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December 8, 1855.] THE LEADER. 1177
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SURVEY OF THE WAR. Nothino has occurred ...
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THE " SKELETON" IN EVERY HOUSE " OF BUSI...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Colonel Turr. The Exiles Who Have Relied...
and cowardly ; that we menace a little despotism and cringe to a great one ; that we are losing character and position ; and have . been more humbled by the French alliance than we should be by a Russian victory . We have no right to say that these things are untrue . We have said them ourselves , and it is a happy sign for Italy , that she has journalists free and honest enough to repeat them .
The refugees in Malta are . losing all confidence in their position . They know not at what hour they may be put on board an Austrian ship , or expelled to seek a dangerous exile in the one free state of Italy . Already Turk , who long enjoyed in that island a hospitable refuge , has been sacrificed , though engaged in the British service , to the overbearing brutality of Austria . Winzler , another exile who left Malta to aid in the equipment of the Land Transport Corps , is also supposed to have been seized , without protest or explanation . These facts , combined with the menace of an Alien Bill , inspire us to ask from all liberal men in this country assistance
in restoring the honesty and the courage of public opinion . It is time that ive cease dreaming under the purple of Paris- We have gained for ourselves , in many struggles and dangers , a name and character more valuable than even a military alliance . It is this which , at the final crisis of war , has invariably brought England to the lead , which has persuaded her to make great sacrifices of transient interests , which has taught her to trust to her better impulses , and to rely on the principles which have made us what we are . This character , the secret of out prestige , will be ruined if compliance goes too far— -if , while we give Austria her victim , we excuse our impotence by vilifying the
name of an honest man . Our coxirse should be clear . The Austrian Government has seized Colonel Turk , who was engaged on Ottoman territory in our service . We dare not exact reparation . All our forces are employed against Russia . Let us , then , eat the toad . But we put it to honourable men , —is it necessary to excite contempt in Europe by slandering Colonel Turr , because we dare not help him ?
December 8, 1855.] The Leader. 1177
December 8 , 1855 . ] THE LEADER . 1177
Survey Of The War. Nothino Has Occurred ...
SURVEY OF THE WAR . Nothino has occurred of late to break the monotony of militai-y life in the Crimea , except the explosion at Inkcrmann . The Allies and the enemy have been alike engaged in making all snug for the winter ; both parties contracting their positions as much as they deem consistent with safety . The Russians have not had an explosion to diversify their camp life ; but they have had more—the visit
of an Emperor—an honour rarely paid by a sovereign to an army he does not command , and never , perhaps , unless that army is exulting with victory , or downcast by defeat . However that may be , Russia ' Emjpehor rode through the lines behind those now so famous hills to the north of Sebastopol and Balaklava , and to the public lie pronounces himself satisfied , and renews his declaration of confidence in Prince Gortschakofk . For another
winter , as it seems , the Allies and the enemy remain face to face in the Crimea The Russian , like a true soldier , shows a bold front , contracts his masses , holds the rugged defiles on his Jlank , retains the most productive and best watered region of the Crimea ; secures his line of communications to the north , and , putting his trust in frost , renews , or hopes to renew , direct communication with the north-east by the Spit of Arabat , and makes a show of menacing Kortch . He seems to be triumphant in hia defensive attitude . But the real difference between the position of
the two armies is this : the Allied army is quite unassailable , with any chance of success , in any one of its positions ; the Russian army , secure in front , cannot place itself put of the reach of the Allies , whenever the Allies resume the offensive , without placing itself out of the Crimea . The enemy is powerless against Kertch , Kinbui-n , or Eupatoria ; but the Allies can attack the enemy either from Eupatoria , Kinburn , or Kertch . That they
have not done so hitherto is solely because no reasonable man could have anticipated these two months of fine weather after the fall of Sebastopol ; and because it would have required a long time to shift the base of operations to Kaffa or Eupatoria . The attempt to turn the Russian left flank , by the movement on the Belbek , having failed , and the absence of water in the steppe proving a more formidable obstacle to General D'Allonville
than the enemy , there was no course left except to go into winter quarters , retaining our lodgments on the coast for future use . The only active portions of the Allied forces are the cavalry at Eupatoria , and the gun-beats in the Sea of Azoffi—both of whom have managed to destroy provisions belonging to the enemy . But the winter , although it will not necessarily stay the Eupatorians , must stop the gun-boats , and therefore free the Spit of Arabat . Such is the relative position of both parties at this moment .
But in Asia matters have been very different . Under the energetic leading of Omar Pacha , the Turkish troops have achieved a small but brilliant victory over a corps of Russo-Mingrelians on the Ingour . As our readers are aware , the Turkish general sent on his advanced guard from Soucham-Kaleh on the 13 th October ; he himself remaining behind to see that all the necessary work was done to secure a base . of operations , supplies of ammunition , and the assistance of the mountaineers . The Turkish army was moved
forward through the woods , by detachments , in looser array than would have been possible , had an enemy hovered on its flank . Still the march was well arranged . By the first day of November the advanced guard came upon the enemy ' s position ; and by the fourth , the whole force was united on the right bank of the Ingour . The opposite bank was held by the Russo-Mingrelian troops , disposed so as to guard the fords , supported ^ in one place by a fort , in another by an earthwork battery . Omar Pacjia was too Avily to cross
the river in . the face of the fort . Opposite that he threw up batteries in the night , Avith the view of keeping the enemy employed at this point , while he turned their flank . By a series of well-timed manoeuvres , he menaced the earthwork battery with a considerable show of troops and several guns , keeping up a hot cannonade , while Colonel Balkakd ' s rifles skirmished on the banks of the stream ; then sending two columns , one to the right and the other to the left , the whole crossed the Ingour together , in the face of a heavy fire , driving
the enemy before them and capturing his guns . Hearing that his left had been turned , the enemy abandoned the fort ; and the whole Turkish army crossed the river , and moved forward the next day upon Kutais . Here a Turkish army , well handled , and led by British officers , showed itself superior to the enemy . Since the Gth November , we have had no news of Omar Pacha . Granting that he reach Kutais , the question is , will he move upon Gori or Akhaltsihk ? Should he remuin at Kutais , it is to be feared that his operations will have but a small effect on the Russian
army still before Kars . Should he move upon Gori , it is probable that he would relievo Kars ; but he would be then himself in a
critical position . Should he move on Akhaltsihk , he may find that place too strong for his means of offence ; and , meanwhile , Kars may fall from the effects of famine . It is , indeed , difficult to estimate the effect of Omar Pacha ' s advance upon the mind of General Mouravieff . Although the latter attacked Kars , on the rumovir of Omar Pacha ' s advance , he seems , now that the Turkish general has won a battle , and is making a triumphant march , only to strengthen his position for the winter around Kars ; and to increase the rigour of the blockade . Thus Moukavieff winters around Kars this year , as the Allies wintered on the plateau of Sebastopol last . But Omar Pacha may yet spoil his schemes .
The " Skeleton" In Every House " Of Busi...
THE " SKELETON" IN EVERY HOUSE " OF BUSINESS . It is a common dogma that it is useless to expose an evil until we can propose a remedy ; but only with a distinct knowledge of the evil can we design the cure—only by knowing the extent and urgency of the evil can we settle the previous question—whether there is anything to be remedied or not . We have grown so accustomed to consider ourselves remarkable among nations for probity , for commercial sound
rectitude , for being " genuine" and " , " that it would be difficult to impress upon the legislature-moving public , the necessity of applying some purifying process , some scorching iron , to the cancer which is eating into our commerce , into our public affairs , into the very conscience of society itself . We may pass current the common-place , " All is not gold that glitters ; " but it was a surprise to us when we ascertained , lately , through the Lancet , not only that many of the articles of food and medicine which we consume are
adulterated , but that the larger proportion adulterated ; and that the genuine article was the exception . We have found that we want a Lancet commission to inquire into the state of commerce ; and probably , we should discover , that not the articles alone , but the very men are adulterated—corrupted in their personal character as well as in their businessproceedings . Experiences of this kind are so multiplying daily , that we have some right to doubt whether in men , as well us in food and drugs , the genuine article is not the exception . You cannot distinguish the fraud from the truth at the first glance , and here is the appalling difficulty .
There are few vocations in which truthfulness , probity , and steadiness are more required than in that of the confidential solicitor . You look out for a man whoso character stands high , whose manner impresses you with his being discreet , upright , independent , and straightforward , and you think you have found your man . You sec liini seated in an office where a local repute has been gained by the stability of the business ; you meet a gentleman whose manners are courteous but business-like . Do not make too wure !
Perhaps the very man to whom , on the score of those qualities you arc about to intrust your interest , has fallen into the fashion . We do not suppose that there was a pernon more calculated to possess confidence than Mr . Gkorgk Selby , the solicitor . We have evidence of his character in the trust of u client who , apparently on him recommendation , consented to advance £ 4000 upon the
rcvursion-, ary interest of a lady . It turns out , however , that this £ 4 , 000 , which was borrowed for a Mrs . Shxjmibiu * actually went to pay a debt due from Mrs . tiuKVumv to Tjiomah hicuiY , the brother of Gvoua * . Mr . Gko .. ob SKunr muaj have appeared , from lu « ^ V '' '" ' ™ £ from his large expenditure of £ 7 , 987 in four years and nine montha , to bo a man well to
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 8, 1855, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_08121855/page/13/
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