The Sun.
London, England, 1865-07-27 00:00:00

The cause of the arrest of the Consul is

here attributed to two things, which are
the indignation felt by the EMPEROR with Lord
PALMERSTON'S answering an autograph letter which
he sent to Queen VICTORIA, and the consul having
become acquainted with some prince who misrepre-
sented him to the EMPEROR. According to the
accounts here given, the unfortunate Colonel
CAMERON has been led about like a wild beast with
an iron collar round his neck and chained to the
arm of an Abyssinian. He has now been imprisoned
in a place called Magdala, with some other
Europeans, which may fairly be supposed to be
some alleviation of his sufferings ; but it is men-
tioned that the rage of the EMPEROR seems to,
know no bounds, and there is no knowing what
he may do if he is provoked. Whenever
there has been any application made to him
concerning the release of the consul, he has
said, "If the English want Mr. CAMERON
let them come and fetch him." It was stated in
another account that Colonel CAMERON had got
mixed up in some disputes between the authorities
and the missionaries. From one thing and another
it appears very probable that he may have acted
with imprudence, and not displayed that tact and
judgment which his difficult position called for, but
that is no reason whatever why he should be left to
his fate. The aspect which the affair has now
assumed is serious as regards the safety of the pri-
soners, and important in its bearings on the
character of England. It will never do if the rulers
of these remote and barbarous places are led to sup-
pose that they can vent their rage with impunity
upon those who are so unfortunate as to offend
them, and subject an envoy from this
country to the same rough treatment as if he
were one of their slaves and sycophants. The most
noticeable point in this affair is, not how the EMPE-
ROR was offended, nor how he may be appeased, but
why our Government have suffered things to remain
in such an unsatisfactory condition for so long a
period. With the best intentions it is impossible to
prevent misunderstandings taking place occasionally,
but it should be distinctly understood that wherever
emissaries or agents are sent by the Government of
this country they should be treated with respect.
If it be too much trouble, or considered to much
risk, to defend them when attacked they ought not
to be sent at all, for this lax manner of conducting
affairs, and this tame reception of insults and indig

nities,is calculated to lower our character in the eyes
of foreign nations, and is totally unworthy of our
reputation.

Foreign Courts.

PARIS, July 25.

A Brussels letter says :—" Many of the Belgian
journals have announced that the King is at the
last extremity. Such is not by any means the case.
Four days ago his Majesty had a violent spasmodic
attack, which threatened suffocation ; all were im-
mediately on foot in the Palace of Laeken. The
crisis lasted several hours, and there were serious
apprehensions of a fatal issue, but at last the august
*nvalid again emerged safely from a very dangerous
• • The doctors no longer consider the dropsy
as more than a secondary malady, the principal one
being disease of the heart. An exact idea of the
strength of the King's constitution may be formed
from the fact that on the morrow of the above-
mentioned attack he walked in the Park of
Lacken."

crisis.

A letter from Kissengen has the following g The
Empress of Austria, of whose beauty you must at
least have heard, is still here. I saw her the other
evening holding her circle in the open air, near the
spring. A great crowd was present to witness the
numerous presentations. Count Koenig, her Ma-
jesty's master of the ceremonies, presented to her
Count Walewski, the Prince of Tour-et-Taxis,
Count Pourtales, Count de Goltz, Prussian Ambas-
sador at Paris, Baron Bonnemann, who represents
Mecklenburg at the Court of the Tuileries, Baron
Endmansdorf, chamberlain to the King of Saxony,
and many other personages of high rank. The
ladies were presented by the Princess Kcenigsegg,
grand mistress to the Empress ; among them were
the Countess Walewski and the Countess de Labe-
doyere ; likewise a number of Austrian and Russian
ladies, including Countesses Waldstein, Lichy,
Fergen, Esterhazy, &c. The Empress had a long
conversation with the Countess Walewski. After
the presentations, her Majesty walked for some time
with the reigning Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz,
who, as you are perhaps aware, is blind ; and he
was pitied more than ever as he walked in turns
with Countess Lab6cloyere and Walewska, whom
he alone could not see. Observers who consulted
their watches state that the Empress conversed
exactly a quarter of an hour with Count Walewski,
and only one minute with Count de Goltz."
The Empress of Austria is to leave Kissengen in
abou.j ten days to return to Ischl, which will also
be visited by Prince Frederic of Holland, with his
wife and daughter, the Princess Maria ; as also by
The Archduchess Sophia and the Queen Dowager
Elizabeth of Prussia.

The Countess of Dunmore, who arrived at her
residence on Carlton-house-terrace a day or two ago from
visiting Lady Herbert of Lea, at Wilton House, Wilts,
left yesterday for Dunmore Park, N.B.

The marriage of Madlle. de Smirnoff, daughter
of M. do Smirnoff, Privy Councillor and Senator of his Im-
perial Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, with Mr.
Granville Saurin, son of Admiral and Lady Mary Saurin,
is fixed to take place on Wednesday next, the 2d proximo•
His Excellency the Russian Ambassador and Baroness
Brunnow will give the wedding breakfast at Chesham
House.

THE STRIKE IN THE BUILDING TRADE.—III pur-
suance of the resolution adopted at the meeting of
the masters on Monday last, on Tuesday printed notices
were posted in the various firms that, on the 28th August
I next, the advance of d. per hour would be given to the
men on condition that the strike against Messrs. Cubitt's
firm was withdrawn by Monday next, the 29th inst. Last
night a delegate meeting of the carpenters and joiners was
held at Cambridge Hall, Newman-street, Oxford-street, to
take the above notice into consideration. There were 216
delegates present, representing nearly every building firm
in the metropolis. The delegate from Jackson and Shaw's
occupied the chair. The delegate from Cubitt's men on
Utrike stated that a meeting of the mon had been held that
morning, and he was instructed to say that they were will-
ing to resume work on Monday morning next, on the under-
standing that the advance of id. per hour was conceded to
them at once, a six months' notice to be given for the other
id. They did not think, so far as their firm was concerned,
they ought to go back to work upon the same terms against
which they had struck. (Cheers.) They, however, were in
the hands of the meeting. Several delegates then gave in
the results of various shop meetings called to consider the
proposal made by the masters. Some few of the delegates
wero against accepting anything less than the Id. advance
at once, but the great majority wero for accepting the offer
made by the masters of fd. advance on the 28th August,
with a six months' notice for the other id. There was,
however, a general opinion that, so far as Cubitt's men
were concerned, if they went to work on Monday they
should receive the id. advance at that time. It was also
the general feeling that Cubitt's men should be supported
until a satisfactory arrangement was made between them
and their late employers. After a long discussion, the fol-
lowing resolution was ultimately unanimously a dope t d:—
" That we, the delegate; on behalf of our constituents
cept the advance of id. per hour, as offered by the a
y
mas-
ters, on the 28th of August next, on
condition that the fd. per hour be given on the Ist of March next; and
also providing that Cubitt's men be paid the advance of id.
per hour upon resuming work on Monday morning next."
It was also resolved that deputations of the men in the re-
spective shops wait upon the employers this (Thursday)
morning, and inform them of the above resolution, re-
questing a reply by Friday morning. The meeting then
adjourned.

subject declared that their condition was a very sad
one. La France has recently published a letter
which contains full information on the subject, and
the particulars are most unsatisfactory. A series
of mistakes and blunders have taken place from the
outset of this affair. The writer of this letter
declares that the English Ministers have erred from
the commencement of the dispute. They misunder-
stood the character of the Emperor, and gave
him great offence by their mismanagement.