The Press.
London, England, 1855-07-28 00:00:00

,

No. 117.—VoL.

ojt Vrtss.

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 28, 1855.

"PRESS" OFFICE,

Friday Evening, July
A DIPLOMATIC paper has been confiden.
circulated at Vienna, which throws a strati)
and new light on recent negotiations.
stated that a treaty, offensive and defer
with the Western Powers, was proposed
Austria on conditions, which, tho►
rejected by France and England,
declined solely on grounds relating to
particular circumstances of each col
It is said that the details, when known,
not prove flattering to the self-estimate
the resources of England and France.

We have reason to believe that the rum
which have been current during the
week of General SaCpsox's resignation
the command of the British forces in
East are premature, althOugh not wi,
some foundation. Our advices from
seat of war lead' us to fear that
health of the gallant General is giving
wider the arduous duties imposed
him. A consciousness of failing stren,_
has prompted General SIMPsoN to express
desire to be relieved of his command ; .
therefore, although he has been forniall'
confirmed in the appointment, it is -
bable that he may shortly return home.
The accounts of the progress of

siege are not satisfactory. The Russian
have within the last few days consider
strengthened their works of defence, wl
we are assured' on high military audit
are extremely: formidable, in spite of
terrific bombardment.

Mr. ROBERT LOWE has been offered
accepted, the office. of President of the
of Works.

THERE is at the present time an apparent
deadness to political events on the part
country for which it is not easy to accol
During the last two years we have pl,
into a tremendous Arm., and have experik
several Ministerial crises without eliciting .
the people themselves any decided express
of their opinion. Public men have ri•
the tricks of harlequinade in the rapidit
which they have changed their places .
characters, and there has been but a women,

public money

army under

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LONDON, SATURDAY JULY `)9, 1855.
. A*/ 1. STAMPED
UN ... SIXPENCE.
STA?dPED.. .FLVEPENCE. a • 1
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taffy demonstration of wonder or disgust. The far short of the Ambers estimated, our ex-
Government has at different times acted on penses, one would think, should be leisened II
the most opposite lines of policy, yet has in no in equal proportion. But while we hear of
case been met with any active out-of-doors nothing but deficiency on the one hand, we
opposition. Distrust of the treacherous policy are told of nothing but excess on the other.
955. of Austria is one of the strongest of the So many thousand soldiers short of' the com-
popular sentiments, but scarcely a voice was ple'nent voted, and so many millions of money
raised against permitting her forces, at a most increase on the estimates. A maximum of
critical period, to occupy the Principalities, or expenditure and a minimum of result is the
against allowing her to inaugurate and preside only principle to be discovered in the present
sf 27. over those fruitless Conferences which have administration of the public service.
ntiall been held at Vienna. It was after the dins- To the loan of sixteen millions contractelin
y
NI
ters of last autumn, and while Lord ABERDEEN the spring is now to be added the Turkish
.trange was yet at the head of the Administration, loan of five millions, with interest, guaranteed • :
It is that Lord EBRINOTON, notoriously a supporter to be paid under all circumstances at the Bank
of the Government, was returned for Mary- of England. Whatever view may be taken of
3nsive, lebone. In all the elections rendered neces- this loan, it cannot be disputed that it is a a
sed by sary by Ministerial changes there has not certain addition to our liabilities. And if,
hough been a single contest. under the plea of a convention previously •
We must accept this apparent indifference agreed to, such loans or subsidies are to pass •
were of the people to passing events as a fact, unquestioned by the House of Commons, the
to the whatever explanation may be given of it. It office of that Assembly as guardian of the
ountry. cannot proceed from contentment, for never public Durso is at an end, and the increase to
were two years so full of Ministerial mis- our burdens will be limited only by the neces-
n, will management and, in spite of our glorious sity of the States with which we may be in
ate of military achievements, of national disaster. alliance, and the opinion which the Ministry
It may be said to result from a conviction for the time being may hold on the expediency
entertained by the people that their sentiments of yielding to their demands.
i
are represented with sufficient energy by the Were there any rational prospect of the • 0
niours Legislature and the Press ; but England has termination of the warwithin a limited period,
not usually been content with the expression we might affOrd to dipregard financial consi-
e past of
mere delegated opinion. A direct., open, derations. But the }tration and extent of
ion of manly assertion of political sentiment in local the struggle are at present equally uncertain.
.n the assemblies, where the voice of every man may We know only that ottir expenditure is rapidly
count for what it is worth, is natural to the and alarmingly increasing, that our armaments
ithout genius of our country and Constitution ; and are far below the requirements of the war,
ii the that there has been no such gatherings of any and that the contest must, from the expe-
-1 the account since the quarrel between Russia and rieuce we have yet had of it, be necessarily
the Porte first grew serious, and Lord JOHN a lengthened one. Whatever additions are
way RUSSELL acknowledged the right of the Czar now made to our debt, will be permanent:
upon to interfere in the internal affairs of Turkey, There is no instance of a country being
ength suggests a strange decay of our old public able to clear off the burdens it has
.
spirit. It is natural that the people should be once contracted. Mr. COBDEN estimates that
Tess a silent when the Government is honest and ths overthrow of Lord Duna's Government
and, able, and discontented when it is neither one has already cost the country a hundred
rurally
nor the other. But it is the conjunction, as millions. How much more it will cost, is
we have before had occasion to remark, of an beyond estimate, but every new loan forced on
is pro- apathetic public and an incapable Ministry us will continue to press on the industry, and
e. which is ominous to the safety of free States. lessen the enjoyments of the people, as long I
In the present position of affairs there is as England retains her honour and her name.
d the scarcely one encouraging circumstance. The Lord PALMERSTON boaats that he has now
ssialls fatal faults of last year are being repeated got the vessel of the State into good working
erably with routine regularity. The enemy is always order. It has only to sail before the wind.
in advance of us. The measures of the Go- Loans must be raised, and subsidies granted,
i
which vernment are returned on their hands with and taxes imposed, in the good old-fashioned
thority " too late" inscribed upon them. While we way. We are to make war as we did half a
)f our
are building gun-boats, the Baltic fortresses century ago, but at a more extravagant rate, • •
are made absolutely impregnable; and while and with inferior efficiency. Like most
we send reinforcements by hundreds to Sebes- copyists, it is easier for him to imitate the
topol, the Russians advance whole armies to faults than the merits of his original. We .
its defence, and raise up mountainous forti- are to have all the measures of the last war
d, and fications before the eyes of our astonished reproduced, minus our forces and our suc-
Board commanders. Whose fault is it that our army eesses.
..1
is now 30,000 men short of the number voted by The Parliamentary recess is at hand. If
Parliament four months ago, and that with all the country is so satisfied with Lord PAL..
t
the experience of last year, our Baltic fleet still MERSTON'S Government as to view with serenity
(parent remains inactive throughthe same deficiencies the near approach of that period when the .1
of the it then experienced? Could not we in all our Executive is freed from all control, it will be
dockyards, and with all our immense naval re- childishness to complain of the c• -.. ,z•th,es
ccount.
sources, accomplish at least as much as Russia which may ensue. The Comet - , • --'rc,lt) ~.._,
lunged
has been able to effect in St. Petersburg alone? has established one imported' ;ft': ~,,,' ,A ". At,t:
rienced It would seem not, as a whole fleet of gun- disasters of the Sebastopotax
i,_,, •
ig from boats have been prepared behind the guns of manly chargeable on the, . 1
ression Cronstadt, while we have been talking and Still less than ever will therP_b
~
walled experimentalising. shifting to subordinate 611 S No., . ...
.--.•
• •
In one important particular the Govern- " system," that responsibili. it
. kt
ty with ment seems to be sufficiently active. It finds to the Government. Shoul, • • 11 .i..
... tsi
es and no difficulty in dispensing with most lavish now, it will be real national Fat ime: , . _
iomen. hand the public money. As our forces fall so of an army under a chief of its o 'll !- if