The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-22 00:00:00

L ►;N; LON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 1857.

The British Expeditionary Forces are at this
moment assailing the Persian Empire from three
different directions. Colonel JACOB, with a com-
paratively small, but still sufficient, body of
troops, advances by way of the Bolan Pass from
the vicinity of Shikapoor 1 Brigadier CITAMBEZ-
LA 'nig, with some five thousand picked soldiers,
marches by way of the Khyber Pass from the
neighbourhood of Peshawur ! And simultaneously
the combined military and maritime expedition,
which left Bombay Harbour for the Persian Gulf
on the 13th of last November, descends upon the
southern coasts of the enemy's country at
Bushire ! An expedition, consisting of some
forty-five vessels of war, under Admiral Sir
H. LEEtE carrying upwards of five thousand six
hundred troops, under the command of General
Sir F!. pain AM a land force intended ix all
likelihood to advance directly from Bushire upon
Ispahan, either by way of Sheraz or of Babahan !
The Persian Capital of Teheran may thus be ulti-
mately assailed from the east and from the south
—the assailants avoiding, in their advance upon
it, the perils at once of the Desert of Kirman, and
those of the Great Salt Desert, immediately to
the south of Khorassan.
A judcious ordering of
the campaign, which may be thusi a
..-01FTRAN'a expeditionary force
grandivaillrdnevardnoiuclyitenegff;eeacasdteiwndge:
have seen, along the
through Khashan to the Persian metropolis !
IWhile the combined forces under CIA.34I33E-
LAYNI and JACOB, proceeding onwards to
one common destination at Herat -- the
former from the Khyber Pass through

Cabul, the latter from the Bolan Pass through
Candahar—would, in the event of an ulterior
triumph over the Persiax conquerors of the
Heratees, find a pathway opened for them to the
very heart of the Persian empire, to the central
seat of the government of the SHAH, along the
northernfrentiers of Khorassan, by way of Mulled
and Astrabad. Such are the probable outlines of
the Persian Campaign, which may be regarded as
having already actually commenced.

It should be borne in mind, however, in addi
tion to what we have already remarked, that the
British expedition will be supported by the active
co-operation of old Don MAIIIIIIRD and
his warlike Affghanistans. We should be
disposed to count less confidently upon
any really energetic assistance from these auxilia-
ries, but that we cannot possibly close our eyes
to the fact that to the incitements of political
hatred are added in the instance of the Amnsx
and his followers, as opposed to the SHIA and
his followers, the infuriating influence of a pro-
found religions animosity. The difference be-
tween the two grand sects of Mahommedans—
between the believers in Anti BIICIs and the
believers in the sons of Aida—is a difference, in
fact, between the Persians as opposed at once to the
Turks and the Affghans. The Persians altogether
rejecting the Twelve 'MAULS revered equally by
the Afghan and the Osmanli, an in lieu of the
Twelve IMAIMIS or direct descendants of the Arab
Lawgiver, venerating (as the immediate successors
of MAIIOHET) MASSAIN and HOUSSAIN, the two
murdered sons of ILIA, whose tombs form an ob-
ject of so much love and homage to the Persian
Pilgrim in the neighbourhood of Kerbelai I
Sectarian fanaticism, consequently, not less
scarcely than international jealousy, will tend to
secure to the British the strenuous military co-
operation of old DOST MAIIOIII. and his lieute-
nants, the lesser Ameers of Affghanistan. And
so, with renewed confidence in our allies, and
implicit faith in the justice of our cause, and with
an humble reliance in a Power superior to the
mightiest army that over moved over the earth or
the least vincible armada that ever swept the
seas, we may look forward, without one particle
of trepidation, rather, be it said, with a calm,
but though unpresumptuous, confidence to the
result of our now warlike expeditions.

There can be no doubt of the deplorable state
of Italy. The Piedmontese alone enjoy anything
approaching to free institutions, and wise and
just administration. No wonder, then, that all
their sympathies should be in favour of their
sufering brethren, or that their Sovereign, Vie-
Ton EaniknzraL, should be the recognised cham-
pion of Italian freedom. The proceedings of the
Chambers at Turin must therefore be regarded
with peculiar interest by every one concerned in
the welfare of that beautiful but long-suffering
and bitterly afflicted land
In our impression of yesterday we gave an
epitome of the speech of Count OAYOUR respecting
the Ministerial policy. Many enthusiastic liberals
may have experienced some degree of disappoint-
ment at a certain reserve. They would have
hailed with joy the call to arms, and been pre-
pared to respond to the utmost of their ability
with men and money to the spirit-stirring demand.
But calm consideration must convince them of
the sound judgment displayed by the Sardinian
Minister in abstaining from entering into an
elaborate discussion on Italian affairs. Any pre-
cipitation might ruin the cause which every lover
of freedom must have deeply at heart. It could
not be expected that VICTOR MOE/2MM would
rush blindly into the contest without closely
calculating the prospects of success. To do so
would be merely to deprive himself of the power
of affording aid to the good cause when it would
be really valuable and productive of the most
beneficial results.

" The pear is not yet ripe." It is, however,
rapidly approaching to maturity. The Italian
despots, and the unbridled insolence of military
occupants, are " forcing" it rapidly onwards,
and we still hope that the fruit may be gathered
in due season. The emphatic declaration of the
Congress of Paris, that the state of Italy
required improvement, still remains on record,
and although the results that might reasonably
have been anticipated have not as yet been rea-
lised, there is no reason for despair. "France
and England have not changed their opinions."
" Neither Lord PALMERSTON nor the Earl of
CLARENDON are certainly now less inclined to the
Italian cause than they were nine months ago."
So says Count CATOITR, and in such a case he is
an unimpeachable witness. They are biding their
time, when they can interfere beneficially and ef-
fectually. That interference may be by moral,
rather than by physical, force. Circumstances
may arise to render the former all that could be
desired without the terrible necessity of letting
slip the dogs of war. It is only by undue means
that the good cause can be seriously damaged,
and those who resorted to the explosions and
other sinister events at Naples were really ren-
dering important service to BOMB/. No good
result was ever achieved by such means, which, as
Count CATOUR justly remarked, must be " re-
gretted and blamed by every right-thinking man
who is devoted to the interests and honour of
Italy," who looks forward anxiously to its com-
plete regeneration. Nothing should be attempted
calculated, in any degree, to change the tide of
public opinion in Europe, which is entirely in
favour of the policy of the Sardinian Government !
One significant fact was elicited during the
discussion, General LA. MARIMBA declared, " that
since the return from the Crimea the army kad
not been diminished in number." This proves
that Sardinia is prepared for any alternative,
that she is patiently " biding her time," but
retaining all the power to meet any exigency.
The tried veterans of the Crimea, whose gallantry
reflected lustre on the name of Piedmont, will
be valuable auxiliaries in time of need, and it is
greatly to the credit of the Cabinet of CAYOIR
that they have not permitted any false economy
to reduce their numbers or impair their efficiency.
While TICTOR EMMANUEL has gained golden
opinions from his subjects, FRANCIS JOSEPH
has met wih a chilling reception, during what was
intended to be his triumphant progress through
his Italian provinces. All his blandishments are
in vain, and he is already beginning to lose
temper at the unequivocal display. of national
feeling.
None but officials and their dependents
participate in the demonstrations which have
proved
signal
thatfailures,
will
retun to
andr it
ishi llsoGwermmoarne cathan
probable .
tal a sadder, albeit a wiser, man. It could
scarcely he supposed that the overbearing inso-
lence and. oppression so long displayed by his sol-
diers could at once be forgotten. The inhabitants
of the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom are as fully
alive to "soft sawder, you know,"
as the Estee-
itolt himself. It requires something more than
a few honeyed phrases, or the pardon of men who
should never have been inculpated, to restore the
equanimity of the people. If FRANCIS JosErn
de sires to obtain the popularity he is so anxiously
slicking, let him give satisfactory proofs that the
. administration of affairs shall be really amelio-
; xated, and that full justice shall be rendered to