The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-22 00:00:00

MEXICO.

Ad vices from Rio Grande state that the Mexican General
Cortinas met the French forces ten leagues north of Vic.
toria, and after an obstinate battle of five hours, routed
them with heavy loss. The affair was most brilliant, and
caused great rejoicing among the Mexican people.
Cortinas is reported to be marching back to Matamoras,
to check the advance of the French up the Rio Grande.
Fresh conflicts are expected in the state of Tamaulipas,
Matamoras advises state that a French force of marines
have taken possession of 33-1;ond, at the mouth of the Rio

'illE HAGUE, Sept. 19.

The King of the Netherlands opened the legis-
lative I,ession of the States-General to-day, with the
following speech fr.ma the throne :
Gentlemen,—lt is with extreme gratitude to
Divine Providence that in opening the present
legislative session, I am able to announce to you
that the condition of the country may be considered
as generally satisfactory,
Our relations with Foreign Powers continue upon
the most favourable fcoting.

The land and naval forces in the mother country
and our colonial possessions continue to word me
reason for satisfaction.

Although the condition of our Eastern Indies is
in many respects satisfactory, I deeply regret that
a violent epidemic has committed ravages in Java,
and it is my most ardent desire to hear soon that
this malady has ceased to afflict that colony.
. .

The results of the emancipation of the slaves in
our E tat Indian colonies are not unfavourable, it

compared with those which an analogous measure
has entailed elsewhere.

The administrative regulations of the government
of the colonies of Surinam and Cure pa will be
again submitted to you for deliberation.
I shall have recourse to your assistance in the
establishment of the tariffs of import and export
duties and of transit dues to be introduced iu the
Dutch East Indies, an Jto regulate various quest

tions affecting industrial and agricultural enters
prise in that colony,
Great developments are taking place in public
works. The corps of the Engineers of Roads and
Bridges fulfils with laudable zeal duties which have
recently acquired great extension. A. revision of
this important branch of the administration, con-
formable; to the exigencies of the day, has been

prepared.
The construction of the State railways is being
regularly continued. The returns from those por-
tions open to trsffie exceed previous calculations.
Conventions for the connection of our railways with
foreign lines have been concluded with the neigh-
eNV UV a;,7,„ ti„„
Dutch network of railways an extension which
will require fresh labours upon the roads and at
maritime ports.
I observe with much satisfaction that the men-

tion of the law for middle-class education is (very
where received with lively interest and frank co
operation. _ . _

The results of the harvest have been better than
could have been hoped, The returns from the deep
sea, river, and coast fisheries have been good, but
many lives have unfortunately fallen victims to
storms.

Our trade continues in active development.

Although the state of war in which several mull

tries are engaged may have exercised an unfavour-
able influence upon commerce, it is satisfactory to
observe that shipbuilding is upon the increase

among us.

Bills regulating medical supervision, the commu-
nal guards, and military quarters, will again be laid
before you.
The bill for the code of examination in criminal
cases, which is intended to replace the code now in
operation, will also be submitted to you for delibe.
ration.

The state of our finances will allow of provision
being made for the requirements of the public ser-
vice, and of continuing the redemption of the na-
tional debt.
Bills for the complete suppression of the city
tolls (octrois), and for other undertakings of a
financial character, will be laid before you during
the present session, as well as bills regulating the
method of keeping the accounts of the State
finances.
May the important labours to which the present
session summons us tend, under God's blessing, to
the great prosperity of the country.
I declare the ordinary session of the States-
General open.

A Nt.w TUERMOGRAPH.—M. Marcy has ad-
dressed to the French Academy of Sciences the fol.
lowing description of an instrument for marking small
variations of temperature. It may, we believe, be rendered
intelligible without a diagram-1. The first part of this
thermograph consists of a copper tube a metro in length,
the interior diameter of which is capillary, not being more
than one, fifth of a milimetre. It is open at one end, and
soldered to a hollow copper ball at the other.-2. The
second part of the apparatus consists of a wheel resting upon
knife-edges like those of a pair of scales, whereby a very
delicate oscillation may be imparted to it. The axle
of the wheel carries a long vertical needle, marking
the degrees on a circular scale. To the circumference
of the wheel is fixed a glass tuba six millimetres
in diameter, and bent in conformity to the curvature of the
wheel, and so situated that the middle of the tube lies ver •
tinily underneath the needle when the wheel is at rest,
One of its extremities is hermetically closed, while the other
is open. Now, if a little mercury be poured into this tube,
it will settle at the lowest point, and the interior of the tubs
will thus be divided into two chambers, one closed with air
confined in it, the other open. 3. Now introduce the copper
tube heto the glass one, giving it of course the same curva-
ture, and so that its extremity may pass through the mer-
cury, thus establishing a communication between the hollow
copper ball and the c )nfined chamber, and the apparatus,
with a few accessory appliances, will bo complete. The
end of the copper tube dipping into the mercury
should be varnished to prevent its being attacked by the
latter metal ; or better still, the cod might bo made of pla-
tinum. 4. To use this apparatus, put your hand to the
capper ball—the warmth thus imparted to it will dilate the
air it contains, and drive part of it into the confined cham-
ber; the mercury will therefore recede, and thereby make
the wheel turn round its centre of gravity ; the very small
arc thus described will be revealed by the needle, the dif-
ference of its presont posqiou with its previous ono when
at rest. If, ou the contrary, the copper ball be cooled by
water, for instance, the air inside will be contracted, a por-
tion of the air of the confined chamber will rush in, and
the mercury will be driven forward, the needle turning in
the inverse direction. By means of this apparatus very
delicate physiological experiments on animal heat may be
conducted.

SOUTHAMPTON, Wednesday.--The Hamburg•
Americkn Comp ny's screw steamship Saxonia,
Captain N. Trautmann, sailed at 2 p.m. to-day for New
York, with German and English mails, 163 saloon and a
large number of steerage passengers, and a fair amount of
Cargo. The Germanic, Captain H. Ethers, which arrived
out at New York on the night of the 3d inst., after a rapid
passage of nine d,ys 22 hours from this port, is expected ti
arrive off Cowes, cn rout: to Hamburg, on Wednesday next,
the 28th inst., with mails from New York of the 17+1.
The University of Warsaw, the re-establishment
of which has been decreed, was abolished by the Emperor
Nicholas after the revolt of 1831.