The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-08 00:00:00

cable by a vessel crossing the Mediterranean from
Ragusa to Alexandria, could hardly be received in
Eogland otherwise than as a most welcome an-
nouncement. But—after all this has - been re-
marked, it must assuredly be added that the
notion of our binding ourselves over by a solemn
engagement to the Austrian empire never, under any
circumstances to attempt a telegraphic communi-
nication with India otherwise than through the
electric wire connecting Ragusa with Alexandria,
is (beyond the reach of all exaggeration in lan-
guage) monstrously nonsensical and preposterous.
So preposterous and so nonsensical did it appear,
indeed, to her MAJESTY'S advisers, that the nego-
tiations upon the subject amiably commenced with
the Viennese Cabinet, were abruptly brought, as
they should have been, to an ignominious termi-
nation. Nor can this sudden close to the cor-
respondence between the British and Austrian
Governments, in the matter of the Submarine
Electric Telegraph, be any subject for surprise
under the circumstances. Supposing a different
course in any respect whatever to have been pur-
sued by Lord PALMERSTON and his colleagues,
that course could only have been pursued by
means of the most flagrant dereliction of duty to
their country and to their SOVEREIGN. The bare
suggestion of a compact of this kind implies, on
the part of the Austrian; the most consummate
impudence, combined with the most insatiable
rapacity. It infers, moreover, on their part
again, a very low estimate indeed of the capacity,
or rather of the sagacity, of British administrators
generally, and in particular of British Diploma-
tists. If so—in this depreciative estimate they
have, happily, found themselves to have been
labouring all the while under the most egregious
misapprehension. The sole consequence of this
perverse attempt at overreaching has been very
nearly a new and striking illustration of the
old fable of wringing the neck of the goose
that lays the golden eggs. It yet remains to be
seen whether the bungling attempt has been
wholely or partially destructive. It remains to
be seen, in other words, whether, under the cir-
cumstances, this proposed submarine line from
Ragusa to Alexandria can be established, or whe-
ther the sinister endeavour which has recently
proved so ludicrously abortive, the endeavour to
render the scheme from first to last a monstrous
and odious monopoly, will preclude the projectors
of the undertaking from satisfactorily realising
their design substantively. If realised in a modi-
fied form, it could not possibly be otherwise than
peculiarly advantageous to ourselves by facilitat-
ing our intercourse with our Oriental possessions,
while it must necessarily prove, for that very rea-
son—in that modified form—singularly remune-
rative to the Viennese Government. By their
actually silly attempt at over-reaching, the Minis-
ters of that Government have jeopardised the
whole of this Austrian portion of the great tele-
graphic enterprise. At the hazard, nevertheless,
of that really desirable submarine wire never
being trailed along the bed of the Mediterranean
from Ragusa to Alexandria, we exult unaffectedly
and unreservedly at Lord PALMERSTON'S explicit
declaration on Friday evening, to the effect that
the negotiations hitherto in progress with regard
to this undertaking, have been promptly and
peremptorily closed by the patriotic decision of
the counsels of Her Britannic Majesty's Govern-
ment.