The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-16 00:00:00

TAE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16. MO.

(From the Globe.)
The Journal des Debats raises a zry of alarm" at
the system of intimidation which is organising by the
party of war and revolution, in order " to oppress public
opinion, and force out of the hands of the legitimate
representatives of the country the decision of the
greatest question which can agitate a free people—
the question of peace or war." The National,
on the other hand, inserts an article by Lamen-
nais, which certainly has all the tendencies denounced
by the Debats. There is no such thorough firebrand
as your fanatic priest, who has transferred his fanati-
cism from the service of religion to that of politics.
There is no being in the world so regardless of truth
in facts—while affecting devotion to truth in principle.
Always accustomed to rail and rhapsodise, he carries his
rhapsodies and his railing with the utmost facility to the
cause of political passions from that of devotional exalta-
tion. We shall not be at all surprised to see more such
priests as the ex-Abbe Lamennais in Protestant as in
Catholic countries. The Abbe John Ball was their
worthy prototype. The spirit of the times offers a sort of
demand for them. Sedition is learning a make-believe
way of saying its prayers. The Devil and the Charter
are supplying themselves with Chaplains ; and M. La-
mennais and others are announcing the discovery simul-
taneously, that the " five points" comprehend all the es-
sentials of Christian doctrine. That this secularised
sham devotion can ever become ascendant, we do not
believe—because it cannot combine really with Chris-
tianity. But we give its inventors credit for seeing the
value of that combination. It cannot be realised ; be-
cause the principles of religious faith, hope, and charity,
cannot be made to harmonise with envy, hatred, malice,
and all uncharitableness. The religion of pace will not
lend itself to the ends of social and political discord. M.
Lamennais, as be goes on at present, must sink to the
level of the Rev. Mr. Stephens.
(From the Courier.)

The Paris papers of Tuesday have arrived. The
lloniteur Parisien contains a bulletin which forms a
brief recapitulation of all the news received from the
East by the French Government. It will be found
among Our extracts, under the usual head. The papers
continua their warlike speculations, to which they en-
deavour to give an air of authenticity by collecting
•arious statements respecting the preparations at the
dockyards. The Siecle, by way of improving upon
these manifestations, dresses up a flourishing account of
the state of the French fleet in the Mediterranean,con-
trasting it with the English fleet, which it asserts is
much weaker, the French carrying, as it states, 1,400
guns, while the English cannot muster more than 1,000
guns. The object of the Siecle in making this compa-
rison is to show that if hostilities were to take place,
the French fleet could take up such a position as
would enable it to command the whole trade of the
Mediterranean. French temperament, ardent and vi-
vacious as it is, cannot always keep at full stretch,

and accordingly we perceive in the last arrival a
considerable abatement in its intensity. If, however,
there be a diminution in the rancour of the me-
tropolitan journals, they seem disposed to make
up for it by a plentiful supply of alarming ru-
mours and food for agitation. In another part of the
Courier will be found same specimens of the materials
used for the purpose of what is familiarly called " keep-
ing up the steam." In almost every town of France
there appear to be individuals disposed to pander to the
worst feelings of the multitude, and stimulate them to
violence, for which the " Marseillaise" is one of the
signals. Tue .Debats, which forms a remarkable
exception to some of the other Journals, from
its moderation at present, is, nevertheless, . very
apprehensive that the war cry may lead to the worst
consequences. It seems, however, to be less fearful of
the interruption of peace than of the renewal of the
revolutionary horrors of the Reign of Terror. Various
calculations are made as to the effective force of the
army, which, by some journals, is estimated at not more
than 180,000 men, although, it must be remarked, that
if the late conscription be, taken into the account, the
force will comprise 350,000 men.
( From tile Standard.)
The more violent of the Paris journals are at present
labouring with much industry to justify the favourable
opinion of the good sense and justice of the higher
and middle classes of Frenchmen, which we have more
than one professed to hold. So little support do the
war faction anticipate from the Chamber of Deputies
that the National does not scruple to characterise that
• body as " a sink of corruption, meanness, and servilit:, ;"
and more than one of the Journals, believed upon good
roue 1s to act under the influence of M. Thiers,
have intimated a '..issalution as necessary to
'obtain a Chamber" more sensitive of the honour, more
devoted. to the interests of France." On the other
side, the Journal des Debats complains, with reason, of
the unconstitutional means employed to coerce the
Chamber by- terrorism, and adds, that " for every two
persons excited to enthusiasm by the war cry, two hun-
dred are filled with alarm." The alarmed cannot be
they who have nothing to lose, though poverty is a
most efficient preparative for enthusiasm. Allowing,
therefore, thmt. the proportions suggested by the Jour-
nal des Debats are somewhat exaggerated; still it-. is
difficult to doubt that all Frenchmen who have (kay-
o thing are opposed to war, and the Chamber of Depu-
ties represents the proprietary classes. As to a disso-
lution of the Chamber in the present temper of the
• rabble, Louis Philippe cannot think of permitting it ;
F the consent to such a measure would be the surren-
der of his crown, not improbably of his life, and the
lives of his family. All the primary election end
elections in colleges would be beset by a banditti
dictating the representatives, on pain of death to
the electors should they fail to obey the command.
The Convention of 1793 was a mild and moderate body
compared with what would be the Thiers Chamber of
1841. But though terrorism in•detail will be obviated by
refusinga dissolution, it seems that an attempt will be made
to intimidate the Chamber in gross. The late treasonable
movement of the National Guard of Paris proves that
something of the kind is in contemplation, and for this
reason we couid wish very sincerely that the promised
fortifications of Paris were already in existence. How-
ever, Louis Philippe is a brave as well as a wise man.
If he wants the genealogical title of his immediate pre-
decessors—Charles, and the last two Kings Louis—
he far excels them in the qualities by which thrones
are preserved—prudence, courage, promptitude, and
decision.

STEAM VESSELS AS MEN-OF-WAR.—The
numerous steamers which trade between the port of Lon-
don and various places could be made available fur the
purposes of war at a very short notice, and if only one-
third of the steam-ships belonging to the river Thames
were to be armed and provided with ammunition in the
event of hostilities, a powerful fleet could be sent against
vvicetahbisl
the enemy, while their captains and crews, from their know-
ledge of the English, Dutch, and French coasts, the
.a n
dThhaev Admiraltyeheen
recentlyhav e
had Chan-
nel, Sa watoteunldtiobne e very
drawn serviceable.
to
their
making inquiries into the condition of the steam-vessels
and their capabilities for war, from which it appears that
the various companies, without any interruption to their
general trade, could provide fifty steam-vessels of from
200 to 1,200 tons burden, which, in three weeks, could be
converted into men-of-war. The General Steam Naviga-
tion Company have the largest fleet of steamers of any
trading community in Europe, amounting in all to 40 sail,
and among them are many splendid vessels, including the
Monarch, equal to any steam-ship in her Majesty's service,
the Clarence,Giraffe, Ocean, Neptune, Britannia, Countess
of Lonsdale, Attwood, Soho, and others, which could easily
be converted into war-steamers, and make a very formid-
able display. We believe the General Steam Navigation
Company have intimated to the Government that they
could provide them with a dozen large steam-ships on an
emergency ; and from this it will be seen that the port of
London alone, independent of Liverpool, Hull, Glasgow,
and other places, could furnish steam-vessels sufficient for
the navy, if Great Britain should be called upon to defend
herself against foreign aggressions.
CHURCH EXTENSION.—The Earl of Powis
has subscribed 100/., and Sir Offiy Bateman, Bart., 1001.,
towards the erection of a chapel of case, with 280 free
sittings, at Cherbury, near Powis Castle, Shropshire. It
is rumoured that the Rev. H. Taylor, B. C.L., of Step-
ney, his Lordship's domestic chaplain, is to be the minister.
FREDERICK THE GREAT AND VOLTAIRE.
—Some time ago a watch set round with small diamonds,
which was presented by Frederick the Great to Voltaire,
and had become the property of M. Lakanal, a member of
the French Academy, was stolen from that gentleman by
two persons who had called upon him on a false pretext.
One of these men, named Nathan, is an old thief, who is
now under sentence of imprisonment for life, but who
would never say what he had done with the watch of M.
Lakaual. The police, however, ascertained that it had
been sold to a dealer amed Weller for 451., and this per-
son, on being questioned, declarer] that be had sold it to
an actress of one of the Paris theatres. The lady, on
being applied to, acknowledeed having purchased the
watch, but stated that in :moment of pecuniary em.
barrassment she had pledged it at the Montde Piete.
This proves to have been the fact, and this souvenir of two
of the greatest men in Europe has been restored to the
legitimate owner.
DOG-STEALING.—A wholesale system of dog-
stealing has been for some time carried on, and large
profits realised, by a gang of villains who ship the
animate
off to Holland, and by that means elude detection. It
appears that in Holland and other parts of the
high prices,
and the demand for hem has been turned to good account
by the Whitechapel fancier; and persons connected with
the foreign steamers. On Sunday morning,
in conse-
quence of information, Mr. Fogg• an inspector of the
Thames Police, went on board the Batavier, Dutch s,:eam-
ship, as she was about to leave the river for Rotterdam,
and was accompanied by a gentleman who had lost a
dspaniel which he valued at twciitY and which he
suspected was on beard. All the people on board denied
any knowledge of dealine in that way ; but Fogg, on mak-
ing search, discoveree four ananiels of a valuable breed in
a chest belonging to the forzeien pilot on bo trd, which ho
said he had purchased of a stranger- who had brought them
on board. On searching a cask, head up, on deck, three
more spaniels were found, five in the engine' room, and two
in a trunk, which were only diFeovered by the whining of
the animals within. The gentleman who accompani ed
Fogg could not discover the dog he lir'd lost' &nee then
Fogg has searched another steam-veaselt and found the
dog belonging to the gentleman who Accompanied him on
board the Batavier, and many others, which had no doubt
been stolen. In order to prevent detection the dog_
scalers never bring the animals on board the etcamers
Until within three or four hours of their departure.