The Sun.
London, England, 1845-01-29 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SIR,—As the course of French policy would seem
to be little understood in this country, I would ad.
dress a few words on the subject. In 1840 I hap-
pened to. pass through Franee from Switzerland, at
the time of the rupture of amicable relations with
that country, and when it was considered that war
was inevitable. In the same diligence were several
of the Deputies, who did not hesitate to avow their
belief that our object was to obtain possession of
Egypt—a country which it was equally evident that
France had determined to possess at some future
period. Whilst they expressed with French politeness
their high regard for Englishmen as individuals, they
unequivocally expressed their hatred of England and
her policy ;—they said we were a rasping, proud,
domineering nation, and that our policy was opposed
to the aggrandisement of France. They said that
England had risen to her present position by her
commerce, and that alone ; so did Carthage, but Rome
vanquished her by force of arms ; so did Tyre, but
an army swept it from the map of the world. Their
arguments resolved themselves to this, that the
strength of England was her commerce ; that what-
ever injured her commerce injured her; that whatever
injured England benefited France—therefore the gist of
Frenchpolicy should be the destruction and cramping of
the commerce of England. I ask what entente cordiale
there can be with such a nation and on such a basis ?
have they not shown their policy ? Else why send a
fl,-et to China, where they have no trade ? Why seize
the islands of the Pacific, where British missionaries
had shed their blood, and British Christians their
money, in the work of civilisation, and where the
French name is known but to be abhorred ? Why
invade Morocco, but to cramp British commerce ?
Why open her arms to the United States but to excite
feelings against. England, and close one of her het
markets for her manufactures ? Why seek an BA-
ante with the royal family of the Brazils, but to esta-
blish French influence, and exclude, by a high tariff,
British manufactures ? Why attempt to seizeto the
territory contiguous to the Gaboon river, but
ob
taro the means of destroying our African trade?
Why oppose a railway from Cairo to Suez? Because
it would benefit British commerce, and throw under
British influence a country where she hopes, ere long,
to erect her standard, and thereby pave the way
for her conquest of Africa. In Abyssinia she has
long had her emissaries; her people, unfit from their
native disposition for commerce, envious of the pros-
perity of England, would seek to raise their own
commerce by the destruction of England's. I will
only add, that no man is fit to guide the policy of this
country who pays deference to French interests, or
even French threats; they durst not go to war, as all
Europe would be against them. Let England
strengthen herself by a liberal commercial treaty with
Russia. Russia has timber, corn, oil, flax, tallow,
hemp, and many other productions of essential im-
portance to England. England has manufactures.
and wants a market. Russia is now well-disposed
towards England. Let the moment be embraced.—
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
A LONDON MERCHANT.
London, Jan. 24, 1545.