The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-18 00:00:00

although opposed to us in consequence of the
criminality of their SOVEREIGN, are yet our fel-
-1 low-men, with all the feelings of humanity. Our
earliest aspiration must be for success—a success-
so decided and triumphant that it will satisfy the
German waverers, and even convince the CZAR
himself. By this means alone can the war be
a permanent, and an honour-
brought to a speedy,
able conclusion. And, however serious the losses
may be, in the first instance, however deplorable
the casualties, the result will prove that the more
vigorous the opening blow, the. greater will be
the saving in the long run.
Next, however, to that unequivocal triumph,
is it to be desired that we may spare our own
forces, and then the fallen foe, once conquered,
can no longer be regarded as enemies. Expe-
rience has now proved beyond the possibility of
doubt that the more destructive the appliances of
war, the less the loss on any side. It is where
the opposing armies are pretty evenly matched,
and that the termination of the contest can be
considered uncertain, that the greatest destruction
of human life takes place. We had an example
of this at Bomarsund, where, notwithstanding the
magnitude of the results achieved, our own losses
were comparatively trivial—while the Russians
by discerning the utter impossibility of a pro-
tracted resistance were induced to yield without
undergoing a tithe of the sufferings that must
have been submitted to during a prolonged
siege. The garrison are now treated with kind-
ness and consideration, receiving even as pri-
soners more generous diet than they could hope
for in the service of their master. We need not
enforce the propriety of humanity to the van-
quished ; the recollection of the universal disgust
excited by the massacre at Sinope will prevent any
unnecessary destruction even of those engaged in

1 _ _
that atrocious outrage.
The latest accounts received by electric tele-
graph (which appeared in our impression of Satur-
day) informed us that eight of the Anglo-French
steamers had appeared off Odessa, and placed
themselves with their broadsides towards the
quarantine harbour. It was also stated that
the Isle of Serpents had been fixed on as the
rendezvous, from whence the various operations
would be conducted. The simultaneous attack
on Sebastopol and Odessa was doubtless decided
on in order to prevent any diversion by the
garrison of the one in favour of the other; and in
detaching eight war-steamers for the bombardment
of the latter, Admirals DIINDAS and HAMELIN
unquestionably retained force sufficient to en-
counter the Russian fleet, should it dare to leave
the shelter under which it has hitherto sheltered.
This time the bombardment will not terminate so
speedily or so easily as on the former occasion,
when nothing was contemplated beyond adequate
punishment for a gross infraction of the law of
nations, which all persons laying claim to the
slightest civilisation were bound to respect. We
then spared the non-combatants, and will again,
as far as practicable, pursue a similar course;
but we will no longer leave batteries standing, to
assail grounded vessels, or prepare red-hot shot to
be thrown against those who, through the casual-
ties of the sea, were incapable of defending them-
selves. If the innocent population suffer, it will
not be ascribable to the Allies ; if the atrocious
proclamation of NICHOLAS be strictly obeyed,
and his truculent orders carried into practical
execution, it is not the French or English who
can be censured, but the man who occasioned the
war, and who has endeavoured to add to its
horrors. We shall be prompt to succour, far
more so than we were to attack ; and the amount
of sufferings endured by the innocent citizens will
only add to the retribution which he must make '
up his mind to undergo, effectually alienating the
feelings of the inhabitants of the Crimea, and
inducing them to render allegiance to any poten-
tate rather than to one who has inflicted so much
wanton and gratuitous misohie f.