The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-15 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, J ULY 15, 1856.

H:R.H. THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE.-
THE NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

(From the Times.)

The resignation of Lord Hardinge and the appoint.
ment of tha Duke of Cambridge to the office of Corn.
mander-in-chief will excite little surprise in any quarter.

It is perfectly natural that a nobleman full of years and
honours, of shaken health, and recently visited with
severe indisposition, should resign a situation to the
weight of which he no longer feels equal, and retire into
private life, to enjoy the repose which the honourable
toils of half a century have so justly earned. It was
the misfortune of Lord Hardinge to succeed to the
Command-in-Chief of the army at a time of life when
very few men, if any, are equal to the task of a reformer,
and to be involved almost immediately in the cares and
anxieties of a great war, which, scarcely leaving him
time to overtake the current business of the day, gave
but little scope for improvement. Yet it is only due to
Lord Hardinge to record that in matters within its own

peculiar province, such as the arming and lodging of the
troops, he has, first as Master-General of the Ordnance,
and then as Commander-in-Chief, effected gre-at and
most salutary alterations. To him we owe that we bad
any artillery at all wherewith to commence the Russian
war, and under his auspices our troops have been armed
with the Minie rifle, and our barrack accommodation
greatly increased and improved.
Of the patronage department we cannot say so
much, but in awarding promotion and preferment
the Commander-in Chief is generally , regarded, and
we believe justly, as the organ of the Court, and if with
the Court rests the patronage, with it also, in all fair-
ness, ought to rest the responsibility. No one will be
surprised that his
.Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge has been named to succeed Lord Hardinge. His
illustrious birth, his popular manners, his undisputed
merits as an officer, and the amount of actual service
he has seen in the Crimea, all so clearly indicated the
Duke of Carnbridge as Lord Hardinge 's 'successor that
nobody elssi had been seriously
-named in competition
'with hnt.' For our own part, we confess that, ,without ,
indulging in any exaggerated expectation, we cannot
see that, even setting aside, the accidents 0_ birth' and;
Ositiod, better choice "o:Peri'tif ftfif Gbie—rn men t.
We,have arrived at a period in our military annals at
which a very sweeping change of system has become
absolutely essential, and it would have been hopeless to
look for such a change if the office of Commander-in-
Chief had been placed in the hands of any of the veterans
of the Peninsula, who have learnt nothing and forgotten
nothing since the conclusion of the French war. It is
something to have got out of this groove, and compa-
rative youth and comparative inexperience are in the
present' instance' something very like a positive recom-
mendation. Nobody can doubt that the Duke of
Cambridge will be actuated in the discharge of
his duties by the best and the most praiseworthy
motives, and we are willing to hope that these good in-
tentions will, be seconded by enlightened and liberal
views, and careful and untiring application. We have
not learnt upon what terms the office has been conferred on
its present possessor, and whether the wishes of Parlia-
ment and the country have been acceded to by rendering.
him in reality what he is in name,—the General Com-
manding the Forces of her Majesty in these islands, and
transferring the rest of the authority of the Horse Guards
to the department of the Minister-of-War. The change,
whether made now or not, cannot be long deferred - but,
supposing the patronage still to remain in the hands of
the Commander7ii-Chief, the Duke of Cambridge has
facilities for hestowing it probably greater than have
been enjoyed by his predecessor, or would have been
enjoyed by any one else who might have succeeded to
the office. The evil of the patronage of the Horse
Guards has been that it has only been nominally exer-
cised by the Commander-in-Chief, hut in substance and
reality by the Court, who, by a most unwise exception
to our ordinary rule, have been exposed to that unlimited
censure which is sure to visit the least reprehensible acts
of irresponsible power in a tree country. If the Comman-
der-in-Chief is to be left in possession of patronage, the
Commander-in. Chief ought to exercise that patronage him-
self,according to the promptings of his own judgment, and
not under the direction of any superior power. Now
thiS is exactly what his high rank and independent
position enable the Duke of Cambridge to do, and what
if he have any, regard for his own reputation he will
from the first re-solve •to do. The wishes of the Court,
however difficult it may be for an ordinary subject to re-
sist them, will not be accepted as an excuse from the
scion of the self-same Royal house, who has nothing to
fear from the frowns and nothing to hope from the fa-
vours of the heads of his family.
The Duke of Cambridge has, if be be so minded, a
noble career before him ; he may, if he please, earn for
himself an imperishable reputation for having adapted
our military system to the wants of the age and the exi-
gencies of modern opinion. He is believed to entertain
most benevolent feelings towards the common soldier,
and to have gathered from his eastern experience a very
high opinion of his merits and capabilities.. We trust
that in his hands those efforts which have been making
of late years for the improvement and elevation of the
soldier will not be allowed to relax. A. commission is
sitting to inquire into the merits of the system of pur-
chase. Let us hope that the influence of the Comman-
der-in-Chief will be employed to secure to merit its due
reward, and to deprive mere birth and connexion of the
preponderating advantages they now enjoy. Whether
this is to be done by the abolition of the system of pur-
chase or by the introduction of a stricter system of ex-
amination than that now in force it would be presump-
tuous to speculate, but in whatever way investigation
points out success as most attainable, we shall hope
with some confidence for the support of the new head
of the army; For one thing, above all others, the Duke
of Cambridge will be held responsible—that is, for the
choice of his advisers. If he begins by allowing incom-
petent persons to be placed about him, merely on ac-
count of the amount of influence they may possess, no
efforts, no good intentions of his own, will remedy this
incurable defect. Much of the success of hia adminis-
tration depends on those whom he may select to con-
duct it under him, and if he suffers the choice of those
persons to be taken•out of his hands he will have him-
self alone to thank for the disappointments and miscar-
riages which are certain to follow. We heartily wish
the Duke of Cambridge success in his difficult and peri-
lous undertaking. That success can only be ultimately
secured to him by conciliating the good opinion of the
people, and that good opinion can only be conciliated
Zepaceondnt
course at once liberal and enlightened, firm and
(From the Morning Advertiser of this day.)

. -
His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge, the new
Commander-in-Chief, was born at Hanover, on the 26th
March, 1819, and is consequently in his 38th year. lie
succeeded to his father's title on the Bth of July, 1850.
He early evinced a passion for the military service,
and all the attempts that were made to divert his
mind to other pursuits proved fruitless. He entered
the army while yet a' boy, and, at 18 years of age,
we find him a Colonel In the Scots Fusilier Guards, a
command which he holds to this day.
The late Duke of Wellington frequently expressed a
very favourable opinion of his aptitude for military
studies. Before joining the Crimean artily, his Royal
Highness passed some time in military service in the
Mediterranean. He also for two years held a high posi-
tion connected with the army in Ireland, where his
Royal Highness made many friends.
He has travelled a good deal in Europe, and is fami-
liar with the military organisation and systems of dis-
cipline of Prussia, France, and other States. His
bravery as a soldier is undoubted. We trust that his
advent to office may not only be attended with a new
and more vigorous administration of the affairs of the
army, but, with the ultimate overthrow of that influence
which has exerted so fatal a predominance at the Horse
Guards during the last three years. His Royal High-
ness is Grand Master and Principal Knight Grand Cross
of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, a K.G., a
Knight of the Order of St. Patrick, and a Grand Cross
of Hanover.

His Royal Highness was created a Major. General in
the army on May 7, 1845, and Lieutonant•General on
June 19, 1854. He is Chief Ranger of St. James's and
Hyde Parks. His Royal Highness receives an annuity
from the country of 12,0001. per annum, about 8001.
per annum from the office of Chief Ranger, and his
salary as Commander-in-Chief will be about 5,0001. per
annum.

A letter from Patras, in the Osservatore Triestino
states' that the lonian merchants settled there have
signed a petition to the British Government to send a
vessel of war there for their protection.
[ADERTIARMENT.] - The most inveterate liver com-
plaint and diarrhoea, which had resisted all medicines
for years, yielded to Du Barry's delicious Revalenta
Arabica Food, which removes indigestion (dyspepsia),
flatulency, constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver com-
plaints, cough, asthma, consumption, and debility. Our old
friend the great Indian traveller, Major Edie, writes
as follows : " London, 20th March, 1852.—Dear Sir,
_Having suffered fearfully for two years from an enlargement
of the liver and an inveterate diarrhoea, brought on in India
and China, and having tried the advice of the most eminent
professional men in China, India, and at home, without any
other result than gradual decay, I was on the brink of the
grave—unable to lift my arms from perfect exhaustion, when
Capt. Wraughton, of the Hon. E. I. C. Service, recommended
me to try Du Barry's excellent Revalenta Arabica Food, and
to discard the drugs I was then taking The result of eating
this delicious Foo i is the perfect restoration of my health
within arnonth ; and I iakeapeculiarpleasure inrecommending
all sufferers to follow my example. I shall be happy to answer
any inquiries. I am, &c., W. Entu, Major, H.M.S., Unattached.
Supported by testimonials from the celebrated Professors of
Chemistry Dr. Andrew Ure ; Dr. Shorlaud ; Dr. Harvey ;
Dr. Cainpbell ; Dr. Gattiker ; Dr. IVurzer ; Dr. Ingram ;
Lord Stuart do Decies ; the Dowager Countess of Castle-
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)means of curo had failed. Suitably packed for all climates,
with full instructions. In canisters, 51bs., Ils. ; 121b5., 225. ;
super-refined, 111)., Cs. ; 21bs., lls. ; Sibs., 225. ; 101bs., 335.
The 101bs. and 121bs, carriage free, on receipt of post-office
order. Barry du Barry and Co., 77, Regent-street, London
FOrtnum, Mason, and Co., Purveyors to her Majesty, Picca-
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ibuti:ersB; -t,

FIRST TRACES OF THE ENGLISH I N

CENPRAL AMERICA.

The island of Ruatum, Raltan, or Ruattan, is situate
in the Bay of Honduras, and is in. length about 30 miles,
and 12 in breadth. The approach to it is not desirable,
for it is surrounded with rocks and shoals. Indeed,
the whole Bay of Hondunts is remarkable for the great
number of its shoals and the rocks and clusters of
drowned islands, which render the navigation, even with
skilful pilots, dangerous. This danger is increased dur-
ing the prevalence of the northerly winds, when the
weather is generally hazy. The first' settlement formed
by the Engl,ish.in the island of Ruattan was in the year
1742, when they established themselves there for the
purpose of Carrying on the 14wood trade. This settle-
ment was, however, soon afterwards abandoned. The
harbour of Ruattan,is Capable -ofcontaining a large fleet
of ships.
Some years prior to this, viz., in the year 1730, our
ancestors bad formed a settlement on the Continent, at
a distance of 26 leagues from Cape Honduras. In 1769
the colony boasted three factories, employing 206 white
men, as many mulattoes, and 900 slaves. In that year
they sent to England 800,000 feet of mahogany,
200,0001b5. of sarsaparilla, 10,0001bs. of tortoiseshell.
In consequence of this eeuatnerce having been so much
infringed upon
,by the operations of smugglers, the
liberty of selling' lcgwood was secured to Great Britain
in 1763. But fhough, this concession was made to her,
it was expressly stipulated that she was not to raise
forts, and those which she had already built she was
obliged to destroy. The soil of Honduras is admirably
rich, capa'ole of producing sugar, coffee, cotton, rice,
and maize.

The fisheries might be rendered highly productive,
particularly the •turtle fishery. - But the work of ma-
hogany cutting has absorbed the attention of the
settlers. This operation takes p!ace twice a-year----at
Christmas and ini.the autumn. Each gang of cutters
is led by a " hunt-01(in," whose business it is to search
the woods and discover the spot where the exertions of
his fellow labourers may ha most profitably employed.
He outs his way through the wood, and climbs the
tallest trees to survey the surrounding country, the
-,any•innivvAs aiding his eye in tracing
colour of the Nebo
the. peat z e Is ent'abont-twelVe
feet from the ground, the' axeman standing on a stage.
For ornarnentel purposes the branches are preferable to
the trunk. The growth of this tree is rapid, and the
country is still abundantly supplied with it.
The town of this important place, and the only co-
ionised portion of it,: is situated on each side of the river
Belize at its mouth, which is' traversed by a wooden
bridge communicating between the two portions of the
iwn. The app,arance of the place is, in many respects,
English ; the inn English. The most thriVine• people
Euglisb ; the bottled p,rter of course Englis% ; ma-
hogany tables, though cut from the neighbouring forests,
after English fashion, are imported from England. At
the southern extremity of the town is a neat ornamental
church, the governor's house standing upon a small ele-
vation close to the sea shore. By far the greater portion
of the town is composed of wooden buildings stuck
upon posts, without any ground-floor, and seldom with
more than one storey. They stand close upon the edge
of the beach, and strongly resemble, in their frontage,
the wooden walls.which are to be seen, at intervals, on
either side of the Thames.

To the north side of the town lie the barracks; be-
hind, and on either side of which, the country is closed
in with woods and marshes. The houses are principally
built in New York, the articles of wooden furniture in
England. The place, in a military point of view, is con-
sidered strong, as it is liable to attack only from the sea•
board. As a British settlement, the colony is not of so
much advantage on the ground of the liberty it confers
of cutting wood, as from its being the natural entrepot
between Great Britain and the Central Republic. The
climate is exceedingly hot, the average of the thermome,
ter in August, night and day, being about 95 degrees ;
and, owing to this circumstance, and the neighbourhood
of large tracts of marshes, it is anything but healthy.
Morning A drertiser.