The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-27 00:00:00

RAILWAYS.

Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern.....
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lo►nbard
North of Spain
Saragossa
lioina❑

... 910
1192
967
580
588
570
42
543
410
521

A German paper reminds us that the Prussian
plan of an Italian campaign lately divulged by
General La Marmora in the Italian Chamber was
actually carried out in 1809 by Eugene Beau-
harnais, then Viceroy of Italy. At the beginning
of the war Eugene had only 40,000 men to oppose
to the Austrian army of upwards of 56,000, com-
manded by the Archduke John. Prince Eugene
was defeated by the Austrians at Sacile on the
16th of April, and retired to Verona. When,
however, the Archduke John went north after the
battle of Ratisbon he was pursued by Eugene
and defeated on the Piave ; he was followed into
Hungary, where Eugene again defeated his ad-
versary at Raab, and, after storming that
fortress, joined Napoleon's army just before the
battle of Wagram. Eugene's troops, like La
Marmora's, were chiefly composed of Italians ;
and, as shown above, they were less numerous
than those of his adversary, whereas La Marmora
had upwards of 200,000 men against only 80,000
Austrians.
The 7 imes notices the fact that a black column
surmounted by a white eagle, and inscribed with
the records of a century of failures, has been
erected in one of the Swiss Cantons in perpetual
commemoration of Polish genius and courage.
Nine times in the last hundred years have the
Polish people, according to this monument, essayed,
at the cost of infinite bloodshed, to establish or
recover their independence. Nine times have their
efforts proved abortive, but the commemoration,
nevertheless, is justified by facts. To this hour
the Poles have really preserved the purity of their
race, and retained their longings for a nationality.
They are entitled, therefore, to describe the genius
of Poland as " unsubdued." The " Polish ques-
tion " is within a certain sphere a living question
still, though we need go no further than the re-
ports of this very ceremony to discover the diffi-
culty of its solution. We may suppose that the
Poles still desire to recover their country. What
their sympathizers desire is probably the example
of a successful insurrection. One difficulty in the
way of the former aspiration was freely acknow-
ledged at the meeting. Where is the country
which the Poles wish -to recover? Where and
what is their Poland to be ? Poland is the name
for almost any portion of Eastern Europe, accord-
ing to period. It once included large territories
of Russia. Some provinces, once part of Polish
dominions, are now absolutely German. In others
more specially Polish the landowners alone are
now Poles, the peasantry being Russians, and the
townspeople Jews. If language is to be the gauge
or measure of nationality, what, under such cir-
cumstances, would be the result ? It is a very
hard problem, and we cannot wonder that all at-
tempts to solve it have hitherto failed.
The Telegraph, discussing the chances of war,
observes that the issue really depends upon the
question how far the discontent of which we have
seen some manifestations in France is general in
that country. To that question nobody out of
France, and very few people in France, can give
any definite reply. The Cardinal and the most in-
jurious defect of the Imperial system is, that it pro-
vides no adequate means for the free expression of
public opinion ; hence the ruler and the ruled have
no sufficient means of understanding each other.
Against the triumph of the monarchical candidate
in the department of the Gard we have to set the
victory of M. Grevy in the Jura. Against the un-
precedented sale of the Lanterne, we must place
the extraordinary list of applications for the recent
lean. Napoleon 111. knows France better than
any man living, but no amount of personal know-
ledge can supply the place of that perfect insight
into public opinion afforded by a free press and free
representative institutions. Everything, in fact,
depends upon the estimate which the Emperor may
form of the extent to which France is dissatisfied.
If he should come to the conclusion that the discon-
tent is really serious, one cannot doubt that he will
seek to gratify the popular passion for military
glory ; knowing, as he does, that the mere
ap-
proach of war will stifle all domestic rivalries, and
that victory would once more identify his dynasty
with the greatness of France. But if Napoleon
111. conic to this conclusion at all, he will come to
it most reluctantly. Every instinct of prudence
recommends to him a waiting policy. One of the
main causes of the weakness exhibited by the Em-
pire is the knowledge that to a great extent it
depends for its continuance on the life of one man.
But in the course of a very few years' time the Na-
poleonic dynasty will hold out fair promise of a
peaceable succession. The Prince Imperial is al-
ready more than twelve, and in another half-dozen
years he will be of an age, if need be, to ascend
the throne without the perilous experiment of a
regency. Obviously, therefore, while his only son
is still a. mere child, the Emperor has the strongest
personal motives for avoiding the terrible risk in-
volved in a contest with Germany. Nor can the
Telegraph see much reason to imagine that the
French nation is anxious for war.

FIRST WARWICKSHIRE RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.—The
annual inspection of the Ist Warwickshire Rifle Volun-
teers, by Col. Sir E. F. Campbell, Bart., has just taken
place, and the result has been that the inspector has been
pleased to speak of the corps as a "credit to the county.'
To have the high testimony of so experienced an officer is
a credit to the men themselves, and speaks well for the
colonel and officers of the battalion. The corps numbered
nearly 900 men, and is under the command of Col. Ratcliff.
The men were put through a number of movements, all of
which were executed in capital style. Sir E. F. Camp-
bell, in addressing Col. Ratcliff, said it was always a source
of great congratulation to inspect the battalion, because he
always saw something to praise in the way of imprcva-
ment. On the present occasion the muster was the largest
he had ever seen of the battalion, and the men had been
exceedingly steady in their drill. The entire movements,
especially the marching past, gave great satisfaction. He
had therefore great pleasure in congratulating them upon
upon their high state of efficiency. With regard to the
review at Windsor, the conduct of the men of the Ist
Warwickshire was exemplary, and the battalion ought
really to be the pride of the county. Lord Leigh also con-
gratulated Col. Ratcliff, and said he could not add one
word to what Col. Sir E. Campbell had said respecting the
manner in which the men had gone through their move-
ments, except to say that ho endorsed all that had been
said. Col. Ratcliff, in reply, thanked Col. Campbell for
the excellent report he had promised to make of the bat-
talion. It was very gratifying to know that their vigil-
ance and perseverance had been rewarded by kind expres-
sions of approval. He sincerely trusted that the men
would continue to improve until it could be truly said cf
them that they were the best drilled battalion in the king-
dom. The gallant colonel then congratulated Lord Leigh
on his recovery of health, and said his presence would
give an impetus to their exertions and animate them to
farther improvement. Three hearty cheers were then
given by the men for the Inspector, three for Lord Leigh,
three for Col. Ratchff, three for the Adjutant, and three
for the officers. The men then marched back to Bingley
and previously to being dismissed were addressed by
Col. Ratcliff, who thanked theta for the manner in which
they had gone through their drill.

THE PERSIAN M A IL.—We learn by telegram from
Teheran that the Persian monthly mail which left on July
23 was robbed and the bags taken on the Turkish frontier.
Correspondents by that mail aro therefore requesteJ to.re-
peat their letters.
A DUTY ON BOURSE TRANSACTIONS. The
North German Gazette expressos the opinion that opera-
tions on the Bourse, having assumed the character of a
special occupation, ought to pay taxes like other branches
of industry. The argument, says a Berlin letter, is not
entirely conclusive, but the more fact that it is brought
forward by the Gazette confirms the rumour that the Mini-
ster of Finance intends to propose a duty on Bourse tran-
sactions. • •