The Sun.
London, England, 1868-11-23 00:00:00

POLAND•

The incendiary fires in Poland, which have been so
frequent of late, have in no degree diminished in number.
The Russians cannot be driven out, but the Poles are
energetically trying to burn them out. Muscovites
who have settled in Poland suffer from fire
almost daily. The intendant of a Councillor of
State had rendered himself specially obnoxious in the
absence of his master. In the orthodox Russian style he
extorted from the peasants all that they were capable of
yielding, manifesting his gratitude in the shape of the
knout. He received several anonymous letters, which so
alarmed him that be obained the protection of a detach-
ment of Cossacks. But these were not able to prevent the
councillor's house and all the surrounding buildings, to the
value of many thousand pounds, being utterly destroyed
by fire.

ENGLISH POLICY TOWARDS CHINA.

(From the Anglo-American 2 lines.)

An American paper has noticed the inconsistency
of anticipating a warm reception in England for
the Chinese Mission, after the open announcement
that Americans hoped and expected the negotiations
to result in the transfer of China trade and influence
from Great Britain to the United States. It is
absurd for Americans to sing this song, and be
surprised and indignant if England declines to join
in the chorus ; but the " tall talk," as usual, did
not mean all the words import, as reflection has
shown Englishmen. An Embassy could as much
change the course of trade as the course of the
Mississippi ; and the influence of the English will
not be as a Chinese ambassador assesses it, but in
proportion to their numbers, wealth, and enter=
prise. These ridiculous old notions that the world
was regulated by diplomacy, that the status of the
nations was altered by the back stairs proceedings in
Cabinets, by the chicanery of men who best knew
how to make words conceal thought, have ex-
ploded —at least m Christendom. Now the
business of nations is done just in the same
way as other business, and the best example
of this is the latest that but now given by his
Excellency REVERDY JOHNSON and Lord STANLEY.
Those who want permanent customers and good
credit must deal fairly, give wnat they profess to
give, and do what they undertake to do. If un-
scrupulous, they may go in for one good swindling
job; but if experience has shown that this is an
error in individuals, it is a still greater error in na-
tions, as the life of the individual is short and inse-
cure, while that of a nation is comparatively long
and certain. A. recognized fact in diplomacy, at
least with wise men, now is, that it is injudicious to
take an undue advantage even when the opportu-
nity invites, for the seeming advantage is certain
to recoil and breed ill-feeling. A trade patched up
by privileges is artificial, and therefore unstable;
and it would • not show sound judgment to create
such a trade even if proffered, much less to fight for
it. When created it is a source of weakness and worry,
the interestsof those engagedbeing always in jeopardy
a ceaseless pressureisbrought against the Government
in their behalf. Wherever a vested interest stands
in the way of improvement that interest is detri-
mental to the welfare of the nation. They must
crop up with time, but the folly lies in deliberately
generating them. Just as a leading Minister of
China, whose State paper we lately gave, argued
that railways should not be introduced nor steamers,
because the one would injure carriers and coolies,
and the other boats, arguing that though a bad
system, :because it is in use it must be perpetuated
for the welfare of those it supports. If the Chinese
Mission has any other object than to remove im-
proper restrictions—to open the world to China, and
China to the world, as far as Chinese civilization
will permit, it has been sent on a false errand, and
the cooler its reception in Europe the better. If
Mr. BURLINGAME'S aim be to benefit his native
land at the expense of all others, then it is equally
misdirected, and even in success he would but
injure the country from which he was accredited as
well as that to which he owes allegiance. But Mr.
BURLINGAME. has seen too much of the world, has
too much sense, and is too deeply interested in the
elevation of the country he represents to entertain
any such notion. On the contrary, he is aware
that whatever be the ultimate result, the immediate
effect of a more liberal policy will all be in favour
of England. Yesterday her MAJESTY received the
Mission, and, we doubt not, graciously ; for the
tendency in England of late has been to re-
cognise as progress this unprecedented step
of the Chinese Goyernment. Lord STANLEY,
as we had expected, 'has long since done so,
when the Times of course swung round ; but
that no one here notices, although it may now and
then furnish matter for astonishment to the Ameri-
can papers. Thepress of China objects, itis said, that
more has not been obtained in the way of conces-
'loo2 awl we should not be purpriped i the report