The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-27 00:00:00

will have to expiate his enormous guilt.

A tardy, and by no means adequate, measure of
relief has been afforded to the (very near) relatives
of officers killed in action, or dying in consequence
of wounds received in action, since the commence-
ment of the War with Russia. It may, however,

although by no means sufficient to meet either
the justice or exigency of the case, be regarded as

a step in the right direction, for which the Go-
vernment, hampered as it is on such points, is
enctled to considerable credit. The great prin-
ciple for which we have long contended is thereby
distinctly recognised, and it is scarcely possible to
doubt that it will speedily produce its legitimate
fruits, so as to leave scarcely any well-grounded
cause of complaint.

The object of the present Royal Warrant is to
remedy the grievous injustice arising out of the ob-
jectionable system of promotion by purchase. It was
felt that a serious injury was inflicted on the farai-
lies of officers who had paid a regulation price, vary-
ing from 4501. to 6,1751., for their commissions,
without taking into account the enormous pre-
miums privately paid, with the connivance,
although without the direct sanction of the mili-
tary authorities. The money was paid into the
public Exchequer, and it was therefore peculiarly
illiberal—a harsher term might, perhaps, fairly be
applied—on the part of the State to confiscate
that money, when the, party had nobly sacrificed
his life in its service, and to add the miseries and
privations of poverty to the irreparable loss of a
loving husband and kind father.
But there was something more than "
concerned in the question at issue. We are told
that " we should be just before we are generous,"
and the claim is founded on the purest and most
unromantic justice. The State can order its
military servants into the most dangerous posi-
tions, and it is their duty not to shrink from, or
hesitate at, any peril. We have heard of a fear-
ful description of " Military Arithmetic," in
which it may be necessary to devote to almost
certain destruction a body of men. The victims
are greatly to be pitied. Their surviving relatives
are entitled to the utmost sympathy of the com-
munity ! But it is a portion of the stern realities
of war, which cannot be averted, and no man
can possibly make a great General who cannot
steel his heart to such occurrences. But how
will this sacrifice be increased if it implies also
the robbery of the victim, or rather of his helpless
family. We do not, of course, for a moment
suppose that a man could be selected for a very
perilous duty merely because the State would pro-
fit largely by his death. But such things have
happened in the olden times, and we should care-
fully avoid the possibility of any sinister influence
in the choice of a party for such service.
The first objectionableyoint in the new Royal
Warrant is, that it unduly mixes up questions
of generosity and justice. It will not act
equitably to any claimant unless he or she be
within the limits which would give a claim to
the so-called " compassionate" allowances. If the
widow or other applicant be left in " wealthy
circumstances'' no allowance will be made,
although that allowance be merely the return of
the sum actually paid by the wealthy husband,
son, or brother. The nation cannot act justly
if the party be rich—or generously, if lie
or she be poor. The name of the " Compas-
sionate Fund " becomes a mere mockery when the
return " shall in no case exceed the price actually
paid for the purchase of his commission, or com-

missions."

We shall have more to say on this point, to
show how Utterly inadequate is the proposed re-
lief. We must, however, admit that as a first
step it is valuable, and perhaps quite as much as
could be anticipated at the hands of the Govern-
ment.

The . despatch from General WILLIAMS to the
Earl of CLA.RENDON, announcing the defeat of the
Russians at Kars, and which will be found in
another column, will bo perused with much in-
terest and satisfaction also, though it does not
confirm the rumour that the Russians, disheart-
ened by their losses, had determined to raise the
siege.

The Turkish army, it will be seen, under the
direction of its able leader, and countenanced and
Supported by a few gallant Englishmen, redeemed
the lost prestige of the Turkish army, and by a
_brilliant :victory afforded unmistakeable proof that
under worthy auspices the Ottoman soldier is able
and ready to repeat those manifestations of heroic
valour and resolution which threw such a lustre
over the defence of Silistria. General MIIRA-
VIEFF, it appears, with the bulk of his army,
attacked their entrenched position on the heights
above Kars, and on the opposite side of the river,
at day-dawn on the 29th ult., the date of the
and was driven off with immense loss.
despatch,
With what determination the conflict was waged
on either side, and with what glorious results ca
the besieged, may be gathered from
thew
at part
follo of the
For nearly seven mortal hours,
and without a moment's intermission, the work of
destruction was carried on with unflinching
energy, at the expiration of which period the
(baffled enemy, weary
compelled to retreat in
of profitless assaults and
utterly disheartened, was
the greatest disorder, leaving
the Turkish forces
"
in the possession of the field, and 2,500
slain and
4,000 muskets behind to attest the severity of
his defeat, besides carrying away with him the
greater portion of some 5,000 men wounded on
the occasion. A victory so brilliant and so glo-
rious to all concerned it was greatly to be desired
might prove to have been decisive, and to have
removed all cause for apprehension as to the fate
of Kars.

The reader will have observed that the despatch
was written on the day of battle, probably while
the tumultuous flight of the enemy was still in
view, which would account for the non-confirma-
tion of the report, if correct, to which wo have
previously alluded. Of course, under such cir-
cumstances, while everything was to be hoped by
the victors, nothing of a positive nature as to the
intentidni—of the Itissian -General could be
known, 1,10110 in all likelihood existing,