The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-21 00:00:00

the hour, but the word of warning in the second
paragraph is open to a different interpretation if
desired. According to the Pays, the note
begins by stating that the troubles of Poland
have occasioned great uneasiness in Europe,
as it is felt that they do not result from
temporary or exceptional causes, but are the in-
evitable consequences of the existing state of things.
" The periodical convulsions which occur in Poland,"
says M. DROUYN DE 1 lIUYS, " are the symptoms
of inveterate disease," proving beyond a doubt the
inability of the Russian Government to reconcile
the country to the situation in which it has been
placed by the treaties of 1815, This phrase is
worthy of notice, inasmuch as the remonstrance of
the English Cabinet is said to have been based upon
the treaties of 1815, reminding the Cabinet of St.
Petersburg of the obligations it contracted on that
occasion, and calling upon it to fulfil them.
There is, consequently, an important differ-
ence bet w':en the two notes, since the
English Government takes its stand upon
the text of treaties which the French
Minister declares to have been proved incompatible
with the happiness of the Polish people. M.
DROUYN DE LHUYS goes on to say that such dis-
turbances alarm Europe. " These conflicts excite
the public mind, and might, if prolonged, disturb
the relations of Governments in such degree as to
produce the most regretable consequences." This
vaguely worded phrase reminds the CZAR that there
are those who still look upon Poland as an op-
pressed nation, not as a rebellious province. The
conduct of the Russian Government towards its
disaffected subjects could scarcely " disturb the
relations of Governments" or produce "regretable
consequences." A point is given to these mysteri-
ous hints by the steps recently taken by the French
Government. Orders, it is said, have been sent to
the naval arsenals to fit out all the iron-clads
that are launched, and to hasten the completion of
those still on the stocks. The Prefets Mari
times have likewise received directions to send
in a report on the condition of all steamers in re-
serve, with a statement of the time they will requirt
to be manned and prepared for active service. The
tone which the Parisian press has been suffered to
adopt with regard to Poland and Russia is not with-
out significance; and the alteration in the views of
La France is also worthy of note. It declines to
conjecture what will be the reply of Russia, but it
declares that it awaits with confidence " a decision
which derives from present events, and, above all,
from the step taken by the Powers, an importance
which no one can fail to recognise." This import-
ance (gravite) can scarcely attach to a mere diplo-
matic formula, the answer to which could have
been conjectured before it was sent. Russia will,
doubtless, repeat the protestations of her good-
will towards the Poles, and cite the recent
amnesty as evidence of her magnanimity. This
amnesty was not, as some supposed, the answer to
the intervention of the Powers, since the intention
of the CZAR was known before the notes were sent.
At present all is vague and uncertain, dependent
on the will of him who pulls the strings of conti-
nental politics. At all events the mistake of 1812
will not be repeated; and in the event of hostilities
with Russia, the assistance of her natural antagonist
will be a prominent feature in the campaign. Rus-
sia, it is true, may yet take the advice so courte-
ously given her in the concluding words of M.
DROUYN DE LHUYS, and may recognise," in her
wisdom," what her justice has refused to acknow-
ledge, "the necessity of adopting measures which
will place Poland in a position of lasting peace."
The fortifications of Carlscrona and the iron-clads of
Cherbourg may serve as convincing arguments
where the voice of justice and humanity has been
raised in vain.

It is not without reason that our quick-witted
neighbours on the other side of the Channel ima-
gine that the Government of President LINCOLN
are endeavouring to provoke England to war.
Amazed at the Effrontery of their conduct,and at the
lofty contempt they display for all the principles of
law and justice, they can hardly suppose that the
Cabinet of Washington expect such deliberate in-
sults and injuries to be tamely submitted to, and
such damage inflicted on our commerce at the same

titre, that, with virtuous indignation, they are de-
manding the interference of our Government in

heir favour. It is not surprising that, in face o

the flagrant encroachment on our commercial
rights, the rumours of an approaching rupture
between England and the Federal States should
be current on the Bourse, although the tame and
spiritless conduct of Earl RUSSELL certainly does
little to justify them. We commented a few days
since on the reprehensible conduct of Mr. ADAMS,
who made use of his diplomatic position to protect
a vessel loaded with munitions of war for the
Mexican Government, bound for the very same port
as the Peterhcff. The one vessel having duly ful-
filled every legal formality, laden with articles of
merchandise, sails from London to a neutral port
and is captured on her way, the owners of ship
and cargo being put to heavy expense from loss
of time, even supposing the case to be satisfac-
torily adjusted, while the cfficers, crew, and passen-
gers are detained as prisoners, and prevented from
going on shore and having free access to the British
Consul. On the other side, we have a vessel, sail-
ing also from London to Matamoras, whose cargo
is not restricted to articles of ordinary merchan-
dise, but who carries arms and ammundition under
the protection of the Ambassador of the United States.
What does our Government do in this case it
addresses, it is true, a remonstrance on behalf of
the Peterhoff, but it refuses to accord the smallest
protection to other mercantile vessels bound for the
same port. The correspondence between the owners
of the Sea Queen and the Government authorities
is scarcely what would have been expected in a
great commercial nation, who claims among her
dominions, the Empire of the Seas. No fifth
rate power could be more hopeless of pro-
tecting the interests of its subjects. No
state insulted by England herself could
show less anxiety to provoke a quarrel. The
merchants and brokers interested in the cargo
of the Peterhof', in a letter to Earl Rl's-
BELL, set forward very strongly the state of
the case, and justly observe that if, after all legal
and commercial formalities have been duly fulfilled,
any vessel bound for a neutral port may be legally
seized and detained on mere suspicion. the whole
commerce of the empire is placed at the mercy of
any belligerent Power. The fact of numerous Ame•
rican trading vessels running between New York
and Matamoras points to another reason for
this unwarrantable interference with British com-
merce. Yet, in the face of these incontrovertible
facts, in defiance of the unanswerable arguments
of the mercantile gentlemen in question, our au-
thorities refuse to interfere. Lord STANLEY of
ALDERLEY will not suffer a mail agent to accom-
pany the vessel the Sea Queen, to protect the mail
bags, although the owners of the vessel cffered to
defray the expense. Lord RUSSELL contents him-
self with laying down the law in such a manner
as to raise the rates of insurance, and refuses to
grant the smallest protection. Mr. ADAMS
may give what guarantee he likes to vessels leaving
English ports. The English Minister cannot pro-
tect English merchant ships. The security given by