The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-04 00:00:00

N QUESTIONS
SECOND EDITION.

BERLIN, Jan. 2.

In his recent speech in the Corps Legislatif, M. Thiers
made an exception which needed qualification. " Were it
not for the question of Denmark," he said, "I should say
that France is at present the arbiter of peace and war."
Even in the question of Denmark, to this we may reply, it
now depends, and for some time past has depended, on the
Emperor of the French to put an end to all chance of a
conflict. Hitherto England alone has earnestly stood for-
ward as champion of the Treaty of 1852. That she would
uphold her view of the question to the point of making
war on behalf ot the Glucksbut g succession to the Duchies,
the Germans do not believe, and hence the attitude
they take. Let France unequivocally declare the
the treaty must be maintained, and you would witness an
instant charge in the aspect of affairs. Nay, let her but at
once agree to a conference for the settlement of the Danish
question, to be summoned with the least possible delay, and
I believe that the majority of diplomatists would deem that
question to have lost all its danger and most of its import-
ance, and would cease to busy themselves with it more than
with various others which its present predominance causes
to be almost forgotten. Such a conference, which certain
continental politicans and journalists seemed quite recently
to consider as good as decided upon, is by no means so
nearly settled. Indeed, judging from the general com-
plexion of the information obtainable here to-day, I am
disposed to consider it as it having been never, since
it first was proposed, farther off from realisation. Eng-
land refused and wrecked the Imperial project of a
great Congress for general objects; now that she would
fain have a smaller congress for a special object, France is
not disposed to oblige her. We may leave aside the ques-

SUN OFFICE, HALF-PAST 4 o'C LOCK.

AMERICA.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAM.)
(Per the Canada.)
NEW YORK, DEC. 21, Afternoon.
The Richmend papers of the 19th report from
Charleston that the Ironsides and three monitors
t;eeame entangled whilst enueavouring to i,,ss the
obstructions in theharbour. r.t-he In-inside:, would
probitb!y have to be abandoned, and two monitors
were badly injured.

Three pirates captured on board the Chesapeake
were taken from the authorities by the mob whilst
being landed at Halifax, find set free.
The schooner Genety, from Matamoros for New
York with cotton, has been captured at sea by six
men who shipped as passengers.
The situation is generally ❑nchanged.

FRAUDULENT TRADE MARKS.

On the Ist of Janurrry an important Act of Par-

;lament, the main provisions of which it concerns
all persons engaged in trade of every description to
know, came into practicll operation for the first
time. It may be the more necessary to explain the
scope and objects of this statute, since it was pissed
in August, 1862, more than a year ago. The act,

besides, is of a most stringent character with re-

speet to penalties, and by a network of provisions,
carefully devised, aims at the punishment and sup-
pression of any conceivable fraud in the marking of
merchandise and the sale of merchandise falsely
marked. Its short title is " The Merchandise Marks

Act, 1862," and it makes it a misdemeanour to forge
or counterfeit any trade. mark or falsely to apply
any such trade mark, with intent to defraud,

whateNer the article to which it may be applied,
whether it be a cask, bottle, stopper, vessel, caso,

cover, wrapper, band, reel ticket, label, or any other

.himg in or with which any commodity is sold, or
ntended to be sold. Again, it is henceforth an

offence for any one to sell or expose, either icr sale
or for any other purpose of trade or manufacture,
articles with forged or false trade marks attached,

he penalty being; the forfeiture of a sum of money

equal to the value of such articles, and a sum besides
- .

not exceeding £5 nor less than 10s. By another

provision every' addition to and every alteration and
- _

Initation of any trade maiir male with intent to