The Sun.
London, England, 1863-07-16 00:00:00

HIGH 144/ ATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE.

point of the Confederate army ! Add to the state-
ments contained in General MEADE'S own report
and to the corroborative intimations conveyed
piecemeal by the telegrams, add to all this the
profoundly despondent tone of the closing passage
in the PRESIDENT'S message already alluded to,
namely, when ha " claims the condolence of all for
the many gallant men who have fallen, and for
this especially desires that on this day He whose
will, not ours, should ever be done, be everwhere
remembered and reverenced with the profoundest
gratitude !" Reading all which, who shall deny that,
when these last advices left, the powers that still
were at Washington were then, indeed, in fearful
jeopardy ?

The brief debate on the subject of Prize Money,
be other night, called attention to a subject which

especially deserves consideration. Colonel NORTH
moved an address to her MAJESTY to issue a Royal

Commission to inquire into the realisation of army
prize property and its mode of distribution. He
said that his attention was called to the question
by the great dissatisfaction which had been ex-
pressed throughout the army both by officers and
men. They had taken a part in glorious campaigns,
and the result was that they were entitled to prize
immense
time The cause for complaint was the
time which had intervened between the capture anti
the time when the captors received the money. He
would cite several instances in which most unrea-
sonable delays had occurred of late years. In the
Burmese war he found that the first order for pay-
ment was issued ten years after the war was closed.
In 1839 the capture of Gheznee took place, but no
prize money was distributed until nine years after-
wards. The prize money with regard to Pegu was
not received for ten years. Colonel NORTH truly
declared that no one could be surprised at the
soldiers being disgusted. What the object of this
absurd dilatoriness can be, must puzzle the most
astute to account for. If the object in view was
to disgust and dissatisfy the army, it might be
comprehensible. But presuming that all in autho-
rity in such cases are willing to do their utmost to
satisfy the defenders of their country, it remains
an inscrutable problem. Co'onel NORTH also ad-
verted to the real appropriation of forfeited and
unreclaimed prize money. A large sum arising
from soldiers' prize money had been expended on
the purchase of land near Chelsea Hospital. "No
less a sum than i 140,000 Lad been paid to Commis-
sioners in virtue of an Act of Parliament for the
purpose of purchasing a site for the Royal Military
Asylum." Also, it had been represented to the
House in 1854 that a large number of boys had
been turned out of Chelsea Hospital to enable tho
schoolmasters for the army to occupy their apart-
ments. This was disapproved of by the House, and
the boys were restored to their rights ; but now it
appeared that a considerable sum had been taken
from the soldiers' prize money to build a place fot
these army schoolmasters. This is really a scandh-

THIS D orning, 2h. 30 ra.—Af ernoon, 2c. 50m,
Tm o Ituovr.-Tal orsai 3h. Gm .—A tternoon, 31.20 m,

VaT
zft Ir 4 tr;-
, argi-`-41 ti"
N;51Z.,;,4 ot. 444+

LONDON, THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1863.

- -

Everything concurs to show that, in these last
conflicts to the north of Washington, the advantage
remained (w hen the latest advices left) with the Confe-
derates. Nothing demonstrates this more clearly or
more significantly than the tone of the closing para-

graph in President LINCOLN'S message or procla-
mation. If it i 3 compressive of anything whatever
it is expressive of profound despondency. There
is no glimmering through any one syllable of it,
of that old and at length obsolete exultation which

used to characterise every individual documen

emanating from the Government authorities at

Washington, from the PRESIDENT downwards to
the veriest underling. The last fighting—to which
this most exemplary and most " resigned" pro-

clamation of President LINCOLN has especia

reference—took place at the commencement of this

present month of July at Gettysburg, in Pennsyl-
vania. As to the result of the conflict, so far as it
could in tiny way be learnt before these last de-
spatches left by the Bohemian—the advantage, we
must still insist, quite nvanltestly remained on the
side of the Confederates. True, that the very few.
English journals yet contriving, we presume by thE
simple device of hoping against hope, to maintain

ous proceeding, and requires investigation of a
searching nature. Colonel NORTH referred in con-
clusion to the capture of Delhi, where the soldiers
could have carried away immense booty, but at the
command of their officers they gave it up. Hence
it was the more to be regretted that the sum
received as prize money was so miserably small as
to cause great dissatisfaction. He left the matter to
the noble lord at the head of the Government, anc
trusted he would appoint those who "from their
services, their ability, and their name would lot
qualified fur the task." Colonel NORTH acquitted
himself very creditably of his arduous endeavour.
It is all times au invidious task to bring forward
these claims ; but in the r.resent instance, happily,
there was no oppositiun to the fulfilment of the
laudable suggestion that was made. Lord PAL
MERSTON said he had no objection whatever to the
motion of the hon. and gallant officer. The noble
Lord very forcibly demonstrated the evils arising
trom the present system. He said that when a
period of ten years elapsed before prize-money was
received, men die, or get dispersed, and then their
families have to prove their right of inheritance.
Again, the men often sold their claim at a great
loss, and thus the patties who eventually received
it were speculators, and not they whose meritorious
services had earned the reward. It reflects honout
on the noble lord that he should so readily have
acceded to this demand for investigation, and,
doubtless, he will gain the thanks of many who now
suffer most undeservedly great inconvenience from
the harassing delays and vexatious obstacles that are
so constantly interposed. Sir S. NORTHCOTE was not
so fortunate in his attempt to inquire into the Banda
and Kirwee booty. Lord PALMERSTON did not
take up the idea at all, and seemed indignant at the
suggestion. He said that there was no rule on the
subject, and the motion was withdrawn. Colonel
DICK, thereupon very properly observed that it
there was no law for the distribution of prize money,
the sooner one was made the better, for it was mon-
strous that our soldiers should for years be kept out
of a reward that they had earned with their blooG
and valour. Lord PALMERSTON promised that this
fund should not be dealt with until the papers re-
lating to the affair should be laid before the House.
['his is a satisfactory conclusion to have arrived at,
and thus the contending claims of the troops under
sir G. WHITLOCK and Sir HUGH ROSE will have
an opportunity of being adjusted in a manner that
will do justice to all. It is to be trusted that these
discussions will eventually result in benefit to the
officers and soldier
oaraffarlmiry. army, o
If theairre
interests
chiefres ts
are well protected,
parties concerned in this
r d and their gallant services sof
if some official rules are violated, and some
suit-
ably requited, it will be a matter of very little im-
portles
angry feelings engendered on h tine t hase o
mplsicated
now rule with arbitrary sway
fco thoe who
• •
affairs, The mistake is too often made
grievances and sanctioning of tolerating
injustice rather than
better, for
rile sooner such ideas are exploded the
offend prejudices or alter existing arrangements.
the maintenance of order and
the inculcation of
' good and right feeling in the army-

their consistency by continuing down to the very
last to be the persistent thickeand.thin suppor tern
of the North, argue with the most amusingly
naive confidence that black is white, that defeat
is victory, that at the very least discomfiture
is success for the Federals. A fortnight ago, they
complacently remark, there was hard fighting at
Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania—the result of this
hard fighting being, according to their distorted
view of the very facts they themselves relate, that
the Confederates had been" repulsed" at all points.
Mark that—repulsed! According to their inge
'lions narrative of evtn9s, moreover, the conflict
beginning thus and ending thus on the first of July,
was renewed on the second with, if possible, still
greater fury ; a " tremendous cannonade" con-
tinuing, we are told, on that morning for three
hours without intermission. With what result, is
it asked ? The Federal apologists shall answer in
their own words—" with the same result as before !"
Meaning, that is to say, nothing lees than
the repulse at all points of the army of the Con
federates. Now mark well how plain a tale shall put
them down. By their own summary, in effect, of
the particulars thus flagrantly distorted ! "At the
close of the day "—that is of the second day's fight-
ing at Gettysburg,in Pennsylvania—" at the close
of the day;' says to-day's issue of the chief organ of
the Federals among our moaning
" General AI contemporaries,
BADE held his ground Qt "
A very different matter indeed from thePolnimmedi-
ately .
preceding account given by the same journal,
namely, its account of "the repulse at all points',
of the army of the Confederates l No—without
putting any gloss
whatever upon it, the
news furnished by the telegrams is sufficiently ex-
plicit and sufficiently comprehensible—provh4
quite plainly, if it can be said to
prove anything
whatever, that the Federals were the chief sufferers
in the two days' battle at Gettysburg,and
that, by
the close of the second day (both of the month Lnd
of the battle), the advantage was left with the Con
federates. The right 11,nk of the Federal army
VMS turned—the like being done with the left flank
shortly afterwards—in other words, the northern
forces were effectually doubled upby the Confede-
rates.to
REYNOLDS'S corps was compelled • give
way, with a loss of 1,500 men, including tliel
unfortunate commander. HowARD'S followers
were obliged in like manner to yield before the
victorious advance of the Southerners. Both corps
together fell back so unmistakeably as to OCCDpv
a position "south" of Gettysburg—Gettysburg re.
rlaining, in point ol fact, in the possession of the
Confederates. When the later fighting "to the
right of Gettysburg" is referred to afterwards in
the exceedingly confused narrative of events come
ing to us through
e New York—when that later
enola a of at New York in signi.

fighting is
scant wci:is like CiLIOEC,

"it is imposEiblu

Mr. CHILDERS' resolution regarding the en
couragement of emigration from the distressed die
tricts of Lancashire was
The
same re was fully discussed the other
argumentsEts othnosbeotfhorsmideerslywereina
great measure brought
the
forward. Mr. CHILDERS' motion was to the effect
that any moneys r • aised wader the Union Relief Aid
Bill should be app.icable to the assistance of emi-
gration to such colonies
as might be willing to c -
operate in the effort. Tue h
with moderation and temperance on. gentleman spoke
of tone, and he
brought for ward a long array of figures in support
of his proposal. Ho s,-
id that daring,
pro:Tetoue
years there was a ,
great influx of
labour to the
manufacturing districts from the Agricultural,
that the present check was hurtful t and
both. In the
prospect of the abundant harvest we have
hope for, this is, however, scarcely
time or Beg.
Soo for such a complaint. He d remarke _ on the
amount of emigration from fais country
during the
last few years, and said that his proposal granted
only a permieeire power, and the guardians need not
melee use of it unless they chose. The Southern
leestralia were, he maintaked, especially
1 coloniLe rei •
suitable i•-.)1: 6u^tigrants ireno Veit,. coaatry ; the di.
mate heir, g wild and the colonies beieg very ready
Ito come f'4.;rward and assist. Vl3l3''o, eceveding to

beL n the result
to say Nvi:L4t l'ettUY
tCly certain
of the coTicii3t:'
of this, that the result is roc hi any tne,-Ins in favour
of the Federal cauf3i. No doubt we hare to read, at
the head of General MEADE'S Report, under a date
as recent as eight o'clock on the morning of the 3d
inst—,, Repulse of the Confederates !" But—tick
at the Report, itself, so headed in the telegrams !
Read what it is that General MEADE himself states
therein—" Thus far the enemy has made no impr es •
own on my popition!" And in the telegram sum-
mary we read—" At the termination of the:
battle each belligerent apears to have hell
the same po ion us a. the commeocemeni."
Not /3, much—Al thie—liko a refulse at awry

~_...%

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JULY 16, 1863