The Express.
London, England, 1859-07-22 00:00:00

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LONDON. FRIDAY, JULY 22.

A DEBATE on the finances of the country is, just
now, curs to become a debate on our foreign reit-

bony. The doctrine of universal brotherhood re-

ceives among us the most opposite applications. It
has been reserved for the present generation to give
it the most absolute expression, and for some among
us to deduce from it the singular consequence that
with the lot of other nations we have nothing

whatever to do. Our fathers, with a fainter
appreciation of the same sentiment, founded all
foreign policy on the theory of the balance
of power, and were meddlers. But while we
dispute about inferences, the fact itself comes
home to as with the convincing force of fourpence
in the pound. We are not aware of any obligations
of good neighbourhood requiring us to disgu,se
from the world that this last addition to our income-
tax is rendered necessary by the policy of our nes-eat
and greatest neighbours the French. The addition
of millions upon millions to our warl,ke expenditure
is neither a suspicion, nor a challenge, nor a menace,
but it is a precaution. It is made though freely, yet
seriously, with much reflection and many regrets;
but it is also made without passion, and with a sincere
desire for the long continuance of peace.
Mr. DISRAELI, who appears to have arrived at
most hilarious views of the functions of a CHAN-
CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER since the work of putting
on new taxes has been shifted from his shoulders,

recommended last night, as a means of getting mild
the war charges now weighing upon this country,
that we should talk the French EMPEROR into a
reduction of his excessive armaments. The thought
is not original. It is singular that in France people
are talking about our modest armaments as dangerous
to international peaoe. Wnile the right honourable
gentleman was speaking, the submarine telegraph
wee reporting on this side the Channel a fall in the
French Renter, occasioned by an article in the
Journal des Details of the urns day, in which
the additions we are making to our navy
are dwelt on in a disquieting manner.
The French writer, wh w observations have
reached us, after recalling to our minds that the
Debate has always been a warm partisan of the
English alliance, tells ns that he is compelled to be
frank with as, and remind us of some of the condi-
' Hone on which France can continue to remain oar
friend. He commences the enumeration of his griefs
by referring to the recent speeches of Lord LYND-

Urns's% Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIEFE, Lord
ELLENBOROTGII, acd other Peers, in the House of
Lords ; he complains that the possible invasion of Eng-
land from Cherbourg and Brest is no longer a tableau
in the speeches of one or two eccentric character►,
but is treated by responsible public men
with an earnestness and reality which may
tend to dangerous consequences. But it is
not the language of distrust, insult, and menace on
the lips of Tory Peers that most alarms the French
journalist. The Debate is too well informed on all
that relates to English society and English feeling
to be misled ss to the real influence of these per-
eonages, and the politicalforce which they represent.
It is our armaments that are his stone of stumbling
and rock of offence. " That England should take
" up an attitude of armed neutrality against us is
" that which we cannot comprehend, because it is
" that which nothing explain•, nothing justifies."
He defends the large naval armaments of
France—a state which, as well as England, has
" to protect rich and populona coasts, colonies far and
" near, a vast commerce, and her moral influence
" all over the globe." Her army and navy, he affirms,
are not disproportioned to her population, her wealth,
or her greatness. Why then should she be suspected?
Why should England trouble herself about one
vessel more or less fitted out at Brest ? Why should
England vote 12,000,00 W. for her navy ? Will Eng-
land, who advises other nations to disarm, strike out
of her order of the day this programme of menace
and fear, so inimical to the existence of the alliance?
Why call down the lightning from thepassing cloud?
We mast admit that we were not prepared to find
the moat needful increase of our navy made a ground
of complaint on the part of the French. Neverthe-
less if such feelings exist as we have been consider-
log it is better that they should be expressed, and
against the temper in which the Debuts has treated
the subject we cannot say a word. We take the
liberty of offering a few remarks to our contempo-
rary and his countrymen. He will not want the
candour to admit that the interests which France
protects by her fleet have not doubled within the last
six years. Yet we have seen all the energy of an
absolute Government and an uncontrolled ex-
penditure applied to her fleets with such
effect that whereas in 1853 the materiel
of the Britian fleet was superior in the proportion of
two or three to one to that of France, last December
the resources of the French Navy in ships of
the most important classes were equal to those of
England. We do not ask the reason of this enor-
mous increase of a fleet which ander former govern-
ments maintained the honour of France without
being formidable to other countries. We admit it is
for Frenchmen to satisfy themselves as to the amount
of force necessary to protect theii interests and main-
tain the honour of their country ; but we must atthe
manse time claim the right of judging what amount of
counter-preparation these immense forces make neces-
eery on our side, without on that account forfeiting
the character of friends.
The maritime superiority of Great Britain—by
which we mean the ability to make the waters
girding these islands completely secure and to pro-
tect our commerce all over the world—is to us a matter
of life and death. But it is an end we cannot
attain with a navy merely numerically equal to
that of France. The Debates will not com-
pare the extent of the positive interests of
France in distant parts of the world with
those of England. Tile East India station, from
which we have to protect our commerce in the
Chinese Seas and the Eastern Archipelago; the
West African station, the North American and
West India Stevie., the Pacific, the Cape, the Brazil.,