The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-15 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1855.

The Allied Troops in the Crimea are at length
exhibiting symptoms of vitality. There seems to
be a fair prospect of something decisive taking
place, even during the short remainder of the
present season. We learn from our best corres-
pondent, Piince GORTSCHAKOFF, that " the
enemy"—i. e., the Allies—" has concentrated
imposing masses of troops in the valley of the
Upper Belbek, and is preparing to advance still
further." And even Lord PANMIIRE has at last
broken his protracted silence, and informs us that
"Sir COLIN CAMPBELL has been sent to Eupatoria
with a considerable force of infantry and artillery !"
The time when this very important step was taken
is not mentioned. On that point we must still
trust to guess-work, corrected by, and based on,
the best premises that can be obtained. It is
something, however, to know to a certainty that
the movement which we have so long suggested
has been made, even at the eleventh hour ; and
the delegation of the duty to the brave CAMPBELL
and his gallant Highlanders proves beyond the
possibility of doubt that it is no trifling or ordi-
nary task that requires to be accomplished.
It will now be seen that the Russian army is
threatened in front and oa the flank—being
literally placed between two fires. Nor is it
merely Turkish troops that they will have to en-
counter on their retreat, but the elite of the
British army—the Highlanders—who never failed
at any duty, however arduous, but nobly main-
tained and gloriously enhanced the honour of the
national flag whenever it was caafided to their
charge. The Muscovites have long since learned
to listen with wholesome terror to the tones of
spirit-stirring pibrochs, and the emphatic an-
nouncement that " the Campbells are coming "
will scarcelyprove satisfactory to the greatest lover
of martial music in the Russian ranks.
Wo could not have supposed that the Allied
generals would have remained satisfied with the
capture of Sebastopol, without striking a heavy if
not a decisive blow against the opposing army,
who still held the open field. shouldWe
suppose
that Marshal PELISSIER was one of those,
Nil acluin, credens dum quid superesset agendum,
who would never sit down indolently, contented
with half measures, or imagine that he had merited
the approbation of his Imperial master or of his
country while a single advantage remained un-
achieved. Nor have we less confidence in General
SIMPSON, who will doubtless energetically co-
operate with his vigorous colleague. It was a
painful necessity that compelled him to remain
contented on the Bth of September with a demon-
stration against the Redan, to distract the atten-
tion of the enemy, while the French were allowed
to occupy the post where they might reasonably
anticipate to remain masters of the position, from
which, by their dashing assault, they had driven
the enemy. He has now received from the entire
community a due appreciation of his merits—the
justice which we were the first to render, and from
which we never for a moment swerved; and when
the proper opportunity arrives, as it may ere
many days have elapsed, he will supply irresisti-
ble proofs that Britons still know how to strike
home, and firmly to retain what they have bravely
won.

Besides the advance of Marshal PELISSIER and
the movement of Sir Court CAMPBELL and his
division from Enpatoria, we learn that General
VALLONVILLE occupied positions- commanding the
road to Perekop, so as to be able to cut off the re-
treatingarmy from the isthmus, in the event of their
being driven from their camp on the Belbek, and
being conlpolled to retire from Simpheropol. This is
as it should be. It is what we have so frequently
urged on the attention of all parties concerned,
the Government at home and the Generals abroad.
It will, indeed, inflict a formidable and probably
an irreparable blow on the power and, what is
scarcely less important, the military prestige of
Russia—something fax more important even than
the complete evacuation of the Crimea, if the
troops by which it was garrisoned were permitted
to march forth with their arms in hand and colours
.still defying the ellemy, It is, indeed) of

J 17 ~;1

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the most vital importance that the triumph
hould be made as decisive as practicable,
And that every legitimate result of the capture of
St-bastopol should be obtained.

On this point we would suggest the propriety
if destroying the military road across the Sivash,
which will be the sole remaining way of escape
for the Russian army. We have already hermeti-
cally sealed the transit by the Spit of Arabat ;
and as Genitchi is completely at our mercy, there
is nothing to prevent an expedition into the
Putrid Sea, by which the only other road should
be blocked up, and the Russians literally caught
in the trap, from which they could not possibly
extricate themselves, save with our permis-
sion, after an unconditional submission. It
is probable that this obvious precaution
may have been already taken, but, if not, a single
hour should not be wasted in carrying it into
practical execution.

The news from Asia is also of the utmost in-
terest. It appears that on the 29th ult. the
Russians attacked Kars, and after a desperate
conflict, protracted for eight hours, they were
obliged to retire completely routed—leaving,
besides the killed and wounded carried away
during the action, no less than 4,000 men killed
on the field. Lord STRATFORD, in his despatch,
states the killed at only 2,500, with double the
number wounded, and 4,000 muskets left on
the field. Whichever of these velsions may
be correct, it will be apparent that a very heavy
blow has been inflicted on the AUTOCRAT, who will
at length learn from bitter experience the neces-
iity of abandoning his arrogant presumption, and
of humbly suing for the peace which his prede-
cessor had so wantonly disturbed, and which he
had so favourable an opportunity of restoring, if
willing to abandon the aggressive policy for which
his house have been so painfully notorious.

The Recorder of Birmingham, Mr. M. D. D.
Q.C., has again called public attention to the
principles of dealing with our criminals. With
the experience of so many hundreds of years
before us it might have been supposed that the
world knows as much on the matter as it is ever
likely to know. The social .sceptic will naturally
ask what new properties we expect to develope in
such a well-tried old subject as human nature.
Idolatry, Judaism, Mahometanism, and, finally,
Christianity have all tried what religion, whether
false or true, could do for it ; yet here we are, in
the nineteenth century of the purest faith the
earth ever saw, or ever will see, murdering each
other by 'thousands through the ambition of
Christian desputs, and overrun with criminals,
young and old, whom we can neither protect from
becoming malefactors nor reclaim from their
course when they have begun it. All forms of
government, all classes of criminal reformers,
have also, of late years, at least tried their hands,
and most honestly, to solve one of the most im-
portant of social problems ; and yet, it must be
confessed, no general solution has hitherto been
found. We are not, however, to despair. Ohl
as the world is, the science of criminal reforma-
' tion is still but young. Till quite modern times
the gallows, the gaol, the whip, and the stocks
were regarded as the consecrated and sole ministers
of justice. To doubt their exclusive right to the
correction of crime was as heterodox as to doubt
the Apostolical succession of the Archbishop of
CANTERBURY. Each class of persons invoked the
highest forms of vengeance as the great safeguard
against crime. The Bank of England immolated
hundreds of victims on false as well as true
charges of forging a one-pound note. Shopkeepers
did the same to protect their counters from the
loss of a few pence worth of goods, and farmers
to secure their sheep and horses.
The natural feeling is now in reaction from all
this barbarism ; the benevolent views originated
by ROMILLY, MACKINTOSH, and their friends are
still in the ascendant, but it is to be feared the
school of DICKENS has given. rather a mawki,h
turn to them ; and, even fully coneeeding that the
great object is to reclaim the criminal if possible
we must not allow the sentiment that they are
" more sinned against than sinning " to interfere
with their recovery from the paths of sin. Few
criminals, any more than children, can be caressed
out of evil ways. The point to be aimed at is a
successful appeal to their fears as well to their
hopes. Whatever may have made men criminals,
early example, indolence, knavish disposition, or
clever seduction, yet the habits once acquired can
only be broken off by experience of their painful
consequences, by long discipline in bettor habits
till they shall have become easy and natural, and
by confidenceithat, continuing in the latter, they
shall support themselves in much greater comfort
than in their old vicious courses.
Mr. HILL thinks one of the greatest dangers,
just now, arises from public impatience with
protracted penal discipline. We are unwilling to
allow the time requisite for lasting reformation.
He lays it down as fundamental, that these in-
trusted with the administration of justice should
have power "to retain in custody all such as are
cmvicted of crime until they have by sure and un-
equivocal tests demonstrated that they have the will
and the power to gain an honest livelihood when at
large." Mr. HILL does not shrink from fully
carrying out his principle. The incurables he
would retain in perpetual custody. This may
startle some persons on the ground of expense ;
but, as he observes, a confirmed criminal costs
society more abroad than in a prison, especially
under a system which should make his labour
more or less available to his own support. Mr.
HILL maintains, in the same manner, that long
periods of imprisonment—periods sufficiently long
to insure successful results from proper industrial
Woulddiscipline—
the present not fill our prisons more than
system. The residents for brie
periods in prisons are the class who keep them
full, both by their own frequent returns thither,
and by their corruption of others. Reverse the
idea of going to prison. Let a criminal know
that he would never quit it till he had by literal
industry and self-control, and by actual accumula-
he would
tion of a fund—failing which he would be a
prisoner for life—earned his discharge,
then look very differently on the danger of getting
there, and would certainly, if he obtained liberty
by self-denial and toil, prefer continuing both in
a state of freedom to practising both again in a
cell, and that probably for life. Mr. HILL very
fairly contends that the morally insane, whose
vicious will no discipline can quite tame, are as
proper subjects for perpetual confinement as
lunatics. . It may even be said they are
more properly so, since the fault is one of will
only.

The learned Recorder considers that the
ticket-ofleave system has in no respect yet had a
fair trial. It has come upon the gaol authorities
wholly unprepared, through our colonies refusing
any longer to be saddled with our criminals ;
while popular sentiments have indisposed our Secre-
tary of State to enforce to the desirable extent the
power of recal. The most serious defect, however,
' he considers to be in the administration of the
power of conditional release ; it has been granted
before reasonable or rather satisfactory proofs of
reclaimed habits. If a man can hope to regain
hie liberty i a AllOrt..time by
.rare orderly be.