The Sun.
London, England, 1857-09-30 00:00:00

insured ; and if lost, they may be regarded as

victims sacrificed at the altar of routine.

The position oven of HAVELOCK himself was
very formidable. His small and literally worn-
out brigade was completely surrounded by assail-
ants. On one side, the left bank of the river, the
rebellious Oudeans, who bad experienced such con

vincing proofs of his prowess, threatened. At
another, from Futtehpore, where he first en-
countered the rabble of the rebel NANA
SAHIB, the mutineers were collecting boats to
enable them to cross the river. There, how-

ever, a single steamer, something like one
of our metropolitan Citizen, or Iron Companies'
boats, the only one available, but which under
the circumstances was worth a line of battle ship,

might prevent the passage. From the direction
of Callpec too, the mutineers from Gwalior threa-
tened to effect a junction with the Oudean insur-

gents, and there was nothing to stop them. A. few
of the watermen steamers might save HAVELOCK,
and the remnant of the hardy Highlanders and
dashing 68th. We all remember the capture of
Blackfriars Pier. The Captain of Waterman, No.

5, might now achieve fame and honour i
in the right place. We have pointed
out the imperative necessity of a river
flotilla, but unfortunately our suggestions were
disregarded, and HAVELOCK has but one steamer
at his disposal, which cannot guard the fords of
the Ganges and the Jumna.
General LLOYD has been superseded, and it is
said is to be tried by court-martial, or at all
events an inquiry is to take place into his con-
duct. Those who maintained him in a position
for which he was so clearly disqualified are, how-
ever, more guilty than the infirm and imbecile
old man. The terrible blundering, however,
led to the destruction of the 200 British soldiers
who fell into ambuscade in striving to relieve
Arrah, endangered by the vacillation at Dinapore,
fomented the disturbance in Behar, kept a large
body of English soldiers, that might otherwise
have joined General FlavELoox, folly occupied,
and left the Dinapore mutineers at liberty to join
his assailants. These are serious calamities, and
the author or authors must fully answer for the
untoward results. Sir JAMES OITTRAM will, how-
ever, unless we are greatly raj:Aiken, prove a com-
mander of a very different calibre from Major-
General LLOYD.
Many sharp contests have taken place before
Delhi, in all of which the rebels assumed the
initiative. In every instance we fully held our
own, and many brilliant acts were performed by
those who, though nominally besiegers, were
really besieged in their own position. That state
of affairs would, however, speedily bo altered.
NICHOLSON had arrived, and his troops were daily,
we might almost say hourly, expected. OMIT-
LANDT was also approaching with his gallant fol-
lowers, and we may anticipate something from the
" team" of newly-made C.B=., WILSON, NICHOL-
SON, CORTLANDT, and CHAMESELA.IN, when co-
operating against the devoted city. The mock
KING has sett off the members of his Zenana to
a place of greater safety. It is more than
hinted that many of the mutineers are
also seeking safety in flight, not even
retaining their arms. It is also reported, al-
though we do not place much faith in the rumour,
that the representative of the Moguls has endea-
voured to make terms for himself, striving to
obtain 36 is place of 15 lace of rupees, as the
condition of surrender. Of course no such
proposition could be list :tied to for a moment,
but the very ventilation of the subject shows that
the garrison of D_lhi do not feel themselves to be
on a bed of roses, and that they aro already look-
ing out for a means of escape.
From Bombay and Madras matters are not very
satisfactory. Although no new mutinies, there
are occasional symptoms of disaffection among the
native troops worthy of peculiar notice, and which
should be at once looked t) by the authorities.
Every appearance of the kind should be strictly
scrutinised. We have quite enough to do with-
out increasing our difficulties by further negli-
gence.

It is announced that " the keel of the Royal
Frederick, 120, which has been nearly 20 years
on the stocks in Portsmouth, is found to be en-
tirely rotten, and has been nearly all removed."
This is the blessed system under which the mari-
time affairs of Great Britain are neglected—the
judicious management of "My Lords." A three-
decker, of 120 guns, has teen planned at a very
heavy outlay. The keel is laid down—consider-
able progress made in the construction, but the
work is never completed. It is destroyed by
Time, even before it has ever floated on the water
—before the launch has been accomplished.
This is the result of red tapism 1 Somebody
should be responsible for the loss. But it will be
shuffled backwards and forwards, and eventually-
that ill-fated Mr. Nobody, " the common vouchee"
of officials, will turn out to be the sole delinquent.
This is in strict accordance with routine, and it
would be well worth the loss if the lesson
should prove prufitable, and adequate means
be adopted to prevent similar absurdities
for the future. It is not merely men-of-war that
are decaying on the stocks. We have gunboats,
whose services might be of vast importy ea
in the rivers and on the coasts of India
and China, rotting in harbour. We have
repeatedly, vsq'te ad nauseam, pointed out how
they might be rendered availibl,., and how ex-
ceedingly advantageous they would prove in the
Indian and Chinese seas. But nothing eza
awaken "My Lords" from their apathy. These
valuable ships were c instt noted just "in time to be
too lace for the Russian war—a heavy outlay was
occasioned by their construction—thanks were
bestowed on the Board of Admiralty for the
judicious expenditure ; but they are suffered
to remain useless . and unprofitable, simply
because no person in authority will take the
trouble of thinking what is to be their destination.
What would HAVELOCK now give for a few
steamers of shallow draught on the Ganges and
the Jumna. The screw gunboats might possibly
draw too much water to be fully available. But
they could be useful elsewhere, and would liberate
others for service in the upper wators.

Nothing, however, is or has been done. "My
Lords" slumber on, while the public money is
wasted—philosophically permit vessels to decay
while yet on the stocks, and others to become
rotten lying up in ordinary. It seems almost
pity to disturb their repose, but " a flapper"
of " the Fourth Estate" would be useful to our
"absent friends" at Whitehall. It would be
well it Parliament were sitting to elicit an answer
—but as we mast wait for another Session, it is
well to direct attention to the subjee. Possibly,
Lord PALUERsrox may find time t.) stir up Sir C.
WOOD, and show him what is expected by the na-
tion. Ile receives amp le pay, distributes valuable
patronage, and should do sornethin, in return.
It is not the Royal Fredeikk only that has de-
on. If we are not greatly'
cayed before her comple
mistaken the Nelson, asot er three-decker,bas Ter
yet been launched, although nearly 30 yeafi on
the stocks. There are others else in a similar posi-
tion, which we have not time to alludo to more fully
this day. We know that money quadruples