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

► coins,

'OE FROM

PARIS.

(iiiioll OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, December 31.

The arrangements between the Confederation of
North Germany and the Grand Duchy of Baden, for the
admission of recruits into their respective armies, has
become, next to the Eastern question, the most important
foreign topic here. These arrangements were to the effect
that Baden subjects residing in German territory may be
admitted to the North German army, and that North
Germans residing in Baden may be recruited in the army of
the Grand Duchy. The importance of this convention is
much contested. Some even of the non-official journals are
of opinion that the effect of the agreement has been much
exaggerated, and that it is a purely German matter,
which can affect but a limited number, and which
can in no respect be interpreted as another step
towards the admission of Baden to the Con-
federation. Others, and especially the Liberte, hold
very different views. M. Etnile de Girardin is very
satirical on this subject, and makes it the text for another
sermon on the necessity of securing to France her old
frontier—the natural frontier of the Rhine. Prussia, he
urges, is the Power that is now the disturbing element to
the peace of Europe, and Prussia ought to take
the consequences. Armed peace cannot endure
long ; the war which was to have broken out in
1863 may confidently be looked for in 1869. Let Prussia
give up the Rhine frontier, and then the triple alliance
between France, Italy, and North Germany will be
secured. France needs a security other than a perpetual
rampart of 900,000 bayonets. This is very true; but it is
not likely that such a security will be gained by means of
Prussia giving up the Rhine frontier, except as a
possible consequence of the general war which M.
de Girardin professes himself anxious to avoid. And
as to the triple alliance which is to be the fruit of this con-
cession on the part of Prussia, what is France to do in the
case of Rome?
Next to a reverse in the Corps Legislatif, M. Rouher
objects to a defeat of the Government in a court of justice.
Fearing that the Court of Appeal might decide against
the new official Moniteur as the Chamber of Commerce
has dune, he has withdrawn all pretension to the title. The
old Moniteur is to remain in undisputed possession
of the glorious title, whilst the new official journal
is to be called the Journal Officid de l'Empire.
M. Rouher gives as his reason for leaving the champ
fibre to the old Moniteur that it is expedient to prevent
contests, which have no real interest for the Government,
between different official publications. The truth is, that
he feared the Court of Appeal would not set aside
the decision of the Chamber of Commerce. It is somewhat
odd that the decree notifying the withdrawal of the appeal
first appeared in the Figaro.
With respect to the Moniteura' affair, a curious fact has
transpired. The proprietor of the old lifoniteur wished to
publish in his journal the favourable judgment of the
Chamber of Commerce. Though all the other papers had
inserted it, he was forbidden. He was allowed only to
announce the result of the trial.
The Gaulois is determined not to let the affair of the
museum pictures rest. It now inquires what has become of
a Holy Family; by Murillo, a painting of exceeding
great value, which has been missing from the
Louvre for the last ten years. Does it, asks the Gaulois,
adorn the residence of one of our high function.
aries ? The explanation given by the Constitutionnel
excites the general ridicule of the non-official
press. The argument that valuable paintings should be
transferred to private clubs and residences because there
is no room and they cannot therefore be seen at the
Louvre, is preposterous. What would the English people
say if the vast number of objects now stowed away in the
cellars and corners of the British Museum were to be dis-
tributed amongst under secretaries because there is no
room to exhibit them?
M. de Moustier is a little better, but is not yet able to
leave the Foreign Ministry.

Mgr. Blanquart de Bailleul, formerly Archbishop of
Rouen, is lying at Versailles in a hopeless state.
The subscriptions to the Berryer Monument already
amount to nearly £2,000, about one-third of which has
been received by the Gazette de France.

The Figaro gives an account of a young girl, Mdlle.
Marie, who, having neither arms nor legs, sews, em-
broiders, and writes by means of her mouth. The Figaro
convinced itself of the existence of such a phenomenon by
visiting this poor creature. Nothing can be more wonder.
ful than to see her threading her needle and using scissors
by means of her lips.

THE If-MATHER TABLE.--THIS DAY.