The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-07 00:00:00

'NEW HOPS.
Tf you require a few Pockets of New ',fops, we are promised some
New Farnham. Farnham Countries, Mid. Kent, Wea.d of Kent, and
on Monday next, and shall be happy to execute your com-
mands; the prices will ranee trom about Si. 53. to 7/. 7g., and as soon
as the Market is settle I fur the New Crop, our Representative will
do himself the pleasure of waiting upon.you. and we respectfully
Solicit year commands.

THE DUTY QUESTION.
The extraordinary universality of an excessive produce of Hops
throughout the Plantations, battled to an estimated duty never known
from 1524, when Hors were 'first introduced into this Kingdom, until
now; and for severatweekrthb generally entertained opinion has
been favour .ble to a duty of 300,0001, and amongst Its supporters
are many of the firms of the large breweries throughout the
Kingdom,. who generally contrive to possess the best infor-
mation upon the subject.. To the more uninitiated, yet very
Interested persons, who make constant inquiries upon this
subject, the deductions for anticipating such a groffth will
not prove uninteresting, neither will the exposition of the points on
which those rely who are opposed to such an estimate. Tbose who
are In favour say that the present unrivalled Plantation is about
57,000 acres (the returns are not yet published), viz., last year's
acreage, 53,823 acres, and about 3,500 acres of additional plant this
year; alto, that the general appearances never were favourable
—that the Coiegata Plant (a coarse rank creppy cue), grown prin-
cipally in the Weald of Kent and Bussex, was never more exten-
sively cu'tivated, and that the• land Is in higher cultivation—they
are further induced to back the duty, because in 1126, with an ave-
rage of 50,471 acres, we grew 269,331 duty, and a similar crop on
57,000 acres would be over 300,00'1. In 1850 the average was only
43,127 acres, and the duty paid 233,0001., the present acreage, that
year, would have given over 300,0001. duty ; again in 1832, with a
Plantation of 4 ,157 acres, we grew 244,8601. duty, therefore, had
1852 the benefit of this year's Hop-land, 300,000/. would have been
paid.
The contrary arguments are—thatm tooy
yearsmuc back 1,210
much credit tHatepnhiflolsr
additionallacreage ; as f,r instance, many
were taken as the acre of Hop land, because the culttern was to plant
Hops 6 feet apart in squares, and as an acre of land contains 43,560
square feet, that quantity divided by six times six gives 1,210 hills ;
but the practice of planting altered—and instead of intervals of six
feet, many planters gave six and a half and seven feet of land
apart, and thus 1,210 hills, whei.cchined
it
ma,nybultnsntatonwcesin =pa
for an acre in 1826 greatly exceeded
the collector of Tithe does not count hills, he takes the statute acre
and hence part of the increased acreage, as shown by the returns ;
they suggest also that too much reliance is placed upon the un-
harvested crop, which is never secure till bagged, and that if in
all the croppy years -ince 1801 you take credit for the highest duties
of the best districts only in those respective years, and add them to-
gether, they will fall short of 300,0001. T 1311.1 the highest daty ever
paid,
By the Rochester district was in 1847 X 99,011
Cussexry anterbu
• 1835........ 56,910
„
1819 ~ 78,525
By the Worcester district was in 1846 .• • 36,082
We believe there was a freak of nature when .'
Worcester once paid
more, but we cannot find the returns.
„ Farnh im
~ Kingdom

1852
1826

294,907
We have carefully viewed both sides of the ques£tion, and our
opinion is joined to those who think 3%0'4. will not be realised.
The crop just now is in places visited by mischief—it is to he hoped
it may not extend widely, but red rust and mould are present, and
every accident seriously threatens the duty reaching the mush to be
desired goal.—We are, your most obedient servant 4,
WOLTON & CO.

ROYAL. OPERA, DRURY-I.LNE.
Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith.
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed THE SLAVE. Characters by Messrs. Stuart,
Herberte, Manley, F. Robinson, James it. Anderson, &c.
To be followed by THE MOUNTAIN SYLPH. Characters by
Messrs. Farquharson, Halford, Elliot Osier; Misses Forrest, Dyer,
and Lucy Escott.
Prices of admission :—To the two galleries. 6d.; second circle of
boxes and pit, is.; dress circle, 2s. 6d. ; stals, Is.; private boxes to
admit two persons, los. 6d.; four persons, one guinea. Box-office
inen from 10 to 6 daily.

.tOYAL HATMARKI.Z.
Coder the management of Mr. Bnekatene
THIS EVENING,
Will be performed THE MAN OF MANY FRIENDS.
After which, LE GEGARRERA DE SEVILLE. Vera Nena.
Followed by COURT FAYOER.
After which, THE SP.A.NISH DkNCERS.
To conclude with A' KISS IN THE DARK.

.)1( r.M.4
Under the Management of Mr. CHABLzaI
THIS EVENING.
Will be performed HOW STOUT YOU'RE GETTING.
After which, KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. Queen Katha.
Tine, Mri. C. Kean ; Cardinal Wolsey. Mr. C. Kean.

ttEALTIM ROYAL ADELPIII.
Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Direetrees, Ms. Jame Ce'este.
THIg EVENING,

Will be performed VICTORINE. Characters by Messrs L Mur.
ray, C. Selby, P. Bedford, Wright, Parselle, &c.; Miss Woolgar,
Mrs. L. Murray, &e.
After which, HOW'S YOUR UNCLE ?
To conclude with SEEING WRIGHT.

aSTLKY'S ROYAL AMPIIITHF.ATIsE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wm. Cooke.
THIS EVENING,
Lord Byron's MAZEPPA and the WILD HORSE, with all its
original effects and splendid spectacle arrangements.
After which, the Equestrian EXERCISES in the ARENA, in-
ented by Mr. Wlllam Cooke.
To conclude with a favouriteAfterplece.
Boa•otiice open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
'est. Acting Manager, Mr. Nelson Lee. Equestrian Director,
W. Cooke. iun.

Formerly it used to be regarded almost as much
high treason to wish well to the enemies of the
country, as to entertain the thought of tke death
of the SOVEREIGN. It would seem to be other-
wise nowadays. For the well-wishers of the
Russians, the sympathisers with the Russians, the
deprecators of the War against the Russians--if
they continue, as they unquestionably do con-
tinue, to be the merest atom of a minority, when
considered numerically in comparison with the
vast aggregate of the population—number amongst
them the names of most of those of our public
men who have, in some way or other, been dis-
tinguished for their statesmanship. These eminent
characters are distinguished indeed, at this crisis
in the affairs of the nation, if for anything at all,
certainly for their sympathy with the Russians.
They proclaim it. They insist upon the inutility
and causelessness, and therefore, of course, upon
the cruelty and absolute inhumanity of the War
waged by England and France, united with Tur-
key and Sardinia, upon the Russians. Remem-
ber, too, that such are not the opinions
merely of Political Bagmen like Mr. Con-
DEN, of men who can see no further
beyond their nose, in matters of international
policy, than the length of that good cloth yard
which was of old the measure of the strength of
our English bowmen, but which, in the hands of
our political hucksterers of to-day, is but the in-
strument for the measuring out of the honour,
and glory, and renown of the empire by the
miserable criterion of mere mercantile expediency.
Opinions such as those we have mentioned, more-
over, are in no way restricted to trading reli-
gionists like Mr. BRIGHT, a class of men who
seem to square their conscience by the rules, not
simply of expediency, but of actual profit, legis-
lative actuaries, who would strike the balance of
our imperial policy, guided by considerations of
L. S. D., and not by a sense of Right or Justice,
or by the force of any such unsubstantial and
purely abstract principles. No—the views of
our pro-Muscovite patriots are entertained by men
of greater mark than the " gumptious" member
for the West Riding, or even than the
" bumptious" representative of the city of Man-
chester. They are the views no less of the very
statesmen whose ignorance, whose fatuity, whose
delays at one moment and precipitation at an-
other, whose lust for the retention of power, and
whose greed for the perquisites of place were
among the chief of the proximate causes of the
very war against which their voices are now so
loudly inveighing, with such very admirable consis-
tency ! They are the opinions not only of Mr.
BRIGHT and Mr. COBDEN, but of those more nota-
ble recruits who are going through the ignominy
of the goose-step of the drill of folly in the awk-
ward squad of the Peace-at-any-Price Party—raw
recruits who, like the ragged regiments of FAL-

-
HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THN DAY—Morn. 16 min. aft. 11—Evening 0 min. aft. /1
To-MORROW—Morn.S6 min. aft. 11—Evening 25 min aft. 12

THE .71%AiEUM.-Bkrll 077101. Sept. 7.
TSZEIIOIOIIIIII. nr TEI /DEAD&
62 b. gi,cst sinct noon yesterday.
52 °west this morning and during the night.
62 —this day, at noon.
3ABOMEETZR, 30.55-1 great rise.
WIND. N.N.E. to N.E.—Fresh breeze, with heavy
clouds and occasional sunshine.

rur y
*ll t

LONDON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 7: !W.

The Baltic season has virtually- slipped by, and
Russia need entertain no further apprehensions
respecting the operations of the British fleets.
The northern malefactor has been respited for
nine calendar months, and may now strengthen
his defences, and make all suitable preparations
for, the reception of his assailants in 1856. He
has. received a salutary lesson as to weak points,
and has learned by experience what it is he must
provide against on the next attack. That he will
profit by that which has been so painfully acquired
seems certain. There is no Sir CHARLES Woos
at the head of the Russian Admiralty to pooh-
pooh every useful suggestion, and rest contented
if he can carry on matters along the beaten path
in the old jog-trDt pace. It is by no means clear
that the amount of damage inflicted on the stores
and buildings at Sweaborg will not be more than
compensated by the valuable information afforded
to the defenders, as to the actual capabilities of
mortar-vessels, gun-boatS,.and the rocket service,
against which they can make full provision at
their leisure.

The question then naturally arises, Why should
we be contented with an incomplete measure ?
If it was indispensable that something should be
done by the fleet to satisfy the nation, why did
they not undertake, an easier task, which they
could dispose off in workman-like style ? If
Sweaborg was too much for their powers,
why not be contented with Revel, or Abo,
or Riga? A trifling duty properly performed
would have been far better than a more import-
ant one left unfinished. Last year we had Bo-
marsund. It might not have been all that was
expected by the nation, but such as it was the
Work was fully accomplished. It was left in such
a condition that the CZAR could not repair the
damage during the winter. It no longer remained
" a menace to surrounding nations," or a defence
to Russia. But not so with Sweaborg. By
its bombardment thp CZAR has suffered
a certain amount of pecuniary damage,
but that is all ! He can, by the simple outlay of
Money, not only repair the mischief, but be even
better off than ever—inasmuch,- as he has ac-
quired a knowledge of our mode of operations,
against which he can provide when we come pre-
pared with the necessary appliances, which have
been so urgently demanded by the nation for a
considerable time.
The fact is, as truly stated by Sir CHARLES
NAPIER, that "a great opportunity of destroying
Sweaborg has been lost by the imbecility of the
Admiralty." It is quite clear, from what has
taken place, that if the fire could have been
maintained for a few hours longer the remaining
vessels. could have completed the work, and hare
finally disposed of Sweaborg_-and, with it, of
Helsingfors—which would have followed, as a
matter of course, when its protection and defence
was got rid of. But we wanted a few mortar-
vessels l From the paucity of boats of that class
at the disposal of the Admiral, too much was
placed on those which he had, and they Were
speedily " used up." Forty-five hours were all
that they could continue at the extraordinary rate
required, and but a few mortars remained avail-
able at the end of that time. This was the fault,
of the Admiralty, who might and ought to have
provided for the failure of these important arms.
we agree with Sir CHARLES NAPlER—whose
letter will be found in 4i(oth
er part of this day's

STAFF, are very well known to have been recently
marched through Coventry. Conspicuous among
these pro-Russianites such notorious provokers of
the War against the CzAR, such notorious origi-
tors of that War, such notorious promoters of it
from first to last as--the Earl Of ABERDEEN, the
War-Prime Minister ; Sir JAMES GRAHAM, the
War••First-Lord-of-the-Admiralty ; Mr. GLAD-
STONE, the War-Chancellor of the Exchequer ;
with Lord JOHN RUSSELL, the War-President of
the Council, and War-Secretary for the Colonies,
and War-Leader of the House of Commons !
These are now, we all know, the chiefs of
the pro-Russianites who have merged very
recently into avowed leaders of the Peace-
at-any-Price Party. These—the very statesmen
whose folly or wickedness, call it what we will,
gave rise to the very War they are now so shame-
lessly deprecating ! From the outset some among
them were suspected. Lord ABERDEEN, for ex-
ample, from the beginning, was branded by us in
these columns, as a pro-Russianite. Latterly the
others have had their loyalty to the national cause
seriously questioned. Until the time arrived,
when compelled one by one for very shame to quit
the office they had each clung to with such unscru-
pulous tenacity, they let fall the mask and appear
iu their right forms as the friends of our enemies,
as the antagonists of the cause they themselves had 1
for a selfish object nominally espoused, as the de- !
•

,J—.b:zil

1110

t - ' "

t"~

TO BREWERS, MERCHANTS, AND impression—that spare mortars would not alone
MALTSTERS.—fIIBERNIA CHAMBERS, LONDON MUDGE,
BOYoUGH, t'eptemeer 7,1855.—0 n and after the 'nth inst. the have been sufficient. There should have been
shove will he our Address, our present temporary Office is 7, RED
LION STREET, BOROTJOH. the vessels themselves, ready to take the place of
those placed hors de combat by the rapidity of
their fire. But this additional force was not pro-
vided—nor even the inadequate substitute of
spare mortars. Sir CHARLES WOOD, the respon-
sible party, was contented to slumber on, in the
vague hope that the party with whom he was most
closely connected, would be enabled to cobble up
a precarious truce that would have dispensed with
the necessity of exertion on his part,
We believe that it was Mrs. HALL who laid
down the principle that Boards are invariably
" desperate stupid I" The Board of Admiralty
certainly forms no exception to the general rule.
On the contrary, it exceeds all others in obtuse-
ness. This probably arises from the fact that its
head is, generally speaking, perfectly ignorant of
the matters which he is so improvidently allowed
to control. Even were his heart in the right
place, and he himself desirous of doing his best,
it would be a mere matter of chance whether he
might blunder in the right course. He might
possibly do so, but the chances were in favour of
his doing wrong. But how greatly are those
chances increased when the political " Jack of
all trades," the incompent financier whose failure
in the Exchequer was so notorious—the blunder-
ing autocrat of India—was pitchforked into the
situation of First Lord ! If any naval officer held
the position now occupied by Sir CHARLES Woon,
it is almost impossible that he could have neglected
the precautions so obviously required. And the
question for the people to answer is, whether
stolid ignorance and avowed incapacity shall be
admitted as an excuse for shortcomings which
have led to so deplorable a failure, and such
serious damage to the best interests of the United
Kingdom and of the civilised world ? Nor is this
all in the case of the present "First Lord." We fear
that there is something more serious even than
incapacity to be guarded against. We know that
he has been the colleague of Mr. GLADSTONE, of
Sir JAMES GRAHAM, and of Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT
—that he has been the henchman of Lord JOHN
RUSSELL, whose tergiversation has so grievously
damaged his own position, and disappointed the
people of Great Britain. Should the present
Ministry be modified, Sir CHARLES WooD, like his
great prototype, the celebrated " Vicar of Bray,"
would be sure to retain his position, or at least
to keep a seat in the Cabinet, to which his re-
tarding the operations of the War, and preventing
the real humiliation of the enemy would give
him the best title. Under existing circumstances
there is more than mere " incompetency" to be
guarded against. But even under the most fa-
vourable auspices it would be essential to modify,
or rather to abolish, the Board of Admiralty, and
co obtain some kind of security that the party
nominally responsible, understood something of
the matter which he was expected to control, and
could make provident arrangements to provide for
the exigencies that would probably arise in the
natural course of events.