The New York herald., 1862-03-23
The Roman Qucstion-Louis Napoleon's
italian Policy.

read with interest 1t gives, in the speech OF M.
Billault, the first authorized exposition Of the
Emperor's policy in Italy that the world has
been favored with since the treaty of Villafran-
ca. Like the oracles of old, however, 1t leaves
us as regards the future in as great mist of
doubt as ever.
The motive of this partial unburdening of
the imperial breast was the apprehension that
the speech made by Prince Napoleon on the
previous Saturdsy-and of which we also give
several extracts-would be taken as conveying
the Emperor's views on the Roman question.
In that speech the Prince advocated the imme-
diato withdrawal of the French army from
Rome, in the conviction that no other solution
of the Roman question was possible than the
separation of the spiritual from the tenn
poral attributes Of the Papacy. To this
M. Billault, ON the part of the Emperor,
replies that, although Italian unity is now
fact which he would be sorry to see disturbed,
such was not the idea with which he first sent
his eagles across the Alps. He did not 60 to
Italy to dethrone sovereigns, or to destroy the
power of the Holy See, but to enfranehise it
from Austrian domination. What he wished
for was the confederation Of oil the Italian
States under the honorary presidency Of the
Holy Father. As to the evacuation OF Rome
by the French troops, its immediate result
would be an insurrection in that capital, in
which the lives of the Pontiff and the members
of the Sacred College would in all probability
be sacrificed. The French government neither
wished to see reaction, which, by invading the
revolted provinces, would hand them over
bound hand and foot to the Holy Father, nor
did it wish for evacuation, which would hand
over Rome to revolution, would lead to the
fall of the Papal power, and cause profound
trouble throughout the whole of the Catholic
world. "It wished to conciliate the two ex-
tremes."
The meaning of all this is clear. The En-
peror cares nothing about the preservation Of
the Pope's temporal power, or even about his
personal safety but he makes use Of both pre-
texts to subserve tho real idea with which he
took his armies to Italy-that of giving France
the permanent control of its destnies. This
was defeated by the united attitude and pru-
dent conduct of the Italian people, who saw
in the scheme Of confederation only change
in the form of their enslavement. There then
remained to the Emperor, as the last pivot OF his
italian policy, the French occupation of Rome.
To this he clings with a tenacity which proves
its political Importance to him. Italy, united
and consolidated, would constitute in the future
q formidable obstacle to his plans So long,
however, a. he occupies Rome, he holds,
as it were, in his grasp the heart Of
the nation, and can thereby mould it
more or less to his views. Hence this
pretended desire to conciliate the two extremes.
Just as easily could he get the poles to meet.
The scandal to Christendom which he processes
to apprshend from the evacuation Of Rome by
his troops is . transparent attempt to impose
on the sympathies of the Catholic populations.
Let him transfer Rome to Piedmontese force
under Victor Emanuel, and the world will rest
satisfied that not only will he then have no in
surrection in that city, but that the persons OF
the Holy Father and his cardinals will be as
safe 40 ever they were under French protection.
TIE IRoH-PLATED NAVY OF ENoIAND-A LES
SON FOR THE UNITED SrArEs.-We publish to-
day some very interesting extracts from the
London journals giving an account Of the iron
plated ships of England, and of the experiments
now being made to test the effect Of very heavy
shot upon iron plates of different kinds. From
these extracts it will be seen that already six
iron-plated frigates are built, or in process of
completion-the Warrior, Royal Oak, Black
Prince, Resistance, Defence and Minotaur-be-
sides the new shield ship proposed by Captain
Coles, the idea of which is evidently borrowed
from Ericsson, unless it can be proved that
Ericsson has appropriated the invention from
Coles, for both are manifestly the same. The
evidence as to originality seems to be strong
on the side of Ericsson, as the American gun
boat is already built and has fought
battle, whereas the English craft is
not yet in existence, but only proposed.
This invention has attracted great atten-
ton in England, and public opinion seems
to have settled down in its favor The new ship
is to be $500 tons burthen, her draught Of
water 20 feet, and her speed twelve and half
knots. She is to cost nearly million of dollars
She 10 to be without masts, and when aloat will
show to view above her deck merely her
smokestack or funnel and her shields or cupo-
las, which Ericsson calls turrets. She is to have
six of these, with two one hundred-pound Arm
strong guns in each, and they are to revolve
just as in the Monitor. But they differ in height.
being only five feet, and presenting an angle of
forty-fve degrees, whereas in the Monitor the
turret is nine feet high, and it is perfectly cir
cular, rendering il extremely difficult to strike
il at right angles. The form of the shield re-
sembles the roof Of the Mefrimac more than the
turret Of the M6hior She will be terrible
engine of war. Other ships are only able to
bring one of their broadsides to bear upon
single vessel at one time. The new ship will
be able to bring the twelve guns in her six
cupolas to bear at one time upon any point de.
sired, with no limit to their training. 1t is thus