The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-26 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENti

PARIS, MONDAY, January 25.

The MoniteuF, the most mischievous of journals, has
once more raised an alarm respecting an Austro-French
alliance. lam able to state that the Emperor and Prince
Metternich are constantly in communication, and that
frequentinterviews take place. To this the Moniteur addi
that the substance of these conversations is regularly
telegraphed to Count Beust. Is an alliance on the
tapir? In a well-informed quarter the deposed official
paper learns not only that such an alliance is under cc n
siderati'n, but that it has been decided upon, and is, in
fact, already drawn up. The Liberte, which is as much in
favour of war as ever, strongly opposes this idea.
An alliance with Austria, says M. de Girardiu,
would infallibly bring Russia to the assistance
of Prussia, and thus the struggle would no longer be con-
fined to Germany. let us fight by all means, urges the
editor of the Libera, but let the war be one fur the left bank
of the Rhine only—a war between Germany and France:
France, with its thirty eight millions, against alike number
on the part of Germany. Such is M. de Girardin's pro-
gramme. But this ingenious writer would probably
view matters differently if he were save the mark !
installed at the Tuileries.

The expose of the situation of the Empire shews an
increase in the number of criminals. The figures of 1868
are higher than those of 1867, and these in turn present
an increase on 1866. Neither in England nor in France
can crime be kept down, it would seem.
The friends of the Pope and M. Berryer are endeavour-
ing to clear them from the stigma of Freemasonry. All
the journals have published a statement that Pio Nono
was a Freemason whilst a youth in Philadelphia. The
Monde Maconnique has instituted inquiries in the American
lodges, but it has not been successful, and the question
seems to remain undecided. On the other hand, the friends
of M. Berryer are positively indignant at the imputation
that he joined the society which is so proud of itself. M.
Frederick Terme, however, proves conclusively in the
Epoque that M. Berryer was installed in the first two grades
of the masonic hierarchy. M. Terme was present. He said:
" I recollect very well that on the occasion a slight depar-
ture was made from the puerile and symbolical tests, as
well as from certain antiquated doctrines, which form
part of the philosophy of the Order. I may add that M.
Berryer, in his declarations, appeared to me to be very
anxious to reconcile his Christian faith with the
liberalism and the sentiments of brotherhood which Free-
masonry in France has the pretension to represent."
Prince Napoleon is about to resume his travels. This
time he is going to travel to seek a complete restoration
from the malady which, there can be little doubt, was
brought on by the excessive perambulations of last year.
The Prince has determined to reside at Sorrento for a few
weeks.

According to news from Cairo, the Viceroy is straining
every nerve to give the Prince and Princess of Wales a
fitting reception. Near the Great Pyramid of Gizeh
a grand caravanserai has been built for the express
purpose of accommodating the Prince and his suite. The
Viceroy's steam yacht will also be at the disposal of his
guests for a voyage up the Nile. The Viceroy's friends
must cost him rather dear just now. Entertaining the Prince
and Princess is no great burden, but the Egyptian semi-
sovereign is expected to support Turkey against Greece,
and he is doing it. According to all accounts, Egyptian
men and money will be at the service of the Porte.
Some bones, the relics of an antediluvian mammifer,
have been found at Neufchatel, in Switzerland. 0,0 ,'is-
tinguished savant believes that the annimal a ust have
been a mammoth similar to those whose rt mains have heel'
discovered in Siberia. The discovery of similar relics iu
this part of the world is a fact of some interest.
A very curious phenomenon was visible at Chalons the
other day. The bridges and quays of the Mau canal were
crowded with spectators, looking at an immense number
of dead fishes floating on the surface of the water.
The cause of this hecatomb was the emptying, on the
previous night, of a large quantity of water which had
for several years filled the cylinders of the old gasworks.
This water held a large quantity of gas in solution, and
hence the devastation. Strange to say, the waters of the
canal, which are usually very thick, became remarkably
clear. The gaseous element had precipitated all the
earthy matter ordinarily mixed with the waters.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.