The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1858-08-05

EDThe London Times anu OuU~.
Tt,s a striking illustration OF the reputation OF
the London Times, that its recent articles 10 iavof
of the annexation Of Cuba By the United States
have been hailed by half the newspapers in th's
couutry a. warrantiDg the hope that Cuba IL about
to fall into our hands, and that nothing VIII be
easier than to acquire the island, u England with
draws her opposition to that policy. The New
York Journal of Commerce says that the press
throughout the United States are busted with con-
lectures as TO the result and the course which this
government will be likely to take In reference to
tbs matter. We apprehend that this government,
with Mr. Buchanan At its head-so long the able
minister Of the United States at the Court Of st.
.Ismes-knows very we'll that the London Times Is
not the British Cabinet, and that, even supposng
II TO speak IN these newspaper articles "by an
thority," the Withdrawal of English opposition
would not render the acquisition of Cuba, as many
esem to suppose, mere bagatelle. Putting spain
out Of the question: there Is, as NO have before re-
marked, another Power to be consulted, that OF
France, which, with an Emperor whose great an-
bitiou /. the establishment Of grand colonial sys-
tenn. and whose wife 10 spaniard, is not likely to
look With favorable eyes upon the absorption OF
S,uhs bv the United States Indeed, it is said that
ths Empress has affected her husband with
u
Spanish lady would naturally feel In view OF the
spolia,iou of the brightest jewel of the spanish
Crown. Moreover, the snti-siave trade mania which
has placed the Times, for the moment in antsg-
ouism 70 the Spanish preservation of Cuba, Is not
likely to operate upon the mind Of France, which
has established slave trade of her own on the Az
ricau coast except TO place her an opposite side
from that which EngIssd is supposed to espouse.
Loujs Napoleon has an army of six hundred thous
and men. and fleet almost as large as that OF
England. OF what avail would be the latter's con-
sent that the United States should take Cuba, II
Louis Napoleon should say-"No, you shall not,
aud transport two hundred thousand ofhis veterans
TO Cuba to defend it against the llbusters Of the
North Within one month from this time Cnba
could be girdled with French bayonets. anda hun
,red aud fifty French menofwar cruise for her pro-
lection in the waters of the Gulf. Why, poor old
Spain alone has actually in commission at th'
time nearly three times as many ships OF war as
the United States has in its whole navy. with
every allowance for the pluck and enterprise of our
countrymen, there are few among them, we pre-
sumo, who would expect to take Cuba from a
French Army, or dispense combined French aud
Spanish feet with our handful of vessels
If, however, Louis Napoleon is disposed to aban-
don Cuba to its fate and if Spain will accept fair
consideration for the island, we may expect the
precious prize to become ere long part and parcel
of our own Republic. We are free to confess, how
ever, that we do not anticipate from 1t any such
accession to Southern strength as will overcome the
preponderance of the free States in the councils
Of the nation Its commercial benefits will, OF
course, accrue to the large marts Of the North,
which have derived more advantage in trade
from every province the country has yet annexed
than has the South. At the same time, We admit
that, as national acquisition, its value would be
incsiculable, and We agree with the Baltimore
Patriot, that "as last expedient aud final resort,
we should be, first in favor of entering into hon.
orable negotiation for the purchase of Cuba; and
If this could not be effected, rather than permit it
to pass into the possession of any other nation,
take it by force of arms. Whenever it does change
ownership or pass from the control of Spain, the
proprietary right must be transferred to, or vest
ed In, the United States. This we hold as an abso-
lutte alternative"