The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-11 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 1856.

ATTACK ON THE PRESS BY GBNERAL
SIR IP. CODRINGTON.

(From the Tinted of this day.)
Tins Sir W. Codriogton no friend to point out.
to him that the Commander-in-Chief of a British
army has a reputation to preserve ? If his ac-
quaintances or his Staff are too delicate in their
hints, it becomes Lord Panmure, as his natural
guardian and sponsor, to point out -to him the
necessity of a little common sense. It is now
about four mouths since General Codrington was
nominated to his command.. He had fair repu-
tation in camp as a working officer, and, if lie was
not much known to the public at hOme," that wria
perhaps an advantage. At the final etrug;le of
the Pedan his conduct had been called in question,
but people must be content with what they oanget
and England, at that time sore pressed for a com-
mander, acquiesced calmly enough 'hi General
Codrington's appointment.. We ourselves asked
for him the pubic goodwill and consideration.
Both have been freely extended, and no soldier who
ever served a free country has been less:the objeot
of unfriendly criticism. Not a word was written
against him until he began to write against himself.
However, during a period of the profoundest peace
he has managed to destroy whatever reputation:he
possessed. Not even winter and an aranstice have
been able to save him. He announced to the army
his assumption of command in an address which
was mercifully withheld from the public. Since
then ho has persevered in making himself and his
office ridiculous, and. now .Fort. Nicholas is not
more utterly destroyed than the reputation for
good sense of the General who so elaborately de-
scribed its ruir.

It will be seen from the "General Orders" which
we publish to-day that Sir W. Codrington has
commenced offensive operations for the season by
an attack on the press. We must say that this
has somewhat surprised us. Indeed, to confess
the truth, it rather seemed that the General was
desirous of meeting our correspondents, not with
hostility, but on a field of honourable rivalry.
We were afraid that they would have to look to
their laurels, about to bo snatched away by one
who wielded much in the same style the pen and
the sword. However, the Commander-in-Chief
is still, above all things, a disciplinarian. The
author may soften, but the General is fixed. His
" notice has been brought " to the publication in
a newspaper by a cotrespondent at Kertch of
miuuta details of lines and works, strength of
garrisons and military arrangements, all, " how-
ever old and incorrect they may be, published
for our enemies, under the supposition that
such things are necessary for the interest or amuse•
ment of the people of England." He accordingly
authorises General Vivian "to arrest the individual
and send him away at once, unless he has reason to
believe that such folly will not be repeated." Now,
here we may as well state that we have no notion
to what communication the General refers. It may
have appeared in these columns, or in those of any
one of our contemporaries. If in ours, it was writ-
ten by a military officer, and, if General Codring-
ton has any real ground of complaint, it is proba-
ble that the writer, too technical in his details, did
not imitate the caution which is always practised
by professional correspondents. However, the
Commander-in-Chief, having his terrible example,
proceeds to "improve" the case for the benefit of
the press and the public generally. In the midst of
his strictures he is not forsaken by his own literary
aspirations. It is evidently for home circulation
that he writes the following ;—" The people of
England have more common sense. They do not
want to see the interests of the army betrayed by
the thoughtlessness of a correspondent, or by the
wish of any one to see himself in print." " The
Commander of the Forces," he says, " has occa-
sionally seen similar things from this camp." So
be concludes a long and purposeless address by re-
questing officers to publish nothing that will bene-
fit the enemy, and that Generals of Division will,
by means of their Assistant-Adjutant-General,
bring the tenour of this order "to the notice of
the recognised correspondents of newsrapsrs."
It can certainly be no gratification to the most
rigid supporter of discipline to find a Commander-
' in-Chief making so impotent a demonstration.
Genetal Codrington, without occasion or purpose,
takes upon himself to scold the newspaper press.
And what is the time that be chooses for this lec-
ture on the indiscretions of correspondents ? It is
after he has been months in command—after opera-
tions have been long over ? it is when an armistice
is concluded. In the days of the Marnelon and
Malakhoff such an attack might have had some
popularity in military circles, but now we should
think even a jury of old club colonels would de-
cide that General Codrington had better have
held his tongue. In fact, it is evident that he has
been for mouths bursting with anxiety to write
sotnething fine against the press ; and, as is usually
the case with a weak-minded man, he has chosen
tho worst opportunity. Any soreness at public
criticism is excusable at the time, but so poor an
attempt at retaliation half-a-year after the sup-
posed offence must excite the ridicule of all.

The following is the order of the day referred to
above:--

" Head-quarters, Sebastopol, Feb. 25.
" No. 1. The Commander of the Forces congratulates
the army on the appearance of a !arge portion of its in-
faotry yesterday.

"The winter is hardly past, yet the efficiency and good
health of the men were apparent to all. This result is
due to the xer tions of the general and regimental °fir-
cen., to the attention, obedience, and discipline of the
non .commissioned officers and soldiers, and must be as
gratifying to them as the Commander of the Forces is
sure it must b, to their country.
"This will be read to the troops.
" No. 2. The notice of the Commander of the Forces
has been brought to the publication in a newspaper, by
a correspondent at Kirtch, of minute details of lines
and works, strength of garr:sons, and various military
arr ingetnents--rill, however old and incorrect they may
be, published for our enemies, under the supposition
that such things are necessary for the interest or amuse-
merit of the people el England.
"The people of England have more common sense.
They do not want to see the interests of the army be-
trayed by the thoughtless activity of a correspondent, or
by the wish of any one else to see himself in print.
"The Cisramander of the Forces has referred General
Vivian to the details published from the district he
commands. Ho authorises him to arrest the individual
and send him away at once, unless he has reason to be•
lieve that such folly will not be repeated.

"The Commander of the Forces has occasionally seen
similar things from this camp. Strength of regiments,
sickness, batteries, guns, quantity of ammunition, the
state of preparation, means of transport, the very situa•
tion of concealed batteries, the strength of pickets, the
best means of attacking them, all recklessly detailed as
if on purpose to instruct the enemy,
"Common precaution fur the sake of the army requires
thaf. this should cease.

"The Commander of the Forces appeals to the right
seive of duty in the officers, non-commissioned officers,
and privates of this army. He is sure that to them the
appeal will not be in vain. It is our pride as English-
men to feel that we may write everything to our friends.
It need not be that we should publish everything about
our strength or our weakness, of ditehee and guns, of
resources and disadvantages ; for to print all such things
is simply to make our enemy wise by our own folly.
The Commander of the Forces trusts, therefore, that
private friends in England will imitate the caution he
asks in camp.
"There are also known correspondents of newspapers,
not belonging to the army, permitted by passport to re•
side in sev( ral of the camps here. Generals of Division
will, by means of their Assistant-Adjutant-General,
bring the tenour of this order to their notice ; for a
course dictated by common feeliegs of patriotism must
be followed by all, who, being under the protection of
the army, are equally liable to the observances necessary
for its safety.

"By order.
"C. A. WINDHAM-, Chief of the Staff."

THE LUNATIC POOR IN ST. PANCRAS.—The committee
appointed by the directors of the poor of St. Pancras to
take into consideration the report of the commissioners
in lunacy, on the condition of the insane poor in the
workhouse, have met, and agreed upon a report. They
state that all the implements of restraint, which were
never used unless by the direction of one of the medical
officers, have been removed from the wards, Imitable books
kayo also been ordered for those patients who are in a
condition to derive benefit from reeling. The necessary
books for keeping a register of all insane cases have
also been ordered in compliance with the suggestions of
the Commissioners in Lunacy. Tile deficiency in water
beds, easy chairs, and other articles, alluded to by Mr.
Gaskell in his report, no longer exists, and the
special attention of the matron has been directed to
the oljectionabie practice of allowing soiled linen to
ho washed in the wards occupied by the insane and
idiotic patients. The report concludes by stating that
the alterations now under the consideration of the
vestry for the accommodation of the increased inmates
in the workhouse generally will necessarily enable bet-
ter provision to be made for the more unfortunate
class here referred to. Tkn committee call the atten-
tion of the vestry specially to that portion of the com-
missioners' report relating thereto. The proposition
for removing the relieving officers from the e 40..khouve
is in abeyance, in consequence of an objection having
been raised At the last vestry to the proposal to use
the commissioners' rooms, in Edward-street, Ilitup-
P stead road, for that purpose.