The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-16 00:00:00

ASTLEY'S ROYAL AMPH/THEATRII.

Lessee and Manager, Mr. Wm. Cooke.
The Greatest Wonder of the Day is the Equestrian Comic Panto-
line. The Last Morning Performance will be on Saturday, Jan. 19th.
THIS EVENING,
The Romantic F.quidrame called ROOK WOOD; or, TURPIN'S
RIDE to YORK.
After which the EQUESTRIAN EXERCISES in the ARENA, the
invention of Mr. W. Cooke, including Master George Cooke. the little
Cherub, on his playful pony ; also, Mt.'s Kate Cooke on her milk-
white Arab steed.
To conclude with a Grand Equestrian Comic Pantomime, called
HARLEQUIN AND ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON, or the
Feven Champions of Christendom.
Hoz-olio° opea from Eleven till Your. Stage Manager, Mr. W.
West. Equestrian Director. Mr. W. Cooke. Inn.

HIGH WATER• AT LONDON BRIDGE.

TIM% DAT—Morn. 20 min. aft. B—Evening 54 min. aft. 8
Ter filonitow—Morn. 28 min. aft. 9 —Evening 5 min. aft. 10

THE WEATHER-SUN OFFICE, JAN. IG.

THERHOMETER, IN THE SHADE.

42 —h! heat since noon yesterday.
33 —lowest this morning and during the night.
44 —this day at noon.

BAROMETER, 30.03.
Wirt,. S.W.—Light, with muggy, dull, weather, and
slight rain or thaw.

,
bi

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16, 1855

In the "Counter Propositions," transmitted to
Austria, Russia offers in exchange for the strong
places and territories occupied by the Allies to
restore to the Porte Kars and the territory she has
won from Turkey in Asia during the last cam-
paign. We may thus form some estimate of the
importance attached by the enemy to the suc-
cesses in that quarter, when Kars is considered an
equivalent, not merely for Sebastopol, but also
for Kinbourn, Eupatoria, and Kertch. It is, in
fact, regarded as a triumph that may be looked on
as an adequate set-off against the successes 3)
laboriously acquired by the Allied Powers in the
Crimea. "A make-weight" that should induce
us to accept the otherwise inadequate offers !
There can be but little doubt that the event has
been largely relied on to sustain the prestige of
Russia with the Asiatic Powers, and that Persia
has already acted on the supposition of Russian
invincibility in a manner very injurious to Eng-
land. The matter is therefore one of extraordi-
nary magnitude and importance, and it is essen-
tial that a very stringent inquiry should be in-
stituted into the causes that led to a result in
every respect so untowalrd and deplorable.
It is more than hinted that the unfortunate event
may be attributed to the shortcomings of the
British Ambassador at Constantinople. It is not
necessary to ascertain whether these shortcomings
were occasioned by negligence and apathy, or
from even less defensible motives. It is sufficient,
at all events, to warrant, nay more imperatively
to demand, a Parliamentary investigation. The
representative of the British SOVEREIGN at the
Ottoman Court should, under existing circum-
stances, not only be free from blame, but far
beyond doubt or suspicion.
It is positively asserted that this serious injury
to the Allied cause may be' chiefly ascribed to a
soreness or jealousy, or feeling of personal pique
On the part of Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE
towards General WILLIAMS, who has immortalised
himself by his determined efforts on behalf of the
beleaguered town that the Ambassador was
deeply mortified at the appointment having been
made without his express recommendation, or even
without any reference to himself, and that he was
therefore determined to counteract, as far as prac•
ticable, the exertions of one whom he did or
could not regard as a protege, and whom he
therefore left to fight his own battle, with
out the aid or assistance which might fairly
Lave been anticipated, and on which he
might confidently have relied. Wo do
not, of course, endorse rthese grave charges against
a British Minister—charges which, if clearly sub-
stantiated, should subject him to severe censure
and the loss of his situation, if not to a direct im-
peachment. But it is due to Lord STRATFORD DE
REDCLIFFE to notice these unpleasant reports,
and to see that a statesman holding an elevated
position, and of previously irreproachable character,
should not be condemned on trivial or insufficient
grounds. If he were guilty of even a portion of
the misconduct so fieely ascribed to him—if
Le neglected answering, or even noticing im-
portant communications—because he was pe.rsun-
ally unfriendly to General WILLIAMS, the removal
from his office would be a very inadequate punish-
ment. It would, in fact, be an act of high
treason—that would lead to very penal conse-
quences.We shall not, however,
impute such a
charge. That it Las been even hinted at is suffi-
cient not only to justify, but to demand, an in.