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

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1855

We yesterday announced that the Allied Fleets
had anchored off Odessa on the Bth instant, and
that the bombardment of the city was momen-
tarily expected. We earnestly hope that on this
occasion there may be no mistake, but that the
anxious anticipation of the country may be fully
realised. The extraordinary leniency previously
exhibited in sparing the great commercial empo-
rium of Southern Russia so strongly excited the
national indignation, proving as it did that the
hearts of the Members of the then Government
were not in accordance with those of the people,
that we cannot suppose that so glaring an error
will again be perpetrated. To that injudicious
clemency may be attributed the protracted struggle
before Sebastopol, and the lavish expenditure'ot
blood and treasure. The CZAR was thereby in-
duced to reject the terms tendered for his accept.
ance, and to harden his heart in the supposition
that the Allies could not really intend to diminish
his power, or even to humiliate his pride. Were
they in earnest, they could not have overlooked a
measure of such vital importance to their future
success. But the nephew of the Goverilor
of Southern Russia, one of whose gor-
geous palaces was situated at Odessa, was not
only a Cabinet Minister, but was placed in a
situation closely connected with the management
of the War. His nearest friend and. coadjutor,
whose views and opinions were identical
with his own, was First' Lord of the Admi-
ralty, and, as such, empowered to issue secret
instructions, totally at variance with the offi;cial
despatches ; while the third member of 'the
triumvirate controlled the public expenditioe,
and was thereby enabled to starve the War.

These persons have, since that period, Con-
demned themselves out of their own mouths.
They have shown themselves to be staunch pro-
Muscovites, who would not assent to anything calcu-
lated to materially damage the interests of their
Autocratic friend. We can, therefore, make every
allowance for the causes that prevented the British
fleet from acting energetically, and decidedly de-
stroying the city, as a most important station
the enemy, rather than inflicting a petty punish-
ment for their most nefarious violation of the law
of nations, by their wilful and deliberate attack
on a boat's crew under the sacred protection of a
flag of truce.

These sinister influences have, however, fortu-
nately been removed. The Cabinet has, to a cer-
tain, extent, been purified, and although we can
place no great confidence in the present head of the
.Admiralty, we know that he is made of :very
squeezable materials, and; that he would noti ven-
ture to imperil his place by openly entering in
opposition to the expressed wishes of his llader.
We believe, then, that the hands of the Admiral
will no longer be tied, and, as a necessary corol-
lary, that the bombardment will be effectual, and
that Odessa will share the fate of Sebastopol—
that it will, at all events, be destroyed, if not
taken possession of and garrisoned by the Allied
forces. A measure so decided would be the more
important, as the AUTOCRAT and his brothers
would personally witness the heavy blow and great
discouragement thus inflicted on their power, and
would, therefore, at length learn to correctly
estimate the inflexible determination of the West-
ern Nations to check the traditional aggressive
policy in which their progenitors have so low*
indulged with impunity.
The example will, we trust, be fairly followed
up. We now know the nature of the influ-
ence that induced us to wage " a rose-
water war," and to allow Russia to carry on her
trade and commerce, with but little restriction,
under cover of Prussian oolours. That grievous
error has protracted the War, and materially en-
hanced the burdens it has placed upon the coin-
rnunity. It cannot be much longer persisted
in deference either to Germanism or the Peace-at-
any-price party. We cannot permit the Prussians
to reap extravagant profits at our expense, and
the expense of our gallant Allies. It is too heavy
a price to pay for their soi-disant neutrality,
which is altogether in favour of the adtersary,
and opposed to French and British inte-
rests. It is not because the Prussian fl•Ig
nominally floats over Memel, while it is to all in-
tents and purposes a Russian port, and, since
the blockade •of Riga and other towns, the '
emporium of Russian commerce in the Baltic,
that its trade should be free. It is useless ,