The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-01 00:00:00

Commence at 7 o'clock.

VERDI'S OPERA. OF MACBETH. The
whole of the first Act of this Opera, now produced
for the first time in this country (the remaining three acts
being in course of rehearsal), is sung nightly at the CAN-
TERBURY HALL CONCERTS.
THE DELEPIERRE FAMILY,
consisting of three Juvenile Violinists, viz., Jules, Juliette,
and Julia Delepierre, aged, respectively, FOUR, SIX, and
EIGHT years.
The perfect execution by these Lilliputian Artistes of some
of the most difficult and brilliant Solos, Duets, and Trios evci
written for-the violin, has excited mingled wonder and admi.
ration in Continental Musical Circles, and drawn forth enthu-
siastic tributes of praise from the Public Journals of France
and Belgium.
They will perform TWICE EACH EVENING, in addi-
tion to the,usnal Entertainments.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, SEPTEMBER 1.
THERMOYETER, IN THE SHADE.
64—highest since noon yesterday.
51—lowest this morning and during the night.
64—this day at noon.
BAROMETER-29.63.
WIND, North-Westerly; fresh, with fine, cool weather.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
THIS DAY.—Morning, 4h. 24m.—Afternoon, 4h. 43m.
To-MORROW-Morning, sh. 2m.—Afternoon, sh. 20m.

The number of Blackwood for the present month
contains, among other excellent articles, one in
continuation, entitled " The Fleets and Navies—
England"—penned in a true spirit of nationality,
and quite in keeping with our own ideas on the
subject, dearest and nearest to the independence of
this country. But for our naval supremacy where
would be the fortunes of England ? They would
be neither here nor there. Insteadof being a first-
rate power, commanding with an eagle's sweep
a universal glance around the earth, we would be
prostrate as doves in the talons of that emblem of
JOVE'S omnipotence. We should descend from our
present proud eyrie not to be what is termed a
second, third, or fourth-rate power, but to be
no power at all. If an individual at-
tain to eminence by genius or by labour,
and even genius avails little without labour,
he awakens far more envy than esteem in his
career. So it is with nations. There is not a
Principality on the broad continent of Europe but
envies, and even hates, England for her prosperity
as much as for her power. There may, indeed, be
some sympathy manifested among the more con-
stitutional States for our free institutions, but the
measure is small. The people are kept down by
the eloquence of the bayonet, and it is only where
commerce pushes its beneficial and civilising in-
fluence that the expression of free sentiment is
encouraged. Liberty is a tree of slow growth, and
yields feeble fruit where its cultivation is stunted
in the land of the sword. Hence the undisguised
dislike to a country whose proudest boast is that
being free itself, it wishes to extend that freedom
to others, in the belief that the wider the com-
munity of feeling is extended, the more will peo-
ples and countries amalgamate for mutual benefit.
The position is singular as it is happy for the
promotion and protection of liberal institutions.
And this is mainly owing to our hitherto naval su-
premacy. But there is a culminating point in the
power of nations as of individual existence. The
superiority of our wooden walls may now be called
more in question from the application of steam
power to ships. True, our many resources of coal,
iron, and money give us great advantages even in
that matter ; but other nations have acquired more
advantages comparatively by the use of steam
poweethan they formerly possessed, inasmuch as
steam supersedes seamanship. Not that able sea-
manship is quite indispensable in stormy weather,
but on a smooth sea every man on board may go
to sleep save the helmsman, the officer of the
watch, and the man on the look out.

If we apply this smooth idea of facility in a case
of invasion for a given time it increases our danger
immeasurably to what it was before the introduction
of steam. It was this feeling of comparative inse-
curity that so quickened the people of all classes
in urging the Government to be more prepared for
every possible exigency, and hence the exteisive
measures of precaution rather abruptly pressed
on the present and late Government.
The writer in Blackwood enters fully into the
absolute necessity of maintaining our Naval Supre-
macy, not only now but for all time. It is Hie to
make a grand effort to meet danger, and when the
apparent danger is supposed to be over, then to re-
lapse into false security. To be as we ought to be
in naval supremacy, every exertion must be made,
not only to build ships of sufficient power, but also
to prepare or modify vessels now lying idle to rot
in our crowded harbours. Why not bring forward
some thirty or forty of these ships to be in a state
for coast defence. They may cost more than
they are worth for sea-going ships, but
surely they might be made available for defence at
the mouths of our harbours, and be even turned to
good account for manoeuvring by the aid of gun-
boats, of which we have abundance since the Rus-

sian war was over. But our men of power in
Government are not men of experience in business,
nor men of aptitude in danger. Indeed, a suspicion
seems to gain ground that the struggle for party
predominance supersedes the patriotic virtue for
national safety. The cuckoo cry of "There's no
danger !—all foreign powers are not only friendly,
but express the most friendly feelings to this
country"—is mere bosh. Strength is our only
security. While we can uphold our own power
we are safe against the world, but no longer.
We commend the present Board of Admiralty to
peruse the article in Blackwood flir its honesty of
purpose as for its fearlessness in boldly stating the
uth. We have ourselves, in common with our
con temporaries, repeatedly enforced the necessity of
lookhig to Dur position as a Naval Power, but, we
regret to add, with little effect, for obstinacy in
-resisting,' 'any suggestions for improvement is only
equalled :by the ignorance and presumption of men
in power.

The first of September summons away the few
lincrerers in Laodon streets to the more tempting
neighbour hood of guns and partridges. The long
vac; ton relieves the functionaries of the law

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THE SUN.
THURSMIY, SEPTEMBER 1, 1859.