The Sun.
London, England, 1871-02-08 00:00:00

FRENCH GRATITUDE.

Commenting on the despatch of provisions from Eng-
land to Paris, and French public opinion thereon, the
special correspondent of the Daily News thus writes from
Paris, February 4 :—" There never was a people so
illogical," thinks the Frenchman. " They were all
against us in the beginning of the war ; and now they are
all in our favour, sending us these provisions. Of
course, they have a reason for it. They want our
help in that Black Sea business, But what fools they
were not to foresee that they would want our help
as against Russia ; and what selfish fools they
are to care for us only so long as we can be of immediate
use to them. Well, we will thank them for their victuals,
which we will eat with a will. No doubt the coming hams
and cheeses are good. But spite of ham, and spite
of cheese, the English and French alliance is
at an end." It is not merely the ignorant
Frenchman of the streets and boulevards who
declares the English and French alliance at an end.
Even educated men Who lean to English views—such
as M. John Lemoinne—say the same thing ; and it
is doubtful if any amount of comestibles sent over from
England now will change the opinion. For, in truth,
if you will read the article in the Official of this morning,
you will see that the Government seem to regard the
provisions coming from England almost as a right—
only a fair return for all the hospitality exercised in
Paris. The Parisians, it must be observed, have a
very lively sense of their own hospitality. They
are always talking of Paris as the most hospitable
of cities, for no other reason that I know of except
that it has the most hotels and the most tempting
restaurants. The fact is, that Paris is irritable just now,
and does not at all like the idea of being in any way
indebted to England. There are thousands upon thousands
of Frenchmen who imagine that the Anglo-French alli-
ance has been a one-sided benefit for England, and that
especially the Treaty of Commerce has been an injury to
France and a great gain to perfidious Albion. The result
is, that the Government here is strongly urged to
abrogate the Treaty of Commerce, and M. Dorian, who
has entered upon the duties of Minister of Commerce in
the absence of M. Magnin, has even, we are told, proposed
to give the proper notices to the English Government by
which the treaty may be annulled at the end of a year.
Whatever be the real opinion of the French Go-
vernment, I believe it has decided not to adopt
the views of M. Dorian. At the present moment, when
England seems the only Power in Europe which is dis-

posed to help France, and when the Minister of Commerce,
M. Magnin, has gone off to Dieppe to meet the convoys
of food coming from England, it is considered ungracious
to propose the abrogation of the Treaty.

M. Pinarl has arrived at Lille.
Belfort is still being vigorously bombarded, and is ex-
pected to surrender shortly.
Prince Frederick Charles has gone to Versailles to con-
fer with the Emperor William.
The whole of the French merchant ships are leaving
Portsmouth, the Motherbank, Cowes, and Southampton
for their respective French ports.

THE ISTHMUS OF DARIEN.—The United States
Darien Expedition has discovered a practicable canal
route, of which the summit elevation is 300 ft.

Lord Justice Mellish has been suffering from an
attack of gout ; but we have much pleasure in stating
that he is better.

Mr. Henry Chaplin, the well-known sportsman,
and M.P. for Mid-Lincolnshire, has resigned the master
ship of the Burton Hounds.

The fund for purchasing a testimonial to be pre-
sented to Mr. Alderman Balls,l ex-mayor of Cambridge,
and leader of the local Conservative party for the last

thirty years, has just closed with over £220.-

We understand that Mr. Mitchell Henry, who
has twice contested Manchester, is a candidate for the
representation of Galway, in the room of Viscount

OUR COTEMPORARIES—Thia Morning