The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-29 00:00:00

MILITARY.

On Saturday two immense draughts of volunteers
from the Dorsetshire and South Devon Regiments of
Militia arrived by the South-Western and Great
Western Railways, and were immediately marched from
the termini to the principal recruiting depA, Delabay-
street, Westminster, where, having been officially and
surgically inspected, they were withoutia single excep-
tion filially approved and attested to serve her Majesty
in the following regiments at present in the Crimea or
about to proceed to the seat of war—viz., the 3d Buffs,
7th Royal Fusiliers, 18th Royal Irish, 19th Regiment
of Foot, 20th Foot, 21st Royal North British Fusiliers,
231 Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 33d (Duke of Wellington's
Own), 42,1 Highlanders, 68th Durham Light Infantry,
71st Highland Light Infantry, 88th Connaught Rangers,
93.1 Highlanders, 94th Regiment of Foot, and 96th
Foot. A. large body of recruits from the agricultural
districts in the midland and northern counties also ar-
rived.

A. letter from Malta, dated Jan. 14, stAtes as fol-
.ows 7-

" Since my last, per Vectis, detachments from seven
regiments, amounting to 865 men, have arrived here by
the Imperatrix, and proceeded to the Crimea. The fol-
lowing officers have proceeded by her (arrived on the
12th) :—Coldstream Guards, Lieutenant-Colonel Step-
ney ; Grenadier Guard., Lieutenant Coulson ; let Foot,
Ensigns Brock and Creagli ; 4th, Ensign Williamson ;
7th, Lieutenant Mlienry, Ensign Robinson ; 20th,
Major Crawley, Lieutenants Warren and Dickens ; 23d,
Captain Crofts, Lieutenant Mostyn ; .2Sth Ensign
Magenis ; 46th, Lieutenant Connell ; 77th, Lieutenant
Richards ; 95th, Captain Taylor, Ensign Robertson ;
Rifle Brigade, Captain Walker, 2d battalion ; Assistant-
Surgeons Lynch and Ilulsburg (staff).
" On the same day arrived the English transport
Jura, from Marseilles, having on board the large
amount of 1,127 officers and men of the 49th French
'Regiment, under command of Colonel de Loronez.
"On the nicht of Friday a number of men from
the Imperatrix, seeing the Frenchmen were allowed
leave, and some of their officers dressed in uniform
going on shore (there was a party at the Palace),
asked leave for a- few hours, which was refused.
They then, to the amount of SO or 100, resolved on
quitting the ship, which, as she was coaling close to
the shore, they easily effected, and, reaching town,
repaired to a coffee-house. Being seen, they were
ordered to the main guard, and a small body of men,
assisted by the police, was sent to see the arrest effected.
Some managed to escape, and proceeded to call their
companions, who shortly afterwards assembled before
the guard-house to liberate their comrades already made
prisoners. Matters assumed a somewhat menacing ap-
' pearance ; the guard fixed bayonets, and two companies
were sent for. Knives and forks, benches, stanchions,
tin pots, and missiles from the bed furniture were
flying through the air, but when Major Williams,
field officer of the day, appeared, they, seeing his
uniform, cap, and feathers, mistook him for the
General, for whom they gave three hearty cheers, ac-
companied by the cries,
lick the Rethshuns yet !'
I Some few persons received trifling hurts, but after a very
short time order was restored, the men marched to the
guard-room under the Porte Reale, and thence to the
ship, which left shortly after for the seat of war,
" There seems to have been very great neglect en board
the Imperatrix, for the officers were either too few on
board, or had not sufficient command over the men to
restrain them. The affair lasted till nearly 1 o'clock
from half-past 9 p.m.
" The Trent steam-transport left 'port yesterday after-
noon with a large number of mules for service in the
Crimea, and having in tow the transport (No. 129)
Poictiers.

" The Spiteful steam-frigate has not yet been taken
into dock ; she wai to have taken the tura after the
Mauritius (ordered immediately to England), but the
Malacca, having recently arrived in want of repairs, has
been preferred. She will be taken in early in the week.
" Some movements in the naval arsenal have recently
taken place. Rear-Admiral Houston Stewart, appointed
to the post of second in command of the Black Sea fleet,
will proceed by the Sanspareil, hourly expected.
" Rear-Admiral Stopford, recently employed in the
Black Sea, has already reached the island.

"The Master-Attendant, Mr. J. Saunders, has sent
in his resignation.

" The Britannia and Trafalgar will leave in the early
part of the week. _

The Northumberland Light Infantry Regiment-of
Militia, which was embodied on the 9th, still remains
on drill at Alnwick.
The Royal Bucks (Ring's Own) Regiment of Militia
under the command of Oolonel-Comluandant Lord Car-
rington, are about to be removed from Windsor to Can-
terbury.

The result of to-night's division is confidently -ex-
pected, even by the adherents of the Ministry, to be a
defeat, and under these circumstances the question is not
what means can be found to restore the suspended-ani-
mation of the Ministerial body, but what measures must
be taken to give the country a Government more
capable of dealing with the present conjuncture of af-
f&rs. Of Lord Aberdeen personally we have never
ceased to speak with that respect to which no man is •
more entitled. His cool judgment and his love of peace
will he more fairly appreciated hereafter than they have
hithert, been ; and, if he is destined to receive from his •
Sovereign the highest personal badge of honour she is
able to bestow,- he has earned it by long and honorwable•
service in all the highest offices of State. But, while we
do not attempt to detract from Lord Aberdeen's per-
sonal worth or past services, we regard his administra-
tion as at an end. If, then, within a few hours from the
present time this Ministerial catastrophe should occur,
it is hardly premature to inquire what are the most
prompt, and effectual means of restoring • a Govern-
ment to the country. This is no time for finessing on
such a subject ;we must go straight 4 he point, and -
endeavour to obtain an Administi equal:to,-thet
present emergency, where ever dy be • - -
importance to the Briti-- Se•oatisivf:lll,,.,,
Allies. We dismiss sward,
supposition that Lord w ,erelAts can he
recalled to office. The „'n 1b52, who and
what they were, and they e :ether than gained
in strength and reputation sit a- date of that melan-
choly exhibition, for the Protectionist cause, which was
their only standard, has ceased to be even a cry. Lord
Join-Russell must, we think, be placed in the same
class of useless and impossible combinations. He is alike
incapable of forming a Government himself, or of serv-
ing in the Government of another, and his last act re-
moves him for the present from the scene. The imam-
ai,th, effect of this extraordinary blunder was to place
Lord Palmerston in a position he had not before occu-
pied, and the tone he assumed in the House of Com-
mons both on Thursday and Friday evening showed that
lie ,vas conscious of the advantage he had gained.
We cannot, of course, anticipate the steps which may
he taken by the Crown in the event of a dissolution of
Lord Aberdeen's Cabinet, but it is impossible to doubt
that her Majesty's judgment will be guided by the great
difficulties we have to surmount, and by the advice of
her oldest and most faithful councillors. On these
grounds, and in the absence of any other serious com-
petitor in the House of Commons for the highest office
in the State, we can hardly doubt that Lord Palmerston
would be called upon to recompose the Cabinet. Every
one knows that the censure implied by Mr. Roebuck's
motion is in no way directed against the Secretary of
State for the Home Depart neat, or those of his col-
leagues whose services he would be most anxious to
retain ;, and, in the event of that motion being car-
ried, it would be madness to exclude from office the
only men to whom the country can look at such a
crisis. But, although we desired to see Lord Palmer-
ston from the first in the post of Minister of War, we
warn the public against the supposition that he is the
fittest man for that post. Lord Palmerston, with all
the vivacity of his character, is nevertheless in his 71st
year—he is, in fact, a little older than Lord Aberdeen—
his habits are active, but not methodical, and the pre-
sent administration of the army involves an immensity
of matters of detail with which he is unfamiliar. We
very much question whether Lord Palmerston would
find the means to reorganise the military departments at
home, and to rescue the army in the Crimea ; but we
have no doubt that in the capacity of Prime Minister
he would immediately exercise a most beneficial influ-
ence over the whole conduct of affairs.

For the administration of the War Department, after
the most careful consideration of the names which have
been mentioned, we cannot hesitate to award the first
place to Lord Grey. His vast application, the attention
he has given to military affairs, both as Secretary at
War and as Colonial Secretary, but, above all, his fear-
less indifference to all personal claims, fit him for a task
which must be one of severity, it the relaxed sys-
tem of admiuistrative discipline is to be restored
to its former vigour. The War Minister, more-
over, cannot at the same time lead the House
of Commons, a duty which would naturally de-
volve on Lordl Palmerston, as First Lord of the Trea-
sury, and this alone is a conclusive argument against
placing Lord Palmerston in that or any other laborious
department. In other respects the Government need
not undergo any =Aerial change, but, as the whole
Ministry would be re-constituted, many of the subordi-
nate offices might be more effectively filled, and the basis
of the Administration somewhat enlarged.
The test of this or any other political combination
must, of course, be the degree of support it can command
when
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confidence on the general disposition of Parliament 'to
support its measures. On the grand objects of our na-
tional policy at the present time there is no difference of
opinion. All are alike eager to carry on the war with
energy, to act up to our alliances, and to restore the-
efficiency of our own forces. The question is simply,
Who will do this most effectually Any Minister who
shall satisfy the nation that he is in earnest by remov-
ing the incapable, by finding out and promoting the
ablest junior officers of the army, and by punishing the
guilty as they deserve, will command the support of
Parliament ; and our conclusion is, that these objects
will best be attained by placing Lord Palmerston at the
head of the Government, and giving the seals of the
War Department to Lord Grey.

THEATRE ROYAL ADELPIII.
proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste.
THIS EVENING, JAN. 29,

Will be presented tko Drama of THE GREEN BUSHES; or, A
Bandred Years Ago.
To be followed by a Sew Grand DIVEBTISSEMEXT,
After which, A MOVING TALE.
To which will be added the Farce entitled THE RAILWAY
NEGLE.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan.
THIS EVENING, JAN. 29,
Will Ns presented the new Cornedietta, called TIT 'Olt TAT, in
Which.Meaars. F. Robson, .k. Wigan, and Miss Maskell will appear.
♦tter which, a new Fairy ErtraYaganza entitled THE -YELLOW
wNtr AND THE KING OF THE GOLD MINES. Characters
tt_ltr• F. Holm., Miss Julia St. George, Miss E. Ormonde, M 133
Pl.to'n, (!CI3 BrEnley, And Mrs. Fitzallan.
To E011e1114,, with A WIFE'S JOURNAL.

UTLEY'S ROYAL inritErfizArits.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. I'm. Cooke.
Tlll3 EVENING.
Fifteenth week, tbie sueeeee'to. Spectacle called the BITTLE of the
ALMA.
_ _

After which, the varied and beautiful SCENES in the CIRCLE,
the invention, arrangement, end under the sole direction of Mr.
William Cooke.
To conclude with the Comic Pantomime called GULLIVER and
theLILLIPUTIANS ; or, Ilarleritun and tsritannia.
N.B.—The Last MORvING PEZFORMANC.F. This Day (MON-
DAY) at Two o'clock, The of the ALMA and the Scenes
la the Circle.

Troz-ottlee open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager,
,Ir. W V.
wiet.
Acting
manger, zdr. W. li, Cooke. Equestriaa Directo-,
411r.N. Cooke, Jan.

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