The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-08 00:00:00

last 13 years ofAundisturbed Danish rule in the
Duchies, a rule which was tolerably, some say in-
tolerably, strict, not one single newspaper in
Sohleswig-Holstein advocated the Danish view ?
2dly, How it was that during that time the Duchies
had failed to obtain anything like a majority in
either Parliament ? and, 3dly, How it was that,
while the political refugees now returning from
Germany are everywhere welcomed by the inha-
bitants of the Duchies, the Danes had at all times
met with a very bad reception ? Baron BUNSEN
did not perceive that the answer to some of these
queries have exactly the contrary efftct to what
he intended, It is scarcely "an intolerably strict
rale '' which permits the whole power of the press
to be directed against the Government. The Prue.
sian journals of last year might tell a very di'',
ferent story, but the first movement of a despot
is to curb the power of the press. Where that is
left free and unfettered there is little reason to
apprehend an oppressive administration. In the
second place, it is not very clear on what greunds
two provinces of a kingdom should expect
or wish for a majority in its united councils.
Englishmen would certainly not be well pleased
if the chief proportion of their representatives were
Scotch or Irish, not from any prejudice against
their fellow-subjects, but because such a Parlia.
meat would not fairly represent the nation. As for
the political refugees returning from Germany in a
time of excitement, when the Germans are masters
of the field, and when everything German is the
order of the day, it is not very likely that they
would meet with other than a favourable reception.
Baron BUNSEN tells us that the greater number of
the young Schleswig-Holsteiners are sent to the
German colleges—another fact which looks oddly
enough, considering the severity of the Danish rule.
Baron BUNSEN is not much happier in his replies
than in his questions. He gave, he said, " the moat
unqualified contradiction" to the charges, that the
object of the war had only been obtained by num•
bers, that the Danes had been treated with cruelty,
and the Schleswig-Holsteiners with harshness, and
that the King of PRUSSIA meant to keep the coun-
try for himself. The Baron frankly admitted that
he did not approve of the preponderance of Austria
and Prussia in the affair; but he was absolutely
certain that the King of PRUSSTA never entertained
for a moment such a shameful idea. Baron BUNSEN
is one of the members of the Prussian opposition.
If all his fellows were equally credulous, M. Von
BISMABK will have an easy time of it. Perhaps he
has not seen a significant paragraph which wax
going the round of the journals, in reference to a
change in the advisers of the Doke of AUGUSTEN•
BURG, with a view to a close connection between
Prussia and the Duchies. There are more things
in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in Baron
BUNSEN'S philosophy, but certainly his idea in some
points are novel and striking. He says of the extor-
tionate levies that the money was mostly spent in
the country it was taken from, so that the in•
habitants were better off than before. To what
school this aphorism belongs is not clearly apparent,
but it is as good an excuse as any other. " The in-
habitants of the Duchies think themselves very
cheaply delivered from their oppressors," but the
address to the Danish KING the other day did not
indicate much content. As for the charge of
cruelty, Baron BUNSEN is forced to turn the tables
upon England, and to rush wildly from Kegosima
in 1864, to NELSON at Copenhagen in 1807, to
prove either that the English are cruel, or that the
Germans are not; but which is his meaning is not
very clear. He paid a tribute to the bravery and
readiness for war of the Prussian army, and hints
that after all the Germans would not be such a bad
match for the French. In fact, their superb
triumph over poor unaided little Denmark, who is
behind the age, not in courage, but in military skill
and appliances, seems to turn the heads of the wise
Prussians, who seem to regard the subjection of
Sonderborg as another siege of Sebastopol—while
in the open fitld, Salamanca and Vittoria were
nothings to their victories. We omit Waterloo,
because everybody knows the Prussians won it,
and the English only looked on. Bat Baron
BUNSEN, though doubtless he inherits many of
those talents that made his father's fame, has not
succeeded in the art of proving that black is white;
and we give hi n credit for believing a further ac-
quaintance with the intentions and policy of
Prussia will considerably modify his opinion of
the case.

The reports which continue to be received from
various quarters respecting the progress of the
cotton cultivation give us every reason to anticipate
its steady advancement. The success has, of course,
varied in the different places in which the experi-
ment has been made, having in some instances far
exceeded expectation, and in others from unfavour-
able weather, parasitical insects, deficiency of la-
bour, and other drawbacks, it has by no means
fulfilled the hopes of the sowers. Altogether the
prospect is satisfactory, and it is gratifying that
in many quarters they are preparing themselves
for a possible competition with American cotton,
so that there will be less likelihood of future dis-
appointment and abandonment of the scheme. It
has been proved by the researches made in conec -
quence of the present demand for the raw material
that cotton is indigenous in many places. At the
recent meeting of the Cotton Supply Association
a letter was read from Buenos Ayres, stating that
in the province of Corrientes and in the Grau
Chaco wild cotton grows in the greatest abundance.
Millions of pounds could, it is said, be gathered
with very little trouble or expense, but no one
takes the trouble to do so. This is surely worth
further inquiry, since if the account received is but
half true, it promises a most valuable source of
supply. That it is not entirely illusionary is proved
by the fact of a quilt and a sample of the cotton
of which it is made being forwarded to
the Association. We shall probably learn
from a future meeting what is thought
of this production, and what is the estimated value
of the cotton. At all events a soil
which grows
cotton of any sort spontaneously
can hardly be
otherwise than favourable to the cultivation of the
better kinds, so that we may hope a valuable field
will be opened in this quarter. The success of
the experiment in the Bahamas has been very
striking. Long Island is said to be covered with
cotton fields, 900 or 1,000 acres being now planted
with it, instead of only 130 as was the case when
the last report was sent. One man, who planted
some cotton in the spring of last year, had no
assistance but that given by his own children, ex-
cepting on one day when he hired a man for 2s.
This planter has since sold his cotton for £125. The
only difficulty arises from want of labour, but it is
thought something might be done to remedy this
evil, in this and the neighbouring islands, by assist
ing the poor white population of Barbadoes to
emigrate thither. In Syria the cotton crop has been
much damaged by a caterpillar which has, it is said,
destroyed 30 per cent. of the plants, but about
80,000 bales will still be left. In Salonica a strong
wind had proved unfavourable, but the crop has, in
the opinion of competent observers doubled since
last year. In other parts of the Turkish empire
great efforts are being made, bat the tax gatherers
often hamper the progress of the experiment. At
all events there is no lack of exertion and enter-