The Sun.
London, England, 1871-01-06 00:00:00

THE SKULKERS FROM PARIS.

Writing from Bordeaux on the 31st of December the
correspondent of the Telegraph says :—The Government
of the National Defence is about to issue a decree which
will rejoice the hearts of all true and honest men through-
out Europe, and will bring heavy punishment upon a
class of men who are the most contemptible among human
beings. It appears that a very considerable number of
" fast " young men, petits creves, "swells" of the Boule-
vards, frequenters of racecourses, and the like, have
escaped from Paris and elsewhere, or rather
did escape shortly after Sedan, and are taking
their dead ease in London, Brussels, Madrid, Vienna,
and other towns, so as to avoid the obligation
of service in the National Guards or the Mobiles.
All these skulkers are ordered to report themselves before
the Ist of February; and should they fail to do so they
are to be declared outlaws, and all their property is to be
confiscated, and applied to the fund for the relief of
widows and orphans made by the war. No excuse what-
ever will be received, and any man too ill to return to
France must have the fact certified by a committee of the
French Embassy or Consul at the town in which he resides.
This decree will have an excellent effect; for it is rather
too bad that, at a period when the best blood in
France is being shed like water—when the humblest
peasant or artisan is giving time, money, health, and life
itself for the defence of France—these unmanly men,
these effeminate apes, of whom their country ought to be
heartily ashamed even in days of peace, should be
flaunting their fine clothes, talking their " sportsman"
English, and parading their mistresses, in nearly
every capital of Europe. No political tendencies, or
no former political employment whatever, will be
taken as an excuse. Those who desire to reach
France will be granted safe-conducts from the French
Embassies where they reside ; so they will have nothing
to fear. As to the confiscation of property, and the out-
lawry from France of the delinquents, there is no doubt
whatever that G-ambetta will keep his word—and none
the less because he is perfectly aware that in so doing so
every right-minded man in France will be with him.
These ci•devant ornaments of the Bois, the Cafe Anglais,
and Chantilly, have had their months of enjoyment; and
it is high time they should now either turn to and become
soldiers, or pay for their immunity from the hardships
and dangers to which the rest of their countrymen
are exposed.

TIIE WEATHER AND THE PARKS.—The ice in the
parks on Wednesday, which in the early morning had
been dry and firm, at noon was in a wet and sloppy con-
dition, and in the evening, from the effects of the melting
snow, there was from two to three inches of water on its
surface, rendering sliding impossible and skating very
unpleasant, although some hundreds of devotees of the
sport continued their amusement. The skating match at
the Crystal Palace could not take place owing to the state
of the ice. Should the thaw continue the ice will not be
safe to-day. The ice is rapidly disappearing from the
Thames, under the higher temperature, and it "is expected
navigation will be resumed to-morrow.

THE GREAT PAIR-OARED MATCH.—An agreement
was made on Wednesday night between Kelly, on behalf
of himself and Renforth, and W. Blakey, on behalf of
Taylor and Winship, to row the great pair-oared match
below bridge, between Bill Point and Whitehill Point,
at Shields, if the ice has not gone from the stipulated
course a week come Monday next,—Sportsman,

AY;JAN UAR Y 6, 1871.

(CENTRAL PRESS TELEGRAMS.)
THE MEATH ELECTIO.

Though up to half-past nine o'clock last night the com-
plete returns from the various polling-places had not been
received at headquarters, it is confidently asserted that
Mr. Martin, the Nationalist candidate, has gained the
election for Meath.

The returns reed/red up to midnight indicate a majority
for Mr. Martin of above

THE LATE EX PLOSION AT WI'PTON.

Annie Edes, aged 17, died in Biruiingliaiti
yesterday afternoon, from the effects of injuries received
at the late explosion at a cartridge manufactory at
Witten. The total number of deaths is now fifty-three.