The Sun.
London, England, 1855-02-10 00:00:00

SIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tots Dsv —Morning 51 rain.sftar 6 I Evening 12 rain.aft. 7
To-'7onArm—Morning 38 rnin.after 7 I lilvening 9 taii,sft. 8

class journals have committed an unpardonalale
sin ; they have honestly censured the incapacity
of aristocratic officials and officers, and 130 W,

the charge from fourpence to ninepence, or even
a shilling. We have seen more exacted from a
single passenger for a seat in an omnibus than
two of the number might have procured a cab for
for the same distance.

WEATHER.—Smg Onto!, Feb. 10.

doubtless, if abolishing the penny stamp -would I
destroy them altogether, Lord Jonx would give
the casting vote for it if he had it. We in ust
acknowledge, however, that the tone of repreh
era-
sion in the House of Lords was quite different; it
was rather an appeal for forbearance on behalf of
a new Ministry, and was indeed coupled with
similar appeals to the various sections of poli-
ticians in both Houses of Parliament.

TaREMOMETER, IN THE SNADR.
33—highest since noon yesterday.
25—:owest this morning and during the night.
32—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 29'92.
WIND, N.E.—Fresh, with bitter, but fine, frosty, sun-
shiny weather. Last night was the coldest this season.

The omnibus proprietors do not serve their
own interests by this conduct. They render the
public suspicious and distrustful, and unwilling to
make arrangements to avail themselves of the
accommodation of these -vehicles, for no one on
leaving his house can tell to what ex-
tortion he may be subjected, the fares of
one day giving no clue to what may be de-
manded the following day. This is the more
♦exatious, as thousands and tens of thousands of
persons reside at considerable distances from their
places of busines% depending on these carriages
for the mode of conveyance—a confidence which
new seems to be misplaced.

z.l t 4,79 101;114

In the old doctrine of transmigration, a CO .n-
-damned soul, retaining its conscious identity,
passed into an appropriate body. The rapacious
conqueror became a tiger, the glutton a swine,
and so forth. What are we to say of the late 3 li-
nisterial transmigration. A limb or two :has
dropped, and another been added, and what

LONDON, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1855.

The Ministerial difficulty has been disposed of
for the time being, and both Houses of Parliament
have adjourned until Friday, the 16th inst., in
order to give time for the re-election of the two
Members of the Cabinet whose changes of position
render appeals to their respective constituencies
indispensable. The time thus practically lost, at
a period when every moment is of the greatest
consequence, may be taken from Tuesday last
until Friday next—or nearly a working fort-
night. Surely the ordinary business of the country
might have been transacted during this time, on
the understanding that there would be no serious
discussions until the return to the House of the
new Premier and Secretary of State. Mr. CARD
WELL might have introduced his new measure on
the Law of Partnership. Some of the legal re-

was the A.EERDEEN Ministry has been iat us
transformed into the PALMERSTON Ministry. Is

They are now appealing to public opinion for a
reduction of some of the burdens to which they
are subjected, more especially the licenses and
mileage duty. Let them have every fair
play. But when demanding a favour they
must come into Court with clean hands, and show
that their conduct has been such as to merit the
concession they ask for. We would give every
indulgence to those who act fairly towards the
public ; and it is but justice to say that there are
some who have made no alteration. We regret,
however, to add that the majority have disentitled
themselves to any consideration.

this punishment, or reward ? The latter of course
Parliamentary condemnation seems, therefore,
capable of authorising the condemned to re-en' Ger
life in a nobler shape. They die an ABERD•E EN
Cabinet, and re-appear a PALMERSTON Cabinet...

the Russians.

But what is the forbearance required ? Few-, or
none of them, are infant statesmen now ; 1 liey
have learned to walk; they can bear a brush Tv:ith-
out endangering their erect position. But the

difficulties to be overcome, the disasters to be rc-
trieved, are appalling. True, and, but for the
ribald Press, they would have been more appall ng
still—nay, we believe that, but for the fear of the
Press, no Administration would have the courage
to face them, or to attempt a remedy. The Pr ess
has driven from office only the two, who, by the
ceertm,;,. I.4vLd Junil Itvatan.u. 111ut..1C,

Again, we ask, where is Mr. FITZROY ? We
want some energetic reformer to grapple with this
serious grievance. It would not be difficult to
provide a suitable remedy.

forms postponed from last year, and which will,
doubtless, be proceeded with, might also have made
some progress, or even if there were no Ministerial

topic ripe for discussion, or even explanation, the
time thus wantonly sacrificed would have enabled
many independent members to have disposed of
questions of considerable interest and importance
to the community in general. But all these ad-

together, incompetent to the conduct of the 'ilfar.
The Press has done the fullest justice both to, the
" indifference" of Lord ABERDEEN, and to -the
" industry" of the Duke of NEWCASTLE. It
will do similar justice to the Transform ied
Cabinet. If the Avatar of Whigs and Peeliites,
as the PALMERSTON Government, come forth -with
the attributes and deeds required by the pre ,ent
juncture, the Press and the country will hail f heir
advent. The English Press, indeed, is pow(rrless
against any Ministry who do the work of th.o na-
tion. What would be the circulation and tlao, in-
fluence of the ablest journal which stood con rioted
of slander, calumny, and falsifying informatio n to
incriminate this man or that man at the pre sent
crisis ?

vantages have been relinquished without even a
remonstrance from any side of either House. Tn
truth, Noble Lords and Right Hon. and lion.
Gentlemen as anxiously grasp at any plausible
excuse for a holiday, as if they were schoolboys,
striving to evade the performance of very irksome
tasks which they would gladly sconce whenever

Eupatoria.

practicable.
In the present instance there has merely been
a substitution of offices. The Cabinet is to all

intents and purposes the same, its policy unaltered,
save that we may probably look fora greater display
of vigour, decision, and energy. The explanation
has already been given in the House of Lords.
No vacancy is to be filled up in that branch of
the Legislature, which will confer a seat on an
influential and leading member of the Cabinet,
who, for the time being, is unable to explain his
views. There was, therefore, not the shadow of
an excuse for the protracted adjournment of their
Lordships' House.
In the House of Commons much could have
been effected during the absence of Lord PAL-
MERSTON and Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT. Surely their
colleagues, who still retain their seats—the new
Home Secretary, for it appears that Mr. HER-
BERT goes to the Colonies and Sir GEORGE GREY
resumes his old place at the Home-office, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, the First Lord of
the Admiralty, the President of the India Board,
the Chief Commissioner of Woods, to say nothing
of all the Ministers holding offices but without
seats in the Cabinet—might be entrusted to con-
duct public business for a week or teu days
without the personal superintendence of their
chief, and his colleague, the Colonial Secretary.
And what is to be gone through for which al
this highly prejudicial delay must be endured '
Appeals must be made to public opinion at Tiver•
ton! and South Wilts! It must be ascertained
whether the late members have forfeited the con-
fidence of their respective constituents by the
changes to which they have assented. This is
easily discovered. Indeed there is not the slightest
chance even of a contest in either place. At
Tiverton the committee unanimously agreed that
there is not the slightest necessity for the attend-
ance of the new Premier. They have, and very
properly, relieved his Lordship of every particle
of trouble, so that the election will be reduced to
a mere form. A similar course might be adopted
at South Wilts without the slightest risk to the
new Secretary of State. Thus we see that all
the delay might be avoided without the slightest
injury to any constitutional principle.
But whence the necessity for any new election,
or the seats being vacated ? Sir GEORGE GREY
does not vacate his, although moved from the
Colonial to the Home-office I Why should Lord
PALMERITON for going from the Home-office to
the Treasury, or Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT for
becoming Secretary for the Colonies in place of
Secretary at War ? They both previously held
seats in the Cabinet, and, although there is a for-
mal, there is no substantial, difference between
their cases and that of Sir GEORGE GREY. Either,
then, his seat should also have been vacated, or
the others should have remained without altera-

We would Bay to the PALMERSTON Cat inet,
first, do not vainly attempt to serve two mui;ters.
No man can serve both German Princes and the
English People. Their objects are so totally
diverse. The German despots hereditary, not
elected despots, and the English electors, are in
perfect antagonism. Pliancy to the wislies of
German Courts, however disguised the manage-
ment, is detected at once by our native common
sense, and all England loathes it. 'Could
PALMERSTON desert his position of " not
being the Minister of Austria, wo may
add of Saxe iCoburg—but of England," he
would excite even more indignation than AIusR-
DION. In his case the nation would regard them.-
selves as cheated. He would close his days -with
that most degraded of characters in the eyes of
Englishmen—a turncoat fur Court favour. The
country will look for quite an un-German policy.
No mercy whatever for Russia, and Rot much for
the State which differs as little from it in policy as
in name ; no longer declining the aid of the
brave Poles ; no more hesitation to avow that a
free Poland is an essential to an honourable peace ;
no further parleying with Austria, but a demand
for deeds as well as Protocols and Notes. Such a
contrast to late proceedings would alone be wor-
thy of what England expects from Lord PALMER-
STON.

of the war.

with success.

Next in the more immediately pressing matter;

—let the press have to record something done,
and done promptly. Let it be seen tly.tt we have
a CROMWELL at the War-office, who can write as
of old—" I am willing to show you the forms of
respect, but I mean to have this business done."
Let the first official who turns away business sent
him because "it is not in his department" be
forthwith cashiered ; whoever does not get
" done" what is ordered of him, let
him be told that his department is
the streets, and not any branch of a War-
office. Let every proved incompetent man, and
there must be many such, be walked off at
once, and without compensation—let him think
it, indeed, a favour that he is not the subject of a
Coroner's verdict. It is, however, astonishing
what one strong will would soon effect. The
great body of understrappers would be converted
into new men in 48 hours. Patriotic tradesmen
would b 3 received with bows and inquiries, and
thankful acceptance of their offers of service, as
soon as it was known that instant dismissal was
the penalty of official superciliousness and lazi-
ness. But, above all, let Lord PALMERSTON and
Lord PAITNIIIRE beware of covering aristocratical
blunders and incompetency. Nothing can save
their order in England from utter prostration but
the knife. Boards of nephews, brothers-in-law,
and the like, must be thoroughly weeded. Men
of business heads and habits must come in.
England has them in abundance. An honest
Government has ample means to find and test
them, and it must do it. Ministers have now a
week to themselves for work. Let them do it ;
and in another week or fortnight, the Crimea,
and Vienna, and Berlin also, will begin to feel
the difference, and the Press will have to commend,
not to forbear.

tion.
It is, no doubt, a salutary precaution that the
constituencies should have full opportunities of
pronouncing on the conduct of any representative
who, for the first time, accepts office under the
Crown. But, in any subsequent alteration, the
ordeal is as unnecessary as it would be in the
case of a naval or military officer who obtained
legitimate promotion in his profession. If a per-
son be once a placeman he is subjected to the
influence of the Crown as much as if he held any
other office.

We have alluded to this matter, trusting that a
very serious annoyance and inconvenience may be
avoided for the future. In any case, the vacancy
should not occur for one or two months after the
appointment, to give ample time for any expla-
natiens that might be required, and which it
would be only fair to the new official to give
him the opportunity of making.

Where is Mr. FITZROY ? It is high time that
the reformer of cab abuses should direct his atten-
tion to omnibuses. If the fares of one are to be
regulated according to time and distance, why
,should there be a total absence of control over
the other ? Why should the omnibus pro-
prietors be at liberty to alter their charges
at their mere will and pleasure from three-
pence or fourpence to sixpence, ninepence, or
a shilling, without let or hindrance, and
what is still worse without the slightest intimation
of the increased fare until the victim is fairly
within the vehicle, and compelled to pay a charge
which he never contemplated, and which he can
badly afford.
At present it is impossible to know before-
hand what you may be required to pay for even
the shortest distances. If you adopt the precau-
tion of questioning the conductor,and, after stopping
the machine, refuse to comply with the extortion,
you are subjected to gross impertinence, or, in the
most favourable case, to a very unpleasant alter-
cation. Now this might all be avoided, by fixing
an average maximum, mileage rate, and making
stringent regulations, that every change from the
fares ordinarily charged should be distinctly marked
on the outside of each vehicle, and should be men-
tioned by the conductor to each passsenger previous
to taking him up. By this means the constant
changes which are made sources of great imposi-
tion and annoyance would be avoided. At ere-
sent we find a slight fall of snow ruk,lo a pre text
for more than doubling the fArel mad increasing

The Press was never certainly conducted with
greater decorum, on the whole, than at the pre-
sent day, yet it is taken to task with a virulence
in some quarters, worthy of the times of SID-
MOIITH and the Six Acts. A great statesman
could lower himself to bespatter it with opprobrious
but pointless epithets—that is simply to abuse, in
language indicating plenty of ill-will in the indi-
vidual using it—but striking no part of the mark
at which he aimed. We certainly were pained,
for his own sake, to hear a noble lord talk of the
" ribald Press ; " the truth being that Holywell-
street was not the object of his wrath, but that
Stamp
Be was
very
portion of the press which is of such a " first-
claaa" character, that on that ground alone he
has use
hitherto to abolish the Newspaper
refused l
object of his present afraid of injuring thereby the
abuse 1 The London Daily
Press was " first-class" with him so long as that
pretext would serve for preventing the creation of
cheap newspapers, and the free circulation
politi-
cal knowledge amongthelowerel es;imttha
of
Mr. GLADSTONE and Lord STANusy imvendoomed
t
his much-loved penny stamp to annihilation, and
themselves heartier educationists tha n'
proved forthwith the
Lord JOHN RUSSELL, very
same
journals become the "filmic]. Proes.! " The first-

THE SUN, LONDON, !SATURDAY EVENING-, FEBRUARY 10, 1855.

LATEST NEWS.

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

We have received the following, dated Trieste,

Saturday morning :

The steamer Australia arived to-day at 7.16

a.m., in 112 hours, from Alexandria.
The India and China mails left Alexandria on
the sth February, with advices from Calcutta to

;ho 10th January ; Madras, 14th January ;

Bombay, 17th January ; Shanghai, sth Decem-
ber ; Hong Kong, 19th December.
The Burmese Envoy has demanded the restitu-
tion of Pegu, which has been peremptorily
refused.

The Khan of Kokan has been permitted to
borrow native officers to drill his troops against

There has been some fighting in the Persian
Gulf between the Arabs and the Persians.

At Bombay money is scarce, and the import
market overstocked. A monetary crisis is con-

sidered probable at Calcutta.

Exchange at Calcutta, 2s. Old.
At Canton matters arts still threatening and

,rade quite depressed.
Exchange at Canton 4s. 9d. ; Shanghai, 6s. 61d.

THE SIEGE OF SEBAsTOPOL.
VIENNA, SATURDAY MORNING.
The local papers assert that 60,000 Russians
aro concentrated on the Pruth.
The head-quarters of Prince Gortschakoff are to
be removed from Kischeneff to Odessa. The

Russian division has been forced to retire for

want of water from the neighbourhood o.

Since The frosty weather has set in there has

been a great want of water at Perekop, but there

are abundant supplies of provisions.
The Grand Duke Michael is better.

Prince Menschikoff is suffering from old wounds

received in 1828.

The Russians are preparing to attack the posi
tions of the Allies on all points.

The Sultan is unwell.

VIENNA, FRIDAY, FEB. 9.

Intelligence from Bucharest announces that

Prince Stirbey had assembled the Divan to vote

an extraordinary sum from the Wallachian E;-
chequer to assist the Sultan in the prosecution

The allied Consuls had urged the adoption of
his measure, which it was thought would meet

Accounts from Constantinople, of the Ist Feb-
ruary, state that the latest attitude of Persia had
given some anxiety. France and England are
reported to have despatched an ultimatum to that
Power.

MADRID, FEB. 7.

To-day M. Madoz, Minister of Finance, pro-
posed in the Cortes the sale of the property of
the communes and of the state (in addition to
that of the clergy) against inalienable Three per
Cent. Bonds.

tions to the north and east of the camp of the Allies,
and which communicates with Sebastopol, though with
difficulty ; of detached divisions in the environs of
Bakshi-Serai and Simpherepol which may be concentrat-
ed in a few hours, so as to oppose to the besiegers a
mass of 100,000 men ; of a corps of from 25,000 to
30,000 men fortified in the positions of the Alma, in
order to close the road to Sebastopol against mer
Pacha, and to cut off all communications by land
with the Allied array ; and, lastly, of about 50,000
men who are encamped at the entrance of the Isthmus
to protect Perekop, observe Eupatoria, keep up the
communications of Prince Measchikoff with Russia, and
be ready to ge wherever they may be required. It has
been stated that the Russians make use of lassoes to
catch our soldiers. But they employ the rope in another
manner also : two strong Cossacks, holding one by each
end, lie flat on the ground at a spot where the besiegers
will have to pass in repulsing a sortie. As soon as they
see French or English soldiers arrive in pursuit of Rus-
sians, they raise the rope and cause them to fall. On
those the Russians then make an offensive return, and
the unfortunate soldiers are sometimes killed or made
prisoners. Such a trick is fitter for savages than for
disciplined soldiers ; and it excites our contempt and in-
dignation against those who make use of it."