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

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

T ins DAY.—Morning, Gh. 40m.—Aftemoon, 7h. 10m.
j4)...mens.ow.-111oraing, 7h. 38m.—Afternoon, Sa. 12m.

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LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPT. 9, 1864.

Lieutenant WAGHORN might in his time have
been regarded as a very fair specimen of the Mr
G. 0. A. HEAD of " Coningsby." But Lieute-
nant WAGllORN—although merely a few years
have elapsed since he was laid in his honoured
grave as the enterprising originator of the Over-
land Route, the CoLumees of the Short Cut to
India—Lieutenant WAGuons has already become
one essentially of " the past." His project has
already become virtually obsolete. In his
instance again, as in so many others—Eclipse
has been Eclipsed. As a facilitator of journey-
ings to and fro between England and her Asiatic
possessions, he stands in regard to the present,
certainly in regard to the future, very much, in-
eleed, in the same relative position as that JOHN
MACADAM occupies when compared with GEORGE
STEPHENSON. It was between the years 1831 and
1834, that Lieutenant WAGHORN personally super-
Latended the carrying out of his scheme of the
Overland Route nit Trieste the working out of the
traffic along that route, to and fro between Calcutta
and Southampton. It had occurred to him that
going and coming by that particular route,
fully thirteen days, or as nearly as pos-
sible one entire fortnight might be saved.
Under his direction steam communication
Bras established—on the one hand between Calcutta
and Suez, across the Indian Ocean, up the Red Sea,
and on the other hand between Southampton and
Alexandria, along the length of the Mediterranean.
For the yet more practically bringing his ingenious
scheme into operation, this good servant of the Crown
brought about the building of suitable hotels along
the Route, and the raising even of appropriate halt-
mg-plaCes in the desert. Nevertheless, though
but_, a doze, years have now sped by since
l °leas WeGaoftN, Lieutenant, R.N., breathed
ha.
*i last—after an energetic and usefu4life of exactly
half a culture's duration (he having been born in
1800,and having died in 1850)—his labours have even
now in a great measare still further ure been surpassed —and they
i in
aVery fianirway of being wholly.
and absolutely
surpassed
course, that, even then, the. hereafter. Not, of
they will be otherwise than
deseriing of our lasting and grateful remembrance.
to
But they will be entitled this remem- '
brand very much as the' author
old mail coach system is
entitled of the
to the
same kind of grateful remembrance as
factor of the nation, intermediately between ben-
ee
thee
old packhorse times and these cheap and whirling
times of a penny postage system carried out by rail!

way! •
Briefly, then—there is goodly promise already
that the Overland Route will be quite effectually
put into the background by the realisation of a
yet grander idea, namely, that of
_opening
pp a permanent line of communication between
this country and her Asiatic Empire, i.e., by
the construction of (what is certain to be con.
structed sooner or later—let us hope sooner, for
certainly in this instance the sooner the better)—by
the construction, we say, of a trunk railway through,
the Valley of the Euphrates.
The advantages of the Euphrates Valley Route,
upon the opening up of this same railroad, are, to
our thinking, as irunacno and inestimable in their
value and in their importance, as they are, also
to our thinking, very readily capable of realisation.
The Euphrates Valley Rout?, to begin with, it 3,
beyond all doubt, at once the shortest and the easiest
that could by possibility be anywhere markerl cot
between England and Hindostan.
Beyond this, ir, would save
,just about half the
time now cccupied in going to and fro between
Calcutta and Southampton.
It would shorten the time of the journey thus
one-half, by diminishing the actual distance cow
requiring to be traversed, to the extent of fully
oas thousand miles.
Once opened, and in active operation—in the
event of any emergency occurring, no matter how
suddenly, in Hindostan, additional troops from
the mother country could be conveyed in two

weeks from Southampton to Kurrachee, and in one
week further forwarded on to Lahore.
Let England but mature her plans in this direc-
tion, and what would, then, be the result ? The
Indus and the Euphrates would thus in a manner
be brought into direct communication. The always
ominous, the often formidable insulation of Persia,
would be brought effectually and permanently to an
end. The possibility of any successful Muscovite
descent upon England's possessions in India, would
be swept aside altogether, as a matter no longer
worthy of any serious consideration. In a very
masterly letter addressed by him to the Chairman
of the Euphrates Valley Railway—Captain SELBY,
late of Her MAJESTY'S Indian Navy, and Sur-
veyor in Mesopotamia, has recently descanted* upon
the importance and upon the necessity also, of our
opening up this very route between England and
India vici, the Valley of the Euphrates. To the
arguments put forth by so competent a witness,
we would now very earnestly commend the at-
tention of all those among our fellow countrymen
who are patriotically interested in the yet further
extension of the principles of Free Trade, in the
material strengthening of our hold upon our vast
and noble possessions in India, in a word, to all
those who like are especially solicitlus to secure
the binding together yet more firmly than ever
the fasces of our Colonial Empire ! An endeavour,
this last, the diametrical opposite to that which
appears so strangely to have captivated the ima-
gination of Professor GoLDwIN SMITH, namely, the
loosening of the bond of the fasces—in other
the general and rapid disintegration of the Empire.

* Letter to W. P. Andrew. Esq., &c. By Captain W.
B. Selby. Bvo., pp. 36. W. H. Allen and Co.

The visit of the Prince and Princess of DENMARE
is just now the topic of conversation in many circles,
and it deserves to be made the subject of reflection,
for it concerns graver matters than the mere frivo-
lous details that belong to ordinary affairs of the
sort. Last year all seemed like a fairy tale in the
career of the young bride—the sea-king's daughter
from over the sea was apparently surrounded with
all that could make life precious, and care and sor-
row put far away from her. In a very short space,
however, the scene changed, and they who chro-
nicled the brightness of the story had to mark its
gloom and depression. All thinking minds and
feeling hearts must have felt grieved at the sight of
that fair young bride, so early saddened in her
course and clouded in her prospects, What a con-
trast did one short year make in the land of her
birth! The happy, prosperous people who took
leave of her with prayers for her welfare, were
transformed into sad and suffering multitudes, who
might at any time expect their doom to be pro-
❑ounced. The inevitable ill§ of life are not so hard
to bear as those wrongs which are wrought by in-
justice, and those losses which supervene from
treachery. Thus it must have been the sharpest
trial to reflect upon, that the misery and mutilation
of Denmark was entirely owing to the lack of
courage and constancy on the part of England.
The conduct which this country has pursued, under
the direction of the Government, has lowered it in
the eyes of the world. There has been a total
want of right feeling exhibited, and a striking
absence of candour that have materially injured
the just influence which we ought to possess.
All this must have been duly appreciated by the
Daughter of Denmark, and in her new home over
here, with all the delights of her happy circle
and the glory of her proud position, she must
have sighed at the recollection of old times and
mourned over the startling change. This visit to
Denmark is a graceful tribute to the King and
country that does honour to the Prince and exhibits
the Princess in a favourable light. We look with
interest on their journey, and sad as some of its
associations will undoubtedly be, still it will be
a source of consolation to all concerned, and it is
a satisfaction to know that the Royal Family of
Denmark have the gratification afforded to them
of seeing their daughter after all their cruel suffer-
ings. They also behold the heir to the English
throne, and are sensible that their child has already
won such golden opinions from all ranks of the
community, that her adopted country may vie with
the land of her birth in its expressions of earnest
and heartfelt sympathy; in her welfare. There
have not been many instances on record of anyone
so suddenly attaining such popularity as has failen
to the lot of the Princess ALEXANDRA. The multi-
tudes who rejoiced in her joys as a fair bride and a
happy young mother have sorrowed in her grief at
the comparative ruin of her father and family and
the spoliation of their kingdom. It too often occurs
that the highest prospects are overcast and clouded,
but a more signal instance of the insecurity of human
happiness has seldom occurred. The royal visitors
will learn more of the ways of Denmark, and be
more ashamed of the conduct cf England, during
their stay ever there than they could ever have
done here. Seeing is believing, and it will be im-
possible for them not to glean some insight into the
state of matters, and to realise some sad and bitter
truths. At all events, they are free from blame,
and disappointments, be they what they may, are
robbed of half their sting if sorrow is not mingled
with shame, and if disgrace does not appertain to
defeat. The Princess may feel just pride ia
bringing her husband to visit her family, who have
proved themselves great in trials, that might have
shaken the strongest ; and in receiving the welcome
of a people who haveshone forth with a spirit worthy
of the days of old, and recalled the fame of these
who are immortal in the history of every land for
daring and devotion. All is not sad, therefore, in
the meeting between these illustrious individuals,
and it is besides an important step that has been
taken, for it associates the Prince of WALES with

the royal family, and even the unparalleled effron-
ter), of Prussia may not desire wholly to defy
the future King of England. The insults and in-
juries
now heaped upon Denmark will make a
Powerful impression upon the mind of his Royal
Highness, and such sentiments are not easily
effaced.
The lapse of years and the throng of air-
ar is playing
cumstances cannot alter fixed opinions, and the
Cab:net of Berlin
a dangerous game.
At present all things seem
and flatterin propitious to its cause,
g -1-1
—OPO assures them
that theymay do as
they please. A little reflection would show them how
false are the foundations on which they build their
projects, and how liable to chance and change. No
state is independent of public opini •
on, and that
opinion is against them in England and in France,
Had the political and diplomatic formulas beer:s";
adrift, and recourse had to the old and often more
honest method of settling disputes at the point of
the sword, there would have been a genuine sym-
pathy for Denmark among the populations of the
tiro ibief countries in the wcrld, It cannot he said
then that the Court and Cabinet of Berlin have
much ; at all events, they have lost more
gained so
valuable possessions than kingdoms and treasures
—the respect and interest of independent people.
The Princess ALEXANDRA has much to tell,
and as much to learn ; she can inform her
father, friends, and family, that the English people
have not been unmindful of the sad transitions
through which they have passed. More touching
to the daughter of Denmark must have been the
enthusiastic receptions she mgt with in public in
the second year of her stay in England than the