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fTIHE 3 rd , not the 1 st , of April is named as the A day for the grand assault at Sebastopol . Omar Pacha is marching from Eupatoria southwards ; all war ships are ordered to approach Sebastopol , as if to assist in surrounding the place ; an enormous besieging force has been l
brought to bear upon the walls ; and realy appearances do half make ~~ us believe that the Allies intend to try taking the town by the dead weight of superior strength . Not long since there was a very general impression , that , while the occupants of the town were to be kept in play by a certain portion of the besiegers , the Turks under Omar Pacha , the Piedmontese
contingent , a portion of the Allied forces , anew French division specially sent for the purpose , and perhaps an Austrian army , were to grapple with " tKe ~ enemy in the open fieldy and to decide the question of Sebastopol , by a general engagement , at a distance . The latest preparations look as if the game were still to be kept up where the Russians have been allowed ample time to prepare , with an entrenched fortress , and unlimited resources . There is no placing
any bounds upon the possibilities of Ireneh or English daring ; but the supposed experiment looks something like trying how English and French soldiers can stand being dashed against artificial rocks . We have no belief in deliberate treachery at head-quarters . " We do not readily credit any reports , that Austria intends to play traitor . But the aspect of affairs in the Black Sea , with tho
particular dates laid down for the performance , come before us curiously in tho enlarged interval of time allowed to Russia at Vienna . The Congress has suspended its labours until the arrival of M . Drouyn J > e Luuys , so that more than a week longer has been allowed to Russia ; the plenipotentiaries have adjourned until tho 9 th instant . Tho grand display of fireworks at Sobastopol on tho 3 rd—reassembling of tho Congress on the 9 th .
The proceedings of our own Government appear to exhibit a curious mixture of real purpose and no purpose at all . From some of their most recent acts , it might be supposed that they contemplated a greatly extended war , and wore propared , by adequate measures , to earn immortality for themselves and honour for thoir country
while from other acts it as tney were trifling with the gravest emergencies . The offer of the North American Colonists to volunteer for service in the East , it appears , has been accepted , and corps are there to be formed of Canadian or other British North American colonists , and of Foreign volunteers who may be collected from the wide recruiting field of the United States . This looks like business . So does the admission of Lord Habrowbt into the Government , after his recent and public declaration in favour of the " oppressed nationalities . " Yet both these acts would become pieces of " gag , "' if Government really means nothing by them . And if Ministers positively intend great political and military operations , how is it that they are still haggling with the militia about petty niceties as to the conditions on which the men enlisted , while they are refusing a really comprehensive-Militia . Act ¦ . for . the whole of JtWUnUedTKing ^ dom , including the necessary complement of Volunteer , corps ? There are great numbers amongst us , not of extreme opinions , who feel that they have not fulfilled their duties as men while they have failed to learn so much of the military art as to enable them , in time of necessity , to play the special constable against the foreign invader , as well as the inward disturber . Short blue batons and a white band round the left arm would be but a sorry array against any suddenly introduced army under Prince Goiitschakofjf or Osten Sacken . In vain would tho " Peelers " tell those barbarians that they " must move on , " or that they " must not crowd the thoroughfare . " Such things have been , as unexpected arrivals : and if any Sir Charles Napieb , less lucky but not less "indiscreet , " were to loseone-and-twenty sail of the line in some unhappy fog , there is no tangible reason why some Paskiewitcu or SuwAiutow should not contemplate a grand tour of the United Kingdom . If , therefore , the prospects of war arc really , such as the Canadian corps and the addition of Lord IIabrowiiv to the Government would imply , why does Government still keep down tho willing male population of this country ? While we are asking the question , tho militiamen , who onlistcd under tho belief of domestic service , and whom tho War Oflico has tried to seduce into permanent foreign sorvieo , have seized the opportunity to throw up their enlistments , and return homo . Several of tho regiments have
almost disappeared ; others are seriously weakened in numbers ; and the effect to foreign eyes must be , that Englishmen are too timid or too selfish to care for the defence of their country or her flag . The departure- of the Fleet for the Baltic on Wednesday , and the gallantry still exhibited by our soldiers at Sebastopol , might be evidence to the contrary ; but it is to what we are doing at Jwme foreigners will look . These , they will say of the sailors and soldiers , are _ the few whose numbers the English Government can scarcely keep up * and who have to sufler reverses
or to . undergo , more painful retreats , for want of sufficient strength , while the English people look on . " Mr . Brande , a new Lord of the Treasury , is re-elected for Lewes—without a question . Mr . Price , one of the hut contractors for the Crimea , is reinstated by his constituents of Gloucester , as a matter of routine . : Even the bpys of . Glasgow University do not call to : account the : -Duke of AiiGYiiE , and have . nothing more ;" discrimm " atiiig to utter on thestate of public affairs than' hisses . it the name ' of Lord Aberdeen ; upon which , of course , the youthful Duke had an opportunity of displaying his fortitude and his fidelity by vindicating his friend .
It seems as if our Government had made a mistake in calculating the odds between Sp ain and the United States . The relations of those two countries are in a very curious position . The latest report from America is , that President Pierce ' s Government intends to propose , as tho concession by which Spain is to purchase indemnity for the past , complete commercial reciprocity and freedom of intercourse between Cuba and the United States . This is a proposal which looks likely to bo defeated , both in Spain nml at homo . The Americans already show tlmt it hns disgusted them in wearing so much the nspeeb of
concession . Spain is hardly in n position to grant the demand : she cannot give free ingrcws to strangers , lest they should sec tho oppressed , ami therefore the anarchical state of Cuba itself ; nor is Spain , in her fatal pride , likely to make a concession . While tho Government hibour . s under the unceasing threat of a Carliat reaction , -while more than oTiu of its members was lately proposing to resign , us a sacrifice to propitiate the National Guard clamouring for the dismissal of some of the Ministers , —tho Spanish Government has had the audacity to demand the rccal of Lord Howden , because ho had publicly stated the truth respect-
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VOIi . YI . No . 263 . 1 SATURDAY , APRIL . 7 , 1855 . _____ [ Price Sixpence
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"The one Idea which History exhibits as evermore developing itself into greater distinctness is the Idea of Humanity—the noble endeavour to throw down all the barriers erected between , men by prejudice and one-sided views ; and by setting aside the distinctions of Religion , Country , and Colour , to treat the whole Human race as one brotherhood , having one great object—the free development of our spiritual nature . "—Sumboldt's Cosmos .
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NEWS OF THE WEEK— ** ° * The War . 314 The Sailingof the Baltic Fleet ...... 315 The Revenue 316 State of Trade , Labour , and the Poor 316 Australia 316 India and China 316 State of Public Peeling in France 317 Belgium 317 Continental Notes 318 Manifesto of the ^ Know-Nothings" ... 318 \
Our Civilisation 319 Assize Cases .-. 319 A Scene from tho Life of a Country Actor 320 Health of London during tho Week' 320 Miscellaneous 320 Postscript , 322 PUBLIC AFFAIRSSurvey of the War 322 The Sins of the " System" 323 The Tory Party J 324
The Reform for To-day 325 What will Become of the Militia ? 325 Sunday Sinners and Monday Dinners 326 The late Case of Shoplifting 327 The New Newspaper Stamp Act 327 OPEN COUNCILObservance of the Sabbath 328 LITER ATURESummary 329
Velasquez 380 Mountains and Molehills 331 Books on our Table 332 THE ARTS— ' Olympic Theatre 332 Royal Italian Opera 333 Births , Marriages , and Deaths ... 334 COMMERCIAL AFFAIRSCity Intelligence , Markets , Advertisements , &c 334-336
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 7, 1855, page unpag., in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2085/page/1/
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