The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-31 00:00:00

the terrible " butty" deprives of his hard•earned
, stores, is not in a position to exact justice from
either employer or middleman. Union is strength,
but if the combined resistance of fifteen or twenty
men is pronounced to be rash and suicidal, of what
avail would be the remonstrance of one or two
labourers ? They would lose the little they had;
the offended " butty" would take good care that no
other " butty'' employed them. What, then, are
the men to do ? Are they to submit uncon•
ditionally to every dictum of their masters, and to
be content to see their wages dwindling away to
nothing in the butty's hands ? If individual appeal
is fruitless, and organised opposition is illegal,
where is their resource ? It may be said that public
opinion will guard them from oppression, but public
opinion has already said pretty plainly that they
have been to blame in the present strike in refusing
to come to terms, or to make any effort to conciliate
the men, and we see as yet very little effect.
Rightly or wrongly, the men consider they have a
grievance, and therefore their obstinacy is not to be
regarded as a mere contumacious plot to extort
money. If the coalmasters and great employers of
labour generally were to show a little more readi-
ness to investigate these complaints, which are not
always groundless, we should hear less of these for.
midable strikes, which are as disastrous to the in.
terests of trade and commerce as they are destruc%
tive to the welfare of the men. It is said that the
specie circulation in South Staffordshire is now at
the rate of a million sterling per annum less than it
was this time last year, and therefore the strike is
certainly not going on without cost. But the
masters prefer to lose than to appear to make
any concessions ; possibly they are afraid of a dan-
gerous precedent. If, however, they would
look more closely into matters they might
ascertain the truth of the men's assertion, that
both sides would gain were the butty done
away with. The evils of this system are manifold,
and have been insisted upon by every one who has
examined into the condition of the labouring classes.
Even novel readers can remember the vivid picture
drawn by the eloquent author of " Sybil" of the
miseries inflicted by the petty tyranny of the hated
little JOE and his father. But this, again, is a case
in which it is very difficult for the men to get their
rights. They declare that the butties defraud them
to a great extent by their mode of reckoning time.
They are paid for a day's work, for a half day's, and
for a quarter, but not for a less portion of time, and
therefore the butties frequently tell them to leave
the pit after working for two hours and a half, so
that they receive no payment whatever. A day or
two a week is commonly lest by the men, which of
course tells heavily upon their wages. Another
loss is, that they are entitled by the rule of the trade
to an allowance of a ton of coals for every 24 days'
work ; but the half and quarter days are not
reckoned, so that a man may work for a good many
months even without becoming entitled to his share
of coals. All this is very difficult for them to re•
dress ; they are powerless against the butties, from
whom alone they have any chance of employment,

and these obnoxious and oppressive rules are so
much the custom of the district that one place of
employment is as bad as another. Driven to such
extremes, the men find a way to help themselves,
which is extremely prejudicial to the interests of
their masters. They take powder with them into the
pit, and blast the coal instead of picking it, so that
while of course the work is done much faster, the
coal is shattered into fragments instead of being
picked out in large lumps, and its value is greatly
diminished. Such a system, even in a time of appa-
rent harmony and tranquillity, could not go on
without injury to bc., .asters and men, and the
butty or middleman iiirsVbe enviable position of the
rsi
monkey wit the oyste -and takes, if not like his
fabulo•is prototype, the laole of the profits, at least
a very great deal roeia9;. hart ho ha- any right to.
If the So'i'h Staffordshire strike brings about a
final reform in .hc.,..•: trAtterF, the sufferings of the
men and the losses of the masters will not have been
in vain. If the difference is merely temporari y
djusted without any regard to the deeper grounds
for discontent, it will be bat surface work, and we
shall have to look to a Parliamentary committee to
do the work which the masters could and ought to
do for themselves.

An interesting affair took place at Nottingham
on Friday, when the prizes, and diplomas, and car-

tificates were distributed to the successful candi-
dates. The Mayor alluded to the death of the
Duke of NEWCASTLE, who was only interred the
previous day. The death of the noble duke is
a great loss to education, and will long be felt
by those who take an interest in the stbject.
Mr LOWE, having delivered the prizes and certifi-
cates to the successful candidates, made a ♦ery in.
teresting speech on the occasion, that appeared to
give universal satisfaction to all present. In the
first place he addressed some stirring and impres■
sive remarks to those who had that day been for-
tunate enough to receive testimonials of approval.
He urged them not to consider the success thus
gained as anything in itself, but only an induce-
ment to incite them in the way of progress, and
acquaint them with what they would have the
power of doing. In especial they should develop
a taste for reading, which is one of the chief ad-
vantages a young man can assume. This is essens
tially true, and the following passage relating to
the benefits of study and reading is worthy of being
fixed on the attention and impressed upon the
memory of all concerned, not only those imme•
diately connected with these institutions, but on
society generally " A young man who has formed
a taste for reading and study has a constant solace ;
he gets that which is likeliest of all things to keep
him from worse tastes and pursuits, a companicn
that will never desert him, an enjoyment in which
he can indulge without extravagance and self-re-
proach, while he is far from being a barren pos-
session, because among men of ordinary capacity it
is the greatest amount of reading which
one man has compared with another by which he
is distinguished from the crowd, and which con-
duces to his success in life." This is an admirable
account of a delightful study, and is very appro-
priate to those who are entering life, and forming
their tastes as it were. No better safeguard can be
given to those exposed to temptation than to train
in right principles, but to insure these taking
effect, and to give them the chance of being put into
practice, nothing is wiser than to inculcate the love
of refined and elevated occupation. Another thing
which these young men will do well to remember
was pointed out to them by Mr LowE, and this was
the importance of valuing their real acquirements
as solid and permanent acquisitions, and lookivg
upon their triumphs as momentary attendants of
the fact. The certificate is the guinea stamp, the
knowledge is the "gold for a' that." The right
hon. gentleman pointed out the necessity that existed
for these examinations, and wisely declared that it
was absurd and unwise for people to be continually
decrying. If people really know so much, there
can be no need for them to refuse to have their
knowledge tested, and the young man who declines
examination is not likely to succeed in life, as is
declared in these emphatic lines—

" He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts aro small ;
Who dares not put it to the touch,
And win or lose it all."
All who really wish to 124 ye the subJ lance of know•

ledge in their possession, and not to be contented
with the shadow, will readily welcome and entirely
coincide with these inducements to test their pros
gress and attainments. Mr. LowE dwelt at some
length on the advantages which the system of exit
amination confers upon the State, and remarked, in
allusion to the disparaging comments made upon
it, that the plan possessed the double advantage of
excluding as well as selecting. An enormous
amount of stupidity, incapacity, and idleness is
kept out of the public service by the application
of these tests, and this alone is a positive benefit
to the community. If Government plans—as they
are being developed—are operating successfully to
bring into a focus and circulate the results of eda•
cation, so that we may understand the practical
working of the efforts made which have been so
much descanted upon, the practice of examining
each child and paying for each one who passes is
an admirable one, and tends greatly to facilitate
the attempts made to extend education as widely
as possible and as successfully. Mr. LOWE closed
this part of his subject by a capital description of
the tests which men encounter in the world, if they
persist in shirking these preliminary examinations.
He truly said that if their bread was won by their
own ability and exertion, their whole life was one
long examination. An appreciating public will
either condemn or applaud their efforts, and thus
decide whether their careers are to be failures or
successes. " The barrister when cross-examining
his witnesses, the clergyman in his pulpit, the
physician attending his patients, the statesman in
the House of Commons, are all really undergoing
examinations." Mr. LOWE rather deprecates the
term " middle class examinations," rightly saying
that it seems somewhat supercilious, because no
one talks of himself as belouging to the
middle class, and it is only when he
thinks himself of the upper ones that he
discourses about this term. The right hon. gentle-
man was opposed to the suggestions of some that
Government should found, endow, and teach in
these schools. But he very properly argued, the
money which would do this must be taken from
the taxes to which the poor people contribute—
and, besides, the religious difficulties would wreck
the undertaking at once. Another obstacle is, that
it is opposed to the principles which rule English
society—and what suited old Greece or Rome would
not apply to the present time and condition of
affAirs. Some may be disappointed at the dis-
paraging tone which is hero applied to endowments,
but, doubtless, a little consideration will tend to
show the statement is true, if not palatable to all
parties. Mr. LOWE asks what is the use of cling-
ing to old prejudices if we wish to go on in con-
formity with the advance of intelligence in which
the present day abounds. "You do not want a
dead but a living link connected with a living
body, and nothing can be more fatal to progress
than to suppose that you can, by availing yourself
of the money of dead men, give to schools the
vitality and energy which can only arise by contact
with the living, breathing, moving mass by which
you are surrounded." Much profitable knowledge
may be deduced from this passage, and as there is
no royal road to learning, so neither can there be
a monied one to teaching, and the master as well as
the teacher ought to prove his proficiency, and ex
emplify his capabilities. Mr. LOWE made some
observations upon the necessity of teaching youths
what is useful to them in after life, and declared
that where time was limited it was folly to waste
years in the study of dead languages and leave
the .history of their own country unknown, and
various other importt it elements untouched during
the "r:C' .'ss days ad opportunities that would
never return. Ll' znidc: a-class children to
r,:lect moderiL 2gut and liatory, book-kepp.
Ily to "invert the

rig, and phys

ore, t of everythin

, m 1 Lo le pyramid on its
apex." 'Zoe hon. gentleman touched upon the
two points wit:. his usual clearness and ability, such
as the importance of the two universities of
Oxford and Cambridge uniting in these examina-

tions, the great prejudices which exist with regard
to females obtaining the advantages of certificates
which robs those who support themselves of their
legitimate right ; and finally closed his eloquent

and admirable address by alluding to the late
lamented Duke of NEWCASTLE, whose interest in
the subject of education was great. Oa the whole,
it may be said, that this is a very able:speech. It

enters into many points that are difficult to touch
upon and rather invidious to grapple with ; it
invites attention to 'Letters which concern the wel.
fare of the community, and which can never be
neglected without the best interests of the State
suffering now and hereafter. It is education that

moulds the human mind, and develops the highest
qualities of our nature, and if this is neglected, no
wealth and no possessions can make up for the
lamentable dEficiency.

Wo have later news from New York, announcing
the operations of the war up to the 19th inst. in-
clusive, by the arrival of the China, which super-
sedes that of the Etna by four days, but there is
nothing of a very decisive or momentous character.
Still the appearance of being on the eve of battle
is manifest, for such is the for:ern hope of LINCOLN
with respect to his re-election that he has de•
spatched three members of his Cabinet to urge
GRANT to be more stirring, and so the Minister of
War, STANTON himself, has repaired to the head-
quarters of the Army of the Potomac, giving
GRANT full powers to collect troops from all and
every place he can, no matter at what risk, so as
to win a victory, a decided victory, and nothing but
a presidential victory, for in that consists the hope
and stay of the Administration. In order to impress
upon the long coming victor of Richmond the
urgent necessity of the case, the Minister of War
is backed by that of Finance, and he, again, by the
far-famed Prophet of the long-ago ninety days
chronicler of the War—the ill-starred thread of
►hose prophecy the cruel Fates, taking dudgeon at
such abrupt intervention on their own peculiar pro-
vince, cat short in a most unceremonious way. They
cast the tangled skein of adversity not over one but
among all the generals of the Federation, not only
to the confusion of the heroic band, but to the utter
chagrin of the Cabinet and of all the hopeful plans
of the President. Whether Mr LINCOLN entertains
more sanguine ♦iews of the visit of three commis-
sioners than of one remains to be proved by the
result, but we suspect that the web of his future
destiny is now being woven at Rchmond under
the patient superintendence of the wizard LEE,
watched by the lynx-eye of the far-seeing sooth-
sayer, DAVIS. Tne brother President of LINCOLN
has this especial difference, he is not afraid to tell
the truth and shame the Northern oracle whose
kcene.shifting prompter has beguiled him for the
last four acts of the " bloody drama" with
dissolving views of the Union. The last
scene of all is fast coming, but, like the
spectre of an uneasy dream, Mr LINCOLN seems
restless to anticipate his fate, and to; accelerate the
crisis by urging GRANT to " do and do and do."
He knows not what hais doing, but a few days may
close that gate which no President can ever open
again. As if there were not enough to harass the
wind of the executive at 11,' ashington, a &potation
of the ll.unocrats of Tennessee have thought fit to
save their conscience by being absolved from the

terrors of the oath prescribed by Gen. JOHNSTON
as to the presidential election ; but in this case Mr
LINcoLN took the short cut to be done with, saying
that he would be elected in his own way, and let
M'CELLAN try his way back. This was prompt
enough, evincing perhaps more temper than judg-
ment, but of the latter commodity has dispensed
with a great abundance in very questionable jocu.
larity, and was in no mood then to be serious. The
news from the West was not more reassuring than
from other quarters, for it seems that HOOD cap-
tured sevt ral strong places in the rear of SHERMAN
with the whole of the Federal garrisons; while
PRICE was doing the same in Missouri. Nor was
the tide of war confined to their operations, for
Memphis was not considered to be quite safe, any
more than St. Louis itself. As has so often occurred
before, on the eve of the departure of the steamer,
rumours were got up for Europe, but in this ease
they were of a more than usually questionable
character, for unless the China had been intercepted
off Cape Race, we do not see how she could have
news up to the 21st, seeing that she sailed from
New York on the 19th. Yet, by a telegram dated
the 21st, SHERIDAN is stated to have defeated
LONGSTREET on the 19th near Strasburg, and cap-
tured 60 guns, while on that same date SHERIDAN
reports that LONGSTREET was entrenched at
Fisher's hill, not choosing to be attacked in the
open field. So much for the veracity of the news-
vendors.

HER MAJESTY'S THEATRE.

"FIDELIO."

On Satuiday Beethoven's masterpiece, " Fidelio,''
was the representation, a treat beldam set before the
public. Leonora has no representative i❑ Europe
who can compare with Tietjens, and this appeared
to be fully felt by the auditory, .as proved by the
immense attendance. Santley sung the fierce decla•
matory music of Pizziro forcibly, Signor Bossi made
an efficient Rocco, and Madlle. Sinico took a high
place in the hearer's favour by the clear, pure, and
perfect style in which she executed the music scored
for Marcellina. Gardoni's Fernando was a pleasing
and artistic assumption; but it is a character whose
interest is eclipsed musically, dramatically, and per-
sonally by the lustre and prominence of his devoted
wife, in her male assumption of Fidelio. Mr Swift
sang the part of Giacchino, Marcellina's lover and
Rocco's deputy, with care and simplicity, and played
it with judgment and unobtrusiveness. Among the
gems in this opera we may note the canon-quar-
tett, by Leonora, Marcellina, Rocco, and Giacchino,
than which nothing finer has been heard at the
footlights of the Opera since its first performance
under th© title of "Leonora" nearly half a century
ago. The delight of the euditory burst forth in a
universal re-demand, and the piece was sung a
second time. The terzetto, too, in the same scene,
" Corragio I oreir was alto applauded. The duo
between Pizzaro and Rocco, "Dall'urna della sorte,"
was sung in a manly, firm, and accented style,
while the accompaniments were spirited and close.
The overture Leonora (No. 3), was excellently per-
formed by Arditi's band.

ST. JAMES'S THEATRE.

On Saturday evening a new play, entitled

" Sybilla ; or Step by Step," was produced with
success at this theatre. It is from the experienced
pen of Mr. Palgrave Simpson; and the story as
well as the drama is, we believe, his own invention,
and, therefore, it has the merit--so rare on our
stage—of being perfectly original. The prin-
cipal portion of the plot is as follows :
—Emma Hildenberg is the daughter of a
former Prime Minister, who having been
falsely accused of treasonable corresrondence is im-
prisoned, his family being banisked and proscribed.
His rival, Count Wolfenstein, is in power, and sup-
presses every application that is made to the King
in his behalf. To obtain access to the Royal ca-
binet, where the alleged document said to prove her
father's guilt, sad which she knows to be a forged
document, is preserved, is the object of all her
coquetries. This she achieves by fascinating the
landlard's brother, the Minister's secretary; and,
assenting to his proposal of marriage, she allows
him to convey her to Copenhagen and lodge her
with a female relative. Once there she contrives
to attract the attention of the Minister and fasci-
nates him, and assents, apparently, to be his mis-
tress on condition that she has an apartment in
the palace for a month, and is during that time
respected and treated as a sister and an equal.
Once in the palace she throws herself in the
way of the young King and fascinates him,
and finally gets into the Royal cabinet and
obtains possession of the document by which
she can prove her father's innocence. But one
thing remains to complete the task, and that is
to prove whose is the handwriting of the forged
document. Suspecting it to be the present Minis-
ter's Secretary's, she gets the King to order him to
write an order for her arrest, which he willingly
does, and thus betrays himself. Thus, step by step,
she has achieved her object, and the King acknow-
ledging the fraud, her father is restored to liberty
and fortune.

The acting of the pieoe was very good. Mrs.
Charles Mathews looked and played the splendid
beauty with good effect, and with a mixed expres-
sion of coquetry and deep feeling which proved
her high artistic power. Mr Charles Mathews, as
the adoring but perplexed lover, was natural and
extremely humorous. Mr Ashley as the Minister,
and Mr F. R)binson as the young King, aided the
effect by their judicious performance. The com-
plete success of the piece can in no way be attri-
buted to the splendour of the scenery; the drama
itself having so much merit that it needed not any
extraneous sensational aids.

ST. JAMES'S•HALL.—The boys from the Royal
Greenwich Hospital School, over 800 strong, accom-
panied by their double band and attendants, visited Profes-
sor Anderson, on his invitation, at St. James's-tall, on
Saturday afternoon. Upon their arrival at the Nelson
monument, in Trafalgar-square, the boys marched round
the base of the column, greeting the statue of the hero with
three cheers. At the c nclusion of the usual programme the
Professor grat;fied the vast assembly by the introduction of
Miss Lizzie Anderson, to illustrate the so-called Rope-
tyemg Manifestation, who, after being secured and elabo-
rately bound by two of the senior naval pupils, placed on a
table, and concealed by a large cover of wicker woik, was
discovered in a very short space of time, unbound, with the
rope in her hand, She was then again concealed from view
for a few minutes, and when discovered was securely self
bound, hand and foot; nay neck and heels together, to the
astonishment of all preset t, several minutes being neces-
sary to release her. Professor Anderson presented some
150 of the elder boys each with a clasp knife. The Wizard
will repeat (in public) his anti-spiritualist seance on Wed-
nesday afternoon next.

LIFEBOAT SERVICE.—Mr Alex. Sim, of Lossie-
mouth, reports the following gallant service of the
National Institution's lifeboat on that station :—" At day-
break on Friday morning last a vessel was discoverey
stranded amongst the breakers, about a mile to the east-
ward of this port. The lifeboat stationed here, belonging
to the National Institution, was immediately launched, and
rowed through a very rough sea to the rescue of the sh p-
wrecked crew of three men who were seen clinging to the
vessel's rigging. The lifeboat's crew were so exhausted by
the time they reached the wreck—some of them having been
washed out of the boat more than once—that they were
unable to pull the boat alongside through the breakers. A
large crowd having collected on the beach the boat was run
ashore and a fresh crew shipped, who pulled most nobly
alongside the vessel, and with heroic exertions, and at grew'
personal danger, succeeded in taking off the three men and
landing them in safety. The vessel proved to be the
Agnes, C;aptain Winter, bound from Serabster to this place,
with a cargo of stone. It is but right to add that the coast-
guard men were first at the spot with Manby's apparatus,
and fired several well-directed rockets, but the vessel was so
far from the shore that they all fell short."
A LADY KILLED ON THE 13RIGIITON RAILWAY.
—On Saturday morning, on the arrival of the 11.30
up train from Brighton, at Ilorley station, a lady, who had
just previously been seen on the platform, stepped or foil
on to the rail, and one of the wheels of a first class carriage
was seen resting on her chest as she lay face upwards. So
soon as the carriage was removed the dead body was picked
up and conveyed to the waiting room. It was ascertained
that she was a Miss Anderson, 65 years of ago, residing
with her sister at Park-place, Peckham, who had been
staying with seine friends in the neighbourhood of Ilorley.
—Obser tier.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

JAPAN.

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK ON PRINCE NAN
GATO'S FORTS.
SHANGHAI, SEPT. 21.
(By Telegraph from Suez.)

The allies have successfully attacked. Prince Nan-
gate's forts in the Straits of Shimonseki with
trifling loss.
The Japanese have sued for peace.
It is reported they will agree to open the Straits.

FORCING OF THE S TRAITS OF SHIMO
NOSAKI BY THE ALLIES.
BOMBAY, OCT. 14.

The French steamer brings news from Japan, an-
nouncing that the allies had forced a passage
through the Straits of Shimonoseki with trifling
loss. The Japanese fought hard.

TERRIFIC HURRICANE AT CALCUTTA,
SUEZ, OCT. 30,.

The following telegram has been received at Mr.
Reuter's office from the Peninsula and Oriental
Steam Navigation Company, Oct. 31.
Calcutta was visited by a terrific hurricane nn the
sth inst., which caused an immense destruction of
shipping.

The Nemesis lost her topmast and bowsprit, and
was driven on shore. The injury sustained was
uncertain, but she was expected to be got off in time
to leave a few days late with the next mails.
The Bengal was also driven on shore, but was
supposed to be uninjured, although it was uncertain
when she could be got off.
The Nubia was dismasted.

No lives have been lost in any of the Company's
steamers. The workshops are uninjured, but other
shore property has been much damaged.
The British India Company lost five vessels.
The Alphee (French steamer) was obliged to put
back damaged.

FRANCE.

LYONS, OCT. 31

The Emperor Napoleon arrived here yesterday
evening at half-past 8 o'clock. His Majesty met
with a warm and enthusiastic reception.
A grand review of the army of Lyons will take
place to-day.

BOURSE, Oat. 29.—The market has shown bul
little animation, but prices have been well main.
tained. Threes, for the Account, are nnvaried al
A4f. 55e., and Mobilier has improved to 862 f. 50c.
Railway Market quiet, but firm. The market im.
proved towards the close, and left off as follows :

41 per Cents .. 91 75
Jo. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end„ 6t 65
Credit Mobilier B7O
Do. end month B7O
Sank Sharps 3370
Credit Foncier 1135
Roman .. 73

Italian Loan 65 05
Do. end month 65 15
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican .... 491
Russian
Austrian
Spanish Threes 4la
Home Debt
Deferred

RAILWATe.

Orleang••c4ms...,•...
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern ... ..
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lotrinord
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

Cash. Account.
825 825
967 50 .. 967 50
883 75 .. 885 --
577 50 .. 677 60
498 75 .. 492 50
495 .. 493 75
332 50 .. 332 50
440 .. 442 50
512 50 .. 516
357 50 .. 350
465 .. 462 50
175

Message of King George to the Greek
Assembly.

ATHENS, Oct. 26.
The following is the official text of the message
recently sent by King George to the National
Assembly, complaining of the slowness of the deli-
berations of that body :
GEORGE I„ KING OF THE HELLENES, TO THE SECOND
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE HELLENIC NATION.

Urgently summoned by Greece, I yielded to her voice in
the conviction that she, upon her part, would fulfil her
obligations towards me. I abandoned Eenmark a year ago,
before the annexation of the lonian Islands to the Greek
kingdom—a condition agreed upon in my acceptance of
the Greek Crown —had been accomplished, and consequently
before the Constitution for the new State had been voted.
In a few days a year will have elapsed since my arrival.
No one, I think, is unaware of the patience with which I
have endured the abnormal position of royalty in presence
of an Assembly acting at the same time as a Constituent
Assembly and as a Legislative Chamber,
The annexation of the lonian Islands to the remainder of
the kingdom has further been long accomplished. The
presence in the body of the Assembly for the last two months
of the representatives of that country has given the National
Assembly every facility for terminating, without fresh delay,
the vote of the Constitution upon the basis of the project
drawn up a year ago. What has taken place in the As-
sembly up to the present time affords me the conviction that
its labours may still be prolonged for a considerable period.
The prolongation of this position, which neutralises alt
Governmental solicitude and paralyses all administrative
action, not only unquestionably deprives the nation of pre.
cious advantages, but will certainly cause evils which it
will be difficult subsequently to repair. The impatience
with which the people suffer this irregular condition of
affairs is known to me.

Indispensable duty towards the Hellenic people, and
even the interests which ought to be placed under the gua-
rantee of the Constitution, imposes upon me the obligation
of requiring the cessation of this state of things. For this
purpose I have desired my Ministers to lay the annexed
draft of the remainder of the Constitution before the Na-
tional Assembly, and to declare that I am ready to accept
and sign the portion already voted, as well as that which
shall be voted according to the plan I submit, the condi..
tions of which in no degree differ from the wishes expressed
by the Assembly up to the present time. I request the
Assembly to deliver its vote upon this plan within a period
of ten days.
My Ministers will also bring forward within a period of
ten days a bill relating to the election of Deputies. I request
the Assembly to debate and vote upon this bill in the course
of this month.

But if the National Assembly does not conclude these
labours within the abovementioned periods, I reserve to
myself full liberty as to my future course, which will be
such as shall be dictated to me by my deceived hopes, and
I make the Assembly responsible for all the consequences.
(Signed) GEORGE.
Athens, October 6-18, 1864.

THE HOTEL OF THE FRENCH ARCHlVES.—Con-
siderable alterations have for some time past been going on
at the imperial printing-office and at the Hotel de Soubise,
which adjoins. The latter building, which formerly be-
longed to the Constable do Clisson and subsequently to the
Guise family, has for some time past contained the State
archives, and is now about to be converted into a sigillo-
graphic and paleographic museum, destined to fill up a
void long existent fn archm3logical science. The two
buildings are connected by a staircase, formerly of the 18th
century, but now replaced by one in the style of the
Rennaissaxce, which leads to the hall containing the col-
lection of charters. This apartment, 80 feet long and
33 feet board, was formerly the guardroom. It has now
lost its original appearance, being lined from end to end
with glass cases, and is provided with an upper projecting
gallery supported by light columns of wood, At the end is
placed a large iron cupboard, in which a part of the collec-
tion is secured. Thia safe was made by order of the Con-
stituent Assembly in 1790, to contain the utensils used in
printing the assignats ; it is let into the wall, and is closed
by a double door, which formerly had several secret
locks. Among the objects now contained in it are the Me-
rovingian edicts, autographs of Charles V., Queen Eliza-
beth, and the Emperor Charles V., with a letter from Soli-
man 11. to Francis I , dated 1528. This last-mentioned
document is written in characters of gold and azure on thick
parchment, and enclosel in a brocaded case. The roll of
St Vital is also one among the many other curiosities.
During the Middle Ages when an abbot died a messenger
bearing a long blank sheet of parchment rolled up as
was then the custom, over a wooden staff, was sent to
the different monastic houses of the kingdom to announce
the event. Upon this parchment, which formed the album
of the period, the principals of each of the religious estab •
lishments to which the intelligence was communicated
wrote some lines of condolence. The roll of St. Vital, at
the visit of the Convent of Argenteuil, bears some Latin
verses, the ttyle of which leads to suppose that they were
written by Heloise, who was then abbess of that institu-

tion. Lastly-, in one of the drawers of that cupboard may
be seen the keys of tho 13astile, those of several conquered
cities, and a number of other extremely curious objects,
which will be placed in the glass cases of the exhibition.—
aalt,qllani'S
.111e8Sellger,