The Sun.
London, England, 1869-01-23 00:00:00

CORBESYONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, FRIDAY, January 22.
The papers wear a dismal appearance. The Conference
has relapsed into one of the " slowest" of political ques-
tions, and, with the exception of the liveliness in Turkey
and Greece, .the world is absolutely stagnant. Endless
columns of extracts from the Blue-book—the report on
the position of the Empire—take the place of readable
news. The book is mostly devoted to foreign affairs. That
portion treating of the internal condition of the country
contains some remarks on the press laws and the new
statute on public meetings, announcing that the first trial
of these measures has not been wholly free from excess.
It regrets that the public meetings have not been greatly
devoted to questions from which benefit might be derived,
but that communism, socialism, and other doctrines which
under an enlightened despotism ought never to be men.
tinned, have frequently been brought into court. The law
of 1864 on coalitions has produced good results. The
free discussion of wages has led to excellent
arrangements between masters and men, and agree-
ments by mutual concession have become far
more common ; strikes much less frequent. Then
comes an immense expose of foreign affairs in their
relation to France. Some of the comments consist merely
of empty wishes and dreamy hopes, but one or two im-
portant notifications are made. It will be interesting to
your readers to learn officially that the works which France,
Russia, and Turkey have undertaken for the reconstruc-
tion of the cupola of the Holy Sepulchre are completed.
"We mention with pleasure that the monument raised
over the tomb of Christ will remain as a proof of the senti-
ments of concord and tolerance which inspired the arrange.
meat agreed upon by the three Courts, whose perseverance
has produced a result so satisfactory to all Christian com-
munions." The Government announces its inten-
tion of neglecting no effort to secure satisfaction
to French creditors from the Tunisian Government.
With regard to the war on the River Plate,
the French as well as the English Government has pre-
served neutrality, taking care only to preserve the river
free to French commerce. Lastly, and most important of
all, the book contains absolutely no allusion to Germany !
Whether this is a favourable or an unfavourable sign is a
question respecting which the journals here are sure to
quarrel. The exposé contains a great deal about the army,
but I need mention only the active army numbers alto-
gether 448,771 men, and that the whole of the forces on a
"peace" footing make up an aggregate of 1,028,980.
M. Gamier-Pages has announced to his friends that on
account of the state of his health he will not present him•
self at the approaching elections. 31. Darimon also intends,
it is said, to withdraw from the representation of Paris.
The loss of both will be felt in the Corps L6gislatif. The
Opposition will find much difficulty in replacing the
former ; its numbers are already meagre enough.
The presence of journalists in the Corps Legislatif has
been decided at length in the affirmative. The press is to have
a special desk. En passant I hear that none of the laws—
they are few—which are to be presented to the Corps
L6gislatif this session are yet ready.
M. Emile 011ivier is about to publish a book which will
command a widespread sale. It will be in the form of a
memoir, and will contain a political history of the period
since the Revolution of 1848. M. 011ivier has obtained
permission to publish some letters from the Emperor to
M. Rouher.

The rabbit's tenure of existence under civilised life is
becoming very precarious. English farmers will he
delighted to hear that the Imperial Court of Lyons has
just decided in favour of classing rabbits in warrens as
noxious animals. Proprietors who have suffered from
them are permitted to hunt them with ferrets at all seasons.
The rabbit and the agriculturist never agree. In England
the animal is a nuisance, and in Australia it is deemed tl
most destructive of vermin.

M. Wilfred de Fonvielle has published a work entitled

"La Science en Ballon." The author was one of the
passengers in the famous voyage of Nadirig balloon, the
Geant. He is an experienced aeronaut, and some of his
remarks are exceedingly interesting. The most im-
portant of his arguments is to the following effect.
There is one point which admits of no dis-
pute, viz., that if the aeronaut cannot direct his
balloon horizontally at pleasure, he can at least change
his altitude at will: he is undisputed master of the
vertical, within the limits of the size of his vehicle and
the ballast he has at command. Instead, therefore,
of seeking contrivances for directing the balloon, all
of which have hitherto failed to accomplish their
object, M. de Fonvielle is of opinion that, for
the present at least, all the attention of aeronaut,
should be turned to the great object of improving the
means of rising and descending along the vertical,
whereby the traveller may be enabled to find, at some
altitude, a current that will convey him in a desired
direction. The writer mentions several contrivances
which have this object in view. It is notorious that when
gas is let out of a balloon its tendency is to descend ; but
then the gas which has once escaped cannot be got back.
The ascending power of the apparatus is crippled to the
extent of the gas which is lost. The writer suggests that
the gas, instead of being allowed to escape, should be with-
drawn into a condenser by a tube, so that it can be used
again and again at pleasure.

THE TrEATHER TABLE-THIS DAY.