The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-05 00:00:00

LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 5, 1854.

L"_XPORTERS to AUSTRALIA, EAST IN-
DIES, CAPE, &c.—Genuine YATCNIOUTII BLOA.TERS.—
For terms apply to Thomas LETTN, Fish Merchant, Great Yarmouth.

ALBERT LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY,
11, Waterloo-place, Pall-mall.
Notice is hereby given, that the HALF-YEARLY DIVIDEND to
the 3lst ult., after the rate of Seven per cent. per annum, free from
income tax, will be in COURSE of PAYMENT to the Shareholders
on and after the 10th January instant.

HENRY WILLIAM SMITH,
Actuary and Secretary.

2d January, 1854.

CHEER, BOYS, CHEER ; Far, Far upon the
Sea ; Long Parted have we Been (double numbers), at ad.
each. To the West, to the West; The Parting Tear; Land, Land,
Land. The Slave Sale ; Come, who Bids ? The Slave Chase ; and
The African Village, at 3d, each ; or the nine songs, neatly bound
together, price 3s. Published In the MUSICAL BOUQUET, at the
office, 192, Holborn, and sold by all Book and Mnsicsellers.
" These are Mr. Russell's most celebrated songs, and there is hardly
a soul in London who is not acquainted with Cheer, Boys, Cheer.' "
—The Times, Sept. 12, 1853.

THE WELLINGTON (late Crockford's) CLUB
HOUSE, entrance 160 Piccadilly. Gentlemen visiting Lou-
dest can dine in the Splendid Dining Rooms of this celebrated esta-
blishment at a very moderate scale of charges. The Dining Room
is the largest in London ; the Cooking first-rate ; and the choicest
Wines are supplied in the Imperial measure. Reading and Smoking-
rooms are open for the accommodation of gentlemen after dinner.

St. Petersburg at all, the Emperor will have re-
ceived despatches from London and Paris of a
different character. When the British and
French Governments resolved to take active
measures to prevent the recurrence of such an
attack as the Russians had just made on the
squadron of Sinope, and for that purpose to hold
the Black Sea, if necessary, against the forces which
Russia might attempt to send into it, we under-
stand that they forwarded to St. Petersburgh a dis-
tinct notice of their intention, and apprized the
Russian Cabinet of the means they proposed to
employ for the prevention of hostilities, The an-
swer of the Russian Cabinet to such an intimation
will very likely determine for the present the na-
ture of our re.lations with that empire. The Czar
may think fit to consider such an occupation of the
Black Sea as an act of hostility which he will in-
struct his cruisers to resist, or he may testify a de-
sire for peace he has not hitherto shown by sub-
mitting to the representations of the mediating
Powers. But in either case it is probable that an-
other week will elapse before the effect of this com-
munication can be known to us in Western Europe.
The propositions of negotiation from Constantinople
and Vienna cannot arrive at St. Petersburgh till
some considerable time later, although the sub-
stance of them must already be perfectly well
known to the Emperor Nicholas, as in fact it is to
the public, and he may therefore have determined
beforehand on the course he intends to pursue.
But, until we learn his determination on one at
least of these communications, nothing can be con-
jectured with confidence as to the course of events,
which must now very speedily be determined.

(Front the Morning Chronicle.)
_ _

The Russians undbubteilly possess sufficient in-
fluence to interpose considerable obstacles in the
way of the transmission of intelligence from the
Danube westward ; but, whatever advantage they
may derive from this circumstance, it is at least
counterbalanced by the fact that the sews which is
intercepted almost always proves to have been fa-
vourable to Turkey. The official account even of
the easy triumph of Sinope was grossly falsified, by
the omission to acknowledge the loss of a ninety-
gun ship ; and there is reason to hope that correc-
tions of at least equal importance will hereafter be
applied to the bombastic bulletins which, purporting
to proceed from the Russian commanders in Georgia,
are doubtless submitted to a judicious censorship at
St. Petersburg. The object of influencing European
opinion in favour of the Czar is, after all, but in-
sufficiently attained. The world has discovered
that, as respects the hostilities on the Danube, " no
news is good news ;" while the admission of any
check experienced by the invader generally indi-
cates a serious defeat. It must not be forgotten
that the affair of Oltenitza is as yet only known, to
those who are confined to Russian sources of infor-
mation, as an engagement in which General Dannen-
berg totally defeated the enemy, although, for some
inexplicable reason, he abstained from driving the
Turkish force into the river. The reports of an
English officer, our own special correspondent, have
proved that no foundation ever existed for the
statements of Prince Gortschakoff's bulletin. It is
not, therefore, surprising that the slight official
mention of the combat at Matschin should have
concealed the failure of a serious demonstration on
the right back of the river.
Our correspondence from Galatz, published yes-
terday, contained a full and accurate account of
the repulse of the Russian troops on the occasion
referred to. The Turkish fort of Matschin is situated
nearly opposite Ibraila, within a few miles of the
Russian frontier, which reaches to the confluence
of the Pruth with the Danube. On the 13th of
December, General Luders, whose early arrival at
Bucharest was announced some months since, em-
barked 5,000 men from the garrisons in the vici-
nity on board a flotilla—probably the same which
commenced the war by firing on the neighbouring
town of Isaktcha. The steamers on the river at-
tacked the batteries of Matschin, while the troops
advanced along the shore until they were within
reach of the musketry from the walls. Both
assaults were effectually repulsed ' • and it is said
that the Russians lost from 400 to 500 men. A

much less important success than that gained by
the Turks in this affair would, if achieved by the
invading army, have brought a shower of decora-
tions and silver roubles to the fortunate victors,
with an autograph letter of compliment from the
Emperor to the commanding officer. In the ab-
sence of any opportunity for boasting, the alterna-
tive is the suppression of the whol story, until
there is time for the truth to be communicated by
the circuitous route of Constantinople.
It was probably after the date of the affair of
Matschin that another division of General Luders'
corps was recalled from Wallachia, and ordered to
retrace its steps by forced marches to Bessarabia.
The Turks had, it appeared, collected a strong force
at Isaktcha ; and whether they intended to early
the war into the enemy's country, or only to make a
demonstration, it may have been equally necessary
to collect a sufficient force to watch their move-
ments. In Bessarabia, as in all the other con-
quered provinces which form the Russian frontier,
general disaffection prevails. Every new acqui-
sition of the great Northern Empire is, indeed,
gradually reduced to the state of moral and
political degradation which prevails throughout
the Imperial dominions ; but so long as the me-
mory of happier times is still cherished, any foreign
ally who offers a hope of escape is welcomed with
eager sympathy, Although the Ottoman forces
may not at present be strong enough to reta-
liate the invasion of the Sultan's territory, their
commanders have the means of effecting an impor-
tant diversion, by threatening the enemy's commu-
nications from the Lower Danube. At the other
extremity of his line, Omer Pacha is still strength-
ening his position at Kalafat ; and it is not impro-
bable that lie may have already threatened the
Russian vanguard at Krajova from Nicopoli and
Turna. The Turkish troops are so much better
cared for than the Russians, that it is not unlikely
that the severity of the weather gives them a rela-
tive advantage. Our Special Correspondent says,
in his description of the entrenched camp at
Shumla, that the Ottoman soldier is better lodged
and better fed than the private of any European
army. On the other hand it is known that, in
consequence of the corruption of the officials, the
Russian commissariat has always been found in-
efficient in a foreign campaign.
The fact that the fortune of war is still so equally
balanced, while as yet only the original belligerents
are in the field, might well suggest grave reflections
to the aggressor. In Asia, even according to
Russian statements, Prince Woronzow has effected
no more than the recovery of the territory through
which the Ottoman forces had advanced. Not
even an official bulletin has yet announced that the
fort of St. Nicholas has been retaken ; and it is
highly improbable that, with the mountaineers
in arms, the Governor-General of Georgia can ven-
ture to attack the Turkish provinces. The unfor-
nate squadron which was destroyed at Sinope had
previously succeeded in landing enormous supplies
of guns and ammunition on the Circassian coast, so
that the war which has continued so obstinately for
a quarter of a century will now be carried on with
additional spirit and vigour. The Government of
St. Petersburgh can scarcely hope that, even if
Turkey were abandoned to her own resources,
England would allow the Shah of Persia to use
with impunity against the Porte a force which is
ultimately destined to threaten the Indian frontier.
The worst enemies of our Government will at least
give it credit for a determination to protect its own
territories in all parts of the world.
On the Danube, the fortune of war has con-
fessedly been favourable to the Turks. They have
defeated the enemy in two considerable combats—
they have disquieted him, successively or simul-
taneously, at every point of his line—and they have
taken up a permanent position on the left bank of
the river. It has been repeatedly announced that
innumerable hosts were about to sweep the Otto-
man army from its positions ; and even at this
moment, the Russians in the different European
capitals are instructed to boast of the in-
tended march to Constantinople in the spring.
In the meantime, however, the invading army
foot of ground, nor even made
has not gained a
preparations for
investing one of the many for-
tresses which w ust he taken before the Balkan can
be crossed. General Osten-Sacken's vanguard has
entered Moldavia long after his main body had
been expected
in Wallachia ; and of General Lu-
ders' reserves, it is known that one detachment has
been rewired for Georgia, whilst another has re-
treated on Bessarabia. There is reason to believe
that not a man can be spared from Poland ; and
circumstances may soon occur which will demand
an increase of the garrisons in Finland. The
Turkish Government, which nobly defied the plau-
sible menaces of Prince Menschikoff, would indeed
be pusillanimous if, after proving its strength, it
shrunk from the paper forces with which it is
threatened for the ensuing campaign. Up to the
present moment, the Western Powers have main-
tained a strict neutrality ; and Russia has probably
calculated on prolonging their inaction for an inde-
finite period. It is difficult, however, to imagine
that any new device can be discovered for the post-

ponement of decisive steps. As soon as the allied
fleets are instructed to act in earnest, no flotilla
will pass from Galatz to Matschin or Isaktcha—no
reinforcements will be sent by way of Odessa from
Europe to Asia—and the Russian fleet, instead of
exterminating a defenceless squadron at Sinope,
will have to depend for its own security on the
works of Sebastopol.

(Front the Morning Advertiser.)

We all know that there can bevouch a thing as the
existence of a Constitution in the letter while the spirit
of that Constitution is entirely wanting. All history
in civilised countries abounds with instances of
this ; but we need not explore the page of history
to satisfy ourselves that it is quite possible to have
the name of a Constitution while the administra-
tion of public affairs is not regulated by its spirit.
The people of England used to have the idea that
they could bring their views and feelings to bear
on any Government, and compel it, whether it
would or no, to act in accordance with their wishes.
And, in entertaining that belief, they were only
putting a legitimate construction on the terms of
our Constitution.

Recent experience has taught them that this is a
mistake. They cannot make their voice heard, or
their power felt, in the Cabinet Councils of the
country. For six long months their unanimously
and stronglyexpressed wishes have been disregarded
with respect to the Eastern question. The Cabinet
has pursued its own course, just as if there were
no such thing as public opinion in the country.
The wishes of the English people could not have
been more coolly or systematically set at nought,
had we been living directly under the Government
of the Czar. So far as relates to the Eastern ques-
tion, the Coalition have acted in as complete de-
fiance of public feeling, during the last six months,
as if they had been in name, as they are in effect,
the Ministers of Russiai.
And yet we still nominally live under a constitu-
tional Government. We have a Constitution—a
glorious Constitution, often and justly said to be
the envy of surrounding nations, and the admira-
tion of the world ; but, ever since June last, that
Constitution has existed only on the parchment on
which it is written. The Coalition, supposed, like
all other Ministries, to be responsible to the people,
have, down till the present hour, shown that they
are not. They have resigned themselves to the in-
spirations derived from a single source. So far at
least as concerns the Turkish question, England
has, for six months, been living under a dictator-
ship. It is true, the dictator does not appear visi-
bly on the stage ; but that only makes matters all
the worse. Because he stations himself behind the
curtain, he insures his own irresponsitility in a
double sense. He is not only irresponsible in the
eyes of the Constitution, but he has hitherto been
irresponsible even to public opinion.
Of course, however, this was only so long as the
veil which enshrouded matters in exalted places
was permitted to remain undisturbed. Now that we
have thrown that veil aside, the power of public
opinion will be brought to bear on the agent who
was heretofore concealed from the public view.
Happily, we still enjoy a free press ; and so long
as that great palladium of the liberties of Eng-
land remains untouched, public opinion can be
pressed into the service of the people. And here
let us remark, by way of parenthesis, that never,
in the whole course of England's history, were the
unspeakahle benefits of a free press more strikingly
attested than they have been during the last few
weeks. We know our readers will indorse the ac-
curacy of our statement, when we say that we have
ourselves done that within the last fortnight
which no member of the House of Commons would
have ventured to do, although members of Parlia-
ment enjoy privileges as regards freedom of speech
which the press does not possess as regards liberty
of writing.
Some persons will doubtless be surprised to learn
that a body of English noblemen and gentlemen
should remain in a Government in which they have
no real power, but are merely the executors of the
will of others. It is due to some of their number
to say that they are subserving the purposes of
parties out of the Cabinet, without having the
slightest consciousness of the fact. They have the
semblance of liberty of action, and with that they
are satisfied. They possess a nominal power in
their respective departments, and are therefore
content that matters should remain as they are.
Only one or two men in the Ministry come into
direct contact with the party not in the Cabinet,
who has, in reality, the destinies of the country in
his hands. The other members are influenced,
sometimes directly, and sometimes indirectly, by
the Premier, who knows full well through whose
agency he received his appointment as the head
of the Government. He is no less sensible with re-
gard to the influence by which, in defiance of public
opinion, he is kept where he is. He therefore takes
special care that the views of his patron shall be
scrupulously and systematically carried out on the
part of each of his colleagues, without the latter
having any knowledge, perhaps not even a suspi-
cion, as to the quarter whence he receives his in-
structions.

The whole secret of that treachery to Turkey,
and that degrading policy as regards England, which
have filled the public mind with amazement, and
every British bosom with indignation, is to be found
in the fact, that there is a power outside the Cabi-
net greater than the Cabinet itself. Our policy is
of foreign origin. It begins in St. Petersburg, in
Vienna, in Brussels, and, after being adopted in
London, is ingeniously introduced into the British
Cabinet, and becomes the policy of our Government.
The Coalition, therefore, are only:Ministers in name.
They retain their places simply for the purpose of
carrying out constitutionally, so far as mere forms
go, the policy of one who himself is not vested with
any Ministerial power. Such is the sort of Govern-
ment which England has to boast of at this mo-
ment. In appearance, matters are governed in con-
sonance with constitutional principles ; in effect
they are not. A power unknown to the Constitu-
tion forms and fashions the policy of England.
In this fact, we repeat, we have a key to the line
of foreign policy which has been pursued for the
last nine or ten months—a policy which has endan-
gered the existence of Turkey, perilled the peace of
Europe, and brought an amount of degradation on
the character of England which makes every right-
hearted Englishman blush for his country. It was
because the Czar knew the real state of matters

that he has had the hardihood to adopt the course
which he has done. Had he not known what could
be done by invisible unconstitutional agencies to
prevent this country from taking the bold and
manly stand against him which at once became its
reputation and interests, he would never have
dared to embark on that course of aggression on
the territories of the Sultan, and that haughty de-
fiance of the Western Powers, which have filled all
Europe with astonishment and alarm.
But an end must be put to the system which has
so long prevailed in the vicinity of the Cabinet, and
which has been productive of results so dishonour-
able to England, so disastrous to Turkey, and so
perilous to the peace of Europe. The evil is one
of such fearful magnitude that we must go boldly
and directly to its root. It can no longer be tole-
rated that Ministerial responsibility should be a
pure fiction, and that all real Ministerial power
should be centred in one whom the Constitution
does not recognise in any other light than simply
as a subject of her Majesty. When this unconsti-
tutional power has been destroyed, as it must im-
mediately be, we shall enjoy the benefit of repre-
sentative institutions ; and. a course of policy, at
home and abroad, will then be pursued by Great
Britain worthy of the high name she has, until
lately, enjoyed among the nations of the world.

THE GRAND NATIONAL CURLING MATCH.—The pre-
parations for this event are now, we hear, in a forward
and promising state ; and the middle of next week, wea-
ther permitting, will be the time. Those in authority,
putting trust in the present symptoms of " a good hard
winter," have been inclined to allow time for practice
and for the competitions for district medals, previous to
the grand match. The want of previous practice last
season was severely felt, especially by the players
from the south—a drawback, however, unavoidable
owing to the want of frost, which did not make its
appearance till February. But this season there has al•
ready been a full week's practice, and the match is likely
to be played six weeks earlier. The muster promises
to be, or rather must be—for the names are given
in, and the rinks have been already placed by ballot—
considerably more numerous than on any former
i occa-
sion. The number of rinks in the grand match s 160,
and in the vice-president's match, 27—in all, 193 rinks,
or 1,514 players ! The North flushed by its last year's
victory, musters stronger than the South by 27 rinks,
and it is northern players entirely that compose the vice
president's match. We note a deficiency from the
counties of Ayr and Dumfries, which is to be regretted,
if not condemned. Among other improvements in the
arrangements, it is intended that the trains shall leave
the different points of departure an hour and a half
earlier than on the last occasion—for instance, from
Edinburgh at 7.30, and from Glasgow at 7.45. All the
railways (except apparently . the Glasgow and South-
Western and the North British) are to issue tickets at
one fare,--Scotsman of Saturday.