The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-06 00:00:00

SU

contraband of war from the neutral to the hostile
port. While the whole transaction is on neutral
territory or in neutral ships from one part of neutral
territory to another, let it be maintained that nothing
can be contraband. The principle laid down by Sir
J. HAY in the case of the Hendrick and Alida, whe-
ther or not any other judge has overruled it, is the
only sound one—certainly the one in which all the
powers of Europe now agree.
We cannot pretend to doubt that the naval and
military demonstrations of England have already
secured peace, by showing America that we will not
this time put up with the insult. Better perhaps
had we been more decided long ago. But it will
not be unimportant in its influence on the future
sentiments of America, that the Government of such
a country as Prussia should be able to write to her,
that without entering into legal discussion—" Public
opinion in Europe has expressed itself with rare
unanimity and in the most decided manner in favour
of the injured party."

It is with a shudder that one reads now in the
Indian news of the capture at last—or the chief
witness, in swearing most positively to the identity
of the prisoner, is, indeed, wonderfully mistaken—
of the capture, at last, of NANA SAHIB! Occurring
as the incident does so long after the events with
which the name of this almost unparalleled miscreant
is for ever associated—" damned to everlasting in-
famy"—the particulars of the incidents of this re-
ported capture will nevertheless be scrutinised with
breathless curiosity in the midst of the homecircles
of all ranks and classes of Englishmen. It will be
seen that the tidings come to us through the medium
of the Times of India, under date the 12th of this
last December. Fully four years had elapsed,
therefore, since those well-remembered atrocities
were perpetrated by the " Monster of Bithoor."
Fully four years had elapsed before any-
thing like reliable information as to his
whereabouts was at length brought to the
knowledge of the Government at Calcutta. Before
the Christmas of 1861, however, came the startling
intimation not alone that NANA SAHIB was still
living, not merely that the locality desecrated by
his presence was actually known, but that the still
breathing body of the wretch was absolutely in the
possession of the authorities. Any one who comes
to examine into the details given by our Oriental
Contemporary, *The times of India, will, without
doubt—nay to our thinking must all but inevitably
—come to the one conclusion expressed at the outset
of these remarks, viz., that if the chief witness,
swearing most positively to the identity of the
person reported to be NANA SAHIB, should even-
tually turn out to have been mistaken, the mistake
on his part will assume a character truly
wonderful.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, JANUARY 5, 1862.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
38—kighest since noon yesterday.
33—lowest this morning and during the night.
43—this day at noon.
BAROMETER-29.80.
WIND—N.-Westerly; light, with dull, damp weather,
and thick small rain in the afternoon.

Here are the particulars. Rumours very recently
came to Kurrachee to the effect that the NANA was
understood to be stealing his way somewhere down
the valley of the Indus in the disguise of a Hin-
galee! His endeavour being—it was reported—to
make for Dwarka, either by way of Kurrachee or
of Sonmeanee, and so (could he but only contrive
to slip through our hands unrecognised) away for
Muscat or Zanzibar ! These were the rumours very
lately flitting about Kurrachee. And now—as the
upshot of them—there comes by the present Indian
mail to Europe the announcement that the NANA of
Bithoor has actually been captured while upon the
very point of embarking for his proposed destina-
tion, from the port of Kurrachee. Some one
—supposed to be the NANA SAHIB had,
at any rate, been seized, and held in
custody for the purpose of identification. Days
passed by, however, without the identity of the
prisoner being proved. The authorities, baffled in
their efforts to discover some reliable evidence, were
—reluctantly—about to liberate the prisoner thus
Never probably, in her whole history, has Eng- vaguely accused. When, as good luck would have
land, in a naval quarrel, had so completely all the it, we read in the Times of India, "Mr. NUGENT
world on her side. Even Russia, we are told from SULLIVAN, apothecary in charge of the General
St. Petersburg, has used all her influence in favour Hospital, learned from one of the patients under his
of peace, and done it by communicating her proceed- care that the NANA was known to him, he having
ings to the other great powers. What they are, been in his employ at Bithoor for a long time, and
precisely, we are not informed, but there can having parted from him just before the mutinies
hardly be a doubt that, with a little more—of what broke out." '1 hereupon, with a wise promptitude,
the Divines call " unction," and one of our humo- " Mr. SULLIVAN immediately put the man in a
rists by the now well-known epithet of "soft dooly, and accompanied him to the place where
sawdor"—in the language, the views of Russia are the prisoner was confined, when a number of Pur-
the same as those of France, Austria, and Prussia. voes and others were presented to him, and he •
All the representations of the several powers have was called on to state if the NANA was among
been couched, indeed, in language as polite as we them." Observe closely now what followed :
should think Americans could desire, when the un- "After a minute examination, he declared that the
pleasant fact must appear, in whatever words, that miscreant was not there. Subsequently (however
Americans were thought wrong by all the nations it is added), another batch, among whom was the
of the Old World. We may be sure, however, that apprehended man, was brought forward, and he at
Russia would speak most mildly of all. She is by once singled him out, declaring that he was the
far the least related, either by blood or by trade, to 'Nana of Bithoor.' He was thereupon questioned
America, and for this reason, perhaps, as well as for and stated, [rather harshly and inconsequentially
political reasons, has always treated the parvenu as it seems to us, from an Oriental, seeing that the
among the nations, " Miss COLUMBIA," with more reason given below and italicised by us would
attention and respect than England and other coun- rather have bound the speaker to silence, than
tries have shown her. We, to whose family she be- to this solemn and accusatory asseveration]—" that
longs, have naturally not comported ourselves with he had served the NANA, eaten of his salt, and
the self-restraint before the aspiring young damsel, seen him for some years regularly every day; That
or shown her all the politeness which she has received man was the NANA of BITHOOR." The witness
from entire strangers. She has on her part been howbeit was one—stood alone—was consequently
as pert and saucy as she dare to the dowager insufficient. Mr, SULLIVAN, however, was not to
country, and turned very scornful eyes on us while be baffled altogether, as it would seem, by that
waltzing with France and Russia. circumstance. If ho cannot get the evidence
The Prussian Note has now been made public. given corroborated by another witness, he will pro-
What Prussia, as a maritime power, may think of cure from the solitary accuser of the prisoner the
the San Jacinto business is of the smallest possible testimony of a double identification. We read in-
consequence ; unless indeed we may suppose mediately afterwards that " Mr. SULLIVAN had his
that the weak naval powers, who could in no case patient carried off to the hospital, and by four
protect themselves at sea, may from their very o'clock in the evening Mr. INGLE, the Deputy Ma-
weakness have a greater interest than the strong, gistrate, the Foujdar of Kurrachee, and a number
in asserting the dominion of law on the ocean others, came up to the hospital with the prisoner,
against violence. The Prussian Government is, and it was proposed to question the sick Poorbeah
however, by courtesy, one of the great governments again." And here it was that the painstaking sa-
of Europe, and in a Congress of the nations her gacity of the keen-witted apothecary of Kur-
vote must pass for something—and whatever rachee showed itself conspicuously, as our readers
its value, she gives it in favour of our will now readily enough admit. " Mr. SULLIVAN
demand, as one in which all Europe suggested that the prisoner should be disguised as
is interested. Prussia is as competent to judge of a Purvoe to make assurance doubly sure, which was
what is fair and unfair, and what is for the general done, and the sick man was brought out to meet
interest of the civilised world in the laws of war at the party; he was asked if the NANA was there,
sea, as any other Power. and, looking around, immediately pointed out the
It will be seen that she views the question in that man, declaring that That man is the NANA of
light of common sense in which it has been seen by Bhithoor and the adopted son of BAJEROW. I
all the other Powers. It is the "violent capture would recognise him in any disguise.' A bystander
and carrying away of Messrs. MASON and SLIDELL observed, 'The NANA has a hole on the top of his
from a neutral mail steamer," against which she ear.' if so,' said the Poorbeeah, ' that man must
protests.
Let all the old precedents which exist be have it, for here is the NANA ; look for your-
hunted up, and pitted against each other by the selves.' The ear was examined, and the hole was
lawyers on both sides; let legal ingenuity draw there!" The force of this is very remarkable. The
distinctions without end, and satisfy the techni- evidence of a single witness could not be more con-
calists on either side, that each is right—the broad elusive, because, at one and the same time, it could
fact will not do for modern times. If mail steamers not well be more positive or more categorical. The
cannot run with perfect immunity between neutral last mentioned particular above given, moreover,
ports—if
distinctly corroborating it ! The mark spoken of
does not require the searching
proof that they are such mail steamers
officer at once to be- is not a perforation at the bottom of the
take himself to the boat, then modern marine in- ear, in the lobe of the ear, where so many
tereourse is at an end. We are no more secure be- Asiatics have rings or jewels suspended—but at the
tween Dover and Calais than between Havannah top of the ear, where a hole could come only through
and St. Thomas. The civilised world in 186 k accident. " The NANA has a hole on the top of his
simply cannot carry on its business on ear," says a bystander. "If so," instantly observes
these conditions. While all is neutral, the ports the accusing Poorbeeah, " that man must have it—
neutral, and the ship neutral, cren soldiers them- FOR [the declaration thus reiterated is certainly
selves and a cargo of ammunition must be held to confident enough] HERE IS THE NANA !" And then
be neutral. If their destination is known or sus- the Poorbeeah adds quietly but with a perfect re-
pected by one of the belligerents to be in favour of) liance upon the accuracy of his own convictions—
his enemy let him watch for the departure of the the Poorbeeah adds, we say, after the manner of

JAN. 6.
THERMOMETER, TN THE BHA.DB.
43—highest since noon yesterday.
28—lowest this morning and during the night.
32—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-30.12.
WIND - North-Westerly ; light, with sharp frosty
weather and some sunshine.

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THE SUN.
LONDON, MONDAY, JAN. 6, 1862.