The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-19 00:00:00

just a clause of condonation for what they might
have done in the way of severity in their respec-
tive districts on the ground of necessity—and then
a whole string of wet-blanket paragraphs " lest
measures of extreme severity should be too hastily
resorted to, or carried too far." Some of the in-
structions seem to be almost surplusage, as when
the A.BDIELS of a mutinous regiment are pointed
out as fit subjects for a " free pardon ;" which,
to any man in his senses, reads very much like the
QUEEN'S granting a free pardon hare to a con-
victed man when proved afterwards to be inno-
cent. Then that mere deserters should be handed
over, when possible, to the military authorities—
of course, only we are sorry the Indian Civil Service
needs instruction on such points. But then fol-
lows a list of minute instructions for Civil officers
of the company placing them, as much as may
he in the condition of children, and designed
to cheek independent and vigorous action.
" Above all things be not too severe,"
is the pith and meaning of some dozen long para-
graphs.

Now all this may sound very kind and very
good. It would be a shocking thing when half
the &Toys have outdone the worst atrocities of a
JEFFRIES, that any of them should fall into the
hands of a Civil Service JEFFRIES. A shocking
thing, we freely own, if any Sepoy who had saved
an officer, or had vainly tried to dissuade from
mutiny, should suffer with the fiends who have
murdered their officers, and worse than murdered
women and children, and men, too—but of this
last we believe no soldier, not to say civil judge,
could be guilty in cold blood. We own,
however, we do not think it a very shocking thing
if some scores or hundreds of mutineers who all,
by a most righteous law, deserve death, should
'meet with their full deserts instead of transpor-
tation or slavery. We have not, nor has any
Englishman, the slightest wish for one stroke of
needless severity ; but, while Delhi was yet un-
taken, while Lucknow was threatened with the
fate of Cawnpore, while NANA SAHIB yet com-
manded his thousands, and while Oude swarmed
with rebels, we think a cramping wet blanket cir-
cular of this kind about the worst thing which
could possibly have been issued ; natives may
hear of it, and, at least, able civil servants will
be fettered by it.
If a circular needed to be sent, surely it should
have been one authorising the local authorities to
subordinate themselves in all things to the military
authorities. Holding them responsible, not for
overstepping the restraint of leniency, but for
allowing an offender to escape on whom they could
lay their hands. We think we see the drift of
the whole. It is to uphold as much as possible in
the face of such a large influx of English troops,
Mr. Secretary BEADON'S pet civil service ; to repre-
sent them as the supreme authority everywhere,
and to give a tacit warning to the CAMPBELLS, the
HA.VELOCKS, the NEILLS, and all the military
men, that they, even when the country is full of
mutinous soldiers, are to play second fiddle to the
gentlemen of the Honourable East India Com-
pany's Civil Service. It seems also to be another
instance on the part of Lord CA7gNING of the same
vacillation which sent back, and then recalled, the
Nepaulese Contingent ; which refused, and then
accepted, the Calcutta Volunteers ; which tole-
rated the sale of thousands of arms, and at last
forbade it ; which, according to this last mail,
has kept back OUTRAM and the reinforcements for
HAVELOCK at least ten days, although the fate of
Lucknow hung on a horse-hair 1 and which kept
the Commander-in-Chief -out of a seat in the
Council, when he ought rather to have united in
his single person the offices of the Governor, and
the Council too, with that of Commander-in-
Chief. India now needs a competent Dictator.

There really appears to bo a contagion in crime
as in disease. Ever since the Sepoy atrocities
came to the knowledge of this country, we have
had the public journals filled with the record of
evil deeds the most brutal and the most sangui-
nary. Scarcely a week passes without horrifying
us with the narrative of two or three detestable
murders and attempts at assassination. It is
scarcely a month since we took occasion in these
columns to comment upon the frequency of late of
a crime we then designated (in spite of so many
examples calculated to produce a very different
impression) as one particularly and essentially un-
English in its character. The dastardly use of
the knife—with a view to the possible prevention
of the frequent recurrence of which infamy we
urgently suggested the application to the perpe-
trators of it of some very ignominious species of
punishment.

Since then, in corroboration, or rather in direct
enforcement, of our argument, how many horrors
of this kind have we not had cause to enumerate !
Besides the murdered body of the wretched woman
whose remains were discovered in Leigh Weeds,
with a bullet-hole in the skull and the throat cut
—there is the horrid double murder down at
Warleigh House, where the two poor victims (hus-
band and wife) were stabbed to death, actually
while paying a visit of good-fellowship. There is
the unfortunate man DRURY, who was destroyed
by wounds inflicted by some sharp instrument
down at Liverpool. And another yet more fright-
ful event of the same kind in the same place—the
fratricide of the butcher struck down with a blow
from a table-knife by his own brother, while the
family were seated at supper, quarrelling. There
is the last horrible wife -murder in London, whore
the murderous instrument was a rawi. There is
the mangled body of the man found in the Re-
gent's Canal, with two cuts in the throat,
proving death t) have resulted in the same
way from the same foul treatment. Finally—to
make an end of this frightful catalogue of horrors
—there is the hideous discovery of those fright-
fully mutilated fragments of a human form found
upon the abutment of Waterloo-bri3ge—in regard
to which it appears absilutely preposterous to
suppose, for an instant, that it is nothing worse
than the brutal hoax of some crack-brained Medi-
cal Students. And we may state at once that we
feel constrained to regard any such supposition as
preposterous (among other reasons) for the few
very simple and obvious reasons here following
—Firstly, because it is wholly incredible that any-
one, however crack-brained, could run the fearful
risk of being discovered with such a very suspici-
ous carpet-bag full of goods in their possession.
Secondly, because it is yet more incredible (if pos-
sible) that anyone, however fool-hardy, would
voluntarily run the still more frightful risk of be-
ing caught depositing such a load, in such a situ-
ation, under such a combination of circumstances.
Thirdly, that, allowing it, for the sake of argu-
ment, to be a hoax of this description, it is incon-
ceivable that, in spite of the darkness of night,
that shelving abutment should just exactly have
been hit upon, with a dangling rope, when even
in the bright daylight that same abutment is in-
visible from the overhanging parapet. Besides,
the-deliberate opinivn anivol at by the prof-'s-
ional wirm4sses aaments diitinetly to this—that

-.be kind of nvltilltion. is such a; no anatomist
could, by possibility, have accomplifled in the
process of dissection. Moreover, the notion of
such a hoax as the one hinted at, is altogether in-
compatible with the discovery of those

long fair silky hairs (from a woman's head)
twisted among the raw bones and blood-
stained apparel—a discovery not made, observe
obviously or inevitably, but by the aid of the mi-
croscope ! Wherefore, everything considered—
even tha very contorted position of some of the
limbs prior to their mutilation, as shown by the
knee-joint and the elbow-joint, and as sworn to on
oath before thoCoroner'slnquest by Mr. PAINTER
—everything considered, we say, these miserable
remains "speak with most miraculous tongue" of
Murder, and of Murder the most. Foul and Exe-
crable ! Nay, in conclusive testimony of this,
was it not, again and again, solemnly declared upon
oath by that same most competent and credible
witness, the divisional surgeon of Bow-street, that
the deadly wounds visible even upon those muti-
lated remains, must have been inflicted during
life—beea ttsc a great deal of blood had extravasated
into the tissues, having infiltrated in some cases
round the puncture or incision to the extent of
two or three inches ? Clearly and undeniably
therefore this last mentioned horror is another case
in point—another evidence of the atrocious fre-
quency of the dastardly use of the knife, either
or With fiendish deliberation
awl malicesavag e passion,aforethought.

Consequently there have, of late, been multi-
plying fast around us terrible reasons for a speedy
and earnest interposition on the part of the Legis-
lature, as soon as may be in any-way practicable
after the commencement of the next session of
Parliament. Au interposition, namely, with a
view to the deterring, if possible, from this par-
ticular crime by the appliOation to its perpetrators
of some appropriately terrible and ignominious
punishment.

His Highness the Prince Ra lziwill has taken his de
parture from the Brunswick Hotel, Jermyn-street, for
Park •

riis Excellency the Prussian Minister and the Cour,toss
Bernstorff have left town on a visit to Frances Countess
Wallegrave and Mr. Harcourt, M.P., at Strawberry
Hill, near Twickenham.
Lord and Lady Templemore arrived in town a few
days since from Folkestone.
Lady Alice Peol and the Misses Peel have left Marble
Hall, Twickenham, for Brighton.
The Right Hoc Sir Charles Wood left his official
residence at the admiralty on Saturday, to join Lady
Mary and family ht Hickleton Hall, Yorkshire.
Mr. John Pritchard, M.P., and Mrs. Pritchard have
left Farrauce's Hotel, Belgravia, fur their seat, Broseley
Hall, Shropshire.
The Earl and Countess of Wemyss are at Gasford
Houle, East Lothian, surrounded by a family circle.
Lord and Lady Elcho aro expected in town shortly.
Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston left town on
Saturday for Brotdlands.
The Duke of Beaufort crmo to fown on Saturday
morning from Newmarket, and has since gone to join
the duchess and family, at Balinington, Gloucestershire.
The Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe have arrived at
the Clarendon from Broxmouth Park, Dunbar, N.B.
The Earl of Lansdale, who came to town early in the
past week friar Lowther Castle, has taken his departure
for Paris, to make a brief visit to that capital.
The Earl and Countess of Yarborough arrived at their
residence in A.rington-streot a few days since, from
Manby Hall, Lincolnshire.
Viscount Palmerston left town on Saturday for Broad-
lands.

The Princes of Siam, on a mission to this court, are
expected to arrive in England this week. The state
apartments at Claridge's Hotel are prepared for their re-
ception.

The Duke of Wellington tzar again granted to the
public access to the art-treasures in Apsley House.
Under admirable arrangements, a limited issue of
tickets, and attending favourable circumstances, an hour
of rare interest itiay be spent among the pictures and
statuary of this noble mansion.

Sir Edmund Head will, it is expected, leave London
this day (Niondty) on his return to Canada.
Major-Genertl Havelock is to take his present rank
from the Ist instead of the 30th of July.
THE QUEEN OF OUDX.— We are informed that this
august lady is at present dangerously ill at a temporary
residence occulied by her Majesty at Richmond.
The Avon aul the Heatherbell sailed from Melbourne
on the 10th of August for Engllnd ; the former with
51,000 of gold, and the latter with 20,0000 z. They
are now 68 days out.
THE Aaleas AN MAILS.—The British and North
American 11031.1 Mail Steamship Persia, Capt. Judkins,
left the Mersey on Saturday morning with the usual
mails for the American continent, a full cargo and 212
passengers.
THE OUTWARD WEST INDIA AND PRNINSULAR MAILS.
--The Royal Mail Company's steamship Orinoco, Capt.
Boynton, l•: ft S)utllauiptun on Saturday with the usual
West India ant Pacific mail., 179 passengers, specie of
the value of 20,11061., jewellery 3;0001., and a full carg
Among the passengers ate Major Ord and suite, Captain
Palmer, Colonel Whitfield, &c. On the same day tics
Peninsular and Oriental Company's Steamship Tagus,
Captain Christ.an, left Southamptcn with the
usual Peninsular mail, 41 first-class and 15 second-class
passengers, specie for Gibraltar, Lisbon, and Cadiz, of
the value of 47,21, and a full cargo.
THE AUSTRALIAN MAlLS.—Great complaints come in
to us from all qukrters with respect to the negligeecs
which prevails at lath the Melbourne and Sydney Pest-
offices in not forwatding letters and papers which are
paidsr
of Oprietoabomstltetntteva Marseilles. One would think that
o a
espeoially al all papers and letters
are prepaid, and hr e rate of postage is officially declared
to be the proof of tht route by which they are to be sent
could be easily arraillea.—Austr llian an l New Zealand
Gazette. _

THE OVERLAND t
~.lISTRALIAN MAlL—Many of our
to anticipate the early receipt of an
luatralia ; in fact, that the August
forward in due course. This is a
mcmisconception:
me
fromo se
fe
te
the
arrangements determined upon in
the colonies. The next intelligence, vie Alexandria
and Marseilles, will not arrive until Nov. 2, as it was
resolved that no stainer should be despatched to Su, a
during August, but that the September mail would, be
Bydney on the 11th and from Mel-
, and thenceforth, it was expected,
there would be no further interruption to the regular
monthly service. Tao arrival of the Royal Charter is
equivalent to an August mail, as she left the middle of
dbufmlyrateorow n forwarded edlfsrothia
that month, and has raade the voyage in the rapid space
of 63 lays.—Mining Journal, Oct. 17.
RESIGNATION OF VICE-ADMIRAL SIR MAURICE BER-
KELEY.—Toe death of Earl Fitzhardinoe, the elder
brother of V ce-Admiral Sir Maurice Berkeley, 1C.C.8.,
and S:slor Naval Lerd of the Admiralty, having
devolved nee; duti?is upon the admiral, arid placed him
in a different position, the gallant officer has sent in his
resignation as a Lord of the Admiralty. The arrange-
ments consequent upon this event, which has long been
contemplated, have not yet transpired ; but we under-
stand that no officer senior to Sir Richard Dundee will
be appointed.--Nited Service Gazette.
SUDDEN DEATH OF LTEUTENANT-COLONEL MINTO,
H.E.I.C.S.—On Friday night a painful sensation was
created among theattendants of the Shades dining saloon,
Leicester-square, by the sudden death of Lieut.-Colonel
Minto, who bed been a frequenter of the saloon. Ho
was sixty
years of age, and on Monday he went. with a
medical friend (Mr. J. Hope, of 142, Cambridge-street,
Pimlico) to Newmarket &seise, and returned on Friday
evening. He then west to the saloon and partook of
fish and soup, and when the joint was placed before
him, of which he did not partake, he suddenly fell from
his chair. Long, the head waiter, ran to his assistance,
and, on feeling his pulse, pronounced him dead. Dc.
James, of Pall-mall, and other medical gentlemen,
speedily attended, and pronounced lire to be extinct. A
message was immediately despatched to Mrs. Minto,
who came to the Shades, and caused Mr. J. Hope to be
sett for. Mr. Hope then found that death was caused
by ossification of the heart, under which disease the
deceased had laboured for years. a:ceased was then
conveyed in a cab to Cambridge-street.
THIC POTATO BLIGHT. —The Banner of Ulster has the
following statement with respect to the potato crop in
the north of Ireland. From other palters of the king-
dom the account% are by no means se unpromising, but
it would be idle to deny that the old fatal blight has
made greater ravages even in the south and west than
most people were prepared to admit before the crop had
reached to full maturity :—" We regret to find that, as
the real quality of the keeping' crop of this year comes
to prcof on digging out, in this district, the proportion of
unsound tubers is even larger than had been feared; and
what is still more disheartening, that the ratio is further
increased on storing, especially in pits, the most common
practice. Prices, therefore, of potatoes fit for table use
may be expected to go upwards as the season advances,
not only from this cause, but on account of the large ex-
port certain to be required to make up the deficiency in
Scotland, in the east of which country—the most fertile
hineatdh,e livtiaacoerebTtl:
and best cultivated portion—the diseaso has destroyed,
in an incredibly short time, the bulk of the crop in some
places."—Keatisk Observer.
PRESENTATION OF A TESTIMONIAL TO THE RAMS-
oTntS da
satye
r last.
at gCaOtiCe-
GATE STATION MASTER.—tin interesting event took place
silica the opening of the South Eastern line, now 12
years ago, was, in consideration of the careful and effi-
cient%nv 11.11'1:1 is
station-master
Wanner in which he. had performed the important
duties devolving upon him, presented with a very hand-
some and elaborately chased silver t tnkard and a purse
containing 70 sovereigns. We must record our indi-
vidual genie of the exemp'ary manner in whiCh Mr C, x-
lead has ever performed the ' most arduous and trying
duties b
e orgiug to his post. flaying constantly bad
?Ce3+,loU tri travel on that portion ef the Seath Bestern
ls •
lee whie
• directly under his care, we have frequewly
wit"'''ed big vigilant watchfulness fe. the safe trandf
of th
a heavily lade?, trains, and his never-failing ur-
banity of manner to even the most exacting passengers.
It is possible to find station masters the reverse of all
this, and we quite agree with Mr. Coxhead's friends in
their opinion that such good qualities deserve a
substantial mark of approbation on the part of those
who may have benefltted by them.