The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-14 00:00:00

public establishments must have observed the pre-
posterous innovation (we presume of sort of tacitly
authorized experiment) here alluded to. The foot
part of the trousers, it will have been remarked,
having been tucked up to get them out of reach of
the mud, has been thereupon stuffed clumsily into
the top of the Wellington boot—presenting a spec-
tacle altogether as ungainly as (in what
our neighbours call= the tout ensemble, or
the coup doeil) eminently ridiculous. The idea of
this new regulation of course is taken obviously
from the costume of the Zouave. But then in
the Zouave costume the boots are not Wellingtons;
the feet are protected less with bootleather than
with shoeleather—the ancles, having thus the
advantage of free play, are proteeted in their turn by
the little Pickwickian gaiters, either black or white
gaiters. The Zouave trousers unlike the trou-
sers of our infantry, (namely, skimpy and shapeless)
—are, on the contrary, loose and flowing. Above all
and beyond all—and this is the ingenious peculiarity
which has been thus absurdly travestied of late
among our English foot soldiers—these loose trou-
sers of the Zouaves are gathered up in foul wea-
ther by means of the " molletiere" or calf-band,
completing the singularly picturesque and emi-
nently useful costume of those heroic Dare-devils !
There is the old proverbial saying about the last
straw breaking the camel's back—and that other
one about the last drop brimming the cup to over-
flowing. Would it not be wiser now to accept as
such in good part this last ludicrous freak
in the way of experimental improvements (!)
upon the old infantry regulations and
arrangements. It is no doubt a very .trivial
absurdity in this way, but coming after so many
others it is enough at last to break down our pa-
tience altogether. Infinitessimally small though
the drop is, it is enough in regard to this question
—seeing that it is at the same time in itself so in-
tensely ridiculous—it is really enough to brim over
the cup of our indignation.

11.1 JRITIME INTERCOURSE IN TIME

OF 1V.11,.

The following is a copy of the memorial of the
Directors of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce,
by their Chairman, to the Right 1-1-m. the Lord
Viscount Palmerston, K,G., G.C.8., &c., First
Lord of her Majesty's Treasury :

" That public attention is daily becoming more and more
alive to the inconsistency in the existing rule and practice
of international law, as affecting the property of the subjects
of belligerent States on land and at sea respectively.
" That throughout the hostile operations which have been
carried on in Europe within the last few years, the ships
and cargoes of non-combatants have, as in former wars,
been held liable to seizure, confiscation, or destruction,
while, on the contrary, a strong disposition has been mani-
fested to abstain from inflicting unnecessary injury upon
private property on land.

"That your memorialists are of opinion that it is both
desirable and politic that the latter course of action, so
much more in accordance with the principles of justice and
humanity, should, if possible, be extended towards private
property on the high seas in time of war; and the assem-
bling of an European Congress would appear to offer a most
favourable occasion for the discussion of so important a
change in international law.
"That the general adhesion of European nations to the
principles of maritime law, comprised in the basis laid down
at the Congress of 1856, taken together with the surrender
by the French of the Austrian merchant vessels captured
by them in the late Italian war, lead your memorialists to
indulge the hope that the question would be favourably
entertained at the approaching Congress.
" That, inasmuch as it is universally admitted that no
war has been brought to a termination by reason of the
amount of injury or loss inflicted upon private persons, but
rather from political Considerations or by the decisive supe-
riority of the military or naval power of one of the
belligerents, your memorialists would respectfully submit
that the proposed change would not be open to the objection
tif having a tendency to prolong hostilities, but, on the con-
trary, by mitigating the calamities of war, it would confer
a lasting benefit upon mankind at large, and directly pro-
mote the interests of civilisation.

" Your memorialists wouli, therefore, earnestly entreat
your lordship to take this most important subject into your
early and favourable consideration, and that you will exer-
cise the influence of her Majesty's Government in bringing
the same under the notice of foreign nations, either at the
approaching Congress, or in such other manner as your
lordship in your wisdom may decin most effectual.
"And your memsorialfsts will ever pray.

"For and on behalf of the Beard of Directors,
" EDMUND POTTER, President.'

MR. BURFORD'S PANOR.IILI OF

VENICE.

Venice, it is said, is always new and fresh, and it must
have been a conviction of the truth of the aphorism that
gave Mr. Burford courage to select it as the subject of his
new panorama. We read every day in the papers of what
the Austrians are doing in Venice, and the discontent of
the people thereat, and in this way a new curiosity is ex-
cited to see a place which is not only so famed in story, but
so rich in stirring current events. With a sagacious eye to
all to these points, Mr. Burford, taking his able colleague
Me. Selous by the hand, has painted a beautiful picture,
life-like in its effects, correct in its general details, and con-
taining one gem, the church of St. Mark, which alone
would at any time justift a pilgrimage to Leicester-square.
The point taken is of course St. Mark's-square, and the
principal feature, the inimitable Basilica—with its match-
less columns, its world-famous horses, the lofty campanile
and the celebrated clock tower. In short, not a single well
known detail has been forgotten. The picture is beauti-
fully Composed, the eye wandering from the square to the
church and from the church to the blue water beyond,
whilst processions and single figures judiciously painted in
give an effect of life and action to the whole. In any wea-
ther Mr.,Burford's new Panorama is well worth a visit, and
by a study of it will be found an admirable key to much of
what we read respecting Venetia.