The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-14 00:00:00

GERMANY AND HELIGOLAND.

/The Standard draws attention to the speculations of
the Germans as to a contest with England on the sea, and
the reclamation of Heligoland. The Stamford observes :
It is well that we should know our fate beforehand, in
order that by a timely penitence we should be prepared
either to receive the blow when it comes with due meekness,
or be able to avert it by our cheerful submission. Already
we tremble for the peace of happy England, and for the
silvery streak so ruthlessly torn asunder. Already our
disturbed imaginations conjure up a horrid vision of the
redoubtable German navy ravaging the coasts of England,
levying contributions on Dover and Portsmouth, and
dooming all citizens to death who shall dare to
defend their country in any other than the recog-
nised uniform. Considering toe terrible revenge
which the German fleet will be able to take upon England.
wren it comes into being we can only wonder at the
magnanimity which is contented with the recovery of
Heligoland. Is there no other portion of our territory
which United Germany would wish to claim on ethnolo-
gical grounds, or which is neees:Ary .to round off her
military frontier? In a great part of Norfolk and
Suffolk they speak a dialect which is certainly as closely
related to Frisian as Frisian is to Swabian. The Isle of
Wight belongs, by all philological and ethnic rules, quite
as much to Germany as does Lorraine. Are there no
songs or ballads extant proving incontestibly that
the country of the South Saxons is also a part of
the Fatherland, for possession of which the Fatherland
has been pining? Why stop at Heligoland? That would
be but a paltry prize fur the great German fleet. If the
German admirals, under the strategetical direction of Ve..:
Moltke, were able to take Heligoland by force, it is clear
they might take a great deal more. •

An awkward scone has occurred at Natal, at the
Rev. Mr. Robinson's wedding. Bishop Macrorie per-
formed the service, and afterwards administered the
Sacrament, but refused it to Captain Harford, M.L.C.,
and Mrs. Harford, because they support Bishop Colenso.

Mr. Gladstone, according to the Irish Times, in-
tends to abolish the office of Judge Advocate General,
now vacant. The Duke of Cambridge, it is said, favours
the idea, believing that the duties can be efficiently dis-
charged either at the Horse Guards or the War Office by
the Deputy Judge Advocate General.

SEBASTOPOL RECORDS.—The hereditary Grand
Duke of Russia is about to enter the ranks of royal aspi-
rants for literary fame with a work on the defence of
Sebastopol, and the official organs of Russia contain a
formal request in his name to the public in general to
assist him in his work. Anybody who thinks that he has
to make any authentic communication on the subject in
question, any one who possesses anything either in writing
noted down by him at the time or since, or who has gar-
nered up certain recollections in his memory, is invited to
forward the same without delay. Diaries, memoirs, let-
ters, even anecdotes referring to the smallest episode, or
any jottings down by an eye-witness in the simplest form
will be highly welcome. There is only one condition
made, which is to be considered sacred : truth !
Likewise those who have been distinguished by
crosses, orders, and other rewards before Sebas-
topol will oblige the author by telling him, in
as crude a shape as they like, what were the circum-
stances under which they obtained these distinctions.,
Everybody, in fact, is asked to collect in some shape or
other new materials towards this history of the defence of
the Russian fortress. A good deal has, indeed, already
been forwarded to the Sebastopol Museum, and much
more is expected. The Grand Duke wishes, lie says, to
publish in such a form and under such conditions that the
book of the great deeds before Sebastopol shall become a
[-manual for the Russian nation and the Russian army.
Pall Mall Gazette.