The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-29 00:00:00

7b-agr‘
ILn

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 29, 1854.

Sir CHARLES NAPIER is at perfect liberty to d,)
anything he likes to undertake in the way of war-
like operations ! That is the permission granted
to him by the Government. But Sir CHARLES
NAPIER has told the Admiralty in a letter, one
sentence from which was read to the House of
Commons, on Tuesday evening, by the First
Naval Lord Commissioner, that to have attacked
either Cronstadt or Sweaborg with the fleet, would
have been " certain destruction." Observe the
condition under which the attack would be certain
destruction ! It would be certain destruction to
attack either Cronstadt or Sweaborg with the fleet.
Leaving us naturally to infer that something else
is requisite in the estimation of the maritime
Commander-in-Chief, that something else is
requisite besides the " fleet," to enable him with-
out " certain destruction" to attack either of those
mighty fortifications. We are not twisting the
words of Admiral NAPIER, in order to give them
a merely distorted interpretation. The meaning
of the Admiral's declaration lies on the surface. In
order to prove this more clearly we give the sentence,
yet again, precisely as it was read on Tuesday even-
ing by Admiral BERKELEY from the floor of the
Lower House of the Legislature. It runs simply
thus—" It has not been in my power to do any-
thing with this powerful fleet ; for attacking either
Cronstadt or Sweaborg would have been certain
destruction." Would have been certain destruc-
tion—that is—" with this powerful fleet"—with
this fleet unaided by anything else ! Vessels of
war alone cannot accomplish the capture or de-
struction of Sweaborg or Cronstadt, with their
vast granite walls, and their gigantic, and nume-
rous, and artfully-arranged fortifications. Admiral
BERKELEY only read that one sentence from the
letter sent home by Sir CHARLES NAPIER. What
was the context ? It would be well to know.
Rumour avows that it was to the effect that al-
though nothing could be done with the fleet
alone, something might be accomplished with that
fleet, supposing it were aided by troops, and by
small vessels having a very light draught of water,
and carrying guns of a long-range, and alto-
gether suited in tonnage and speed to the
peculiarities of that shallow navigation. How-
ever this may be, it is positive that_ Sir CHARLES
NAPIER, according to Admiral
deliberateEisarLEolcp's showing, avows that in his
opinion
attacking either Cronstadt or Sw eb with the
fleet would be "certain destruction."a3:gThe fact
of his having said so is upon record.
positive that troops to the number of 10,000 have
been sent out very recently to the Baltic
—a tardy
but distinct admission that they were wanted
there. And it is likewise well known however
much Admiral BERKELEY may affect to laugh at
the suggestion of the Noble Lord the Member for
Marylebone in regard to gun-boats suitable for
shoal-water navigation—that the Admiralty have
empowered Mr. SCOTT RUSSELL, not to construct
new boats such as he offered to build within the
three months, but to buy up a couple of old ones
such as the Nis and the Salamander.
No talk as the advocates of Government
may about the energy displayed by them
in sending out mighty fleets against Russia
both into the Black Sea and into the Bal-

tic—there has been gross negligence, here, in
allowing
andthose fleets to be useless, to all intents
a w4weirt.ii
44 4. , purposes utterly useless, 40---:,..1-,-4, theb, .
draught
by not supplying
4*
~, - e Spoke of this
gun-boats, having but a light
It was not yesterday only that we
I,l't z:
-f.; +ft" c .
1.14;;;, t,:;i! T.P. '
ktl la' • "We have earned the right to corn-
p In, for months have elapsed •in these columns
rious want felt .
/13, directed public attention to the
, vicarul, by reason of the
by the Baltic fleet in par- 1
negligence of the Adzi- i

a : r~i
~c_

ralty in not supplying Sir CHARLES NAPIER with-
the means of attack upon Sweaborg and. Cron-
stadt, and therefore, of course, upon Hel-
singfors and St. Petersburg. To go no
further back than the 10th of May, we
find that on the evening of that date, when
speaking of the lack of gun-boats in the Baltic
fleet, we declared—" The necessity in this parti-
cular, we believe, is most 'urgent and imperative"—
adding, "Upon the proceedings takeu by the Ad-
miralty authorities, in this matter of proper gun-
boats for the Baltic fleet, we shall keep our eyes
rivetted with vigilant and unwiuking watchful-
ness." And we have kept our promise. We
appeal to our readers whether we have not
again and again pertinaciously insisted upon the
necessity of Sir CHARLES NAPIER being supplied
by the Admiralty with the means of carrying out
by gun-boats the warlike operations for which we
now learn that the gallant admiral had, from the
outset, a carte blanche from the Administration.
The words we have quoted were put forward by
us in The Sun of the 10th of May, and here is
the 29th of July—and no gun-boats sent
out, none that we can hear of even ordered,
and just 10,000 French troops despatched
but the other day towards the Baltic as
the first instalment of the military contingent !
And with a knowledge of these facts—a painful
remembrance of the solemn declaration made by
Sir CHARLES NAPIER to the Admiralty, that, even
with the powerful fleet under his command, at-
tacking Cronstadt and Sweaborg would only
have been " certain destructi in." Is not
the case made out clearly against the Ad-
miralty ? We ask that of every impartial ob-
server—adding to the injury a declaration of our
firm and fixed belief that the negligence shown
by the authorities in the matter of these gun-
boats will survive as a dark blot in the history of
the present Government.

Another Ministerial defeat, or rather braco of
defeats, yesterday. The first on the Militia Bill
(No. 2), in which an amendment was carried by
a majority of 25, by which one half of the ex-
penses would be transferred from the County
Rates to the Consolidated Fund. The Chancellor
of the Exchequer, who looked very grave at the
additional and unexpected responsibility imposed
on his department, declared that the principle
which had just been affirmed by the vote of the
Committee was a very important one, and that the
Government would consider what course they
would take on the subject hereafter. It is, there-
fore, by no means improbable, that this bill

may not be pressed forward during the present
Session, unless Ministers can induce the House
to rescind the resolution at which it deliberately
arrived, that of relieving the different localities
from a moiety of the burden which they had
previously been compelled to sustain.

The second was a matter of still greater im-
portance. The Bribery Bill, which had been im-
proved and improved until its own putative
parent would scarcely know his legislative off-
spring, has been further improved until it has
become perfectly valueless. We had always
considered that until " THE BALLOT" became
the recognised law of the land there
would be but little practical utility in any
other provisions. Noble Lords and Honourable
and Right Honourable Gentlemen might make a
show of great anxiety to prevent the corrupt
practices that reflected such deep discredit on the
representative branch of the Legislature ; but
the test of sincerity was wanting so long as they
should continue pertinaciously to refuse the only
efficient remedy—that which would not merely
check, but nearly, if not altogether, abolish the
glaring evils of bribery and intimidation. It was
difficult to suppose that those could be in earnest who
repudiated secret voting, who enabled the tempter
to see that the flagitious contract was duly per-
formed, and that he received the stipulated equi-
valent for the money which he applied to so vile
a purpose—who left the man who voted
honestly aad conscientiously exposed to the ven-
geance of landlord or employer, priest, or cus-
tomer, or even to that tyranny, the " Non-voter
influence," about which so muchridiculous twaddle
was p,,ured forth. Whi'e the Ballot was ignored,
. and trifling enactments framed for the punishment
of offences that might so easily be suppressed, the
protracted discussions could only be regarded as
evincing a desire to hoodwink the community,
and persuade the people that there was really a
wish to get rid of the operation of any undue in-
fluences in what ought to be popular elections.
There was, however, one clause that afforded
some kind of guarantee against corruption, so far
as it could be obtained from oaths or declarations,
or verbal pledges of any description. It was true
that there might be many opportunities of evading
it, that persons not very scrupulous might com-
pound with their consciences in a variety of ways.
Still it was something, and showed that all
the attention was not bestowed on the voter ;
but that if the former might be compelled
to swear that he had not been bribed, the
latter should, in like manner, be called on
to declare that he had not bribed, nor would
he tempt the humble elector to commit wilful and
corrupt perjury. That salutary provision was,
however, expunged from the bill by a majority of
40 ; and Ministers thus encountered a second de-
cisive defeat, on the same day, in the House
of Commons. Nor did even these palpable
slights satisfy their opponents. No subsequent
attempt was made to get rid of the entire bill,
which, emasculated and mutilated as it was, only
passed by a majority of 7, there being 107 for,
and 100 against, on a final division.

The proceedings of the Upper House were
scarcely more satisfactory. The Public Revenue
and Consolidated Fund Charges Bill, one of the most
useful measures of the session, was recommitted,
and passed with amendments. Now, as this was
a money bill, relating to a matter exclusively
under the jurisdiction of the House of
Commons, any amendment, however trivial,

is a virtual rejection of the bill, as the amend-
ment must be thrown out as a breach of privilege.
Here, then, we have another bi 1 lost, in which
Ministers prided themselves in no ordinary de-
gree, and fur which they were really entitled to
much credit. The Noble Chancellor of the Duchy
of Lancaster declared that on Monday he would
be prepared to announce the intentions of the
Government with respect to this bill. The only alter-
native is, that a new ono should be intro-
duced, and passed rapidly through the House
of Commons, and again sent up to their Lord-
ships, or that it should be added to the long
list of matters " postponed in consequence of the
war." If the former course should be adopted,
as we earnestly hope it may, we must make up
our minds,to another Maynooth debate—another
melancholy exhibition of perverse bigotry and
rabid intolerance, with perhaps a possibility of
Messrs. SPOONER and NEWDEGATE succeeding in
their object.
Surely there have seldom been so many unto-
ward occurrences during one day to any
Government that enjoyed the confidence of
Parliament so far as to be entrused with the
control and expenditure of 3,000,0001. sterling.
Three
of their favourite measures, either neutral-
ised or lost, if not " at one fell swoop," at least
Within a few hours.
events may
and strengthen thweorirthy Wp
be received as warnings, to improve
oes tt
irouns
so that
atsh etsoe painful
render
themselves more
rest assured that they will preocperuvlaerp
they merit the approval ofofthe
.people, they may
representatives. thatsup support.
t .th e.ll-fr.

GOVERNMENT EMIGRATION.It appears, from the
advices received yesterday from Melbourne, col of
Victoria, that, in addition to the 100,000/. in theon hay nds
of her Majesty's Commissioners of Emigration, there was
a further sum accruing for the year 1853 of 771,0141.,
making a total of 871,0141. applicable to emigration
purposes. At the average rate of 6,009/. as the cost of
each vessel for every 400 passengers, it is thus shown,
that about 140 vessels can be chartered, and about
56,000 emigrants sent out to the colony, out of the pro-
ceeds of the revenue applicable for such purpose to the
close of 1853.

AN AUSTRALIAN EMIGRANT SHIP ASTIORE.—MEL-
BOURNE, May 2.—The Antoinette Cezardgrench ship),
from London, in making the Heads, struck on the Cor-
sair Rocks, and was afterwards run aground in Swan
Bay, where she remains with her hold full of water.
Part of her cargo has been transhipped into lighters and
steamers,

Rest

NIONEY MARKET

AND

COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO o'CLOCK.
The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were es-
timated at 8,000 hales, including 2,000 taken for
export and on speculation. The market was steady,
but freely supplied, and closed tamely. Railway
Shares were dull, at rather lower prices.
The position of the Bank of England in the
week to the 22nd inst. was changing more de-
cidedly towards ease, and the reduction of dis-
counts demonstrates this, although from the dimi-
nution in the bullion it might be inferred by some
that such was not the case. The dividends, how-
ever, as well as the exports to the Continent,
would account for this. In the Public Deposits
the large decrease that occurred must be re
ferable to the quarterly disbursements, war
expenses, and perhaps also the repayment
of advances obtained from the Bank. This
view seems to be borne out likewise by the
diminution in the Government Securities. As the
demand for gold is rather subsiding, and the
amounts that come forward will go into the Bank,
if the exchanges continue as firm as they were yes-
terday afternoon, there will be the greater proba-
bility, with fine weather and a good harvest, of the
minimum rate of discount being lessened, even
though the war drags on. Compared with the pre-
vious week, the changes were as follows :
Active circulation
Decrease 26,440
Bullion 13,633,677
Decrease 190,195
3,328,532
19,493
2,058,785
1,149,170
11,609,399
46.574
1,057,234
62,779
11,810,383
659,854
13,819,415
415,511
6,244,485
158,495

Increase
Public Deposits
Decrease •
Other Deposits
Decrease
Seven-Day and other Bills
Decrease
Government Securities
Decrease
Other Securities
Decrease
Notes unemployed
Decrease

There was an improvement yesterday afternoon
in the ratesat which bills of exchange were quoted
upon some of the principal continental cities.
Ninety days' paper was taken at 25 25 to 25 30
on Paris, at 11 IG4 to 17 on Amsterdam, 13 G to
si on Hamburgh, and 12 28 to 32 on Trieste, being
lower for the last named.

A large portion of the gold lately received from
Australia has been taken for exportation to the
Continent, but the demand is slacker at present.
Spanish Pillar dollars are at ss. 3d. and Carolus at
Cs. per ounce.
The prices of American securities, as reported by
Messrs. D. Bell, Son, and Co., are as follows :

Redeemable. Per Cent.
United States 6 per Cent. Bonds 1863...108. 109
United States 6 per Cent. Inscribed
Stock lO9
Pennsylvania 5 per Cent.
Pennsylvania 5 per Cant. Bonds 1877... 82i 83i*
1867-1868......10789i
81
Massachusetts 5 per Cent. (Sterling
Bonds) 1868...101 103
Maryland 5 per Cent. (Starlinc, Bonds) ... 92 93
Alanama 5 per Cent. (Ster. Bonds) 1858-9-66... 83
Virginia 5 per Cent. (Sterling Bonds) 1888... 90 92
Virginia 6 per Cent. Bonds ' 1886... 92 91
Canada 6 per Cent. (Sterling Bonds) 1876...100, 1011

LOANS OF CITIES.
New Orleans 6 per Cent. Bonds

1893... 79 81

RAILROAD BONDS.
Pennsylvania Central R. Rd. 6 per
Cent 1880... 90 91
New York and Erie 7 per Cent., 2d Mort-
gage, Convertible 1859... 90 91
New York and Erie 7 per Cent., 3d Mort-
gage 18'33... 81 83
New York and Erie 7 p.Cent.,Convertible 1662... 77 79

* Ex Dividend.

The exports of bullion from London direct during
the week ending Thursday last comprised 1,460
ounces of gold, together with 5001., and 129,630
ounces of silver, all to the Continent.
The ship Ajax arrived from Melbourne brings
100,000 ounces of gold.
The English stock market has been firm, although
the report that Austria had requested the Turks
to quit the left side of the Danube occasions some
doubt. Consols which were 92i Y for transfer are
now 92/ 1. For time they have been 92& I, and are
now 928 A. Exchequer Bills are par to 3s. pre-
mium. The New 3± per Cents. have been 93 to I.
Bat* stock is firm at 212. Exchequer bonds have
been done at 888.
Foreign stocks are extremely dull and rather
lower.i Spanish 3 per Cents. are ni, and the New
Deferred 18g. Brazilian 5 per Ceuts. are rather
firmer at 992. These are the only bargains officially
noted.
The following are the nominal prices of foreign
stocks :—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 6 to 6i ; Mexi-
can, 248 to 24. ; Peruvian, 66 to 68 ; Ditto 3 per
Cents., 50 to 52 ; Portuguese 4 per Cents., 39 to
41 ; ussian 5 per Cents., 97 to 99 ; Ditto 4i per
Cents., 81 to 83 ; Spanish New Deferred,'lB4 to
181; Ditto 3 per Cents., 363 to 37A ; Ditto Certi-
ficates, 31 to 4 ; Ditto Passive, 31 to 4.
Railway shares have been at fuller prices gene
rally, and in York and Berwick, Brighton, Cale-
donian and Midland, there have been several
bargains. The foreign lines are nominal.
Mining shares are neglected, Banks heavy, and
Land shares very quiet.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.

( Prom the Oticica List. )

Rosiness done
tank Stock .
• per Cent. Reduced Annuities 92s
3 per Cent Consols Annuities 92a
3 per Cent. Annuities
India Bonds, £lOOO ........ ............
Ditto, under £lOOO 5 p
Consols for Account 17th August
Exchequer Bills, 24d.
£1000
small . 4 p
Exchequer Bonds, 1858
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS AT ONE O'CLOCK.
• razilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 99i
Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 371 x d
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. ...... 18a x