The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-31 00:00:00

SPORTING ISTTELLIOENCR.

A SPECIAL EDITION of the "EXPRESS,"
containing the results of the day's Races, is pub-
lished every evening during the Sporting Season, kt
sia o'clock.

PEOPLE who judge for themselves and are not
misled by declamation, have long siuce made up
their minds as to the Cherbourg festivities. It I.
possible, however, that there may still be here and
there a few well-meaning and conscientious men
who are half-inclined to look upon the QUEEN'S
VIER Se something between a trap and a humiliation
for England. To this class of persons we would
address a few words.

Those who deem that the mind and policy of the
Emperor NAroLLoN are fraught with deep and de-
termined hostility to England, and that the comple-
tion of the works of Cherbourg forms a portion of
that policy, must admit that the first aim of the
EMPEROR must bete arouse the spirit of the military,
and excite the old animosities of the French people
against us. There is a war party in every country,
and in France no doubt there are soldiers and specu-
lators to whom a war with England would be pro-
fitable and pleasing. The cue of the EMPEROR, were
his policy what is supposed, would be to gratify
this party, give it influence and importance, and
place himself at the head of a crusade against
"Perfidious Albion."

A more complete damper ;mold not be given to this
party, than that administered by the Imperial
invitation to Queen VICTORIA to grace the fetes of
Cherbourg by her presence. It was impossible to
devise • more crushing blow to the rising hopes
of the anti•Engliah and pro-Rnedan intrigue's,
than the substitution of the English Court for a
Russian fleet, at the great naval festivities so long
announced. Supposing, indeed, that the French
nation, or any considerable portion of it, were
eniniated by hostile feelings towards this country,
the act of the Emperor NAPOLEON in inducing Queen
VICTORIA to witness the opening of his great naval
port and dockyard would prove far more detrimental
to himself and his popularity than dangerous to the
rival nation or humiliating to the royal guest.
A weak and narrow Bottsrsarn Prince, trembling
for his popularity and power, would not have ven-
tured to take such a step—a step so far more likely
to be construed as weakness or backsliding in him,
than as over-courtesy and credulity on the part of
England. The step, taken by NAPOLEON the
Twat), is one of courage and generosity ; for it cer-
tainly thwarts the wishes of his too ardent partisans.
The most entitle ingenuity cannot devise what the
Faumaos could gain by such a coarse of proceed-
ing, on the supposition that he was insincere. The
more rational, or rather the only rational, conclusion
is, that the courtesy of NAPOLEON u sincere ; that
he wishes to smooth away whatever feeling of
suspicion or irritation may have been caused by his
naval aresamenti ; and that kir seeks to throw a
veil of oblivion over the exasperation produced in
both countries by the consequence* of the explosion
of February last

Unfortunately the Governments of Europe are
mere sad more dependent upon armies' for the
strength sad solidity of their internal systems.
Amiss, therefore, are receiving attention and deve-
lopment. But, on the whole, the military labours
of the time are directed to defence, more than to
offence. And this is done by looking forward far
beyond the reach of present probabilities. England is
patting the Channel Islands in a state of defence,
and arming her coasts. France inaugurates the port
of Cherbourg. In Flanders Belgium is extending
the fortifications of Antwerp, as France is extending
those of Lille. The extension in both cases was
rendered neceseery by the growth of the
towns. Lille was stifled within its old ramparts. The
enlargement of these towns will metamorphose them
from fortresses intended to protect a division or a
small garrison, into entrenched camas capable of
containing armies. This is allowed to be an advance
in the science of defensive war, and consequently
new obstacle to sodden campaigns of conquest and
rapid invasions. But we cannot think that the indr
I-residence of Belgium is rendered in the least more
idsoet-lived or mere insecure by the new bastions of
Lille, than the coast of Sussex is imperilled by the
breakwater of Cherbourg.

/r►i sae►e Ames: it is, as it always hag
been, the maddest, the strongest, the most unap-
peasable of appetites; the impulse that builds
up or pulls down empire., and floods the
wilderness with a sudden population. There they
are in that wild wide West, pouring in one geld-
hungering tide of thousands and tens of thousands
into the hitherto unknown desolation beyond the
Rocky Mountains, for which our Legislature has just

manufactured a government and extemparier-d a
MEM. British Columbia, at the present moment, is
probably overran by a horde dome fifteen or twenty
tlionmad Californians ; and 00,e111431r DOUGLAS,
with his little staff of Hndsoo's Bay official, finds
onitiouly thrust upon him the task of preserving law
nal eider amid a nation of diggers, let loose in a
rash rpm a wild population a Indians. Harder
bilk Mortal governor surely never had assigned to
►ta, but he NOM to have accepted it cheerfully and
nomfally. Steaming up Fraser's River from Fort
Langley to Fort Yale, just below the first rapids;
sheered by the miners as his boat forced her way
against the rapid stress of the swollen and turbid
waters, the prompt and active Governor proemial
at moo to establish a truly British institation.
He appointed Custom-house officers, and gave no-
tice of his intention to require every miner
to take oat a license, for which he was
to pay fins dollars a month. A well-intended in-
stitution this, no doubt ; but not so easy, one fancies,