The Sun.
London, England, 1861-04-26 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE,

Tins DAL—Morning, 2h. 28m.—Afternoont 2h. 54m.
To-mounow.:Morning, 3h. 26m.—Afternoon, 3h. 38m.

TILE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, APRIL
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
Cl--highest since noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during tho night.
59—this day at noon.
BAROMETER-30.14 ;
WlND—West-N.-Westerly—fresh; with cloudy coo
weather.

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THE SUN.

LONDON, FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 1861

With painful interest will every Englishman read
the news of this morning from America. It makes
us all feel what we felt when we read of the
Prince of WALES' reception in America—that we
are one people, one race, after all—makes us reci-
procate the sailor sentiment of the American naval
commander who aided our men under their sad
misfortune at the Taku Forts, that " blood is
thicker than water." We hate slavery and slave-
holding—we are angry with the narrow-minded
protectionism of American Tariffs; but we remem-
ber that we have ourselves been guilty enough of
both, not many years ago, and our hearts ache at
the thought of descendants of Englishmen shed-
ding again each other's blood in war. We de-
precate the injury to commerce ; we are grieved
to see free institutions disgrace themselves in
the sight of gradually falling dospotism : but over
and above all that, we lament that the members of
one great branch of our own vast family, should
he found divided against one another, and shed-
ding each other's blood. -
Perhaps, in the literal sense, blood may not have
been shed yet. There is no account of lives lost.
It is said to be certain that none of the officers 01
the garrison were wounded, and that none of the
Carolinians lost their lives. What the little band
of Federal private soldiers suffered seems to be yet
eaLcown, though we can hardly think that we
should not have heard of the death of any of them
as amongst the most important of events. But if
there be not in this case the peculiar feelings with
vitifh the loss of the first one or two lives in a
et% is regarded by the English race, more, per-
haps, than by any other race on earth, there is
everything in the surrender of Fort Sumter to
wound the pride of the Federal Government and
to enrage the great Republican party, till it throws
aside all moderation and rushes with determination
to conquer, into the eontest.
Firstly, the Government sends to one of its own
fortresses to supply it with provisions and men, or
both. Secoielly, the sight of the Government yes
sels is made the occasion by the Southern cora•
mander of summoning the fort to surrender.
2741.1',4, when Major ANDERSON refuses, which, as
the soldier of the Federal Government, he was
bound to do—.for the Government was supporting
him, and not authorising him to strike his flag—the
Carolina Forts open fire upon him. 'When he replies
to 4, they overwhelm him from seven batteries with
a continuous fire of 40 hours. The first gun was
thus fired by the South ; and it was not a mere
formal fire, but one which compelled a brave man
and his brave little band to surrender to its extent
and contin-aance. All the bri©f statements of the
effects of the surrender are but what we might be
certain would follow. " Washington is in a frantic
state of excitement." "The Republicans wild with
indignation." "War the sole topic in every circle."
" Volunteers and Regulars under arms," "Wash-
ington itself anticipating an attack ;" but, it is
added, "the President calm and composed," and
that an "extra session of Congress had been sum-
moned"—an act, we believe, necessary, if war is to
be commenced in earnest, since the President is not
in regard to declaring war; he must have the con-
sent of the Senate in doing it.
What course things will now take must be
only matter of speculation. Yet few of us pro-
bably can avoid conjecturing, from what we already
know, the probable results. We do know that on
neither side is the spirit of fighting wanting. Ame-
ricans are exceedingly vindictive, and in the South
they are bloodily vindictive. They think nothing
°F, they seem rather to glory in, the most ferocious
and in brutal assaults, like that upon Senator
Sumaar„
on by cla
pla nuque eat those who have merely offended them
, Party and political attacks. The South
ap tkuA
',rewarded the ruffian who half mur-
dered Arr. si, _
11.'iLP., surpri4e. The South is
ready enough, in
Point of temper, mount
of fighting, but how ' for any a
It tronps together remai will raise money to keep
n
poor to create an arms to be yof seen, and it is too
volun-
teers, yet it has seemed hitahel;
tsoupdp:irrtoiini
sg
tvoolpurne:
which ay again be from the
eipitate the conflict, ef
oonFt:ionenegs that it could not, with ,
. money,
ouL
keep its army on foot.

Perhaps the chief question still is wh,.
.
NV ha t will the North do ? Exceptin ean, and
the stores
which the treason of FLOYD betrayed to the South,
the Federal Government must have all the natal
and
military resources of the late Union at
its disposal. The navy belongs entirely to the
North, and all the dockyards in actual use are

The Opposition and the Government have con
fronted each other in the matter of the Budget like
two skilful fencers with their foils crossed. Whe-
ther the buttons are on or not, it is almost impos-
sible to detect, from the rapid movement, upon
either band during the past two evenings of sus-
tained contention. Whether the Opposition means
mischief, whether it takes as its motto miching
malecho, or whether it is all this• while only
grumbling impotently—who shall say ? Will it
strive to pink the Government in carte or tierce—
to force a division upon the second, the third, or
the fourth resolutions ? Has it an eye capable of
discriminating the "flaw" in the budget ? or is it
fated to be bewildered by the very variety
of the exceptions that may be taken
to it ? Between the temptation to reduce
the tea and sugar duties and the temptation to
dock another penny from the Income-tax—will the
prospect of any amendment whatever (as NOODLE
fell between the two stools of the proverb) fall to the
ground ignominiously. They would—if they could
or perhaps we should rather say more correctly—
if they had but the power to recognise the fittest
plea, the aptest opportunity. It is hardly so much
the power that is;wanting, as the skilful selection of
the plea. It is scarcely the will that is needed—it
is the discrimination of the opportunity. In its
financial policy, actually, in one sense, Govern-
ment is whimsically illustrating anew the
wisdom of the old wily axiom divida
et impera. The Opposition is—at any rate as yet—
so far divided in opinion as to which of the various
exceptions that can be taken (with a show of reason)
to the Budget shall be taken, that at the present
moment there is absolutely no amendment at all
before the house by reason of that very uncertainty
and apparent bewilderment. As Mr. 'WHITESIDE
wittily expressed it last night—the problem put
to himself by" the Chancellor of the Exchequer
in the construction of the Budget was—" Given
a deficit, a bad harvest, declining trade, doubtful
prospects, and continued reductions in the per-
manent revenue of the country—to find a surplus !"
That has, consequently,been weak point Number One
in the financial policy of the Government ! Namely
the illusory and wholly hypothetical and abso-
lutely suppositious character of the Surplus !
Shall they go in, that Strong Opposition, shall
they resolutely go in for the maintenance of that
fact, for the demonstration of that truth—namely,
that the surplus is simply an illusion, is purely
imaginary, is literally nonexistent ? Shall they,
in point of fact, say—You are arguing upon false
premises; you are talking of certain remissions of
taxation in the shape of a dropped penny upon
the income-tax, and of a total abolition of the
paper duty by reason of the balance of revenue
and expenditure for the next financial twelve-
month showing an estimated surplus of nearly two
millions sterling, of £1,923,000 altogether—but
looking into your calculations more closely, we find
that your estimated surplus is, after all, no surplus
whatever, but actually, instead of that, a deficit !
Shall they, the Strong Opposition, go in for the
declaration of that fact, in preference to all
the other facts that can be brought
forward in antagonism to the Budget ? Or shall
they, taking a more superficially popular course,
accept, as proven, the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer's statement that there is a surplus—say even a
surplus of all but two millions, of £1,923,000—and
then insist upon the advisability of applying that
surplus rather to the remission of twopence upon
the Income-tax, or of a penny upon the Income-tax
and a diminution of that other grinding war tax
still wrung out of the pockets of the people in a
time of peace, the duties levied upon tea and sugar
—rather than abolish altogether those paper duties,
by getting rid of which Mr. GLADSTONE is suspected
of designing simply to gratify his own spleen, and
at the same time to throw a sop to a certain Cer-
berns glowering alarmingly upon the other side of
that gloomy Styx of the Gangway ! As was so
often the case with the late Sir ROBERT PEEL, the
Great Sir ROBERT PEEL—three courses (and then
of course their dessert, or, shall we read it, their
deserts) lie at this moment, for their choice, before
the Opposition. Firstly—to deny the existence of
the surplus, and (so denying it) to go for no, or at
any rate for a Very moderate, reduction, Say (if CHARLESTON, April 12, 11 p.m.
any reduction) of just one penny upon the income A heavy rain caused a suspension of hostilities
tax. Secondly—accepting the surplus as proven—to between 7 and 11 o'clock, except an occasional gun.
NI •
ape Anderson is busy repairing damages. He
argue for the further reduction of the Income-tax by received. twenty-nine full shots from Stevens' bat-
another penny in preference to the total and sum- tery alone, making the bricks fl the walls in
mary abolition of the paper duties ; duties yielding all directions. y from
upon the year £200,000 more than the annual It is estimated that from_ twelve to eighteen
proceeds of one penny upon the Income-tax. A hundred balls and shells were fired during the day.
penny of Income-tax, as we all know, bring-
Over or.e hundred shells took effect inside the fort.
ing in £1,100,000, and the paper duties £1,300,000 Orders have teen issued to send Major Anderson
within the financial year. Thirdl
a bomb from all the batteries ewveirdye tawweanktey, minutes
making
y—still accepting daring
the night, to keep him the surplus as secure and reliable oven to the about two a minute.
extent of .£1,023,000—t0 insist upon diminishing Majoa7 Anderson fired only two barhette guns.
the 100 per cent. impost upon tea and the 50 Two m ore were dismounted. His shots at Fort
per cent. impost upon sugar, before sweeping Moultri,s were generally bad, most of the balls going
away rashly the whole of the duty upon paper
over. The same was the case with the Floating
The Paper duty yielding annually as we have Battery, to which he was very particular in his
seen £1,300 000 attentions. A ball penetrated the Moultrie House,
war tax u
in a time of peace the where a party of gentlemen were sitting in the
while
Pon incomes) the war tax upon tea, and parlotv e, watching the fight. It entered the second

The spirit of patriotism is as sincere as it is uni-
versal. Five thousand ladies stand ready to day
to respond to any sacrifice that may be required of
them.

The brilliant and patriotic conduct of Major
Anderson speaks for itself, and silences the attacks
lately made at the North upon his character and
patriotism.

Business is entirely suspended. Only those stores
are open which are necessary to supply articles re-
quired by the army.

Governor Pickens has all day been in the resi-
dence of a gentleman .which commands a view of
the whole scene, a most interested observer. General
Beauregard commands in person the entire opera-
tions, and thus far they have moved with the utmost
system and success.

It is reported that the Harriet Lane has received
a shot through her wheelhouse. She is in the offing.
No other government ships are in sight up to the
present moment, but should they appear the entire
range of batteries will open upon them.
Troops are pouring into the town by hundreds,
I but are held in reserve for the present, the force
already on the island being ample. People are
also arriving every moment on horseback, and by
every other conveyance. Within an area of fifty
miles, where the thunder of the artillery can be
heard, the scene is magnificently terrible.

CHARLESTON, APRIL 12, 6 P.M.
Captain R. S. Parker brings despatches from the
Floating Battery, stating that up to this time only
two have been wounded on Sullivan's Island. He
had to row threugh Major Anderson's warmest fire
in a small boat.

Senator NVigfall in same manner bore despatches
to Morris Island, through the fire from Fort
Sumter.

Senator Chesnut, another member of the staff
of Gen. Beauregard, fired a gun, by way of amuse-
ment, from Mount Pleasant, which made a large
hole in the parapet.
Quite a number have been struck by spent pieces
of shell and knocked down, but none hurt seriously.
Many fragments of these missiles are already circu-
lating in the city.

The range is more perfect than in the morning,
and every shot from the land tells.

Three ships are visible in the offing, and it is
believed an attempt will be made to-night to throw
reinforcements into Fort Sumter in small boats.
It is also thought, from the regular and frequent
firing of Major Anderson, that he has a much larger
force of men than was supposed. At any rate, he
is fighting bravely.
There have been two rain storms during the day,
but without effect upon the battle.
Everybody is in a ferment. Some of those fight-
ing are stripped to the waist.

Breaches, to all appearance, are being made in
the several sides exposed to fire. Portions of the
parapet have been destroyed, and several of the
guns there mounted have been shot away.
Major Anderson is at present using his lower tier
of casemate ordnance.

The fight is going on with intense earnestness,
and will continue all night.
It is not improbable that the forts will be carried
by storm.

The soldiers are perfectly reckless of their lives,
and at every shot jump upon the ramparts, observe
the effect, and then jump down cheering.
A party on the Stevens' battery are said to have
played a game in the hottest fire.

The excitement in the community is indescrib-
able. With the very first boom of the gun thou-
sands rushed from their beds to the harbour front,
and all day every available place has been thronged
by ladies and gentlemen, viewing the solemn spec-
tacle through their glasses. Most of these have
relatives in the several fortifications, and many a
tearful eye attested the anxious affection of the
mother, wife, and sister, but not a murmur came
from a single individual.