The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-21 00:00:00

the policy of obtaining if practicable, powers which
might, in conceivable circumstances, be very beneficial,
and which in any event cannot be used unless the pro-
prietors of both companies are fully satisfied of their ad-
vantages, Under any circumstances, the directors be-
lieve that it will be satisfactory to the proprietors to see
in the bill in question a proof of the good understanding
subsisting between this company and the London and
South Western Company.
"In further pursuance of this policy of maintaining
an amicable understanding with their neighbours, the
directors have intimated to the South-Rq-stern Railway
Company that, in the event of the proposed amalgama-
tion being proceeded with, they shall be quite ready to
recommend to their proprietors, and to the London and
South Western Company, to admit the South Eastern
Company on precisely the same terms and conditions,
so as to form one great amalgamation company for the
south of England, an arrangement which would be ob-
viously attended with very important public advan-
tages.

"The directors have further been in negotiation with
the South Eastern Company relative to a line proposed
by the latter from their North Kent line to Bromley
and Croydon. It is evident that this line would to
some extent injure the traffic of this company's Croydon
line ; but as the South Eastern Company represented
that its construction was of great importance for the
protection of their, interests, and applied to this com-
pany to join them in making it under 'arrangements
which gave this company security against any un-
due competition, and some equivalent for the loss
sustained, in increased safety and convenience for work-
ing the traffic of the two companies between Croydon
and London, the directors thought it better to entertain
the proposal rather than negative it at once. In so do-
ing they were actuated mainly by the desire to act with
a neighbourly spirit towards the South-Eastern Com-
pany, and to throw no obstacle in the way of their
carrying out such measures as they felt desirable for pro-
tecting their own district against competing schemes.
The terms of the arrangement for the joint application to
Parliament were fully discussed and settled ; but it ap-
years somewhat doubtful whether the directors of the
South-Eastern Company still think it necessary to pro-
secute the bill ; and as the measure was originally pro-
posed by them and for their interests, your directors
have intimated to them their willingness to leave it en-
tirely in their hands, being satisfied either to proceed
with the bill under the arrangements agreed upon, or to
withdraw it altogether, as may be most convenient for
the South-Eastern Company.
The net amount at the credit of the revenue
account for the half-year is £195,906
Whereof is appropriated for interest
on the mortgage debt, &c £34,843
For dividend on preference capital 27,907

62,750

Leaving
Deduct amounts carried to
Benevolent fund £l,ooo
Insurance fund l,OOO
Sinking fund lO,OOO

£133,156

12,000

Leaving a balance of £121,156
" Out of which the directors recommend a dividend of
21. 12s. per cent, for the half-year amounting to
120,0061., leaving a balance to the credit of the current
half-year of 1,150/. ; and making the total dividend for
the year 1852 amount to 41. 4s. per cent.

FRANCE.
The Siecle has a long article on the recognition
of the Empire, the recent arrangement respecting
generals of the army, and the notice in the Moni-
teur of the hostile language of certain English jour-
nals when alluding to the Emperor. Throughout
the article of the Siecle there is a manifestation of
doubt as to the possibility of maintaining peace,
and an evident inclination to provoke a misunder-
standing which might lead to war. The Siecle
professes to be actuated by patriotic views, and
makes itself the champion of the national dignity,
but it may be suspected of having other motives.
What was done with a view to compromise the
position of Louis Philippe would be done now to
compromise the Emperor, if the opposition had the
same liberty of action. The Siecle says :--
"The public press continues to speak of the recogni-
tion of the new Government by the Northern powers.
We have said why, as Frenchmen and friends of our
country, we considered the recognition natural. What
would have astonished us after two revolutions since
1815, would have been any foreign power meddling with
the internal administration of our country. But the
journals which are opposed to us do not think as we do.
Amongst them, those of which exaggerated imperialism
as the standard, treat as of great importance the de-
cision of the Cabinets of Berlin, Vienna, and St. Peters-
burg. Forgetting the word f the first Bonaparte on
the first Republic, when attacked by the whole of
Europe, that it caused itself to be recognised like
the sun by its glorious beams, they persist in not per-
ceiving that it is to depreciate France to make her sub-
ordinate to the good pleasure of the three Northern
Cabinets. Other journals, as much opposed to our prin-
ciples as to the Government itself, imagining likewise
that the recognition of the powers is an important mat-
ter, endeavour to lessen its effect. That the Empire,
recognising the consequences of Waterloo and the
two betrayals of Paris, should recognise them
even in the most remote manner, is what no
man in his senses will ever allow. It is in vain
to repeal the word of the Emperor " The Em.
pire is peace." The Empire may be peace, but
not the peace of 1815. Besides, to be convinced of
it, it is only necessary to cast a glance on what is
going on. Two hundred generals have been raised from
half-pay ; and each day the Moniteur enregisters new
promotions. At the same time that experienced captains
are again appearing in the saddle, your generals of brigade
become generals of division. It will be easy for us when
live please, to show that we have more generals than re-
giments. We do not criticise, we merely point to a fact
which passes for being that of a good system. The Empe-
ror acted on it. According to him there could not be too
many generals, but. then the Emperor was always waging
war. The Government only takes precautions against
eventualities, and in that is consistent with the speech at
Bordeaux. i vis pacem, parabellum. Therefore the pre-
sent system cannot be the peace of 1815. Another proof that
the Government is very far from subscribing even in the
most remote manner to the treaties of 1815, is the haugh-
tiness of the language of the Moniteur of Monday.
Such is not the attitude of peace at any cost. They
who remember the journals of other days remember that
the Moniteur did not speak otherwise before the rupture
of the treaty of Amiens. It is true that here a rupture
is not to be feared, since the question merely relates
to some English journals, which are not official. On
this point the government will pardon us if we speak
frankly. In publishing the extracts from the Eng-
lish press, it is said that the best means of treating
these excesses of the foreign press, as they deserve,
was to make them known. We are nearly of that
opinion. The means are excellent, but there is one
still better. Whence do the English journals obtain
their news ? Certainly not in the French journals. They
are forced by the silence of the French press to get their
intelligence where they can, and thence come these arti-
cles of which the Government complains. Let it endea-
vour to modify the law on the press, let it attempt to
proclaim again the liberty of thought and of apprecia-
tion, let there be no warnings, let there be no sup-
pressions suspended over our heads, and it will see
that the correspondents' letters will, as if by enchant-
ment, lose all their credit. The correspondents will
then be obliged to take their intelligence from opei
sources, from the French journals, and their calumnies
will vanish. And is not the Government strong enough
to do this ? Is it not able to meet the liberty of opinion ?
Es there the slightest cloud in the horizon ? Has not the
constraint, under which we have been placed by the law
of Feb. 1852, lasted too long already ? Can the Impe-
rial Administration, firmly seated at home, and recog-
nised abroad, fear any person or anything ? The Legis-
lative body is about to meet, would it not be a veritable
European coup d'etat to cause it to vote the liberty of
the press ? We know from a certain source that the
chief of the State is personally in favour of a measure of
this kind. The step which we recommend has the sup-
port of the most enlightened men. They know that
in France nothing can be firmly founded when
liberty is not the basis of the edifice. We desire
ardently that these men should have sufficient influ-
ence to induce the head of the State to modify the
present state of things. In doing so, they would be the
benefactors of a country, for which liberty and pub-
licity are elements of which it cannot be long deprived
without experiencing great sufferings and profound dis-
quietudes. 1n fine, in commencing the moral pacifica-
tion of the interior, they would place the new adminis-
tration in a position to defy the possible anger of the
signers of the treaties of 1815."

-The Osservatore Triestine states, from Serajevo,
30th ult.,:that large bodies of troops are constantly
passing through that town on their way to Mon-
tenegro. The banner of the prophet is displayed
on two of the squares, calling the faithful to arms.
An army of 12,000 Turks and 8,000 Arnauts is to
attack Montenegro on the side of Herzgowine,
while forces of about the same number will operate
on the side of Scutari.

THE RECENT CASES OF MURDER IN THE WEST OF
SCOTLAND.—The Glasgow Herald states that a reprieve
has been received in favour of the criminal James Scott,
who was convicted at the Glasgow Circuit Court of Jus-
ticiary of murdering his sister-in-law, aged three months,
in a house in Greenock, and who was to have been
executed on the 25th inst. In the case of the other
conviction—that of the woman Margaret Bell, for
the murder of her child in Paisley—considerable in-
fluence is being employed in Paisley to obtain a respite
in favour of the unfortunate criminal. A petition to
her Majesty on behalf of the unhappy woman has been
sent off to the care of Mr. Archibald Hastie, M.P. for
Paisley, signed by 2,000 females ; and another memorial
to the same quarter, signed by 3,000 men, has likewise
been dispatched to the Queen. In addition to the above,
a memorial to the Home-office has been transmitted,
headed by the Right Hon. the Earl of Glasgow, and
signed by forty other Justices of the Peace for the
county of Renfrew. And, farther, the Provost and
Magistrates of Paisley have likewise transmitted an
earnest appeal to Lord Palmerston, as expressing the
general sense of the community in favour of this wretched
woman• In the coursiellodfoaufbetwlesdsabyesetohme
ereksnuoltwnof. these
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