The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-14 00:00:00

THE _TUNG OF ROLLAND'S VISIT TO

NAPOLEON ILL

Two of the Paris journals, the Constitutionnel
and the Patric, acting apparently on the maxim of
"greet the coming, speed the going guest," publish
articles on the royal visit to Compiegne, one on that
which is about to take place, and the other on that
which has just terminated. The first-named jour-
nal, after giving a sketch of the reign of the present
King of Holland, William HI., since his accession--
in 1849, discusses, in the following terms, his visit
to the Emperor of the French :

"The visit of the King of Holland to Compiegne
is the cordial meeting of two nations long since in
a position to understand each other. That which
ranks among the most active agents of civilisation
meets the one which is the very cradle of that civi-
lisation. Holland and France, formerly rivals, are
now friends, and may they not be allies tomorrow?
They are both pursuing that work of social pacifica-
tion, of which the treaties of France with England,
Belgium, Italy, Prussia, and Russia are the first
lelement. The visit of William 111. to Compiegne,
therefore, only draws closer the bonds of friendship
already formed between the Courts of the Hague
and of the Tuileries, by the previous visits of the
Queen of Holland and the Prince of Orange. Paris
has saluted those illustrious visitors, who came to
France to admire our political grandeur, and to
demand from our men of science, artists, and
authors, the pure enjoyments afforded by the
contemplation of the masterpiece of art and science.
The French capital will now salute, with
like cordiality, the Sovereign who aims at
endowing his country with the same grandeur and
the same enjoyments. Were it possible for any-
thing, still more than the qualities of the Dutch
nation, its genius and courage, to assure the august
visitor of Compiegne the respectful sympathies of
the French people, we should mention the generous
movement witnessed in France some months ago,
when Holland had to deplore disastrous inunda-
tions. Subscriptions were then opened everywhere,
and France held out to the victims the helping
hand of her inexhaustible charity. Holland also
thought of our sufferers in 1856. The bonds there-
fore are already formed, and the Sovereigns will
complete what the two nations have already
begun."

The following are the observations of the Patrie
on the visit of the King of Prussia ;

" Does it follow that this recent interview was a
mere sterile event—that King William confined
himself to returning on this side of the Rhine the
visit which the Emperor of the French paid him at
Baden, and that in a word the meeting of the two
monarchs was only one of courtesy P We are not
among those persons who adopt this latter opinion,
or at least affect to do so. We believe that we are
nearer the truth in stating that the interview at
Compiegne, without exaggerating its conseqences,
possessed real importance. Not only did the Sove-
reigns of two great countries give each other tes-
timonies of cordiality, but a more serious result has
been obtained if this interview should exercise
favourable influenceon the relations between France
and Prussia, if in particular it should allow a de-
cline to be anticipated in the two nations of the re-
sentment and rivalry which should henceforth be
left to history ? It is because the interview of
Compiegne may be conciliated with such hopes ;
and because, as is not possible, it may be the start-
ing point of a policy of good understanding that it
is, in our eyes, an event of which the real bearing
cannot be disregarded. The Emperor Napoleon
HI. and King William I. met at Compiegne, and
who can affirm that by their interview great in-
terests were not drawn closer ?"