The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-27 00:00:00

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES.

We have been informed, and are most gratified at
learning, that measures of military precaution of the
usual kind in fortified towns have lately been adopted
in this invaluable fortress. To whatever inconve-
nience such a measure may subject the inhabitants of
this island, it is, nevertheless, called for by circum-
stances. There cannot be a shadow of doubt that,
whenever France considers hostilities about to take
place with England, she will attempt a coup de main
on Malta. It is not for us to point out the most vul-
nerable point in either harbour, nor the means of pre-
venting a furtive nocturnal entrance of the one part
or the other, and of securing the entrance into Val-
letta, in case of an attempt of the troops located in
the other cities and suburbs. These are matters we
are not bound to deal with, and which, no doubt,
those who have the responsibility of keeping pos-
session of the place have already calculated
in all their details. It is sufficient for us to re-
peat—we will do so a thousand times if necessary—
that France has commenced naval and military
operations, incompatible, if carried out, with the in-
terests of England ; —that a similar course, simul-
taneously pursued by Spain, and some of the northern
Powers, the former confessedly under French in-
fluence, is of a nature to show a common intention of
throwing down a formidable barrier to French ambi-
tion to the westward. In Tunis we have a British
Consul insulted—the Bey intimidated—a Maltese
party conciliated—with a contemporaneous 'stirring
up of parties within the Island of Malta. In Egypt
we have the opening act of a new French intrigue.
We have also a pamphlet which, boyish as it is, and
however covered up with hypotheses, is evidently in-
tended to heighten the moral influence of France, and.
to weaken that of England, with Powers subject to
the maritime superiority of either Power, and to in-
timidate those in the united kingdom who are
engaged in the pursuits of maritime commerce.
Whether these , demonstrations will be acted upon
now, or, being found too premature, will be desisted
from till a future period, we neither know nor care.
This we know, that whenever they may be persisted
in England has the power, and her Administration
will, no doubt, have the firmness, successfully to re-
sist them. To talk of Br.:tish commerce on the sea
being a vulnerable point now that steam-vessels
are in use is ridiculous. Was it a serious
vulnerable point in the last war, when protected by
sailing vessels ? Certainly not. But a steamer will
protect a merchant fleet better than half a dozen sail-
ing ves;els. Neither can France place on the water
an equal number of steam-vessels with England fully
manned ; but she would have to combat against Bri-
tish sailors, with sea-sick soldiers; nor can she dis-
perse her guerilla steamers over the ocean, unless'
accompanied by transparts loaded with combustible
matter, whereby to produce the steam they move by.
Be all this, however, as it may, the Island of Malta
ought in the meantime to be most diligently watched
against surprise; and when our neighb.mrs shall
attempt to scour the ocean withaut coals, to put in
practice the schoolboy exercises of fighting, running
away, joining, and disuniting forces, they will soon
find that there is nothing new in this ; on the con-

Crary, it is as old as the first details of the history of
play-grounds and warfare. But single-handed fight-
ing is nothing when powder and fire-arms are the
means of offence. No man can carry his own depot
with him, nor can any depOt be safe without an as-
sembled force ; and, in this respect a steam-vessel
may, by analogy, be compared to an individual, since
she cannot carry with her a supply, for any length of
time, of what she is most in want of in order to in-
sure her efficiency.-3falta Mail.

TRIPOLI, JULY 22.
The British Consul-General, ten days ago, dis-
patched a courier to Malta. However, no letters
were permitted to bri sent by that conveyance. The
affairs in the mountains have been settled without
bloodshed :a demonstration was sufficient to keep that
people in order. The difference had been settled-by
the old Barachala, c.)lonel of the irregular .eavalryt
and at4ehed to the present Government, like to the