The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-15 00:00:00

CONFERENCE AT PARIS.

The attitude of Greece brought the Conference to a
dead-lock at the second sitting,. It lasted only three-
quarters of an hour, and was wholly occupied with the
"reading of the report of .the last meeting." Considering
that the last meeting was devoted to arranging a few formal
matters, and in hearing the unexpected protest of the Greek
Ambassador, the prods-vcrlial could not be a very formi-
dable document. In point of fact, the Ambassadors met
only to adjourn. No deliberations were entered upon, nor
was lljernil Pasha allowed to open his famous budget,
which is to furnish the most complete proof of the culpa-
bility of Greece. The general impression of the strange
incident which occurred on Saturday is, that
the success of the Conference is greatly endan-
gered, if not rendered wholly impossible. The
French journals, as indeed those of England, bold that
Greece ought to have been admitted on the same footing
as Turkey, but that, on the other hand, her refusal ought
to have been made known sooner. The Etendard takes
upon itself to explain this latter point. It says
that when the meeting of the Conference was
decided in principle on the basis of a programme
which Icas communicated both to Athens and Con-
stantinople, the Ambassadors of the various parties asked
for instructions, u hich several of them, and amongst others
Turkey and Greece, received only en the ei-e of the first
meeting. The Athenian Cabinet, which until the eleventh
hour bad made no objection to the programme, gave as
its instructions to Rangab6 that he was to demand admis-
sion to the Conference on a footing of equality with
the Turkish representative. Greece could not permit
herself to be brought to a trial in which she was
to figure as the culprit, and Turkey as both judge and
accuser. At the opening of the first sitting the Marquis
de Lavalette, unanimously nanimated as the president, on
the proposition of Prince Metternich, made known to the
conclave what was going to occur, he having received
due notice from the Greek Ambassador. This
communication excited much surprise and regret. Prince
Metternich, the Austrian representative, censured the
Greek Government for waiting until the Conference met
before it announced its objection, and proposed to record
the censure in the protocol. The Russian Ambassador then
declared that if the proposition were admitted, he could not
sign the protocol unless the formal errors only of the
Greek Government were recognised, and the question of
its demand in the abstract reserved. In other words, the
Greek Government was to be censured, not for making
this request, but for making it too late. Russia sup-
ported the demand in itself as natural and justifiable.
The Greek Ambassador was then introduced, and
laid the claims of his Government before the other
representatives. He spoke with much reserve. The Con-
ference was then adjourned, but the six plenipotentiaries
had an interview the same evebing—Rangab6 being
absent— and decided to request the representatives of
their Courts at Athens to join in urging the Greek
Government to withdraw its objections, explaining that
no insult to the dignity of Greece nor prejudice to her in-
terests was intended. To this request no answer was
returned up to Wednesday morning.
Such is the story of the Etendard, and there is every
reason for considering it correct. The semi-official paper
adds that Russia from the first demanded the admission
of the Greek envoy with full privileges, the Western
Powers opposing this step. The Liberte deduces from the
extraordinary manner in which the objection of Greece
was raised that Russia supports her. It is now as
difficult to admit Greece as it would be to exclude
Turkey. The best result that can be hoped for
is a simple and Platonic declaration of principles
without any real value whatever. The situation is a dead-
lock. The Temps thinks the Powers will be rightly served
by the total failure of the Conference. Their attempt to
exclude Greece from voting is contrary to all inter-
pretations of international law. The Times pre-
pares itself for a total failure of the Conference.
Other opinions are given, the Standard being rather
hopeful that the Ambassadors will accomplish something ;
but no journal is sanguine. The utmost that is hoped for
is a mere expression of the opinion of the Powers. A
telegram from the Berlin correspondent of the Times says
that no guarantee will be attached to any note
that may be signed at Paris. This confirms the intelligence
we gave yesterday. The D&ats gives an account of the
Conference differing but slightly from that of the Eten-
dard. It, however, represents the indignation as
much stronger. M. Stefano Xenos has written a
letter in defence of the Greek Ambassador's conduct.
He says : " The Hellenic Ministry have thought that as
Greece is under protection the best thing to be done is to
leave her honour and her fate to the care of her three
protectors, as in this way, if she is to be humiliated, it
will not be by Turkey, but by them to whom she is bound
to listen. Theretore, to the best of my knowledge, no
matter what telegrams come from Athens, Greece will not
take Part in the Conference."

Mr. Fell, the English engineer, has offered to the
Swiss Federal Council to undertake the 'construction of
three railroads over the Alps for a guarantee interest of
600,000 francs annually. He estimates the cost of that
over the Simplon at from eleven to thirteen millions ; of
the St. Gothard, at from thirteen to fourteen; and at
fifteen to eighteen for the Luckmanier.

Yesterday the Bolton Town Council unanimously
gassed a resolution " that the present practice with regard
to the nomination of candidates and the declaration of the
poll at elections for members of Parliament is, in many re-
spects, of no practical utility, occasions a heavy needless
expense, and produces much excitement, strife, and violence;
and that a petition be presented from the Council praying
for an alteration of the law in this respect."

COLOURED SOCKS.—It is, we are informed,
intended to hold a meeting of gentlemen who have suffered
from wearing the above socks on Friday, at three o'clock,
in B Room,Cannon-street Hotel, for the purpose of collect-
ing evidence as to the nature of those dyes and their
effects upon the health of persons wearing such articles,
and "placing the subject in its full and right light before
the public."—British Medical Journal.
MACKEREL IN THE CHANNEL. —An extraordinary
quantity of mackerel was landed at Portsmouth on Thurs-
day. All the mackerel bitten by the dog-fish were disposed
of to the local fish hawkers for sale in Hampshire, all the
best fish landed at every seaport being secured for Billings.
gate. Some hundreds of the smaller kinds of dog-fish,
averaging from between eighteen to twenty-four inches in
length, were also landed. These fish, properly skinned
and cleaned, are considered by many when cooked to be
even preferable to mackerel. One " dog " was upwards of
six feet in length.

PUBLIC MORTUARIES.--The movement for pro-
viding these in the metropolis appears to be rapidly pro-
gressing. A large number of the north-eastern and
north-western parishes have already arranged for their
erection, and the eastern districts seem to be following
their example. At the la& ordinary meeting of the
Poplar Board of Works the plans for the erection of a
mortuary for that parish, as approved by the medical
officer, were agreed to. An available site has not at
present been secured for Bow mortuary, but it has been
referred to a special committee to select one.

THE PROPOSED RACE BETWEEN THE STUDENTS OF
TILE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD AND AMERICA. -It will be
remembered that previous to Mr.r,Willan's retirement from
the presidency of the Oxford University Boat Club, the
students of Harvard University, United States, chal-
lenzcd the Oxonians to row an eight oar race this year
in England, but the representatives of the "dark blue"
not feeling justified in binding their successors to
such an important contract, al:owed the matter
to remain in statu quo, it being understood that
the Americans should renew their challenge if still
desirous of visiting Old England, upon the election
of fresh officers of the 0.U.8.C. The prominence
given to the great Anglo-American yacht race, now in
course of arrangement, has caused the Eight-oar Cutter
Race to be forgotten by many, while others have confused
the two events, but the time has now arrived when a mis-
sive from our Transatlantic cousins may be daily expected
at Oxford. The policy of a race of the kind in the face of
the Oxford and Cambridge annual match, which will
come off, as usual, in the spring, has been much questioned
at Oxford, but there is no doubt that as matters have pro-
ceeded so far, the Oxonians are bound to accept tilt.
American challenge should it arrfve.

ANECDOTE OF THEODORE HOOK.—At a certain
printing office where a work of this celebrated humourist's
was being printed, there was an old compositor who went
by the nickname of " Twaddle." In completing a sheet of
one of Mr. Hook's novels, the copy was given out in small
" takes" or portions, to each one of which the compositor's
name was, as usual, appended. When the proof was sent
out to the author, there appeared a line drawn down the
margin of a certain page with the word "Twaddle" at the
side. Mr. Hook received his proof, read it, and brought it
back to the office, with the remark that " though he was
not above criticism, he did not think the reader was quite
the man to make it." The overseer sent for the reader, who
explained the circumstance to the novelist. Mr. Hook
heard him patiently, but was by no means satisfied with
the explanation offered. "It is very ingenious of you, Mr.
Reader," said he, "to explain away the matter in that
fashion. I have read the passage over and over again, and
though it is certainly not very brilliant, I do not think it
deserves to be called twaddle." The reader protested and
assured him that the man was so called in the office, and
offered to send for him to confirm his assertion. But Theo-
dore Hook would not be convinced. " Well, well," he
observed, " I shall say no more about it ; but don't 19t it
Q-C'eur itgaiTAl TY/Pales il*e_4l'....§,29.ildkr&

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