The Sun.
London, England, 1869-06-17 00:00:00

THE PAPAL STATES.

ROME, Jun 12.

The French elections, in spite of the adherence of the
greater number of the official candidates to the programme
of continued occupation at Rome, have been far too
favourable to the extreme revolutionary party to inspire
much confidence here. If the Emperor is hard pressed, he
is more likely, it is thought, to yield to the Republicans,
who threaten his dynasty, than to the Catholics,
whom, be believes, will not resort to extreme
measures against him, even should he abandon
Rome. Moreover, he has obtained all they can give
him, and they will probably be less &amorous creditors
than Jules Favre and Garnier-Paes. The subserviency
of official candidates is far too notorious for Catholics to
place any trust in their independent action, and no assu-
rances have been received here since the elections that
enable us to consider the continuance of the occupation a
settled matter.

The festival of the " Statute,"•on the 7th, seems to have
been celebrated by very serious riots all over Italy, and
especially at Parma, where the authorities were insulted,
and cries of " Viva la Republica !" raised. A number of
arrests were made that day at Cozenza, in Calabria,
among Menotti's adherents, and some correspondence of
his seized. Mazzini is thought to have returned
in disguise to Italy, to be near the scene of events
should the moment come ; but of his whereabouts nothing
certain is known.

The Pope enters the twenty-fourth year of his Pontificate
next week. He is 77 years of age, and his two brothers are
four and seven years older. He is extremely well, and
drove on Monday to the Church of St. Francis, of Rome,
in the Torrino, the transfer of whose relics had taken plaza
there the day before.
The excavations at the Emporium have been very suc-
cessful this week, and seventeen blocks of marble and
alabaster of great value have been disinterred.—A curious
fact is reported from Naples. Vesuvius has begun to
throw up a quantity of saline crystals, so brilliant and
perfect as to resemble diamonds. This beautiful natural
phenomenon is being investigated, and excites great
interest in the scientific world.

There is very little political news of importance, all
being in suspension till after the meeting of the Corps
Legislatif. The Count of Girgenti has declared that he
accepts the claims of Don Carlos as rightful King of
Spain, and will sustain his cause ; and very nearly
all the Isabellist generals have done the same,
General Ileina among others. Catalonia has offered
a sword to the Carlist General Wistany, and tho
officers of the army are daily sending in their adherence
to Don Carlos.

The Duke of Montpensier has been requested by the
Portuguese Government to leave Lisbon, and he is pre-
paring to go to Tangier, where be possesses a splendid
palace.

A remarkable instance of courage on the part of an
Englishman occurred last week. During a fire which
destroyed the pyroclinist Mazazzi's shop, it was recol-
lected that a large barrel of powder had been most foolishly,
and in direct defiance of the law, left in the house. The
firemen recoiled before the idea of venturing in to fetch it,
and in a few minutes the street would have been blown
up but for the daring gallantry of a young Englishman,
Mr. Herbert Duke, a private of Zouaves, who was
passing, and who had stopped to assist the fire-
men. He entered the burning house, and returned
blackened with flame and smoke, but carrying the powder
barrel on his shoulders! His courage saved the street
from a most fearful explosion, which must have taken
place in a few minutes had he hesitated to risk his life for
the safety of others.
The Scottish College, which has been under resto-
ration, was reoccupied yesterday by the students.
The building is a beautiful one. The inde-
fatigable rector, Dr. Grant, will, it is expected,
be seconded in his efforts to improve and extend
its organisation. The Marquis of Bnte has, it is
said, made a handsome donation to St. Andrea, which is
now the most perfect collegiate building in Rome. It
overlooks the Barberini Palace, and commands a splendid
view from its upper terraces and galleries.
Most conciliatory despatches regarding the Concordat
and the Marriage laws have been received at the Vatican,
and all discussion has been put off till the next session
of the Reichsrath. Mgr. Negroni, present Governor of
the Interior, will probably succeed Mgr. Chigi as Nuncio
in Paris.

FOREIGN NOTES.

ANNEXATION MOVEMENT IN NOVA SCOTIA.

Nothing, apparently, can reconcile the Nova Scotians to
their union with the Dominion of Canada. Nct even the
increased subsidy just granted by the Ottawa Parliament,
though Nova Scotia bad previously joined the confedera-
tion on favourable terms, not even the fine example of
" flezibility "—to put it mildly—setby Mr. Howe, the former
leader of the Repeal party, can bring the discontented round.
The recent divisions in the Assembly at Halifax, one rejecting
a motion to make another appeal to England, prove that
a majority in the local House are favourable to continuing
the union; but it is also clear that there is a powerfnl
disaffected party. A cable telegram which we published
yesterday stated that the League formed to abrogate
the connection with the Dominion had determined to
adopt the policy of annexation to the United States.
This resolution will probably ruin the Repealcrs. So
long as they opposed only the connection with the Dominion
they were sure to have some support ; but they can hardly
succeed in persuading the Nova Scotians that the evils of
the Confederation, whatever they may be, can be escaped
by going over to the States. If the former union is but-
densome, the latter would be infinitely more so. If the
Nova Scotians think they are now chastised with whips,
they can clearly gain nothing by suffering the infliction of
scorpions.