The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-06 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

what comes of taking things on trust. As for the
naval part of the affair, whatever the rights of the
case, we shall hardly fail at least to save our ships
and our men. We do this just now particularly well,
and no doubt it is to our credit: But the mere talk
through the Bolan and the Khyber
Passes is enoug,..._ one shudder. If there is
to be an expedition at all on
, it must be
from a sense of its importance, and even necessity.
If it be important, it must be followed up, and most
probably will. We may think to do this for the pra-
sent with no other contribution but money and arms,
but large grants of money are quite as likely to pro-
long the war as to close it; and, if the war be pro-
longed, we may soon find it necessary to employ our
own officers and men, and, in fact, to send European
regiments once more through those valleys of death
where the bones of their comrades are still bleaching
in the sun and the snow. The worst event will fol-
low as easily and naturally from the beginning as
that beginning does from the state of affairs only a
few months ago. There is not, there never has
been, any certainty of calculation in the affairs of a
continent not so much inhabited as wandered over
by tribes that exist by war. One common interest
they have, and only one. It is to find some wealthy
power vain and foolish enough to take up their
wratched quarrels, to pour its wealth among them,
to give them the means of paying and multiplying
their followers, and protract a system which peace
threatens to dissolve. As long as they can find such
a power, so rich, so jealous, so precipitate, so blind
to consequences, and so forgetful of warnings, we
have little doubt there will always be some chief
ready enough and strong enough to hold his ground
against us, and to intrigue with any other power of
which we may choose to be jealous, and that there
will always be other tribes equally ready to espouse
our cause, to take our money, and keep up the game
as long as we pay them.

The Daily News of Wednesday remarks on
the secrecy with which theliexpedition has
been prepared :
It has been so undeviatingly the habit of the
Indian Government to issue a full and complete
explanation of the causes and objects of any large
military operations which it undertakes, that we may
fairly anticipate a manifesto from Lord Canning,
detailing the provocations given by the Shah of
I'ersia, when this expedition sails from Bombay ;
and until the appearance of such a document, or of
the papers which Mr. Vernon Smith will no doubt be
prepared to lay before Parliament immediately after
its meeting, it is obvious that the public is not in
possession of that complete information on which
only a deliberate and sound judgment can be formed.
On the other hand, it is to be remarked that the
honour of England, its character in the estimation
of the world, and the loss of large numbers of both
the English and Indian subjects of the Queen, are
at stake by this policy of the Government, while the
country is really in utter ignorance of the circum-
stances which have led to these military operations.
Of the precise nature of the Shah's engagements
with the Indian Government, of the correct cha-
racter of the obligations it has contracted with the
chiefs of Affghanistan, of the negotiations that have
taken place with Persia, and of the details of the
policy pursued, we are absolutely ignorant. The
only glimmering of light we possess comes to us
through the journals of India, necessatily very im-
perfectly acquainted with the circumstances; and
the Government of the Queen is now about to corn -
mence, or has actually commenced, hostilities in the
Persian Gulf without having previously taken the
Queen's subjects into its confidence.
One consequence of this unnecessary reticence is
that, the question being imperfectly understood, an
imperfect judgment is formed on it. Opinion gets
fixed, first impressions prevail, and, when all the
facts of the case are made known, it becomes ex-
ceedingly difficult to correct and remove adverse
sentiments and views, however erroneous and ill-
founded. Moreover, the impression is created that
the Queen's Government regard hostilities with
foreign countries, especially in the East, as matters
in which the public ought not to be oonsulted, and in
which it is impertinence for them to interfere. Thus
the power of the country is weakened, and irritation
between the Government and the public is fomented.
In a country like this, where the Ministry depends
on the breath of popular opinion, the true policy for
the Government on all such questions is confidence
in and frankness with the public. Not, indeed, that
every successive step in long and complicated nego-
tiations ought to be disclosed as each is taken, but
the Government ought to come to no important

determination, affecting either the honour or the
interests of England, without giving the community
the means of forming an opinion on their policy.
The opposite course has been pursued in reference
to these contemplated hostilities against Persia, and
the result is that the current of opinion has set in
rather strongly against them.

1157

While the following article, alluding to
the expedition to the Persian Gulf, has
been published in a supplement of the Teheran
Gazette. It will be read with interest under
present circumstances :

Reports are current here that an English ship of
war had arrived on the 13th September in the Per-
"' '1"1f nrsP7. DISI4Sage of nine days from Bombay.
It is also said that as many as ower sailing
and steam vessels would shortly leave the latter
place for the same destination, and that each would
have on board 300 or 400 soldiers. We cannot give a
decided opinion as to the truth or falsity of this news.
We are completely ignorant whether such a vessel
or such vessels have or have not arrived, but we are
convinced that, seeing the perfect friendship which
unites the two powers, such a state of things could
not take place. We are sure that the Ministers of
his Majesty the Shah too highly appreciate the ancient
friendship of Persia with England, and the good dis-
positions of the British Government to maintain the
conventions in vigour, to admit that the latter would
be disposed to break, without motive, existing treaties
with Persia. The Persian Government places great
confidence in the kindness, perspicacity, and the
perfect equity of the English Cabinet. If even the
vessels were to enter the Persian Gulf, as the rumour
states, !the Cabinet of Teheran would not consider
that fact as an act of hostility, but would demand
from the English Government its intentions, in order
to be well assured of the true cause of the event. So
long as it will be possible, the Persian Government
will not assume the initiative, and will abstain from
any attitude contrary to the old and valuable intimacy
which for many years has existed between the two
powers. We have, however, heard from the people
of the country that as soon as it ;shall be readily
proved that Great Britain, from the suggestions of
agitators, and impelled by malevolent .persons, had
broken her treaties of friendship with Persia, and
committed any act contrary to the harmony which
has existed for so many years between them, in that
case the Persian nation, professing Islamism, and
distinguished for its zeal, would be obliged, to its
great regret, to firmly oppose the proceedings of the
British Government. Putting its confidence in God
alone, it would be compelled to protect the dignity of
the kingdom, and to defend its honour, its reputa-
tion, and its true religion.

The Constitutionnel of Wednesday quotes a
statement from the Czas of Cracow to the
effect that Russia is preparing to come " to the
assistance of Persia." The corps d•armie of
Orembourg is being considerably reinforced;
it is commanded by General Perowaki. The
advanced post of this corps extend to the
Turan line of country on the rivers Oxus and
Jaxartes, and the war flotilla of the lake of
Aral advances by the same rivers to the fron-
tiers of India. There is also a great stir of
preparation on the southern shores of the
Caspian, and amongst the army of the
Caucasus.

It is easy to foresee that should Persia
prove obstinate a serious Asiatic war is
imminent.

elution itttiligente.

SOUTHXIIPTON.—The mysterious disappearance for
an entire week of Mr. Edwin James, Q.C., gave rise
among his supporters to various stages of feeling.
At first the most lively suspense, then acute disap-
pointment, and finally furious dissatisfaction, agi-
tated the Radical electors of the town. On Monday
circulars were issued calling a meeting of Mr. James's
supporters. That evening they met ; with unanimous
voice they protested against Mr. James's treatment
of them, and proceeded at once to call upon Mr. An-
drews, the Mayor, to stand instead. Mr. Andrew,
we believe, has intimated his intention of standing on
the Radical interest ; meantime, Mr. Weguelin and
Sir Edward Butler are prosecuting an active can-
vass. Another candidate, a Mr. Carden, who an-
nounces himself as a " Liberal-Conservative," has

also appeared in the field.
GREENWICH.—AdmiraI Deans Dundas has declined
the request of the electors to stand for this borough.
LANARK.—Mr. Baillie Cockrane has addressed the
electors in the Conservative interest.

THE REV. ROBERT BICKERSTETH, M.A., rector of
St. Giles's.in-the-Fields, and canon residentinry of
Salisbury, who, after having been only fifteen years
in holy orders, has been raised to the see of Ripon,
at the early age of forty, is fourth son of the Ist*
Rev. John Bickersteth, rector of Sapcote, Leicester-
shire, eider brother of the late Henry Lord Langdale
Master of the Rolls, and of the late Rev. Edward
Bickerstetb, the well-known rector of W atton, Hart!
fordahire.
.•