The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-22 00:00:00

~xi~~~~.

EVENING EDITION

NOTES FROM PARIS.

NAPOLEON IN ITALY --Among the gaudy and ill.
drawn pictures at the Palace of Versailles, ir.tended to
commemorate all the glories of France, there is one
which represents Bonaparte leading his troops over
the Bridge of Arcole, while a brawny grenadier vainly
tries to pull back the valiant " petit caporal" out of
danger. By a pictorial license, the artist has given
Napoleon a very clean uniform : had he been an eye-
witness, he would have known that the future Emperor
was then equally " covered with glory " and with mud
from head to foot !

To oppose his advance into Italy, the Austrian forces
were assembled at Vicenza ; and Arcole, which is a few
leagues from that town, was fixed for the tug of war.
The French troops had crossed the small river Diese by
a bridge of boats, protected from the observation of the
Austrians assembled in the plain beyond by a steep and
almost perpendicular embankment. Napoleon could
not resist the temptation of locking down on the posi-
tion of the enemy, and while his troops marched on be-
low, he pushed his ht.rse up the bank to reconnoitre
alone. The solitary and stationary horseman soon at-
tracted the attention of the enemy, who sent a shower
of balls quickly around him, one of which wounded and
threw 'down his charger.

'A young officerolthe French artillery, riding below
at the instant, and admiring his Generai's indifference to
danger, saw him fall ; the young man dashed his own
horse up the bank, dismounted, and when Napoleon had
disentangled himself, he found another steed held for
him, the owner of which disappeared, to rejoin on foot his
company below.
Suddenly he heard a prancing and crashing on the
bank ; and, looking up, he perceived a violent disagree-
ment between Napoleon and the horse, a fiery, ill-tern-
, pered animal, who ended the matter by first rearing,
and then backing over the bank, down which ho slipped,
and deposited himself and the future Emperor in the
stagnant and muddy water below.
Here was an overthrow, not merely of man and horse,
but of the young officer's hopes, founded on the good
luck of being able to assist his General : all overset by
the rearing of a vicious brute !
The armies met, the French were victorious : the day
was done, and the companiobs in arms were in groups at
supper, chatting over their adventures, when an aide-de-
camp summoned "'the artillery officer who had lent his
horse to General Bonaparte." The young man accom-
panied him, bestowing an anti-benediction on the cause
of his disgrace, and preparing to endure a reprimand
for his ill-broken steed.
Napoleon, to whom he was a stranger, said sharply,
" You lent rue a horse to day ?"
" I had that honour, General."
" You may select and take any three of mine you
please. Have you any arrnoriod bearings?"
" Yes, General, I am the Chevalier Faure de Lilate "

" Then, in memory of your prompt attention to-day,
you may henceforth bear on your shi, ld, as a charge
of honour, a cheval cabre (a rearing horse). Good

night, Sir.
Tne Chevalier Faure withdrew, and lost no time
in taking possession of the living and painted horses ;
and at this day the " rearing horse, borne by his la-
tnily, commemorates Napoleon's gift, which was cer-
tainly " four-in-hand."
HERALDRY.—Since the old revolution the French
have totally neglected heraldry, and are thoroughly ig-
norant of it, although formerly le blazon, was part of
the education of the young noblesse. Even the resto-
ration of the Bourbons did not bring back " the an-
cient and noble science" to its proper place.
As a proof of ignorance on this point, displayed in
even official documents, may be cited the " patent of
nobility of Baron," given to the above-named Chevalier
Faure de Lilate by Charles X., shortly before he was
deposed. The arms of his lady, although not a
heiress, are actually embodied in the blazonry, and
placed in chief (that is, at the top of the shield), in-
stead of being impaled (placed on the sinister side), as
a wife's arms should be borne. Most strange of all
mistakes, the rearing horse, which as a charge of honour
should occupy honour point (the exact centre of the
shield), is placed in base, the lowest point in the bear-
ings. There is scarcely a country coach-painter in
England who would have marshalled arms so contrary
to heraldic laws as this official parchment, to which is
appended the great seal of France, in green bees'-wax,
as large as a plate !
The mushroom nobility since the Revolution assume
any supporters they please, and are not at all particular
in having their coronets of the regular form, according
to their rank. In fact, it is well known that many per-
sons assume titles here which it would be very difficult
to trace to any Royal donor ; and the English incur a
risk in signing agreements with these self-elected Counts
and Viscounts, for, by the French law, such contracts
are not binding, as the parties have not been rightly and
legally styled.

SEWERS OF WESTMINSTER AND

PART OF MIDDLESEX.

A. special meeting of the Court of Sewers for the
City and Liberty of Westminster and part of the
County of Middlesex, will be held at the Sewers'-office
in Grcek street, Sobo-square, to-morrow, at twehe -
o'clock, to transact the following business :
To make decrees for rates on the Ranelagh and
Counters Creek districts, on houses, &c., at 6W, and on
land at 2d. in the pound ; and to sign the rate-books
for the new rates, pursuant to the said decrees, and the
abstract of the rate books of the rates made 15th Nov.,
1839 : or to take such other proceedings as the Court
may then consider necessary. Upon which
Mr. Leslie will move, as an amendment, " That the
Commissioners do not sign the decree for a rate on the
Counters Creek and Ranclagh presentments ; because
the proceeding of the Court which have led to the said
presentments, and the presentments are void, being con-
trary to the Statutes, to the Commission, and the Oath
taken by the Commissioners : because the doctrine laid
down to the Jurors, That the Commissioners impose
the tax on the land, and are not bound to
inquire whose property it is, or to regard any question.
of ownership or occupation,' is contrary to the Sta-
tutes : because the necessary consequence of such er-
roneous doctrine is another ; that having made a sewers-
rate without any regard to ownership or occupation, a
legal distress for the same can be taken upon the pre-
mises so rated, and any person's goods found thereon
may be sold for such tax because, during these pro-
ceedings, the Commissioners have been made aware,
that the opinions of the Attorney and Solicitor-General
and Sir Frederick Pollock arc against them : because
it the erroneous advice given to the Commissioners be
still further acted upon to the signing of the decree,
such proceeding will bring her Majesty's Commission of
Sewers into contempt, as being a final judgment of
Court of Record which cannot be carried into effekt,
either as to a distress upon or sale of premises charged
by such decree."
ADDITIONAL MATTER ORDERED BY THE COURT, ON
THE 19TH FEBRUARY, TO ER CONSIDERED AT THE
SPECIAL MEETING -OF THE COURT TO-MORROW,
AFTER THE MATTERS ALREADY ANNOUNCED.
1. Surveyors to present Reports, Opinions, &c., as
follows :—On letter from Home Department, respecting
drainage of streets in the neighbourhood of Bucking-
ham Palace. On the best mode of improving drainage
of the upper part of Blacklands Sewer. Oa pipes laid
through the bank of the Counters Creek Sewer, for
the relief of the West London and Westminster Ceme-
tery. On the petition of Wm. Higgs to build 250 feet
of gully drain in Fulham-road.
2. To consider as to the rating of churches in th,
eastern division of the Westminster Sewers, with refe-
rence to a communication from the solicirs respecting:
their conference with the solicitors of the several pa-
rishes upon the subject of a proposed special case.
3. To inspect the book of informations.

= -- -----
The Royal Thames Yacht Club
o the widows
surplus funds arising from their annaalball, tast
L year they
and orphans of the late crew of the Fairy
Benevolent Society.
pretented it to the Naval
OF A CONVICT.
• ESCAPE AND RECAPTURE(uted by a
have given the
town in Wales
—On Tuesday a gaol officer,
i b arrived at London,
,of transportation to
the Warrior hulk-ship at w ,
neva a watcrman to convey hits
to convey a convict under
and, on the same day, e The vvaterman, on arriving
and his charge to Woolwich.l,ebank of the river, at the west ena
at a public house
rlldted the parties, stating that be had
of the dockyard,o
Woolwich in terms of his agreement, an&
brought them t _teoneoteiP:ece.
be was remonstrated with because' he
netwithstan
din
-geed to the Warrior hulk, he could not bo
would not proL
:,e,3 ry to the regulations
to to do so, as it was contra
prevau
angers in that direction. On landing, the
to
admit strangers
panic;
pbl. h
catered tine pule. ouse, and, after having been
-
drinking for some time, the gaol officer desired the con-
vict to remain where he was while he went to make in.
011
'ries as to the way in which convicts were admitted to •
the hulk-ship fitted for their reception. Previous to the
return of the gaol officer the convict had set off in a con-
trary direction, and could not be found. On communies-
ting what had cccurred to the police of the dockyard, who -
could scatcAy believe that any person would have been
so simple as to leave a prisoner in the manner described,
not;ces wwe issued to the Greenwich police, and in the
evening, the convict was found staggering in the streets of
ti.:at town quite drunk, and at once acknowledged he was
the party tney wanted, and ectually appeared unconscious
of having made an attempt to escape from the person who
had chat go of him.
The King of Prussia has conferred the order of
the Red:El ,I Admiral the Hon. Sir Robert Stopford •
g t. on
for his services on the coast of Syria
The Lords of the Admit alty have directed th at
•s
troop ships wear the colours MN' _ .n by her Majesty's el t p
on the stations that they may be from time
to time t. 4 to.
: ployed,
AN EMPTY TREASURY.—A Bill has been, j rp.
troducel into the Virginia Legislature, to main:also I be
beaks of that State to loan the comrnr•ewealth.loo,ooo xi, )1..
tars.
It is stated that there is not enough money ill 1 h
treasury to
rs' wav,es
pay the Membe b .
we are glad to find that the Dee steam-vess a,
Commander J. Shcrar, K. reported in the Amert
.can
papers
to have eeen
lost on her return from Halite: ito
the West Indi,v, tut ivied in safety at Port Royal, Jam Riess
on the 28th of DLcenib,r, in twenty days from Halift
.i.