The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-05-25 00:00:00

SOrtign anb eolanial intellignue.

FRANCE.
The French naval squadron in the Pacific is about to
he reinforced. The command of the squadron has just
been given to commander Saisset.
The position of Suez is now considered of so much
importance by the French Government that the
Consulate there is to be raised to a Consulate-General.
It is rumoured that the Dutch Government has been
chosen by the Kings of Naples and Piedmonts' mediator
in the affair of the Cagliari.
A report was circulated in Paris that M. Delarne, the
secretary of Prince Daniel, who had been charged with
• mission to the Commander-in-chief of the Turkish
army, had been assaminated in the Turkish camp. A tele-
graphic despatch received by the Minister of Foreign
Affairs contradicts this report.
A report has been circulated that, in consequence of
the turn *Zaire have taken in Montenegro, a despatch
has been addressed to Admiral Jurien, who commands
the Algesiru, and who was about to cruise in the
Adriatic. It is believed the despatch contains • counter-
order.
. .

The trial of 33 persons accused of being implicated in
the insurrectionary movement which took place at
Chelons-sur•Saone on the 6th of March commenced in
that town on Tuesday. Amongst the accused are one
landed proprietor, a corporal of the 2nd asanpany of the
Rifle Brigade, on leave of absence at Chitlona, and •
private of the 57th Regiment of Infantry, on leave of
absence at Chalons ; the remainder are operatives,
mostly tailors, shoemakers, and coopers. It is expected
that the trial will last several days.
The Paris Figaro of Thursday says :—" M. de Pane
has not been insensible for • moment, and he supports
his sufferings with great fortitude. His father, who
came from Nantes the moment he received intelligence
of the duel, has not been admitted to tate him, as the
slightest emotion would prove fatal. When the regi•
ment of Cuintssiont, in garrison at St. Germein, goes out
for Ito usual insmeuvres, the band now always ceases to
play as it approaches the bridge of Peoq, close to which
the wounded man lies. Id. Courtier, with whom M. de
Pane first fought, sends a despatch from Amiens every
day to inquire after hie health."
PARIS, Monday, May 17.
A most unpleasant effect has been produced here by I
a duel fought some days ago between s writer in the
Figaro (The Legitindst Charivari) and two subalterns
of the army. The quarrel originated in a paragraphu
published in the Figaro, and signed "Nemo," In which
some jokes, more tun, were cut at the expense of the
sub-lieutenants of the army. iNumerous letters were
addressed to "Neino".provoking him to justify his words
by his acts. "Nemo" soon threw off the mask, avowed
himself as H. de Pena, and informed one of his chal-
lengers that he was completely at his disposal whenever
he should be called upon to give satisfaction. The chal-
lenger was an officer of the 9th Chasseurs, named
Courtell, and the encounter took place in the neighbour.
hood of Paris, in presence of several witnesses. In •
short time the officer was wounded in the arm by the
civilian, and the affair terminated. The former assured
his opponent that he had not the slightest animosity
against him, and they shook hands now that all was
over. To the surprise of the civilians, another nib-
altern, named Hyene, who was one of the seconds,
stepped forth, and said that the affair could not end
thus, that the pleasantry of the Figaro had offended the
whole body of the sub-lieutenants of the French army,
and that he, as one, demanded satisfaction on the spot.
M. de Nine declared that he did not consider himself
bound to renew the contest; he had already exposed his
life by giving satisfaction for the presumed offence, and
if he consented to expose himself to the sword of ano.
ther adversary for the same cause lie might be called
upon to fight the whole army. Sub-Lieutenant Hyena
was not satisfied; a second duel ensued, and M. de
Pene was in a few minutes run through the body, and
now lies in a desperate state in a publichouse near the
bridge of the Peeq. There is little or no hope of saving
him. The principal editor of the Figaro, named
Villemalsam, demanded an audience of the Emperor;
but lie was referred to the Minister of Justice. The
officer has been ordered under arrest by the Minister
of War. It is thought that the result will be the
adoption of severe measures to check duelling. The
effect produced in Paris by this duel is most rainful.
Another account says that " Netno" made some playful
remarks in a recent article about the mub-lieutentude of
the army, and said, among other things, that, owing to
some new orders concerning their uniform, they would
no longer tear ladies' dresses with their spurs. This
article gave offence in a niece-room at St. Germain, and in
his weekly article of last Sunday, "News," observed that
he had received a very coarse letter from a person who
signed himself " A Sub-Lieutenant," and who talked a
great deal more about fighting than a gentleman who
means to fight usually does. This article produced •
challenge from the sub-lieutenant. When 51. de Pane
and his seconds got upon the ground they found seine
43 officers there belonging to the garrison of St. Ger-
main. The duel was fought with swords. H. de Pane
wounded his antagonist in the wrist and disabled him.
Dr. Guerin accompained M. de Pane from Paris. Not
one of the Paris journals has up to this time dared to
say a word of the matter, so great is the fear of a pro.
secution for " false news" in an affair which concerns
the army. It seems that a number of officers met at the
Cafe du Helder,. on the Boulevards des Italiens, to die-
cuss M. de Pene's articles in the Figaro, and there it
was that a list was settled of the officers who were to
call him out in succession. It is said that the names
were written out on slips of paper, and that a colonel's
hat was used to draw lots to see who should fight first.
M. de Pane'e seconds were the Duke of Rovigo and H.
Peira, a Breton gentleman, who was formally in the 3rd
Guards of Charles X. The officer with whom lie first
fought is a nephew of General Espinasse, the Minister
of the Interior and Public Safety. M. de Pane is a man
of noble family and charming manners, who was the
ried only six montfis ago.

The success of M. Migeon, who never dreamt that
lie was a man of ouch importance, is felt in every official
quarter as vexations and humiliating in the extreme.
Xo Paris paler has ventured to allude to it, and the
ifoaiteur itself passed it over in complete silence. The
thing is unprecedented since the establishment of the
Empire. Here is a man of no political weight or in-
fluence whatever, prosecuted by the Government on
various charges, found guilty only on one, namely, the
unauthorized wearing of a decoration, which was an act
of puerile vanity rather than a moral offence, just re-
leased from prison, foolhardy enough to start as a can-
didate with the whole of the formidable machinery of
the Government arrayed against hiul ; Marshal Can-
robert stepping into the field and summoned the electors
of the district comprised in his coininand to
vote for his opponent; the Prefect issuing
his phase against him, the Sub-Prefects and Mayors
cajoling or intimidating ; and, greatest of all, the
military Minister of the Interior dictating his will to
the department, and rather indecorously it must be said
introducing the name of the Sovereign himself ; not to
speak of the clergy, whom the Univers arid the Bishop
of Strasburg °died upon to join the good cause ;—yet
M. fifigeon dales and heats them all. It is now said
that M. Migeo m means to resign in favour of a gentle-
man namcd -os, a rich manufacturer of the same
department,. If this be the case, and M. Migeon be
. .

satisfied with his victory without taking his seat, the
Government will probably ~tart the first equerry or
orderly officer they can conveniently lay hands on
against M. Gros, though with no better chance of suc-
cess. I should, not be surprised if the defeat of the
Government candidate was avenged on the unfortunate
Prefect.

PITY THE POOR BLIND.—The following feats are
narrated by the Paris Sport :—" A member of the
Jockey Club a few nights ago wagered that lie would
walk blindfold from the Club-house, Rue de Grammont,
to the Cirque de l'lmperatrice in the Champs-Elysees.
lie accomplished tho exploit without difficulty, and on
arriving at the Cirque opened the door of the stable and
walked in. He went along the Boulevards, the Rue
Royale, the Place de in Concorde, and passed through
the trees in the Champa-Elyslies. Another member of
the club, the night after, went for a wager blindfold
from the Club-house to the Cirque, then passing by the
Exhibition Palace to the Quai, and then by the Place de
Is Concorde back to the Rue Royale. He appeared to
have studied his route most carefully before hand, as he
counted his steps, and was almost able to say when he
ought to pass before a lamp-post and other objects."
SINGULAR IMPOSTURE.—For the last forty years, in
the quiet old, tumble down city of Versailles, inhabited
by decayed Legitimist families, a lady dressed in a garb
of semi-monastic style was known to pursue the even
tenour of her way, received into the local circles of
aristocracy, aud in receipt from a noble family of 6,000 f.
annuity, as ex-abbess of a suppressed monastery. At
her death last week, it was discovered that she was a
man. The real abbess must have died in emigration,
and a swin ller of the rougher sex, getting her papers,
has personatal her for nearly half a century.