The Sun.
London, England, 1854-08-07 00:00:00

tion what ought next to be done with a view to
the capture or destruction of Sebastopol.
There is one grand advantage the allies have in
attacking Sebastopol, over what they could possibly
possess in attacking Cronstadt, the terrible out-
post of the Russian capital, the stronghold barring
any near approach to St. Petersburg. Cronstadt
consists of merely insular fortifications. Sebas-
topol is an accumulation of batteries upon one
point in a very considerable Peninsula. Cron-
stadt, therefore, can only be attacked by sea—
certainly, of course, with the aid of gun-boats,
and with the remote assistance of troops landed
on the adjacent shores of the Gulf of Finland ;
but, strictly speaking, it is in itself solely open to
a maritime attack, an attack by gun-boats and
vessels of war, by bombs, and rockets, and broad-
sides. Whereas Sebastopol can be assailed not
only by sea but by land ; and terribly, too, by
land, if only a due force be directed against it at
the right points, at the points where it would
be most vulnerable, at the heights from
which the town with its harbours, its arsenal,
its docks, and its batteries would be en-
tirely commanded. Wherefore, of course,
there is somewhat more of a temptation
for a first attack being made upon Sebasto-
pol, instead of upon Cronstadt. Especially, seeing
that the Baltic fleets are not yet supplied with
the necessary gun-boats, and, what is more, that
they have not even the prospect of being so
supplied. While, in lieu of there being any
obstacle in any way equivalent to this in refer-
ence to a descent upon the Crimea, and a conse-
quent attack upon Sebastopol, there is actually
every reasonable facility towards it at this
moment at the disposal of the allied Commanders-
in-Chief, both military and maritime. Enormous
bodies of troops, well appointed, and in splendid
condition, and wonderfully well disciplined—
where ? Disposed between Schumla and Varna—
ready at any time for immediate concentration--
and capable of being conveyed across the Black
Sea in a few hours by means of steam transports, at
any time that may be deemed advisable, to any point
(on, or in the vicinity of, the Crimea) that might be
judiciously preconcerted. Together with which, we
all know what fleets there are in the Euxine ready
at the period fixed upon to co-operate with the
60,000, or 80,000, or 100,000 troops, French
and English, Turks and Egyptians, under the
command of the Marshal-Generalissimo.
As preliminary steps towards which general
attack upon the Crimea, there are two measures
already specified as advisable, if not absolutely
essential (mark ! as preliminaries)—the landing of
troops at Anapa and at Perecop. Well—A.napa
would seem to have been looked to already, if we
may judge from the expedition recently intrusted
to Generals BROWN and CANROBERT. But there
remains then—the Isthmus of Perecop. Let that
now be looked to also betimes ! And then ha ling
effectually closed the portal of the Crimea, and com-
pletely circumvented its Russian defenders—then
with a battle cry of " GOD defend the Right"—
then, at last Onward ! with the union-jack, and
the tri-colour, and the banner of the Moslem,
Onward ! with the Turkish crescent, and the Eng-
lish spear-head, and the French Eagles, for the
one grand and crowning attack upon Sebastopol.

What shall we do with our convicts ? This
interrogatory has been frequently repeated in our
columns, hut on each occasion the solution
of the important problem appears more diffi-
suit, if not altogether impossible. We are assured
that very great exertions have been used to
render the great experiment, now in progress,
successful, and we have no reason to doubt the
seal and ability of Colonel JEBB, under whose
control and management the operations have
been conducted. We fear, however, that the
entire system of " penal servitude" in the United
Kingdom, coupled with occasional relaxation, in
the shape of tickets of leave, is totally and radi-
cally defective, and that no exertions, however
energetic or efficient, can materially improve that
which is altogether opposed to the fundamental
conditions of English society. We do not blame
Government for falling into an error on the sub-
ject. It was one that justified any attempt that
might probably, or even possibly, lead to an auspi-
cious result. But now that the total and un-
qualified failure of the experiment has been esta-
blished beyond the possibility of doubt, Ministers
would be exceedingly culpable if they recklessly
and obstinately pursued a course which has been
so clearly proved to be in the wrong direction.
We do not of course suppose that any legislation
on such a question is practicable at the fag-end of
the session, when the prorogation of Parliament
is rapidly approaching. All that can be done is
to direct the. attention of Noble Lords and
Honourable Gentlemen to the interesting and
important subject, so that they may be well
acquainted with its various details when the
time for action shall arise, and when required to
sanction a new experiment for the suppression of
crime, and the reformation of the criminal popu-
lation of the country. The topic may also be
very advantageously discussed in the public press. ,
Anything calculated to place it in a striking point
of vieve.o.to give additional facts—must prove be-
neficial, and increase the chances of a happy issue.
There are two distinct lights in which the topic
must be strictly examiaed—so far as relates to
society and the convict himself, or as we have
already stated, to " the prevention of crime," and
" the reformation of the criminal." It is only
for the sake of society that any punishment is at
all justifiable. The doctrine of " vengeance" has
long been banished from the penal codes of all
civilised nations, and if " retributive justice"
be apparently extended to the offenders,
it is simply to deter others from fol-
lowing their most evil example, and thus to
afford protection and security to their innocent
and meritorious neighbours. It is therefore the
imperative duty of those who assume the position
of law-givers, who arrogate to themselves autho-
rity not only over the liberties and fortunes, but
even, in extreme cases, over the lives of their fel-
low-men, to use their gigantic power with the ut-
most possible moderation, and to inflict no unne-
cessary suffering even on the convicted culprits
who are helplessly placed in their hands.
Our old Draconic code looked only to society.
Its object was to affect men's fears, to rule by
terror solely. Not a week passed that the metro-
polis was not disgraced by public executions for
the most trivial offences. The " hangman " was
the great public instructor, and we can scarcely
wonder at the wide-spread brutality that pre-
vailed when the community received such tuition.
A better spirit subsequently prevailed. The
penal code
was judiciously revised, and greatly
modified, and capital punishment only retained in
cases of atrocious turpitude, where, by the Divine
law, as well as the almost universal practice of
nations, it was
indis-
pensable. sanctioned and considered indis-
We have, perhaps, gone as far in
abridging capital punishment as we should be
justified in going,
and it is not
in that direction
that we require further alterations ; but it is in
the system of secondary punishments, in the prison i
discipline, that has been
ntrodnced under the
sanction and authority of the local inaoistracy,
rather than that of Parliament, and in 'the dis-
t posal of those who have either served out their
times and are therefore entitled to their discharge,
or who have evinced such symptoms of sincere
penitence for their former offences, and earnest
determination to lead a new life, that improve-
ments and ameliorations must be introduced.
In the prison discipline we have allowed the
crotchets of men fancying themselves philanthro-
pists, but who are really giving rein to the na-
tural cruelty of their disposition, too long to pre-
prevail.We have treadwheels, cranks, collars,
cats-of-nine-tails, and the various instruments
afn d
o
t r
t
ure which the Birmingham investigation
has brought to light. The "secrets of one pri-