The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, J ULY 22, 1870.

! letters. He was still in the prime_of life, though he
had an eventful past behind him, and these seemed
to be no reason why he should not in the future
have attained still greater distinction. He was
the steadfast and consistent upholder of
the principles of parliamentary government,
and Ministerial responsibility. A mere youth in the
trying days of 1848, his opinions were already
formed, and although Republicanism on the one
hand and Imperialism on the other offered him
tempting advantages, M. Prevost-Paradol's allegiance
to sound constitutional principles was unshaken
throughout life. Circumstances did little to encourage
him. Ridiculed by his associates as 'an Anglo maniac,
he no sooner assumed the editorship of the Journal
des Debats in 1856, than official warnings were poured
upon him by M. de Persigny. He was rigidly watched,
and we might say persecuted, until he vacated his
editorial chair, and it is even said he thought
of taking up his residence permanently in England.
His lectures delivered at Edinburgh a short time
since proved his fluent knowledge of the language,
and his occasional articles on " French Politics " to
the Times showed that he was not mistaken in sup-
posing his vigorous pen could fascinate English
readers. The authorship of these contributions from
"A Parisian Correspondent" were long suspected,
and are now openly acknowledged by the Times.. It
was. a tribute to the full and generous credence given
by the Constitutional Reformers of France to the
Emperor's Liberalintentions, that M. Pr6vost-Paradol,
so long the resolute opponent of personal govern-
ment, should have accepted office at his hands. How
suddenly and how sadly the mission so auspiciously
undertaken has been brought to a close we all know.
The cause of the tragedy we have yet to learn.

accordingly requested that the Press Gallery might
be emptied. As the. subject is a disagreeable one
to most persons, and as Mr. Craufurd has shown him-
self to be a very conscientious man, he cannot be
generally considered as much open to censure now
as on a former occasion. There is, however, one
new€paper which deserves to be thought
blameworthy in connection with this particu-
lar affair. In its issue yesterday morning this
metropolitan journal, in a leader, congratulates the
public that the reporters were excluded, and yet in
another column it publishes a full account of the debate
furnished, the Echo says, by an amateur, and perhaps
not wholly impartial writer—a member of the House
itself. Surely there is inconsistency of a strange
kind here !

that engages the attention of Americans is one that
is not easy of solution.

THE DARIEN CANAL.

It is disappointing to find that the•long-talked-of
expedition for surveying the Isthmus of Darien,
with the view of selecting a practicable route for the
canal, has returned without accomplishing its
object. Commodore Selfridge, who had com-
mand of the expedition, announces that the
best of the three routes which have been
surveyed would require a tunnel eight miles long,
under a hill which is 900 ft. high. It must be re-.
memberedthat this would not be an ordinary tunnel
but, being for a ship canal, must allow scope for the
passage of loaded vessels. Otherwise the great ob-
ject of the canal, tho direct transmission of goods
from one ocean to the other, would be neutralised.
Still, it is no wonder that even American energies
quail before such a task as the excavation
of the tunnel we have described in a
tropical region.• Of course if the undertaking
had been an easy one so bold and enterprising a
people as those of the United States would not have
so long deferred its execution, but it is to be hoped
that they will not allow even the present discourage-
ment to damp their efforts, since the immense
advantages offered by the canal will, when fairly
accomplished, amply repay any exertion or disap-
pointment attending its construction.