The Sun.
London, England, 1865-03-21 00:00:00

rival sneered at his unscarred visage, England has
always relied on her ships to defend her shores,
and has never hitherto found her confidende
misplaced. Still there is no question that in the
present condition of military arrangements it is
highly advisable that some particular points on our
coasts should be strongly defended, so as to be able
to resist any attack from without, and to guard our
dockyards, arsenals, and other places of importance.
The difficulty of rendering a ship impregnable to
the fire of modern guns does not exist with respect
to forts, and the experience of the American war,
which has already taught us some useful lessons,
has strongly demonstrated their utility and power
of resistance. The discussion of last evening had
I mainly reference to this same American war, and
to the possibility of our being dragged into it.
Thanks to the ingenuity with which we have
contrived to offend and disgust both sides. Unlike
the bat of the old fable who adapted himself so
cleverly to his company that he passed alternately
for bird and beast, we have pursued a course of
action which has irritated the arrogance of the
North and disappointed the expectations of the
South. If Government had been alone concerned
it is possible that their abject submission to the
dictation of Federal officials, their eager partiality
on behalf of the North, their vigorous prosecution of
Southern allies in this country, while they suffered
goods shipped Northwards to proceed unmolested
to their destination, might have sufficed to win the
condescending approval of Washington statesmen.
Happily, however, most countries know better than
to accept official platitudes as the genuine expres-
sion of English feeling, and consequently the
Federals have been unable to delude themselves
into the belief that Englishmen generally
could follow the hair splitting logic whicch makes
the same act heroic virtue in the reign:of GEORGE
111., and heinous treason in the reign of VICTORIA.
The old English fashion, too, of calling a spade a
spade, does not suit with the new emancipation
doctrines of the North, which adapt themselves so
wonderfully well to the necessities of the moment.
From whatever cause, there is no question that a
strong feeling of irritation against this country
exists in some parts at least of the American States,
and consequently we have some right to consider
what position we should be in if this hostile feeling
found active expression. It does not by any means
follow that we count or desire a war because we think
it advisable to be prepared for it. It is not the way
to avoid attack to appear defenceless ; and the
eager asseverations of our Government that no
catastrophe is more to be dreaded than a quarrel
with the United States will not go far to avert the
evil they dread if they have no better protec-
tion. Accordingly, Mr. BERKELEY had good right
to call the attention of the House to the defence of our
coasts from the aggression of a maritime Power. The
hon. member had not to look far back in our history
to find instances of the danger and loss occasioned
by the neglect of needful preparations. The last
American war found us without " ships, crews, or
guns fit to contend with the Americans, and it was
only about the time when the war concluded that
the then Government betook themselves to prepara-
tion."' The same thing occurred at the Peninsular
war, and we had rather to thank the genius of our
Commander than our own foresight or prudence for
the avoidance of serious loss. The Duke of WEL-
LINGTON, when he left the army, left every depart-
ment complete; but the only object of succeeding
Administrations was to reduce the Estimates, and
make a good show in the House. The disasters of
the Crimea are fresh in every one's recollection ; and
perhaps our history contains no more humiliat-
ing or painful passage than the mismanagement
and lack of prevision which caused such terrible suf-
fering among the forces of the wealthiest and most
energetic country in the world. All this experience,
we would think, ought to make us a little more
careful nowadays, especially as the general disturb-
ance of the political horizon gives us good ground
for imagining that we may be called upon to take
an active part in some desperate struggle. The
difficulty at the present day is less the negligence or
indifference of officials than the transition state of
military armaments. The speech of the Marquis of
HARTINGTON last evening was, on the whole, reas-
suring, for it showed that the Government were
by no means insensible to the importance of
the question. The noble lord observed that
he had always understood that it was one
of the great purposes of our fleet to protect our
shores, and he did not think that it was ever
contemplated that the whole of our coast should be
protected by batteries in such a way as to resist the
attack of iron vessels. There is one important
aspect of this question which the Government
would do well to look to—the employment of
vessels of light draught, which can carry a few
guns of heavy calibre, and which could therefore
present a formidable front to any enemy attempting
to attack our ports. Floating batteries, too, are
very useful for the same end, and it would be no
superfluous extravagance to have one stationed at
each important harbour. If the Admiralty could
be induced to give Captain COLES'S system a fair
trial the turret ships might doubtless prove very
useful for such purposes. All that is wanted is for
the Government to give the subject full and fair
consideration, and not to be prevented from taking
due precautions for the safety of the country by the
foolish fear of irritating those who will certainly
rather ridicule our simplicity than respect our

weakness.

The address of the French Corps Legislatif to
the EMPEROR is very satisfactory on the whole, and
speaks promisingly for the future. While the other
nations on the continent seem distracted by internal
dissensions, and perplexed by mutual dangers and
difficulties, France seems to enjoy a happy immu-
nity from both evils, and presents a striking con-
. Doubtless, much is
con-
trast to many other naatinodns
foresight of her present
owing to the sagacity
ruler, but a great deal of the good fortune must be
attributed to the good sense of the people. They
seem to be learning the value of moderation, and
instead of ceaselessly addressing themselves to revo-
lutionary tactics, they are now turning their
thoughts to those domestic interests that so well de-
serve attention, and that can never flourish in times
of turbulence. 'ln this proposed address we find many
subjects adverted to that hitherto have had no
place in such emanations from French Chambers,
and from this we may gather that home interests
are considered equal in imp artance to foreign sub-
jects which have often so cor apletely displaced them.
"Labour abroad and confi dente at home tend to
become strengthened," is announced at the outset
of the discourse, and certainly there are more
grounds for this assertion thaw. for similar congratu-
lations uttered in like instances. The crisis that
has affected business in many parts of the world
has had less effect in France than in many other
have
detriment
f
places, and this has proved the advantage of at-
tending to those matters of commerce and trade
which
often been neglected in France to the
important interes ts. In agriculture
affairs have not been so pros' )erous, a fact here
mentioned with perfect candour, hit with the
timely provision that for the future great care
and caution should be adopted i locking after the
welfare of the agricultural pop vilat cn, "so labo-