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London, England, 1854-10-31 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1854.

Prince MENSCHIEOFF again gives information
to the enemies of Russia ! The veracious General
certainly deserves credit from his Imperial Master,
for his imaginative powers and the zeal and energy
displayed in his various attempts to keep up the
spirits of faint-hearted Muscovites. The author,
or embellisher, who could discover a Russian vic-
tory in the battle of Alma, and give such glowing
details thereof, as to lead to a Te Deum in the
chief towns of Russia, as an acknowledgment for
the miraculous successes that attended the armies
of the AUTOCRAT, must possess a rich vein of
fancy, peculiarly valuable under existing circum-
stances. It is, indeed, of vital importance to the
defeated General that it should be so. He can-
not venture to deceive NICHOLAS. • For that the
punishment, would be sharp and decisive. It might
not merely be Siberia. In " Holy Russia " the
knout is no respecter of persons, and the most
exalted rank beneath the Throne affords no ade-
quate guarantee that the owner will not be com-
pelled " to eat stick," as a flagellation is
denominated in Eastern parlance. If MEN-
SCHIKOFF w..re, therefore, simple enough to
narrate "the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing tilt the truth," it would not be
degradation, only, or the mere removal from
a pos-n which he would gladly abandon,
but banishment to those dreary regions, fi,) uni-
versally dreacted thr9ughout the wide-spread terri-
tories of.. the CUR ; or possibly compulsory
service, not as-a. General, or even as a commis-
sioned officlr, but aka common soldier, living on
the coarse fare, and exposed to all the hardships
incidentarfa`the situation.
But NICHOLAS is well aware of the importance
may say the imperative necessity—of
representing everything coieur de
rose at
St. Petersburg, and throughout the interior of
Russia. There is even in that land of slavery
a public opinion that cannot at times be suppressed
or controlled. It is title that it is restrained and
checked, but it is not, on that account, the less
formidable. The necessity for concealment renders
the feeling more intense. It is treasured in the
heart of hearts, and woe to the rulers if it should
receive audible expression, and its voice be heard
breaking the long-continued. silence. The pun-
ishment of limisemlconr would reveal the true
state of the case, and bring the odium, not on
the unlucky,; General who had lost or materially
endangered the Russian stronghold in the Euxine,
and even the ceiraea itself, but on the author of
all these disasters, the man whose indomitable
y p
pride
and griping cuidit • • brought all these evils
on the nation over which he exercises despotic
sway. NICHOLAS, therefore, tolerates MENSCHIKOFF
so long as he can beguile the people, and the
latter knows that his safety depends on the ferti-
lity of his genius for composition. Never had
author stronger incentives, and few have better
succeeded in raising stately superstructures of men-
dacity on the narrowest foundation of truth, hiving
many -" bushels of chaff to each grain of corn."
Certainly, MENSCHIKOFF will not share the fate of
" the brave man who lived before AGA3IRKNON."
He, at least, will never require the aid of a poet
to sing his exploits.
The last
,ME_NSCHIKOFF desp..tch professes to
carry on the accounts to the 23d inst. It is to the
effect that the siege had been carried on uninter-
edly, but that the fortifications had suffered
but littre ; " that the attack on the sea
.side had
not be.4:11 -xenewed ;" and that the Russians had
" nu'aena: s ccessful sortie, amd that a French bat-
tery of elexenssimp anfi,eight mortars 10 beef?,

destroyed." This is the purport of the despatch,
with the addition that Lord DIINKELLIN, captain
in the Coldstream Guards, eldest son of the
Marquis of CLA.NRICA.RDE, who so ably and
fearlessly expressed his opinions of., the short-
comings of the English Government on many
occasions during the past Session, and
Grandson of GEORGE CANNING, had fallen into
the hands of the Russians. We fear that there
may be but too much foundation for the latter
part of the story. Even MENSCHIKOFF would
hardly venture to give expression to a lie so very
easy of detection. We trust, however, that it
will be but a temporary inconvenience to this
high-minded and excellent young Nobleman, who
surrendered his post as one of the aides-de-camp
to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, to share the
dangers of his brave companions in arms at the
scene of warfare.
We learn from the Russians that the bombard-
ment by land continued uninterruptedly on the
23d, a sufficient proof that no serious disaster
had occurred to the Allied Forces up to
the 23d ; but as to the statement that the
fortifications had suffered but little, we have
already learned from trustworthy witnesses how
totally devoid of truth were the similar statements
previously forwarded by MENSCHIKOFF. We have
also learned the cause of the cessation of the at-
tack ou the sea-side—namely, that the batteries
to which the English and French ships were op-
posed had been either destroyed or silenced ; that,
1 in fact, the only works which the dastardly sinking
of the Russian Fleet left possible for attack had
been completely and efficiently performed. The
sortie is possible, but we rhore than doubt the spiking
of the guns and mortars. That an attack was made
on, the French battery we can easily credit, but
not with the success chimed against our 'brave
and efficient-allies. On the whole, there is no-
thing to occasion alarm in these despatches, or
even regret, save for the temporary capture of the
.:aliant DUNKELLIN !

• Pending the fall .of Sebastopol, the country
r'ecins to be awaiting With hardly secondary
anxiety the fall of bread. Earmers; millers,-corn
fan ...ors, and. bakers are watched with almost as
loitch keenness and half-uttered • hostility-as the
I:4lssians and Cossacks. The dealers in wheat,
flour, and bread have an advantage, however,
whiola our tfflittary opponents want. They can
mystify us, and possibly are mystified themselve.
Wie- do not understand why we have to pay .9,.
I much for wheat, and the lucky farmers rub their
hands over the market table, and wonder they
have got so much. When the millers and bakers,
in. the face of the late prodigious fall, kept up
prices till the country could bear the itn-
pudence no longer, we all knew where the
..
fault lay. The trade was aware_ that it could
eii4y resist the proper, consequence .of a fall in
wheat, till it. had done so long enough to tempt
additional persons to invest their capital in what
wag clearly a most lucrative concern. As soon as
any serious danger arose of the respectable jour-
neyman borrowing a little capital on his own
character,:and setting up master for himself, they
began to give way. The public, however, saw
clearly in that case where the delinquency lay,
and could direct its fire with precision. The trade'
was fairly beaten. The quartern loaf went down.
So long, however; had the broad manufacturers
held Ott% that they had hardly come down to a
fair prici3—indeed; in some instances it still re-
mained much too high—than, the fall of wheat
was checked, prices began -to rise, and instantly
those who were so slow to drop were quick

enough to rise. When wheat was falling
slow indeed was the quartern loaf to give
signs of that fall; but no sooner does
it begin to rise than the loaf rose even by antici-
pation. A change of ss. 6d. per quarter in the
price of wheat is (giving the turn to the baker
too) equivalent to one halfpenny in the quartern
loaf; but many of our readers know only too well
that wheat had not advanced to that extent ere
the halfpenny began to be added.

This time, however, the public does not clearly
see where to point its artillery. The baker only
follows the seller of grain (albeit, so much more
rapidly than he did two months ago), but why the
seller demands, and gets more, the public, and
even the wise ones, seems not to know. Besides
the sellers are so many, and the sons of the soil
have hewer been held amenable for high prices,
as, in truth, they seldom have much to
do with it. Just now, however, we rather think
they are in great part the cause. They have been
availing themselves of the fair weather since they
got rain enough to work the land, to get their
wheat into the ground. As prices had gone down
so much they had no temptation on that score to
thresh, and as last year filled their pockets better
than usual they wero not compelled to send their
corn:to market to meet the Michaelmas demands
of Weir landlords. Hence our home market lies
been.but slowly supplied. At the same time im-
portation received several checks. The appre-
hension from drought in America, now known to
he in great part unfounded, the difficulty from
purely mechanical causes, of providing flour
from an excellent harvest in France, for
its coast population to which we were
practically nearer than its own interior, but, above
all, the sudden drop of price in this country con-
curred to deter merchants from importing ; and
hence the unusually small supplies of foreign corn.
The smallness of stocks in hand is also frequently
alleged. This, however, is of less importance this
season than it generally is, since the new wheat
was harvested in such excellent condition as to be
nearly ready for the mill at once. One fact is
very 'striking, and due entirely to the rapid trans-
mission of intelligence between merchants all over
Europe ; the simultaneous rise of prices in this
and the Continental markets. Few now can anti-
cipate their equally well-informed neighbours by
large purchases from those ignorant. of the state
of the buyer's market. Whatever lies the tele-
graph tells about the war, our merchants find it

veracious enough for their purposes. We do no

remember that Mark-lane, or Dantzic,ever
had to complain of any hoax like that which was
played off upon us all a few weeks ago.
The causes of high prices for corn to which we
have adverted all appear likely to be in great
part but temporary. Ample harvests on the Con-
tinent must soon tell upon the foreign markets ;
they will want none from us, but probably be
prepared to spare us some. Canada will more
than make up for any deficiency in the States.
France has prohibited grain to be wasted in dis-
tillation. The Danube is, or ought to be, free ;
and the agricultural wealth of those provinces
where the serfs of NICHOLAS have not destroyed
it, may be expected to reach us in due time,

while our own abundant harvest must come
in at last. We have seen, indeed, an occa-
sional statement impugning the general opin-
ion as regards the Eastern Counties ; and, in-
deed, so far as our personal observation goes,
we incline to think that, though good, yet
it having been a dry summer, the crops in this
district have not been so unusually good as in the
South, West, and North. We, cannot but hope,
therefore, that prices will moderate before long.
ealeis and farmers toget4er have Tut
0.1.4
The d pretty

much in their hands, it is true, till importations
can arrive ; but so surely as we have a very large
crop of first-rate quality, and the Continent has
more than it needs, so surely must we have rea-sonable prices long before next harveit. On Mon-
dty the oscillation the right way began again.
Whether it be the commencement of a more con-
siderable fall, or only a fluctuation at a high
level, remains to be seen. Of our neighbours the
bakers we only demand that the halfpenny a loaf
follOw as instantly every fall of five shillings per
quarter; as it has hitherto done every rise to that
amount. • •

The more We reflect upon the " fate of the
FRANKLIN Expedition," the less we are inclined
to believe that.this nibble band of adventurers re-
sented to cannibalism: No—they never resorted
to such horrors. We must have stronger proof,
clearer evidenee of such a state of things, before
we can bring our minds to this belief.
That the FRANKLIN expedition is dead, almost
to a man, we have little doubt. Survivors, how-
ever, there may be still ; and, some day or other,
some relics, such as have been found upon the
Esquimaux by Dr. RAE, may bear upon them
some mark, some token of a prolonged existence.
To our minds the "relics" bear evidence, the
most indisputable, that the " FRANKLIN Expedi-
tion"—at least the remnant at the mouth of the
Great. Fish River—has died a death of violence ;
and it is deeply to be rekretted. that Dr. RAE, upon
such slender evidence, should have so summarily
decided their fate, and turned from Pelly Bay,
when the distance between him and all that was
mortal of our
.gallan.t immortal' Countrymen was
little more than hundrecl:miles:'

Cannibalism: i—the. lgallantSir JOHN FRANKLIN
a..cannibal—such men as 'CROZIER, FITiJAILES,
STANLEY; Goonsin, cannibals i Man eating man.
civilised .mailidaring to meet his" Maker in a
country in which cannibalism has no place—in a
condition in wliich the "savages, so called, of
the Great American Continent, th4tk GOD, never
dare to meet heir Maker—in :la part of the
world, where ::the ::severest punishment is
iure to be 'his dowry an ignominious death and
grave.. Such. is tho.law_of the Red man.
In this state. 4 feeling we turned to the nal-
.atices of the Expedition in march of Sir JoHN
Ross .dovirx the, Gret. Fish. River. We began
with Dr.:KING'S narrative, which we pronounced

Lt the time of its publication to be. of bold,

.dventure and:stirriiig incident. ?: We quote
to-d:ty, what he has: said :4:?,f dealings, or
rather the dealings of his. chief; Sir GEORGE
atOK, • With the Esquimau.—withthose in-
reresting, but, as
.it -. has been often found,
treacherous, members' cf the great human
thrnily: And ie say;: with .the devoted brother,

of one of the crew of the Terror, in his letter, pub-,
fished in our impression of yesterday, from the
limes of the same day; that, Dr. RAE .has been
deeply reprehensible, •either: in not verifying the
reports which lie received flom the Esquiwaux,
or that was absolutely out of the question, in
publishing:the details .ef that report, resting as
they do on ;rounds. most weak and unsatisfactory.
FRI had far betterhave tep tsitence altogether than.
have given us a .storyThichi- while it pains the
feelings of many,
.riiiisttte "Very. insufficient for all."'

July 28, 1834,—.-" We descried a party of Esquimaux,
tented on the eastern boOdary of a fall, who, as soon
as they perceived .us, commenced running to and fro
in the greatest confusiom• Perceiving it was our in-
tention to land, they approached the boat, nine in num-
ber, and baying formed .themselves into a semicircle,
commenced an a.ddreis: in a loud tone, of voice, ele7
rating and depressing both- their arms at fhe same time,
a sign of peace. They inotionni us to put off from
the shore, and at the same time-uttered some unintel•
ligible words, with a wildness 'of gesticulation that
clearly showed they were under
.the highest state of
-xcitement. At the sound of tinta,- peace ; kubloona,
white people—they ceased. yelling, and one and all laid
down their spears,' and cOtnmenOed alternately patting
their breasts and pointing to heaven. After this mani-
festation of their peaceful intentions, we landed and
shook them heartily by the hand." A graphic account
of this race follows,. but our present purpose compels us
to pass on to more Important notices of this "race of
fishermen."*

August 22, 1831.—" We reached the `Fall' where
tho Esquimaux, were first discovered. To our great
astonishment, they had disappeared. This was the more
singular, as we parted with them on the most friendly
terms."t
August 26, 1834.-- "Beached our cache of two bags
of pernican. It had evidently been opened, and the
contents examined, :though carefUlly covered .up again,
which was attributed to the Esquimaux,; and as several
of their encampments were found close by, this was very
likely to have been the case.":
August 22.—" Just on opening the view of
Lake Franklin, • the Esquimaux were perceived
flying with the utmost consternation to the far-
distant hills, where they. could .be just made out
with our telescopes as living objects. Their
tents were deserted and their canoes secreted ; a
conduct so widely different from what had been expected
from our first interview that we were convinced some-
thing extraordinary must have taken place. Nor could
this be in any way' accounted for until our arrival in
England, when it was ascertained the three men des-
patched to Mount Barrow, whose evasive manner at the
timegave indications that something unusual had oc-
curred, fell in during their march with a party of Esquimaux
and for an instant retreated. The natives, in following
them, fired a ftiw arrows, upon which the men turned
and discharged their guns, killed three of the party, and
probably wounded .. others,it being the practice
with the voyagers to oad their fowling-pieces
with 'two balls, 'so as to give them a double chance of
securing their game.ll The natives, thoroughly dismayed
at seeing their countrymen fall around them, fled in the
greatest disorder, and the men, equally alarmed, betook
thenuelveS'to flight Atso.
" It is alarnentablle fact, that this ill-fated people have
hitherto met with nothing but merciless warfare from
those whites who have visited their . lands. It is to
be hoped this sad example will operate as a
warning toy future travellers. never •to send a party of
men for any distance in ,newlx-discovered country,
without oilF or other:bf the officers, composing the party
.acc.impanying them... A practice exists amongst some of
the tribes to fire blunt arrows in token of their peaceful
intentions which, in' all probability, was the case with
these Esquimaux, tOi..igh the. men were labouring under
tub much fear to ascertain the fact. •If it was so, and the
friendly conduce of the natives, in' the first instance,
justifies tl4, correctness of the assu4tion,.that unfortu-
eaie affair is to be tit's; more.deeply .deplored:
"A depression of spirits (remarks Capt. Back) in the
:nen who visited Mount BarroW was obserrafor some days
previously to our leai.i:ng the coast ;. And it increased as;
they approached the site of the Esquimaux encampment
to so great an'eAtent that a gloom spread itself, as if by
infection, over the rest of the party, nor could it.be dis-
pelled without a glass Af rutti.ll •
" I confess 'that these symptoms of fear escaped my
notice, and although the circumstance was not mentioned
to me by Captain Back at the.time it happened, it doubt-
less occurred ; which I am the more inclined to
believe from my knowledge of the conflict with the
natives.

"The Esquimaux, had they been inclined, might have
murdered us in our beds with the greatest ease ; for we
were so little apprehensive of danger that the night-watch
had for some time been discontinued. That some of the
party were in a far less happy state of mind was evinced
by the gloom Captain Back perceived amongst them ;
and in all probability-it caused them many an anxious
night. Ignorant of this circumstance, and considering
no good could arise from any further interview, we nei-
ther crossed over to that side of the river where the na-
tives were encamped, nor made the least signs to attract
their notice, which must have very much increased their
suspicions of our amicable intentions. On leaving the
rapids a number of iron hoops were placed on a pile of
stones, together with ribands ofvarious colours, awls, fish-
hooks, brass rings, and beads, which, of course, would
be construed into treachery on our part, for the purpose
of alluring them across the river that they might fall an
easier prey. During the whole of the 23d Au-
gust some of the Esquimaux were distinctly seen, by
the aid of our telescopes, watching our motions from
behind the rocks, while others were busily engaged in
hiding their Kieyacks (canoes). About noon, the wind
having moderated, we hauled up a rapid, and sailed
along the waters of Lake Franklin.
August .29.—" At Lake Macdougall several fresh
marks, tipped with newly-gathered moss,. were percep-
tible ; and several tracks of men and dogs imprinted on
the sand. We had not proceeded far on our course before
we esp'ed three Esquirnaux slowly rising from behind
seine rocks, where they must have lain concealed at the
time of our pacing the shore. A little further on we came
in sight of ten tents, surrounded by men, women, and
children, altogether amounting to about seventy or
eighty. The women and little ones instantly fled to the
rocks for protection, but the men awaited us along the
shore, uttering some unintelligible words, and making
the same friendly motions as the former party. In a
few moments, however, we were beyond their sight,
for Captain Back declined the interview, as he con-
sidered, in the absence of an interpreter, little or no
information could be gathered from them—tactics, now
that we are aware of the unfortunate attack upon the
Grit party, the very worst that could have been adopted.
This was the last time these people were seen, and
it is much to be feared we left them with a very un-
bsourable impression. 11

Narrative of a journey down the Great Fish River in
soarch of Sir John Ross, in 18334-5. By Dr. Kiug.
Vol. ii., p. 63.
t p. 4-6
Idem, p. 67.
p. 73.
Idtgn,'s p Journey.
to
ILBack to the Polar Sea.

_.. , . _.,