The Sun.
London, England, 1870-10-25 00:00:00

Cs,

o,Ullt.

LONDON,: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 1870.

APPALLING casualties like the loss of the Cambria,
or the missing of the City of Boston, or the burning
of the Amazon, or the foundering of the Captain in
a gale of wind off Cape Finisterre, every now and
then suddenly seizes captive the national imagina-
tion. The perils incurred by those who go down
to the great sea in ships, the reading public at these
moments realise for an interval very vividly. The
smallest particulars, in regard to a shipwreck. of
this startling kind, are eagerly procured from the
survivors. Accounts of the calamity, as full and true
and particular as possible, are greedily devoured.
Incidents of such an astounding character, however,
are fortunately few and far between, and come to
light at very uncertain intervals. All the while,
however, more or less continuously all through
the fluctuations of wind and weather, casualties
of a disastrous nature are occurring, by
night and by day, all the year round,
and this along the whole sea-board of the
British Archio3pelago. To recognize this, it is only
necessary to take a moment's glance at the
wreck chart and wreck register isued quarterly
by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
The record thereby brought to view literally at a
glance, in the twinkling of an eye, is a something
portentous. It is like one of those grim charts pub-
lished
on the morrow of the cholera or
of the plague, shewing the localities visited
by the disease, and the proportionate de-
vastation caused by it. Happily, while .wrecks
are strewn all along our coasts, thus continually, the
organization of the noble institution just now

referred to is directed as continually to the saving of
life and property by means of the Lifeboat service.
Among all our great charitable institutions, it is the
most national in its character. And, as a conse-

quence of this,we are rejoiced to add that it flourishes
under the able direction of an energetic board of
management and an indefatigable secretary.

PEACE negotiations are once more resumed, and
this time with a better prospect of success than on
any former occasion. The British Government has
opened negotiations for an armistice, and this media-
tion is approved by the other Powers, and accepted
by France. The circumstances are propitious in many
respects. In the first place the very fact that our own
Ministry has intervened is an indication that there is
at least much reason to hope for a successful issue.
The Cabinet has rigorously kept aloof from
uninvited interference, and has publicly ex-
pressed its determination not to meddle
with the contest until some desire for
such assistance has been made known. There
can be little doubt that this latter condition has been
met. The position of France has not grown more
hopeful since the failure of M. FAVRE'S mission to
Ferrieres, :whilst the desire of the nation for peace is
unmistakeably stronger. For some little time past
the French press out of Paris has abandoned the " last-
drop of blood" attitude which marked it just after
Sedan. Thinking Frenchmen are coming to the
conclusion that all useful, and almost all possible,
sacrifices have been exacted in vain from
their country. The fight has been fought, and
the hope of success no longer remains. Further
resistance would be suicidal. Such are the half-
uttered thoughts which find vent in the public
organs all over France; whilst, at the same time, a
desire for mediation, especially on the part of Eng-
land, is openly expressed. The Republican Govern-
ment has perceived that if it seeks an end
to the war, the step will be justified by
great part of the nation : indeed it is probable that
the extreme men of their own party will be the only
malcontents. Encouraged by such symptoms it has
asked the assistance of England, and has* met with
a prompt and satisfactory reply. To England's in-
quiry the neutral powers assent, and it has long been
known that Germany considers both her success quite
sufficiently great, and her losses far too over-
whelmingly heavy.
Under such conditions it would be more than im-
politic—it would be wicked—to delay action. It is
true that when details are considered numerous
great difficulties present themselves. The situation
is one of extreme perplexity. The conditions
of a preliminary armistice will give great
trouble, for it is obvious that such a
cessation of hostilities must, under the circum-
stances, be beneficial to one party or the other.
Either the French in Paris and Metz must further
trench upon their slender stock of provisions without
any corresponding advantage, or they must, to the
injury of the Germans, be allowed to revictual. The
question of the governing power in France is also
perplexing, for though the Republicans are now in
possession, the Imperialists urge their claims,
and are agitating in all directions for
recognition. Lastly, there are the diverse views of
the two nations as to the terms of peace. These are
formidable obstacles. They, nevertheless, need not
be deemed insuperable. If the armistice be agreed
to only when it is seen that an ultimate settlement is
all but certain, and if the Constituent Assembly be
left to an unfettered decision respecting the form
of Government, a way through the labyrinth seems
to present itself. As to the terms of peace, it is very
evident that the French no longer rely upon pre-
serving their territory intact: they are prepared to
yield something.

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

THE POPE UNDER SURVEILLANCE.

Residents in Rome complain greatly of the strict
supervision maintained over the Pope and all his sur-
roundings. The arrival of General La Marmora has
restored order in the city, but has not improved the
position of the Pope himself. The latter has refused
to see the emissary of the Italian Government, and
has ordered--Cardinal Antonelli to refuse likewise ;
so that the position of the General is somewhat em-
barrassing. The situation altogether is daily grow-
ing more complicated and more uncertain, and the
Pope's friends and supporters declare that nothing
short of his departure from Rome will preserve the
spiritual independence of the Holy See. Persons
entering and leaving the Vatican, especially if they
are priests or the servants of ecclesiastics, are sub-
jected to vexatious scrutiny, and a rigorous surveil-
lance is maintained over all postal and telegraphic
communications, so that the Papal party assert that
it is materially and morally impossible for the work
of the Church to be carried on. "It is necessary to
go out, so as to re-enter," say persons high in the
confidence of the Pope, and it is most likely that
some movement will be made if the present blockade
of the Vatican be maintained. The Pope is described
as being in good health, but looking sad and anxious,
and being greatly affected by the necessary suspen-
sion of the Council. The expected arrival of Maz-
zini in Rome will, it is feared by the Papal sup-
porters, be the signal for fresh disturbances.

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