The Sun.
London, England, 1864-04-12 00:00:00

BELGIUM.

The Belgian Senate in its last sitting adopted the
bill for annexing to the commune of Brussels two
zones of , territory belonging to the communes
of Ixelles and St. Gilles, lying by the side of the
avenue leading from the boulevards to the public
promenade of the Bois de la Chambre

"The bill for allowing the entrance duty free
of vessels built abroad and purchased by Belgian
shipowners was the object of an amendment pro-
posed by Baron Osy, senator of Antwerp. The
bill fixed the Ist March last as the day from
which its enactments were to take effect. he
amendment proposed to alter the date to the 15th
of the same month. Baron Osy objected to the
retroactive character given to the law. The
Minister of Finance had been accused of wishing
to render the law executory on the Ist of March,
in order to favour an Antwerp shipowner, the
purchaser of a vessel nationalised after that date.
Baron Osy declared that he did not propose his
amendment in consequence of that circumstance,
but solely on principle. The code interdicted
retroactive laws, because they might be at-
tended with danger. The Minister of Finance
replied that the charge brought against him was
unfounded, that the shipowner alluded to had not
nationalised his vessel, and therefore could derive no
advantage from the let of Maros. He also remarked
that, as to the question of principle, Baron Osy only
objected to retroactivity for the Ist of March, but
admitted it for the 15th. However the Sen ate
would consider whether, fur an amendment of such
trifling importance, it was worth while to incur
the inconvenience of sending the bill back to the
other Chamber, which had already rejected a simi-
lar amendment.

The Senate then declared against the amendment
by a large majority, and adopted the bill.

PRANCE.

A letter from Canton in the Monileur says :
" M. de Trenquayle, the French Consul at this port
received a visit on the 15th Nov., from the Viceroy
of the two Kounags, and was fortunate enough to
induce that eminent personage to accept an official
invitation to be present at the Catholic church of
Canton. The two Tartar Generals, the Go-
verner, the Superintendent of the Finance
and the Treasurer, have also promised to
attend. Grand preparations are being made,
and great curiosity is felt to witness the strange
spectacle of all the Chinese authorities coming offi-
cially to render homage to a faith the profession of
which by a native only a short time since entailed
the penalty of death. This incident is a striking
proof of the influence which France exercises in the
south of China owing to her successes in 1857. The
French Consul has received frog► the Chinese Go-
vernment expressions of its satisfaction at the im-
provement apparent among the Chinese troops
owing to the instruction given to them by the
French sub-officers appointed for that purpose.
A communication from Veile says—The Dormuz
brigade having returned to support the Prussian
troops, the Gondrecourt brigade has partially occu-
pied the position so left, and which covers the corps
of operation before Fredericia. The advanced posts
to the north are supplied by the Prussians and All9a
trians alternately, the Prussians occupying them for
48 hours, and the Austrians then for as long. Since
the arrival of the Austrians the Danes have not
shown themselves south of Horsens.
The screw corvette Heimdal, from the Sound, has
arrived at Copenhagen, with a screw frigate, the
Amphiou, 300 horse power, built for war service,
but without guns, and under jury-masts. Toe Heim-
dal sighted this vessel carrying the English flag in
the neighbourt ood of Elsinore. As she presented a
suspicious appearance, she was ordered to lay to,
but disregarded the order, whereupon the Heimdal
fired a shot across her bows and brought her up.
The captain stated that ho was bound for Copen-
hagen to offer the ship to the Danish Government,
but as there was reason to suppose her intended fur
Danizie or some other Prussian Port, the commander
of the Heimdal thought it best to bring the suspi-
cious stranger into this port.
BOURSE, April 11.— rho market is without ani-
mation, but Saturday's quotations generally well
maintained. Threes, for the Account, are now
uovaried at 66f. 15c. Mobilior have slightly im-
proved, being last quoted at 1,053 tr. 75c. The
Railway Market quiet, but firm. The market
closed as follows :

41 per Cents 93 50
Do. end month• • ••
3 per Cents
Do. end month 66 25
Credit Mobilier 1055
Do. end month 1056 25
Bank Shares 3300
Credit k ander 1290
Roman

Italian Loan 67 80
Do. end month 6B 10
Sew ditto
Do. end month....
Russian
Austrian
Spanieh Threes —
dome Debt
Deferred
Cash. Account.

RA IL

Orleans
Northern ....
New ditto
Lyons and Mediterranean
Nev ditto
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa..
Ditto to Barcelona ....

906 25 907 50
976 25 .. 977 50

943 - .. 945 -
885 - - -
653 75 .. 653 75
500 - .. 496 25
486 25 .. 485 -
366 25 .. 365 -
417 50 .. 421 25
557 50 .. 68 75
487 50 .. 487 60
690 - 687 60
- 280 -

HOLSTEIN.

A largo majority of the members of the Holstein
Estates (40 out of 49) met on the sth at Kiel, in
extraordinary Session, and unanimously passed
the following declaratio❑ :
" We, the undersigned Deputies to the Holstein
Assembly of Estates, at present consisting of 49
members, solemnly declare, with regard to the
Conference of European Powers about to assemble
in London, as follows:

" We protest against every decision that may be
come to at the above Conference, respecting the
future of the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein,
and in especial with regard to the person of the
successor to the throne vacated by the death of the
King Duke Frederick VII., without the opinion of
the country being first taken as to the hereditary
right of his successor. We further declare every
recognition of any such successor by the European
Powers without the previous consent of the country
as not legally valid and binding upon the same.
" We declare, moreover, hereby as the rights of
this eountry before God and man—
" 1. That the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein
are independent States, inseparably connected with
each other fur ever.
" 2. That by lineal succession and primogeniture
the male line of the Oldenburg Royal House is
exclusively called to the throne.
" 3. That Christian Ix., King of Danmark, is
therefore in no way rightfully entitled to the
throne of tho Duchies, being excluded by agnates
of nearer claims, but that the Lenden Treaty of May
8, 1852, together with the Danish sucoieeion law of

HER MAJESTY.

WINDSOR CASTLE, April 11.
The Queen, attended by Lady Augusta Stanley,
walked in the grounds this morning.
His Majesty the Kin of the Belgians, attended
by General Count de Moerkerke, went to Clare.
mont, and visited the Queen Marie Amelie.

In correction of the description of dress worn by
the Qaeen at the Court on Siturday last it is to
be stated that her Majesty wore diamonds only in
the cap, and an opal brooch set in diamonds.

The Prince and Princess of Wales,
SANDRINGHAM, April 11.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales walked in the grounds on Saturday, and
afterwards rode out.

Ttieir Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales, with Lieut.-Gen. Knollys, Captain Grey,
Mr. Wood, Mr. Ho;zman, and the Hon. Mrs. Bruce,
attended Divine service at Sandringham Church
yesterday. The Rev. G. B. Maxon, 8.A., officiated
and preached.

The vacant Garter will, it is believed, be bestowed
upon his Grace the Duke of Sutherland.
The Duke of Kispalda has lett Claridge's Hotel
for Paris.

Lord Clarendon will, it is said, shortly proceed
to Paris upon a private mission to the Imperial Court. It
is no secret that a considerable alienation has sprung up
between the two Governments within the last few months,
which Mr. Stansfeld's alleged share in the Mazzinian
demonstration has net tended to remove. Lord Ctarendoot
from his courtierlike instincts, has, we understand, been
selected as an instrument for restoring more amicable rela-
tions, and dispelling the irritation produced by Lord
Russell's policy and Lord Palmerston's speeches. Napo-
leon 111 must be the most forgiving of men if he succeeds.
—Hcrald.

MR. AND MRS. HERMANN VEZIN will return to
the Princess's on Monday next, making their re-appear-
ance in "Donna Diana." They are to be succeeded, we
believe, by Madlle. Stella Colas.
A CHARMING INSTANCE OF TOLERATION..—.There
is a story efirat in the Inns of Court which seems
to require a refutation. It is said that Mr Pope Hennessy
has joined the Home Circuit, but on applying for admission
to the mess he was biacktalled. As the mess is not a club
at which any one can exercise a veto the committee inquired.
the reason, when the dissentients gravely alleged that they
had acted on principle, that they did not object to DIN'
Hennessy as a barrister, or as a politician, or as a gentle-
man, but simply as an Ulrramontane 1 It that story is true
in any degree whatever, bigotry would seem to have found
her last refuge in the Home Circuit. No such exclusion
can, of course, be maintained for a month, but one wonders
if the gentlemen who resisted would object to dine with
the Pope, or send an excuse to a duke whose lists of guests
included Cardinal Wiseman,—Spectator.

FEARFUL OCCURRENCE.—Oh. Sunday morning,
at about 5 o'clock, a 3 ouog man named Perry, living
in Hallett's-row, Brickkiln-street, hearing a noise as of
some one in distress in an adjoining house, occupied by all
old couple named Holland, knocked at the door. Ws
mother was with him, ant some one inside the house told
them to break open the door. They did so, and found the
place full of smoke. On entering the house they heard
groans in the pantry, a place about three feet wide by si%
feet long. On going into this pantry they saw a horrible
sight. In one corner was the old man, shrivelled and
charred in a fearful manner, quite dead. In the opposite
corner was his wife, groaning and crying for water,
and her clothes burnt from her back. From the state
in which the man was found the woman must hays
seen him burnt to death. His clothing was completely
burnt to a cinder. Several pieces of money were found in
the pantry, quite black, and as though they had beep'
exposed to great heat. The woman stated that she eatight•
fire while in the kitchfn, and she rushed into the pantry'
to throw some water on Ler clothes when her hu,banct
followed her, and in attempting to extinguish the flames
must himself have been burnt. The old man was a shoe-
maker and worked at home, his wife had some employmallC
at a neighbouring factory, and both were much given to
drink, On Saturday, after drinking all day, the unhapPY
couple went home intoxicated, and were heard quarrelling
until between three or four in the morning, and after that
time groans were so continuously heard that at last Ik
Perry aroused hsr son.—Manchester Guardian.
CHARLES DICKENS'S title to his new story, Our
Mutual Friend," now immediately fortncomil3g,
have called forth many protests "in the interest of the
Queen's English. " What is a mutual friend ?" asks one
hypocrite." If A has friendly feelings towards B, and 13
reciprocates them, their friendship is mutual ; and they
may without impropriety be called mutual friends. But if
A and B are two persons, each of whom enjoys the
friendship of a third person, C, there is no "mutuality" ril
the case. C is in this case their common friend; and the
use of the word " mutual" to expaess the relation in wilicb•
any one of them stands to either of the others, is manifestly
incorrect, Two brothers cannot be said to have a mutual
parent. Their father is their common parent. There is
no doubt about it, and we remember remarking the fact at
the first moment the title of Mr. Dickens's new story caw°
to our knowledge, that in one of his essays Lord blacaule!
has made a particular and emphatic protest against thla
tlf
expression. Our contemprary, the A thenceum, veryjus
remarks, however, that Mr. Dickens, it is admitted, has th";
power, and the right, to raise a mere colloquialism out
the dust, and to center upon it the dignity of a literary
idiom I
The new novel, " Adela Cathcart," by Gorge 3:
MacDonald, M.A , author of " David Elginbrod," 84°•,,e.
vols.—" Adele Cathcart (says the Sunday limes) i 0
lightful book. We quit it with reluctance. It is not otte'd
u
that we are called upon to review a worn in which Nvetilliast7
so much to admire. Written in purest English,, cl__s of
sparkling, and gt acetul, anon delighting us with i1a597,00.
humour or winning us with true and subtle P
Adela Cathcart' may at once take up its position among
the masterpieces of modern English fiction."
tiolnts hasr
tbeen
oannounced that
v e
n e nz ou further
a u
aoy
co
eccuaj.
Six per Cent. Loan will be received after
nesday nest. The subscription at Cologne
And
Amsterdam closes on the some day.