The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-07 00:00:00

pations.

Again, in the guarantee for a certain dividend,
we shall not insult the East India Company by
placing its securities at a lower rate than those of
Russia. No war can disturb the one, although
it may seriously affect the other ! The guarante3
given by the former with the assent of the Board
of Control may be looked on, to all intents and
purposes, as that of the English Government.
We need not point out how greatly different it is
as to the latter, or how it may be affected when-
ever the Government,of St. Petersburg may deem
it expedient to cast aside the mask, and to attempt
to carry out the traditional policy of Oossackising
Europe.

The East India Company in one case gives a
guarantee of 5 per cent., which will be received
by the shareholders—if the line can only pay its
own working expenses—a matter that may be re-
garded as perfectly certain. The working ex-
penses in Russia must also be provided for out of
the guarantee, and also a sinking fund of three-

quarters per cent., so that the Indian shareholders

will receive their full 5 per cent., while those in

the Russian companies will receive only 41,
even if the expenses are met in Russia, a ques-
tion by no means so clear when the nature

and extent of the passport system, and the impe-
diments to travelling in Russia are taken into con -
sideration. The Indian scheme also holds out a

strong hope of the shareholders receiving the ad-
ditional 5 per cent, from the profits of the line,
while the most sanguine cannot indulge in such an
anticipation respecting the Muscovite project. On
this part of the subject we may remind our readers
that the directors and managers will be English-
men in the one case, and either Russians or per-
sons amenable to Russian influence in the other.
We ask, thee, English capitalists and speculators
to " kok on this picture and on that," and say
which of the undertakings are most deserving of
support, and which promises to be the best pay-
ing and most secure, not only for the present
time, but also in future years ?

Witchcraft in the middle of the Nineteenth
Century ! Tho Black Art still flourishing—in an
ago of steam engines and electric telegraphs
Superstition triumphant to the last--at the very
time when we have made the lightning our mes-
senger, and when we are flying to and fro at our
free will and pleasure on the wings of the wind,
our cars harnessed to the Fiery Dragons of Fairy-
land I

It is a melancholy thought that here, in merry
England, in the year of grace, 185'7, we should
witness such signal proofs of Folly and of Ignc-
ranee. A Folly as enormous as any illustrated by
the vagaries of Horß-INs the Witchfinder. An
Ignorance as crass, and, w© had almost
we said bas
tial, in its ignominious abasement, as any
have expected to have had brought to light among
a horde of idolatrous savages, cannibals, or anthro-
Pephagi ! Talk of the Dark Ages ! Talk of these
Enlightened Times ! Sneer at our forefathers--
and pique ourselves upon our own advance-
Assuredly, in the record given else-
where, in. our itupreision of this evening,
we are forced to do a little penance
somewhat appropriately, upon the very e7o of the
close of the penitential season of Lent to strew
our heads with ashes, and clothe our limbs in
sackcloth—for so much miserable vanity, arro-
gance, and self-nfliciency. This
Me of Enlightenment ! Read the extraordinary
narrative headc3, " Witchcraft in the Present
Day "—to be found in another part of our jour-
nal, on this frith of April, 1857—and then say,
when you have read, how much reason the pre-
sent generation has to be so systematically vain-
glorious ! It tells us, this astonishing narrative,
How an English yeoman, farming about forty
acres of land, in the Parish of Hockhatn, thinking
his wife " bewitched," applicl for assistance t) a
local magistrate. It tlts us this ; and relates

tneti

what was " the consyinenee," as SAS WEIZER

PALMERSTON now to reciprocate as nobly the
goodwill of the country towards himself, by mag-
nanimously realising their more generous antici-

Lieutenant-Colonel KENNEDY, consulting en-
gineer of the Bombay, Baroda, and Central India
Railway Company, has published a second edi•
tien of his very valuable report respecting the
condition and prospects of the important under-
taking in which he is engaged. It will be deeply
interesting not merely to shareholders and intend-
ing shareholders, but also to every capitalist look-
ing out for investments, and desirous of obtain-
ing at the same time a remunerative and perfectly
secure return for his money. The project, indeed,
contrasts strongly in many respects with the Rus-
sian scheme, to which we yesterday directed
public attention. Every Englishman may safely
contribute to the construction of the Indian line
without fearing reproach from " the still small
voice." He will at all events have the consola-
tion of knowing that he is acting the part of a
true patriot, by aiding in the development of the
natural resources of our Anglo-Indian Empire,
from which results may be attained, the extent
of which cannot now be appreciated or even fairly
estimated, results that must greatly improve the
condition and promote the welfare and pro-
sperity of our Hindu fellow-subjects, and
very probably eventually greatly increase the
supply of cotton, so as to render England in-
dependent of the Slave States of America, or, at
all events, to produce valuable competition in
that important article. It is by such expenditure
alone that we can consolidate and strengthen our
power in India, so as to render it secure against
all the perils by which it may be assailed. There
can be no question, then, as to which speculation
should receive English support. If the money
must be sent out of the country, it should surely
be for Indian, rather than for Russian, railways.
Looking, then, to the second part of the ques-
tion, the amount and security of the returns,
tithe
conclusion must be equally favourable to the
Indian speculation. The high character and well-
established reputation of Lieut.-Colonel KENNEDY
renders him an unimpeachable witness, in whose
' statements implicit confidence may be reposed.
We all know him, awl he knows that he is re-
sponsible not only for the accuracy of his
assertions, but also for his calculations. Even
had ho the will to deceive the English
people he would naturally hesitate before
he would encounter so great a risk, where
an avenging NEMESIS would bring retributive
justice on his head. But what do we know of
the Muscovite Engineers ? How could they be
punished, if convicted of gross mendacity Their
present business is " to make things pleasant,"
and thereby enable the AUTOCRAT to carry his
darling project into practical execution. Sum-
mary and decisive vengeance would attend any
failure in that respect. But, while the autho-
rities of St. Petersburg were satisfied, they
might set the remonstrances and reproaches
of indignant and defrauded shareholders at defi-
ance, satisfied that they had rendered good ser-
vice to their despotic master, by assisting to
enable him "to spoil the Egyptians" by trans-
ferring an ample supply of the precious metals
from the Banks of England and France to those
of Russia.