The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-07 00:00:00

The visit of the King of Prussia to Compiegne is
the subject of a long article in the Constitutionnel,
which commences by observing that the time has
gone by when Europe encompassed France with a
kind of moral quarantine,and when foreign princes
only ventured to enter the country for a few hours
and in the strictest incognito, on the condition of
not interchanging a salutation:with any one. The
article then goes on to remark :
" In the course of the last 10 years almost all the
Sovereigns of Europe have come officially, in the
face of Heaven, to contemplate the singularly in-
structive spectacle of a great people rescued all at
once from the intestine quarrels which were ex-
hausting its force, and replaced, almost by miracle,
at the head of nations. Kings and princes had, up
to that time, learnt to their cost how revolutions
begin, and it was natural that they should wish to
see how they finish under the prudent and firm hand
of a moderator and a chief. Imperial France, on
her part, has received these Royal visits without
pride, but with legitimate satisfaction. She has
only seen in them what was to be seen—not the
coalition for a temporary object of two contrary
principles, not even the possibility of a wretched
compromise, but the hope that the interviews would
remove much prejudice, animosity, and hatred; that
they would put an end to the costly apprehensions
which for 50 years kept European nations with arms
in hand and face to ,face; in short, that with the
Sovereigns learning to esteem and understand each
other, the populations would end by understanding
and liking each other. And, at the present moment
Franco sees nothing else in the approaching visits
of the King of Prussia and the King of liallarid.',lo.
.atietty eesee iii eter-
many, the writer observes, and a certain disquietude
is evinced there at the presence of King William in
France. The Paris journal declares that such
anxiety would excite surprise were it not that lately
the Cabinet of Vienna, soliciting the alliance of
Prussia, sustained a cheek at Berlin ; and yet, ac-
cording to reliable information, the conditions which
Austria proposed were altogether unexpected, being
nothing less than to abandon the direction of the '
Germanic Confederation, and even to make a sacrifice
of all her remaining influence in Germany, if Prussia
would consent to afford her a support sufficient to
consolidate her position at home and overcome the
resistance of the nationalities which claim from the
house of Hapsburg their eelf-government. The
French writer then inquires whether Austria, when
strengthened in her situation, would have kept her
promises. Prussia was unwilling to run the risk of
a trial, and her journals remarked with undisguised
bitterness that Vienna was accustomed to piece in-
gratitude in the very first rank of her political
virtues. They consequently strongly dissuaded the
Prussian Government from entering on any such
alliance, even if paid for by greater concessions
than were then proposed. The Austrian jour-
nals raised a cry of alarm concerning the King's
visit, and insinuated the possibility of certain poli-
tical arrangements of a nature to alarm the patrio-
tic sentiment of Germany. The Prussian press, so
resolute in face of the promises of Austria, mani-
fests at present less firmness, observes the writer--
who is no other than Ti!. Gtandguillot—and stam-
mers out that the visit is only one of simple cour-
tesy; that as the Emperor had carried his card to
Baden, King William is about to leave his at Com-
piegne. The writer expresses his disbelief that two
such powerful monarchs could meet merely to ex•
change some every-day acts of politeness. " You
imagine," says the article,
" That the presence of the King of Prussia at
Compiegne is anything but a political event. In
fact, it is more than a political event, and, if an
abusive employment had not been made of the ex-
pression, we should say that it is a social event ; we
confine ourselves to saying that it is, at the very
least, an economic one. During the last two years,
as is known, the most active negotiations have been
carried on between Potsdam and the Tuileries to
obtain the lowering of the barriers of the Zollverein
and to open respectively the German markets to
e rem,. _ _
productions. Such a matter, is no doubt, in the opi-
nion of certain persons, only a seconi.ary one, but
in our eyes it is of great importance. Political trea-
ties only reconcile Governments, but commercial
treaties reconcile nations. The former, however
sincere and fair-dealing the governments are, may
be broken by the slightest circumstance ; the latter,
however imperfectly they are at first established,
provided only they be based on a true principle,
triumph over all obstacles and end by dominating
the former. Let the English aristocracy, and in par-
ticular let the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, be
asked what they think and what they expect of the
Rouher and Cobden treaty. King William, as we
have already more than once had the proof, is one
of the princes who know how to understand both
their country and their epoch. The firmness and
uprightness of his character are proverbial; he is
of the race of those princes who boldly declare to
their peoples that ' they place under foot unjust
prejudices and shortsighted hatred ; that they dis-
dain an ephemeral popularity, and only seek for
the impartial approbation of posterity.' "
A letter from Paris says :—The Royal visit is
more than ever the subject of interest and comment.
It has thrown everything else into the background.
All the papers have leaders on the subject, and
criticize those in all other papers, French, English,
and German. The whole press seems to have agreed
to welcome King William and the Prussian alliance.
The official papers are warmer in their feelings
than any of the others—yesterday the Constitu-
tionnel, to-day the Patrie. The latter, like the
former, sees more than an act of high courtesy in the
visit; it sees a political and patriotic inspiration,
calculated to put an end to misunderstandings and
prejudices, which are not the consequence of a natu-
ral hostility of the two races, but which result from
their respective positions, as produced by certain
events and certain recollections of their history.
Prussia, whose mission it was to make to triumph in
Germany the ideas of progress and liberty of which
France is the standardbearer, was placed on the
frontier as the advanced sentinel of the Holy
Alliance. She found herself in a struggle for in-
fluence with Austria, her hereditary enemy, and be-
tween the rival pretensions of England and Russia.
The friendship of France alone can free her from
those bonds and restore her her liberty. Prussia is
at the head of the aspirations of Germany, and what
Power would show sympathy for such a revolution ?
Not Austria, who is threatened herself by such a
revolution ; not Russia, who must dread a powerful
barrier in the West; and not England, anxious to
keep up the present state of things. After this ar-
gument comes the following mysterious passage :
ebut
frontiers,Prance powerfuland Fr a ncealo'n' e, h
in-
terests of security and independence did not make
a peril of what, without this fatal legacy of the
past, would. be only the inspiration of a generous
policy."
The passage about open frontiers reminds one a
good deal of the disavowed hint about the sponta-
neous guarantees offered by Italy. The article con-
cludes with a hope that all the past will be forgotten.
The pamphlet "Le Rhin et la Vistnle" appeared
yesterday. Friday seems the day destined for the
appearance of pamphlets which have the mission to
make a noise.

As you will see from the copy you received, the
resume I sent you a few days ago is tolerably cor-
rect; there is, however, one passage to which I
must draw your attention.

ANT proving that the incorporation of so large a
group of Uern3ans as dwell on the left bank of the
Rhine would be a cause of weakness to France by
imperilling the homogenity of the nation, the
pamphlet continues:—
Nevertheless, it could scarcely be maintained that
our frontier in the East must for ever remain such
40 the dipleezitiste of 1815 h4ye trued it. With-

Company, and the brig Nereid, of Whitehaven,
and resulted in the loss of the latter vessel, and the
serious injury of the steamer. The Semaphore was
on her way from Liverpool for Belfast, and the
Nereid was bound from Whitehaven to Cardiff with
a cargo of iron ore. The morning was dark, and
there was a thick fog, and the vessels were about
five miles off the Calf of Man when the collision
took place. Of course the most contradictory
statements are made as to the cause of the collision.
Those in charge of the Semaphore assert that they
were run into by the brig, and that the latter had
no lights up, while the mate of the latter asserts
that his lights were all in proper order, having
been trimmed an hour before ; that the helm was
ported when they saw the steamer, and starboarded
when they saw she was coming down on them;
but that, when the helm was starboarded, the Se-
maphore again altered her course, and coming in
collision, struck the brig on the port bow and car-
ried it away. However it may have occurred, the
brig immediately after the collision began to settle
down in the water. The hands, seven in number,
including the captain, took to their boat and came
alongside the steamer for safety, and the Nereid
went down about twenty minutes afterwards.
It was soon found that the Semaphore had re-
ceived most serious injury from the collision.
A large hole had been made in the front, and
the fore compartment began to fill with
water. Apprehensions were entertained that
she also would go down. The passehgers, male and
female—many of them in their night-dresses—were
got into the boats, and remained close to the steamer
to await the result. The water filled the fore
compartment and the steamer went down much
deeper than usual ; but, after some time, it was
found that the worst had been reached, and that,
with prudent management, she could be got into
port. The passengers and the crew of the Nereid
were then taken on board, and the vessel's course
directed for Belfast Lough. It was only by the
WASOMeSkaWilallictnilidl r
tion as she passed the Sound at Donaghadee was
a subject of general comment to those who saw her
from the shore. On reaching Holyhead Bank the
captain did not hesitate an instant, but ran the
vessel aground to prevent her sinking, and the
passengers were brought up to town by the tug
steamer Queen, after a voyage of the most intense
anxiety and distress. It is gratifying that, beyond
a few scratches received by a boy who waa in the
rigging of the Nereid, no one in either vessel re
ceived any injury.

"The following address was presented to Cap-
tain Campbell before the passengers came up to
Belfast :

" Steamship Semaphore, Oct. 4.
" Dear Sir,,--Wo, the undersigned cabin passengers by
your vessel from Liverpool to Belfast, cannot leave you
without expressing our gratitude and admiration of your
conduct under the trying circumstances in which you wero
placed this morning during and after the collision with the
brig Nereid.

" We take this opportunity of testifying to your noble
conduct and admirable seamanship, and also your polite
bearing to, and care of, every one on board, as well as the
crow of the unfortunate vessel in the hour of danger.
" c We also express our admiration of the conduct dis-
played by Mr. Creem, the chief officer, and Mr. Briscoe,
the chief steward, together with the crew generally.
" ' We are, dear Sir, your obedient servants,
cc c JAMES FINLAY, Wn. WOODS,
JOSEPH ATRINSON, jun,, HEBER WEBB,
J. BRAIN,
JOHN HEELEY,
ARTHUR GREEI7 JOHN SWINEY,
CHARLES mEL-mr, wm. DPGIVERAN,
PETER QTJIN, ROI3ERT SMILEY,
JOHN M4NEIGHT, ROBERT W ATSON,
ROBERT H. GIAYEN, HENRY APNEALL.
To Captain John Campbell, steamer Semaphore.'
" There will probably be an inquiry by the Board of
Trade into the eimse of the mishap:,

TRE BIILZTOWW-ROAD OUTRAGE.

The intended meeting of the cab-proprietors of
Dublin was held on Friday evening in their rooms,
Fishamble-street. The place was crowded to excess
with cab owners and drivers, who manifested the
deepest interest in the proceedings.

The chairman, Mr. JOHN KELLY, of the Baggot-
street stand, in the course of a vigorous speech, re-
marked that if the meeting had been held in the
Rotunda, that room, large as it was, would not hold
all that would have assembled there to express their
horror of this atrocious outrage. (Cheers.) It was
a crime which, looked at in any light, was of the
blackest dye. (Hear, hear.) As a breach of trust
it could not be exaggerated—it blacked the deeper
the more it was considered ; and as citizens, fathers,
husbands, andbrothers, they were bound to be alive
in the matter, and not to cease their exertions until
the miscreant was placed in the hands of justice.
(Cheers.) The resolutions which would be pro-
posed, though couched in strong language, but very
feebly expressed the indignation they felt for the
conduct of this Sepoy, whoever he was, whose con-
duct had not been equalled in atrocity within his
(Mr. Kelly's) remembrance. It reminded one forcibly
of the horrible outrages which had been committed
on their countrywomen during the Indian mutiny,
and the rallying cry of every man who loved and
respected his mother, sister, wife, or child should be,
' We have wives and sisters to protect and revenge.'
(Cheers.) The superhuman exertions of the young
lady, by which she succeeded in ultimately escaping
from the wretch's grasp, was a proof, if such were
wanting, that ' death before dishonour' is our coun-
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aesneprdese.o)enhTtehsh,eebytauvvet
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if speeching could
above, does not give the resolution.
Our Manchester correspondent informs us that
it was reported on Saturday that a cabdriver,
charged with this offence, had
been apprehended
in the neighbourhood of A lit § ,on-under-Lyne.