The Sun.
London, England, 1857-08-18 00:00:00

SLB fARI TELEGRAPH.

IA correspondent writing to a contemporary,
says :—"Sir,—Can you spare space in your columns
for a practical suggestion While Lord Ellen-
borough is exhibiting himself, night after night, as
being by implication the highest authority on
military matters ; while Mr. Disraeli is sneering at
Lord Dalhousie under the comfortable conviction
that Lord Dalhousie's state of health prevents him
from undertaking any defence, or from administer-
ing any castigation ; and while Sir C. Napier's
clever but somewhat irascible opinions are
quoted as oracles, and every other Napier holds him-
self in readiness to hurl"any amount of vituperation
against the unfortunate sceptic who may venture
to doubt whether Sir Charles's dicta were al ways con-
sistent, or urged in such a manner as to effect a
practical good, I would venture to ask whether the
country is more interested in the question of Lord
Ellenberough's self laudation, or Mr. Disraeli's po-
litical importance, or Sir C. Napier's personal merits,
than in bringing all its emergencies to bear practi-
cally on the present emergency, and in directing
their application to facilitating the task we have in
hand. Your correspondent at Hongkong in Ma
admirable letter in your paper of today, pointedly
alludes to the subject of rapid communic at•on. Can
any one doubt its value at such a moment t It is
almost impossible to overrate it. The determina-
tion which, taken a few weeks earlier, might ha-re
saved an incalculable amount of life or expenditure
may be rendered fruitless by the delay which under
ordinary circumstances could not be avoided. At
this very moment there is au opportunity foreffect-
ing the object which almost seems providential.
project for connecting the Old
seems destined for a time, and
The
World awgin m
tihfi
thecen t
New
I hope only for a time, to remain in abeyance.
During the approaching autumnal gales it will
hardly be pons le!e to lay theline across the Atlantic;
but the line is perfect and ready for use ? Why
should not the Government at once purchase it,
and connect Alexandria with Malta by telegraph
T believe there is also sufficient line still further to
connect Aden with Suez. Here is a work worthy
of an intelligent and practical people. If the great
Carthaginian (anda greater than Carthage is here !)
found a chemical agent for clearing the difficulties
which opposed the advance of his army, why shall
not we put into immediate operation that wonder-
ful power upon which the safety and security not
only of our army but of an empire may depend
Is it to be a question of costs ? Why, millions may
be saved by the transmission of one message. We
have the opportunity of doing it to-day ; to-mor-
row it may be lost. lam not one of those who rail
at red-tapist demerits or Government circum-
locution. On the contrary, I believe the service of
the Government to be generally better perforated
than any other service. lam quite sure that if
Government departments had been guilty of half
the misdeeds which have been perpetrated by almost
every board of railway directors in the kingdom, to
say nothing of joint-stock companies, the Thames
would not be large enough to hold the drowning
officials.

If there is any one who would be likely at once
to adopt such a suggestion as I have made, it will
be our indefatigable Premier.—l have the honour
to be, N. M.
London, August 17.

Edward Simmons Cooper, leather seller, commere,_,.
place, City-road, to surrender Sept. 2, at one, and s:pl7.
39, at eleven, at the Court of Bankruptcy. Graham, nfa.
cial assignee;
, Tring Hen The d
William Chappin, straw hat - e epot of the 88th Foot proeeeded yesterday
Strong, Jo win-street.
fordshire, Aug. 28, at two, and Sept. 4, at eleven, at the from Gosport to Colchester.