The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-07 00:00:00

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

LATEST LONDON BE'LT'ING.
WATERLOO CUP.
20 to 1 agst Mr. Gibson's nomination (taken and
wanted)
20 to 1 agst Lord Haddington's nomination (taken
and wanted)
20 to 1 agst Mr. Clark's nomination (taken)
22 to 1 agst Mr. Spinks's nomination (taken)
25 to 1 agst Mr. Carruther's nomination (taken)
GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE.
1000 to 60 on the field (offered)
TWO THOUSAND.
13 to 2 agst King of the Forest (off—take 7to 1)

THE GREAT WATERLOO COURSING CUP.
The great coursing event of the season is represented by
the contest for the Waterloo Cup, which is fixed to come
off next month (February) at Altcar, near Liverpool, over
the Lancashire estate of the Earl of Sefton. There are
54 subscribers of 225 each for this great coursing trophy,
which is of the value of £1,600. Lord Lurgan's dog,
I.taster M`Grath, which won the cup in 1858 and the
fol-
lowing year, is a great favourite this season. lie con-
tended last year, but was put out early in the contest.
Lancashire coursing men are sanguine that the cup will
be won by a greyhound bred ;n their county.

THE IRISH PRESS ON THE FENIAN
PRISONERS' COMMISSION.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAM.)

The Flag of Ireland says that the Commissioners have
convicted the Chief Secretary of the Government, the
Deputy Governor, the chief warders, and the medical
officers of Chatham prison of deliberate falsehood, and
concludes by observing: " The Commissioners appointed
by the Government have solemnly decided that the prison
officials and those who adopted their defence, were, in
plain language, deliberate liars. The report has made
clear, at all events we have no hesitationin declaring, that
the Irish members of Parliament have a plain duty im-
posed upon them, and that is to see that condign
punishment be at once inflicted upon those officials who
are now proved to have not only scandalously exceeded
their duty, but to have shamefully lied to cover their de-
linquencies."
The Irishman declares that it is in a position to prove
that the Commissioners examined only one prisoner, viz.,
O'Donovan Rossa, and that all the other prisoners refused
to give evidence, because the regulations of the Commis-
sioners, and the restrictions placed upon the prisoners
themselves, made a full and searching investigation im-
possible, and the Irishman goes on to say—" Our readers
will remember that the allegation that O'Donovan Rossa
had been kept for thirty-five days handcuffed in a dark
cell with his hands behind him was at first made public
in these columns. On the 4th June, in the House of
Lords, in 'reply to Sir John Gray, the Home Secretary
stated that Rossa was only handcuffed with his hands
behind him for a part of a day. Again, on
August 6th, in reply to the late Mr. G.
N. Moore, Mr. Bruce positively averred that
the handcuffing was continued for a certainty no
longer a period than three days. The commissioners ap-
pointed to inquire into the truth of this charge
have deliberately sifted it, and the conclusion at
which they have arrived is, that its truth
established by proofs which they consider complete.

RELEASE OF THE FENIAN CONVICTS AT

CHATHAM.

In accordance with instructions issued to that effect,
the Fenian convicts under confinement at St. Mary's
convict establishment, Chatham, were released during yes-
terday and the previous day, among those who have been
granted a free pardon being O'Donovan Rossa, whose con-
duct for some time past has been of the most exemplary
character. One of the convicts, " Colonel" Alpin,
has, it is stated, refused to avail himself of the Royal
clemency, and ridicules the idea of a free pardon being
extended to him, as he contends he was most unjustly con-
victed and punished. The proposal to give the released
Fenians an ovation on their leaving the convict prison was
very judiciously v.hanglonp -

B kNKRUPTS.
To surrender in London.

Jeffries, George Fish, Praed-street, grocer—Jan. 24, at
half-past 11.
Spooner, Mary Ann, Mile-en4-road- Jan. 25, at half,
past 1.

NAPOLEON AT WILHELMSHOHE.
The special correspondent of the Telegraph, writing
from Wilhelmshohe, January 2, says :—New Year's
Day—which has always been looked upon as highly im-
portant by the Napoleonic dynasty—passed off here in
comparative stillness and solitude, though not without a
display of the wonted ceremony. The Emperor rose yes-
terday somewhat earlier than usual, and received first
the congratulations of those members of his suite
who enjoy his particular intimacy. He then
enteyed that hall of the Castle which has been
transformed into a chapc‘l, awl listened with deep
devotion to the celebration of the 1111,53. Besides his
suite tlic —rvice was attended by the Princess of 11Z03 -
kova, with her two sons ; Count Labedoyere, General of
Division ; the Marquis of Forton, Count de Turenne,
Baron Lambert, with his son, and lastly the Grand Cham-
berlain, the Duke of Bassano, who had arrived during
the previous night. After mass the Emperor returned
to his ordinary reception rooms ; and, as if by in-
stinct, the Duke de Ba,ssano resumed his duties
as formerly in the Tuileries. He first handed to
the Emperor a large package of congratulatory let-
ters. He then introduced the Princess of Moskova, who
was dressed in deep mourning. Both her sons stepped
forward and kissed the hands of the Emperor. Next came
the adjutants, headed by the Prince of Moskova, and in
their turn also ushered by the Duke. Count Reille pre-
sented to the Emperor a congratulatory address
bearing the signatures of more than a thousand
of the imprisoned officers. The Emperor, with a
melancholy smile, shook hands with all present.
Those who next stepped forward were the officers
imprisoned in Cassel, Generals Forton and Duplessis
leading them, followed by the civilians of the suite, Drs.
Conneau and Corvisart, M. Pietri, &c. All were invited
to join in the breakfast. The repast being ended, Mar-
shal Bazaine and his staff presented themselves, and re-
mained for about half an hour. During the rest of the
day the Emperor was closely engaged in his study.
A very large number of telegrams arrived, from
Brussels, London, St. Petersburg, Vienna, Berlin,
Rome, Florence, the Hague, Stockholm, Geneva, Car-
thagena, Lisbon, and Constantinople ; also from many
provincial towns of England and Belgium. About noon
Count Monts, the commander of Cassel, arrived, and
presented his congratulations. During the entire day
the whole retinue was ea grande tenue, the Duke
de Bassano wearing once more his official uniform
It is stated that the Emperor will soon publish
a pamphlet contrasting the German with the French
military organisation, One of the opinions likely to be
expressed is found in the following sentence, which Na-
poleon is reported to have lately used—" Every war is
bound to demoralise the soldiers ; but this is of no greg
injury to the rest of society when applied to tilt
standing army of France, because there, after peace it
made, the soldiers remain with their regiments, and are
subjected to so severe a discipline that their lawlessness
is soon overcome. Not so in Prussia. The demoralised
soldier, divesting himself of his uniform, instantaneously
becomes again a citizen, without having had time to re-
nounce the evil propensities engendered by the war.
Therein lies a danger, and at the same time a weakness,
of the Prussian system." The prevailing opinion in the
peculiarly-composed circle here allows yet a whole month
for the capitulation of Paris. No attempt is made to
conceal the conviction that the surrender •of Paris must
form an important element in the prospects of the Napo-
leonic dynasty.

GERMAN ILL-FEELING AGAINST
ENGLAND.

In a letter from the King's Headquarters, Versailles,
January 1, the special correspondent of the Standard re-
marks :—Lord Granville has lost no time in demanding
reparation for the outrage committed upon—our flag,
shall I say?—in the Seine. Mr. Odo Russell has already
received instructions in a long telegraphic mes-
sage to demand explanations. It so happens
that Count Bismarck is really indisposed. The cause
of his suffering is, I believe, varicose veins, and he
is obliged to " lie up." I should say there can be little
doubt that the Chancellor will at once see the matter in
the true light, and offer that apology which the case de-
mands. It is not contemplated that any difficulty will
arise. " State the damages, and we will pay them," will
be the probable reply, accompanied, of course, by a suit-
able apology. It is so easy to apologise when you are
obviously wrong, and nobody thinks you are afraid.
The incident, however trifling though it be, will
probably serve to fan still farther the thriving flame
of ill-feeling which exists in the German breast
against England, because German houses in the
United States supply the French with arms. lam sorry
for it, but Ido not see how it is to be avoided. The
real fighting men of this great military confederation are
wholly ignorant of everything save their profession ; and
like all ignorant people, cling tenaciously to any
idea that has once got admittance into their
heads, be it true or false. Men, who are not
fighting men, and who are not ignorant, have taken
infinite pains to disseminate a falsehood, and its eradica-
tion is now beyond their power. I acknowledge it
with grief ; the existence of good-will between England
and Germany is for many years to come beyond the
compass of statesmanship. Perhaps, there is one way
of recovering German affection and esteem—and that
is to be as strong as Germany. It has been said that
in German hatred there is always an element of
contempt. It would seem to be equally true to
say that German contempt brings hatred in its
train. The Germans are probably mistaken in
their calculations ; but there can be no doubt that
they hate us at present, not because we want to fight
them, but because they think nothing would ever urge us
to do so. Let us shew our teeth, and they would once
more, quite honestly, love us. Herein lies the whole ex-
planation of the otherwise unintelligible fact of their
expostulating violently with us for the exportation of
a few arms to France, and their instructions
to their agents to say not a word about the
wholesale exportation of contraband of war from the
United States. They know that America would reply to
their remonstrances on that subject by inviting them to
find out their own remedy ; they believe that we shall
eventually find one for them, and not because we wish to
do what is right in our own eyes, but because we are
afraid of offending them. It is shocking to think that
the time has once more come when you must swagger
if you do not want your courage to be doubted. Let us
do right by all means ; but let us at the same time show
plainly why we do it ; and let us resist, with a certain
rudeness, borrowed fawn the diplomatic manners of the
day, when we have no intention of yielding. Your
German viper never gnaws a file; he is too intelligent an
animal for that.