The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

heavy loss, we find Sir COLIN'S forces swelled from about 7,000 to
22,000 men states one report, to 12,000 men states another. Putting aside
the higher number as an error, is it possible even that 5,000 additional
men should have reached Sir COLIN CAMPBELL in nine days ? We may
he certain that they did not come from Calcutta, for the latest letters
from Allahabad spoke of the men leaving daily for Cawnpore at a rate
only of about 100 to 150 each day. The column of Brigadier SHOWERS is
the only one which might have joined the army at Alumbagh, but the
telegram especially mentions that column as still scouring Rohilcund.
From whence, then, can Sir COLIN CAMPBELL have received an addi-
tional 5,000 men or more, to raise his army to a force of 12,000 strong,
after all the losses of six days' hard fighting? We apprehend there is
as little truth in the statement as there was in that which rumoured
General WILSON to have 13,000 men in camp at the assault of Delhi.
General Witsori had scarcely one-third of that force, and in all pro-
bability Sir COLIN has not more. The security of Sir COLIN'S
position and his capability to undertake offensive operations
depend entirely upon the amount of force at his disposal.
Calcutta we know must be full of troops, but we know also
that 3,000 a month is the highest ratio at which these men are
being removed up country ; so that on the whole we fear we
must not look for the immediate conquest of Oude. It will be a work
of some time and of much severity. For Sir COLIN to have relieved
Lucknow. and to have transferred the women and children
to a place of safety, must be sufficient for us at present: we
have enough to be grateful for here. So long as we feel
assured of the security of Sir COLIN at Lucknow, we need have
no fears for the future, but the immediate transference, the
very next day after arrival at Lucknow, of the women and children,
would look as if Sir COLIN, not quite sure of his communications,
desired to lose not an instant in moving the sick, wounded, and non.-
combatants out of harm's way. A few days more will place us in full
possession of all details, and until then we can only hope that Sir
COLIN'S glorious success may not be marred, like HAVELOCK'S and.
OUTRAM'S, by any insufficiency of force.
With respect to the rest of India very little is added to our pre-
vious information. The rebels, defeated and dispersed whenever
aught by our troops, are yet never beaten, never crushed down. They
appear again the next day, fifty miles farther off, to rob and plunder,
and carry anarchy throughout the country. It is this very dispersion
of the rebel element which is to be dreaded, and until we have a sufficient
army in Central' India to keep down the country we reconquer, we shall do
no good. The turbulent districts of Central and Southern India by the
last accountsare by no means "settling clown under 'he the British
Residents." The whole of Central India is one vast cauldron of confusion
and anarchy, which will give employment to 20,000 men for the next
twelve months. In point of fact, from Cape Comorin to Cawnpore
the whole of the country is more or less in a state of open rebellion.
To say nothing of Oude, the North-west Districts, and the Punjaub,
there is in Central and Southern India alone one year's work for an
army, and if the war enter into the guerilla phase, that period will
be more than doubled before the country is quieted and the people
submit once more to our rule. Meantime we have only a brigade upon
the spot, and " further reinforcements " are " urgently required."
Yet, in the face of this statement, the Ministerial journals have the
audacity to pronounce the rebellion to be " suppressed," and India
" to be tranquil from Cape Comorin to the Himalaya F'

The first Message of Mr. BUCHANAN to Congress has not dis-
appointed expectation. It is perhaps, on the whole, a more interest-
ing than important document, but with regard to this country its tone
is in favour of a frank but determined policy. Mr. BUCHANAN wishes to
see those " irritating questions " which are perpetually arising between
the two countries definitely set at rest. He recognises oar identity of
interest in Central America, and would prefer that our rivalry in that
country was not a struggle for territory, but a competition of industry,
civilisation, and peace. The people of this country desire nothing
more ; they wish to enter into no rivalry with America, but rivalry in
the famous race of increasing civilisation and social improvement. It
is unlucky, then, for the good wishes of Mr. BUCHANAN and the interests
of goodwill between England and America, that a Minister who of all
others has done his best since the time of the New Orleans expedition
to exasperate the Americans against England should be at the head of
affairs in this country. The Central American question with a firm
and loyal Minister would have been settled satisfactorily before this ;
but bearing in mind the general disposition of Lord PaLmmasToN's Go-
vernment upon all questions of foreign affairs which require a distinct
and definite policy in the place of timid temporising measures,
we have little confidence in any policy her Majesty's Govern-
ment as at present constituted will pursue upon the Central
American difficulty. We have treaty rights which it is de-
sirable to maintain. On the other hand, so long as no viola-
tion of treaty rights takes place, we must not seek to restrain the
immediate and natural expansion of a healthy State. Where interests
are so identical the question, we think, should be capable of solution.
A little fair dealing upon both sides, if under the influence of that good
sense and right feeling characteristic of the statesmen of each country,
should dispel all feelings of irritation and semi-hostility, arrange the
question satisfactorily, put an end to those unfortunate elements of
discord which so perpetually tend to complicate existing difficulties,
and successfully establish that which should be the great object of
both countries, the complet3 restoration of tne most friendly and
cordial relations.

For a few years past we had lost sight of Mr. COPPOCK, and his
death came upon us with surprise. Whatever be the opinions on his
political functions, or the way that he fulfilled them, there can be no