The Sun.
London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

THE WEATHER.--Aux Orims, Jan, 2).
THERMOMETER, 121 THE SHADE
35—highest since noon yesterday.
28 —lowest this morning and during the night.
36—this day, at noon.
BAROMETER, 29'84—falling.
TirrlrD, easterly ; blowing fresh, with cloudy weather and
a slight thaw.

ff,t) rA4-.lt 4,4 A,

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 18551

Russia is said to be quite willing to enter into
any engagement for her future good behaviour,
but she wholly objects to give any bona fide secu-
rities, or to the delivery of "material guarantees."
She will promise anything that may be required,
if only permitted to retain the power of doing
mischief whenever she thinks proper, and per-
petually menacing Turkey from her commanding
position at Sebastopol. It is not for any evil
purpose that she requires this extraordinary and
formidable power ! It is not that she meditates
any future interference with the power of the
SULTAN within his own territories that she has
the most remote notion of assailing Constantinople,
or rendering the Euxine a Russian lake. No !
Such improper and unjustifiable thoughts are far,
very far from her mind. She only objects, be-
cause it would be totally opposed to her long-con-
tinued policy, and derogatory to her dignity to
surrender an inch of territory—to see any por-
tion of her dominions occupied by another Power,
or even to bind herself to limit the number of ships
of war which she may think proper to maintain in
the Black Sea.
Now these are precisely the points on which the
people of England and France are most deter-
mined, and on which their respective Governments
must insist as absolutely indispensable. What-
ever confidence Lord ABERDEEN may re-
pose in the moderation and veracity
of " his friend of forty years' standing "
there are few unprejudiced persons who lend the
slightest credence to his professions, or would trust
to any verbal pledges, no matter how earnest or
unequivocal. The Bear must be muzzled—its
claws must be pared, if wo wish to enjoy perma-
nent peace and tranquillity. As well might a
professional burglar protest against Lord CAMP-
BELL'S salutary Act—which renders the unex-
plained possession of "jemmies," "centre bits,"
and other tools commonly used for the purpose of
housebreaking a crime and misdemeanour—and
declare that it is opposed to the natural liberty
of the subject that he should be required to as-
sign a satisfactory and lawful reason for their
retention as Nrcnou.s complain of a limitation
to his means of offence. Innocent, well-meaning
persons don't indulge in suck toys. They do not
consider it essential to their dignity that they
should be enabled, at any time, to effect
a forcible entrance into the dwellings of
their neighbours. The power of " wrong
doing" is one which may be surrendered without
the slightest infraction of the most perfect
freedom of thought or action ; and it is only men
whose eccentric notions teach them that they
should be allowed " to wallop their own niggers"
when, how, and ,to such extent as they think
proper, that could sympathise with the demand
of Russia to be allowed to maintain such naval
forces in the Euxine as she may deem expedient,
without let or hindrance from other parties.
Let us for a moment consider the effect of such
a license, if the CZAR should exhibit a determi-
nation to resort to it largely, we shall not at
present say " t, abuse" it, for so strong au ex-
pression is not essential to our argument. Sup-
pose the CZAR thought proper to double his
Black Sea fleet—to keep a naval force equal to
that in the Baltic under the walls of Sebastopol,
repaired and renovated, with all its salient points
strengthened, so as to render it really impregnable
—the Western Powers should maintain a fleet of
at least equal strength, prepared to do battle at
the shortest notice with those of the CZAR, and to
defend Stamboul from any aggression. It is the
least that we could do under the circumstances,
not merely for the sake of the Ottoman Empire,
or in the cause of justice, but for our own interests.
Several millions per annum should be added to the
naval estimates for the costs of " the Black Sea
Fleet,"—one that would be farmore expensive than
any other now employed under the British Crown.
This would indeed be entailing a burden on pos-
terity--.a burden far more onerous than the
interest of a loan of ten, twenty, aye, or even
forty millions of money (!) It might not fel]
within the " GLADSTONIAN" denunciation. It
might, according to the views of that rather
crotchetty financier, be all right and proper that
the coming generation should be obliged to in-
crease the national establishments to a vast ex-
tent, provided they are not called on to pay addi-
tional interest. But "the rose by any other name
will smell as sweet," and if." posterity" has to sus-
tain certain fiscal burdens, it won't matter greatly
what may be the mode of application—whether
in liquidation of interest or the maintenance o
an extra fleet.

Now that Parliament is about to assemble, we
have not much fear as to the result of pending
negotiations ; nor do we suppose that even Lord
ABERDEEN will now dare to conclude a Treaty on
terms inconsistent with the honour or safety of
the country. Still it is the duty of public jour-
nalists to direct attention to matters respecting
which the most remote doubt may be entertained ;
and it is also the privilege of independent con-
stituencies to communicate with their respective
representatives, so that no shadow of an excuse
may be possible for any abandonment of former
pledges or dereliction of duty under such vitally
important circumstances.

The operation respecting the New French
Loan has been brought to a conclusion. We
have now learned from the acting Minister of
Finance the almost miraculous results of the Im-
perial appeal to the enthusiastic patriotism of the
high-minded—the glorious people of "La Belle
France !" They are, indeed, stupendous, and,
we believe, wholly
unprecedented in the financial
history of any nation.
A large sum was required. Five hundred
millions of francs was demanded by
bold request ;
NA-
POLEON from his people. It was a Louis
exhibiting the most perfect confidence by the
applicant in himself, as well as in his subjects.
Had there been any weakness in his Govern-
ment—the most trivial screw loose—he would not
have ventured on such an experiment. It is true
that he had last year obtained ten millions
of pounds sterling from the voluntary subscrip-
tions of his subjects—but he had seen the Eng-
lish Chancellor of the Exchequer—" the smart-
est chap" in the Administration of " all the
talents"—fail in the attempt to obtain even two
millions ! He knew that in accordance with the
politico-economical principle, the loan of last
s
year ought, under ordinary circumstances, to have
damaged his prospect of obtaining a further prosad-
vance on equally favourable terms,
But he had

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
TIIIS DAY —Mornirg 11 min.after 3 1 Evening 37 min.aft. 3
I To- mutow -- Morning 59 min.after 3 1 Evening 23 min.aft. 4