The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-18 00:00:00

[PRICE sn.

upon a solid basis ; and, in short, that this war, entered
upon not in the spirit of conquest but made imperative
for the hop our and safety of all, was only undertaken
after Europe, represented by a sort of grand jury, had
pronounced with unanimity against the guilty aggressor
a sentence -which it would hays been dishonourable not
to execute. France and England could notshrink before
that consequence. United in action as they had been in
opinion, the two great4maritinae Powers share the glory
of the vigort Ws resolution which forms the security of
Cho present m id the guarantee of the future.
Assuredly, ',the relations of gooci•neigialrourhood be-
tween England and France do not date from yesterday.
Long years of tranquillity, the progress of enlightened'
views, and more frequent relations between the two
people, had weakened national antipathies ; but this
hapay change was more rapidly effected among the supe- I
rior classes than in the mass of the people, and there was
a long step from such a state of things to the fraternal
relations which now so closely unite the two nations.
The transport of our troops to the Baltic in the
English fleet, and the enthusiasm which the visit of the
Eloiperor on the occasion excited, had already proved to
Europe the intimacy of our alliance. The visit of Prince
Albert to the camp of Boulogne, and the cordial recep-
tion he experienced from our population and our soldiers,
formed, as it were, a final and solemn consecration of that
alliance. The records of history added still more to the
significance of this groat event. Upon those very
localities which had been the scene of our former
struggles the union of the two people seems to have
been effected by a closer tie, and the forgetfulness of the
past was rendered more complete.
No must do the English GOvernment the jstice 'of
sayiag_ that it spared nothing to hasten such a desirable .
union. From the first announcement of the re-establish-
ment of the Empire, when others were undecided as to
the course they should adopt, England did not hesitate.
On his part, the Emperor, made wise by history,, and
faithful to the idea of his uncle, who so eloquently de-
plored the evils which England and France had created
by their divisions, while their union would have been so
profitable to their interest and to the cause of humanity,
was desirous to free the second half of the century from
the calamities which had desolated the commencement
of it.

Thanks to the good faith which has characterised the
relations between the two States, the policy which
wisdom dictated to them has triumphed, without either
having sacrificed its interests, its independence, or its
dignity. Oid antipathies have suddenly given lace to
reciprocal friendship and esteem. The attacks of public
journals have been turned into united..gratitude and ad-
miration. The alliance formed not only between the
Governments, but between the people, is now cemented
by the blood which their soldiers and sailors shed toge-
ther for the triumph of the most noble cause.
The causes which led to the adoption of this alliance
guarantee the duration of it, and the results which it has
already produced indicate with sufficient clearness the
consequences which may be expected from it.