The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-06 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The. following is from a letter, dated yesterday,
6 p. m..—

reaction has already begun. to take place in
public opinion. The hopes which were at once ex-
cited by the announcement of the Emperor of
Russia's death, that peace would be the immediate,
indeed the first result, have diminished ; and people
are gradually opening their eyes to the fact. that,
however the disappearance of so important a per-
sonage from the scene may increase the chances of
it, yet that much has yet to be done beforell we
arrive at the happy consummation. In the first
glow of excitement', Prussia, Austria, and even the
Emperor's journey to the Crimea, hero lost sight of,
but now that the fever has cooled. down, and calm
and sober reflection has returned, it is evident that
the political situation has after all undergone as yet
no:real change, and that until the Fria-itch and English
flags float over the bastions and ramparts of Sebas-
topol, peace• is as remote as ever. .A..s we can hardly
suppose that the present Emperor of Russia, paci-
fically inclined as be may be, will consent to sign
the order for the dismantling of that fortress, which
stands as a permanent menace to Europe and Asia,
and that without its destruction the main object of
the expedition remains unattained, -re e must do the
work ourselves. The intelligence .of the Czar's
death will no doubt be kept concealed as long as
possible from the mere soldiers od the Russian
army, but secresy on such a subject cannot be
always maintained, and demoralisation must
follow. The perplexity of the Gen orals them-
selves will be great, owing to the uncertainty
as to the views of their new master, and the
difficulties which may ensue from the chance
of a disputed succession. But even were
this not the case, the first moment of stupor ;that
follows the announcement of such a casualty would
be most favourable to us. This, no doubt, is the
reason that fresh reinforcements are hastened on
their way to the seat of war; and i E is this day said
that so far from the Emperor's departure being ar-
rested by the news from *, Peter& burg, it is likely

to have a contrary effect, and that the project will
be executed even sooner than was intended.

Intelligence has been received that the Getman
States are by no means willing to admit the pre-
tensions put forth by Prussia respecting the pas-
sage of a foreign army through any part of the
German territory, on the ground that the question
is not one which any single member of the Con-
federation has authority to decide. It is a ques-
tion which belongs to the Diet, and can only be
decided by it.
The liner St. Louis, and the frigate Andromaque,
sailed on the 3d instant from Toulon for Constanti-
nople, with troops and war materiel, and on the fol-
lowing day the steam aviso Toonerre left Marseilles
for the Crimea, with troops and patriotic gifts for
the army. The English steamer City of London, of
600 horse power, arrived at Marseilles on the 3d, to
take on board a body of troops and 325 horses for
the Crimea. Several other English steamers of the
same size were expected at Marseilles. During the
month of February 3,157 soldiers and and 1, 679
horses or mules were embarked in that port for the
asst.

The proceedings of the Committee of Inquiry on
the State of the English army, are regarded here
with much interest. The following are the observa-
tions which they suggest to a Frenchman, M.
Adrian Felim, who has studied, as a military man,
the organisation of the army, and who has advo-
cated for the last 27 years the alliance between
France and England, now so happily subsisting:—
" Representative Government," remarks M. Felim,
" is now to be submitted to an important ordeal. At the
demand of Parliament, a commission has been 'lamed,
the members being selected from the house itself, for the
purpose of inquiring into the causes of the failure
of the English army in the Crimea. The mission is all
the more difficult that it requires quite as much prudence
as capacity, in order to avoid wounding the just suscep-
tibility of honourable men, who may have committed
faults, but whose devotedness and patriotism entitle
them to respect. The investigation of the committee
may apply to questions of various kinds, classified much
in this manner :

"Has the foreign policy of England been conducted
with all tho cagacity, resolution, and activity required
by the circumstances ? Had not the Government itself
too long indulged in unfounded hopes of peace, and is
it not from that cause that fatal delays have taken
place in mililary preparations, and in the operations
of the war Have not alliances with the secondary
Powers been too long neglected Ought it not to
have been considered a question of paramount im-
portance to secure the co-operation of Sweden and
Norway, and could it not have been obtained by
means of subsidies, and by sending, in the first in-
stance, to the Baltic a more numerous army than the
10,000 men who took Bomarsund ? Was it not easy
to make Spain understand, that, menaced as she was
by Carlism and the United States, she had no
alternative but to draw closer her alliance with
England and France ? It is evident that if an alliance,
offensive and defensive as regards Russia, was contracted,
it would have for effect to protect Cana against all
comers. We have also the right to require contingents
from Spain and Portugal on the ground of the Treaty of
the Quadruple Alliance, which has never been abrogated,
and which should, on an occasion like the present, re-
ceive its completest application. What is now done for
Italy, might have been done last year ; and Belgium
might be told that her pretended neutrality, with which
Louis Phillippe allowed himself to be amused, was but a
lure, and that that treaty, like all others, is annulled
the moment war commences.

" The policy of England bas been still weaker and
more imprudent with respect to Poland. It it evi-
dent that the Poles and Tartars must be in the
present struggle our most useful allies, and that their
co-operation in the very heart of Russia would pro-
duce a still greater effect than even that of the Ger-
man Powers. It is quite clear that the English Cabinet
became alarmed at the word Revolution,' and at
the puerile and silly apprehensions, or rather hypocrisy
of the Conservative party in Germany. What prin-
cipally contributed to the catastrophe of 1812 was
the unwillingness of Napoleon I. to resture to
the Grand Duchy of Poland the provinces which
the Russians had appropriated. I wish to make
war on my brother Alexander with courteous
arms,' said the Emperor to M. de Narbonne ;
and wo have all seen what the consequence was
of that 'courtesy.' There is reason to fear that the
Ministry of Lord Aberdeen has imitated too closely that
courtesy, and carried to excess the anxiety to please
the Emperor of Russia. It must, however, be nu.
derstood that, if we content ourselves with the four
articles, if we do not sufficiently weaken the power
of Russia, not by revolutionising her, but by re-es-
tablishing Poland and restoring the other provinces
torn from their legitimate Sovereigns, Europe will be
in a still more critical position than before the war.
Turkey will, no doubt, be saved for the present, but
Germany will be exposed by the rupture of the Holy
Alliance. The conduct of Austria and of the Prussian
people will have left a lively feeling of resentment in
the hearts of the Russians, and the Western Powers
having, as it were, avowed and demonstrated their
weakness, all alliance will thenceforth become impos-
sible. Moreover, it must not he forgotten that Austria
and Prussia are not, like Russia, protected by their geo-
graphical position, and they would be invaded by Rus-
sia much more quickly and more easily than they were
by Napoleon.
" Should the Committee of the House of Commons
admit these facts it will not fail to recommend the new
Ministry to adopt a policy far more energetic than that
of their predecessors."

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