The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-18 00:00:00

*. * no connection with any one of the same name.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, 9h. 45m.—Afternoon, 10h. 22m.
To-Monnow.-Morning, 10h. 58m.—Afternoon, 11h. 38m.

• 41- er, .4„‘
Ji
HAE6"N SUIT

LONDON, TUESDAY, JULY 18, 1865.

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Election speeches are still most abundant ; and
although there is certainly n)t very much in them
of a novel character, still they afford subjects of
interest to dwell upon. In Berkshire great excite-
meat prevails, there being so many candidates in
the field. The proceedings at the nomination were
carried on in a very good-natured manner, although
several interruptions took place of an amusing
character. At East Suffolk no opposition was made

to the return of the Conservative candidates.
FITZROY KELLY made an interesting speech, which
met with great applause. He criticised the course
pursued by the present Government, and asked
what it had done to merit the confidence of the
country. As for the question of the franchise, they
had done absolutely nothing during six years, al-
though they had commanded substantial majorities.
" Had they not a right to ask why Government had
not_ brought in a bill for the extension of the fran-
chise ?" He further said that Lord DERBY'S Go-
vernment had done far more to entitle them to sup-
port, since they had endeavoured honestly to pass a
measure of reform, while their opponents had
shirked the duty after insisting on the rejec-
tion of the Conservative measure. Sir Ferz-
ROY also exposed the trickery practised by
Ministers in making a presence of supporting ex-
tensive propositions, such as Mr. BAINES'S or LOCKE
KING'S measures, while in reality they were against
them. As for church rates, he observed with
great force that Lord PALstEnsrox's Government
ought to have introduced some bill on the subject
which would have met the difficulties of the case,
and satisfied alike Dissenters and Church people.
The answer to this is readily given. These Minis-
ters have always preferred leaving all vexed ques-
tions alone, co that when independent members
bring forward motions on the subject they can
either give them the go-bye, or else rely on the aid
of the Opposition to defer them. Such a mode of
procedure may suit the purposes of the day, but is
quite inconsistent with the character of a working
Government. It is only surprising that more notice
should not have been taken of this during the elec-
tions, but Lord PAL3IERSTON'S prestige has not yet
entirely failed his party, and seems able to cover
many of their sins of omission and commission. In
conclusion, Sir F. KELLY reminded his hearers that
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's merits were over-
rated in many respects, and that as to the reduction
of the tea-duties, about which so much fuss was
made, the Government of Lord DERBY had pro-
posed very much the same thing.

In South Essex the candidates were very decided
in proclaiming the merits of their different parties.
Mr. BAXER, the Liberal, was most dogmatic in Lis
manner of laying ckwn the law as to the merits of his

party. According to his statement the present posi-
tion of the Liberal party is, indeed, an enviable one,
instead of being, as some have supposed, under a
cloud. He announced that he had taken " the
trouble to write down the chief doings of the
Liberal party during the last thirty-five
years, and was indignant to find his poli-
tical opponents laughing at the benefits they had
received, when they ought to show gratitude." It
is a mistake to go too far in any cause that is advo-
cated, and Mr. BAKER certainly did this, in arro-
gating to his party the merits of his friends. In
proportion to his appreciation of the merits of the
one side was his horror of the shortcomings of
the other. The Conservatives, we learn, " are a
shifty party, and say and do anything to answer
their purpose." It is not surprising that, under the
circumstances of the case, Mr. BAKER should have
called upon the " electors to support him for the
advantage of the country at large, and for the con-
tinuance of the blessings which proceeded from the
present Ministry." Lord E. CECIL was not behind
his opponent in spirit and *termination, and
he spoke out very decidedly concerning the
defalcations of Earl RUSSELL, and the mistakes he
has made in his management of foreign affairs.
The noble lord aptly epitomised the events of his
career, by declaring that the noble earl had
" threatened Brazil, patronised Denmark, and
cringed to America." The noble lord further
said that the present Ministry had not
fulfilled a single pledge which they had
made when they last came into power, and
he showed the truth of this in the course of his ani-
mated address. " Peace, Retrenchment, and Re-
form, reminded one," he said, "of the old story of
' Much cry and little wool.'" There is great truth
in the definition here given of the means by which
we had maintained peace. It has only been done
by a system derogatory to our national honour.
" Lord RUSSELL'S foreign policy hr.; been a perpe-
tual system of bullying the weak and cringing to
the strong." As for retrenchment little has been
done, and the noble lord quoted very appropriately
the opinion of Mr. BRIGHT respecting the way in
which Reform had been managed, who had lately
said that the Government " had come into office
upon the question of Parliamentary Reform, and
had violated its most solemn pledges on the subject."
This, he reminded his hearers, was not a " Conser-
vative indictment," but the published address of a
supporter of the present Government, and one who
brought them in in 1859.

In West Kent there was a great deal of party
feeling displayed, and some lively sallies were ex-
changed. Mr. GATHORNE HARDY, in nominating
a candidate, paid Earl RUSSELL some questionable
compliments, and finally compared him to the
costermonger and his donkey, before which he
dangled a carrot, but as the donkey never got hold
of the carrot, so from the Liberals they would never
get a sound measure of Reform. Whether the
result of the elections now pending give the Go-
vernment a so-called majority or not, it is a ques-
tionable triumph at any rate when they have been
so roughly dealt with by many ' outspoken can-
didates at the different elections. It is a
great disgrace that any one friend or foe
should have it in his power to say that the men
who have been entrusted with power have so sig-
nally abused it, and now meet the country, after
the lapse of some years, having done next to
nothing, except keeping themselves in office, coute
qui caste. Whether we look to the progress of
social affairs, or at the prospect of foreign events,
we find a shuffling policy substituted for that
which made our country great, and has kept it
free. It matters not to the community whether
Liberals or Conservatives he at the head of
affairs if they are men who rightly discharge their
duties; but some are too ready to bewilder them-
selves by names, and to follow the example of him
" who to party gave up what was meant for
mankind."

There seems every reason to hope that the great
undertaking which has so long occupied the inte-
rest of both worlds will at last be safely accom-
plished. The Great Eastern is fairly on her way,
and before many weeks are passed the magic cable
will unite the two great nations of the Old and New
world. It is almost impossible accurately to cal-
culate the effect which this single line, lying fathoms
deep beneath the broad waters of the Atlantic,
will exercise upon the fortunes of the age.
The speedy communication, the rapid trans-
mission of intelligence, the vividness with
which the feelings and temper, the rumours
and the variations of one people will be re-
ported to the other, will all tend to remove in a
great degree those obstacles which differences of
circumstance and character, more than distance,
have interposed between the two branches of the
Anglo-Saxon race. Had the first cable been suc-
cessful, the American war itself might never have
taken place. The South would have known too
accurately the character of the Ministry then in
office to have relied on hearty support ; while
the North would have ascertained beyond a
doubt that the sympathies of the English people
would be on the side of independence against mock
humanity. The philanthropy which removes the
whip and the chain and leaves the slave to die of
fever and famine does not excite much enthusiasm
in this country, where we have an awkward habit
of expecting public men and parties to act up to
their professions. But in future both countries will
be less liable to mistakes and misapprehensions ;
and while the Cabinet is sitting at Washington it
may receive intelligence from Europe that may
materially affect its deliberations. In the pre-
sent rapid course of life and politics eight
or ten days may considerably alter the position of
affairs, and for the chiefs of the State to be within
a few hours reach of the other hemisphere will be a
marvellous advantage.

We trust that, in spite of the favourable auspices
of the journey, those who are in charge of this
momentous expedition will not relax their caution,
remembering that no skill or care can be too great
for an undertaking so arduous in itself and so im-
portant in its results. PUCK'S girdle round the
earth is now veritably realised, and we hope that it
may bring in its train the blessings of peace, mutual
goodwill, and civilisation.

The excessive heat from which we have suffered
in the metropolis during the last few days may
enable us to form some idea of the condition of
1
our countrymen in India, although, happily for us,
we are very "far from realising their standard.
A temperature of 98 or 99 degrees is no trifle
even to an acclimatised Anglo-Indian,
those who are new to . the and
country must
find it extremely trying. There seems to be little
chance of obtaining relief, for the sea, which one
naturally turns to in the hope of getting a fresh breeze,
is hotter than the land. Several ships which have
put back to Bombay, owing to the violence of the
monsoon, describe the heat at sea as something
intolerable, the thermometer standing at 100 in the
shade. Under these circumstances it is not sur-
prising that the old enemies of India, cholera and
fever, should make their appearance, and if
anything were needed to impres3 the neces-
6:ty of sanitary reform upon the authori-
ties 51101% a Haw as the p esent would