The Sun.
London, England, 1864-12-09 00:00:00

oessful by its influence abroad. Tills Volunteer
movement has impressed the powers of Europe
more than any other event has done with the in-
fluence and the power and the irresistible strength
of England. It is, indeed, most fortunate that
such an event should have occurred of late years,
for we need something to vindicate our national
character, after the scandalous manner in which
our administrators have held it up to the eyes of
surrounding nations. Nothing could have more
forcibly impressed the foreign states than the spec•
tacle of unity ao fully revealed in this movement,
and it also proved that the spirit of England was
nit extinct, but could at any requisite moment rise
to meet tha emergency. There can be no doubt
that had not this great demonstration been
made, we should by this time have
been put to serious inconvenience in some
shape or other by the insidious designs and the bold
attempts of unscrupulous allies or covert foes. Sir
J. PAICINGTON alluded to another striking advan%
tage in this force, which was that it bound all
classes together in unity. Whatever may be their
political differences or their class divisions, in this
undertaking they meet on neutral ground, one in
spirit and sentiment, to defend the rights of their
common country. Also we notice here men■
tioned one of the chief characteristics of this affair,
the zeal and rapidity with which the force was in-
augurated, which of itself was a warning to foreign
Powers that they could not easily mistake to profit
by. Doubtless some of those sage statesmen who
regulate affairs in distant lands believed that the
English were slow to settle any matter not inti-
mately associated with trade and commerce, but
they must have recognised their mistake when,
almost instantly as it were, they found the peaceful
land covered with preparations for war. In some
respects it reminds one of the striking scene in the
" Lady of the Lake," where RHODERIC DIRT waves
his hand and discloses to the astonished Saxon the
magnificent array of "Ben Ledi's living side," that
more surprised was FITZJAMES when he saw

"That every tuft of broom gave life
To plaided warriors armed for strife,"

than were our friends and allies across the Channel
and on the Continent of Europe at our display. Sir
J. PAKINGTON declared that he thought it one of
the proudest days of English history when, shortly
after the Volunteer force was thought of, twenty
five thousand men defiled before the QUEEN,
showing already in that short period of
time a discipline and an organisation which
astonished even the warmest admires of that move-
ment. The right hon. baronet very properly cen•
anted those who criticised this undertaking, and
said that it was unwise to arm every man and let
him know how to use his musket. This is very
forcibly shown to be a mistake, and, on the con.
trary, that nothing is more likely to conduce to the
general peace and prosperity of the country than
uniting all classes together in unity to resist the
encroachments of the enemy. It is astonishing
what errors persons will fall into who get crotchets
into their heads, and it is therefore satisfactory that
one so well calculated to express an opinion as Sir
J. PAKINGTON should come forward to denounce
the mistakes as mischievous in their tendency and
unfounded in their origin. It is carious that so
little opposition has been made to this movement,
considering the many who are involved in it one way
or another, and this proves that what is here said of
its united principle is true, for the Volunteer move.
ment is a thoroughly national one to all intents and
purposes, and thus it would be out of character
if it were not so recognised and appreciated. Still
the general absence of awkward feelings is a proof
that great care and caution have been exercised by
all who have had a prominent part in its inaugura-
tion, and the success which has now crowned its
efforts is no mere chance, but because the under.
taking was strictly i❑ conformity with the spirit of
the age, and appealed to the genius of the people it
represented.

The inconveniences and dangers of London
streets are necome so apparent that continual efforts
are being made to relieve the extreme pressure.
Not only are the busy City thoroughfares becoming
every day more liable to stoppage and blockade, but
even the pleasure loving, idle West has troubles
and dangers of its own, one of them being so glar-
ing as to necessitate immediate reform. Reforms
of all kinds, however, are, as we know, very easy to
tattle about, but very difficult to obtain ; and ac-
cordingly the Park•lane improvement, much as it
has been discussed, seems as far off as ever. The
Metropolitan Board of Works have, as in duty
bound, taken up the matter energetically, naturally
expecting that the Crown and the Government
would meet them half way in their efforts to im-
prove the Metropolis and to benefit the public. In
this anticipation they appear to have been griev-
ously mistaken, judging from Mr COWPER'S recep.
tion of their deputation on Monday last. The First
Commissioner expressed his satisfaction at the
Board's having taken the matter in hand, remark-
ing upon the great inconveniences attending the
present crowded state of Park-lane, where he had
heard that it was a common thing for accidents to
happen daily. When it came, however, to the con'
sideration of ways and means a change came over
him, and the one point on which he insisted through-
out the interview was that the Crown, far from
assisting in the improvement, should have full corn.
pensation for any property taken or affected by the
alterations. He could make no suggestions as to
the best way of carrying out the scheme, he
would give no opinion as to its merits;
his thoughts were centred on the one point
which appeared to him of most importance—
the money must come out of the pockets of the rate.
payers, and the Board need neither expect monetary
assistance from the Government nor relinquishment
of rights from the Crown. When the discomfited
delegates ventured to remonstrate against this hard
sentence, they were satirically reminded that Lon-
don was a wealthy city, and ought to be broken up
if it could not find money for sodesirable an improve.
ma. One of the members observed that it was
not that the Board and the metropolis could not give
the money, but that they did not wish to tax the
ratepayers more heavily. To this Mr CowrEß
turned a deaf ear, merely saying that the Crown
would be bound to claim compensation for any re-
versionary interest, which was not encouraging.
The Crown, he said, was in the same position as
any other landowner, but it is surely natural to
suppose that the Crown has a greater interest in
the welfare of the metropolis than a private indi-
vidual. Mr CONFER has shown himself a very
vigilant guardian of the Crown rights, but it is to
be questioned whether he is quite so faithful a re•
presentative of the rights of the people, and he
should remember that ho is a public servant as well
as a guardian of Cre-rn pr op The ratepayers
of the metropolis are already taxed heavily enough,
and of late additions have been made to the general
burdens for objects of public benefit, such as the
abolition of toll-gates, &c. This is quite fair and
I proper, but it is too much to say that they are not
I only to bear the whole burden of making
this expensive alteration, but to compensate
the Crown for all reversionary interests.
Park•lane is a very important thoroughfare,
though not at all constructed in a manner suitable
to-an exteueivatrao. Its soother, end especially