The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-31
En- land sarfuI of Her Eastern
Possessions.

/ me EfleDl OF lnQlA mas very pro
perly called attention to the feeble
manner in which our foreign poll
cy is directed We seem, in fact, tc
have no foreign policy. The French
the Dutch and the Russians seem to be
well acquainted with the fact; for they
are certainly pushing matters 70 the
utmost The acquisition of the Con,
dore islands by the French is most i'm
portant, and, in case Of war, would be
most serious TO the interests of British
India. These Islands, lying about nine
degrees north Of the equator, are in the
direct route between India and China
and may De SAID ~ UOmmand the yas-
sage Their proximity 70 Csmbodia
renders them particularly valuable to
the French, insuring the safety of
Sai gon in case of war, forming at once
a defensive 0utWOrk and a point from
which 10 attack. When we recollect
that, only nine years ago, those islands
were ours, that we held them years
and that we deliberately abandoned
them, when fully informed of the in
tentions Of the French regarding them,
we zee nost clearly the absence of the
far seing vision and the directing
hsnd In the conduct of our foreign
policy in the Indo-Chlnese seas.
Nor are we at all treasured when we
watch the progress Of the Dutch in Su-
matra Unless we awake from our su-
pinsness the town and port of Acheen
will, in q very short space, become theirs.
In fact, in is quite possible that relying
upon the well known inertness Of the
present sgime, they may take posses
sion Of it at once. Now, it is difficult
to exsggarate the great consequence it
is to Bri sh India that Acheen should
not fall nto the possession Of q foreign
power In the naval contests of the
last year, AcheeR was regarded as the
safest anchoring ground in the Indian
seas Lying in about the same latitude
as Point de Gale, commanding the
route from that place to China as well
as tbat from Calcutta to the China seas,
Aohesn, If occupied by an enemy, might
be made 8 very thorn in our sides Il
cannot he occupied without a direct vi.
olation Of our treaty with Holland; but
We b We permitted such violation before
now, aud, under the present easy-going
COVE nmeut we shall probably permit
it az in Yet We say i deliberately,
that b. GoVernorGenersl who would
permit Acheen to be occupied by an
Europe.n Power, deserves to be i'm
peache
In the olden days, when Governors
Genera we're selected from the ranks
Of the afistOcracy, We were sure, at
least, lat one member of the Supreme
Counc would possess some knowledge
Of geo. raphy; We were confident that
the To- ign policy Of the country would
e-nbTaos q wider range than a perusal
Q the iaries of political agents could
8 ford. But we have no such security
now. Sumatra is being gradually
5 allowed up, and il cannot be doubt
Ell, unless the Council take timely
warning, that this most northern and
IL portant position, Aeheen, will follow.
A armists have talked of the bugbear
o Russian invasion, but we're the pro-
G IS Of Russia in Central Asia to imply
t. very utmost that the RussOphobists
most dread, it would not yet be one
quarter 50 formidable az the CONVEX
sion Of Acheen by an European Power
into q strongly fortified post, command /
in tie English and Indian Communi-
ca oIs with China Sumatra once en- [
tirly in Dutch hands, the NicObars
soul, assuredly follow II It were found
thEt hey could be made habitabls for
Eurou cans The Bay Of Bengal would
thea ease to be, what it has been since |
l77{ purely English bay.
We should never forget what we
lsye earned so often-ou the last oc-
sas d in lS57-that our empire in In
iis bundled OF the sea Once SHAKE |
aur d session Of the sea, and the whole !
.3b = is loosened. The invention Of !
"a ld ships and monster cannOns will /
IN. e.. in the opinion Of many, the 70 |
ie,, Of the next action at sea far more
lou ltrul than il would have been under
he Old method. Still, BY preventing
he occupation Of any fortified posi-
ion OF q neighboring coast we could, !
Vt events, paTalyze an enemy. But !
10 armit two foreign Powers, both Of |
whom have been allied sgBinst Us be |
oFe and may be 50 again, 70 fortify pO- !
itiols lgsinss Us, appears almost hike /
nYitinC sn attack Fortunately, some /
oortiou Of the evil may yet be reodhed- !
L may be too late to recover possession |
4 the Oondofe Glands, but q few sharp .
s0fas, uttered b. 3 Lord Dalh0usie, I
you'd eFye, even now, 70 put q stop 70 |
Dutch ggresson in Sumatra