The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-28 00:00:00

THE SUN,

as on the scholar. Victory would be of immense
importance to the Master. It would in fact be
the best advertisement he could put forward, and
it would show parents and guardians where they
could find an efficient tutor, to whose care their
child or ward might safely be intrusted. The
mischief that would necessarily arise from the
alteration would therefore not be restricted to
Sandhurst merely, but spread throughout the
length and breadth of the land.
It must also be borne in mind that many
parents who might willingly pay the expense of
thefirst competition, in order to secure a commis-
sion for a son or protege, would hesitate to en-
counter the expense when these was no certainty,
and when a second victory would be indispensable
to attain their object. The education for which
they should pay so highly would not be one cal-
culated for all purposes. It would be of an
exclusive character, directed solely to preparing
them for a single profession, and therefore less
rligible than one at the public schools or Univer-
sities. This consideration would doubtless have
considerable weight with many who could not
afford to purchase commissions, and who might
find the time and expense, which had only been
met by great sacrifice, completely thrown away.
It is to beregrotted that Gen. PEEL embarrassed
himself by trying to carry out a project of his pre-
decessors, for which he himself or the Government
were in no degree responsible. He had materially
modified the original plan, had extended the
period for open competition by another year, and
rendered the competition to Sandhurst open to
all comers, in place of to the nominees of the
Horse Guards only. Those were unquestionably
valuable improvements, but they did not go far
enough. The system of fair competition once
established should never have been withdrawn.
There ought to be nulls vestigia retrorsunb. As
well might the doctrines of Free-trade be aban-
doned, and the old monopoly in the corn restored.
We trust that the decision of the House of Com-
mons, adopted by a majority of 40 in a very full
House, may be respected, and that there will be
no attempt to run counter to the wish of the
nation either at the Horse Guards or at the War-
office. We are satisfied that there will not be at
the latter. General PEEL found himself deserted
oy those who were the real authors of the measure,
but none of whom had the manliness to support
heir bantling when exposed to a severe trial.

The House of Lords has once more decided
against a question repeatedly carried by large and
increasing majorities through the House of Com-
mons, and which the hearts of the people of
Great Britain are bent on obtaining. The ma-
jority must be well aware of the untoward conse-
quences that must ensue ; but they have held
firm to their prejudices—have disregarded all
considerations of sober reason and prudent states-
manship. Rather than abandon their perverse
opposition to the admission of those who are ad-
mitted to be men of unimpeachable integrity,
good magistrates and excellent citizens, they have
resolved on coming into collision with Ike House
of Commons and the country. Nay, more, of
holding up an example of bigotry and intolerance
to other nations, which may be attended with very
prejudicial results. This infatuation is, indeed,
deeply to be deplored. We cannot doubt but
that the House of Commons will be true to itself,
tnd will assert its own dignity in an unmistake-
able manner.

Long since wo pointed out the grave mis-
take committed by Lord Joint RUSSELL, who
had the management of the measure. The House
)f Commons was the sole judge of its own privi-
leges, and should have acted as such. The pre-
cedent adopted in the case of Mr. PEASE ought
to have been folto►wed with regard to Baron
ROTHSCHILD and Alderman SALOAIONS. There
should have been no temporising, no halting
between two opinions. When these gentlemen
offered to take the oaths in the form most binding
on their consciences, they should have been
authorised to do so by a resolution of the
whole House. Such a resolution on such a
question could not be impeached. Nobody,
however respectable, no tribunal, could dare to
set it aside, or punish the parties implicated. "To
that complexion must we come at last." And
now, after twelve years' delay, after an embittered
controversy has arisen, after the British metro-
polis has been so long partially disfranchised, the
course must be resorted to that would, if adopted
at first, have produced neither annoyance nor

excitement.
It will be for the House of Commons now to
decide on the next move. Either the clause
will be reinstated, and the measure sent up
to the Lords, like a rider to a money
B:11, or a resolution carried by an overwhelming
majority. The majority of hereditary legislators
will only have themselves to thank. They might
have gracefully conceded. They had gone quite
far enough already. But, unfortunately, they
hardened their heart;, erroneously conceiving
that they could stem the tide of public opinion,
and now they have produced a st tte of affaiys of
which it is impossible to foresee the termination.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC
TEL6GRAPBS.

MM. Walewski, Hubner, Kisseleff, Firmin-
Rogier, Lightenvelt (Netherlands), D 3 Villarna-
rina, Da Piper (Sweden), Marquis de Tanay de
Nerli (Tuscany), and Haider Effendi, met yester-
day in conference at the Hotel of Foreign Affairs,
to deliberate on the ques'ion of remuneration to
Mr. Morse, the inventor of a system of electric
telegraph which is at present in almost universal
use, and by means of which the despatches are
written, as they arrive, by the electrical action

LATEST NEWS.

CALCUTTA & CHINA MAILS.

We have received advices in anticipation of the
Overland Mail—from Calcutta, March 22 ; and
Hong Kong, March 15.
The news from Lucknow contained in the Cal-
cutta papers of that date has been anticipated in
all the important details by the advices from B3m-
'bay.

"In this city (says the Calcutta Englishman)
everything is perfectly quiet, though we have lately
had an alarm which induced the authorities to call
out the volunteers in the middle of the night. It
is supposed that the mutineers at Barrackpore,
who are disarmed, but still paid regularly by Go-
vernment, had plotted a rising, and had it in their
power to procure arms to attack us in Calcutta. A
search for arms was male, but of course unsuccess•
fully, as the only sure method of finding them was
neglected. Now that Lucknow is fallen it is to be
hoped these dangerous neighbours will be sent
away, as there can no longer be any fear of their
reinforcing the enemy. Troops continue to arrive
from England, and are sent up the country in suc-
cession. Great efforts are making for the construc-
tion of barracks for them, but it does not appear
that the recent act for impressing labourers has
hastened the work.
We read in the Ilurkuru—er" The infamous Nana
Sahib is said to be still at Shahjehanpore, and the
principal rebels are stated to be with him; the
rebels are reported to have again entered the Fut-
tyghur district and attacked Kenwall and driven
off the police posted there.
" The notorious ex-Commissioner Yeh has been
brought from Canton to Calcutta in her Majesty's
ship Inflexible, and is at present a state prisoner
here. He is not, we understand, to be placed under
any restraint beyond what is necessary fur his safe
custody.
"The trial of the King of Delhi is not yet over ;
he has made his defence statement, which is uni-
versally admitted to be extremely weak. It merely
amounts to this, that he was not a free agent in
the rebellion, but was compelled by the soldiery to
act as he did. But there can be no doubt that he
took an active part in the insurrection, and is there-
fore criminally responsible. It is reported in Cal-
cutta that it is the intention of Government to send
him to the Andaman Isles, which have lately been
converted into a penal settlement. About 500
sepoys are on their way there already."