The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-12 00:00:00

SRE SIT N, LON D ON,

were implicated in c.,‘,a of the most atrocious out-
rages ever perpetrated on innocent persons.
It cannot be doubted that the SULTAN will
adopt the most energetic measures for the con-
dign punishment of the miscreants concerned.
Such a course is due to France and Eng-
land. It could not be safely refused. Nor
shall we do ABDUL-MEDJID the, injustice of
supposing that he would, under any circumstances,
remain insensible ,to the demands of justice. That
he will give stringent instructions to his sub-
ordinate officers is certain. But will they be carried
out in a fair and bona fide manner ? That is
a totally different question, and it must
be ascertained that there is no collusion, no
connivance with the offenders, by the agents of
the Government. The avengers of innocent blood
must be prompt and decided. Every drop so
wantonly shed must be accounted for ; and should
there be any slackness on the part of the Turkish
authorities, the 'Western Powers will be prepared
to take the matter into their own hands, and to
exact ample retribution.
We cannot for a moment tolerate this outrage
on the honour of the Western Powers., who so
boldly stood forward on behalf of Turkey in the
dark hour of danger and distress—who spared
neither the lives of their gallant soldiers nor their
treasures to restore " the sick man" to health,
and to guard his possessions from the hungry
expectant of his assets. Our own position, as
well as the security of our fellow-Christians,
require vigorous action. We are now traversing
the Red Sea, and should it for a moment be sup-
posed that such an outrage could be perpetrated
with impunity, there would be no security for the
crews or passengers on board British vessels.
The tel',7,lpli is also to be established
by that route. What would be the fate
of the clerks at the different stations, or
how could it be ascertained that messages could be
I safely transmitted, when any fanatic could sup-
pose he would be permitted to wreak his wrath
on " the Christian dogs " who might be within
his power? The question is of vital importance, and
must be dealt with in a proper manner. Not only
the Christian name and the Christian people, but
the honour of the two mightiest nations in the
world, have been outraged. Let the SULTAN see
that full redress be granted ; if not, we shall
look to it ourselves, and deal with the subject as
it deserves.

Another giant monopoly is now doomed. Im-
' mediately after the disruption of the East India
Company as a governing body in Asia—the
Hudson's Bay Company, as a ruling power in Ame-
rica, will in due course, according to legal phraseo-
logy, cease and determine. It is the prospective
realisation of one of our own long-cherished day-
dreams. Years and years back, in the columns of
this journal, we have inveighed against the mon-
strous incubus imposed with the leaden weight of ab-
solute stagnation upon one of the noblest and fairest,
' •ne of the most gigantic and prolific among all our
colonial possessions. It extends—this stupendous
r monopoly—across the whole width of the great
' North American continent, from the shores of the
Atlantic to those of the Pacific ; from the Gulf of
Georgia to the Coast of Labrador. It excludes
from these enormous territories the whole teeming
population of the British Empire—preserving the
wild forests as the hunting ground of the fur
traders : the haunt of the servants of the Com-
pany, sent forth in parties of twos and threes in
quest of the skins of the wild beasts most valued
in the trade—the furs of the otter and the beaver,
of the musk-rat and the martin, the bear, the
deer, and the lynx, the ermine, and the buffalo.
The monopoly we speak of dates back to a period
nearly removed from us by two centuries. It
virtually commenced in 1670, when a charter
was granted to Prince RUPERT and others by
King CIA.ELES the SECOND, almost immediately
after the Restoration. It empowered those named
in the royal charter to trade exclusively with the
aborigines in and around Hudson's Bay, and
thereupon sprang into existence a commercial
association, known even then by the name, style,
and title of the Hudson's Bay Company. At
length, however, after an existence of 188 years,
it is announced by Her Britannic Majesty's Secre-
tary of State for the Colonies that the trading
licence over a portion, at least, of the terri-
tory hitherto granted to the Hudson's Bay
Company, shall, at the date of its next
expiry, namely, next year, A.D. 1859, alto-
gether terminate. After that year, according to
the explicit declaration of Sir EDWARD LYTTON,
on Thursday evening, in the House of Commons,
the Company will have no other privileges there
than any other of Her Majesty's subjects. A
bold and sweeping, a magnificent and compre-
hensive measure this—opening up at last to the
energies of the Anglo-Saxon race a considerable
portioned the gigantic dominions hither to abandoned
entirely to the development of a purely selfish and
most exclusive mercantile enterprise. The de-
struction of this huge monopoly is, as we have
said, necessarily delayed until next session, when,
by the expiry of the trading licence, the CROWN
will be afforded the requisite opportunity. Mean-
while, however, we have at last the solemn and
explicit promise of the long-desired ehange—a
promise frankly given and readily volunteered by
Her Majesty's Colonial Secretary. Nay, now,
even now, there is the small end of the wedge
already actually inserted and driven home. The
Government of New Caledonia Bill has been read
a first and sec3nd time, and is down for this day
to be passed through Committee. The unanimous
and cordial acceptance of this measure by all
parties is a sufficient testimony as to the wisdom
of the proposed enactment. It received the
earnest commendation at once of Sir EDWARD
LYTTON'S predecessor in office, Mr. LABOUCiIERE.
It was forthwith pronounced by Mr. ROEBUCK,
the most outspoken of our popular Tribunes, as a
step in the right direction. It elicited from the
hon. member for Bodmin—a high authority, one
of the highest authorities among our geographers
—a congratulation proffered to the right hon. baro-
net upon that his first ministerial effurt at legisla-
tion. There appears, indeed, to be only one positive
objection to it, and that a mere objection of detail,
namely, that in reference to the name henceforth
to be accorded to the territory affected by the
measure now before Parliament.

The territory in question-400 miles in
breadth, 800 miles in length—lies between the
shores of the Pacific and the range of the Rocky
Mountains. It has been called, for want of a
better name, Now Caledonia. But then it is ob-
jected that, not far from Aut•tralasia, there is
already an island of no inconsiderable dimensions
down upon the maps by the same name as New
Caledonia. Beyond which, quoth Mr. LOWE, in
the course of the discussion on Thursday—is there
act already on the opposite shores of the same
North American continent a province called by a
name conveying vtry much the same meaning—
Nova Scotia ? Some have proposed that the
territory upon which the house is now legislating
should be called Oregon—but then immediately
contiguous to it is the Oregon of the United
State; It might with more reason take to itself
the glorious name of the immortal discoverer of
the New World--becoming henceforth, distinctly

and expressla,what it has been fora considerable
time vaguely designated all along those coasts---
Columbia. One member, i^t is true (Mr. Warm),
in the midst of the general admiration excited by
the inaugural speech au .d measure of the
new Colonial Secretary, suggested, amidst the
acquiescent plaudits of the l louse, that the name-
selected might be that of BIILWER-LYTTON.
Whatever its ulterior appellation, New Cale-
donia, British Oregon, Coluvilia, or whatnot, it
has now, under the happiest .au.spice.7, the reason-
able prospect of assuming to itself the dignity of
a separate colonial possession, one already of con-
siderable importance, by real on of its gigantic
dimensions, of its geographica 1 position, and of
its undoubted fruitfulness.

Since writing the above, additional intelligenee
—news of a remarkable kincl—has reached us
direct from Frazer's River. Our despatches from
the gold-diggings over against Vancouver's Island
will be found given at some length in another
portion of our impression of this evening. Alto-
gether, the gist of this timely'i:ntelligence will be
found in the highest degree satisfactory. The
"yield" of the precious metal gives promise of
surpassing even the first brilliant anticipations
The used up diggers of California are in conse-
quence all a-gog for adventure forthwith
upon the novel and attractive enterprise.
Thousands are afoot for toil, not "in fresh fields
and pastures new," but for labour more lucrative,
active research for the uncoined ingots scattered
profusely in dust and nuggets over that recently
discovered TOM TIDDLER'S ground, New Cale-
fornia, it might almost be called New California !
Saith one correspondent at San Francisco, under
date 4th .Tune, " Panama just in : the news from
Frazer's River is great—gold plenty as black-
berries, the city full of of excitement, the prospect
is that thousands will go!" Quoth anotherfrom the
same place under same date, enlivened of course
by the same most welcome and authentic intimation
—" There is not a doubt of the gold-fields being
extensive and exceedingly rich—as rich and large
as the California placers of 'forty-nine"—nay,
adds the writer, "if report be true, more rich !"
No wonder, with tidings such as this startling them
from their (comparative) propriety, that the more
adventurous spirits are all of them " off " to the
bran-new gold diggings of this new El Dorado of
New California ! No marvel that the "Pikes,"
alias the " Greybacks," are shouldering their
picks and shovels, and are carefully carrying
with them besides those delightful cradles
with which they hope to rock their new-born
fortunes into maturity ! " I will not give my
opinion as to the permanency of the new discovery,
and the effect of it on our population," writes one
of these correspondents from San Francisco—
"but," he adds, pithily, " others better informed
than I am say it will strip this State (California)
of at least 25,000 the coming year !" Time
enough, indeed, then, is it for our Government
here at home to act promptly and energetically,
with a view to the immediately strengthening
of the " powers that be" out there, on
the spot, itself, or, at any rate, in the immediate
neighbourhood of the contiguous Island of Van-
couver. lit is doubly, trebly satisfactory, all
things considered, that the New Caledonia Govern-
ment Bill, having been read a first and a second
time in the House of Commons, should be under
consideration there in Committee upon the very
day upon which we receive this startling mass of
information from the very regions to which the
Bill is designed to afford the instant advantages
of a vigorous Government.

As to the state of things out there, nine years
ago we denounced the idea of giving up that
magnificent island of Vancouver, when first the
monstrous " job" was talked of—the miserable job
(for it was literally nothing else) of giving up that
additional territory to the company of furtraders
already gorged with the possession of half a
gigantic continent ! Nevertheless the evil deed
was done—the Hudson's Bay Company got
fairly into their possession the whole of Vancou-
ver's Island, in addition to their stupendous
continental possessions. Next year the trading
license of ten years' duration expires : and next
year (Sir EDWARD LYTTON consoles us with the
assurance) that trading licence will not be re.;
newed ! Vancouver's Island will then, in 1859,
revert to the CROWN. But until the expiration
of the fated ten years, it continues, of course, in
the sordid grip of the Company. The mistake
was that of our old friends the Whigs, during one
of their ever-memorable epochs of mal-adinini-
stration. Having blundered into this engagement
with the Hudson's Bay Company cf America,
however, the imperial GoVernment is constrained
to hold good to the conditions up to
the welcome period when the ten years license
shall have duly expired. Wherefore, Governor
DovoLiks, servant of the trading company though
he is—(in his capacity as its Chief Factor)—in
error though he may be in some of his resolute
measures in regard to "certain boats and other
vessels entering Frazer's River for trade"—will
have to be supported in his anomalous position
as far as may be in any way consistent with
prudence—as far as may be compatible with the
interests of the Crown and of the Colony. The
sudden difficulty of the position, however, illus-
trates in a very glaring way the folly of the old
insane compact entered into with the Hudson's
Bay Company, in spite of all remonstrance, by that
extremely far-sighted and patriotic imposture, the
Old Whig Government. SirE. BIILWER-LYTTON, as
her MAJETST'S Colonial Secretary, has here, how-
ever, in these (among so many other) ill-fated legacies
of the Whigs, a magnificent opportunity. Hap-
pily, too, the Right Hon. Baronet is evincing a
readiness to avail himself of this opportunity in a
manner highly creditable at once to his capacity,
to his sagacity, and to his vigour as an Adminis-
trator.

The House of Lords has now an opportunity of
substantially relieving the public, and doing a
statesmanlike act. To-night we believe Viscount
GAGE will give notice of moving the second read-
ing of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill,
which Viscount BURY has carried so successfully
through the House of Commons. It is to be
hoped that the Lords will not deem another vic-
tim necessary, to console them for their penurious
liberality on the Jewish question. In the pre-
sent case it cannot be pretended that there is not
a real grievance ; nor that, considering the na
tore of the question, the number is small who are
interested in it. To us, the bitterness of opposi-
tion in some persons is wholly unaccountable.
Lord CAMPBELL, for instance, is a Scotchman,
and that may account for a good deal of perti-
nacious prejudice, on what he holds to be a theo-
logical question ; but Lord CAMPSELL is also a
staunch friend of religious liberty, and how,
therefore, he Val.( UUllai.ite,ll4 make law of his
theology, and refuse legal rights to a man whose
theology differs from
aI
ef
eLpotradb
eC
tAoxt
tPhBeE LAL his own, it is hard to say.
sxt neighbour oaus r thinkswell
as
consonant
it an act
with nature, to marry the sister of his deceased
wife, will Lord CAMPBELL step in with his Itornish