The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-19 00:00:00

LONDON, SATURDAY, JULY 19, 1856.

The German Auxiliaries (our Prince's Mixture)
are displaying their true colours. Never formid-
able to the enemy, they have rendered themselves
very much so to those by whom they have been
fed and clothed, and who have offered them
valuable privileges in the way of free passage to
and grants of lands in the colonies—privileges
which are denied to the most meritorious British
soldiers. They hare had very excellent " board-
ing and lodging,"—we can't say much for the
" washing," for that is a weakness in which they
do not apparently often indulge. They are, how-
ever, still dissatisfied, and manifest an intense
desire to treat England as a conquered country,
and to follow the bright example set by the
Austrian invaders of the Danubian Principalities.
Not having had the opportunity of indulging
their pugnacious propensities in the Crimea, they
have determined to show, while there is yet time,
the full extent of the blessing which the Ecglish
people relinquished, is not accepting the German
"occupation" which was contemplated at the
time the Foreign Enlistment Bill was brought
forward. There has therefore been another row
at Aldershot, in which the gallant legioneers
have, as usual, been the aggressors.

The Crimean medals worn by the soldiers of
the 41st Regiment, who has 0 nobly earned them,
appear to have been the " teterrinta causa" in the
present instance. Not having anything of
the kind to show themselves, they deter-
mined to exhibit their profound contempt for
these honourable testimonials. They therefore
wantonly attacked some of the wearers, snatched
the medals from their breasts and trampled them
in the dirt, displaying an anxious desire to treat
their gallant owners with similar indignity. The
latter, being few in numbers, were unable to cope
with their ruffianly assailants. They were there-
fore compelled to retreat in the direction of the
Camp. • But the valiant Germans were bent on
mischief, and could not easily be diverted from
heir project of insulting and maltreating their
English comrades. They followed the retreating
party, and while some of their number were pelt-
ng with flint stones the soldiers of the 41st others
were engaged wrecking the huts of the English
soldiers, until nearly half a range was completely
destroyed.
At this point, however, they were checked in
their reckless career. The 41st rallied. The
men in camp hastened to the assistance of their
comrades, and in a short time the assailants were
getting the worst of the contest. They, however,
returned with their bayonets and firearms, and a
dreadful massacre might have taken place hut for
the fortunate appearance of a troop of cavalry,
who separated the belligerents. Thus the matter
rests for the time being, but there are manifesta-
tions of discontent in the German camp from which
the most serious consequences may be apprehended,
unless timely precautions be adopted.
It is surely time that Parliament should inter-
fere. It is unfortunately but too palpable that
the Government has succumbed to " the prevailing
influence." The Under Secretary for War had,
last evening, "heard nothing of the affray ;" and
the Premier, when interrogated as to his inten-

tions respecting the Foreign Legion, protestt;d, iu
his mual off-hand manner, against the inconvenient
practice of requiring information. His answer
was a model of red-tapist insolence. It was
simply, that " what he was going to do -with re-
spect to the German Legion would, ho trusted,
when done, be found consistent with law and pro-
priety." And this excited the risibility of Ho-
nourable Gentlemen ! This gross insult to the
majority of the people was received with cheers
and laughter ! How are the mighty fallen !
Alas ! how changed are they from those, who,
even in the boroughmongering days, respected
their own honour and independence. They ,
are satisfied with being told that auy inquiry is
too early or too late—" that the Goternment
are not bound to take the House into their confi-
dence," but will do exactly as they like without
caring for the opinions of the people. This may
be strictly in accordance with the spirit of Ger-
manism, but it will not be very agreeable to the
community at large, who may not patiently sub-
mit to the frittering away of their constitutional
rights and privileges. The Constitution is indeed
"on its trial," but in a very different way from
that to which allusion was made by H.R.H. F.M.
P. A. at a certain memorable Trinity-House
Banquet.

" The Government have not yet considered the
proceedings to be taken next session, in reference
to the Bank Charter Act, and consequently they
have not arrived at any decision !" This is the
answer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the
most important interrogatory that could be ex-
hibited to Ministers ! They have carefully
avoided inquiries, adducing the stereotyped argu-
ment of "inconvenience." But when left to
themselves for the whole session, they have de-
cided on nothing—have considered nothing. The
"inconvenience" to the community, nay, more,
to the Bank itself, is as nothing in their eyes.
They rejoice at having shelved a troublesome
topic for the time being, and are totally
reckless respecting the untoward consequences
of the delay. The rate of interest may fluctuate
from the highest to the lowest range of the pecu-
niary barometer. There may be a monetary
plethora, or a monetary panic, but the Govern-
ment will do nothing, will think of nothing
to avert the mischief. Mercator has found a pro-
mising pupil in Sir G. C. LEWIS.
There should be something done one way or
the other. It would be far better to know the
worst than to be still kept in doubt and per-
plexity. If the Financial Minister decides
on maintaining the monetary monopoly,
and eschewing free trade in money, the
nation should receive immediate information
on the point. Men may they judge for them-
selves as to the manner in which they employ
their resources. But, under existing circum-
stances, what would otherwise be legitimate and
healthy speculation degenerates into reckless
gambling. Those only who can get an insight
into the Ministerial intentions can venture to
enter into any contracts, and they will be playing
with "cogged dice," have a similar advantage
over their less favoured brethren to that
which the smuggler has over the fair trader.
The latter must yield in the long run,
however great his energy and efficiency.
We cannot compete with the man who " steals
his brooms ready made." The matter must now
necessarily stand over untilnext session, but if the
Monetary Reformers exhibit due diligence in the
meanwhile the stringent, searching, and impar-
tial inquiry so urgently required must be granted
at the very commencement of the next semion,
and the all-important question be finally decided
before another prorogation.

Everybody who takes the smallest interest
whatever in the encouragement accorded to Lite-
rature, by her MAJESTY'S Government, must very
well remember the extraordinary insult, offsred
upon his deathbed, to the learned and laborious
compiler of the Dictionary of Dates and the Book
of Dignities. The insult we mean, of course, of
that most paltry pension of 251. per annum—
suitable, as we declared it to be at the time,
rather to a superannuated court shoe-black
than to an aged and infirm man-of-let-
ters. It gives us the most sincere satisfac-
tion to intimate that an opportunity is just now
afforded to all those who may have resented the
flagrant indignity thus offered to Letters in the
person of the late Mr. HAYDN, and who possess
any sort of influence whatever in the manage-
ment of the Royal Asylum of ST. ANN'S Society
—to repair in some measure the cruelty inflicted
upon the family of the deceased gentleman by
the distributors of the paltry 1,2001. per an-
num, placed (for the nominal encouragement
of science and literature) at the disposal of the
Administration. Among the candidates for ad-
mission into the charitable institution here particu-
larised, is a little child nearly 9 years of age, the
sea of the author of the "Dictionary of Dates,"
ti-,e.,—THOMAS MATTHEW HAYDN, born 4th Aug.,
1847,—and thus standing at the very porch of
Intellectual Life, pleading in the name of his
dead father for some kind of Education befitting
the son of a ruined gentleman. Let it be remem-
bered that the father of this interesting applicant
was suddenly arrested in the very midst of
his literary labours by paralysis, and that
after lingering hopelessly during many months
of anguish and exhaustion, he was ulti-
mately carried off by the dread disease with
which it had pleased GOD to afflict him in
the January of this present year (1856), leaving
his widow, with three children (two boys and a
girl), to struggle on as she best might for their
tuition and maintenance. The case is one of
itself so eloquent as to render unnecessary any
direct or elaborated enforcement of its claims
upon the philanthropist. We are by no means
surprised, therefore, to find it at once
earnestly recommended by an eminent and bene-
volent physician like Sir JOHN FORBES, of Old
Burlington-street, by the learned and amiable
Doctor WOODS, of Kensington House, and by no
less than four of the most eminent of the metropoli-
tan clergy, namely, a Professor of King's College,
the Incumbent of St. Pancras, the Rector of St.
Clement Danes, and the Rector of St. Mary-le-
Strand. A Volunteer Committee—the members
of which announce their readiness to receive
(and that very thankfully) any proxies that may
be intrusted to them in the interest of the Child-
Applicant. Let us—after this—hope, and not
vainly, that the votes of the Governors of the
Royal Asylum of St. Ann's Society may have been
" secured " in the very act of being " sought "
for THOMAS MATTHEW HAYDN, the orphan-
son of a poor dead scholar, who did some good in
, his generation !

If ever there was a period when energy, enter-
prise, and judgment were especially needed at the
Metropolitan Board, and had a favourable oppor-
tunity fur their display, it is at the present time.
Very properly, as we believe, Sir Bbi.NJAMIN HALL
has interposed his veto between the projection
and execution of the ill-advised scheme of drain-

age to which the Board had given their mutt.

From the first this has been our opiraion respect-
ing it, and. the protests it has called forth have
a
had no other effect than to corfirm us iu our
A
opinion. Despite every assurance to the contrary,
we have remained unconvince A that the discharge
)f the turbid excrescence torrents at the points
one iota the sanitary
proposed would advance
'wa
purpose for which it s designed. Engineers
as much _confidence as they
might assure us with
could command, ar
,a we have had some experi-
ence of how much that is that the disemborgued
sewerage would. End its way to a bourne from
. no return, but observation of the
rwihcveirhbtehloewre s
'Harking Creek had left us incredu-
lous. We, are heartily glad our opinion has met
with swot' powerful support, and that the stop-
page of the plan affords opportunity for the
rescue of the Thames from further pollution, and
'the inhabitants of Greenwich and Woolwich from
• the serious danger impending over them. Had
it been carried out we should almost have
despaired of the Thames being ever re-
stored, to an approximation to purity and
as a legitimate consequence of the work of
sanitary reform in the metropolis being ever
riompleted. The long prevalence of easterly
winds during the past winter and spring, con-
sidered in relation to this subject, could not but
have considerable weight, and leave behind an
impression sufficiently painful to make the recent
aot an absolute relief.

What will now be done passes, we should fancy,
the skill of the most accomplished journalist to
pronounce, and for our part we give the puzzle
up. One thing, however, lies before us as a duty
to be discharged, and that w e are not disposed to
evade, In the rejected scheme no provision was
made for the utilisation of the sewerage. Is it
necessary, we again ask, that what in our simplicity
passed with us for a tide of wealth should be sup-
posed to run to waste ? Since the obtaining of
information on this head by communication and
experiment waslast recommcnded in these columns
sufficient time has elapsed for the obtainment of
important and reliable results. Have any steps
been taken to secure them ? We very much
doubt it; and yet the utilisation of the excre-
mental and other refuse of between two and three
millions of people would seem to call for some
consideration ere it was cast utterly away. To
deny its marketable utility because of its dilution
is an absurdity which the rawest chemist must
laugh at. If the elements of fertilisation be
there they are to be got at, and made marketable
or chemical science has made us capable
of but a stray and one-sided advance.
The waste alone being of such magnitude should
insure the trial or failure of many experiments
before it was consented to, but when it is remem-
bered that such waste involves serious mischief,
and no little annual expenditure, the most careful
and patient scientific research should be forth-
' coming. A supply of guano cannot accord ing to
all amounts long continue, and some substitute
will be called for. Why, if possible, should not the
refuse of large towns enter into the composition
at least of that substitute ? It would be difficult
to persuade us that the objections advanced
against the employment of sewage manure, or
manure obtained from sewage, are founded in the
main otherwise than on prejudice; and were this
not the case we can see no reason why the chemist
should not be invoked towards the improvement
of it. We are perfectly ashamed of the helpless,.
hopeless apathy of the Board, aye, and the public
too, on this head. For a people delighting to be
accounted practical to assent so tamely to so mon-
strous a waste is really surprising. Let us hope
more consideration will be given to this im-
portant subject than hitherto has been, and that
future generations will not rise up to laugh at us
for ignoramuses who knew no bettor use for a
treasure than to throw it away.