The Express.
London, England, 1862-11-18 00:00:00

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BRITANNIA-
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LONDON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 18.

T.S.E determination of the British Government
set to accept the Frau& proposal of a mediation
Americo was abundantly justified by the rea
sons assigned in Lord Rusamx's despatch to Lord
COWLEY ; but it is satisfactory to see its wisdom
still further vindicated from day to day. Pubbc
opinion, otherwise distracted and divided on Awe-
sican affairs, iscomposed and intelligent on this. Eng-
lishmen of the most opposite sentiments agree that
'the measure recommended by the French EMPEROR
-would have been useless and positively mischievous.
The language of the independent press of Paris
proves that this is also the opinion of the enlightened
.clasees•in France. The summary of the Russian
note tsmismitted by telegraph shows us the Cabinet
of St. Petersburg arriving, by its independent
deliberations, at a conclusion identical with
'that of our own Government. If after thi%
•demonstration of opinion it pleases the
French Government to state in the Mimiteur that
the policy of the EMPEROR had triumphed, and
that it will soon be adopted by England and
Russia, wo can only explain the assertion by
the natural desire of the EMPEROR to
conceal the extent of his own isolation. We
shall probably never know for what purpose
he desired our participation in a project which bore
futility on its very face, and was by its very nature
a move towards an advanced diplomatic por.tion,
in which, without the means of retreat, we should
have been very much at the mercy of an unscru-
pulous companion. But whether it was that our co-
operation was wanted to lend an indirect sanction to
the filibustering schemes already set on foot by
Loris NAPOLEON on the American continent, or that
some more signal distinction was reserved for us,
we may be glad that we have a Government
which, under circumstances of great temp*A.ion, has
had the firmness to remain true to rectitude and
sound policy.

Thediscussi on which the note of M. Dam, IN i
DE Laura has undergone has had the effect of 1
divesting the French proposal of its pre- I
tended character of neutral, friendly me- ,
diation, and exhibiting it as • deci-
sive movement, intended to commit England
and Russia, indirect'y but inevitably, to that re-
cognition of Southern independence which nether
of them is inclined to make in an explicit manna
The proposal that the two Powers should join ,
France in recommendlng an armistice—which has ,
been universally pronounced by pub'ic opinion to ,
be truly a war expedient of the highest value to ,
the South, but most destructive to the military
power of the North—suffieently shows this. Not- •
withstanding the sanguine tone of the Mouiteur,
we do not think the attempt will soon be repeated,
and the Emperor of the Famveir will be left to
pursue his secret projects alone.
It is very remarkable—and it is remarked—
that while the public has watched the recent
course of diplomacy on this subject with the in-
tensest interest, the leaders of the Conservative
Opposition have maintained a death-like silence.
This may agree with their notions of party pru-
dence, but it does not, we think, correspond to the
ideas of public duty generally held by their country-
men. Even on party grounds we doubt the wisdom
of reserve under present circumstances. It is the
part of an English political leader to speak out
boldly in a crisis like the present. Does Mr.
DISRAELI believe that, in the language of the daily
organ of his party, Lord Russzia, in declining the
French proposal, has " mocked the hopes and
" insulted the misery of half a million of starving
"labourers"? Does he think the English Govern-
ment has by the same act committed "one of the
" most foolish and unpardonable of political
" crimes" known to history f Does he believe
that Lord PALMERSTON and his colleagues are at
this time distinguishing themselves by " cold-
" blooded cruelty and pusillanimous betrayal of
" duty " ? If so, surely he ought not to have
waited for the meeting of Parliament to make his
harrowing convictions known. If he believes a tenth
part of all this he should have spoken out boldly.
Should he be disposed to hold a brief from the
French EMPEROR next February, it will be remem-
bered while invective grows strong and allusion
doubly mysterious, that when all other public men
and most private men were proclaiming their
opinion about the duty of England in this crisis,
the Conservative leaders alone withheld the benefit
of their counsel.

IN view of the great, and to many persons un-
expected, success achieved at Shoeburynesa last
week by Mr. WHITWORTH, it becomes desirable to
estimate as nearly as possible the new conditions
under which the victory of guns over plates has
placed the most vital questions of naval archi-
tecture. We must, indeed, anticipate that any