The Express.
London, England, 1847-10-07 00:00:00

SHIPPING._

MATTA ARRIVED. Dublin,' 2 ; Waterford, 1; DOWlff-
hadee,l; French, 1; Flanders, 1.
LONDON, Oct 7.—Wind this day at noon, 8.8.8., light
breezes, and cloudy.
DLit, Oct. 6.—N.N.W., sm.; 8.E., p.m.—Arrived:
Cora, Si. John's Newfoundland. Arrived from the river
and sailed : Clara Catherine, fit. Thomas's; Perseverance, St.
John's, N. 8.; Wave, Magadore. Sailed Theodore, St.
Thomas's.

PORTSMOUTH, Ott. 6.—E. to S.S.E., mnally.--Stag, Port
Philip.
PLYMOUTH, Oet.6.—E. to S.E. rtrong.—Arrived: Tuscan,
Shangai ; Pomona, Rio Janeiro. : Sir Edward
Parry, Australia. The Margaret, of Bideford, Carniff to
83 ria, was abandoned on the 30th ult., in let. 60, long 7 ;
mew saved. - -

Br. Mswee, Oct. 4.—Arrired : Crew:eat, Porto Rico. Off
port 3rd, John Key, New York, for Hamburg

LONDON, TIIURSDAY, OCT. 7.
TnERE is not on record any portion of public policy,
at least in our times, which has been so guided by
individual caprice and self-will, against every prudent
motive and rational opinion, as the conduct observed
both by France and by England in the affairs of the
Plata.
Many years back we very wisely interfered to pro-
tect the independence of the province of Monte Video
against the ambitions designs of Brasil. Why, or
how, such a convention should have been wrested into
a stipulation that we were to defend the complete in-
dependence of this little state, even against forming a
very salutary and federal link with the other provinces
of the Plata, we are quite at a loss to comprehend.
To establish the absolute independence of the Uru-
guay became, however, a monomania of M. THIERS,
who saw in it a Basque and semi-French colony, in-
capable of national self-subsistence, and consequently
forced to lean upon foreign aid. M. 'NIERS resolved
that France should furnish that foreign aid, and that
the Uruguay should be to France what Portugal was
said to have been to England—a subservient ally—a
port of disembarkment, and a convenience for int( r-
tering with and influencing the politics of the coun-
tries round.

In this precious scheme M. TIMID; found a warm
and determined opponent in Loris PHILIPPE, who
had more important views nearer home, and who
protested against being drawn into the politics of the
Plata. M. THIERB, however, was determined, and
threatened to resign. Rather than be entangled by
this eschlndre, which would have given popular im-
portance to Monte Video, Louis PHILIPPE acquiesced.
France interfered, and England interfered, in order
not to allow France to interfere alone.
The abortive result of our interference is well
known; M. THlEits himself, frightened at the pos-
sible results of a breach with England in consequence
of the events of 1840, recalled the French force, and
suspended the coercion of ROSA&
M. TRIERS, however, is powerful even in opposi-
tion. And M. Omar, anxious to gratify his political
antagonist at least in one point, and depnve him
of that one source of complaint and declamation,
offered to renew the offensive operations against
Buenos Ayres, provided there was any chance of success.
As M. GUIZOT WAS anxious to humour M. TRIERS, Lord
ABERDEEN was anxious to humour M. GUIZOT and
the French, and to show that, at least on this point,
he bad restored the entente eordiale. The two statesmen
would, nevertheless, have shrunk from the Quixotic
expedition, unless they had reason to hope for its
prompt success. General O'BRIEN, an Irish gentle-
man, who was a proficient in blarney, and for that
reason had been sent over as envoy from Monte Video,
persuaded M. OUIZOT that it was the easiest thing in
life to crash the monster ROSAB, of whom he told and
disseminated stories that made the columns of the
press and the hair of the readers' heads stand on end.
The expedition sailed, and proved in a very shin t
time that General O'BRIEN was one of the cleverest
humbugs that Ireland and diplomacy could have pro
duced. Whilst his respect for the English goverr -
meat, whom he doped, has been shown the other day
by the General's affixing a public placard in the mar-
ket-place of Monte Video, insulting to our envoy and
our admiral. We all remember the promises and feats
of the " little war"—the opening the Parana, or rather
the vain attempt to open it—the inglorious action
with the batteries of Roses—the sack of Colonia by
the mercenaries of Monte Video.

To cut short the narrative, the French and English
governments, mutually ashamed, agreed as to the
necessity of putting an end to this,—they tried the
sending of an envoy, in the confidence of both.
They then recurred to the project of sending two,
both eminent and able men, who might act according
to circumstances, without the necessity of continually
referring each to his court. Unfortunately the French
choice fell on Count WALEwsm, a natural son of
NAPOLEON, connected, indeed, by marriage and
social ties with England, and accustomed to live
with Englishmen, but still strongly inoculated with
TRIERS' exclusive predilections.
Lord HOWDEN was selected by the English go-
vernment Nor could a better choice have been
made for an envoy, who was to use his own dis-
cretion. At the moment of the envoy's starting, the
untoward event of the Spanish marriages came to
disturb the good feelings between the governments
of France and England. And so much sullenness
prevailed on both sides, that Lord 110WDEN west
over himself to Paris in order to come to a clear un-
derstanding with M. GUIZOT and Count IVAtEwsni,
as to the joint object of their mission.
The Daily News, alone of all the London journals, at
the time announced that Lord HOWDEN had failed to
establish a clear and good understanding with the
French government, as to the object of the mission.
And we foretold, in consequence, that the joint mis-
sion would be productive of no satisfactory result.
It would have been better to have delayed sending
the mission, as two such envoys leaving their re-
spective governments, imbued with mutual discon-
tent, were not likely to improve their harmony in
La Plata. It would, however, have looked too like
a breach to have countermanded the mission. The
Count and Lord HOWDEN went out. And we learn
the result—they quarrelled.
We admit that what Lord HOWDEN proposed was
little less than abandoning all the long cherished aims
of France. The setting Monte Video free to elect its
chief, would probably have led to the elevation of
ORIBE, the exile of the foreign mercenaries, and tho
dissolution of the French legion. The navigation of
the Parana under the Argentine flag, though all that
should be required, was not what European arrogance
hitherto insisted on. In short, whilst we uphold that
Lord Hownes'e proposals were the only rational
ones, we still admit they must have been galling to
the French envoy, who was the friend of M. Tutees.
Accordingly Count WALEWBEI has hied home in a
hurry, where, if cast aside by the minister, he and M.
Tutees may get up no trifling_ agitation against
the infamy of abandoning the Monte Videans, and
the allowing England to settle the affairs of the Plata
in her own way. M. Geizor would rather spend
half a million and equip a fleet, than expose himself
to such an outcry, with the session about to open in
two or three months.

Our own government is probably divided upon
as upon one or two other questions, and espe-
cially as to the merits of diplomatists. Whilst Lore
PALMERSTON would probably support to the last the
spirit of Sir EDMUND LYONS, Mr. HENRY BULWER,
and Lord HOWDEN, other members of the cabinet,
whilst admitting the worth and excellent conduct of
those envoys, still think it prudent to rocall them,
and, in Lord HOWDEN'S case, even disavow.
This is impossible, however the Miles may hint at,
and even sanction it. If an envoy was wasting to
was
policy,not sodihe oeb en
vyoyM
to. nth Evu se '
cfhnosee n
nd,.
'l4llisfolirdolwoirdshi°uwpiDppaSEiaNt a diplomatist quite capable of cautious
judgment and spirited action, and what he has done
lie has well done. Let us abide by his decision, and imi-
tate the Americans in declaring, that non-interference is