The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-15 00:00:00

THE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,"
Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
ion be had Every Evening of
G. R. GLENIE, NEWS AGENT,
No. 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-i )ark.

COALS.—The LILLESHALL COMPANY'S
COALS.
Direct from their own Collieries.
Marquis'. 265. per ton. I D0ub1e..........215. per ton.
Top 25r. „ Nut5..............195. ~
Deep 22s. ~
Well screened and delivered within five miles of their De-
pots, Westbourne Park-road, W., and Pi, South Wharf,
Paddington, W.
Best C0re.......... lss. per chaldron.
Terms cash.
JOHN SCOTT, Sole Agent.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
r His DAY.—Morning, Afternoon, 7h .58m.
ro-MORROW.-Morning, Bh. 28 rr.—Afternoon. 9h. Bm.

The Weather—Sun oa3e, Feb. 15, 1864.

THERMOM ETER.
This day at Two o'clock....

Barometer--29.88.
Wind—S.W. ; light breeze, and cloudy.

,•;;.
•
. AA.
.),,,....1.310,,zati% -
timmitvi

LONDON, MONDAY, FEB. 15, 1864.

In the old fable of the frogs and their king the
discontented subjects of King LOG and the unhappy
victims of King STORK had each great reason for
complaint. In our happy country at the present
moment we are blest with a Government which
possesses the singular advantage of combining the
evils of both of these celebrated systems of admini-
stration in a system of their own, which is, in fact—
no system at all. The irritating interference of
King STORK alternates with the apathetic inaction
of King LOG until the disastrous consequences of
this No-policy principle are affecting our national
importance and undermining our national influence
in the European counsels. As a proof of the esti-
mation in which our vacillating rulers are held by
our good-natured friends across the water, a recent
number of the Monde declares that " The howls of
the British leopard no longer have the power of
moving Europe. France laughed at them in 1860
at the time of the annexation of Savoy ; Russia did
the same in 1863 with regard to the Polish ques-
tion ; Prussia and Austria go forward as though a
great Power called England did not exist. Up to
this time they have avoided the proclaiming the
annulment of the protocols of 1852, as it was useless
for them to complicate their military action by a
diplomatic embarrassment. Success, however, em-
boldens them; they see England isolated, on bad
terms with Russia on account of Poland, cool with
France in consequence of the refusal of the Con-
gress, unfriendly with the Diet which drives them
farther than they would wish to go, and they consider
it is more important for them to satisfy the German
feeling than listen to the menaces of Earl RUSSELL/
While, in terms,equally complimentary, the Opinione
Nationale describes the English policy as " odiense
et ridicule," and tells us that France regards with
surprise and satisfaction our unwonted and unbe-
coming isolation. On the very first night of the
Session Mr. DISRAELI, in terms of very natural

indignation, described, with his happy sarcasm,
the great weakness, and the great want of the
No-Policy Administration. The Earl of DERBY,
again, in the House of Lords, epitomised his
sarcasm (one to precisely the same effect) in a
most happy and alliterative phrase—to wit,
" meddle and muddle." It did not, however,

require the Leaders of the Opposition to inform

us of a fact long since glaringly and grievously
notorious. As Lord ABERDEEN, for the want of
a timely decision, suffered the country, in his
day, to "drift into a war," so Lord RUSSELL, for
the want of that same statesmanlike quality—a
quality the most indispensable of all in a ruler,
whether civil or military—decision—is allowing
the nation that trusts to his diplomacy to subside
from that high position of power and influence
which has hitheito been its own, into an attitude of
unwonted inanity and unaccustomed humiliation.

We have now the fall particulars of the last en
counter with the Maories, and they serve to con
firm the intelligence which had already reached us
in outline both in regard to the triumph achieved
over the enemy and the heavy loss of gallant men
which cheluers our satisfaction. The rebels, as we
know, succeeded in effecting their escape from
Mere-Mere and entrenched themselves in a spot
called Rangariri, about 14 miles higher up, if the
troops were marched by land, although the distance
is considerably greater by water, It was supposed
by many that the Maories would not attempt to
hold Rangariri after abandoning Mere-mere, a
much stronger position. However, this opinion
proved to be erroneous, as they concentrated all
their energies upon it and held it with desperate
resolution, General CAMERON, whose military
dispositions have been greatly praised, was resolved
to give the Maories no chance of escape a second
time, and arranged for an assault to be made as soon
as possible after the joint arrival of the military
and naval forces. Rangariri is protected on two
sides by the Waikari Lake, and its front has been
very skilfully intrenched by the native engineers.
The task occupied them, it is said, for the best part
of a year, and the result has proved to be very
formidable to even the bravest and most skilful
assailants. It may be conjectured, however, that
European science had something to do with the
matter, since more than one deserter has been among
them. The body of an ex-artilleryman was found
in the trenches after the place was captured, and
we do not suppose his former comrades wasted much
regret upon his fate. Another is said to have been
among the defenders, but he escaped. The place
was strongly defended in point of numbers, the
whole of the N'gatiawa, or proper Waikato tribe
being within it. The number of Meories in the
intrenchment amounted altogether to about 1,100,
while the assaulting party were 1,200. The first
assault on the landward side was a severe
struggle, the embankment being high and the ditch
deep and broad. Only two of the seven officers in
the leading column escaped unwounded. The river
front of the defences carried at the same time was
less warmly contested—the natives perhaps being
less sanguine of success from its inferior strength.
But the greatest difficulty was to come. The
Maories, who fled from the first line of land des
fences, took refuge in a central position on the
brow of a hill. The chief leaders of the defenders
made their stand here, and the construction of the
place seconded their efforts only too well. Four
times was the assault made, each time without suc-
cess. Every officer who led the attack was either
killed or dangerously wounded. Cummander
MAYNE, who led the blue jackets of the Eclipse,
and whose bravery has since been rewarded by
promotion, was among those wounded in the
attempt. The only means of access to the en-
trenchment was by a narrow opening through
which only one could enter at a time, renderine, the
task one of great difficulty. The General, perceiving
that heavy loss to our troops was resulting without
any commensurate advantage, gave orders for the
attack to be deferred until daylight, and the para-
pets undermined and blown up. When daylight
came, however, a flag of truce appeared, and the
chief who bore it called for some one who could
speak Maori. The interpreter advanced, bat mean-

While our men who took the flag as a sign of snr-

render were over the walls [and filled the place.
Under these circumstances there was nothing for it
but unconditional surrender, the General promising
them their lives. It is said that they only intended
to parley so as to gain time for reinforcements, and
this rumour receives some confirmation from the
fact that, soon after the surrender, a party of 400
men, under WILLIAM THOMPSON, came up, and
seeing the state of affairs went off by the way they
had come. If such were the case, the mistake on
the part of our men was a most fortunate one, as it
saved further bloodshed. The General compli-
mented the Maories on the gallant resistance they
had made, and they, it is said, showed no signs
of depression or anxiety, feeling satisfied that their
lives were safe, and chatting freely over the events
of the war with the soldiers who had been their
antagonists so shortly before. The skill of the
Maories in handling firearms, and their ingenuity
in constructing entrenchments, raises them out of
the level of mere savages, and renders the task
of subduing them at once difficult and dangerous.
It is to be hoped that this great and decisive

triumph will bring the war near its close. The
capture of their stronghold, with 185 prisoners,
must, we should hope, convince the natives of the

'ruitlessness of the struggle. According to the

latest telegrams received at Melbourne the Maori
King movement is considered at an end, WILLIAM
THOMPSON, the so called King, has addressed the
Governor, suing for peace on any terms. Sir G.
GREY refused to parley with him until General
CAMERON had hoisted the QUEEN'S flag on Nga-
ruiwakia, his headquarters, which it was reported
the General had reached when the last news left.

Matters seem therefore in a fair way for the re-
establishment of peace, but it must be peace on de-
finite terms. It will not do to have the embers of
the war left smouldering on, ready to break out
again in a year or two's time. We must have no
more murdering of settlers, no interference with
British laws. All this blood and treasure must not
have been spent without securing us from a repeti-
tion of the campaign, The QUEEN'S authority
must be thoroughly established and fully recog-
nised. An inquiry should be made into the tenure
of native land, and it should be put once for all on
a clear and regular footing, in accordance of course,
as far as possible, with their laws and customs. It
would be an act of great kindness to the natives, as
well as one indispensable to the maintenance of
peaceful relations. There has no doubt been mis-
management in the earlier stages of the quarrel,
and the attempts at conciliation only made matters
worse. We shall start after this war with the ad-
vantage of military prestige, having convinced the
Maories that we are not afraid of them. That pres-
tige should be kept up by yielding to no unwarrant-
able demands, and insisting on a fair and reasonable
administration of justice to settlers and aborigines
alike.

Mr. FITZGERALD deserves the thanks of the pub

lie for his able endeavours to bring before the
attention of the House the aubject of the capture
of four British vessels by the Americans. In con-
sequence of the manner in which the question was
taken up by the Government, the hon. member
was obliged to withdraw his motion for the pro-

duction of tho papers which related to these
cases, including the decisions of the American
Prize Courts. It is, however, very requisite that
these matters should be fully discussed, and the
public put in possession of the circumstances so
far as they have been ascertained to have taken
place. The most glaring instance of wrong-doing
and violation of international laws ie in the case of
the Saxon, in which the mate, a British subject,
was shot by a Federal officer when unarmed and
unresisting. Mr. FITZGERALD very properly com-
mented strongly on this fact, and expatiated
on the great injury and injustice committed. He
said he could not " allude to this case without

feelings of pain, amounting to indignation, be
cause th 3 result had been the murder of a British
subject, under the British flag, and in British
waters." All that has transpired relating to the
notice taken by her MAJESTY'S Government of
this disgraceful affair has been that they have in-
timated to the Federal Government that if such a
thing really has happened they consider the Ame-
rican officer referred to ought to be put upon his
trial for murder. The general feeling of the House
was with Mr. FITZGERALD, when he declared
that such a representation was not sufficient, and
unworthy of the British Government. Well
might he assert that their language ought to be to
this effect—" We send to you the facts as they
have been proved in evidence, and if they
are correct we demand as a right
that the ofgcer shall be put upon his
trial, and receive the punishment due for his
offence." To this decisive language and straight-
forward exposition oipolicy, of caurse the answer
given by Ministers was lame and impotent as usual.
Nothing definite was stated at all, and the Attorney-
General remarked, that if the information in respect
to the Saxon is correct a most barbarous murder
was committed. but that he had no doubt that the
United States Government will hasten to make re-
paration for the injury. Is this the manner in
which a flagrant case of this kind should be treated ?
Lord PALMERSTON, in his boastful remarks, referred
to the case of the Trent as proof that the Americans
were always ready to pay attention to our just
demands, and atone for injuries inflicted. But the
noble lord' contrives very conveniently to forget
that the tone of our policy has materially altered of
late, and that if the English Government had con-
tented themselvee with total inactivity of words and
actions, Messrs. MASON and SLIDELL would never
have been given up by their captors. The noble
lord showed his usual acuteness in putting forward
as a predecent the only instance in which his
Cabinet have shown any spirit of resistance, or dis-
played any eff3rt at promptitude. That circum-
stance of the Trent took place at the outset of
this protracted and disastrous contest in America ;
and during all the complicated events that have
since occurred, and the many important points
for decision which have been brought before the
Government, no similar instance of energy has been
evinced to maintain our rights, protect our interests,
or vindicate our honour. In the face of all the
communications made by Mr. FITZGERALD, most
of which have already been patent to the public,
it is insulting to common sense, and a direct
abnegation of their position as defenders of
Brttieh interests, for the Attorney-General to de-
clare, and for the nitre Minister to ratify his asser-
tion, that there is no reason to mistrust the equity
and independence of the tribunals of the United
States. Then the noble lord attempts to read a lec-
ture to those who had been presumptuous enough
to debate this subject at all by giving it as his
opinion that it is prejudicial to the good understand-
ing Rf the two Governments, which are on good
terms, to suggest doubts as to the perfect fairness
which characterises their proceedings. No one dis-
putes the datum laid down of the mutual under-
standing that exists between Governments, they
are too good terms for the honour of the English
name and the welfare of the English subject.
Things must have come to a pretty pass, and the
most exigent friendship can hardly wish for more
than that murder should be hushed up, supposed