The Sun. — London, England, 1866-05-21 00:00:00

THE "SUN" NEWSPAPER.- G. E. GLENIE delivers the LATE EDITION at Chelsea, 7.40; Kilburn, 8; Starch-green, 8; Woolwich, 7.30; Uxbridge, 9.20 ; Walford. 8.45. THE LATEST EDITION of "THE SUN." J. HOLMES begs to inform his friends, and the pubito generally that he supplies the LATNST EDITIoN of " T I+l SUN" as soon as published —No. 10, Hampstead road, N.W. OUSES.—Messrs. TOPUS and ROBERTS have numerous furnished and unfurnished TOWN, IV:Raba% and Country. RESIDENCES to LET or SELL. Par:iculars upon application forwarded for two stamps, upon stating requirements and rental. Offices, 2, Conduit street, Regent-street, and South Kensington, facing the Museum. 0 UTH KENSINGTON, HYDE-PARK, pa Queen's, and Rutland Gates. Queen's-gate and Peters ham Terraces, Queen's -gate, Cornwall, Princes and Beaufort Sardens, Elvaston- place, Cromwell-road, On s low and Thurloe Squares, Softens. &L Messrs TOPLIS and ROBE KTS have RE , I OEN CES to SELL and LET in these and surrounding localities. Offices, 2, Conduit-street, Regent-street, and South Kensington, facing the Museum. VEN IS GRO VE has commenced KiLLING BUCK VENISON or the Eeason. FISIDIONGER AND VENISON DEALER, 33, Charing-cross. T EETH. -Mr. DAY' (for many y e ars principa l assistant to Mr. Eskeil, surg eon -d en t t st, o t 8, Gros venor-street, W.) may be consulted on all cases ot Dental de fect or deficiency. He has made arrang,ments for the use of enamelled Mr. Eskell's Patents, by w hich means exquisitely ARTIFICIAL TEET o' the utmost durability ar e coneructedfew hours when necessar), and are won uon tender gum s or roots of teeth or by nervous personsr for any length. bt ti avme, without Bait, n, un pleasantness, or discomfort. 'the iention appli teeth of ordinary or inferioco r nstructicn. PAINF UL TEETH OR DISEASED STUMPS EXTRACTED 'WI MOUT PAIN. No chloroform ! and perfectly sate. OSTEO-PLASTIC ENAMEL, the exact of the natural teeth, used in all cases of stopping. Discoloured teeth restored, loose teeth fastened,' and all operations on the most approved principles. Terms strictly moderate. Consultations free. 291, REGENT-STREET (3 doors from the Polytechnic). THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET.- Sole Lessee andlllgar, Mr. Buckstone. THIS' EVENING, THE BALANCE OF COMFORT: Mr. Howe, 111 r. Rogers. Mr. Braid, Mr. Vireathersby, 4tc. ; Mesdames Cavendish. Wright, Lovell, &c. Afterwhich, THE FAVOURITE Or FORTUNE Messrs. Sothern, Buckstone, Chippendale, Rogers, dm.; 3lesdames Chippendale, Saville, Moore, Fitzwilliarn, 11111, Lindley, Szc. Concluding with II til WOLF AND THE LAMB. Messrs. Chippendale, Farren, Gordon, &C.; Mesdames Hill, Ni right, Lovell, 4cc. Commence at Seven. ROYAL LYCEUM T EIEATRE.- n der the sole Management of Mr. echter. T ti HIS EVENING, SIMPSON AND CO. F Mr. Emery; Miss Elsworthy. After which, THE CORSICAN BROTHERS , Eme Mr. Fechter ; Messrs . Jordan, ry, Vezin, Widalcomb, Fitz • patrick Horaman, is:vans, Moreland, he. ; Miss Lavenu, Mrs. Ternan , Mrs. Horsman, Miss Hatch, Miss Duverney, and Miss Henrade. Box of fi ce open daily from Eleven till Five. 1-1 E LAST • EDITION of " THE aV . SUN " Idowsr -- Nvyra-- tviemet'eavarNa,tt; London, S. 4_ Imacktriars-road, y. HE LATEST EDITION of " THE SUN" supplied, as soon as published every Evening, by ALEXANDER (late BROOKS), Newspaper Agent, 24, Old Cavendish-street, Oxford-street. PORTING.—JOHN ROBERTS supplies the ►.,.. LATEST EDITION of " THE; SUN" as soon as pub lished.-4, Bath-street, City-road, E.C. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. Sole Lessee gag Manazer, Mr. Geo. Vinnl2% THIS EVENING, A LECKY HIT. Messrs. J. G. Shore, IL Mellon. and Miss K. Rodgers. After which, at Eight. HENRY VIII. Cardinal WolseY, Mr. Charles Kean; Queen Katherine, Mrs. Charles Kean. Concluding with QUIET Lt?DGINGS. NE' THEATRE-ROYAL ADEL PHI. Sole Proprietor and Manager, Mr. B. Webster. THIS EVENING, at 7 precisely (13th time), anew Drame- Comedy, in Four Act., entitled .HE F sT FAMILY: Messrs. J. L. Toole, Paul Bedford, IC Phillips. Abhley. Eburne ; Mrs. Alt red Mellon (Miss WoolgarN, Miss H.S lama, Miss Furtado, Miss Smitn (her 13 t h appearance), Miss Sea man, Miss Godsall, and Mrs H. Lewis. To conclude with CRYING JENNY AND LAUGHING JOHNNY. Messrs. J. L. Toole , W. U. Eburne ; Mrs. A. Mellon and Miss Furtado. ROYAL STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. Swanborough. THIS EVENING, at Seven o'clock, A LEXINA ; or, True unto Death. Messrs. Percale, Thorne, Price; Misses Swan borough and Simpson. After which will be produced a grand Easter Burlesque, PARIS ; or, Vive Lempiere : Messrs. Stoyle, '1 horne, Jamet, : ➢Mesdames A. Swanborougb, Baynham, Simpson. Johnstone, Ranoe, and dolt. To conclude with JA K'S DELIGHT. SADLER'S WELLS THEATRE.— Under the Management of Mr. W. H. C. Nation. THIS EVENING, and during the Week, Watts Phillips' powerful Drama of THE POOL STROLL allS. o: s ecluding with 43d night of IXION. Misses L. Will more, Hudspeth, F. Gwynne, Harland, Tracey ; Messrs. Bel more and Barsby. Commence at Seven. Acting Manager, Mr. NYE CHART, T" "SUN" NEWSP 4APER.- t- G. R. GLENIE, Sporting Library, , Co nna ugh terrace, Edgware-road, is specially appointed AGEN L' to deliver the LATE EDITION of "THE SUN" at the earliest possible moment after leaving the press. Ile is able to deliver copies in Town, the Suburbs, and in many parts of the Country at a comparatively early hour the same evening, say 40 miles by 9 o'clock. THE NEW DERBY RACE GLASS, price 505., with sling case complete. Will show distinctly the entire race from "the start" to the "coming in." I , uaranteed the cheapest and best glass <a new model) ever offered to the public. Sent carriage tree to any part. of the kingdom. Post office orders payable to WILLIAM CALLAGHAN, Opt;e'an, 23A, New Bond-street, W. (corner of Conduit-street). Bola Agent for the celebrat.d Opera, Race, and Field GlasEes made by VoirtLander, Vienna. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY.—Morning, 7h. 4m.—Afternoon, 7h. 35m. T a-MORRO w.-Morning, Bh. sm.—Afternoon, Bh. 40m. c 53 -kt LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 21, 1866. -.0.----- Theproposed Congress still occupies the attention of all parties, and most numerous are the conjec tures to which it has given rise. The newspapers of Saturday evening mention that preparations have been made by Earl COWLEY, Baron BUDBERG, and M. DROUYN DE L'HUYS to form a basis 'on which to arrange matters between the disputing parties. As yet nothing has been officially communicated to the Courts of Berlin, Vienna, and Florence. It is men tioned by the Pattie that several fresh military mea sures have been adopted by Prussia, so that it is naturally inferred in some quarters that she means to commence operations in the Duchies, rely ing upon the neutrality of Hanover being preserved. Very likely some such ruse is in contemplation, for great efforts have lately been made by Prussia to secure the neutrality of Han over, and, of course, some double intender exist e d. Those who are deluded into the notion that the Berlin Government will consent to waive the exe cution of their schemes until after the Congress has been expressed will find themselves very much mistaken. One naturally turns from the surmises respecting the Congress to the consideration of the plans 'which relate to the war now so imminent. The treaty between Prussia and Italy is a very Prominent feature of the affair, and, indeed, since its formation matters have assumed a far m om complicated form, and present more d Ulties in the way of adjustment. Among the most important points are found that it is arranged, i n of Austria attacking either of these Powers, that the other would consider such a step as a causis belli, and would jointly act against the aggressors, -while peace could not be made by either side without the consent of the other. If, on the contrary, the provocations of Prussia induce Austria to declare war, Italy is to join th e contest as the ally of Prussia. Besides thi s , these contract ingt we parties are not to make alliances with i ef Italy, a this otherwhen n na ti o ns except by mutual consent. A is very easily to be unders tood on the part of we consider the animus of her feelings to wards Austria ; but why should Pr ussia thus comport herself towar ds her old ally? No wonder that Austria appears unwilling to join the Congress, when she can thus discern the antago nistic spirit which animates the chief party in the discussion. It is reported from Paris that Austria will not agree to a Congress, and if this continues to be the case we do not see how England, France, and Vienna can with any propriety come forward in the affair. If they do, the coneequencee be as they have often been before, that Prussia will the best of it, and such a result ca n hardl y . d to the interests of Europe a nd the co n duce get n dignity of the uee that the efforts it is mention ed parties concerned. Among other rum ours in cir culationare being directed to of certain royal p rom ote the esta b li s h m ent of peace ; the Queen ladies Dowager of PRUSS IA, the mother of the Emperor o f AUSTRIA, and t he Q ueen Dowa g er of SAXONY, are making efforts to bring about the retirement of Count BISMARCK, Count MENSDORFF, and Barbn BEUST, in order - to facilitate the interests of peace. No doubt the accomplishment of such designs would be very conducive to the end in view, but we do not think that they stand much chance of suc cess in their undertaking, for the parties in question are too firmly fixed in their places for the present. We should have more hope of any satisfactory re sult from the Congress if Prussia did not seem so anxious about it. The fact is that Herr Von BISMARCK has gone too far in his ventures of late, and therefore he thinks he can retrieve his position ' by skilful diplomacy. Surely, however, the assem bled representatives will not again be taken in by the shallow schemes and insincere professions of this wily statesman, nor allow themselves to be again so deluded as to let the Prussian Government carry on its designing plans unchecked. In order to show that the Congress is accepted by Prussia, 1 the departure of the PRINCE ROYAL and Prince FREDERICK CHARLES for the army has been post poned. The Federal Diet have put off until next Wednesday their proposals respecting the armaments of Austria, Prussia, and Saxony. No doubt by that time, it is supposed that something definite will have been decided one way or the other. It is of the less importance that the matter should have been postponed, because Prussia is not at all likely topay much attention to anything that is said or done at the meeting, and will either shuffle out of the in_ quiry, or else return a scornful answer to the ques tions put by the representatives at the Diet. It is almost ludicrous to notice the efforts made in so many different directions to promote the cause of peace, but they will be of no avail unless the chief offender be brought to book. The French Am bassador at Munich is using his earnest endea vours, to persuade the Bavarian Government to maintain a " strict neutrality" in the impending war. It is quite impossible to, depend upon any of these efforts, however ably they are made, and how . ever cleverly they are planned, because in the event of hostilities commencing the course of events may urge things on in an unforeseen direction, and force those to commit themselves and join in the conflict who really did not intend to do so at the outset. The Opinione of Florence states that Austria has declined to entertain any proposal for the cession of Venetia. This is not at all surprising intelli gence, because many difficulties lie in the way of the accomplishment of such a scheme, but not withstanding it is very much to be re gretted that the Imperial Government do not better understand their position, and consult their true interests ; not only must their ' perversity and prejudice be deplored for the sake of Venetia itseif, and for the injuries they inflicted on the interests of Austria, but also because by this union a most decided check would be interposed to Prussian diplomacy, and a counter stratagem employed to circumvent the deep design of Berlin Statesmen planning their late treaty with Italy. Another strong argument which induces Prussia to agree to the proposed Congress is that she cannot succeed in raising a loan. This is a proper reward for the dark doings of the Government in offending the Parliament, and setting at defiance the wishes of the representatives. This outrageous conduct is now coming home to discomfiture affords a salutary lesson to the other continental governments, of which it is to be hoped they will take warning, and not, in their turn, go beyond the limits defined by the Constitution in their struggles to obtain supremacy. It is said that England and Russia have declared to Austria that, if she refuse to take part in the Congress, the responsibility of all that afterwards occurs will rest with her. No one is justified in putting faith in any undertaking that is begun in such a contrary spirit. The fact is that too much time was lost before any men tion was made of this Congress, and hence it is now extremely doubtful if it can take plaee at all. A rumour was prevalent in the Bourse on Saturday to the effect that a misunderstanding had arisen between England and France on the Vene tian question, but it is without foundation. In all this fracas and confusion we have only to remember that it is the fault of our Government for their conduct respecting Denmark two years ago. A little firmness would have prevented the Prus sians from crossing the Eider, and preserved the Duchies to Denmark, but the incertitude that pre vailed has been the cause of all the subsequent evils in Germany. The arrival of the Africa from New York, on May 10th, does not give us very important intelli gence, though it is evident that the Radicals at least have not relaxed their efforts to obtain political supremacy. A resolution has been passed in Con gress instructing the Judiciary Committee to report a bill prohibiting the admission as a State of any Territory wherein the franchise is denied on account of colour, declaring such denial to be unconstitu tional. Now, it is manifest that no such prohibition forms part of the ConstitutiOn of the States, seeing that even now the suffrage is restricted to the whites. The Abolitionists, having gained so so unexpected an advantage, are not satisfied with it, but are arguing on behalf of the political equality of the negroes as if it were eman cipation itself they were fighting for. It is one thing to put the black man on civil equality with the white, to admit his evidence in a court of law, to protect his property, and guarantee his liberty of action, and quite another to put the power of legis lating for others in the hands of excitable, ignorant, and untrained men. Because a very large portion of the community who are willing to remove the stigma of slavery from their country are doubtful as to the propriety of admitting the negro to an absolute equality denied to intelligent and educated foreigners the abolitionists are fad .—g if the grievances of whi c h ous, and act w ere as real and onerous in their theyai nature compl ans the evils attendant on slavery. Part of this feeling, no doubt, originates in a kind n b y ly ea m s o es r . e I p ec o t li a ti n e d al in f t an ere a s t t ic e i d smi L motives i tn a h g afj o o p d r o m b a a pe rsonal the l ea d ers o f t h e R a di ca l party with The PRESIDENT, indeed, did not sc ru p le to char g e aims, and has boldly asserted more than once that the proposed friends of the negro are in reality se eking their own en d s b y th e i r philanthropic labours. the • • The black m an h as i n f a ct been one of principal subjects of the division which has taken place between the PRESIDENT and his quondam supporters, their fervent affection towards the negro bein g in exact proportion to their vehement animosity towards the Southern whites. Mr. JOHNSON thinks it well to be guided by experience rather than by theory in his poli tical treatment of the negro, altll;u bh fully THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY, MAY EVENING 21, 1866. ree3ognises his right to the protection and care of the State. He thinks too that if it is worth while to wage a costly and deadly war to preserve the union it is as well to profit by the vic tory when won ; and that it is useless to maintain a nominal junction of the whole system—social, po litical, and commercial,—is to be thoroughly disor ganised. The common sense of the people is no doubt with him, but his office is no sinecure notwithstanding. The Radicals are strong enough to do mischief in Congress even though they no longer adequately represent the people out of doors. The extremes to which the party have gone during this session have no doubt disgusted moderate and sensible men of all parties, but their progress is not arrested by that conviction. The power is in their hands for the time, and they will use it.— Mr. JOHNSON, when he boldly re sisted their schemes, and threw down, as it were, his glove against them, carried the popular sympa thies with him, and his first veto was so warmly sup ported, followed up as it was bythe open attack upon the policy of the Radical leaders, that the opposite party were for the moment paralysed. They were forced to pause, but they did not modify their in tentions. The second struggle between them and the PRESIDENT resulted in their triumph, and the Civil Rights Bill was forced through the House in spite of the second veto. They have now proceeded still further—all on the same road, however ; that road which, little as they see it, tends inevitably to the destruction of the American union, the downfall of American prosperity, and the overthrow of American power as at present constituted. The re port of the Reconstruction Committee advised mere mischievous and comprehensive changes in the _ constitution ; and it was known that not only Mr. JOHNSON, but that nearly the whole of the Cabinet were stronly opposed to it. It was thought, in New York itself, that the House of Representatives would reject the amend ment proposed, since a number of the Republican members had declared themselves against it. On this, as on previous occasions, however, the ultra Radicals have proved too strong for the men of moderate councils, and the latest news tells us that on May 10th the House of Representatives adopted the amendment of the Reconstruction Committee by 128 to 57 votes. This will pro bably be the occasion of a fresh struggle between the contending powers. The PRESIDENT is not a man to be easily baffled; he will not be cowed or threatened into abandoning his convictions. If strong language and frantic opposition could shake him, he would have been moved from his course before now. If personal aggrandisement were his motive, he would be more eager to conciliate opponents and rally a party round him. If personal fear influenced him he might be startled by the remembrance of his predecessor's fate. It has been abundantly proved, however, that ANDREW JOHNSON is swayed by no such motives. Faults and weaknesses he has no doubt, mistakes of policy and errors of judgment he may commit ; but his whole public . career be longs to a different level than the manceuvring, in triguing, selfish, intolerant, and faction-loving sphere of the Radical leaders. It is their failure to influence their opponent by any of the usual methods —their knowledge of his inflexibility, his boldness, and his decision, which so greatly incense the prime movers of the attack upon the South under the guise of 100 for the negro. To the PRESIDENT himself they are, as might be expected, bitterly hos tile, and they manifest their feeling very plainly by their continual efforts to thwart and annoy him, as well by deeper laid schemes to contract his authority and influence if possible. The Africa brings us the news that a bill has been intro duced in the Senate providing that the S.ILLWIr any officer appointed by consent of the Senate, excepting members of the Cabinet. The new elec tions will probably reverse the positions of parties in the House of Representatives, but until the change has time to take effect, which will not be for a considerable time from this, they have, , unfortunately, not only the will, but the power, to do a good deal of mischief. The President loses no opportunity of refuting their statements, and has lately reminded a Methodist deputation that the representations made of the state of feeling in the Southern States are partial and unfair. Individual cases are selected and spoken of as samples instead of exceptions. It is no thanks to the Radical party disaffection is not rampant through the Southern States ; it is solely due to the efforts and policy of the PRESIDENT himself, and the just confidence which the Southern people feel that he will do his best to secure fair and impartial legislation for the whole mixed and various com munity. It is difficult to foresee what will be the issue of the struggle, but it can only be regretted by all who are sincerely desirous for the welfare and prosperity of the great Western Republic. Their form of government is assuredly on its trial, and the spectacle is not without instruction to older states. The tyranny of the many, it has often been said, is more dangerous than the despotism of one ; possibly because it is so easily disguised under specious professions of enlightened and philanthropic principles. It is from this tyranny, not open but concealed and insidious, that the United States have long suffered, and the great crisis in the na tional history has brought out the inherent weak nesses of the system in the most glaring light. There is something wrong in the Constitution, which permits a body of men to override all others, and there is a lack of those harmonising influences which in our own country reconcile opposing inte rests and smooth the progress of public affairs. It is against the factious and noisy dogmatism of parties like the extreme Radicals that Americans have really to be on their guard. [t is such bodies that endanger their wellbeing, which alternately make their liberty of press, and speech, and action degenerate into license, and invest a Republican Assembly with the arbitrary character of a Council of Ten. It is well, at least, that the head of the State is fully sensible of the danger, and in the ar duous and responsible struggle he is maintaining he' carries with him the sympathies of this country. PROSPECTS OF COMMEMORATION.—There is no truth in the report that. the Prince and Princess of Wales intend to visit us this year ; but in spite of this dis appointment we doubt not that the Commemoration will be as gay as ev er . Th e annua l ball will be held in a room built expressly for the purpose at the Clarendon Hotel. The Christ Church ball will also be held in the same place. As far as we have at present heard, the arrangements for c m al u s si b c y al S s t o . c J i o e h ty n :s s c C on ol ee le i g t e in in th t e h c e o M m u E si x c the week will b e as f o ll ows : —S atur d ay, J une Amu9—Theatri s un a d t e ay r , June 10—Show S un d ay . L ast Bam cßhaoonmge.. pton Lecture by Mr. Liddon. Monday,, June 11—Flower show in Worcester Gardens. Mr. Leslie's concert in the theatre. Procession of boats. Freemasons' ball. Tuesday, June 12—Masonic fete—Orpheus Glee Club. Christ Church ball. Wednes day, June 13—Enccenia in the theatre. University ball. Thurday, June 14—Exeter College ball. New College ball Thursday will of course be mainly devoted to picnics down the river as usual.—Oxford Undergraduate's Journal. NOVEL DEED DEPOSITORY.—An extraordinary circumstance has transpired with reference to the Thomas Newly, stonemason, who diedfrom accident. Af ter deceased was taken to the ho3pital his clothes were examined. Feeling something in one of the sleeves of the coat, the person who was examining it ripped open the lining and discovered a number of deeds relating to pro perty. Upon inquiry it was found that the deceased, al though only an operative stonemason, was worth property to the amount of £6,000.-4Yotecce9 Daily ,Thurnal. CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS, Sunday Evening. There was a Cabinet Council on Friday, at which the Empress and the members of the Privy Council were prevent, and also a Cabinet Council yesterday, at which the Emperor presided. I have reason to rely upon the statement made to me in an official quarter that the chief subject of discussion yester day related to the order and the exact points to be submitted to the proposed Congress. After all, the information of The Sun upon this subject has turned out to be perfectly correct, as well as the comments of those Paris papers which I noticed. A letter from Florence, in the Moniteur, gives some explanations relative to corps of Volunteers to be commanded by Garibaldi, which diminish the importance of that step, and take from it the aggre sive character which has been attributed to it. The letter says that " the enrolment has not the revolu tionary character of the spontaneous enrolment con nected with the expedition of 1860. If the precautions and reserve of the decree, and the conditions of the engagements be considered; if it be corroborated that General Garibaldi, appointed by the decree to the command of the National Volunteers, belonged up to the day of his retirement to the regular army, it will be acknowledged thatin fact the enrolment of Volunteers amounts to little else than the creation of a regular supplemental corps, to be distinguished from the other corps only for its having been called into service by another mode than the annual levy of contingents, and by there being more re straint in regard to the time of its duration. Thus the hopes of peace are still not seriously disturbed, and the reports in regard to the Congress are still more favourably received by the public. At all events the field is open for diplomatic arrangements, although there is no doubt that if the Venetia ques t tion do not receive a speedy, amicable solution, Italy will be irresistibly hurried into the chances of war." According to another account from Florence, the King of Italy, who was to have left the palace on the 15th for the head quarters of the army, was still there, and another favourable augury is drawn from this celay i n the King's departure. The Siecle from - its own information, and that of the Independance Beige, a well-informed Brussels paper, says that the French Government has not given up the idea of European arbitration with a programme limited to three points—Venetia, Schleswig Holstein, and German Reform. This programme was formally proposed to the English Government by the French Ambassador, the Prince de la Tour D'Auvergne, on the 9th of this month, and probably on the same day an identical com munication was made by Baron Talleyrand to the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. The trial of Aspe for the murder and mutilation of the woman at Toulouse is not concluded. Yes terday a singular incident took place. The jury all visited the wine shop where the murder was committed. An interesting discussion has taken place in the Legislative Body on the important subject of local government and centralisation. In the course of it the Count de la Tour said it was the Revolution 'which struck the last blow at our system of pro vincial liberty which was almost destroyed in the reign of Louis XIV. The Revolutionists, wishing to triumph at any price over the resistance of the provinces, the private rights of cities and corpora tions were abolished. All private liberty was de stroyed, even that of adoring Jesus Christ. After the Reign of Terror conscience recovered its rights, but provincial and local privileges were not entirely restored. The Emperor promulgated de crees of the 25th March, 1852 and 13th April 1863, which gave certain ministerial powers to the Pre fects. Wishing seriously to give local rights and privileges to the department and the commune, the Government organised a plan giving considerable extension to the powers of elective councils. This was the origin of the bill now before the Chamber for the improvement of local government, and its principle was such as to deserve a favourable re ception_ Colonel Giuseppe Pace, who was one of Gari baldi's chief officers in the Sicily, expedition, has died at Naples. Col. Pace distinguished himself by • ;rk Calabrias, his native province, which he twice re presented in the Italian Parliament. It is reported that M. 8., the treasurer of the Sous Comptoir of the railways, a man of 60, has decamped with a rum of three millions, obtained by means of forged documents from the Comptoir d'Escompte of Paris (the official discount office). The fraud, it is said, will not in any way compro mise the original establishment. Paris, with all its gaiety, is after all the most religious capital of Europe—at least if a true esti mate may be formed from the large proportion of inhabitants who attend public worship. To-day (Whitsunday) is one of the great religious fetes of the year, and I have had an opportunity of observ ing that from the early hour of six o'clock in the riorning until mid-day several of the metropolitan churches have been immensely crowded. The beau ful weather and some village fetes in the vicinity of Paris tended almost to vacate Paris in the course of the day, but be it remarked that the pleasure-seek ing population attended to their religious duties first. - Whatever may he the religious observances of Sunday in London, I will venture to say from occular proof that more Parisians than Londoners went to church to-day —aye, and that this vast class of Roman Catholics here were at least as " re ligiously and devoutly disposed" as the congrega tions of London. M. Berlioz has been appointed conservator of the instrumental museum of the Imperial Conservatory of Music, in the room of M. Clapisson. A sale of musical instruments, forming the private col lection of the late M. Clapisson, has been con founded by some of the papers with the sale of the museum. That museum is intact. It includes some of the most curious and valuable musical in struments in 00 world. Some are of the date of 1612. One instrument of the style of Louis XIII. has a painting on the panel by Teniers. The ap pointment is honorary, no pay being attached to it, and M. Berlioz has accepted it from a pure love of art. The Institute have granted a pension to M. Clapisson's widow, and she is allowed to continue to occupy her apartment there the same as in the time of her deceased husband. One of the Paris tribunals has granted a decree of separation to a husband whose Wife absented her self from home for 23 days, and who, on her return home at one o'clock in the morning, refus - ed to give an account of where she had been. A French pro verb says that " The absent are always in the wrong." Mr. DISRAELI is said to be one of the kindliest of mankind, but, sagaciously remarks the Spectator, the man who sketched Rigby must have a trace in him of the true attorney. According to this ingenious mode of argument, what a rascal at heart Shakspere must have been, judging from his delineation of lago and Jachimo ! What a sneak must be Mr. Dickens, estimating his character from his account of trriah Heep ! What a snob was Mr. Thackeray, when viewed through the remembrance of Jeames ! What a consummate hypocrite Moliere, regarded in the light cast back upon himself by his portraiture of Tartuffe ! A CHILD KILLED BY A GAME COCK.-011 Satur day Mr. Humphrey held an inquest at Old Ford as to the death of Charles Winter, aged three years. It ap peared that on Tuesday week the child was standing at its parents' door, 32, Palm-street, when a ferocious game cock, belonging to a neighbour named Monk, which had been frequently known to attack other children, flew up at him, and putting one claw on his head and the other on his shoulder pecked at its face, which streamed down with blood. The child was taken in doors, and a doctor was sent for. The medical evidence proved that deceased died from effusion of serum on the brain caused by a shock to the system, arising from the attack and pecks of the game cock, as well as from fright. The owner of the cock treated the matter very cavalierly, and thought his furious bird of more importance than the lives of children. The coroner hinted that the parents could take proceedings in another court for the loss they had sustained, and the jury returned a verdict—" That deceased died from effusion on the brain, caused by being attacked and pecked by a cer tain game cock." THE PROPOSED CHANNEL TUNNEL.—The question of a tunnel under the Channel has again surged up. The Propagateur of Line mentions that fresh surveys have been commenced, and that huts have been erected on the Camyn dyke between Calais ani Sangatte to contain the offect4 caul inetrurneute of engineer% LA TEST INTELLIGENCE. (REUTER'S TELEGRAM.) THE WAR CRISIS. FLORENCE, MAY 21. Italy and Prussia, in reply to the preliminary overtures, have expressed their willingness to take part in a Congress. Austria has not given her answer. Signor Scialoja, Minister of Finance, has now definitely withdrawn his resignation. HUNGARY. PESTII, MAY 21. An official denial has been given to the rumour of a fresh conscription being intended in Hungary. The town of Pcsth has voted another address of confidence to M. Deak. Similar addressss have been presented to him from other towns of Hungary. THE BRAZILS. RIO DE JANEIRO, APRIL 24. Advices have been received from the Passo de la Patria to the 9th inst. The fleet had commenced operations against the fortifications on the right bank of the Parana, and the ironclads had done ex cellent service, though one, the Tamandare, had the misfortune to receive a shell through one of her port holes, which, bursting inside the cupola, killed and wounded 34 officers and men ; all the officers of the ship, except the surgeon, who was below, were wounded, and of these only two are now alive, both sub-lieutenants. In the other ships the casualties were insignificant. The armour of the ironclads have resisted splendidly the pounding of the long 68's at 500 and GOO yards distance. The Paraguay ans had constructed floating batteries, which are only 18 inches out of water, very strong, and mounting each a long 68-pounder. Of these four were destroyed and one taken, since when no others have shown up. The Brazilians have taken posses sion of an island within 600 yards of Fort Stapirri, and whence the fort can be bombarded. This island is now called Carvalho, and on it a battery of 12-pound rifled field-pieces has been erected. The passage of the army was expected to take place on the 11th, and a steamer is daily expected with news. On the 9th the Minister of Finance presented to the Chamber of Deputies his project relative to the Bank of Brazil, of which an abstract was sent by the last mail. It gave rise to a good deal of dis cussion, from which it has become apparent that great abuses have been committed. Not only all the capital, but also the greater part of the issue of the Bank, has been employed in bills which cannot be paid when they become due and are continually renewed at maturity ; these bills represent the agriculture of the country ; the acceptors of the bills pay interest at the rate of 12 to 18 per cent. per annum,whereas the bank charges of the difference being divided between the receivers of produce and the private bankers, one of the latter is said to have endorsed these bills for upwards of £3,000,000. The Ministerial deputies for the province of Bahia have also brought forward a project for the con struction of . traulroads, to be connected with the railway of that province. FRANCE. BOURSE, May 19, Two o'clock.—Discounts of rather important sums continue to be demanded. To-day the list comprises the following, viz. :- 94,500 fr. Three per Cent. Rentes ; 30,000 Italian Fives ; 1,050 Credit Mobilier Shares ; 600 Comp tour d'Escompte, &c. The market is very inactive, with generally lower quotations—a certain amount fof uneasiness peryadina all depa r tments. Thrnie, r the Account, have receded 35c.—to 63fr. 60c. Credit Mobilier Shares have fallen to 515 fr—a loss of 15fr. Credit Foncier Shares have declined 17fr. 50c., the quotation 1,1001 r.; and Comptoir d'Escompte are lfr. 25c. lower—at 670 fr. The pressure continues in Italian Fives, the cause no doubt being the definite adoption by the Chamber of Deputies of the bill imposing a tax of 8 per cent. on the Rentc. To-day they have again receded 80c., viz., to 37fr. 90c. Railway Shares are also generally dealt in on lower terms. Northern Shares have declined sfr ; Lyons, Ifr. 25c. ; Lombard, sfr. ; and Austrian 6fr. 25c. Paris Gas Shares are unvaried at 1,392 fr. 50c., From London Consols are telegraphed with a fall of f. Three o'clock.— Quotations have further receded, the market closing as follows : 4} per Cents 93 Do. end month — 3 per Cents. 63 45 Do. end month 63 30 Credit Mobilier Do. end month ~ 513 75 Credit Foncier — Bank Shares 3400 Italian Loan 37 40 Do. end month 37 70 Mexican Loan 33 Do. Bonds 235 Spanish Threes - end month Ifome Debt — Deferred WAYS. ILtILV For Account. Orleans Northern 1047 50 Lyons and Mediterranean 785 Southern 525 western Eastern Sardinian Austrian Lombard 286 25 North of Spain ... 115 Saragossa Ditto to Barcelona _ Roman — Arrival of the Cape Mail. (REUTER'S EXPRESS.) PLYMOUTH, Saturday. The Union Company's Cape Royal Mail steam ship Saxon, Capt. E. Baynton, arrived here to-day, from Table Bay, April 17, 4 p.m. ; St. Helena, 25, 4 p.m. ; and Ascension, 28, 9 p.m. She brings with the usual mails 97 passengers, and the following cargo :—Specie, £625 ; bullion, £370 ; 726 bales wool ; 105 bales sheep and goat skins ; 851 raw hides ; 992 bags copper ore ; 89 tusks ivory ; 1 case rhinoceros horns; 2 bags shells, 62 boxes fruit, 38 cases ostrich feathers, 2 casks aloes, 2 bundles wild beast skins, 4 packages copper, 14 bales buchu leaves, 17 casks wine, and several packages sun dries. Among the Saxon's passengers are Mr. Galway, Attorney-General for Natal, and Mrs. Galway; Dr. Mann, F.R.A.S., and Mrs. Mann, from Natal ; Major Miller, 67th Regiment ; Capt. Macdonald, sth Fusiliers, 2d battalion. The Saxon experienced moderate SE trades to St. Helena and Ascension, and fresh NE winds from 3 North of the Equator. The news from Natal is, so far as ecclesiastical matters are concerned, more unsatisfactory than ever. There was nothing but wars and strifes, and wrangling on every side. There were appeals to the courts, and interdicts, and orders in reply to them right and left. The bishop had got the dean interdicted from holding service in the cathedral on Good Friday morning. The dean on Easter Tues day, at an excited meeting for the election of churchwardens, became more excited than any one else there, and suddenly dissolved the assembly, which would not be dissolved in obedience to him, and the meeting went on amid disreputable uproar and con fusion; half the members voted and the other half refused to have anything to do with the business. An address had been got up to the metropolitan asking him to cease meddling or interfering with the diocese at all. A counter address had been got up to the dean expressing fullest sympathy and promising energetic aid in his procoedings. A telegram, for warded from Pietermaritzburg, just as the steamer was leaving, stated that the quarrel had at length resolved itself into a very literal contest about the keys. The court had ordered possession of the cathedral to Bishop Colenso, and having further enjoined the dean to deliver up the baptismal regis try. The Colensonian party took possession by for cibly opening the church doors, wrenching off the diaconal locks, and substituting episcopal ones of their own. The other side then returned the com pliment by wrenching off these new locks, and thus the wrangle was proceeding. The paper war be tween Dr. Colenso and the dean was also maintained in the local press. The Rev. Mr. Fredoux, a mis sionary, son-in-law of the Rev. Mr. Moffat, senior, had met with a sudden and tragic death in the far interior. A trader named Nelson had committed a crime for which he was a fugitive from justice, and followed the track of Mr. Fredoux, who was on a pastoral journey to Morokwain. Mr. Fredoux had instructions sent him to arrest Nelson, and to com pel his return to Motito, to receive judgment for his crime. When called upon to surrender Nelson at first tried the effect of an apology ; but finding that of no avail he shut himself up in his waggon, threatening to shoot any one who should come near him. Mr. Fredoux approached the waggon to re monstrate with him, and point out the hopelessness of resistance, when, to the horror of such spectators as escaped, waggon and bystanders were blown into the air and six blackened corpses, including that of Mr. Fredoux and Nelson, were stretched on the ground. There were 1751 b. of gunpowder in Nel son's waggon, and this he had fired. A deputation from the wine farmers had waited upon his Excellency the Governor, with a petition to her Majesty, praying for such an alteration in the wine duties as would admit Cape wines to the Lon don market; his Excellency, however, produced a despatch addressed to himself, in reply to the re solutions adopted in the House of Assembly on the subject, and from the wording of the despatch it was gathered that the wine farmers must cease to expect any relief from the Government in the matter of duties. The war between the Free State and the Basutos had been finally closed by a treaty signed by Moshesh, the paramount chief of the Basutos, on April 3. The terms of the treaty were very favour able to the Free State, who thereby acquired a large accession of very valuable territory. The Saxon landed her mails here, and proceeded this afternoon to Southampton. Her mails are forwarded by this evening's mail train. On the evening of April 15 a destructive fire broke out in Cape Town, by which a large quantity of property was destroyed. The fire commenced in Longmarket-street, at the shop of Mr. Johnson, chemist and druggist, and extended to the premises of Messrs. Shaw and Stuttaford, drapers, and to the bonded warehouses of Messrs. W. Dickson and Co. HER MAJESTY. WINDSOR CASTLE, May 19: The Queen walked in the grounds yesterday afternoon, and drove this morning, accompanied by her Royal Highness Princess Helena. Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice also walked and drove. Her Majesty held a Council to-day at 1 o'clock, at which were present Earl Granville, Lord Stanley of Alderley, and the Right Hon. T. Milner Gibson. Mr. Helps was Clerk of the Council. The Earl of Caithness and Colonel the Hon. A. Liddell were the Lord and Groom in Waiting. Lord Charles Fitzroy has succeeded Lord Alfred Paget as Equerry in Waiting. Mr. Joseph Wyon has been honoured by her Royal Highness Princess Helena with sittings for a medal. Mr. Robert Dowling has had the honour of sub mitting to her Majesty portraits of their royal high nesses the Prince and Princess of Wales, painted by him for the Tasmanian Government. MAT 20. The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon, at tended by the Dowager Duchess of Athole and the Hon. Flora Macdonald. Princess Helena, attended by Miss Bowater, went eut driving, and Princess Louise and Princess Bea trice also drove out in a carriage-and-four. The Queen, Princess Helena, Prince Leopold, and the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, attended Divine service this morning in the Private Chapel. The Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of Windsor officiated, and administered the Sacrament of the Holy Communion. The French Ambassador and the Earl and Coun tess of Clarendon arrived at the Castle yesterday, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and Royal family. Miss Bowater also arrived at the Castle. The Hon. Mary Lascelles left the Castle yester day. The Prince and Princess of Wales rode out on horseback on Saturday afternoon. The Prince of Wales presided at the annual din" ner of the 10th Hussars at Willis's Rooms in the evening. The Prince and Princess of Wales, with the HO' Mrs. A. Hardinge and Major Teesdale in 'Waiting, attended Divine service at the Chapel Royal St• James's yesterday morning. The Communion Service was read by the Rey the Sub-Dean and the Rev. J. V. Povah. Anthem, " Come Holy G-host"—Attwood, sung by Master Coward, Messrs. Francis, Montem Smith! and Bradbury. Mr. Goss presided at the organ. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. Jell , Sub-Almoner, from Acts, chap. 2, verses 3-4. At the Council held by the Queen at Windsor Castle on Saturday her Majesty's consent was give n to the marriage of her Royal Highness the Princess Mary of Cambridge to his Royal Highness the Prince of Teck. The Earl and Countess of Derby have left their residence in St. James's-square to pass the holidays wit h Cul. the Hon. Wellington P. and Lady Emma Talbot, et their residence in the neighbourhood of Harrow. The Earl and Countess Granville left Bruton street on Saturday for Walmer Castle, Kent. The Earl and Countess De Grey left their resi dence Carlton-gardens on Saturday for Nocton Park, the family seat in Lincolnshire. The Earl Percy left Northumberland House on Saturday for Aluwick Castle, Northumberland, to take the command of the county militia. The Countess Percy lit' gone to Albury Park, Surrey. The Earl and Countess Grey left Carlton-house terrace on Saturday for Howick Castle, Northumberl and, for the holidays. The Earl of Powis left his town residence oil Saturday for Shrewsbury, to do duty with the South Salq Yeomanry Cavalry, of which regiment he is colonel. The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury hays been placed in mourning by the death of Miss DashWo° d ' which occurred on Saturday last : the deceased lady W as .3i.cer of Jane second Countess of Malmcabury, and mother of the present earl. _ _ Lord Stanley, M.P., left town on Saturday for Knowsley Park, Lancashire, for the Parliamentary holt days. Lady Emily Foley has arrived at the Clarendo n Hotel for the season. The Countess of Newburgh received at dinner , at her residence in Wilton-crescent, on Saturday evening, the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, Earl and Lady Cory stance Grosvenor, Lord and Lady Henry Scott, lion. W I and Lady Katharine Coke, Viscount St. Asaph, Ge nera Peel, and Mr. William Peel. The new title of Lord Wodehouse, says the Sunday Gazette, is to be the Earl of Kimberley, from the name of his lordship's seat in Norfolk. The first volume of a Hindostanee translation ° f Shakspore has been issued at Bombay. Prince Alf re d h as j o i ne d t h e R oya l N avy Club Of 1765, and presented to its charity 25 guineas. —Army and Navy Gazette. THE EUROPEAN WAR OF 1859.—At the pres ee ti crisis it w ill b e i nterest i ng to reca l t h e c h rono logy °f the European conflict of 1859. January I.—The Napoleon made a signifi can t s p eec h t o th e C or p s DiP/O n " tique. F e b ruar y I.—P u bli cation of a brochure en title d Napoleon 111. and Italy, reco mmen d e d b y th e illottitenr• February 23.—Dep ar t ure o f L or d C owley for Vielins' charged with a mission from England an d F ranc e. 1"r 7.—Note of the Moniteur, both firm and concilia Wri i March 23.—The M on it eur s t a t es th at on t h e proposiii°ll 11 Russia a Congre ss compose d o f th e fi ve groat P o wers be convened to adj us t a ll p o i n t s connec t e d w ith the Italia question. April B.—Bellicose order of the d a y of the 111- . peror Francis Joseph. April 20.—The Moniteur publi shew the bases adopted by the five great Powers for future dot liberations. April 22.—The Moniteur announces til a s f Austria alone refuses to adhere. April 25.--Proje o law with reference to a French loan of £20,000,00 0 . 3.—Proclamation of the Emperor of the French • flouncing a declaration of war. May 12.—The cert ail l is established of the neutrality of Pr uss i a a nd Eng lBll June 4. Battle of Magenta; rumour s o f p ea ce. Jull° 28. —Battle of Solferino. July 7.—De s p a t c h o f Vallegg lG, announcing a suspension of arms. July 11.—Penc e Villafranca. The subscription offered for the French 1° , 3 „ of £20.000,000 by 690,190 s u b scr ib ers amounted '" £100,382,391. FATAL ACCIDENT.—A very sad affair occurred ° , l , 3 , Friday evening last, which resulted in the death at the Hon. Gerald Stanhope, fifth son of the present Ba rl , il t Harrington, of Elvaston Castle, Derbyshire. Itappear s on Friday afternoon the Earl of Harrington left El V aSt ' ° , Castle on horseback for Derby, and was accompanied hi ° , ll O of his daughters (Lady Caroline Stanhope) and his son ( t ", Hon. Gerald Stanhope), also on horseback. Aft e r spendi„l3l some time in Derby they returned t owar d s El vas ton, on passing Osmaston Park (about a mile out of D er ,,, b h i a ' the deceased's horse began kicking, and threw him. '- w - g Earl at once dismounted, and picked his son up, P ut iv t- 0 him in a cart that was passing at the time, by which I ' e , - ; conveyed to the residence of Mr. Hollis, surgeon, El vi t,:, l ; a mile further on the way towards Elvaston. rettn""o) Mr. Hollis's the deceased (who was only 12 years of 1 0$ was able to get ou t o f th e car t an d wa lk i n t o bir• 11°1 4.- house, and the latter to o k hi m t o th e cas tl e in his °wlli Pea vete carriage, and remained with him until 10 o'clon tcx Friday ev en i ng . At m id n i g ht a c h ange f or the wors e tba t place, and Mr. Hollis was again fetched, and, believing w. the deceased was in a dying state, at once sent for S• joar , Fearn, surgeon, Derby, in consultation, and that gen tle vo arrived at the castle at 2 o'clock on Saturday morning e . rs , l - poor youth, however, had b ecome unco nscious, " v. , de ath lied, and died on Saturday a ft ernoon . The cause °' ru r was concussion of the brain, but there was no doubt actor, ture of a blood-vessel in the head, as for some hours h his death he was insensible. t the a It was stated o n S a t ur d ay a ft er noon tu directors of the New Z ea l an d Banking C °1.13- „ n u tion had held a mee ti ng , an d b a d determine d 2 / 0 1 ;. a temporary suspe ns i on . O n Friday it wil l " h ot membered we announced that their a cceptanc es to been returned by their London agents owl, g o f some irregularity. The following is the form circular issued to the holders of returned bills iou _ "New Zealand Banking Corporation (Limited),_ 0 ;j 66 , court, Old Broad-street, London, May to i ll ' " Gentlemen —I am instructed by the director _todo form you that they are using their best exertions tn'sa_ to t t o satisfactory arrangements with regard t o their s to b elie" ing acceptances which they have every r eason 0 rel y will be carried out, and in the meantime the dire with confidence on your forbearance fo r one w ee k foal A balance-sheet is being made out, but I may s t „ .l th e the account before the board to-day the assets soci%34 liabilitie.; by over £80,000.—1 am your o bedient ta ' ry. ,, "PERCIYaId paw,S"re Paris Gossip. Reports are again prevalent of a change in the Ministry. M. Persigny is to replace 31. de la Valetta as Minister of the Interior; General Fleury to succeed Marshal Randon as Minister of War. It is also said that M. Fould, Minister of Finance, will retire, but his successor is not yet named. Two splendid bloodhounds arrived a short time ago at the Jardin d'Acelimatation. All Paris is running to see these splendid animals. The " Life of Julius Caesar," it is well known, has for many years occupied the Emperor's serious attention. Its most eloquent chapters were written in the gardens of St. Cloud and Vichy. His Majesty made several journeys, accompanied by General Fav6, to ono of the most cele brated spots of the Gallic campaign. The Emperor was also assisted by several distinguished officers. M. Alfred Maury, of the Royal Institution, worked every day with the Emperor in the literary part of the book. Upon one occasion this gentleman found His Majesty pale, and with tears flowing from his eyes. "Ah ! my dear M. Maury," said Napoleon 111., "we cannot work to-day." The Due do Morney had died a few hours previously. A special edition of this work was printed for distribution among the Emperor's friends, every copy of which was signed " Napoleon." Whit Monday. The facilities afforded by road, rail, and river, were amply availed of this day by the hundreds of thousands who desire, at this period of the year, to exchange for a few hours the crowded thoroughfare and the bustle of the metropolis for the invigorating sea-side breeze, or the tranquil beauties of Sylvan scenery. The different termini of the London and Brigh ton Railway, particulaarly at the London-bridge station, were crowded at an early hour, and the number of visitors to the celebrated " watering place" probably exceeded that of any Whitsuntide anni versary of late years. The trains to Greenwich were filled, and we can easily conceive how the park exhibit&' its usual features, how many groups were engaged in the pastime of "Kissing in the Ring," or performing the feat, by no means one without peril, of running down the " hill." ;,„ A.--, bluSill to many a fair cheek. The number of visitors to Windsor was very large, and Hampton Court must also have received a very considerable influx of visitors, to which the " treats" af forded by charity and ragged schools largely contributed, a pleasing feature in our civilisation. The limit of some of the holiday folks' excursions was very restricted, indeed, not extending beyond the neighbour hood of Peckham, Rye, and Nunhead, which latter place, notwithstanding its sombre attribute of a cemetery, was dotted with festive and picnician groups. At nearly all the stations which came under our observation there was a large increase in what might be called the piscatory element, and indicated by the gear and tackle of disciples of Izaak Walton, which boded no good to the "finny tribe." Hampton Court must have received a large accession to its admiring number of visitors, judging by the demands that were made for tickets at the Waterloo and Vauxhall stations, and from which it was evident that this spot, associated alike with history and rural loveliness, has lost nothing of its popularity with Londoners. THE MECCA PILGRIMS.—From information re ceived by the Board of Health of Alexandria it appears that the sanitary condition of Mecca has not this year been at all affected by the arrival of pilgrims in that city, and that a party of devotees were about to return to Suez on the 7th inst., perfectly free from cholera. The pilgrims were subjected to examination upon their em barkation at Djeddah, and up to the present time their general state of health has been completely satisfactory. There are, therefore, grounds for hoping that the Mecca pilgrimage may be performed in 18G6 under more satisfac tory conditions than has been the case in former years. AN EDIFICE UNDER THE SEA.—He NN as in a large cave. Over his, head was a roofing not unlike the inside of a vast skull, which might have been imagined to have been recently dissected. The dripping ribs of the striated indentations of the roof seemed to imitate the branching fibres and fagged satures of the bony cranium. A stony ceiling and a watery floor. The rippled waters between the four walls of the cave were like wavy paving tiles. The grotto was shut in on all sides. Not a window, not even an air -hole, visible. No breach in the wall, no crack in the roof. The light came from below, and through the water—a strange, sombre light. Gilliatt, the pupils of whose eyes had contracted during his explorations of the dusky corridor, could distinguish everything about him in the pale glimmer. He was familiar, from having often visited them, with the caves of Plemont in Jersey, the Creux Maine at Guernsey, the Boutiques at Sark; but none of these marvellous caverns could compare with the subterranean and submarine chamber into which he had made his way. tinder the water at his feet he could see a sort of drowned arch. This arch, a natural ogive, fashioned by the waves, was glittering between its two dark and profound supports. It was by this submerged porch that the daylight entered into the cavern from the open sea. A strange light shooting, upwards from a gulf. The glimmer spread out beneath the waters like a large fan, and was reflected on the rocks. Its direct rays, di vided into long, broad shafts appeared in strong relief against the darkness below, and, becoming brighter or more dull from one rock to another, looked as if seen hero and there through plates of glass. There was light in that cave it is true ; but it was the light that was unearthly. The beholder might have dreamed that he had descended in some other planet. The glimmer was an enigma, like the glaucous light from the eye-pupil of a Sphinx. The whole cave represented the interior of a death's head of enormous proportions, and of a strange splendour. The vault was the hollow of the brain, the arch the mouth ; the sockets of the eyes were wanting. The cavern, alter nately swallowing and rendering up the flux and reflux through its mouth wide open to the full noonday with out, seemed to drink in the light and vomit forth bitter ness ; a type of some beings intelligent and evil. The light, in traversing this inlet through the vitreous medium of the sea-water, became green, like a ray of starlight from Aldebaran. The water, filled with the moist light, ap peared like a liquid emerald. A tint of aquamarina of marvellous delicacy spread a soft hue throughout the cavern. The roof, with its cerebral lobes, and its rampant ramifications, like the fibres of nerves, gave out a tender reflection of chrysoprase. The ripples reflected on the roof were falling in order and dissolving again incessantly, and enlarging and contracting their glittering scales in a mysterious and mazy dance. They gave the beholder an impression of something weird and spectral : he wondered what prey secured, or what expectation about to be realised, moving with a joyous thrill this magnificent net work of living fire. From the projections of the vault, and the angles of the rock, hung lengths of delicate fibrous plants, bathing their roots probably through the granite in some upper pool of water, and distilling from their silky ends, one drop after the other, a drop of water like a pearl. These drops fell into the water now and then with a gentle splash. The effect of the scene was singular. Nothing more beautiful could be imagined ; nothing more mournful could anywhere be found. It was a wondrous palace, in wbich death sat smiling and centeit.—T o il ers nJ the Sea, by rictvr b'ugo• fr • _ -44111,/, 11/ ati- • 4PLIII-V 4- eit - I I