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FRANCE.—"To be, or not to be" a war -'that is the question" which politicians of all grades are endeavouring to solve, the result of all the canvassing, however, of this all-important question is as yet "bare speculation; for al- though the King of the French has recently publicly announced at Boulogne, "No war with England;" and notwithstanding the French, or rather the French Minister M. Thiers, appears to admit, however reluctantly, that no insult was intended by England, yet one of the French Journals hints, shrewdly enough, that "there are morning ministerial papers to preach up peace, and there are evening ministerial papers to preach up war;" added to the fact, which cannot be questioned, that warlike preparations are taking place in England, as well as in France, it is impossible, at present, to say how the unfortunate difference which has arisen, between the two countries, may ter- minate. We prefer terming the difference "un- fortunate" because although there is no national "interest" affected, by the breach of courtesey which has offended the dignity of France, yet the hostile spirit aroused by the reflection of National "dignity" offended, is, perhaps, far more difficult to allay, than even the hostility of a people on a matter in which their direct interests are involved. We are, however, not without hopes, that France may still be wise in time; and although on reading, in the London Gazette of the 18th, an Admiralty Notice to the effect that, on the preceding day, no less than 39 retired Rear-admirals had been transferred to the active list of Flag-officers of her Majesty's fleet; and also on reading in the Post that our Government had sent orders that the powder-mills at Waltham Abbey (the only Government powder-mills) should be restored to efficiency in the shortest possible time, after remaining in a dilapidated state for several years,—we had almost become crokers --our fears have been in some measure dispelled by observing an announcement in the Standard, that although the transference of the Rear- admirals as noted in the Gazette might possibly wear a belligerent aspect in the eyes of the too-susceptible; in reality these appointments had nothing whatever to do with the recent demonstrations on the other side of the chan- nel,—but were determined on, at the suggestion of the Commissioners, in the recent naval and military commission, "to mark her Majesty's sense of the injustice of which these officers had been the victims, in having been removed from the active to the retired list, to their ma- nifest injury and mortification." We extract the commentaries of Foreign Journalists on the present position and aspect of affairs; and our Readers, after making, of course, the necessary allowance for the individual feelings by which these Commentators may naturally be supposed to be in some way influenced, will thus be enabled to form some conclusion for themselves. The Courrier Francais after noticing the arrival in Paris of Mr. Macaulay, one of our Cabinet Ministers, for the supposed purpose of witnessing the progress of the warlike prepa- rations making throughout France adds, "The Government is not doing any thing secretly, but, on the contrary, it wishes every one to know, that though it accepts the position, with regret, to which it has been driven, it will prepare to defend itself with an unshaken resolution." The same Journal deprecates, very strongly, a report which has been circulated in London, calculated to alarm English Travellers-that the French Government intended to precede a declaration of war by the arrest of all English residents, and a confiscation of their property. A subsequent number of the Courrier Francais says, "Mr. Macaulay is still in Paris with his family on a journey of pleasure unconnected with business. The Moniteur contains the following para- graph Government has received the accounts from Alexandria, brought by the Etna. Every thing was tranquil in Egypt and Syria up to the 6th instant, The insurrection in Lebanon had not again broken out. The Viceroy had received with much calm- ness the news of the treaty of London. He was con- tinuing his preparations for defence with great activity. At the departure of the Etna, the treaty of London had not been officially communicated to him." The Journal des Debats announces that the Marquis de Lavalette left Paris on Sunday night for London with despatches for M. Guizot. The Capitole in stating the same fact, adds that M. de Lavalette had a long in- terview with the King, at St. Cloud, before his departure, and that it was supposed his instructions were of a most pacific nature. The Semaphore de Marseilles states that "The recommendation of M. Cochclet to the French Merchants to act with prudence, on account of the gravity of circumstances, has created here considerable alarm. It was at a meeting convened for the purpose of electing commercial deputies, that M. Cochelet gave that caution to his Countrymen." (Private Correspondence of the Times.) ALEXANDRIA, AUG. 6. Yesterday the Pacha gave audienee in his palace at an early hour, Amongst others presented by Colonel Hodges were Sir Moses Montefiore and the three gentlemen who accompanied him from London, viz., Dr. Madden, M r. Lenebe, and Mr. Wire. Sir Moses read an address in English, stating the purport of his mission The address was immediately translated to the Pacha, who, in return, acceded without hesitation to the demand of an open inquiry, observing, that he was equally attentive to the applications of poor or rich who required justice at his hands; that it needed no formal representations on the part of the British government to induce them to listen to the complaints of his subjects, but that it must be well understood he wouid not allow any interference with the forms of the system of i ii- dicature recognised in this country. The French advocate, M. Cremieux, who yesterday found himself unwell after his voyage, was similarly introduced to the Viceroy by his Con- sul to-day. I am assured that as far as the Pacha is concerned he will not lend himself to the persecution, but, on the con- trary (if his dignity he not trifled with), will see the trial fully and fairly entered into sans arri&re pensee
(From the John Bull.)
(From the John Bull.) As must have been expected by all conversant with the French character, and none know it better than Louis PHILIPPE, Boulogne has been made the scene of a display of sentiment, coupled with a judici- ous distribution of croia (Vhonneur, and the more substantial rewards of promotion for the officers who were foremost in repellingthe late "invasion" of Prince Louis NAPOLEON1, and largess for the privates. The "frantic attempt" has, in point of fact, been quite a God-send to the CITIZEN-KING, and being a wary and a cool old soldier," he has made the most of it The very elements, too, kindly conspired in favour of the wished-for sensation. On the night of Sunday last, at the witching hour of twelve, Louis PHILIPPE took boat from his patrimonial castle of Eu (one half of which castle, by the way, was demolished during the revolution gently fanned by his sire,) with the intent of steaming to the luckily loyal city of Boulogne. With him there went along their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess de NEMOURS, and the Dukes of AUMALE and of MONTPENSIER, and, as their tail, the Ministers of War, of the Marine, and of the In- terior, "All plaided and plumed in most civic array." By half-past five the next morning the steamer Veloce, on board of which this goodly company were embarked, accompanied by the Royal yacht, La Reine A me lie, and a small steamer Le Courrier, hove in sight of the destined haven. The authorities were on the alert, therappel was beat, the National Guards, brimful of loyalty, valour, and of sleep, tumbled out of their beds into their clothes, and the whole popu- lation, headed by the Mayor, made for the pier, This may be considered the first act of "us and our comedy." The next opens with a storm-scene. It is low water; the vessels are a mile and a half from the shore, bobbing up and down on the sea, while the Mayor and authorities are bobbing their heads at them on the pier. The weather is what sailors term "dirty," and after the parties have remained in their relative positions two hours and a half, it becomes so much dirtier that the vessels up with their steam and are off, whilst the Boulognese return to find Her Majesty the Queen of the FRENCH, who has ad interim arrived from Eu by land. Four more hours were consumed in sentiment; every heart being on the waters with the "King of the Barricades," and Her MAJESTY, to borrow the affecting language of the correspondent of the Times, "sitting looking vainly o'er the sea." After this insupportable state of suspense had been supported, as we have just said, for four hours, two of the steamers found their way back, managed to enter the harbour, and brought word that the Veloce, bear- ing the person of the CITIZEN-KING, had made for Calais. Thereupon the QUEEN left off "looking vainly over the sea," and rode post to look after her Royal spouse at that place. The third act is at Calais, in sight of which the Veloce came between two and three of the clock. Here we must again borrow from the reportor. In endeavouring to enter, the vessel struck against the extreme point of the jetty, carrying away some of the works of the pier, and was cast upon the sands, where she struck. As the storm was still raging, the situa- tion of the vessel was one of great danger, and we may concieve, but it would be difficult to describe, the feelings which must at this moment have agitated the breast of the QUEEN, who had arrived at Calais to receive His MAJESTY on landing. Fortunately the KING was able to step on the jetty and walk ashore." On which account we have only to observe that it is our sincere wish and prayer that in every case of ships' being in "great danger," they may happen to lie alongside of a jetty and their crews be "fortunately able to step upon it and walk ashore." All agitating feelings being over here—the storm of sentiment still raging at Bologne- the CITIZEN-KING reviewed his Citizen-troops, who, it is whispered, did not manifest any fever-heat of enthusiasm, and then departed with his QUEEN to allay the fears of the Mayor, the au- thorities, and the people generally at Boulogne. Act fourth was consumed in pouring the oil of tran- quillity on the great tidal wave of fear by going to the theatre, witnessing some performance or other, and