The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-26 00:00:00

The Taepings have lost ground ever since Major
GORDON'S vigorous and well-directed attack upon
them ; and the Imperialists have reaped a profit
they very little deserved from his exertions.
Possibly, with the characteristic conceit of orientals,
they thought the result was] clue to their
own wisdom and valour rather than the
skill and valour of the Englishman and
his troops, and as is well known they wilfully
lost the service of the steam flotilla built in England,
and of its experienced and able commander. If the
easy capture of llangchow and other cities under
Major GORDON'S directions emboldened the Impe-
rialists to believe that they were strong enough to
be independent of foreign assistance, the present
catastrophe must have taught them their mistake.
No sooner is one rebellion put down or exhausted
than a new one, still more formidable, springs up in
its place. There is certainly something very rotten
in the State when such events are of continual
recurrence. The whole system of government
is by turns effete and tyrannical, the Mandarins
are petty despots, while the central authority is
powerless to control the great unwieldy empire.
There is always room for a reckless, discontented
spirit to stir up a rebellion, and to carry fire and
sword through the country, an opportunity which
every adventurer is glad to avail himself of
Unfortunately, there is little reason to hope that a
better state of things can be brought about by our
intervention. We do not as yet know what the
effect of the NIGENFEI rebellion will be upon the
dynasty. Possibly the young king and his immediate
advisers and attendants may have escaped the as-
sailants, but if so, the place of their refuge is
unknown. Fresh troubles threaten the country
from America unless BITRGEVINE is released, since
the American Minister, on again demanding his
liberation, has intimated that a renewed refusal will
be taken as a cases belli. Possibly this intimation
will have the effect of procuring his release, and the
Chinese Government must by this time regret their
ungrateful conduct towards their European and
American allies. With their regrets or alarms, how-
ever, we have nothing to do. We must indeed
lament the unsettled and miserable condition of so
many millions of people, and the more so since the
anarchy and confusion of the provinces offer
serious obstacles to the progress of civi-
lisation, and the development of trade and com-
merce. But to attempt to reinstate the dynasty, or
re-organise the Government, is more than any
rational person could dream of. We must content
ourselves with protecting the Treaty Ports and
their radius, and the tumult and disorganisation of
the central provinces proves in the most convincing
manner the prudence of Lord PALMERSTON and his
colleagues in securing that protection for trade and
commerce.

The Cattle Plague still continues to engross

attention to no ordinary degree, and last night's

Gazette contained a supplement which set forth an
' important Order in Council respecting the cala-
mity. It states that as a" contagious and infec-
tious disorder has recently appeared and continues
to prevail among the cattle within that part of the
United Kingdom called Great Britain, and it is
expedient to adopt such measures as may prevent the
disorder from spreading to Ireland, in conse-
quence
it is decreed that it shall not be lawful for
any person to remove any cattle from any port or
place in Great Britain to any port or place in
Ireland." 'This is a very wise and timely
precaution, and it is highly satisfactory that the
Lords of her MAJESTY'S Privy Council should have
come to this conclusion, for it is highly important
that the disease should be kept away from all places
; as yet uninfected, and that it is the only right mode
' to adopt. It appears that this idea has already
been entertained in Ireland and thought favourably
of. A public meeting was held in Belfast 'Town-
hall, composed of persons who were interested in
the preservation of live stock, for the purpose of
considering the best measures to be taken to pre-
vent the cattle disease from spreading to that dis-
trict. At this meeting it was resolved that the
Lord-Lieutenant and her MAJESTY'S Ministers be
informed of the necessity of prohibiting the impor-
tation of cattle into Ireland, and a deputation was
appointed to wait upon his Excellency and state
these opinions. Mr. RUSSELL, M.P., who had gone
to London to urge the necessity of prompt measures
being adopted at once, wrote to the committee to
the effect that Lord PALMERSTON was very anxious
to meet the difficulties of the case. Considering
the zeal and activity which have been displayed in
so many quarters, it is reasonable to indulge in a
hope that Ireland may be preserved from the
plague which is now decimating the cattle in this
country. It is satisfactory and encouraging to
notice the unanimity and good understanding which
seem to prevail on the subject, as they afford a fair
promise of success in the arduous undertaking.
Several suggestions have been made respecting
this calamity, and an order has been issued by
the manager of the Lancashire and Yorkshire
Railway, which gives the most positive instructions
concerning the traffic in cattle. Orders are given
to sweep and wash cattle trucks upon their arrival
at a station, and after the cattle are taken from
them. This is an excellent rule, and it is to be
hoped that all concerned iu the matter will see that
it is strictly adhered to, as much depends on its
observation. No doubt the objectionable habits
that prevailed in many quarters respecting the
conveyance of cattle have had a great
deal to do with the spread and con-
tinuance of all kinds of disease, and there-
fore it is the more to be rejoiced at that a new
order of things should be adopted. Additional orders
are given to the effect that chloride of lime be used
in the process of cleaning. An important rule is
added, that if any of the cattle tendered for convey-
ance appear to be infected with the plague they
must not be received. This plan, if carried out,
must necessarily prove a great preventive to the
spread of the contagion, as nothing is more calcu-
lated to do immense injury than herding animals
together in close quarters. If it should, however,
unfortunately happen that any diseased cattle are
received at a station, the trucks that contain them
are not to be used until they have been disinfected ;
and all persons who have come into contact with
any of the diseased cattle are not to be allowed to
assist in loading cattle on the company's premises
until their clothes have been thoroughly disinfected,
and the shovels, brooms, &c., employed in cleaning
the trucks are not to be used again without the per-
mission of the cattle inspector.
If. these rules and
regulations are kept with an
the advantages of such precautions
yth mg like precision
must most cer- 1
tainly be felt, and their beneficial influences will
extend far and wide. In fact, too much care can-
not possibly be taken by those persons whose
duties bring them into constant contact with cattle,
and much that in ordinary times would be looked
upon as unnecessary will now become of vital con-
sequence. It behoves all who are in authority to
watch with the strictest scrutiny the doings of those
beneath them, for ignorance and prejudice are pro-
lific causes of the propagation of evil and the spread
of contagious diseases. ,

Mr. MACLAGAN, of the Royal Infirmary of
Dundee, has made some very sensible observations
on this subject, and they deserve to be attentively
studied by all concerned in the matter. He states