The Sun.
London, England, 1859-11-29 00:00:00

lar offshoots of the policy upon which is based
the growth of the United States' territory—
hardly worth attending to for a moment
(as illustrative of that policy) compared
with the colossal scale upon which the said
policy is being developed southwards upon
the mainland of the North American continent.
There—in Mexico—the gangrene, or ulcer of ab-
sorption is spreading, advancing, widening with
appalling rapidity. There, in truth, the spectacle
of the United States' policy is, indeed, as we have
said, exemplary ! So triumphantly has tha t Ame-
rican policy been carried out of late years in this
one direction alone that, since the year 1836—
within the brief interval of the last three and
twenty years— the States have absorbed
as nearly as possible one entire half of
the Mexican territory, this half, moreover,
including within it the whole of the gold-
yielding soil of California! So sweepingly has the
absorption been carried on, that Mexico at this
moment numbers no more than 28 provinces, covers
an area of no more than 100,000 leagues, comprises
a population of no more than 8,500 000 ! And how
cunningly this reduced population is now being
kept by the ears with a view to its yet fur-
ther reduction whenever the pear shall be
again ripe for the falling, a correspondent
of ours explained as recently as our impres-
sion of the 28th inst. in a communication, giving a
masterly and succinct narrative of the Rise of
the United States proportionately with the
Fall of Mexico, and of the actual situation at
the present moment of the rival Mexican Govern-
ments ! The pear ripening all the while, it may be,
slowly but surely—in readiness to fail at the right
moment of concussion between the Constitutionalsts,
under MIRA3toN, at Mexico, and the Anarchists,
under JUAREZ, at Vera Cruz ! Is England (let us
ask at length) altogether helpless for the preven-
tion of the development yonder along the frontiers
,of the United States of this organised system of
lawless spoliation, political absorption, and terri-
torial aggrandisement ?

VOLUNTEER NA VAL RESERVE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE .SUN.

Sni,—l neither overlook nor forget, as you sup-
pose, that we are about to raise, or attempt to raise,
30,000 seamen as a naval reserve, but I confess I

am not so sanguine of the result of the appeal to
the seamen as the entire press throughout the
country seems to be ; -indeed, I will be agreeably
surprised if 10,000 of the needed class of seamen
come forward, as comparatively very few of that
class of seamen are engaged in the coasting trade
(for those wanted are the prime men of the mer-
cantile marine), and it is a question for those to
consider who man our foreign-going ships whether
or not the inducements offered are sufficient
to induce them to give up the foreign
trade. There arc, no doubt, great privileges
promised to those that join, in the way of
pension in after life, but, unfortunately for
himself, the sailor (as a rule), is no great thinker
and does not look so much to the pension in after
life, as to a liberal bounty on joining, though they
seldom allow that to burn a hole in their pockets.
No one shall be more happy than myself to see
these 30,000 seamen come forward, as I plead guilty
to a slight partiality for the navy, and nothing
would disgust me more than to see a return to l' the
penny wise and pound foolish" system, which was
so long the fashion until the Derby Ministry came
into office, in the beginning of 1857, and I am glad
to see that their successors in office are energetically
carrying out the work they began in putting our
navy on a somewhat respectable footing.
The army is equivalent to the seamen and.
marines of the fleet, the militia to the coast-guard
and to those 30,000 seamen to be raised ; and what I
humbly suggested was, that we ought to have an
equivalent afloat tothe volunteer rifles and artillery
ashore.

Of course it could not be expected that the Free
Naval Volunteers would supply their own vessels
for great gun practice, but it would not put the
Government to much expense to station vessels
along the coast, as we have them already.
I believe, if the movement were gone into, it
would have a moral beneficial effect in inducing sea-
men to join the proposed reserve, by their seeing
large numbers of their countrymen giving their
services free to the navy. _ _

I would not again have troubled you, but I was
anxious to state my opinion that, besides these
30,000 men (if we should be fortunate enough to
get that number) a free naval corps would be very
useful, and still required, and that the fact of our
enrolling 30,000 seamen is no more a reason for not
having a free naval corps than our present increase
of our regular army would be a reason for our
having no more volunteer rifles.

Leith, Nov. 20, 1839.

A Sr,CTCIIMAN.

ROYAL ENGLISH OPER 1.

Balfe's popular opera, " The Rose of Castille,"
was performed for the first time this season last
night, at Covent-garden, and attracted a large
audience. Miss Louisa Pyne, who was in excellent
voice, sustained her original part, as also did Mr.
Efarrison, whose delivery of the ballad in the third
set obtained an encore. Mr. G. Honey likewise ap-
peared, as heretofore, as Don Florio ; and his drol-
leries were received with as much laughter as ever.
Santley, who has maintained on the operatic
hoards the reputation he had acquired in the con-
cert room, undertook for the first time the charac-
ter of Don Pedro ; while Miss Thirlwall also made
her first appearance as Donna Carmen. " The
Crown Diamonds" is to be given to-morrow.

His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge,
accompanied by his Serene Highness Prince Edward of
Saxe Weimar, Col. the lion. James Macdonald, Captain
Mildmay, and Commodore Drummond, had a capital day's
shooting at the duke's preserves at Coombe Wood on Fri-
day last. The five guns killed, in little more than three
hours, above 3.50 head of game.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duko and Duchess
d'Atunale left Hatfield House, Herts, on Saturday last, for
Orleans House, Twickenham.

His Excellency the Ambassador of France and
the Countess de Persigay arrived at Albert-gate House on
Saturday, from visiting the Earl and Countess of Winchil-
sea at Eastwell Park, Kent, and left town yesterday on a
visit to Mr. and Lady Caroline Townley, at Townley Hall,
Lancashire.

His Excellency the Austrian Minister and the
Countess d'Apponyi.have returned to Chandos House, from
visiting the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, at
Hatfield House.

His Excellency the Brazilian Minister has left
Cavendish-square for Italy. During his excellency's ab-
sence Chevalier Aguilar de Andrada will act as Charge
d'Affaires. Madame de Carvalho Moreira is staying at the
Queen's Hotel, Upper Norwood.

His Excellency Count Perponcher has arrived at
Maurigy's Hotel, from Windsor Castle.
The Marchioness of Abercorn left Chesterfield
House yesterday, on a visit to the Earl and Countess of
Dalkeith at Boughton House, NJrthainptonshire. The
noble marquis anti marchioness will return to Brocket Hall
the latter end of the week.

THE 'WEATHER IN THE BALTIC.—CEONSTAHT! ,
Nov. 19.—The ice extends westward as far as the lighthouse;
'Rolle have crossed on foot from Oratnenbaum to Oronslot.
The brig and schooner are still in the ice ; the former is the
Sir George Brown, Captain Ross, from Cardiff, with railway
iron. An agreement has been made to cut her into the
Mole. Nothin git to be seen of the Saseha. A brig and a
barque made the... appearance from sea this morning, and
are cruising below the lighthouse. Pillau, N.ov. 23.—Frost
has set in litre since a few days, part of the rivers are already
covered with ice, and the navigation from Kot,i.-;sberg and
_Ming to this place can only be carried on by the assistance
of steamers. A few lighters on the passage front Konigs-
berg to this place were cut through by the ice, one- of them
sunk, and the cargo was totally lost; another -,was kept
afloat by pumping until her arrival here, when she was im-
mediately diseharged, and only about 50 scheffels of seed
wem damaged by water.
VITASIIERAVOM EN PAIITY.—The Brechin 21(1,:ner-
ti.3cr mentions a meeting that was held in that city 4 al, Fri-
day evening week, when about twenty washerwomeA., em-
ployed at the washing-house and baths in Inch. B leach,
field, entertained Mrs Jean Webster or Carnegie to si ipr er,
and pres?nted her with a gold ring on the occasion (tf I ier
leaving the premises, which she had occupied for a lot rg
period. The chair was occupied by Mrs. Isabel Belfort
and, according to the Adrertiser, the usual loyal toasts
preceded the complimentary business of the evening, aft(
regular speeches appear to have been made.