The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-03 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 1864.

The Foreign Policy, respectively, there of France,
here of England, has very recently, has within the
last few days, has almost we had said within the
last few hours, received a rather startling illustra-
tion. An illustration, in each instance, indicative—
to the comprehension of the whole world—of the
influence won by that contrasting Foreign Policy
to the two Governments. The influence of France
is thereby demonstrated—again—not for the first,
but yet once more—to be very considerable. The
influence of England is thereby, on the contrary,
shown with frightful vividness—for the first
time—to be infinitessimal, to be invisible, to be
whoiely inappreciable, if not absolutely non-existent.
-Of-the success of the Foreign Policy of France, of
the brilliant success of that Foreign Policy—it is
Mexico that has afforded this latest illus-
tration. Of the failure of the Foreign
Policy of England, of the utter and ignominious
Foreign Policy—it is Der. mark that
failure of that Forei
yields (to a nicety just precisely at the some
no less conspicuous illustration.
moment) this
Mexico, the state of things in Mexico, the progress
of the newly inaugurated Government of Mexico,
the rehabilitation, thew, by French influence, upon
an entirely new basis, of the polity, of the com-
merce, of the administrative and legislative institu-
tion 0! Mexico (no longer as a chaotic Republic,
but as a well-ordered, or what is evidently fast be-
coming, a well-orcierea Empire, under the rule of
the Austrian Archduke recently transformed into
the Emperor MAxneue.ax)—each and all of these,
mail atter mail, are affording conclusive testimony
of the Triumph won by the Foreign Policy of
France, on the opposite shores of the Atlantio,undee
the astute direction of that Foreign Policy really
by NAPOLEON 111,, eiteneib;y by his _Minister o:
State, M. DRonyN DE L'HUYS. According to the
last Etdvices received from Mexico,
under date the
ultimo, the new order of thingq, there, ie
that newly reorganised Country, that country
only just now recovered from the bouleversement
resulting from a prolonged revolutionary epoch, the
new order of things there, according to these last
accounts, from the actual scene, yonder, of these
Gallic transformations, is in the highest degree
satisfactory—is satisfactory beyond even the most
s Ingo:J:1e expectations. From Mexico there re-
turns now not only a large proportion of the French
army of occupation but, simultaneously with the
return of these TiotoTious soldiers, there Come

b ►ck to France 5,000,000 dollars. This illus-
teation, therefore, of the success, the bril•
liant and indubitable success, of the foreign
policy of France—the illustration just now
drawn froth Mexico of the, conspicuous triumph
of that policy—is not only complete in its
way, it is twofold. There in Mexico, France
has proved victorious, both in arms and diplo•
macy. Whereas, the illustration derived from
Denmark of the utter failure of the for-
eign policy of England, is an illustration also
of a twofold character, but, alas ! how completely
different. The result of that Foreign Policy, as
applied to the affairs of Denmark, has been, not as
with the French Foreign Policy in the off lira of
Mexico, a building-up, but on the contrary, in
every sense, a most disastrous pulling down. His-
tory will relate it. History is already relating it.
Whatever the paltering majority of eighteen may
have declared to the contrary in the British House
of Commons--History has already declared, or is
even now at this moment declaring, that the name,
the fame, the reputation, the glory, the influence of
England, as affected for good or for evil by the
issue of her Foreign Policy, have been marred,
flawed, tarnished, degraded, however you may
care to express it, by the lamentable results just now
of that Foreign Policy of hers as applied within
the last few months to the affairs of Denmark.
Have they not ? Let these results themselves—
as they are now only too well known to us—answer,
and answer conclusively. And those results—What,
in a few miserable words, are they ? They are these
—that, under the benign aegis of the Foreign Policy
of England—Denmark our ally, Denmark who
but little more than a year ago gave her fairest
daughter, in wife, to the young Prince who is heir
to this our ancient sovereignty, that Denmark,
of all the countries of Europe, within the
last very few months, under the benign
regis of the Foreign Policy of Eagland, has been
invaded by the monstrously superior forces
of Austria and Prussia, has lost largely both in
blood and in treasures, has been cloven down to the
dust under the brutal heels of her German assail-
ants, and has now, as her only escape from total
destruction, had violently torn from her grasp very
considerable portions of her territory, the whole of
Schleswig, of Holstein, of Lauenburg ! England
standing by the while—never once striking a
blow in her behalf—expending only for a time, and
at uncertain intervals, a few big empty words (of
threats to Germany, of eacouragement to Den-
mark) but eventually hushing even these
at the last, while meanly looking on,
"quite chap fallen" during this partial dismem-
berment of the Danish Kingdom ! Such are those
two widely contrasting illustrations—hero of the
Foreign Policy of England, there of the Foreign
Policy of France. " Look on this picture, and on
this!"—yonder in Mexico—yonder in Denmark!

England is at the present moment at peace, and
under the rule of the Ministers who for the time
hold office every endeavour will be made and every
humiliation submitted to to avoid plunging into a
war. But the very fact that it has been declared
England will not go to war —that her councils are
swayed by a peace-at-any-price party—that her
pledges shall not be maintained, and her allies de-
serted for fear of involving the country in a contest
with some Continental Power—may at any moment
bring about the catastrophe which it is endeavour-
ing to avoid. The belief that England may be
insulted and bullied with impunity may any day
lead same foreign Power or combination of Powers
to act in such a manner as to leave this country no
alternative but render war inevitable. In such a
contingency in what state of preparation would
England enter upon the contest ? Our army is in
a fair condition for service, it is supplied with field
ammunition second to none, and the rank and file
have been trained to the use of a first-class rifle;
and in the absence of the troops 150,000 disciplined
Volunteers would be ready to defend our shores and
repel any hostile attack. Our armour-plated Navy
is considered the strongest in the world, and so it is
probably, in so far as its defensive armour is cone
cerned. We grant that it would be difficult fcr an
enemy to sink and destroy the Warrior, Black
Prince, or Royal Sovereign ; but, on the other hand,
could any of these vessels inflict any serious damage
upon ships armed even as the Gloire. It is admitted
that for penetrating the Navy is not provided with
any guns which are superior to the old 68-pounder.
It will naturally be asked what has been the use of
the five years' experiments at Shoeburyness ; and
if this statement be true, why has the public been
deluded with the accounts of the wonderful per-
formances of the 150 and 300 pounders against all
conceivable kinds of targets, and the answer is that
the Ordnance Committee are endeavouring to ascer-
tain what gun possesses the greatest power of penetra-
tion, the greatest range, and the greatest accuracy.
Their object does net seem to be to provide a useful
gun for the navy, but rather to decide scientifically
between the respective claims for superiority, rival
inventors, any of whose guns are more than equal
to the exigencies of the service. We do not come
plain of the protracted trials at Shoeburyness,
although there can be no doubt that much time and
money are expended too often for inadequate results.
We admit that it is highly necessary to test the
merit of all guns in every possible manner, but we
certainly consider that the requirements of the
moment should be attended to before elaborate and
tedious experiments are entered upon. The eatab-
liehment at Shoeburyness has become an important
one; it may be considered, says the United Service
jragazthe as a little martinet. There are barracks
for 7jo men, besides officers' quarters for the coma
pany, and staff officers', instructors', sergeants',
married men's quarters, hospital, gun sheds, drill
house, stores, and commissariat, covering many
acres of ground. These i 5 incessant firing of guns
from morning till night. Now it is firing twelve
pounders for ordnance, and seventy pounders and
nine inch guns, and some other kinds of projec-
tiles as fast as they can be loaded, and relays of
men are necessarily required, as it is hard work.
From all this expenditure of time and money no
doubt important results are obtained, at least theo-
retically speaking, for practically the service has
gained little except the adoption of the Armstrong
field guns which were recommended for service in
1858 after short but satisfactory experiments. 'why
pin 1864 should not heavy armour-piercing guns be
recommended for the Navy ? Why, while the
pending controversy between the Armstrong and
Whitworth guns is dragging slowly along, while
protracted trials arc being carried on with 90 poun-
which have been proved just heavy enough
n
penetrate strong targets,
d oe
ers t ,
are the 150 and 300
pounders neglected ? We know what guns can
penetrate even six and a-half inches of iron, and
yet we needs must wait until the best of
good guns, ail fit for service, has been decided
name of common sense,
upon. Why, in the
cannot orders be given for the construction of a
reasonable number of 150 and 300 pounders?
upon ARAISTRONG or WentiwoßTH's system of
rifling. Both are good, and therefore both might
be adopted. It is not, after all,
so much the system
of rifling as the construction of the gun, that is of
real importance, and the Government possess ail the
requisite machinery at Woolwich for their construc-
tion, to do likewise the Elswick ComeaDY) at Nell"

castle. Sir W. ARMSTRONG'S coil system of cons
strutting guns has proved a success, and without
disparaging Mr. WHITWORTH'S plan of construct-
ing guns, by a succession of hoops, the former plan
seems to be the one, as yet, in greatest favour, and
might be safely adopted. All of the most success-
ful guns as yet constructed is that known as the
" Somerset" gun, an account of its construction
having been requested by the First Lord
of the Admiralty. It is a light nine-inch gun, not
weighing more than six tons, we believe, and
capable, when rifled, of throwing a 2201 b. cylin-
drical or a 1151 b. spherical shot. Why, let us ask,
are not many of these provided ? Is it necessary to
wait until the one at present at Shoeburyness has
been destroyed to prove its capabilities ? The plan
of proving all guns to destruction, which seems to
be the fashion at present, reminds us of the old
ordeal for witchcraft, by drowning the suspected
individual to show that he had no compact with
the Devil. Even when ships have been supplied
with heavy guns, it seems to have been
the object as much as possible to render
them as useless as they could. Why, for
instance, has the Royal Sovereign been armed
with smooth-bore guns—which, although ten and
a half inch gauge, and weighing 12 tons, are only
capable of throwing 150 pound shot, surely if the
ship carries a twelve ton gun, it ought to be a
rifled one, and throw a 300 pound shot. Three
hundred pounders are in all probability the heaviest
guns that can be conveniently carried at sea,
although perhaps in exceptional cases even a 600.
pounder might be used, but as rifled 300-pounders
are proved capable of penetrating any armour
plates that ships can carry, a large supply
should be forthwith constructed, irrespective
of the rival claims of any maker. • So long
as a gun is good enough for the purpose
it is wanted for, it is no reason it should be rejected
until it is proved to be the best that can be con-
structed, for as improvements are always being
made, we might wait for ever in a state of inde-
cision. Every other nation is content to take the
best guns that are to be procured promptly. Cap-
tain BLAKELY has supplied the Prussian Govern-
ment with whole batteries, while we are debating.
France is well provided for, as are also Austria and
Prussia, while, on the other side of the Atlantic,
eleven and thirteen inch guns are quite common, and
we believe that the Americans have more than one
fifteen inch gun, and are actually constructing a
twenty inch one, capable of throwing a
shot weighing 1,600 pounds. It is, of course,
a matter of speculation how such a monster will
succeed ; but whatever the results of the experi-
ment, it warns us that we must not be idle. Let
the experiments at Shoeburyness be carried on with
vigour. Let us gain all the information possible for
our future guidance, but in the meantime it behoves
us to turn the knowledge we already possess to
practical account.

Again has the Mayor of Cork deemed it expedient
to direct public attention to the dangers of Daunt's
Rock, as yet unmodified or unprovided against by
any official arrangements. It will be remembered
that some months ago, on the occasion of the lamen-
table disaster which took place on that rock,
Mr. MAGUIRE was active in his efforts to get some-
thing done at once to protect the shipping from the
danger caused by. this obstruction. But, although
his entreaties and observations were supported by
painful and incontrovertible evidence, for the good
ship City of New York still lies embedded in the
rock, the best months of the year aro being suf-
fered to slip away while nothing is done. We heard
before of many difficulties being is the way—of
disputes as to authority, of differences as to expense,
of local antagonisms, official delays, and other
obstacles. But many of theso impedimenta are
now, according to Mr. MAGUIRE, removed, Gene-
rally speaking, too, it is a very slow process to con,
vince officials of the necessity of improvement or
alteration, but, thanks possibly to the wreck, there
can be no dispute as to the dangers and inconve-
niences of Daunt's Rock. Mr. MAGUIRE says that
" each department appears most anxious that
something should be done," but nevertheless
nothing is done. Again he says, " Letters have
been written, correspondence has multiplied, dif-
ficulties have been got rid of, misunders
tandings have been explained away, a common
accord has ever been established, but still there
remains the damning fact that Daunt's Rock is, up
to this Ist of August, without beacon or protection
of any kind." The real difficulty probably lies in
the triple government—the Board of Trade, the
Trinity Board, and the Irish Ballast Board—for we
know that if in the multitude of councillors there is
wisdom, in the multitude of rulers there is certainly
hesitation and delay. All parties, however, are
agreed not only as to the expediency but the neccs-
eity of something being done before winter sets in,
but the fear is that with the best intention this
apparently interminable procrastination will be pro-
longed until the precious summer months are past,
and the storms of autumn renew the terrors of last
year, greatly increased, as Mr. MAGUIRE reminds
us, by the position of the wreck. Mr. TURNER, of
the City of Wschington, states that that vessel nar-
rowly escaped destruction last April, having almost
gone bodily on the wreck. Had she done so with
her 50') souls on board, there would have been a
terrible addition to the legends of Daunt's Rock.
The best way to get rid of it would of course be to
blow it up, but in waiting for that more tedious and
expensive process, it is propo,el to place a bell
beacon on the rock ; and the three Boards have
agreed in approving of the bell beacon of Mr. HER-
BERT, similar to that found useful in the Mersey.
They are also unanimous in wishing the beacon to
be of the largest dimensions to mark the dangerous
locality. But although they have advanced so far,
no one seems disposed to take the necessary steps.
This state of things has really gone on quite long
enough, and it is time that a little more energy
were infused into these several departments. Now
that the construction of a dock in Cork harbour is
seriously contemplated, it is useless to attempt to
underrate the importance of that port; but it is
quite in keeping with the zeal of our nautical
administration that we should spend thousands on
costly experiments, and failures like the Mersa
Dock at Malts, while we cannot find means or
energy or opportunity to remove a reel danger out
of the way of our shipping within our waters.

THE C'harivarz, according to the French Corres-
pondent of the _Herald and Standard, publishes a
version of Lord Palmerston's farewell speech to the House
of Commons, such as, it declares, his lordship either de-
livered on the last day of the session, or ought to have done.
The usual recapitulation of the labours of the session was
this year, it makes the noble lord declare, exceedingly easy,
since the Government could sum up all in the single
word —" Nothing ;" the Cabinet remained in office,
not because it possessed the confidence of the country,
tut because many members voted for it to avoid
the annoyance attendant on a dissolution; lastly, as the
Ministry had preserved their places, the Polish question,
the Danish dispute, and the various reforms which the
country looked for, were not of the slightest importance;
the essential was to get away from these endless interpella-
tions, harrassing questions, and uncomfortable critiques,
which rendered the position of the Ministry so little desir-
able towards the end of the session ; the house might de-
pend on being summoned together at the most distant mo-
ment possible.

STAMP DUTIES ON PROBATES.—Under the new
act (27th and 28th Viet., c. $6), probate and letters of ad-
ministration aro exempted from stamp duty where the
effecto do not exceed £lOO in value,