The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-21 00:00:00

TOGETHER WITH A LIST OF THE

KILLED AND WOUNDED

Orders received by all News Agents, and at " THE
SUN" OFFICE, 112, Strand, London.

4.-49 -
5,AA;44,,
a.

LONDON, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1854.

Still further news from the Crimea. For each
of three successive days we have been enabled to
announce the arrival of accounts for which the
public mind was yearning. In a late edition on
Wednesday evening, within a few minutes after
the publication of the Supplement to the London
tjazette, wo gavo to the community the list of the
killed and wounded at the fearful contest on the
Alma, and were thus enabled to convey comfort
to many an anxious heart. In this respect we
redeemed the promise to out friends and
the community in general, that the earliest
notice of these important particulars should
be found in the columns of The Sun. One
more pledge remains to be redeemed, and we
earnestly hope that ere many days it may be our
pleasing duty to announce that what at present
can only be termed the " coming" capture of
Sebastopol, may be a fait accompli, and that the
Russian Arsenal, with the stores and fleet that
rendered the AUTOCRAT se formidable to his
neighbours, may either be in the hands of the
Allies, or totally destroyed. We have fervent
hope that, notwithstanding there have hi therto been
unanticipated delays, everything will proceed with
the utmost rapidity, and that it will be proved
beyond the possibility of doubt that Sebastopol
has no greater claim to invincibility than Bomar-
suncl had.

- On Wednesday, however, we only received ad-
vices from Balaklava of the 3d, and Constanti-
nople of the sth instant. The following day
arrived the Pharamond, bringing intelligence from
Constantinople of the 10th, and Balaklava of the
Bth inst. No previous despatch had even hinted
at the tidings therein contained. Various con-
flicting rumours that had previously been circu-
lating were thereby set at rest ; the public
anxiety wag thereby greatly appeased. In con-
sideration of the progress made and the
certainty that adequate measures had been adopted
to prevent the possibility of any interruption to
the siege works, the
people were ,contented to
acquiesce in the delays that had previously taken
place, to be satisfied at matters being " slow,"
because they were also proved to be " sure."
Yesterday another arrival at Marseilles. The
City of London transport-ship brought advices
ote rs
from Constantinople of the 13t1 (t)
and
certain B al
klava the 10th, and amongst h
despatches from Lord RAGLAN—the first received
since those which appeared in our Extraordinary
Edition of the Bth instant, and which con-
tained the exceedingly graphic and interesting
description of the glorious victory on the Al
These will, of course, contain the best and most
accurate accounts of all the events that had pre-
viously taken place, and als^,the views and inten-
tions of the commanders of the Allied Troops.
They, therefore, will be looked for with intense
anxiety by the community at large.
The news received by these various channels
may be briefly summed up. As we stated yes-
terday, there had been " a sortie " by the be-
sieged, for the purpose of desroying or damaging
the siege" works then iu course of construction.

This, however, had been vigorously and effec-
tually repelled, and a salutary lesson taught to
the garrison of the vast distinction between En-
glish soldiers and Russian serfs. It was further
stated that further reinforcements had been des-
patched to the Crimea, and that Lord RAGLAN
found his force sufficiently strong to execute the
arduous task he had in hands, and to repel ally
attacks that might be made by the enemy. It
was further stated that the works of the siege
continued to advance. Indeed we might assume
that they were nearly completed, inasmuch as it
' was anticipated that the attack on Sebastopol
would commence in earnest on the 11th or 12th.
On these matters there are not many observa-

tions to offer. It is satisfactory to be relieved
from suspense, and to know exactly the true state
of affairs, so as to be enabled to discredit the
mazy rumours and false reports circulated from
interested motives. We have every reason to
lo*k forward confidently to the speedy reali-
sation of our most sanguine anticipations—to
the striking of the blow that will break the
power, if it do not humiliate the pride, of the
AUTOCRAT. He may still " harden his heart,"
and entail fearful sufferings on the millions who
acknowledge his power, but the prestige has de-
parted. It is now clearly ascertained that his
strength had been greatly overrated, and that he
was not by any means so formidable as had erro-
neously been supposed. What effect that convic-
tion may produce on those who were influenced
by fear rather than love may easily be imagined.
How the time-servers may act, after their eyes
have been fully opened, may easily be anticipated.
That millions will have abundant reasons to rue
his excessive arrogance and grasping cupidity
is certain, but the lesson may be eve n more
severe than he can as yet form any notion of.
One point, at least, may be safely relied on. The
longer his submission is delayed the more strin-
gent will be the terms imposed, the more binding
the guarantees exacted, the heavier the expenses
which he will be required to reimburse ; and
when the day of reckoning has arrived—as sooner
or later it must—the greater will be his grounds

for reproaching the false friends who instigated
him to proceed in the perilous and unjustifiable
course on which he had so recklessly entered. If the
thief at the gallows wreaked his dying vengeance
on the bad mother who had encouraged his early
thefts, NICHOLAS ought unquestionably to punish
FREDERICK WILLIAM, whose vacillation and
double-dealing prevented an early and easy ad-
justment of the dispute.
The capture of Sebastopol will, probably, be
the great event of the present campaign. Woe
betide him should that of 1855 be opened before
lie has made ample amends for the injuries his
reckless ambition has caused to be inflicted en
Europe.

Nothing can be more noble, more generous than
the feeling which pours its contributions into the
treasury of the Patriotic Fund. All honour to
the wealthy who give in proportion to their
wealth, and still more to those of but limited
means, who deny themselves comforts, perhaps
necessaries, at the bidding of irrepressible sym-
pathy. The -very indulgence of such feelings,
when it leads to personal sacrifice, must make us
better men and women, and so far tend to raise
the national character ; and, to some extent,
donations to a fund originated by Royal com-
mand will tax the higher classes in a juster ratio
to their means than the taxes which .are levied
indiscriminately on the peasant and the peer.
With these last considerations, however, the
merits of a voluntary fund for the widows and
orphans of the nation's soldiers are exhausted.
It is something, we freely confess, to open the
hearts of the people, and to convert exultation
for victory into the pure and tender pleasure of
soothing the life-long sorrows of those whom vic-
tory has clad in mourning; it is something, too,
to draw forth the treasures not needed by their
possessors, but which taxation could not reach,
and to turn them into a national and philanthro-
pic channel ; yet there are other views to be
taken of the whole question, and views of grave
importance.

The Duke of NEWCASTLE very properly, though
with kind politeness, reminded the lady who
proffered medical aid for the wounded in the East,
that to provide adequate means for that purpose
was one of the most imperative duties of Govern-
ment. We almost wonder that, in the same let-
ter, he should direct her attention to the Patriotic
Fund, and not perceive how strongly his former '
'remark applied to the latter case also.
.Can it be
less "imperative" on Government to provide for
widowhood and orphanhood, caused by fatal casu-
alties in the public service, than for the sufferings
inflicted by casualties which do not prove fatal ?
Why should not a patriotic fund for medical aid
be the reliance of the wounded soldier, if such a
fund is to be the reliance of the father who parts
with his life in the same cause ? True, if the
Government does not furnish surgical and hospital
assistance in foreign service, there may be none
procurable on the spot. We admit a difference
so far ; but equally if under some form Govern-
ment does not provide for the bereft, in too many
instances they would be consigned to penury or
tempted to crime. Parish relief is inappropriate,
partly as affixing an inevitable stigma of pau-
perism ; partly as unfair, by charging a particular
locality with what belongs unquestionably to the
/hole nation ; hence national support seems the
only method appropriate to the case.
Rightly apprehended, too, the provision out of
the regular national funds is the most honourable
method. To be maintained at the public expense
was the highest honour conferred by one of the
bravest and the most refined of ancient States.
We hardly know a more soul-stirring appeal in the
records of eloquence than that made by the great
Athenian orator to the fact of the State having
educated to manhood the children of those who
had fallen in battle, and then by the voice of the
herald dismissing them with public honour to
perform the duties of citizens worthily of their
fathers. Our aristocratic governors have always
been ready enough to propose a splendid estate,
or :4 pension, frequently for two or three lives, as
an honourable distinction for the chief c munand-
, ers. We must not, of course, imagine it to be
mere cupidity on behalf of their order ; but if
not, if they were animated by the sentiment of
the ancient Athenians, then they must also feel
that it would be equally a mark of honour for the
wife and children of the fallen soldier, that they
were supported not by the poor rate, nor by any
precarious charity, but by their entire fatherland,
a 3 the legacy of its unfortunate brave ones. We
repeat that their support ought, therefore, to be
in no sense by the most willing charity ; it ought
to be provided by the nation as an "iinperative"
debt of honour on its own part, and as an honour
duo to the fallen and to the surviving on their

parts.
We hardly like to suppose even that the Fund
freely contributed will he
stbhoeula notndeia evenndsof
the case ; still such a poibty
knows Even
what will be wanted, or
have been risked. It may
whatbe
s oh
fsohrarneo oneis.
in this point of view, the bettor policy had been
to declare that the requisite amount would be
'
regularly and surely provided by the nation, as
certainly as the interest of the national debt itself.
While, however, we think the nation should take
the charge on itself as regards the recipients, we
adhere to the opinion we formerly expressed, that
the charge should be thrown ultimately in a direct
form upon the CZAR himself, whenever peace is
negotiated. We want to gain no territory ; we
empty enough) of the
want not to be enriched. to the extent of a rouble
out of the Treasury (now
CZAR, but ho ought to pay
the outer© cost of
the war to France and England. His
mad ambition ought to incur for the
future a heavy clog of • national debt ; and
especially one distinct item should be the cost of

supporting the widows and. orphans of the Allied
Troops. We should even prefer it to be an annual
payment, to cease when no longer needed, as a
distinct reminder to him and the Archdukes now
sprouting into Czarhood, that if they will com-
mence the game of murder to gratify their bar-
tariau lust of power, they will at least have to
pay for long years the price of blood. As to such
a charge in his own dominions, the poor slave-
soldiers who fight with their officers' swords at
their backs, are too much separated from their
homes in early youth to leave him any very heavy
legitimate burden of that kind.

Let us not be misunderstood. While we regret

that a better plan was not adopted, the object is
too sacred, too " imperative" in its claims, to
allow of sacrificing the sufferers to the mistakes of
our governors. Since they are to be relieved by
charity, instead of being honoured with national
pensions as the relics of the brave, let no one
stint his charity. Should that charity, indeed,
not be adequate, no Government shall have rest
for a moment which does not atone for the inef-
fectiveness of its own plan by supplementing its
deficiency from national resources. According to
the station in life of those bereaved, according to
the measure of their dependence on those they have
lost, so let them be recompensed with no sparing
hand. Enough, enough quite, that the days of
anxious waiting for the mournful Gazette should
be terminated by an agonising glance at the fatal
column which convulses a mother and a wife with
sorrow, and bids her look upon her poor babes
with feelings which they as yet cannot understand.
No, in any form let us do all we can for them.
But—by all their sorrows, and by the lives of
our brave men murdered at Alma, let us compel
our governors to demand a liberated Poland—a
liberated Europe, in fact, as the only worthy
atonement.