The Sun.
London, England, 1857-04-29 00:00:00

and the various settlements in its vicinity.

The painful lesson was, however, disregarded.
" My Lords" were enamoured of the Transit—

resolved to stick to her " through good report

and through bad report." The damage, which
was occasioned by drifting on the fluke of the
anchor in a fog, was hastily repaired, and the
men and stores again embarked. Some valuable
time had been lost, but what was that to
Sir CHARLES WOOD and his subordinates I
It wouli be altogether contrary to offi-
cial precedent if everything 'proceeded right
in the early stages of a great war, and they were

not the men to disregard " the interests of red.
tapeism." There were also grave mistakes at the
commencement of the Russian contest, and it was
only a fitting tribute of respect to their predecessors
that the ordinary routine should be strictly ob
served. It is said that there was once a feeling
against employing unfortunate captains, and that
Vie fact of losing one vessel was not considered
the best possible recommendation for obtaining

the command of another. But it is manifest that
this does not apply to the vessels themselves,
The casualties may have arisen from palpable' d.eti.
ciencies. The damage to the Transit was there.
fore speedily repaired, and she was again des.

patched with troops and stores for the scene o
strife.

The result may easily be anticipated. We are
told that " She has put into Corunna, in deep
disq.ess." This time it was no casualty ! The
bad qualities of the " old tub" were displayed at
the first test. Two days' trial proved her absolute
inefficiency. She was " crank, tap-heavy, and
everything bad." " The rigging was never
or anything secured." It was " with difficulty
that the masts were kept from going over the
side," and the crew had "to get tickles across
the deck, from side to side, to brace the rigging
in to save the spars." There were not " out
dozen men on board with dry hammocks, every
seam in her deck letting in water. Extra
grog was distributed in order to enable the men
to endure these hardships." What, then, would
have been their position had she persevered iu the
inauspicious voyage Perhaps not a single sur-
vivor would have remained to tell the deplorable
tale, or to demand the exemplary punishment of
those whose careless and apethetic indifference
bad occasioned the fearful calamity. There would
have been another item added to the disasters at
sea—another vessel which had departed but
never reached its destination—whose future
history was a blank calculated to inspire
awe and to prove the dangers to which all
are exposed, who venture to sea with but a plank
between thear and eternity. Tice litter from a
passenger in the ill-fated vessel, which will be
found in another part of this day's impression,
and to which we earnestly invite attention, so gra-
phically explains the case, that it is quite unne-
cessary to dwell at greater length on this part of
the transaction. It is manifest that a great
responsibility attaches to the Board, and even to
every individual member, for their reckless dis-
regard of the warnings of experience the calm
indifference with which they placed the lives of
800 gallant soldiers, besides the ship's company,
and the honour and interests of their country in
jeopardy.

Nor was there the slightest necessity for en-
countering so serious a risk. There were many
vessels that might have been made available, the
well-disciplined crews whereof were paid off and
cast adrift ! Many of the Mediterranean fleet, too,
would have been just as usefully occupied in con-
veying the troops and stores to Hong Kong as in
cruising idly from port to port. Why should
there be any procrastination, when not only the
lives and property of our fellow-subjects in
China, but the national honour, was at
stake ? The loss of a single day might occa-
sion irreparable mischief. The vindictive and
malevolent disposition of " the celestials" is now
thoroughly understood. There is no atrocity of
which they are not capable, and they ascribe all
our shortcomings to fear. A striking example is
indispensable. But Sir C. WOOD and his colleagues
seem resolved that the example shall not be given.
They at least do all in their power to prevent
it. And if the war should happily be brought to a
speedy conclusion it will not be to their zeal or
efficiency that we are indebted for the fact. Great
Britain may still triumpb, but it will not be in
consequence, but rather in spite, of their proceed-
ings. We trust that there will be a Parliamentary
investigation into the ease. It will bo very pro-
perly conducted in the Upper House, many of
whose members can speak from bitter experience
of the undoubted deficiencies and discomforts of
the notorious Transit transport vessel. They,
however, only lost sight of a naval review—the
90th Regiment may be prevented from partici.
pating in the Chinese war, through her inefficiency,
aye, and think themselves fortunate that they are
sacrificed as victims at the shrine of official " red-
tapism."

The eve of Parliament has come, and the Pre-
mier makes no sign. Sir G. C. LEWIS has spoken,
and Lord JOHN RussELL has spoken, but still no
sign—nothing but "progress and order"—a pro-
gramme which the absolute Master of France
himself could furnish, as well as an English Mem-
ber of Parliament. But the Times has spoken,
and has made its sign ; the Times, last Monday,
actually came out with a leader advocating Par-
liamentary Reform 1 To be sure the oracle does
it very grudgingly ; for long weeks and months
his it boeu proclaiming that no one wanted a
Reform Bill ; every candidate, where there was a
spark of independence, was, indeed, catechised on
the subject ; extension of the suffrage and the
Thllot, were universal passports to popular favour ;
last session began, the dissolution took place, the
elections proceeded with universal demand for
reform, yet, strange to say, no one wanted it.
A PALMERSTON Parliament was chosen, but it was
notoriously--PALMERSTON and REFoRm, yet, who
wanted Reform ? Tory and Whig journals ex-
pressed their fears that Lord PALMERSTON would
be forced to yield to the pressure ; Radical papers
did not, of course, doubt it, but the oracle scoffed
at the idea. Only so recently as Friday last,
it hunted poor Lord J. RU SELL mercilessly, be-.