The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-25 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1854.

More recent official intelligence has superseded
that to which we gave insertion in our impression
of Thursday last. It now appears that, instead of
the place of disembarkation being Khoslov, or
Eupatoria, it was close to a spot called the " Old
Fort," in latitude 45, which is twenty miles off
Eupatoria, and, therefore, by so much nearer to
Sebastopol. The transports, &c., arrived at the
chosen spot at daybreak on the 14th instant ; and
before night nearly all the infantry and a part of
the artillery were safely landed. The ground
swell and surf materially impeded operations on
the 15th and 16th ; but " the disembarkation of
the horses and baggage was nevertheless proceed-
ing with the utmost rapidity." This intelligence
may be implicitly relied on. It does not come
through any "Austrian," and therefore suspicious,
source, but comes direct from Lord RAGLAN to
the Duke of NEWCASTLE. It is dated on the 16th,
to which day it carries on the accounts, briefly, it
is true, but sufficiently clearly. Nothing is therein
stated respecting any landing whatsoever at Eupa-
toria ; and yet there is a verisimilitude about the
statement in the Moniteur of Saturday, which ap-
peared in The San of the same evening, that induces
us still to lend credence thereto. We are the more
willing to do so as both statements may be reconciled,
the one relating exclusively to the proceedings on
the 13th ; the other to those. of the 14th, 15th,
and 16th. It would, therefore, appear as if a
previous despatch from Lord RAGLAN had not
come to hand, but that the later one had been
first received by the War Secretary. Both ac-
counts, then, may, and we are strongly disposed
to think will, on investigation, be found strictly
accurate, and should be read together as parts of
the same communication.
According to this view of the case, the first
landing would have been of three regiments at
Eupatoria on the 13th inst. No opposition be-
ing offered, and the town being surrendered with-
out a blow, the Commanders of the Allied Forces
saw the possibility of being enabled to land the
remainder of the troops, the heavy stores, artil-
lery, and baggage, at a nearer place, where, al-
though not so favourable in many respects as the
RA Originally selected, it might be effected with
the assistance of those previously on terra firma.
The great advantages to be derived from this
course were clearly perceptible. Valuable time
would be economised, while the troops would be
enabled to enter into .
action comparatively fresh,
the toil of a march of
twenty miles through a
hostile country being avoided. We have there-
fore, every reason to applaud the skill and
energy of those who adopted a plan so judi-
cious. That this is the correct interpretation
conflicting despatches iaseccoorrnot-
of the apparently
borated by the fact, that the Moaigeur's u
stated that " the landing of the whole army
would take place on the following day" (i.
€. the
14th) at twenty miles south of the town of
Eupatoria.) This was the very locus in quo
according to the more recent despatch from
Lord RAGLAN, so that in place of being contradic-
tory, they really lend mutual confirmation the one
to the other. The place is not far from Loukoul,
the position whereof has been already explained
in " The Sun" of the 22d instant, and it is but
seven miles from the military road from Khoslov
to Simpheropol.
This unopposed landing—this immediate sur-
reWerlis,f the town of Khoslov—exhibits the
..1014ian wealatiss in a very striking point of view.
elliki-th ' 'hart • sufficient
e,„„ • ey strength they would
./.*ye.lalsirassed the 'invading force at every point
it
4,,,' of iiretreis. Not a single stage would have
e'bticii*cetlect. Every position would have been
defendectiollas:lasi extremity. This duty would
litiTe ' beau 'Vie. more preniing, when time coneti,

tutes so important an element in the calculations
as to the re►►alt of the autumnal campaign in the
Crimea. A single week might decide the fate of
Sebastopol during the present season ; and the
leaders, who deliberately sacrificed the vantage
ground which they possessed may have a sharp
reckoning with their despotic masters.
The impressions which we put forward of Fri-
day and Saturday, as to the probable line of
march of the Allied troops, have hitherto been
completely verified. We stated that the coast-
road, which would be little more than half the
distance of that by Sebastopol, and which might
therefore be traversed in something less than
half the time, had many advantages to recom-
mend it, and would therefore probably be adopted.
These advantages were to be obtained in the close
proximity of the fleet up to Cape Loukoul—
and also to overcome any deficiency in cavalry
that might be felt until the arrival of the second
branch of the Expedition reinforces that impor-
tant arm of the service. We have, therefore,
'additional reasons to believe that the main con-
test will take place on the heights above Sebas-
topol—the entire force of the Russians being con-
centrated on these important points, which the
unaccountable delays of the allied troops, in the
earlier part of the season, enabled them to fortify
in the strongest manner. Prince MENSCHIKOFF,
perhaps, thinks that the strength of the position
may compensate for the inferiority of his army,
both in numerical power and discipline. Ile has,
however, in all human probability been convinced
of his mistake. Ere this, with such an army and
navy as are now engaged, much may be accom-
plished within nine days, and it would not greatly
surprise us if the bombardment of Sebastopol had
already commenced. We must not, however, be
too sanguine. There are, as we have repeatedly
stated, many formidable difficulties to be encoun-
tered. We have no doubt that they will be com-
pletely overcome, and that the honour of the
united arms of France and England- will be glo-
riously maintained by the splendid body of men
now landed on the Crimea.

Some of the " Canards" which have been freely
circulated, in reference to the command of the
Baltic fleet, have been fully and completely dis-
pelled by the manly and straightforward letter
from the Earl of DIINDONALD, which appeared in
our impression of Friday. The "gallant" COCH-
RANE, to whom the designation is not one of mere
courtesy, but who has nobly earned it by innu-
merable exploits, has declared that he never had
any conversation or communication with Lord
ABERDEEN relative to the command in the Baltic,
or in regard to operations to be conducted in that
or any other quarter. It needed not that
explicit denial to convince us of the fact.
Without in the slightest degree deteriorating from
the high character and well-tried efficiency of the
Noble Earl, to which we should at any time wil-
lingly confide the safety, and, what is no less im-
portant, the honour of our country, we may say
that the voice of public opinion was so distinctly
audible in favour of Sir CHARLES NAPIER that it
was impossible 'for any Minister to turn a deaf ear
to or disregard the intimation so distinctly and
clearly conveyed. As in the similar case of his
illustrious namesake, the departed hero of
Meannee and Hyderabad, the Ministry were
compelled to eat their leek, and to nominate
the Commander demanded, with almost un-
paralleled unanimity, by the nation, albeit
the freedom of his remonstrances—the honest in-
dependence displayed in criticising the arrange-
ments of "My Lords" had rendered him anything
but a favourite with the " powers that be," and to
whom the dispensing of " patronage" was confided.
Sir CHARLES NAPIER was the first person required
to serve, and, like the other members of his illus-
trious family, he was " ready, aye ready," "sans
lathe," and instantly responded to the call of duty.
Whether, as has been boldly asserted, and as
stoutly denied, he was "fettered by restrictions,"
and prevented from exercising his own discretion, we
shall not venture to speculate. That he would feel
himself bound to serve his country under a ny ci roum -
stances, however painful to himself, we are fully
satisfied. In accordance with the present system,
every Admiral must take his instructions from the
Board of Admiralty. He could not demand a
" carte blanche" as to what he was authorised, or
what he was bound to leave undone. His orders,
generally speaking, are very precise, and his "dis-
cretion" restricted within the narrowest limits.
There must, of course, be a certain allowance to
act in accordance with circumstances. But that
is all according to the usages of the service, and
we are thoroughly convinced that the selected
Admiral, whether " NAPIER" or " DuNnorrain,"
or any of the eminent men who have nobly won
their rank., would ask no more.
However we may doubt Ministers, we have few
misgivings as to the leaders in either branch of the
Uni'ced Service. Some may possibly grumble, but
they will for all that act vigorously and energe-
tically. We may differ on many points, but we
will not dispute the qualities of unflinching
courage and bona fide determination to discharge
their duty on sea or land, with a fleet or an army,
to any admiral or general in the British service.
Above all, and beyond all, we will not for mo-
ment doubt a " NAPIER." We have faith in the
family. We had it in our glorious "Sir CHARLES,"
now, unhappily, dead and gone. We have it in his
distinguished brothers Sir GEORGE THOMAS NA-
PIER, and SIR WILLIAM PATRICK NAPIER, the
man equally ready with the sword or pen, capable
of shining as a general among the most eminent
commanders, and as an author amongst the most
brilliant litterateurs of any age. We have it in
Vice-Admiral Sir CHARLES NAPIER ; and we
should mistrust our own senses if they cast any
discredit upon one of those who, in modern as well
as in ancient times, may be truly said to have
" n-ae peer."

That we have been somewhat disappointed at
the results hitherto obtained in the Baltic we
honestly confess, but at the same time we de-
clare our firm conviction that everything now
involved in mystery will be fully and completely
cleared up, that the mists will be dispelled, and
the character of the Admiral remain " without
stain." Whether this may be effected by the
publication of the orders by which he was go-
verned, or by the want of the indispensable ad-
juncts to a successful onslaught on any of the
Russian strongholds in the Baltic or Gulf of
Finland, we shall not at present inquire into.
We only desire to express our unflinching confi-
dence that the fault is not on his side. When
he was first appointed, we declared that the
stories respecting his alleged rashness were
without foundation. That he had the " skill"
to plan, and the " pluck" to execute, any-
thing within the bounds of probability we were
thoroughly convinced ; but that he was likely
recklessly
to histo
charge sacrifice the lives of those entrusted
was a calumny to which we would
not lend a moment's credence. The doubts now
expressed by some of our contemporaries are not
against his "discretion ;" on the contrary, that
has been thoroughly tested, and the sneers are
against what has been established beyond the pos-
sibility of dispute by hundreds, ay, thousands of
brilliant exploits—his "energy and courage. " We
believe the nation is with us in standing by
" brave old CHARLEY," at least until something
has been established on unquestionable evidence
against his hitherto unblemished reputation, and he
has had ample opportunity of being heard in his
own defence. Besides, we would venture to suggest
that the season is not yet over—the frost has not
yet set in—and it is by no means improbable that

he may yet, as our facetious contemporary,
Punch, has suggested, "leave his card" (P. P. C.)
Sleaborg or Cronstadt before he returns to
winter quarters.

DEATH OF MR. EDWIN T. CRAFER.

(A bridged from, the Übserver.)

The public services, and Treasury department
especially, have sustained a severe, if not an irre-
parable loss, by the death of Mr. Edwin Crafer,
well known and much esteemed in his office of
Assistant Clerk in the Treasury, and as
acting private secretary to the present pa-
tronage secretary the Right Hon. W. G. Hayter,
M.P. Mr. Edwin Crafer was a remarkable public
servant, deserving not only the confidence and
respect of his superiors, but justly entitled to an
obituary record. He was the younger son of an old
officer of the Treasury, of fifty years' service, and
four of whose sons have of late years meritoriously
raised themselves to high stations in that depart-
ment. Mr. Charles L. Crafer is the well-known
and trusted principal clerk for colonial business,
and two other of the surviving sons of the father
are head clerks of the estimate and commis-
sariat divisions of the Treasury. The deceased,
Mr. E. T. Crafer, we believe, first entered the
service iu 1824, in the lowest grade of a junior
clerkship. His intelligence and assiduity were early
noticed by Mr. Ellice, who, in his poltical secretary-
ship-1831-2—promoted him, though young in
years, to an assistant clerkship. Mr. Ellice marked
the sagacity and industry of the youth ; and we
happen to know that the member for Coventry
honourably and generously so raised Mr. Edwin
Crafer, in preference to the claims of a deserving
member of the late Lord Grey's family. Thus
learly raised, the " clerk" acted as the private sec-
' retary successively of Lord Stanley of Alderley,
Sir D. Le Marchant, Sir John Young, the late la-
mented Mr. Tufnell, Sir T. Fremantle, and Mr. F.
Afackenzie ; under the succeeding administrations
of Sir R. Peel and Lord Derby; and, lastly, to Mr.
Hayter. Such confidences, on the part of public men
of opposite politics, and such trustworthiness and
fidelity of a private secretary, are alike honour-
tble in both relations, and perhaps could not co-
,ixist in any other country. Mr. Edwin Crafer's
various duties to his many and different political
superiors were discharged with rare intelligence
and uncommon experience. He was true to every
master. Like the Duke of Wellington, in his
public capacity, he knew no other power or in-
fluence savethat of his Sovereign. When a fresh poli-
tical party in the State replaced a fallen adminis-
tration, the private secretary continued his duties
all the same to the successor as to the predecessor.
He kept the confidences of all from all. He was
never known, under any changes of men or mea-
sures, to refer to, much less to betray, even
from petty vanity, his curious and various know-
ledge of the machinery of Government ; nor was
he, in his communications with his superiors and
public men, simply a mechanical agent. He
would, unasked, never fail to give a simple and
honest opinion, if he thought any suggested act
of office was injudicious or wrong. In common
sense and quick perception of right and wrong he
had no equal in his vocation. Duty was the
compass of all his official conduct, and he was
also deeply respected in all the private relations
of life. Mr. Edwin Crafer, in full health, and
middle time of life, was unhappily seized with
symptoms of Asiatic cholera, on Saturday, the 16th
inst. On that evening, after his return home to
Clapham, from the Treasury, premonitory symp-
toms attacked him. Nevertheless, from a sense
of duty, in charge of the official correspond-
ence, and for communication with Mr. Hayter,
in Paris, he unfortunately came to Whitehall fur
a short time, early returning home. It appears that
he survived the worst attacks of his dire disease, but
never rallied or overcame the extreme prostration
of his nervous system. He expired on Saturday
night late, fully aware of his danger, and resigned
to death. A widow, and, we believe, eight young
children, survive his irreparable domestic and
public loss. We fear his family are ill,provided.
Indeed, to the discredit of our under-paid public
departments, his salary, after 30 years of service,
did not exceed 6301. per annum, viz.-4801. as
an assistant clerk in the Treasury, and 1501. as
private secretary of Mr. Hayter.

SPORTING NOTES.

NOTIONS FROM NEWMARKET.

People who desire quiet may enjoy to the top of their
bent at Newmarket. Leaving London at half-past
one o'clock p.m., I arrived at this dull, dreary " metro-
polis of the turf" some time before nine, the journey
of about 60 odd miles occupying nearly eight hours.
Rain had fallen heavily during the day, and "the street"
was wet and sloppy. I have walked' from the " Crown"
to the " White Lion" without meeting a person ; not even
a tout is to be seen. I have therefore been unable to
pick up any little scrap of information respecting the
"coming events" of the week. The racing is, how-
ever, likely to be interesting, and the supply of sport
will be larger than that provided on any former anni-
versary of the First October Meeting.
An opinion obtains that the Eastern Counties Handi-
cap is " made " for Cheddar. This horse has certainly
been favoured in a remarkable manner, for horses that
have not displayed half his racing ability are called upon
to give him weight. Still other animals may be indicated
whose imposts are decidedly lenient—viz , Henrietta
Old Rowley, Nelly Hill, John o'Bruges, and one
or two others. The Handicapper, too, was evidently
" tickled with the straw," for the Cheddar party
have Alembic and Anteverta, also " well in." Either
Lord Cdfden's best or John o'Bruges may carry off the
stakes. My " second fancy" will be Henrietta and
Nelly Hill, should they go to the post.
The Starting of Bonnie Morn for the Hopeful Stakes
is very doubtful. Clotilde has shown running sufficiently
good to induce me to place faith in her ability to pull
through. The Buckenham Stakes will, perhaps be car-
ried off by Dirk Hatteraick. Should he, however, not
do battle for it, Raaibling Katie will deserve attention.
Marley Hill, Prince Arthur, and Baalbec are the most
noteworthy nominations for the Triennial Stakes for
three-year-olds, and they may pass the post in the order
in which I have set down their names. The defeat of
The Trapper for the Grand Duke Michael will oocasion
me no surprise. Either Phaeton or Pumicestone may
" bowl him over." The Four-Years-Old " Triennial"
I assign to Vanderdeckea. To express an opinion on
the probable issue of the Newmarket St. Leger would at
present be ridiculous, as the running for it will be regu-
lated by the result of the Grand Duke Michael. Para
will perhaps win the 50 Sovs. Sweepstakes, and Daffo-
dil the Granby Stakes.
I shall reserve my notes on Thursday's racing until
Wednesday.

A FRESH MAN.

Newmarket, September 24.

ARRIVALS AT NEWMARKET.

Trapper, Genstrae, Scherz, Donald, Lord Albemarle,
Rambling Katie, Clotilde, Pumicestone, Nina Colt, Dirk
Hatteraick, Marley Hill, Crown Pigeon, Scarecrow,
Adine, Refraction Colt 2-yrs, Reel Filly 2-yrs, Kaffir,
Muscovite, Spinaway, Quince, Boer, Antoinette, Claret,
Rifleman, and Enchantress Colt.
EXPECTED THIS DAT.—Bonnie Morn, and fby Pyrrhus
Ist out of Wiasma.

SCRATCHED.—CaIIiope for Eastern Counties Handicap
—Catharine Hayes, for sth Triennial Stakes.

HEALTH OF MR. HUMS.—Mr. Hume has been ob-
liged to decline the honour of receiving the freedom of
the city of Aberdeen at present on account of a severe
indisposition. The hon. member is detained at Thurso
Castle, but on Friday his health was greatly improved.
THE CROPS IN CARMARTMENSHIRE.—The bulk of
the harvest has been secured tu,der the most auspicious
circumstances, and the crop of wheat and oats is a full
average, but the barley is not so well spoken of, not
having filled well, and being defective in colour and
rather long in the shank, with a thick horny skin.
THE FRENCH EMPEROR'S MILITARY BAND IN LON-
DON.—Arrangements are in course of completion for
the conveyance of the Emperor's band, belonging to the
Guides, to London, where it is intended to give a grand
concert on behalf of the widows and orphans of the sol-
diers who may fall in the East. Such an international
demonstration cannot fail to be highly gratifying to the
two Governments, and to the English public at large.
It is probable that the grand concert will be given at
the Crystal Palace on an early day next month.
THE GAME SEASON.—It is acknowledged by all
sportsmen that the game this season is most abundant.
The coveys of partridges round this neighbourhood are
very large, many having not less than from 15 to 30
each. On the Morfe lands, and around the extensive
parishes of Worfield, Ciaverley, the friends of the
trigger have incessant work; the only drawback the
past week has been from the excessive heat,—klareics-
6uu Journal.