The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-07 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 7, 1865.

The sudden stoppage of all communication from
the Great Eastern has naturally occasioned very
great anxiety. The records of the progress of the
great ship have been so eagerly watched, and the
early success of the expedition was received with
such universal gratification, that the mortifying in-
telligence of an apparent failure could hardly be
otherwise than depressing and dispiriting. There
had been, it is true, two temporary stoppages pre-
vious to the present disaster, but these were so
accurately localised and so quickly repaired that

they almost increased the confidence felt in the
ultimate success of the expedition.. The delay in
the communications has now, however, continued
so long as to give rise to serious uneasiness, and to
well-founded apprehensions that
.the cable may
have Leen severed from the ship, and that, conse-

quently, the 1,250 miles known to have been payed
out are lying idle at the bottom of the Atlantic.
There are, however, several points to be taken into
consideration, and arguments, of course, arc not
wanting on both sides of the question. The signals
on Wednesday last became confused and indistinct
at about 10 a.m., and since a few hours after that
time no single signal has been received. Those who
believe in the severance of the cable, therefore,
argue that more than sufficient time has elapsed
for. the Great Eastern to have hauled
in the line and to have repaired the fault, so that
if the cable had not broken -signals ought to have
been received yesterday evening at furthest. But
allowing that the failure of the communications was
due to a local err9r, and that the ship would have
to wind the cable in again, it is impossible to cal-
culate within a narrow space the time such a process
would occupy. Twelve or even twenty-four hours
are not enough margin to leave, while we are un-
certain as to the nature and extent of the injury to
the cable, or to the difficulties which wind or weather
might oppose to the winding in. But there is a
strong argument in favour of the conjecture that

the stoppage of the signals is due to the genera
disturbance produced by the magnetic storm which
lasted from Wednesday to Friday, and was again
renewed on Saturday. It should be remembered
that. the violence of this storm has produced a sen-
sible effect on the telegraphic wires on laud, so that
it is impossible to estimate the effect on the Atlantic
submarine cable. The opinion of Mr. GLAISUER
and Mr. Amy, derived from their observations at
the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, is that
no communication could have been expected
during so great a magnetic disturbance. Mr.
AIRY, writing on Saturday, says that the sponta-
neous earth currents have been so violent that the
telegrams on :the Croydon wire were interrupted,
and, he adds, " It is scarcely in possibility that a
telegraph current can have passed along the Atlantic
cable in a legible state during any part of this time."
Mr. GLAISIIER writing, Aug. 6, informs us that the
magnetic disturbance was again very active from
10 Pan. on Saturday till 3 a.m. yesterday, and that
since that time it had continued in a lesser degree
up to 10 a.m., the date of his letter. The Dartford
and Croydon wires showed forcible traces of dis-
turbance, and the traces were frequently lost. Mr.
GLAISHER naturally
draws the inference that
with a continuance of such strong and
active earth currents en the short wires it
is quite possible that through the great length of the
if perfect, " the far-arranged
Atlantic cable, even
feeble currents to be sent would not be at all intelli-
gible." Of course, all conjectures must remain
mere conjecture until the matter is finally set at rest
either by a return of one of the ships or a renewal
of the signals. But it is wise, at all events, to sus-
pend our judgments, for the very uncertainty and
delicacy of the undertaking which forbids us to be
over-confident warns us also not to despair. The
coincidence of the magnetic storm with thesuspen-
sion of the signals certainly points to the conclusion
that it has had something to do with the stoppage ;
but whether the cable has during that period re-
ceived any further injury, it is impossible to say ;
at all events, while " there is life there is hope,"
and, until we have absolute information of the ,
failure of the expedition, we may cherish-the convic-
tion that a favourable solution of the problem is at
any rate possible.

The Prussian lawyers, it appears, have come to a
decision at last upon the vexed question of succes-
sion in the Duchies, and the result of their delibera-
tions can take no one by surprise, for it exactly
follows out the notion previously entertained of
their conduct. In the first place, they declare that
Cie Duke of AtiGcSTENBERG has no right of succes-
sion to the whole or part of the Duchies, because his

---------
father renounced his right of succession, and also
because succession by primogeniture cannot be said I
to exist in the House of Augustenburg. It is worthy
of notice that the Danes urged the same plea when
the dispute first threatened a serious termination,
and then the Berlin legal authorities were not of
the same opinion as they now profess to be. It is
really outraging the forbearance of foreign nations,
and insulting the common sense of all lookers-on
for Prussia to pursue the course she is now taking.
The Crown Prince was a great friend of the duke's,
but apparently his Royal llighness finds it as con-
venient to cast off his acquaintances as those of a
lower rank are prone to do, when circumstances
become awkward, and reminiscences as unpleasant.
The manner in which the Duke of AtiGUSTENBERG
has been treated by the Prussians is perfectly Fcan-
dalous, and of itself furnishes an episode in the
Schleswig-Holstein affair that will disgrace their
memory.

The second conclusion at which the Crown law-
yers arrive is, that the claims of the Grand Duke
of OLDENBURG are only valid with reference to the
GOTTOP portion of the Duchies, in virtue of even-
tual reversionary rights. It is amazing to witness
the ingenuity with which people can contrive to
extricate themselves from dilemmas and difficulties
that threaten to subvert their plans and destroy
their projects. There is always some way out of
the wood, and thus we find that all successive ob-
stacles are put aside, and all conflicting claims got
rid of by the skill and sharpness of these astute
agents who serve the legal interests of the Prussian
Crown. The third conclusion is, that the rights of
King CURISTIAN the Ninth, recognised by the law
of succession of July 31, 1853, having been pub-
lished and duly introduced in the Duchies, " his
Majesty's rights of succession must be considered
as legally established, and these have been trans-
ferr.d by the Treaty of Vienna to Prussia and Aus-
tria." Nothing can possibly better show the crafty
style of Prussian tactics than this paragraph : be-
cause the King of DENMARK cannot be any, longer a
formidable opponent, it is considered expedient to
allow his claims to be valid ; and when this
is done they are forthwith annulled by men-
tioning the fatal Treaty. Why did we hear
nothing of the authenticity of King CHRISTIAN'S
claims before the period when that occurrence took
place. On the contrary, it was distinctly stated in
many influential quarters that the Danish Sovereign
had no right whatever in the Duchies, and certainly
this principle was acted on by those in authority,
both in Vienna and Berlin. No doubt the Govern-
ment of King WILLIAM will be only too glad to
avail themselves of the golden opportunity which

is presented to them by the declaration of these
opinions by the Crown lawyers. It will furnish a
useful pretext for compassing their ends and at last
coming forward with something like consistency,
and showing themselves in their true colours. At
any rate, it is something in the way of progress that
we should hear the opinion of the Crown Lawyers,
and the next step to be looked for is the assumption

by Prussia of the Sovereignty of the Duchies. The
desire expressed by Austria that the Duke of
OLDENBURG should be put in possession of those
coveted places will evidently be totally disregarded,
now that the legal authorities have put their veto
against it, and thus furthered the cause that their
friends have so much at heart.

Our Indian fellow-subjects have just now two or
three causes of annoyance or anxiety, despite the
generally satisfactory prospects of the country. The
first is the excessive heat which has in several places
brought the cholera in its train, and has affected the
health of some of our Anglo-Indian officials.

heat this year seems to have been unusually great in
every part of the world ; and at Calcutta, we are
told, it has been intense, greater than it has been
for many years. There have been some cases of
apoplexy from the heat, and in the courts two judges
and several barristers have been prostrated by it.
If the Calcutta courts are conducted on the same
stifling principles in vogue in the English metropolis
it is not very surprising that the atmosphere of an
Indian summer grows intolerable.
The Anglo-Indians are suffering besides from a
financial difficulty and a military perplexity. It
is true that both are restricted to their own imme-
diate vicinity, but they are productive of annoyance
and depression. The monetary difficulty is in Bom-
bay, where the inevitable reaction from the late
fever of speculation still continues. The sudden
stoppage of the American war has partly contri-
buted to this result, having, of course, considerably
affected the value of the cotton shipped to England
by Bombay merchants. A good deal of money has,
too, been sunk in the various land reclama-
tion companies lately established, and which will
eventually, it is to be hoped, return good dividends.
But the excessive speculation, and the bubble com-
panies, have had, no doabt, the greatest share in
the crisis. When it is fairly surmounted, Bombay
capitalists will have grown wiser, and we may trust
that a favourable reaction on behalf of more steady
dealings will bring good out of evil, and greatly
benefit the island. The Indian Government has
given permission to the Bank of Boinbaj to receive
assistance from the Bank of Bengal, if the latter
is willing to come to the rescue, and there is there-
fore good reason to believe that the panic has seen
its worst.

The state of affairs in Bhootan is not altogether
satisfactory. The war has been allowed to drag on
much longer than was expected. A more liberal
expenditure and more active measures at the outset
would have settled the business long since and
brought the Bhootanese to their senses. The selec-
tion of the various military positions does not appear
to have been wisely made, and officers and men are
alike suffering from malaria and fever. This is the
more to be regretted, as, owing to the blockade
system having been adopted, the troops are com-
pelled to remain in the same localities for
a lengthened period. There are always plenty
of critics and censors, professional and
otherwise, who are prepared to find fault
with every official scheme, but the frequent cases

of fdver among the officers in command cer-
tainly seem to indicate some error in the positions
chosen. There is a rumour that a fresh civil war is
about to break out in Bhootan in consequence of a
disagreement between two rival chiefs. What effect
this will have upon the Bhootanese in their dealings
with us is uncertain. At any rate further hostilities
are postponed till the cold season, when it is to be
hoped that the Bhootan question will be disposed
of pretty quickly.
IThere have bctn important changes in some of

the provinces not under our dominion. The ruler
of Khokund has been killed by Tartars, and his
country made over to the Khan of Kokhara, while
in Cabul a great battle has taken place between the
Ameer and the Candahar Sirdais, in which, after
the fashion of some ancient battles, the leaders on
both sides were killed, the heir-apparent of the
Ameer and the head of the Candahar party both
falling victims. The rock fortress of Gwalior,
memorable in Indian history, has been given over to
the Indian Government by the Scindia of to-day,
and it is now garrisoned by European troops. In
the midst of the changes of the times it is gratify-
ing to find our relations with the native provinces
on so good a footing, and it is wor h notice that