THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, November 7, 1855.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XIV, 7 November 1855, Page 2

THE NELSON EXAMINER. Wednesday, November 7, 1855.

The news from England received by the last mail is not calculated to raise the spirits of her Majesty's loyal subjects resident iv New Zealand. A few weeks ago, and expectation was on tiptoe, anticipating to hear by every mail the joyful intelligence ot the fall of Sebastopolj now, there seems but a small prospect of capturing that great fortress for several months, if at all, and another winter for our troops in the Crimea seems inevitable. It appeals that although we have the entire command of the sea, the Allies are unable, with all the force at their command, to interrupt the communication between Sebastopol and the interior of Russia by way of Perekop, and reinforcements and provisions are poured into the besieged city without stint ; the altered aspect of affairs on its European frontier, arising out of the reduction of the Austrian army, enabling our enemy to withdraw large forces on that side for service in the Crimea. This state of things is begetting discontent at home. The largest fleets the world ever saw are simply blockading squadrons ; and of the mighty army in. the Crimea, the greater portion is kept inactive. A cry is beginning to be raised that we have no men in command capable of directing effectually the mighty forces at our disposal. " It is difficult," says the Times. " to command 30,00() men with real judgment, but it is far more difficult-to command 100,000 men, so as to bring every part of that vast and complicated machine into uniform and simultaneous action — to place every branch of the service and every man of the forces in the most suitable position, and to be the central and motive .power of so great a multitude." This writer then remarks, that without this power of command, which gives the strength of 100,000 arms to a single man, it is impossible to carry on war with success.

We are not so presumptuous as to cast blame on individuals ; we are too remote from the scene of action — too little acquainted with the dangers to be encountered, the difficulties to be overcome, to be abkl to say in what the fault consists, or where the blame lies ; but looking to the prodigious efforts which both France and England have made, we cannot help participating in the feeling of disappointment, that so little has yet resulted from them.

Apart from the war, the resiguation of Lord John Russell, as Colonial Minister, is the most important political event to be recorded. His Lordship, it appears, returned from Vienna with a proposal for peace, which his colleagues refused to accept; and the conduct of his Lordship in continuing to retain a seat in the Ministry, and the disclosures made by him on the 6th of July of what had passed between him and his colleagues, has prejudiced greatly his Lordship's character. The new Colonial Minister, it is said, will be Sir William Molesworth .