The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-17 00:00:00

very glad to profit by the hints of so able and expe•
rienced a commander, notwithstanding the exalted
dignity of Chinese officials. But Col. GORDON'S
assistance is being carried still further, and it is
questionable whether the anti-Chinese members of
the House of Commons who have so often assaulted
the Premier on the ground of his Chinese policy
will think he has altogether kept his pledges of
non-intenvention. On Col. GORDON'S return to
Shanghae he commenced the formation of a camp
of instruction under General BROWN'S orders. The
object of this camp is partly to protect Shanghae
and its vicinity, as we are by treaty bound to do,
an partly to instruct the Chinese in that military
science in which they are so sadly deficient. As the
operations extend beyond the 30 mile radius which
1 we are pledged to protect, they are beyond that
limit conducted by native commanders, since, owing
to the recent Order in Council, officers in her
Majesty's service can no longer act on the other
side of the line. The plan proposed is that fresh
regiments shall continually succeed each other, so
that all may receive some degree of military instruc-
tion. Col. GORDON is to be the manager, and he is
to have the assistance of several officers and drill
instructors, but no foreigners are to take the field.
Whether it is not fulfilling the letter of the order
rather than its spirit to train and equip soldiers for
the field without actually leading them may very
fairly be questioned. It is true that this arrange•
ment disposes of the fear openly expressed by a
large party at home, and no doubt secretly felt
among the Chinese, that our assistance to the Impe-
rialists is a mere pretext for Chinese conquests.
The Chinese authorities are, of course, delighted
with a scheme of such practical benefit to them-
selves. It is, of course, very pleasant to get their
men instructed in the very points in which they
are most deficient, such as artillery rractice and
like, and to get supplies of arms, and all under the
pretext of protecting Shanghae. The protection of
that port is of itself a substantial advantage to the
Chinese, and there is no question but that acute and
commercial people are beginning to comprehend the
value of dealings with Western nations. The
Treaty has ccme into operation at an unfavourable
epoch, when some of the most fertile and pro-
fitable districts of the Empire were devastated
by rebel invasions. The silk districts have
especially suffered from their ravages, but
the unsettled condition of large portions of
the country is most inimical to other branches
of trade. Some parts have changed hands
more than once during the war, and are of course
altogether disturbed and convulsed by such transi-
tions. Those places that have been retaken from
the rebels are still unsettled, for the inhabitants
have very naturally no confidence in Imperial pro-
tection for themselves or their property, while the
great losses which many of the former inhabitants
have suffered in their flight, renders them unable
to profit much, even by their return. Of coarse
such a state of things cannot but be most prejudi-
cial to all the best interests of the people, and it is
no great wonder that the Imperialist rulers should
be glad to avail themselves of European assistance
to restore tranquility to the distracted provinces.
They must, by this time, deplore the infatuated
folly that induced them to deprive themselves of so
valuable an auxiliary as Colonel GORDON. He is,
it is true, in a manner still lending them his aid,
but it is not altogether in a satisfactory way. It is
undoubtedly giving that material aid to the Chinese
which we have publicly declared we would not
give, and it is entrusting them with arms which
there is no confidence that they will employ
worthily. Chinese soldiers are certainly not to be
'ru3ted without English leaders, and the real dif-
ference of cruelty and barbarism lies less between
Teeping and Imperialist than between success and
failure. Wnichever side has the advantage will
abuse it, until China is something very different
from what it is now. There is not much need to
fear, as some do, that their arms will be turned
against ourselves, since a good deal of drilling will
be needed before Chinese, led by Chinese, can face
Englishmen, but there is some reason for doubting
how far the experiment will prove satisfactory.

The dinner of the Tipperary Farming Union
Society gave occasion to Lord STANLEY to make
a long speech upon Irish affairs in general; and
these remarks are worthy of notice, coming, as they
do from one who always thinks before he speaks,
and has generally some wise suggestion to make.
The topic of Ireland has become, for one reason or
another, rather an awkward one, and many persons
have become so desponding, that it is refreshing to
hear Lord STANLEY discourse in so hopeful a tone
compared to other speakers on the subject. Per..
hapa if the Irish themselves and their friends and
advisers were generally to take a more sanguine
view of their case they would get on better and not
meet with so many checks in their career of pro-
sperity. Lord STANLEY referred to the question of
the extensive emigration that has taken place from
Ireland at some length. lle said that if he thought
'this drain was b 3 continuous he should deplore it
greatly, but he did not believe it would centinne for
long. The attractions to America are so great that
it cannot be wondered at that many avail themselves
of it, and when we consider the vast sums which
are sent home by previous emigrants, and the pro-
spects which many possess of meeting their friends
and families there of course mitigate the regret at
parting from the land of their birth. Lord STAN-
LEY attributes the great increase of emigrants to
the present state of things across the Atlantic.
This is very likely to be the case ; for the high rate
paid to labourers now must prove a great
temptation to those who are in want, or at
all events are greatly in need of increasing
their means of support. Of course this position of
affairs cannot last long, and then the evil will be in
a great measure removed. Another point suggested
by Lord STANLEY is of consequence as bearing
allusion to circumstances which may effect the
prosperity of the population of Ireland. It will
most probably occur that as the supply of labour
decreases the rate of weges will increase, and
hence the working population of Ireland wia gra-
dually attain the means of support at a greatly im-
proved ratio. Judging the future by the past,
there is every reason to suppose that this may be
true, for already there is evidence of more being
earned than previously by the same amount of
work. The noble lord's observations on the sub-

ject of cheap labour were very true, and gave great
satisfaction to his beArere. What can be more to
the mark than that low priced labour is not always
cheap labour. This has been proved many times
and oft by sad experience, and it will seldom be
seen that they vaao grind the faces of the poor, and

strive to stint them to the utmost, are those who in
reality get well served and are more prosperous
than their neighbours. It will certainly mitigate
the evils of emigration if it turn out that those who
remain at home are better paid for their work. It
is a deplorable picture to see the market of labour
overstocked with human produce, and men with
families dependent on them striving in vain to sup-
port them even while exerting themselves to the
utmost. Looking at the subject in a practical form,
there is no reason whatever to doubt that the opinion
of Lord STANLEY will be verified, and that we
shall find that the " American demand for emigrants
will slacken, and the rate of Irish weges will rise."