The Sun.
London, England, 1864-01-02 00:00:00

A Danish View of Federal Execution.

We extract the following from the last number
of the Dagbladet :
" Will any honest men say that the intervention
in Holstein comes under the head of Federal execu-
tion ? In the instructions given to the commis-
sioners it is expressly laid down that they have to
administer the affairs of the Duchy, reserving to
the Sovereign all his rights and without doing pre-
judice to them. Is it, we say, in conformity with
the tenour of that order completely to ignore the
existence of the King of Denmark, by allowing
the inhabitants publicly to proclaim a new sove-
reign ? The execution is nothing less than a mask
to foster revolt.

" In the interest of peace Europe rejoiced when,
on the 7th December last, the Confederation voted
by a small majority execution instead of the occu-
pation of Holstein. What has now become of the
distinction between those two ideas ? Had occupa-
tion been voted, it would have been a direct infringe-
ment of iaternational law A heavy pressure has
been exercised upon Denmark to compel her not to
consider the execution a casus belli, and to resist
it by force of arms. The Powers who have made
their will prevail at Copenhagen, and who, dis-
daining to listen to the wishes of the nation, have
extorted that concession from the Government,
have acted under the supposition that it was simply
Federal execution, and that any attempt to make a
demonstration in favour of the Duke of A ugusten-
burg would be rigorously prohibited. What will
they say now, after it has been proved that the
Plenipotentiary Commis3ioners of the Confederation
patronise and facilitate everything which tends to
deprive the Crown of Denmark of the Duchy of
Holstein ? This pressure of the neutral Powers at
the present moment is our greatest evil. We do
not hesitate to say that the whole Danish people
chafes with indignation at the inconceivable atti-
tude assumed by the neutral Powers, who style
themselves the friends of Denmark."

THE WINGS OF BEES (whose nature it is to
creep into small flowers).—The contrivance they
are supplied with is very curious. They have four wings,
two on each side, and the upper wings fold once, length-
wise, when the insect walks; but, when it purposes to fly,
it straightens this; wing, by the act of raising it, and the
same action hooks the lower wing to it firmly, giving it all
the force of a single tread wing. The microscopic shows
that, at the base of each of the little wing-cases, which
measure, at their broadest part, only one sixty-second of an
inch, there is a delic'te little comb, formed with beautiful
regularity, and having one hundred and twenty teeth.
The use of this comb may be to remove all particles of dust
from the long, feathery wings before the wing-cases close
over them.

PERFECTION or MECHANISM.—" As engineers we can
say that it really approaches much nearer the perfection of
mechanism than any other examp e of clock work we have
yet seen on anything like the same large scale."—Engineer,
Aug. 15, 1862. Clocks by the first artists of the day for the
drawing room, dining room, bed room, library, hall, staircase,
bracket, carriage, church, turret, railways, warehouse, count-
ing house, musical, and astronomical. Church and turret
clocks specially estimated for. Benson's illustrated pamphlet
on clocks (free by post for two stamps) with de•criptions and
prices, enables those who live in any part of the world
to select a clock. Also a short pamphlet on cathedral and
public clocks, free for one stamp. Prize medal and honour-
able mention iu classes 33 and 15. J. W. Benson, 33 and 34,
Ludgate-hill, London. Established 1749. Watch and clock
maker by special ‘1 arrant of appointratut to 11,1t.11. the
Prince of Wales.

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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Jail. 1.

The Queen walked and drove in the grounds
yesterday morning, accompanied by the Princess
Helena.

His Serene Highness Prince Leiningen arrived
at Osborne on a visit to her Majesty.

The Countess of Macclesfield has also arrived in
waiting on the Princess of Wales.

The Prince and Princess of Wales.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales are expected to return to Frogmore House
on the expiration of their visit to her Majesty at
Osborne, either to-day (Saturday) or at the be-
ginning of the week. The Prince and Princess
will remain at Frogmore during this month, and

afterwards will reside at Marlborough House for
some time.

Her Majesty's New-Year's Gifts.

The New-year's gifts of her Majesty to the poor of
the parishes of Windsor, Clevier, and the Holy
Trinity were distributed yesterday morning at the
Town Hall, Windsor, under the management of the
Hon. and Very Rev, the Dean of Windsor; the Rev.
H. J. Ellison, vicar ; the Revs. Thomas Rooke, R. I.
Simpson, and S. J. Stone, curates of St. John's
Churc% ; the Mayor of Windsor, &e. Since the
death of the Prince Consort this annual distribu-
tion of her Majesty's bounty has been divested of
much of the interest attached to it, as it no longer
takes place in the Riding-school, in the presence
of her Majesty and the members of the Royal

The recipients of the Royal gifts were divided
into five classes, according to the number of their
families. In the first close there were 16 families,
who received each 71b of beef and 3 cwt. of coals,
value Bs. 21d. In the second class there were 37
families, who received each 61b of beef and 21 cwt.
of coals, value 6s. 11d. In the third class there
were 62 families, to whom were allowed 51b of beef
and 2 cwt. of coals, value ss. Bd, The fourth class
contained 118 families, who received 41b of beef
and if cwt. of coals. In the fifth class there were
124 recipients of 31b of beef and 1 cwt. of coals.
The meat, which was of the finest quality, was sup-
plied by the Royal butchers.
In the parish of Windsor there were 357 families
who partook of the Royal bounty.
The proportions distributed to Clewer were at the
rate of 9 to 4 as compared to Windsor, and those
of Holy Trinity as 13 to 6, which was according to
the population of the respective parishes.
The Royal Clothing Club was established under
the patronage of her Majesty to induce the poor of
the three parishes to deposit small sums weekly
during the year for the purpose of receiving at this
season an amount of clothing equivalent to their
deposits, in addition to which her Majesty gives 3s.
to each depositor. Doling the past year the first
class contained 88 members, the second class 244
members, and the third class 259. The amount
each first-class person contributes is 205., the second
class contribute los., and the third class Bs. Eight
hundred tickets will be issued for the current year
to those who may wish to avail themselves of this
admirable charity; and, as a proof of the import-
ance of this institution, it may be stated that there
were double this number of applications, but only
half could be received, as the funds will not
allow the managers to exceed the original
number. The contributors, in case of need, are
allowed to withdraw their contributions, sand
replace them at their convenience. According to the
proposal of the Hon. and Very Rev. the Dean of
Windsor, which was adopted by the committee, the
contributors are desired to select their goods from
any shop in Windsor or Eton. Her Majesty's sifts
amounted to Xl5O.

The Duke and Duchess of Manchester are tea
pected to arrive in town to-day from Kimbolton rag tle
Hunts, and to go to Knowsley on Monday, to join the ,dis-
tinguished circle about to assemble at the invitation of the
Earl and Countess of Derby.

The Duchess of Montrose left Belgrave-square,
yesterday, for the Continent. The noble duke and the
Marquis of Graham are staying at Powis Castle, on a visit
to the Earl of Powis.

The Earl and Countess of Westmoreland ire
passing the winter in town. The health of the earl is
improved, but we hear that his medical advisers order his
lordship to abstain from hunting, or any other violent
exercise.

The Earl and Countess of Wilton are expected to
leave town on Monday fer Melton Mowbray.

The Countess of Craven and Ladies Craven left
town yesterday for Ashdown Park, Berks. The earl re-
mains in town.

The Earl Russell returned to Pembroke Lod go,
Richmond Park, on Thursday evening, from visiting ,her
Majesty at Osborne.

Viscount and Viscountess Dangan have arrived
at the residence of Colonel P. Williams, M.P., in Berke-
ley-square, from visiting the Earl and Countess Cowley a
Paris.

M. RENAN AND THE KING OF ITALY.—One of
the most bitterly ludicrous circumstances we ht ►ve
noticed during the past month is, the conferring of • the
cordon of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus upon M. Ern est
Renan, by the King of Italy, in recognition of the services
he has rendered to religion. " Eminent services rendered
to religion by M. Ronan 1" We presume by publication of
his " Life of Jesus," upon which we cannot but remark
that Judas Iscariot might also have received some cordon
of honour or other for his eminent services rendered to
religion ! After all there is a propriety in the transaction.
The King of Italy, who betrayed and imprisoned Garibaldi,
to whom he owes his present sovereignty, decorates the
man who blasphemes the Saviour I—The Electie Review for
January.

A PASSAGE OF ARMS.—The American war has
brought forward a great deal of word-painting, and
a rather curious collection of battle scenes might be tuade.
The following description of an incident at Chieamauga,
from the pen of the correspondent of the Chicago Journal,
might obtain a corner in such a compilation:---" It was
near 4 o'clock on that blazing afternoon when a part of
General Stoedman's division of the reserve corps bowed
their head to the hurtling storm of lead as if -it had been.
rain, and betrayed signs of breaking. The line waved like
a great flag iu a breath of wind. They were as splendid
material as ever shouldered a musket, but then what could
they do in such a blinding tempest. General Steedman.
rode up, took the flag from the colour beater, glanced along
the wavering front, and with that voice of his that could
talk against a small rattle of musketry, cried out, " Go back,
boys, go back ; but the flag can't go with you 1" grasped the•
staff, wheeled his horse, and rode on. Must I tell you that the
column closed up and grew firm, and moved resistlessly on
like a great strong river, and swept down upon the foe, and
made a record that shall live when their graves are as empty
as the cave of Macpelah 2"
THE GREAT EMPEROR AND THE IRON DUKE.
—The Duke of Wellington and Napoleon Bonaparte
were born, as is well known, in the same year-1769—the
duke being rather the older of the two: the duke on the Ist
of May, the Emperor on the 15th. of August. The father
of the great Emperor died young; the father of the duke
diod likewise at a comparatively early B.ge. There were five
brothers in the one family, five broth( )rs in the other. In
each case the five brothers attained more or less of eminence.
Though the two fathers died young, the two mothers lived
to see the sons illustrious. The most brilliant of the Wel-
lesleys was the Marquis of Wellesley, a man infinitely
more gifted than the Duke of Wellington, who, neverthe-
less, surpassed him in strength. of character. Napoleon,
however, it is hardly necessary to say, had far more genius.
than all the rest of the Bonaparte family put together.
THE CONDEMNED CONVICTS IN HORSEMONGER"
LANE GAOL.—Yesterday afternoon Mr. Charles James
Abbott, the Under Sheriff for the county of Surrey, re-
ceived from Sir George Grey, the Home Secretary, a
reprieve during her Majesty's pleasure for the con-
demned convict Joseph Mahaig, now under sentence
of death for the murder of Elizabeth Waterer at Guild-
ford, Mr. Abbott at once proceeded to Horsemonger-
lane Gaol and handed the reprieve to Mr. Keone,
the governor, who with the chaplain had an interview
with the convict and explained to him that mercy
had been extended to hitn. may be recollected that he
cut his own throat in a hightful manner, and his life was
despaired of for some time. He, however, has nearly re-
covered from the effects of those self-inflicted wounds, but
is in an extremely weak state. When told that his life had
been spared he fell on his knees and prayed krvently for
some minutes. He expressed his thanks to the sheriff, the
governor, and friends who had interested themselves in his
favour. Great exet dons are being made to save the lite of
Samuel Wright, whose execution is fixed for the 12th; and
it is expected that they will be attended with success.