The Sun. — 1849-11-08 (London, England)

OBSERVER.  TO THR EDITOR OF THE SUN. Sil,—Travelling on the continent is beneficial in many respects to the traveller, and ought to be, if due means be adopted, beneficial also to his countrymen who remain at home ; for every person must perceive sights and hear truths abroad which may with advantage be communicated to the public on his return.  Sir, allow me most strongly to protest against the fashion of educated young Englishmen entering the Austrian army. There is nothing more demoralising, nothing more unpatriotic, nothing more un•English. When I was in Milan, last summer, I fell in with four English officers in the Austrian army, and in the course of conversation (which being carried on at a table d hole was anything but secret) elicited the following astounding facts from them :1. That it is perfectly right to flog women in public, and also that they would pursue that course themselves. Such an announcement coming from four English gentlemen must strike the reader with horror. This was bad enough in all conscience, but they all ' said that in case of war they should have no hesitation in fighting against England. This was the climax, which drove me from the company of such cowards and traitors. I do not speak of those four gentlemen at Milan only, but regret to say, that these Austrian notions are held by all the English serving in the Austrian army, at Florence, Venice, and Vienna. Therefore, Sir, let young Englishmen pause before entering the Austrian army. Let them hesitate before contaminating themselves with an atmosphere which has no respect for decency, no ft eling of patriotism, and where they will be but tools in a service under stricter discipline than any in Europe. 2. Having been at Vienna when the news arrived of the death of Count Louis Batthyany, I can safely say that all classes were struck with a feeling of horror at the news. It was not a crime of the Austrian nation, nor of the young Emperor, who was justly incensed at an act of barbarity which has loosened the bulwarks of his throne, and which will be remembered by Hungary to the end of time. The sole author of the murder was the most infamous Haynau, indirectly backed up by the Prince Schwartzenburgh ; and to this we may attribute the fall, now imminent, of his Ministry. But the Emperor is ruled by the army ; nor can he possibly act in contradiction to the voice of this vast machine. It will not be content till the Emperor is deposed, and the power of the army is supreme in the whole of the Austrian dominions. I write this in order to fully exculpate the young Emperor from approving of the atrocities committed in his name in Hungary. All accounts at Vienna tended to prove that young Francis Joseph is of an exceedingly mild disposition, fond of literary pursuits, and entirely opposed to the harsh measures perpetrated in his name by Radetzky and the truculent Haynau. The young Emperor is but the tool in the hands of his army. Mark my words, Sir, that if the Austrian throne be abolished—if the present young man be the last Emperor—the cause of such revolution will be the army, which will, as in Cromwell's time, seize the reins of government and become supreme. An immense standing army like that existing in Austria fills one with painful fears for the future. Nor can one help lamenting that this now dormant volcano, which may so soon swallow up the monarchy, is at all kept alive and fanned by the young blood of England.—l am, Sir, &c.,