The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-07 00:00:00

/
,''

' the lion.se of,Lords and the :11ouv of Colnints—
were putting tho'Conimons in the wrong stall lent
to put the Lords in the right—we shculd have
little to 'object, with. justice, to such a decision.
No reasonable or, impartial Man can bontcndAliat
'the Lords are treated fairly by having mksurbs'of
such vast importance tll..t.ust' upon them so late in
the session, and fif• therHotise of CoMmous could be;
punish.A for such a proceeding wo should beg the
Lords'to use the rod and Apara.nut. But, unfOrtn—
natelY, it isinot- the-Binse Of Coinnion. ,F 4 —Lit is the
country at large that will. Suffer, if the Lords. select
this-bill for an occasion on which to vindicate their
own dignity. • The the CoMmous,,but
the penalty is, to be-paid by us:' -On. behalf, tiien,
of that great public, which is entirely innocenit in
thiS matter, we earnestly and respectfully. submit
to the Peers that they will aat wisely as welt as
magnanimously in not allowing their natural
feeling of displeasure at the period of the session at
whiclaliih bill is submitted for their consideration
to be made a cause of injury and offence to the
country at large. This que4tion Ought to- have
been settled long ago, and has lagged behind 'in-
stead of-Outstripping or keeping pace with public
opinion. After the principle of granting charters
by the Board of Trade has -been solemnly con-
deinaecl,, without one dissentient voice, by the
Hotise of Commons, it seems impossible that the

-board...slkould_coutinue exerei,se twat lower, and
it is to the last degree inexpedient—that such
power should continue in abeyance for a week
'longer than is absolutely necessary. There are
innumerable enterprises of the soundest and most
benefinial 'nature ready to' start into immediate
existence the moment this fetter *upon their pro-
gress is removed. The rejection of this bill Will
be received with bitter disappointment, and the
House of Peers must not expect that persons' who
find their private plans thwarted , and the public
interest comproinised will be very nice in appor-
tioning the blame, or transferring it all from' the
branch of the. Legislature that passed • the bill
however tardily—to that 'by whose agency it •rill
have been rejected. .

4at,i,t-
,
-..
~..al.
/ ,4
._
~.

[PRI C.E 4D• STAMPED caD

country, reconnoitre the territory," exchange commhill=
cations with the inhs.bitauts, and if by heedlessness he
.falls into the hands of asuperZor force, ' may beat 'a're-.
safe_and sound; and avail himself, when tOri late,
.of.the pretended title of being the barer of a flag Of
trove, irinider that. when he • allows himself to be sUr-
priseil.:lie.maY.not-bed.etained.O. piisoner of war? - • ,
. jure -And. de facto,-Lieutenant Genesite fdl by his.
own auk-into our power. ' The crew. • which he com-'
Csitatled has.sh are& bid fate. We havenitly to regret the
10-s of six raeo;'' s'yose lives heexpose+ by his adventu-
tons enterpriser +which nothing justified excepting his'
hope to terminate:it.withlmpunity. ' -• •
-.- To the meantime there must- be a limit to the strata-
gems of war., • If not, anything might be thought:sPer-
inissible-under the abusisd immunity of a, flag of truce. Fee. our part; we hold oor.seltes bound to respect and to
make re.spected all that is tenured by reguiations legally
reongaised in. die time of war. Tbst is why we caun7t.
.consent,:under.the present circumstances, tofree Lieiit,
goneste from the ca:itivity whiph he has brought upon
birnself,:and Drain the crew tinder his dommand.
I have the. honour to invite you, Admiral, to make
this decision known to the Government of htr...Britannic
Msjesty.
-.•I feel persuaded that the krlMiralty will acknowledge
the justice,ofthe decision, • because- it felt the necessity
of reproving (in its order of the-20th 'of June) the 'fault
committed by Lieat.. Geriesto to lending before- his flag
of truce was acknowledged by a missal from the shore.
Having. thus completely exp!ained the facts rAating to
the baagoe- LI-dd.-affair; 1 with 'reply to the second part
of yeArlettio.of.,Ph-slJttly. ---In it- yen positively deny
E5O al:l6:ations preV.M7y-niarte by our atithoritics
as-tothe abuse of flags of --truce by • oflicers of
the nnyal Navy. -
I am wider till painful.neeesSity of furnishing you to-
day sel;h i z tan e. It is_pi4ved. by the annzied•
deposition, supported by the direct tostinioay of the bur-
gomaster,of the town of Rawne, in Finland.
I have thought it right to place before you the official
dee aratiori of this magistrate, M. Mervin, 'dated July-
the 'id. The correctness of the facts therein alleged is
furth r evscleneed by. Vie !nor's. of -our military autho-
rities. lureatingthis document you Will,he good enough
'to satisfy 3 ourielf as to two circumstances; which I am
sorry to haveto• point out to you. '
that, in spite of your formal orders, the officers
of your sqnairon. disregarding your instructions of the
29th of May, do not limit themselves to stripping coast;
ing •:essels at sea, as-they were directed, but attack with
most unusual severity the private•property of vessels at
anchor, which are not trading, and to which it was your
expressed wish that no injury should be done.
Secondly, that these expeditions under the officers of
the royal navy.for the _purpose of destruction, beyond
the limits •of the military operations, are undertaken
under colour of a flag of truce. The consequence is,-
that our farces called to protect the private property of
unfortiled towns exposed to the attacks- of your cruisers,
are forced against their will into collision with the white
flag displayed by:your officers in order to carry off from
the..inhabitants of the Coast their means of subsistence.
In.addition to the statements in• the annexed docu-
ment, I cannot avoid adding a fact that will equally de-
serve your just disapprobation; rm.-1301y, that off the coast
of the island of- Oesel the cruisers of the royal navy; after
intercepting and destroying some --simple fishing boats,
Oak away. trona the poor sailors their money, and even
theif cl .rhea.

In, mentioning this fact, I entirely join in the expres-
sion of opinion with which you conclude your letter, viz.,
that it is Abe duty of all civilised nations to employ
every means in their power to mitigate the animosity
which the state of war tends to beget. I count with
confifienoe on the efforts which you will doubtless make
to prevent the renewal of acts similar to those which I
have pointed out.