The Sun.
London, England, 1851-03-27 00:00:00

NEW NAVAL LIGHT SIGNALS.

In this country we may say that we are utterly de-
void of all night communication, except by electric wires.
Now, admirable and perfect as this medium of inter-
course is, yet there are a variety of positions in which
it cannot be applied—as from ship to ship, and from ship
to land, and vice versd.
It will scarcely be credited, but such is the fact, that at
Gibraltar and Malta, two of our strongest possessions,
all the outposts are completely isolated and cut off from
intelligent intercourse atter darkness sets in, except the
few signals that can be given in the way of alarm.
The Isle of Wight, too, where her Majesty and the
Royal Family are every now and then residing, is in the
like predicament, haring no communication with the
mainland after sunset. And it is still more incredible
that, in the British navy, there are but nineteen signals
which can really be made, and to make the twentieth a
gun or a rocket must be used. It is gratifying to learn that
Dr. Thomson's Nevi System of Telegraphic Signals,
which for the last eight months has been under trial at
Portsmouth, by a committee of the most experienced
naval men, will meet all these difficulties. His horizon..
tal lamps, which may be seen at work on board her Ma-
jesty's ship
Victof_rom ry, at Portsmouth, and which are
adapted to work
the shore to the sea, will give
10,000 signals at a
range of five miles • and the vertical,
for sea-going ships,
1,000 at a range Of three miles.
In the British navy there has often been manifested
an unwillingness to depart from old-established customs,
and a strong prejudice against any innovation, especially
when originating from a civilian; but we are pleased to
learn that there is a ready and explicit desire manifested
to see this new system in more extensive operation.
We understand that the vertical lamps, now under the
constructive care and skill of Miller, Piccadilly, will be
before the committee in a few days, with their new
lenses ordered by the Admiralty.

REPORTED DEATH OF THE MARCNIONESS OP
LANSDOWNE,---A contemporary yesterday published an ac-
count of the death of this highly respected lady, which is
said to have taken place at Bowood-park on Monday last.
We are happy to say that the statement is at least prema-
ture ; for by inquiries made, we learn that the last letters re-
ceived stated that the Marchioness was still alive, though in
a very precarious state.—Morning Paper.
kMERICAN VISITORS TO THE GREAT EXHIBITION.
—ln answer to many of our readers in Indiana, we state that
the rates of fare for either London or Liverpool, namely, in
sailing vessels, are, cabin passage, 75 dollars; steerage, 50
ilollats. We hear of no arrangement for the conveyance of
passengers to the " World's Fair" different from those hitherto
existing. Our regular packets are unrivalled as regards their
p
capacity for affording a speedy, safe, and Ileasant assage to
the Old World, being spacious, dry, and well ventilated, and
what is not of the least importance, well commanded. As
to steam-vessels, frequent departures will take place, afford-
ing every accommodation and luxury that could be desired.
As in the case of sailing packets, a considerable proportion of
the passenger accommodation of the Atlantic steamers is en-
gaged for several weeks to come. All the steamers now sail-
ing for Europe exhibit quite extended passenger lists, and the
probabilities are that the Hermann, of the Southampton and
Bremen line, which sails cn the 22d inst., and the Franklin,
of the Havre line, which sails on the sth proximo, touching
at Southampton, will go full. The steam-ship Caribbean, now
very nearly completed, will be run between New York and
England, and, should the demand justify, other steamers will
be placed on the same route.--New York Journal of
Commerce.

iThe following appeared in our Fourth Edition of
last night :—]

FRANCE.

The Siecle announces that it is about to publish a
romance from the pen of the Emperor NAPOLEON.
M. PAUL Lacaoix, in the following letter to M.
Louis DENOYEES, explains the history of the MSS. :
" My Dear Friend,—You have not forgotten the dis-
covery of autograph MSS. of Napoleon Bonaparte,
which were found at Lyons lying in dust and forgetful-
ness from the time that the pupil of Brienne had be-
come general of the army of Italy. These MSS., which
were comprised in the inheritance of Cardinal Fesch,
unole of Napoleon, and Archbishop of Lyons, be-
long unfortunately no longer to France; but an au-
thentic copy has been given to me to make what use I
please of it. I bestow the copy ou the Siecle, which may
publish the principal parts, with all necessary proofs of
their authenticity. Among the manuscripts of the Em-
peror's youth appear a Corsican romance and several
tales, which, without being chefs d'oeuvre, show real power
of imagination and originality of style, as the readers
of the Siecle will soon be able to judge. It cannot be
denied that the name of the author of these works con-
fers upon them immense interest, and we feel assured
that no contemporaneous publication is better calculated
to excite public attention.
(signed)

" PAUL LACROIX."

GERMANY.

Accounts from Dresden of the 20th inst. state that
the conferences still continue.
The following from Berlin, of the 21st, is given by
the Siecle •—" The system of M. DE MANTRUFE:EL
appears to be coming to a close, and the slightest in-
cident may cause its fall; for it cannot be concealed
that a great discontent prevails on the subject of the
retrograde march of our policy in all its branches. If
the present Ministry be overthrown, it is a Cabinet of
the Right, and not of the Left, which will come
into power. M. DE RADOWITZ, as far as regards
the present state of affairs, evidently belongs to
the latter. The discontent now felt is caused
less by the difficulties with Austria and the
abandonment of the policy of the Union, than by
the irresolution and hesitation evinced in all the
acts of the present Ministry. The KING and the
Court have all their sympathies on the side of the
Holy Alliance, and, unless extraordinary events
should arise, our domestic policy will have as its
principal basis a co-operation with Austria and
Russia. Count D'ARMIN BROCHENBOURG will be the
necessary successor of M. DE MANTEUFFEL, and every
one is acquainted with the principles which guide that
statesman."
A letter from Berlin, of the 22d, says :—" One
of the feat in which may he seen a symptom
of reconciliation between the two German
powers is the approaching evacuation of Hol-
stein by the Austrian troops. 3,000 men have
already taken the road towards Bohemia, via
Msdgeburg and Dresden, and the Prussian corps
of observation on the frontiers of Holstein is to be
shortly broken up. There will only, it is said, re-
main an Austro-Prussian corps of 8,000 men to
occupy Hamhurgh and the neighbourhood. The
action which Prince ALBERT, the husband of
Queen VICTORIA, had brought against the
Treasury of ihe Duchy of Saxe-Gotha on the
subject of the rente of 25,00011. coming to him from
the succession of his mother,-has been decided in his
favour. From the matrimonial conventions made
between Prince ALBERT and the Queen VICTORIA,
and which have been submitted to the judges, it
appears, that in the event of the Ducal Crown
of S &Ice-Gotha passing to the descendants of
Prince ALBERT (his eldest brother the reigning
Duke is unmarried), it will he the second sun of the
QUEEN that will succeed to it. Tile duchy would
in that case devolve to the Royal Family of Great
Bri,ain. The situation of affairs in Electoral Hesse
does not appear to improve. The military tribunals
continue to condemn civil functionaries and members
of the Commission of the States. The attitude of the
inhabitants appears to he still hostile to the govern-
ment of the ELECT(ta
A letter from Munich, of March 20, says—" In
the sitting of the Chamber o!.. Deputies to-day,
it was resolved to take into consideration a pro-
position of Prince WALLENSTEIN, that documents
relative to the question of Elector Hesse and to the
intervention of the Bavarian troops in the Electorate
shall be produced by the Government. The discus-
sion of this affair will cause some agitation ; but it
pill not, it is stated, result in the impeachment of
Ministers, as desired by the Prince. The Cabinet has
declared that it does not recognise the right of the
Chamber to interfere in acts of the Government which
do not, concern the constitution. But the Chamber is
determined to oppose that pretension, as, if agreed to,
it would remove from its control not only all questions
of foreign policy, but also the German question.