The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-11 00:00:00

direction, fought his successful encounter of Ko-
zienica. On the same day small bands, numbering
between 50 and 100 men, were perceived near
Olkusg and Miechalowice, while another and
stronger force passed the Vistula on their way back
near Opatowice. The day after Jezionauski re-
turned with several hundred men by way of Por-
zemba, leaving orders for those who remained
behind to follow as soon as possible and meet him
at Luchow. On the 27th, I find, a band of some
hundred men came in sight at Walbrom, which on
the day after was occupied by a Russian column.
The 28th was marked by the appearance of 200 men
at Panki, the 29th by that of 100 at Moszanica,
and the 30th by rather less than 100 at Olkusz. On
the Ist of April they fought, and, although not vic-
torious, were not defeated, at Z,zyce. Considering
that all these bands were discovered in the imme-
diate neighbourhood of Welce, and the scene of
their grand defeat, the guerilla war, we are led to
believe, has not seen its extinction with the remo-
val of one of its most accomplished leaders. It
mast be also taken into account that in guerilla
war, when the bands are found out and started,
this must be taken as proof sufficient for the exist-
ence of many more. Though not very dangerous,
and, indeed, rather unobtrusive in the neighbour-
hood of Cracow, they are even now sufficient to pro-
long rebellion, and force Russia into a trial of power
and perseverance which, even if gone through suc-
cessfully, will entail upon her considerable loss and
permanent injury. In Lublin and Lithuania, as we
shall see in the course of the survey, this danger
continues to be coupled with the more imminent
peril of revolutionary success.
Both the Russian and the National Government
outbid each other in their anxiety to secure the good-
will of the peasants. While Russia is going to ex-
tend the Lithuanian Ukase to Poland proper, and
dissolve all connexion between landlord and tenant,
the National Government has forbidden proprietors
to accept the Easter instalment on the price of the
peasants' allotments. By the Russian measure the
peasant will be obliged to pay his instalments to
Government, the latter, it is understood, reserving
to itself the right of refunding the money to the
individual proprietor, according to his political
deserts; the Polish decree refers the proprietor to
the future naticnal exchequer, and, as we see, is
quite earnest in cancelling the debt of the party
obliged. Between the two impoverishing decrees
the Polish nobility have a fair prospect of losing the
little property they managed to save from the grasp
of Nicholas I.

(From a Berlin Correspondent.)

BEr.LIN, April 8.
A letter from Kowno contains interesting particu-
lars of the insurrection, which in that district, it
says, is on the increase—new bands forming, and
old ones growing in strength. The peasantry, it
adds, are generally well affected to the insurgents,
and the Imperial ukase, intended to prevent them
from joining in the revolt, has little effect :
The insurgent bands form themselves in the
following manner :—The nucleus is composed of stu-
dents, young noblemen, clerks and employes from
the towns, artisans, &c.; around these muster pea-
sants, and the band establishes itself in some favour-
able forest district. The arms are single and double
barrelled fowling-pieces, few rifles, pistols, revol-
vers, and swords of various kinds. Those who have
no firearms are furnished—until such time as they
shall have conquered for themselves a gun—with
pikes or scythes, manufactured in the camp in im-
provised smiths' and armourers' forges. Moveable
columns, as they are called, are sent against the
insurgent bands. When the latter consider them-
selves in a favourable position they accept the com-
bat, and otherwise they give way and retire. The
troops very seldom penetrate into the woods, but ,
return to their headquarters without having over-
taken the insurgents, Unhappily these military
expeditions leave the most deplorable traces behind
them. It is incomprehensible that the superior
officers of the Russian army can allow such robbing
and plundering to take place. I can again cite to
you remarkable instances of Russian excesses. Near
the little town of Kejdany there was a moveable
column, commanded by Col. Dellingshausen. In the
night of March 27 and 28 two cavalry outposts
were disarmed by some insurgents. To discover these
latter, the troops, led on by the said colonel, attacked
the little town and completely sacked the mansion
of its proprietor, Count M. Czapski.

" On the 29th the house of Madame von Fergits-
Winsentow was plundered and burnt because it was
alleged that some insurgents had halted there. A
woman servant, who endeavoured to save the cattle,
*as thrown into the flames. The consequence of
Such proceedings is that, among the country people,
el panic terror of the Russians prevails, and on their
tipproach everybody who can move flies from the
Villages. This may be one cause that they are so
ill-informed of the movements of the insurgents.
On the 28th ult. a company of the Ist battalion of
harpshooters was almost annihilated by the insur-
gents, who had chosen a very favourable position,
firing down from a steep, sandy, wooden eminence
upon the troops, who had the hill on their right
11and and the river on the left, and were thus com-
pletely exposed. Of the whole company very few
escaped. To-day (April 1) Gen. Lichatscheff re-
turned hither from the Augustowo Government,
with a regiment of Dragoons and eight guns. A
few hours after his arrival official news came in that
the insurrection had broken out again, and more
violently than before, in the district he had just left.
The railway train to Wirballen, which left this at
2 p.m., has come back from the first station. The
station of Koslowa-Ruda has been attacked, and the
garrison, consisting of 80 men, annihilated by the
insurgents. Towards evening an extra train, with
two companies of infantry and 30 Cossacks, was
despatched to that place, but it was said that they
have been repulsed with loss. In the last four days
reinforcements have been received here. To-day
three wounded Russian officers and six carts of
wounded soldiers were brought in from beyond the
Wilia.

"April 2.—The train from Wirballen has arrived.
The news of the defeat of the Russians at Kos-
lowa-Rnda is confirmed. During the past night a
band of insurgents penetrated close up to the town.
They 'showed themselves before the Carmelites, a
building in which are a military hospital and a-pri-
son for political offenders. After the garrison had
been alarmed, they disappeared and left no trace.
I have just been witness of a cruel spectacle. Seven
insurgent prisoners, four of them wounded, were
brought in from Koslowa-Ruda. Instead of taking
the wounded men total hospital, the soldiers paraded
them about, bleeding as they were, with their three
companions, through the principal streets of Kowno.
This seems done to deter others from revolt."

LAW AND JUSTICE.—The sum £2,780,341 has
to be voted by the House of Commons for law
charges for the current year—an increase of £17,033 over
the vote of last year. One entirely new vote makes its
first appearance this year, namely, for the Land Registry-
office, established under the Act of last session ; the vote
proposed is of £3,300 for the period from August last to
March 31, 1863, and £5,030 for the financial year commen-
ding at this last date; of fees received not a syllable is said,
,thie Charge in these votes, the charge for the Irish Consta-
bulary, is less than last year's by £19,851; the expense of
providing the men with Enfield rifles is over, and the out-
lay for clothing is smaller this year. On the other hand, the
expense of criminal prosecutions at assizes and quarter ses-
sions is estimated at £23,000 more than in last year. The
charge for prison and convict services is £44,000 more than
last year; the increase occurs partly in the maintenance of
600 convicts in probationary discipline in county gaols, and
of other sentenced prisoners in county gaols and reforma-
tories, and partly also in the growing expense of Broadmoor
Criminal Lunatic Asylum, as it becomes more fully occupied,
the charge for it rising from £17,400 last year to £30,965,
Provision is made for 10,466 prisoners in Government con-
vict prisons at home—an increase of 415 over last year ;
there are also nearly 3,000 convicts to be provided for in
Australia and Gibraltar; and charges are made for provid-
ing for the transportation of 900 convicts to Australia, and
300 to Gibraltar. The votes, however, are not confined to
the charges of criminal justice ; that,, is the £160,000 for the
county courts—the estimated deficiency after allowing for
the fees paid by the suitors ; there is £17,850 for 85 revising
barristers at £2lO each, and a number of other items. If to
the whole amount of these votes we add £690,253, payable
out of the consolidated fund for other charges of courts of
justice, we shall find that the administration of justice for
the year will require from the public purse £3,470,600, to
which may be added about £1,200,000 for local police
rates. These sums, keep out of law individually as we
may, we must raise and pay by rates and taxes, subject to
such reduction or repayment as may be obtained by fines
and fees levied.