The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-12 00:00:00

THE ESHER MURDERS.

Mr. Justice Erle, than whom a more intelligent and
upright judge does not sit upon the English bench,
must have been as much astonished as we were at the
verdict of the jury upon the Esher murderess on Wednes-
day last. That Anne Brough murdered her six children
in the most pitiless and cold-blooded manner was a point
upon which there was no dispute. She made a frank
confession of her guilt to the superintendent of police
who had the charge of the case from the first, after she
had received the usual admonitions. The question for
the jury was sitnply as to her moral responsibility at the
time she committed this most awful series of crimes.
'We must first divest the case of all idea of continuous
insanity. She was sane before the perpetration of these
dreadful deeds—she was perfectly sane when she stood
in the dock at Guildford the other day— and, as we think
will presently appear, she was sane enough when she
made her confession a few hours after she had carried
her purpose into effect. The question of her sanity
cannot be considered as solely resting upon what she
represented her state of mind to have been immediately
before she murdered her children. The inference must
be drawn from a larger field. We must take into ac-
count the antecedents of -the act. Granted that a man
is beside himself—that he is not acting as a perfectly
sane person would act, when he draws the trigger of a
pistol against his fellow-man, or steals up to the side of
his bed at night and draws a razor across his throat
while he is asleep ; but such temporary frenzy is not a
sufficient palliation of his act in the eye of reason, nor in
the contemplation of the English law. Nor will a de-
ranged act of the nervous system, nor even an organic
lesion of the brain, constitute insanity. Neither the
fretfulness of shaken health nor the dark broodings
of the vicious man over the consequences of his own acts
are madness. Still less would it be proper to argue in a
circle that because a man is a great criminal therefore he
is mad, and because mad, therefore a great criminal ;
for, in this case, the greatest monsters who have dis-
graced human nature would be rather objects of sym-
pathy and consideration than of abhorrence and pun-
ishment.

Now, the case of Anne Brough is this :—She was a
woman of evil life ; nor could she plead the strong pas-
sions and ill-regulated mind of youth in palliation of her
disorders. She was forty-three years of age ; she was
the mother of six children ; her husband is living, and,
for all that has appeared, behaved himself with regard
to her and so his family with all affection and propriety.
Despite of all these powerful inducements to respectable
and orderly life, the wretched woman gave herself up to
a course of intrigue and debauchery. Her husband at
length became aware of her misconduct, but wished to
obtain absolute proof of her guilt before separating from
the mother of his six children. He caused her to be
watched when she went up to London a day or two before
the 9th ofJune last. The result of this proceeding was that
she was seen to enter a brothel with her paramour ; and
of her actual guilt there could, of course, remain no rea-
sonable doubt. When she returned to the quiet little
cottage at Esher where her six children were,
she was met by her incensed husband, who reproached
her with her atrocious misconduct, and announced his
intention of separating from her fel. ever. The poor
man quitted his home himself, instead of turning the
guilty wretch out of doors, and left her alone with the
children. What her thoughts must have been at that
dreadful moment it would be difficult to say who has
not been struck to the earth himself with all the over-
whelming consciousness of detected guilt ; but it is diffi-
cult to believe that she could have been much nearer
the borders of insanity than upon previous occasions,
when she had returned to her home rank with pollution,
and compelled to keep up the outward forms of inno-
cence before her deceived husband. At least, her
actions give no outward evidence of distraction. She
remained the next day in bed, and wished, as she said,
to obtain some medicine from the surgeon. In the
evening she walked about, and, having put the chil-
dren to bed about 9 o'clock, tried to go to sleep on the
chair downstairs. One of her little girls kept calling for
her mother to come to bed, and during the early part
of the night some among the children continued asking
her to bring them some barleywater. This went on
until about twelve o'clock, when the tragedy began.
" Some of the children,"—we copy a few lines out of
her confession—" then went to sleep. I could not rest.
I had one candle lit on the chair. I could not see,
and I went and got another candle, but still
could not see." She could, however, see where to lay her
hand on, and where to get, the second candle. " There
was something like a cloud over my eyes. I thought I
would go down, get a knife, and cut my own throat.
I could not find my way down. At last I found my
husband's keys, and then his razor." It then appears
that she straightway went to the bedside of ber little
daughter Georgians, and "cut" her, but without look-
ing at her. She next proceeded to Carry, and " cut"
her, and then to Henry. The poor little thing said,
"Don't, mother !" She simply answered, " I must,"
and cut his throat. She then killed her little boy Wil-
liam in the same way, but he was fast asleep. She was
obliged to turn him over that she might execute her
purpose. The two remaining children, Harriet and
George, were awake, but they seem to have offered no
resistance to the murderess. When all was over the
fiendish wretch turned the razor against herself, but her
hand was not so sure at suicide as at murder. When
she came to herself the " nasty great
.black cloud was
gone !"
Such is the account the murderess gives of her own
proceedings, and upon this account—the account,
namely, of a person who assumes to describe her own feel-
ings when labouring under a fit of insanity—the verdict
of the jury must in good measure be supposed to rest.
.But let us pass over this point, and presume that the
jury heard this statement as though they had heard it
not, and that it counted for nothing in their decision.
When we come to seek for other evidence upon which
the verdict might have been based, we find that this
murderess, in the interval which elapsed between the
commission of the crime and her arraignment the other
day at Guildford, conducted herself in every respect
sanely and rationally—indeed, the artistic manner in
which the confession is worded would do credit to a
romance writer of the Victor Hugo school. It was cer-
tainly not the production of a maniac. The medical
testimony is the turning point of the case. Dr. Izod,
her habitual medical attendant, deposed that after her
confinement
and lost
ementit September, 185e2r left,sh side. She
she was atckedb
paralysis,osttlieuseo of h
gradu-
ally recovered, but he observed symptoms of a disordered
brain—what these symptoms were does not appear is
the report of the trial. He saw her on the Wednesday
before the murder, and cautioned her strongly not to
excite herself, but did not think it necessary to give
e
always had about her " an apparent tendency of
her any medicine, as there were no new symptoms. Sh
blood
to the head." Dr. Forbes Winslow was the great me-
dical authority in the case. He admitted that paralysis
may exist without disease in the brain, although in this
exist.case During his interview with the prisoner in
he was inclined to think such disease might
the gaol he could observe no symptoms of insanity
about her. He had known cases of temporary insanity
in which the patient became suddenly under the in flu-
ence of a strong homicidal impulse, which he sought to
gratify even at the expense of persons with whom he
had formerly lived on the most affectionate terms. ltl
answer to questions from the Court, Dr. Forbes Win-.
slow stated that he believed the prisoner's brain had
been in a disordered state ever since her attack of para-
lysis in 1852, and that the fact of her having watched by
the sick beds of her children for two nights might have
aggravated the pee-existing tendency. The "dark
cloud," too, of which the prisoner spoke in her confes-
sion, was an ordinary accompaniment of the paroxysm
in the case of persons attacked with a temporary fit of
suicidal and homicidal mania in combination. No won-
' der that Mr. Justice Erie, in his charge to the jury,
protested against the doctrine that, if it was presumed
that a crime had been committed under the influence of
an uncontrollable impulse, therefore a prisoner was to
be excused on the ground of insanity. Well did the
learned judge observe—" Lrudoubtedly every crime is
committed under the influence of some impulse,' and the
object of the law is to control impulses of that descrip-
tion, and so prevent crime." If the defence of insanity
could be made out in the case of Anne Brough, we know
not what murderer can henceforth be brought to justice
for his crimes. In ordinary cases it would have been
taken that, as there was no substantial evidence of her;
disordered mind to be obtained from the testimony 2.
re
her neighbours, the medical presumptions were intit,.
clent to set aside the yet more violent presumption
wilful murder—the act of a vindictive woman upon os
n r
the
discovery of her enormous guilt —Times.

THE BARNSTAPLE ELECTION.—Two gentlemen of op-
posite politics have announced themselves as candidates
for the borough—Mr. R. S. Guinness, the well-known
porter brewer, who comes forward in the Conservative,
and Mr. Tite, the eminent architect, of London, and
chairman of the North Devon Railway Company, in
the Liberal interest. It is rumoured that another Con-
servative gentleman will come forward to contest the

gare two candidates for the
borough.
halready th
I.lt.hTsTbiolerroeu in e field, Mr.
W. H. Watson, both of whom have
Dichson and
(I addresses to ...he electors. The former gentleman
issued
himself " a true Conservative in principle,"
announces
nnaodvocate of " perfect liberty of conscience," but " an
auaitriching opponent of Popery, and determined to resist
the insidious attempts that are now being made to secure
representation u L Erefor:f.
for it a position in this country." Mr. Watson is a
member of the London bar, and comes forward on
Liberal and Reform principles." Major-General
Thompson declines to come forward unless freedom frees
all expense is guaranteed to him.

r

IftEATut T.OfAL BRIM?' LAME;
Lessee, Ur. E. T. Smith.
THIS EVENING, AuGust 12,

the First Lord of the Admiralty and the President
of the Board of Control—we cannot but think
that to some extent, at least, we are indebted to
the Emperor NAPOLEON'S individual magnanimity.

Will be Performed Denizettes Opera, LUCREZIA BORGIA .
Characters by Mme. Carstiori, Mies Fanny Huddart, Signors Ore-
gorio, Paves!, Santi, Sonheirn.
To conclude with a favourite BALLE r DIVERTISSEMENT.
Prices--Galiery, Is. ; rt, 25.; tipper Boxes. 3a. ; First Circle. 48' ;
Dress Circle, 55.; Stalls, 71. ; and Private Box's, One, Two, Three,
and Four Guineas each.

Like Mr. GRADGRIND we had been accustomed
to place considerable dependence on " facts and
figures." We had fondly imagined that the evi-
dence contained in the quarterly returns of the
Revenue could not be controverted or denied,
that there could be no "cooking" of the national
accounts, but that implicit confidence might, at
least, be reposed in the important document given
to the community. On each successive quarter day
we have, however, been convinced of our mistake.
Our pet financier has taught us "how dangerous
it is to form a judgment from statements of this
character, which are very partial in their form,
which are perhaps not as happily arranged and
adjusted as they might be, and which he sincerely
trusts he may succeed in improving." We have
learned a painful but salutary lesson, that we are
to trust nothing presented to us by the Govern-
ment, but that we are to regard every matter,
however plausible, as being at the best calculated
to deceive, and to lead astray from the true state
of affairs.

THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET.
Under the management of Mr. Ruckstone.
THIS EVENING, Auons2 12,
Will ba performed THE OLD CHATEAU. Claaracters by
and
am Messrs.
Rowe, Rogers, H. Marston, and Boekstone ; DirS. Fitzwilli,
Jess Reynolds.
Followed by the SPANISH DANCERS in a GRAND BALLET.
The new Farce AS LIKE AS TWO PEAS.

ROYAL OLYMPIC THEA.TRE.
Lessee and Manager, 31r- A• Wigan*
THIS EVENING, AUGUST 12,
WTI be performed TO OBLIGE BENSON. Supported by Messrs.
'Emery, Robson, and Leslie; Miss Marston, and Miss E. 1 urner.
To be followed by THE FIRST NIGHT. Characters by Messrs.
Alfred Wigan, Leslie, Harwood Cooper, and Vincent ; Miss P. Hor-
ton, and Miss Emily Ormonde.
To cone:tide with the Farce of THE WANDERING MINSTREL.
Jam Beggs, Mr. F. Robson-

STRAND THEATRE.
Sole Lea*ee Mr. F. W. Allcroft.
THIS EVENING, Auousr 12,

win be performed THE MILLER'S MAID.
Fenowed by FAUST AND MARGUERITE. Mephistopheles,
mt. gamord; Faust, Miss G. Hodson; Marguerite, Miss a Gordon.
To conclude with EOMBASTES FURIOSO.

The Right Honourable Gentleman tells us that
the apparent decrease was " entirely fallacious ;"
and that, although the returns showed an apparent
falling off of the ordinary revenue on the quarter
ending sth July, of about 570;000l. (577,144/.),
" yet the revenue of the second quarter of the
financial year, from permanent sources, fairly
estimated, was equal to the second quarter of last
year, notwithstanding the great reduction of taxa-
tion that had taken place !"
This is a very. startling, but, at the same time,
a very satisfactory state of affairs. Unfortunately,
however, we cannot take it entirely on credit,
and must examine for ourselves assertions so
greatly calculated to upset all our previous con-
ceptions, and to induce a state of confirmed
" scepticism" in every public officer and every
public man.

stalls, 45.; Boxes, 2s. 6d.; Pit, Is.; Gallery, 6d.; Private Boxes
II Is. to be had of Mr. Allcroft, 15, New Bond-street.

ROYAL SURREY ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.

"This place fills up an hiatus which the Crystal Palace leaves
"wanting. Vocal and instrumental music of the first order, and a
display of fireworks which exceeds all imagination, are a fitting
close to a day at the Crystal Palace."
DANSO.N'S COLOSSAL PANORAMA of CHUSAN.
Splendid and Extensive Menagerie and Marine Aquariam—lTnri-
valled Military Band.

VOCAL and INSTRUMENTAL CONCERT,
In which —0.'13 Poole, Miss Ransford. and Mr. Manvers sing
several National and Patriotic Songs—All the Amusing Novelties
of the Gardens in succession, concluding with the " Feast of Lan-
terns," and a most magnificent display of Fireworks by Southby.
Admission One Shilling. A splendid Pavilion for Dancing has been
erected. Full Quadrille Band, &c.

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.
Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke.
The popular p'ecc, the Cossacks, whose career hat been most suc-
eessful, will shortly be withdrawn, to admit the production of a
Grand Military Spectacle, embracing many of the principal events
of the present War between Russia and Turkey !
Enthusiastic reception of the new Equestrian Ballet d'Action, the
poetry of motion 1
THIS EVENING, AUGUST 12,
And daring the week, THE COSSACKS; or, Vive la France.
After which, LES PREUVES DU GENIE, or S nes In the Circle,
invented and arranged by Mr. William Cooke, who, in the course of
the evening, will exhibit (upon his hand) a horse whose height is
only 15 inches.
HERR CURISTOFF, the first Rope Dancer in the universe.

------
To conclude with the new Equestrian Ballet d'Adlon, by Mrs. S.
(1. Healey, called THE KNIGH r AND THE WATER LILY ; or,
Love among the Mermaids.

Box-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W
West.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
Tuts DAY —Morning 26 min.after 4 Evening 48 snin.aft. 4
To-Moaaow—Morning 8 nain.after 5 I Evening 28 min•af 5

THE WEATHER.—Sm 4 Owns, AUG. 12.
THICEMOMETER, IN THE SHAER].
72 highest since noon on Saturday.
61—lowest this morning and during the night.
72—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 30'03—steady.
WIND, S.W..—Light, with fine weather.

= ,
,

un„

LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 12, 1854.

A retrospect of the Parliamentary Session,
which terminated this afternoon, is rendered
altogether unnecessary, because the result of its
proceedings may be compressed into one blunt
dissyllable—nothing. Nothing of good, nothing
of advantage to the community, no reforms, no
retrenchment--on the contrary, only the increase
of the burdens of the State by the imposition of
10,000,000 Z. additional, in the way of annual
taxation, levied, of course, upon the already over-
burdened tax-paying population. And as if to
add to the vexation of this supplementary dead
weight upon the country—a considerable part of
this new incubus secured through the circumstance
of the most obnoxious of all the taxes being—with
all its imperfections unremoved, all its notorious
injustice, all its odious inequality of distribution
—doubled ! Literally, the labours of the Session
in the House of Commons may be described,
without any exaggeration, as having been restricted
to the duty of providing sufficient funds for
the carrying on of the business of the Govern-
ment. While the toils of the Session in the
House of Lords may, without extravagance, be
said to have been drowsily eked out by the prosing
• of worn-out statesmen like the Earl of ABERDEEN,
in language sometimes so ambiguous in itself, or
so revolting to the common sense of the people
out of doors, as to necessitate a craven retracting
of the more obnoxious phrases through the medium
of timorous, and halting, and, after all, wholly
unsatisfactory explanations. But for the votes
of money in the Commons, and the wranglings of
what was said and what was not said by the Prime
Minister of England in the Lords—there would
be little enough to relate of the now completed
Session of the Legislature. Beyond what we
have already specified as the distinguish-
ing peculiarities of this deplorable Session,
we can only recognise in the two Houses a succes-
sion of empty and idle incidents, leading to no
results whatever, either among the hereditary, or
among the popular representatives. In the Lords
the occasional administration to the Leaders of
the Cabinet of casual correction in the way of
sarcastic witticisms on the conduct of Ministers,
now by Earl GB.EY, now by the Marquis of CLAN-
RICARDE. In the Commons, by the perpetual
threatening of a debate upon the subject of Russia
by the Member for Aylesbury, and of a debate
upon the subject of Greece by the Member for
Manchester—all ending in the silence of men too
indifferent to the cause they pretended to have at
heart, or too timid to venture upon bringing
boldly to task, for once and for all, the most un-
- - popular, and the most divided of Governments.
.Inappropriately enough and by the oddest
of ridiculous accidents, the session will be
known henceforth as the one during the
course
of which first came into operation,
' • in the metropolis,
tion of Smoke. the Act for the Proven-
Smoke, forsooth, in which alone
everything has ended
. able session, during this same lament-
so far i
as the Legislature itself
cerned. From Lord Jonal s con-
Russmes scheme of a
new Reform Bill—to Mr. Lmr ,
MID s motion for a
debate upon the Russian
war anitdithe previous
diplomatic negotiations leading to
promised modifications of the From the
item of Pauper
removal to the vaunted benefaction h
whic we were
told, over and over again, the country
was going
to receive from the benignant genius of the Right
Hon. the present Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Everything has ended in smoke—except the ne-
cessity for increased taxation. There, at least,
we may find solid facts enough for the
satisfaction of a BOUNDERBY, or of a
MA CCHOAXEMCHILD. Facts to the tune of
. 10,000,0001. in the way of annual addition to
the already well " taxed" responsibilities of the
Population. A war, a doubled Income Tax, a
general abandonment of further reforms of any
and
every kind whatsoever, a continuance of
Lord AB
in power—such are among the
chief Rix
resof the Parliamentary Session which
, has just terminated.
= which As a set-off against all
can be mentioned the one fact of the cor-
dial alliance between our own and the French
Imperial Government. For the which—remem-
bering what was said MAJF.SrY once
Upon a time, and not so oyfer his y
long ago either, by

In order to do so fairly and impartially we
must consider the circumstances under which the
statement was made, and the impression which
the Right Hon. Gentleman wished to convey, so
that we may ascertain whether that impression
was justified and confirmed by the real state cf
affairs. The Honourable Baronet the Member for
Evesham had stated that the whole expenditure
of the country would be from 64,000,0001. to
65,000,0001. for the year, and he inquired
whether that enormous sum "would be defrayed
by taxes within the year, or if that were not
possible, and that the principle, which was
laid down at the commencement of the Ses-
sion could not be carried into effect, to what
extent would the Right Hon. Gentleman be
compelled to abandon that principle ?" It was in
answer to this searching interrogatory that the
Financial Minister explained the fallacy of trusting
to the evidence previously supposed to be con-
clusive, and emphatically declared that " with
'regard to the whole of the 570,0001., the ap-
parent decrease was entirely fallacious !" The
plain intent and meaning of this was, that there
was no real deficiency or falling off in any of the
leading ordinary branches of revenue, and that
the en tire of the additional taxel would be
available to meet the extra expenditure, if not
immediately, or without availing himself of tem-
porary loan; without any permanent addition to
the National Debt. Indeed he declared this
very explicitly in these words :—" The House
provided the Government with a taxing power,
which, when added to the available surplus
revenue, was equal to the expenses of the war, as
they were estimated for the year ; and the money
advance of the present year, when received,
he had no doubt would be fully equal
to these expenses ; so that, if they were happy
enough to have peace proclaimed before the sth
of April next, he should be completely enabled to
liquidate these expenses without adding one shilling
to the national debt."

Here, then, there can be no mistake or mis-
apprehension. The statement is perfectly distinct
and intelligible, and nothing can be more satis-
factory, if it be perfectly accurate, and sustained
by the actual facts. The Right Honourable
Gentleman establishes his case in the following
manner :

Ist. By the deficiency
,in Crown Lands,
amounting in round terms to 140,000/.
2dly. By 233,000/. having been paid on the
sth of April as duty on teas that were not taken
out until the following day, and which were
credited in the former quarter, although of right
belonging to that ending the sth July.
3dly. Because the returns did not include that
of the entire Kingdom ; and if• the receipts from
Ireland had been noticed an increase would have
been found, which would have disposed of the
whole of the remaining 200,0001.
Now, on the first point, it is only right to
give the Chancellor of the Exchequer credit for
the full amount claimed, 140,000/. It was an
exceptional payment, which came to hand in the
second quarter of last year, and which enhanced
the receipts for that quarter to 200,888/., and
for the year to 392,8881. The estimate for the
present year contained in the first budget was
but 259,0001., or a reduction of 133,1121., and
the actual deficiency on the quarter was 135,8881.
This, although not quite 140,0001., .is sufficiently
near to justify the assertion, and we therefore
admit that portion of the statement to be com-
pletely verified.

. We are not, however, quite so clear on the
second part thereof, as to the 233,0001. received
for duties on tea, not delivered until the Gth of
April, and which, therefore, it is said, should have
been credited to the last quarter. The actual de-
ficiency on the quarter was 367,4941. If the
233,0001. were taken from that, it would reduce
it to .134,4941., but it would increase that of the
preceding quarter from 106,8911. to 339,891/.
The fact remains unexplained (save by the reduc-
tions in taxation), that on the half-year the reduc-
tion in the Customs' Duties has been no less than
474,385/., or nearly 50,000/., (49,385/.) more
than the Right Hon. Gentleman estimated as the
falling off for the entire year. We cannot, there-
fore, consider the credit thus claimed as fairly
established on the statement in reference thereto
as by any means either creditable or satisfactory.
The third part of the assertion, in reference to
the Irish Revenue; has even less foundation. Can
the Right Hon. Gentleman for a moment assert
that the Irish Returns were included in those of
the second quarter of 1853? Certainly not.
Why, then, should they be inserted in the pre-
sent one in order to institute a fair comparison
between the two ? There can be no possible
ground for so doing. Besides, the increase in
Ireland may be ascribed to " the new taxing power
with which the House provided the Government,"
to the development of the Income Tax so recently
extended to Ireland, and to its duplication, and to
the additional charges on spirits, malt, d;c. They
do not, therefore, show that " the apparent de-
crease was entirely fallacious." Inasmuch as they
have nothing to do one way or the other with
that decrease, we fear that we cannot accept the
satisfaction which the Chancellor of the Exchequer
deigned to bestow, but that we must still acknow-
ledge that there has been a deplorable deficiency
on the last quarter when compared with the cor-
responding period of last year.

DEATH OF VISCOUNT JOCELYN, M.P.
We deeply regret to have to announce the sudden
death of Viscount Jocelyn, M.P., Colonel of the Essex
Rifles, from cholera. We are informed his lordship,
while on duty with the Essex Rifles at the Tower yester-
day (Friday) afternoon, was seized suddenly with the
most serious symptoms of cholera. At his request, his
lordship was removed to Viscount Palmerston's town
residence in Carlton-gardens, where the most eminent
medical skill was soon in attendance, but, we grieve to
say, all to no avail : his lordship expired at two o'clock
this (Saturday) morning.

I The Earl of Roden (father of the deceased viscount),
who was staying in town, was, with other members of
the family, present at the time of his dissolution, and
immediately afterwards a telegraphic message was for-
warded to the Countess of Roden, in Ireland.—Morning

THE SUN, LONDON; SATURDAY EVENING; A tTGATVII 12, 1084;

LATEST NEWS.

THE WAR.

THE BALTIC.

DANTZIC, Aug. 11.—Three thousand French
soldiers and six hundred English marines landed
at three points on Aland, with little interruption,
and no loss, on Tuesday last.
The forts have not been attacked, but were to
be on Wednesday.

Admiral Napier is in the Bulldog at Bomarsund.
Her Majesty's ship Royal William, off the Island
of Aland, July 31.
—---- - - - - -

We arrived here all well last night, with nearly 2000
souls on board, and no- accident ( whatever occurred on
the voyage. The Edinburgh, Ajax, Hogue, Blenheim,
and several French line-of-battle ships, take part in the
attack. Ten thousand soldiers, under the protection of
small steamers, will endeavour to effect a landing. Ad-
miral Plumridge arrived here this morning. is squa-
dron is off here somewhere. The Russians have 2,000
men in Aland, 500 horse soldiers, besides several hun-
dred riflemen. The chief fort has SO guns of large
calibre. There are two others with 14 guns each. It
will be sad and dreadful work. The narrow passage
through which the ship must pass can be fired at simul-
taneously from the large fort, the point of danger. We
are, I hear, to bring home the prisoners. I can see no
hope, not the least chance, of taking any other place.
Helsinefors has 40,000 men at the guns alone. It cannot
be taken with less than 150,000 men. Aland will be
taken and kept by the French for the winter. Nothing
more will be done this year.