The Sun.
London, England, 1859-08-10 00:00:00

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

State in whatever concerns its internal affairs, and
-
ready to protect, even by force of arms, that
liberty' and independence against any invader
,whatsoeVer—Would radically destroy the; plans of
Imperialism, would withdraw the peoples for ever
from its seductions, would render new wars impos-
sible from its numerical force, and would isolate
the Empire—condemning it to fight for its exis-
tence—in Fiance.

Such a League is not only possible, but easy.
All Europe is now afraid of the invading tenden-
cies of Imperialism.
On the question of Italy—the question upon
which now rests that of war or peace in Europe—
the League should say to the Empire; " You have
made peace with. Austria : all reason .for your
longer sojourn in Italy has ceased. You descended
the Alps to secure the independence of Italy. This
independence requires the withdrawal of every
foreign army from the peninsula. Leave it, then.
You promised shortly before the war that you
would abandon the Roman States when Austria
abandoned them. The condition is now fulfilled—
leave Rome. Leave the people of Italy • free to
settle with their own forces the questions which
have been agitated for half a. century between
them and their Governments—between the nation
organised and Austria mistress of Venice. We will
take care that she does not again recross the Min-
cio, the limit assigned to her by your peace."
This is the only policy worthy of England. By
this alone can she re-link herself in the bonds of
.brotherhood with the peoples, raise herself to the
height of a European mission, fulfil without in-
curring any, serious dangers her own duty, and
arrest the usurping movement of the Empire. If
not, she must prepare to cope with it alone, first in
Turkey—afterwards on her own shores. •
London, Aug., 1859. JOSEPH MAZZINI.

REVIEW OF THE RUSSIAN FLEET AT

CRONSTADT.

(From the Correspondent of the Times.)
ST. PETERSBURG, JULY 25.
There are few subjects more interesting to the
English public than the naval power and strength
of Russia. The interest is increased by the mystery
in which the question is shrouded, and by the exag-
gerations which that mystery has induced. One
party at home—forgetting that "security is mortal's
chiefest enemy"—judge of the Russian fleet by its
performances, or rather non-performances, during
the late war. They talk of ships skulking behind
the ramparts of Cronstadt or sunk in the harbour
of Sebastopol. They can imagine no danger from
a navy which was unable to protect its own coasts
from ravages and insults, and they fancy that what
has been in the past must be in the future.
On the other hand the alarmists rush into the
opposite extreme. They see the Russian fleet
issuing from Cronstadt, " forty sail of the line,"
according to an estimate lately made by an intel-
ligent English post-captain. These are to be
united to the French Channel Squadron in irres•
tible numbers; the funds tall, a panic seizes the
city, and the sea no longer remains the " water-
walled bulwlerk" of Great Britain.
The truth lies between the extremes. The Rus-
sian fleet is neither what the hopes of the one nor
the fears of the other party have created. Since
the close of the war the attention of the Grand
Duke Constantine—the most active-minded man in
all Russia—has been applied to the development
of the navy. He has visited every dockyard in
France, and has made himself practically ac-
quainted with all improvements in construction
and machinery. It is to his influence that Russia
owes the Mediterranean port lately ceded by Sar-
dinia. The fleet is consequently no longer confined
to the Baltic, where naval manoeuvres were impos-
sible during eight months of the year, and where
summer sailors only could be reared. Steam vessels
have been constructed on the best models and at
great expense both in England and America.
During the war but one screw frigate, the Palkane,
remained motionless behind the batteries of Cron-
stadt, hopelessly regarding the magnificent steam
fleet of Great Britain. On Saturday, the 23d inst.,
the Emperor, accompanied by the Grand-Duke
Constantine, Grand Admiral, reviewed a fleet of 21
vessels, all propelled by steam, and the greater part
screws.
The fleet was formed in two lines, stretching in

a southerly direction from the new fort now in
course of construction as far as the Custom-house.
The following is a list of the ships :
LINE OF BATTLE.
Orel
Cesareviteh
Vola
FRIGATES, &c.
Generale-Admirale Kamtehatka
Ilia Mourometz Olaf
Svetlana Rasboinik
Khrabrii Naezdnik
Grosiachtchii Petersburg
Calevala Fontanka
Posadnik Standarte (T. yacht).
In addition to these was a numerous flotilla of
gun-boats, nearly the whole of which are screws.
In the inner harbour lay the old sailing vessels, now
dismasted hulks, but which had hoisted the Rus-
sian flag on a pole at the stern, in honour of the
occasion. The day was lovely, a gentle breeze
just ruffling the surface of the water.
The fleet presented a most imposing spectacle as
it lay motionless in the harbour, and though there
was nothing in its aspect to inspire terror to an
Englishman who had seen the review at Spithead,
still there was quite enough to present ample food
for reflection. The whole of these ships had been
built since the war, and they were but the advanced
guard, so to speak, of the main body which is to
succeed them. Many, such as the Sinope, Con-
stantine, Generale Admirale, and Ilia Mourometz,
are admirably constructed, and the whole of them
are on good models. Precisely at half-past 12 the
Emperor and the Grand Duke Constantine, accom-
panied by a numerous suite, embarked on board the
Imperial yacht Alexandrine, moored off Peterhof,
and started for Cronstadt. Two other steamers
conveyed the Imperial family and the dignitaries of
the Court. The Imperial cortege slowly approached
the fleet, and as it hove in sight the yards were
manned in very fair style. The yae;it then steamed
down the lines, and on nearing each ship succes-
sively, the Emperor, in a loud tone of voice, saluted
the crews, to which they replied with a tremendous
hurrah. Having 'passed along both lines, the Im-
perial yacht took up a central pose n, and hoisted
a signal, by which his Imperial Majesty thanked
the officers and crews for the excellent appear-
ance presented by the fleet. The Imperial
standard was then run up on board the yacht.
This was replied to by a salute from the flagship,
followed by one from the whole squadron. The
forts replied to the vessels, and when the smoke
cleared away the fleet re-appeared gaily dressed
with flags, each ship bearing the Imperial standard
at the main. The Emperor then took boat, and'
minutely inspected the Constantin and the Sinope,
after which he returned to the yacht. He was
dressed in full naval uniform, as was the Grand
Duke Constantine. At half-past three they re-
turned to Peterhof.
Thus finished the first review of the Russian
steam fleet. It will be observed that no manoeuvres
were attempted, and in this a wise discretion was
shown. There is no doubt that the crews are raw,
and not by any means equal to those composed of
" cabmen, pickpockets, and tailors," over whose
presence in the English navyt Sirwished to
Chas.
Napier so
'Thatpitifully laments. h
see was the " great fact" of ae Emperor
steam navy at Cron-
stadt, and he saw it. In process of time the crews
will be disciplined, and a respectabldeiter squadron will
be kept for that purpose in the Me raner. As
yet Russia could afford but a very sorry contingent
in case of a naval war, but if during the next 20
years she makes such progress as she has acquired
since the peace she will b.? almost as formidable
with her naval as she has long been with her mili-
tary power. Russia is at present busily engaged
in industrial enterprises, and particularly in the
construction of railways. Twenty thousand men are
at work between St. Petersburg and Warsaw ; on
the southern lines considerable progress has been
made, and the day is not far distant when there will
be railway communication between Moscow and St.
Petersburg and the Baltic provinces on the north,
Warsaw on the west, and Odessa and the Crimea
on the south. Russia will then be immensely
strengthened, whether for offensive or defensive
purposes. For the moment she unquestionably de-
sires peace, which is, indeed, almost a necessity for
her. Deeply engaged in these industrial under-
takings, weakened in purse, in men, and in mate-
rial by the Crimean war, she has another and a
much more important cause for avoiding war—she
is in the midst of one of the most important social
revolutions which has ever occurred in the history
of the world, one the result of which, whether for
good or evil, will be enormous. Site is engaged in
emancipating her serfs, on which subject I will give
you ample details in a future letter.

Constantino
Viborg
Prokhor