The Sun.
London, England, 1870-11-14 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS

RUSSIA AND FRANCE,

The Saturday Review says it is remarkab!3 that the
Russian press,' notwithstanding the ostentation., friendship
of the Imperial Court for Prussia, almost unanimously,
expresses-regret for the French defeats, and apprehension •
for the consequences of the union and aggrandisethent of
Germany. The general appreciation of the change in the
balance of power is so far justified that Germany has the
power to injure Russia more seriously than any distant
Power. If an attack on Russia were thought desirable,
the supposed grievances of the German population in the
Baltic provinces would afford both a pretext for quarrel and
an opportunity of inflicting serious in j ury. Another and more
chimerical danger is apprehended from the possible interfe-
rence of G ermany on behalf of l'oland. It is certain that the
well-Bounded disaffection of•the Poles is a source of weak-
ness to Russia, and that any enemy who wished to inflict
a deadly blow on the Empire wouid incite and support a
Polish insurrection ; but the restoration of ancient Poland
would be as unpalatable to Prussia 218 to Russia; and ca
all former occasions the rulers of Posen have in every
way facilitated the suppression of disturbances in the
adjacent Russian possessions. It it said that the Turkish
Government acted on the opposite assumption of a com-
munity of interest between _Russia and Germany ; but the
supposed application of the Porte to the. European
Powers for aid to France must for the present be regarded
as apocryphal. There is no remora to expect that after
the conclusion of the war there will be any disposition on
the part of Germany to quarrel with Russia ; but, on the
orher hand, the Russian Government canna resume the
prosecution of its designs upon Turkey until it has secufed
German aid or connivance. With the exception of Austria
on one side, and of England on the other, the neutral
Powers are neither deeply interested in the result of the
war nor comparatively indifferent to the increase of Ger-
man power ; but the balance of European sympathy at
present inclines to France.

THE NEUTRAL MINISTRY AT GUILDHALL.

The Spectator says that nothing could be more severely
neutral than the speeches of Ministers at the Mansion
House on Wednesday. A neutral Ministry has difficulties
of its own to fight with. It takes strength to be really
neutral, perhaps at least as much strength as it does to
take a side. A neutral Ministry must expect less loud
support than a Ministry which takes sides. It is attacked
by three dissatisfied sets of critics, those who would like
action on one side; those who would like action on the
other side, and those who would like action against both
sides/ active interference to restore peace. In the mean-
time, those who sincerely approve of real neutrality as
regards our national action, very naturally do not often find
their own minds perfectly neutral, so that their expres-
sions and opinions tend to stimulate feelings on which
their exponents have no wish to see the country act.
On the whole, we believe, that with the scrupulous and
perhaps almost pedantic neutrality of the Government,
the nation has good reason to be heartily satisfied. For
our own parts, we should prefer a little leas timidity and
a little more self-confidence. We should wish to see the
Government expressing boldly its dislike' to any proposal
for transferring populations from one government to
another without their own consent, on those grounds
of general European policy the importance of which
every year has rendered more conspicuous. We
should like to see less trepidation in me-
diation, where mediation is possible. But nothing
is more difficult than to adhere steadily to a neutral
policy ;.and if it be not always the noblest and highest
policy, it is in all difficult cases by far the most prudent,
and by the leaSt liable to degenerate into one of passion
and menace. The Government are supporting with great
credit to themselves a line of policy in which at least
can be quite consistent and quite clear. Popular Govern-
ments of complex States, moved, as they are, by all sorts
of conflicting interests, can rarely do better. They may
aim at a higher policy, but they will be too likely a hit a
lower.