The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-08 00:00:00

the sight of the Durbar must have convinced them
of the extent of our power and resources. Sir
JOHN LAWRENCE showed his usual good sense in
surrounding himself with all the pomp and circum-
stance of State on that occasion ; he knew how
such display would influence the native mind ; and,
however uncongenial to his natural disposition, he
felt it was only befitting his rank as representative
of Queen VICTORIA, and his power as Governor of
her vast Indian possessions. So on his return
journey he acted on the same principle. While in
motion he travelled with all the rapidity of modern
civilisation, but when he halted he surrounded him-
self with the magnificence of Eastern royalty. At
Benares he paused to invest one of the native princes
with the Star of India, expressing at the same time
his sense of the Itqjah's consistent loyalty. This
is a wise measure, end proves to the natives that
Englishmen are no longer anxious to keep them
aloof. The Viceroy has now reached Calcutta,
and met his Council, who will have some
work to do in repairing the damage inflicted by
the late cyclone. We are glad to find that the
Government of Bengal has already taken steps to
avoid the recurrence of so terrible a catastrophe as
then occurred among the shipping. A committee
is to be appointed to inquire into the state of the
moorings in the port of Calcutta; and it is be.
lieved that the screw pile system of mooring ships
will be introduced. It is very certain that a
thorough change is necessary in the arrangements
of a port which is at the best of times liable to be
visited by hurricanes and cyclones of a violent na-
ture,if less overwhelming than the last. It is notice-
able that the greater part of the vessels that broke
away did not break from their moorings, but cars
ried their moorings with them, a sure sign that a
change is needed. We learn from Brigmariah that
a violent storm has visited the Coromandel coast,
destroying all the telegraphs, including the span
across the Kistua, and converting Masulipatoun
into a ruin by an inundation. The rumour is that
thousands of lives have been lost, but it is to be
hoped, as the accounts are very vague, that they
have been greatly exaggerated. It is evident,
however, that the storms on both sides of the

adian coast have Leen of exceptional severity, and

the weather of an unusual character. Sir H. ROSE
has started for Nepaul, where he expects to sound
the native feeling with respect to the Bhooteas
and their conduct. The British Indian force
which is now en route for Bhootan is to be divided
into four columns, which propose to cut off
all communication between Bhootan Proper
and the outer world. The country is extremely
barren and rocky, altogether dependent on the out-
lying provinces for the necessaries of life, so that it
is expected when they are thus besieged in their
hilly fortress, the arrogance of the Bhooteas will
speedily diminish. Ia other quarters of India,
however, there are sounds of war and commotion
with which we have happily nothing to do. The
chiefs and khans of Western Affghanistan have
been so incensed by the treatment which UFZUL
or AFZUL KHAN has received at the hands of his
brother, the Ameer, that they have called upon the
latter to release UFZUL and to recall AZRIN, who has
fled the country, and to restore to them their share
of the paternal property, threatening, that if the
Ameer refused compliance, they would invade
Cabul. Wheth©r the Ameer will heed this warn•
ing remains to be seen. If he relents it will be from
mere motives of policy, since he has proved that
he has not forgiven his brothers their assault upon
his throne. The news from Cabul, also, brings us
intelligence of the battle which took place between
the Russians and the Kokanees at Huzrut, Sooltan.
There was a severe fight, but the Russians were
victorious and took possession of the fort, a fact
which is direfully important as showing the in-
sidious encroachments of that Power in Asia.
England had need to keep a close watch
over her possessions, since Russian emir•
series and Rassian agents are quite capable
of fostering another mutiny, and would not
scruple to alienate the people from their British
rulers, by painting in glowing colours the blessings
of the paternal government of the CZAR. We are
glad to see that railway and telegraph lines are
being busily pushed forward, since such means of
communication are invaluable in times of danger
and uncertainty, and the more active correspon-
dence is kept up between the different parts of the
Empire, the more correct and enlarged will be the
views taken at the seat of Government and trans-
mitted to this country. Ignorance and indifference
have been the root of half our troubles in India ;

they have impeded the progress of Christianity and
civilisation, and have placed unnecessary obstacles
of opinion and feeling between us and the natives.
It is but very lately that Englishmen have awoke

to a sense of their responsibilities towards the
densely-populated Empire over which they rule,
while even now they are more than half insensible
to its immense commercial value to them were its
capacities properly developed. Unfortunately, the
system pursued at our India•offic• disgusts able and
energetic men with the public service, and throws
part of the responsible posts into the hands of idle
and indifferent men, or men of mere routine. A
man of intellect and spirit resents the treatment
which he too often meets with, and murmurs
loud and deep are now resounding through more
than one branch of the Anglo Indian service,

both civil and military. This is not the way to
ensure our supremacy or to fulfil our duties. Every
inducement should be held out to those best fitted
by capacity and character to benefit the country to
retain their posts. There are already enough bin.
drances in the way in the exile and the danger to
health—a danger whioh we are grieved to see is
now depriving us of two valuable public servants,
Sir HERBERT EDWARDES and Sir C. TREVELYAN.
We may hope, with the advance of knowledge, and
the enforcementof sanitary laws, that Anglo-Indian
life may lose some of its risks; bat at any rate it is
undesirable in the best of climates to disgust men
with their profession if we want the work well
done. Under these circumstances Sir C. WOOD had
better look to his laurels; for we trust, when Par.
'lament meets, he will have to bear a sharp scrutiny
on some points of his recent administration of Indian
affairs.

The speech of M. TON KAISERFELD in the lower
Chamber of the Reichsrath is doubly welcome, both
as being of intrinsic merit, and as being also most
applicable to the exigencies of the case before him.
It is a welcome and refreshing sight to see a man so
decided in his tone and spirited in his style in a
place and under circumstances which might well
have conduced to far different utterances, or at least
to silence. Nothing is more praiseworthy than to
exhibit a bold demeanour iu the face of tyranny
and oppression, and the address before us breathes
the very spirit of defiance to the encroachments that
are daily gaining ground among the Austrians, and
gradually but surely subverting the better prin-
ciples that are promised to revive and restore the
constitution. Indeed, the discourse reads more
like a speech in the House of Commons, and
reminds us of the strong and spirited harangues
of the French Deputies rather than those of the
solid Germans. Every sentence we meet with
rings out with a clear sound that speaks straight
to the convictions, and carries the thoughts al-
ways to the desired end, When we find in a

representative assembly the following impressive
statements, we must admit that, if Austria be
doomed to fall irrevocably in the rank of nations,
it will not be because she has no true hearted
sons to tell her of her danger, and point out the
way to a better course than that which she has
now taken. " The Constitution is vague, contra•
dictory, faulty, and consequently requires revi-
sion." This is exactly what lookers on have been
declaring for some time past, but it is a new and
notable sight for a citizin of the Empire to bear
witness to this fact, and hence we hail the out-
break of national feeling as a forerunner of other
things of a similar description; and, at all events,
a fit and proper address for the occasion. Very
telling was the taunt in which M. KAISERFIELD
told the House that the manner in which the
supplies were treated tallied with the Prussian
mode of proctdure, but was not in keeping with
their Constitution. A more striking protest
against the misrule and mismanagement that have
crept into the departments of the State in Ause
tria has seldom been heard, and at this particular
juncture it is very appropriate, and it is to be
hoped will prove very effective, Certainly some
stirring up is wanted, when we consider the
tame and spiritless way in which the Cabinet of
Vienna is yielding to the demand of that of Berlin,
a glaring instance of which has just appeared in
the manner that the occupation of Schleswig-Hol-
stein has been settled. M. VON KAISERFIELD'S
address spoke to the assembly as the trumpet
blast that summons to death or victory. His zeal
was infused into his auditors, for all throughout
the course of his harangue we find repeated bursts
of applause, evidently proofs of the success of his
efforts. After deploring the inactivity of the Go.
vernment, he declared it to be " the cause of the
apathy of the people, an apathy the more dangerous
because Austria will cease to exist when she ceases
to be a Constitutional State." This drew down
loud applause from all parts of the House. M.
TON SCIIMERLING could not have felt very compli■
mented at the remarks which the determined and
outspoken Styrian deputyumade about him, but he
will be wise if he takes them to heart, and shapes
his conduet more in uniformity with the require-
ments of a free Constitution, and in accordance
with the spirit of a State that has promised to be
an example to other nations instead of a failure and
a reproach. 'What is affirmed in this luminous
discourse is so evident that it seems only strange
that some glimmer of its sense should not have
reached the minds of the Executive Government
and of the representatives before this. M. VON
SCHMERLING was plainly told that he was suffer-
ing from political " marasmus." This, though a
true statement, must have been an unwelcome
piece of intelligence to the statesman who thinks
so much of his management of public affairs.
Without having any recourse to taunts, M.
KAISERFIELD contented himself with say-
ing, sterner realities which are indeed always
doubly effective if people would only think and act
so instead of dealing in threatened tones and fierce
invectives that mar instead of making an elLct.
Three years passed in intriguing is assuredly not
the manner in which to attain any settled purpose
or satisfactory result, and then the energetic
speaker here declared that "great questions cannot
be brought to an issue by petty measures." It is
a great point gained that we should meet with so
bold an exponent of truth and justice in the Aus-
trian Reichsrath. An Opposition is not responsible
for the mistakes of a Minister, but it is bound to
protest against the error of his ways, and to give
timely warning of the sad consequences which will
infallibly ensue if a remedial ageney be not at
work. Nobly and faithfully has Mr. KAISERFIELD
discharged this duty, and it is to be earnestly
trusted that his example will embolden others to
follow in his track, and to copy his good efforts
in the cause of freedom. They may do this with
the more readiness and energy because no time is
to be lost if they desire to prevent their country
from sinking into a state like that of Prussia,
which, during the last two reigns has been changed
so completely from what was once proposed to be
its position as a free and independent State Not
often does such dire necessity exist for plain speak.
ing as unfortunately now occurs in Austria, but it

is satisfactory to find a man who will put things in
their proper light, and call events by their true
names, even though the terms may not coincide
with the wishes of unworthy Sovereigns or un-
faithful Ministers.

ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SCCIETY.-,-The interna-
tional show of fruit, vegetables, roots, and gourde,
was opened yesterday at the Horticultural-gardens, Ken-
sington. The judges have awarded first-class certificates
for a collection of fruit (open to fruiterers only) to Messrs,
Webber and Co., Covent-garden—for pine apples, to Mr R.
Heather, gardener to Mr R. Pulford, Ember-grove,Thames
Ditton, Surrey, and Mr F. Ingram, gardener to the Queen
at Windsor—for grapes, to Mr A. Ingram, gardener to Mr
J. J. Blaney, Reading, Messrs 11. Lane and Son, Great
Birkhampstead, and Mr G. Tillyard—for pears, to Mr
Thomas Ingram, Mr G. Tillyard, Mr H. Beasley, gardener
to Mr Thomas Wood, Twyford Abbey, Mr S. Ford, gar-
dener to Mr W. E. Hubbard, Horsham, Mr C. Ross, gar-
dener to Mr C. Cyre, Newbury, and Mr S, Murray, gardener
to Mr R. J. Williams, Tryng Park—for apples, to Mr T.
Ingram, Mr R. H. Betteridge, Mr W, Hall, gardener to
Captain Tyrell, R,N., Ealing, Mr S. Ford, Mr W. Plester,
and Mr D. Lumsden—for currants, to Mr S. Ford—for
gourds. to Messrs. Sutton and Son, Reading—for potatoes,
to Mr G. Curd, gardener to Mr M. S. Thoyts, Southem-
e teed House, Reading, Mr C. Frisby, gardener to Mr J. A.
Chapman, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, Mr A. Moffat, gardener
to Viscount Maynard, Dunmow, Essex, Mr J.Veitoh, Royal
Exotic Nursery, King's road, Chelsea—for mangold-wurt-
zel, to Mr S. Robinson, Shew House, Melbourne, near
Derby, and Messrs, Sutton and Son, Reading.
AMBULANCE COMMITTEE.—The Savannah Re•
publican says :—" A great number of our sick and
disabled men, just exchanged, will arrive hero to-day (the
12th of November), and we hope to see every carriage in the
city at the wharf. A hundred of the men have died since
they were embarked. To receive them a large detail has
come here from that famous benevolent association, the
Richmond Ambulance Committee, who have borne so con-
spicuous and useful a part in the rear of General Lee's army
from the beginning of the war. They have been with the
army in every battle of importance, and are among the first
to be notified by General Lee whenever an engagement is
looked for. They are truly good Samaritans—men of
wealth and high position at home, and most of them beyond
the age for military service. The good they have done in
the field is incalculable, and in the prosecution of their work
their own private fortunes have been largely devoted to the
cause. They have every appurtenance necessary in their
humane vocation, such as hospital supplies, sugar, tea,
coffee, &c., with utensils for preparing everything on a large
scale. They know all about sick and wounded men, how to
handle them, and what they require for their comfort, and
they are now among us to co-operate with our surgeons and
citizens in receiving and disposing of the large body of our
sick and wounded about to be committed to our hands by
the enemy. We commend them to the cordial hospitalities
of our people. Independently of their noble vocation, they
will be found gentlemen of the highest intelligence and re-
finement."

SUSPECTED 11.1JE.DER OF A WOMAN AT COLD•
STREAM.—On Monday morning the dead body of a woman,
named Thomson, wife of Alexander Thomson, china
merchant, was discovered in the house occupied by het
husband and herself at Coldstream. The deceased was
severely cut about the head, the limbs, and other parts
of her person exhibiting a number of bruises. The body
was found lying on the floor in front of the bed, which,
as well as the floor and other parts of the room, was sa-
turated with blood, and gavo evidence of a violent
struggle having taken place. The woman had been dead
for some hours, Thomson, her husband, gave the first
intimation of his wife's death, stating that during the
night they had quarrelled, and that she had seized the
poker and he the tongs, and they had fought together with
these weapons. lie was found to be slightly cut on the head.
The police secured the poker and tongs, both covered with
blood ; they also found a strong cord tied round one ct de-
ceased's legs, from which it is supposed that the poor
wo►nan had escaped from her husband's fury underneath
the bed, and that Thomson had used it to draw her forth,
which idea is strengthened by the fact that a quantity of
blood lay on the fiver wrier the bed,--,Scotsman.,