The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-16 00:00:00

CHECK TO PERSONAL GOVERNMENT.

When the war ends the attention of the most thinking
of nations, and of the mast vivacious, will be directed to
the inquiry—What was it all about? The existing
generation of Germans will never forget the painful fare-
well of the men in leaving their families, and the anguish,
which spread over the country after that parting.
They will recall the weeks of uncertainty and the
desolation of homes scattered by each bulletin. The
untitled fields, the ungarnered crops, the hus-
bandman not reaping what he had sown ; manufactories
silent, universities closed, counting-houses and shops de-
serted, the coasts left in darkness, the harbours blocked
by sunken vessels. and then will come the question--
What was it all about ? It is probable that in _France
the record will be even more bitter ; and when tale
French enumerate the indignities and, the loss
that overwhelmed the soil of France at the
hands of an invader, they also will demand to
know—What was it all about ? Now, who can
answer this simple inquiry ? Neither the conqueror nor
the conquered ; neither King William nor Napoleon ; and
if not they, how can their subjects, who know nothing
about it? The one is called to repel an insolent invader,
the other is called to repress the dangerous aggrandise-
ment of a threatening neighbour, while it turns out that
the one which flew to arms to repel invasion itself invades,
and perhaps that the House of Hohenzollern makes a tool of
Napoleon to erect a throne over a German Empire. The
Germans, however, believe they ale fighting for liberty.
First, the freedom of their country to govern itself
without foreign dictation ; to be followed by the deter -
mination to govern themselves through Representatives
and a responsible Ministry—through an enlightened
public opinion, which neither the will of King nor
Minister can overrule. There are many who think that
the struggle of great military monarchs tends but to con-
solidate the sway of armies, yet we consider the
defeat of the French as likely to break down
their military system, when Europe will owe the
greatest of all possible boons to the intrepidity and resolu'
tion of the German people. With that system will go
another, which it is probable Napoleon undertook the war
to preserve—Personal Government. The one must rest
on the other, for it cannot be supported on anything
except bayonets. If Germany conquers and becomes all
powerful in Europe, and decrees that large standing armies
shall not be maintained but be regarded as a menace to peace,
those legions of idle men trained to arms, will cease, and
nations will have to base their defence oh the system
Prussia has found so efficacious. The peasantry of France
have no desire. for soldiering, and little taste for war,
however eagerly and passionately they may uphold the
glory of their nation. But to get rid of the military
instrument in France was beyond the national
power, even had the Emperor desired it. France
constituted a depot for the supply of a vast
army, and so long as that army existed, the
country could be but little else. This war, however,
must work a change, for the French hereafter cannot
fail to see that it was the Army which brought on the
invasion, and probP,bly, if repelled, it will be through the
people that it must be effected, while, if not, the profes-
sional force, which could not hold the frontier against the
citizen force, can never regain its prestige, and will surely
be disbanded as the first act of the conqueror. On
the contrary, should the French army recom-
mence its old career of victory, civilisation
would receive its most stunning blow, and the
chains of peoples would be rivetted anew. We are happy
to regard such a result as almost impossible, and while
we deeply sympathize with the gallant French citizens
and their magnificent army in their reverses, yet we feel
assured that for the benefit of unborn millions, events are
taking the course best calculated to advance the cause of
liberty, and to discredit with an ineffaceable slur the
future of Personal Government. —Anglo-American Times.

THE FATAL DUEL WITH KNIVES AT LIVERPOOL.--
The trial of the sailor John Smith, who fought a duel
with knives on board a ship at Liverpool recently, came
off on Monday. Smith was arraigned for manslaughter, his
opponent, Daniel Hawkins, having been killed in the en-
counter. The prisoner was acquitted, his lordship having
laid it down that he could not be found guilty if he had
acted in self-defence, and several witnesses having sworn
that Hawkins drew his knife first.

THE PRINCE IMPERIAL.—We are informed, upon
authority in which we place confidence, that the Prince
Imperial, whom discordant rumours have transferred to
the French Embassy at Albert-gate, or retained with the
Emperor at the head-quarters of the French army, has
been sent back to Paris, and is now at the Tuileries.—
Daily News.

ENGLISH AND NORTH GERMAN TRAFFIC.--IR a
letter addressed to the Chamber of Commerce of Liver-
pool the Imperial and Royal Austrian-Hungarian consul-
general states, that as in consequence of the war the traffic
between North German and English ports is likely to be im-
peded, the:Austrian-Hungarian Government, inthe interest
of international commerce, have arranged with the Austrian
Lloyd's for the establishment of a regular direct steam
communication between Trieste, London, Liverpool, and
Southampton ; so that if business through the ordinary
routes should become impracticable, the traffic to and
from the North of Germany may be carried on through
the ports of Austria. The consul requests that this
arrangement may be brought under the notice of commer.
cial men.

BLOCKADE OF PORTO C4BELLO.—Porto Cabello,
July 17.—The last vessels which remained here to load
have left, and there are now no ships in the harbour in
consequence of the blockade commenced by the Govern-
ment, which has been beaten, but which still has posses-
sion of the fort.

DISTRESSING ACCIDENT AT GREAT YARMOUTH.—
on Monday afternoon Mr. George Bussey, of South Mar-
ket-road, Great Yarmouth, with his wife and child,
and Mr. Peter Jenson, a commercial traveller from Lon-
don, who had also with him his wife and child, went out
for a sail in a pleasure boat. About two miles and a half
from Yarmouth their boat came in collision with a wherry
and was capsized. The two gentlemen were carried off
by the current and drowned. The women and children
were saved by another boat.

GREAT FIRE IN BARNSTAPLE.—The greatest fire
that is remembered to have occurred in Barnstaple raged
in Trinity-street, t arnstaple, on Monday, a locality
occupied chiefly by poor people. The town is destitute
alike of a fire brigade and of water, wd the destruction
of property was very great. The Tnwn Cotincil are
much censured for not having provided a flre brigade,
and the water company are to Mamie for leaving the town
without water.

DUNVILLE and Co., Belfast, are the largest holders
of whisky in the world. Their Old Irish Whisky is r omineuded
by the medical profession in preference to French brand . Sup-
plied in casks and cases for home use or exportation. Quotations
on application to Messrs DUNVILLE & Co.. Royal Irish Dis-
tilleries, Belfast ; or at thei London Offices, 4, Beaufort Buildings
Strand, W.O.