The Sun.
London, England, 1856-11-28 00:00:00

that it may be so, and that tardy justice may at
length be administered to his long-suffering sub-
jects. We must, however, confess that we place
no great faith in Imperial promises. The
5 rasp of despotic authority is seldom willingly
relaxed, and it would be little short of a miracle if
the stern policy which so long prevailed, which
created such well-founded complaints, and ren-
dered Lombardy the weakness of Austria, should
be yoluntarily abandoned and replaced by a
milder system.

FRANCIS JOSEPH will, however, have the op-
portunity of seeing and judging for himself. He
will learn the true state of Italy—not only of the
portion over which he reigns, but of the remaining
States into which it is divided ; and will discover
the imperative necessity of doing something to
place matters on a sounder foundation. Should
he wisely avail himself of the opportunity afforded
by his visit much may be effected. It is well
when rulers are brought face to face with their
subjects. A courteous and affable demeanour goes
far to conciliate good-will ; and that at least may
be easily assumed--even should he be indisposed to
go to the full extent required by the exigences of
the case. Italians must ever deeply feel that
they are placed under foreign domination. But
if the rule be liberal and enlightened, if justice
be tempered with mercy, the people will forget
that it is administered by the hands of strangers,
and gratefully respond to kindness and leniency,
of which too long they were ignorant. The
Venetians may not forget their ancient glory.
The Milanese may sigh for domestic government.
But if they have no other causes of complaint
these grievances will soon be forgotten, and the
Hapsburg dyn arty acquiesced in.
There are, however, matters that prevent us
from indulging in very sanguine expectations.
The recent Concordat with the Vatican is a fear-
ful stumbling-block in the way of FaeaNcis
JOSEPH. Sacerdotal domination has always proved
disastrous to every nation in which it was tole
rated. The Austrian EMPEROR, without the
slightest necessity, surrendered his independence,
and made himself the mere tool of the Papal
Court. In every part of his dominions, and no-
where more than in Italy, the priestly preten-
sions, warranted by that e xtraordinary document,
have excited the greatest possible dissatisfaction.
Matters had previously been bad enough, but they
have been far worse since FRANCIS JOSEPM trans-
ferred his authority on all matters relating to edu-
cation, marriages, burials, (tc., to the delegates of
Rome.

Should this opportunity be disregarded and
suffered to slip fruitlessly by the future state of
affairs will be far worse than at present. Some
degree of hope has been excited ; when that has
passed away the reaction will be terrible. The
people will see that they have only themselves to
depend on ; that if they desire freedom they
must obtain it by their own energetic exertions.
A torch may thus be kindled throughout the
entire Peninsula that cannot speedily be extin-
guished, and which may for ever prevent the
thoughts of Lombardy from disturbing the repose
of the House of Hapsburg.
FRANCIS JOSEPH may also, if he pleases, now
withdraw from interfering in the Government of
other States, and occupying them with his troops.
lie will have a favourable chance of impressing
on King BomBA the necessity of " assuming the
appearance of a virtue, if he possess it not," and
abandoning the tyrannical course by which he has
endeavoured to act on the fears, while disregard-
ing the love, of his subjects. It is of vast import..
ante to Austria herself to prevent the standard of
revolt from being elevated in any part of Italy.
That cannot be checked by military power, but it
may be averted by kindness and liberality. The
choice rests with FRANCIS JOSEPH. It is a mo-
mentous question, and it will be well for himself
if he arrive at a felicitous solution of it.

The existing state of affairs in almost all coun-
tries renders it peculiarly important that the E3r-
PEROR should remove this source of internal
weakness. He is regarded with no friendly spirit
by Russia, and Prussia eagerly seeks to obtain a
predominance in the affairs of Germany. France
has exhibited too many symptoms of truckling to
the Autocrat to render the permanence of the en-
tente cordiale positively certain. Her journals are
railing at England, and the English. The semi-
official Constitutionnel is already oblivious of the
ca stigation so soundly administered by the wholly
official Moniteur a few weeks since, and returns
to the attack with keen enjoyment. It, however,
cautiously abstains from trespassing on forbidden
ground by assailing the Eng,lish Government.
It is contented to go the entire animal
against " the Fourth Estate," while the
Assemblee .Nationale raises a cry for the forti-
fication of Algiers, protesting against its being
made " a branch establishment of Malta and
Gibraltar." That the latter journal should
eagerly desire a dissolution of the Western
Alli-
ance is by no means extraordinary. It is well
aware that there is no hope for the restoration of
the BOURBONS so long as NAPOLEON is at amity
with England. Therefore it endeavours to
sow dissension, and, as was invariably
the case, to advocate Muscovite interests,
by which it hopes to advance the interests of the
exiled family. If that alliance be endangered, it
is not the fault of the English Government, or
the English Press. They have in, every respect
observed every promise with fidelity and truth.
Yes; every true-hearted Englishman is determined
that we will be the friend and ally, but not the
satellite, of NAPOLEON. We shall gladly co-ope-
rate with his Government, but will never consent
to be dragged at his chariot wheels.

The utilisation of our Indian territories for the
supply of articles of large consumption and in
growing request among us is a subject, we are
happy to perceive, engaging; more attention of
late than at any previous period. The recent war
with Russia, from whom we lave been accustomed
to receive so large a proportion of our hemp, and
the increased demand for artd high price of paper
in the home market, explain in some measure this
altered state of public feeling. The friends of
India, however, who, through good report and evil
re
have advocated her claims and devote."
their energies to the discovery and development olf.
her capabilities, are chiefly to be 'thanked for it.
Among these, not the least conspicuous, and cer-
tainly
one of the most able, is Dr. J. FORBES
ROYLE, whose attention has been directed to the
Fibres of India fit for Textile Fabrics or for Rope
and Paper Making.
°11: previous occasions we
have noticed a valuable
work of his on the sub—
ject, and made it the basis of several articles •
On Wednesday evening, it will be seen in a repot
of the second ordinary meeting of the Sociefy G f
Arts, to be met with in another column, 111(
learned Doctor read a .paper on Indian Fibres; to
the Society, being a sequel to the work to wl Lich
we have referred.

In reintroducing the subject for discussion, Dr.
ROYLE, it will be observed, apologised for d oing
uite
so at so early a period. No apology, we are) (4

sure, was necessary ; and we only advert, to it
because it tends to show the importance of the
matter with which he bad underta ken to