The Sun.
London, England, 1860-03-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, 1860.

Two HUNDRED POUNDS REWARD.-
-A- LOST, on Friday, the 9th of March instant. in Oxford
street, near to the London and Westminster Bank, Stratford
place, the following BANK of ENGLAND NOTES, via.
£2OO
100
i 24th September, 1859
100
50
50
20
20
20
20
20
10
10

23d July, IST?.

22d December, 1859.

10
10
10
5
5

23d January, IE6O,

27th January, 1860.

Payment has been stopped at the Bank of England. Who-
ever may have found the said Notes, and will return the same,
or whoever will give such information as shall lead to the
recovery of the same within three mouths from this date shall
receive the above Reward, or a proportionate part thereof,
according to the amount recovered. Information to be given
to Messrs. R. and S. Mullins, Solicitors, 7, Poultry, London,
E.C.
13th March, 1860.

pOYAL NATIONAL LIFE-BOAT
INSTITUTION.—The ANNUAL GENERAL MEET-
ING of this Institution will be held at the LONDON
TAVERN, BISHOPSG_A.TE-STREET, TO-MORROW, the
15th inst., at Two o'clock precisely. Admiral the Earl of
SHREWSBURY and TALBOT, C. 8., V.P., in the Chair.
RICHARD LEWIS, Secretary.
14, John-street, ~11-delphi, Marsh 10, 1864

FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE EELAT-

ING TO TEE AFFAIRS OF ITA.

The additional despatches relating to the affairs
of Italy, laid on the•table of the House of Commons
last night, date from the 17th February to the 9th
of the present month, thus bringing the correspon-
dence up to the close of last week. The correspon-
dence is principally occupied with the new pro-
posals of the French Government for settling the
affairs of Italy.; and the most important of the
French despatches on thiS head, such as M. Thou-
venel's letters to the French ambassadors at the
courts of London and Turin, have already been
made public. A number of references are, however,
of necessity made to the subject of Savoy, and Lord
J. Russell's language with regard both to this and
the new policy of the French Government in Italy
is plain and decided throughout. On the 17th of
February Lord. Cowley writes that he had just had
an interview with M. Thouvenel, who had commu-
nicated to him. in • confidence the Emperor's new
scheme in regard to Italy, asking at the same time
if her Majesty's Government would be satisfied
with such a proposal. Lord Cowley at once re-
plied, that "the policy of her Majesty's Govern-
ment was not to interfere. in Italy at all, but to let
the Italian people settle their own affairs ;" and he
could not thereforo," hold out 'any hope that the
English Government would entertain any such pro-
posal. Lord S. Rus—self :promptly confirmed this
statement. - After KeplyiAg that her Majesty's Go-
vernment had proposed four points to Austria and
France, the fourth of which had been " virtually"
accepted, he addi":—
In this state of affairs it is impossible for her Ma-
jesty's Governmentto recommend any other plan.
The declarations of Count Rechberg convey a reso-
lution on the part of Austria not to outstep the limits
of Venetia. Those of COunt Cavour are positive in
abjuring any attempt to•disturb Venetia, or those
States which still acknowledge the authority of the
Pope. It would. seem, therefore, that the next step is
to order new elections in Central Italy. Whether
these elections should be conducted upon principles
already known and acted upon, or by universal
suffrage, is a matter upon which her Majesty's Go-
vernment decline to interfere. They wish to leave
Italy to herself. With respect to Savoy, which is
again mentioned in your despatch, the sentiments
of her Majesty's Government are already known to
M. Thouvenel, and it is. hardly necessary to say
that their objections are•not diminished by the pre-
sent proposal.
After the delivery of the Emperor's speech, Lord
Cowley writes to Lord I:Russell :
I saw M. Thouvenel for a few minutes this after-
noon after his return from the opening of the ses-
sion of the Legislative Bodies. Our conversation
turned upon the Emperor's speech, and I expressed
to M. Thouvenel my apprehension that his Majesty's
words would not inspire in Europe the confidence
which they breathed theinselves.
I then passed to the paragraph of the Emperor's
speech relating to the annexation of Savoy. Re-
marking that his Majesty. had made use of the words
rsclamer and vendiqusr, with regard to territory
belonging to another Sovereign, I expressed my
great regret that the promise which his Majesty
had been good enough to make t• me—namely,
that the wisheS of the Savoyards themselves should
be respected, had not been alluded to by kis Ma-
jesty, M. Thouvenel replied that although the de-
claration was not to be found in the Emperor's
speech, his Majesty intended to abide by it.
Lastly, I inquired of M. Thouvenel what was in-
tended by the words, Versants Francais des Mon-
tagne'?" What amount of territory did this term
include? His Excellency announced that he could
not take upon himself to specify less than Savoy
and the county of Nice.
Onethe third of the present month Lord John
Russell writes :

Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley.
(Extract.)
Foreign-office, March 3, 1860.
I have to state to your Excellency as the opinion
of her Majesty's Government that, after the Austrian
answer to M. Thouven el's able despatch to M.de Mou-
stier had been received, the Italian question ap-
peared to approach-its solution. The French and
British GoverninentS had only to leave Central Italy
to take its own-course. No disturbance was likely
to arise, and when the new power was consolidated,
Russia and Prussia might have yielded to Fact
that recognition which they denied to -Right. The
new proposals of France have again made every-
thing uncertain. Should the King of Sardinia de-
clare himself the Pope's vicar, he will hardly be
recognised in .that. character by his Holiness.
Whether he is or not, the laws on the church and
on education which.the Pope's vicar would sanction
would be directly opposed to the policy of the Pope,
and perhaps to- the canon law. Then, if any.dis-
content should. arise at any time, the Pope might
take upon himself to annul the delegation of his
vicar, and absolve his subjects from their obedience
to his usurped authority.- Then, again, with regard
to Tuscany. The Indication: of a prince of the
house of Savoy, inserted. in the original project, is
omitted, and every resource of intrigue will be set
at work to obtain for Tuscany the powerful protec-
tion
of a prince of the house of Austria, or of the
Imperial family of France. With respect to uni-
versal suffrage, every nation ought to judge for
itself whether that franchise is suitable for itself or
not. France has judged for herself that it is suit-
able to the state of France, and no one thinks of
questioning that decision. But Tuscany has lived
under other laws, where utility has been generally
recognised. As it appears, however, that Tuscany
has now accepted universal suffrage, it is not neces-
sary to carry this discussion any further. Our ob-
ject has been that so well stated by M. de Thou-
venel in his despatch to M. Moustier in these
words :—" Italy, for centuries past, has been a field
open to a struggle for influence between France and
Austria. This field must be closed. If one of the two
Powers, formerly rivals, made a sacrifice which
should be directly to the advantage of the other—if
the supremacy in Italy, only changing hands, was
to be ours for Q time—the qhestion would appear
under an aspect rendering all discussion idle and bar-
ren. But the question is not so propounded. France
does not seek to substitute herself for Austria in
Italy; the matter is, to constitute Italy herself as
an intermediate party—as a kind of neutral ground,
henceforth inaccessible to the action, alternately
predominating o
Powers. and always precarious, of 'one or
other
From a despatch • written • by Lord Bloomfield,
from Berlin, on the same day, it appears that up to
the Ist of March the 'Prussian_ Government had re-
lied on the Emperor's Milan proclamation that he
sought no territorial aggrandisement for France :
Lord Bloomfield to Lord J. Russell.
(Received March 5.)
(Extract.)
I have the honour to inf Berlin, March 3,1860. your lordship that
Baron Schleinitz has told Me that he avai ed him-
self of a visit which he received this morning from
Prince de la Tour &Auvergne to allude to the sub-
ject of the proposed annexation of Savoy and Nice
to France. His excellency appears to have stated
to the French Minister that in Germany there was
but one opinion of determined opposition to the pro-
ject; that Prussia had hitherto relied on the assu-
rances contained in the manifesto issued by the
Emperor Napoleon at Mile.n on the conclusion of
the war, that he sought no territorial aggrandise-
ment for France; but that as the question had been
mentioned in his Imperial Majesty's speech to the
Legislative Assembly, he could no longer be silent,
and that he trusted no step would be taken con-
nected with the subject until it had been discussed
by the great Powers. Baron. Schleinitz seems to
have also observed to the French Minister that the
present Government of Prussia had been the means
of restraining the violent. feeling which had been
excited in Germany by the war in Italy, and to
have made themselves unpopular by so doing, and
that on the question of Savoy it must not be consi-
dered, because they have remained silent up to the
present moment, that this meant indifference; for
they should view this absorption with the greatest
distrust. His excellency then remarked that it was
a matter of some surprise to him that no allusion to
the question of Savoy had been yet made by the
French legation at this court; that it was an turo•
pean question, and had already assumed serious
dimensions, without any communication being made
to Prussia on the subject. Prince de la. Tour d'Au-
vergne replied that the French Government were
well aware of the feeling that existed in Germany,
and he believed that it was for this reason that
much difficulty had been felt in approaching it, and
that the French Government had therefore avoided
a discussion of the subject. Before leaving Baron
Schleinitz his excellency said to me that the policy
of Prussia was decidedly opposed to the annexa-
I tion, and that be thought I.'rance might be called

upon, at all events, to take no further step in the
matter until a conference were held.
The correspondence terminates with the despatch
in which Lord J. Russell directs Lord Cowley to
ask in what way the European powers would be
consulted with regard to the annexation of Savoy,
and Lord Cowley's reply.
Lord J. Russell to Earl Cowley.
Foreign-office, March 6, 1860.
My Lord,—M. de Persigny called upon me to-
day,
and read to me a despatch of M. Thouvenel,
on the subject of Savoy, in answer to my despatch
to your lordship of the 13th ult. M. Thouvenel
directed M. de Persigny to leave ire a copy of this
despatch, if I desired it ; but as there was nothing
new in the arguments, although very ably put, and
as I did not wish to continue a barren controversy,
I did not ask for a copy. I wish your lordship,
however, to ascertain from M. Thouvrnel in what

manner the proinise of the Emperor that the Great
Powers shall be consulted is to be carried into
effect. Is there to be a previous vote in Savoy and
in Nice ? If that vote is unfavourable to separa-
tion, will the project fall to the ground? If it is
favourable, will the proposed cession, by the King
of Sardinia, of Savoy and Nice be submitted for
consideration to the Great Powers ? To what do
the terms " reclamer " and "revendiquer," in the
Emperor's speech, allude ? Are they intenhed to
apply to the term between 1814 and 1815, or to the
period between 1792 and 1814 am, &c.,
(Signed) J. RUSSELL.
Earl Cowley to Lord J. Russell.—(Received
March 10.)
(Extract.)
Paris, March 9, 1860.
I was surprised, on calling this morning on M.
Thouvenel to find he had been for two days in
possession of M. de Cavour's reply to that part of
his excellency's despatch of the 24th ultimo which
related to the annexation of Savoy to France. I
proceeded, in compliance with the instructions con-
tained in your lordship's despatch of the 6th inst.,
to ask his excellency in what manner the promise
of the Emperor. that the Great Powers should be
consulted on this matter, is to be carried into effect.
M. Thouvenel replied that, the Sardinian Govern-
ment having declared that they would not object to
the annexation of Savoy to France if such should
be the wish of the Savoyards themselves, he was
about to draw up a despatch which would be ad-
dressed to the imperial representatives at the courts,
parties to the treaties of 1815, explaining. the wishes
of the Imperial Government, and the reasons why
it was considered that these wishes should be ac-
ceded to. His excellency thought that this despatch
would be sent off on Tuesday or Wednesday next.
With regard to your lordship's second question,
whether there should be a previous vote in Savoy
and Nice, M. Thouvenel replied that the Imperial
Government adhered to the principle of consulting
the wishes of the inhabitants of those two countries.
In what manner and at what period this appeal was
to be made he could not now state ; but, as at pre-
sent advised, he should say that the communication
to the Powers would precede the vote. He reserved
to himself, however, to act in this matter as cir-
cumstances might require. Should the vote be un-
favourable, he had no hesitation, in reply to your
lordship's third question, in stating that the pro-
ject of annexation would fall to the ground. Your
lordship's fourth question is answered under the
first. To your lordship's inquiry as to the period
to which the terms " reclamer and "revendiquer,"
employed in the Emperor's speech, allude, M.
Thouvenel replied, to no particular period what-
ever. The Emperor considered that the new order
of things about to be established in Italy gave
him the right to protect the French frontier; and
it was in virtue of this right, which it seemed to
him he possessed, that his Majesty made use of the
words in question. In the course of the conversation,
M. Thouvenel, in reply to an observation which fell
from me, said that the Imperial Government would
of course receive with due consideration, and scru-
pulously examine, any arguments or advice which
might be given in answer to the communication
which he was about to make to the Great Pon ers.

These new despatches completely meet the charge
recently brought against Lord John Russell, that
he did not communicate the intentions of the
French Government with regard to Savoy to our
representatives at foreign Courts. The very first,
dated February 17, is from Lord John Russell to
Lord A. Loftus, enclosing "copies of correspon-
dence which has lately passed with the French
Government respecting the rumoured annexation
of Savoy."

DESTRUCTION OF THE VICTORIA

CLUB Br FIRE.

Yesterday morning about a quarter past seven a
fire broke out on the premises of 4, Victoria•street,
Holborn-bridge, which ended in the entire destruc-
tion of Mr. Ishmael Fisher's wine-stores, better
known to our readers as the meeting and committee
rooms of the Victoria Club. The building was a
very extensive one, and contained many rooms,
including the handsome and commodious saloon
used by the members of the club for their conveni-
ence during the racing season. It appears that the
fire was first discovered about half-past seven
o'clock, and almost immediately after the unwelcome
alarm the premises became enveloped in a complete
sheet of lame.

From careful inquiries made during the raging of
the fire, it appears to have originated in the follow-
ing manner :—About a quarter past seven o'clock
the servant, who had got up a little after six o'clock,
called out to a young man who had been sleeping in
the premises, named Henry:Coleman, " The house
is on fire, make haste and bring some water."
Coleman at once hurried down to the ground-floor
warehouse, which he found to be on fire in the
front 'window. He and the servant made desperate
attempts to subdue the flames by pouring buckets
of water upon the fire, but it continued to spread,
and at last assumed such a formidable appearance
as to completely block up the front doorway, and
thereby cut off all means of their retreating from
that part of the building. At the same time the
following persons were in the upper roams, some in
their beds asleep :—Mrs. Stevens, a relative of the
owner of the building, Miss Strickland, and Miss
Taylor, and Miss Wiltshire. Coleman ran up
stairs and tried to get the poor creatures to the
attic, knowing that if he could do so they could pass
along the gutter to the next house, but they be-
came so frightened, and the smoke became so dense,
that they were unable to move. The young man,
Coleman, in order to save his own life, was com-
pelled to leave the females to rush to the top of the
building, and, having got out of the window, he
passed into the next house, and had just reached
the street, when Mr. Fogo, the chief officer of the
B district, had arrived with his engines, and was
then informed that several persons were upstairs.
By direction of Mr. Fogo, the ladders carried on
the engines were "married" together, and were
raised in front of the burning building ; two fire-
men, named respectively Hall and Robins, then
mounted the ladders, entered the rooms and brought
out in safety the four unfortunate females, and car-
ried them down the ladders, the bystanders loudly
cheering the firemen for their intrepidity. Engines
from the more distant brigade stations having ar-
rived, the firemen, under the direction of Mr.
Braidwood, the superintendent, and Mr. sFogo,
with Engineer Fleming, and other officers, went to
work in an admirable manner at their engines, but
in spite of the water thrown upon the flames, the
work of devastation continued, and in less than a
quarter of an hour after the outbreak the flames
were rushing through the roof and several of the
front windows. This caused an immense concourse
of persons to rush to the place, and it was with
difficulty the firemen could pass to and fro to pur-
sue their dangerous calling, when Inspectors
Mitchell and Leonard, with Acting-Inspector
Knight, came up with a powerful body of police,
and at once cleared a space for the effectual work •
ing of the engines, but it was nearly four hours be-
fore the fire was entirely extinguished, and not
until the premises and the contents were, for the
most part, destroyed.
All the inmates were rescued unhurt, although
seriously alarmed, and so remarkably rapid was the
spread of the conflagration that the affrighted in-
mates were compelled to quit the house in their
night-dresses. The building appears completely
gutted, the roof is quite off, and the once handsome
club room presents nothing but four blackened
wallA laid open to the street in consequence of
the burning of the partitions which formerly
divided it from the bar and passage. In
the course of Tuesday the various members of the
club arrived as usual at midday for the customary
daily meeting, and their astonishment can well be
imagined when they discovered that since their
last visit the premises had been destroyed. Through-
out the day the members congregated in knots in
the vicinity of their former club-house, discussing
the occurrence, and much sympathy was expressed
for Mr. Ishmael Fisher, who, although insured, will
be a heavy sufferer by the fire, in consequence of
his policy not coYering the full 'value ot' as pro-

PRICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

perty. At seven o'clock last night the committee of
the Victoria met at Salter's Hotel, to arrange as to
where their meetings should be held until the pre-
mises can be rebuilt, or others engaged by Mr.
Fisher. The cause of the fire is rpt known, but it
is supposed to have broken out in the kitchen on
the first floor at the back of the house, and thus
spread until destruction was all but complete. The
front rooms on the first and second floors have
escaped with the least damage, and the valuable
stock of wines in the cellars is also entirely saved,
We cannot at the present moment estimate cor-
rectly the extent of the loss suffered by Mr. Fisher;
but among other things destroyed were some paint-
ings of upwards of .£l5O value, which adorned the
club-room.