The Sun.
London, England, 1858-07-13 00:00:00

pre-eminence ? Who would not be flattered by
such a compliment ? It was very gratifying to the
feelings of this island, no, doubt, to be made the
object of intended invasion by the First Napoleon ;
but to find that his nephew has, with the most
invincible perseverance, and at a vast expense of
treasure, at length completed a work planned 200
years ago, during war with England, carried on by
every French Sovereign whenever he was on ill
terms with this country, and intended avowedly
for its invasion and subjugation, is a joy for which
words have no utterance, a bliss too deep for ex-
pression. Let us march• crowned with flowers in
the auspicious procession.
The Roman poet.tells ns that those who have no
wish to kill one wish to be able to do so ; and
we are told to believe, and do most earnestly wish
to believe, that this great work is completed in the
spirit in which the Moniteur de la Flotte says it
will be inaugurated,—in a spirit of forgetfulness of
the past and friendliness for the future. We desire,
and we are anxious, to reciprocate such feelings,
but if these are the predominating influences it does
occur to us to ask, in all simplicity, why was Cher-
bourg ever constructed at all ? Could our great
ally find no other means of employing the peace
which we have jointly conquered for E irope and
for ourselves than in the completion of a work
planned, devised, and executed with views hostile
to this country, an.. having avowedly no other obj, ct,
ana could he find no other means of doing honour
to our Queen than by inviting her to its inaugura-
tion ? We do not presume for a. moment-to ques-
tion the propriety other Majesty's appearance
shch an occasion ; it may very possibly be the
most magnanimous comae she could adopt ; but
we do venture to question the delicacy and the tact
of the invitation.

Oue thing is quite clear,—if forgetfulness of
the past and friendliness for the future do not

crivnt the Emperor Napoleon from pushing
works of so highly aggressive a character in
time of profound peace, they 'ought not to pre'vent
us, in the same friendly and forgetful spirit, from
taking ample measures of defence against so very
formidable a demonstration, In forgetfulness of
the past, let us equip and arm a Channel fleet ; in
friendliness for the future, let us man it, let us
keep up the Militia, let us increase the troops of
the Line. When we have thus given way to our
feelings. we can, with an equally exquisite tact, as
the Moniteur de la Flotte says, invite our great
ally to pay us a visit, to estimate our state of pre-
paration, and to rejoice with us over its comtleta-
noes. The Sympathy between the two Govern-
ments is far too complete to create the least dl-
fee!iug on the subject. To-day the Emperor of the
French calls upon us to rejoice because he has com-
pleted a work which may enable him to invade us ;
to-morrow let us claim his conzratulAtious because
we have }laced ourselves in a fi!tie,g state to resist
the invasion. The Emperor is far too friendly to
wish that we should exist merely on sufferance,
and will be much pleased to find so good au ally
has achieved iridef.entlenoe even of her friend and
brother in arms. We know that Cherbourg is only
a practical joke, but we should be unwilling to allow
our lively neighbour to outdo us in facetiousness.
When we have feted the completeness of his means
of attack, it will only be a proper acknowledgment
of his civility to call upon him for his congratula-
tions on the adequacy of our means of defence.