The Sun. — London, England, 1870-12-26 00:00:00

JAPANESE ROYAL TYCOON TROUPE Daily at Three and Eight. PALAIS ROYAL, Argyle-street Oxford Circus, W. GORILLA CHIEF, HASSAN.—Astounding performances on the " corde elastique," ac 7ompanied by Mulabrix, the Oriental Wizard. Daily, at Three and Eight. Fashionable Levees Daily, from Twelve till Two. Admission, 38., 25., and ls. Children half-price.—PALAIS ROYAL, Argyle street, Oxford Circus, W. BLUE and HAIRLESS HORSE, recently exhi bited at Osborne House by command of Her Majesty, Exhibiting HOURLY, from 12 noon till 10 p.m. Admission ls., Children 6d.—PALAIS ROYAL, Argyll-street, Oxford-circus, W. ROYAL POLYTECHNIC,--Novel and bona fide character of the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY ENTERTAIN- bi ILNTS. PROFESSOR PEPPER on THE WAR and the Destructive Implements used thereat ! MR. GEORGE GROSSMITH, Jun., gives the prettiest Fairy Tale, entitled THE YELLOW DWARF, every Evening ; and Mr. SUCHET CHAMPION the same in the Mornings, with Vocal Illustrations. ENGA GEMENT of the Original Warlock, Mr. J. BEAUMONT, for THE WORLD OF MAGIC, and his Curious Slack Rope Automaton.—Entertainment by Mr. E. D. DAV lES, Premier Ventriloquist, entitled THE FUNNIEST OF FUNNY FOLKS. MADAME BOUSFIELD'S GREOIA.N STA TUARY in White Marble.—The PRAEGER FAMILY. — New Ghost Entertainment.—A Machine-made Watch, and Christmas and Christmas Customs, by J. L. KING, Esq., at the ROYAL POLYTECHNIC. Admission to the whole One Shilling. EGYPTIAN HALL, PICCADILLY. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. Every day at 2.80 and 8 p.m POOLE and YOUNG, the Proprietors and Exhibitors of the Overland Mail, by Telbin and Grieve, Albert Smith's Egyptian Mal Panoramas, beg to announce a new subject— THE PRESENT WAR Oletween the French and Prussians. Eaoh Picture on 600 square feet of canvas, and painted by England's greatest scenic artists. THE NATIONAL MUSIC. THE FINEST QUARTETTE IN EUROPE. PO..;LE AND YOUNG, THE EGYPTIAN HALL ONLY. 'THE WAR.—POOLE AND YOUNG'S PANORAMA. EGYPTIAN lIALL. Prices to Poole and Young's Panorama of ilia War, M., 25., is. MADAME TUSSAUD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street.—On view Portrait Models of the ex-Emperor and Empress of the French, and Prince Imperial. Also, Marshal Bazaino, Marshal Canrobert, General Trochu, &c. Admission, Is. Children under Ten Years of age, fid. Extra Rooms, 6d. extra. Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. • MADAME TUSSA IJD'S EXHIBITION, Baker street.—On view Portrait Models of the King and Crown Prince of Prussia. Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern. Also Count von Bismarck and Count von Moltke.—Admission ls.; children under ten years of age, 6d. Extra rooms, (Id. extra.— Open from 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. PARTRIDGE AND COOPER, MANUFACTURING STATIONERS, 192, A) FLEET-STREET (CORNER OF CHANCERY-LANE), LONDON (E). THE PUBLIC SUPPLIED AT WHOLESALE PRICES, AND JARRIAGE PAID to the 00II& - TRY ON ORDERS OVER 20e Per ream. s.d. Fine Cream Laid Note; a cheap paper... . .—. 0 Superfine Cream Laid Note ; much approved Superfine Thick Cream Laid Note ;especially recommended 5 6 Extra Superfine Double Thick Cream Laid Note ................. 7 0 Straw Paper, e' Patent;' adapted for rapid writing ..... 2 6 Large Commercial Note Papers.... ........ ........35., 4s. 55., and 8 0 Foolscap Papers, blue or cream .....10s. 6d., 12s. 6d., and 14 6 Outside; FoOlscip Letter Paper for scribbling plain, 45.; ruled ditto, 4 6 Tinted Lined Note ............ ... five quires for le-. 6d., or 5 6 New Vellum Wove "Club House" Note, five quires for 2s. 6d. Superfine Cream or Blue Envelopes, •ts 6d, be Bd. & Os 8d .. Large Blue Wove Commercial Envelopes, 4s 6d;........... per 1,000 Cheap Buff Colour, for circulars, &c., Be. COLOITS STAMPING (Relief) reduced to ls. periloo. Polished steel dies sunk by the best artists in the trade at about half the prices charged by the retail houses. An ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE, containing full descrip tion, with prices of Account Books, Copying Presses, Inkstands, Stationery, Cabinets, Postage Scales, Despatch Boxes, Travelling Writing Cases. Desks. poet free. Established 1841 TORN GOSNELL and CO.'S CHERRY e p TOOTH PASTE is greatly superior to any tooth powder; gives the teeth a pearl whiteness,protects the enamel from eec.ty, and imparts a pleasant fragrance to the breath. Price Bed Bull Wharf, 98, Upper Thames street, London. V MOSES-and SON supply every description of E clothing, ready-made, or made to measure, for all ages, all occasions, and all classes ; also Hosiery and Drapery, Hate and Caps, Boots and Shoes, and complete outfits for all climates. Alt Goods marked in Plain Figures. Any tide exchanged if not worn or injured. List of Prices, with Rules for Self-measure, Patterns, and Fashion-sheet, gratis and post-free. Z. MOSES and SON'S Establishments are closed every Friday evening at sunset till Saturday evening at sunset, when busf ess is resumed until Eleven o'clock. The following are the only addresses of E. MOSES and SON : LONDON. CORNER of MINORIES and ALDGATE. NEW OXFORD-STREET, CORNER OF HART-STREET. 30B.NER of TOTTENHAM-COURT -ROAD and EUSTON-ROAD. COUNTRY BkAtica. RADiroaD, YORKSHIRE. THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE.- Solo Lessee end Manager, F. B. Chatterton.—Morning Performances every Wednesday and Saturday, until Saturday, February 25th, inclusive.—This Evening (Monday), Dec. 26, will be produced the Drury Lane Grand Comic CHRISTMAS ANNUAL, written by E. L. Blanchard, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY I and Harlequin Old Mother Shipton I with New and Characteristic Scenery by William Beverly, whose personal services are now exclusively devoted to illustrating the produc tions of this Theatre. The general action of the Pantomime arranged by, and the whole produced under, the direction of Mr. Edward Stirling. Characters in the opening by Messrs. Fred. Yokes, H. Moreland, Charles Steyne, Fawdon Yokes, H. Naylor, Seymour, Firth, Meade, Webber, F. Wright, Master Russell ; Misses Victoria Yokes, Jessie Yokes, Rosina Yokes, Harriet Coveney, M. A. Basquerville, A. Hamilton, Hall, Florence Harvey, De Grey, Ross, Timbrell, Elphinstone, Har court, Lee, Leslie, Mills, White, Burpitt, Rivers, Russell, Hastings. The Harlequinade will include thole popular Pan tomimists, forming a Double Company, F. Evans, and W. H. Harvey, C lowns; Paul Herring and J. Dior is, Pantaloons ; W. Fawdon Vokes and Stonette, Harlequins ; the Misses Rosina and Jessie Yokes, Columbines ; Miss Lizzie Grosvenor, Har lequina. B. Slowman, Imitator of Birds, &o. Mr. H. Collard, the Pocket Sims Reeves. Master Dassie, the Chickaleary Boy. E. D. Lyon, the Short Footman. Lawson and Garton, the French Pierrots. Master H. Rawlings, Clog Dancer. La Petrie, the Baby Velocipedist. The Masks and Costumes from Designs by Vandyke Brown. The Music Composed and Selected by Mr. W. C. Levey. The Dances and Action of the Ballet, and the general business of the Children's Scenes, Invented and Arranged by Mr. John Cormack. The Comic Scenes and Tricks, &c., arranged by Mr. John Cormack and Messrs. Evans and Harvey. Doors open at Half-past Six ; commence at Seven. Box-office open from Ten till Five daily. Private Boxes, 1,2, 3,4, and 5 Guineas. Stalls, 7s. Dress Circle, ss. First Circle, 4s. Balcony, as. Pit, 2s. Lower Gallery, ls. Upper Gallery, 6d. PRINCESS'S THEATRE.—SoIe Lessee, Ben jamin Webster. Managers, B. Webster and F. B. Chat terton.—THlS EVENING will be performed A CHRISTMAS CAROL ; or Past, Present and Future, dramatised with the especial sanction of the late Charles Dickens, by Mr. Edwarl Stirling. After which will be produced an entirely new grand spectacular extravaganza, entitled LITTLE GIS BLAS ; and How he Played the Spanish D(j)euce. Written by IL B. Farnie. The music selected and arranged by Frank Musgrave ; the ballet, groupings, (to., by J. Milano ; the new and magnificent scenery by Mr. F. Lloyds and assistants ; the costumes designed after drawings by Gustave Dorf. To conclude with HE'S A LUNATIC. Mr. J. Clayton.—Box Office open from Ten till Five. ROYALT Y THEATRE, DEAN-STREET, SOHO. Crowded Houses. Brilliant Success of R. Reece's Genuine Burlesque " Whittington, Junior, and his Sensation Cat," pro duced with New and Gorgeous Scenery, Superb Costumes, Choice Music, Characteristic Dances, and Splendid Appoint ments. Every Evening, at 7.30, WEALTH. At 9.20, the New Grand Burlesque WHITTINGTON, JUNIOR, AND HIS SENSATION PAT. Concluding with THE RENDEZVOUS. Box Office open from Eleven till Five. No Fees for Booking. ASTLEY'S.—Lessee and Manager, Mr. JoHN BAUM.—On Boxing Night, Dec. 26th, first time, Grand Comic Original Christmas Pantomime, HARLEQUIN LITTLE TOM TITTLEMOUSE, and the seven Dancing Princesses ; or, Deedle Deedle Dumplin and the Silver Frog. A STLEY'S MORNING 'PERFORMANCES EVERY WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY, at Two. Children Half-price to Stalls, Dress Circle, and Boxes. No charge for booking. Box-office open from 11 to 4. NOTHING IMPOSSIBLE. A GUA AMARELLA restores the Human Hair ri to its Destine hue, no matter at what age. J NO. GOSNE I,L and CO. have at length, with the aid of one of the most eminent Chemists, succeeded in perfecting this wonder ful liquid. It is now offered to the public in a more concentrated form, and at a lower price. Sold In bottles, 3s each; also 58., 7s. 6d., and 158. each, includ ing brush. Red Bull Wharf, Angel-passage, 9a, Upper Thames-street, Lon don, E.C. LIFEBOAT SERVIOES.—During the Storms of the past eleven months the National Lifeboat Institution has contributed to the saving of 918 lives from various ship wrecks and 24 vessels from destruction. It has also expended £23,287 in the same period on its Lifeboat Establishments, in addition to granting £2,023 for rewards. The Institution has now 223 Lifeboat Stations under its management. Contributions are earnestly solicited, and will be thankfully received by the London and Country bankers, and by the Secre tary Richard Lewis, Esq. , at the Institution, lt, John-street, Adeiphi, London. ANY GENTLEMAN requiring the comforts of a HOME in a respectable and cheerful family, where there are no other lodgers, to board or not with the family, as required, may hear of the same by applying to A. L., Mr. Hawkins, Post Office, Liverpool-road, Barnsbury, N. WEST LONDON HOSPITAL, Hammersmith, W.—FUNDS are urgently needed, and the Committee earnestly appeal to the benevolent to assist them in carrying on their useful work. T. ALEXANDEIt, Sec. and Sup 'THREE SPLENDID SPECULATIONS offer to 1 subscribers the most favourable chances of great success. With a trifling stake of 12s. you can obtain £3,000 1 ! With £l, £25,000 ! ! With £B, £37,000 1 ! For prospectuses apply without delay to EUGENE TILLOT, General Merchant, Guernsey THE DRAGON OF WANTLEY ; or, Harlequin Old Mother Shipton,will be produced this Evening (Monday) December 26, and positively withdrawn on Saturday, February 55. Places can be secured from the first until the last date. MORNING PERFORMANCES every WEDNESDAY and SATURDAY ; therefore, to prevent disappointment, an early application for seats is respectfully requested. Box-office open from Ten till Five daiIy.—THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE. THEATRES, AND AMUSEMENTS. DRURY LANE—RuIe Britannia. Dragon of Wantley. COVENT GARDEN—Lottery Ticket. Sleeping Beauty. ADELPHI—Smoke. Mistletoe Bough. HAYMARKET—The Poor Soldier. The Palace of Truth. Uncle's Will. The Spectre Bridegroom. VAuDEviazu—Chiselling. Two Roses. Elizabeth, or the Invisible Armada. STRAND-011 and Off. Living at Ease. Coeur-de- Lion. ST. JAMES'S—To Oblige Benson. Fernande. Bombastes Furioso. OrAmrio—Poppleton's Predicament. Nell and (Bur lesque) Paul and Virginia. ROYALTY - Wealth, and Whittington Junior and his Sensation Cat. GAIETY—A Christmas Story. Alladin II QUEEN'S—Farce. Midsummer Night's Dream. GLOBE—Board and Residence. Delicate Ground. White Cat. Rely on my Discretion. OPERA COMIQUE—Fouid Drowned. Nothing to Nurse. HOLBORN—The Married Bachelor. A Breach of Promise. The Jezabel. PRINCE OF WALES'S. - Queen Stork. Ours. Locked PRINCEBS'S—A Christmas Carol. Little Gil Blas. He's a Lunatic. NATIONAL STANDARD—Farce. Ride a Cock Horse to Banbury Cross. ASTLEY'S—Farce. Little Tom Tittlemonse. SADLER'S WELLS—Farce. Sinbad the Sailor. SURREY—Farce. My Son Jack. PurrEcHme—Professor Pepper's War Lecture. After noon and Evening. EGYPTIAN HALL—Poole and Young's Panorama of the Franco-Prnssiat War. AMPIIITUEATRR AND CIRCUS (Holborn)—Scenes in the Arena. ST. JAMES'S HALL.—Christy Minstrels. Every evening. PALS'S ROYAL—Professor Faber's Talking Machine. ALHAMBRA—Promenade Concert. MADAME TUSSAUD'S (Baker-street) —From 10 a.m. till 10 p.m. ls. ; extra rooms, 6d. OPEPA COMIQUE.—S. EMERY as BOFFIN in FOUND DROWNED, or OUR MUTUAL FRIEND. Also Messrs. John Nelson+, W. M'lntyre, Charles Warner (by permission of W. H. Listo.., Esq.), Edwin Stanley, Granville, and Bell ; Mesdames Ernetone, Patti Josephs, Holston, ➢Landers, Tilly Earl, and Miss Rose Lisle. Open at 0.30 ; commence at 7. I 3103 E zOiN'S i 4). INTER OVERCOATS, 19s, to £5. it I )OY'S OVERCOATS, 7s. N. to 455. 1) THE EUROPEAN WAR The SUN is Published Every Mornitsg at EMIT I' O'CLOCK, with SOME HOURS' LATI- 7 ,1; NEWS than any other paper. This edition will always contain the LATEST N EWS of the WAR, and of all other events. MOSES and SON beg to remind the public . • that the cheapness of au article depends entirely on its ity. and they venture to 8 y that thiir prices will compare fa ..ourably with Vioso of any other ~e to England. '1 II E SUA, LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 187 C. T ley did calculate, and very grievously were they wrong. They imagined, as monarchists are apt to do, that good administration under a Republic was impossible, that civil war would break out ; that all France would- become something like a public pleating, at Belleville. When Bismarck sneered at Favre about the three Republican Governments — that at Tours, that at Lyons, and that at Paris—he was evidently under this impression. It would •ho interesting to know what he thinks of Limselr, it his ninny duties over give him an opportunity of callin t ; to mind that gross aid most foolish insolence. 1, 1 MuSES and SON'S )XFORD C0..a6, 175. to 503. CAMBRIDGE COATS, I Os, to 503. 1, 7 " ERTCH JA.OKETS, 15s. to 423. N. SUTHERLAND JACKET'S, 103. 61. to 60s. BUSINESS SUITS, 288. to GOs. EMOSES and SON'S easy and accu rate s y stem . of welt .measure enables theta to execute orders by post with the guarantso of a faultless it. l i p s 0 and SON'S A., FROCK CO IiTS, 245. to 03s. DRESS COAIS, 253. to 00s. M ORNING TROUSERS, Hs. (Id. to 21s. DRESS TROUSERS, 12s. Gd. to 2Gs. ATOURNING SUITS, 28s. to 25. .011 1. 1 1 MOSES and SON inviti special attention • to their large stook of GEN fLEMEN'S DRESSING ROBES at 18s. to 20 Guineas ; the assortmen t is unequalled for variety of materials and designs, and neatness and elegance of finish. E. MOSES and SON'S BOYS' CLOTHING : KNICKERBOCKER SUI .S, Os. Od. to 40s. ETON SULI'S, 169. to 40s. BR. GIITON SUITS, 18s. to 48s. D RESS SUITS, 258. to 03s. (VERA COMIQUE.-Mr. G. F. ROWS will 1 make his re-appearance in London This Evening in a new and striking Drama, founded on Charles Dickens's celebrated novel " Our Mutual Friend." ft/f ORNING PERFORMANCES of the Grand ; TA. Pantomime, entitled the DRAGON OF WANTLEY, every Wednesday and Saturday. Children and Schools at re duced prices to the following parts of the Theatre ;—First Circle, Dress Circle, and Stalls. Box Office open from 10 till 5 daily. - THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE. rriIEATRE ROYAL, HA.YAI A RKET.—Thirty -1 second Night of a NEW FAIRY COMEDY. THIS EVENING (MONDAY) at Seven, O'Keefe's Musical Piece, THE POOR SOLDIER, with selections from the original music. Patrick, Miss Fanny Wright, Norah, Miss Fanny Gwynne. After which, at a quarter to Eight o'clock, a new Fairy Oomedy, in Three Acts, entitled THE PALACE OF TRUTH. Characters by Mr. Buckstone, Messrs. Kendal, Everill, Clark, Braid, Rogers, Mesdames Robertson, Chippendale, C. Hill, Fanny Wright, and Fanny Gwynne. Act I. Garden of. King Pbanor's Country House. Act 11. Interior of the Palace of Truth. Act 111. The Avenue of Palms. Followed by UNCLE'S WILL. Mr. Kendal and Miss Robertson. Concluding with the Farce of THE SPECTRE BRIDEGROOM. Box ottce open daily from 10 till 5. ADELPHI THEATRE ROYAL.—SoIe Pro prietor, Mr. BENJAMIN WEBSTER ; Managers. Mr. B. WEBSTER and Mr. F. B. CHATTERTON.—THIS EVENING, at 7, a new Drama, in One Act, SMOKE. Mr. Billington, Mr. Ashley, Mr. C. 11. Stephenson, Mrs. Billington, and Miss Furtado. After which, THE MISTLETOE BOUGH. Mrs. A. Mellon, Miss Elise Holt, Mademoiselle Debreaux, Camilla Dubois, Miss I ellew, Miss M. Cooper, and Miss Bella Moore, Mi. Brittain Wright, Mr. John Rouse. and Mr. Odell ; And THE MILLINER'S HOLIDAY, Mr. John Rouse and Miss Emma Barnett. I)OYAL STJIAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee and Manageress, Mrs. SWANBOROUGH. This Evening, at 7, ON AND OFF, LIVING AT EASE. Messrs. Crouch, Turner; Mesdames Ada Swanborough, E. Bufton, and F. Hughes. CCP:UR-DE-LION, Messrs. Terry, Phulton, Fenton, and Turner ; Mesdames Amy Sheridan, E. Button, Santley, Lee, Goodall, &o. VAUDEVILLE THEATRE, STRA ND.- Lessees— Messrs. H. J. Montague, D. James, and T. Thorne. THIS EVENING, at 7 CHISELLING, Mr. David James; after which TWO ROSES (176th night), by James Albery. Conclude with ELIZABETH. Supported by Messrs. H. J. Montague, David James. and T. Thorne, &c. ; Mesdames AmyFawsitt, A. Newton, and Nelly Power, &c. "4 T. JA.MES's THEA.TRE.—Lesaee and Manageress, Mrs. JOHN WOOD. LAST WEEKS O FERNANDE. This Evening at 7.45 great play, FERNANDE, Messrs. Farren, Leeson, Lin Rayne, Murray, and L. Brough ; Mrs. Hermann Vezin, Miss Larkin, Miss Fannie tyrough, Miss Turner, and Mrs. John Wood.—Doors open at 6.30. kt 7, TO OBLIGE BENSON, by Tom Taylor, Esq. Messrs. Harry Cox, Grainger, Mervin ; Misses Marian Inch and H. Everard. At 7.45, FERNANDE. At 10.30, This Evening, the Great Burlesque, BOMBASTES FITRIOSO.—Box-office 11 to 6. No fees. (APERA , • • COMIQUE, 299 &rind —Lessees 11. k_..l Leslie, C, Steele, W. Nc:ton.—This most beautiful Theatre in London Will re-open for the English Dramatic Season Thi s Evening (Monday), December 26, at popular prices, from 6d. to 7s. 6d. •-•• LONDON, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26 1870. IT seems idle henceforth to talk of the solidarite of nations, of the federation of Chistendom, of the alliance of European Governments. Had there been anything of worth in resonant phrases that 1870 has gone far is demonstrate as instrinsically of no more value than so much sounding bra=s and so many tinkling 3ymbals, Christmas would not have cone, as it has come, with such an appalling spectacle for our own immediate contemplation, and for the de lineation of some future BACKLE or MACAU LAY. A. spectacle more appalling has not been witnessed since the wars of the great N APOLEON—those terrible Wars of the Giants which were the outcome of the Great French Revolution. And even then theme was no single campaign that could be matched in its ruthless prolongation with this most cruelly protracted campaign of 1870, in which France is being devasted piecemeal—city after city being stormed and eaptured, army after army being routed, butchered, an 1 driven into captivity, the fairest,- noblest, grandest of all the capitals of the European Continent being ringed round as with a circle of iron, a magical and deg ily circle, vomiting flames and bristling with the lances of the Uhlans, and with the swords and the bayonets and the spiked helmets of the whole German army of investment. Had there been anything at all in the supposed fraternity of the powers of the civilised world, instead of the neutrals remaining all this while apathetically pokers-on at the horrible carnage, they , would have long since interposed between the belligerents, the chief of them together, if not the whole of them, unani mously, and have insisted upon Franco and Prussia coming to terms, and putting an end to so much wanton slaughter and devastation. That the sur rounding nations of Europe should have hesitated about interfering in the quarrel at its commencement, was perfectly natural, of course, an! reasonable and comprehensible. Opinions were divided as tc which of the two opposing Governments was most in the wrong neither of them being wholly in the right in the diplomatic contention, out of the clashing and clangour of which the war of 1870 at last emerged. Enzlan 1, Austria, Italy, Russia having nothing at all to do with the squabble as it was at . the outset, felt themselves in no way called upon to side with either the oue or the other, when the pens of the respective foreign Ministers and. Ambassadors were thrown aside at last as of no further avail, and the gage of battle was flung down by the EMPEROR and picked up by the KING, and the swords were drawn by the confronting combatants. immediately, however, that NAPOLPON 111. was carried off captive from Sedan to Wilhelmshohe, immediately that the - Imperial army under Marshal BAZAINE had followed the example of the Imperial Army, under Marshal MAcMAttox—namely, by a wholesale capitulation— the relative positions of the belligerents had become altogether different. France was either really or osten sibly the aggressor when the war commenced. After the fall of the EMPEROR and the dispersion of his armies the aggressor—the wanton, cruel, implacable aggressor—has been, not France, but Germany. Since then the neutral Powers have been under the weight of an awful responsibility. Upon them has devolved the duty of misting upon the termination of the war. Of that duty, how have they acquitted themselves ? Have they relieved themselves, even to a fractional extent, of the heavy weight of the responsibility ? Instead of doing so, they have re maim d selfishly apathetic—France prostrated, helplses, bleeding from every vein—Prussia and her German allies trucculently trampling her under foot, smiting her with a two-edged sword hip and thigh, and holding over that metropolitan cynosure of the whole European Continent, the noble and beautiful city of Paris, the infernal alternative of starvation or bombardment. With this deplorable spectacle before us, let us not, for very shame's sake, boast or babble any longer about those wild and idle daydreams— cordial alliances, and fraternal federations among the Powers of Christendom. TOPICS OF THE DAY. THE CONFERENCE. The meeting of the Conference has been advanced a week from the time originally contemplated. It was anticipated that the difficulties of preliminary negotiation would be great; but it would appear that they have been overcome by a somewhat un expected readiness of France to send a represen tative. The Conference will, therefore, open on Tug sday week. As to the difficulties of the deliberations themselves, they ought to be nil. The Conference, in fact, meets to do something that has been already done. TILE CIIANCES. The two leading weekly organs of opinion in England agree (and they are not often in accord) th the chances of France are better than at any time since Sedan. The Spectator has always believed that France woul 1 win if she only fought on long enough ; the Saturday Review has always hell the opposite conclusion, and its opinion therefore is now the more noticeable of the two. On no si,!o do the French gain successes, but nowne , e have they lately suffered irretrievable defeats., an 1 the constant fighting they keep up terribly wears out the Germans. Paris has food for two months, an 1 its works are being pushed out in all directions. Ohanzy fights incessa►►tly, and almost with equal SUCC3SB ; the North Army, at least, occupies Manteulfel Bourbald is getting ready ; Werder has quite as much as ho can do in the East. " Nowhere, indeed, have the Germans failed to do what they have undertaken to do. But every day they are called on to make new exertions, and their courage awl resources are severely taxed to endure the incessant strain that is put on them on so many sides." The advantages of the Germans need no stating. T'ie chances are on their side, but never were they smaller than at present. Now AND THEN. It is notorious that the Germans are much disap pointed by the stubborn resistance of France. They themselves confess to a mistake in their calculations; and it is probable that the error arose through too clos 4y deducing the fate of Imperial France from the late of Imperial Austria. When- e Austrian regular forces were beaten at Sadowa there was no further hope. - More than half the Emperor's suhject3 detested his rule, and the remain:ler had no great liking for a Government well nigh despotic. There was no hope, therefore, of a popular war. Nor was there any in France under the Imperial rule. But the Germans fully knew that de'eat would lose Napoleon his throne, and they had therefore to cal culate upon what, would happen after his fall. DICTATORSHIP. An impression seems to prevail that Gambetta, though nominally a member of a Republican Government, is really an irresponsible dictator. This is a misapprehension. M. Gambetta was sent from Paris to organise resistance in the provinces, partly because M. Cr6mieux and his colleagues behaved very weakly, and partly becaus3 they adopted measures contrary to the wishes of the Paris Ministry. The original delegates were disposed to make peacs, even at the price of territory ; the Ministers in Paris were not disposed to do it, and M. Gambetta was quite at one with them on this point. M. Gambett .represents the Ministry; his-colleagues at Bordeaux do not. Being the only real representative of the Government out of Paris, he is a dictator in s.) far as he cannot, by the ne3essities of tl►e case, get any help from his colleagues ; and probably a very good tiling it is for France that the powers of ti►e nation are at such a moment employed by a man who knows what ho is about. But he is not a dictator in the sense of wielding irresponsible authority, for he acts i►► harmony with the Government whom all French men obey. JIAZAINE. The world has had so many exciting matters to consider lately, that it has given , up thinking about . Bazaine's share in the great romance of 1870. But it is quite as well that the truth should be known, and it happens that some excellent evidence is just tendered. A letter is published in the Indeeendance Bc/ge—that paper which has done so much to damn Imperialism—from a colonel of Bazaiue's un grand seigneur, formerly a great friend at the Tuileries, and a personage who has occupied a high diplomatic position. This tAlicer, who was captured at Metz, seems to experience smite difficulty in find ing terms strong enough to denounce Bazaine. " Treason," the word which Gambetta was so much blamed for employing, is unsparingly used by this colonel. Bazaine, he says, attempted to make h's shame the stepping-stone to his greatness. His scheme was long meditate I, and its ram ifi ca ti o ns were numerous. Bazaine betrayed the Emperor, in order that he himself might remain alone in power. He refuse" to make an effective sortie ween MacMahon was fighting at Sedan, lest the latter should become glorious. Wile., the Republic was established, he refused to render it any effective service through fear of Troc't it's ascendancy. He, in short, had constantly in mind some plan of putting himself at the head of his bayonets as dicta tor. The writer claims it as an honour that he formed one of a conspiracy, in which several generals took part, to force Bazaine to either march out or depose him. But they could find no leader. These are gra's e charges, the gravest we have yet seen, but it unfortunately happens that nearly all Bazaine's officers who have spoken out prefer charges more or less grave. It is only a question of degree. WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR ? Mr. M'Cullagh Torrens, M.P., asks why we hesi tate any longer, if need be, to go to war for France. He argues that the danger arising from the prostra tion of France an,l the aggrandisement of Prussia is so great that self interest alone prompts us to interfere. " In presence of two vast military monarchies, bound together by complicity in past conquests and by the hope of future aggraudisements at the cost of weaker States, we owe it to ourselves as a matter of c ,mmon prudence not to stand by any longer and see - France undone. In plain English we can't afford it. Already territorial treaties have been torn up and flung in our face. Our peace-at-any price rulers are literally pelted with warnings." All that we can gain by waiting any longer is that the two confederates will gain time, one to complete her armaments,' the other to accomplish the ruin of France. The rest of the continent will then be left defenceless. THE WORKING MEN OF ENGLAND AND AMERICA. A meeting of working men has been held in Lon don at the rooms of the Labour Representation League, at which an address to •the working men of America on the war and the Ala bama claims was unanimously agreed to. The address hails with pleasure a resolution passed by a mass meeting at New York, condemning the continuance of the war against the French Republic .as highly unjust, and promoting the interests of despotism. The working men of Eng land share the sentiments expressed by the working men of America, and demand with them " that the sword of the Prussian despot shall be stayed." They are convinced that the growth of despotism in Europe, by the evident complicity of Prussia and Russia, is a danger to the principles of free Government, established in - America developing in England, and painfully struggled for on the battlefields of France. They are alarmed at the apathy of the British Government, and find its culpable inaction is excused by the fear that America would take a 1 vantage of England's position, if she went to war, to enforce her disputed claims. They refuse to credit an allegation so damaging to American., and therefore they appeal to them to defeat the schemes of party politicians. If England has to engage in any conflict in Europe for the main tenance of freedom and justice, they ask for the sympathy of Americans, who are equally interested in the triumph of free institutions. OUR. IRONCLAD NAVY. Mr. Qorry has made some remarks respecting Mr. Childers' Minute on the loss of the Captain. He says that the latter has given a moat erroneous impres,ion of his policy by saying that his predecessor in office had hot purposed to construct any new ironclads. Mr. Corry declares on the contrary that in a memoran dum he, left on his retirement from the Admiralty he said that it would be ,necessary to make increased provision for building ironclads, to put our navy on an equality with otlier nations, but having done so it would be unwise to lay down any additional armoured ships at a time when the applicability of the turret principle to seagoing ships was so soon to be tested by the trials of the Captain awl the Monarch ; whch it was then expected would have occurred in the following year. Mr. Corry ig glad that be refused to build repetitions of the Captain before a trial had been made of a vessel of that class. THE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION. Mr. Potter, in a letter to Mr. Forster, M.P., pro tests against the decision of the Education Depart ment not to inquire into the irregularities at the late election for the School Board in Westminster. Mr. Potter was defeated by a narrow majority, and he believes that but for these irregu larities he might have been success ful. The Education Department tells him that he may apply to a court of law. To this Mr. Potter answers :—" I venture to submit that mine was one of the cases which the 33rd section of the Act is peculiarly fitted to meet, and that a Govern ment proressedly so anxious to benefit my class should he willing to take both the trouble and re sponsibility of seeing my claims investigated. The result is that I am subj ecte 1 to an injustice. I must either prepare to undergo the expense of contesting one seat with five occupants, all supporte i by wealth, or run the risk, in the event of failure, of paying five sets of costs." POSTAL COMMUNICATIONS. Great complaints are made in Havre of the d ficiency of postal communications. They can only receive mails from the interior after great delay, and news is sometimes longer in coming from Mar seilles than from New York, while the senders at Havre are in blissful uncertainty when their o - vn communications with the outer world reach t! eh. destinations: The trade between Havre and England is of great importance, and even at the pre font moment it is greater than the English trade with a ;y other French p rt, possibly from the large number o: English residents in the town. For some unexplained reason, however, the London office has refused a small subvention for the establishment of a daily service from Southampton. It continues to send the greater part of the letters ani newspapers for Havre by Calais - and Dieppe, and they have conse quently to pass through the invaded districts, which uses great delay. The mails going via .Southamp ton aro the only ones to be relied on, and these arrive but three times a .week, so that it is not surprising same irritation should exist. THE DATE OF CHRISTMAS DAY. Of course it woull be out of the question to alter tl:e date of Christmas Day now. 'We have passed too many merry Christmases for that; still it may be worth while calling attention to an ingenious theory referred to by a writer in a sporting contemporary. Ile assures us that we are altogether out of count when we imagine that the Nativity of the Saviour took place in December. The exact date, everyone koows, has long -been a matter 01 dispute, but spe,mlative and learned men, Sir Isaac Newton among them, have doubted the fact of the shepherds watching their flocks by night" in the fields at the height of the rainy season iii Judma. Spending a night in the frost doubtless would be thought a hardship in England, but remain ing on a damp sod under a constant downpour of radii would be awful. It will be a pity if the discre p mcy of date be allowed to cause a laugh at us when the New Zealander arrives. • OUR COOKS. If there was one thing more than another in our domestic life we were beginning to pride ourselves upon, it was the improved morality of our cooks. We had begun to suppose that the additional duties thrown on the police, and the higher class of intellectual efficiency demanded of them had, among other circumstances, tended to a change iu kitchen management which had in turn e!evated the independence of the servants and caused cooks especially to look more careinily after their general business and their own conduct. It would seem that our hopes are premature. Not a week since we referred to a little adventure at Put ney, where an hon. and rev, vicar had to apply hy dropathic principles in attempting to impress a sense of sobriety on his cook. We have now to record that anJther follower of the culinary tut has been sent to 'prison for three m ails for an even more serious offence than her Putney contemporary. This woman, it was shewn, being intent on getting settled in life, engaged a room in the house adjoining her master's. Anxious to furnish the chamber, she deliberately and calmly passed over the garden wall four chairs, one table, sheets, blankets, cloths, and other necessary require ments, all the property of her master. A GOOD EXA➢IPLE. An interesting story of juvenile heroism is told in connection with Mr. Macgregor, of Rob Roy noto riety. So long ago as last August a child of about eight years old got into a boat a:,Falmouth, and, after steering his craft about with one oar fell into imminent danger of drowning. His screams were heard by a lad who was up in an apple-tree, but at once came down, climbed over a wall, jumped into the sea, and saved the child. Mr. Macgregor, who was in the neighbourhood, applied to the Humane Society for its melal, which he obtained,- the society requesting he would present it in the most public manner he could. Mr. Macgregor carried out this suggestion in a very ingenious manner. He had been invited to preside at the distribution of prizes at the Green wich Proprietary School, and when the time for the ceremonial came round he took the lad, whoso name was Andrew Young, to Green wich with him. When the prize-giving was over, Mr. Macgregor brought forward his young hero, told the story of his exploit to the eager schoolboys, and then presented him with the me lal, observing that the richest man in England could not purchase it, and he hoped all English lads would be ready to imitate the act of pluck it commemorated. WANTED FRESH kiR. It has been remarked as curious that continental nations should practically ignore the lessons of mili tary hygiene painfully learnt in modern wars. The hos pitals of both French and Germans are sadly deficient in one of the very first re quisites for the patients' recovery—sufficient ventilation. They have been invariably overcrowded, an evil that could not always Le avoided, owing to the overwhelming number of wounded, but the fact that it was proposed to close the roof ventila tion of the barrack hospitals on• account of the cold weather, proves how little the danger of such overcrowding is rightly appreciated. Fuel is not always, easy to obtain, and the cold is, of course, unfavourable to the patients ; but the French have, as a rule, manifested a fear of draughts which has probably had something to do with the prevalence of lung diseases among them. The Ger mans have translations of the best works of modern English hygiene, and Sir J. Simpson's " llospi talian" is extensively read in Germany, though it would seem to little purpose, as in respect of want of ventilation and overcrowding they are not much better than the French. SIR ANDREW FAIRBAIRN. It is sometimes marvellous to see the manner in which a man's course in life, his place of residence, his profession, and his general habits are all altered from the plan he had' designed for himself, as he moves along with the years of his existence. Sir Andrew Fairbairn, the distinguishel engineer, is an instance of a person, who though originally occupy ing a tolerably calm sphere of life, has met with many and diverse vicissitudes. Sir Andrew was a son of the late Sir Peter Fairbairn, the Mayor of Lee Is knighted by the Queen in 1858, on the occasion of the opening of the Town-hall. He was born at Glasgow, and was educated at Geneva and Glasgow, subsequently at St. Peter's College, Cambridge, where he obtained 37th place in the 1850 wrangler list. ln 1852 Sir Andrew was called to the bar of the Inner Temple, and went the Northern and West Riding Circuits. It was in 1856 that he relinquishel the legal profession, and entered practice as an engineer with the Leeds firm, of which he is now the head. He was Mayor of Leeds in 1806 and in 1867, and received the honour of knighthood, like his father, from Royal hands. The last change that has taken place in the engineer's prospects has just occurred in his election as President of the School Board of the northern town. Sir Andrew Fairbairn is mar ried to a daughter of Sir John Loraine, Bart. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS ON SCIENCE. M. Droll . irn de Lhuys, whose name was at one time so constantly associated with the intrigues of diplomatists and the measures of politicians, is now, thanks to the changes of dynasties and fortunes, celebrating the less exciting, but more durable combats of science over in. the Channel Islands. He was present at a banquet given at Jersey to celebrate the opening of the Channel Islands Telegraph, and proposed success to the Channel Islands Exhibition of 1871. A short time before, he said, he had assisted at the celebra tion of the opening of the first railway in Jersey. The island was marching fast over the stages of civilisa tion. M. Drouyn de Lhuys became enthusiastic in his praises of the wonders of science, which enabled man to command the light to take its invisible pencil and produce his portrait, and the fire to make an alliance with its ancient enemy, the water. lie referred with sadness to the condition of his own country. At the beginning of the summer he officiated as President of the Agricultural Society of France, at a competition of ploughs and reaping machines driven by steam. The very fields in which those machines were tried are now ravaged by war. He hoped the gentlemen before him would continue to porfect the means and the implements for preserving rather than for destroying mankind. iIVIERICAN INTERVIEWING. A trustworthy authority has informed us that the proprietors of the American papers are. anxious to secure an enterprising and suitable man who will undertake to " interview" Calcraft. America, more over, being pretty well interviewed already, this man, if he shoUld succeed in delineating the pep- Rarities of Calcraft's inmost thoughts to satisfaction, is to be asked' to follow up his first effort by going through a list of victims. The list includes Martin Tupper, Mr. Bright (with reasons for his retirement), Dr. Newman, Mr. Gladstone, and one of the released Fenians. It would seem that one English agent of undoubted vigilance has already been engaged to visit the Pope, and another attempted to penetrate the woods of Chiselhurst recently, but was ignominiously driven back by a furious sortie on the part of the attendants. We suppose that in going through a series, beginning With Calcraft and finishing with Gladstone, the New York papers are anxious to have the most interesting morsel first. DIAMOND FIELDS. Notwithstanding the marvellous tales of subter ranean wealth told by gold diggers of this genera tion, the wholesale discovery of diamonds at the Cape reads like a fairy tale. The district in which the precious stones have been found has been christened " Adamantia" and the African newspapers are full of wonderful narratives about it. A letter in the Friend of the Tree State describes the finding of a magnificent diamond of the first water, weighing 88 1-10 carats, and eclipsing in size and beauty the " Star of South Africa." The fortunate finder of the gem was a Mr. Wheeler, who, with six of his relatives, had been at work on the I'inel Banks for four months. They had in that time picked up twenty-one diamonds, but they did not think this would be sufficient to realise their expenses, and had resolved on leaving, when Mr. Wheeler, who had been standing by his cradle, sud denly held up his hand and screamed, as if he had been shot. After a moment's surprise, he explained that, as a bucket of water thrown into the cradle oozed away, he saw the light come up from a stone half-buried in the gravel. He seized it, and found it was a diamond the size of a pigeon's egg. At first his Iriends could not believe their eyes when he held out the stone, but at length they realised it, and cheered like mad. All the diggers came rushing round, and the excitement was unprecedented. By this time there are 10,000 Europeans on the banks of the Vaal River, but the chance of finding such another prize is; of course, very slight. Court . 7 IfM DIFN - Circular. HER MAJESTY. OSBORNE, Dec. 25. Her Majesty the Queen, accompanied by their Royal Highnesses Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice, at tended Divine service at Whippingham Church this morning. CHRISTMAS AND THE RAILW A YS. To-night a large number of railway porters, clerks, van drivers, parcels traffic managers, and their assistants will lay their beads upon their pillows to commence the first refreshing unstinted sleep they have enjoyed for nearly a week. Not one among ten thousand of the happy recipients of the good things so plentiful at Christmas knows anything of the heavy toil involved in their con veyance and distribution on the part of railway employ4s. The Christmas parcel traffic is different from the parcel business of any other time of the year. In the week preceding Christmas the ordinary parcels carried by passenger trains are usually smaller in number than in the other weeks of the year, but parcels of another kind come in like a flood. The contents of these parcels are mainly geese, turkeys, pheasants, hares, codfish, oysters, and stilton cheeses. It may be said, after a round made yesterday of almost all the principal metropolitan stations, that the parcels carried, consisting of hampers, baskets, bags, kegs, and unpacked single hares, turkeys, braces of pheasants, and the like, have been much more numerous in this Chrismas week than they were in the corresponding week of last year. Turkeys are greatly in the ascendant this year, the Eng lish production of that bird having been unprecedentedly large of late. Geese are comparatively scarce. Small importations of geese and turkeys have been received from the French ports of Honfleur, Havre, and St. Malo, the ordinance against the exportation of food having been evaded by shipping them alive ; a few eggs have also been received from France, shipped as fruit; and the supply of French fresh butter has up to this time been equal to the demands of the English markets, but the trade as between France and England in poultry,- eggs, and Normandy butter may be said to be practically at an end, at least for the present.—Railway News. THE FACTORY ACT AT WOOLWICH. There are many questions waiting to be asked when Parliament meets, and there is one which no doubt will be put without delay, and the answer to which will be heard with no small interest. It is confidently stated that the provisions of the Factory Act are openly set at defiance at the Royal Laboratory in Woolwich Arsenal. Under this Act it is unlawful to employ children in any establishment for more than six hours and a half in the twenty-four hours composin the day. Yet, if rumour speaks correctly, nearly 1,000 children are employed at the Royal Laboratory for thirteen, fourteen, and even fifteen hours consecutively. It is hardly credible that one public department should thus violate the law, and that another public department whose duty it is to put such law into operation should permit its violation in this dis graceful manner. We trust that no time will be lost when the session commences, of, indeed, it ever does com mence. in making a strict inquiry into the truth of this allegation. ATTEMPTED MURDER AND SUICIDE IN LONDON. Early on Saturday morning a coach painter, named Gregory, who lived near Primrose Hill, cut his wife's throat with a razor as she lay in bed, and then inflicted a similar wound on himself. It is thought that the man will die, but that the woman may recover. Jealousy is the cause of the crime, the man having been taunted by his fellow-workmen with insinuations as to his wife's unfaith fulness. The Telegraph's correspondent at Bordeaux, says : " I understand that Remington, the great American rifle maker, is about to establish a line of steamers from Southampton to this place in order to deliver more quickly the supplies of the Government in the way of arms, ammunition, &c. I believe that this enterprising firm will, for many weeks to come, land in France twenty thousand rifles every ten days, with about three hundred rounds of ammunition for each weapon. Six weeks hence France will have a million of men armed with breech loaders of one sort or another, and a month later she will have a million and a half of breech-loading rifles in rese, ve. A NEW TORPEDo.—Experiments were made on Friday in the Mrdway, near Gillingham, below Chatham Dockyard, with a new torpedo, in the presence of the Royal Engineer Committee and the officers of Royal Engineers, at the School of Military Engineering. The experiments were made from the Volta, a vessel specially devoted to carrying out experiments with torpedoes. The party of officers were conveyed from the Dockyard to the vessel. GAZETTE NOTICES. —Th e London Gazette an nounces that the Queen has been pleased to confer the following honours in the most distinguished Order of 'St. Michael and St. George :--Knights Commanders— Lieutenant General James Lindsay and Colonel Walseley. Companions Colonel Fielden, Lieutenant Colonel M`Neill, Lieuteant Colonel Bolton, Matthew Bell Irvine ; Lieutenant Colonel Jarvis, Lieutenant Colonel Cassault, Major M`Leod, in the service of the Dominion of Canada. BREAKFAST.—EPPS'S COCOA.--GRATEFUL AND COM FOIYrING.—The very agreeable character of this preparation has rendered it a general favourite. The Civil Service Gazette re marks :—" By a thorough knowledge of the natural laws which govern the operations of digestion and nutrition, and by a careful application of the fine properties of well-selected cocoa. Mr. Epps has provided our breakfast tables with a delicately flavoured beverage which may save us many heavy doctors' bills." Each packet is labelled—JAMES EPPS & CO., Homoeo pathic Claemists, London. Also, makers of Epps's Cacaoine, a very thin evening beverage.—Advt. LATESI ®._~___. DEFEAT An official d 4 eadquarters berLe, 60,000 by General Ma Were engaged. The followi have been rece "'the Ist attacked the ei WA of Amiens " In spite of ° 1 his numer Prech,encourt, Vecquemont, I held aga night put an e "Up to th Prisoners have "Yesterday gagement on (German) nor Army of the 1S " After the 1 Very considera o Yer an arm of " At present q• ouolt in. A d espatch army is pursu defeated Frenc cations betwee s uspended, bee I) arliatnentaire 'while the cons The Echo c 111 ent at Pont berbe had his l eft wing, atte elit and throw b etween two !Estimated at 3 Prussiz by the Frenc Wounded were n orthern regi L ille, and otht Commissary ( to Lille on Sal ATTACK On the eve: 4101 1 place be v 't General Ch wand of the ] The Frencl 4 ans attacked 1 r rderous firs heavy losses, The Frencl their moveme °I campaign. The comma i lks been cut THE B The officia yesterday, lie The Comp t ijeurs of Ha National (qua '4 l bceur, tool e : 11 -4posecl of engeurs of five a.m., and At half-pa 17 ° 11 ey of mu W hom were frilosian iufa then marehec The strum fo rce of the ocquart co t he heights during the NI c entral coltm pieces openec la n gun. About 11. The Pruss A. body of 411 e3oured th d efiance of 8 , 1411 S captur 'lead, and fIN The Mocq Nils of MO. 47 e made pi Th e Mobi . Nissance wi of three kills The Pru , . 1 - 'ye tot. The Fren their old po larch to-m There hal t he last tv F rench Will astonis There hi n orth-east I °I an attac: Such an nardment N hi gh grou n Aceordin ' t , i errnans r Z l e coure to 1 4 ere are o q t ( We been , 11 ? uavigal se ine betw Itll d dockS 'heir booty Th e p r , Rouen, TheAn bone bets XO addi fr ont Atni Accordi f orce at The numi in Place 0 An ord fr ° lll wal TH]