The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-22 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1863,

Nothing could be grander, prompter, or more
resolute than the course pursued by Austria in re-
ference to Poland immediately upon the publi2ation
of the Despatch from Prince GORTSCHAKOFF. The
determination at once arrived at by the Viennese
Cabinet, upon this momentous question, at this most
critical juncture, is one in every way worthy of a
Great Power, hitherto known (until, as it were, but
yesterday) as an implacable and unreformable Oli-
garchy, but now, to-day, aspiring to assume a posi-
tion in the gaze of Europe as a distinctly Constitu-
tional Government. The announcement flashed
to us this very morning from the Capital of
Austria, goes far to justify the brightest and the
most sanguine hopes yet expressed in regard to the
future of that vast empire by the hon. and learned
gentleman the member for Sheffield. In the midst
of the ambiguity, and the hesitations, and the doubts
and the delays of our vaunted diplomacy, it is abso-
lutely refreshing to witness the clear precision, the
prompt decision, with which Austria goes directly to
the point, in the avowal of her policy upon these
most delicate and complicated questions relating
to Poland—upon the very instant, we might
almost say, of the receipt of Prince GORTSCHAKOFF'S
despatch.
Scarcely has that document reached the Im-
perial Council Chamber at Vienna, when a pre-
liminary note in reply is addressed to Russia by the
Austrian Government. It is dashed off without one
instant's glimmering of anything like a timorous
hesitation on the part of either the KAISER or any-
one of his MAJESTY'S advisers. And to what effect ?
To the effect, as Mr. REUTER'S telegram expresses
it, in so many words, under date " Vienna, July
22nd," viz., THIS DAY—that Austria cannot
abandon the line of conduct she has pursued,
in this matter of course, up to the present moment!
Language could hardly be plainer than that, as indi-
cative of the nature of the resolve, unhesitatingly
arrived at. But, in her preliminary note, the one just
now despatched to St. Petersburg in reply to this
most unsatisfactory missive recently received from
Prince GORTSCHAKOFF, the councils of Schoenbrun
are more explicit. Austria declares at once that she,
for one, rejects the proposal of a conference between
Russia, Prussia, and Austria, as thrown out byPrince
GORTSCHAKOFF in his at once truculent avd insi-
dious document ! The document of which we re-
ceived
a copy from the Foreign-office yesterday,
and of which
in our Columns last evening. Not merely, however,
does the preli •
minary note just despatched from
Vienna to St. Petersburg, in answer to Prince
GORTSCHAKOFF, announce thus distinctly the de-
termination of Austria to
persevere in the line of
p
conduct she has hitherto
interests of Poland ; ursued in regard to the
not merely does it in-
dicate quite positively
that she will not
take part in the Conference proposed by
Prince GORTSCHAKOFF in the name of his
but it
Imperial Master the CZAR,
goes yet farther
by proclaiming that Austria maintains the Six
Points ! As she is quite ma • nifestly bent upon main-
taining them, intact to the very last, as the phrase
is, to the end of the chapter, of this
the History of Poland---o new chapter in
Pound—.one at the head of which,
or we are all very much mistaken, even those who
run may read, inscribed there •
luminous
characters, in characters of blood and fire
gt RESURGAxt !" From the closing sentence of this
self-same telegram flashed but an hour or two
since from Vienna to London, we learn that
simultaneously with the despatch of the prelimi-
nary note to St. Petersburg, other diplomatic noti-
fications have been forwarded by the Austrian Go-
vernment to the Western Powers, that is to
France and to England, declaring—that, come
what may, Austria will still continue to act
loyally and consistently, in concert with them, and
that in so doing she has arrived at the fixed de-
termination of firmly maintaining the Six Points.
Almost superfluous, it was, to add that last clause in
a sentence already complete in itself, because im
plying it. Yet—although thus in a manner supet-
fluons—it is here manfully added, nevertheless, by
the Austrian Government. A course so resolute,

so unhesitating, so instant in its promptitude, so
bold and uncompromising in the very mode of its
manifestation, might, so to speak,kindle a soul under
the very ribs of death, might rouse, at last, from its
protracted torpor the almost comatose foreign policy
of our own Government. Here, at any rate, is
another most signal opportunity now presenting
itself to that eccentric, but, occasionally, admirable
incarnation of the " Complete Letter Writer," the
Noble Earl at the Head of the Foreign Depart-
ment. England will look with profound
Interest, particularly after this inspiriting resolu-
tion manifested by the Austrian Government, Eng- _

land will look with profound interest and with a
certain eager solicitude, for the Despatch now being
prepared by Lord RUSSELL in reply to this last
haughty and intolerable missive from the hand of
Prince GORTSCHAKOFF.

After the many defeats which it has been their
lot to encounter this session, the Government have
won a most discreditable triumph. Thanks to
what Sir J. ELPHINSTONE styled the " persistent
opposition" of the President of the Board of Trade
and the continuous objections taken by Mr. LIND-
SAY, the Anchor and Chain Cables Bill was so
altered and mutilated in committee that no course
was left to the member for Birkenhead but its with-
drawal. To have suffered it to pass in the condition
which alone, it seemed, would meet the approval
of these gentlemen, would have been to have hin-
dered the good cause instead of furthering it, since
Mr. LAIRD announces his intention to introduce the
bill only next session, when it is to be hoped that a
larger House will be more open to reason. A
House which barely reckoned enough numbers to
avoid a "count out" is scarcely to be taken as a test
of the real opinions of the Legistlhaetusreec,onanddretande.
decisive majority which carried
ing
of the Commonsofthebillwould is opposedseemto t
indicate
this catethatthe
sense factious
opposition. We do noto
haveen virtuallyvy the re
thrownflection u
s of those
hehtos e
hon. gentlemen who
foarnoththeeeromyienagr
stormyw h when theyse
as
season.
.e a
Ittlawe
aleisvteroyf
bdwierlsleicrkfirle that the measure should be carried this
session, and if it was found to require amend-
ments they could have been easily intro-
duced after submitting it to the test of practice.
It was soon evident, however, by what spirit the
opposition to it was actuated. When, after two
divisions, and the omission of three clauses out of the
first eight, Mr. LINDUAY rose to object to the ninth
clause, Sir J. ELPHINSTONE, with natural indigna-
tion, called upon Mr. LAIRD to withdraw the bill,
and denounced the conduct of the Government as
most extraordinary. It is especially so, if we re-
member the recommendations of the committee who
sat upon the subject, and the startling evidence ad-
duced before that tribunal. Mr. FERRAND very pro-
perly reminded the House of the disregard shown
by the Government of these important revelatons,
which dispose of the flimsy arguments brought
against the measure, and are alike unanswered and
unanswerable. Eighty-two per cent. of the cables
tested were proved defective, consequently 82 per
cent. of the accidents arising from defective chains
and anchors would be prevented by the passing of
this measure. In the face of facts like these, who
can heed the platitudes of Mr. LINDSAY about in-
terference with trade, and the objections raised by
Mr. MILNER GIBSON to the additional work im-
posed upon his Board. Where trades endanger
men's lives interference is not only permissible, but
imperatively necessary. If bakers were found
to be using poisonous flour, we presume
the Legislative interference would be sanc-
tioned, and if the ordinary course of trade
is insufficient to keep in cheek a system that an-
nually endangers thousands of lives, it is time for
official regulations. But Mr. MILNER GIBSON ap-
pears to approve of the principle which induced
many poor persons to insure their ailing children
in a burial club, and made them inclined to regret
the child's subsequent recovery. The right hon.
gentleman observed that, while it was true that 21
per cent. of the lives lost by shipwreck might be
saved by good iron and good workmapship, the bill
would materially lessen the chances of getting
damages in case of disaster. According to this
principle the wise men of Gotham, who" went to
sea in a bowl," were highly to be commended, pro-
vided they were properly insured, and, in truth,
this is the secret which too often lies at the bottom
of the tragic history of our coast disasters. The
singular thing is, that while Mr. MILNER GIBSON
is opposing the measure in Parliament, the Board
think it necessary to submit all the Admiralty
anchors and cables to the required test. It is to be
concluded, therefore, that the life of a man-of-war's
man is worth considerably more in official esti-
mation than the lives of ordinary seamen.
Whether the general public are inclined to adopt
this view of the case may be questioned. With
regard to the plea of extra official trouble, that is
scarcely worthy of notice. What do we have a
Board of Trade for if its members and employes
are incapable or impatient of fulfilling their duties.
If a little extra work frightens these gentlemen so
much as to outweigh in the mind of their President
the importance of rescuing many brave men from
death and their families from consequent distress, it
is time they looked out for easier and less respon-
sible situations. Mr. LAIRD had good reason to
complain of the manner in which he had been
treated, having been given to understand that the
Government, on certain additions being made, would
have given their support to the measure. The re-
sult, as we have seen, was that Mr. MILNER
GIBSON, opposed it throughout, and gave a very
willing assistance to Mr. LINDSAY. whose deter-
mined opposition is worthy of notice. Mr. LAIRD
reminded the house that the bill had been opposed
at first on the ground that Lloyd's and the London
Shipowners Association were against it. He
had shown that they were in favour
of the measure, but the opposition still
continued unabated. That there is something very
wrong in this important branch of trade is evident

from the fact that the Admiralty can only procure
small chains to their satisfaction from one firm. No
one pretends to deny that scores of ship are lost
annually on our coast from the causes referred to,

yet no steps are taken to protect the men who are
the real sufferers, and very often the only ones en-

tirely blameiess in the matter. The cure, however,
lies in a great measure in the hands of the unthr-
writers, and if the Government refuse to do their
part, they must undertake the duty. They are
greatly the losers by the fraud or carelessness of

shipowners and it would be
refused to insure
as to those of the seamen if they
to their interest as well
any ship without her chains and
anchors having
undergone the requisite tests. ,
speedily bring about a better state of things, and
This plan would
we apprehend that we should hear less about the
rights of trade, and the injustice of compulsory
legislation, if the loss fell on the shipowner instead
of on the underwriters. Such an arrangement
would quicken his appreciation of the merits of his
vessel and her fittings, and he might be then
as eager for the introduction of this measure
to protect him from the dishonesty of
the workmen, as the underwriters would be to
obtain security from fraud or heedlessness. At
present matters remain where they were, in a very
unsatisfactory condition ; but we are not without
hopes that some private and independent movement
of the kind may bring the Legislature to reason,
and secure the crews of our coasting vessels against
a system which rashly imperils life and property,
and then looks to the insurance to cover all risks,
The existence of such a state of things is a disgrace
to our mercantile marine, and we cannot but hope,
in spite of Mr. GIBSON and Mr. LINDSAY, that some

change will be speedily effected. SYDNEY SMITH'S
famous receipt for reform is scarcely likely to be

ried, as it is not very probable that any memberb

of the Board of Trade will take a trip round the

coast in a trading vessel, especiall. atter the an.