The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-13 00:00:00

THE PEACE PROPOSITIONS.

(Front the Debats of Yesterday. )
In what sense is article 5 to be understood ? What
is the precise object of it—what is its real and practical
bearing ? In this respect we are, like every one else, re-
duced to conjectures, and we cannot give our personal
appreciations. It is possible, and it is naliaral, that the
French and English Governments, in demanding from
Russia general guarantees in the interest of the ba•
lance of power in Europe, considered themselves com-
pelled to stipulate for some particular guarantees in fa-
vour of those Allies who came at the last to giie
their moral co-operation to the Western cause. It may
be, for instance, readily conceived that they would
not refuse to Sweden the price of an alliance which un-
der any eventuality must retain in their eyes the cha-
racter and the value of a friendly act. In this order of
ideas, the particular conditions which may be thought
proper to add to the general guarantees will be confined,
as is generally believed, to interdicting Russia front for-
tifying the Aland Islands, and rebuilding the fortifica-
tions of Bomarsund. It appears difficult to imagine that
Russia neither demanded nor received some previous
explanations as to the meaning of article 6 before she de-
cided on accepting without reserve the programme of which
it forms a part. If this very probable supposition be well
founded, the difficulty will he smoothed down, and on the
fifth point as on the four others the preliminary agree-
ment would exist de facto between the powers.. The
work of the plenipotentiaries who are about to assemble
would be thereby simplified and abridged. The affairs
of peace are therefore in a favourable way, and it is nel'e
thank God, with us than it will meet with any serious
obstacles. Our only regret is to see that on this point
there is not a perfect unanimity of views and an entent4
cordiale between France and her Allies. We do not
wish to exaggerate the dissent--it is not on the ground-
work of things, it is only the shades. In England we
firmly believe that peace is wished for, only that
wish is expressed with more reserve and hesitation
than with us. In France peace is desired, in Der
land the people resign themselves to it ; it is ac-
cepted from a feeling of humanity rather than from
sentiment, rather than by a warm and spouts•
neons impulse. But after all what does it matter
if England is ready to sign it I France, to her honour
be it said, and the whole world will render her this jug'
tice—France, in :declaring war against Russia, never
had a desire or an intention of crushing her ; she never
intended to make a war of hatred and exterminating
against her. She never in her ideas of triumph calcu-
lated on the pleasure of seeing Cronstadt in ruins or St.
Petersburg in flames. As she never entered on the war
with those savage wishes, she has net in making peace
to bear any sad disappointments.

THE REV. DR CROLY ON THE NEWSPAPIR.

The newspaper, the most influential of all human,
works, is the creation of printing. It is the honour 01
England that in this country it approaches nearest t°
excellence, in intellectual vigour, in variety of know'
ledge, in extent of information, and in patriotic prin-
ciple. It has, like all the works of man, occasional iD2'
perfections, and perhaps the most prominent are its too
minute details of offences against public purity. 13,1
there is scarcely a newspaper in this age which "foil,'
not have been regarded as a triumph of ability in the
last. In fact, the newspaper of England is the great
practical teacher of the people. Its constant 1:1"'
universal teaching alone accounts for the superior intldi
ligence of the population. Schools, lecture-rooms, 0,,
universities, important as they all are, altogether fill
behind it in public effect, or find that, to retain their
influence, they must follow in its steps. Those steps
must now and then turn from the right road, but their
native tendency is forward and upward. This intelleo.
tual giant always advances, and carries the country with
435.,
him to a height which no other country, ancient
modern, ever attained, or perhaps ever hoped to attain.
If in an age of foreign convulsion England has nod"'
gone no catastrophe—if in the fall of monarchies she has
Preserved her hereditary throne—if in the mingled
fidelity and superstition of the Continent, which, like Of
mingled fetters and frenzy of a lunatic kospital, hays
our day exhibited the lowest humiliation of nature, 1"
has preserved her freedom and her religion—l attribute
all, under God, to the vigour and intelligence of public
investigation, the incessant urgency of appeal to tbe
public mind, the living organisation of which, the heart,
is the Press of England.

TBEFATALCOLLISIONOFF FOLKESTONE
-CENSURE OF BOTH CREWS.

The inquiry opened on Tuesday last, before. Mr. EO4,
the Folkestone coroner, respecting the death of three °'
the unfortunate sufferers in the wreck of the' Josephil
Willie, was resumed yesterday at the Guildhall of tbi;
borough. Mr. Winkworth and Capt. Neagle attendeti
on behalf of the owners and underwriters. Mr. Tow 3).
for Captain Bourchier ; and Mr. O'Shea for the Linivri",
and London Steam Packet Company.
The evidence was almost the sane as given at the
Beal inquiry.
The jury, after more than an hour's deliberation, te.
turned the following verdict :--" We come to a iiusei.
moos conclusion that George Bummers and others oaige
by their deaths in consequence of a collision between the
ship Josephine Willis and the steamer Mangertoe, owing
to an error in judgment on the part of the chief °filo°
of the ship, mistaking the light of the steamer for Den'
genoss Light, and etarboarding the helm. We also afire!that if a proper look out had been kept on board of i
steamer, the collision might have been avoided. V" feel
it our duty also to state that there appears to have flea:
great want of humanity on tke part of the crew of
oth:
ships, hi not sending assistance to the passengers of
ship whilst they had it in their power to do so ; and we
believe that, if proper efforts had been made, man] w°r
lives would have been saved."