The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-05 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE 111011

PARIS.

The Gaulois announces that the health of Count Goltz
has so sensibly improved since his return to Berlin
that all danger has disappeared. This miraculous
change has been brought about by drinking the
mineral waters of Solfatara, near Naples. These waters
were recently discovered in an old crater of Vesuvius.
The late Prussian Ambassador at Paris, like all eminent
invalids, is the subject of diverse reports. It was
announced the other day that Court von Goltz was
rapidly dying. The story of the Gaulois has not on the
whole a satisfactory appearance.
Patti's appearance in Brussels has been an unprece-
dented success. The three performances netted respec-
tively £720, £BBO, and £1,120.
The Journal Officiel has opened its feuilleton with an
account of the trial of Marie Antoinette. When, asks
the Temps, is the account of the Duke d'Enghien's trial to
appear ?

THE EFFECTS OF AN INDIAN CYCLONE.

By the Indian mail we have further particulars of a
remarkable cyclone which recently occurred at Akyab.
It appears that the damage to the shipping con-
sisted of the stranding of the Busheer (since
arrived at Calcutta), the Volunteer, the Naomi,
and the Duke of Northumberland. The captain
of the Naomi had three of his ribs fractured, but
is going on favourably. Two Madras vessels are high and
dry; one on the public road, and the other in a paddy
field. All the port cargo boats and water boats are perfect
wrecks, and almost all the country boats are dashed to
pieces. A small portion only of the top of the Savage light-
house was blown away. The Government loss in
the marine department is estimated at about 20,000
rupees. All the merchants' godown at Cherogeah creek,
as well as the landing jetties, have been blown down,
the roads being covered with these ruins, the dead
bodies of cattle, and trees. The private houses have
suffered almost as much, the roofs of nearly all having
been blown off, and in many cases the entire houses
blown down. Amongst the latter were the houses of
the commissioner, Colonel Stevenson, and Colonel Salis-
bury, as well as the private residences of Mr. Damford,
Mr. Brown, and Mr. Hurst. Mr. Hurst had a narrow
escape for his life. The deluge of rain completely filled
some of the lower stories of the houses after the roof
had gone, and rendered escape very difficult. All the
Government offices, as well as the gaol, had been more or
less damaged, and the telegraph was blown down for
miles. Workmen were at once engaged at the rate of
Rs. 20 a month to repair the telegraph, and communica-
tion has since been restored with Calcutta. The handsome
trees, which were one of the principal features of Akyab,
have nearly all disappeared. The total loss of
life in the town is supposed to have been about twenty,
and 500 head of cattle were drowned in one of the suburbs.
The estimated loss of the rice crop was 15 per cent.
Colonel Fraser, the chief engineer, had a very narrow
escape. In attempting to land from the Busheer he fell
between the steamer and the pier, but succeeded in cling-
ing to the pier, from which he was rescued when almost
exhausted.

On Friday there were no fewer than six sudden
deaths in Dundee. Ono was caused by a pieco of beef
sticking in the throat of a labourer and choking him whilst
he was eating his dinner.

Mr. Greening, who unsuccessfully contested Hali-
fax at the last election, on Saturday night was presented,
by his friends at that town, with a silver tea and coffee ser-
vice, as a recognition of the manner in which, as the work-
ing man's candidate, he conducted the election.
The death of another Waterloo veteran is an-
nounced. George Simcn Harcourt, Esq. (ni Ainslie), of the
69th Foot, and afterwards with the Ist or Boyal Dragoons,
ono of the few remaining officers who served at the Battle
of Waterloo, died on the 29th of December, at Bedford at
the age of 72.

At Liverpool a pipe-maker, named Garbert, quar-
relled with his wife, who, it is said, had dishonoured him.
The woman was enciente, and her husband knocked her
down, and literally ripped her open with a knife. The im-
mediate consequence is too horrible to relate, and the poor
woman died the same day. The murderer is in custody.

The first ice accident is reported from Sheffield. 4
number of skaters and sliders, chiefly lads, had collected on
the ico on a brick pond at Cross Pool, when the ice gave
way, and several of the lads were precipitated into the water.
An alarm was at once raised, and assistance promptly ren-
dered by the bystanders. Among those who took an active
part was a youth named Frederick Dyson, who bravely
rushed into the water and succeeded in saving one of the lads
from a watery grave, but unhappily fell a victim to his
14eroiprci.

'.FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, MONDAY, Jannary 4.
The muemnities which were voted a long time back to
the co-operators in the Exhibition of 1867 are to he paid.
Why the Imperial Commission could not decide this point
sooner is a mystery to most people. The indemnities had
to be met, and the cash was ready : why, then, wait some
year and a half before coming to a conclusion on such a
point ?
Young princes are not so frequently guilty of the un-
princely sin of gratitude but that an instance of the kind
should be recorded when it transpires. The story goes
that the young Duke of Brabant, who still lingers on his
bed of sickness, asked for a new year's gift of 2240.
In reply to a question as to the disposal of
such a sum, he stated that he intended it for the two
Sisters of Charity who had nursed him during his illness.
The money was given and immediately transferred.
The Civil Tribunal of Marseilles has just decided an
important will case affecting an English family. It is
another instance of the evil results of people makirg
wills which do not adequately express their intentions.
Robert Gower, a merchant of Marseilles, who died recently,
leaving a large property, disposed of it under the following
enigmatical terms :—" I name and institute as my heirs
my brother, George Henry Gower, or his children, and
my other nephews and nieces who shall exist at the date of
my death, or their representatives." Now, the brother had
five children, and there was besides a married sister with
six, and another sister, a widow, without "encumbrance."
Mr. Gower claimed that the intention of the deceased was
to make him sole legatee, and that only in the event
of his death at the moment of the succession becoming
open was the fortune to be shared among all the nephews
and nieces. The six children of Mr. Jenkins pretended
that the deceased meant the property to be divided among
the brothers of George Henry, or his children, and the
other nephews and nieces ; under this hypothesis the
Jenkinses would take six-eighths of the whole, and the
uncle and aunt each one-eighth. The third demand was
by Mrs. Mathias, who held that the estate should be
apportioned in equal parts among the three branches of
the family represented by the surviving brother and two
sisters. The court decided that the mention of the
brother by name designated him as the heir, to the exclu-
sion of the rest, providing that if he died before the will
was executed the property would then be divided amongst
all the nephews and nieces. The Mathias and Jenkins
claims were therefore rejected.
JcZetson Davis adds another to the list of eminent per-
sonage Whom adversity has driven to the great asylum of
princes. The ex-President of the South is enjoying
all the spectacles which Paris can offer. That capital
seems to prove as agreeable a retreat to him as to Queen
Isabella. He is an indefatigable sight-seer, promenading
Paris the entire day. Those with whom he has been in
converse testify that his character has lost none of the
decision which baffled the efforts of the North during
the civil war ; the failure of his great schemes has
in no respect changed his opinions ; he remains
the advocate of slavery, tempered with the posses-
s!on of those rights which the negro race is capable of
enjoying. He is persuaded that the African and Cau-
casian race can never intermingle. Mr. Davis is indifferent
to the material things of life. He breakfasts on buttered
toast and coffee, and dines off two dishes with all but
Spartan simplicity.
One hundred and thirty-nine new journals have ap.
peered in Paris alone during the past half-year. Of these
101 were literary and artistic, fourteen political, and the
remainder devoted to class purposes. Thirty five papers
have been founded on the model of La Lanterne. Their
borrowed light has not been a lamp unto their feet, for but
two now remain in existence.
The Emperor of Austria has sent a magnificent missal,
enriched with exquisite miniatures, as a present to the
Pope. This chef a'cetare of its kind has employed nine-
teen artists for ten years !
The Etendard once more takes the trouble to deny a
statement by the Nord, that the imperial Government
supported the candidature of Queen Isabella's son. The
Emperor, says the semi-official paper, has in nowise
departed from his policy of non-intervention in the
affairs of Spain. The same journal, adverting to
the Convention between Baden and North Germany on
the subject of recruiting, announces that the arrangement
has no political significance whatever. It is merely to
prevent the subjects of the two States from escaping their
military obligations. If this be all that is intended, why
should not a similar treaty be concluded with the other
German States which are not in the Confederation?
The Opposition has lost the election in the Manche
department caused by the death of M. Ravin. The offi-
cial candidate gained 17,600 votes against 10,751. It is
not a little odd that the official papers have taken to
speaking of the Government voters as Conservatives !
There is now no doubt that Count Paiva, Portuguese
Ambassador at Berlin, whose death was recently an-
nounced, committed suicide.