The Sun.
London, England, 1855-09-01 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY-3lorn. 1 min. aft. 5-- T.vening 21min. aft.
TO-MORROW—Morn. 11 min. aft. s—Evening 2 min. aft. 6

07110 E, Sept. 1.
TaIIRMOMETER, IN TEM &JADE.
72—highest since noon yesterday.
62—lowest this morning and during the night,
./ 3
—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 30.40-- riFming.
WIND, =`.E.—Clowly weather.

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LOITDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1856

- -Co-

The Russian Government has at length finally
closed all discussion respecting the atrocious
transaction universally known as the " Hang.
Massacre." By refusing the liberation of Lieu-

tenant GENESTE, and these who were captured
along with him, in contravention of the recog-
nised rules of warfare, it has adopted and sanc-
tioned the infamous outrage, and placed itself
beyond the pale of civilised nations. It is no
longer the act'of a subaltern, or non-commissioned
officer, but that of the Russian Minister of War
nay, more, of the AUTOCRAT himself, for such a
question could scarcely be kept from his know-
ledge. Tho enemy, therefore, stands revealed ia
his true colours as an unmitigated barbarian,
without a single redeeming feature in his charac
ter—as one who is only deterred from the vilest
assassination by cowardice ! and who would joy-
fully seize any opportunity of butchering unarmed
and unresisting men whenever he had the chance
of so doing. The sanguinary spirit was long
since manifested. It was a similar feeling which
led to the solemn mockery of celebrating the
massacre at Sinop() by a "Te Dcn;n
rendered the miscreants willing to butcher theh
own wounded countrymen, whenever they could
mingle their blood with that of the charitable
foe engaged in alleviating their sufferings, and
pouring balm into their wounds !

It will be manifest to the most superficial
observer that there must be some extraordinary
motive to induce them to refuse the appli-
cation for the liberation: of the prisoners.
Were it otherwise they would at once have eagerly
discharged them from custody. This they might
have done without acknowledging the full extent
of the infamy of those Mere immediately concerned
in the disgraceful outrage. They might have
restored Lieut. GENESTE and his fellow-sufferers
to freedom, while still justifying or at least palli-
ating the ace of his captors ; and this they would
unquestionably have done could they have allowed
his unbiassed testimony to go forth to the world.
But this they dare not do. They well knew that
it would at once convict the immediate actors of
wilful., deliberate, and cold-blooded murder—oi
the violation of the most sacred principles of war,
and the authorities who inquired into the case of
a gross and palpable suppressio Teri. They have
clearly and distinctly ascertained the nature of
the testimony which the ill-used officer and
his *ten could give. We may be certain
that they have individually and collectively
been' strictly interrogated as to the events
of that ill-omened day ; and if anything
favourable to, or in auy way consistent to
the Russian plea "could have been obtained there-
fromi there would have been an affectation of mag-
nanimity—an ostentatious pretext of exhibiting
moray to those who, although they had erred,
might have done so through mistake or inad-
vertence.

BUt no ; the narrative was too clear and con-
vincing to admit of doubt. If it were told in
extoiso there could be no hesitation. The guilt
would be clearly brought home to the Muscovite
assassins. It may be said that a letter from Lieu-
ten wit GENESTE was forwarded to the English
Admiral. We must, however, remember that
the: communication had been previously scruti-
nised by the Russian authorities, and that, most
probably, every objectionable passage had been
strictly expurgated by a vigilant censor. If,
therefore; any extenuating circumstance could be
gathered therefrom—and we cannot see how it is
possible to do so—it would be utterly worthless
-until the witness was able to tell, not only " the
truth," but " the l'hole truth"—to detail all the
incidents of the transaction, and to allow the
verdict of other nations to be given, on full and
satisfactory evidence.

:we aro enabled, however, from the letter of
Prince DALGOROIIKI to see how the final issuo
stands. He has definitively withdrawn every im-
putation against " thelhonour of that ()Meer."
He no longer pretends that the boat captured
under a flag of truce was " taking soundings,"
or that "she was heavily
armed," or that " the
men who landed Were armed," or that there was
";nu flag of truce displayed," or that, if so, " it
was unobserved by the Russians." All these
special pleas have been abandoned, and the single
justihea.tion relied ou i 3 that .".Lieutenant.G.E.'
NESTE landed, without waiting for his eharacte
a gas of truce -to be I.sgally admitted and

wised by ti!le Russian authorities !" This was
the head and. -front of his offending !—the only
point which 'the cowardly assassins, and those
who hale adopted and sanctioned their
act, can refer to, as the justification of their con-
duct. It is 'virtually admitted that he exhibited
a flag of true a, and that it was observed by the Rus-
sian troops,A nit because a simple form was wanting,
because the flag was not " legally acknowledged"
by the aut. horities, a few unarmed men, Russians
as well as English, were to be shot down by an
overwhelwing force of the enemy, and the sur-
vivcas ,riere to be hurried into captivity, and not
even an exchange permitted that might restore
the capti'ves to freedom, and allow them to give
I their fall: and honest testimony. We ask for no

more Cis al the Russian version to warrant the indi,Y-
uant reprobation of every right-minded man at an
event which must be designated as " base, brutal,
and bloody," and which must cast an indelible
blot on the Muscovite escutcheon !

We have the authority of our immortal dra-
matist for the fact that the Englishmen of his
time could never have enough of a good thing,
find the history of the last year or two, to go back
no further, amply demonstrates that our country-
men of the present day inherit to the full the same
insatiable propensity.
It is not our intention to enter at this moment
on a philosophical investigation of the fact, and
endeavour to show its origin, and whether, on
the whole, good or evil predominates in the re-
sults. Our purpose is answered when we have
called attention to one particular field, where the
development of the passion has proved so glare
ingly subversive of its object and productive of dis-
istrous results as to impeach the credit of our
exporters, at least throughout the kingdom, for
the possession of that shrewd common sense their
vanity has led them to believe was in their espe-
cial keeping.

The field to which we allude is Australia ; a
colony of vast importance to this country, not
Duly as a market for our rough and manufactured
goods, but also as the chief source of the supply
of the gold our national and commercial necessities
require. And what has been the recent commer-
cial history of Australia ? The discovery and
oartial development of her splendid resources led,
of course, to an influx of adventurers from this
country and elsewhere, and not only warranted,
but called for; large exportation of goods from this
country. So far good, but unfortunately our
exporters grew blindly infatuated, and in their
culpable ignorance knew not where to stop. jl
hundred circumstances should have warned them
great as might be the demand, the Ricans of
-supply at home were infinitely greater, and that it
was far from difficult to glut the Australian mar-
Islets. So hot, however, was the fever for gain
that no warning availed. Shipload after shipload
of goods, suitable and unsuitable, were sent out—
the markets grew languid, the consignees alarmed,
Ltd thipload after shipload more pressed heavier
Ind heavier upon them. Trade was paralysed,
and, if sold, goods had to be transferred at half
heir prime cost in England. Of course hundreds
both here and there were ruined, and the prospects
of that fine colony were obscured by an apparently
impermeable cloud.

This was the more unfortunate, because of the
war we arc now waging, the effect being the large
liminutions noticeable in the late returns of the
Board of Trade, at a period when the exigencies
)f the country rendered more than ever desirable
the overflow of every available resource.
But to return. The worst being reached, affairs
began to mend, and, we are happy to learn from
the latest accounts, are now fairly on the
way to a healthy state. Imports are looking
up, and empty markets call for supply. How
s that call likely to be answered ? Despite every
warning, in the teeth of national interests, will
&he game of mad speculation be again played, aud,
in the lust for gain, stimulated by the success of
a few, enormous losses be again incurred by
many ? or, taking warning from experience, will
common sense have its legitimate weight, and, so
far as may be, determine the supply by the pro-
bable demand ? To these questions we can re-
turn no answer. All that we can do is to express
a hope that the lesson recently taught may prove
to have exerted a wholesome influence, and that
the commercial convalescence of the colony will
not be retarded, nor its bright prospects clouded
by a selfish blindness of which every sensible
Enc,rlis'n merchant should be ashamed, and through
which the cause of civilisation itself may in some

degree suffer.

Fire Insurance is every man's business, and it
is equally every man's busines3 to get his property
insured on the most reasonable terms' compatible
with safety. We invite attention, therefore, to
the merits of a cominny which has just served its
seven years' apprenticeship, the report of whose
annual meeting appears in another column. Its
distinction from other fire-offices is its unqualified
adoption of the mutual principle, in virtue of
which, all profits revert----in this case triennially
—to the insurers. At the same time, by means
of a large guarantee fund, of which but a trivial
portion is called up, the fullest provision is made
against any possible emergency. The shareholders
in the fund do not, as in proprietary offices, par-
' ticipate in the profits, these belong wholly to the
assured, but receive only the market rate of inte-
rest for their money. It is, we must confess,
difficult to conceive a plan iu which legitimate
economy can be more effectually combined with
security ; on the on% hand the possible losses of
the year, or of many years, could never exceed
the guarantee fund ; indeed, fire losses are, cn
the average, much below the current receipts for
premiums, otherwise the old proprietary offices, i
instead of yielding a handsome, profit, would long
ago have ceased to exist ; on the other hand, by
returning triennially the entire profits to the in-
, surers, the latter are guaranteed 'igainst paying
eventually one shilling too much for their safety.
The last year has been, from some cause—we
are inclined to think it must be the long periods
of dry weather—unusually prolific in fires. So far
as our recollection goes we hardly remember
having to record so many in the same space of
time. The accounts of such offices as publish
them corroborate this statement ; in some cases
they have swallowed up the premiums, in others
doubled their amount ; and it is well known that
most of the offices, whose balance-sheet does not
meet the public eye, have also suffered unusually.
The British Empire has been no exception in this
respect, but, as the report justly observes, the
amount paid for losses by fire,
is, in fact, the
index of a Company's usefulness. On the aver-
age of years the proportion of fire losses is about

equal ; but a Fire Company prevents the great
difference of particular years from being felt by
the ptiblic. With such warnings as the past year
has furnished it is wonderful that any person
should
neglect to insure his property. The
greaterpart of house and goods property, no doubt,
is insured ; but great numbers ' neglect insuring
their furnituro and household property, small as
the:Eh lik-0-ig; 'and•great as the 'hatard.-fronrin-
numerable causes must be. •

The report of the Britizh Empire remixis us

of the extortionate character of the Government r
duty. Even when the fire losses equal or
double a company's receipts for premiums,
still there is the inflexible duty to pay. The
duty is clearly like an ungraduated income tax,
a tax on prudence and honesty. The man who
hazards insolvency to save the charge for insurance
escapes the tax ; the man who secures himself
against dependence and his creditors against loss
must pay it—a tax, too, averaging cent. per
cent. on the premium required by the office, and
on a large class of property amounting to two
hundred per cent. ! We are glad to see the
British Empire Fire-office protesting against this
unrighteous tax. Unfortunately there are two
formidable difficulties in the way of its abolition in
addition to the present omniverous demands of the
War—the old offices, and the country landlords.
The old offices clear very large sums by the Govern-
ment allowance for collecting the duty ; and, as
they have plenty of business, •it only swells the
proprietors' profits to have their office expenses
paid from this source. The lords of the soil
again have managed to get the insurance o f
farming stock freed from duty, and they do not
object to a tax which is thus wholly removed from
land ; it is of a piece with the policy which
pays only half legacy duty on their estates,
and which pays no probate duty, while all
others must pay it ere they can prove
their will. The monstrosity of the tax, which,

if possible, ought rather to be exchanged
for some privilege to insured property, must when
Russia permits insure its speedy abolition. A
mutual office is the proper leader in the cause.
Its members have no interest like the proprietors
of other companies in retaining the duty. What
they would save through the Government allow-
ance to their office of five per cent. is of course
but one-twentieth part of what they would save
by abolishing the duty. We would earnestly
exhort the British Empire Fire Company, there-
fore, to head a movement for the repeal of the
Fire Duty. The public must be with them.
" The demands of the War" are not to last for
ever. Had we but an honest anti-Russian Court
and Cabinet the war might have taught Russia
its last lesson by this time, and in another cam-
paign would have ruined her for a generation to
come. In any case the sooner this company or
any other will arouse public attention, the sooner
can the first political or financial opportunity be
turned to account.

In conclusion, we must acknowledge that, as a
Alt-ru-AL Fire Company, the British Empire has a
right to ask—in the words of the resolution
passed at the meeting—" the co-operation of all
classes of the community in obtaining the widest
possible support for an institution founded exclu-
sively for the public advantage."

VISIT OF PRINCE ALBERT TO ALDER•
SB OTT.

SOUTTIAMPTON, Saturday Morning.—His Royal
Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by Captain
du Plat, Equerry in Waiting, arrived at the Docks
at half-past 10 o'clock, in the Royal yacht Fairy
(Hon. Captain Denman) and proceeded en route to
Aldershott. His Royal Highness returns this
evening, at half-past 5 o'clock.

His Excellency the Ambassador of France and the
Countess Persigny have arrived at Albert•gate House—
the former from Paris, and the latter from the Lie of
Wight.
The Earl and Countess of Wilton and Lady Elizabeth
Grey Egerton are passing the season in the Isle of
Wight.

The Earl and Countess of Desart have arrived at
Cowes, and wil.l occupy Cambridge House during the
autumn.

Viscount and Viscountess Ebrington are expected to
return to town next week, from a tour on the Continent.
Lord Panmure left London on Thursday, for Osborne,
on a visit to her Majesty, and returned to town yester-
day.

Amongst the fashionable arrivals at the Granby Hotel,
ffarrowgate, are the Right Hon. the Lord and Lady
Dou;las, the Right Hon. the E-gland Countess of Essex,
the Lady Adela Capel, the Dowager Lady Ruthven,
the Very Rev. the Dean of Ephir, Major-General Gordon,
Rev. G. C. Gordoa, Lieut.-Colonel Hilton Ford, Rev.
G. Rigg, Fev. T. Prickett, Captain Middleton, Lieut.-
Colonel Gordon, Lieut.-Colonel Kyle, Major Warner,
Rev. P. and Mrs. Norris, the Misses Norris, W. Wil-
liams, Esq., M.P., Rev. H. H. Pearson, Kirklinton
Saul, Esq., Lady, and family, Dr. Shaw, Colonel and
Mrs. Richardson, Chas. Payne, Esq., and Lady, Miss
Murray, Mrs. Colonel Dickenson, Mrs. Ashlin, W.
Rhodes, Esq., Miss Groorne, Charles Fox, Esq , E.
CIA s'iire, Esq.
WRECK OF THE SHIP DANIEL GluNT.—The Daniel
Grant, Brown, while on her voyage from Shanghai to
Liverpool, was wrecked on Helene Reef, China Seas,
May 16 ; crew and passengers saved.
Loss OF THE SHIP KESTREL.—The Kestrel, Lindsay,
from Liverpool to Memel, struck on a sunken rock near
the island of Cana, and disappeared shortly Afterwards ;
crew saved.
CRYSTAL PALACE.— SHILLING DAY.—AUG. 31.—'\.d-
missions on payment, 6,217; ditto by season tickets,
667.—T0ta1, 6,884.

CHANCERY REFORMS.—By an act passod in the late
session infants can, on the sanction of the Court of Chan-
cery, make valid settlements of their real and personal
estate in contemplation of marriage. The act is not to
apply to any male infant under the age of 20 or to any
female infant under the age of 17. The sanction of the
court is to be obtained by petition.

NEW Aer ON THE OFFICE OF SPIZA.ZEH.—An aot was
passed in the last session to render valid all acts done by
a Deputy-Speaker of the House of Commons in the ab-
sence of the Speaker. The Deputy-Speaker is not to
appoint to any office. This act was rendered necessary
from certai❑ proceedings in the late session.
The advises from Melbourne furnish the quantity of
gold shipped by the following vessels, the arrival of
which may be daily expected :—The Eagle, 13,379
ounces ; Essex, 44,128 ounces; Boomerang,. 16,747
ounces ; and the Northumberland, 63,148 ounces and
20,500 sovereigns—making a total value of 572,900/.

THE COMPTROLLER-GENERALSHIP OF C [MOMS —Th is
office is vacant, owing to the superannuation of Mr.
Pemberton. It is expected that the Assistant-Comp-
troller-General, Mr. Elias Axnaad, brother of the late
highly-respected collector of customs, Liverpool, will
succeed t 3 this office, as he is a thoroughly practical man
of business, and a highly efficient, respected, and gentle-
manly officer.—Ciril Service Gazette.

THE AUSTRALIAN MAIL.—Tn the Post-office notice on
Thursday an error occurred in the official notice which
has been corrected; the last mail due, July 24, had
arrived, and the one overdue was duo on the 14th inst.
The Emma sailed with mails on the 21st ult.
QUARANTINE NOTICE.—LISBON, AUG. 24.—An order
of the Board of Health (not published) declares Trieste
infected with cholera from 30th July, Lagos in Algarve
infected with cholera from the 12th instant, and " sus-
pected' the ports between that place and Tavira, which
have not been declared infected.

A VESSEL ON SHORE.—The Washington, Westlake,
from Moulmein to Queenstown, was putting into the
Mauritius leaky, and went on shore off Cannonier's
Point, 7th July, and is expected to become a wreck.
THE MURDER AT CUDHAII, NEAR SEVENOAKS.-4713 to
last evening neither of the suspected men had been ar-
rested. Mrs. Bagley, though still in a precarious state,
has improved so far as to be able to answer questions.
The expectation that she would be able to throw light
upon the affair has proved unfounded, as she is unable
to afford any information on the subject. It is conjec-
tured, therefore, that she must have been stunned by a
I blow while asleep. Unless detected by some of the
articles taken from the cottage, there will, it is feared,
be much difficulty in identifying the murderer, should he
be arrested.
THE BALAKLAVA RAILWAY.—Mr. Betts, of the firm of
Pete, Brassey, and Betts, writes that since the opening
of the Balaklava Railway to the heights, the line has
been in constant use, with the exception of the stoppsge
of 36 hours, arising from tho waterspout which covered
the approaches to the harbour, and drowned upwards of
30 Croats and Turks. Since the formation of the line it
has been doubled, and is now being effectually drained
and ballasted for the winter work. General Simpson, in
reply to Lord Panmure's inquiries as to the condition of
the line on the 19th instant, states :—" The present
railway is on the best site that can be obtained, and
when effectually drained and ballasted, which is being
done, will be quite free from floods." Mr. Betts
believes that when it is thoroughly complete in the
ballasting and draining, it will, with proper attention,
be maintained in perfectly good order during the coming
winter also. Lord Panmure has sent out 150 more car-
riages, to I•eplace those which have been in constant
work, as they require it from time to, time. He is also
sending 100 more horses, to be well prepared with extra
air se d
. during Tile thestaff
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