The Sun.
London, England, 1867-09-13 00:00:00

grandeur and solemnity, has ended in total discomfi-

ture. Certainly GARIBALDI has redeemed in some
degree the end of his arrival, by his premature de-
parture from the scene of strife. From the
beginning of the affair it was evident to all
that the Congress could not possibly succeed in
its enterprise, but it was hardly anticipated that it
would have so short an existence and so ignominious
a termination. On Wednesday M. DUPASQUIER
was unwise enough to discuss religious topics, and
the consequence was most disastrous. He found
fault with the Assembly, and brought in the ques-
tion of the American Republic. The next day a
public meeting was held condemning the course pur-
sued by members of the Congress, and declaring
that their tendency was in favour of revolution and
socialism. Further on it seems that the Radical
party continued to put a stop to the proceedings of
this objectionable Congress by clearing the room in
which they met. The President retired from the
scene of turmoil to draw up a protest. It is long
since so signal a failure has been heard of as this
matter of the Peace Congress, and the excitement
the whole thing has caused in Germany may be
better imagined than described. Reproaches are rife
on all sides, and the Genevese and the foreigners
vie with each other in making complaint for their
mutual timidity and want of management. So ends
this disastrous exhibition; and perhaps, all things
considered, there is not much to regret in the
matter. People will never be the better for all
these make-up patriots, and would-be philosophers
setting out to teach them what they knew very
little or nothing about themselves ; and if the con-
sequence of this direful failure at Geneva is that
for the future more suspicion is entertained for these
undertaking the results will be a fortunate one. So
much fuss and ferment made about nothing is always
to be viewed with a fearless eye, and such indica-
tions of peace are sure to be stormy.

All that relates to the Abyssinian Captives is sure
to possess interest at present ; and hence the letter
just received from the Rev. H. A. STERN, by Mrs.
STERN, will be welcome. It is dated "Magdala
Prison, June 29th," and contains full particulars of
the state of things at that time in the dreary place
to which these unfortunates are consigned. This
" Magdala home," as Mr. STERN styles it, has
lately become noisy and tumultuous. Reports are
constantly reaching them of agitating events, and
information concerning the Royal camp and the
rebel chiefs are brought to them by those
vendors of provisions who come to the
prison, so that their quiet is disturbed by
tales and recitals of the stormy news of the world
withoat : pillage, triumphs, &c., are being told of
until the inhabitants of the place seem to be pos-
sessed of a warlike feeling themselves. It must be
perceived that the boasted courage of the men is
much ado about nothing, and often proves to be
sham rather than substance. Mr. STERN says that
" a dozen stout Englishmen with a revolver or two
each might easily subdue the whole garrison here,
and set us all at liberty." Fortunately the KING
has been advised to remain at Debra Tabor during
the period of the rainy season, and thus to put off
visiting Magdala until the spring comes on. Mr.
STERN indulges in the hope that he may_ never see
his face again, or hear him prate of SOLOMON,
Jerusalem, the bishop, and so on, with which themes
he has wearied and worried his white prisoners so
long, and delights his " malicious heart." It is,
indeed, to be hoped that this idea may be realised,
for the captives have had more than enough of him
in all conscience. The rebellious subjects of King
THEODORE are quite on the alert, and call him the
" enemy of GOD and man ;" but the writer of
this letter does not think, however, that much will
come of the revolt, and very likely all this " brag
and boast " will end in smoke. It would be a more
favourable conjunction of circumstances if the con-
trary proved to be the case, and if his indigenous
people sent the tyrant to the right about. With
respect to the preparations for the Abyssinian Ex-
pedition many suggestions are still being made, and
one counsellor condemns the pack-saddles made at
Woolwich and sent to the Crimea, and hopes
those forwarded to the East are not of simi-
lar construction. It is strange and unsatis-
factory, but also very like our mode of management,
that we should have persisted in not using the
French pack-saddle made in Normandy; the autho-
rities at Woolwich have sought to improve on the
pattern sent to them, and the result has been unfor-
tunate. Maltese carts have been suggested, but it
is said that only Maltese can drive them, and these
latter are not desirable camp followers. A Russian
waggon, drawn by mules, was found to be very
useful in an expedition, and surpassed American
waggons in a great measure. This sort of
waggon is a larger one, and was capable of carry-
ing a great deal of stores and other provisions.
With respect to providing mules for the expedi-
tion, some expense might be spared if less of
these were bought, and if upon arriving in Abys-
sinia the bullocks were taken to aid the transport,
&c., of the stores and ammunition, with the
exercise of care and discretion we do not doubt
that a great deal of the fuss that has been made
about the difficulty of providing for this expedi-
tion will prove to have been unnecessary ; and as
for the dangers of it that have also, in all proba-
bility, been made the most of. It is so much the
fashion nowadays to make the worst of all these
military undertakings that one is fairly puzzled
sometimes to detect the true from tLe false, and
to decide where temerity ends and prudence begins ;
but it will never do to give way to chimerical sug-
es tio as.

The conclusion of the annual meetings of the
British Association was arrived at on Wednesday,
when a brilliant and intelligent assembly dispersed
amid mutual congratulations. That much useful
work has been done, as well as many interesting
papers delivered, is amply shown by the list of
grants of money for scientific purposes read by
Professor HIRST. Many of these departments of
inquiry, although purely scientific, are likely to be
of much practical value, such as the study of un-
derground temperature, which has lately been
brought before the public notice in a very painful
manner. Besides the grants of money, there was a
list of recommendations ranging aver a very wide
circle. Among them was a request that the Presi-
dent should communicate the report of the com-
mittee appointed to consider the best means of pro-
moting scientific education in schools to the Presi-
dent of the Privy Council, and to the Parliamen-
tary Committee on the part of the Association.
Some of the recommendations involved applications
to Government, one or two of which we are glad to
find concerned Indian affairs. A committee was
appointed to wait on the Secretary of
State for India to represent the desirability
of exploring the district between the Brahma-
pootra, the Upper Irrawaddy, and the
Yang-tze- Ziang, with a view to a route being
established between the navigable parts of those
rivers. This appears to be both a more important
and a more practicable undertaking than the explo-
ration of the area around the North Pole, which the
savans also recommend. The conc"uding -meeting
passed off very successfully, all the leading m embers
expressing themselves highly satisfied with the. pro-