The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-13 00:00:00

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of the Allies as the signal for their own emanci-
pation, what, then, can we expect but a speedy
and decisive triumph ? It is not reasonable to

suppose that these men will sacrifice their own
lives to glorify the CZAR or to protract a useless
resistance.

Each day, then, may bring the anxiously-
looked-for intelligence of the fall of • Sebastopol.
The subjugation of the entire Crimea must
speedily follow. The inhabitants of the country
have already afforded unequivocal testimony of
their friendly feelings to the Allies, combined with a
r stern and inveterate animosity to their quondam
tyrant. They were still impatient under the galling
yoke, and rejoice in the hope of returning to their
ancient allegiance, and witnessing the restoration of
the manners and customs that prevailed before
their beautiful and fertile land fell a sacrifice to
the griping cupidity of the Empress CATHA RINE.
We cannot abandon this interesting race to the
vengeance of the infuriated CZAR. We are bound
by every feeling of honour and humanity to pro-
tect them from his vindictive malevolence ; and,
althe ugh the surrender of the Crimea formed no
portion of the "Four Conditions," it would be
disgraceful to the Western Powers if they con-
sented to peace on any terms that did not recog-
nise the fall independence of the people, or, at
least, their transfer to some other Sovereign.
Associated with the Caucasian tribes, and under
the protection of France anclEngland, they would
supply an excellent barrier against the insidious
advances of the Northern Despot. Bessarabia,
tt)o, should be taken from the AUTOCRAT.
He who so recklessly sent his cohorts across the
Prutii, on such frivolous pretexts, should no
longer be allowed to approach that river. The
territory acquired by the Treaty of Bucharest in
1312 should be restored to the successor of the
sovereign from whom it was then wrested, and
who WCS mainly induced by the persuasions and
influence of England to surrender so fair a portion
of his dominions. Nay, more, it may well be de-
manded that Russia should, as in byegone times,
be bounded by the Bug, and compelled to disgorge
the whole of its modern acquisitions. This may
be very unpleasant to NICHOLAS and his toadies.
But after causing so vast an expenditure of blood
and treasure, through his pride and arrogance; he
can c)t expect, and must not receive, as favourable
terms as might have been accorded before he
carried his unwarrantable pretensiens to such a
pitch of perverse obstinacy.
What can we now anticipate ? The fall
Sebaetorol, and the destruction of his Fleet, is
the signal for shaking the sceptre of Southern
Russia from his enfeebled grasp. Prussia cannot
aid him. The vacillating eliepot may have
h to do take care of himself. While
Austria—

eno

"Ever strong. upon the strongest tije,"

will not help—nay, more, will probably seek to
benefit herself at his expense. A speedy sub-
mission is all that he can look to ; and. hard as
are the conditions now to be enforced, he may
rest assured that they will be much more stringent
and unpalatable after another campaign, and that
" the leek" he will then be obliged to swallow
will be bitter indeed.

Three. Courts-martial have just been held on
b:lard the flag-ship Victory, at Portsmouth, in
cmsequence of the proceedings in the Victorious
hulls, on the night of the 17th September, when

the unfortunate MATILDA JANE LOIXIE met her
death. We have so recently expressed our
views in reference to that painful and me-

:Inch°ly transaction, that it is scarcely ne-

ee.ssary to repeat that public) justice had been
fully and e)mpletely satisfied by the stringent and
'searching investigation that took plan before the
Mayor of Portsmouth and his brother magistrates,

and that however foolishly and recklessly Lieut.
KNIGIIT might have acted on his return home
from a protracted ♦oyage, he had not been guilty

of any cruelty or brutality towards the unhappy
young woman ; nor could he be held in any de-
gree legally responsible for her melancholy death.

The law of the land had, therefore, no
claim against him. If a civilian, his conduct
could not be impeached before any tribunal—save

that of public opinion—and it might be held that
he had already, in the exposure, anxiety, and
expense which he had sustained, sufficiently expi-
ated the "indiscretion" of which he had been guilty.

We say " indiscretion," because it does not
appear that there had been any immoral act, save
that of seeking such dangerous society.
But there had been a grave breach of disci-
pline. As an officer holding her MAJESTY'S
Commission, Lieut. KNIGHT had no right to bring
loose women on board any vessel in the Royal
Navy, or to expose his brother officers to the
contamination of such demoralising association.
If he had fallen into this grievous error while
inebriated it would have formed no ex-
cuse, scarcely a palliation, for such con-
duct. Intoxication alone would be., a serious
offence, for which he would have been liable
to severe punishment. Bat, in the Navy, some
allowance is always very justly and properly made
for the excitement occasioned by a safe return
from a protracted and dangerous cruise, and to
that allowance, coupled with his previously irre-
proachable character, is Lieutenant KNIGHT in-
debted for the comparatively lenient, though still
heavy, sentence which condemned him to be placed
at the bottom of the list of first-lieutenants of the
Royal Marines, thereby practically losing the be-
nefit of eleven years of faithful and efficient service
unstained by any previous fault.
But Lieutenant KNIGHT was not the only per-
son called to account, although really he was the
only offender, and there were what our continen-
tal brethren denominate " extenuating circum-
stances." Two other officers were also called to
account, for even tolerating such proceedings, and
not immediately reporting the circumstances to the
officer then in command. The first was Lieute-
nant JERVIS, whose conduct certainly appears to
be perfectly irreproachable. He knew nothing of
the unfortunate young woman being on board,
haying retired early to rest in his cabin, until he
was awakened between one and. two o'clock in the
morning by the piercing shriekswhich she uttered
during her hysterical attack. He then, with a
degree of humanity deserving high praise, assisted
the sufferer, and forgot her errors in her affliction.
He might have ordered her immediate expulsion,
hut he forgot her impropriety of conduct in her
illness, and desired that " she should be removed
early in the morning;'' and if Lieutenant JERVIS
Thereby committed a fault, the recording angel
;honk], as in the established precedent• of my
Uncle TOBY'S oath, have " dropped a tear i
on the entry, and blotted toutfoLriee.:ter.
jEit"yNiVs3,e
in not merely excuse, but honour,
:11-Tsweecotnhderuecftorwea
ssinthcearteloyf raejotircilesaßyriiitsisahcqsuaiitlotarl,;
The next officer implicated was Lieut. ELPILIN-
He was charged, as senior officer present
in the ward-room, with permitting the presence
of those women without forthwith reporting them,
and in permitting them to receive wine and
spirits in immoderate quantities. The case of
Lieut. ELPRINSTONE was not quite so clear as
that of Lieut. JERVIS. He was actually command-
ing officer on board at the time he received the
message from the Chaplain, but, being ignorant of
that fact, he did not feel himself called on to in-
terfere. He did remonstrate, but did not take steps
to ascertain that he was entitled to command the
" abatement of the nuisance." He thus corn-
mii,ted a fault, although, under the circumstance:,
of a venial character, one adequately expiated by
the admonition which he received. •
We rejoice at the proceedings,which have corn
pletely vindicated the honour of the British Navy,