The Sun.
London, England, 1844-08-21 00:00:00

FRANCE AND MOROCCO.

- .
The line which this country has to pursue towards
France, under present circumstances, is a delicate one,
but not the less clear and straightforward for being
delicate. We have to be spectators, and spectators
only at present, of a quarrel which is going on be-
tween two independent kingdoms ; but we must be,
at the same time, in a state of readiness to act, sup-
posing we should be called upon, i.e., supposing this
quarrel should take a turn which involve our own
interests. Perfect quietness and neutrality up to
this point, but armed quietness, armed neutrality—
the position of a watchful stander-by, ready to strike
a strong blow the very first moment his own rights
should be infringed—this is the situation in which we
now stand to our French neighbours in the Medi-
terranean.

But matters have not come to this pass yet; nor
should a state of preparation for striking a blow,
should it be wanted, make us at all fussy and anxious
to strike it. We should not be one bit the more bel-
ligerent, either in temper or conduct, because we
should be prepared for war. Watchfulness is not a
shadow of an excuse for irritation and interference.
So long as we are at peace with France, and France
does nothing to violate that peace, so long we ought
not even to expect that she will violate it. We
should have a friendly expectation that France will
act fairly, till she shows by her actions that she does
not; and all that we should attend to is to be ready to
act, supposing this just expectation on our part should
be deceived.

The French have bombarded Tangiers, but they
have not taken possession of it. This is the distinc-
tion which should decide the question of our inter-
ference. The bombardment and the occupation of a
town are totally different things, though some
alarmists would make us believe they were the same.
We may permit the one. but we should nn no aooount
permit the other. We expressly guarded our-
selves, in our remarks on this subject the
other day, against being supposed to allow the
smallest concession to France, with respect to the
occupation of Tangiers, or of any other port of
the Emperor of Morocco's dominions. Some of our
Contemporaries are far more generous and bounteous
in their concessions on this head than we are dis-
posed to be, and seem ready to give up the whole
empire of Morocco to France, if she would like to
have it. We think differently. The possession of
such a line of coast as that of Morocco would give
France a preponderance in the Mediterranean that
thato
would be quite incompatible with our interests. And
w
attempt on the part of
France nc seriouslye to
it would be as respecta-
ble a cause of war as almost any that has ever set na-
tions together by the ears.
But France does not occupy either Tangiers or any
any part of the coast of Morocco as yet, and she will
ta take assert,
possession anyf
not be allowed to do so. Our Government have, we
have no doubt, not failed to intimate their objection
to even a temporary possession of that town by the
French. The
it Prince. de Joinville has indeed bom-
barded it, and is difficult to see on what principle
of international law he could have been prevented.
But the French bombs are the only French occupants
of the place as yet ; and the Emperor of Morocco
has only got what he deserved—a good peppering for
his obstinacy and unfairness. And peppered he pro-
bably will be till he comes to terms. France is whip-
ping his Majestyinto better behaviour, but she has
not yet picked his pockets or stripped him of his coat :
she is the disciplinarian hitherto, and not the high-
way robber. If she should assume that vocation it
i
will be time for us to interfere._'limes.

AQUATIC CLUB.
THE WESTMINSTERAQIUAAQUATICS.
T ICS
rieahcegahilidwothers connected with
highly respectable club rowed
gentlemenengage
d i
no ft
hteh
and numerously attended by 'the which
their scratch match yesterday, was well contested,
friends of the several
aquatic sports. The distance from Vauxhall to
Putney, the competitors thus escaping(?..3
parties The
he
incon-
venience they might other Wise have much. of the
in sustained from the
steamers and craft moored Lambeth-reach. All
being in readiness they got away at about half-past six.
Messrs. Hudson and Scott ...
Messrs. Plunket and Johnson ********************* (Pink) 1
Messrs. Darby and Andrews * ............... .. ..... (Red) 2
Messrs. Duplan and Young ............... (Light Blue) 3
The start was well effected, and . ii; (Green) 0
oar and oar for a few strokes ; Lighte whole party were
in advance, Pink being second, aidthe Blue then showed
of each other. Shortly after the start, other two. abreast
of the race was fouled by a
heat. Green in the. heat
which was in their
course, and in consequence of this she took so much
water in at her stern that her occupants
leave her, having thus lost all chance
i were obliged to
the gasworks Pink went up to Lightnßtlhe match. Off
couple of minutes' sharp rowing went by them,ue, and after a
re-
taining the lead won by about fifty yards, . and
Light Blue
gave place to Red in the lower part of Chelsea-reach,
THE NAUTILUS BOAT RACE.set-reach.
A very excellent race came off yesterday
members of the Nautilus Club, Bankside. amongst the
gentle-
men who contended in this, as in the above, weree
drawn
by lottery, and the award of victory was two silver.cups.
It was started about half an hour after the 'Westminster
Aquatics, on the same course, and was not unequal in
interest to the one which had preceded it.
Messrs. Smith and F. Chantler (White) 1
Messrs. T. Plempton and E. Plempton ..... (B
Messrs. E. Chantler and A Corbold .............. ilue) 2
ed) 3
Messrs. Carmichael and Dawson .....................
.The first mile and a half was contested withen) 0
spirit, and exhibited not only much skill, but great
considerable
game and power. They all got away together
im-
mediately afterwards Blue took the lead, and heidhut.it right
up the reach, pressed throughout the distance o
by White,
both setting to their work and rowing with much
fspirit.
On nearing Battersea-bridge White drew ahead their
opponents, and kept the lead right to the winning post
a ,
first passing through Putney-bridge by half ninute.
The wind set heavily against the tide, and the whole of
the party shipped a great deal of water in their
way up,
Green, indeed, so much, that they might have been con-
sidered
out of the race ere their:arrival at Wandsworth,
where they were almost swamped.
SCULLERS' RACE AT PUTNEY,
Six young watermen, two or three of whom could not
have exceeded 17 years of age, rowed yesterday -
purse of sovereigns, subscribed by the residents atl''ra
Put-
ney,
Roehampton, and its vicinity. It is unnecessary to
say that it created but very little interest, and that only
amongst the parties themselves or those nearl related.
It was with six competitors, in three heats, andwas won
by Charles Green (stripes.)

THE HARVEST.—Thedry winds, accompanied by
sunshine for the last few days, have in a great measure
counteracted the injury done to the outlying crops, by
the heavy rain which fell in the course of last week. In
many places the greater part of the grain is already
stacked, so that upon the whole, as far as these districts
are concerned, we may look forward to an abundant har-
vest. The turnip crops this year are excellent, and an
abundant supply of food for cattle. At the Ipswich Lamb
Fair, which will be held on Thursday next, good prices
are expected to be obtained for all kinds of beasts, sheep,
and lambs.—lpswich Express.