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

CONSISTENT.

One passage in Count Bismarck's note, replying to
the charges of barbarity against the Germans, is almost
laughable. "It is not," he says, "in the intention
of the present rulers of France to facilitate a
restoration of peace. Consequently, they have
rendered impossible the free expression of
opinion in France through the medium of
the press and of national representatives."
This comes from the chief Minister of the
Government that imprisoned Dr. Jacoby for pro-
testing against annexation, that removei two
members of the Prussian Parliament for daring to
express unpalatable views, and whose leniency to
journals is guided by precisely the same condition—
that they shall not venture to say anything of which
it disapproves. Many of the French papers daily
condemn the policy of the Republican Government.

ARCHBISHOP MANNING ON THE STATE OF PAlus,
The touching appeal of the Bishop of Versailles,
has been powerfully supported by the eloquence of
Archbishop Manning. The right rev. prelate
preached a most effective sermon at the
Kensington Pro-Cathedral, in which he drew
a moving picture of the present con-
condition of Paris, and bade his hearers imagine

what would be the state of the citizens of London if
all business were paralysed for four months, and the
city cut off from communication with the outer world.
There was nothing in Christianity to compare with the
history of the last five months. During fifty years
there had been general peace in Europe. There had

been wars, but they had been short and transitory,
and the Archbishop testified, from his own experi-

(nee of the Continent, how rapid had been the conse-
quent march of civilisation and progress. Now fifty
years more would not suffice to repair the

wreck of moral said material well-being. Fifty years

were put back as it the shadow upon the dial
were put back again by an adverse Providence. No
such appeal as the one he then read to them had been
put forth in the history of warfare. A. city of two
millions of men, shut in by a circle of iron and fire,
was wasted day and night by starvation, and this

within ten hours of our thresholds. Ile called upon
his hearers to consider what luxuries they could dis-
pense with, giving the results of their sacrifice for
the relief of this terrible distress..
TH BIRMINGH A M GUN TR A DR.

Great activity prevails in the Birmingham gun
trade, and the manufacturing energies of the several
factories are severely taxel. From six to seven thou-
sand military rifles of all kinds are supplied weekly
for though breechloaders are most in demand, the
pressure on the trade obtains a ready sale for others.
The Small Arms factory, et which Enfields are being
converted into breechloaders, bas been at work day and
night for the last four months, and the amount of its
production will be considerably increased in a few
weeks, when the machinery is in full working order.
Despite the talk about peace the wise men of
Birmingham appear to reckon on a aontinuance of
the war, for there is a scheme of establishing another
small arms factory, under the superintendence of
Mr. Westley Richards, employing 1,500 men, and
producing 2,000 rifles weekly, If this is carried out
the Birmingham manufacture will amount to
nearly 1.0,000 per week. Largo quantities
of cartridges are being made in the town, and
it is satisfactory to find that since the late terrible
accidents the manufacturers have taken great pre-
cautions. It is significant that the Russian Govern-
ment has given large orders for arms and ammuni-
tion. An order for 30,000 rifles was completed a
short time since, and another of the same extent is
being negotiated, as well as orders for railway rolling
stock, suitable for military purposes,

MAJOR PALLISER ON GUNS.

Major Palliser has given the public the benefit of
his views on the relative merits of breechloading and
muzzle-loading guns. He has long thought it
desirable that heavy rifled guns should be so con-
structed as to load either at the breech or the muzzle,
and he patented a bieechloader three years since which
' can be employed as a muzzle-loader as well. The ad-
vantages of breech-loaders have been so often
brought forward that the merits of muzzle-loaders
are sometimes overlooked. One of these, Major
Palliser reminds us, is that the latter cannot pos-
sibly get out of order in the heat and flurry of action
at close quarters. He has disproved by experiments
the assertion that a muzzle loader is liable to be burst
by the shot slipping forward when the gun is fired.
Another fallacy is the belief that the breech of a
breechloading cannon cannot be made as strong as
that of a muzzle loader. Prior to the year 1863
the longtitudinal strengths of guns were calculated
upon au incorrect principle, and consequently the heavy
muzzleloadingguns,when converted into breechloaders
blew their breeches out. A similar fate befell the
heavy Krupp guns from the same error. Major
Palliser claims to be the first who observed the law
of the incidence of the longtitudinal strain, and he
hopes that in the event of any experiments being
made with heavy breech-loading guns, his plan of
converting wrought iron muzzle-loading guns into
breech-loaders, which can be employed equally well
as muzzle-loaders, will be tried.
HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF LE MANS.

Le Mans, which has just become famous from the
battles fought around the spot, is connected with
many events that are of interest in the history of
England. In ancient times it was the centre for
Druid worship, and a Druid stone is built into the
church of St. Julien. This church contains the tomb
of Berengaria of Sicily, the wife of Richard Coeur de
Lion, and a house in Le Mans is still pointed
at as memorable for having been the residence of that
Queen. The town is also notable as being the birth-
place of Henry the Second. An interesting cir-
tumstauce connected with the place is that the
Plantagenet line took its name from the genet, or
broom, which flourishes about the hills of Anjou
and Maine. Le Mans was the scene of a terrible
affair in 1793, when ten thousand men, women, and
children were killed by the Republican armies who
were fighting against the Vend6ans. In peaceful
days the little place was noted for its clover-seed and
capons.