The Sun.
London, England, 1850-09-13 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1850.

The visit of inspection paid within these few days
to the French fleet at Cherbourg, by the PRESIDENT
of the Republic, is suggestive of consideration on our
own side cf the British Channel as well as on the
shores of our opposite neighbours. However gratie
f ying may be the manifestation of that friendly feeling
and cordial understanding which the interests of civi-
lization and liberty in Europe, as well as those of the
two respective nations, require should ever be main-
tained between France and Oreat Britain, and which on
this occasion were signally developed by the courteous
attentions paid by the gallant hosts to those of our
countrymen who had the good fortune to be present
at the splendid display, the mind cannot
fail to be impressed by a serious ap-
prehension. Within a few hours' sail of
English ground, in a port rendered all but impreg-
nable by the gigantic genius of a NAPOLEON, lies a
diet of line-of-battle ships, frigates, and steamers, of
sailing qualities unequalled, and manned by thousands
of admirably disciplined seamen. Is there no latent
meaning in this ? Are those castles of the deep, the
Friedland and the Valmy, with their huge com-
paniens and swarm of attendant vessels, paraded for
mere idle show, to make the multitude a passing holi-
day, or is it not rather a significant demonstration of
those formidable means of aggression which are ready,
at a moment's noticyo he launched against our home-
steads, should the ancient fires of rivalry be une
happily rekindled, and the blood of the
two lesavest of Christian nations be doomed
again to flow in hostile torrents? With what
other possible view than that of preparation
for a war with England, do fleets so mighty and
works so immense, the consummation of vast and
continuous labour, loom within so &bor.: a distance of
our southern coast ? Far be it from us to insinuate
that the Republic is likely to take any undue advan-
tage cf those extraordinary capabilities, dedicating
them to the treacherous purposes of wanton aggres-
sion, but, doubtless, unless there be a steadfast and
unwavering determination on the part of the Mini-
ster and people of England to maintain the prepon-
derance of our naval strength, and not to relax one
jot or tittle in every sound preparation for the
emergency of offensive and defensive war, the day
thay cGale Gf too late repentance for neglected
opportunities and suicidal parsimony. Si vie pa.
cent, para helium, is a maxim the truth of
which we are b,1(1 enough to maintain,
netwitbstanding the dogmata of Herr CORRY and
the twaddle of the orators of Peulskirche. Will the
men of peace solicit from Parisian statesmanship the
disarmarnent and dismantlement of Cherbourg, or will
they content themselves with counselling in the pleni-
tude of their wisdom that our essential precautions

and necessary expenditure should be diminished in an

inverse ratio to our liabilities ? In either case, we
i 'S I' V>pipel ,the honour and profit they are likely to reap
cr:7777-1 f.)›ni-Oeir exertions will be pretty much the same.
i-_-;--L- ::, Had Oey gone about striving to sow the seeds of
F;',.r .--.: \ pcOiliksy in social circles in,,tearl of mountebanking
jai
• -'- --.;44',tie.trr politan stages, the Honorary Member of the
1-----!ft 04f rt Congress might, have been more philan-
r---,-L ;:__ltri6l' ally treated by the eons of beer. That
l 1 i s' , ,