The Sun.
London, England, 1858-02-25 00:00:00

ITINISTERI ' altrai?.

(From the Morning Herald.)
a From
a subsequent the moment
o
retirement
Lordo
mr alm
offiecres tfoon r'esb defeat
ding
the west gloomy have proceeded from those who
desired te persuade the public that nothing but a
purely LibJral Administration is just now possible.
The Conservative leader's ease was declared to he
perfectly hopeless, and all his efforts were cons.)•
quently derided. At one moment the noble earl
was stated to have encountered obstruction in this
direction, and at another in that ; and his failure
was predicted with that ready assurance which
fortunately is not always borne out by the result.
Probably the ingenious concoctors of such fallacies
imagined, that because they were incredulous and
discontented, the rest of the nation must be in the
same unhappy frame of mind. Their sagacity is for
once at fault, and the obstacles and repulses by
which Lord Derby was to have been so speedily
overwhelmed and annihilated resolve themselves
into the idle coinage of the heat-oppressed brain.
This statesman's opponents feared lest he should
succeed, and they accordingly determined to repre-
sent success as illusive if not impossible.
From various quarters the new Premier con-
tinnes to receive cordial and even unsolicited as-
surances of support. Those above the paltry pre-
judices of the honr are unanimous in their opinion
that Lord Derby's appointment affords a strikin4
illustration of the popular principle of the
right man in the right place. If a statesman
who commands a clear working majority in the
Hou e of Lords, and who is, moreover, at the
head of by far the most numerous party
in the lower branch of the Legislature, is not
the proper person to undertake the formation of a
Cabinet at this juncture, we would, with due sub-
mission, inquire in what direction, or in what
company, are we to search for the fortunate candi-
date ? The Peelite section, as we have already
shown, have no rank and file to second the effort'
of those chiefs, the heroes of debate, and the
country is not prepared for the rule of the Man-
chester clique. Could Lord John Russell, with
his ninety-nine followers, be expected to form a
strong government ? The member for London has
on more occasions than one manifested an maser.
tunate tendency to unsettle and embroil, but we
do not remember a single instance in which his
interference has conducted to the restoration of
tranquillity, or had the effect of quelling the rising
storm. His mission is certainly not to heal differ-
ences, or to temper animosities ; he does not bear
the olive branch in his hand when he launches
forth into the political tempest, Far other aims
impel him upon his adventurous flight. Lord John
Russell is much more likely to create confusion, on
to break up a cabinet, than to rescue the state
from imminent danger, and to evoke concord out
of the elements of strife and contention. The'
Durham letter, the Sebastopol committee, and
the Vienna Conferences rise up in judgment against
this weak and vacillating politician ; and the public'
are only too glad that such a mischief-loving free-
booter of the Senate is not quite so powerful as he
might wish.
In 1852 Lord Derbygave proof of rare administra-
tive ability, and, although some of his colleagues
were untried men, the short session of four months'
duration was remarkable both for the number and the
utility of the measures which it produced. No lees
than 88 public acts were carried, and iu the same
session 108 private bills received the Royal assent.
Such were the results achieved by legislators whom
the nation was taught to ridicule and despise.
Under their able direction the militia was organised,
the defences of the country were strengthened, and.
five acts passed dealing with religion and the
Church. The law reforms, affected under the able
guidance of Lord St. Leonards, gained theapplause
of members of all sections of the community. The
Court of Chancery was reformed, the jurisdiction of
the county courts was extended, and no less than
14 measures securing wholesome changes in the
law and the administration of justice were adopted.
Public works and the public health were not ne-
glected, and amendments in the laws connected
with the franchise and the representation of the
people were made with the most beneficial results.
A variety of subjects that we cannot now reca-
pitulate occupied the attention of these earnest and.
vigilant legislators, and we shall not exceed the
truth by asserting that in every department of the
state the invigorating influences of their enlightened.
rule were felt. The people perceived that they at
length possessed a Government, composed of able
administrators, devoted to the public service, and
determined at all hazards to fulfil the duties of
their high yet onerous posts. Nor was it only
in matters relating to home legislation that the
Conservative Cabinet of 1852 proved so suc-
cessful. With foreign powers the most cordial
good fellowship was maintained, and an alli-
ance between the people as well as the Governments
of France and England founded and cemented.
Though ridiculed and sneered at for his prompt and
open recognition of the French empire, Lord Mal-
mesbury persevered in cultivating a good under-
standing with France, and on his retirement from
office had the satisfaction of seeing his policy
adopted bythose opponents who at one time affected
to treat it with disdain.

Over that Administration, the members of which
in so short a time accomplished great things, doing
the work in a quiet and an unobtrusive manner,
the present Premier presided. On this occasion
Lord Derby accepts office under much more favour-
able circumstances. The Conservative ranks have
since 1852 received considerable accessions of
strength ; differences between them and the fol-
lowers of the late Sir Robert Peel have been re•
moved ; the Opposition is utterly disorganised,
bein,, divided into various warring bands ; and the
fatal consequences of the forcible ejection of the
Conservative Cabinet in the winter of 1852 have
taught the nation a wholesome lesson. In politics,
as well as in everything &se, honesty is the best
policy, and each party can justly claim fair play.
Had this principle been kept properly in view on
that occasion, the nation might have escaped many
perils, and grievous sacrifices would have been
avoided. Tao error committed in 1852 will not be
repeated. The Senate as well as the country are
resolved that upon its merits shall the new Ad-
ministration stand or fall. All irritating causes have
been removed, and everything seems to augur
a long and prosperous career. No one understands
better than Lord Derby the nature of the task
which ho has accepted ; few could bring higher
abilities or purer intentions to the discharge of its
important and manifold duties. The words used.
by the noble earl upon a former occasion are equally,
applicable at the present time. In his place in the
House of Lords, on Friday, the 27th of February,
1852, Lord Derby concluded his explanation of the
reasons that induced him to accept office in these
memorable words :—" In the course of the dig.
charge of its duties no consideration shall sway me
except that which led me to accept it—the para.
mount consideration of public duty. With that
feeling on my mind, with the deep conviction of the
sincerity of my own motives, and trusting to the
guidance and the blessing of a higher power than
my own, I venture to undertake a task from's-hick
I might well have shrunk appalled by its magni-
tude ; and, be the period of my Administration
longer or shorter, not only shall I have attained the
highest object of personal ambition, but I shall have
fulfillei one of the highest ends of human being, if
in the course of it I can have in the slightest degree
advanced the great objects of peace on earth, good
will among men'—the social, the moral, the reli-
gious improvement of my country—and if I can
feaorrietrolfbolluter tsoovthere safety,
eigilandt
her
ee
dh
oo
mn oi
nu
iro,
nasn. h
These
are noble sentiments, in all respects worthy of the
first Minister of England.
--s—,

(Eirminykam Daily Press.)
Lord John Russell is pre-eminently the man fo
the situation.
(Edinburgh. Express.)
we are sanguine that
tbe a
we i
tparliament,with
Sircommittedjtoa
ther
a e s
If Lord Derby should fail to form a ministry with
which "
hands of Lord J.
R
Graham and the
leading Peelites and independent Liberals, occupies
a position that would enable him to deal witn
till task
will
wc'alino , f
the French Government in that firm and dignified
manner which alone will satisfy the opinion of
the country.

(Northern, Daily Express.)
A few of Lord Palmerston's friends in the press
hold by the opinion that the defeated minister
will very speedily be recalled to office. They
will soon find out their mistake.
(The Northern Whig.)
What if Lord Pahnerston should have quietly
connived at his own defeat The thing is not at
all improbable. * * * We must have Lord
Palmerston back immediately.
(The Briuhton, Gnarelian)
Were Lord Palmerston now to pursue the policy
he began this time last year on the Chinese ques-
tion, he would again appeal to the country ; but
that would only be to receive from it a confir-
mation of the decision of the House of Commons
against him. The noble lord certainly mounted
like a rocket last year amidst splendid flashes
and sparks and loud huzzas, to come downottch
year in darkness and solitude, very little lner ore
and very like a stick. In whatever
"Turn out,
present crisis in ministerial aflairst may turn
Lord Palmerston's career seems at
be, and pro-
may be pitied ; but he never will
The defeat of
bably never has been,
reensitTrely now prospect to
th ministers opens a
;will demand from them a
the liberal party, rcocarrcheasive policy.
vigorous, IT.°c, 14"

PAPAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

A Royal warrant has been issued stating that every
non-commissioned officer above the rank of corporal
setvinginthe regular army shall receive an addition
of 2d. to the present daily pay of his rank, and
shall have no claim to good conduct pay assigned
to the ranks below that of sergeant.
Yesterday orders were received at Chatham gar-
naltm &rooting Major-Gen. W. H. Eden to hold in
readiness the following officers and troops to em-
bark on Saturday, at Gravesend, on board the
steam-ship Antelope for Kurrachee, for the purpose
of augmenting the service companies of their re-
spective regiments in India :—The Ist bat. 7th
Royal Fusiliers, 61 non-commissioned officers and
men ; Ensign C. M. Prendergast and 16 men of the
52d Light Infantry; Ensign U. Murphy and 29 men
of all ranks of the 61st ; 13 men of the 70th ; Lieut.
R. Swift and 10 men of the 81st ; 17 men of the
94th ; and Ensign P. H. Dobbs, with 30 non-com-
missioned officers and men of the 98th.
Rear-Admiral of the White the Hon. G. Grey,
thenewly-appointed superintendent of Portsmouth
Dockyard, arrived at Southsea last evening, and
will this morning proceed to hoist his flag and
supersede Vice-Admiral Martin.
The Atlas, 91, one of the large screw steam-ships
ordered to be constructed at Chatham Dockyard,
has been commenced, and will be built on the same
slip as that from which the Renown was recently
launched. The following will be the dimensions of
the Atlas :—Length between perpendiculars, 244 ft.
9 in: ; length for tonnage, 210 ft. ; extreme breadth,
55 ft. 4 in. ; breadth for tonnage, 54 ft. 6 in. ;
breadth moulded, 53 ft. 8 in. ; depth of hold, 24
ft. 6 in. ; burden in tons 3,317.
With a desire of contributing to the comforts of
the soldiers' mess, and of remedying the acknow-
ledged evils produced by the present monotonous
system of barrack cookery, Major-Gene.
i Major-General Sir
W. P. Williams, Commandant of Woolwich Gar-
rison, has introduced the newly invented appa-
ratus brought forward by Capt. Grant, R. E.
The object and advantages of the new stove having
been detailed by General Williams to • his Royal
highness the Commander-in-Chief on his late visit
to Woolwich, the Duke was pleased to approve its
immediate erection. The apparatus was yesterday
put into full operation experimentally, when the
various processes of cooking 12 cwt. of potatoes
And other vegetables, fryir:g, stewing, baking, (izc.,
for tie supply of the three ordinary meals for
1,000 soldiers, were satisfactorily performed. A
large perpendicular oven, in accordance with the
requisite scale of the establishment, forms a most
important portion of the apparatus, the heat of
which is easily reduced and regulated by means of
a small ventilator in the door, and which likewise
serves to carry off any superfluous steam arising
from the crowded state of the oven. On the other
side of the shaft in which the oven is fixed a huge
iron plate supplies facilities for boiling, stewing,
IkC. The fuel used on the occasion did not exceed
six bushels of coals.

The steam-transport Rhadamanthus, Mr. F. R.
Sturilee, R.N., commanding, arrived at Woolwich
yeatFday morning from Portsmouth and Chatham,
and was ordered to prepare for a cargo of steam
gear for the western yards forthwith.
The paddle-wheel steam-sloop Gorgon got up
steam yesterday morning in Woolwich basin and
tried her machinery, which, together with the
entire ship, has undergone thorough repairs.
The freight-ship Susan commenced shipping war
stores yesterday from Woolwich for Malta, and the
steam-tyrnsport Gibraltar, for Gibraltar ; the latter
♦essetl is to sail on the 28th inst.

A-considerable reduction in the factory estab-
lishment of Woolwich Dockyard has been ordered
to meet the reduced scale of expenditure voted for
that' department of the Naval service ; 40 of the
factory labourers have consequently received notices
of dismissal.

The Arrogant,46, screw-frigate, the pioneer of the
auxiliary screw fleet, is ordered to be given over to
Capt: L. G. Heath, C. B. to do duty as a coast volunteer
vessel, in lieu of the Melampus, old sailing frigate,
which is being towed up from Southampton Water
to be dismantled.

Commander J. H. Selwyn, Commander F. IL
Shortt, and Commander J. P. Luce were yesterday
promoted to the rank of Captains ; Commander G.
M. Balfour to the Syren, vice Selwyn, promoted ;
and Commander M. 8.. Pechell to the Wanderer,
vice Luce, promoted.