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Leader (1850-1860), 25th October 1856, Edition 1 of 2, Page 1010

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      Untitled Article

      The dismissal of Cornet Lord Ernest Vane Tempest , and Cornet Biht , is an act in the same spirit . The Royal Cominander-in-Chief appears resolved to weed the army of its mmivais siijets . One of the most interesting events of the week was tie celebration of the Trafalgar-day at North Shields for the two sister tcrvWM of North awl South Shields . The principal personage in tlie

      festival , which was ef a p&ewHar Jcind , irm tbe Duke of Northumberland , who had earned his right to that conspicuous place in a remarkable manner . He bore testimony to the fact that at Trafalgar the Victory was 5 n great part owing not only to the genius of the commander , but to the heroism , of the men ; and such has been the case in all our great naval victories . A TSTelson could never have struck the Wows lie did unless he

      could have counted upon every man under him . The Duke also bore testimony to the ponduct of the-men : generally . As a naval commander , he said that he owed a deep debt of gratitude to all who have served under Irim—a testimony which tells both ways , for undoubtedly the Commander ¦ who can give that certificate to his nien would have the same from them . It is the good master that makes good servants . A large part of the Trealth of England is carried in vessels manned by British seamen , to whose courage and fidelity the

      wealth of whole classes , and of the nation at large , J 8 due . From the very nature of recruitment in the navy— -national or mercantile—it happens that the sailor is , generally speaking , of a class little trained in worldly wisdom , and without education . Life at sea affords no training for land dangers , and the seaman on shore , with Ms vehemence , his ignorance , and . his habit of having- everything done for him except to ' hand , reef , and steer , ' is the vietim of any low sharpers who can pander to his weaknesses or ioxpose upon his credulity .

      The Duke of Kob . thtimbub . i . and has instituted the foundation of a great reform in the economy of this class . He has given 8 GOOZ . or 9000 i . to build a Home for the sailor ; 3 O 0 OZ . have been subscribed by the commercial inhabitants of Shields to endow the Home , which is indeed much more than a mere living place . It comprises luxuries , which have hitherto Been common only in gentlemen ' s clubs—also a library , a navigation school , a moneyorder office , a savings-hank , and a shipping-office , so that the sailors will be able to continue on

      shore those habits of relying upon others without being obliged to rely upon knaves and profligates . Seldom has so handsome a gift been made in so handsome a spirit as the Home , which was opened yesterday by the Duke of N othumbekland and his friends . Some persons are unconscious of ridicule . ^ The [ French Emperor has once more been gallea into an outcry against the English press . The Alliance may be broken , the peace of the world destroyed —if English journalists do not change their tone 3 The Moniteur is very serious on the subject of attacks that " permit only the reply of contempt . *'

      Untitled Article

      MB . LAING , M . P ., ON FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC POLITICS . Mr . Laing , BI . P . for the DSTorthcm Burghs , haa issued a long address to his constituents , in which he sets forth the policy ho ia prepared to advocate in Parliament in connexion with foreign and domestic affairs . He commences by referring to the . Russian , war , and by contending that it was perfectly wise to bring that war to a conclusion when its original objects were attained , on " Russia signifying her readiness to abandon her exclusive pretensions against Turkey , and to re-enter tlio great family of European nations as an equal member . " The rashness of thoso who would liavo prolonged

      hosin connexion with the enlistment question , but that it deserves gTeat credit for its' temper and moderation in bringing the quarrel to a close . This bungs him to the consideration of the policy of augmenting our armies in . time of w « t ly means of foreign levies . He regrets the vote to gave in favour-of the Foreign Eu&ttme&t Bill . It appeared to him at the time that that LW presented the oaty available means < jf rescuing oiir Crimean army from the critical position Jn whidh it was then placed but " subsequent reiiection"has convinced him " thstthe measure vn radically -wrong in ^ principle , And experience has shown that H was practically useless . Our mercenary legions have been nothing ; but a source of annoyance and discredit to us . " Mr . Laing , however , is disposed to continue his support of the present Government , as long as they maintain such a policy as ht ! considers just .

      That policy , as far as foreign affairs are concerned , is based on non-intevvention , though he does not use that phrase "in any abstract and impracticable sense . " He thinks our " perpetual , petty , fussy interference with continental politics" ( constantly supported by the Liberal party , though it . was ' against their scheme on acceding to power in 1830 ) has done great injury to this country abroad ; and he adds : — " I am satisfied , from a pretty extensive acquaintance -with leading men on the Continent , that if by any means we could bind over the Times , t ^ xe House of Commons , and the Foreign Office , to hold their tongues for ten years together about foreign matters , the cause of rational liberty abroad would be more advanced than by any other means that could possibly be devised . ' The contemplated interference in Naples lie considers very impolitic , and asks Svhy , if we must interfere , we do not interfere also in France , Russia , and America . :

      "As regards domestic policy , " continues Mr . Laing , " I profess no great measures , for I have no great faith in them . . . . In fact , so much has been done that little remains , to do . " Of education , he says he is inclined to think that we must educate ourselves . Repeal of the paper duty is " the only possible function of the legislature as regards education , " except in the case of pauper and criminal children , with regard to whom the state stands in the place of the parents ; " and even in this case the more that can be left to local management the better . " The questions of the Established Church , of a further Reform Bill , arid of the ballot , he thinks may stand in abeyance for the present , the public not being unanimous in their demands for them . He highly

      approves of the vis mei'the peculiar to the English character , which " opposes itself to all political changes . " He deprecates " nothing more than a feverish passion for novelty , which scorns the dulness of common sense . . . .. . For my . part , " he adds , " if you ask me what I think the principal duty of the Legislature at the present day , I say frankly , ' To pass the estimates . '" The military moral he draws from the war " is that we ought not , for forty years , perhaps , to go on spending large sums annually in keeping up excessive fleets and armies which are not wanted , and which in case of need can be created in a few months ; but rather apply ourselves to

      maintaining a moderate numerical force , with all its administrative branches complete and efficient , and so arranged as to admit of ready expansion in case of emergency . With such establishments we shall be able to return to tho standard of expenditure which prevailed during the last few years before the war , and to get rid of the best part of 15 , 000 , 000 / . a year of additional war taxation . " Though indisposed to organic reform , Blr . Laing thinks that several financial reforms are wanting , especially " tho clue adjustment between direct and indirect taxation , " and the revision and permanent adoption of the income tax . He is also in favour of legal reform , on which subject he makes these remarks : —

      " There is a vast deal which is cumbrous , antiquated , and in its practical working oppressive and immoral , in the system of English jurisprudence . Fraud , in too many instances , escapes with impunity ; and the scale of punishments for criminal offenders is too often opposed to tho moral sense of the community ; tho trammels on the transfer of land retard improvement and restrict improvement ; the multiplication of obscurely-worded statutes causes confusion ; no one knows with certainty in any of the ordinary operations of'life what the law requires ; what , for instance , makes him a partner , or

      liable as a director or shareholder . There is scarcely a question in the whole range of commercial law applicable to hanks , railways , and joint-stock companies , and oilier great creations of modern enterprise , on which opposite opinions may not be obtained from eminent counsel , and on which an unprofessional man can form even a conjecture of what , nftcr spending years and thousand s of pounds in litigation , may turn out to be the law , except from a sort of confused feeling ( which , however , experience has shown , to bo generally correct ) that whnt is most in accordance with common sense is least likely to bo in accordance with law . "

      tilit ' vcB for tho flake of notions altogether " visionary and Quixotic" ho loudly condemns , and adds that he has " no faith in the melodramatic pictures of Russian power and perfidy . " Tho clamours of tho press , more especially of the Times , in favour of a continuation of tho war , and tlio desjro entertained by some politicians thrit wo should take up tho cause of tho oppressed nationalities , are unfavourably contrasted with tho cooler views of Mr . Bnght , Mr . Gladstone , and , after his visit to Vienna , lord John Russell . Mr- Laing i 9 o € opinion that the Government actod unwisely in giving offence to Amorica

      Untitled Article

      THE IRISH CRIMEAN BANQUET . Tins hospitable celebration took place on Wednesday . Tho total number of guests at tlic banquet , all of them decorated with Crimean mcduls , were 1 ) 000 non-commissioned officers and privates , 50 petty officers , sailors , nud marines . 50 enrolled pensionere , 20 Peninsular and

      5000 . ° " The Lord Mayor and company being seated , silence was pToclaimed by a flourish of trumpets from six trumpeters placed behind the chair , and grace -was said The banquet then proceeded , and , at its conclusion , after grace had been again said , and the Lord Mayoi had proposed the health of the Queen and of the Vicerov His Excellency the Lord-Lieutenant said that in the Queen ' s name he welcomed her fine troops . Jie ^ as proud to see before him the men who had breasted the steep slopes of Alma , dashed along the fatal field ol Balaklava , and held the blood-red heights of Inkciman He -was proud to see the men who had dared and survived so much , and who were all ready to die on the

      ¦ Indian veterans , 50 constabulary , 25 coast-guaTd 5 m tropolitaa police , 1 Land Transport Service . Tlie ' troonq took their places at a quarter to one o ' clock , tWbands stationed in the gallery striking up during the tin ™ " Tho Roast Beef of Old England . " At the head tab besides his Excellency and the Lord Mayor , were the Lord Chancellor , the Commander of the Force * th admirals in command of the naval stations in Ireland peers who were members of the committee , -the Chief Secretary for Ireland , the Under Secretary for Ireland the French Consul , &c . A table was provide *! for the officers in charge of the troops , about 120 in number A table -was also provided for about GO gentlemen of the press . The gallery accommodated about 1200 , the total number present in the Banqueting-hall beiiK .- about

      field of battle . The Irish people that day welcomed them with true Irish hospitality .-. English , Scotch , and Irish he all equally welcomed to that board . " Irish hospitality , " said his Excellency , " is not stinted to her own children , since it was not asked , when the cheer rose loudest in your charge , * whether it had most of the English , ' or Scotch , or Irish accent—nor was it asked , when the red blood flowed from the field or from the trench whether the warm title gushed from English , or Scotch , or Irish veins . ( Oncers . ) You are here to-day—you are seated side by side at

      the same board ; and you need no other passport than the bright medal which glitters upon your manly breasts . ( Loud and repeated cheering . ) It in , indeed , a deep cause of thankfulness to see you here . thus :- you who have breasted the steep slopes of the Aim a—yon who have dashed along the fatal field of Balaklavayou who have held the blood-red heights of Inkermait ( cheers ')—you who have suffered in the midnight trench , the thundering rampart , and the deatli-iilled hospital ( cheers)— it is matter , I say , of deep gratitude to see you thus under a roof of peace and before a board of plenty . " ( CA « e ? 's . )

      The other speakers were : Lord Gough ; the French Consul -Mr . Butt , a Quartermaster-sergeant of Artillery ; Sergeant-major Woodin , of the 17 th Lancers ; QuarteruiasteT-sergeant William Leefong ; John Poultori , boatswain ' s-mate of the Hogue (" who spoke in die name of the Navy , previously enjoining silence with his whistle ); and Henry Vido , Sergeant of the Royal Marines ' , of the same ship , who represented the body to wliicli he belongs . The banquet passed off . with * tlic utmost enthusiasm and success .

      Untitled Article

      THE SUBSCRIPTION" FOR ITALY . The Italian Committee have published the following : — " Two National Subscriptions have been opened in Italy : " The first is promoted in order to purchase a 'hundred guns for the protection of Alessandria against the probable attacks of Austria . " The second is promoted in order to purchase ten thousand muskets , to he given to tho fust Italian province that shall rise in arms against the common enemy . " These guns and these muskets will promote , therefore , one and . the same result ; thus do the National army and the army of Insurrection combine their ranks in the war of Independence . " The two subscriptions united express tlic aspirations of Italy , and afford a just idea of what bIig may accomplish upon a grand scale , and of what , i ^ the will and tho resolve of the patriotic Piedmontese .

      " Having first proposed tho National subscription 'or tho ten thousand muskets , we believe ourselves bound to do all that may lie in us for securing ; the success of that object . Therefore do wo appeal to the Italians and to noble-hearted men in every country—to nil , indeed , who desire the freedom and independence of Italy —to give us their assistance , their public countenance , and their sympathy . In the day when tho oppressed Italians rise and conquer a free countrj ' for tlii'inxc'lvi ' S , th « y will remember with gratitude those who hiivo helped them to arm . " GiacomO'Mkimcv , " Antonio Mosto , " Anoki . o Mancint , "Ao . OSTINO ( iNKt'fO , " Antonio Gasaiskto . " Genoa , Sept . 185 C . "

      The Belgian LidtfjH'iulancc bctraya its terror at tl > c rapidity with which this movement advances , and P " tenda to the possession of certain knowledge , << " > \ J ' tentous to to disclosed at preEcnt . It has no knowledge and had better keep the secret .

      Untitled Article

      1010 T HJE ^ JL jg AJD ~ E ^ L ___ _ r [ No . 3 M , Saturday ,

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 25, 1856, page 1010, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2164/page/2/