The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-02 00:00:00

THE RIGHT SORT AND THE WRONG SORT.

Regiments taken as collective bodies are quite alive to
the great importance of having a good commanding
officer ; they suffer too severely from defects in such a
quarter not to take a keen interest in such appointments,
but of this the discipline of the service, and the known
uselessness of taking thought on the subject, suppresses
all outward manifestations. The general public, on the
other hand, has never realised the serious responsibilities of
the position, or the irreparable mischief which might arise
even to the greatest interests of the country from the inca-
pacity of the colonel of a marching regiment. People take
up the " Gazette" and read such appointments without fan-
cying they can even be of any consequence, though the
details of the Indian mutiny ought for ever to have dis-
abused them of such an impression. There we saw the
lives of our men, the honour of our women, the giving of
towns to the flames, and the disgrace of ournation all hang-
ing on the judgment, energy, and decision of officers, who
had been appcinted to commands, without the slightest re-
ference to their possession of any such qualities. A.
Hewitt, instead of trampling under foot the banner of re-
bellion ere it had time to spread its ensanguined folds to
the breeze, and give the signal for outbreak far and wide,
instead of quenching its incendiary fire in the blood of the
villains who kindled it, as he had ample means to do,
allowed the fiery cross to be borne off in safety to summon
a mighty army to mutiny, and thereby cauPed the loss of
thousands of lives and millions of money. Many adesolate
hearth has reason to curse his memory, and yet who
thought it any crime to ,appoint an old worn out harmless
commandwro
wrong
tAol ebeerud to 2n e
by Who
appfoin tsianwg ahne yi p
leviless
omracnontsoidthereedany
and headless old Lloyd to the charge of the Dinapore Divi-
sion ? " Poor old gentleman," it would have been said had
any one objected, " how unfair to refuse them their turn
of staff employment after waiting so long for it; they
have a just right to it by the regulations of the service,"
A thousand English soldiers properly handled have ere
now decided the fate of empires. Clive had not nearly so
many when he virtually transferred the sovereignty of
India on the field of Plassy ; and Hewitt had a considerably
greater number when he allowed three native regiments to
imperil it by their mutiny at Meerut. The lamented Neil,
with hardly one-third of that number, saved Benares and
Allatiabad, the less of which would have been utter ruin,
and the very different management of a colonel at the head
of his regiment opposed to the tribes of New Zealand, has
just involved the colonists in partial destruction, and
saddled the mother country with the expense of a small
army. Should then the command of an English regiment
be bestowed blindly on any major belonging to it, of whom
it can only be said, " Why, here is nothing against him,
and his money is lodged !" Yet this is what is being done
every week, and we are told there is no help for it, com-
manding officers cannot be selected I Sad and l tment-
able confession 1

There is an interesting paper on the regulations
respecting the naval cadets in the Britannia training
ship. " Our own Correspondent," on the American
navy and army gives an account of several court
martials, the result of disunion of the Northern and
Southern States. Under the head of Justice to the
Navy, an epitome of the discussion in Parliament on
the fifth of last month on Sir J. 11. Elphinstone's
motion for a select committee " to consider the pre-
sent system of promotion and retirement in the
Royal Navy, and the present pay and position of

the several classes of naval officers is given." A
paper on " The Defence of our Colonies," after
considering the position of Great Britain as regards
her colonial possessions, and the cost of their
defence, concludes as follows :
We rejoice that the volunteer ardour has been en-
kindled in our colonies, for when we speak of that move-
ment we speak of an institution—such it has become—of
which Englishmen all over the world may be justly proud,
as the distinguishing glory of this age, belonging to this
kingdom, or rather to this empire, alone. It is, indeed, one
of those events prominent in the histories of all civilised
countries, to which, after generations, extending through
centuries, are wont to lock back with a highly moralising
pride—a pride that will not suffer them to fall below the
national virtue of the progenitors, but greatiy incites them
to surpass it. Of such events, thank God, English history
is full, and that of which we now speak, the most illustrious
of them all, arising out of no political convulsions, no party
contentions, no popular commotions—the usual concomi-
tants of events which mark epochs—but calmly, deliberately,
and energetically out of the spontaneously expressed will of
this whole nation, constitutes the purest and grandest dis-
play of civic liberty in full action mankind has eTer wit-
nessed. This manifestation of unchecked citizen patriotism,
embracing all classes of our population, is a spectacle which
no other state in Europe would dare to furnish ; it is pecu-
liarly English, and in the history of the world has no pa'
rallel. Such a rising in all other. European countries would
be synonymous with confusion, revolution, and anarchy;
here it guarantees security, order, and peace. What our
Government encourages, all continental Governments
would, if not immediately absorbed by themselves, at once
suppress as rebellion, as an overt attack on their very exis-
tence ; and if called upon to pointout by a single broad fact
the immense distance that separates constitutional freedom
from despotism, one could not hesitate in exclaiming
" Look at the volunteer rifle army of Great Britain I—hold
far removed are every people under despotic rule from
that I"

The careful study of maps is strongly recommended
to all officers, to the end that they may become
conversant with the boundaries of countries and the
courses of rivers. In a chapter on "Naval Coast
Volunteers and Volunteer Artillery," some useful
hints are thrown out for the improvement of our
marine reserve, and the better defence of our eoast.
" The Bahamas; or, Lucayos Islands," by Lieute-
nant J R. O'M. M'Lawlor, is continued; the
"New Works at Milford Haven," and the "Edi-
tor's Portfolio," containing notices of new works,
and the general naval and military information for
the month, are the remaining contents.

The Cornhill lifagaz4ne.

"Framley Parsonage"—one of the most charming
fictions from the prolific pen of Anthony Trollope--
is concluded this month, and the denouement is
entirely satisfactory. Lady Lufton at last gives
way, and does so in a manner, worthy of herself—
she gives way nobly, entirely and cordially. Lucy
is brought back in triumph from Hogglestock, and
this time Puck, the pony, is not beaten by the way.
We leave the precincts of Framley Court and
Framley Parsonage with regret, and enter-
tain a kindly remembrance of the acquaintances
we have made there. Mark Roberts, the parson,
is the least interesting member of the circle, and is
not at all deserving of such a dear, delightful wife as
Fanny, and of such a very charming sister as Lucy,
the new Lady Lufton. Mrs. Prondie preserves her
important identity to the last, and we doubt not we
shall again meet with her in some of Mr. Trol-
lope's pages—pages to which a world of ad-
mirers can turn with delight, because they are
life-like and natural, written with a charming
ease and endued with a dramatic interest,
added to which also they are characterised
by no small amount of common sense.
" Horace Saltoun," a story of vivid and gloomy
interest, is also finished this month. The current
interest of the Cornhill is now concentrated upon
" Philip on his way through the world," and
well able is Philip to sustain the weight. Among
many other happy hits, Mr. Thackeray's remarks
on " Virtuous People " are in the true spirit of
the author of " Vanity Fair." Among the artists
we are glad to recognise Doyle, who gives us a
sketch of an "At Home," well worthy of the
illustrators of "Ye Manners and Customs of ye
English."

Bally's Sporting Magazine.
This number contains a portrait of Mr. James
Merry, M.P., as also a biography of that gentleman,
who is, we believe, the first Sootchman who has
carried off the "blue ribbon:of the turf." We cannot
agree with Admiral Rous in his view of the advan-
tage to be derived from the use of Roman vapour
baths in getting race horses into condition. In
certain cases, no doubt, its application may be
highly beneficial, but for pugilist, race horse, or
hunter, hard work is required to develop the
muscles and sinews. In " School Life, its spo.rts
and Pastimes," the Gentleman in Black eulogises
the rough sports of the youths of England. Sem-
tator's remarks on the treatment of hunters
in and out of season are sensible, and
their perusal would do good to many who act
unjustly to their horses from want of knowing
better. He censures, 'very properly, the absurd
practice of stinting horses in water which causes
them to drink to excess when they have the chance,
whereas if water were always within reach they
would never drink more than was good for them.
"Wild Life" is continued, and is as interesting as
of old, and we are this month introduced to Cali-
fornian Bull and Bear Fights. The contest being
original we quote a portion of the description :
The arena is again cleared, and a light waggon is wheeled
in, surmounted by a cage, containing a newly-trapped
grizzly bear, a monster of 15 or 20 hundredweight. Ima-
gine, if you can, a ton of bear not one of those playful,
kindly little fellows that eat plum buns from the end of a
stick, held by your first-born, at Regent's Park ; nor the
fat brown lazy brute that wallows about good-naturedly ort
his back there, and is twice as big as his cage ; nor like the
white ones that eat captains' biscuit, and only wish it was
the captain himself : but the grizzly bear is ferocious and
savage beyond description ; this one is manacled by the
hind leg with a heavy chain twenty feet long, the end of
which is passed under the door of his cage, and then s
magnificent wild Vull bursts into the arena, and is imme-
diately lassoed and thrown down by mounted Mexicana-
To the foreleg of the bull is attached the other end of the
chain, and by a sudden co-operative movement he is released
from the lasso, and the cage door of the bear is opened, and
if he does not make haste it is likely in the bull's first rush
he will come out "with a run." The cage is now with-
drawn, and the two combatants stand in the lists.
Alas, for that noble bull I his pride of life is to be Mira"
bled, and in humiliation he must yield to the fearful claw'
of his dread enemy, but no fear of his fate stills his boned-
prowess I•

A paw of the earth, a bellow, and with an amazing speed
he dashes the bear prostrate; but,i vengefully rising, Bruin,
tears open the bull's side, and scores his flanks until pieces
of flesh hang quivering. Dauntless the bull rushes at him,
and this time drives his horns into his opponent's chest;
but the bear rising maddened, with a terrific growl, strikes
him repeatedly, until heavy drops of blood speckle the
earth ; and torn, and bewildered for the moment, he drags
after him the bear by the chain, which the latter impotently
gnaws, until, coming to close quarters, the bull pins down
his assailant by a sudden onslaught, and rises with blood
on his horns.

Again and again does the bull charge, and the stubborn
bear stands the full force of his butt, and repays him
savagely with teeth and claws. Several times more the
bull gores his opponent, and casts him at his feet, butßrum
tears him again and again, and so they fight on for nearly
an hour.

Bruin now sits up suddenly, and soon to him comes the
ill-fated bull, whom he receives in his dreadful arms, and
having fixed them round his neck, on his next faint struggle,
gnaws his frontal bones and nose, until the very crackle is
heard throughout the house ! Bull, not yet beaten, plunges
madly, and drives a horn far into the bear's side, until
both roll over in a ghastly struggle; when the bear, biting
open his throat, and tearing asunder his entrails, lies down
helpless to watch his game antagonist die !
People now enter, release the carcase of the bull, and
passing the chain through the cage, drag back by sheer
force the gored and wretched animal, who will be reserved
for another fete and fate.

Father Thames gives a very good account of the
late University boat race, but he is wrong when he
states that last year's race was a close one, for,
although the Cambridge crew of that year did not
excel their opponents as 'much as the Oxonians did
in the late encounter; yet after Hammersmith Bridge
the Cantabs had it all their own way, and won
easy. "The experiences of Sydney Godolphin
Yahoo" are brought to an abrupt termination.
Of course ho marries Ethel, but the tale is prema-
turely concluded, and its chief recommendation i 9
the animated description of Highland sports, there
being little or no romance in the story.

THE WESTMINSTER CLOCK AND BELLS.—Yes-
terday morning the bells of the new Palace of Westminster
played some strange vagaries. At one o'clock—that is, in
the dead of the night—instead of contenting themselie°
with giving forth the single one, they struck 37. At tale
o'clock and three o'clock the bells gave forth the right
numbers, but at four o'clock they were again erratic and
struck 39. On both occasions when these extravagant
numbers were given, the striking of the hours commenced
before the ordinary quarter chimes, these coming in to.
wards its close. The same curious circumstance with re-
gard to these bells happened on the day on which her
Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent died, and thereupon
some curious suggestions were offered in reference to simi-
lar strange proceedings on the part of the bells of St.
Paul's, and which it was said had been generally found to
precede the death of royalty.

CHANCELLORSHIP OF ABERDEEN UNIVERSITY'
—We understand on good authority that the Duke of Rich-
mond is to be put in nomination for the office of Chancellor
of the University of Aberdeen, and that, though his Grace
was ono of the petitioners against the ordinances when the!
were discussed last year under appeal to the Queen in
council, he has declared his opinion to be now decidedly
unfavourable to any attempt to reverse the decision that
was then pronounced. It may be remembered that the
main body of the appellants contended for the maintenance
of two colleges, or at least of duplicate professorships in the
faculty of arts; but a section of them desired only the
transfer of the united classes from the Universitybuildings
of King's College to those of Marischal College, an object
which it appeared had been aimed at by others in a diffe-
rent way. This question of site was revived some weeks
ago, and hence the occasion and also the fairness of a do'
claration of opinion on the subject,--AscotBmon.