The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-27 00:00:00

p
11

IONDON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1845

The bad feeling displayed by a considerable portion
of the Peri-3 press, relative to the disputes between Eng-
land and America, cannot tend to raise the character of
the French nation, or entitle her to that rank as an im-
partial and generous rival, which her great power and
independence- ought to obtain for her among civilised
communities. There seems to be a feverish anxiety
anti fear displayed by the writers in the journals,
especially those of the Opposition, lest the misunder-
Oviding should be removed, and the two most com-
enerciel states in the world should continue to live' in
amity. One journal calls upon the United States to
remain " firm," and another expreses its conviction,
'we bhould rather say fear, that the storm will
blow over, and that after a little display of bad
temper arid ninth coarse language, a time will come
when both Will listen willingly to the voice of reason,
and conciliation be easy. The SW:de, in an article
eiouched in fair language, contains sentiments but
little calculated to heal the breach, or to en-
courage France to offer herself as a mediator,
ur the United States to accept her in
that character. M. GUIZOT in the Texan affair had
tided so openly with England, and displayed such par-
tiality, that the American Republic could place no con-
fidence in any appeal made to the French Government.
'• The United States," says that journal, " have
rejected the idea of a mediation. Is the
remembrance of the deplorable conduot adopted
by our Ministry in the affairs of Texas unconnected
uith this determination of the American Government?
le it not calculated to give that power the measure of
the friendship and equity of our Ministers, and to re-
sitove from its mind all idea of submitting its cause tothe
ileciiien of a, ration which formerly never failed it? What-
♦ ver may he the motives • which, at the opening of this
r.ew drama, have reduced our Cabinet to the sad position
e; a spectator; we sincerely hope that its tardy vigilance
may at least spare us a denouement which would compro-
e, so our interests and our honour." We leave our readers
te judge sllat le_ meant by a denouement which could
comprosni*o our interests and our honour," because
cae. form a sufficiently correct opinion on the sub-
jeet from the spirit displayed by the writer, and the
refeee':ons of. attachment to American interests, which
prvadc ail the Opposition journals. Such senti-
nice ts are unworthy of France; they are not parti-
t ipaced in by the KING or his Ministers, and
e 6.in hope by only a alien portion of
Vie people. What ads antage could France gain by a
ma. between England and America? What
* tifratifone could a gallant nation enjoy in witeevie
h.°. tae destruction of property, the interruption of
c.;;lnnercie (and in that respect France would chime in
fo.• her sleary), the blockade of harbours, the slaughter of
thousan its of human beings, and all the other calamities
e WUr ? In every point of view, fur these writers
not see the full extent of the consequences,
the feeling displayed is of a most selfish
chameter, and forms a sad contrast to the spirit dis-
V,eyed by the British Government, the British press, and
the'British people too, when, but a few years ago, France
and America appeared determined to settle their
d.spute by guns and bayonets. America claimed a
=Ohm, sterling as compensation for losses sustained
faring the reign of NAPOLEON—the Government con-
sented to pay that large sum, but the Chambers were
restive;; the lower Chamber:eepeoially thought that the
glue had gone ley for compensation, that it should, at
all 'VOWS, bare been enforced on the dynasty which
had given rise to the claim, and they absolutely refused

... 4 ..-----, vngl and generously interfered, and,
_....
to rote the sum. . interference, the Chamber was
possOly through lie,
ieeision and grant the required
induce,l to reverse its t. preserved. We do not men-
compens ation. Peace WU
out the humiliating con_
lion the?. facts to point uties laced them-
dition in which the D. 1p p
selves, andnor to
of which the 7 are occasionally
reminded by s, •me of their body,aggravate agg
t displayed by the haughty republic
the hostile spirt:
towards France,
1..-
but to show that Engl.
noble, disinterested, and pe.
13
lion arises in the country on 't
on a war,zjhe most determined L
„, hick the Siecle says has given suffi-
cient pledges of its
riendship to the American union,
Ind raised herself in public esti-
mation, and in the estimb, .
tion too of her revilers, by her
Aceful conduct, and that when
she finds herself in a simile *
()shim a cry of exulta-
vhich she had conferred
and France long carried
such signal benefits. England 1
,n,. 1 ruinous, perhaps, on
record, but they both fought ho tonobly, both gained
great victories, and the strife at las, ',Cessea, without either
party having acquired one additions., Liach of tet:i tory from
the other. What chance is there 14'iat A second contest
would end in any other way, even ;suppose the French
Government should madly ally i tse.lf with America
against England? England has alretaly had more power-
ful enemies on her hands at the same time, and and she
came out of the fiery trial with homour;. and not nnfre-
quently triumphant. Her strength is not de cay ed, the spirit
and energy of the people are still the same, and notwith-
standing her debt,which her enemit s foolishly call a mill
stone about her neck, her credit is higher than that of
any nation throughout the world. The last war in-
creased her commerce, her colonies, and her
wealth ; enormous fortunes were made in
the midst of enormous to Res ; her sailors
maintained their ancient character, and her soldiers
were not afraid to meet the invincible veterans of the
EMPEROR. What, then, has she to fear now ? The
horrors of war, the arrest of civilisation, and the waste
of property; and, on these grounds, she is ready to sa-
crifice much, but she will maintain her honour, her in-
dependence, and her rights inviolate.
- .

Almost every day brings forward some new advocate
for the immediate and total repeal of the corn-laws--a
measure which The Sue has been contending, for in season
and out of season, for more than twenty years, and which
but one session more will, in all probability, crown
with complete success. Many of the Tory landlords
have already aidel in the good cause. The services of
Captain Rots, and Lord ASHLEY, and Mr. EscoTT, are
well known and duly appreciated. The Whig aristo-
cracy have followed their example, and by their repre-
sentatives have announced their conviction that the time
for a final repeal of the corn-laws is fully come, and
that all further reserve on that important step is at an
end. The manifesto of Lord MORPETH, which we hare
given in another place, comes out most opportunely
immediately after that issued by Lord JOHN RUSSELL, and
is the more valuable as regards its moral effect, because
it is the spontaneous expression of his Lordship's opinion,
and could not in any way serve electioneering purposes.
It now remains to be seen what Sir ROBERT PEEL and
the Dnke of WELLINGTON will do. They have often
been conquered together by the Liberals in Parliament,
and out of Parliament ; they, in fact, have never been
victorious in any great contest with the Commons, and
should they not yield in time, their greatest defeat yet
awaits them.

The paper rend by Baron CHARLES DUPIN before the
Institute of France,son the 17th instant, on the subject
of the report of the Commissioners appointed by the
British Government, in accordance with the recom-
mendation of a Select Committee of the House of Com-
mons, to consider the propriety of forming one or more
harbours of refuge along the English coast, is not a
mere scientific analysis of that report—it is a document
of great political importance, and coming from such
a source is entitled to, and must command, the
serious consideration of those to whom is entrusted the
care of providing against any dangers which may threaten
the safety of the country. For the last thirty years
Baron CHARLES DUMN has been engaged in investigat-
ing the causes of Britain's greatness. There is not a
dockyard or arsenal—nay, there is scarcely a single
manufactory of any description in the United Kingdom,
which he has not repeatedly visited, and with the minutest
details of the management of which he is not inti-
mately acquainted. The results of his observations
he has embodied in a work which has long
since become classical throughout Europe, as the au-
thority of everything relating to the material state of
England, and which is not unfrequently quoted from by
our own statesmen. A paper on such a subject from
such a man Is, therefore, a document of no ordinary im-
portance—" Fes est ab hoste doceri." The Prince
DE JOINVILLE has shown us how Britain may be best
invaded. The Baron DuPIN has shown us how
Britain may be best defended from invasion,
and surely Sir ROBERT PEEL will not hesi•
tate to immediately commence the construction
of these harbours of refuge. We have heard much of
late of central depots of troops, and lines of railway
radiating from the centre to the coast, along which a
sufficient military force could be conveyed to meet an
invading enemy in time to prevent his effecting a landing
on our coast. This all looks very well upon
paper, but we confess that we have no great
faith in the scheme. No enemy ought to be
permitted to approach sufficiently near to our shores to
render the execution of such a scheme necessary. It is
to our navy that we must look for protection against in-
vasion, and fearful will be the responsibility incurred,
awful will be the account required by an indignant peo-
ple from any Minister who shall, directly or indirectly,
impair the efficiency of the naval force. The safety of
England depends entirely upon her navy—
" Britannia needs no bulwarks,
No towers along the steep;
Her march is e'er the mountain wave,
Her home is on the deep."
The sun of old England's glory will set for ever when
the day arrives in which she requires any walls, save
wooden ones, to protect her from invasion. Our marl-
time supremacy must be maintained at all hazards ; to
that, and to that alone, do we owe our safety. In order
to preserve to us our maritime supremacy it is neces-
sary that every care should be taken of our mer-
cantile navy as a nursery for seamen ; for, without
able-bodied seamen, " ships are but wood."
Now, in no possible manner can the lives of
our seamen, the property of our shipowners, the safety
of our navy, and the greatness of our country, be so
effectually preserved as by the formation of harbours of
defence and refuge, which may, in case of war, become
ports of aggression. No miserable considerations of ill-
judged economy—no ministerial intrigue to secure the
adhesion of this or that particular class of electors, by
the removal of an impost which may be supposed to
press more particularly on them, should be suffered
for one moment to interfere with the execution of this
necessary work, and admitting, as we do, the importance
and the value of the alterations in the tariff of last year,
%co should have been quite as well please(' if Sir RoBERT
PEEL had devoted the whole of his surplus to the execu-
tion of those important, those necessary works. It ap-
pears to us that the present is the time of all others for
commencing these works. A scarcity is threatening
us—it will be absolutely necessary to provide the labour-
ing classes with the means of purchasing food of a superior
quality than that to which they have hitherto been accus-
tomed; and how much better would it be at once to vote
the sum required for the formation of those harbours of
refuge-4,500,0001.—and to commence them simulta-
neously, than to dole out public alma to those who are
able and wiling to earn their bread as independent la-
bourers. The Commission, indeed, states thatitis not pos-
sible to undertake at the same time the construction
of three breakwaters, althdugh why it should be more
impossible to undertake at the same time the construc-
tion of three breakwaters than of three railways, or three
churches, or three bridges, we confess we are at a loss
to understand. Admitting, however, for the sake of ar-
gument, that this assumption of the Commissioners is
correct, we come to their recommendation as to the suc-
cession in which the works should be undertaken—first,
Dover, second, Portland, and last, Seaford ; and
here again we cannot agree with them. It ap-
pears to us that Seaford should be the place chosen
for the first harbour to be completed. It is natural that
the Duke of WELLINGTON, holding as he does the office
of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, should look upon
the claims of Dover with a favourable eye, but we
doubt much the propriety of constructing a harbour
of refuge at Dover at all, and cannot but think that
we should have a much safer and more efficient harbour,
atanulil, less expense, by forming an inner port at
Dungeness,
and adding and strengthening the natural
breakwater of shingle, " which there spreads over a
space of several miles, stretching out into the British
Channel, and terminated by deep water, close to both its
extremeties, and which has increased ninety yards is
length during the course of the last fifty years," than by
erecting a breakwater and outer-works at Dover—
(and it appears that on this point there was a dif-
ference of opinion among the Commissioners themselves,
Sir W. SYHONDS dissenting from the conclusions to
which his colleagues had come in favour of the claims of
Dover.) The Commissioners state, " that the two bays
east and west of Dungeness afford an excellent an-
chorage. More than 300 sail of shipping have ridden
at anchor at the same time in the eastern bay, and
more than 100 in the western bay, as the winds caused
the one or the other to be selected for a place of re-
fuge." This fact, we think, is decisive of the supe-

riority of Dungeness over Dover, and with a har-
bour at Dungeness on the one side, and the Downs
and Ramsgate harbour on the other, the format ion of a
harbour of refuge at Dover would be renderal unne-
cessary. But whatever may be the comparative merits
of Dungeness and Dover, the claims of Seaford are
paramount to either. Seaford, situated in a bay to the
west of Beachy Head, is thus described Iv M. DUPIN :
" Here there is a magnificent anchorage, which fortunately
is at an equal distance from Dover and i'ortsmouth. Such
is the intermediary situation at which the:Commissioners have
not shrunk from recommending to the I.4ovemment the erec-
tion of great works. It recommends in a direction from
N.N.E. to S.S.E. a breakwater or jetty, of one nautical
mile in length, and having a r,:ctilinear return at each
extremity, be constructed. This jetty is to be constructed
towards the middle, in forty-one feet water, and something
less at the extremities. Behin,:i this long jetty there would
be more than sufficient water for first-class vessels; and
nearer land there would be an extensive space for merchant
vessels of all tonna.ge. his formidable situation would
threaten, at the same tin.te, all the French ports comprised
between Havre and Bouloole.
" Let us add, that as the crow flies, the distance from Sea-
ford to London is only about seventy-four miles, and that by
means of the railroad from London to Brighton, from which
a branch may easily be constructed, there will be no difficulty
in getting from the capital to Seathril in less than two hours."
The British navy, adds M. DUPIN, will have nothing
to wish for from Seaford to Portsmouth. Surely the
works necessary to secure so vast 'An extent of our
southern coast, which is at preseut unprotected, and
which is absolutely without harbours capable of accom-
modating ships of war, or vessels of large burden,
should be at once commenced., find prosecuted with that
energy which their importance demands. Whether as
regards commerce or war, our southern and eastern
coasts would then be protected from Portsmouth to the
mouth of the Thames. There is not the same
urgent necessity for fuming a harbour of
refuge at Portland as there is at Seaford ;
and although, whet,_ we consider the very small outlay
which would be required to improve the natural capa-
bilities of Portland harbour, so as to complete our coast
defences from Falmouth to the mouth of the Thames,
we cannot but express a hope that the Portland
harbour will be commenced forthwith, yet the
claims of Seaford, are paramount to all others,
And fearful will be the responsibility which those whose
dutv it is to cause the necessary works to be commenced
will incur if they should neglect the performance of that
duty.

Madrid journals of the 19th instant have been re-
ceived. They are chiefly filled with accounts of the
grand levee held at Court on that day in honour of the
QUEEN'S file, and the ball given in the evening by the
President of the Council. The Gazette contains a royal
decree elevating General NARVAEZ to the dignity of
grandee of Spain of the first class, with the title of Duke
of VALENCIA for himself and his successors. The Bourse
was closed in consequence of the festival.

The Journal clis Debuts of Tuesday contains an article
on the results of the French mission to China, from
which we learn, and the statement may be regarded as
official, that there was no ground for the report that
the French were bargaining for the island of Chusan or
any establishment in that country, and that the chief
object of the mission was to encourage the spread of
Christianity in the East, and religious toleration. "It
must be acknowledged," says that journal, " that we
were not called to the mysterious shores of the Celestial
Empire either by interests of territory or interests of
commerce. We do not possess in these distal-It seas any
establishment, and our vessels appear there but seldom.
We could, therefore, only go there with a view to the
future, and in some measure to claim the place due to
our flag. The nations of the world, the most powerful
or the most celebrated in various ways, had already
made their entry into that part of the world. England
was there by the proximity of her Indian possessions,
and by the übiquity of her shipping ; Spain, by
the Phillippines ; Holland, by Java and Sumatra ;
Portugal, by Macao, and by the remembrance, now
effaced, but formerly glorious, of her history ; the
American Union hurried there in full sail, with that
spirit of adventure and love of gain which mark young
democracies. France owed it to herself, to her name, to
the rank which she holds amongst nations, to appear
also in those latitudes, and to sow there such seed as
might be perhaps destined one day to produce something.
Had the mission to China no other object but to ensure
to French commerce the rights already acquired by Eng-
land or France, it would have been quite sufficient to
meet the reproach of inutility sometimes alleged against
it ; but it had another aim, "and, we are happy to say,
another result. M. GUXZOT, who will have the honour
of having attached his name to this great thought, had
comprehended that France could fill in China a part
which was peculiar to it, and that whilst other nations
carried there western civilization under the form of com-
merce and manufactures, she might in her turn convey it
there under a form more pure and more disinterested, by
propagating those ideas of tolerance and religious liberty
of which it is in Europe the most complete expression."

The Presse contains an article on the state of the
French navy, which, somewhat in the style adopted by
the Prince DE JOINVILLE, it represents as very defec-
tive. The following are extracts from it :
" We cannot sufficiently enlighten public opinion as to the
actual state of our navy. This situation weighs sufficiently
heavy on our budget, and our political superiority fur the
future in the Mediterranean is of such eminent importance,
that it becomes the privilege of every one to examine in all
its bearings the state of our maritime inscription of our sea-
men, of our ships, and of the naval stores in our arsenals and
dockyards. Moreover, the session approaches, and it is time
to prepare the materials for the naval inquiry ordered by
the Chamber of Deputies. We have already discussed the
greater portion of the questions relative to our maritime
administration. Amongst other important questions which
remain to be investigated, one of the most important is that
Itisnesma
to ascertain -whether
proportioned to our
tohfeoumr navalateria Issupipalieosu.r
dockyards
political situation. We shall confine ourselves to the exami-
nation of the materials of our sailing fleet, haviag already
sufficiently indicated the state of our steam navy. The law
of 1839 at present regulates the organization of our naval
supplies. This law fixes our naval force in time of peace at
40 ships of the line, 50 frigates, and 220 ships of smaller di-
mensions. Of these, 40 ships of the line and 50 frigates
ought to be kept afloat, whilst an equal number ought to be
in our docks in a state of preparation equal to 22.24. In
addition to this force, 13 ships of the line and 15 frigates
ought to be kept in reserve on the stocks, advanced to the
10-24 degree of preparation. Let us now inquire whether
filets correspond with the prescriptions of the Bill of 1839?
They do not. It is true that we have 23 ships of the line
afloat, but of this number there are three condemned and 16 re
modelled; there are even some of them which have been
remodelled several times. Our frigates are in the same
state. As to our vessels on the stocks, there are 26 which
are between the 18th and 22d degree of advancement. There
are some as old as the republic and the empire. Since that
period they have reposed tranquilly on the stocks. The same
observation applies to our frigates. Let us now examine
whether our arsenals and dockyards are in a better condition
In the year 1840, according to the report of Baron Tupinier,
our magazines were deficient in 20,000 sores of timber,
300,000 kilogrammes of copper and bronze, 700,000 kilo.
grammes of hemp, 2,000,000 kilogrammes of canister-shot
9.000 gun-carriages, 3,000 pieces of artillery, besides sail-
cloth, chain cable, and other articles. Is the stock on hand
now superior to that of 1840? If we believe certain state-
, inents made by the storekeepers, our magazines are still
more scantily supplied than in the year 1840. Moreover,
the bad quality of the materials is the constant subject of
complaint. The timber, iron, copper, and hemp supplied are
constantly rejected as unfit for use. Not only are our arsenals
not sufficiently supplied, but ourdocks possess neither sufficient
stocks nor even forges. Under the impression of so deplor-
able a state of affairs, the Committee of the Budget of 1346
observed in its report, ' Your last Committee placed under
your eves the description of the incessant decay of our navy :
we might acid some more significant remarks, but that
would be a melancholy task, and we do not consider it indis-
pensable.' Is it possible longer to prolong such a state of
things, particularly when we see England silently augment-
ing her naval establishments at Woolwich, Sheerness, Ply-
mouth, Deptford, Chatham, and Portsmouth, which are
overloaded with articles for ie construction and equipment
of ships of war. Every year the Chambers addressed to the
Government the same demands, and the Government re-
turns the same answer. The Chamber of Deputies, fatigued
with this constant struggle, and with those irritating and
fruitless discussions, believed that it was its duty to demand
of the Government, that at the opening of the session of
1846 there should be presented to the Chambers a special
and detailed account of our maritime inscription, our sea-
men, the state of our sailing vessels, and amount of stores
in our dockyards. Let us trust that the Administration will
satisfy the wishes of the Chambers, and that the country
will at length be informed of its true position."

The excitement in the share market still prevailed,
and the ruin of many persons, who lad embarked nearly
all their property in railway shares, is confidently anti-
ciliated. We gave the price of funds and shares on
Tuesday in The Sun of yesterday.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN LAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, Nnv. 26.
Anglo-Belgian — Mauritius
Boulogne and Amiens.. 7 Namur and Liege
Bordeaux kMediterran North Jamaica .
Bordeaux and Toulouse Orleans and Viorzon
Do. & Cotta (Espeleta) 13/.4 Orleans and Bordeaux WA
Do. (Mackenzie s) .. OverYssel •••
Callao, Lima, and Pa- Paris& Lyons (Lailitte) 24
citie Coast

Ditto (Caloa's)
Ditto (Sud Itst)
Paris and Orleans.... 441'
Paris and Reuel . 3514
'Paris and Strasburg
(Ganneron's)
Do. (Aymard's) 2
Do. (Cempte ale L'Est) 1
Paris and St. Qnentiu.
Rouen and Havre
Royal Nortk of Spain —
ISanabre and Meuse
'Strasburg and Basle
Tournay,Jurbise, Lan-
dent, and Hasselt —
Jamaica S. Mid. Junction iTours and Nantes

Central of Spain
Ceylon .
Demerara
Dendre Valley •••
Dutch Rhenish ......
Dieppe & Paris Janet.
Dijon and Mulhouse ...
East Indian ........ 1
Fampoux & Ilazebrouk
Grt Northern of France
Constituted
Do. Pepin le Halleur —
Great Paris and Lyons l%
Great Western Bengal
Great Western Canada

Do. North Midland
Do. Extension
Jersey
Louvain and Jeniappe I N
Lyons and Avignon 1 i,
Liixerabourg
Madrid and. Valencia —

(Mackenzie's)
Do. (Lefebvre's)
Do. (O'Neill's)
Trinidad
Verona and Ancona —
West Flanders 31%

WHAT NEXT ?—We have written upon paper
manufactured from iron, and seen a book with both loaves
and binding of the same material.—Mining Journal.