The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TH'URSD

tation. He thus voluntarily went into a species of
honourable banishment, which had the effect of
getting rid of him at the most critical period for
the Administration. The selection, too, was ra-
ther popular than otherwise with the country.
We ourselves felt some misgivings on account of
his ominous declaration some time previously, that
" the power of Russia ought not to be diminished,
or any of her dominions taken from her." Still,
however, there was a reasonable expectation that
he would endeavour to retrieve his damaged re-
putation, and acquire the popularity necessary to
aim at the chief place in the Government.

Scarcely, however, had. he left England when
the secession of the Peelites removed the chief
obstacle to his acceptance of a seat in the Cabinet.
The Colonial Secretaryship was accordingly offered
not the less willingly, perhaps, on account of
his absence on the special mission to Vienna,
which would prevent the possibility of his inter-
meddling or intriguing for some two or three
months at least. It was accepted, and the Noble
Lord was elected for the City of London during
his absence on his important duties.
At first all went well, but sinister rumours
speedily got into circulation respecting his truck-
ling to Austria, and the manner in which he was
desirous of sparing the honour of Russia. He was
seen walking arm-in-arm with Prince GORTSCHA-
KOFF on the glacis, holding confidential and
friendly intercourse with the Russian Plenipoten-
tiary. It was after this significant circumstance
that he became a convert to the Austrian propo-
sition of " counterpoise," which, notwithstanding
his very decided instructions to the contrary, he
told Count Bum. ought to be accepted, and that
he would use his best exertions that peace should
be established on that basis. This vacillation
not only ruined his own reputation, but
proved to Austria that she might safely dis-
regard the solemn pledges she had given,
a conviction of which that treacherous and double-
dealing Power was not slow to take full advan-
tage of.

How narrow was the escape of this country
from that humiliating and impolitic termination
of the War, is not as yet fully understood. We
know that the question was argued in the Cabinet
for a week—that the result was doubtful from the
30th April until the 7th of May. It was on the
morning of the latter day that the resignation of
M. DROUYN DE L'HuYs became known, and on
the same evening the English Cabinet decided
against the Austrian proposition, although up
to that moment there had been so many
deprecatory observations as to not " closing the
door of peace," and so late as the 4th of May the
Premier had declared that " the Government
would entirely violate their duty if they stated
that all hopes of accommodation were at an end !"
What could this mean but that there was an
inclination to accept the terms suggested by Aus-,
tria. It was therefore the unbending resolution
and honourable deteoOnation of our Imperial
Ally that saved .41gtiir
ld from what would have
been almost universally felt as a national calamity
of no ordinary magnitude.

We

, The delay in the publication of the papers re-
lating to the Vienna Conferences, through the
opportune illness of a clerk in the Foreign Office,
prevented any Parliamentary discussion on .the
subject. The moment;hOWever, that* they appeared
Mr. MILNER GIBSON occupied the ground by
giving notice of motion, to the effect that the
propositions of Russia respecting the third article
contained elements for renewed negotiation, and
might offer the means of concluding an honourable
and satisfactory peace. This motion was, however,
withdrawn at the last moment, with the
manifest intention of tiding over the approaching
recess, and waiting the events of the War, which
might satisfy the people. The "dodge," although
artfully contrived, was ineffectual. The with-
drawal of Mr. GIBSON'S motion produced that of
Mr. DISRAELI, which threatened the existence of
the Government, and which would probably have
proved successful but for the very decided and
manly speech of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, who, not-
withstanding his private feelings, clearly showed
that the propositions of Russia were totally inad-
missible, affording no security whatsoever to Tur-
key ! It was a bold and manly speech, which
probably saved the Ministry, by satisfying the
nation that there was every reason to anticipate a
vigorous and energetic carrying on of the War.
How that can be reconciled with his subsequent
confessions of having advocated the principle of
counterpoise, and been willing to accept an " im-
perfect security for Turkey,' is a matter which
the Noble Lord will find it difficult to explain.
It proved that his political morality had been
seriously damaged by his diplomatic lessons, and
that the people could not again rely on his can-
dour or sincerity. At all events, it got
over the difficulty for the time being,
but brought the Government into a
much greater one sometime afterwards, from
which they were only saved by flinging overboard
the political JONAH—a process effected at the
special instance and request of some of those who
had previously been his most devoted followers.
We have thus pointed out the career of the
quondam Whig Premier during the session just
terminated—a career that will preclude the pos-
sibility of his ever regaining the confidence of the
people, which he once enjoyed to a great extent,
but wantonly abused and recklessly sacrificed,
possibly in the hope of obtaining a higher place
through German influence, of the efficacy whereof
in the English Councils he seems to be fully I
aware. i

The new competitive examinations for appoint-
ments in the East India Company's service,
although the examiners are most of them new to
the very special duties, and the topics of exami-
nation are in some points exceptionable, have, as
a commencement, been highly satisfactory in
immediate results, and much more so in
promise for the future. As i precedents, they
are entirely corroborative of the yews of
official as well as non official Administra-
tive Reformers, for the general application of the
principle of competitive examinations for which
they contend. For twenty writerships, 140 can-
didates were entered, and 113 underwent the
ordeal. Cambridge University sent 32 candidates,
and got six of the prizes; Oxford sent 19 candi-
dates, and got eight of them ; the London Uni-
versity contributed six candidates, and got two
posts ; the Ring's College, which sent two, got
one; the Queen's
College, Galway, which sent
two, got one ; the Queen's
Theso
College,etch Universities
Cork,ie
rws
tiiceh
sent five, obtained one,s
which sent 15,
we are sorry to say, won only
one, which was gained by the University of
Edinburgh. A pupil from the London University
stood at the head of all the competitors.
The results ans wer those opponents to competi-
tive examinations, and to Administrative Reform,
who declared that they would give the appoint-
ments to mere snobs. The public have got
India has got twenty good officers, the best out of
111 competitors; more than half the usual numbers
of inferior appointments,. or positive failures, have
been averted, and a greater proportion of positive
the fazt of the ithlzwe..l the proastira 0 ,
political jobs have been extinguished. Imagine-

tho canvassing of one hundred and forty
families, and all their connexions, from so small
a representative body as th© East India Directors 1

Henceforth fewer Directors will be elected as
mere catspaws to hook out appointments, and more
will be elected simply and truly for the perform-
ance of the public service itself. The like ex-
tinction of Parliamentary patronage would be one
of the greatest political purifications, and the
most successful measures of Parliamentary reform,
operating at once beneficially on the public service,
upon the morals of the constituents themselves, as
well as upon the representatives. It is an object
worthy of a great league to agitate. Adminis-
trative -Reformers have yet to see the full extent
of its bearings, and it must be displayed to those
of the Army and Navy, who are without Parlia-

mentary influence.
The etitive examinations for Indian
medical appointments
i have already been produc-
open e"V
produc-
tive of important public experience. A large pro-
portion of persons who, had obtained diplomas of
competence for practice, some who had obtained
diplomas from the College of Physicians as well
as from the College of Surgeons, some who had
been in practice, were plucked, not for general
accomplishments, but for actual gross in compe-
tency to practise. The ignorance which had been
covered and sent forth by these diplomas was
proved by failures in common operations on the
dead subject to be of the most dangerous and
alarming description. Complete proof is
given by the competitive examinations for
the medical appointments, of the utter
inefficiency of mere " pass examinations," and
in support of Mr. CHADWICK'S proposed measure,
i.e., the application of the principle of competitive
examinations, as tests of professional competency
even for private practice, and as securities for the
integrity and trustworthiness of the examinations
themselves. .
Of those sent back for incompetency, it is well
known, from their connexions, and from their
being well dressed, kid gloved, gold ringed, white
cravated, ;►well coiffed, and presentible men, some
of them with eye-glasses, that two-thirds of them
would, under the old system of patronage, hpve
gained appointments. Medical men, anxious, for
the respectability of their profession, rejoice at the'
operation of the new barrier to the intrusion of
ignorance, and wish it to be strengthened and
largely extended.
The results of the new competitive examinations
for the Woolwich Cadetships are as .yet un-
known, but there are grounds for gene-
rally , favourable anticipations in respect
to them, although the appointment as examiners
of such eminent men as Professor BROWN, the au-
thor of the chief works of our day for instruction
, in the classics, and of Professor TRENCH, of the
King's College, would justify the same jealousy
that future •WELLINGTONS or MARLBOROUGHS,
well up in the practical sciences applicable to war,
may be hard pressed, or plucked in merely scho-
lastic accomplishments. It is most desirable, and
indeed necessary, that there should be a superior
and competent supervision, and reporting upon
the examinations themselves for the public infor-
mation and for their progressive improvement ;
the more so, as in respect to the most important
of the competitions already instituted, those for
the Indian service, since Sir CHARLES Wools, who
had a truthful interest in the' measure, has left,
by one of those turns by which great measures
are continually sacrificed, and against which Ad-
ministratiVe Reform should provide, it has fallen
to the mercy of the new President of the Board
of Control, Mr. VERNON SMITH, who at the best
is indifferent to it, and it is consequently practi-
cally in the hands of Sir THOMAS REDINGTON, the
permanent secretary to the Board, who has put
forth a written declaration (vide Blue Book, p.
230) of positive hostility to the principle of the
reform, from whom no assistance, and every hin-
derauce, is to be expected.
Although the departmental examinations under
the Government for civil service appointments,
which, with few exceptions, are mere "pass exami-
nations," and such as pauper lads in the Union
Schools might smile at, the candidates scnt by
Parliamentary influence are known to have been
scandalously below them. Out of the 76 examined,
24 were rejected as not possessing these very low
qualifications. 11 were declared unqualified for
clerkships, 1 for the surveyorship of taxes, 1 for
the surveyorship of excise, 5 for tidewaiterships,
2 for tidewaiterships and patrol offices, 2
for quayerships ; and 2 for weigherships.
The competitive examinations for certificates of
competency at the Government School of Practi-
cal Art, and at the Educational Department of
the Privy Council Office, for certificates of compe-

tency for, school teacherships, are reported to be
producing important and beneficial effects on the
arts which it is the duty of those departments to
promote. But in consequence of the low rate of
pay ignorantly offered by the House of Commons
and the country for the high qualifications for
school teacherships, and the great value of those
qualifications, moral and intellectual, in the open
mercantile, trading, and commercial labour markets,
the holders of the certificates of competency find
that by the means of those proofs they obtain com-
mercial clerkships, yielding one-half more emolu-
ment than is given for the school teacher-ships,
there is a continued tendency on the part of the
most successful competitors to abandon the
paid business of tuition. The immense difference
in mere pecuniary results between good and bad
tuition will display the improvidence of giving
such payments as will retain only inferior tutors.
Great as would be the political purification, and
advancement in Administrative Reform, by the
general adoption and prosecution of the principle
of open competitive examinations, even as now
rudely and imperfectly commenced, the
public have yet to observe and intimate its vast
importance, as a means of testing and guiding
the whole of the educational institutions of the
country. Of this, the first competition for the
East Indian writerships affords an immediate illus-
tration.

It has been a complaint that a narrow and dark
sectarian spirit has overshadowed the seats of
learning in Scotland, and depressed the mental
ability which once prevailed there, and prevented
a proper succession to the ADAM Stearns, the
DUCIALD STEWARTS, the PLAYFAIRS, who had as
their pupils Lord JOHN RUSSELL, the present
Premier, and some of the leading spirits of the
last half-century. What professors have those
universities now that are of European reputation?
Under proper successors to the great teachers
named, it may be averred that the pupils taught
by them would have swept away the absolute
majority of the Indian prizes, for appointments
(leading to emoluments of from four or five thou-
sand pounds per annum), but the Scotch Univer-
sities and Colleges are now, at the "first innings,"
dead beaten, even by the new " Godless Colleges"
of Cork and Galway ; and the London University,
which is the lowest in theology, outstrips Edin-
burgh. What English families will, if this
continues, send their children to the Scotch
Universities, what Scotch families, anxious for
the advancement of their own younger members,
willnotbethink themselves of the London Uni-

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