The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-02 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

I.I.)

THE WEEK.

PARLIAMENT is summoned to meet on the 12th inst., next Tuesday
week, and thus an involuntary and reluctant acknowledgment is made
of the foresight which, ere the prorogation, counselled an autumn
session. The sitting must be important. For the first time in our
political history we shall be carrying on a war with a party of econo-
mists in office. Not only the theories of several leaders of the self-
styled " Liberal" party, but the actual personnel of a large portion of
the parliamentary supporters of Ministers, are decidedly repugnant to
the vigorous and effective prosecution of the war, and to its adminis-
trative consequences. There has not yet been any opportunity of testing
the working of a reformed House of Commons; and how far the largo
commercial party now in Parliament will be prepared to bear con-
tinuous taxation, and to increase the national burdens to the extent
required, is a subject admitting of much speculation. The difference
between the political map of England in the days of Mr. Pm, and
that now existing, is evident at a glance. Our modern parliamentary
commercial party, with its free-trade, cheap-loaf, and unrestricted-
intercourse dogmas, has not yet been tested under exigencies such as
now exist. The present representatives of manufacturing England—
the Cobdens, Brights, Wilsons, and Williamses—bear no resemblance
Either to the Tory commercialists, or the political Radicals of former
times. They may have no power to check the full tide of public sen-
timent, but they may exert all their influence in favour of half-mea-
sures, inefficient armaments, and scanty supplies—in short, they
may do their utmost to starve the war—a policy the most pernicious
that can be devised to the real interests of the country, and most
adverse to the speedy restoration of peace, but a policy which hitherto
the Government has shown its determination to carry out, with what
results the two months experience of the Crimea expedition may best
show.

We are still without authentic advices from the Crimea later than
the 9th ult., a period of three weeks, when simple and inexpensive
arrangements for the transmission of intelligence would have enabled
us to regularly receive reports by telegraph within four days from the
camp at Balaklava. By the despatches from Prince MENSCHIROFF, how-
ever, brought to us via St. Petersburg, it appears that up to the 19th
operations on both sides were nearly suspended. The allies were
employed in fortifying their position, and making preparations for the
winter, while the Russians were perseveringly strengthening their
defences in Sebastopol. The fire on both sides was languid. The
deadly battle of Inkermann had occasioned too much loss on either
side to be readily repaired.
Though defeated with such terrible slaughter,
that the Russians
effected one of their main objects by the struggle of Russ
ins
allies, according to the reports received, meditated an immediate and
general assault on Sebastopol : the combat of the sth has indefinitely
postponed their intention. It is not so much the numerical weaken-
ing of an army from battle which diminishes its capability for active
operations, as it is the partial disorganisation of the force from the
loss ofi
per,
persons entrusted with the performance of special duties and
services, and the necessity that exists for repairing damages, and
getting the wholy army ,ato efficient and working order again.
The activity of the allies must be further retarded by the terrible
disasters which have befallen our ships, and more especially our
transports, in the Black Sea. It was one argument against the expe-
dition being undertaken late in the year that the navigation of the
Euxine during autumn and winter was notoriously most hazardous,
and that there would be great difficulty in maintaining communication
with our troops by sea, and in providing for the safety of our fleets.
The storm which swept the Euxine on the 14th was one of the fiercest
ever known. It is announced that thirty-two English transports were
wrecked on that fearful night, and among them the magnificent
steamer the Prince, for which the Government had recently paid
105,0001. Several of the British ships-of-war were severely damaged,
while, far more shocking to relate, the Henri Quatre, a French line-of-
battle ship, went down in the storm. Tho Turks, more unfortunate
still, have lost several of their men-of-war with all their crews on
board.
Though the allies have received considerable reinforcements, yet
it appears improbable that they will seriously think of attempting to
carry Sebastopol until they are much stronger than at present. The
question then arises whether it will be possible materially to advance
the siege during the winter months. This point is of importance If
the expedition be not intended to act against Sebastopol until
the spring, it will be most inexpedient to crowd the camp at Bala-
klava with reinforcements, as the casualties from illness and the
climate would prove most serious. The dangers of the terrible
Euxine must also be taken into account. If we decide that winter
must suspend the campaign, the question will remain, what should be
done with reference to future contingencies ? With our present
Government, could we expect to collect an army of forty or fifty thou-
sand British troops (in alliance with double that number of French) at
or near Constantinople ? If it were decided to concentrate a force
such as we have suggested, the troops might be kept at Constantinople,
and preserved there in a high state of efficiency by exercise and disci-
pline. An ample body to keep the camp at Balaklava, on the suppo-
sition of suspended hostilities in winter, could, of course, be easily
supplied. But just as an inefficient force was sent out at first, when
every effort should have been made to provide an army of such strength
as to have ensured certain and speedy victory, numbers of troops, it is
probable, will now be crowded within the lines at Balaklava, though
without the possibility of being serviceable for months to corns.

SATURDAY,

The German Courts are again busy with negotiations, and th 3
" four points " have once more risen into importance, from the Em-
peror NICHOLAS having expressed his willingness to treat on them,
while the German States seem disposed to unite in their favour.
There is more prospect of a cordial union between Austria and
Prussia than has previously seemed probable,—as we learn from the
speech of the King of PRUSSIA on opening the Chambers on Thurs-
day. Prussia will defend Austria if that Power is attacked in the
Principalities: which means, in plain terms, that Austria having
gained these provinces has engaged the other States of Germany to
support her in keeping them. In all other respects the alliance will
probably, be as favourable to Russia as against the Western Powers.

Much speculation has been excited by the visit of Lord PALMERS-
TON to Paris. His visit is certainly not one of amusement ;as since
the death of Lord JoCELYN both Lord and Lady PALMERSTON have lived
in as much retirement as is consistent with his Lordship's official
position. We may assume that he has some important business to
discuss with the Emperor NAPOLEON. But of what nature? Can it
be—that the Premier thinks of retirement, and that arrangements are
making for Lord PALMERSTON to succeed him? If such a change be
in contemplation, it will, like other moves of the Coalition, come "too
late." No such shifting of places would now serve to give one hour's
stability to the Government.

If Sir CHARLES NAPIER should be returned for Marylebone (not
that we think even that vestry ridden borough likely to give Sir BEN-
JAMIN HALL quite so remarkable a colleague), his appearance in the
House will be a curious scene. The question who shall bring him up
to the table will be rather a delicate one. At first sight, his godfathers
at the table of the Reform Club seem the right parties. Lord PALMER-
STON would, we have no doubt, just us soon introduce the hero of
Bomarsund as not, and could do it with the free and-easy grace mu-
Early his own. Nobody would laugh at him, unless he desired it.
But would the First Lord of the Admiralty take NAPIER'S other arm ?
We doubt it. Clearly the member who ought to introduce Fighting
Charley is Mr. JOHN BRIGHT. For Sir CHARLES has verified Mr.
BRIGHT'S prognostic—that all that the Ministry would do, would be to
obtain double prices for Russian exports. Evidently Joi.; BRIGHT
must flank Sir CHARLES.

We fear that several of our readers must, like ourselves, have felt
the deepest pain in listening to the private narratives of the wounded
heroes who have been permitted within the last few days to reach the
white chalk cliffs of Albion. Far more torturing is the reflection that
with good management at home there would not be a fifth part of the
sacrifices, the protracted sufferings, and the mutilated persons, on
which so many mourning families in the country have received viva
voce such pathetic revelations. In all that concerns the commissariat
of the army there has been an amount of neglect which, if it were not
well attested, would seem incredible. We have before us a confiden-
tial letter from a surgeon now in the Crimea, dated Bth November.
He writes :—" The omissions in the commissariat and medical depart-
" ment are too bad. Amongst the things most neglected or forgotten
" are candles, of such importance to the medical department. After
" Alma, darkness brought medical men to a stand. One officer, over
" whom much lamentation has been deservedly made, perished of
" cholera in my tent, and but for four inches of candle brought by myself
"he would have died in darkness. After making a representation, the
" regiment received three candles for its medical department." Facts
like these tell their own tale.
In connection with the above, we may notice the reiterated
appeals made to the public for a supply of old rags. Is the Govern-
ment of England really too poor to provide proper dressings for the
wounds of its soldiers? We feel humbled as we think of this evidence
of the shortsighted plans that have marked our preparations for the
campaign. It is announced as a wonderful achievement that two
thousand shirts, two hundred and fifty pairs of sheets, seventy-two
worked jackets, four hundred towels, and twelve hundred pair of
stockings, and other like articles in proportion, have been distributed
amongst our troops by private liberality. Is it fitting that our brave
and suffering t
fellows should be left to the chances of such casual
relief?

AMATEUR ADMINISTRATORS.
THE papers are filled with letters from gobemouches cf all degrees of
fatuity, who recommend infallible nostrums for the destruction of the
Russians, the protection of our troops, the reinforcement of the militia,
and other desirable objects. There is also a shrewder class of cor-
respondents who have convinced themselves that the articles they sell
are exactly the things most required at the present crisis. The good
old fable comes into play once more : the city is besieged, and every
man insists upo its bing defned by his especial handiwork. One
suggests wool, anothere leather,e a d
third is all for woodwork, a fourth for
bricks and mortar :
Then a builder was sure lath and plaster would do ;
Says a surgeon, " Oh, I'll spread the plaster for you ;
lint as for the laths I should question their use :"
" Oh, sir," says the builder, "you talk like a goose."
Luckily, there is no fear of the catastrophe of the fable, and of
the enemy actually rushing in among us, while selfishness is at
loggerheads. But, on the whole, a selection from the " Allow-me to-
suggest " columns of the daily press would not impress an indiffereu!
person with a conviction of the common sense of " Constant Readere.