The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-05 00:00:00

LONDON, TIIURSDAY, MARCH 5, 1868.

The news which reaches us from Sir ROBERT
NAPIER at Attegerat is highly satisfactory. The
troops, indeed, do not seem to have made any sub-
stantial progress, but the intelligence of the main
object for which the expedition was undertaken is
encouraging. Information had been received from
Magdala to the 17th of January, and from THEO-
DORE'S camp to the 9th of January. Up to those
dates all the prisoners were safe and,well, and, what
is better, the Europeans who were with the KING
had been put in the charge of a detachment of his
army to be escorted to Magdala. This is an im-
portant gain, as there was always a grievous un-
certainty as to their fate while in the hands of the
KING. It was impossible to avoid the apprehension
that some sudden access of passion or resentment
for fancied affront might not induce him to give
a hasty order for their execution. If the prisoners
are altogether, moreover, there will be only one
object to aim at in their release. The separation
might have hampered our movements, as the rescue
of the one party might have accelerated the fate of
the other. THEODORE'S progress is said to be very
slow ; indeed one account reckons it at only three
miles a day, owing to his incumbrances. Should he
choose to abandon these he could reach Magdala
with ease, but it is difficult to ascertain what his
views or purposes really are. The intelligence
whict2 Sir ROBERT NAPIER sends to Sir STAFFORD
NORTHCOTE is not dated, but we may conclude
that it refers to the middle of February. News
from Suez via Malta, dated February 28,
reports a rumour that MENELEK, King of Shoa, is
again advancing on Magdala, with an army of
40,000 men. It will be remembered that MENELEK,
after parleying with the troops in Magdala, went
off to his own country for the avowed purpose of
obtaining reinforcements. His intentions were
doubted at the time, but, according to this account,
they have been fulfilled. The correspondent of the
New York Herald received yesterday a despatch
dated Antalo, Feb. 15, which is very similar in pur-
port to the news of Sir R. NAPIER. He says, how-
ever, that WACHEITE and MENELEK surround
Magdala, which is only fifteen days short
marches from Antalo. Part of his news is not
very clear. NANEn, he says, was to meet
KASSAI on the 20th to propose peace, when a grand
review cf native chiefs was to take place ; but he
adds—" Envoy from KASSAI treated badly by
MEREWETHER. Peace doubtful." Why Colonel
MEREWETHER should have " treated badly" an
Envoy from the chief whom Sir ROBERT NAPIER
wished to treat with is incomprehensible, awl why
there should be any talk of making peace before the
war has actually begun is equally so. Time is slip-
ping by week by week, and month by month, and
very little seems to have been done towards attain-
ing the object of the expedition. Judging from
the disorganised and disaffected condition of
the country, the divisions among the chiefs and
their animosity against the KING, there would
have been little formidable opposition to encounter
a bold move for the relief of the prisoners. It
must be remembered that all the time during which
the forces are standing idle the stores are being
consumed, so that if the work had been quickly
and efficiently done the stores would have been suffi-
cient. Thousands of animals were transported to
Abyssinia, but a large proportion of them have
died, so that nothing has been gained by the en-
cumbrance. Our forces have now had a fuoting for
some time on Abyssinian ground without any at-
tempt being made to dislodge them. Surely, then,
we may believe that the advance of a detachment
would not be so rash or so dangerous as some pre-
tend. We are dealing with the Abyssinians too
much after the fashion in which we should treat a
strong and civilised foe, not with the promptitude
and decision which among semi-savages would carry
all before us.

Marshal NIEL'S speech concerning the military
organisation of France will be sure to attract atten-
tion, and the Marshal could not possibly have spoken
more decidedly than he did. The Opposition, he
declared most emphatically, would soon regret their
attacks on this new organisation of the military
forces of France, and would recognise the errors
they had made. If we are to believe the explana-
tions thus tendered, the burden upon the country
will not be nearly so heavy as it has been hitherto.
Economy will be more studied in the new arrange-
ments, and the nation generally will feel far more
secure than it does now and has done under the
old regime. Next spring the whole French army
will, it is expected, be armed with the new rifle,
which is the most perfect known. This will be bad
news for BISMARCK, and the Marshal goes on to
say that the changes so strikingly made in France
have rendered it imperative on the other Powers to
reform their armaments. We would not give much
for the chances of the Prussians against the French,
if the latter are properly equipped, because they are
far better soldiers to begin with, and have more
spirit in all they undertake, but when an idea