The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-14 00:00:00

The Weather—Sun Office, July 14, 1864.

TiIF.RMOMETER.
This day at Two o'clock..

Barometer-30.04.
; moderate breeze and cloudy.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAy.—Morning, Bh. 59m.—Afternoon, 911. 36n3,
ra-stoßnow.-Morning, 10h. 10m.—Afternoon, 10h. 44w,

'
v-411-t)
tigt

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 11, 1831.

Ministers have evidently, after all, hit upon the
right policy to seeure to themselves the retention of
cfsze by insane of the approbation pronounced
upon their conduct—not certainly by the members
of the House of Commons in Debate, but by the
majority of the votes of those members upon a
Division. It is true, no doubt, that the Ministerial
reprobated by all except
policy has been sternly
Ministers themselves. Ands n importe!—Theyer.
diet pronounced, after all that has been said and done
in that way, was unmistakably in their favour.
" The House," as Mr, BRIGHT has now so very
caustically and emphatically remarked, " did not
come to a vote of censure, but it did unani-
mously, or at least with a general consent,"
adds the hon. member for Birmingham,
" it did with a general consent that I have
never seen approachel in a similar case, condemn
the irritating and offensive policy of the Foreign-
OCze Not one instant's doubt about that, we
take it! But—even when Ministers have granted
as mu'2'n (as they can very wail effird to do with an
air of delightful self-possession)—what then ? There
is the triumphant result of the division ! The 313
as opposed to the 293 ! The clear majority of
Rghteen—under the circumstances really and
i
a swinging majority I
truly Approved upon
so large a division, by so really consider-
ably a nviarity• as that same clear ma-
jority of Eghteen, in a house (counting the
four tellers and the Speaker) of 613—Ministers can,
just as jauntily as they please, sweep out of conside-
ration, not merely the
disapprobation expressed in
their regard by the Opposition !—for that came to
them, we may be sure, as a mere matter of course
—but the firm and .unboreprovai6ing disapproval
of the Miniaterial policy expressed.rduring the late

debate by stern patriots like the right hon. mem-
ber for Stroud, like the hon, gentleman the
member for Stockport, like the hon. and learned
gentleman the member for Sheffield, and other out-
s Peaking, but in-voting chiefs among the Liberal
Independents. What matters it to Ministers how
adverse the "opinions" expressed in regard to their
foreign policy, so long as the persons so condemning
that policy support it vigorously and energetically
by their "votes" ? No—upon second thoughts, upon
calm consideration, upon deliberate reflection—
Ministers are clearly enough proved, by the result,
to have been " wise in their generation"—in carsy-
lug on the business of the nation precisely in the
very way in which they have been carrying it on.
And that chosen path may—that selected policy ?
Don't we all know it by heart by this time ?
This foreign policy that the House of Commons
pronounces to be so odious and so intolerable, and
yet accepts and endorses, so to speak, upon the
division list! What does it not include as among
its distinctive characteristics? No one can find it
very much of a difficulty to enumerate at least
a few among the more salient and more con-
spicuous of those characteristics. For it is
wholly undeniable, it is universally admitted, it
is perfectly legible, in fact, upon the blue books
—that it includes, among other charming peculi-
arities, the following :—The repeated encourage •
meat of the hopes of Denmark that England would
afford her material assistance, under certain dire
contingencies, and then, when those contingencies
actually did arise, the leaving Denmark in the
lurch after all ! The throwing out again and again
of the most alarming threats against Germany
as to what England would feel constrained to do
under such and such circumstances, and then, when
those circumstances actually did come to pass,
nocketting the threats, eating the big words, and
meekly backing out of it ! Those were the two
principal horns of the dilemma upon which

the Ministerial policy may be said to have
been impaled and held up to the scornful
gaze of Christendom—" wkich," as Mrs. GAMP
might say, in the words of the convivial chorus,
nobody can deny !" B at—beside these, beyond
these peculiarities, glaringly conspicuous upon "the
head and front" of the ministerial " offending" in
~he matter of its Foreign Policy, there were others
quite as readily distinguishable, and in a great
measure what we might designate " ail of a piece !"
There was the elaborate preparation—with the
brz..nd of inevitable failure upon it from the very
commencement—the elaborate and ostentatious
preparation ,by England, at the instance of Minis-
ters, here in London, of the abortive Conference !
As there had previously been the unnecessarily
discourteous rejection, by England, or at least in
the name of England, on behalf of Ministers, by
Earl RUSSELL as Foreign Secretary—the unpro-
vokedly discourteous, not to say wantonly im-
pertinent rejection (by Earl Russell as the
mouthpiece of our Government) of the French
EMPEROR'S proposition of an European Congress.
Sweeping aside 411 other peculiarities, there were
at least those four very unpleasantly conspicuous
peculiarities indelibly stamped upon the Foreign
Policy of her MAJESTY'S Ministers! Yet—
looking at the decision of the House of Commons
—who shall say that it was not a wise policy for
Ministers to have selected, or rather to have
fabricated? it may be a noLorious failure in itself.
it is admitted by Ministers, indeed, to be a note-
torions failure. But—what matters that ?—seeing
that the House of Commons is ready to accept it, is
eager to approve it, is prepared deliberately to
support Ministers, in spite of this their Failure
of a Foreign Policy by a victorious majority of
Eighteen

The English people generally pride themselves
on their power of self-discipline. We aro not ac-
customed in this metropolis to see public order
maintained by the bayonet, or to entrust the guar-
dianship of our streets in times of peace to armed
men. Foreigners unfamiliar with our ways express
extreme astonishment when they firstmingle among
an English crowd, en the day of some grand festival,
at the immense bodies of people who are kept in
order by a limited number of quiet blue coated offi.
ciale. We have always been proud of a liberty
which few continental nations would know how
to use if they had it, and our authorities know they
may generally trust with perfect safety to the good
sense, good temper, and fair play of an English
mob. Very recently, however, there has been an
unhappy exception to this order of things, which is
the more to be regretted, as an enterprising and
talented gentleman, whose exertions have long been
known to the public, underwent great risk and
annoyance, as well as heavy personal loss, and his
valuable property was entirely destroyed, It ap-
pears from his own account of the disaster, which
is corroborated by an eye-witness, that Ir. COX-
WELL, the well-known balloonist, was engaged to
attend with his balloon at a grand fete of the Form.
ters, held at Leicester on Monday last. The
gathering was a very large one, the num.
berg present being estimated at 5U,000,
and great preparations had been made for it,
fifteen acres of ground having been temporarily
enclosed on the racecourse. The principle of leav-
ing the mob to control themselves was, however,
carried on this occasion to a most imprudent ex-
tent, if it be true, as Mr. COXWELL heard it stated
that only eight policemen were engaged to main-
tain order and protect property in a mob of 5,000
persons. This number was quite insufficient to
defeat the machinations of pickpockets, and, as the
event unhappily proved, it was totally inadequate
to the necessities of the occasion. Mr. COXWELL,
whose name has been so often associated with Mr.
GLAISIIER in his recent scientific explorations,
and who is among the foremost of our aeronauts,
prepared for the ascent of his balloon, which was
unfortunately his newest and largest, together with
the car used by himself and Mr. GLAISHER in the
scientific ascents. The beginning of the confusion
was, that some person, from what motive it is diffi-
cult to say, gave it out that it was not Mrs COX-
WELL'S best balloon whose ascent they were about
to witness, but a small one. Of course the crowd
could not ascertain the fact from inspection, but an
angry feeling manifested itself, and very soon a
body of persons broke into the enclosure made for
the protection and inflation of the balloon. It Was
in vain for Mr. COXWELL to entreat the crowd to
give him more spaaa, and for several persons to
second his efforts and endeavour to clear the
ground, the hoarding having been broken down.
phe mob pressed on, and whin at last the balloon
was taken out, being necessarily removed into an
open space before the ascent was possible, " a sea
of clamouring spectators" pressed around it, all
angrily vociferating for an immediate ascent, and
refusing to hear or to believe that their pressure was
the obstacle. A certain number of tickets for the
ascent had been sold, and the holders of these
tickets soon made matters worse by getting into the
car in so unceremonious a fashion that all opera-
tions were stopped. One man, who thus himself
was hindering the ascent, excited the mob, and
made them believe that the aeronaut was unwilling
to make the ascent. This offers no excuse to the
people, since they had no reason to suppose a gen-
( tleman of Mr. COXWELL'S proved experience and

ability should hesitate to make an ascent which to
him was no unusual experiment. But the crowd
pushed on, until the network was broken and the
car damaged in several places, a battle being
thrown into the balloon itself. Mr. COXWELL now
threatened to let out the gas unless a ring was
made, being fearful for the lives of the passengers.
The end of the matter was that the aeronaut had to
let off the gas, when the mob immediately attacked
the balloon, which they entirely destroyed, finally
burning it and carrylug the remains through the
streets. Mr. COXWELL narrowly escaped with
his life, and a bystander who attempted to
protect him was knocked down three
times. He contrived to take refuge in a
neighbouring house, but had it not been for the
efforts of a sergeant of police and one or two by-
etanders, he would scarcely have :es Cued it alive.
If this is to be a specimen of English merrymaking,
uncontrolled by lac-, the sooner we adopt the con-
tinental system of gendarmerie the better ; but we
certainly accept it as a most exceptional case,
although, in any case, it is a national disgrace.
Out of 50,000 English men and women how is it
that none attempted to interfere and preserve order ?
Were there not in that assemblage a sufficient num-
ber of straightforward English working men to
make some interposition on Mr COXWELL'S behalf,
and, in the absence of the police, play the part cf
guardians of law and order ? The Foresters' fete
at Birmingham last year was unfortunately sig-
nalised by the death of the poor female acrobat ; but
for that accident the company were not, of course,
responsible, though considerable heartlessness was
shown in keeping up the sports. But the Foresters'
fete at Leicester has a notoriety of its own, and it
has succeeded in making all respectable English.
men ashamed of the conduct of their countrymen.
Mr. COXWELL'S new and expensive balloon has
been entirely destroyed, and he has himself been
subjected to insult and rough usage because there
were not a sufficient number of respectable persons
among the 50,000 present to exert themselves in
favour of the common decencies of public assemblies.
It is conduct like this which justifies those who re-
fuse to recognise the rights of the people, and
exclude them from places of beauty and instruction.
Certainly, if our working classes can show no more
sense of what is due to science and skill than a sense-
less demolition of what they do not understand,
men of intelligence and learning had better take
care for the future to keep themselves and their
property out of their reach.

Lord SHAFTESBURY is always distinguished for
his zeal in the cause of the oppressed and injured,
and certainly he has ample reason for complaint in
the occurrences of the war now raging between the
Danes and Germans. There is constantly some-
thing octurring of an almost unprecedented charac-
ter in the way of barbarity, and the general conduct
of the invaders is quite at variance with the recog.
nixed principles of civilised nations. His lordship,
the other evening, asked Earl RUSSELL whether
there was any further information regarding a re-
port that he had before alluded to, to the effect that
the Prussians had massacred some Swedes who
were lying on the ground after the battle of Drippel.
Lord RUSSELL endeavoured to justify the conduct
of the accused soldiery, and made a long explanaa
tion. He said that the Minister for Foreign Affairs
in Prussia had stated that there was exaggeration
in the number of Swedes that were said to be in
the Danish Army, and thus the report alluded to
was false. This is generally the way in which it is
sought to extricate those who deserve censure from
the coussoineuces of their actions to make the worse
appear the better cause. It was not so much the
matter whether or not the exact number stated
were slain as the principle of the thing. It is not
to be eznected, of course, that the Prussian
Minister should give a very cerree,t or
impartial . account of the affair, and
Earl Itussaan had better have endeavoured
to obtain his information from other sources than
from a quarter where prejudice would prevail. Lord
SHAFTESBURY, however, is not one to be deterred
from his purpose by the empty and insufficient
excuses of Ministerial platitudes. Ho returned
to the charge, and read a letter which proved
the truth of his former statement, that
Swedish soldiers were fired at after the engage-
ment. This document stated that a lieute-
nant was serving in the Danish army, and when
the Duppcl forts were taken, he was defending the
retreat of a part of the army, when, being wounded,
he fainted. On his recovery he found that he was
lying on the ground amid wounded and dead men,
and some Prussian soldiers were standing a little
distance aft He rose up a little to look around, end
on being seen these inhuman me❑ fired at him from
a very short distance, and left him for dead. OTTO
MORDENFALU had the presence of mind to keep
quiet, and was fortunately unharmed by the bullets,
although they passed near enough to go through
his cloak and coat. He afterwards met a friend, who
assisted him to escape under a close pursuit. The
writer of this letter states that he has heard many
instances of the cruelty of the Prussian troops
from his brother, and the harsh manner in
which they comport themselves towards the country
people. Admiral DAcßns very properly animad-
verts upon the extraoadinary conduct of the
Prussians, and says that he has " yet to learn that
firing on wounded men, whatever colours they may
fight under, is justifiable." Such conduct outrages
all our notions of propriety, and stamps a lasting
disgrace on the reputation of the German armies.
There cannot be the least foundation for any boast
they may make as to their skill in fighting in these
campaigns, because with such numerical superiority
they have all the game in their own hands. The
only merit that could attach itself to those com-
pelled to obey orders and injure the country of a
brave nation, would be the fact of their displaying
moderation in the carrying out of their designs.
Instead of this we hear everywhere the same report
that nothing can exceed the cruelty and want of
good feeling displayed by the Prussian troops.
Nothing can excuse or explain away such conduct ;
it is perfectly uncalled for, and it exhibits a bar-
barity and a contempt for the laws of civilisation
that are alike astounding and irritating to witness,
Lord DERBY, in speaking on the subject in the
Houso of Lords the other day, observed that he
regretted to see that the Prussian army had not
improved in tone since the time when their cruelty
gave so much offence to the Duke of WELLING-
TON. It is quite fallacious for the Germans to
fancy that all this excitement now existing
in :England will blow over, and that when they
have ravaged a weak State, and plundered an un-
happy people, they will be able to resume their place
in the general estimation of Europe. Loss of cha-
racter is an irretrievable deprivation, and not in this
generation can Prussia ever be regarded in the same
light by those who admire the principles of justice
and adhere to the law of liberty. Earl RUSSELL
made another of his ridiculous remarks when he
replied, in answer to Lord SHAFTESBURY'S state-
ment, that the Prussian Government bad no desire
to mitigate the horrors of war, that he did not think
that it was intended to carry the order of the day
alluded to into effect. The noble Lord said that he
had reason. to believe that it would not be put in
force. He did not purticularise, but there is no

doubt that his reasons were as invalid as his gene•
ral statements on such subjects. Why should
Prince CHARLES FREDERICK issue the order in
question if it was to be null and veil. It is not
usual for such things to occur, and all that has
appeared in reports and accounts goes far to verify
the belief that the order is now being vigorously
observed and acted upon in the spirit and the letter.
It decrees that any foreigner made prisoner in the
Danish ranks, who is unable to prove his nation..
ality or to certify that he is enrolled in the Danish
army, is to be dealt with as a brigand, brought
before court-martial, and, when convicted, " duly
shot." This is not the way in which to conduct a
war so as to secure the respect of the looli•ers on
and to entitle the belligerents to lay claim to rank
among civilised nations. On the contrary, it would
seem that Prussia hod resolved to bs independent
of all recognised principles of the courtesies of
war, and to be determined to ezhibit indifference to
the opinion of all competent judges, and the esteem
of sight-minded persons.

Mr, Charles Kean in Australia,

(Prom the Melbourne Aye of May 2.)

The farewell night of the Keane is one that must
long live in the recollections of the drama loving
population of Melbourne. To say that the Hay-
market Theatre was crowded is but to give a faint
notion of the reality. It wes crammed, and huma-
nity packed wherever standing room and a glimpse
of the stage could be found. The disappointed
crowds that were turned away from every door
would have filled the theatre two or three times
over. In the dress circle, the spacious passage be-
hind the boxes was crowded like a pit entry on
boxing night, and Ministers and men of
senatorial rank were happy on the occasion
to have tha privilege to stand side by side with
the most plebeian admirer of the great artists who
were now going to give " a taste of their quality"
for the last time on our stage. His Excellency the
Governor, Lady Darling, and family, attended by
Captain Tyler, aide-de-camp, and Mr Ward, private
secretary, occupied the vice-regal box. The recep-
tion of his Excellency on entering the crowded
theatre was most hearty. The play was " Richard
the Second," again most splendidly performed. The
applause of that brilliant house, and the critical
concurrence everywhere uttered, confirmed the
opinion we ventured after the first production of the
play—that the Richard of Mr Kean and the Queen
of Mrs Kean, aro second to no dramatic effort ever
witnessed on our stage. The splendid acting of the
tOurth act, and the heart-rending grief to which
Mrs Kean gave utterance in the parting scene
brought down not merely thunders of applause, but
excited emotion not often manifested by spectators
in these undemonstrative days. On the fell of the
i curtain, Mr. and Mrs. Kean, in responding to a
call, received a greeting that could hardly have
been surpassed by any compliment in kind ever
paid to them in the course of their artistic career.
Mr. Kean a second time came forwarl, and when
the applause was hushed spoke a follows ;
"Ladies and gentlemen,—Painful as it is at all
times to bid farewell to friends, hoer much more
painful must it be to Mrs. Kean and myself on
the present occasion when, in all human probability,
we shall never again visit this portion of the globe.
In a few days we shall Leave the snores of Victoria
never to return, bat we shall have the satisfaction of
carrying away with us not only the more substantial
proofs of your favour, but also the grateful remem-
brance of the kindness and hospitality that we have
received during cur sojourn amongst you. (Cheers.)
In years to some when far away, should our lives be
spared, my wife and I will find trus enjoyment in
the contemplation of the wonders which we have
witnessed in this new world, and shall anxiously
watch the progress and increasing prosperity of this
extraordinary country—a country wherein we have
seen so much to instruct, surprise, and interest us.
We shall recall to mind with peculiar gratification
the fact of having given utterance to the language
of Shakspere sixteen thousand miles from home, in
a populous city, built upon a spot which, 30 years
ago, was a lonely wilderness. (Cheers.) Allow me
to take this opportunity of stating hog; fortunate I
consider myself in having been a sociated in busi-
ness during our Australian tour with so upright,
truthful, and honourablea man as your old favourite
Mr. George Coppin. (Loud and prolonged cheering.)
Although this night corciudes our theatrical
engagement in Melbourne, we have been induced,
at the request of many persons, to devote two
evenings, previous to our departure, to readings from
Shakspere and other poets; and I have now the
honour to announce to you that these readings will
take place at the Mechanics' Institute on Wednesday
and Thursday week, the 11th and 12th of May.
Then, ladies and gentlemen, I may say, in the words
of our great national poet—

4' Whether we shall meet again I know not,
Therefore an everlasting farewell take."
In passing, we may note that, in the exquisite
elocution, the point, the fine intonation, and the
gentlemanly grace of manner of which Mr. Kean
spoke thece few words, there was as fine a piece of
art as any speech he ever uttered, or passion ex-
pressed as an actor. There were loud and genera!
calls for Mr. Coppin, but that gentleman, it ap-
peared, had left the theatre, The exquisite comedy,
now so familiar to us all, now, alas, to be seen no
more, of Air. and Mrs. Oakley, in " The Jealous
Wife," concluded the brilliant performance of the
Kean engagemant. As the curtain fell for the last
time, the words of Prospero, but with a sorrowing
accent, rushed upon the memory :

" Our revels now are ended : these our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits, and
Are melted into air, into thin air :
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud-capp'd towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve ;
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind,"

May we not appropriately, and with a cordial echo
of the public sentiment, cite a good wish for our
departing visitors on their return home, from the
same beautiful poetry

.. Calm seas, auspicious gales,
Aud sail so expeditious that shall catch
Your royal fleet far off;"
*

Bo free, and fare thou veil T."

TEM RAPPAHANNOCK.—A. letter from Calais
states that the Confederate vessel the Rappahannock, at
present in that port, lately had a judgment pronounced
against her by the Chamber of Commerce of Boulogne, for
commercial debts of the captain. It appears that when the
huissier charged to affix tho notice of sale made his appear-
ance on board the vessel, the captain warned him off with-
out delay, as no such errand should be performed there.
The huissier had nothing else to do but retire and draw up
a proces-vertal of the circumstance.

MR. b. H. HAYES, 2D LIFE GUARDS, in a letter
to the Mornmg Post, says :—" Finding that the
story which I relate below has gained greater publicity in
London than I should ever have imagined, I should feel
much obliged if you would allow my version of it to appear
in your columns. On Monday nght, July 4, I was return-
ing from Maidenhead to Windsor on horseback. When
about half-way I was met by two rough-looking men (on
horseback only), who asked me what time it was. I answered
that, not having my watch, I could not tell them. They then
said, 'Oh yes, you have, and we want it. Upon this, see-
ing that they were bent on mischief, and being utterly
unarmed (not even a riding-whip in my hand), I put my
horse to his best pace, dashed through their comrades on
foot (four in number, and armed with pistols and sticks),
and kept straight along the high road, and two
mounted men following me, full gallop. We went, I
suppose, two miles in this way, during which time they
twice came alongside me but failed in stopping my
horse, notwithstanding they endeavoured so to do, when
I suddenly viewed a public-house, with several men
standing balm it. I immediately pulled up, and allowed
my pursuers to pass on.
I here obtained a heavy stick
in hopes of meeting my friends again, and arrived in bar-
racks in due course—to find that the two rough-looking men
were two of my brother officers and their comrades, four
others. Their intention, they told me afterwards, was to
pull me off ray horse, and regularly act the highwayman.
This, as will be seen, however, they failed in doing.
In conclusion, I can only say that I do not publish this
in any spirit of animosity, as, I rjoice to say, I am on the
very best terms with all my brother officers; but think it
only fair, as I hear the story told in all sorts of different
ways, that there should be are autheutle accouut given."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

[EEIITER.'S TELEGRAMS.]
ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE

KEARSARGE AND THE FLORIDA,

---•,0,-

SOUTHAMPTON, 7uLT 14.

The steamer Wonder, arrived this morning from
the Channel Islands, reports that the steamers
Kearsarge and Florida had an engagement off
Jersey yesterday, in which the Kearsarge was
disabled and put into Gorey. The Florida was
brought up off Gorey waiting to renew the engage..
runt.