The Sun.
London, England, 1862-02-03 00:00:00

ATLANTIC TELEGRAPII _REVIVED.

(Rom the Observe()
There is reason to believe that attempts will
shortly be made to connect. England with America
once more by the electric telegraph, and this time
with greatly increased prospects of permanent suc-
cess. Recent occurrences have impressed the go-
vernments of England and of the United States with
the enormous importance of such a means of com-
munication, and it is not too much to say that, had
an electric telegraph existed between the two con-
tinents, the affair of the Trent would not have been
attended with those serious apprehensions which
we have witnessed ; would have saved the vast ex-
penditure which our government incurred; would
have prevented the depreciation of property in both
countries to the amount of millions, and that inter-
ference with commerce and manufactures which
resulted from the ill-judged and unauthorised con-
duct of Captain 'Wilkes. The President and goTern-
ment of the United States are fully sensible of the
importance and value of telegraphic communication,
and of the possibility of providing it, that they have
decided upon giving every support in their power
to any well-considered project of that kind. The
government of the United States have in the most
liberal manner offered to subscribe one-half of the
sum which would be required for making the cable,
and give the use of vessels of their navy in assisting
to lay it, provided the British government will
grant the remaining portion of the sum. Mr. Cyrus
Field, who took so active a part in reference to the
former Atlantic telegraph, has, we are informed,
undertaken a mission to this country, for the pur-
pose of inducing the British government to act Ida
spirit of equal liberality and co-operatiag with this
friendly offer on the part of the United States. As
further evidence of the friendly spirit which has
actuated this offer the government of the United
States are perfectly content that the telegraph
should have its terminus on British territory, as
that will afford the nearest point of communication
with England or Ireland. Any arrangements
that would be entered into between the two
governments would of course provide for the
efficient working and use of the line, and would
guarantee its protection by both countries in the
event of hostilities. We are at a loss to see upon
what grounds our Government can refuse to respond
favourably o the offer, which, if not already made,
will shortly.Ve'iubmitted to its consideration. The
cost of the cable, calculated with the greatest
amount of care, and with every improvement, would
not be greater than that which was expended on
the line from Malta
tto Alexandria, and which was
wholly defrayed by he Government. Our interests
with the American continent are not less important
than those with India, and even if greater import.
ance were to be attached to our Eastern possessions,
it would only render still more necessary a line
across the Atlantic, seeing that, with the telegraphs
which already exist on the American continent, and
which now extend to the Pacific coast, it would
afford a means of rapid and valuable communication
from the West with China and our Indian empire.

The house of Mr. G. P. Zolas, at Manchester,
which suspended during the crisis among the Greek firms
last year, has resumed business, having paid all liabilities
in full, with interest, thus adding another to the numerous
instances of the intrinsically substantial character of the
business and assets of these firms.

POSTAGE STAMPS PURCHASED FROM THE PUBLIC.
—On and from this date all postmasters in England and
Wales at whose offices money-order business is transacted
will be permitted to purchase postage stamps from the
public, if not soiled or otherwise damaged, at a charge of 2f
per cent , the charge, however, never to be less than one
halfpenny. Under this arrangement postmasters will be
authorized to pay 9s. 93. for stamps of the value of 10s. ;
6s. 6d. for stamps of the value of Cs. Bd. ; 4s. 100. for
stamps of the value of ss. ; 3s. 3d., for stamps of the value
of 3s. 4d. ; ls. 71d.,-for stamps of the value of Is. Bd., and
so on, the full value, less one halfpenny, being given for
any number of stamps not exceeding ls. Sd. in value. No
separate stamps, however, can be purchased. They must
in all cases be presented in strips containing at least two
stamps adhering to each other. The arrangement will, on
the same date, also be extended to the chief office in Dublin
and to the following offices in Scotland :—Aberdeen, Ayr,
Dundee, Greenock, Inverness, Kilmarnock, Kirkwall,
Paisley, Perth, and Stirling. By command of the Post:
master-General, ROWLAND ;TILL, Secretary,—General
Post-OliCO, Feb. 1.

NEW ROYALTY THEATRE,
Dean-street, Oxford-street.
Immense success of the new Operetta.
THIS EVENING (2d time) A CHINESE ROMANCE.
After which Offenbach's Opera Buffo, entitled LE MARI-
AGE AUX NTERNES. Mr. John Morgan, Mesdames
Stanley, Payne, LA.
and Mason.
To conclude with THE EARLIEST EDITION OF IL
TROVATOKE.
Commence at half-past 7.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.-
Last 6 Nights of the Pantomime. —Last 12 Nights of
The Colleen Bawn.
EVERY EVENING THE COLLEEN BAWN.
To be followed with the wondrous feats of the greatest
Equestrians in the World, Young Gunerius, Madlle. Halvor-
sen, and Mons. Goldkette.
Concluding with the Grand Comic
JOHNNY GILPIN'S RIDE TO EDMONTONPantomime of.
In prepar ition, a gorgeous Eastern Spectacle, introducing
Two of the finest PCITOrMing Elephants ever seen in this
country.

Stage Manager, Mr. W. Searle.

AND FINE

CANTERBURY HALL
ARTS GALLERY.
"THE ENCHANTED HASH " (SECOND EDITION)
by Mr. E. Marshall, with Eleven Wonderful Transformations
(the most talented perfoanc ever attempted by a singl
person), at a quarter-pastrm ten.e Also the following extraor-
e
dinary.combination of Comic talent, viz.: Mr. Randall, Mr.
Frederick French, Mr. J. G. Forde, Miss Harriet Coveney,
and Miss Greene.
Grand Selections from LA TRAVIATA, by Mdlle.
Mr. Herbert, Signor Tivoli, and a powerful Chorus, at Ten
o'clock.
- - -

Musical Director, Mr. Jonghmans.
Admission—Hall, 6d. ; Stalls and Balcony, ls.

VICTOR JULIEN, " THE FLYING MAN,"
at CANTERBURY HALL, Every Evening at half-
past Nine o'clock.

T HE 0 X F O RD,
6, OXFORD-STREET, •
Two Selections Every Evening alternately from " Ernani,"
"Lucrezia Borgia," "La Traviata," " Simon Boccanegra,"
"La Circassienne," &0., by the entire Company, Full Band
send Chnrus.—C,cmdnetor. Mr. F. Jonahmana. Solos by Mr.
Viotti Collins (the great English vioiini.p. And other at-
tractive Entertainments, the Comic portion by Miss Harriet
Coveney, Messrs. Sam Collins, Wood and Son, E. Marshall,
M. P. Foster, and W. Randall.
-Hall, 6d. ; Stalls and Balcony, Is. ; Private Boxes, 100. 6d.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tilts DAY.—Morning, 4h. 40m.—Afternoon, 4h. 58m.
To-mmtitow.-Morning, sb. 14m.—Afternoon, sh. 30m.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, FEBRUARY 2, me
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
52—highest since noon yesterday.
46—lowest this morning and during the night.
50—this day at noon.

_
BAROMETER-30.18.
WIND—South-Westerly ; rather fresh, with dull cloudy
weather.

FEB. 3.
THERMOMETER, IN THE SRADB.
51—highest since noon yesterday.
46—lowest this morning and during the night.
52—this day at noon.

BAROMETER-30.23 ; rising.
WIND—South-Westerly ; light, with fair weather.

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THE SUN•

LONDON, MONDAY, FEB. 3, 1862.

After so long delay something like a breaking of
day on the Federal cause has appeared. It is far,
indeed, from anything like an unmistakeable reflec-
tion of light beneath the horizon, sure ultimately
to dawn upon us—still it looks as if midnight were
past. There seems to be evidence that M'CLELLAN,
and, doubtless, the President acting with him, have
a plan—that they have entire confidence in their
plan—and that their confidence has begun to
change the tone even of their critics. It is encou-
raging to see that M'CLELLAN'S subordinate gene-
rals, in the country where every man is a sovereign,
begin to know their duty to their military chief.
A committee has been appointed on the conduct
of the war. One of the generals was summoned
before it. He was asked whether he knew
that the General Commanding-in-Chief had a plan
of operations. He replied that he knew that he had.
Having subsequently acknowledged that he had
attended councils of war in which the plans were
discussed, and being asked to state to the commit-
tee what these plans were, the General replied, "No,
sir ; not until I am ordered to do so by General
Iq‘CLELLAN.'' Now we like that. It is as hopeful
a fact as we have seen on the Confederate side of
the Potomac for a long time. If M'CLELLAN can
only imbue his officers with the idea of implicit
military obedience, though they will still want
much training and professional skill, he will ac-
complish the first thing towards success. His sub-
ordinates have had training enough in perfect
self-will, and license—but
political independence,
they have had nothing to teach them the value of
obedience in war, as of independence is peace.
But General APCLELLAN himself has also been
before the committee, and the effect seems to have
been very re-assuring. His subordinate's reply
seems to have made the committee modest, and they
became aware of the fact that they were intermed-
tiling with matters which belonged not to them.
But the Commanderin• Chief was' not supercilious,
and he appears to have met the committee per-
sonally, with frankness, and to have revealed to it,
we presume under pledges of secrecy, his
whole scheme of operations. We have not of
course, a hint of what they are, but we read—
"Without entering into any details of his plans, he
convinced the members of the committee that the
result which all desire—the suppression of the re-
bellion and the end of the war—will be attained
with certainty, and even more despatch than the
most sanguine were inclined to believe. General

M'CLELLAN'S firm and dignified position, taken

before the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the

War, has produced a most wonderful change in his
favour. His startling narrative of the detail work

of raising, equipping, and drilling
the army
showed him to be a man of wonderful genius and I
great executive ability. The tone of public senti-
ment towards General M'CLELLAN has altogether
changed, growing out of the sudden right about
face of certain Congressmen towards him since his
appearance before the committee."
It cannot be denied that this looks more like
system, and a system of good promise,
too, than the wearying accounts we are con-
tinually receiving of purposeless skirmishes
and not very fruitful expeditions. It may also
be in accordance with the knowledge professed
by Mr. BAZLEY at Manchester, which he may
have had from authentic sources, of a compara-
tively early breaking up of the blockade, if not
termination of the war, next summer. We are
assured, at least, that in Washington itself, the
foreboding and dissatisfaction at the inactivity of
the army is rapidly disappearing before the evi-
dence of energetic preparations " for a grand
blow at the vitals of the rebellion." Preparation
is beginning to be recognised as the means of
insuring success, and confidence in the General
Commanding-in-Chief is continually increasing.
If on reasonable grounds, not from despising the
enemy, but through taking ample pains not to
let themselves be despised, the Federals begin to
have hope, we also may begin to hope for them.

The civilians are beginning also to do their
part of the wotk. A congressional committee is
looking into—" how the money goes"—and the
causes of its rapid disappearance are being dragged
to the light and gibbetted in terrorem. Such things
as cavalry horses sold twice over to the GOvern-
ment, and colonels receiving bonuses of 1,500 and
2,000 dollars from rival railway companies, to
award to the bribing line the enormous profit of
carrying the Federal troops—are not likely to be
repeated. Americans like smartness, to be sure;
but when the smartness results in inconvertible
paper and intolerable taxation, smartness in bleed-
ing the nation, is not unlikely to be repaid by
smartness in bleeding the unprincipled contractors
and colonels. It looks well also that Congress has
got as far as a resolution to raise £30,000,000
by annual taxation, in order to meet cur-
rent expenses, to pay the interest on the
loans, and to provide a Sinking Fund for their ex-
tinction. True, so far as we understand the accounts
of their war expenditure, and their receipts from
all sources, this seems but a " flea bite," compared
with what will be 'needed merely to keep the war
on foot. Nor, can we tell how Congress will suc-
ceed in levying the taxes which it is comparatively
easy to impose. Still it looks like an opening of
their eyes to the fact, that fighting and paying
must always go together, and the paying long out-
lasts the fighting. Already the effect of the finan-
cial measures on the gold and bullion of the country
is felt, and a committee was discussing how to pre-
vent hoarding, melting down, or exporting gold or
bullion. They are not yet aware that law is
powerless among the money-mongers.
Southern accounts of their own condition in the
Confederate States become worse and worse. Re-
cently we had in the Richmond Enquirer itself so
strong a picture of the demoralisation of the
Southern army on the Potomac, as to suggest the
thought that it might have been written to tempt

M'CLELLAN to a premature attack on well-prepared
entrenchments. But this time, in a review of the
whole position of both parties, the same paper
writes in a strain of censure on the Southern com-
manders, and of discussion of new plans which it is
difficult to conceive to be otherwise than what it
appears. The defensive system of the South is
shown to have serious disadvantages. It leaves " a
moral stain on an army to await repeated and end-
less attack, and the country which becomes the seat
of war is exhausted. The courage of the
Southern Volunteers, and the difficulties of the
invasion, have saved, the Enquirer says, much
loss in the war ; but then the_ enemy has had unin-
terrupted leisure to prepare and drill a vast army,
and arrange it at leasure against the season for the
resumption of hostilities. While Southern engi-
neers have been skilfully erecting works, which
may be of as much use as the Chinese wall in one
place, the Federals have been allowed to envelope
the Confederacy by their armies and fleets, and will,
when the fitting weather arrives, be able to strike,
for the interior from many alternative points.
Generals BEAUREGARD and JOHNSTON, mean-
time, are held by 111`CLELLAN, as in a vice, on the
Potomac.

Such is the view which the ablest of the Southern
papers takes of the Confederates' and Federals' rela-
tive position. It would hardly seem as if there could
be any trickery or plot in such a description ; the
proposed plan for the South is quite a new one.
The net, it is said, is now drawn all around, and
the only resource is to cut it in one direction. The
Confederate General in Kentucky is designated as
the man ; the Federals there are to be hurled back
by a competent force, and Ohio invaded in turn.
By such transference of the war the Confederate
States may escape being overrun in the spring, and
the Federals be compelled to defend their own
ground. "Beyond the flittering possibilities of a
foreign intervention," this plan of taking the
offensive, instead of standing on the defensive only,
affords the sole rational hope of a speedy termina-
tion of the war. It is even affirmed that the ,
character of Federal preparations show that they
anticipate such a change of Southern policy as the
worst thing for them.
To give any opinion on stich a policy may be
premature. It may never be adopted, most likely
indeed will not. Suspicion still clings to a pub-
lished plan of campaign, and there can be no
doubt that the Confederates, separated from their
own territory, and plunged into the midst of a free
state, would find themselves completely over-
matched. ?hey cannot have the commissariat and
equipments for a hostile:movement. Congress has
already reported a bill for the confiscation of Con-

fed4rates' property and liberation of their slaves ;
and all :things look as if both North and South
were becoming desperate.

As certainly as the late appalling catastrophe at
Hartley New Coal Pit will put an end at length for
once and for all to the cruelly parsimonious system
of working so many of our mines with a single
shaft instead of with two distinct shafts, as Reason
and Humanity would seem alike of themselves to dic-
tate—so also we may be perfectly confident that this
frightful accident down at Bedlington will as effec-
tually put an end in its turn to the no less cruelly
parsimonious system of unsecured or unguarded
machinery. The monstrous folly in each instance
has been proved now to absolute demonstration.
That visible in regard to the single shaft sys-
tem at our mines we have already commented upon
repeatedly of late. After the dreadful destruction
of those " two hundred lives save one" down in the
pit at Hartley, one hundred and ninety-nine boys
and men all huddled together promiscuously in
the fatal yard seam, and there stifled by the deadly
stythe impregnated with poisonous gases, simply
because the Accidental blocking up of the single