The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-24 00:00:00

CHINA.

We have received the following from the Foreign
Office :

" Mr. Wade reports in a telegram dated January
sth, that all was right at Peking and elsewhere;
that the story of a piratical attack on. a British ship
was untrue ; aad that the five Legations at Peking
were well."

THE QUESTION OF MEDIATION.

VIENNA, January 23,

The semi-official Warren Correspondenz of this
evening, in a lengthy article on the fatal influence of

the war upon the belligerents, and even upon non-bellige-
rent countries, argues that the most weighty reasons
of statesmanship, humanity, and individual interest all
require that each neutral State should make
every allowable effort to restore peace. " But,"
it adds, " the strong diversity of views entertained
by the two parties to the conflict have hitherto made
an offer of mediation impossible. We expect, however,
that subsequent events will indubitably result in
one or the other party showing itself less opposed to
the efforts of the mediating Powers." In conclusion,
the article expresses the opinion that the only advisable
course is to take up an observant attitude and watch for a
favourable moment to offer pacific counsels.

CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS,

DEATH OF THE DUCHESS DE FRIAS.

The Duchess de Frias died at Madrid on Sunday from
the effects of nervous rheumatic fever. She was well
known as Miss Victoria Balfe, second daughter of the
late Michael Balfe, the eminent composer. The Duchess,
who made her debut in 1857, and sang with great success
in that and the two following seasons, leaves three chil-
dren. She was originally married to Sir John Crampton,
from whom she was divorced in 1863.

CONFESSION OF MURDER, AND ATTEMPTED

SUICIDE.

A mah named Kingsland, while undergoing a short
term of imprisonment in Chelmsford Gaol, confessed to
one of the warders a few days ago that he was guilty of
murdering a man some time since in Hertfordshire, by
stabbing him in the neck. On Friday morning the pri-
soner, while leaving the chapel after attending divine ser•
vice, deliberately attempted suicide by jumping from one
of the landings to the floor beneath, a depth of eighteen
feet. Instead of dropping upon the bare floor,
as was probably his intention, he fortunately alighted
upon a .heap of picked oakum, which considerably
broke his fall. When picked up he was apparently
none the worse for his leap. He was taken before a local
magistrate at Chelmsford, on Saturday, charged, on his
own confession, with murder, and was remanded in order
that inquiries regarding his statement might be made.

THE REPRESENTATION OF NORWICH.
Mr. Howell, who has issued an address to the electors
of Norwich, addressed a meeting of Liberals in that city
last night. He was not, however, very favourably re-
ceived, and a resolution supporting the candidature of
Mr. Colman was carried.

THE CHARGE OF SENDING A THREATENING

LETTER.

The man Joseph Swann was again brought up at the
Lisnakea Special Sessions yesterday morning, on the
charge of writing and sending a threatening letter to mur-
der Mr. John Murray, an agent of estate. Great excite-
ment prevailed in the town. Mr. John Rea, the
celebrated Belfast advocate, on behalf of the defendant,
was loudly cheered on his way to the court from the rail-
way station. Owing to the unstable state of the room,
the police kept the crowd out, who thronged the entrance,
Mr. Cullum again conducted the prosecution. The first
witness called was Samuel Clarke, who testified to the
writing being similar to other documents written by the
accused. Witness was subjected to a prolonged cross-
examination by Mr. Rea, who failed to shake his
evidence.