The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-04 00:00:00

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[PRICE SD•

place a most incompetent and mischievous set of men,
simply because they are squeezable, and,that every petty
knot and faction of politicians in the land can coerce
them into doing whatever those little kriots and factions
deem advisable for their own petty and individual
interests.

Enough for to-day. We conclude with recommending
all whom our words may reach, to reflect deeply upon
the necessary results of " ik,ttinl• bygones be bygoces,"
with an assurance tlT►t if they adniit the pled they
ill fioa atnorErst the `I byzones" of the coining year
the honour of Eogiatid, th..! alhanca of France, and t'ie
axistenc& of the Turkish empiro.

THE WAR IN THE CRIMEA.
(From the ilfoiltidtg Chronicle.)
A. treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, has been
signed between Austria and the Western Powers ; but,
AS the arrangement is understood to be of a hypothetical
room ce dependent on conditions expressed in the instru-
ment itself, we are as yet unable ta appreciate its prac-
tical value and importance with reference to the imme-
diate interests of the great struggle in which England
and France are engaged. The event, which we an-
nounce was expected some months bee:, and at a time
when the processes of diplomacy had not been eclipsed
in interest by the more stirring incidents of war. Under
present circumstances, less importance attaches to the
conclusion of a treaty, the operations of which is not
immediate and unconditional ; but it tit least marks a
further advance on the part of Austria towards the
policy of the Western Powers, whilst it is unquestion-
ably a distinct provocation to Russia, of the most explicit
and unmistakeable kind. Whatever be its terms, we may
be sure that Austria will prove as honourable in fulfil-
ling them as she has shown herself scrupulous in re-
stricting the liability she has thereby assumed. On the
whole, this result of the late negotiations well deserves
to be received 'with *satisfaction ; but it must not, we
need scarcely say, withdraw our minds, for one instant
from the battle-field upon which England and France
have dared to advance unaided.
The daily accounts of the passage of vessels carrying
troops to the Crimea have speedily allayed the fears of
those who professed to apprehend that the Allied army
might ,be overpowered. Our belief that the defeat of
the sth November would suffice lo keep the enemy quiet
tier some time, has turned out to be well founded. Ac-
cording to the latest Russian accounts nothing material
had occurred in. the progress of the siege up to the 2 3d,
and by that time the opportunity of attacking the be-
siegers' position with any prospect of success had passed
away. The works intended to strengthen the rights of
the English camp must then have been in a forward state,
and a very considerable force had landed to assist in their
defence. Henceforth, the course of events in the Crimea
may be watched with greater eatianineity, since it seems
'indisputable that theßussians in the field have exertedtheir
utmost skill, land seriously diminished their 'numbers,
without any other result than that of learning to regard
the Allies as invincible. So strong is the feeling of
confidence prevalent in our camp, that the English and
French alone, without any reference to the Turks, are
deemed sufficient to defend their lines against anyforce
which the enemy may collect. The prospect of winter-
ing outside Sebastopol appears to be viewed with a, com-
posure highly honourable to the spirit of our army; and
the formidable visions of intolerable suffering from cold,
of which we have heard so much at home, will perhaps
first present themselves to the minds of our soldiers
through the medium of the London journals. It is in-
deed to be lamented that the precautions taken ley the
Government to enable our troops to meet the rigours of
the season have geen temporarily neutralised by acci-
dents which, in an undertaking so vast and complex,
we cannot hope altogether to escape. Ample sup-
plies of warm winter clothing for the entire army
had been shipped from this country before the
authorities had had the benefit of the numerous
suggestions which have lately been showered upon
them through the columns of some of-our contempora-
ries. But, unhappily, the stores thus provided have
been lost, along with valuable ships and lives, in the
terrible storm of the 14th. Nevertheless, the Govern-
ment had already anticipated this contingency ; and
even before the loss was actually known, measureslad
been taken for repairing it. As soon as the telegraphic
intelligence of the maritime disasters of the 14th reached
this country, and long before it could be known that the
winter clothing of the troops had been lost, a second
supply, as complete and extensive as the first, was or-
dered from the contractors, and a larke portion of it has
already been despatched to the Crimea. The only pos-
sible complaint that can, in this instance, 13e urged
against Ministers, is that they acted so promptly as not
even to taketime to consider the conflicting merits, of
the various winter garments that have been pressed on
their approval.
The beneficial discussion of questjons of this kind
would be much facilitated by extending to the respon-
sible authorities the ordinary courtesy shown to confi-
dential clerks and servants by their employers. The War
Department, the Admiralty, and the military and naval
commanders, may be considered as standing in a simi-
lar relation to the country-; and it is somewhat strange,
that a disposition should be constantly manifested to
treat them with less forbearance than our own interest
teaches us to display towards those whose hearty assis-
tance we desire to secure in our private concerns. The
tone adopted by some of those who claim to utter the
national voice usually implies that all' civil and military
officials are necessarily ignorant, stupid, and obstinate ;
and if ever any act ie admitted to have been rightly
done, the entire credit is unceremoniously appropriated
by lookers on. Even this, however, is more tolerable than
that entire disregard of facts which arises from the habit
of censure for censure's sake. As an example of this, we
may observe that a weekly contempotary basset hinaself to
denounce the neglect alleged to have been committed by the
Government, in sending out our soldiers armed with the
old musket. It is rather too bad that all the details of'
the battle of Inkertnan should be thus ignored. We
thought it was notorious that all the regiments that
landed in the Crimea, except the fourth division, were
armed with the Minis rifle ; and the causes which have'
hitherto impeded the issue of weapons of that descrip-
tion to every soldier in our army are well known to
have been beyond the control of Ministers. But the
originators of all these discussions know their business
far too well to confine themselves within the inconve-
nient limits of ascertained fact and ordinary courtesy.
Even our own attempts to moderate an extravagance
which tends to cast ridicule on a great, enterprise, can,
only be met by a deliberate misstatement of our argu-
ment.
The particulars which appear elsewhere of the losses
sustained in the gale of the 14th tilt, are melancholy
enough • but the calamity is not without its consola-
tions. ?We now see what deep grounds we have for
thankfulness in the fact that, throughout the* critical
period of the voyage from Varna to Old Fort—and, in-
deed, almost ever since— the weather in the Black Sea
has been beyond expectation favourable. Had a similar
disaster occurred to the same vessels when filled 'with
troops, it would only have
.been one of the ordinary
dangers of the vast enterprise in which we had staked so
much. When we remember the. amount of reinforce-
ments that have recently been despatched to the Crimea,
and the anxiety of the authorities to forward them to
their destination without a day's delay, we have reason
to rejoice that the loss has not been more severe. It is
probable that the transports which were driven ashore
near the mouth of the Katcha and Eupatoria contained
no cargoes, but were merely in, attendance upon the
army. The vessels were necessarily destroyed after the
gale abated ; but as their size prevented them from drift-
ting close to the shore, the Cossacks could not approach
near enough to capture the crews, who were taken off
in boats, and thus escaped being carried prisoners to
Sebastopol. Our heaviest loss was sustained on
the dangerous rocks adjoining Balaklava. A ship
driven ashore at that point could hardly escape
instantaneous destruction, and, accordingly, the
fine new steamer Prince, and, it is said, seven other
transports, have been lost. The troops taken out by
the Prince had been already landed ; but valuable,
stores, including the supply of winter clothing for the
army, were, unfortunately, still on board. It is fur-
ther stated that 300 lives were sacrificed in these
vessels, but the particulars are not yet known, and
we would fain hope that further intelligence may dis-
close some mitigation of this sad disaster. The French
transports that were stranded were of smaller size,
and consequently far less costly ; but we regret to
learn that our allies had to destroy the -line-ofsbattle
ship Henri Quatre, and the Pluton steamer, and that
the crews of their small transports were captured by'
the Cossacks. This severe lesson in the dangers of
the Black Sea has warned the Admirals to make their
arrangements for the winter. The sailing vessels have
been mostly sent to Buyukdere and Sinope, and the
duties of supplying and reinforcing the army will be
principally discharged by steamers. The damaged.
Britannia will be speedily replaced by the Royal Albert,
now on her voyage out, and the return of the Baltic
steam fleet will furnish additional vessels, if necessary,
for the Euxine. It is, at all events,
satisfactory
know that the presence of the greater number of
oneto
transports off the Crimean coast is now altogether need;
less, as it is certain that the Allied ...armies are able to
maintain their position against any force which the
enemy can bring against them.

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