The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1863.

THE PROJECT OF FEDERAL REFORM.

The following is rather a full analysis of the
draught of the Austrian project of Federal improve•
meet

REFORM OF TILE GERMAN DUNG,

Art. I—The objects of the German Confederation are—
The maintenance of the security and power of Germany in
respect to foreign countries; the maintenance of public
order at home. and the furtherance of the interests of the
German nation, &e.

Art. 2—A new Directory, to be formed for the manage-
ment of the affairs of the Confederation. A Federal Council
to be formed of the plenipotentiaries of the Governments.
An assembly of Federal Delegates to be convoked perisdi-
cally. A assembly of princes to meet at stated periods, A
Federal court of justice to be established.

Art. 3.—The Direztory of the Bund to be forted of the
Empiror of Austria, the King of Prussia, the King of
Bavaria, and two persons to be elected by the Sovereigns
who supply troops to the Bth, 9th, and 10th Federal corps
d'arnzee. The two elected members of the Directory to re-
main in office for three or for six years.
Art. 4.—The Federal Council to be composed of the 17
"votes" of the "Engerer Roth." As Austria and Prussia
will have three votes each, the number of votes in the Fede-
ral Council will be 21.

Art s.—Austria to preside in the Directory and in
the Federal Council. Should Austria be prevented doirg
so, Prussia is to take her place. The President is to have
no other attribute or privilege than the formal direction
of affairs. The resolutions of the Directory and of the
Federal Council to be carried by a similar majority of
votes. The elected members of the Directory and the
members of the Federal Council are bound to obey the in-
structions of their Governments. The Military Commis-
sion to be subject to the Directory Commissions for inter-
nal affairs, ustice, finances, and commercial matters, to be
formed.

Art. 6. The executive power of the Bund to be in the
hands or the Directory. In soma cases, which are to be
specified, the Directory is bound to consult the Federal
Council, and to follow its opinions.
Art. 7—ln as far as foreign Powers are concerned, the
Directory is the representative of the Band. The Directory
to appoint the diplomatic agents of the Confederation.
Art. B—The Directory has to care for the external
(aussere) security of Germany. Should there be any danger
of an attack on the Confederation, or any part of the Federal
territory, the Directory to take the necessary steps for the
defence of the same. No declaration of war can be made
without the consent of two-thirds of the members (votes) of
the Federal Council. Sould the non-Federal possession of
a Federal State be in danger of being attacked, "a majority
of the votes of the Federal Council will have to decide
whether the Bund shall interfere."

Art. 9—As a rule, the several Governments have to care
for the maintenance of peace and order, but the Directory
has to see that the internal peace of Germany is not dis-
turbed. Should there be serious disturbances, the Direc-
tory has to take proper measures for quelling them.
Art. 10—The Directory has to see that peace and concord
prevail between the different members of the Bund. Serious
disputes to be referred to the Baudes-Gericht (Federal
Court of Justice).

Art. 11—In virtue of resolutions taken by the Federal
Council, the Directory to have the right to snake proposi-
tions in matters of legislation.

Art. 12—The Directory has to see that the resolutions of
the Bond are properly carried out, and, if necessary, by
means of an adequate number of troops.

Art. 13—The Directory to have the management of all
the military matters of the Confederation.

Art. 14.—The Directory to have the management of
Federal financial matters.

Art. 15.—The Directory to convoke, open, prorogue,
dissolve, and close the Assembly of Federal Delegates,
This Directory to represent the Federal Government vis-a-
vis the Assembly of Deputies.
OF THE ASSEMBLY OP DELEGATES.
Art. 16—The representative bodies in the different Fede-
ral States to send delegates to the Frankfort Assembly.
The number of delegates to be 300. Austria to send 75
" from the States belonging to the German Band," Prussia
75, Bavaria 27; Saxony, Hanover, Wurtemberg, 15 each;
Baden 12, Hesse Cassel 9, Hesse-Darmstadt 9, Holstein
and Lauenburg 5, Luxembourg and Limburg 4, Brunswick
3, the two Alecklenburgs 6, Nassau 1, Saxe-Weimar 3,
Saxe.Meiningen, Saxe•Coburg-Gotha, and Saxe-Alten-
burg, 2 each; Oldenburg 3, and each of the other States
and free cities 1 each. In States in which there are two
Chambers, " the Upper House will elect one-third," and
the Lower House two-thirds, of the delegates.
Art. 17—The delegates to be elected in accordance with
the laws in force in the countries they are to represent.
The delegates to receive a daily allowance and their travel-
ling expenses from the Bund.
Art. 38—The Assembly of Delegates to meet once in
three years, in the month of May. The Assembly can be
prorogued by the Directory for a period not exceeding two
months, and it can adjourn for eight days. Should the
Assembly be dissolved, the Directory has immediately to
issue orders for new elections.
Art. 19—The Chamber of Delegates to elect its Presi-
dent, Vice-Presidents, and Secretaries. Its sittings to be
public. A house is formed when two-thirds of the dele-
gates are present, As a rule, bills may be passed by a
simple majority of votes.
Art. 20—The Chamber gbf Delegates has " a right to
pass resolutions" on the following subjects :---1. On alte-
rations in the Constitution of the Bund, 2. On the present
or future organic institutions of the Bund. 3. On the
Budget of the Band. 4. On matters connected with the
public press, the right of association, the right of domicile,
and sundry other matters of inferior importance.
Art. 21—In matters which concern the separate States
rather than the Band the German Chamber of Delegates
has only the right to deliberate and mediate.
Art. 22—In all Federal matters the Chamber of Dele-
gates has a right to make representations and complaints.

Naval and Military Intelligence.

THE NAVY.

Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Seymour, G.C.8.,
Naval Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth,rehoigeh
his flag on Saturday on board H.M.S. Victory, on
resuming his duties in command of the port, on his
return from his annual effi,.;ial tour of inspection
through the Channel Islands.

The Admiralty paddle yacht Enchantress, Master
Commander Petley, is filling up coal and stores at
Portsmouth preparatory for further service. It is
probable that a part of the Board will, in the course
of a few days, embark on board the Enchantress and
pay a visit to Rear-Admiral Sir S. C. Dacres,C.B.,
and the Channel fleet. The superheater casings of
this vessel at the base of the funnels on the upper
deck have been coated with Spence's patent non-
conducting and non-combustible composition, to
prevent the radiation of heat only in this instance,
and its use during the period of the Lords of the
Admiralty's recently concluded official tour of in-
spection has been attended with the most satisfac-
tory results.

The crew of the screw steam corvette Brisk, 16,
Capt. John P. Luce, recently returned from the
West Coast of Africa, were paid off at Devonport
on Saturday by Admiral Superintendent Thomas
M. C. Symonds, C.B. The Brisk will be placed in
the third division of the steam reserve in Hamoaze.

The Odin, 16, paddle, Capt. Lord John Hay, C. 8.,
is dismantling in Portsmouth harbour, and will pay
out of commission at the end of the present week.

In consequence of the Admiralty requiring the
whole of the land at and near St. Mary's Creek,
Chatham, for the extension of Chatham dockyard,
it has been found necessary to remove the Royal
Engineer pontoon depot to the opposite side of Chat-
ham harbour, near Upnor Castle, where a suitable
portion of the river has been selected to be formed
into a pontoon. hard. Already the principal por-
tion of the Royal Engineers' stores, boats, pontoons,
&c., have been transported across the harbour to the
new depot, where the Royal Engineers, who are
assisted in the undertaking by a party of convicts
to perform the heavy portions of the work, are en-
gaged in constructing, a large building in which all
the stores and materiel for pontooning and engi-
neering operations will ba deposited.
The staff of draughtsmen and clerks connected
with the architectural department of the navy at
Chatham Dockyard ate busily employed in copying
and preparing the drawings and plans sent from
the Admiralty of the interior portions of the
new description of iron-clad war frigate, the Lord
Warden, ordered to be built at Chatham, in order
that no delay whatever may be experienced in com-
mencing that vessel as soon as the hands are released
from the iron steamer Achilles, which will shortly
be out of deck at that dockyard. The internal
construction of the Lord Warden, including cabins,
magazines, and shell-rooms will differ very mate-
rially from that of all vessels hitherto constructed
for the British navy. The cabins will be arranged
upon an entirely new principle, in order to afford
light and air in abundance, and thus remove one of
the most serious defects of existing iron-clad ships.
Provision has also been made for furnishing ample
supplies of air to the men engaged in working the
powder magazines and shell-rooms in time of action,
so that the guns may be fought as rapidly as pos•
Bible, while special care is taken to place the pow-
der and other combustible stores low down in the
ship, nearly 10ft. below the water line, so that they
may be beyond the reach of the enemy's shot and
shell.

The following appointments and promotions have
been made at the Admiralty:—Captain George
Le G. Bowyear to the Phaeton, vice Capt. Tatham,
superseded at his own request; Edward G. Whit-
more, Cecil Reid, and Reginald O'Bray, assist.-
clerks, to the Marlborough ; Henry Cook, promoted
to acting chief engineer; and Sohn T. Kelly, pro-
moted to acting first-class assist.-engineer.