The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-22 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY,

so that, unless OMER PACTIA or his supplies start soon, it is not impos-
sible that while every Turk in Constantinople is enjoying the fall of
Sebastopol, that of Kars and Erzerown may follow soon after.

The worst sort of Job's comforters aro those who, when we are
suffering under the " ills that flesh is heir to," endeavour to reconcile
us to the infliction by reminding us how much worse off other people
are than ourselves. Let matters be ever so bad with you, they are
sure to be worse wth somebody else. According to this philosophy,
the best salve for your suffering is the greater calamity of some ono
else. Nothing is so consolatory in the world as to reflect on the
amount of wretchedness in it. A martyr to a racking toothache ought
to feel perfectly happy if told of the existence of toothache and
gout both. On this text, our gay Premier has expatiated with
great effect in his Melbourne address. " We," said he, " have the
" satiefaction of knowing that whatever are our own losses and
" privations, they are surpassed by those of the enemy." This amiable
source of satisfaction must rank in Christian ethics with his
Lordship's notable discovery that we are all born free from original
sin. A battle-field, by this account, must be a pleasant sight, if for
one of our own dead we can count two of the enemy; there should be
no music to our ears like the shrieks of a suffering foe, and no balm
to dry the widow's tears like a faithful report of the bereavement in
the land of our adversary. We can imagine that such sentiments
might, a century ago, have been received with great applause among
the most savage tribes of North American Indians, but we do not
think them consonant to the nature of our people, nor very fit for
expression by the First Minister of our Queen.

The despatches from India received this week confirm the pre-
vious accounts of the insurrection of the Santhals, and of the depreda-
tions and atrocities they have committed. It is impossible to doubt
that gross ill-treatment or misgovernment must have been the sole
cause for such an outbreak among so harmless a race as the Santhals
have hitherto proved themselves. The unfortunate misguided men
will suffer a terrible retribution for the cruelties they appear to have
practised ; men, women, and children have been killed by them,
whole villages burnt, factories plundered and destroyed, and the
country ravaged in every direction. Their numbers are said to amount
to at least 30,000, in moveable columns of from five or six hundred to one
thousand men each. The Government appears to have acted with
prompt decision. About 6,000 troops; have been hurried away from
Calcutta, Dinapore, and contingent stations, and several severe en-
counters have already occurred between the troops and the rebels.
There appears to be no probability of the insurrection being speedily
put down, as it is anticipated that the Santhals will retire to their
native hills and forests, into which we cannot pursue during the
approaching rainy season, and watch their opportunities for a rush
upon a village or district, as circumstances favour them.

We hear that Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH'S late job has been the
cause of a little Ministerial fracas. Our possessions of Malta and
Gibraltar having, from their military position. been placed under the
administration of the War Department, Lord PANMURE, naturally
desirous of promoting some Scotch relative, claimed the patronage
already appropriated by Sir WILLIAM. Sir WILLIAM, on the other hand,
asserting his rights to the civil jurisdiction of Malta, determined to
stick by his protigie, and an appeal was made to the Premier, as mutual
bottle holder and umpire. The right of appointment being decided in
favour of the latter, Lord PALMERSTON inquired the antecedents of the
fortunate recipient of Sir Witt.tAm's favours. On receiving the infor-
mation, the Premier demurred and expressed his disapproval. The
Cornishman however has held out, and we believe has carried the
day against all his opponents in the Ministry. The whole circum-
stances connected with this transaction are so discreditable, that we
much doubt whether the country will countenance such shameless
practices.

This is the age of testimonials. Within the last few weeks wo
have had a Raglan testimonial and a Roebuck testimonial, and
now we are to have a Napier testimonial. The army and the law,
it seems, are not to be permitted to enjoy all the profits of popu-
larity ; the navy claims a share, represented in the person of Sir
CHARLES NAPIER. How the Gallant Admiral will receive this proposition
we do not know. A meeting has been held at Portsmouth, resolutions
passed, and money subscribed. For an officer of high rank to quarrel
with the administrative authorities upon questions of service, and to
make that quarrel public by publishing the private letters and
despatches of the head of that Board, which he, as commander of a
fleet, was in duty bound to respect, is not offering a good example to
the junior officers of the navy. Appealing to the people is not conso-
nant with the feelings of the service, or with the articles of war ; and
for Sir CHARLES NAPIER to accept a sum of money subscribed by the
public, would seem too much like receiving payment for the publica-
tion of private letters to be altogether satisfactory, we should think,
to his feelings as a naval commander.

The dismissal of MAzzA, the Director of the Neapolitan Police,
whose insolence has been so nearly the cause of a rupture between
this country and the Kingdom of the Sicilies, has removed one serious
embarrassment from the overcharged consideration of our Ministry.
We, of course, are pleased with this event. Experience has shown us
how readily Whigs will seize any opportunity of displaying their
prowess against a weak State ; awl we cannot but feel rejoiced that
the squabble has been settled without any of that exhibition of bully
and swagger adopted by Whigs against any impotence more flagrant
than their own.