The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-27 00:00:00

BURNING - OF TWO GERMAN
SHIPS.
(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

The report of the burning of two German ships
in the North Sea by a French vcsssel, is supported
by such evidence as to leave no doubt of
its truth. The captain of the Swedish barque,
The Carolina, which has arrived in the
Tyne from Addeval, states that, while making the
passage across the North Sea, be was stopped by a
French war steamer, whose officers boarded his
vessel ; but when they learnt his nationality they
allowed him to proceed unmolested. Shortly after-
wards he saw the French steamer seize two German
merchant vessels and burn them. The captain of a
vessel which has arrived at Leith from Copen-
hagen gives confirmatory evidence, leaving no doubt
of the truth of the report.

[CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.]
SIR STAFFORD NORTHCOTE ON PUBLIC
MATTERS.

Sir Stafford Northcote, M.P., who presided at the
annual meeting of the Halberton Farmers' Club yester-
day, in adverting to the engagement of the Princess
Louise with the Marquis of Lorne. said he felt bound to
protest against the common expression that this would be
a marriage of affection, as though there were no other
marriages of affection in the Royal Family. He contended
that there were no marriages fraught with greater
domestic happiness than those of her Majesty's
children. In reference to the war, Sir Stafford
considered that a most important duty rested upon the
Government to look to the defences of this country. He
pointed out that it would be necessary for Englishmen
generally to be ready to support such good measures as
the Government might feel called upon to adopt in refer-
ence to this matter. He often heard it flippantly re-
marked that this Franco-Prussian war had shewn the
difference between a standing army and an armed nation,
but it was unwise to draw inferences of this sort and apply
them to England. It must be remembered that her cir-
cumstances were different. England certainly possessed
great advantages in her insular position, but the British
Empire consisted of more than England. It had distant
colonies to take care of, and he ventured to think no
scheme would be perfect that did not take these foreign
possessions into account. For this reason he advocated
the expediency of rendering England's national defences
impregnable in every respect.

MR. LOPES, M.P., AND HIS CONSTITUENTS.

Mr. Lopes, M.P., addressing his constituents at Laun-
ceston, yesterday, and referring to the war, said: France,
in the first instance, was the aggressor, but the secret
treaty which had been brought to light, proved Prus. ia
was no stranger to the idea of territorial aggrandisement.
He was opposed to intervention, but in
favour of mediation, and believed the Government
of England had done all it could in that direction.
He did not believe annexation would secure peace. The
war most clearly demonstrated the advantages of national
education, and the superiority of national armaments over
standing armies. It was England's duty to be prepared
for defence, and he should like to see her with a small
standing army and a large national militia. He hoped in
future that the exportation of arms and munitions of war
would be made illegal. The meeting passed a vote of con-
fidence in the hon. member.