The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-27 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

PRUSSIA AND SWITZERLAND.

BERLIN, FRIDAY.

A note, bearing the names of the signatories of
the Protocol of London, with the exception of
Prussia, has been addressed to the Federal Coun-
cil of Switzerland, demanding the liberation of
the Royalist insurrectionists. Prussia declares
her hope that this general expression of the
Powers will terminate the conflict.

The Swiss police is exceedingly on its guard in
various directions. The frontier cantons have
reported that Prussian officers have entered the
Swiss territory, with a view of proceeding to take
plans of the country, and to survey the banks of
the Rhine.

The Suisse of Berne of the 23d says :—" For
the last two days it has been rumoured here that
the representatives of the Powers and the Federal
Council had agreed upon a project of arrangement
which had been submitted to the ratification of
Prussia. That fact is true, but we are enabled
to affirm that the Prussian government has for-
mally refused the proposed negotiations. A de-
claration of war is therefore imminent."

The Paris correspondent of the Times (second
edition), in his letter dated yesterday (Friday),

6 p.m., says :

" The negotiation which I alluded to recently
as presenting a prospect of a solution of the
Neuchatel question has fallen to the ground.
The Federal Government bad proposed that, in
the exercise of the Sovereign power of the Con-
federation,' they would liberate the prisoners,
provided the whole of the Powers, including
the United States of America, who have repre-
sentatives in Switzerland, would engage to
use their influence to obtain from the King
of Prussia the formal renunciation of his
claims on the canton of Neuchatel. The Powers
who, as I am informed, declined entering into
that engagement are .France and Austria, who
preferred that the question should be left to those
who signed the Protocol of 1852.

" Another negotiation, however, is proceeding.
Great Britain, Austria, France, and Russia, the
Powers who signed that instrument, have pre-
pared a note on the existing differences, which
they have submitted to the King of Prussia, and
which, it is said, has not been rejected by him.
If this note be definitively approved, it will be
presented to the Federal Assembly, which meets at
Berne to-morrow. In what precise terms the note
is drawn I cannot say, but as the Swiss seem, for
the present, determined not to desist from the
demand for renunciation, in whatever form it
may be put, it is hoped that a solution may at
last be arrived at. In the meantime the Swiss
are not relaxing in their preparations for any
emergency. At no time has more unanimity
been displayed than in the present instance."

FRANCE.
PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.
The Swiss residents in Paris, to the number of
nearly 2,000, have demanded their passports to
return to their native country.
Lord and Lady Cowley, on the occasion of
Christmas-day, gave a dinner yesterday at the
British embassy, at which the following per-
sons were present :—Viscount Canterbury, Lord
and Lady Poltimore, Viscount Wellesley, Mr.
and Mrs. Disraeli, Baron and Baroness de Lanken,
Lord George Paulet, Sir A., Lady, and Miss
Woodford, Sir R. and Lady Dallas, Sir J. and
Lady 011iffe, General Dupuis, Mr., Mrs., and
Miss Baring, Bishop Spencer, Lieutenant-Colonel
Airey, Lieut.-Colonel Morris, Mr. and Mrs. Bar-
rington, Mr. and. Mrs. Marriott, Dr. and Miss
Hale, Mr. Pickford, and Messrs. Steward Stuart,
Norton Forel, Drummond, Earle, Munson, Atlee,
Ffrench.

" The conference of the plenipotentiaries," says
the Constitutionnel, will, in all probability, as-
semble on the 29th inst. at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs.

The following letter of the 23d from Berlin
appears in the Debats, but we think its statements
ought sto be received with reserve :—" It is
respecting the attitude of England in the question
of Neuchatel that the greatest anxiety is felt
at the present moment. The feeling is general
that Prussia is determined at any cost to cause her
right to be recognised, and it is thought that
France will support her demands in so far as
they may be directed against any demagogical
attempt of Switzerland. It is expected that Aus-
tria will act in a similar manner, and no doubt is
entertained that Russia will support Prussia as
much as she can. There consequently is only Eng-
land whose support has not been assured. The
Prussian Cabinet had learned that at Berne the
English agent had encouraged the Federal Coun-
cil in its resistance, which excited the more
surprise that England was one of the Powers
which signed the protocol of London, and,
Prussia expressed her discontent to the Eng-
lish Cabinet. We have just heard that, in con-
sequence of this complaint, Mr. Gordon has re-
ceived orders from his Government to support the
proceedings of Prussia. England, in her turn, has
offered her mediation in the Swiss affair to the
Prussian Cabinet, but the offer has not been ac-
cepted. There can no longer be any question of
mediation, and the immediate release of the
prisoners can alone prevent Prussia from causing
her troops to march."
BOURSE, Dec. 26.—The following were the last
quotations :

- Cash. fr. c. End of Month.
44 per Cents
_ _

31er Cents 66 75 66 80
New Loan
Bank Shares 4,075 Roman (z d)
Credit Mobilier 1,440 Austrian
Belgian Fives ...... ... 97i— Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5) 92 50 Home Debt

RAILWAYS—FOR CASH.
fr. c.

_. fr. c.
...
Orleans 1,340 Western
Northern 937 50 Strasburg
Lyons 1,370 New Ditto
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Lyons Geneva
Cette 742 50 Austrian Cum. ...... 785