The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-26 00:00:00

rnE SUN, LO

mercial relations of Luxemburg, and of devising
means for lessening the shock that its trade would
rective from the country's being /suddenly trans-
ferred from one Government to another. The in-
habitants, on being told by their French visitors
that their birthplace, and they with it, had been
sold, felt mortified as well as surprised, but a cer-
tain number of persons seem from the very first to
have looked upon annexation to France as a good
escape from a forced entry into the North German
Federation. The Government of Luxemburg (which
consists of three directors-general, one of whom is
president, with the title of Minister of State) had
neither been consulted, nor was it informed of the
cession to France until after it had actually taken
place. When I say " actually had taken place," I
am adopting (temporarily) the opinion of some
Luxemburgers, who are convinced that the Act of
March 27 between the King of Holland and the
Emperor of the French was signed, and declare that
they know it, and even explain how they came to
know it. Persons of this way of thinking maintain
that the transfer to France is only a question of
time, and that time a few weeks ; and they ask how
French officials could have come here with the ac-
knowledged view of taking possession unless Count
Bismark's consent to the transaction had been ob-
tained beforehand.

This, they say, explains Count Bismark's per-
fectly true statement that the Luxemburgers have
no wish to belong to Germany ; and they declare
that the report of their having carried black flags
about the streets on the anniversary of Sadowa was
intentionallj, spread in order to discredit them in
the eyes of the North Germans, and thus reconcile
the latter to an entire separation from them. This
seems queer on all sides ; but it is certain that the
lie is used as a weapon in connection with this Lux-
emburg question, though it is often difficult to un-
derstand with what particular aim it is being em-
ployed.
As for M. de Lavalette's reported visit to Luxem-
burg, it has not taken place. Neither has the Baron
de Tornaco, Minister-President at Luxemburg, been
to Paris, as some French and Belgian papers have
asserted.

It seems to have been thought that after the deci-
sion of the Dutch Government to keep clear altoge-
ther of the Luxemburg affair, and consequently to
cease to represent it diplomatically abroad, M. de
Tornaco would proceed to Paris as Envoy from the
Grand Duchy. All he did, however, was to go to
the llague, where it is believed that he did not suc-
ceed in obtaining an interview with the King.
From this it is concluded that his Majesty, like. so
many of the Luxemburgers, looks upon the arrange-
ment with France as a settled affair, and wishes to
hear no more on the subject. Otherwise the local
Government would naturally pretest against a ces-
sion of any kind, to no matter what Power. A
Minister is somebody in Luxemburg a Sub-Prefect
is next to nobody in France.
To-day it is announced that M. Fohr, Director-
General and Judge, will go to Paris to represent the
interests of the Grand Duchy, and that M. Jonas,
Registrar-General, will proceed on the same mission
to Berlin. The Baron de Tornaco remains at Luxem-
burg. The Luxemburg Government has for some
time past been kept fully informed of all that takes
place in connection with its affairs ; and a telegram
was received from Paris this morning by a person
in authority stating that the cession to France
would be carried out with the consent of Count Bis-
mark, who, if his conduct in the matter was not ap-
proved, would resign. Senders of telegrams, how-
ever, like the receivers, are sometimes deceived.

Railway and other Companies.
METROPOLITAN.

The general manager of this company, Mr. Myles
Fenton, states that the number of passengers con-
veyed on Easter Monday last over the Metropoli-
tan and Hammersmith and City lines was 101,493,
against 87,662 on Easter Monday, 1866, and 66,232
on Easter Monday, 1865, showing an increase of
13,831 passengers over Easter Mon lay in 1866, and
of 35,261 over the same day in 1865.