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    1120 THE LEADER. [Saturday.

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    *y>*± ± ILtlFrUltlrF*

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    Critics are not th.e legislators, but th...

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    The Alma, Balaklava, and Inkerman —a lit...

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    Not a few off our military and naval off...

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    Three deaths out of tho military world h...

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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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    1120 The Leader. [Saturday.

    1120 THE LEADER . [ Saturday .

    *Y≫*± ± Iltlfrultlrf*

    iCiferaittt ? ,

    Critics Are Not Th.E Legislators, But Th...

    Critics are not th . e legislators , but the judges and police of literature . They do not make laws—they interpret and try to enforce them .. —Edinburgh Review .

    The Alma, Balaklava, And Inkerman —A Lit...

    The Alma , Balaklava , and Inkerman —a little while ago , and these names were unknown to us ; and now how familiar they seem to our lips ! So does the action of men streaming forth , year after year , in new geographical directions , consecrate and enrich new places-withsplendid associations ; so does war purvey for Phantasy and Literature . " The history of mankind , " said the present Emperor of the French , " is the history of armies ; " and it is in the spirit of this remark that writers among ourselves have represented the history of the world as involved in the list of some fifteen of its "

    decisive battles . " A remark apparently the opposite of this is that made by philosophers , that the true central thread of the world ' s history is the history of its speculative activity , so that the true course of humanity , from first to last , is to > be gathered best from the series of its successively evolved doctrines , on subjects of high speculative interest . But the remarks are not contradictory . On the oae hand , wherever the physical force of the world is concentrated , wherever armies are fronting each other in mortal combat , there certainly the soul of the world is at work ; there is some knot , the resolution of which is a necessary part of the historic evolution . On the other hand , the physical force of the world goes forth precisely as speculation sways it ; aad there never was a great battle yet that -was not the trial and triumph of some tendency or doctrine . Extend this , and it follows

    that war will be made to cease , not "by preaching peace , but by establishing the conditions of peace ; and that there will always be wars while there is intellectual anarchy . In the present war two faiths , as well as two aggregations of military force , are grappling-with each other—on the one side , Czarism , the doctrine of the supremacy of one man over the will and education of millions ; on the other side , that doctrine of political and individual freedom at which the West has reluctantly arrived . What function in connexion with this contest the events now going on the Crimea may be performing , remains to be seen . Meanwhile , we do see that -wherever the car of Bellona advances , there the Muses follow , hovering fondly over ; and that action , only action , inspires History and Song . Are not the Alma , Balaklava , and Inkerman , already names of heroic sound ? and , though three thousand miles of sea and land intervene , is not the soul of Great Britain at this moment abroad in the winds that sweep over the face of the Crimea ?

    Not A Few Off Our Military And Naval Off...

    Not a few off our military and naval officers now engaged in the East have come before the world as authors . Whether Lord Raglan has ever perpetrated a book we do not knowg but very probably he could write a book if he liked . Poor Captain Nolan , who died in a cavalry charge , was already known as the author of an original book on the capabilities of Cavalry . If Sir Edmuito Lyons is not an author , he has been a diplomatist , and he lias very strong theories on the subject of Russia and her intentions , in the eager service of which theories it is , and not merely as & bluff sailor obeying orders , that he drives his " Brougham" into the teeth of Russian batteries . So also , and even more ostensibly , with Sir De Lacy Evans . His head as well as his body is in the fight . It is twenty-six years since Sir De Lacy Evaks , then only a Colonel , wrote an Essay , entitled T / ic Designs of Russia . That was the time ( 1828 ) when Russia was engaged in her previous war with Turkey , the result of which was to procure for her that increase of her power in the East which makes her now so formidable . Colonel Evans's views were then so far ahead of those of the

    dominant politicians that he was ranked among the alarmists led astray by a foolish RussopUobia . His pamphlet , however , was valued by those who saw reason to think with him ; and so lato as 1835 a Reviewer in one of the Quarterlies , referring retrospectively to the pamphlet , used these words : — Colonel Evans , in this powerful effort to rouso the attention of his countrymen , has placed before them a collection of facts and a aeries of deductions , so strikingly illustrative ) of tho deaigna of Russia , of the nature of her political objects , so long , so indefatigably , so unswervingly pursued—of tho crafty and unprincipled policy by which she ha 8 sought to attain them—and of tho consequences that must result to Groat Britain and all civilised Europe , should , her achomoa bo sucqessful ; and has brought to boar upon tho subject such a mass of information , detailed and digested with so much clearness and ability , that nothing but that judicial blindness which seems to seal tlie mental oyea of men in this country to all remote , and peculiarly to Oriental , interests , can account for tho fact that hia views hnvo not made thoir duo impression on tho public mind .

    This may stand as a friendly indication of tho main drift of the Essay ; and here ia a further reference to one portion of it ;—Ho ( Colonel Evans ) contends that not only are France and England , from their geographical situation , as well aa from , thoir moral and political condition , tho powers that should place themselves in the van for tho protection of civilisation against barbarism , but that they aTQ of themselves capable of doing it effectually ; that , if in earnest , they can move tho whole Continent to > effect this object ¦ , that , if tho effort bo made now ( 1828-85 ) , it will bo successful \ but that delay will give to Russia so monstrous an accession of power , particularly naval , from tho exclusive possession of the Black Soa and that of Marmora , % vith tho two straits that command them , that tho inevitable contest will thon become inexpressibly onorouo , if not vain . It ia curious to think that now , after six-and-twonty years , during which the gallant general lms carried this fixed idea of Russian preponderance in

    his head , he is called upon to fight in the strength of it . Whether Sir De Lacy ' s brave comrade , Sir George Bbo > vn , whose noble grey head and calm features the Times ' correspondent admired as he helped to carry him wounded off the field at Inkerman , has also been fighting in the faith of any such fixed personal idea , or solely from the usual sense of soldierly duty to his country , we have no means of knowing-. Of poor Sir George Cathcart , however , whose death all the country is now lamenting , we know something more precise . Theories such as those of Sir Edmund Lyons and Sir Djb Lacy Evans respecting the political relations and designs of Russia , he does not seem to have had ; but he had theories respecting war and respecting the military qualities of the Russians . In 1850 , a little time before his appointment to the Cape , and while yet only Colonel Cathcabt , he published a -work entitled Commentaries on the War in Russia and Germany in

    1812 and 1813 . This work consisted of a series of military notes and reflections from the author ' s recollections of his service in the Russian army at the period in question . Yes , in the Russian army ; for , at the time of Napoi ^ eon ' s invasion of Eussiji , Lord Cathcabt , the author ' s father , -was British ambassador at St . Petersburg , and when Lord Cathcart accompanied the Emperor Alexander in the German campaign which followed , he took Ms son , then in his nineteenth year , and a lieutenant in the 6 th Dragoon Guards , along with him as his aide-de-camp . Thus "he had , '' as he himself says , " the good fortune to see eight general actions lost and won in which Napoi ^ on commanded in person . " His Commentaries are chiefly mere records of these transactions , adapted for military reading ; they contain , however , some points of general interest . Here , for examp le ^ is a passage , as untechnical as any we have met with , on the science of strategy : —

    The author is anxious to invite the attention , of the reader to the first principles of strategy , -which , like the elements of all sciences , are , when duly recognised , clear and self-evident truths . In point of theory , the admirable work of the Archduke Charles , or , for practical illustration , the base of Torres " Vedras covering Lisbon , and the glorious achievements which emanated invariably from it , will be consulted and considered with advantage by those who desire a thorough knowledge of this science ; but , for the present purpose , it -will suffice to point out that the elements may be reduced to the three following postulates : —1 . A : base of operations , being that locstfity from TvMch . the supplies of the army are to be furnished . 2 . The objective , being an object or goal , the attainment of which must render the campaign decisive , and to which , therefore , all movements must have reference . 3 . The line of operations ,

    being the most favourable route or communication leading from the base to the decisive point or objective . It follows , of course , that the base of the defending army must either be the decisive point itself that is menaced by the opposite party , or some other point covering it , and that the line of operations must be common to both . Bearing these principles in mind , it will be found in . the history of modern warfare , conducted by regular armies on both sides , that in every instance where they have been lost sight of , or departed from ( and there are many ) , victory has led to no good result , and retreat has proved an irretrievable disaster . Whereas , where they have been duly attended to , each success has become a point gained in . the progress of the campaign 5 and though partial failures may have retarded operations , and even occasioned retreats , yet such failures have not proved decisive .

    The following appreciation of the fighting powers of the different Continental nations possesses singular interest :: — The French , proverbially a brave and excitable people , are brilliant and formidable in an attack . If repulsed , a revulsion equally violent usually takes place , and would often prove fatal if it were not for the precaution of placing reserves . When these are not -wanting , they are capable of being easily rallied , and their lively spirit is soon restored . The Russians are less excitable 5 but , nevertheless , in an attack are not to be surpassed in bravery and perseverance by the troops of any European nation , with this advantage , that they appear to be incapable of panic , and though they may be repulsed and defeated , they cannot be forced to run in confusion from tho field of battle . Tho Prussian armies engaged in these campaigns were for the most part veryyoung soldiers ; a spirit of enthusiasm pervaded their ranks , which rendered thorn

    capable of tho most brilliant achievements . In cases of defeat , tho effects of momentary hurry and confusion , to which all young troops are liablo , were leas violent with them than with the French ; but though easily rallied , and their patriotic enthusiam soon restored , they could not rival the liussian stoicism in adversity . * * The Austrian ^ , properly bo called , wore highly disciplined and brave : but the infantry of that race appeared deficient in energy when compared with the French or Prussians , and their physical powers could not be compared with those of tho sturdy Rus .-iiiin . Boldiery . Tho Bohemians appeared to be somewhat more healthy and robust , but did not materially differ iq point of national character from their Austrian brethren hi arms . The Hungarian infantry were decidedly superior to both , in point of energy and physical power , and tho select corps of grenadiers furnished by that nation wore equal , if not supotior , to any in . tho field .

    General Catmca-rt , then , was not one of those who entered on this war with a low idea of the soldiers he was to light against . Next to the British , he seems to have thought the Russians , on the -whole , tho best soldiers in Europe ; and he died , gashed and dealing death around him , in tho midst of a storm of these Russians .

    Three Deaths Out Of Tho Military World H...

    Three deaths out of tho military world havo to bo recorded this weekthat of Lord Dudjlett Stuart ; that of Mr . Frederick . Ktswqht Hunt , editor of the Daily Nhw . % and author of A History of the Newspaper Press in Britain ; and that of Professor Edward Foiuies , the naturalist . Of Lord Dudlky Stuart and what he was , it is for the political chronicler to speak . The death of Mr . ICniqiit Hunt is chiefly romarkablo as showing with how little public rumour a man holding in this country the position of editor of a first-class metropolitan journal may go to his grave . In Franco , journalists havo public funerals ; but hero was a Kurd-working man , -who night after night sat up , superintending tho business of a dnily journal , yot whom , ns he walked along neighbouring Flect-stroct , not one in twenty thousand recognised , anil who , dying at tho ago of forty-one loaves almost no murk and no memory , savo within a narrow professional

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 25, 1854, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_25111854/page/16/