The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-16 00:00:00

THE ADMIRALTY.

Our ships in the Baltic are winging their way south-
wards, like a string of wild geese in search of a milder
climate at the approach of winter. 'When we—first of
the press—announced the approaching return of the
Baltic fleet, we were rather uncivilly contradicted and
reprimanded by some confiding brethren of the press.
Time now shows that our information was but too cor-
rect. After the return was decided on there was a
momentary flutter and hesitation in high quarters. The
no-result of the mighty armament sent to the Baltic was
too humiliating : could not something still be done ?
The discussion led to--nil. After a momentary pause
the route homeward was resumed.
The sop of priority in the publication of the Admiralty
despatches was administered just at the right moment.
Some little .time ago a denunciation of the resultess
campaign in the Baltic appeared in the columns of the
Russian journal, so well put, and conclusively argued,
that everybody wondered to see it there. On Saturday
last, however, Cerberus was mollified, and, with a whine
of admiration, licked the hand be had threatened to bite.
Such are the effects of "the compliments of the Secretary
to the Admiralty."
Who should bear the blame that the great expedition
to the Baltic has turned out a coup mange 6 will appear
when Parliament meets. It would be pre-judging the
case to blame any one till the whole correspondence be-
tween Government and the admiral in command has
been published, and until the Admiral or his friends
" explain." At present it seems likely that the Admi-
ralty sent forth the Baltic fleet without the only useful
weapon for the work in hand—without gunboats.
To judge by its home doings, the Admiralty does not
appear to be animated by the pacific spirit of the Pre-
mier. On the contrary the First Lord, debarred an
opportunity- of taking part in his countrymen's feats of
arms abroad, has been trying to get up a little private
fight for the benefit of his bellicose propensities at home.
Irritated by Major Beresford's speech at Castle Reding-
ham, the First Lord put himself into the hands of a friend
and despatched a missive to the orator. Had this com-
mencement of the correspondence (which has not been
given to the public) reached its address before the fumes of
the post-praudial potations which iespired the oratory had
evaporated, who knows what might have been the conse-
quence? Luckily the Dutch courage had gone off, and the
speaker was willing to listen to reason. He, too, put him-
self into the hands of a friend, and the friend advised him
to retract and apologise, which was done. The
offended party, by the advice of his friend, professed
himself satisfied with the withdrawal of the ugly
word " coward," though most people are of opinion that
other aspersions in the speech, which could not so
easily have been withdrawn, were fully more offensive.
In short, the disputants—like Prussia and Austria—
have been contented to substitute a paper currency for
the exchange of bullion. Different commentators make
different remarks. Some insinuate that the quarrel was
taken up by the First Lord to divert public attention
from the story about the jobbing of the despatches.
Others content themselves with wondering whether, at
the first meeting of Council, the Premier will rebuke his
warlike colleague for seeking to engage iu an " nuueceb-
oary war,"— Doily News,