The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-04 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIR DAY—Morn. 43 min. aft. 13 —Evening 16 min. aft. 11
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THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, JAN. 4.
THERMOMETER, IN Ttl SHADE.
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BAROMETER, 29.72.
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,§llll

LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 185(.

We look wistfully for the Russian answer to
the ESTERIISZY proposals, but wo are not in the
feverish anxiety which tortured the whole nation
while the infamous Four Points were discussed at
Vienna. We are not now in dread of being utterly
sold to Russia and Austria. Meagre as the pre-
sent demands are, they contain something of the
fruits of victory ; we are afraid to say that they
include the elements of a permanent and liberal
European peace. It would be a peace of
dynasties and Courts, not of peoples. A
Vienna, not a Paris, London, or Warsaw peace.
A peace with which BRIGIIT anti GLADSTONE
might point their sarcasms. Still, IF the Black
Sea forts were utterly dismantled, if not a single
gun was permitted afloat on its waters, if the
Circassian coast were liberated, there would be
something in this. Little enough, every Eng-
lishman knows, for his share of taxation or his
family bereavements, but still much for the safety
of Turkey, and much to proclaim Russia defeated.
We do not believe such a peace would be accept-
able to the country. We all feel that our aristo-
cracy lh6►s betrayed us. It has done not
half what it could, have done. It has
crammed the Ministry and the superior com-
mands with high-born mediocrity and incompe-
tence. Generals and naval commanders and their

official masters have been sorely wanting, yet
there lurks a hope that this would not go on.
Easy and credulous in regard to the great, we
fancy that this year at least they will came out.
We know what they can do if they will, and we
.g)od-nattiredly imagine that, after playing with
the Baltic and many other places besides, they
will now give the aggressor the coup de grace.
Hence, ashamed of the past, and too trustful for
the future, and glancing at our great preparations
in men and materiel, all England is, at the bol.
tom, earnest for another campaign. The joys of
an ESTERHAZY peace would be lost in mortifica-
tion.

The chief reason, therefore, why we are not
very anxious just now
is that no one believes Rats.
sia will treat. The impudent anticipation of the
pending demands of the Allies by proposal no
better than the scouted Four Points of last year
sceins to proclaim that the CZAR does not mean to
strike as yet. We
confess, however, to the
greatest fear that the ezn.
will not absolutely re-
fuse negotiation. It is easy to see in the terms
offered, as we have recently
showed, scope for
materially wide discrepancies
of interpretation.
ALEXANDER may accept them in the Russian
sense, and then consume winter and spring
n showing his old Bailey cleverness in
finding technical evasions. Can, however, an
English Ministry survive the contempt of being
caught thus a second time. It is, of course, just

possible that Russia may accept them and honestly
fulfil them. She would be a great gainer by so
doing. However, absolute rejection, or what is
tantamount to it, is the probability. Russia's
arrogance will yet give us an opportunity of doing
something more for Europe, and our aristocracy
the chance of wiping out the disgrace—to them—
of Kars.

Taking for granted the rejection of the so-
called ultimatum, will the Peace Party have the
patriotism to give up their factious encou-
ragement of Russia, and obstruction of war
measures? Is it of any use to appeal to them as
men of business and good sense ? We ask them,
then, whether they can improve on the plan of
Government by national majorities? If not, how
is any important measure to be executed, if a
small minority will persevere in placing obstruc-
tions on the rails whenever they can. In their
own partnerships or commercial Boarls they do not
act thus. All may not agree with the majority
as to what is the best course, the minority, how-
ever, generally aids in carrying out the views
of the majority ; at least, it never con-
spires to frustrate them. When that
is the case ruim pretty generally and pretty
quickly follows. Granting, then, that we who
think a far better peace may be, and ought to be,
conquered, are in the wrong, yet, if the vast ma-
jority of the nation decide on that policy, can
obstruction be justified ? If it were a mere poli-
tical party battle we should only regret the Par-
liamentary time wasted. The result, otherwise,
we should care as little about as who was
winner at the Derby. How profoundly different
is the present case. The country solemnly deter-
mines that a thoroughly earnest campaign is the
duty and the necessity of the year. It may be
wrong, but it has settled that point. Peace, it
has resolved, shall be conquered, not bought, and
a peace worth having too. It will, therefore, come
in no other way. In such a position of the matter
every man of business, unless he holds Quaker
views of War, is bound to throw his energies into
the universal effort. Tho more complete our pre-
parations for next spring, the more cordial all our
various parties in stimulating, supervising, and
backing a War Executive, the greater the national
unanimity and energy in action, the nearer shall
we be to peace.

Can we not, on such a solemn occasion, have a
truce to party and selfish manceuvrings ? Cannot
those who are unable to snatch a peace in their
own way do their utmost to render the next
best way effective ? If they wish for peace, and
the nation says, " so do we, and as much as you,
but we must have peace enough to hold together,
and we are determined to get it by a struggle,"
ought they not then to throw their strength into
the struggle ? Can they under the conditions
do anything which will more facilitate the attain-
ment of their own object. Some soldiers in
the rear of the deep Macedonian phalanx
might have thought the place or time of the
charge ill-chosen by their General ; yet, when all
the success attainable depended on their adding
their full weight to that of those preceding them,
would they not have deserved military execution
if they had withheld it? Errors may be debated
afterwards—but the hour of action demands the
co-operation of all. In this sense, and at this
grave moment, England expects every man to do
his duty. A universal and generous rivalry this
session in warlike counsel ; an abnegation of
every personal, and party feud in arousing and
helping our Cabinet, would be to Russia as ter-
rible as a second large army. It would be the
precursor of a speedy peace. Union and energy
will, therefore, be the tests of our Parliamentary
patriotism.

Great satisfaction has been expressed by the
so-called neutral (!) shipowners of Prussia
at the formal raising of the blockade of
the Russian Ports. Hitherto they have re-
garded with envy the enormous profits rea-
lised by their fortunate confreres who were
engaged in an organised system of land carriage
to help their Muscovite friends. They also de-
sired to be enabled to display their devotion to
the CZAR, particularly when the demonstration
would bring goodly supplies of "thalers" into
their own pockets. Under such circumstances
their devotion is boundless. They are even willing
to become millionnaires in such a cause. Can we
feel surprised at their admiration of the judicious
conduct of the English Government, which, by
the timely removal of every obstacle, has enabled
them to gratify their intense longing, and to sup-
ply even contraband of war, or anything that may
be required by Russia to prolong the contest, and
impose new difficulties in the way of the Allies.

Of course it will be universally believed that
this extraordinary concession has been made as an
indication of British anxiety to terminate the War
on any terms or at any price. Its natural effect
will, of course, be to harden the heart of the
AUTOCRAT, and to convince the Scandinavian
Powers that we are not even yet in earnest. It
will largely increase the prestige which Russia
formerly enjoyed, but of which she had nearly
been deprived by the capture of Sebastopol, the
suicidal destruction of the Black Sea Fleet, and
the various victories in the Crimea, together with
the cowardly skulking of her Baltic Squadron be-
neath the guns of Cronstadt, and the semi-bom-
bardments of Sweaborg and Riga. That prestige
was hitherto only preserved by the singular " pru-
dence and discretion" which prevented our Naval
Commanders from running their vessels into any
kind of danger, or attempting the solution of the
great problem of Wood v. Granite. It will now
be confirmed by this new act of forbearance, which,
whatever may be thought of it by the First Lord
and his coadjutors at Whitehall, will most cer,
tainly be ascribed in Germany to weakness, and
a determination to accept any conditions which
the CZAR in his clemency and moderation may be
pleased to offer.
There is, however, a column in our impression
of yesterday, which may in some de,gree serve to
counteract this impression, nab 7 .ral as it may be in
other respects. It is till list of the additional
\ strength that has IYAt added to the British navy
within the ye-..r that has just terminated, or which
ips in c.).'11180 of construction, and will be available
nextor
the sDon
eßl.je. It comprises two ships of the
1 line, Donegal and Victor Emmanuel, of 101
and 90 guns, five steam-fri,,,,atea of from 30 to 51
guns, and immense steam powers, and no less
than 128 steam gun-boats, the want of which has
oeen so clearly perceptible during the operations
of last year. There are also a motley group; of screw
steam-tugs, flour-mills, smithies, surveyinr,
ves-
I gels, &c., which must add materially to the ff • e leiency
of any naval squadron in the Baltic, more par.
ticularly under the improved arrangements, which
render all gun-boats independent commands from
and after the Ist January instant, in place of being,
as heretofore, merely tenders to other ships.
The strongest incentive is thus held out to officers
and men to exert themselves zealously and effi-
ciently. They will now reap the legitimate rewards
of their own daring exploits, in place of dividing
them with others who were not even spectators
thereof, and we may anticipate very beneficial
results from this improved regulation.

Another matter worthy of notice is, that the