The Sun.
London, England, 1844-05-24 00:00:00

Bis patrim cecidore mantis.

However that may be, putting aside the political intentions,
this note, regarded simply in a naval point of view, is ex-
ceedingly remarkable. We shall sincerely give our opinion
of it ; and, first, we thank the Prince de Joinville for
having assigned its veritable importance to steam naviga-
tion, and for having worthily appreciated the apprepria-
tim of our resources and our national genius. If the
idea be not new, what is incontestibly new is the expres-
sion which it has assumed, and the influence which it will
exercise in its present form. Besides, there is more merit
than is generally thought, on the part of an officer of the
sailing navy talking with matured enthusiasm of the im-
portance of the steam navy. We ought to be seriously
obliged to the Prince de Joinville not to have allowed him-
self to be held back in the blind worship of the past. His
note is the flag of the new school and of the future. We
shall reproach him, however, with having appeared to look
too much on the present state of steam at sea as the last
point of steam. It would not have been difficult for his
penetration to perceive the progress that it must reach, and
if he had looked better at the matter, we should not have to
point out in his note a revolutionary exaggeration. For a
Prince it is a bad example. It appears to us that the Prince
de Joinville repudiates too suddenly the old traditions and
our former system. It is no doubt with good reason that he
likens to artillery for sieges our men-of-war; the apprecia-
tion is as just as it is new. But ought they to be condemned,
broken up, or allowed to rot? No. And it is to diminish at
once the majesty of the sea and the power of human art to
withdraw from the theatre those vast floating batteries.
Monseigneur since old thrones are transformed and subsist
on this condition, why did you not think of transforming
also our large vessels, in place of condemning them ?
The Duke d'Aumale has nobly risked his person, and exhi-
bited the heroic bravery of a soldier ; be it so ; the army
had a soldier the more and a general the less. This check
will be repaired, we have no doubt ; but it has cost blood,
shed inopportunely without fruit, and it will cost more, which
it would have been impossible to spare. These are princely
amusements. By what inconceivable aberration has the Mi-
nistry• entrusted our troops to the inexperienced and eager
bravery of a leader of three-and-twenty ? Are the talents of
the general in a state of maturity by Divine right under the
precocious epaulets of a child of royal descent ? We pardon
the Journal des Debats with having served up some
phrases of the funeral oration of Bousset in honour of
its living prince, its cherished pupil ; but is not
old Marshal Soult better acquainted with war than
M. Cuvillier-Fleury ? They have servilely been amusing
themselves with making another Prince de Conde of the
Duke d'Aumale, and Conde has just been acting like a
corporal ! This is what Napoleon one day said to Murat, and
we do not wish to have a Murat any more than a corporal,
however brdve he may be, to conduit our expeditions in
Africa. Let us have no princely chauvinism! We can rea-
dily tolerate the pen in the hand of the Prince de Joinville;
but when one holds the sword, and disposes of the soldiers of
France, it is not to be supposed that excellent France shall be
indulgent for blood giddily shed. She is become avaricious—
the period of profusion is past. Besides, it ill becomes the
Government of peace, at any price, to tolerate those military
outbreaks. Certainly, in the eyes of the country, it would
not be with the palm-leaves of Algeria that the humiliations
to which the policy of the Government resigns itself could be
hidden. If, therefore, in place of success, the bulletins from
Africa are the avowals, painfully disguised, of merited checks,
it is astonishing that the Government does not guard better
against those fancies of little wars at any price."
_ _

The Patrie gives the following account of the con-
duct of the Prince of JOINYILLE, in respact to the affair
of Otaheite

" The Prince de Joinville applauded more than any one
else the conduct of Admiral Dupetit-Thouars, from whom he
had received a letter of eighteen pages, dated Tahiti, Novem-
ber 9. This letter, which a Deputy who stands well at Court,
showed to several members of the Chamber, detailed the
powerful motives which had forced the Admiral to oblige
Queen Pomare to respect the French flag. The verbal re-
monstrances of Lord Cowley were sufficient to obtain from
M. Guizot a disavowal of our brave Admiral. It was in vain
that the Prince de Joinville had endeavoured, with the letter
of Admiral Dupetit-Thouars in his hand, to prove to M. Gui-
zot the necessity of waiting for further information respecting
the events at Tahiti before taking a step which would be a dis-
couragement to the whole French navy. According to M.
Guizot, powerful interests imposed upon France such an act of
condescendence towards England. The efforts of the Prince
were without effect. But when at last the Prince de Joinville
learnt from the mouth of M. Refine himself all the details of the
seizure of Tahiti, he was so indignant at the cowardice of
M. Guizot, that he declared that he would no longer serve
under so disgraceful an Administration ; and on the same
day, he addressed a letter to the Minister of Marine, resign-
ing his commission of Rear-Admiral. M. Guizot, seeing the
mortal blow which was to be struck at the policy of his
Cabinet, went adroitly to the King, who required of his son
to withdraw his resignation. The Prince de Joinville gave
the King a respectful, but immoveable refusal, which caused
a very stormy scene at the Tuileries. The Prince at last,
moved by the tears of his mother, yielded with great regret;
but not wishing to remain in Paris during the interpellations
on the subject of Tahiti in the Chamber of Deputies, he pre-
cipitately left the Tuileries, before there was even time to
prepare his travelling carriage. Accompanied only by an
aide-de-camp, the Prince took a place in the diligence of the
Rouen Railway, and arrived at Havre in the most strict in-
cognito, disdaining to receive from so cowardly a Govern-
ment (une gouvernement aussi /ache) the honours due to a
Prince of the blood. This conduct, of which the details are
guaranteed by a person in a high situation, can only increase
the lively sympathy the nation entertains towards the Prince
de Joinville."