The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-05-04 00:00:00

have not yet led to any beneficial result, for there
are cases of daily occurrence brought to light
which demand the enactment of stringent laws
to put down this illegal and murderous traffic in
the health and comfort of the people at large.
Sir GEORGE GREY could not do better than give
the matter his close attention ; and either by
himself as Secretary of State, or at the head of
of the Board of Health, bring in a well devised
and effectual Bill to prevent the one and
regulate the other.

IT was natural to expect that the exposure of
Crimean mismanagement would have produced
a salutary influence say for, at least, a quarter of
a century to come, and that this nation would
not be again afflicted and insulted by new exhi-
bitions of incapacity. It seems we have miscal-
culated. Official incapacity is to be repeated
" ?ague ad nauseam." New instances and ar-
guments are to be supplied to the Administrative
Reform Association, as if the case were not
'strong enough alrperady. We are commencing a
war with people on the other side of the globe.
Promptitude is of the utmost importance to sup-
port our own countrymen and to suppress the
insolence of an enemy confident in the superiority
of their numbers, exulting in the advantages of
their position, and defying the " outside barba-
rians," who, with inadequate force, are barely
able to maintain a defensive position. Our
Admiralty must be quite aware of all this, and
much more adapted to quicken their efforts, and
yet see how they are acting. A. regiment is to be
forwarded to the scene of conflict with the utmost
despatch. In such circumstances it might not
be improper to select some powerful fast-sailing
vessel, some grand craft, like tthe Hima/aya,
capable of transporting at a single.trip a thousand
British Guards. Something like this we might
reasonably expect of our naval- and military
authorities. Our brave fellows 'Ought to be well
cared for. Their lives are valuable to their
families and to their country, We say nothing
of military stores,arms, and other appurtenances,
though even these are not altogether to be
lavishly wasted.
But we refer more especially to the living
human cargo. Now, how do our autho-
rities act in a case that well deserves their utmost
care, vigour, and expedition ? Why they select
the most ill-omened ship in the service, a mere
rolling tub, even that same unfortunate craft that
once upon a time failed in a voyage of a few
hours from Southampton, and caused our noble
and right honourable Senators to be too late for
a grand Naval Review, as they are often too late
in granting from their places in Parliament re-
forms needed by the nation. It is this ship
Transit (so called because she never will make
any proper transit) that has been chosen to con-
vey our soldiers with all speed and safety where
they are so much required. One warning was
not enough, so they have had another and
another. This precious Transit got damaged
first off the coast of Cornwall, and had to be
,conducted back, at great peril,, to get refitted.
Had the accident occurred a few hundred miles
out from land, the passengers might have adorned
a tale instead of telling one. This is warning
the second; and warning the third folio ;vs, for
we next hear of her entering Corunna, on April
19, in great distress. This is positively too bad.
The eight hundred and odd men are still,
in- all human probability, destined to a watery
grave. The brave fellows are themselves reckon-
ing on the possibility. For, of course, the
Transit will be true to her antecedents, and she
is sure to get out of order soon again. Those
on board are prophecying that she will never be
able to pass the Cape, for them falsely styled of
Good Hope. Every night the soldiers get
drenched when there is any sea on. The ship
rolls and tosses about like a lazy tub, as she is.
She ought to have been far advanced on her
voyage. At the present rate of proceeding, she
may possibly, if she does not founder, get near
Canton by Christmas. And this is the way tha
we begin to carry on a war, after all the warn

' I ings that we have had in the harbour of Balaclava
and before the batteries of Sebastopol.
There must be something deplorably and cul,
pably wrong in such utter mismanagement. There
is here, surely, large room for Administrative Re-
form ; and we do hope that the new Parliament
will demand a strict account, and put a speedy
end to such disgraceful incapacity that must
expose us to the ridicule of the world. It is not
enough, however, to wreak our vengeance on ,
seaworthydaertsospel hea thatv
y
our official incapables. If it is not too late, it is
the duty of our authorities to despatch at once
canso sail,mep to overtakewerful and really
craft, that is unworthy of her precious freight,
and so in time effect a transhipment.
athis
dangerous vessel
We hold
it highly probable that this Transit will never be
able to face the dangers of the sea. Eight hun-
dred brave men are not to be sacrificed to official
routine and incompetence. If we had a brother
or a relative aboard, we should be looking out
every post to hear of some new accident to this
ill-fated ship.
If the brave 90th Regiment are all to

we see with hor cr that a remedy of tl.-!:s 591.17.- 1
tary character has not been applied. Now, as
in the days of PALMER and DOVE, the innocent I
an 1 unsuspecting are still lial):e to become the
victims of the avaricious, the depraved, and
brutal. Husbands are hurried off the stage of
time, wives are got rid of, and children too are
drugged till life departs. Security for life there
is none. Deaths from poison increase, and yet
the Government authorities are supine. But it
is not in the retailing of the "drugs" alone
that the people are poisoned. Needy and
avaricious tradesmen are vending unwholesome
and poisoned articles of provision. While,
therefore, exercising a strict vigilance upon the
chemist and druggist, we should not omit to
watch the tricks of those who vend adulterated
food, alumed bread, coloured teas, and baneful
mixtures in coffee, sugar, spices, butter, and
a host of other articles. The revelations
made before the Food Adulteration Committee