries.
A NEW REFORM ASSOCIATION is projected at
Leeds, to obtain :-1, Manhood Suffrage; 2, Vote by
Ballot; 3, Shortening the Duration of Parliament;
4, A More Equitable Adjustment of Representauvee
to Population ; 5, Abolition of the Property Qualifi-
cation for Members of Parliament; 6, Reform in the
Existing Relations of Church and State.
BREAD MEETINGS ON SUNDAY have been held in
various parts of South Staffordshire to petition the
Queen to issue an order prohibiting the exportation
of grain, and to estaulish public granaries, and check
undue speculation in corn. At a meeting at Kidder-
minster it was stated that arrangements were being
made to have a torchlight meeting.

IN

1114

THE WAR.

The tremendous explosion of the French artillery
park at Inkermann, and the destruction in the Sea
of Azoff by that active officer Captain Osborne of an
enormous mass of grain and forage of this year's
harvest, carefully stacked in what was thought a safe
part of the coast, and ready for the supply of the
Russian armies in the Crimea anti the Caucasus,
compriee the two chief events in the war news of the
week. The army is still road-making and hutting,
the weather mild and healthy, but drunkenness in
the English camp was on the increase, and the
example was rapidly infecting the French army.
The appointment of Sir William Codrington to the
command-in-chief, though not officially known, was
rumoured in the camp and regarded favorably.
By a late despatch from General Vivian, via Con-
stantinople and Trieste, it will be seen that the
Russians were concentrating their forces in the
8 outhern half of the Crimea.
OFFICIAL DESPATCHES.
Lord Panmure on Monday received the following
telegraphic despatch from General Sir W. Codring-
ton, dated Nov. 16:—
A very heavy explosion of a store of powder at the
French siege-train tooic place about three p.m. yesterday ;
it communicated fire to our siege-train close to it, where
there was no powder, but some naval hie shells, most of
which were removed; but the loss of life and damage
done is considerable. The great explosion threw shell
over the camp of our siege-train, and the huts of the first
brigade were entirely damaged, but not by fire. All
officers and men were on the spot at once, and worked
with good will and energy, and I saw all safe when I
quitted at seven p.m. Killed, Deputy-Assistant-Commis-
sary Yellon, RA., and twenty-one non-commissioned
officers and men wounded—Lieutenant Dawson, R.A., lost
his leg below his knee ; Lieutenant Robert, dangerously in
the arm; Lieutenant Eccles and Assistant-Surgeon
Reade, second Battalion Rifle Brigade, slightly : 110
brigade commissioned officers and men, of whom 47
slightly; missing, 4 rank and file.
A telegraphic despatch, dated the 18th of Novem-
ber, from Sir E. Lyons, was received also on
Monday by the Secretary of the Admiralty :
Varna, 7.15 p.m.
Captain Sherrard Osborne reports that on the sth and
Bth inst. a flotilla under his orders in the Sea of Azoff de-
stroyed enormous quantities of grain and forage of this
year's harvest, which was compactly stacked in six tiers,
extending two miles along the coast, near Gheiskliman,
ready to be conveyed partly to the Crimean army after the
formation of the ice in the Gulf of Azoff, and partly to the
army of the Caucasus, and which the enemy thought se-
cure from any naval attack.
By the skilfulness of the arrangements, and the manner
in which they were executed by Captain Osborne, in which
he was ably seconded by Commander John J. Kennedy.
the enterprise was effected in the most brilliant wanner by
landing on three points, under cover of the gun-boats of
the allies, in the face of not less than 4,000 cavalry and in-
fantry.
Our loss amounted to only six wounded.
Marshal Pelissier's telegraphic report, dated Nov.
16th, 6 p.m., of the explosion of the French maga-
zines appeared in the Moniteur of Monday :
Our park of artillery (called Park of the Mill) near
Inkermann was partly destroyed yesterday at four o'clock
in the afternoon by the explosion of three magazines, con-
taining altogether 30,000 kilogrammes of powder, 600,000
cartridges, 300 charged shells, and other projectiles.
The ignited materials, hurled to a distance, caused a
violent conflagration in the English park next to ours,
and there also partial explosions took place.
At six o'clock the English and French workmen were
masters of the fire.
Our loss consists of thirty killed, including two
officers, and some 100 wounded, among whom are ten
officers.
However sad such an event is, we must still congratu-
late ourselves that the consequences have not been more
serious and disastrous.
lam not able to state the losses of our allies. I believe
they are about the same as our own.
As nearly always happens in similar cases, it is difficult
to ascertain the cause of the first explosion.
This is certainly a very lamentable accident; but our
stores are so considerable that the resources of the army
are not in the slightest degree affected by it.
A telegraphic despatch from Constantinople, via
Trieste, Nov. 20th, states that General Vivian, at
Kertch, was closely pressed by the Russians under
General Wrangel, and had applied to bead-quarters
for cavalry reinforcements.
A despatch was received at the Admiralty on
Tuesday from Sir E. Lyons, inclosing the reports
of Captain Sherard Osborne, H.M.S. Vesuvius, dated
25th October, and Lieutenants Commerell and Day,
commanding N.M. gun-boats Weser and Recruit,
dated 12th and 15th October. These several reports
contained an official account of the late active
operations undertaken by the squadron in the Sea of
Azoff, on the north coast of that sea from Arabat to