The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-21 00:00:00

r bitning :Thum

LONDON, MONDAY, AUGUST 21, 1848.

Prior to the invasion of Mexico by the armies of
the United States, the possession of the island of
Quadra or Vancouver was of inestimable importance
to England. As a harbour of refuge situated in the
very centre of the western coast of North America—
as a coaling station for our war-steamers in the
northern regions of the Pacific—as an entrepot for
all those commodities which are essential for the pros-
perity of our mercantile and for the absolute safety
of our scientific expeditions—Vancouver's Island was
even then a possession of almost incalculable impor-
tance. The mere circumstance of this island being
enumerated by Lord ASH BURTON among those por-
tions of ground which England insisted upon retain-
ing when the territories of the Oregon were divided,
shows that at the time of the negotiation of that treaty
Quadra was considered by the British Government as
a spot eminently worthy of retention. Since the
seizure of California by the United States the value
of Vancouver's Island has increased a thousand-fold.
For the Republic of Washington has now so far
advanced to the southward that its commerce,
already flourishing on the shores of the Atlantic
from its mercantile arrangements with Europe, is
beginning to direct its energies across the Pacific to
the fruitful regions of Asia and the Eastern Archi-
pelago. Ultimately the riches of the Orient must
flow from that direction to pervade the populous
nations of the new world, and, as we
observed on Saturday, whenever that time arrives the
straits of Juan de Fuca must inevitably and by ne-
cessity become the principal channel through which
the costly and prolific productions of Hindustan,
China, and the islands surrounding Japan and Borneo
must travel. This is no merely idle speculation ; it
is not the anticipation of a vision which may be rea-
lised in a dozen centuries ; it i 3 a deduction drawn
from facts patent to the whole world, and facts too
which are already beginning that great line of policy
for the furtherance of which Vancouver's Island will
be an invaluable instrument.

We are rejoiced to find that our distinguished con-
temporary the Times has followed out in its im-
pression of this morning the views which we advo-
cat( d on the evening of Saturday ; and we are grati-
fied to observe that is coincides with ourselves in
reprobating the precipitation with which this most
important possession is about to be juggled over into
the possession of the Hudson's Bay Company. We
have already remarked upon the suspicious character
of the antecedents to this insane act of transference ;
and now, in addition to what has been already
observed by ourselves, we cannot but express some
astonishment at the rather odd coincidence of Mr.
CHARLES BULLER being among the most prominent
supporters of the scheme of the Colonial Secretary.
Has the Right Hon. Member for Liskeard drawn his
calculations from the traditional opinions preserved
in his late office as Judge-Advocate-General, or has
he culled them from the reminiscences of his secre-
taryship under Lord Dußuaat ? Has he imbibed
his enthusiasm for the cause of the Hud-
son's Bay Company from the prosecution of
his peculiar duties as Chief Commissioner of
the Poor-law Board is England, or has he borrowed
his inspiration from th remembrance of his toils and
travels in attendance upon the Government of Ca-
nada ? Without some explanation of this retrospective
character it does strike us as being a rather anoma-
lous and bewildering circumstance to see the Right
Hon. and Learned Gentleman, the representative of
the borough of Liskeard, walking down to the House
of Commons from his offices in Somerset House to
make a long speech in depreciation of Vancouver's
Island, and in furtherance of the spoliative ambition
of the directors of the Hudson's Bay Company.
As to the facilities afforded by the island of : Qua-
dra or Vancouver for the purposes of colonization
we will grant, for the sake of argument, that there
are none whatever, that emigration to that possession is
for a thousand reasons altogether impracticable. Look,
ing at the matter even in this light, we maintain that
the island is still of too vast importance to sign away
for eleven years, or for a single twelvemonth,
simply because such a transference would be a

convenience to a small but grasping body of
mercantile monopolists. If Quadra were a rock as
barren as the rock of Malta it would be still, from
its situation, most worthy of preservation among the
more valuable possessions of the United Kingdom.
As a military post, as a dockyard, as a rallying point
for our fleet in the Pacific—it would still present to
us a hundred reasons for its preservation. In the
event of the Pacific becoming another Mediterranean
Vancouver's Island would, as our contemporary
the Times, has happily remarked, become a
second Tyne. Not only this—it would
be the Lima of the Northern Continent of America—
the terrestrial Valetta of the New World—the Gibral-
tar of the American dominions of Great Britain.

But in addition to all this, we insist upon it that
the maintenance of our national authority at Van-
couver's Island will tend greatly to promote the now
ripening system of colonization, and to civilize a vast
quarter of the globe, which must otherwise lapse
into barbarity. Under the almost irresponsible
rule of the Hudson's Bay Company, the
condition of the inhabitants of Quadra would be ex-
actly the reverse, for the great policy of that com-
pany is nothing less than the atrocious system of the
game-laws carried out upon a scale of gigantic mag-
nitude. Instead of being solicitous to promote set-
tlements, to multiply colonists, and to cultivate the
soil, the Hudson's Bay Company is only anxious to
abandon the woods and the forests to the wildness
and exuberance of nature, to multiply the number
of wild beasts, and to allow continents, penin-
sulas, islands, the isthmus, the valley, and
the mountain to become one dense maze of boughs
and underwood, peopled only by the bear and the
jackal, and pervious only to the footsteps of
their stipendiary huntsmen. Against the ad-
vance of this desolating system of mono-
poly, our voice shall continue to be raised,
until the necessity of a modification is so far recog-
nised by the Government, that for the purpose of in-
suring emolument to a few individuals, the nation
shall no longer be tricked out of possessions so im-
portant and invaluable as that of the island of Van-
couver.

Although every man is not a farmer, the attention
of all reflective minds is directed at this important
season of the agricultural year to the condition of the
atmosphere and the fluctuations of the barometer.
Bread is sweet to every man's lip, although every
man may not be dependent for his income on the
proceeds of the corn harvest. It is for this reason
that the present deplorable changes in the weather
are becoming each moment of more and more con-
sideration with the indiscriminate masses of the
people. From a communication published in another
column, and addressed to us by our Cowes'
correspondent, it will be observed that the indecision
of a few hours among some of the agriculturists in
that vicinity, proved destructive to a considerable por-
tion of the surrounding crop of wheat. Our readers
will be distressed to perceive, moreover, that this cala-
mitous indecision originated in a frivolous punctilio of
morality—one of those scruples of religion which
belong rather to the Pharisees of Judea than to the
Christians of England. The corn, be it ob-
observed, was already reaped, the stalks
were bound together in sheaves, the sheaves
were propped against each other in stooks—it only
wanted carting and carrying homeward to the barns
for the final labours of the flail, the winnow, and the
millstone. Yesterday (Sunday) was a brilliant day
of sunshine ; but one of those days in which the sink-
ing vibrations of the quicksilver in the barometer de-
clare the beauty to be evanescent. Well, the far-
mers hesitated they had qualms of conscience
as to the possible desecration of the Sab-
bath they debated among themselves the
propriety of a delay—they doubted whether their
labourers would aid them in the " ungodly" work of
harvesting—they regarded their half-reaped fields as
ALEXANDER gazed upon the courtesan—

" They sigh'd and look'd,
And sigh'd and look'd,
And sigh'd and look'd,
And sigh'd again I"
Before their hesitation had ceased the rain settled the
question off-hand, descending upon the country in
torrents, and rotting the ripe grains in the ungar-
nered husks. What miserable folly is this ! What de-
licate distinctions of morality ! If a man broke his leg
in Tavistock- square on a Sunday, according to this
system, no one would be justified in carrying him off
to King's College Hospital. Or, as our correspondent
puts it, the victim of a shipwreck would remain un-
succoured, because the vessel bilged upon the coast
during the hours of church service. There are some
things which admit of no hesitation—which require
action, not debate—speed instead of procrastination.
Foremost among these is, most unquestionably, the
preservation of the corn-harvest of an afflicted
and populous nation. And it certainly appears
to us to be a somewhat overstrained obedience
to the injunctions of the liturgy—this punctilious
neglect of the wheat crops on the score of a religious
scruple; especially after the memorable incident in
Holy Writ, when the Scribes and the Pharisees were
reproved by the lips of CHRIST because they mocked
at his disciples for pulling handfuls of green barley
as they walked through the cultivated grounds of
Palestine upon the Sabbath.
When shall we be enabled to cease clamouring
against this exaggerated distortion of morality which
beholds sin in the running of a railway train, in the
retailing of malt liquors, in the hawking of figs and
mackerel, or in the harvesting of the corn crops upon
a Sunday in the midst of a fluctuating autumn, and
after a season of extraordinary privations ?

SPAIN.

Madrid journals of the 14th have arrived.

Senor lioN, immediately on entering on his duties as
Finance Minister, convened a meeting of capitalists to
consider the measures to be adopted for the relief of the
Treasury. . _

It is said that SARTORIIIS will retire from the Ministry
of the Interior, and that he will be succeeded by TIDAL.
The Clamor Publico announces the re-appearance of
CABRERA at Olos y Sambre.
The Spanish correspondent of the French National
states that a liberal movement has just broken out in
Catalonia. On the 7th a corps of insurgents, 400 in
number, commanded by a chief named MoLmis, made its
appearance on the plains of Barcelona. Their cry was,
" Liberty for ever! Down with the Government!" On
the same day MOEINS disarmed the carabineers of Mas-
non and Badalona, two considerable towns, at three
hours' march from Barcelona. In the evening he ar-
rival at Semboy. The youths of Barcelona, in bands of
from 100 to 150, left the city to join him, and on the 9th
he had upwards of 700 men under his command. Another
movement took place at the same time on the Campo of
Tarragona. Colonel BALDINELS raised the whole people
in that neighbourhood, and was soon strong enough to
set at nought the authorities of Tarragona, from whom
he intended to demand supplies. On the 10th they were
joinid by many soldiers from the adjacent garrisons.
The greatest alarm is felt throughout all Catalonia.
Letters from Puerto Rico state that the governor of
the colony had sent 500 men and some artillery to sup-
press a rebellion of the blacks in the Danish island of
St. Croix.

MADRID BOLSA, AUG. 14.—Threes, 204; Fives, 11;
Exchange on London, 45 50.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of Saturday and
yesterday.
On Saturday M. ARMAND MARRAST was re-elected
President of the National Assembly by an overwhelm-
ing majority—the numbers being for M. ARMAND MAR-
EAST 611, for M. THEODORE BAC 54.
The approaches to the Hall of the National Assembly
were occupied by troops on Saturday, and every precau-
tion was adopted to prevent the occurrence of an outbreak .
It is said that great apprehensions are entertained of an
attempt at a legitimatist restoration, and that in order
to bring such restoration about, an alliance has
been formed between the Communists and the Legiti-
matists. That such an alliance should exist is by no
means improbable. The most active leaders of the
Communist party were all originally Royalists—General
COURTAIS, for example, was an f i Legititnatist officer,the
Abbe LAMENNAIS was, during the reign of CHARLES X.,
the most active and the most energetic, the most bigotted
and the most dangerous of the parti pretre. M. DE
GENOUDE was the editor of the the ultra-Royalist
Gazette de France, the avowed organ of the parti pretre
and the Jesuits; and when it is recollected that M.
Louis BLANC is the nephew of Count Pozzo DI BORGO,
it will be no longer matter of astonishment to find that
he too has Legitimatist propensities. The extraor-
dinary manner in which the priests throughout France
have countenanced Communism is another fact which
tends to prove the existence of a good understanding be-
tween these ultra parties. That they can succeed in
destroying the Republic we do not believe, nevertheless
they may occasion much mischief and a fearful loss of
life before they are put down; General CAVAIDNAC is
therefore justified in taking every precaution. That the
occurrence of some outbreak of a serious nature was ap-
prehended by the authorities on Saturday is evident from
the
Ge,n_e,rialcolweiung contrary to
, from " instructions for the trans-
misslifonoontfraorders," addressed to the National Guard by
to our hopes, the National Guards shall again

be called to a combat, the Guard-in-Chief would only give a
small number of orders, which he would take care to render
clear and precise; but as the circumstances of the battle and
the movements of the :enemy may require time to modify
the first arrangements, it is necessary to inform the National
Guard that when an officer of the staff shall bring an order,
he to whom such order is addressed must demand—l. His
name and production of his commission, if the staff officer is
not known. 2. The name of the officer, general, or superior,
by whom such order is sent; and 3, the hour and place
when the staff ()Ricer quitted the general or superior officer
whose order he brings. The National Guard must never al-
low itself to be approached nearer than 50 paces by nume-
rous armed groups.'

His Excellency the Marquis of NOR3IANBY presented
his credentials on Saturday to General CAVAIGNAC, as
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on a
special mission.
The Minister of Finance has published a decree, grant-
ing to those shareholders of the Paris and Lyons Rail-
way as may engage to pay up the instalments to com-
plete the 2501. on each share the right to make the pay-
ment in Treasury Bonds issued by the Republic, on the
same conditions as were granted to the subscribers to
the New Loan. When the term these bonds have to run
shall be less than six months, the interest on them shall
be accounted for to the holder at 5i per cent., and when
beyond that period 6 per cent.
The Moniteur contains a decree of the Executive Go-
vernment, dated the 18th, setting forth the terms and
conditions on which associations of workmen may enter
into engagements with the State for the execution of
public works.
On Friday morning another batch of insurgents
amounting to 945, were embarked on board the Ulloa,
from Havre, and taken to Cherbourg.
The affairs of Italy are commented on in almost all
these papers. The Presse says:—
" The Ambassador of Sardinia, M. de Brignoles Sale, has,
it is said, announced to M. Bastide, that the Sardinian Mi-
nister has protested against the armistice, of which the text
has been published. If this statement be true the fact is
very grave, especially in conjunction with what is passing
at Genoa, where the Government every day assumes a more
decided character of opposition against all that surrounds the
King. It is no doubt this new complication which has given
rise to the rumours which have been current, of the abdication
of Charles Albert, in favour of his son, the Duke of Savoy.
But, h,,wever, deplorable the situation of Charles Albert may
be, and by whatevar political and personal difficulties he may
be surrounded, we do not believe that for a single instant lie
has entertained the idea ascribed to him. The Duke of Savoy
is very popular in the army; Charles Albert, on the
contrary, by the fault of his generals more than by his own,
has lost in four days the popularity which his concessions to
his people and his entry into Lombardy had procured
him. It is not then impossible that new embarrassments
and new misfortunes may make a reality of what is at pre-
sent only an unfounded rumour, sent forth as a feeler by in-
terests which it is_not easy to make out amidst the confusion
which prevails at this moment from one end of Italy to
another." The Constitutionnel gives as positive the state-
ment of the Sardinian Ambassador having protested against
the armistice. That journal says :—" We learn that at a con-
sultation of Italian juris-consults it has been declared that
General Salasco exceeded his powers in signing the armis-
tice, as he had of his own authority given up fortified places
and compromised the Government."

We read in the Courrier Francais :
" It may be remembered that we mentioned some time
since that an Austrian Envoy had passed through Paris on
his way to London, and that it was the same who had pre-
viously visited the head-quarters of Charles Albert. We
are now enabled to give some details of the negotiations which
are taking place. It appears certain that in spite of her suc-
cesses Austria will give up Lombardy to retain possession of
the Venetian territory, but on two conditions; the first being
that Lombardy shall not be united to the Sardinian States,
and the second that she will be no longer answerable for the
Lombardian debt. Independently of these personal arrange-
ments, Austria, remembering the neutrality which the King
of Naples has preserved at so many risks and perils, stipu-
lates in favour of his second son as King of Sicily, the inde-
pendence of which country will be recognised. Such, we are
assured, are the bases of the negotiations now pending, and
they have been admitted by M. de Gagern, the representative
of the Diet of Frankfort. As to Venetia it will not only form
part of the Austrian monarchy, but also of the Germanic
Confederation ; it will send deputies to the Parliament at
Vienna, and to the Assembly at Frankfort. The German
standard will be hoisted on the citadel of Venice, by the side
of that of Austria."

The National has the following on the subject of
Italy, which may be considered as an official announce-
ment of the intentions of the French Government :

" It was announced in the Spectateur Republicain, a few
days ago, that General Welden had been disavowed by
Austria and recalled. This news to the present has not been
confirmed, and we have reason to believe that the invasion
of the Legations, interrupted a moment by the heroic defence
of Bologna, follows its course. On the other hand, we have
not yet learned that Austria has accepted the Anglo-French
mediation. Be that as it may, we hold it to be inadmissible
that France can fill the functions of mediator so long as the
ustrians occupy the Papal States. Nothing could autho-
rise their aggression, as nothing can authorise their remain-
ing upon a territory whose independence is guaranteed by
treaties. If our Government should enter into negotiation
with Austria in such circumstances, it would be sanctioning
the brutal abuse of force by Austria. Before a step be taken
by diplomacy, and that irrespective of the decision of
Vienna, whatever it may be, with regard to General
Welden, the Legations must be evacuated. In making this
demand France does not raise any exorbitant pretension, and
we trust that the wisdom of Germany will save us from
supporting our too just observations by a direct act."
In a separate article the National announces—

"It is said that Venice refuses to accept the armistice of
Charles Albert, and does not feel bound by the prudent
King of Piedmont. There is reason to believe that the Sar-
dinian fleet which blockaded Trieste and defended the ap-
proaches to Venice has been recalled. In this situation the
French Government has duties to fill. The defence of our
countrymen requires that the French flag be shown in the
Adriatic, and it is certain that at this moment our desire is
fulfilled."

The discussion on foreign affairs which was expected
to have come on in the Assembly on Saturday has been
postponed.
It is stated in one of the journals that Mr. J. B. Dil-
lon, one of the chiefs of the insurrectionary party in Ire-
land, has arrived at Havre.

BY a decree of the Executive Government, dated the
18th, the sequestration which had been placed on the
Orleans and Centre Railways has been removed, and
their management restored to the respective companies.
The Minister of Finance has published a decree grant-
ing to those shareholders of the Paris and Lyons Rail-
way as may engage to pay up the instalments to com-
plete the 250 f. on each share the right to make the pay-
ment in Treasury Bonds issued by the Republic, on the
same conditions as were granted to the subscribers to
the new loan. When the term which these bonds have
to run shall be less than six months the interest on them
shall be accounted for to the holder at 51 per cent., and
when beyond that period 6 per cent.
The discussions in the Assembly on Friday were en-
livened by a smart personal rencontre between MM.
BAUIIE and TURCK.. In giving evidence before the
Committee of Inquiry, M. TURCK had stated that he had
heard M. BAemIE declare on the 23d and 24th of June,
that the insurgents would not be put down till they had
killed four or five hundred of the Members of the As-
sembly. M. BAUME declared that this assertion was
" an infamous and odious calumny;" but M. TURCK re-
plied, however that might be, it was strictly true. The
President stopped both speakers, and adjourned the
subject till the general discussion.
M. Lours BLANC in the course of the same sitting
complained bitterly of the conduct of certain journals,
which had garbled the evidence given before the Com-
mittee, by publishing only such portions of it as tended
to inculpate him, and carefully suppressing everything
that might tell in his favour. He concluded by giving
notice for Monday of a decree prohibiting the publica-
tion of these documents in the journals until after the
discussion shall have taken place in the Assembly.
The following is the weekly report of the Prefect of
Police on the state of Paris:—

• " Citizens,—The emotion which has occupied the public
mind during the last few days is giving way and making
room for a feeling of security of which no serious cause ought
in point of fact to disturb the duration. Vague rumours,
malarming
yreportse ha
cannot
nwekte
ld about o
ng prevailou t b
against malevolence,
tbe
evidence and u ge-f
facts. If it were true that men were capable of restoring in
France a form of government justly abhorred, that would be
madness; for anarchy in our days would not lead kings to
• their thrones—it would only serve to precipitate the instiga-
tors and accomplices of these fratricidal struggles into an
aby es. Without doubt, the stoppage of industry and the
stag-
nation of trade do not cease so quickly as each of us could
desire; but the miseries which the revolution of February
, may have added to, though it did cause them, would only
increase tenfold through our discords, and the workmen would
be indefinitely condemned to privations which, with order,
must have an early end. A sensible amelioration already dis..
plays itself on almost all the points of the territory of the
Republic. The facility with which the last national loan was
subscribed and paid up shows that specie will not be wanting
to public confidence. Commercial vitalityis returning, trans-
actions become more numerous, the workshops are less de-
serted. In some days the solemn discussioa of the Constitu-
tion of our Republic will commence before the National
Assembly ; the great principles proclaimed in February will
receive, let us not doubt, such a consecration, that the
enemies of the Republic, whoever they may be, will no longer
find a pretext for their criminal hopes. The country desires
a democratic Republic; no human power can ravish from it
ith iws conquest
howwhich
to
pr
ehsaesr v see
ianl e
sdp t
ei t
ohf its d blood
against , a nadl
.w• 1h iie
The
people and the army, now united in their love of liberty, will
not forget that, for the motto of monarchy, ` Divide in order
to reign," the Republic has substituted its motto, " Union is
strength." The elements of the public fortune, the syrup_
toms of a slow, but continued return towards a normal state,
assume every day a less contestable character. Facts and
figures exist ; and bad faith itself caanot prevail against them.
The workshops are being re-opened, and the workman re-
ssumes the place which he had too long lost. The move-
ment which is taking place in all branches of industry is
even remarked ia those of luxury, which the receipt of orders
is again causing to become active. Renewed briskness dis-
plays itself in the ports, and the arrivals of July have greatly
exceeded those of the month of June ; the single port of the
canal St. Martin received last month 15,000 tons more than
in the previous month. The markets are always abundantly
supplied, and the price of bread is within reaeh of every
purse. At the date of our last return, out of 27,301 work-
men residing in furnished hotels, 16,925 were in work.
At this time, out of 29,074 there 'are 20,771 who have em-
ployment. The number of workinen remaining inactive is
only 8,303 instead of 9,432. The Mont-de-piet6 from the
Bth to the 15th has received in redemption of articles pawned,
344,077 f. ; the sums lent by it amounted only to 306,8201.
The number of persons returning to Paris increases pro-
gressively—on the Bth by 4,394, and is the last week by
5,974. Instead of 710 foreigners alighting at the hotels, they
amount to 765 ; only 628 have left the capital. In the course
of the six days, from 9th to the 16th, 2,615 passports were
given to French citizens, of which €57 were gratuitous, and
560 were granted to foreigners. The prisons on the 14th
contained 3,279 ordinary prisoners, and 8,069 implicated in
the affair of June. The sanitary state of thoenperaistotenms
pits
•.he Garde
perfect. Of all those of June three only have died—two from
their wounds, and one from a pneumonic affection. From
the 9th to the 17th there were eight suicides. The at-
temptsberi
baeveenrasgigenoaflis.siexd.a dAays.olOdinelryof
upon property are reduced to eight. Simple rob-
entinel, was wounded by a ball
Mobile, while on duty as s
Last night a second convoy of
fired by an unknown hand. The total number of the victims
sent off to Havre. The moral and
945 prisoners of
upone rob-
beries
the remain
person at
hastll e
sentaway leaves nothing to
be
state of the men
physical .
and shoes were distributed to those
desired. Clothes, linen,
of June amounts
jttinoelw,4al.Bs.
who were in want of them before their departure. Their

families may be completely assured as to their lot; these
prisoners do not leave France—and the most enlightened
attention is paid to them. A journal has .represented that
ill-treatment and even torture is inflicted upon the poli-
tical prisoners. I have no need to protest against an impu-
tation so odious; it will suffice for me to point out to the
public as new proof of the falsehoods and calumnies of certain
persons.
" DtiCOUX,
" Representative of the People, Prefect of Police.
" Paris, Aug. 18."

BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK-EXCHANGE. AUG. 19.

Boulogne and Amiens, 0/9—Northern of France, 5%.

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