The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-05 00:00:00

ICELAND.

The Diet of Iceland was opened on the sth July
at Reikiavik. Amongst the Bills presented was one
enacting that from the 15th June, 1852, foreign
vessels shall be allowed to enter the port of Reikiavik
without passports of the authorities of the island, and
shall be treated as Danish vessels.

SHE PURCHASE OF CUBA.
(From the New York Herald.)
One of our Newport correspondents suggests the
propriety of the United States purchasing the island
of Cuba from the Spanish Government, provided it
can be obtained for a reasonable sum—say 100,000,000
dollars. The proposition is put forward on the ground
that there is a growing sentiment among the American
people in favour of a revolution in Cuba, and of the
establishment of Cuban independence ; and that if the
Cuban discontents receive aid and assistance from their
coadjutors in the United States, it might involve this
country in a war with some of the great powers of
Europe.
We are not certain that any of the great Powers of
Europe would go to war with us on account of Cuba.
England would not do so, for the reason that she
could not. If she were less dependent on us than she
is—if she could procure a sufficient supply of cotton
and corn from other sources, she might do so, or
might enter into an alliance with France, were the
latter country a monarchy—to curb our propensity for
increasing our territory. As she is at present situated,
however, she will be willing to let us alone as long as
we do not trouble her ; and to leave us to pursue the
even or uneven tenor of our way, as it may be,
without any attempt at hindrance or restraint on her
part. France would not trouble the United States
in the matter at all, for a war with this country, on
any pretext, would be disastrous to any Adminis-
tration that attempted it. There exists between the
people of the two republics a tacit but well understood
entente cordiale, stronger than any paper concordat or
treaty that was ever written. But, were the Creoles
of Cuba to obtain their independence of Spain, with
or without aid and assistance from the United States,
there is good reason to believe that Spain would treat
its annexation to the United States as the Mexican
Government treated the annexation of Texas,
viz., as a casus belli' or as a declaration of war.
Such a result would be of vast injury to us. Her
military resources could not be employed against
us; but, by means of letters of marque, she could
harass our commerce and inflict more damage
than Cuba is worth fifty times over. Her pride
would induce her to take this course, in all proba-
bility ; for, weak as she is, and ranking so low as she
does in the scale of nations, she does not forget the
position she once held, nor would she see the last of
her American colonies form part of this confedera-
tion by annexation without resenting it, even were
she sure of suffering injury from so doing. Spain
has always held a reputation for privateering and
guerilla warfare, and a better outlet for the employ-
ment of her malcontents could not be offered than
the franking of letters of marque to harass our com-
merce.
For these and other reasons, which it is unneces-
sary to mention, we are in favour, as we have been
for two or three years past, of our Government offer-
ing to purchase Cuba from Spain. If it can be ob-
tained for a reasonable sum, it would be advisable for
us to open negotiations at once. We proposed this
to the Government and to Calderon de la Berea, the
Spanish Minister at Washington, a considerable time
since. As she and Cuba are now situated,:in all proba-
bility she would give respectful attention to our over-
tures, and take them into serious consideration. She
cannot but be assured that her hold on that
island is very precarious, and that, in the nature of
things, she cannot continue it much longer. The in-
dependence of Cuba may be delayed—all present
efforts at revolution may be put down—but the Creole
population have determined to be independent of
Spain, and independent they will be, sooner or later.
It is only a question of time ; and, if Spain wishes to
save her reputation, and at the same time make a snug
sum of money by the operation, she will dispose of
that island to the United States for a fair consider&
tion, to be agreed upon by the contracting parties.

SEABORNE MAILS.
signifies that the maths are sent from the General Font-ofilell
by the night—and Pd by the morning—dispatch.]