The Sun.
London, England, 1849-04-13 00:00:00

THIS EVENING,

The performance will commence witk a Grand Equestrian Spec-
tacle, by Fitzball, entitled THE WHITE MAIDEN 07 CALIFOR-
NIA; or, the Horse of the Ocean.
To be followed by an Inimitable display of SCENES IN THE
CIRCLE. in which Young Hernandez will appear, supported by the
first Equestrian talent of the day.
To conclude with on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, THE
DUMB DRITER ; and the Farce of THE SECRET on the al-
ternate Evenings.
non-office open from Eleven till Five.
,taze Manager, Mr. W. West.

TO CORRESPONDENTS.
No communication can be attended to unless authenti-
ei,ted by the name and address of the writer.
Ittejeteti communications cannot be returned.

r. WEATHER.—►SUN OFFTCE, Arm 13.
Tu .a.l,o2flrrEn, Lowest, 38. Highest, 46; Noon, 4s.

BAROMETER, 29.3.
The barometer hr.s fallen 58 points since yesterday.

WIND variable from S.W. to S.E.—showery.

WATliat AT LONDON fltillY3E.
This DAT --,Aornmg, ii-mtn,--aftey-6-f-LAventnt,ls min. after b
To-Moßaove—Morning, 44 min. after 5 I Evening, 3 vain. after 6

struction of all their brightening anticipations, while
that destruction is mainly attributable to their faith-
lessness, their ingratitude, and their pusillanimity.
The Austrians have accused him of a perfidious
and insidious ambition, although his recent pio-
ceedings were forced upon him by the grinding in-
fluence of their unnatural and repressive government.
Between the two assailants, CHARLES ALBERT re-
mains the ruin and the execration, the victim and the

opprobrium, of the glorious cause of Italian in-
dependence.
Let us at least, let England at least—the land
whose historical souvenirs cast a halo over
the catastrophe of the Royal fugitive—let England
at least be just in the midst of this general injustice,
let her sympathy for the unfortunate render her
generous in the midst of this universal ingratitude.
Let her acknowledge this at least of the discrowned
Sovereign of Sardinia, that when the courage of the
most valorous appeared to be quenched by a succession:of
adverse occurrences ; that when the more southern
principalities of the Roman peninsula were rendered
incapable of fighting for their emancipation ; that
when even WILLIAM PEPE was pausing in doubt
within the Venetian territories ; when JOSEPH
MAZZINI was diminishing the earnestness of
his cry to arms ; when VINCENZO GIOBERTI seemed
for the moment to waver as to his ultimate decision
CHARLES ALBERT had the courage to draw his sword
from his scabbard, and the disinterestedness to place
his all in jeopardy for the salvation of the fortunes of
Lombardy, and for the conquest of the freedom of
the Italians.

Should the ex-King of SARDINIA by any accident
seek refuge on the shores of Great Britain, English-
men will know how to receive him with the honour
deserved by his heroism, and with the respect due to
his misfortunes.

The strongest arguments that have been advanced
in favour of a continuance of the navigation-laws,
have been based upon their effect with reference to the
manning of the Navy. It has been asserted that our
commercial acts as a nursery for our military,
marine, ani that if the regulations which give a prac-
tical monopoly to British shipping, manned by crews
three-fourths of whom, at least, must be
British subjects, should be in any degree
dispensed with, that naval supremacy upon
which we have so justly prided ourselves,
and which we have maintained untarnished through
so many successive generations, would be seriously
endangered, if not absolutely lost. The authority
of ADAM SMITH has been relied on as fully bearing
out this view of the question. That great man,
whose opinions are entitled to the utmost respect, has
undoubtedly justified the existence of that restrictive
code—the only instance probably in which he can be
found among the champions of monopoly. He fully
recognised the injurious consequences of these laws
to our trade and commerce, and their de-
teriorating influences on the national wealth,
but he believed them to be essential to
the security of the British empire, that they af-
forded the best protection against foreign invasion,
and he therefore declared that " They were as wise
as if they had all been dictated by the most deliberate
wisdom." He added, and most truly—
" The Act of Navigation is notfayourable toforsign com-
merce or to the growth of that opulence which can arise from
it. The interest of a nation in its commercial relations to
foreign nations is like that of a merchant with regard to
the different people with whom he deals; to buy as
cheap, and to sell as dear as possible. But the Act of
Navigation, by diminishing the numbers of sellers, must
necessarily diminish that of buyers, and we are thus
likely not only to ouy foreign goods dearer, but tosell our
own cheaper than if there were more perfect freedom of
trade. As defence, however, is of much more importance
than opulence, the Act of Navigation is perhaps the
wisest of all the commercial regulations of England."
Here, then, is the distinct and only ground upon
which the law can be defended, and that authority
should not be lost sight of by those who desire to see
the principles of free trade carried to the utmost
extent. As "defence is of more importance than
opulence," we must see that the manning of the
Royal Navy is fully provided for; and if the supply
of able seamen cannot be obtained for the national
service without a continuance of those stringent regu-
lations, and the sacrifice of the countless millions of
pounds sterling that are annually wasted in conse-
quence thereof, we must, undoubtedly, submit to the
loss, and remain contented in our present condition.
If, however, we consider the manner in which our
able-bodied seamen are dealt with—by their " not
very grateful Country"—we must imagine that there
is some grievous mistake in supposing that any
difficulty could exist in obtaining an inexhaustible
supply of well-qualified volunteers. It would
appear as if thousands would flock to our
Standard at the first signal, and hasten
to enrol themselves in the service of their Country,

whenever occasion might require. Within the last few
months no less than sin thousand experienced and well-
disciplined men have been discarded from our naval
service, and permitted to suffer all the miseries and
privations incidental to want of employment ; and this
very day, or to-morrow, the crew of the St. Vincent,
trained and disciplined by the gallant NAPIER, and
prepared for service under his very eye, are to
share the same fate. These are the men " brought
8p to the service, end who wish to remain
is it," whose sufferings the late Secretary of the Navy
so feelingly deplored when bringing forward the es-
timates, which consigned no less than six thousand
nine hundred and sixty-nine of their number to dis-
tress and destitution, in order that a paltry saving
might be effected of 69,9601. for wages, and 115,0411.
for victuals, a considerable portion of the latter being
ascribable " to the fall in the price of provisions dur-
ingthe present year." The total saving to the coun-
try is probably less than 140,0001,, and for that
we not only commit an act of gross and
heartless injustice to these gallant men, we not only
evince a total disregard of the commonest principles
of equity and humanity in our dealings with them,
but we reduce our naval establishment beneath the
level of that at the disposal of the CZAR, we sacrifice
that maritime supremacy of which our ancestors

were so justly proud, and we endanger that " security"

which ADAM Sasiza believed to be of " much more
importance than opulence."
Is this wise ? Is it prudent ? Is it that true economy
so urgently required by the nation ? or is it a re-
currence to the " penny wise, pound foolish " system,
that financial rock on which Whig statesmen have so
frequently cast the vessel of the State. We fear
there can be no second opinion as to the answers that

must be returned to these inquiries. Gigantic abuses

are still tolerated.

His Grace of GRATTON still

receives his hereditary pensions charged on
the Excise and Post-office departments. The

heirs of SCHOMBZRG still rejoice, while expending in
Rolland the large sums drawn from the British treasury.
Nay, in the very navy itself, there is an increase on
the non-effective branch of the service. Admirals or

post-captains are not turned adrift to starve
about our seaport towns, or to offer their services to
our maritime rivals. No, it would be unjust to lessen
their number. A post-captain could not properly be
deprived of his chances of a " flag." Promotion cannot be

arrested, or we shall not find so many juvenile mem

hers of the aristocracy prepared to enter the service,
but 6,962 men may be cast off without shame or re-
morse, save the indulgence of a passing expression of
regret for their unmerited sufferings.
What can they complain of? Are they not
certaia of employment in other nations, where
their skill and intrepidity, their discipline and
eNterprise, will be duly appreciated? Their
acquirements hare cost the country much, they
are now permitted to carry those acquirements
to other navies, and should be grateful ; or, if they
should not possess the means of proceeding to those
shores where their services are in request, are not the

union workhouses open to receive them--that is to say,
if they can prove their settlements ! The condition of
such persons is beneath the notice of their country-
men,abl none below the rank of officers can reason-
ably look for recompense for past services,
a in
moment'sif t
they
dismissed,
at
a notice,ar are unceremoniously
seekun coeurte ttnhoenmioeuasil)ys
of livelihood as they best
We rejoice to find that a can.morn • contemporary
has, at length, even at the eleventh hour,
attention to this absurd conduct, which
directed its
An
have so
long and so energetically denounced.
ar-
ticle on the subject will be found in anonthr able a
our impression, to which we would earnestlye iny
-
part
in-
vite the public attention. If the press should generally
take up the subject—if it should advocate the
cause f the neglected and ill-used seamen,

these anomalies would be corrected, and justice and
sound policy would be promoted. We should not
turn adrift so many disciplined men " brought up to
the service, and who wish to remain in it," in order
to effect a saving of a few thousand pounds, or to
divert the attention of the Financial Reformers from
the monster abuses that have so justly excited their
indignation. •

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
In The Sun of yesterday we stated that M. EUGENE
RASPAIL had struck M. POINT within the precincts
of the National Assembly. The proceedings were
suspended for ten minutes, in consequence of the com-
mission of this act of violence ; when they were re-
sumed the President read the following requisition
from the Procureur-General of the Republic :
" Whereas the citizen Eugene Raspail, representative
of the people, has, within the precincts of the National
Assembly, given a violent blow in the face to the citizen
Point, also representative of the people ; and whereas
the said blow is stated to have been given in conse-
quence of the evidence given by the citizen Point at the
High Court of Justice at Bourges; and whereas said act
is contrary to Art. 311 of the Penal Code, we, the Pro •
cureur-General of the Republic, demand permission from
the Assembly to prosecute the said Eugene Raspail, one
of its Members, according to law.
(Signed) " BAROCHE."
The President added that it was now his duty to
take the sense of the Assembly on this demand for
leave to prosecute.
M. FLOCON demanded to have the matter referred
to the bureaux (great clamour).
The PRESIDENT said he should entreat the As-
sembly to act with calmness, for they were now
judges in a most important case.
M. FLOCON proceeded to say that he thought the
readiness with which the requisitory had been pre-
pared looked suspicious.—(Cries of " Oh.") He
thought such a demand would, if granted, be a great
blow to the independence of members. All prece-
dents were against such a proceeding. He would
therefore persist in his motion.
General LEBRETON protested against such language
as that which had just been used. Happily for the
honour of French Assemblies such an incident as
that which gave rise to this discussion was without
precedent.
M. JOLT called on the President to read the proses
verbal of the police, from which it appeared that
without notice or provocation, M. Resrem struck

M. POINT a violent blow in the face. M. RABPAIL

gave for excuse that M. POINT had stared at him
through an opergglass. On the blow being given,
seneral Members rushed in:and separated the com-
batants.

M. JOLT observed that the whole matter looked to
him as if M. RASPAIL had been set upon on account
of his relationship to one of the prisoners at Bourges.
He would move the order of the day.
M. RASP AIL rose and said, that M. POINT had been
spying at him in a most impertinent manner through
an opera glass, and that he had done so with such af-
fectation as that he could not bear it.

M. POINT declared that he did not know M. Ras-
FAIL by sight. It was true that he had looked round
the Assembly through a glass, but not at any one
member in particular.

The PRESIDENT said he would now put the ques-
of reference, on which the Assembly, by a great ma-
jority, rejected the motion of M. FLOCON to have the
matter referred to the bureaux. A ballot was de-
manded, when there appeared—
For the motion to refer the
matter to the bureaux
Against it
Majority . --95
The question then, of leave to prosecute, was put
from the chair, and voted by an immense majority.
The debate on the vote of censure on the Ministry,
for the introduction of the police into electoral meet-
ings, was then resumed. The motion was as fol-
lows :—" The National Assembly, considering that
there is no law to authorise the introduction of the
police into electoral meetings, passes to the order of
the day." The previous question was moved as an
amendment on this resolution, and carried by a
majority of 148; the numbers being—for the amend-
ment 409, against it 261.
During the course of the sitting the result of the
ballot, for the election of members of the Council
of State, was thus announced by the PRESIDENT :
Number of voters ... 710
Absolute majority ... ... 356
MM. Vivien ... ... 539 MM. Rivet ... 394
Macarel... ... 528 Carteret.. .. 394
Boulatignier ... 502 Gaulthier de Ru-
de Jouvancel ... 485 milly...
Bethmont ... 478 Damian...
CremiPux ... 474 Boudet
Marchand ... 466 Landrin
Boucheni-Lefer 456 Paravey
Stourm ... 456 Havin
Jules Simon ... 431 Boulay
Meillaird ... 39

... 386
... 383
... 381
... 380
... 371
... 368
... 365

The President—The citizens whose names have just
been given, having alone obtained the required majority,
are hereby proclaimed to have been elected members of
the Council of State.
Amongst the names which obtained less than the re-
quired number was that of M. Thibeaudeau, formerly
member of the Convention, who obtained 171 votes:

The Assembly being consulted on the proposition of
M. Mortimer-Ternaux, to adjourn the ballot for the other
twenty members of tile Council of State, was decided in
the affirmative. '

The PRESIDENT of the Republic was thrown from
his horse on Wednesday, while riding in the Boiz de
Boulogne. Re, however, sustained no injury.
The Pafrie says :—" A report was current to-day
in the Assembly, that M. Luori FAUCHER had retired
from the Ministry of the Interior, and was replaced
by M. Duravas. This was a pure invention. The
continuance of M. FAUCHER in the councils of the
Government is the greatest guarantee of order and
security." _

A grand entertainment was given at the Hotel de
Ville on Wednesday evening, by the Prefect of the
Seine, to the English visitors.
BOURSE—PARIS, THURSDAY, APRIL 12.
THREE o'CLocx.—The business done to-day was
very limited, but the Funds and Shares were all steady,
and the French Five per Cents. closed at nearly } per
cent. above the prices of yesterday. The news from
Genoa was looked for with great interest. Exchange on
London (30 days), 25 30, money; ditto (90 days), 25 17i,
money.

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE, APRIL [l.
East Indian, 4—Namur and Liege, 8 ex in. —Orleans
and Bourdeaux, 3%—Rouen and Harre, 11%—Sambre
and Meuse, 4—Tours and Nantes, 214.

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