The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-25 00:00:00

STATE OF IRELAND.

Notwithstanding occasional outrages in Meath, it
cannot be doubted that the cutting down of the
Upas Tree has been attended with beneficial effect.
Testimony to the prosperity of the island comes
from all quarters. The farmers especially
are doing well ; and if they thrive, the whole
nation cannot be in bad straits, for agriculture is the
general and staple branch of industry. The Irish
Times makes no doubt that much of this general
progress is to be attributed to the Land Act :
The direct and marked effect of that act has been to
make every occupant of an Irish farm feel that d
allit thee
industry, the economy, the enterprise, provide b
judiciously directed, which he puts forth will redound to
the benefit, not of a stranger, but of himself and his
family. He feels no longer any temptation to live from
hand to mouth, but is inspired by an obvious and assured
reward to labour for the future. The magic of property
is already exhibiting- its effect on the Irish race, so long
held up to the world, by its detractors, as incurably lazy
and improvident.
THE RIGHTS OF CONQUERORS.
Colonel Hamley thinks it is more than time some
limitation should be placed on the rights claimed by
military conquerors. The laws of war, as put for-
ward by the Prussians, may e conlensed into
the axiom that the populbation of an in-
vaded country lose all their rights of property
and of personal security, while the persons
and effects of the invaders become absolutely sacred.
Practically this takes two forms—the law of requisi-
tion and the law of penalty for resistance. Every
species of moveable property is subject to the de-
mands of the troops ; the penalty for tardy com-
pliance is a pecuniary fine, and the chief inhabitants
are seized as hostages for its payment. The town or
village whose inhabitants protect their property are
to be burnt, as is the town or village in which in-
vading troops are surprised. The district in which
bridges, roads, or railways are damaged is to be
angoet
wpouatritlolgdaearteloL Eognisevaertyi
noinfoe taken r
lu towbiethp
put
tmtos
fired or devastated, and the persons who did the
damage put to death. Everyone taken with arms
and
death. The consequence of these "laws of war" is that a
ti lhdaenr nteos sf
rwmh iac hs e
ti
tt
ewmi l
el n
tb
ine amsoarveagdeifficocuunittrtyo,
great part of the most productive territory of France
risestaorew
while the French themselves are rendered
desperate
and embittered. As the British in the Peninsula,
France and Austria in Italy, and Prussia
Herself in
Bohemia, waged successful wars without resorting to
such measures, they can hardly be justified by the plea
of necessity. The change exhibited in the character
of the quiet home-loving Germans themselves is
not the least startling part of the affair. Colonel
Hamley calls upon the neutral powers to arrest their
progress by declaring that an ineffaceable stigma
attaches to an army which practices such a system
of warfare, and to the nation which sanctions it, and
that the " honourable peace" which the Prussian
Monarch desires is hardly possible, with Paris burn-
ing at his feet, and France ruined behind him.
THE PRINCE DE JOINVILLE.

The particulars of the arrest, and finally the ex.
pulsion from France, of the Prince da Joinville, have
only recently been brought to light. The Prince,
who went to France for the purpose of offering his
services to General d'Aurelle des Paladines, was
informed by the General that he dared not accept
his services without the consent of the Government.
Nothing daunted, the Prince remained with the
army as a spectator until the defeat of the
French at Orleans. He then applies} to
General Chanzy, but met with no better
success than before. Still he stayed about the camp
until one morning he was arrested by eighteen French
officials, who had been sent especially from Bordeaux
for that purpose. For a week he was kept in secret
confinement, and was then, through the intercession
of M. Thiers, liberated by M. Gambetta, but only on
condition that he would return at once to England.
Under the protection of a couple of gendarmes he was
taken to St. Malo, where he was placed on board an Eng-
lish vessel, and sent back to Claremont. No wonder
that, after the treatment he received, the Prince is said
to have remarked, "I did not expect such treatment
from M. Gambetta. I remember the time, and it is
not very long ago, when be dined with us at Clare-
mont. How office alters manners. Tell him
that I shall expect him soon in England."
Setting aside all questions of expediency, or of jea-
lousy, it does seem rather hard that Prince de Join-
vine should not be allowed to wield his sword in the
defence of France. Good officers do not just now
appear to be so plentiful in that unhappy country
that their services can be rudely and unceremoniously
- dispensed with.