The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-04 00:00:00

IHE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1870.

blood. These are the " martyrs by the pang
without the palm" whom Englishmen can-
not forget will be involved in the holocaust of
Paris. Neither can a great and generous people, who
have been steadily striving for many a long year to
lead the van in civilisation
.and enlightenment, ao-
knowledge without reserve that there is no right
beyond and above the right of conquest, that there are
no considerations which,when armies hay e capitulated
and fortresses are shattered into dust, should stay the
victor's hand. It would seem from the news which
we publish this morning that the Prussian King
is not insensible to these arguments. Surely both
belligerents, wearied with the terrible encounter,
must themselves join in the earnest aspiration of
England that the olive branch she has at last suc-
ceeded in bringing back from the scene of carnage
may be the herald of a firm and lasting peace.

AT the meeting of the Captain Relief Fund in the
City the other day, Mr. GASSIOT, one of the Secre-
taries, said he thought that an earnest appeal should
be made to the citizens to support the effort of the
officers and sailors who had contributed to the Fund.
A great many refusals had been met with in
the City, and only three banks had contributed
a shilling. Something should be done, he declared,
to testify to the seamen that they were not neglected
by the British people. ]SIr. SAMUEL MonLBY also said
that he had been much disappointed at the compara-
tively small sums already received. Very large
funds were collected for the Hartley and Oaks col-
liery aceidente,ibut it seemed,to have been overlooked
that the loss of life on those occasions was several
hundreds less than that with the Captain. He
moved the resolution that it was believed, after care-
ful calculations, that a sum of £62,000 would be
required to do justice to the survivors of
those lost in the Captain, and the subscriptions
at present received amounted to only £32,000.
The Committee, therefore, urged their friends and
fellow-citizens to enable them to complete the
task they had begun in helping the Portsmouth
Committee to make suitable provision for the sur-
vivors in connection with the catastrophe. It would
seem as if little need be urged in support of these
claims that were so forcibly urged by the speakers at
the meeting. The loss of the Captain created such
consternation at the time of its occurrence, and such
universal sorrow and sympathy,wore expressed, that
it appeared at first sight that all needful
steps would be taken that the misfortune
might demand. It is otherwise, however,
and the public have learned, if they did
not know it before, that there is a risk of insufficient
provision being made for the survivors of those who
perished in the catastrophe. It now remains for the
work to be completed, and the necessary sum
placed in the hands of the Committee. This countryhas
never been backwar in assisting the distressed,and the
sufferers in any calamity have always been promptly
and liberally relieved. Such generosity has not been
confined to our own shores, but the dwellers in dis-
tant lands have benefited largely by the liberality of
Englishmen. The present occasion, the loss of the
Captain, is one that especially calls for attention, and
those who have the means should contribute largely to
the support of those whohave a claim on the regard and
sympathy of their countrymen. The calamity was a
national one, and it is right that the nation should
take the responsibility of the affair, both for present
and future considerations, whether we look upon it
as a question of right or a matter of feeling.

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