The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-08 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

Tam DAY—Morn. 56 min. aft. 11.—Ewning 25 min. aft. 12
To-MORROW—Morn.4B min. aft. 12—"Evoning 12 min. aft. 1

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, Sept. 8.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
65 - highest since noon yeeter‘lsy.
51—lowest this morning and during the night.
63—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 30.48—falling.
WIND, S.W.—Light, with warm, beautiful, sunshiny
weather.

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LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1855.

Russia has had deep cause to deplore the
" cleverness" of Prince GORTSCILIKOPF at the
Vienna Conferences. Under different circum-
stances the unscrupulous audacity displayed by
the diplomatist would have been highly applauded,
his contemptuous disregard of the terms pre-
viously accepted as the bases of negotiation, re-
warded as au instance of unbending firmness, and
his attempt to advance the avowed object of his
Master, and to carry out "the traditional policy of
Russia by the opening of the Bosphorus, as an
instance of extraordinary tact and judgment.
But unfortunately, like many over cunning people,
be defeated himself, and forfeited the chance of
obtaining peace on far more favourable terms
than lie had any right to anticipate. Having made
the German Powers safe—Prussia being an
avowed partisan, and Austria, although covertly,
equally at his " beck and call"—having also
bamboozl3d the representatives of the Western
Powers—he thought he had the game in his own
hands, and could carry matters with a high
hand. But for once he " reckoned without his
host." The EMPEROR and people of France, and
a aportion of the English Cabinet, and an over-
whelming majority of all ranks and classes in the
United Kingdom, refused to permit themselves to
be stultified, or to become Muscovite tools. His
ingenious devices, therefore, recoiled against him-
self. Like SHAKSPERE'S Engineer; he was " hoist
with his own petard ;" and he succeeded in de-
feating any prospect of the restoration of peace,
save on terms far more onerous and distasteful to
Russia, than those which had previously been so
contumeliously rejected.
Since that time the CZAR has received many
bitter, but salutary lessons. He finds that,
notwithstanding all his exertions, he cannot drive
the` Allied forces from their position before Sebas-
topol ; that his own army is already enduring
great privations, and that the "Russian supremacy
in the Black Sea" will ere long be terminated in a
far more decided manner than it could have been
by any stipulations ; that he is likely to lose not
merely his stronghold and fleet, but the Crimea
itself ; and that possibly, should the War be pro-
tracted for another year, lie may have to deplore
something more than the destruction of stores and
the stoppage of commerce in the Gulf of Finland
and the Baltic. Like the " old maiden of fifty-
three," he at length recognises the melancholy
fact, that it would have been far better if he had
accepted some of the many propositions previously
rejected, and that every delay only enhances the
difficulty of obtaining a satisfactory settlement.
Under these circumstances, it is said that new
and energetic efforts have been made to reopen
the negotiations, and that the intervention of
Prussia and Austria for that purpose has been
eagerly sought for. This is not merely possible,
.but exceedingly probable, and the precarious
health of FREDERICK WILLIADI renders it far more
likely that his good offices would be sought for,
while they might still be available. We can
therefore easily credit the faCt that Count
NESSELRODE has, as asserted by some of our
Continental contemporaries, foriardecl despatches
to the Cabinets of Berlin. and Vienna, asking
that they should use their good offices for
the purpose of inducing the Western Powers to
re-open the abortive Conferences, with a view to
the pacific solution of the difficulty. But it is
now " too late." The Allies have been already
too greatly disgusted with Prussia, too grossly de-
ceived by Austria, to suffer themselves again to
be involved in diplomatic intrigues. Nay, more,
Austria is so well aware of the state of public
opinion in France and England, that she could
not join in that, which must necessarily prove an
abortive attempt, and which would inevitably
place her in oven a worse position than that
which she already occupies, bad as it is.

But this judicious abstention from pressing in-
admissible propositions cannot materially improve
the feeling of the Western Powers towards Austria.
!The assertions of Muscovite and. German writers
to that effect are, therefore, clearly without anyade•
qUite foundation. No reliance whatever can now
he placed on the promises and engagements of a
Pa%Ter, which has already shamefully violated those
the had previously entered into. It would cer-
tainlY not be hazarding very much to say that the
alliance between Austria and the Western Powersl
" is now stronger) more secure, more easy in its
application, and more intimate than it was at the
period !" But We cannot assent even to that
very limited assertion. INothine, bUt decided
action can ever restore Austria, to the confidence
all but, if not altogether, irretrievably
bas
And the mode of retrieving
forfeited. her pciEi-
cola ortaiu:y not ta icy aZY ilatezvezticz cu

behalf of Russia—any attempt to mitigate the
punishment she has so richly merited, or to per-
mit her still to retain the mischievous powers
which she has so flagrantly and wantonly abused,

In another part of our impression will be found
an extract from a letter written by one of the
crew of the screw steam floating battery Glatton,
which is well deserving of perusal, inasmuch as it
exhibits the mismanagement and incapacity of
our naval authorities at home in the strongest
light. It is unnecessary to repeat what we have
so repeatedly urged respecting the vast import-
ance of having a class of vessels requiring a low
draught of water, and thus suitable for the work
that may be required in the Euxine or the Baltic.
" My Lords" at Whitehall apparently yielded to
the pressure from without, and prided themselves
considerably on the promptitude, extraordinary
for them, with which they responded to the
national demand by ordering mortar vessels,
guu-vessels, and floating batteries. The proceed-
ings at Sweaborg proved beyond the possibility of
doubt what might have been effected if there had
been a sufficient force of that description, and the
pernicious results of " the penny-wise-and-pound-
foolish" policy, so indefatigably pursued by the
Board of Admiralty. Another melancholy illus-
tration has been afforded of the imbecility and
incompetency exhibited at head-quarters, such as
would be sufficient to destroy the credit and ruin
any private establishment, however wealthy, that
was subjected to such gross and palpable mis-
management.
One of these floating batteries, the Glatton,
which ought to have been ready in April, was,
it appears, despatched on the 22d of August (!),
destination unknown, but probably, from the
direction steered, the Black Sea. As but
little progress could be made by the un-
assisted efforts of the battery, a fine screw
steam-frigate, the Horatio, was directed to tow
her. But, even with that aid, the new batteries
were not qualified for work. It was found that,
although towed at the rate of 5i- knots per hour,
they would not steer (!) The patent rudder was
utterly useless, and the battery was, according to
the graphic account of the writer, " yawing five
or six points each way." It was evident, even
in a trifling sea, that they would be soon " left
on their hook," although " they had two 13-inch
hawsers and a 20-inch cable." The sinister fore-
bodings were but too completely verified, for at
2 a.m. on the 29th ultimo the cables had all
parted, and the useless hulk was left tossing about
in " the trough of the sea," going whichever
way she liked. At daylight they were
again taken in tow, and fortunately were carried
safely into Vigo.

Now, at Brest, the master shipwright was
at once enabled to state the cause of the failure.
Two rudders were required iu the case of the
Tonnant, anfil would be so in every similar vessel.
But the obvious precaution was disregarded at
home, and the officers and crew were to invent
temporary substitutes by which the imminent dan-
ger might be averted. With seaman-like inge-
nuity they succeeded, after immense toil, officers
and men being nearly worn out. But what would
they not do in such an emergency, for, as the
writer truly declares, "it is terrible to be left
adrift, and not to be able to steer !" Nor was
this all. A leak was discovered after leav-
ing Brest, through which the water ran in at
the rate of a bucket a minute, but, as the
writer remarks with considerable naiveté, "that
is nothing to those who sail in batteries !" Now
this is really too bad. We should press the subject
on the attention of the First Lord were it likely
totead to any beneficial result. But Sir CHARLES
WOOD, we fear, is utterly irreclaimable. We
must then be contented with exposing the griev-
ance, in the hope that the people will take the
matter into their own hands, and that the voice
of public opinion may proclaim in distinct and
unequivocal terms the necessity of having, so far
as the navy is concerned, " the right man in
the right place,'' and not sacrificing the
interests of the nation, and endangering
the lives of our gallant seamen in order to
gratify " red-tapist" propensities, and to mitigate
the rancour of Earl GREY and his clique, by pro-
viding a lucrative and influential situation for
his incompetent brother-in-law.

A very pleasant atmosphere is that of truth
and honesty. We have so often to deal with the
outpourings and schemes of political gamesters,
to unravel the web of their sophistries, point out
the dangerous tendencies of their schemes, and
hold up to reprobation their self-seeking and
manifold tergiversations, that to meet with a
speech of so sterling a patriot and so honest a
representative as Mr. ROEBUCK is positively re-
freshing. Be the topic what it may, whether on
perusal you agree or disagree with him in whole
or in part in the opinions he expresses, you are
assured at the outset that it is a sincere deliver-
ance, and the result of high-toned thought and
candid inquiry, unbiassed by any motive that
does not do him honour. Of few men indeed can
this be said with equal truth ; and the pleasure
which his speeches evoke is proportionally en-
hanced by the fact.

The report, therefore, of the remarks of the
Honourable—the word has a legitimate signifi-
cance in his case—Member for Sheffield, at the
Cutlers' Feast in that town on Thursday last, met
with the accustomed welcome on 'our part, and
has been perused by us with even more
than usual satisfaction.- After a course of
GRAIUM, GLADSTONE, and Co., the hard-
est stomach might well, long for whole-
some food, and the sturdiest lqrain for more
healthy employment ; and the gratification of this
longing, the circumstances under which the Hon.
Gentleman addressed his constituents, were well
calculated to insure. Every one knows the noble
, part taken by Mr. ROEBUCK at the commence-
os
shores eraaryt
ment of the session, in connection with the mis-
managementhe
left ourm t heroic
hd m
, a
the veryoutset ofthtehatever War.
T
—shallwesay?—
of the mighty conflict in which we
are engaged, got entangled in the meshes of dic,.
mestic treason and incompetency, and thousands
of gallant fellows who never turned their backs
on the foe, and had come scatheless out of re-
peated conflicts, had, thus entangled, fallen an
easy prey to want, exposure, and pestilence. The
people murmured, the people contributed, nearly
everybody wondered, and Parliament, whose
usefulness the Coburgians openly questioned,
met. It was at this crisis that Mr. ROEBUCK
stepped forward and resolutely demanded the
means to ascertain " the reason why." He got
a committee, and, imperfect as it was, we all
know the result. If justice was not done on all
the delinquents and the War subsequently carried
on as became the English people, the ABERDEEN
Ministry were sent to the right about, and the
grosser and more obvious evils under which the
army had suffered were, in a great measure, re-
moved. Treason found itself in the shade,.
the army was secured against starvation, and the
Government had the conviction driven home to
their minds, that the nation must not at least be
flagrantly betrayed or trifled with for the future..
The 5e5~1~11 Frooeseded to , ClOO • Wad, 64417)

Parliament being prorogued, Mr. ROEBUCK stood
before the inhabitants of Sheffield.

His reception, as a matter of course, though
the object of the meeting was not political, was
enthusiastic, members of all parties vieing with
each other to do him honour. Evidently affected
by his reception, his remarks were characterised
by much cordiality of feeling, and the entire ab-
sence of anything approaching to party spirit.
Attributing the warmth of his reception to the
belief on their part that he had discharged his
duty towards them as their representative, "so
as to promote the welfare of England," he briefly
referred to what he had done, and pointed out
that the secret of his success was his being backed
by his constituents and the country ; declaring,
also, with as much truth as boldness, that " the
heroic suffering " into which he had to inquire
was partly owing to them. The assertion, he
said, might seem a paradox, but they might be
assured " that those who said representative go-
vernment was on its trial, meant this, that
you were on your trial," adding—and let the
all-important truth he enunciated never be for-
gotten, for it cannot be too constantly acted
upon—" for representative government only fails
when the constituency is unworthy." A senti-
ment deserving to be recorded in letters of gold,
and on the truth of which we long ago insisted.
Hardly less striking is the assertion " that the
Government of this country will not be well car-
ried on until you, the middle classes, carry into
that Government all the great qualities that have
distinguished you as Englishmen ;" all the intel-
ligence and virtue, in short, that distinguish the
people of this country. " Let it be said that
we are an enlightened people, and able to govern
ourselves." Patriotic and pregnant words, and
to the purpose—words that should try the na-
tional metal, and be followed by a manly and
true-hearted response from every town and county
in the kingdom.