The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-06 00:00:00

BEYROUT.

The following are the opinions of the Paris press on
.he bombardment of Beyrout.

(From the Journal des Dcbats of Saturday.)
The facts which the telegraphic despatches convey
to us are of the highest importance. A port of the
coast of Syria, after having been bombarded for nine
days by the British, or allied squadron as it is called, is
now occupied in the Sultan's name by British soldiers,
who are accompanied, for form's sake, by some thou-
sands of irregular Turks, and followed by about a hun-
dred of Austrian soldiers, representing by themselves
alone the moral concurrence of Europe in the work of
destruction. That is no doubt termed, according to
the London treaty, preserving the integrity of the Ot-
toman empire, and effecting the permanent pacification
of the Levant.

In the meantime, what we know is that Soliman
Pacha (Colonel Selves) has bravelylkept his word to
Commodore Napier not to leave Beyrout but as a mass
of ruins and ashes. If it be true that such a small town,
which was not fortified, resisted for nine days, and
which was played upon by an immense park of artillery,
that means to say that nothing but the ruins could be
abandoned, even if by withdrawing the town had been
fired, as Soliman stated he would do, and as he
may have done, though the despatches communicate
nothing on that score. That obstinate resistance,
which was supported but by field works hastily con-
structed, for Beyrout is an open town, proves also on
thee, ert of the Egyptian troops a vigour and solidity
e should not have expected from them, espe-
cially when the weakness of their probable re-
sources is compared to the powerful means which
the attack had at its disposal. We are not yet
acquainted with the details of that action ; we know,
however, according to the last news which reached us
by the usual channel, that Commodore Napier was at
Beyrout, mith two ships of the line and one frigate,
and that Admiral Sir R. Stopford, leaving the passes of
Alexandria with three line-ofsbattle ships, had sailed
for the coast of Syria, where, no doubt, he came to as-
sume the command of the expedition. Therefore, the
British squadron, making a deduction for small vessels,
was composed of at least six large ships of war, which
presented a broadside of two hundred or two hundred
end fifty pieces of cannon of the heaviest calibre. A
nine days' defence against such powerful means, and
under the circumstances in which the Egyptian soldiers
were placed, must very much modify opinions as to the
real valour of the Arabian army,;and prove that it will
be a much more difficult thing than it was at first ex-
pected to cause the one hundred thousand men which
Ibrahim has at his disposal to evacuate Syria.
If it is now asked why the British have attacked
Beyrout rather than any other point of the coast of
Syria, but one reply can be found for the question—the
hope of resuscitating the insurrection which has al-
ready failed in Lebanon. Beyrout, an open town, with-
out harbour, at the extremity of dangerous roads, and
situated at the foot of mountains which command it,
is of itself a point which offers no resource to an in-
vading army. Being a little relieved from its ruin
since Mehemet Ali's vigorous administration has rend•
dered the roads safer for trade, that town became, in
consequence of its proximity to Damascus, from which
it is about thirty leagues distance, or four days'
march for the caravans, the principal European trading
depot in Syria. Latterly there were about eight or ten
thousand inhabitants, and a great number of Euro-
pean merchants. They must especially have suffered
by the bombarding, for it must not be forgotten that
the Colonial trade was almost null at Beyrout, being
carried on almost exclusively by land, by following the
eastern range of Lebanon, while Beyrout is situated at
the foot of the western range. The only reason which
has caused the British to attack that point is on ac-
count of its proximity to the Druses and Marmites,
hopes being entertained ot rekindling the insurrec-
tion, Will it be successful this time ? And, if it be
successful, the English, who call themselves Christians,
will they be able, after having excited them to revolt
asainst an Ottoman Prince,, to make the Christian
Maronites and Druses, who have always espoused in-
dependence in opposition to the Sultan, amendable to
the law of the successor of the Caliphs?
At any rate, it will he seen events are progressing
rapidly in the East. A notification has been made to
Mehemet Ali of the forfeiture which the treaty of the
15th July has pronounced against him. The -Consuls
of the Four Allied Powers have left Alexandria, which
is going to be more closely blockaded than ever. Oa
the other hand, the presence ot a body of 30,000 men,
which advices stated were assembled at Balbee, and
the intention which Ibrahim has put forth of attacking
Beyrout in his turn, gives every reason to suppose
that. in a few days the news of important events will be

received.
A. contradiction, not of facts, but of dates, which
must, no doubt, only be attributed to the rapidity of
the transmission, may be remarked between the first
and third despatches

(From the Presse.)

It is impossible for us to express the deep emotion
which the perusal of the telegraphic despatches has
caused. Our susceptibility vanquishes our reason, and
it will be shared by all France, who, with one voice,
will exclaim, •' This, then, is war !" Yes, for in point
of fact, after the language held by the Ministry and
heard by Europe, this execution of the Treaty of Lon-

don, which is so rigorous that the English and Austrian
squadrons have not waited to burn Beyrout and block-
ade Alexandria for the French agent Who accompanied
Rifaat Bey to quit Constantinople. This is war ; for
between a foolish war, the terrible extremity of which
we have attempted to prevent, and a humiliating peace,
France has now to choose. It is now of little conse-
quence whether the July treaty was or was not an in-
sult to France. A threat includes not the less an
offence. The Ministry has threatened, and it has no
longer to deliberate, but to act. Twice yesterday it
met. We do not doubt that to-day's 414oniteur will
contain the ordonnance convoking the Chambers. A
single day's delay on the part of the Cabinet would be
an additional fault, for, amongst the serious conjectures
which the flippancy of its conduct and the imprudence
of its language have given rise to, Europe must not for
one moment question the energy of France.
M. Thiers wrote, August 1, these words, which all
the Chancelleries have enregistered, which have re-
sounded through the entire world :
" The Cabinet holds the ordonnance of convocation
quite ready for the first danger.
" There :s one word, one decisive word which must
be held to Europe with calm but memorable resolu-
tion :--` If certain limits arc paased, it is war, war to
the last extremity."

(From the Constitzttionnel.)
The bombardment of Beyrout was necessarily the
first step in direct hostilities. Our Cabinet never for
an instant supposed that the Cabinet Council in Lon
don could have for result the suspension of proceed-
ings in the Levant, neither have our armaments been
suspended. The destruction of Beyrout, however,
does not materially advance the conquest of Syria
to the pretended profit of the Sultan, but it cer-
tainly is a great step in the question of the East. This
event, although foreseen, adds to the gravity of the
position, and the duties imposed upon France become
more urgent. We do not know whether the Powers
act directly against Alexandria ; but we ;must be
prepared for every thing. There are amongst the
Allies two Powers which have more interest burning
fleets than cities.

(From the Temps)

However grave (says this journal) may Lir the fact
of the taking of Beyrout, there would be great danger
in exaggerating its importance. From the moment
when the treaty was signed our Government must have
understood that it would eventually be carried into
execution by force of arms. Four Cabinets do not
propose a common object not to follow i 3 up, and the
Power which is not included in the alliance must be
prepared for all the incidents to which it may give rise.
It is, however, now clearly proved in the eyes of Europe
that France did not alarm herself without necessity,
and that she penetrated as far as possible into the
views of this Holy Alliance. She is now ready
alike for the hour of negotiations or that of bat-
tle. Her diploma,:y has not been less prudent than
her arms would be powerful. But, if Be) rout has
been taken, and the vassal of Turkey has been put at
ban by his Sovereign, does it necessarily follow that
we are to consider the causes belli to have occurred as
regards France ? This is the real question. We do
not think it has arrived. We have already said that
France, however kindly disposed towards Egypt, has
never tied up its policy to that of the Pacha, and even
when be was negotiating with his Sovereign, France
reserved to herself full freedom as to subscribing to
the conditions of their arrangements. In a word, it was
French policy, and not Turkish or Egyptian policy, that
we advocated in the East ; it would, indeed, have been
highly imprudent to make our conduct and interests
subordinate to interests which were not those of our
own nation."

(From the Sieele.)
The bombardment of Beyrout will reverberate to
the extremities of Europe and the world. There is
not a Frenchman worthy of the name who has not felt
already the rebound at the bottom of his heart. It
was not a very glorious act for England, with her Allies,
to have forced a poer open town to surrender after a
bombardment of nine days, and we must rather admire
the courage of the Egyptians who defended it, and
who did not evacuate it until it was reduced to ashes.
But it there was little glory, there is great temerity
in this coup de main; it is the signal of war in the
East, and probably of a war which will not long be con-
fined within these limits, however vast they may be,
from Smyrna to the Euphrates, from Alexandria to
Constantinople. We de not say what our Govern-
ment ought to do to-day or tomorrow. It has at
i's disposal fleets and armies, a:;t1 it is nob for
the purpose of leaving them inactive. Let it choose
the place and the time. It has the secret of events,
and being responsiole for the future must commit uo
fault which can be avoided ; but it must learn that the
French nation does not 'make preparations, in order
that they may at a tistarwe look on and witness the
fah of allies who have confided in their protection.