The Sun.
London, England, 1869-04-22 00:00:00

A FAMINE IN BELGRAVIA.

There is a great cry gone out from the wives anct
the daughters of Belgravia, and Westbournia because
they cannot get any men to come to their pleasant
parties.. In vain do fair women submit to the opera-
tions of the .coiffeur ; in vain do they encumber
themselves with pyramids of hair cut from corpses;
in vain do they attire themselves in full dress, which
is something more than half undress ; in vain do they
get Gunter to cater and Strauss to play—the. men
Will not come; even the " detrimentals,' who used
not to dance when they did come, have ceased
to adorn the walls ; and as for the dancers, these have
wholly disappeared. The last, at all events; can
scarcely be blamed. They did like dancing, they
were prepared to dance, but the thing was impossible
when 200 persons were crowded into rooms • that
could not hold fifty; when a waltz had to be accom-
plished on a space of ground not so large as a table-
cloth. Moreover, what is the good of going to a dance,
even though it offers special attractions in the shape
of some beloved object, if you cannot get up the first
flight of stairs, and the charmer is in the inner
drawing-room ? But it is not merely from the rout
that the young man of the period absents hithself.
He is no more to be seen riding with Belgravian
belles in the Row, nor lounging behind them at the
Opera. The young man of the period is getting
decidedly , lazy, and something worse. • He
prefers sitting in a chair, sucking his
stick, to a canter in the Park; and as
for his female friends, they belong to the , class
which is fair, no doubt, but is also frail. What
is to be done? Belgravia has been imitating St.
John's-wood in attire and speech to no purpose.
Supposing that Lucretia gives up the coMpetition
of the
with Lais, Lais is sure to win in the race of
immodesty. Lucretia should try to be modest by
way of variety, for even the young man
period acknowledges that " variety is charming!,

'FOREIGN NOTES,
AMEEICAN DESIGNS IN GULL
The American Government has sent a large fleet to
demand the restitution of the Mary Lowell, which was
seized by the- Spaniards whilst hovering suspiciously on
the coast of Cuba, and attempting to communicate with
the instirgents. According to the Owl, the departure of
this fleet is the first step towards annexation. The bird
of night has received information that General Grant has
sena .mad tnt the subject of Cuba, and will undoubtedly
give aid in some manner to wrest that island from Spain.
A yacht was to leave New York some days back ostensibly
for theo
learnintrp the ex
oseofa pleasure party. But its real mission
was t
tuft condition of affairs, and to coin-
municate with the leaders of the Cubans. The persons
on board had received their instructions from General
Grant's Government The coast of Cuba is so guarded
by Spanish cruisers that it is impossible for larger vessels
to run in. Several expeditions love lately failed in land-
ing. This is serious news; though the Owl's correspon-
dent writes in a suspiciously violent strain about General
Grant desiring a foreign war, and wishing to provoke
England and France to interfere to save Cuba. It
is hardly likely that the new President desires
a war with these two Powers combined, even
if they were disposed to make a casus belli of the
Cuban affair. But there is no doubt that the annexation
fever is rampant iu America just now. People feel, says
the correspondent of the Dail) News, that at last Cuba is
going to fall into their power without costing anything.
" In a year or two the best portions of the West India,
Islands will be in the hands of their natural owners."
Moreover, while the Cuban uproar is going on, the incur.
poration of .Britisli America is
otpellnly:f fresh horde of the
veryinas w
racearinvlw
aliv'ocated. A large addition of the Angle-Saxonwould be much more acceptable than
semi-barbarous subjects to be found southwards.

The Times correspondent, on the other hand, says that
the Government is very cautious in its dealings with Cuba,
through, fear of complicating the Alabama diffienity. The
insurgent envoy has not been received. The Spanish
Minister at Washington, seeing the dilemma the Govern-
ment is in, is very bold, Protests against everything going
on that may possibly aid the insurgents, and threatens to
demand his passports and leave if General Banks's resolu-
tion for their recognition passes the House. Negroes are
being enlisted in Cuba on both sides.

ST. TIIOII.IS.
It can scarcely be considered creditable to the American
Government that, in the midst of this annexation fever,
the barizain which has been formally concluded with Den•

Mirk for the sale of St. Thomas should remain unratified.
In fact, the history of this affair is simply disgraceful.
The Danes did not want to sell their West India island,
but they were badgered into the bargain by Mr. Seward,
and at last concluded it. The consent of the inha-
bitants was taken by a vote. The United States
agreed to pay about a million and a half ster-
ling. The King of Denmark formally bid farewell to the
people of St. Thomas, and its cession was proclaimed to
all the world. But though the treaty was sent to the
Senate in the winter of 1867-8, it has never been even
noticed. The Danes have relinquished their island, but it
has not been paid for. The unpopularity of Mr. Seward
is said to be the cause of this neglect ; but why the Danes
should suffer for the ex-Minister it is not easy to tell. St.
Thomas is a valuable West India station and worth more
than the whole of Alaska.

A RAILWAY THROUGH THE ALPS.
The project of constructing a great central railway
through the Alps is assuming a definite form. The Canton
of Berne, displaying a laudable spirit of independence,
proposes that Switzerland should make the line at her own
cost, and should not accept the co-operation of any
foreign State, individual cantons, or private com-
panies, except on conditions which would preserve the
neutrality and independence •of the country. With
this view the law of 182, which interdicts the Confedera,
tion from constructing, possessing, or working railways-
will have to be revised. The Government of Berne also
demands that the tariffs shall be fixed in such a manner as
not to prevent the creation of new lines on the right and
left of that of the Saint-Gothard. It was at first proposed
to construct the Saint-Gothard line with the aid of
subsidies from the neighbouring States ; now it is thought
that Switzerland ought to have the line entirely her own,
and the Inclependance Beige thinks that this will be the
policy adopted.

THE STRIKE IN BELGIUM.
Up to Tuesday evening no progress had been made
towards a settlement of the labour disputes in Belgium.
On the contrary, the strike has spread. A large number
of carpenters employed at the Cockerell establishment at
Seraing, the scene of the late strike, have refused to work.
They had looked for an increase of wages to the extent
of about a halfpenny an hour, but the demand was
neglected, and the men packed up their tools. " More
wages" seems to be the war-cry throughout this great
movement. The men were reported to be peaceable, but
obstinately indisposed to resume work on the same terms.
A large meeting of colliers has tak_.•n place at Mons. In-
flammatory speeches were made. Several members of the
International Society have been arrested.