The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-24 00:00:00

FRANCE AND ENGLAND, AND

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

(From the Presse of Saturday, Mole organ.)
A letter from a member w' the British Parliament,
and who is on the most intimate terms with Sir Robert
Peel, has been communicated to us. It confirms in
every point the information published by us already, re-
specting the proceeding as to the negotiations in Lon-
don, and concerning the respective conduct of the
great Powers. It is stated, in that letter, that sincere
overtures for the conclusion of the Eastern question
haN, a been made by the representatives of Prussia and
Austria to the French Ambassador. It is said that
their Excellencies gave M. Guizot to understand that
their respective Governments, in order to hasten the
solution of so momentous and dangerous a question,
would accede to an- arrangement which would grant to
Mehemet Ali the hereditary possession of Egypt and
Syria for life, and that well-founded hopes were en-
tertained that that arrangement would be acceded to by
the Cabinet of St. James's.

The author of that letter adds that the most hostile
Tories of both Houses to the Cabinet of the Whig Ad-
ministration were congratulating themselves upon the
opportunity which would furnish them with a pretext
for attacking a policy of concessions which some even
pretended to brand as being disgraceful to Great
•Britoin.

This sufficiently indicates the sacr:fice that it is
thought would be made by England by granting Syria
to the Viceroy, even for life.

That leffer, which we look upon as a document of
the greatest authority, as it emanates from such a re-
spectable source, fully confirms that which we have
said for the last fortnight, and also that which the
.Debats yesterday acknowledged and verified, not-
withstanding its bias for the Cabinet. The country
must be made acquainted with it at the moment
when its destinies are likely to be duped by a ge-
neral 'war: There was time, during the negotiations in
London, when nirtthing.would have been easier than to
break up the European alliance with us, and to annihi-
late the evil designs of England and Russia. Two of tht
Powers represented at London spontaneously offered to
withdraw from the conference on certain conditions,
which the Ministry has since, in the Revue des Deux
Alondes, recognised as being perfectly acceptable. Well,
the Ministry, whether through blundering, or the hopes
of finishing in another way, or the desire of bringing on
a crisis, wherein it might traffic in generous passions for
the profit of vain popularity-, but which are so often
blind, of opinion, did not know how, nor has it derived
any advantag.! from that favourable incident. Peace
in.ght then have been; honourably maintained. In the
present day can it be so, without concessions for whicti
national dignity will have to blush ? In a word, such
is the sitpation as it was, and as the Ministry has made
it. Let the country take note of it ! The bottom o'
that situation ingulfs a case of immense responsibility.
(From the Univers.)
" A few days ago," says the Univers, " the conver-
siatioa at the staff quarters of the National Guard
turned on o,e rumours of war, in presence of Marshal
Gerald. An officer asked him whether he expected a
war ? I would bet neither for nor against one,' replied
the Marshal ; but I do not expect one.'"

(From the Constitu tionnel )

MILITARY FORCE OF FRANCE.—Since the Revolu-
tion of July the military forces of France have been in-
creased to an extent beyond what is commonly con-
ceived. This is owing to the due execution of our ad-
mit- (ble laws for recruitment, and to the Nationa
Gusrd. During this period of ten years a million of
young Frenchmen, the eldest of whom have scarce!)
attained their thirtieth year, have been enrolled in the
active army, or have been incorporated in the reserve.
This number, which is perfectly correct, is founded or
the calling out at the end of 1830 of the classes of
the previous years, and of the annual contingent of
80,000 men, without reckoning volunteers. This mil
Lon of soldiers :s still under arms, or forms part of the
reser% e, or else of the moveable National Guards, who.
ira our 37,000 communes, have attained a degree of
military discipline which cannot escape observation.
The Government, therefore, in case of need, has at its
disposal, an effective force which is the more powerful
us it is composed of men already inured to the use o'
arms, and for whom able officers will not be wanting,
as it is well known that besides those now in full pas
and at the military schools we have upwards of 3,000
such officers either on half-pay or on the Reform List.
In fine, among the million of soldiers attached to our
regiments and the army of reserve may be reckoned
15,000 discharged non-commissioned officers, whose
promotion to the rank of officers has been alone pre-
sented by the reduction of the army.
(From the official Messager.).)
As soon as the treaty of the 15th of July had ac-
cursed to change the diplomatic position of France with
respect to Europe, the Government took _measures to
provide against any events to which this position might
give rise. It has not, as some pretend, agitated the
country by imprudent language, and has taken care not
to give cause of alarm to foreign powers by improper
menaces. The Government has said nothing—it has
better understood its duty—it has acted ; it was not wil-
Eng that France, whatever might be the result, should
be taken unprovided. It has called to its standards th(
mean whom the law had placed at its disposal, and has
most particularly occupied itself with the materiel of the
army and the fleet. These orders are being executed on
all points. The conduct of the Government, however,
has led to various remarks. Whilst some say it has done
too much, others say it has done too little. It is
at the same time accused of going too fast and too
slowly. We cannot reply seriously to the first of these
reproaches. Those who think that taking precautions
under existing circumstances is to spread dangerous
alarm abroad would apparently wish to see France
forget her ()von security in order to give confidence to
other Powers. A Cabinet which would adopt such a
policy would fail in his duty. The Government
would only compromise its responsibility gravely, if, as
some of the journals pretend, these preparations were
only upon paper. There would be a reproach if it
were founded, hut it is not. We comprehend these
fears, for they are dictated by a sentiment of patriotism
Let the Government be watched and stimulated in
the interest of common safety. This is the duty
of a press sincerely devoted to the national cause.
But this patriotism must not be unjust and
close its eyes to acts which are of a nature to give to
it confidence. Fortunately the journals which accuse the
Government of too much tardiness in its armaments
take care to belie their own accusations by repeating facts
which prove the strong impulse given to all the mea-
sures respecting the materiel of the navy. In the same
paper in which, under the form of discussion, the gene-
sal inactivity of the Goverrment is denounced, we see
letters from our different co. is which show t fai4 in each
the works are going on with vigour. Thus it is proved
that the ship-yards of Toulon exhibit extraorslinary ac-
tivity, that the workmen do not cease on Sundays, and
that the levy af ten thousand sailors and two thousand
workmen is being made, and that in the ports of
L'Orient and Brest the works are pushed forward with
as much vigour as in the wars of the empire.- The
amount of the vessels on the stocks is given ; and the
attention of the Cabinet, which has a weekly report of
the materiel and the personnel, is shown. All these
facts are given impartially by the journals which re-
proach the Ministry with being asleep, so that, if there
the a reproach in their leading articles, the justification
is given in their news.