The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMI3ER 28, 1863

ROYAL ST. JAMES'S THEATRE. under the
Management of Mr. B. WEBSTER.
THIS EVENING, the new Comic Dr 'ma of the HEN
AND CHICKENS : Mrs. Stirling in her original character.
At ter which, a Comical Conglomemtive Christmas Absur-
dity, by Henry J Byron, Esq., and entitled 186; ; or, THE
SEN -ATIONs OF 1.1-1 N PAST SEASON, witti a Shameful
Reveladon of Lad/ Somebody's Secret. New Scenery by
Ranson and Sons. Appointments by Mr. Ireland. Music by
M. Wallerstein. Principal characters by Mr. J. L. Toole,
Mr. Paul Bedford, Miss Cottrell, Miss Faony Josephs, ttc.
And the BIRT lIPLACE OF PODGERS : Mr. J. L. Toole
in his original character.

IVT THE ATRE-R() YAL, ADELPHI.-
dole Proprt.tor and _Manager, Mr. B. Webster.
I.lg

THIS EVENING, THE SPIT ALFIBLD'S WEAVER:
31r. J. L. Toole.
to Eight, the New Drama of LEAK Miss Bate-
man, supported by Messrs. Arthur Stirling, R. Phillips, Bil-
iington, Stuart, Stephenson, hburne; Miss H. Simms, and
Mrs. Killington.
To ginclude with LADY BELLE BELLE; or, Fortunio
and his Seven 31agi.; Men. .11essrs. J. Clarke, n. Phillips,
Stephenson ; Miss Woolgar, Miss K. Kelly, Miss
_Patti
Jose,hs, Miss L. Laidlaw, Miss Seaman.

Commence at 7.

LEAH.-EVERY NIGHT.

MISS BATEMAN.—LEAH.--THIs EVENING,
the 73d appearance of the great Tragic Actress, Miss
L'A£EMAN, in the character of LEAH. In consequence of
the unbounded success with which Miss Bateman'a imperso-
nation of the principal character in the new Five Act Drama
of LEAH has been attended. Mr Webster begs to announce
that it will be performed EVERY EVENING until further
notice.

ROYAL STRAND THEATRE.
Manager, Mr. W. H. Swanborough.
THIS EVENING, OBSERVATION AND FLIRTA-
TION.
Alter which, the Grand Christmas Burlesque, ORPHEUS
AND EURY uICE : Messrs. Honey, Wood, James Fenton,
Mesdames Swanborou:,,h, Marie Wilton, Hughes, &o.
To conclude with TURN HIM OUP.
Commence at 7.

THE THIRD EDITION OF " THE SUN,'
Containing the Latest SPORTING INTELLIGENCE,
ape had Every Evening of

G. R. NEWS AGENT,
No, 4, Connaught-terrace, Hyde-park.

TAU WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.
HIS
'-'Morning, 4h. 2m.—Afternoon, 4h. 18m.
To-'°"'"l.-Morning, 4h. 38m.—Afternoon, 4h. 55m.

The Weather—Sun Office, Dec. 28, 1863.

TRERMOMETER.
This day at Two (N'ek,,k 46
Wind Baro
aaeter-29.50.
light, and cloudy.

- ia .4,
;_
•

DL 28, 1863.
LONDON, MONDAY,

THIERS has resumed his positionas an orator
in the French Legislature with a success worthy
of
his reputation. His reappearance in the tribune
has been one, so to express it, rhetorie„u3,
triumphant. The amendment moved by him failed,
i t is true—being at once rejected by the Corp,
Legislatif. But the speech in whieh he moved
it has won for itself, as a speech, words of praise
from all the various organs of public opinion in
Paris, with scarcely one exception. Nor can we
marvel at it, that such should have been the effect
produced by a harangue so really and even emi-
nently admirabie,as a most lucid exposition of the ora-
tor's argument. Nothing could well surpass the elo-
price and perspicuity of the language employed by
the speaker in explanation of his views. Those
views are taken exception to, by one or another o;
the Parisian journa ists, according to the diversity
of the opinions entertained amongst them upon the
matters of vital import referred to by M. TIIIEES
in the course of his speech. But all, alike, com-
mend the charm and grace of the speech simply
viewing as Buell—simply looking at it as the luau•
oral oration of one of the greatest of living
French debaters, on the recommencement of his
C r CS a LnelllNT of the Gallic Legislature.
.Nreveleheless, a
rhetorical whe
r,
"e
the speech was, obviously, in
that 14;h
triumph, a brilliant success,
that is, as a sPeeeh---e'S a party move, the amend-
ment it advocates was, be3,end all doubt of it, s
el and very notable failure.sign Looking keenly
at the result arrived at by the rc-k,etion of the
amendment, the Cone/tut/one/ exalts (with some
show of reason, remembering What
are the
1' urns{), und.
ns that en
omen) isgmsedl3
- thereby brought exults over the Met vid
to light, to the tffact that the "coalition
to
much extolled by the Democratic organs hu,irtita,

received a heavy blow. M. TRIERS, by his amend •
ment," says the Constitutionnel, " has ledto asehism
on the Opposition benches. M. EMILE OLLIYIER
pleaded for peace, while M. GIIEROULT and M.
HAVIN expressed ardent wishes for war. Without
heeding those petty struggles of fractions, the
majority restored to the question its real character.'
That is—it did so by the point blank rejection
of the amendment. Not unnaturally the Journal
des Debats cannot by any means see this so plainly
—even if it can acknowledge to seeing it at all.
" Apparently," it insists (with a wonderful hint at a
distinction without a difference, in so speaking),
Apparently M. TRIERS has been defeated, as the
Chamber rejected the amendment. In reality, how-
ever," argues the journalist, "he has succeeded almost
better than he could have desired. His debut in the
present Chamber is therefore a real success, and we
would willingly say that his first speech is a
triumph if the ideas of vain pomp awakened by
that antiquo word, and which accord very well
with the kind of effect aimed at by the formal elo-
quence of young beginners in the rhetorical profes-
sion, did not clash with the free and familiar
manner of M. TRIERS. That style, so vivacious,
just, positive, and simple, which has maintained
itself free from all alloy with the spurious flourishes
the introducedGir
eed
and the
politicalsince
remaining
language of France by
in fashion—
that style, we repeat, so thoroughly French, accord-
ing to the ancient meaning of the word, has, in
fact, wings, where others have only the sound of a
trumpet." Referring to the "split" caused in the
Opposition by reason of the inconsiderate wording
of the amendment, the Opinion Nationale, as an
organ of that Opposition, acknowledges frankly,
" The schism which took place among the Left is
deeply to be regretted, but" it adds, "we do not
think that has anything irreparable." Yet, after
saying this,
it goes on to remark immediately,
"there has, doubtless, been in this affair more than
a misunderstanding !" There is, observe ! about the
discussion that has taken place " more than a misun-
derstanding," and yet it is not by any means to be
regarded as a division in its way " irre-
parable !" The Patrie, instead of indulging in
mere generalities goes, at once right to the
core of the meaning of the rejected amend-
ment, where it says—" After reading-Mr. TRIERS'
speech, notwithstanding certain protests made in
the name of the honour of the country, no one
can deny that the supporters of the amendment had
not solely in view the equilibrium of the floating
debt." The direct object of the speech, according
to the Patric having been to give the bill a
purely pacific character ! The object of the Oppo-
sition, as shown by the amendment, in truth was,
it argues anything but the enforcement of.a merely
economic question, their design being to limit the
resources which military preparations might require
in the instance of any subsequent emergency ! It is
curious to observe, that in the division that took
place upon the amendment, M. TRIERS himself
abstained altogether from voting, as was made
evident, indeed, by the Moniteur.

There has of late been several melancholy cases
of persons dying in the metropolis from absolute
want of food and shelter, and under existing
arrangements considerable uneasiness has been felt
lest they should prove the precursors of many more
such casualties during the inclement months before
us. The means of providing temporary relief and
accommodation to those in urgent need do not ap-
pear to be sufficient or satisfactory, and as this is
the time of the year in which such cases are inevi-
table in a city like London, we are glad to find that
the attention of the proper authorities has been
directed to the subject. A minute of the Poor-law
Board, just issued, gives us some statistics of tlie
numbers of destitute persons receiving tem-
porary relief, and also sets clearly before
the Guardians and officers of the Unions the
nature and extent of their duties. According to
the returns obtained from the different metropoli-
tan Unions, showing the accommodation provided
for destitute wayfarers during the first weeks of
January, March, May, and August in the current
year, provision is made for 997 such persons in the
several metropolitan parishes. This accommodation
is, however, total y inadequate, not only from the
restricted number, but from the inequality of its
distribution. Some parishes have little or no accom-
modation, and, consequently, the houseless vagrant
is driven to take refuge in one of its better supplied
neighbours, who, having incurred an extra expense
by the fitting-up of proper wards, have also to meet
expenses which ought to fall upon others. It is
the duty of the guardians, as the President of the
Poor Law Board very plainly reminds them, " to
see that all necessary and reasonable arrangements
are made for affording to every destitute person the
requisite relief, whether in food, clothing, medical
attendance, or lodging." Notwithstanding the
many respects in which the Poor Law fails to meet
the requirements of the people, it has yet, as Mr.
VILLIERS reminds us, a fundamental principle,
which is, that every destitute person, without re-
ference to the question of settlement, is primarily
entitled to relief where he is actually destitute
Yet there can be to doubt that the existing arrange-
ments entirely fail to meet the necessities of the
case. In some instances it may be the fault of the
relieving officer, as in the case of Caroline James
and others ; but more frequently such neglect is
owing to the want of proper accommodation, the
exaggerated fear of imposture, and the indifference
of the guardians, whose principal object too often
appears to be to reduce the expenses of the rate-
payers to the lowest possible amount. A night's
shelter in a pauper's bed, a meal of workhouse fare,
is no such wonderful boon that officials should be
so chary of giving it, and it is always possible to
exact from the recipient an hour or two's work,
7bieh shall pay for the expense incurred, as well
as teat his sincerity. It is surely not so difficult for
thosa long accustomed to deal with the vagrant
classes to distinguish
imposture.
made of
assistanterelieviu
i. the real necessity from wilful
In some places the experiment lass been
'e tieg the police with the duties of
wogtixofficers, and this plan is under-
eel very well. It would be wise
where they would probably
sttoootdrytoithiativeLoutioll,
prove more liberal, ft, Well as more discriminating,
than the regular officisal.
It would be easier for
them
the
idle to
impostor,
discern
tor h
ispeeorsabe, between the famished wanderer and
h we fewer of these
besiege the workhouse doors thin i
_
iea
s allowed for in
pect very
I
these minutes.
They can certainly not
tgoodash is faren ho: h
iv eurcyh 1 t
O X‘ir
h eiejur slsikh eci tge. r '
It tan
would
u morning's
t
id always
be possible to guard against abuse of the accommo-
dation tit
dation by providing only for the barest necessaries,
and by strictly enforcing the labour in return, But
after all, however earnestly the Board may recom-
mend the temporary admission of destitute vagrants,
the great difficulty still lies in the way—the want
of accommodation. The plan of erecting district
asylums for the relief of the casual poor has been
sanctioned by Act of Parliament but never put into
practice, chiefly, according to the present minute,
'rom the want of co-operation on the part of the
tuardians. Here, again, comes in the anxiety to
Keep down the rates; but there can be little doubt
that the echeme was a wise one, and, when modified i
1 by time and experience, it would have worked, It

is evident that if a max or woman, hungry, faint,
and weary, begs a night's lodging at the workhouse
door, it is absolute cruelty to send them lookingave a
forn
their own parish. Every union ought to have
asylum, either attached to the house itself or situated
somewhere else in the parish which should contain
accommodation for the full number of casual poor
which experience has shown to be likely to apply,
and to those evidently destitute immediate relief
should be given, without waiting for tedious cere-
monials or fixed hours. Mr. VILLIERS, anxious,
perhaps, to clear his Board of blame in reference to
the late tragedies, impresses strongly upon the
masters and porters of workhouses the fact that
such is their duty, and that they are bound to pro-
vide the destitute with necessaries, " without refe-
T:ence to the time of application or to the place
' where the pauper last slept." it is to be hoped
that such may be the motto in our unions until the
spring dawns on us once again, but to carry it out
fully and effectually it will be necessary, in many
instances, to provide accommodation elsewhere.
The building of the asylums spoken of
would of course be a long and elaborate
task; but the guardians of parishes where
such provision is deficient should either hire
some building with sufficient accommodation, or
erect temporary structures, such as sheds or out-
houses, which would at least serve to contain beds
of clean straw and shelter from the bitter winds.
Some change is urgently needed, since charitable
refuges in every part of London open their doors to
those whom the parishes are really bound to care
for, and the melancholy spectacles recently seen at
our workhouse doors of numbers waiting vainly for
admission to the casual ward, ought not, according
to the provisions of the law, to be possible. Mr.
VILLIERS'S minute does not come before it is needed,
end it is to be hoped that it will stimulate the
proper authorities to take steps in the right direc
tion before the winter weather comes more sharply
upon us, and we have again to record the verdict of
coroner's juries as " Died from exposure and want
of the necessaries of life."

Matters are certainly coming to a crisis in regard
to our foreign diplomacy. It is time for England
to waken up when foreign journals criticise the way
in which our Foreign Secretary deals with the
rights of neutrals. The Memorial Diplomatique
of December 20th, in an article signed by HENRI
VIGNAUD, boldly declares that England has failed
in the mission which she has heretofore arrogated
to herself—namely, that of maintaining in-
violate the rights of neutrals, and that it behoves
France to look to her rights, and not to trust to
the influence of a power which is either unable or
afraid to exert her prerogative, which has been at
least by courtesy vouchsafed to her by the maritime
States of Europe. These are not the precise words
of the article in the Memorial Diplomatique, but
they express its feelings. It is neither more nor
less than a slap in the face to our Secretary for
Foreign Affairs for his truculent and cringing con-
duct towards the Federal Government at Wash-
ington. There was a day when the well-known
lines—

" There's a flag that waves o'er every sea,
No matter when or where ;
And to treat that flag as ought but the free
Is more than the strongest dare,"
were appropriate to our country. That day has'
alas! gone by. American cruisers may with im-
punity overhaul our merchant vessels on the high
seas—aye, and even in British waters—and not-
withstanding that their papers be unquestionable,
they are seized as lawful prizes and sent into an
American port, to be adjudicated upon by such men
as Judge BETTS, who, in the face of all evidence'
condemns every vessel brought in upon the evidence
of the captors, notwithstanding that many of them
were bona fide traders between British ports. There
was a time when one-tenth part of the insults
which have been put upon this country would have
been met in an English spirit. In the days
of PITT or Fox it would not have been
necessary to call Parliament together to
inquire whether the rights and honour of the
country were to be vindicated; an Order in Council
would have despatched a fleet to the mouth of
the Hudson and to Chesapeake Bay, to demand,
and, if necessary, to enforce justice—bat nowadays,
tempera mutautur. The noble earl at the head of
Foreign Affairs licks the dust before the Satrap
at Washington, and, to curry favour with a bully
who cajoles, yet despises him, sacrifices the inte-
rests and honour of his country, in the hope of
preserving a most discreditable peace. Well may
the French press call upon their Government to
vindicate the rights of neutrals, when the former
mistress of the sea strikes her flag at the dicta-
tion of a Transatlantic braggadocio. The American
Government have not been remarkably fortunate
in the selection of its Generals—bad has in most
cases been followed by worse, and defeat number
one has only been rendered more disastrous by
defeat number two. But, at least, we may con-
gratulate them on the appointment of their judges,
and we may pay Judge WELLS the high compli-
ment of assuring him that, whether in Europe or
in America, his fame will stand on a par with
that of our own renowned Judge JEFFRIES, as a
gentleman who can decide to order. Yet, while
an infatuated Foreign Secretary is endeavouring to
smooth down the ruffled feathers of the American
eagle by his polite attention to Mr, ADAMS, and his
unjust persecution of those who attempt to trade
with the Southern states, the American press in
general are in arms against us, because some three
or four Confederate cruisers are destroying their
commerce. Mr. CHARLES G. LORING, in a work
upon the neutral relations of England and the
United States, after declaring that we have in-
fringed every clause in every treaty entered into
by us, coolly requests that the English nation shall
reimburse the American shipowners and merchants
for all loss which they may have sustained from the
Confederate cruisers. We might laugh at such a re-
quest, and consider it but the emanation of a mad-
man, but that we entertain grave doubts whether
Earl RUSSELL may not bring in a bill next session
to that effect, declaring that the blessings of peace
demand any sacrifice. We trust that he may do so ;
the sooner the crash comes the better. Our Minis
ters have thrown over the Danish interests to suit
Prussia; England has no voice in Europe except by
the consent of France, and her merchant vessels
cannot find protection even in the waters of her
own colonies. Let war come, and the country be
plunged £100,000,000 more into debt, and America
and Europe combine, yet we will still keep an
island home inviolate, though its ramparts be Eng
land's dead, and the nation which produced 100,000
Volunteers for an idea will not shrink from the-
choice of death or dishonour.

The late Mr. William Makepeace Thackeray
Will be buried at Kensal-greon Cemetery on Wednesday
the 30th inst., at 12 o'clock.
Tilt NATIONAL SITAKESPERE COMMITTEE has
during the past week been increased by the ad-
Hon.
dition to it of the following new members :—The Right
lin teet Lord Provost of Edinburgh, the Provost of Stir.
g,Elayor of Kendal, the Mayor of Northampton,
Guiana,
Sir Rowland Rill,
the Reeerder of Durham, the Chief Justice of British
Crosby, E'cl" C
Matthew Arnold, Esq., James
' Marchester, Esq. bunPheY, Esq
John Harland, of
THE CONVICT TOWNLEY.--We are informed
George Grey has orde a medical inquiry in the
that ir
stateS of mincl of Townley, them rderer of Miss Goodwin.

LATEST EffTELLIGENCE.

INDIA.

LATEST FROM THE NORTHERN FRONTIER.
BOMBAY, DEC. 14.
(By Telegraph from Suez.)

There hae been no more fighting on the frontier.
General Chamberlain has resigned the command
to Alajor•General Garvock on account of the wound
he received in the late encounter with the revolted

tribes.
All is gala at Peshawar.
Sir William Denison was installed as Viceroy
on the 2d inst.

DENMARK.

COPENHAGEN, DEC. 28.

It is now most probible that the Ministers will
remain in office. On Saturday last the members
of the Cabinet, and several eminent statesmen be-
linging to different political parties in the Rigsrard,
had an interview with the King. They were all
unanimous that a legal suspension of the common
constitution is now impossible. The reasons stated
were, that wherever the Federal troops have en-
tered, a revolution has been accomplished under
their protection, by which Ring Christian has been
deprived of his rights as Duke of Holstein. The
Pretender has also been proclaimed, and any ex-
pression of loyalty suppressed, all in the presence
of the Federal troops. The priccipal clergyman in
Altona was compelled to fly from the town for re-
maining loyal to King Christian.

INDIA AND CHINA MAIL.

ADEN, ---

The Rangoon, which left Calcutta on the 23d
November, stranded near Aden (name of• place not
decypherable) at 2 a.m. on the 10th December.
Passengers and mails saved. Cargo and baggage
landed without the slightest damage.

The ship is in a very critical position, but making
no water; some hopes are entertained of saving her
at the next spring tide.

The Sultan takes the Rangoon's mails, pas-
sengers, and cargo to SUEZ. She arrived there yes-
terday.

The Norna, for the Mauritius, has been detained
here to assist the Rangoon.

The Bengal, with the outward mails of the 20th
and 26th November, is detained at Aden with
pinion shaft broken. The Benares takes on the
mails, cargo, and passengers to Calcutta.

FRANCE.

PARIS, DEC. 28.

The Turkish Ambassador had a private audience
of the Emperor yesterday, and remitted to his
Majesty the reply of the Sultan to the Imperial
letter of invitation to the Congress.
BOURSE, Dec. 26.—N0 change has taken place
in the tone of the market in consequence of the
vote of the loan, and prices have but slightly
varied. Threes, for the Acccunt, opened at 66fr.
40c. Railway Market quiet, but Arm. The market
closed as follows :

41 per Cents 94 10
Jo. end month ___
per Cents
Do. end month 66 45
Credit Mobilier 1035
Do. end month 1035
Bank Shares 3400
Credit Fonder 1220
Roman —

Italian Loan 7l 35
Do. nd month 7l 60
Sew ditto
Do. end month —
Rtasian
Austrian
Spanish
Home Debt .. —
Deferred

to my mind another interesting fact, of which you
cannot be ignorant, Mr. Senator, since it is your
illustrious historian, Da Thou, who relates it. In
this year, 1572, a French prince, who was after
wards Henry 111., offered himself as a candidate
for election to the throne of Poland.

He was only elected after his envoy, the Bishop
of Montlnc, had solemnly declared that this prince
had nothing to do with St. Bartholomew; and
when, the year following, a deputation of Catholic
bishops and senators repaired to Paris, it only
saluted Henry of Valois, as King of Poland, after
having received from this prince the oath to main
tain peace between the Dissidents : Paean inter dis-
sidentes servabo.

You have also, Mr. Senator, expressed the wish
that Poland should be subjected to a better social
regime, to a better tenure of property. But are you
aware of all the efforts my country has made to
arrive at the end which you point out ? Are you
aware, above all, of the obstacles which foreign
oppression has not ceased to oFpose to it in this
course ? Are you ignorant of the sad end of the
Agricultural Society, denounced as revolutionary in
1861, for having adopted as a principle that the
peasant farmers should be placed in a position
to become proprietors. Are you ignorant that
our glorious constitution of the 3d of May
was prcclaimed by Catherine IL to be the work of
Jacobinism, because it admitted all classes gradually
to acquire the title of nobility—that is to say, the
plenitude of civil and political rights? We were
denounced as Jacobins at the end of the last cen-
tury, just as now we are stigmatised as anarchists.
A strange accusation, truly, against that nation,
in behalf of which the Holy Father not long ago
ordered solemn prayers, proclaiming it to be the
secular champion of Christianity, and inviting it to
remain ever faithful to its mission ! He even among
the Poles, against whom extreme tendencies are most
charged, he whose nomination is daily pointed by
certain parties as the sign of tha subversive ideas ot
the National Government,' General Mieroslawski,
during the three months he was commissioned to
organise abroad the resources of the insurrection,
has not, I am happy to say, committed any act
which justifies, from the political point of view, the
blame of the most Conservative opinion. His
destitution, recently pronounced, has been prompted
by military considerations which rendered his
functions for the moment valueless.

But, above all, IJprotest against the idea which is so gra-
tuitously and so universally attributed to us, that we ask of
the Western Powers to undertake a war of liberation in on:
behalf. This demand, Mr. Senator, we have made. What
we claim, and shall not cease to claim, is that Europe do
its duty ; that after having abandoned us to the rule of
the Czar on conditions which he " has trampled under
foot," it should declare him deprived of this sovereignty ;
that, denying the right,which was conferred upon him in
1815, it implicitly recognises that of Poland to
recover her independence. "After eight months," said the
National Government in a recent circular—the Government
which I serve and recognise, and which I do not despair Of
seeing one day recognised by yourself,Mr. Senator—" After
eight months we have not obtained from the Governments
which march at the head of the civilised world the sole act
of justice we have asked from them—that of recognising
our right to defend ourselves against oppression. Are wo
asking too much of Europe ? We appeal to the conscience
of the peoples and the loyalty of the Governments."
One may not have the will or the power to redress the
attacks made upon justice, but it is not permissible to deny
them when they ate manifest, It is not permissible to seek
to give to crime another name because chastisement cannot
reach it ; and in this connection I may be permitted to
remind you that in England, which you judge so severely,
Mr. Senator, and which I have no commission to defend.
not a single respectable and authoritative voice has been
raised to deny the right of Poland and extenuate the
crimes of the Muscovites.

In a recent speech Mr. Layard, the Under Secretary of
Foreign Affairs, repeated, doubtless to satiety, that the
English people would not go to war for Poland, but he has
had the justice and candour to add these words, to which I
venture to call your attention, Mr. Senator :—" History (he
said) does not furnish examples of more deplorable, more
horrible deeds; a policy of extermination is applied to that
unibrtunate country and pursued without relaxation, not
only against men young and old, but also against women
and children. One shudders at being made cognisant of
such horrors."

The principle of the solidarity of peoples is novel without
doubt, and is not yet reduced to practice; but the notion
of the just and the unjust, of crime and duty, is of ancient
date, and cannot be called in question. It is melancholy to
recall it in this century of light and civilisation, it is
melancholy, above all, to plead such a cause before an
eminent jurist, and it is with this sentiment of melancholy
that I have the honour to be, Mr. Senator, your very
humble and obedient servant,

(Signed) CZARTORYSKI,

A letter from Milan says :

In glaring contradiction with the sudden and earnest as-
surances of peace which proceed from Paris, is the fact that
several French officers are now in Italy for the purpose of
inspecting the active military forces of this country. A
French general is now at Turin, and has every day long
conferences with the Minister of War; and a colonel
of the general staff, a colonel of Engineers, a lieute-
nant-colonel of artillery, and a major in the line arrived
here yesterday, who are commissioned not merely to visit
all the military depots. but to study the whole line of the
Po. The military and civil Italian officials have received
orders to facilitate by all means in their power the labours
of these officials. The day after to-morrow the commission
will inspect the line of the Mincio, and the cour-
tesy of the Piedmontese is carried so far that the com-
mander in the second military district, Lieutenant-General
Durando, sends the chief of his staff and his first aide-de-
camp to accompany them. What an inspection of this
sort means, unless it is for the purpose of seeing whether
the Piedmontese army is ready to take the field, it would be
difficult to say. That the Italian Government considers the
breaking out of war as near at hand is evident from the fact
tnat preparations, which are only made when war is
most imminent, are now being made. Thus in
Lombardy six field hospitals have been established, viz., at
Castiglione della Stiviere, Brescia, Milan, Cremona, Pavia,
and Lodi, and ambulances have been furnished.
The King is expected here about the end of next month,
Great military spectacles will then take place. The King
will also inspect the troops posted on the Po and the
Mincio,