The Sun.
London, England, 1854-04-18 00:00:00

(From the Morning Advertiser.)
We yesterday reproduced an article from the Examiner,
furnished by a correspondent, entitled " How to Con-
duct the War." The article is one which is well de;
serving of attention. It deals with the deplorable and
unquestionable fact, that, owing to the closeness of our
Parliamentary system, and the essentially red-taped
character of the majority of our men in office, the plans
of men of genius have no chance of being even taken
into consideration, much less adopted. Our contempo-
rary s correspondent makes some observations on this
point which possess a peculiar force at the present time ;
for he assumes, and with too much reason, that owing to
the incapacity of the men now in power to form any
great and masterly plan themselves fon bringing the war
on which we have entered to a speedy and successful
termination, while they are too much shut up in their
own exclusiveness to consider the plans of others,
—that war has been begun without any definite
plan at all. " There is," says the correspondent of the
Examiner, :" neither demand for, nor appreciation of,
those qualities which alone constitute a statesman, nor
is their nature recognised when any one casually hap-
pens to manifest them;. and it is unfortunately to men
generated in the narrow hot-bed of jobbeey_men who
aspire to nothing higher than getting through a session
with dexterity, who think of nothing beyond how best
to handle the Parliamentary exigencies of the moment
- -that those who may happen to take a wider view of
passing-events and opportunities, have to submit their
conceptions."
No one who has paid any attention to the subject,
will contradict the truth of this. Nor will any intelli-
gent person withhold his assent to the justice of the fol-
lowing observations :—" Most people, under the influ-
ence of Lord Derby's sinister prognostications, aro verg-
ing to the conclusion, that the war upon which we are
now entering will be -of indefinite duration, and im-
mensely severe. This will Undoubtedly be the case if we
conduct it upon no definite plan, or upon a plan which,
however definite, is nevertheless incapable of paralysing
the enemy should it succeed. And I am sorry to say that I
not only perceive no indications of any plan, but am
quite convinced that our goiretnors have no-plan what-
ever—have not even thought of one. Their only notion is
to try a succession of topical military and maritime expe-
ditions, parts of nothing and ancillary to nothing. They
will certainly establish Lord Derby's reputation as a
prophet to the incalculable loss of England in blood and
treasure. But England, if she suffers this, will have de-
served it, for she teems with men who can sway the rod
of empire—with Washingtons and Cromwells, with
Clives and Hastings—with men who can conduct her to
triumph, and give her the victory over all her enemies ;
but I see nothing to indicate that men of this descrip-
tion are to be found in either house or at the Horse
Guards. To discover them and to bring them forward,
the public itself must first of all become sensible that it
wants such men— if it demands them; they will then
undoubtedly make themselves manifest. If the public
wishes to be well guided and governed, it must convince
those who feel in themselves not merely a willingness,
but a capacity well to govern and to guide, that their
fitness shall be encouraged and accepted. No such con-
viction can possibly be imparted so long as the public
tolerates in office that imbecility which alone involved
us in the shedding of blood, and is now, apparently, con-
ducting us to shed it unprofitably and perhaps dis-
gracefully."
The writer in the Examiner takes precisely the same
view as we have alway s done, relative to the course which
the Western Powers ought to adopt when the Czar has
been brought to his marrow bones, and is obliged to
become an humble suppliant for peace. If they hastily
conclude a peace with the Autocrat, leaving him in a
position substantially the swine as at present—the last
error will be worse than the first. He will only, in
that case, be placed under the- necessity of postponing
his schemes of aggression and aggrandisement till a
future day. So far from abandoning his ambitious and
audacious designs, the irritation and mortification con-
sequent on his present discomfiture will only have the
effect of inspiring him yet mere with a determination to
be avenged on France and England. With that view,
he will make preparations on a much more extensive
scale than he has done for the present conflict. He will,
with all the inherent fox-like cunning of his nature,
watch for a favourable moment, and then embark in his
revengeful enterprise with energy of which we have had
no previous example. His opportunity will be a cool-
ness between the Western Powers, which will unfit
them for cordially co-operating together. And with
France and England disunited, there will be but too
much ground to fear the success of his schemes ; for in
the contingency of the Western Powers being at vari-
ance, there can be no doubt whatever that the Czar
could rely not only on the neutrality of Austria and
Prussia, but on their assistance.
The course, therefore, which France and England
are bound to adopt, unless they are willing that the Czar
should suffer only a temporary defeat, will be so to
cripple him as to preclude the possibility of his ever
again disturbing the tranquillity of Europe. His power
must be destroyed. He must be Crushed. The Northern
Bear must be chained. If he cannot be tamed, let him
be at least caged in such a manner as will render his
ferocity harmless. That is the object which must be
accomplished. For anything short of that, it would be
criminal, as well as foolish, to waste the blood of her
Majesty's subjects, and to expend the treasures of the
country. But hear what the Examiner's correspondent
says on this aspect of the subject :—" There is a weak
point in Russia s social system—in that fix the harpoon ;
her own convulsive struggles for breath and space will
do all you want, until she flounders to your feet, ex-
hausted and powerless. Triumphs at Cronstadt, at
Sebastopol, on the Danube, or in the Crimea may bring
about a peace, patched up by the intermediation of
Austria and Prussia, -but Russia will be left With the
power to repair her losses, and to renew her attack in
a few years upon European civilisation and liberty.
Our object should be to break her to pieces for ever.
And this may certainly be done."
But how is it to be done ? Our contemporary's cor-
respondent answers the question. "It is perfectly
clear," says he, " that whoever holds the Bosphorus or
the Straits of the Dardanelles, may, on that side of
Europe, entirely imprison Russia. She never would be
able to send a merchantman, much less a ship_of war,
into the Mediterranean, and so far there would be an
end of her as a first-rate Power. Exactly the same
thing may be done in the Baltic, if France and England
will only determine to act towards Sweden and Den-
mark in the manner requisite for obtaining their co-
operation. In order, then, speedily to terminate this
great war, of which the apprehended duration appals
the imagination of Lord Derby, and which Lord
Aberdeen is unceasingly praying Heaven to bring to a
close, and, in order to prevent its renewal at any time
hereafter, I propose that France and England, the guar-
dians of European civilisation, and perpetual allies, shall
decree that, henceforward, through all time to come, no
Russian vessel shall ever be perMitted to pass either the
Sound and Great Belt, or the Bosphorus and Dar-
danelles. The Turks may be safely trusted to guard the
latter, and the Danes and Swedes may be easily encou-
raged to guard the former, and if necessary even compelled
to do so by France and England. This method would
likewise have the effect of securing the instant obedience
of the King of Prussia. The combined fleets at Memel
and Dantzic, and French troops at Aix-la-Chapelle and
Cologne, would explain the will of France and England,
if he should have any difficulty in understanding it."
There is nothing theoretical in this. It bears on its
visage the impress of practicability. The writer justly
asks :—" What can be suppler than for England and
France to close the outlets of the Baltic and the Dar-
danelles for all time to come against Russia ? What
simpler than to inform Prussia that if she does not Co'
operate she shall be similarly imprisoned ? What can
either of these powers do to defend itself against suc.h_a
blow.? How can it even retaliate ? Prussia will certainly
not venture to try retaliation on the Rhine ; !_t
against our joint alliance with Sweden and
o le would
the Baltic, and with Turkey at Constantitg
Denndmark in
not be a lion in the toils, but an ass in a millers
The correspondent of our weekly contempry adds,
in reference to his
plan need not prevent Ehg.
land and France from resisting the Turks to clear the
Principalities of the Russians, and from destroying any
Russian ships that they
can
nat
on Sebastopol
aekatanadvant
advantage,
or 'and
dit involves no perilous attacks
Cron-
stadt, rife with unnecessary loss of blood and gold. We
can purchase
what we want in greater completeness,
and at less cost, by refraining, at
lvatever of this
present, from enter-
prisesh of this commonplace
rder
sort is attempted should_ only be for the reason that it is
an indispensable auxiliary to some comprehensive plan
which aims at giving to Russia a mortal blow. As to
glory,„neither France nor England want to add to their
store.
It is high time that the Western Powers, now that
we are fairly embarked in a war, should come to some
definite understanding as to what ought to be done
when it is over, and When the Czar lies prostrate, as he
soon must, at their feet. If the are satisfied with any-
thing short of the complete destruction of the power of
Russia, they will not only commit a colossal mistake,
but one of the gravest crimes of which a British Admi-
nistration were ever guilty.

ATHERTON. By Mary Russell Mitford, author of
"Our Village," &c.-- It is a long while since " Our Vil-
lage' saw the light, but though we regret to learn that
the physical strength of the amiable writer has felt the
effect of increasing years, there is a consolation in seeing
that her mental endowments are as fresh and vigorous as
ever. " Atherton" is a performance of rare natural
sweetness and didactic power—a publication of exceeding
attraction, especially for female and family reading. The
story is of a dramatic kind, and distinguished rather by
the drawing of the dramatis persons than by the com-
plication of the plot. The great and abiding charms of
Miss Mitford's productions are the most perfect simpli-
city, and a freshness of description which cannot be sur-
passed.—lllustrated News.
THE CHOLERA AT LEEDS.-- The cholera still lingers in
Leeds, but does not assume an epidemic character.
Diarrhoea prevails to a large extent in certain districts of
the town, and shows a tendency to increase. There
have been, since the present outbreak on the 22d of
February, 97 cases of cholera and 26 deaths, and 180
cases of diarrhoea and 5 deaths,