The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-11 00:00:00

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LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 11, 1865.

The list of Federal triumphs has now another
addition. Wilmington has fallen, although it may
almost be said to have fallen voluntarily. In ac-
cordance with the new system of tactics the Con-
federates evacuated the city on the night of the
21st ult., after burning the bridge across Cape Fear
River, and destroying a thousand bales of cotton
and 15,000 barrels of resin. This capture, not
altogether unexpected, has
.filled the North with
w
exultation. Whether
dmmgton would have yet
changed hands if the Confederates had determined
to keep it may be very fairlyquestioned, but there
is no doubt that whoever obtainedtothteheP°Fssedesserai°lsn.
of the city it is an important gain
By means of Charleston and Wilmington they
can reinforce their fleet by sea, .while the
Confederates have pretty well lost their means of
communication with the outer world. After the
capture of Fort Anderson, the fall of Wilmington
was almost a matter of certainty, and, in fact, the
Confederates announced their determination of
evacuating it some weeks since. The New York
Herald thinks the possession of the city most im-
portant at this juncture, because it will afford an
easy opportunity of reinforcing SHER3IAN, in the
event c LEE, JIARDF.E, and 13RAGG combining

against him. The same journal observes that
Wilmington'has been of service to LEE, even after
Fort Fisher, since it gave him supplies, besides
drawing off a large body of the Federals. All
this is true enough, and with whatever motive
Wilmington and Charleston have been aban-
doned they will unquestionably be temporary
losses to the South, which has striven so long and
so gallantly to maintain them. The tide of fortune
seems to have set in a continuous stream against
the Confederacy, and it is no great wonder that the
Northern people, always prompt to rejoice over their
own successes, and to let all the world know of their
achievements and their good luck, are transported
with delight. A surer test than mere popular ex-
citement is to be found in the rapid decline of the
price of gold. President LINCOLN has been es-
pecially fortunate at this critical season for
Washington's birthday and the day of his
own re-election will have been occasions of
genuine demonstrations instead of forced displays
of feeling that did not exist.
At the same time, while the star of the North is
undoubtedly in ,the ascendant, and the Federals
have gained a decisive advantage by penetrating, as
it were, into the heart of the South, the friends of
the Confederacy need not despair. It is useless for
them to deny that their enemies have achieved
many triumphs, partly from the chances of war and
partly from their own mistake in suffering SHER-
MAN to march through Georgia unmolested. Still,
having abandoned those outlying cities, which took
so large a number of men to maintain, there is no
doubt that the strength of the Confederacy will be
greatly increased by concentration. With less
to lose they have less to defend, and their troops,
no longer absorbed by defensive operations, can
direct their energies to the discomfiture of the
enemy rather than to the protection of their own
territory. It is significant that not only did LEE
long since proclaim his conviction that the loss of
Charleston, Wilmington, and other garrisoned
cities, would be an actual gain, but SHERMAN de-
clared himself to be of the same opinion.
It is probable enough that LEE will use his
newly-acquired strength in the capture of Knoxs-
ville, Tennessee, which is a large town near
the Cumberland Mountains, in a very central
position, contiguous to Cumberland Gap,
and in close proximity to Kentucky. It
was considered of so much importance by
LINCOLN that when it was captured by the Federals
he ordered a public thanksgiving. Knoxville is also
near Ohio, and is a good strategical position in every
way. It is likely that by a dexterous movement
LEE will make himself master of it ; and it was
rumoured that a division of LEE'S army had already
made its appearance in East Tennessee when the
news left. GRANT appears to have met with some
unexpected difficulties, for he has withdrawn from
his newly acquired position at Hatcher's Run. It
is believed that SHERMAN'S next endeavour will be
to join GRANT and compel the evacuation of Rich-
mond ; but, even supposing this achieved, the Con-
federate cause will not be materially damaged, since
if LEE takes to the field he will fulfil his threat by
making the North feel the burden of the war more
in the hour of their triumph than at any former
period.

H the Southern people will show themselves equal
to the emergency by calling out the slaves, they will
gain an immense numerical advantage and LEE
will be no longer be hampered in his movements by
the want of men. The proposition to arm 200,000
negroes has passed the Confederate House of
Representatives, but the Senate the day after
postponed its consideration indefinitelyby a majority
of one! The senators are not to be always trusted,
as is proved by the conduct of FOOTE, and we can
hardly believe that men who sincerely desire their
country's independence will refuse to reconsider so
rash and headstrong a decision at the present crisis
of events.

It is of consequence that from time to time some
discussion should take place relative to the state and
condition of our colonies and their affairs, and
therefore the long debate that took place regarding
New Zealand may be considered as satisfactory in
its way, and conducive to the right understanding
of the subject. Mr. MILLS was at great pains to
bring the subject before the House, and evinced a
moderation in dealing with it that did him credit,
for it often occurs that when people turn their
attention to these questions they become vehement
and excited ; and thus, although animated with the
best intentions, they mar the effect of their own
exertions. The hon. member wisely refrained
from moving the address of which he had given II
notice, and thus no altercation took place as to
particulars, but the whole subject was considered
in a general point of view. Mr. MILLS adverted to
the unhappy state of things in New Zealand, and
the confusion that was created in consequence of the
dissensions which prevailed among the officials.
There was great truth in his remarks about Gover-
nor Sir G. GREY, for the position of that gentleman
is a most difficult one, perplexed as he is with hos-
tilities from without and disaffection within. It is
therefore hardly fair to pass a severe criticism upon
the conduct of a man who is similarly situatedwhen
those who sit in judgment are so far removed from
the scene of action that they cannot possibly be
acquainted with all the bearings of the case. The
expressions used by. the hon. member with regard to
the Maories were also very much to the point, and
all who look upon the case in. the right
light must admire the spirit evinced by the
Maories, and the indomitable resistance that they
have made to the trained forces and disciplined
troops of this country. In the course of his com-
prehensive speech Mr. MILLS mentioned two things
in particular which may be deemed conclusive in
their way as regards our future policy and the feel-
ings of the colonists. In the first place, he assumed
that England did not wish to annul the constitution
of New Zealand, and this is certainly a very safe
venture to make. There is no greater mistake
made by some of the would-be benefactors of their
country than that which has prevailed to a great
extent that colonies are a useless appendage and a
questionable advantage to a country. The other
point referred to was the conduct of the colonists in
regard to their treatment of the Maories, and there is
no reason to doubt the accuracy of the statements
here made as to their moderation in the long run,
although isolated instances of selfishness may have
led to the formation of a contrary opinion. Mr.
ROEBUCK, as usual, addressed himself to the ques-
tion with much animation, and in his graphic style
declared that he intended to exposea "great sham !"
England had for centuries been extending her colo-
nies, and thus had greatly increased the spread of
civilisation, but some infatuated individuals persisted
in their accusations against this policy, and were
never weary of abusing its promoters. There is
certainly a great deal of truth in this, as there is in
many of the hon. and learned member's remarks,
but the vehement manner and peculiar phraseology
which he adopts, often misleads persons into
thinking his statements exaggerated and his
opinions erroneous. There can be no doubt that a
vast amount of good has accrued to those distant
lands in which the English have settled, and that
the cause of civilisation has greatly advanced there-
by. Many dissentients will be fowl' to Mr, EQE"

BUCK'S assertion, that it would be a wise and po-
litic thing to exterminate the aborigines. When he
talked of " dispossessing the wild animals of New
Zealand, the most mischievous among whom was
the wild man," it was no wonder that there were
ceies of " Oh, oh." After the peculiar style of the
hon. and learned member's oration, it is not to be
wondered at that Mr. BUXTON should have retorted
by observing, that when Mr. ROEBUCK talked of
some people who abused everybody, it was certain
that if there was any human being " on the face of
the whole earth who arrogated to himself the excep-
tional right of abusing everyone else it was the
hon. and learned gentleman himself." Lord STANLEY,
with his usual discrimination, endeavoured to bring
back the discussion from a theoretical to a practical
point. He said that there was not much use at the
present moment in going into any details of a dis-
tant nature, for facts were stubborn things, and the
events in New Zealand would not be influenced by
the opinions of any one in that House. In the noble
lord's calm and dispassionate statement, we may
find the best solution of the vexed question under
dispute respecting the Maori tribe. It is certain
that all barbarous races disappear more or less before
the inroads of civilised ones ; but that need not be
laid to the charge of the white men, for it is the in-
evitable doctrine of human events. Lord
STANLEY, as usual, grasped at the point
of the discussion that was. most vital to the
interests of the colonists. He said that what we
had to do was to see that all had been done by the
colonists in their own behalf, and also to afford
them what " temporary" help they absolutely re-
quired, but with the proviso that after the termina-
tion of hostilities, it could not be renewed. There
can be no doubt that such a cause, if followed out,
will prove of the greatest possible service to the
colonists and all concerned in the matter over here.
Mr. CARDWELL'S remarks were very much to the
point, and the right hon. gentleman spoke in a con-
fident and cheerful tone as to the future of New
Zealand, thus forming a good contrast to the some-
what gloomy prognostications in which some hon.
members had indulged. He said that there was
ample room for both races to live out there, and that
the natives of New Zealand were eminently quali-
fied to profit by the advantages of civilisation. It
is very satisfactory to hear such an opinion from
one so qualified to judge of the state of the case,
and we may confidently trust that the right hon.
gentleman's prediction will be verified, and that we
may soon rejoice in a better condition of affairs in
that important and interesting colony.

The suspension of a bank is always a local and
sometimes almost a national calamity. It is one of
the hardships of our advanced civilisation that per-
sons and families may be suddenly transformed from
ease and affluence into absolute penury by no fault
of their own, having been guilty of no imprudence
or extravagance, and even without having the
slightest reason to anticipate the calamity that falls
upon them. The streets of a provincial town, espe-
cially, may be thus changed, in the course of a
few hours, from the cheerfulness and bustle of ordi-
nary business, into terrible confusion and excite-
ment ; and such, there is too much reason to
believe, Will be the state of one of our great
centres of manufacturing industry to-day. The
bank of Messrs. ATTWOOD, SPOONER, and Co., of
Birmingham, is so well known by reputation, and
has been so long celebrated for its supposed sol-
vency, that the news of its suspension will come
with a terrible shock to large numbers of persons.
The melancholy intelligence will not have been
generally known till an early hour this morning, as
the bank closed its doors at the usual hour yester-
day in the usual manner. Many thousands of
workmen will look in vain for their wages to-night,
as the blow will extend throughout all classes. We
can only regret that the doors should have been
thus kept open till the last moment, as many busi-
ness men might pay in large sums with a view to
meeting their demands at the end of the week. Of
course money was drawn out likewise, but Friday
was an unfortunate day. We have yet to learn the
full particulars of the catastrophe which every one
will hear with heartfelt regret.

ELEC LION INLELLIGENCE.

:LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRA3I.)

AUSTRALIA.
MELBOURNE, JAN. 21.

The Confederate cruiser Shenandoah has arrived
here. She has burnt 11 ships since her departure
'from the Cape.
A fine comet is visible in the south-west. It is
supposed to be that of 1843, predicted by Herschel'
returnable in 214 years.

NEW ZEALAND.
MELBOURNE, JAN. 26.

Advices from New Zealand state that affairs there
were less peaceable. The defection of the Tauranja
natives is announced, and the Waikato are said to
be preparing to assist the Tavanaki tribes in resist-
ing General Cameron.

THE PRESS IN RUSSIA.
ST. PETERSBURG, March 6.

The new press regulations discussed by the Coun-
cil of the Empire will be published in a few days. It
is undetstood that amendments of the most liberal
character upon the original draft were supported by
the Grand Duke Constantine and the Minister of
Public Instruction. The Minister of the Interior
advocated the French system of newspaper warning.