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JjTo 440, August 28, 1858.1 THE LEABEB, ...
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BOROUGH ELECTIONS. Three of our smaller ...
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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.
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Sebastopol, And "What They. Alle Doing T...
as would not only secure to her the markets of Asia Minor and of the Danubiau Principalities , but would place , within her power , whenever she chose to grasp them , those keys of the East , the Straits of the Bosphorus . For this double purpose , it has been her business during the last century to construct 011 the sea-board of theTEuxine not only great commercial seaports , such as Odessa , Kertch , and Eupatoria , but also rnilitary and naval depots , like Sebastopol and ^ Nicolaieff . For this purpose , too , it has been an object of her special ambition to obtain a command over the mouths of the Danube , which .
if _ we had not resisted her aggression upon the Principalities , she -would most assuredly have ultimately accomplished . When Sebastopol was apparently crushed , its dockyards and fortifications destroyed , and its navy sunk by the deliberate act of the Russians themselves , it became the prime and avowed object of the allies to prevent the Russians from regaining that domination over the Black Sea which the possession of such a fortress and such a navy naturally conferred upon her . To this end , the principal clause in the Treaty of Paris restricted Russia from constructing any fortified place upon the coast of that sea , and from keeping more than three ships of war upon its waters .
This stipulation was , however , practically nullified , by an oversight in the case of Nicolaieff , which can boast of a depot , arsenal , dockyards , building-yards , and fortifications of greater extent than that . of ' Cherbourg , respecting , which the mind of the nation has been so seriously troubled . Because this place happens to be on the bank of the river Boug , or Bug , -it has been argued that it is not Upon the coast of the Black Sea , although that river debouches into the sea , and is perfectly ; navigable to vessels of the largest burden , Nicolaieff was uninjured by the allies during the waiy and is now in , a state of perfect efficiency . We shall be fortunate if we do not .. find in a few years that Sevastopol is equally so . -
From information which We have received from most reliable sources , we are enabled to give a brief account of what the Russians are now doing at Sebastopol . Our readers may be assured that we have spared no pains in testing the truth of the statements which we are about to make , and , we can assert , with some degree of confidence , that the statements which have lately appeared in the German papers respecting the present state of Sebastopol are utterly untrue , and have proceeded from Russian sources . The truth is that the town and neighbourhood are now
occupied by large numbers of troops ; among them are several corps of engineers , who are busily engaged in making t a trigonometrical survey , of course with a view to the citil improvement qf the place . The inhabitants have , for the most part , returned , and arc busily engaged in repairing their deserted habitations . The poorer sort collect shot and shell , and , as the Government pays them well for that work , there is a very brisk trade in old iron being driven . The fortifications on the south side are of course being demolished , their temporary nature meriting no better fate ; and the
workpeople find profitable diggings in the Great Redan , which was mostly constructed of watertanks from the ships , filled with earth . Eor every tank so recovered the Government gives half the value to the digger . Whilst mentioning the Great Redan , it will not be out of place to notice that the promise of the Russiaus to respect tlie monument erected there in honour of those who fell on the memorable 8 th of September lias not been faithfully kept . Although the English inscriptions on three of the sides of the obelisk are lclVintact , that in Russian on the fourth side I ins been entirel y chipped away . In the harbour , the greatest activity prevails . The task of raising and removing the ships tliat were sunk , it is loiown , has been-confided to a
party of Americans , who undertook the alhur as a speculation . So far from their proceedings being ttiiattendcd with success ( as some of the German papers have falsely asserted ) , a grout deal lias already bceii effected , and thcro is every prospect that the most sanguine expectations of the Russian Government will be exceeded . From tin : time "\ vhen they sank the first line of ten ships of war across the mout . h of the hnrbour down to the night when they evacuated Sebnstopol the Russians disposed of eighty-six ships in that way . Although most of the heavy guns ( uul been taken out of the vessels for the defence of the south fortifications , about eleven hundred guns were sunk , und many of
the ships had full equipments and stores on board . A careful examination by diving-bell has established the fact that the greater proportion of the wooden vessels are so damaged by the teredo navalis as to be not worth floating . These have to be blown up witli gunpowder , after the removal of all available stores , and ten have already been so treated . In some cases , however , the teredo has done but little injury , and that only to the deck timbers . Two liave beeii raised in this condition by means of hollow caissons , and these , with slight repair , will be perfectly fit
for service . Among the vessels sunk are ten of iron , and the contractors expect to raise tlicsc without any difficulty , and in a comparatively uninjured state . Tlie ropes , tackle , and iron-work of all tlie ships have suffered very little by the immersion , and although the provisions are for the most part in such a state as to render them very unwelcome to ordinary tastes , we are assured that the Russian soldiery evinced no repugnance against some particularly rancid butter which was brought up by one of the explosions . The information which we have received represents tlie state of things about three months ago ; since which great progress has in all probability been inade . In about six months hence , all those vessels that are worth floating will be once
more riding at their anchors , and the rest will have been removed from the fairway of the harbour by the potent aid of gunpowder and tfie electric spark . The nucleus of a Black Sea ileet being thus on tlie road to restoration , it becomes an interesting fact that ,. whether in Russia , England , or America , about five hundred steam-vessels are in course of construction for the Russian Government .. Of course ' neither these , novthe recovered section of the Black Sea fleet , are to be armed . The Treaty of Paris has pointed out to Russia that her proper mission in the Blaek Sea is commercial , ana commercial she will be until it suits her to he otherwise . For -the
sake of commerce she will cover these waters with steamers , and with sailing , vessels , ostensibly for the purposes of the vast carrying trade to Constantk liople , Trebizond , and the coast of Mingrelia , Bulgaria , " Vyallaehia , Bessarabia , and the shores of the Sefi of . Azoff ; but all of which enn at short notice be readily armed at Nicolaieff . ]? or the sake of commerce , s h ° will repair Sebastopol , and surround it . with terraces and embankments , ornamental in their- ¦ ' character ,- , but not the less convertible into fortifications if so required .
Tor the sake of commerce , the docks will be repaired , and instead of Mr . Upton ' s costly and imperfect plan for Hooding them with the Tehernaya , modern improvements will be adopted for floating the vessels to the required level . None understand so well as the Russians how to take a lesson from their enemies , and if ever it shall be our lot-to sit down again before Sebastopol , . we shall find its capture none the easier for the experiences of the last siege . We shall find that the wave has but receded to return with redoubled force , and that we , in return for the blood and the millions which we have
spent , have gained precisely—nothing . Before , quitting this subject , it may be worth while to mention- that a work may shortly be expected detailing the Siege of Sebastopol from the Russian point of view . Prince Outunipfski , a young officer who held the position of aide-de-camp to GortschsikoiF and commanded afc the MalakolF during the siege , and who is now aide-de-camp to Prince Boudikoff , the military commander of Southern Russia and the Crimea , has received the orders of the . Emperor to prepare an account in which the minutest details nre to be recorded . A perfect ; list of every soldier who died , whether by battle or disease , is to be given , and nothing will be omitted that will serve to render the account as complete as possible . The conduct of the Russian Government towards
the family of Mr . Upton , the English engineer who constructed the docks at Scbnstopol , serves to show that the very smallest events of-the siege arc not forgotten . Tlie present Mr . Upton , who is the son of I he late engineer , fell into our hands dining tlie siege , but steadily refused to give any information that could nid us . This conduct , which was no move than was to be expected from an honourable man , was duly recorded by Mr . YV . II . RmsscII , in his correspondence , to \\\ c Times . Since the siege , however , the Russian Government , it is reported , iuid accused Mr . Upton of having given information , und has confiscated all his property . We arc informed that neither he nor his family are allowed to leuvo the country , and they arc now living , in a state of great poverty , near Simphcvopol .
Jjto 440, August 28, 1858.1 The Leabeb, ...
JjTo 440 , August 28 , 1858 . 1 THE LEABEB , ^ 869
Borough Elections. Three Of Our Smaller ...
BOROUGH ELECTIONS . Three of our smaller boroughs are astir with can * didatcs aud canvassing . Their present members are in daily expectation of being gazetted among the new councillors for India ; and their retention of their seats in tire Imperial Legislature is by the new law rendered incompatible with their acceptance of places * in the consultative senate which is henceforth to take part in tne government of Hindostan . Appointments to office -under the Crown , tliough entitling any other member of the House of Commons during the session to move that a new writ he issued for the towns or shires whose representatives had been so appointed , were not cognisable by the Speaker during the recess . The consequence was frequently a protracted canvass of weeks , or even niontlis , with all its attendant circumstances of exaction , jobbing , and intrigue , and the constituencies were deprived for an indefinite period of the opportunity of . constitutionally expressing their opinion of the propriety of the appointments made . An act of the past session remedies this anomaly , by cnaoling the Speaker to issue his writ upon being duly certified that a vacancy has occurred . It may indeed be questioned , under the extremely loose and inaccurate language of the India Bill , whether , technically speaking , an acceptance of a seat at tlie Council Board does vacate a seat at Westminster .
All the statute says is , that the two shall not be held . together . Any one attempting to exercise the functions of both would consequentl y render himself liable to penalties . But , as in the case of Baron Rothschild , an . individual may continue to be an _ M . P ., though lie dares liot speak , or vote , or sit within the bar . No provision is made in the © lmnsy and 'inaccurate India Bill lor . ascertaining legally when and how a person , being a member of Parliament , divests himself of the privileges and powers attaching thereto , by reason of las consenting to advise the Minister for India , and
to receive 1200 / . a year for the same . Tlie validity of the new elections may not possibly be affected by the doubt ; but incidental questions iriay perhaps arise , if the old absurd form be riot complied with--of compelling each , individual to apply for the sham office of Steward of the ChUtcrn Hundreds . Mr . JVlangles , for example , has not been nominated by tlie Crown , but by the moribund Board of Directors iu Leadenuall-street ; their acts are legally unknown ¦ to the 'House of Commons , and his compliance with their choice is equally so . Suppose the ex-chairman of the Company to change his mind , or to assert that he complied only conditionally , what is the Speaker
to do ? Taking for granted , however , that the whilom members for Guilford , Reigate , and Tjcominster arc really resigned to their sinecure fate , and that , weary of wending their way to Palace-yard , they liave patriotically agreed to take 100 /? . a month in future for stopping short at Cannon-row , the public arc concerned to know wliat manner of men are likely to be their successors . Two candidates solicit the suffrages of Surrey ' s county town . The one calls himself a Tory , and the other calls himself a " Wing ; but those who look ? on from an impartial distance would find it difficult to make out the essential difference between them . Mr .
Evelyn was formerly member for the county ; aud he seems never likely to get out of the furrow once traced for him when he first stood forth as the champion of Protection , Game Laws , Church Hales , and Tliings-as-thcy-are in general . Mr . Ouslow ' s specific value as a politician is appropriately signified by the initial of liisuamc ; mid his only claim to the consideration of the tradesmen of Guildford appears to he that he is next but one in remainder to the title and estates now held by his
Conservative kinsman Lord Onslow . To conic out as a professed Liberal in any stronger sense than Unit of the palest "Whiggery would not . perhaps do ; and in . his way Mr . Evelyn tries to be a little diplomatic , aud promises , to support any measure of reform that won't , in fact , make any great difference . It is really very hard on candidates ju , st now who aic not able to form opinions for the nisei ves , that wo should have a Prime Minister who won't say beforehand what his policy is likely to be .
licigate is moved by the Hon . Mr . Monson , a follower of Lord Palmcrston , and Mr . Edwin James , who professes himself rather inclined to take as liis leader Lord John Russell . Between the personal pretensions of the rival suitors tlicre can be no comparison . Mr . Monaon ' s claim reata
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Aug. 28, 1858, page 13, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_28081858/page/13/
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