The Sun.
London, England, 1870-03-04 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 4, 1870.

THEATRE-ROYAL DRURY-LANE.
gole Lessee and Manager, Mr. F. B. Chatterton.
THIS EVENING, at 7, PHOBUS' FIX: the Vokes Family. At
7.45, PEEP 0' DAY: Messrs. J. B. Howard, Lewis Nanton, Bar-
lett, J. rk eville, F. Charles, C. Moore, M'lntyre, W. F. Vokes,
and Fred. Yokes; Mesdames E. Stuart, Barrett, hi ichells, Amy
Roselle, Hastings, Harper, and Rosina Vokes

ment have not obtained this desired end, they have
loved retrenchment, not wisely, but too well, and
in their haste to get rich have not been careful to
Consider who would become poor when their arrange-
ments were carried out. There are some things
which are beyond price, and among them must le
ranked good faith and fair play. Ono Administra-
tion passes away and another succeeds ; but while
a slight mistake may be rectified by the new-
comers, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to
efface the impression that will have been produced
by broken pledges and rescinded statutes. These
workmen state, very truly, that they have ben
serving the CROWN at a very much smaller rate of
pay than their fellow-workmen have received in
private yards, trusting to that just consideration of
their elainis which has always hitherto influenced
other Boards of Admiralty. I❑ the consideration

of this grievance we must bear in mind that there
is more at stake than the particular hardships in-
flicted on individual workmen. We are treating
of the principle ou which the service of the country
is conducted,laud the manner in which the servants of
the CROWN fulfil their duty to the subjects of
their SOVEREIGN. A trust is reposed in them,
and they at e bound to prove themselves worthy of it.
It will be a fine thing to lay before Parliament a long
list of reduced expenses, and to point to au over-
flowing exchequer ; but their victory will be one to
deplore and not to emulate if these are the trophies
of their success. it will be no consolation to
ruined families and outcast wanderers to know that
their sacrifice was necessary to insure the success of
the great financial scheme. They have been added
to the long list of victims to the caprice or tyranny
of others, who have swelled the ranks of nameless
martyrs since the world began.
"What millions died that C.aisAn may be great,"

may be Mr. LoWE'S commentary on the protests and
plaints that are put before him as he pursues the
tenour of his way without fear, but certainly not
without reproach. Lookers-on see most of the game
is au old saying, and perhaps it may not be imperti-
nent to ask why all classes are not subjected to the
same treatment? In the proposed changes of the
Board of Admiralty we find that there will be one
Naval Lord the less ; but it is.worthy of notice that in
the alterations to be made the First and Second Naval
Lords will receive an increased salary of £1,500, in-
stead of £l,OOO, as at present. This is too much
like carrying out one law for the rich and another for

the poor. Let us take for granted that a certain saving
is effected in the Ling run, still it is impossible to do
away with the impression that the blanks of the
lottery belong to those lowly placed in the service,
while the prizes are drawn by those high up in the
scale. It is a pity, for the sake of consistency, that
it should go forth to the country that a Naval Lord
is to receive an increase of salary, while dockyard
workmen, who have been seriously injured in the
service, have been dismissed without compensation.
The poor are sent empty away, but the rich must be
conciliated, and hence the apparent anomaly. Those
who sign the appeal referred to express the hope

that members of the House of Commons will read
it, and that it may influence them in their considera-
tion of the Navy Estimates of 1870, just presented
for their acceptance. The author of the " Deserted
Village" has exclaimed—
" 11l fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay."
And who knows but that the present generation may
listen to a similar monologue from one who shall
record the woes of the deserted dockyards ? Before
it is too late we had better take heed to our ways,
and beware of sanctioning injustice under the mask
of progress. Let us save by all means; but not
at the expense of the national honour, or at the
cost of the sufferings and hardshii s of the
poor. The Government mu-t answer to the Musa
for this inconsiderate discharge of dockyard work-
men, and the members themselves are bound to see
that where injury has been indicted by want of care
due compensation shall be given. A more short-
sighted reduction was never made than has been
effected by the di charge of these dockyard men, and

the manner in which the arrangement has been car-
ried out, has greatly added to the difficulties and
hardships of the case. Mr. GLADSTONE has won
many laurels, but the brightest reputation can b
tarnished ; and while he is moving mountains to
give Ireland her rights, let him and his colleagues
beware of indicting wrongs nearer home, and re-
member that the strongest Minister at the head of
the most powerful majority will lose his influence,
and fall from his popularity if he cannot make his
practice consistent with his promises, and refute the
charge of allowing the end to sanction the means.

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