The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-14 00:00:00

TriE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EV_ENING, APRIL 14, 1888.

of constructing the line, included in the above-
mentioned system, extending from Bombay north,
via Surat and Baroda to Delhi and Agra. This
Company has not yet completed its arrange-
ments with the authorities. The fifth is
the Scinde Railway Company, who have en-
gaged to construct the line from Kurrachee to
the Indus, a distance of about 120 miles. The
present capital of the company is half a million—
a splendid programme, which it will certainly
task the attention and resources of the company
to fulfil. Nevertheless, it partakes in no degree
of the character of a wild and desperate scheme.
The position of the shareholders, owing to the ex-
traordinary but most judicious system adopted by
the company, is unusually safe and good. The
average cost of constructing the lines throughout
the whole of India it is believed will not exceed
8,0001. a mile, or 22,0001. at least a mile below
the average in this country. The Government
provides the land ; the preliminary expenses are
small ; the company is guaranteed a handsome
rate of interest, and has a fair prospect
of an increase to that rate from the
profits of y the undertaking ; security is
given against loss in the event of any unfore-
seen failure; immunity is secured against compe-
tition with similar projects, and a watchful guar-
dianship over the interests of the shareholders is
insured. On the other hand, the State, in addi-
tion to the benefits we have narrated as likely to
ensue from a systein of railway communication,
will possess a certain control over the proceedings
of the company, will save pecuniary outlay, and
come into possession of
.the respective lines in.
ninety-nine years. It should not be forgotten
that during the last twenty years the territorial
extent of India has been vastly increased. The
value cf imports and exports has been more.than
doubled, and the revenue has increased seven mil-
lions. Tilusi there is every reason to anticipate
a vast increase of activity and productiveness
when the above arterial communications are com-
pleted. The branch lines will, of course, be a
work of time, but there cannot be a doubt, taking
further into Consideration the readiness displayed
by the natives to avail themsell es of railway
facilities for travellers, that, before long, all the-
populous and fertile districts, and ultimately the
Entire country, will be intersected with railways.
A. great future is in store for India, and this
country may profit immensely from the cultiva-
tion of so splendid a field for enterprise.

THE EARL OF DUNDONA LD.

. O

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUL

Sra,—lt must not be believed that I am passively re-
signed to be deemed demented because I have not lately
been wile to jmtify my opinions by.the result of an ac-
knowledged official consideriVon of my "secret plans,"
or because there does not exist in Britain an authority
who can decide and act without consulting many others.
We know in,the naval service that to refer a question to
a council of war is to reject the enterprise.
Three weeks ago I laid these plans before Lord Palmer;.
ton by appointment, and, having fully explained them
(to which -exp'ana,tion his lordship raid great atten-
tion), I requested that if any point seemed doubtful his
lordship would be pleased to put such questions as Le
deemed necessary; but, not one of importance having
been asked, I felt, and do,feel assured, that their prac-
ticability and efficiency were perfectly understood and
appreciated.

Should the contrary be the case, a few words from
bits Lord Ship in the House of Commons would be a just
act, by permitting me to explain the grounds on which I
have trespassed on attention, or otherwise warrant my
adopting such a course as may seem to me suited, tinder
my long-entertained conviction of their irresistible
power.—l am, Sir, your obliged and obedient servant,
April 12. DURDONALD.

1-Ifl
LAriy,v3T NEWS
S.

TUE VIENNA CONFERENCE.

VIENNA, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 13.

Considerable difference of opinion exists be-

tween the Western Powers and Austria respect-
ing the diminution of the Russian preponderance
in the Black Sea.

Lord John Russell and M. Drouyn de 1' auys
left this morning for the Semmering mountain,

and return to morrow.

This temporary absence probably means—
" Accept our conditions or reject them."

THE BALTIC FLEET.

KIEL, FRIDAY, 11 A.M.

The Imperieuse, 51, Commodore Watson, and
Euryalus, 51,, have just entered this harbour and
anchored close to the bathing establishment. The

earth Works, Which the French hold. It is on this
latter point anticipated that the attack will be
made, if ever made at at all.
The weather continues magnificent; the nights
clear and calm ; the days sunny, but as hot as July
in London. The heat of the wooden huts during
the day is found already to be almost insupportable.
This is caused by the planking of the roof being
covered by tarred felt, which absorbs and retains
the heat of the sun. It might easily be obviated
by having the black felt covered with a coat of
whitewash. The men are all in high spirits, and,
generally speaking, in good health. Fever, how-
ever, is becoming each day more and more preva-
lent, especially among the Guards, Highlanders,
and others who are stationed round Balaklava.

MARCH 29.
Still nothing to communicate in the way of hos-
tilities. Hardly a dozen shots were fired from
either lines last night, and now that we have full
moon, the prospect of a sortie is quite out of the
question. The business of getting up tke filled and
empty shells goes on rapidly. Each day for the last
three days 82 railway trucks filled with 10 and 13-
inch shell has been forwarded to the front. Each
truck holds 32 shells, so that nearly 8,000 have
been sent up since the 26th. In addition to this
immense amount 500 filled 8-inch and 32-pounder
shells have also been forwarded on the backs of
mules, and 500 10-inch empty shells by the Artillery
waggons each day. Every effort is being made to
get up a tremendous store of these missiles, though
we have already more than enough at the front to
turn Sebastopol into an iron mine. Of solid shot
there are 600 rounds per gun now in camp, and it
is intended to have the same supply for all the mor-
tars. Of. the latter store about 200 rounds per
mortar remain to be forwarded. It is expected
that at the rate at which the shells are now con-
veyed, daily, four days more will give us the re-
quired amount.

The railway now takes its traffic close to the rear
of our lines and beyond Karani, about a third of a
mile from head-quarters. It is expected that it will
be entirely completed to head-quarters in the course
of two or three days more. Mr. Beattie certainly
deserves the very highest credit for the very admi-,
Table manner in which he conducted all the minute
,details_connected with this tramway.
However, in spit:: of all the facilities which the
tram promises, it is now rumoured that the final
assault will be still further postponed for the 2d of
April. As to the truth of the grounds for this
rumour I know nothing ; but I think it very pro-
bable, as I have already said, that the 2d will pass
over without our re-opening fire. On the result
of our fire opinions here are quite divided, some
maintaining that we must capture the place in
three or four days, while others insist that its cap-
ture is impossible whit t the north side remains in
the hands of the enemy. I must plead guilty to
being of the latter opinion. We, no doubt, will
destroy 'the town and dockyard, if we fire upon it;
we may, even desixoy all the enemy's batteries, but
we can only destroy. Occupy them while the Rus-
sians hold Sivernia and Star Fort is quite out of the
question. If we destroy the south side and its
ridges of batteries, we must then move round, and
commence our siege of the north, which is infinitely
stronger than the. forts of the town to which we
are now opposed.

- Capt. Reath, RN., who is to supersede Capt.
Christie, in charge of the transports, arrived at
Balaklava this morning. Capt. Christie resigns his
functions on the 30th ult., and leaves for England
the day-after. In spite of Government insinuations
to the contrary, Capt. Christie has the consolation
of knowing that as far as the means at his dis-
posal would .permit he has always discharged
his duty faithfully and well, and that he leaves
here accompanied. by the sincere regrets of
all the masters of transports who have been
under his charge. The subscriptions to the testi-
monial, about to be presented to him by the mas-
ters of transports out here, already amount to
nearly 2001., and Mr. Pritchard, his secretary, is
also, I believe, to
.be presented by the same body
with some token of the high appreciation and es-
teem which they feel for his conduct in connection
with then.

Captain Heath will take charge of the Transpor
Service. Captain Christie has issued the follow,
ing :

" ORIENT, BALAKLAVA, MARCH 29.
" GENERAL MEMORANDUM.
"The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having
been pleased to appoint Captain Leopold G. Heath,
R.N., to supersede me as principal agent of transport•,
I hereby inform you thereof, and you will, follow and
obey the orders of that officer from and after the 31st
instant.

_"ln taking leave of you I beg to return you my
wannest -thanks for the ready attention with which
you have invariably met my orders and wishes. I have
the greatest gratification in bearing testimony to
the noble spirit and zeal which have been displayed by
one and all of you in the execution of the public service
under trials and circumstances of no ordinary nature,
and which has been accomplished with cheerfulness on
the part of the officers and crews of your respective ships
and a thorough knowledge of your profession. I part
with you with 'regret, and trust that the same good
feelings which have actuated you hitherto will continue
under my successor, and that your exertions in concert
with those of her Majesty's navy and army will soon be
crowned by success in securing to our country a lasting
and honourable peace.

"P. CHRISTIE, Captain, Principal Agent.
" To the respective Commanders of
the Transports employed with the
Army of the East."

The Trent started to-day for Alexandria to bring
cavalry, and the Himalaya is also under orders for
the same place. The latter ship arrived a few days
since at Kamiesh with 380 artillery horses and
about 200 men. Only three horses were lost during
the trip, which was one of the fastest on record, the
distance from Malta to Kamiesh having been run
in 90 hours, giving an average speed against the
winds and currents of the Dardanelles of 14 knots
an hour.

MARCH 30.

There has been little firing to-day on both sides,
and without producing any particular result. Shot
and shell are still coming in fast, with railway
truck loads of powder. The whole preparations
for the bombardment are now nearly finished, and
we might open fire-to-morrow, if it were needed.
No one can account for the delay, except on the
supposition that Lord. Raglan is waiting for fur-
ther communications as to the prospect of affairs at
Vienna. This may seem unlikely, but it is the
cause generally assigned for it among the " well-
informed circles." The enemy make no move-
ment at Balaklava, though they still remain within
about three miles of our lines, and consequently
keep the whole of the allied force there continually
on the
_alert day and night. However, we are always
ready to receive them, and so strong has our po-
sition been iendered that, unless the enemy come
with overwhelming superiority of numbers, they
would never risk an attack ; but no precaution is
neglected on this account.
Balaklava itself has been considerably improved
of late ; in fact, both literally and figuratively, it is
no longer the same town. Nearly all the old houses
have been pulled down, and neat wooden huts
erected in place of them. The gaps in the streets
have been filled in, fresh roads made, and old ones
repaired as good as new. Many of the most con,.
spicuous masses of filth have been removed, but
many more unfortunatelystill remain, and now that
'the warm weather has fairly set in must remain for
the rest of the summer. The houses that have been
let stand are neatly whitewashed, and altogether,
what with its steam saw-mills, stationary engines,
blacksmiths' shops, piles or, coal, railway sidings,
and railway trucks, little piers, wharves, and
shipping, Balaklava is a very different place from
what we found it six months ago. Then it might
have been pointed out as a model of a quiet, rich,
and picturesque sea side nook ; now its quietness
has gone for ever, its picturesqueness is consider-
ably diminished, and, though the wealth in the
place is of course incomparably greater, there are
fewer signs of it, except in the magnificent steamers
which crowd and dirty the little harbour. -Bala-
klava now only answers to the description of one
of those wooden sea-side towns which "spring up in
Australia, on the main routes to diggings, and,
except an occasional Tartar and a few gaunt camels
which have survived the winter, there are as little
traces of the East about it as in LimehouSe or
Stepney. The weather here also is as much changed
as Balaklava. During, the day now it is quite op-
pressively hot, and gives us a pretty fair idea of
what we may expect
.in July, if we have the mis-
fortune to be here then. All the hills around are
covered with flowering shrubs, and even within the
precincts of the damp violets and crocuses are
common. Since the warm weather also the flocks
of vultures have returned, and now with kites and
ravens sail about over the tents in hundreds and
hundreds all day long.
Of course with such a change in the weather the
condition of the men is much improved. They now
get fresh meat and vegetables three or four_ times a
week ; and all who are at all unwell live entirely
on fresh provisions. Dysentery and scurvy are
fast diminishing, but fever, unfortunately, shows
an alarming increase during the last week ; it is
particularly prevalent and malignant among the
troops round Balaklava, and the Highlanders have
a long sick list from this cause.
Letters from Eupatoria mention that a large
force ,of Cossack and regular cavalry are con-
tinually hovering around the town, but make no
attempt towards cemieg in range of the works. A
deserter; who recently came in there said that an
iiifi„utry force of 18 battalions (a,bui
encamped about four miles from thetow3n2,o2nod)wnoa;
in the least short of provisions. Letters from the
fleet speak of the recent attack of one of the gun-