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

and frigates might conveniently be made targets
for British bullets, if immediate redress be not
offered. Nor should we much regret that a few of
those mercenary Swiss by whom King BOMBA
is enabled to play his despotic tricks, and but for
whom the atrocities now endured by our fellow-
countrymen could not be perpetrated, were
brought within range of a few of our bombshells.
In the very act of denying to the British Con-
sul all means of access to the prisoners a grevious
offence has been committed against the Govern-
ment ; such refusal implies sinister motives, and
insinuates a want of respectability on the part of
our Consul. Even were the charge, one where no
doubt of guilt could be entertained, there. should
be no hindrance to the representative of Her
Britannic Majesty. But the case is quite differ-
ent when there is the most positive evidence of
innocence. Hence we regard the refusal of the
Consul to see the prisoners in question as a
studied insult to the government of Great Britain
which no Sovereign in the whole civilized world
could be guilty of, except FERDINAND of Naples ;
and which no foreign power, with a fleet almost
alongside the quays belonging to the Royal
offender, but England, would brook for a mo-
ment. Can Lord PALM ERSTON expect to retain
the confidence of Parliament and allow these
men to remain in prison. He knows full well
the horrors, the privations, aye, andtthe tortures
too, of a Neapolitan prison. He knows that
NANA SAHIB was cruel in the extreme to the
christian population in his power. And he is
also aware that the temper and the barbarities of
the Indian Sepoys were not worse than that
which has ever characterised the Kingly conduct
of the Sovereign of Naples. The case is one
requiring instant and energetic action, continued
incarceration may cost the life of both prison-
ers. The rules of diplomacy must give way to
the stern requirements of these unfortunate men.
We cannot sacrifice two British subjects to the
whims and caprice of a government which is a
disgrace to humanity and civilisation. The
country demands their instant liberation. New-
castle has set a glorious example ; let every other
place in the United Kingdom "go and dc like-
wise," and the King of Naples will soon come
to his senses, and give speedy redress for an
atrocious act of despotism.

WE have now had time to peruse andreperuse
the tenor of all the news from India, brought by
the last Overland Mail, and while it is pleasing
to know that the mutineers had received a severe
check, we dare not conceal from ourselves the
fact, that we are by no means satisfied that the
garrison at Lucknow has been relieved, and its
besiegers chased as atrocitous murdwerers over all
parts of the country. According to the adv ices
brought by the Calcutta Mail, it was pretty
evident that General HAYELocK had been
obliged to leave a party of the 64th Foot inder
Major or Y, Co 111CP Let., L the w uunded, 'he
baggage, and beasts of burden, at Alumbag—
one of the country seats of a Prince of Oude,
three miles distant from Lucknow. The remain-
der of the reinforcement advanced upon Luck-
now, under the command. of EAVELOCK and
OUTRAM. But as soon as they crossed, by a
bridge, a canal which is cons ructed between
Alumbag and Lucknow, the enemy, with ccn-
siderable dexterity, closed in behind them in
great force, and cut off all communication with
Major SIBLEICS party left in chary of the
wounded, baggage, &c. When close to
Lucknow, the English forces deviated from
the direct line of road, and made a move-
ment to the right, for the purpose of tun-
ing the principal defences of the assailants
of the Residency. In spite, however, of this
'precaution, it is well known that before they
reached the Residency, their loss was lretty
considerable. After their arrival, they fiund it
necessary to attack the mutineers' entrencatnents
without loss of time, as, from them, there was
kept up a continuous and destructive fire. Of
course by perseverance and the usual undaunted
heroism, the enemy was driven out cf the city to
the extent of two miles. But Lucknow is six
miles long from S.E. to the N.W., rnd the Resi-
dency is situated nearly at the S.E. extremity,
so that it was only out of the SE. portion of the
city that the enemy had b:en driven, when
Generals HAVELOCK and 0 U:RAM were obliged
to desist from further operations, until the arrival
of reinforcements. Hence it appears, then,
that the Old Town, as thatportion of Lucknow
is called, remains for tie most part intact,
and it is by far tho must favourable
portion of Lucknow for fighting under cover.
This is a system of warfare to which they are
most partial. Up to the date of the last advices,
the forces under Generals HAVELOCK and
OUTRAM had been unalie to renew their com-
munication with Alumbig. Making all due
allowance for the operations of the British
reinforcements, already noticed; the change in
the condition and prosrects of the besieged at
Lucknow amounted tc this. An increase had
taken place in the nunber of fighting men, and
the power of resistant considerably augmented,
still they were unable to compel their assailants
to raise the siege. Against this we have the fact,
that the number of people—men, women, and
children—who had to be fed had been greatly
increased, while it was equally notorious that no
increase had seen made to the store of provisions,
and the reinforcements only took two days' pro-
visions with them when they advanced from
Alumbag, expecting, no doubt, to meet little or
no resistance when arrived at Lucknow. In this
lye see tilty were greatly mistaken. It is true,