The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-16 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

force, and the services of the men who remained at home would be
lost. In this measure there is exactly the same want of foresight and
preparation which has characterised every act of the Administration.
Present necessities are alone cared for. The militia regiments are
wanted—they are hurried away, and all the future advantages which
would result from these regiments remaining at home to rouse,
embody, organise, and discipline the military spirit of the country
will be entirely lost. " The goose," said Lord DERBY, " will be killed
" for her golden egg." On the other hand, all who wished to volunteer
into the line would be encouraged to do so, the head-quarters would
remain at home, enlistment would go merrily on, the regiments would
be kept up to their proper strength, and a continued stream of effective
men would be poured into the ranks of the regular army. This was
the old system. Why is it to be altered now? Can Parliament con-
sent to its being altered without seriously endangering the public in.
terests. The militia is the creation of the party now in Opposition.
Is it not right that they should have some voice in its disnosition ?
Does not common sense suggest that the militia regiments should be
kept at home, however often thinned in numbers from volunteers
joining the line, and not that they should be sent altogether out of
the country, and their services both as a nursery for soldiers, and for
home service, should the occasion arise, be entirely lost. The pro-
posal is plainly so exceedingly impolitic and improvident in every
respect, that it appears unlikely the Legislature will ever be brought
to sanction it.

Never within our recollection has political excitement so gathered
and spread and deepened in a single day, as on yesterday, when the
proposal of the Government became known for raising a legion of
16,000 Swiss and German mercenb.ries. As this subject is fully
noticed in our other columns, we only allude here to the effect it has
produced. It was the one sole topic of conversation yesterday, and
mingled with the surprise and indignation universally expressed at
the proposal was a feeling of shame and sorrow at the humiliation
which the very idea that we need this aid has inflicted on the country.
The Bill was debated last night in the Lords, and called forth a most
eloquent and powerful address from Lord ELLENBOROUGH, and a
speech not less effective from Lord DERBY. The Bill was carried
by a narrow majority of 12. But this, considering the natural wish of
the House of Peers to avoid anything like unnecessary opposition
to the Government at a time like the present, can hardly be other-
wise viewed than as a defeat.

We confidently claim the thanks of our readers for presenting to
them this day as perfect a report of Lord DERBY'S speech on Tuesday
as we have been abl to procure. Never were the splendid oratorical
powers of the Noble Earl more conspicuous than during this week.
The whole town is unanimous in admiration of his beautifully-
expressed tribute to our military champions. His description of the
exploits at Alma, Balaklava, and Inkermann, was graphic and
thrilling, and will be read with ardent gratification by our troops in
the Crimea. It is a difficult thing to " speak up "to the level of such
sublime themes, and to none but first class orators is the faculty as-
signed. Hitherto, Mr. WINDHAM'S speech, in moving the thanks of the
House of Commons to the army that won the battle of Vittoria, has
been looked upon as the chief masterpiece in eloquent gratulation on
military triumphs, but that fine oration has now found a rival in the
noble style in which Lord DERBY celebrated the exploits of our coun-
trymen in the Crimea. It was heard with breathless admiration, save
when at the close of the flowing sentences bursts of applause for the
orator, and for the deeds extolled by him, broke spontaneously from
the great body of the House of Peers.

The last intelligence from Balaklava is gloomy. General
CANROBERT'S description of the falling torrents of rain—of the trenches
filled with water—of the works entirely suspended—excite the most
anxious apprehensions for the health of our troops exposod to
weather of such unusual severity. All this time the wooden houses,
which should long since have been erected for their shelter, are only
preparing in England, or tardily leaving our shores. It is vain to
disguise the truth ;we speak it in mercy to our heroic defenders. The
sufferings to which they are exposed, as we hear from a hundred
sources, are positively appalling. Our troops are so wasted by disease,
that we are assured by letters to the end of November that the total
number of effective bayonets, including all reinforcements to that
date, did not exceed 10,000. Yet we are told by the Government,
54,000 men have been sent out. It is right that details should be
made known, that public opinion may be brought to act on the Govern-
ment, and compel them to expedite the despatch of necessities.
Shelter, and firing, and clothing are now required more than men, and
every hour lost in sending out these essential necessaries entails a loss
of life not to be contemplated without a shudder. But it is most
gratifying to learn that the spirit of our fine fellows is not broken, and
that they are still full of confidence in the ultimate triumph of our
arms. One of our private letters says, that a Polish major who had
escaped from the Russian camp, affirms that:—" To a certainty the
" killed, wounded, and missing of the Russians are estimated by them
" at a much higher rate than that of Lord RAGLAN—over 20,000."—He
says also, " that our licking them so magnificently has staggered the
" whole lot. They had made up their minds to drive us right into the
" sea in the end, and the consternation and fury of the Grand Dukes
" were extreme. High words passed between them and the generals,
" even to MENSCHIKOFF. The major declares it is not true that they
" were in personal danger at any time of the day, for the generals
" themselves would not have taken the responsibility."

We are distressed to receive further accounts of the exasperation of
our men at the slaughter of their wounded, by not only the privates in
the Russian force, but by the officers. We hope the reports which
reach us of this cruel barbarism are exaggerated ; but many officers
say that it will be impossible to keep our men within bounds when
they next meet the enemy. "No quarter" is often heard muttered in
the ranks, with terrible significance of tone. New anecdotes of Inker-
mann pour in upon us. At one part of the day, a lot of Etonians, all
of the same time under HAWTREY, met together, and with a shout of
" Floreat Etona" they charged, says one of our correspondents, " like
"a ' rouge' under the old wall—Oppidans against Collegers. Bless
" the dear old school—never was and never will be such another. We
" carry that high even in the midst of the enemy. We gave HAWTREY
" a cheer when an old fellow, lower down holloed out, Here goes for
" " 0 rare Ben Drury," ' we dou't forget school-days even amidst the roar
" of cannon."
Generous England, will you sacrifice these men—the dearest and
best of your flesh and blood—to the economical theories of a crotchetty
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, or the petulant ambition of an incom-
petent War Minister ?

The wholesome dread of the Opposition seems likely once again
to spoil a pretty Ministerial job. When Sir J. TROLLOPE asked on
Wednesday whether Mr. ABRAHAM HAYWARD had been appointed Se-
cretary to the Poor-Law Board, Mr. BAINES replied that Lord COUR-
TENAY had not resigned the office, and, therefore, that "no complete
" appointment" had yet been made. Yet it is known that Lord
COURTENAY, for some days past, has been busied in the Woods and
Forests, and that Mr. ABRAHAM HAYWARD has been equally busied at
the Poor-Law Board. The appointment of the latter• gentleman has
been considered certain, though, perhaps, like poor Mr. STONOR, he
may be sacrificed to the necessities of his patrons. The appoint-
ment—after the introduction of the Ministerial civil service scheme—
to secure a purer and better distribution of patronage, would seem
too rank for toleration. Mr. H*TWARD is that anomalous creature a
Q.C. who never held a brief. Though unlucky in his profession, and
rejected by the Temple benchers, he has yet found his fit profession.
Lord CHESTERFtELD—the celebrated Lord v:e mean of course—said
that every man was fit for something, and that he would be sure to
succeed if he once found his proper vocation. Mr HAYWARD is a suc-
cessful writer of libels. He nibbles the top of his pen—well charged
with venom—in the pauses of his invention. To place such a man,
totally inexperienced in the public service, in so important a post,
might call forth the censure of the House of Commons, and hence we
suppose the reason why no complete appointment" has been
made.