The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-14 00:00:00

ABROAD.

The Pays has the following observations :—"ls the
situation of the harvest as much compromised as public
rumour would lead one to suppose ? We answer, No !
Certain crops have suffered, and do so still, such as grass,
colza, rye, and oats, but as a whole the year is not likely
to be what is called a bad one. The hay has failed for
want of water, and the meadows will only furnish one-
half the usual quantity. On that point there will be a
deficiency, and graziers will experience great difficulty
in feeding their cattle during the ensuing winter. But,
for the grains above-mentioned, as well as barley, all is
not over, and a little wet would quickly repair the damage.
As to wheat the yield is in no wise compromised. The in-
ferior lands may suffer, but the good, and even the
middling, are in a satisfactory state. Some rain wouldun-
doubtedly be most desirable. but the north wind which is
blowing at this moment ought to give to the formation
of the ear taking place a sufficient fecundation. How-
ever, we shall be told, corn is going up in all the markets;
flour is on the rise ; the demands are large, and the stocks
not large. The reason of this advance in prices is not ab-
solutely due to this season, but rather to other causes.
Agriculturists have taken full advantage of the Treaties
of Commerce. Since 1860, the profit on its ex-
portations may be set down at some hundreds of
millions annually. And as during several years the
harvests have been abundant, it has sent out of the
country more than perhaps it ought to have done.
At the same time, importation, less active, has not re-
established the equilibrium. Commerce has slackened
the latter, while agriculture has exaggerated the former,
and it is from that cause that the present deficiency in
stocks has arisen. That insufficiency—which caused no
uneasiness so long as all anxiety was absent as to the
year's yield—excites attention at this moment when a
doubt exists on that point. True or false, those disquie-
tudes cause the rise in the price of a commodity, the
stock of which is not equal to the demand."
A correspondent in Paris writes :—The price of the 41b.
loaf in Paris was augmented on Friday from 80c. to 85c.
This is not yet very distressing, because not many years
since we saw bread at 1 franc, beyond which the Emperor
would not then allow it to go. The symptom is however,
ominous, more especially as the drought continues, and
every hour is now of importance. In the morning a very
few drops of rain fell, but no benignant showers came
down. An extraordinary rise has taken place in the price
of oats, which jumped up suddenly at the Halles from 14
francs to 20 francs the hectolitre. I hear that the French
Government, by way of precaution, has made contracts
for large purchases of foreign corn.
The Message?. de Provence says :—" The country around
Cogolin is again infected by swarms of black grasshoppers,
which are devouring the crops, and whose invasion is
attributed to the continued drought which prevails this
year."

PORTRAITS OF CHARLES DICKENS.-011 Friday
Mr. Woolner and Mr. Millais went down to Gadshill, at
the request of Mr. Dickens's family, in order to make the
necessary arrangements for reproducing a worthy likeness
of the great novelist. In the meantime the London
Stereoscopic Company, Cheapside, are issuing the last
and finest photograph they have published of the de-
ceased. It is in the form of a carte de visite, and is an
excellent likeness.

MURPHY AT GREENWICH.—Murphy, the Pro-
testant lecturer, has again engage the Lecture Hall, at
Greenwich, for the purpose of delivering his harangues
iagainst Roman Catholicism. The trustees have conceded
him the occupation for seven nights, commencing this
week, in consideration of his foregoing any claim for
compensatierdis and his friends promising also to make
good any damage that may be done. Murphy does not
on this occasion lectkr4-- for ithe Evangelical Untifnil A
considerable degree of 'excitement is being 'iiviinced in the'
locality. The police force has been strengthened in order
to prevent disturbance or riot.
A. PARLIAMENT IN IRELAND.—The Dublin cones-
dent of the Times says the movement in favour of a
federal Parliament for Ireland is proceeding quietly, but
earnestly. On Thursday evening a' meeting was held, at
which the Rev. Professor Galbraith, F.T.C.D., 'presided,
and • speeches were delivered by persons repre-
senting different political sections. The Con-
servative and " National" elements were in
greatest force, but there was a sprinkling of
the old Repealers, who attended to watch the
course of this movement, but they have not as yet identi-
fied themselves with it. Some of the speakers attempted
to advocate an extreme policy, but they were silenced by
the meeting, and in one or two instances left in disap-
' pointment. Another meeting will be held on Thursday
evening next, and no efforts will be spared to make the
agitation real and urgent. The word " repeal" is for
the present at least repudiated, lest it should
_frighten
the timid, and the programme is strictly limited to art
Irish Parliament for local purposes, as well as Imperial
representation.