The Sun. — 1871-01-09 (London, England)

THE SINKING OF SHIPS AT DUCLAIR.  The melancholy story of the sinking by the Prussians in the River Seine of a whole squadron of English colliers has, says the Army and Navy Gazette, now been well circulated throughout the country, and we must confess that we are not a little surprised, not only at the want of sympathy exhibited generally towards the immediate sufferers, but at the absence of an expression of public indignation at the insult offered to our flag. The law of nations may or may not be in favour of the aggressors in this instance. It is evidently a moot point, and consequently we are thoroughly justified in seeking for a prompt reparation. We ought to deal with the new Kaiser's advisers as we would deal with a Belgian or Dutch Ministry, if, instead of in waters under the control of the Germans, the late tragedy had been enacted in the Scheldt or in the Maas. There is, unhappily, a feeling widely spread through the length and breadth of the land that the conduct we pursued when Don Pacifico exclaimed. or some one else exclaimed for him, " Civis Romanus Sum," still pervades our councils, and that we are too apt to bluster when we havea difference with a weak Power, and too much disposed to cringe to a strong one. It may be convenient, but unquestionably, in our opinion, it is unfortunate for Ministers that Parliament is not sitting at present. It is convenient because they may choose, without being found fault with, their own mode of proceeding, and it is unfortunate because they cannot find a precedent for assuring the public day by day that the national honour is safe in their hands, and will be protected, at all hazards, against all corners. The life of an Englishman has been lost in consequence of the seizure and destruction of the vessel to which he belonged, and according to the law which would be laid down by our judges, supposing the act had b en committed within the jurisdiction of their courts, a crime of great magnitude has been committed. The fact that so little value is placed upon human life pending the murderous warfare now carried on in our unfortunate neighbour's territory, that a poor boy's life is taken as a recompense for having ferried his murderers over from one side of the river to the other, may possibly be regarded with contempt by those who are accustomed to look with a composure either forced or real, on an amount of carnage disgraceful to the age in which we live. The French, however their exhibition of patriotism may be regretted by those who are longing for a termination of the war, may still persist in their endeavours to drive the invader from their soil, and the Prussians may still be resolved upon declining to enter into any peace negotiations until Paris is prostrate at their feet. All this is the business of the belligerents, but it is our business to watch with a jealous eye over the doings of either party, so far as British interests are concerned. A large amount of property has been forcibly taken possession of against the protests of the representatives of its owners. We are not so unreasonable as to suppose that it would not be possible to justify the means used on this occasion by the end, but much would, of course, depend upon the manner in which the transaction was carried out ; but the death of George Simpson, the robbery of the seamen, and other acts of the assailants, are more serious matters, and cannot be explained away, and demand the most rigorous investigation. Our Ministers may be acting in every way as we could desire, but we, like the rest of the world, are kept in the dark.