Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-30 00:00:00

ness to duty, the most willing, patient and self-
denying, indifference to danger, boldness of
conception, wisdom of execution, may have
marked the conduct of non-commissioned officers
and privates ; but such was the order of military
etiquette that no insignia of distinction should
mark the breasts of those peculiarly gallant, save
the medal common to all. France has long since
had its Legion of Honour, whereby the humblest
private in the ranks, if he merited the proud
distinction, was equally rewarded with the field-
marshal, who commanded the very army of which
the said private formed a part. England has at
length taken example, and not only in Liverpool
on Thursday, but in London on Friday, the dis-
tribution of the much coveted " Victoria Cross "
was handed to certain officers, non-commissioned
officers, and privates, whose conduct in the
trenches before Sebastopol, on the heights of
Alma, and Inkermann, and the plains of Balak-
lava, rendered themselves conspicuous for devo-
tion to their Queen and country, and a fixed
determination to conquer or perish in the attempt
to resist Russian aggression. A perusal of the
proceedings connected with the distribution of
the " Victoria Cross," by Her Majesty on Friday,
were fraught with interest, and brings back to
recollection the sad carnage of the Crimea. The
selection of persons worthy of this distinguished
honour—the British Legion of Honour—when
compared with the whole army engaged, were but
few, showing that the deeds of bravery required
to command and ensure possession of the Order
of Valour must be so special, palpably clear, and
distinguished, that only a small portion of the
" Bravest of the Brave " can be found worthy to
wear it. On this principle was the order insti-
tuted—on this principle has it been distributed.

Looking over the list of the recipients in Lon-
don, we observe there the Highlander who com-
posed the heroic band of that " thin red line
tipped with steel " at Balaklava—the Guardsman,
who, with his clubbed musket fought on the
heights of Inkermann, against a foe numbering
seven to one,--the hero of the trenches who
rushed across the " open," the galling fire, to
rescue a disabled comrade, or to route a Russian
soldier in ambuscade,—the cool and collected
sergeant, who with his bayonet dug a cover for
a wounded comrade who fell beside him,—the
officer who threw a live shell over the parapet
with the same sang froid as if he were casting a
pebble into a brook,—the daring infantryman,
who, amid a storm of shells and bullets, planted
the British:ensign on the summit of a fortification
—the noble trooper who, as one of the fated 600,
rode into the jaws of death without a question as
to the why, but knowing simply it was for him
to do or die; such were the class of men to
receive from the royal hands the national token
of a nation's appreciation of their courage,
military order, and devotion to the safety and
honour of Britain's flag.

We would write much in favour of the institu-

tion of the " Order of Valour." One of its
greatest merits lies in the fact that it levels all
distinctions of rank in the army. The field-
marshal or the plumed and gold laced general
will wear the same badge as the humblest private.
The regulations of the Order abolish rank and
titles, honours, position, and influence, so that
henceforth the general or the colonel, the captain
or the lieutenant, cannot, if undistinguished by
valour, bedeck their breast with the coveted badge
which falls to the lot of the sergeant of grena-
diers, the corporal of dragoons, or the private of
an infantry regiment. Thus, at last, the barriers
of caste are removed, nepotism is discounte-
nanced, interest discarded. and the cold shade of
aristocracy has given place to a genial sunshine
of a generous and unpartial recognition.

But let us turn to the other matter to which
we have referred, namely, the unjust treatment
which our sanitary officers who went out to the
Crimea have sustained at the hands of the
British Government. Our readers will recollect,
when disease and death were committing far
greater havoc upon the British army than Russian
guns or sabres, that the War-office applied to
our then mayor, Mr. TOBIN, for the services of a
portion of the officers connected with the Health
Committee. Like true patriots, the Health
Committee responded to the call, and immediately
volunteers went forth, and arrangements were
made, and a bargain signed, sealed, and delivered,
as regards pay, expenses, and outfit. The
parties who went from London to the Crimea
were Mr. NEWLANDS, the Borough Engineer,
Mr. ANEYSLEY, and Mr. FREENY. The first
complaint of these gentlemen is, that on agreeing
as to terms, they only got four hours' notice to
start upon their mission, whereas, if Lord
PANMIIRE had been as active and as vigilant as
he ought, they should have had twelve. This
short notice of preparation subjected them to
inconvenience and positive loss, as their
outfit was not only incomplete, but, for
want of time, had to be procured at enor-
mously high rates. Notwithstanding all these
disadvantages, the Liverpool sanitary officials
proceeded on their journey, and entered upon
their duties, which, all who know any thing of
what passed in the earlier stages of the campaign,
must admit was to " expose 'themselves to risks
in some respects more formidable thin those
encountered by the army; while, unlike the case
of the soldier, they had no hope of advancement,
and no allowance was made for the contingen-
cies. of injuries or death." Men ..avho so
patriotically and benevolently volunteered from
their homes, their families, and their friends, to
arrest the progress of pestilence and 'death in the
ranks of the British army; to encounter at every