The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-22 00:00:00

BELGIUM AND HER POSITION.

The kingdom of Belgium is one of the smallest powers
in Europe, but it is, nevertheless, a thrifty State, with
large factories and an extensive maritime trade. The
principal seaport of Belgium is Antwerp, and the indus-
try of the country excels in the manufacture of lace, cloth,
carpets, and kindred articles. As the Government of the
kingdom cannot make any pretensions to military greatness,
it is of the utmost importance that it should be able to
observe a strict neutrality in a conflict between two great
military Powers like France and Prussia. The geogra-
phical situation makes the territory an exceedingly desir-
able acquisition for either of the belligerents, and if the
war assumes large proportions, an invasion of the territory
in question by either of the combatants must become
almost a certainty. The Government of Great Britain
has already acted in anticipation of the latter event, for
it is said that 10,000 troops are kept in readiness to
occupy the fortress of Antwerp. It is also asserted that
an English fleet is going to cruise in Belgian waters, and
the extensive warlike preparations which Great Britain
is making at the present moment are a sufficient evidence
of the fact that England considers herself bound to the
obligations entered into by her when King Leopold
ascended the throne in 1830. At that time England
pledged her faith to maintain the neutrality of Belgium at
all hazards, and France would have a perfect right to call
that power " perfidious Albion," if she should fail to
resist a foreign invasion on Belgian territory, whether
the movement originated in France or in Germany. Eng-
land is averse to war. She is, by virtue of her isolated
geographical position, better able to maintain neutrality
than any other power in Europe. Her sympathies in this
present crisis are with Prussia, but her interests compel
her to keep herself on as impartial a footing as possible.
England is bound by treaty to protect Belgium, but she
is not bound to do anything else. Should France invade
Belgian territory, France will be the enemy of England ;
should Prussia do so, Prussia will be considered hostile to the
interests of the protegé of Great Britain, and should be
treated accordingly. But if England proves herself
faithless to her word, she will be despised by the whole
world, and it is her duty, therefore, to act according to
her promises. The nations are watching closely what the
great' maritime power is likely to do in this eventuality.
Belgium has a claim on the protection of England, and
her territory is almost certain to be absorbed.by the party
which comes aut victorious in the present struggle, if no
helping hand comes forward to represent her interests
and fight for her rights.—San Francisco Chronicle.

ROME AND THE CATHOLIC POWERS OF

EURCPE.

The withdrawal of the French troops from Rome, and
the simultaneous termination of the Concordat by Aus-
tria, are, in this stormy moment, but mere eddies on the,
verge of the greater whirlpool of the war : yet they would
in ordinary times, and in -calmer- thhes- hereafter they
will, 4,,,stnne a high rank in the scale of importance, fol-
lowing as they do close upon the (Ecumenical Council.
The latter has asserted more strongly than any previous
Council or Pope the overruling authority of the Church ;
and the doctrines of the syllabus, if carried out to the
full consequences of their logic, would place in the hands
of the See of Rome the control of many institutions now
understood to belong to the secular power. To this
France has answered by silence. Like Italy she has
made no protest, but she has also declined to give
any recognition to these new pretensions, which seem
to be destined to remain void from mere non-usage. But
Austria, the third great Catholic Power of Europe, so
long the most faithful ally of the Church, puts in a
decided demurrer by suppressing the Concordat. The
leading features of that agreement, made in 1855, were
the removal of the clergy from trial in the Secular Courts,
even when they had committed offences against the civil
or criminal code of the State ; the repudiation of
the binding force of all marriages not celebrated by the
clergy; the placing the schools exclusively under clerical
management, and the denial of the usual rites of sepulture
to heretics. Most of these terms, it is true, had been
already abrogated by Austria under the wise leadership
of Von Beust, but it was reserved for the present crisis,
when the formal discontinuance of the Concordat would
carry with it the greatest moral and political effect, and
be likewise the most decided answer possible to the
assumptions of the Schema de Fide, to give to it all the
weight of a solemn international act. It is thus the first
positively political reply to the work of the (Ecumenical
Council. This revolt from Rome, however, is only the
adoption of the attitude long held by France, which
within a few years was assumed by Italy. The four
Catholic Powers—for we can no longer include Bavaria as
one of them—now hold relations towards the Catholic
Church not dissimilar to those existing between England
and its Established Church. They have taken higher
ground as to the dignities belonging to the State, but they
are still Catholic, supporting the Church largely from
their treasuries, and encouraging it in all its efforts to
propagate the faith, so long as it confines itself to matters
of doctrine. To these conclusions of lesssened influence and
authority the Pope submits, though he holds that he cannot
give vitality to the faith among the people unless he can
control the education of the young, and, practically, that
some social disabilities should be employed to deter men
from Protestantism. In proof of this he points to the
growing infidelity of France and Italy, in which country
Positivism is usurping the place of rituals and creeds.
Simultaneously with the suppression of the Concordat,
the withdrawal of the French troops, so long encamped at
Civita Vecchia, leaves the Pope with Italy as his only
protector against the machinations of the Mazzinists.
That Italy will protect him is certain, for she will not
abandon to a Republic that which she now hopes quietly
to acquire for herself. She can guard the Papal frontiers
from without as well as from within. There is even a
rumour that in the tripartite treaty, which the events
under notice prove to have been recently negotiated,
France agrees to offer no opposition to a p!ebiscitum in the
States of the Church, by which the people may decide
whether they will merge themselves in an united Italy, or
remain the subjects of Pio Nono. Such a rumour is very
probable. It is one of those negotiations to which Louis
Napoleon is so much addicted, wherein he sells to one
Power the, property of a third, receiving in consideration
for his services some concession important to himself—in
this instance, it is supposed, the armed support of Italy in
case his fortunes should become desperate in the struggle
with Prussia. In any event, it is openly announced by
the Emperor that the withdrawal of the troops from Rome
was done after an amicable understanding with Italy had
been reached. Italy, he says, may be trusted. To do
what ? The situation in Europe is so constantly changing
that speculations are extremely difficult. A fortnight
since an alliance between England and Prussia seemed.
probable. Since then they have been engaged in recri-
minations. Four years ago Italy and Prussia were com-
bined in a war with Austria. Now it seems likely that
the two are in unity against Prussia, or at least in some
sort of alliance with France. Only very lately it was
understood that this was to be a " one-battle war," and
the Emperor as he took the train on leaving Paris said,
" A bientots,"—he would return directly. As soon as he
reached the front, he informed the army that it was to be
a war of sieges, " long and arduous." He found the
whole system of tactics changed, and that instead of the
chances of a solitary grand action of manoeuvres, he must
climb painfully over earth works, and must hammer away
as Grant did in the Wilderness. Thus one day contra-
dicts the other, but the evacuation of Rome and the sup-
pression of the Concordat are fixed facts,. an,cl bear with
them lasting consequences.—New York Times.

SNIPER RIPLES.—India Offloe.--Detpatehes have
been sent out to the Indian Government informing Lord
Mayo that arrangements have now been completed for
supplying the all the troops in India, native as well as
British, with Snider rifles; also for the equipment of
twenty-six batteries of horse and foot artillery in read -
ness for service.—Allen's Indian Mail.

THE MORGUE IN NEW Yomi.—The Morgue is
an institution not yet familiar to the New York public.
It is beneficent in its uses, but it is one of those horrible
charities that we hope may never become familiar with
us, notwithstanding their usefulness. It seems so
foreign to all the finer senses to expose corpses to
the public, row after row, in various stages of
decomposition, that although' the true beneficence of
the act cannot be doubted, we almost dread to hear or
to think of the Morgue or dead-house where this is done.
But it is done, and it has to be done, and under those
circumstances, it is well for everyone to know something
of the plan and arrangement of the place ; for the most
fortunate of us know not at what, moment some near and
dear one may be mourned as missing whose bodylies wait-
ing for identification and removal at the Morgue.—New
York Herald.