POLICY OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TOWARDS ENGLAND.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 315, 26 October 1860, Page 4

POLICY OF THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON TOWARDS ENGLAND.

A short time ago the French ambassador communicated to Lord J. Russell a private letter of a very remarkable character, addressed to him (M.Persigny) by the Emperor of the French. This letter, which contains the most friendly sentiments towards England, and expresses a desire that the policy of the two nations should be identical, was published by the journals on August 1. The following is a copy of it:— " St. Cloud, July 25, 1860.

"My dear Persigny,—Affairs appear to me to be so complicated—thanks to the mistrust excited everywhere since the war in Italy—that I write to you in the hope that a conversation in perfect frankness (a cceur onvert), with Lord Palmerston will remedy the existing evil. Lord Palmerston knows me, and when I affirm a thing he will believe me. Well! you can tell him from me, in the most explicit manner, that since the peace of Villaf'ranca I have had but one thought, ons object—to inaugurate a new era of peace, and to live on the best terms with alt my neighbors, and especially with England. I had renounced Savoy and Nice; the extraordinary additions "to Piedmont alone caused me to resume the desire to see reunited -to' France provinces essentially French. But it will be objected—'You wish for peice, and you inciease. immoderately, the military forces ofirance.' I deny the faqt in every sense. My army and my fleet'have nothing in them of a threatening character. My steam

navy is even far from being adequate to our requirements, and the number .of steamers does not nearly equal that of sail-; ing ships deemed necessary in the time of King Louis Philippe. I have 400,000 men under arms; but, deduct from this amount 60.00Q in Algeria, 6000 at Rome,; 8000 in China, 20,000 gensdarmes, the sick, and the new conscripts, and you will see—what is the truth—that my regiments are of smaller effective strength than during the preceding reign. The only addition to the army list has been made by the creation of the Imperial Guard. while wishing for peace, I desire also to organise the forces of the country on the best possible footing, for, if of the last war; foreigners have only seen the bright side, I myself have, close at hand, witnessed the defects, and Ftoish to remedy them. Having said thus much, I have, since Villafranca, neither done, nor ey.en, thought, anything which' could alarm an^ one. When Lavalette started for Constantinople, the instructions which I gave him were confined to this—'Use every effort to maintain the status quo; the interest of France is that Turkey should live as long as possible.'

"Now, then, occur the massacres in Syria, and it is asserted that I am very^ glad to find a new occasion of vnaking a little war, or of playing a new part. Really, people give me credit for very little common sense. If I instantly proposed an expedition, it was because my feelings were those of the people which has put me at its head, and the intelligence from Syria transported with indignation. My first thought, nevertheless, was to come to an understanding with England. What other interest than that of humanity could induce me to send troops into that country ? Could it be that the possessions of it would increase my strength? Can I conceal from myself that Algeria, notwithstanding its future advantages, is a source of weakness to France, which for 30 years has devoted to it the purest of its blood and its gold ? I said it in 1852 at Bordeaux, and my opinion is still the same —I have great conquests to make, but only in France. Her interior organisation, her moral development, the increase of her resources, have still immense progress to make. There a field exists, vast enough for my ambition, and sufficient to satisfy it.

" It was difficult for me to come to an understanding with England on the subject of Central Italy, because I was bound by the peace of Villafranca.. As to Southern Italy, I am free from engagements, and I ask no better than a concert with England on this point, as on others; but, in Heaven's name, let the eminent men who are placed at the head of the English Government lay aside petty jealousies and unjust mistrust. " Let us understand one another in good faith, like honest men as we are, and not thieves who desire to cheat each other.

" To sum up, this is my innermost thought. I desire that Italy should obtain peace,_ no matter how, but without foreign intervention, and that my troops should be able to quit Rome without compromising the security of the Pope. I could very much wish not to be obliged to undertake the Syrian expedition, and, in any case, not to undertake it alone; firstly, because it will be a great expense, and secondly, because I fear that this intervention may involve the Eastern question ; but on the other hand, I do.not see how to resist public opinion in my country, which will never understand that we can leave unpunished, not only the massacre of Christians, but the burning of our consulates, the insult to our flag, and the pillage of the monastries which were under our protection. " I have told you ail 1 think, without disguising or omitting anything. Make what use you may think advisable of my letter. " Believe in my sincere friendship. " (Signed), Napoleon."