The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-17 00:00:00

THE LONDON CONFERENCE.

We have reason to believe that the Conference will
assemble to-day, although it remains very uncer-
tain whether M. Jules Fevre will leave Paris
in order to attend. The presence of M. Favre
at these deliberations has been earnestly desired by
the English Government ; but the most recent
declarations of the French Minister of Foreign Affairs
render his coming problematic. There is, however, no
truth in the statement telegraphed from Bordeaux, that
the Conference has been postponed to give M. Jules Favre
time to arrive.—Daily News.
Some questions intimately connected with the neutrality
of the Black Sea will doubtless, says the Berlin corrre-
spondent of the Independence Beige, betreated incidentally
at the Conference. Amongst these are the guarantees
for the mouth of the Danube, and the free navigation of
the river. These questions interest Germany as well as
Austria. From the time that Prince Gortschakoff first
issued his circular it was understood that Russia was
not to alter the status quo respecting the Danube, nor to
do anything contrary to German interests in that direc-
tion. If, then, the Danubian question presents itself to
the Conference there is reason to believe that Russia will
shew a conciliatory attitude.

M. JULES FAQ' 13E AND THE CONFERENCE.
The French Minister for Foreign Affairs has addressed
a circular to the French diplomatic agents abroad relative
to the Conference. After noticing the proceedings that led
to its assembling, and the invitation France
had received to take part in the deliberations from
Earl Granville, M. Favre says : " You have kindly
informed me that the Conference would meet on
the 3rd January, and would then probably be
adjourned for a week. Receiving this information only
on the evening of the 10th, I could not avail myself of
your invitation in time. Moreover, in forwarding your
despatch to me, Count Bismarck did not append a safe-
conduct, which was indispensable. Count Bis-
marck requested that a French officer should be
sent to the German headquarters to fetch it,
basing his request on the complaint he had addressed to
the Governor of Paris, on the occasion of the affair in
reference to which a parlementaire had cause to complain
on the 23rd December ; and Count Bismarck adds that
until such satisfaction has been afforded, the German
Commander-in-Chief will prohibit all communica-
tion by parlementaire. I do not inquire whether
such a resolution, contrary to the laws of
warfare, is not an absolute. negation of the
superior rights which necessity and humanity always im-
pose for the benefit of belligerents. I content myself
with remarking to your Excellency that the Governor of
Paris hastened to institute an inquiry into the affair
alluded to by Count Bismarck; and in announcing the
tact to him he brought to his knowledge circumstances
of a similar nature, and in numbers far greater, attri-
buted to Prussian sentinels, which, however, he had
never thought of making the basis for interrupting the
interchange of ordinary relations. Count Bismarck seems
partly at least to have admitted the justice of these obser-
vations, as he to-day charged the Minister of the
United States to inform me that, under reserve
for mutual inquiry, communications by parlementaires
will be re-established. There is, therefore, no
longer any need for a French officer to proceed to the
Prussian headquarters, and I am about to enter
into communication with the United States Minister, to
cause the safe-conduct which you have been kind enough
to procure, to be forwarded to me. As soon as I shall
have that document in my hands, and as soon as the state
of Paris will permit me, I shall proceed to London, certain
beforehand that I shall not vainly invoke, in the name of
my Government, the principles of right and morality
which it is so much the interest of Europe to cause to be
respected.

CHARGE OF LIBEL AGAINST A LADY.
The Court of Queen's Bench had before it yesterday the
charge of libel against Mrs. Waters, the wife of Dr.
Waters, for causing to be published in a Birmingham
paper an announcement that the Hon. Cecil Sandys,
the unmarried sister of Lord Sandys, had been
prematurely confined. Affidavits were read by Dr.
and Mrs. Waters, expressing their abhorrence of
the charge which had been made against 'Miss
Sandys, and Mrs. Waters denied that the letters
containing the libel were in her handwriting, or that she
was in any way cognizant of their being written. The
counsel for Mrs. Waters expressed a hope that this denial
would be accepted by Lord Sandys and his sister. This
offer was, however, declined, and the Lord Chief Justice
said the csurt thought the case was one which ought to be
investigated by a jury. The rule for a criminal informa-
tion against Mrs. Waters was therefore made absolute.

The final extension of the London underground
railway, from ]3lackfriars to Cannon-street, at itsintended
junction with New Earl-street and Victoria-street, is
expected to be opened in June.

We understand that efforts are being made by
representatives of the various companies to bring about
some arrangement between the Midland, Great Northern,
and Sheffield Companies with a view to prevent the con-
tinuance of the competition which has arisen in connec-
tion with the South Yorkshire coal traffic. Without
expressing too sanguine an opinion we have reason to hope
that a satisfactory arrangement will ultimately be made.
--`The Chancellor of the Exchequer had an interview
on Saturday with a gentleman connected with an eminent
banking firm in Paris, and authorised him to take prompt
measures, on the capitulation of that city, to provide for
the necessities of her Majesty's subjects who have been
shut up in that city, and to draw upon her Majesty's
Treasury for whatever amount may be required for that
purpose.
ITALIAN INTOLERANCE.—The Jews of Rome have
not gained by the substitution of a Liberal Government
for the Papacy. General Lamarmora is inclined to turn
the injuction "to do at Rome as the Romans do" into an
arbitrary command, for he has issued an order to the
Jews in the Ghetto, who hold salt and tobacco shops, to
conform themselves to the usage of Rome, and keep their
shops open on Saturday, the Jewish sabbath. The
Rabbis have protested against this, pointing out that
under the Pope they were not interfered with.

A. case illustrating the dangers which surround
country girls in London was heard on Saturday at the
Westminster Police-court. A young woman with a, goc.d
character entered a situation in Pimlico, and had not been
there long before she discovered that the place was a resort
for those who are termed " gay." She left the house,
but having no friends in London, wandered about until a
compassionate stranger took her to the Magdalen Hospital.
Her employers had detained her clothes, and the aid of
the magistrate was sought in consequence. This was
rendered, and the clothes were given up.

ince Saturday barometrical pressure has been
very unsteady and has decreased with great rapidity on
all our coasts, and readings in our islands are nearly all
below 29 inches. The highest pressure now reported is at
Ileldex, and is an inch higher than that at Nairn. Tem-
perature had fallen generally yesterday morning, but a
rise has now succeeded at our north-east stations, while
elsewhere a further fall is reported. It blew hard from
the southward on our south-west coasts during the latter
part of Saturday, and on Sunday night the gale extended
to all our coasts. Rain has been general, with hail and
snow in the south east.
PREVENTION BETTER TITAN CURE.—TIIe fol(ow-
ing curious advertisement appeared a few days ago in an
issue of the Illah,•ern News. Mr. Smith has certainly hit
upon a novel mode of preventing the spread of scarlet
fever. If such a complete isolation of cases were generally
adopted, it is not too much to say that the disease would
be less common, if not eventually stamped out. Mr.
Smith makes the fact known of scarlet fever being in his
house by posting this information on his gates at the
entrance to his grounds :—" Mr. Frederick Smith, of
Leeston, announces that his two youngest children have
scarlet fever ; his four elder boys were removed, after
disinfection of their persons and clothes, into lodgings
on the day on which the disease in the little ones was
pronounced. N.B.—This advertisement will be con
tinned till the medical attendant shall certify that there
can be no risk to visitors and others."—Medical Tidoco and
Gazette,