The Sun.
London, England, 1870-08-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EN ENING, AUGUST 12, 1870.

THE EX-MAYOR OF CORK AGAIN:

--- -
CORK, Friday Morning. —At the usual meeting of the
Local Poor Law Board, yesterday, a disgraceful scene oc-
curred through a proposition made by ex-Mayor Sullivan,
who moved the passing of expressions of sympathy with
France in the war against Prussia. After giving a
chronological narrative of the war, he went to urge the
claims of France on the Irish nation, his speech being
frequently interrupted. The Chairman ironically sug-
gested that Mr. O'Sullivan go to the French front,
to which that gentleman angrily retorted that his
country should not be dictated to by Orangemen. Amid
great confusion several members protested against
expressing sympathy with either combatant, both the
King of Prussia and the Emperor of the French being
denounced as " imperious tyrants." The chairman was
also attacked for his alleged ridicule of O'Sullivan.
Ultimately an amendment was carried by fifteen votes
to nine, declining to express sympathy with either Prussia
or France. The majority consisted of Conservatives and
moderate Liberals : the minority were all Liberals.

-------
A FRENCH VIEW OF THE BELGIAN

_ _ __ __ . _ ___
TREATY.
The Journal des Debats adverts to the circumstances
under which the new treaty with respect to Belgium have
been entered into, and says :—" No objection can be taken
to this treaty, as it was proposed simultaneously to both
the belligerents. For our own part, the only thing we see
against it is its uselessness. The treaties of 1839, the
latest which established Belgian neutrality under the,
guarantee of all the Great Powers, were amply
sufficient as long as the wish existed to cause them
to be respected, and we search in vain for any good pur-
pose which new engagements on this head can serve.
As to the stipulation made by England for confining her-
self strictly to one special issue, and refraining from
taking any part in general questions, this seems to us
simply puerile. If, for example, one of the two armies
occupied Belgian territory, and England were to join
forces with the other power, who could bring himself to
believe that this interventionwould be confined to mount-
ing guard at Antwerp, and would not ffecessarily outrun '
the factitious limits of a diplomatic convention. By the
mere fact of co-operatinn. with one of these two Powers
England would have declared war against the other,
and that war would become general by land and by sea.
This convention has been accepted by Prussia and by
France, with certain reservations as to details. France
and Prussia, each from its own point of view, would have
been very wrong to have treated this as a serious matter.
It is one protocol more, added to others in abundance,
which seems to us at once superfluous and impracticable.
The former treaties sufficed, and they gave to England
and to the 'other Powers all the rights which this new
convention confirms. Accordingly we only mention this
affair for the purpose of noticing it and of recording the
fact. We have other and very different matters which
claim our attention."

FIRES IN THE METROPOLIS.

During last night and this (Friday) morning the fire-
men were called to attend eight fires that had taken place
within the Metropolitan district. Out of that number
two only were deserving of being publicly noticed, the
others being of a trifling character. One took place in
the premises belonging to Mr. C. Montague, boot and shoe
manufacturer and exporter, No. 33, Royston-street,
Victoria Park. It was caused .by a spark from
a paraffin lamp, and in a very brief period the
workship on the first floor was in a blaze, and the fire was
issuing through the roof. The firemen and Salvage Corps
promptly attended, and the principal part of the factory
was saved. That portion in which the fire began was
destroyed. The property was insured in the Sun Fire
Office. The other fire happened on the premises of Mr.
J. Barker, a gasfitter, No. 1, Brook-street, Upper
tilapton. The engines were early on the spot as well as
the Salvage Corps, but the conflagration could not be
conquered until the greater portion of the premises was
burnt out and the roof destroyed. The loss will fall upon
the Royal Fire Oflic.e