Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-27 00:00:00

reliable in practice, as it is rational in principle.
"Material, interests on one side, and liberal ideas
on the other, tend. incessantly to draw the two
countries closer to each other." And this in
spite of a remnant of rancour and rivalry which
still sub,ists ; though more, perhaps, in a latent
than in an aggressive state. We do believe that
it is quite possible very greatly to subdue, if not
wholly to overcome that feeling in both countries;
and probably in no way could it be so
readily and effectually done, as by really
drawing the people into closer intercourse with
each other. There are • many circumstances—
not 'the least of which is there being
different languages -- which tend to keep
the French and English too much apart. Did
they know and understand each other better,
there is no doubt that a better, feeling would soon
be found to subsist., Let us, then, endeavour to
set an example, in this direction. Let Englishmen
avail themselves of every opportunity for paying
attention, to, their French, neighbours; and striv-
ing to cultivate with them a good understanding.
Nothing," we are aware, will contribute More 'to
further such an
,object as- this, than commercial
intercourse; and 'one of the best strokes of policy
which the British .Government could,t at such a
moment as this, display, would be to reduce the
dutieS on French wines, and thereby giie en-

couragement to a mere extended trade between
the two countries than has yet existed. It is
said that the French are jealons of the commer-
cial greatness and prosperity of England. But such
a prejudice as this is quite opposed to every sound
view of Freneh'inteiests.. It is not that the French
attach so much importance to trade as we do,—
if they did, and pursued an , honest rivalry with
us, they would have a much more correct idea of
our national character and policy. Justly does
the Saturday _Review observe, that " when. France
understands herself better, she will understand
England better... At; *Sent, she reads. EhgliSh
policy by the help of ..her own aggressive and
conquering vocabulary, and consequently mis-
tranSlates, every page of it. More accUrafely
informed, 'she will see how completely industrial
interests take precederice' of every other consi-
deration in the view of English statesmen:"

There is another error, too, which our contem-
pordiff)Ointiout iaaniel;*; of itif•POsfiii that
the commercial profits: of any one nation are lost
to the rest of the world. "So long," it is well
remarked, " as this error lasts, the feeling inspired
by the prosperity of England will simply be a
wish to transfer it to, Frans!, andt consequently,
a desire to substitute ,F.rance for England in the

various fastnesses which are seen to be somehow
connected with the success of British enterprise.
An English war would, accordingly, be popular,
because there is a loose and ignorant opinion
abroad that France would be the richer, as
well as the greater, by. the spoliation of
the richest community on earth." And
no doubt it is such an opinion as this, that
continually feeds that flame
.of national hostility
to England, which has not yet died out amongst
the French people, Let it be our part, then, as
Englishmen, to combat such an opinion, in every
friendly manner that may be found practicable,
in our intercourse with the French. We can
well afford to do this. It were an honourable
part for us to act, this of instructing our
neighbours as to their duty and their interest ;
while our reward would be great indeed, should
such instruction lead to that better understand-
ing between the two people, on which not only
the interests of peace and good-will, but those of

their mutual prosperity and happiness, so ma-
terially depend. _

THE LATEST NEWS.

LBY BRITIM AND MIER MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH.]
FRANCE. •

THE EMPEROR AND THE POPE.
PARIS, Dec. 26.

The Constitutionnel of to-day,in an article signed
by its principal editor, says the Times is per-
fectly correct in considering the pamphlet, "Le
Pape et le Congres," as a political expression of
the good understanding and conciliation between
France and England. The Constitutionnel congra-
tulates itself on this result, as it is necessary that
the two great nations of the west remain united

in the interest of civilisation and of the Euro-
pean equilibrium.
THE FRENCH FUNDS.

PARIS, Monday.
12 10 p.m.—The markets open dull,. but with-
out any material change ; prices, Rentes 70 35.
3 25 p.m.—The final quotation of Relates is
70 10, being a decline of 30 centimes since
Saturday.