Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-12-08 00:00:00

the relieving army was using every exertion and
straining every nerve to get forward in time to
effect the rescue of their besieged and gallant
fellow-soldiers; but the accounts from Colonel
GREATIIEAD, and the operations of Colonel
WILSON, in command, at Cawnpore, suggest a
doubt that they would not be able to afford
timely aid aad assistance.

We do not entertain a fear that the garrison
at Liacknow will manfully maintain, their
position to the last; and, should the
mutineers dare to come to close quar-
ters with them, teach them a never-to-
be forgotten lesson of the heroism of the British
soldier. But is it likely that both provisions and
ammunition can hold out until the army of
deliverance makes its appearance : and should
that army arrive too late, what must be the nor-
tification and pain--not to to speak of the ult.-,
mate fate of that truly noble garrison, which has
rendered its fame immortal in all ages, and in every
clime. Should this be so, who is to blame ?
Already we have lost strength and prestige to no
purpose during five long months, but it will be a
much sadder and more humiliating tale if Luck-
now falls a prey to the rebels ; and without, the
rulers of the day will be .held accountable for a
disaster so terrible, and mismanagement so glar-
ing. But, even that Lucknow is relieved, will not
our Continental neighbours treat with scorn our
glorification of the campaign in Oade. We have
taken no less than five months to conquer—rather
master—a barbarous enemy, which occupied but
a small patch of Indian territory, but six hun-
dred miles from Calcutta, and accessible both by
land and water—the road and the river being
being completely under the control of the
Government. There is no denying the fact that
had the garrison of Lucknow been abandoned to
its fate, we should certainly have gained in
the total amount of human life expended,
and certainly our contest with the troops of
NENA SAHIB has not added to the military re-
nown of England. As one of our London
cotemporaries justly remarks—" It is not need-
ful to fight a score of battles to establish the
English reputation for matchless courage, and
yet what other fruit has been obtained for all
the bloodshed and consequent misery up to the
last hour of our advices ?''

In making the foregoing remarks, we have no
desire to say one word detractive of the generals
in command at Cawapore and Delhi. They have
each and all performed deeds of i.nperishable
glory, but they have not been assisted as they
ought, nor have reinforcements been sent forward
with that promptitude and celerity which should
have characterised the Government of India and
its subordinates. We cannot afford to waste the
blood and treasure of England, to enable a set
of incompetents in Leadenhall-street, to assum e

the sovereignity of a territory, vast in population ,
and overflowinz with riches. No. the nresent
campaign has taught us, that India must now
become the foremost of the British Colonies,

directed and controlled by a power responsible
to the Imperial Parliament. Then may we hope
to advance civilisation among its people, develope
the boundless resources of the country, and
render it among the foremost of our colonial