The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-16 00:00:00

IRE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 16, 1863.

LONDON, MONDAY, FEB. 16, 1863.

The news brought by the Arabia is full of im-
portance and interest, and must rejoice the hearts
of all who desire to see peace restored and trade
flourishing once more ; for it indicates, we may
hope, the approaching termination of the struggle
that has so long desolated the vast States of
Northern America, and carried want and sorrow
to many an English home.
The Federals, often in spite of their boasting,
repulsed by land, have hitherto regarded their
naval superiority as unquestionable ; yet an engage-
ment has just taken place off Charleston in which
the advantage was so decidedly on the part of the
Confederates that the blockading fleet was fairly
driven out of sight. We learn from the Richmond
papers that at one o'clock on the morning of the
31st ult. two Confederate iron-clad gunboats, ac-
companied by three steamers, went out from
Charleston and attacked the blockading squadron.
When we remember that this small force was to
attack 13 vessels with two first-class frigates, we
shall see in the exploit another instance of that
Southern spirit and daring which has so often been
crowned with success, in spite of superior numbers
and other advantages on the Northern side. Two
of the Federal gunboats were sunk, one of them
carrying 11 guns, and the steamer Quaker City
disabled; four of the remaining vessels being fired
by the Confederates. It is not surprising that in
face of such daring and formidable antagonists the
much-vaunted Federal fleet thought discretion the
better part of valour, and took its departure with
more haste than dignity. We can readily imagine
the enthusiasm with which the conquering gun-
boats were received as they re-entered Charleston,
and the Confederates hastened to make the most of
their victory. A proclamation was immediately
issued, declaring the blockade to be raised, and
notifications to the same effect sent to the foreign
Consuls. It is said that the British Consul availed
himself of the offer of the General to see for himself,
and after going five miles beyond the usual anchorage
of the blockaders could see nothing of them with
glasses. The Richmond papers add that the Con-
suls have held a meeting at Charleston, and were
unanimously of opinion that the blockade had been
legally raised. Of the dispersion of the blockading
squadron there can be no doubt, although the un-
welcome visitors reappeared in greater numbers
the next day, taking the precaution to bring with
theta some iron-clad vesssls, which now lie inside
the woodip ships. The object of the hurried noti-
fication to the Consuls was, of course, to secure the
60 days notification which the laws of maritime
warfare require to be given to neutral Powers. The
_Richmond Di, t
pa ea says, with truth, that
most probably Lord IImssELL will not insist on any
such notification. We trust, however, that the
Government will not act hastily in the matter, but
give the case fair consideration. If, with due re-
laws and customs of naval warfare
gard to the
such a truce could be legally recognised, its benefits
would be incalculable. As we have said, we an-
ticipate that the decision of our Cabinet will be
in accordance with Northern wishes; it remains
to be seen, however, what view the Imperial
Government will take of the question. It is not
surprising that the Northern papers consider the
Charleston affair to have been greatly exagge-
rated, but they manifest considerable uneasiness
nevertheless. The New York World thinks that
the fact of vessels not being visible on a foggy
day is no proof that the blockade was raised for
a single instant. Another New York paper "has
no apprehension that the Confederates can esta-
blish legal grounds for what they eliam.e The New
York Tribune goes further, however, and says,
"that if it be true that the blockading fleet was

driven off, or its operations disturbed for a single
day the Federal Government should at once
notify to the world the resumption of the block-
ade." It is most probable that the Governments
of Europe will not regard the temporary triumph
of the Confederates as an official raising of the
blockade, but the gain to the Southern cause is,
nevertheless, very great. Prominent among the
terrible disadvantages with which they be-
gan hostilities ;was the want of a naval
force, and that they should have found
themselves capable of constructing gunboats and
war steamers capable of contending triumphantly
with the boasted navy of New York, is a proof of
the resource and determination which command
success. The spirit which animated the crews of
the Sumter and the Alabama is not wanting in
their seamen, and, whatever the immediate conse-
quence of their recent triumph, on the principle of
" what man has done man may do," it is certain
that the Federal fleet are no longer invincible in
Southern waters. Within a few days we shall most
likely learn the result of the Federal attack upon
Charleston, which was momentarily expected on the
3d inst., and which will probably materially in-
, finence the duration of the war. Animated by
their recent success, the inhabitants of Charleston
are likely to prove formidable opponents, and judg-
ing from the exploit of the 31st, the inequality of
the naval forces by no means ensures success to the
Federals. The Fates seem unpropitious to their
vessels, for the gunboat P. SMITH has fallen into
the hands of the Confederates at Stone River, ac-
cording to the captors by an unconditional surrender,
according to the Federals from getting ashore. The
iron-clad steamer Montauk is said by the Southerns
to have been badly injured by the guns of Fort
M'Al lister,but the Federal Navy Department asserts
that she sustained the fire of the enemy for four
hours without receiving any injury. It is difficult,
of course, to arrive at the exact truth among these
conflicting reports, neither side. being over parti-
cular as to the fidelity of their assertions. But it
is clear that the difficulties of the North, financial,
political, and military, are increasing, while the
South is every day gaining fresh confidence. We
shall await with impatience the tidings to be brought
by the next mail, firmly believing that if they tell
us the blockade is raised in good earnest, the news
will be no less advantageous to the best interests
of America than to the trade of Lancashire.

The other evening, in the House of Lords, Lord
RAVENSWORTH, in an able speech, called attention
to the subject of Harbours of Refuge. He stated
that his reasons for bringing the matter under their
lordships' notice were threefold. Firstly, that he had
heard something about a sarplus of revenue in her
MAJESTY'S Exchequer, and if such were the case he
wished to point out a satisfactory way of applying
it. Secondly, that the construction of harbours was
the most profitable mode of employing convict
labour ; and Thirdly, that many of the unemployed
in Lancashire might be benefited by it. His lord-
ship entered into considerable details of the disasters
which have occurred during the late gales, and
endeavoured to show that it was not always owing
to the unseaworthiness of ships that they
were lost on our coasts, and cited as an
example the loss of the Lifeguard, a fine
iron steamship plying between Newcastle and Lon-
don, which went down with all hands during the
late gales ; and he further remarked, that a harbour
of refuge on the eastern coast might have proved a
haven of refuge to her. That the coast between
the Downs and Newcastle is destitute of the protec-
tion requisite to the vast trade carried on, is not to
be denied. With the exception of Ramsgate and
Lowestoft, there are no available harbours, but there
are extensive roadsteads, sheltered by long sand-
banks both at Yarmouth and Lowestoft, which give
shelter to thousands of vessels, and where, if their
ground tackle be sound, there is little danger to
them from a gale, however fierce. If report speaks
truly, the Lifeguard was overladen, ill-trimmed,
and down by the head when she left Newcastle.
Here are three all-important reasons why she should
come to grief in heavy sea. So long as she held
her own and was watertight, the master would most
likely persevere, and, probably felt little fear. But
a ship down by the head in a heavy sea has a ten-
dency to go under and not over the waves she
meets. This practice, however commendable in
ducks, is death to a ship, and probably the
unfortunate Lifeguard, on meeting a heavy sea,
took too deep a " header," and never rose again, or,
if she did, it was but to take a parting glance at the
upper world. We have only called attention to the
Lifeguard because Lord RATENSWORTH mentioned
her as being a fine iron steamer, and charged her
loss to the want of Harbours of Refuge. Now,
we maintain that the best ship that was eve built,
if overloaded, may go down, and without particu-
larising this unfortunate vessel whose shortcomings
were not noticed until after her loss, we maintain
that our coasters are dangerously overladen. If
the weather hold fine all goes well, but if a gale of
more than ordinary severity overtake them, the
chances are that unless they are able to reach some
place of safety they go down. This may be held as
an argument in favour of harbours all along the coast.
To a certain extent we grant this, but our object at
present is not to consider harbours of refuge so much
as to show the principal causes of the loss of some
eight hundred lives annually, together with up-
wards of a million and a half of property. This
is owing, firstly, to the want of proper ground
tackle and sails; secondly, to the vessels them-
selves being rotten ; and, thirdly, being over-
loaded and undermanned. Of what avail
could a harbour of refuge be to a ship with
her sails blown out of the bolt ropes, and her
anchors dragging, or, more probably lost, without
the intervention of a steam-tug to bring her into
port. At an early period we will take into consi-
deration the most elegible situations -for future
harbours; but it must be some time be-
fore any great benefit can be derived from
from their construction, while we see that, with the
exception of Portland, in spite of the recommenda-
tion of the Commissioners, the Government have
determined on commencing operations at the least
required points of the coast, and as in the case of the
works in Jersey and Alderney, where they are not re-
quired. But in waiting for this should not something
be done to compel owners to send their ships to sea
in a serviceable condition, and should not an enact-
ment be passed to fine heavily any captain or owner
who ships a greater load than his vessel can carry
with safety. If this ba a subject that the Board of
Trade cannot take up, surely the insurance com-
i panies have the power to correct the evil.

" 0 that mine enemy had written a Book," is said
to have been the exclamation of Jos, and then what
" 0 b p.t i o n " the enemy would get. Poor Mr.
LINCOLN, instead of writing a Book, has done a
greater thing—he has issued a Proclamation, written
by own right hand, of which the left knew nothing,
and cared less. But not so his exultant admirers,
the Abolitionists at home, and his willing dupes in
lands beyond the seas. As England was the foster-
mother of slavery in the olden time, when no other
account was taken of human labour but the profit,
_ But there was a touch of
all went well.
conscience working
here
.and there until the
national mind became disturbed that there

was something wrong in all the wealth coming in
without much cost going out, and so an inquiry
was set on foot which ended in the conviction that
gold might he bought too dear by the sacrifice of
so much kindred blood, for the outward colour did
not affect the stream that quickened the pulse of
humanity. Hence the natural revolt of conscience
that slavery was a curse, and must be ab Aished by
a Christian people. And so it was, after a fashion
as much at variance with political economy as any
aet of Parliament in favour of slavery and monopoly.
The present Earl of DERBY, then Mr. STANLEY,
had the honour of compounding felony for the na-
tional conscience by offering to lend the sleek slave-
holders some fifteen millions of money if they
would abolish the infernal curse, and so relieve the
national conscience from shuddering over so foul a
crime. But the masters of slavery were not to be
taken in in that way. Not they, indeed. They
too, were Christians, and had a very tender con-
seience likewise—but it was in their pockets! So
poverty was pleaded as a reason for their inability
to comply with such an offer; because, though poor,
they hoped they were honest, and most anxious as
they all were to meet the generous wishes of the
abolitionists, they were naturally very 'anxious to
pay their debts, and the poor slaves were the only
property their poorer masters possessed. The seem-
ing honesty of the wily hypocrites rather stag-
gered the worthy emancipators in their
goodly purpose, and a week was spent in de-
liberation. Meantime every device was put in
motion by those most deeply interested in the slave
traffic, from merchant princes in Liverpool,
Bristol, and even in " holy circles" in London and
elsewhere—men of high standing for morals and
devout observance of all that was exemplary in
Church and State—. men who had only been con-
cerned in the abomination by lending money by
way of mortgage to the dealers in slaves, men who
passed in the world, and especially in the money
market, as " good men." Thus matters stood. It
was considered as too bad that the honest men who
were so anxious to pay their just debts, and worse
still, the innocent lenders, who would be ruined
by not getting their loans, should both be in a man-
ner sacrificed on the shrine of abolition. So, pro-
fessional cant carried the day—and, instead of lend-
ing the slaveholders fifteen millions—Mr. STANLEY'
With a generosity without a parallel in history,
freely gave the dealers in human flesh twenty
millions sterling as the price of emancipation ! The
sudden change almost staggered belief, and well
it might. The slaveholders and their friends were
in ecstacies. But the sum, however large, was a
noble homage to humanity by a Christian people.
There was no limit to the principle—the act was
spontaneous—and bequeathed as an heirloom of
freedom to posterity.
And what has Mr. LINCOLN done? He has pro-
, claimed freedom to those beyond his power to eman-
cipate. He cannot conquer their masters, yet he
professes to set the slaves free. Nor is this all—
the slaves actually in his power he retains in bond-
age for the benefit of his friends, while he hopes to
punish his enemies by declaring their slaves free—
and for what ?—not as a boon to the slave, but as a
military measure to ruin his master. And yet he
calls this emancipation—and stranger still he finds
people in this country simple enough to believe
him. Can the force of folly go further ? Yes, they
not only believe in their honest ignorance, but write
to thank him for his " glorious" deed.
Mr. LINCOLN may well chuckle over his " dodge"
taking so wonderfully in a land which has paid so
dearly, yet so cheerfully, for the ransom of humanity
from bondage. What England has done from a
conscientious feeling he affects to perpetrate from
hypocrisy. But be will have his reward before
long. The day of retribution is coming with a
vengeance. The slave will yet be free; not by his
means, but in spite of his "strategic" manoeuvres
to keep him in bondage. The Southern Republic
will find it wiser and better to confer emancipation
unconditionally, but gradually, and so emancipate
not only their own slaves, but those of the North
also—for it will be impossible for freedom and
slavery to co-exist among the same people with ad-
vantage to either.
The North is now becoming so heartily sick of the
struggle, that if the expeditions on the Mississippi,
and the attempts on Wilmington, Charleston,
Newbern, and other places along the Atlan-
tic border, fail in achieving their purpose—
as probably they will—the war may ter-
minate in a month or two at furthest. The
fourth of March may yet seal the doom of Mr.
LINCOLN'S dream of empire—and let the contend-
ing Republics shake hands on the altar of peace
and mutual independence.
Since writing the above, the arrival of the
Arabia puts us in possession of intelligence which
foreshadows the result of the attempt upon
Charleston. The complete success of the Confede-
rate attack upon the blockading squadron, shows
but too certainly the days of Northern supremacy
on the ocean are numbered. A few more such dash-
ing exploits and the Confederates will be masters
of the Mississippi and the other great rivers. In
which case, deprived of their all necessary auxi-
liaries the gunboats, it will be all up with the
Northern armies, and our prediction for the 4th of
March may yet be fulfilled.

This evening Mr. Cowper will bring before the
House of Commons his scheme for constructing the new
street in the City in connexion with the Thames Embank-
ment. The proposed street will run from Blackfriars to the
Mansion House.

PAUPER NURSES,—It has been said that after
a grievance has been talked of and written about
for ten years, there is some hope of redress and amendment.
Let us trust that this time has nearly expired for the matter
of " Workhouse nurses," for surely this is a grievance and
an evil that ought to be attended to without delay. On the
day after Christmas day I went to visit a poor woman in
the sick ward of a London workhouse. the had been in bed
there for two years, and her one grievance and complaint
was of the misery occasioned by the nurses, directly, from
their own conduct and language, and indirectly, from their
sanctioning and suffering the same from their patients, The
scenes she was compelled to witness from bodily suffering
and misery were bad enough, but ten times worse were the
sounds of wickedness that prevailed, unchecked, if not
encouraged, by those who, as if in mockery, were placed in
authority in the ward. She told me that on this day the nurse
was gone out for her holiday, and it was easy to imagine what
state she would return at night; meanwhile they were left
in charge of a "helper." Whilst I was talking to her, in
walked such ahelper, staggering up to the bed .side, laughing
and talking in drunkenness ; a patient took her off to the
other end of the ward, and helped her to lie down.
This poor woman herself said, " What a blessing it would
be to have even one Christian woman as nurse over these
wards." Such a scene requires no comment, but I think I
can venture to say that a similar one would not be witnessed
in any institution in any other country than this. Private
institutions are feared and discouraged because of their
privacy, their want of inspection, their escape from public
opinion I Here are inst tutions, supported by public funds, go-
verned by a body of men popularly chosen and elected, yet
where shall we find so sad a state of things, so grievous an
abuse of what is supposed to be kindness to our sick poor P I
went by chance on this day to this workhouse. Have we not
reason to suppose that the same scenes were being repeated
at this holy season in most of the workhouses in the land ?
The majority of those who are inmates may have brought
themselves to the workhouse by their own sins and follies,
we cannot choose but admit them, and we may not be able
to reform them, but we can avoid the disgrace of setting
such persons in positions of trust, giving them an authority
which they so grievously abuse, and thereby entailing an
increase of sin and misery upon all those who are not only
under their care but under ours.—Journal of the Work-
house Visiting Society.
IN A RELIGIOUS NOVEL, says one of the Satur-
day reviewers, it thunders whenever a Jew eats pork. The
heaviest retribution visits the slightest infringement of the
moral code. Don't Care is devoured by lions for putting
out his tongue at his little sister.

the lines. Mobilier have
quoted higher. The mar-

meat in the majority of
been in demand, and are
ket closed as follows :-
4! per Cents. 99 25 Bank Shares
Do end rvonth.... Credit }owner 1520
3 per Cents
Do. end month 7O 75 Italian Loan 7O 75
New 3 per Cents .. Russian
Do. end month.... Austrian
Credit M °biller.... 1255 Spanish Threes 52 50
Do. end month.... 1258 75 Home Debt 49i -

RI ILWAYB.
Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern
New ditto ,, - • •
Lyons and Mediterranean 1187 60 .. 1186 25
Geneva 407 50 .. 410
Southern Bl2 60 .. 815
Western
Eastern ....
Sardinian ..
Austrian
t .nr4.lmard
North of Spain
Saragossa 697 50 .. 698 75
Ditto to Barcelona