The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-22 00:00:00

JAMES WATT.

The four corners occupied by statues representing—
MARK
and ISAMBARD
BRUNEL. BRUNEL.
GEORGE ROBERT
and
STEPHENSON. STEPHENSON

Another alarmist has spoken out, and has spoken
out too very effectively. We allude to Lord
HATHERTON, who, as Lord-Lieutenant'of Stafford-
shire, has recently addressed himself, through the
ears of the Hansworth Volunteer Riflemen, to the
patriotic ardour of the whole community. We
give his lordship's remarks elsewhere, and crave
for them, at least, some passing attention : be-
cause, although the words of an alarmist, they
are the words spoken from the heart of one who
is, in that character, conscientiously in earnest.
Alarmists, generally, we are disposed to classify
with that brood of succulent but not proverbially
sagacious birds whose trumpet-like clangour we
read of in classic Roman story as having (if

NIEBUHR will permit us to believe it) upon one
memorable night saved the capitol. Not among
these, however, are we disposed for one instant to
reckon impertinently the noble lord-lieutenant of
Staffordshire. Lord HATHERTON is byfar too sensible
a reasoner to be treated thus discourteously. His
arguments are too forcible for any one to attempt
to pooh-pooh them. They are built up for the
most part of what may be called literally home-
truths. There is no gainsaying the accuracy of
such statements, for example, as the following :
"We all feel, soldiers though we are, that our
first hopes must rest on the efficiency of our
navy. That has ever been the arm of this country,
for on no other can we rely for its safety. What is
its condition ? I believe we have at this moment a
better navy than we have had for years, but it had
fallen into a most discreditably low condition."
Yet, although so far improved in regard to the posi-
tion to which our naval defences have been restored
—we hear Lord lIATIIERTON averring, " I believe
that France could now put into the Channel a
larger fleet, in a shorter period of time, than it
is in the power of England to do." This we ven-
ture to doubt. But the noble lord, credited or
not credited upon this one point, must still be
heard. He says—" Considering the vast resources
of this country, the immense foreign possessions
it has to defend, our vast wealth at home, and
our great population, I say that if any disaster
were permitted to befall this country by means
of its navy, it would be the greatest disgrace
that ever fell on any country in the history of
the world." And he adds, " I believe there
is no effort that England is not prepared to make
—there is no pecuniary sacrifice we would not sub-
mit to—for the purpose of avoiding such a disgrace."
Now, an alarmist who speaks thus is worth listen-
ing to. In speaking thus he is only such an
alarmist as we rejoice to remember Sir JOHN
PAKINGTON was when he presided as very few, in-
deed, have for years and years past presided over the
vital interests of the nation at the Board of Admi-
ralty. As a distinguished promoter of the rifle agita-
tion, as an approver of the volunteer movement, Lord
HATHERTON, we rejoice to notice, insists upon the
paramount importance of looking well to the effi-
ciency of the Royal Navy of England—of multiply-
ing, and strengthening, and reconstructing (at any
cost that may be deemed requisite)those wooden wall:
which are our first and real defence under Provi-
dence. The Ship-of-War, indeed, is the true symbol
to be engraven upon the buckler of BRITANNIA.

The Discoverer of the Fate of the Franklin Ex-
pedition, brave Capt. M'CLINTOCK, has recently
(as recently as the 17th inst.) penned a letter to a
correspondent of his at Spalding—which letter
may be regarded as the finishing renvoy, or
postscript, to his official narrative of his
late successful enterprise. From this commu-

nication, given by ourselves in another part of to-
day's impression of our journal, it will be seen that
Captain M'CLINTocK regards his own expedition,
and (from the reasons given) with manifestly good
cause, as the Final Arctic Expedition. He tells
England, as plainly as words can express, it that
nothing further of any value is anywhere at all
likely to be learnt of Sir JOHN FRANKLIN and his
heroic companions in those desolate regions of ever-
lasting winter. Alluding to the proposal of an over-
land expedition, he reminds his correspondent of the
traces of Europeans found already upon Montreal
Island by Mr, ANDERSON, and he adds, " There-
fore I do not think further records would
be found by a second expedition over the
same ground." He says, moreover, " You will
observe that my first care was to reach Montreal
Island and Point Ogle, where Anderson's search
terminated, and after re-examining these positions
to complete the search from thence to 'where the
lost people landed from their ships. The greater
part of this painfully interesting route was gone
over three times—twice by Lieut. HOBSON and once
by myself. The natives repeatedly told vas that all
the white people had died." It were worse than
frivolous to depreciate opinions like these• as a mere
ipse dixit, remembering that although it is such,
undoubtedly it is the ipse dixit of a man no less
qualified to speak authoritatively—we hz 1 almost
\said oracularly—upon the subject than. Captain
M'CLINTOCK.

A marriage is on the tapis (says the -limerick
Chronicle) between a worthy resident magistrate, .of a neigh-
bouring county and an accomplished lady, whcs has been
subjectd to persecution and annoyance at Rathcronan and
elsewhere, the facts of which are fresh in publis recollec-
tion.

Miss AMY SEDGWICK.—This favourite. :actress of
the Haymarket Theatre makes her last appearizie for some
time this evening, appearing, for this occasion only, in
" Plot and Passion," and "The Day after the WI edding."

LATEST NEWS.

The following telegrams have been received at
Mr. Reuter's office :

TURIN, OCT. 21.

The official Piedmontese Gazette publishes a
decree authorising the Minister of Finance to con-
tract a loan of 100 millions of francs, by means of
alienation of rentes on the public debt to that
amount.

Count Rogier, Minister of Belgium, has arrived

at Turin.

MADRID, OCT. 20.

The reply of Morocco to the guarantees de-
manded by Spain not being of a satisfactory cha-
racter, war appears imminent. A Council of Mi-
nisters, presided over by the Queen, has been con-
voked.

The Spanish funds have declined to-day more
han 1 per cent.

ZURICH, OCT. 21.

Count Colloredo has been attacked with apo-
plexy this morning. Four physicians have been
called to his aid, but little hopes are entertained of