The Press.
London, England, 1857-09-05 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

The third statistical international congress was
opened at Vienna on the 31st of August. The Che-
valier von Toggenburg, the Minister of Trade, opened
the congress with an address, in which he bade the
members welcome in the name of the Imperial
Government, and expressed his satisfaction that the
first meeting of the congress on German territory
was held in Austria.

REDUCTION OF THE INFANTRY STANDARD,
The following Circular Memorandum to the Re-
cruiting Department has been issued:—
Horse Guards, Sept. 1, 1857.
. . .
•

. . .
The standard of recruits ( men and lads) for all regiments
of infantry is reduced to 5 feet 5 inches, the age remaining
as notified in the last schedule.—By command of his Royal
Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief,
G. A. WETuznALL, A.G.

TAVISTOCK ELECTION.
CLOSE OF THE POLL.

Russell
Miall
Majority for Russell —44

REPRESENTATION OF 0 I.DHAM.—On Wednesday
last a meeting of the Liberal party was held at the
King's Arms Inn, for tho purpose of selecting a
candidate for the representation of the borough,
rendered vacant by the recent death of Mr. James
Platt. Mr. W. J. Fox, who was thrown out at the last
election, was unanimously nominated, and it is be-
lieved that his success on this occasion is almost
certain.

CITY, Eleven. o'clock.
Consols fur Accouut

868

THE WEEK.

Jr is " quite possible," we are told, that the next Indian mail may
bring us " gloomier news." How tho Government journals
reconcile this anticipation with their constant statements for
the last week that "the worst had passed," and that the hour of " ven-
geance " had arrived, we leave them to explain. We believe it is
possible, nay, more, that it is certain, this terrible rebellion has not yet
arrived at its climax. We have to thank the apathy and inaction of the
Government three months since for whatever misfortunes happen
now, as we have to thank them, in the first instance, for
sowing those seeds of rebellion which, ripened by the blood
of our countrymen, have arrived at so terrible a maturity.
We dare not hope that the massacre of Cawnpore will be followed by
the relief of Lucknow. General HAVELOCK, with a handful of men,
and without a siege-train, can scarcely with any hope of success
attack NANA SAHIB in his fortress at Blutoor. If he advance towards
Lucknow, he enters a district swarming with rebels and robbers. Ho
has not sufficient force to maintain his communications; he has no
carriage, and the country is a swamp. If he force his way in the face of
these obstacles, Cawnpore will be re-occupied by the rebels; if he
hesitate, Lucknow is lost; if he attack NANA SAHIB, his reduction is
uncertain, while the fate of Lucknow will be sealed. Goo help those
poor fugitives ! Straitened for provisions, failing in ammunition, and
surrounded by thousands of bloodthirsty fanatics, their fate
is terrible to contemplate. Still there is hope. Daring
and genius overcome incredible obstacles ; fortitude and
courage bear incredible hardships, and the very intelligence
that relief is at hand will support both bands of heroes under
every privation and difficulty. But what a condition are we in! Our
scattered troops shut up here and there in a few fortified posts, a
handful of brave men to thousands of armed rebels sweeping the
country, a Sebastopol before us at Delhi, treachery and cholera in the
camp, and the army of relief yet at sea! The only consolation we have
is in the heroic courage our countrymen and women everywhere
exhibit. Their heroism is worthy of their race. But skill and courage,
fortitude and daring, have their limits. They cannot for ever compen-
sate for inequality of force. We have had one massacre at Cawnpore ;
we may have others, which Providence avert, at Lucknow and Agra.
Our sole hope at this moment rests in the incapacity of the rebels.
Were their chiefs as skilful as their numbers appear inexhaustible,
the soil of India would have ere this been soddened with the blood of
every Englishman in Hindostan. It is frightful to contemplate our
►osition. And to whom and what do we owe it ? To that unscrupu-
lous aggression which perpetrated an act precipitating us
into this gulf of misery, which was met by weak hesitation
and wavering incapacity. The Ministers who countenanced the
annexation of Oude, who gave to that measure their " unhesitating
support," and then, when the crisis arrived that their flagitious act
had aroused, supinely left our unhappy countrymen and wo-
men to an appalling fate, incur a tremendous responsibility.
It is useless to attempt to screen them by arguing that they are at
length aroused to the perils around us, and to say that " the hour of
" surprise has drawn to an end." It is time that it should. The hour
of retribution has yet to arrive.

We have great pleasure in hearing that the Marquis of DALHOUSIE
has placed the whole of his pension of 5,0001. per annum, and which
was conferred on him by the East India Company without the inter-
vention of Parliament, at the disposition of the London committee
for the aid of the sufferers from the Indian rebellion. This is as it
should be.

Tho election for Middlesex has passed off with the smoothness of
a Whig family compact. One scat is left open to the commercial
classes, and the other is reserved for the scion of one of the houses in
the old clique. Mr. BYNG is, we suspect, a weak young man of good
abilities, but without strong impulses. He wishes to take his own
views, if people would allow him to do so, and he pleads hard for the
right of free will. The fact that he is spoken of by the Whigs as
their most rising man, and that he has committed himself to the
" Ballot," shows the amount of ultraism which the aristocratic Whigs
are ready to absorb. We admit that there is a tone of candour in
this young politician's addresses, and we should expect truth and
sincerity from one of his name. " This, however, I will and
"must say," said the Honourable Gentleman, "that England
" was forewarned of the dangers she had to expect in
" India, and that England was not) forearmed to meet them ;'
and ho enforced the truth that we had been repeatedly told
we had not sufficient forces in India. We like this frank and manly
admission from a Ministerialist. It is most important that a gentleman
of Mr. BYNG's convictions should also have avowed an opinion in
favour of transferring the government of India from the Company to
the Crown. From the general tone of Mr. BYNO'S remarks we surmise
that though the Hon. Gentleman is thoroughly " Liberal," yet his
mind is not made up on the question which divides Whig circles, as to
whether Lord PALMERSTON or Lord JOHN RUSSELL ought to have the
leadership of the Liberals.

A story is now current in the clubs bearing upon an
incident in the Crimean war, and which, originally produced in
the work of the " Staff Officer," was the cause of some excite•