The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

with the positive statements of the ablest sea• faring
men, that the salvation of their ships and crews in the
most trying circumstances, and when their best Admi-
ralty anchors bad broken, or otherwise failed them,
was solely attributable to their having a patent anchor
on board, would have led the Admiralty at once to
adopt them generally in her MAJESTY'S naval service.
Yet, strange to say, up to this hour, and with all the
accumulation of evidence contained in the official
reports in their possession, which now lie before us,
no decision whatever has been arrived at.

The degree of value attached to the preservation of
human life is no less a test of the advance of civilisa-
tion than a criterion of good and enlightened go-
vernment. Yet, while a deep degree of public in-
terest is taken in those institutions which (like t.he
Humane Society) contemplate the preservation of
individual lives—while a Committee of Inquiry
is granted for the examination of a question-
able invention, the sole purpose of which is rapid
and wholesale destruction—no such Committee
has ever been granted in the case of an inven-
tion which is adapted to the preservation of human
life, and of public and private property, to an incalcu-
lable extent, and in every quarter of the globe. We
trust that considerations of humanity no less than of
national policy will induce the present Government
to desert the course pursued by their predecessors,
and to devote to this important subject a prompt-and
impartial attention.

It is not in France alone that the principles of
free trade are making progress. In Belgium an
association has been formed in favour of commercial
liberty, of which M. CHARLES DE BROUCICERE, ex-
Minister of Finance, has accepted the presidency.
They have just published a manifesto, appealing to
all well-meaning men of every party to join them,
inasmuch as the object which they have in view is
without the pale that divides parties. The manifesto
concludes as follows :

"It has been said, and with great truth, that the
principle of commercial liberty is the principle of peace.
Now the principle of peace, partout et toujours, is the
sole immutable and eternal bases of our independence.
With peace, and the absolute freedom of international
relations, the smallest nations may attain to the pleni-
tude of life of great empires ; they have no longer cause
to envy them."
Prince METTERNICH returned to Vienna on the
night of the 14th, and on the following day held a con-
ference with such of the diplomatic corps as were then
in the capital. It vsas supposed to relate chiefly to
the affairs of Spain.

The Austrian G)vernment has issued an ordon-
nance declaring that every engine-driver on the rail-
roads of the State who shall have, for the space of one
year, performed his duties without having caused any
accident, shall be entitled to a reward of 100 florins
(260 f.), and that every engine-driver whose trains
have met with no accident for ten consecutive years
shall receive 1,000 florins 0,6000 and a gold medal.

It is gratifying to find that the liberal policy of the
new POPE is already producing all the effects which
the friends of liberty and order had anticipated from
its adoption. Ths following is an extract from a
letter from Rome, Sated the 12th instant :
"It may, without fear of exaggeration, be said that
the government of de new Pope has improved the morals
of the people of ow capital. Since the publication of
the amnesty not a tingle crime against the person has
been committed in Rome, and yesterday, during the
fete of the Nativity, although the Corso was filled with
an immense crowd, during the whole day not the
least distuibance took place. It has been noticed on
more than one occasion that on quarrels arising in wine-
shops, it has been only necessary to remind the parties
that they are now living under the reign of Pius IX.
to immediately put an end to them. In the provinces, on
the contrary, deplorable excesses have been committed.
A few days since, at Jasi (in the Legation of Bologna),
a band of workmen threw stones at the windows of a
house in which the late Pope GregoryXVl. had stopped
one night while visiting that place, and dragged a bust of
that prelate through the streets with a cord round its neck
The Austrian Consul at Jasi immediately sent a report
of this outrage to his Ambassador here, who in his turn
sent off a courier to Vienna, addressing at the same time
a note to the Cardinal Minister of Pot eign Affairs, point-
ing out the necessity of immediately putting an end to
such revolting acts."

Count ROSSI, the French Ambassador, is about to
quit Rome for Paris. He intends returning in No-
vember.

Madrid papers of the 18th have arrived. We find
in them an outline of the whole of the debate of the
17th in the Cortes, and part of that of the 18th, on
the marriage question. The following is the report
they give of the discussion :—" M. NocEniL made a
long speech against the marriage of the INFANTA
with the Duke DE MONTPENSIER, as did also M.
PACHECO, who said it was calculated to cause serious
misunderstandings between France and England, and
he reminded the Cortes that it had been agreed for-
merly that the marriage should not take place
until the question of direct succession should be
settled by the birth of direct heirs to the throne. M.
DONOSO CORTES denied that there was any chance of a
rupture between England and France on this subject,
and said it was much better to marry the INFANTA to
a Prince who presented himself under the auspices of
liberty, than to one who should appear as the symbol
of conquest. The President of the Council of Ministers,
in allusion to the notes of Mr. BULWER, said he had
received one in which Mr. BULWER declared that the
marriage of the Duke DE MONTPENSIER would not
affect the friendly relations of the two Cabinets. M.
MoN, in replying to M. PACHECO, said the Ministers
had, in the marriage affair, only obeyed the will of the
QUEEN, and they took upon themselves exclusively
the responsibility of bringing the affair before the
Cortes. He asserted that the question was purely
Spanish, and not of a nature to lead to foreign inter-
vention ; on the contrary, he was, he said, sure that
it would give satisfaction to foreign Courts. M.
BRAVO MURILLO spoke strongly in favour of the mar-
riage, and said he did not understand how any
Deputy could, on this occasion, resist the will of
the QUEEN."

The President then read a " private proposition,"
signed by M. ORENSE, whereby the debate was not
to be closed as long as any Member inscribed should
wish to speak. _ _ _

At the hour the post left M. OILENSE was proceed-
ing to move his proposition. No one, however,
doubted of the result, which has since been corn,
municated by telegraph. Mr. BuLivien was present
during the debate, and it was reported in the Cham-
ber that he had received orders from his Govern-
ment to protest in the most strong and ener-
getic terms against the MONTPENSIER match.
The Opposition papers have been again all
seized. The French Ambassador has announced that
the Due DE MONTPENSIER will not accept any dota-
tion that may be voted to the INFANTA. NARVAEZ,
according to the Heraldo, arrived at Vittoria on the
16th, and was hourly expected in Madrid. The
Progressistas appear to be increasing in energy,
courage, and force every day; upwards of 1,000 addi-
tional signatures have been appended to the petition
against the French alliance. The English squadron,
it is said, sail from Cadiz on the 16th. A letter from
that city, dated September 18, says:—
"Yesterday, Vice-Admiral Parker, accompanied by
the Commodore and all the Captains of the English
squadron in the bay, paid a visit to our General Com-
mandant. In the evening most of the officers of the
squadron went to the theatre to see the opera of Ilernani.
Between two of the acts the General Commandant
caused a splendid collation to be served to the officers,
and to which he had invited the political chiefs, the first
alcalde, and several generals. This day, at one o'clock,
the General Commandant visited Vice-Admiral Parker
on board the flagship, and partook of a breakfast which
had been provided. The greatest cordiality reigned be-
tween the British and Spanish officers who were present.
The Admiral gave as a toast The Queen of Spain ; and
may her marriage be a source of happiness to herself
and the nation.' The General Commandant proposed
"The Queen of England ;' and in a speech which he
made on the occasion expressed a hope that, if there
should be a war, Englishmen and Spaniards would be
fighting cn the same side."

If any proof were wanting of the state of public
feeling in Spain, it would be furnished by this spedch
of the General Commandant, which is most important,
as showing the feeling of the army.
General ➢TAsozo sailed for the Havannah from
Cadiz on the 11th.
MADRID BOLSA, SEPT. 18.—The Three per Cents.
were done at 36i for cash ; the Four per Cents. at
22 ; the Five per Cents. at 22i ; the Passives at 6i;
and the Coupons at 20.

We have received the Paris papers of Wednesday.
The Presse has the following, which may be deemed
the official account of the settlement of the Tahiti
question :
" Some journals persist in repeating that the Govern-
men, intends to abandon the four Society blands—
Huahine, Borabora, Raiatea, and Maupiti; but we are
able to give details on the subject, which cannot leave