The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-05 00:00:00

"According to accounts which hare reached us, Provi-
dence has just saved us from a frightful catastrophe—the
plan said to have been in agitation was nothing less than to
have set fire to the barracks, and, under favour of the first
moment of confusion, to have assassinated the officers and
the chiefs, and to have delivered up the city to all the horrors
of a pillage. These horrible schemes have, however, been de-
feated by the zeal and activity of our military and political
authorities, and the admirable fidelity of the troops. Amongst
the persons arrested, is a nephew of Don Alonzo Cardera.
"It appears nearly certain from all accounts, that the
Exaltados had an idea of making some manifestation. They
had made overtures to the sergeants of some of the regiments,
and given them money ; but after they had got possession of
the secret, and received the bribe, these men, faithful to their
duty, communicated the affair to their officers, and thus pre
vented the contemplated outbreak. Every precaution con-
tinues to be taken."

The Castellano, another Government paper, doubts
the story, but at the same time admits that the
" entire population is in the deepest anxiety." And
why ? Because they fear it is a scheme got up by
NARVAEZ, for the purpose Of making further inroads
on liberty. The editor of the Monarquia has been
found guilty of a libel on the Government. The ver-
dict against him was to this effect : " Guilty, with
extenuating circumstances, and the editor is declared
incapable of accepting a situation in the public service,
and condemned to a fine of of 3,500 reels."
The Prince de JOINVILLE again sailed from Cadiz
on the 23d, for Tangiers.
On the 26th the Three per Cents. were quoted at
261 for 60 days.

Ths intelligence from Otaheite has caused some
sensation at Paris. Several of the journals publish
the documents at length, and most of them have ar-
ticles on the subject. In general they infer that
Mr. PRITCHARD was in the wrong, and consequently
justify the French authorities. Even the Journal des
Debats, the Government paper, takes that view of the
affair, and lAT presume thus speaks the sentiments of
M. GUIZOT :—" It appears that immediately after the
declaration of taking possession of the island was
made by Admiral DUPETIT THOUARS, Mr. PRITCHARD
protested against it, and prevailed on Queen POMARE
to take refuge on board an English vessel. Up to
that time the British Consul acted within the line of
his duty; but after he had protested, he should have
waited for instructions from his Government. It
appears, on the contrary, that Mr. PRITCHARD set
about organising an insurrection against the autho-
rities which had been established; that under his
authority incendiary proclamations had been cir-
culated through the islands, and a party of the
natives incited to take up arms. Acc"rding to the
same accounts, M. D'AUBIONY had declared martial law
in the place, and taken every measure necesssary to
repress the insurrection. The English correspond-
ence pretends that Mr. PRITCHARD had been guilty
of no act of aggression, and had merely offered
Queen POMARE an asylum on board a vessel of his
nation. This is what we wish to see cleared up.
One thing appears certain, that the French authori-

'ies had arrested Mr. PRITCHARD for inciting the
nation to disorder, and that be was only released on
the application of the Captain of the Cormorant
steam-frigate, who promised that he should not again
land in the island. The Cormorant then sailed for
Valparaiso, from which place Mr. PRITCHARD took
[ VitituriAßD tinugelq-to 'holm; that -the news given
by the English journals has been communicated;
and, consequently, it maybe very well believed that
the facts in question are exaggerated, or denaturalised.
Besides, if it he true that Mr. PRITCHARD, after the
taking possession was declared by the French Admi-
ral, organised an insurrection against the new autho-
rity, his incarceration and expulsion were perfectly
consistent with: the laws of nations; and from his
known previous conduct, it is difficult for us to be-
lieve that he has maintained the neutrality which is
attributed to him by the English press."
The National, as a matter of course, highly com-
mends the spirit shown by Captain BRUAT in curbing
the insolence and overbearing airs of English agents.
The writer commences with apparent fairness and
moderation, and ends with a malignant attack on
England. The following extract shows the spirit
which animates a journal that nothing short of war
with this country will satisfy :
" We admit assuredly as the first of the principles which
govern international relations the inviolability of consular and
diplomatic agents. Without this principle there would be no
more security in those relations, and we should fall back into
a state a barbarism. There is, however, a principle no less
incontestible—it is, that diplomatic agents should respect the
sovereignty of the power that receives them, shonld recognise
its rights, and refrain from meddling with anything which
may compromise the security of the State. These ideas are
elementary, and certainly Captain Bruatand Admiral Dupetit
Thouars have not forgotten them. To pretend, as the English
journals insinuate, that the Consul Pritchard was arrested,
put into prison, and compelled to leave the island, without
the most imperious necessity calling for such a measure, is to
insult good sense, and mock at realities. It is evident that
he had recommenced his attempts on the inhabitants, shame-
fully taking advantage of their ignorance, and persuading
them that France, a poor country of the third rank, had no
means of maintaining her rights ; he, in fact, persuaded the
poor devils to take up arms to attack us. If such insolence
be permitted, the treaties which unite nations may as well be
torn up. Our representatives at Tahiti have acted as they
should have done. They arrested this Pritchard, and they
were right in so doing, they prevented his doing more mis-
chief by first arresting him, and then sending him off. These
perpetual overbearing airs which are assumed by the Eng-
lish agents towards us should at length meet their punish-
ment. The French do not go on their territory to defy their
power, contest their possession, and oppose their conquests in
all parts of the globe. We respect them where they are;
let them in their turn respect us."

The Presse calls Mr. PRITCHARD " a Figaro dis-
guised as a missionary," and the Constitutionnel eagerly
seizes the opportunity for making an attack on M.
GUIZOT

" What will M. Guizot now do P The disavowal of the
conduct of Admiral Dupetit Thouars must be by this time
known at Otaheite. What effect will be produced on the
natives, again, perhaps, in insurrection, or recently brought
under subjection, by the news of our obedience to the injunc-
tions of England ? Will not the predictions of Pritchard be
accomplished in their eyes? Who will henceforward answer
for the tranquillity of the Society Islands? Is not our
authority there for ever lost? It is stated that Admiral
Hamelin, who is to supersede Admiral Dupetit Thouars, has
sailed in the Virginia. What joy and triumph for Com-
modore Nicholas, and for the English officers who
have taken part against the French Admiral, to see
him replaced at the very moment of their menaces, and
amidst the insults of the entire English press! And
what a ridiculous and impossible mission is not M. Bruat
charged to accomplish, if he must reinstate the Queen, after
the vigorous blow which has just been struck! He is pub..
licly involved in the responsibility of the acts of Admiral
Dupetit Thouars, which he has followed up and exceeded.
The disavowal falls with still greater force on him. M.
Guizot, the taker of islands, has been as unfortunate in his
enterprises as in his concessions. He has wished to make
himself a conqueror, and he has not dared to lay his hand,
altogether and without reserve, on some islands of savages.
He has again become pacific, and his complaisance has raised
a fresh cause of division between France and England. We
do not possess Tahiti, and yet we are at war there; we have
disavowed the acts of our Admiral, and the English are about
to demand reparations from us; we have humbled our marine
and yet that is not enough. It is certainly impossible for a
Government to act with more skill, good fortune, and glory !"
The English papers containing Sir. ROBERT PEEL'S
words, " a gross outrage, accompanied by a gross
indignity," will make some stir among these advo-
cates for war. In the Chamber of Peers, Viscount
DUBOIJCHAGE, one of that party complained of the
little attention paid by the Government to the public
feeling on various points of foreign policy—such as
the disavowal at Otaheite, the affairs of New Zealand
and La Plata, and the right of search. He also re-
ferred to the case of the English Consul at Algiers
not having yet demanded his exequatur. Count DR
RUSSIERES thought it childish to raise a question of
dispute or discussion about the exequatur, when the
country to which that Consul belonged had
acknowledged the right of France to her
conquests in Africa. He adduced the case
of the establishment of Belgium as an independent

of the general Indian revenue, and the economy of
its present arrangement. But when we take into!
account the almost inestimable value of the abso-
solute stock and plant of the East India Com-
pany in England, and in its Asiatic do-
minions, shipping, public buildings, warehouses,
merchandise, munitions of war, &c., &c., and find
that the " public debt for all the Presidencies bearing
interest, on the 30th April, 1842, stood only at
34,378,2881., paying interest, varying with its various
classes, from 41. to Cl. per cent. (but on a small amount
of 17,0001., transferred from Fort Marlborough, paying
10 per cent.) and that the aggregate of this interest
does not exceed 1,628,5251. per annum ; we may well
marvel at the grandeur and opulence of these vast
establishments. Here are their proprietary
dividends regularly paid in England, to
the amount of 620,000/. and upwards per
annum, a yearly charge of interest of little more
than a million and a half; and a yearly revenue of
17,000,0001. and upwards—in the " charges" against
which this interest and all the inconceivable burden of
such armies in such a country, maintained on a war
establishment are comprised ! Truly we may let
the Parisian journalists amuse themselves with big
words about Otaheite !

The Madrid journals of the 26th ult. all advert to
what some of them call an attempted revolution. The
Herald°, a Government paper, thus describes the
plot :