The Press.
London, England, 1854-10-14 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL FINANCES.

In the view that the war will be long pro
tracted, we look with some anxiety to the

And how has he made them meet? Has he
really dispensed with the necessity for a loan?
In the lust quarter alone he has received
2,324,0001. on account of Exchequer Bonds,
which of itself would go far to defray that war
expenditure which was to be paid out of in.
come. By this loan under a new name, by
draining the Exchequer of the ample balance
left him by his predecessor, and by resorting
to the dangerous practice of issuing Deficiency
Bills, Mr. Gijnevoix has contrived, and
barely contrived, to meet the demands made
on the Exchequer. But this system cannot
last. It is necessary, not only for the credit
of Government, but for the credit of the coun-
try at large, that the national finances should
be in a sound state, and this cannot be alleged
of them while so serious a deficiency exists.
In the speech to which we have referred, Mr.
GLardrroxs said that he expected the balances

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in the Exchequer on the 10th of October
would amount to 4,600,000/. We are curious
to know whether the result bus answered his
anticipations. Some financial explanations at
this time would be valuable, and for this if
for no other reason 14 short 'wagon sessi94
would have been very desirable.

CLAIMS OF FALLEN BRAVE 4,
THERE can be only one sentiment a the duty
incumbent upon us all of generously regard-
ing the sacred claims of the widows and
orphans of the gallant spirits that have so
gloriously upheld our national credit in the
present campaign. We have participated in
the exultation of the victors, and shall we
show no sympathy for the bereaved mourners
of the heroes who have left the wives of their
bosoms and their fatherless children to mourn
ever the brave whose bones rest thousands of
miles away ? We feel assured that to the
forthcoming royal commission there will be a
tnunifieent response from the first commercial
Country in the world.
The most pathetic incidents, indeed, relating
to the late .battle were those which brought
the softer emotions into striking contrast with
those raised by the sanguinary strife. Many
sensitive hearts would be touched with the
natural incident of the dead Russian officer
and the little dog seated between his knees
viho could by no persuasion be coaxed away.
Yet, if the beautiful instincts of one of what
CHARLES LAMB called " the mute creation "
eau touch the feelings, what fervent sympathy
ought not to be felt towards those human
beings, with bowed heads, weeping over their
.husbands' fate, while sounds of joy and fierce
exultation ring from outside in their ears !
.0! these wars have many sad passages which
often cast gloom over victory ! The brave man
falls in front, or by the side, of his comrades ;
he dies for his flag, his sorrow is at an end, his
pilgrimage in thin life ceases as the trials of
those he loved are about to begin, encounter-
ing the hardships of the world without the aid
of • the bold heart, or the stalwart arm, that
would have cheered and upheld them under
pain. The beams of glory that play for a time
.otAciel the hero's grave are often • dimmed by
showers from the tearful eyes of the bereaved.
The nation exults, but by the fireside there is
Ogiiish, and the hurrahs of the crowd wake
strange echoes from desolated hearths.
Some of the details of the battle-field are
thrilling, and preach to us lessons that we
hope shall not be lost. We read, not without
pinution, of Russian officers found dead with
pietures of their mothers or their mistresses
upon their persons. And many a gallant
English spirit fell near the Alma whose last
Thoughts as he sunk mortally wounded were
.of the wife of his bosom or the far-away home
of his little ones. " Kiss baby for me a thou-
" sand times ; I thought of you all in the
'' battle," writes a private artilleryman, and in
the artless strokes of his untutored pen we
feel the touches that move the human heart
with the electric sympathies of nature. We get
glimpses of the soldier's home that affect us
with the sight of so much tenderness joined
to rough manners and bluff bearing. We read
in another letter—" JACK N— is all right.
" He desires his love to Mrs. N— and the
." children, and to be remembered to you.
"Like me, he is annoyed at there being no
" means of sending you both home what we
'" have for you upon us."
Again, we read of a letter found upon a
Russian officer, forwarded to the British in-
terpreter, on the surmise of its containing
`military news. It was a love-letter from the
fallen one's mistress, wishing him a speedy
victory, and a happy return to her arms. And
bow many counterparts were there to that
`letter in the English tongue ! How many
'who gloriously fell on that fatal and famous
20th of September perused for the last time
before they marched to the battle-field affec-
tionate notes from fond hearts that are now
'disconsolate, and wail in anguish for those
manly forms whom at this side of the grave
they *WI rover see again !