The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-21 00:00:00

THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.

(From the Derbyshire Courier,)
The condition of the country is becoming such that it
appears uncertain whether some step will not have to be
taken by Government to relieve it, even before Parlia-
ment re-assembleie
The Times report from Manchester states
Manufacturers say they de not recollect a more
through stagnation of trade, for, though on an average
the entire production of the district does not exceed one
half the quantity usually produced, stooks are rapidly
accumulating. No amount of concession in price—and
in some cases offers are made at extraordinarily low
rates—seems to produce purchases. There is no doubt
that the difficulty in discounting the paper drawn
against shipinents is the main cause of the small business
done for India."
In South Staffordshire, "the iron trade is greatly
depressed, and the suspension, failure, or reduction of
time of many of the large works of the district creates
considerable distress. Seven failures are announced.
The thin-coal colliers have generally received notice for
a reduction of wages."
In Birmingham " the various manufacturers are gene-
rally inactive."
In Nottingham, " short time, and in many cases per-
fect cessaVoe from employment, is still acted upon in
many of the factories and workshops, and great numbers
of males and females are eut of eteployment."
In Leicester, " great numbers of operatives are either
partially or wholly unemployed."
In Kidderminster, "the manufacturers are all work-
ing short time, and with some it is understood that when
the present orders are completed they will stop altoge-
ther, so that the weavers have a dark prospect before
them for Christmas."
In Leeds, "there has been no advance on the slight
improvement last reported in the woollen trade of this
town and district." Short-time working prevails.
In Halifax, " a good deal of short-time working."
In Bradford "there has certainly been no improve-
ment in business, but rather an increase of gloom."
The depression in the manufacturing districts is rapidly
making itself felt in the decline of agricultural produce.
The farmers will find the gains of their industry, obtained
during the few prosperous years now passed awry,
rapidly escaping from their grasp into that of the
usurers and panic-mongers. Another symptom of ex-
tending distress is the unusually amount of money with-
drawn from the Bank by the Savings' Banks from all
parts of the country. The depreciation of all kinds of
commodities, with few exceptions, may be taken at 30
per cent. Mr. Disraeli estimates the failures of 1857 as
involving liabilities of 45,000,0001. sterling, those in the
panic of 1847 being 17,000,0001.
Under such circumstances Parliament breaks up with-
out doing anything whatever to provide remedy for
this accumulation of evil. Even the proposition to allow
the Bank to reduce the rate of discount, without depriv-
ing itself of the advantages of the suspension, was
rejected. Having passed their paltry Indemnity Bill,
Parliament and the Ministers of the day leave the
country to sink or swim as it may.
But the Parliament and Ministers are not left without
warning. Even the Currency Frankenstein, Lord
Overstone, tellb the Lords that " there are serious and
formidable difficulties hanging over this country, and in
warning the house he desired tc call their earnest
attention to them."

The blow bag indeed already fallen. Already has ruin
overtaken many of the oldest and most honourable of
our merchant princes. The country may be told that
many of those who have failed were speculators. But
when the list of failures is collected it will appear to the
most unprejudiced that by far the greater part of the
failures have been men of honour, respectability, and
abundant resources, the victims of Peel's monetary op-
__

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tem, not of their own improvidence. The depreciation of
all commodities, which Peel's Bills were especially con-
structed to bring about, whenever bullion left the coun-
try, is closing our manufactories, and reduoing hundreds
of thousands of the working classes to a state of pri-
vation and distress, which, as their resources are ex-
haueted will advance to positive destitution, and if star-
vation be prevented, it will be only by the process of
pauperising the smaller description of rate-payers.
Hew great is the importance at any time of national
calamity of having competent men at the head of affairs.
In 1793, when great commercial distress existed, Mr.
Pitt laid before the house in the clearest and most states-
manlike manner the causes of the distress. He sbewed
how a deficiency of the circulating medium had caused a
depreciation of commodities, and how merchants and
tnanufacturers, with large stocks of goods, were failing
or reduced to great difficulties by the impossibility of
obtaining currency on their trade. But be d►d more than
state the evil, he proposed a practical and immediate
remedy. We refer our readers to the Annual Register,
for 1793 (page 133), which gives a brief account ef the
circumstances under which Mr. Pitt directed the issue of
5,000,0001. of Exchequer Bills, " to aid the commercial
credit of the country." Toe drain of bullion afterwards
led Mr. Pitt, in 1797, to suspend cash payments by the
Beek (a measure more decided, though similar in prin-
ciple, than the one to which we now refer), which saved
the national honour and the national credit.
But the country in 1857 has no Mr. P►tt. We have a
Chancellor of the Exchequer, now totally inadequate to
meet the exigencies of the times. One who talks about
" the derangement of capital and credit" having pro-
duced the monetary crisis, without being capable of dis-
cerning, as Mr. Pitt did in 1793, that "this " derange-
ment of capital and credit" is produced by the derange-
ment of currency; and who cannot be made to comprehend
what is at parent to any person of ordinary understand-
ing, that if you contract the circulating medium with
the declared intention (as Peel's Bills of 1819 and 1844
do declare it) of lowering the prices of all commodities,
you inevitably produce a "derangement of capital and
credit." And if, as in the present case, the contraction
of the currency be great, rapid, and continued, you pro•
duce a fearful and ruinous monetary crisis, which shakes
' the very foundation of society.
All theee things are hidden from the view of Sir G. C.

Lewis, and therefore he consumed the last night of the
session in unimportant and trivial matters of detail re-
specting the Bank of England management. He did
indeed attempt to enliven the dullness of his shallow and
feeble exposition by inviting the ridicule of the house
towards the evidence of a witness before the select com-
mittee (Mr. Twells), who has learned wisdom by experi-
ence, and who has both a sound, practical, and theoreti-
cal knowledge of monetary science. Every one knows
that the first hundred men you meet with in Fleet-street
are not more ignorant on the subject of currency than
the majority of the members of the House of Commons.
Sir G. C. Lewis certainly played a paltry part as a
Cabinet Minister in garbling the evidence, given in all
good faith and with no political object, by a gentleman
of character and experience, before a committee of the
house: Does Sir G. C. Lewis expect witnesses to state
their opinions on an important question, without reserve,
if they are to be perverted and misrepresented in the
house afterwards by the chairman of the committee I
But we do not, as currency reformers, value Sir G. C.
Lewis' opinion sufficiently to esteem it of any conse-
quence what he might think or say about the currency.
The evidence referred to is before the country ; and as
long as the question of currency is agitated,—and that
will be as long as the absurd and unjust system estab-
lished by Peel remains in force—so long will the princi-
ples which Mr. Twells advocates of a sound system of
legal tender paper money obtain the attention of think-
ing men. We have no doubt of the ultimate triumph of
currency reform.
The exhibition made by the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer in the house was indeed a most painful one. The
country is now passing through a monetary crisis of un-
exampled severity ; the law which regulates currency of
this nation has, for the second time, been ignominiously
suspended in its time of trial ; the ruin and distress
caused' by even the attempt to preserve the great prin-
ciple of the system are appalling. There stood on Friday
week last, Sir G. C. Lewis, the impersonation of re-
spectable incapacity. The finance minister had not a
word to say as to what ought to be done in this crisis.
Evidently quite ignorant on the subject, quite unable
to propose any remedy for existing evils ; afraid to move
lest he should make a wrong move, he is content to
leave the country to the chapter of accidents rather
than take the responsibility of proposing or doing any.
thing !
But we warn this feeble and incapable Minister, who
is unhappily for his country in a position which he is
quite unequal to fill, that the fate of the nation is hang-
ing in suspense. Let a few millions of gold now go out,
let the rate of discount keep up, and the currency be
further tampered with, and the monetary crisis will be-
come a political and social crisis.
Lord Overdone 'Elwyn; the working of his own per-

[PRIcE 4D. STA iv% PED si) .1

nicious and unrighte,ius sy-tem ; he does not admit
eitb-
.>ut rea,ion that "serious and tormidahls difficulties are
hanging over the country." It is possible that we may
--for this time--surmount these difficulties. But it
not impossible that we may not "get over it." A very
little more pressure on the social system, a little more
ruin to commerce, a few more hundreds of thousands
reduced to destitution, and our institutions will break
down. The expulsion from office of Sir G. C. Lewis
would be one of the first, and mo-t trivial occurrences.
But the country may yet escape. Its rulers are evi-
dently incompetent. The nation must manage its
monetary affairs for itself. We toll them that Currency
Reform is the question of the millions.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

The Bth company of Royal Engineers, under the com-
mand of Capt. W. F. Lambert, left Brompton Barracks,
Chatham, before daylight on Saturday morning for
Southampton, to embark for China. A large quantity of
sappers and miners' tools, for siege operations in China,
have been forwarded from head-quarters, Chatham, with
portable indiarubber boats, photograph apparatus, and
every requisite used by the corps of Royal Engineers in
mining operations.
The European and American Steam Navigation Com-
pany's ship Argo, Captain Benson, left Spithead on Sa-
turday for India with detachments of troops to the
number of nearly 900. All on board went away in the
best spirits and very comfortable, having got well into
berth during the unexpected detention of the ship in port
by the Government or India Board authorities. Fine
weather prevailed on their departure.
Messrs. Rennie and Sone have completed three of a
number of small high-pressure iron gunboats, ordered
by the East India Company for river service in India.
The principle on which these boats is constructed having
been proved to answer the expectations anticipated with
regard to speed; draught of water, Sze.; 10 others are
ordered to be built forthwith. They are fitted with two
screw propellers, having one under each quarter, each
engine being distinct and capable of being worked alone,
which will enable the vessel to turn and slew round
speedily in a very narrow compass. One boiler works
the pair of engines. They were last week despatched on
a trial trip down the river, having an engineer officer
from Woolwich Dockyard to verify the proceedings.
Their rate of speed amounted to 9 knots per hoar, and
draught of water only 24 inches. For the purpose of
transporting these vessels to their destination they are
prepared so as to disconnect the entire hull, and enable
their being stowed in a ship's hold. One 12-pounder
Run is mounted amidships. The total length from stem
to stern is about 75 feet, and width 12 feet.
The West India mail steam-ship Australasian, having
been chartered by tee East India Board, has been un-
docked at Southampton, and was to leave that port yes-
terday for Plymouth to embark troops for India.
Her Majesty's yacht Fairy, Captain the Hon. Joseph
Denman, embarked the Qoeeu and Court at Cowes on
Saturday afternoon at about a quarter pant 2 o'clock, and
landed them attire Clarence-yard, Gosport, at 10 minutes
pa,,t 3, where a special train, in charge of the Hon.
Ralph Dutton, deputy-chairman ; Mr. Crombie,
secretary; Mr. Beattie, superintendent of locomotion ;
Mr. Godson, chief superintendent, and other officers of
the South Western Railway Company, were in waiting
to carry the Royal party to Windsor.
The following vessels, now being built at Chatham
Dockyard, are in a forward state, and will be ready for
launching during the ensuing year, viz :—Hero, 91 ;
Hood, 90; Irresistible, 80; Mersey, 40; and Charybdis,
21; giving an aggregate of about 15,000 tons. Each
vessel is to be fitted as a screw steamer. The Mersey
and Charybdis will be launched in March next.
The following Royal Marine Cadets passed for com-
missions in the corps at the examination which con-
cluded at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, on
Friday evening :—Messrs. A. French, R. A. Georges,
H. E. Russell, R. G. Sharpe, T. M. Whale, E. 0. B.
Gray, W. N. F. Hopkins, and A. E. Otter.
Lieutenant J. J. S. O'Neill, 20th Regiment, has been
appointed Instructor of Musketry to the 23 Battalion at
Chatham.
Her Majesty's screw two-decker Victor Emmanuel, 31,
got up her steam in the basin at Portsmouth, on Satur-
day, to try the working of her machinery antecedent to
trial outside the harbour.
The undermentioned mates have been promoted to be
lieutenants :
C. B. Dobbin (acting), J. Rozie, H. Kerr, M. E.
Porter, H. F. Nicholson, F. W. laglefield, A. 0. Mac-
farlane (acting), E. Denny, W. N. Wise, F. De V. San-
ders, C. P. Roger, C. J. Brownrigg, Jas. Darling, Jas.
Murdock Stdwart, T. H. Rose, C. R. Gayer, R. H.
Napier (acting), R. P. Fitzgerald, P. W. Pellew, and
S. G. Price.
The following assistant-paymasters have been pro-
moted to paymasters :
J. Hearnden, T. R. annis, W. H. Rills, J. J. Hay-
ward, H. Sewell, J. Shepherd, J. Burke, W. Rogers,
and G. Barnes.
Mr. Benjamin J. Hooper has been appointed Master
to the Cornwallis.

TEM RZTIRND ADMIRALS.—By the death of Sir Fran-
cis Beaufort, Rear-Admiral Hercules Robinson becomes
entitled to be placed amongst the senior 25 of the retired
admirals, and to reoeive the pay of his flag rank. The
present senior of the retired list is John Thompson,
who (as Sir F. Beaufort was) is styled a rear-admiral
only, although by his seniority in the service be is en-
title !to the grade of vice-admiral of the red. There is
something very unfair in thus depriving retired flag offi-
cers of their legitimate rank. It is contrary to the prac-
tice in the sister service, and is extremely galling to
many old officers who, like Sir Francis Beaufort, con-
sider themselves deprived of the position which is their
due, and which their contemporaries on the active and
reserved half-pay lists are enjoying.
PAYMASTERS IN CHIEF,—Five more of the senior pay-
masters have, we observe, been retired as paymasters in
chief. It is a fitting, and no doubt gratifying acknow-
ledgment to the officers thus promoted, and for that
reason we are happy to notice the fact ; but. we should
he very much better pleaa,ed to see the rank made bona
fide, and an active efficient paymaster in chief attached
to every flag ship to superintend the paymasters' accounts
of the fleet or squadrou.—/mited Service Gazette.
The naval cadets belonging to the Illustrious, at Ports-
mouth, have been granted five weeks' holidays.

Sln H. LAIVRENCE ON TEE STATE OF

OUDE.

The f.)llowing is an extract from Sir Henry
Lawrence's article on Army Reform in the Sept.
(1856) number of the Calcutta Review (only seven
months before the commencement of the mutiny),
which throws considerable light upon the powerful
and obstinate character of the opposition there, and
is interesting as a late expresiion of the opinion of
this distinguished man on a subject which he so
well understood
" Oade has long been the Alsatia of India. In that
province were to be met, even more than at Hyderabad
or at Lahore, the Afreedee and Darukzye of the Khyber
the Belooch of Khelat, and the Wazeree of the Sulunani
range. There also congregated the idle, the dissipated,
and the disaffected of every native state in India. Added
to these were many deserters from the British ranks, yet
the Contingent of 12,000 men has been almost wholly
filled from the old Oude army. The reason assigned
for the different lime of conduct is, that the Punjab was
conquered, but that Oude fell in peace. Ia this there
is a tallacy, little understood, but not the less a fallacy.
Proportionally few of the instigators of opposition at
Lahore, and in the Sikh army, were Sikhs. They were
British subjects, many of the British deserters. The
general feeling of the Sikhs was hardly hostile. Many
of the Sikhs were friendly, decidedly so, as compared
with the Hindostaneea in the Punjab service.
"The King of Oude employed 59,000 soldiers; his
chiefs and officials at least as many more. Of these vast
numbers, one-fifth at the utmost have found employment
in the police and irregular corps. Yet these levies, with
half-a-dozen regular corps, form the whole army
of occupation. This seems a grave mistake.
Why not, at least, make a change Why not move
some of the Punjab regiments that have been keeping
constant watch and ward on the Indus for seven
years to Oude, and send some of the King's people to
the North-west ? The King had some 8,000 artillery ;
of these about 500 may have obtained employment, the
rest, old and young, are on the world. Surely, if there
was danger in employing Sikhs in 1849, it would be well
to remove some portion of the Oaths levies from Oude,
where such materials for mischief still remain. In the
province are 246 forts, besides innumerable
.smaller 1
strongholds, many of them sheltered within thick jangles.
In these forts are 476 guns. Forts and guns should all
be in the hands of Government, or the forts should be
razed. Many a foolish fellow has been urged on to.his
own ruin by the possession of a paltry fort ; and many a
paltry mud fort has repulsed British troops. .
"The 80,000 or 90,000 disbanded Oude soldiers are
the brethren of the British eepoys .. . ...
"A paragraph in the Delhi. Gazette, announcing that
the Oude authorities are disposed to dispense with the
service of the regular regiments for Lucknow, tempts a
few further words of caution, though we do not alto-
gether credit the newspaper report. The earliest days
annexation are not tee safest. Be liberal, considerate,
and merciful, but be prompt, watchful, and even
quietly suspicious. Let not the loose characters,
floating on the surface of society, especially such
a society as Lucknow, be too far tempted or trusted.
Wellington's maxim of ' keeping the troops out of sight'
answered for England ; it will not answer for India.
There must be trusty bayonets within sight of the under.
standings, if. not of the eyes, of Indian subjects before
they will pay willing obedience or atnhhyearvaebevoebinieute(e)nl.l Of late
years the wheels of Government have been
shucked.
Natives th nativereat e
neci w prejudicesith
vgNea armyt iyvf, fast
88
t nwanooywuld not be difficult to twist this into an
attack on Hindooism. At any rate, the faster the vessel
glides the more need of caution—of watching .the
weather, the rocks, and the shoals.
1‘
Yeli4 clll43at fgwiallt Pericula caution.'"