The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-29 00:00:00

ST. DOMINGO.

Lord BROUGHAM gave notice that he would at an
early day call the attention of the house to the cession of
St, Domingo to Spain.
OCCUPATION OF SAVOY.

The Earl of CARNARVON rose, pursuant to notice, to
call the attention of their lordships to the prolonged occu-
pation of Northern Savoy by the French, and to inquire if,
in accordance with her Majesty's most gracious speech from
the throne in August last, any steps had been taken to give
continued effect to the Treaty of Vienna, so as to reconcile
it to the second article of the Treaty of Turin. He said he
should lay aside all allusion to the circumstances attending
the cession of Savoy to France, and take their lordships
back to the signing of the Treaty of Vienna. It was the
intention of that treaty, carrying out the policy, of Europe,
that Savoy should be a neutral territory, placed under the
Government of a country which was strong enough to pro-
tect it, but not strong enough to abuse the military advan-
tages which belonged to it. Its occupation, therefore, by
France was a violation of the Treaty of Vienna—a violation
rather against the spirit than the letter of the treaty. It was
not a violation of any of the guarantees into which this
country, in common with the other great states of Europe,
entered, but it was a violation of the intentiens which they
entertained when they placed Savoy under the protection of
Sardinia as a guarantee for the security of Switzerland.
Her Majesty's speech from the throne in August last con-
firmed that -view of the case, bUt the noble lord the Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs went further, and stated when he
agresd to the postponement of the conference upon the
question of occupation, that he did so upon the condition
that in the meantime the Treaty
of Turin should not be con-
sidered part of the law of Europe. It was to be regretted
that France should have directed herpolicy
q
to the ac uisi -
lion of territory. She, however, ad
mitedher pres
ent
-occupation
-occupation of Savoy was one which required
some modifi-
cation. She, in fact, wished to exchange it for a legal
occupation, and one more in unison with the public law
of Europe. All we required was the maintenance of public
treaties, and that Switzerland should be protected
111 the
possession of her military position. It was said that France,
in occupying Savoy, accepted the territory with all the ob-
ligations attached to its possession by Sardinia ; but the cir-
cumstances of the two countries were so different that there
was not a single point of comparison between them. Savoy, I
in the possession of Sardinia, u as a guarantee for the safety
of Switzerland. Savoy, in the occupation of France, was no
guarantee for the independence of Switzerland whatever.
(Hear, hear, and cheers.) He knew that at this moment
Switzerland was in the greatest danger, for, in a few hours, a
large body of troops could be placed upon the shores of the
Lake of Geneva, and great importance was attached to the
visit of Prince Napoleon to that city. In feat, the position of
Switzerland was at this moment a standing evidence of over-
whelming strength on the one side, and of weakness on the
other. By means of the railways which concentrated at
Geneva, France could, within 20 hours, hurry thither an
army of 20,000 men, and Switzerland,conscious of her peril,
was afraid to make any movement whatever, lest it should
be construed into an act of offence, and she looked only to
the public opinion of Europe for her protection. She had
hitherto courageously maintained her position, and had de-
served well of Europe in general, and it was the common
interest of Continental monarchies that, in the event of any
disturbances at home, there should be one spot in which
they might all obtain a refuge.
Lord WODEHOUSE said he had listened with deep
attention to the speech of the noble earl, but could not dis'
cover in it any practical views. The whole question had
been exhausted in the despatches of his noble friend the
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and remained exactly in the
position in which it stood last summer. It was at first
arranged that there should be a conference upon the subject,
but to that course the other contracting parties to the Treaty
of Vienna objected, and without their concurrence it was
impossible Great Britain could proceed with it. In that
position the question remained, and the noble earl had failed
to point out any means of bringing about a satisfactory
change. So far as protests could go, the Government did
all in their power, and it would net be now consistent with
fie dignity of this country to revive a discussion which
could not have any practical effect bayond giving rise to
angry feelings. If Switzerland could find any means by
which the two treaties could be so reconciled as to guaran-
tee her defence, her Majesty's Government would rejoice
at it, and afford her every facility in carrying it out. It
was, however, quite clear that it was not in the power of
her Majesty's Government to force the other Powers to a
Conference.
The subject then dropped.
THE ItOYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY'S BOT..NIC
GARDENS.

The Earl of CLANCARTY moved for correepondenea
between the Committee of Colwell of
.11shuatioD. awl the