The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-21 00:00:00

THE HEALTH OF HIS HOLINESS,

Exaggerated rumours as to the health of His
Holiness have been freely published in the columns
of several among our contemporaries. From infor-
mation received direct from the Eternal City, we
learn that while the Pope, it is true, has had a
slight attack of gastric fever—no alarm whatever
had been caused by the malady of the Holy Father,
and the administration of the last Sacraments had
never once been thought of. Considerations of
prudence had naturally precluded the Pontiff from
dreaming of taking any part himself in the fatiguing
functions of Holy 'Week.
As to the statements put forth by the Roman
correspondent of our contemporary, the Morning
Post—in one case, as to the nomination by the Pope
himself of his successor, and, in the other case, as to
the Pontiff's death being notified by the striking of
the Dead Pope's forehead with a golden hammer—
they were simply ridiculous.
As to the Pope's reported nomination of his suc-
cessor, the Morning Post's Roman Correspondent
writes—" If it is true that Pio Nono has already
drawn up chirographic instructions for the selection
of his successor—u fact, by the bye, which I can
hardly credit, so entirely is it opposed to all Papal.
precedent—the choice of the conclave will be re
stricted to three cardinals, viz., Patrizi, Barnabo,
and Bofondi, whom His Holiness is said to consider
as best adapted to govern the Church in these
troublous times," &e. If it is true !" True !—it is
simply impossible. The Pope being no more able
to appoint his successor than the sovereign of these
realms, or, let us say, than the President of the
American Republic—than the President of either
of the American Republics.
Tree same Correspondent's statemeat to the Morn-
ing Post in regard to the mythic use of the golden
hammer is so eccentric of its kind as a specimen of
Roman correspondence, that it is worth giving in
the writer's own words:—" Among the traditional
ceremonies observed on the death of a Pope is the
official attendance of the cardinal camerlingo [while
the story was being toll the Correspondent might
just as well have spelt :he word rightly, and called
it eatnerlengo] at the bedside of the defuuct with a
golden harenner, with which he raps three times on
the deceased Pontiff's forehead, invoking him each
time by name. Receiving no response, the catner •
lingo [eainerlengo] assumes in the interim the reins
of government, and announces to the cardinals their
duty of electing a sucssor." The whole of this
pretty little fable being-, after all—as already said
—purely imaginary !
According to the very latest intelligence received
from Rome in regard to the present state of the
Pope's health, we read, under date "Rome, 14th
March," as follows :
" The papers will have told you that the H. F. is
not well. He has been in bed for ten days, and yes-
terday two gatherings iz the leg were opened, which
gave much relief, but it must be a trial of his
strength. The medicines given have been frequent
and strong, and very little food, so that he must be
weak. All business is suspended until after Easter :
so no ordinary business can be carried to him. Still
I hope it [his health] is progressing favourably."

FRANCE.

PARIS, MARCH 21.

The Moniteur of to-day says:—" Some journals
announce the discovery of a conspiracy against the
life of the Emperor. This rumour is entirely un-
founded."

MARSEILLES, Mimi 19.

The Messageries Imperisles steamer Said left here
to-day with the mails, 51 passengers, 363 packages,
of merchandise, and X 206,453 in specia for India
and China ; and 36 passengers, 1,293 packages, and
specie value £90,720 for Alexandria.
BOURSE, March 19.—The market has been heavy,
and in the little business done prices show a slight
decline. Threes, for the Account, are now at 66f.
10c. Mobilier have receded to 1,053 f. 50c. Rail-
way Market quiet, but up to the present time pre-
vious quotations have been pretty well maintained.
The market continued heavy to the close, and left
off as follows :

41 per Cents. 93 10
Jo. eRd
3 per. Cents
Do. end month 66 05
Credit Mobilier 1053 50
Do. end month 1050
Bank Shares 3312 50
Credit Fancier

Italian Loan 6B
Do. end month 63 30
New ditto —
Do. end month —
Russian
Austrian
Spanish Threes.
Home Debt
Deferred
PAYS.

•••. ....
Roman

$A IL

Orleans
Northern
New ditto
Lyons and Mediierranean
New ditt0......
Southern
Western
Eastern . ...
Sardinian
Austrian ..
LOW bard ........
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcsiona

Cash. Account.
1005 .. 1505 --
962 53 .. 961 25

937 50 .. 937 50

653 75 .. 653 75
520 - - -
482 50 .. 480 -
373 75 .. 373 75
405 25 ..
- - 541 25
490 - .. 490 --
680 - 580 -
280 - 280 --

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, March 9.
The Danish brig Alf, 142 tons burden, Captain
M. Andersen, was captured a few days ago off the
Dardanelles, while lying at anchor opposite the
island of Tenedos, by the Austrian gun boatVelebich
which is usually stationed in the Bosphorous, and
has been towed, probably into some Austrian port
on the coast of Dalmatia. The circumstances are
stated to be as follows :—The Alf which had ar-
rived in Malta from Rio Janeiro with a cargo of
coffee on February 6, having discharged a portion
of her cargo, left that port for Constantinople on
IFebruary 16, having on board 1,200 bags of coffee
consigned to M. P. F. Petrochino of this city. Her
departure, it seems, had been telegraphed from
Malta ; and the Austrian naval commander-in-
chief at once despatched the gunboat on the way
to Corfu, to look out for her. The unsuspecting Alf
was riding quietly at anchor between Besika Bey
and Tenedo, when the gunboat fell in with her; a
blank shot was fired across her bows; Capt. Ander-
sen ran up the Danish flag; and an armed boat
from the Austrian steamer immediately boarded
her and declared her a prize. The Austrian
Lloyd's mail-boat, which arrived here on Friday
afternoon from 'Trieste reports having met the gun-
boat towieg the brig off Cerigo. The cargo was
insured for war risks et Lloyd's, and it is presumed
that as it was not contraband of war, and was
consigned to a neutral, Lloyd's, under the provi.
sion of the treaty of Paris, will have it restored,
or receive its value from the Austrian Govern-
ment. The question, however, remains whether
the vessel itself, having been seized within three
miles of Turkish land,
and therefor© in Turkish
waters, can be considered, according to interns.
tional law, a legal prize, The Danish Govern-
ment will assuredly maintain that it cannot.

H.ll S. Caradoc arrived at Constantinople on
Monday morning lost, havirg on board his Excel
lency Sir Henry Bolwer, on his return from
Western, after au absence of some months,