The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-26 00:00:00

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

SPIRIT OF THE FRENCH JOURNALS OF MONDAY.
(From the Constitutionnel.)
" The English press begins to comprehend the situ-
ation imposed on us by the treaty of July, and to
acknowledge the legitimacy of the precautions which
France has seen herself under the obligation of adopt-
ing. Lord Palmerston's journals, the Morning Chronicle
and Globe, alone persist in misrepresenting facts, and
resisting all evidence. There are scarcely any but these
two papers on the other side of the channel which
imagine that Russia, in proposing the basis of the new
treaty, has benevolently renounced all thoughts of
aggrandizement. There are only these two journals
who do not understand that if Russian ambition
abdicates the benefit of the treaty of Unkiar Skclessi,
it is only because the Brunow treaty gives her other
facilities, by breaking the alliance which could only
prevent the realization of her projects. We hope much
from the good sense of the English nation ; and, as soon
as it shall have understood that it has more to lose than
to gain from a crisis in the East, it will return to the
thesis which the French Government has constantly
defended, and will then render good and prompt justice
to the miserable arguments of the Ministerial papers.
The press is beginning to regard the Eastern question
with a good faith and impartiality which confers honour
on it. The conduct of Lord Palmerston has compro-
mised their policy abroad. We sincerely desire that it
may not have for the internal affairs of England serious
and lamentable consequences."
(From the .lournal des Debate.)
" We know nothing more unreasonable nor more op-
posed to true patriotism than the threats of our revo-
lutionary Press against Europe. All political parties
have adjourned their hostilities, and have spontaneously
given their approbation to the last measures of the Go-
vernment. This is as it ought to be. These measures
were commanded by circumstances, and there eould be
no hesitation. Whatever may be the signification and
bearing of the treaty of London, our alliances were
threatened ; the situation was a new one, and the Go-
vernment was bound to be ready for any event. The
Government, then, has done its duty. The Ministry
has been praised for its precautions its mea-
sures in respect to the army and navy have been
approved of, because there was a guarantee against
European perturbation, and perhaps the surest
means of preserving peace. Nothing, then, but
the blindness of the Republican party can
make it imagine that France is waiting, not for a
serious cause of war, but a pretext for war. The tocsin
of the propaganda is to be sounded. What has con-
stituted the grandeur and force of the July revolution ?
Not only the readiness which it has shown to sacrifice
everything to, maintain its principles and intentions, but
also that it has hitherto evinced no disposition to attempt
anything against the repose, prosperity, and nationality
of its neighbours. The treaty of London is an enigma,
the meaning of which will soon be explained. It will
be soon known if there was involved in it a
national question or a question of Ministerial skill. But
in one or the other case we shall not regret the appro-
bation that we have given to the last measures of the
Government, and we shall not have a single word to
retract of our praise."
(From the Courrier Francais.)
The King will not nor cannot separate himself from
the Cabinet at a moment, above all, when its President
is about to mire de Petranger. To abandon the Mi-
nistry, its energetic and reasonable policy must be aban-
doned. This policy is natural, and no other can be
followed without dishonour, under the circumstances in
which we arc placed by the treaty of London. The
Ministry is ready to preserve peace, if reasonable propo-
sitions are addressed to us—ready to make war, if the
conduct of the Powers places our interests in peril. The
Ministry can laugh at the underhand attempts which
the party of peace at any price is directing against it.
But this party of peace at any price must tell us what
it wishes. Would it have signed the London Treaty in
the name of France ? Would it still sign it at the pre-.
sent time? And, if it does not approve it, why should
it blame the Government for resisting it ? The point
in question is to decide what party shall be espoused at
the present time with respect to the London Treaty ;
and that Treaty, let it not be forgotten, is for war, and,
unless it is modified, or is not put into execution, there
is not the least hope of peace. M. Thiers, and France
with him, protest against that Treaty. Would M.
Pasquier and M. Mole advise us to yield ? If that is
what is required, there must be courage to say so.
PEACE OR WAR.
We have received from Toulon a letter, which as-
serts that the fact of naval preparations going on there
very slowly is indisputable. The number of workmen
raised by the last Government order, and already ar-
rived at Toulon, is 335 ; but, at the same time, others
have been dismissed. The following is given as the
exact number of workmen employed on the undermen-
tioned vessels :—lphigenie frigate, 72 ; Circe corvette,
47 ; lndependante frigate, 9 ; Melpomene frigate, 6 ;
Urania frigate 29 ; Poursuivante and Zenobie, 0 ; being
in the whole 163. " If the armaments were in earnest,"
this letter adds, " the above number would not be suf-
ficient for a single ship, All these vessels will require
a couple of months before any of them can be got
ready for sea. The two sail of the line, Souverain and
Ville de Marseille, will not come out of dock till the
end of September."
The Pilule of Caen observes that, notwithstanding
the possibility of a rupture between France and Eng-
land, none of the English families residing in that town,
at Avranche, and other places in Normandy, have
thought of removing. This Journal adds :—" These
families have considered, and with good reason, that a
war is still extremely doubtful, and, at all events,
know that residing among us, upon the faith of our hos-
pitality, they are under the safeguard of the national
honour, and that, whatever may happen, their persons
and their property will be respected. There are duties
towards her guests, in fu.filling which France has never
failed, and will do so less now than ever, even should the
two Governments break asunder those ties, which, for
the interests of liberty and civilization, we wish to see
drawn tighter than ever."
The Minister of the Marine, before he left Dunkirk
for Eu, inspected the works going on at the port, and
visited all the fortifications, giving orders that all re-
pairs, &c., should be carried on with the utmost ac-
activity.