The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-09 00:00:00

The Matterhorn Accident.

Tho following letter has been addressed to The
Times : •

Six,—After the direct appeals which I have received
from the president of the Alpine Club and from yourself
to write an account of the accident on the Matterhorn, I
feel it is impossible to remain silent any longer, and I
therefore forward to you for publication a plain statement
of the accident itself and of the events that preceded and
followed it.

On Wednesday morning, the 12th of July, Lord Francis
Douglas and myself crossed the Col Theodulo to seek
guides at Zermatt. After quitting the snow on the north-
ern side we rounded the foot of the glacier, crossed the
Furgge glacier, and left my tent, ropes, and other matters
in the little chapel at the Lac Noir. We then descended
to Zermatt, engaged Peter Taugwalder, and gave him per-
mission to choose another guide. In the course of the
evening the Rev. Charles Hudson came into ourhotol with
a friend, Mr. ladow, and they, in answer to some inquiries,
announced their intention of starting to attack the Matter-
horn on the following morning. Lord Francis Douglas
agreed with me it was undesirable that two independent
parties should be on the mountain at the same time, with
the samelobject. Mr. Hudson was therefore invited to join
us, and he accepted our proposal. Before admitting Mr.
Hadow I took the precaution to inquire what he had done
in the Alps, and, as well as I remember, Mr. Hudson's re-
ply was, " Mr. Hadow has done Mont Blanc in less time
than most men." He then mentioned several other excur-
sions that were unknown to me, and added, in answer to a
further question, " I consider he is a-sufficiently good man
to go with us." This was an excellent certificate given us,
as it was by a first-rate mountaineer, and Mr. Hadow was
admitted without any further question. We then went
into the matter of guides. Michael Croz was with Messrs.
Hadow and Hudson, and the latter thought if Peter Taug-
walder wont as well that there would not be occasion for
anyone else. The question was referred to the men them-
selves, and they made no objection.
We left Zermatt at 5.35 on Thursday morning, taking
the two young Taugwalders as porters, by desire of their
father. They carried provisions amply sufficient for the
whole party for three days, in case the ascent should prove
more difficult than we anticipated. No rope was taken from
Zermatt, because there was already more than- enough in
the chapel at Lac Noir. It has been repeatedly asked,
" Why was not the wire rope taken which Mr. Hudson
brought to Zermatt ?" I do not know; it was not mentioned
by Mr. Hudson, and at that time I had not even seen it.
My rope alone was used during the expedition, and there
was—first, about 200 feet of Alpine Club rope; second, about
150 feet of a kind I believe to be stronger than the first ;
third, more than 200 feet of a lighter and weaker rope than
the first, of a kind used by myself until the Club rope was
produced.
It was our intention on leaving Zermatt to attack the
mountain seriously,—not, as it has been frequently stated,
to explore or examine it,—and were provided with every.
thing 'that long experience has shown to be necessary for
the most difficult mountains. On the first day, however,
we did not intend to ascend to any great height, but to stop
when we found a good position for placing the tent. We
mounted accordingly very leisurely, left the Lac Noir at
8.20, and passed along the ridge connecting the Hornli
with the actual peak, at the foot of which we arrived at 11.20,
having frequently halted on the way. We then quitted the
ridge, went to the left, and ascended by the north-eastern
face of the mountain. Before 12 o'clock wo had found a
good position for the tent, at a height of 11,000 feet; but
Croz and the elder of Taugwalder's sons went on to look
what was above, in order to save time on the following
morning. The remainder constructed the platform on
which the tent was to be placed, and by the time this was
finished the two men returned, reported joyfully that as far
as they had gone they had seen nothing but that which
was good, and asserted positively that had we gone on with
them on that day we could have ascended the mountain,
and have returned to the tent with facility. We passed
the remaining hours of daylight—some basking in the
sunshine, some sketching or collecting, and, when the sun
went down, giving, as it departed, a glorious promise for
the morrow, we returned to the tent to arrange for the
night. Hudson made tea, myself coffee, and we then re-
tired, each one to his blanket bag; the Taugwalders, Lord
Francis Douglas, and myself occupying the tent, the others
remaining, by preference, outside. But long after dusk the
cliffs above echoed with our laughter and with the songs of

the guides, for we were happy that night in camp, and did
not dream of calamity.

We were astir long before daybreak on the morning of
the 14th, and started directly it was possible to move, leav-
ing the youngest of Taugwalder's sons behind. At 6.20 we
had attained a height of 12,800 feet, and halted for half an
hour, then continued the ascent without a break until 9.55,
when we stopped for 50 minutes, at a height probably of
about 14,000 feet. Thus far we had ascended by the north-
eastern face of the mountain, and had not met with a single
difficulty. For the greater part of the way there was, in-
deed, no occasion for the rope, and sometimes Hudson led,
sometimes myself. We had now arrived at the foot of that
Part which from Zermatt seems perpendicular or overhang-
ing, and we could no longer continue onthe same side. By
common consent, therefore, we ascended for some distance
by the arete—that is, by the ridge descending towards Zer-
matt—and then turned over to the right, or to the north-
western face. Before doing so we made a change in the order
of ascent; Croz now went first, I followed, Hudson came
third ; Hadow and old Taugwalder were last. The change
was made because the work became difficult for a time and
required caution. In some places there was but little to
hold, and it was therefor" desirable those should be in front
who were least likely to slip. Tho general slope of the
mountain at this part was less than 40 deg., and snow had
consequently accumulated and filled up the irregularities of
the rock face, leaving only occasional fragments projecting
here and there. These were at times coated with a thin
glaze of ice from the snow above having melted and frozen
again during the night. Still, it was a place over which any
fair mountaineer might pass in safety. We found, however,
that Mr. Hadow was not accustomed to this kind of work,
and required continual assistance ; but no one suggested that
he should stop, and he was taken to the top. It is only
fair to say that the difficulty experienced by Mr. Hadow at
this part arose, not from fatigue or lack of courage, but
simply and entirely from want of experience. Mr. Hudson,
who followed me, passed over this part, and, as far as I
know, ascended the entire mountain without having the
slightest assistance rendered to him on any occasion. Some-
times, after I had taken a hand from Croz or received a pull,
I turned to give the same to Hudson, but he invariably de-
clined, saying it was not necesssary. This solitary difficult
part was of no great extent, certainly not more than 300 ft.
high, and after it was passed the angles became less and less
as we approached_ the summit ; at last the slope was so
moderate that Croz and myself detached ourselves from the
others, and ran on to the top. We arrived there at 140 p.m.,
the others about 10 minutes after us.

I have been requested to describe particularly the state of
the party on the summit. No one showed any signs of fatigue,
neither did I hoar anything to lead me to suppose that any
one was at all tired. I remember Croz laughing at me when
I asked him the question. We had, indeed, been moving less
than ten hours, and during that time had halted for nearly
two. The only remark which I heard suggestive of danger
was made by Croz, but it was quite casual, and probably
meant nothing. He said, after I had remarked that we had
come very slowly, " Yes ; I would rather go down with
you and another guide alone than with those who are
going." As to ourselves, wo were arranging what we
should do that night on our return to Zermatt.
We remained on the summit for one hour, and during the
time Hudson and I consulted, as we had done all the day,
as to the best and safest arrangement of the party. We
agreed that it would be best for Croz to go first, as he was
the most powerful, and Hadow second ; Hudson, who was
equal to a guide in sureness of foot, wished to be third ;
Lord F. Douglas was placed next, and old Taugwalder, the
strongest of the remainder, behind him. I suggested to
Hudson that we should attach a rope to the rocks on our
arrival at the difficult bit, and hold it as we descended as
an additional protection. He approved the idea, but it was
not definitely settled that it should be done. The party was
being arranged in the above order while I was making
a sketch of the summit, and the'y were waiting for me to
be tied in my place, when some one remembered that we
had not left our names in a bottle; they requested me
to write them, and moved off while it was being done. A
few minutes afterwards I tied myself to young Taugwalder
and followed, catching them just as they were commencing
the descent of the difficult part described above. The
greatest care was being taken. Only one man was moving
at a time ; when he was firmly planted the next advanced,
and so on. The average distance between each was pro-
bably 20 feet. They had not, however, attached the addi-
tional rope to rocks, and nothing was said about it. The
suggestion was made entirely on account of Mr. Hadow,
and I am not sure it even occurred to me again.

I was, as I have explained, detached from the others, and
following them ; but after about a quarter of an hour Lord
F. Douglas asked me to tie on to old Taugwalder, as he
feared, he said, that if there was a slip Taugwalder would
not be able to hold him. This was done hardly 10 minutes
before the accident, and undoubtedly saved Taugwalder's
life.

As far as I know, at the moment of the accident no one
was actually moving. I cannot speak with certainty, neither
can the Taugwaldera, because the two leading men wore
partially hidden from our sight by an intervening mass of
rock. Poor Croz had laid aside his axe, and in order to
give Mr. Hadow greater security was absolutely taking
hold of his legs and putting his feet, one by one, into their
proper position. From the movements of their shoulders
it is my belief that Croz, having dono as I have said, was
in the act of turning round to go down a step or two him-
self ; at this moment Mr. Hadow slipped, fell on him, and
knocked him over. I heard one startled exclamation from
Croz, and then saw him and Mr. Haddow flying down-
wards. In another moment Hudson was dragged from his
stops, and Lord F. Douglas immediately after him. All this
was the work of a moment; but immediately we heard
Croz's exclamation Taugwalder and myself planted our-
selves as firmly as the rocks would permit; the rope was tight
between us, and the shock came on us both as one man.
We held, but the rope broke midway between Taugwalder
and Lord F. Douglas. For two or three seconds we saw
our unfortunate companions sliding downwards on their
backs, and spreading out their hands endeavouring to save
themselves. They then disappeared one by one, and fell
from precipice to precipice on to the Matterhorn glacier be-
low, a distance of nearly 4,000 feet in height. From the
moment the rope broke it was impossible to help them.
For the space of half an hour we remained on the spot
without moving a single step. The two men, paralysed by
terror, cried like infants, and trembled in such a manner as
to threaten us- with the fate of the others. Immediately we
had descended to a safe place I asked for the rope that had
broken, and to my surprise—indeed, to my horror—found
that it was the weakest of the three ropes. As the first five
mon had been tied while I was sketching I had not noticed
the rope they employed, and now I could only conclude
that they had seen fit to use this in preference to the others.
It has been stated that the rope broke in consequence of its
fraying over a rock ; this is not the case, it broke in mid-
air, and the end does not show any trace of previous injury.
For more than two hours :afterwards I thought every
moment that the next would be my last, for the Taugwal-
ders, utterly unnerved, were not only incapable of giving
assistance, but were in such a state that a slip might have
been expected from one or the other at any moment. I do
the younger man, moreover, no injustice when I say that
immediately we got to the easy part of the descent he was
able to laugh, smoke, and eat as if nothing had happened.

There is no occasion to say more of the descent. I looked

frequently, but in vain, for traces of my unfortunate com-
panions, and w. 3 wore in consequence surprised by the
night when still at a height of 13,000 ft. We arrived at Zer-
matt at 10.30 on Saturday morning.
Immediately on my arrival I sent to the president of the
commune and requested him to send as many men as pos-
sible to ascend heights whence the spot could be commanded
whore I kne w the four must have fallen. A number went
and returned after six hours, reporting they had seen them,
but that they could not reach them that day. They pro-
posed starting on Sunday evening, so as to reach the bodies
at daybreak on Monday; but, unwilling to lose theslightest
chance, the Rev. J. M.‘Cormick and myself resolved to start
on Sunday morning. The guides of Zermatt, being threat-
ened with excommunication if they did not attend the early
mass, were unable to accompany us. To several, at least,
I am sure, this was a severe trial ; for they assured me with
tears that nothing but that which I have stated would have
prevented them from going. The Rev. J. Robertson and
Mr. Phillpotts, of Rugby, however, not only lent us their
guide, Franz Andermatten, but also accompanied us them-
selves. Mr. Puller lent us the Brothers Lochmatter ; F.
Payot and J. Tiarraz, of Chamounix, also volunteered. We
started with these at 2 a.m. on Sunday, and followed the
route we had taken on Thursday morning, until we had
passed the Hornli, when we went down to the right of the
ridge, and mounted through the seracs of the Matterhorn
glacier. By 8.30 we had got at the plateau at the top, and
within sight of the corner in which we knew my companions
must be. As we saw one weather-beaten man after another

raise the telescope, ttirn deadly pale, and pass it on without
a word to the next, we knew that all hope was gone. We
approached ; they had fallen below as they had fallen above
—Croz a little in advance, Hadow near him, and Hudson
some distance behind ; but of Lord F. Douglas we could see
nothing. To my astonishment I saw that all of the three
had been tied with the club, or with the second and equally
strong rope, and consequently there was only one link—
that between Taugwalder and Lord F. Douglas—in which
the weaker rope had been used.
The letters of the Rev. J. M'Cormick have already in-
formed you respecting the subsequent proceedings. Tho
orders from the Government of the Valais to bring the
bodies down were so positive that four days after the events
I have just related 21 guides accomplished that sad task.
The thanks of all Englishmen are due to these brave men,
for it was a work of no little difficulty and great danger.
Of the body of Lord F. Douglas they too saw nothing; it
is probably arrested in the rocks above. No one can mourn
his loss more deeply or more sincerely than myself ; for,
although young, he was a most accomplished mountaineer,
hardly ever required the slightest assistance, and did not
make a single slip throughout the day. He had only a few
days before we met made the ascent of the Gabelhorn, a
summit far more difficult, I believe, to reach than the
Matterhorn itself.
I was detained in Zermatt until the 22d of July to await
the inquiry instituted by the Government. I was examined
first, and at the close I handed in to the Court a number of
questions which I desired should bo put to the eidefTaug-
walder ; doing so because that which I had found out re-
specting the ropes was by no means satisfactory to me.
The questions, I was told, were put and answered before I

left Zermatt ; but I was not allowed to be present at the
inquiry, and the answers, although promised, have not yet
reached me.

Thi3, Sir, is the end of this sad story. A single slip, or
a single false step, has boon the sae cause of this frightful
calamity, and has brought about misery never to be for-
gotten. I have only one observation to offer upon it. If the
rope had not broken you would never have received this
letter, for we could not possibly have held the four men,
falling as they did—all at the same time, and with a severe
jerk. But, at the same time, it is my belief no accident
would have happened had the rope between those who fell
been as tight, or nearly as tight, as it was between Tang-
walder and myself. The rope, when used properly, is a
great safeguard ; but whether on rocks, or whether on
snow or glacier, if two men approach each other so that
the rope falls in a loop the whole party is involved in
danger ; for should ono slip or fall, he may acquire, before
he is stopped, a momentum that may drag down one man
after another and bring destruction on all ; but if the rope
is tight this is all but impossible.—l am, Sir, your obedient
servant,
Ilaslemere, August 7.

EDWARD WRYMPER.

SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

TIMES.—We are not surprised to find ourselves
standing almost alone in the advocacy of foundling
establishments, as a preventive of infanticide ; but
what does surprise us is the unvarying tenor of the
opposition in favour of an assumed means of con-
trolling this frightful evil, based on the terror of
illicit maternity. It is sought to be shown that the
best safeguard against illicit amours, and contingent
illicit births, consists in devising means of keeping
the pains, the penalties, the horrors of this even,
well before the memory of the woman, the weaker
party. Thus, and thus alone, it is asserted, can
society be purified from this iniquitous stain—thus
alone can it be regenerated. It has always seemed
to us that this assumed safeguard had been tried out
to exhaustion, and, by its results, proved defective;
but a contemporary gave place to a letter yesterday,
wherein the astounding testimony was set forth
that, nowithstanding the prevalence of infanticide
amongst us, we were still better in respect of this
crime than other nations. If it be so, then we say
God help this murderous world. Remembering that
the proven cases of infanticide in the metropolitan
area alone amount to over a thousand annually, the
statistics that would transcend these must be hor-
rible and well-nigh beyond the power of language.
The assertion is one, however, so much at variance
with theoretical deductions, based upon considera-
tion of the tendencies of humanity, that only the
most precise evidence deduced from statistical re-
turns could warrant its acceptance. In furtherance
of his argument, the " Traveller" who addresses a
letter to our contemporary cites his Chinese expe-
rience. He says that, although in China a distinct
provision exists in favour of infant life, although
foundling establishments are scattered profusely over
the Chinese empire, nevertheless infants there are
murdered remorselessly. Granting these premises,
they seem to us very wide of proving the sequitur
that, because of the foundling establishments, ergo
the prodigality of infant life. It needs not the
trouble of a Chinese itinerary to be well assured of
the fact that the Chinese are more stolidly insensible
to the value of infantile life than almost any other
people— certainly more than any other people
equally advanced in civilisation. No religious ele-
ment of thought influences them on this point. In a
general way, the State holds it injudicious to destroy
the life of an infant, as to destroy a machine might
be deemed injudicious, The child might grow up
to manhood or womanhood, and do service and prove
useful to the State, ergo the State recognises the
expediency of preserving it. As for the sin of in-
fant murder, this, in the estimation of Chinese
parents, is almost no sin at all ; a circumstance that,
when recognised, puts the entire Chinese experience
out of the category of evidence favouring the " Tra-
veller's" argument. Another contemporary fortifies
his objection against foundling establishments by
adducing the fact, unfortunately well attested, that
the rate of mortality as regards foundling children
is enormously in excess of the rate of infant mor-
tality in well-ordered' private life. Surely the dif-
ference must be recognisable of the two cases of in-
fants dying after the best has been done for them
under the circumstances, and dying, the victims of
murder prepense, deliberate. In making these re-
marks, we have not paused to demand the value
that our dissentients would wish to place upon re-
straint, the product of fear. Assuredly the result
is not morality-virtue, though it be made to pass for
virtue ; it bespeaks no moral awakening to the sense
of criminality. It is the result of an appeal to some
of the lower elements of human nature, leaving un-
impressed the highest. Assuredly, in recommending
the establishment of foundling hospitals, we had had
no thought of promoting vice. In clamouring that
means should be taken to check infanticide, we have
had no thought of holding out encouragement to
illicit maternity ; but, once and for all—though it
it be a dangerous topic to meddle with publicly—
we beg to remind our dissentients in this matter that
the fallacy is transparent of all attempts to show
that the morality of a nation, or a community, is
inversely proportionate to the number of illegiti-
mate births—nay, under certain obvious and fre-
quently-occurring conditions, the fact is the very
opposite. Infanticide is a crime so awfully on the
increase among us, that those who would deal by it
effectively in argument must be more outspoken
than has been their wont in times gone by. To
reason up to a certain point and then retire, be-
cause the aspect of things looks so awfully repul-
sive, is not the way to elicit a public sentiment fav-
ourable to morality. Of paltering with this crime
there has been a great deal too much, and too much
religious acrimony has been imparted to the argu-
ment. For our part, we believe that women, the
weaker sex, have had so much suffering thrust upon
them in this matter by the law, by society, and,
shall we add, by most Christian religious organisa-
tions, that the injustice of man in dealing with
woman must come home to their feelings with a
pang of desperate resentment. Women must feel
themselves to be the victims.of men so acutely, that
moral teachings in this matter can find in their souls
but an uncongenial soil. We would desire that some
of this pressure, this reprobation, this moral inculca-
tion, should be directed towards men, who, as so-
ciety is constituted, are permitted to go almost scot
free, not from the material pressure of illegitimacy
only, but from its moral reprobation. Such are our
sentiments, such is our belief ; but it is one, as we
have often explained, that to give it much effect
finds too few advocates in the times that are. Be-
yond some religious societies, such as that of St.
Joseph, we do not dare to hope for the establish-
ment of free foundlings just now. Hereafter we feel
assured it will be otherwise. Meanwhile it is for-
tunate that the suggestion we threw out, of regis-
tering and opening to inspection nurseries kept up
by private individuals—in no case of high character
—for illegitimate children, can be acted up to by
people, of whatever views, in regard to foundling
establishments. Whatever else may be matter of
doubt in relation to infanticide, assuredly this is not.
Too firmly impressed -with the belief that the mon-
ster of iniquity, Winsor, is a typical woman, that
hundreds like her carry on their murderous trade,
we should be false to that conviction did we not
speak out thus plainly.
POST.—It is laid down by Lord Bacon, as a maxim
of State policy of the first importance, " that all na-
tions that pretend to greatness be sensible of wrongs,
and that they sit not too long upon a provocation."
What is true of States may be true also of the indi-
viduals composing them, and, at least, of any mem-
bers of the State who may ever have been called
upon to represent its authority. Such, at all events,
is evidently the opinion of Lord Malmesbury. He
is a statesman and diplomatist, and, having been
Foreign Minister in a Conservative Government,
his mind is no doubt deeply imbued with all the
sound traditional principles of diplomatic honour.
He would seem, as we say, to have thrown himself
into his official and Ministerial dignity so completely
that he has absorbed into his own person all that
sensibility to injurious treatment which Lord Bacon
requires in a properly disposed kingdom. Lord
Malmesbury, in short, like the State he once repre-
sented, "pretends to greatness," and he shows him-
self, in a correspondence which we publish this
morning, keenly " sensible of wrongs." He has,
however, we think, somewhat failed to observe the
second point of Lord Bacon's advice, " not to sit
too long upon a provocation." The provocation,
indeed, was given during the elections, and Lord
Malmesbury states that it was not till after the
elections 'that his attention was called to it. Con-
sidering that the sting of the provocation was en-
tirely connected with an episode in the elections
which was one of the most conspicuous circum-
stances in the whole contest, it will appear some-
what remarkable that Lord Malmesbury should
have remained so long indifferent to it. If, indeed,
he always neglects to read Mr. Gladstone's speeches
until his " attention has been directed" to them, he
will, we hope, now be admonished to alter so im-
prudent a practice, for they are not speeches which
can safely be neglected. He has, in fact, it appears
to us, been partially misled by this want of attention
in his apprehension of the point of Mr. Gladstone's
remarks. Mr. Gladstone, in the course of his speech at
Liverpool, was rebutting the charge of Mr. Disraeli
that in lowering the taxation of the country he had
merely been reducing the expenditure to the point
at which it was left by the Conservative Govern-
ment. He pointed out that at the very moment
when the Government was resuming office in 1859
a disaster had occurred to our forces in China, act-
ing under the instructions of the Conservative Go-
vernment, so that in fact the heavy expenditure
for which Mr. Disraeli had endeavoured to make
him responsible was occasioned under the direction

of the Conservative Ministry. The fact is undeniable,
but Mr. Gladstone in the heat of the moment was
led on to embellish his fact with a slight rhetorical
colour, which may have made it more vivid to his
audience at the moment, but which adds nothing to
its intrinsic value. " Our predecessors," he says,
" in the exercise of their diplomatic wisdom, had to
instruct our ambassador to sigma treaty with China,
and it appeared to him that the signing of a treaty
was an operation which could not possibly be per-
formed in a satisfactory manner without a large
fleet;" and to this decision, and a consequent mis-
understanding of our motives on the part of the
Chinese, Mr. Gladstone seemed to attribute the
disaster of the Peiho in June, 1859. Whether this
be a true explanation of the result or not is
ob-
viously beside the mark. It is not a matter of any
serious importance whether the Conservative Go-
vernment were right or wrong in its instructions to
Mr. Bruce. The fact equally remains that the in-
structions did proceed from them, and that it was
under their direction consequently, and not under
Lord Palmerston's, that the expenses 'of 1860 were
occasioned. But Lord Malmesbury pounces at once
upon the reflection which it seems to convey upon
himself. To him the affront to the Conservative
Government, as embodied in his person, overpowers
every other consideration. He is even convinced
that it was the object of Mr. Gladstone " to saddle
him with the undivided odium" of the policy of 1859.
He endeavours accordingly to show by Statepapers
that the policy of accompanying Mr. Bruce with a
considerable display of force was supported by the
naval, military, and diplomatic authorities on the
spot, and was. moreover, distinctly approved by Lord
Russell on his accession to the Foreign-office.
How is he, then, he asks indignantly, to re-
concile Lord Russell's straightforward letter
with Mr. Gladstone's sneering attack ? If
Mr. Gladstone had not been restricted to
diplomatic language in answering so solemn an ap-
peal, he might, it seers to us, have suggested that
if Lord Malmesbury cannot submit more quietly to
the inevitable exaggeration of electioneering
speeches, or, in homely English, if he cannot
" stand chaff'more patiently, he may as well retire
at once from practical politics in England. But
Mr. Gladstone easily avoids his antagonist's thrust
by showing, as we have already done, that the
point in his speech to which Lord Malmesbury ob-
jects was a mere matter of opinion of his own, and
did not affect in any way the bearing of his argu-
ment. He thinks it unnecessary to discuss the diffe-
rence of opinion from Lord Malmesbury, and if he
did point his argument a little more sharply than
the facts strictly warranted, those from whose side
the original charge proceeded are not, he thinks, the
persons to complain. Mr. Gladstone is to be con-
gratulated on so easy a release from his questioner ;
but it would, in truth, have been strange if any one
except Lord Malmesbury could have given a second
thought to the question so elaborately raised. It
does not require a solemn quotation of State papers
four years old to prove that other persons besides
Lord Malmesbury thought it wise for Mr. Bruce to
be accompanied in his mission by a respectable fleet.
There can be no doubt that both Lord Palmerston
and Lord Russell were of the same opinion still. It
is very probable also that Mr. Gladstone, so far as
he was ever called upon to make up his mind on the
subject, is of a different opinion. But whether it
were so or not was of no importance whatever to
the matter in hand. The fact remains that the pre-
sent Government succeeded, not to a small, but to
a large expenditure. It was, perhaps, an instance
of Mr. Gladstone's characteristic infelicity that he
should mar a good argument by introducing, with-
out the slightest necessity, an unpopular opinion of
his own, and in this case a more simple statement
would have been equally effective. It is the peculiar
danger of impetuous speakers to expose themselves
gratuitously to these petty annoyances of retort.
But we cannot imagine anybody except Lord
Malmesbury thinking this little ornamental feint
worth even a stray arrow.