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

'HIE SUN, LON 1: ON, FRIDAY EVENH\G, AMIE, 26 1867.

thanks for the House of Commons. Mr. '
HARDY was evidently not altogether satisfied
with the constitution or conduct of the
Lower House of Parliament, or with the position of
the Reform question. For the House, .he said he
believed that the great majority of its members
were actuated by a sense of duty, but that they
were now in a very difficult position. The cry for
Reform had been raised, and the House of Com-
mons had never been wanting in deference to any
demand proceeding from the great middle classes.
He did not, he acknowledge], like the politics of
the present House, and yet he was evidently appre-
hensive of the fleet of a wholesale change. "He
earnestly hoped that as they lowered the franchise the
character of the Ilouse of Commons would not become
deteriorated, but he seemed to fear that such might
be the else." He confessed it to be no labour of
love with him to support the Government measure,
but thought there could be no difficulty in choosing
between that and Mr. GLADSTONE'S resolution.
The fact is, that the Government have put their
followers to a severe test, since the bill has proved
too liberal for Mr. GLADSTONE himself. There can
be no question that it affords an opening for a con-
siderable enfranchisement of voters, and the oppo-
sition which it meets with from the Tory side of
the House is the best compliment to its
really Liberal capacities. The Tories perceive
that the several restrictions and inequalities com-
plained of by some Reformers may be all modified,
removed, or counteracted by a little patience and
determination, and consequently they feel convinced
that the result of the measure will be a con-
siderable enfranchisement of the excluded
classes. We fear that in some quarters of the
liberal ranks this very liberality of the measure is
an objection, and the false friends of Reform are
anything but pleased at the prospect of seeing their
theories put into practice—their visions converted
into realities. The general body of the public, how-
ever, are not to be deluded by the prejudiced de-
nunciations of either side, so long as they find the
practical end which they wish to attain likely to be
reached by the measure submitted to them.
The Cleckheaton Working Men's Association also
Held a meeting on Wednesday, and an interesting
speech was made by Mr. KENDALL, who occupied
himself in tracing the antecedents of the Conserva-
tive party as Reformers. As a boy he had, he
said, associated with the friends of WILLIAM PITT,
and he had imbibed from them the opinions which
he still retained. He could not forget that PITT
had on three occasions brought forward Reform
motions, or that he had been the first to suggest
Catholic emancipation. He reminded his hearers
that a Conservative Minister had advocated the re-
peal of the Test Acts and the rights of the negro,
and he fnrther contended that many of our later
reforms owed their success to their assistance. We
are glad to find the Conservatives taking this tone,
since it proves they are no longer bent upon oppos-
ing progress, or regarding all changes with suspicion
and dislike. Mr. POWELL, M.P., the President of
the Association, made a good speech in behalf of the
new measure, and satirised the inconsistency of some
of its more conspicuous opponents. The battle is
soon to be renewed again, and it is as well that both
parties during the temporary truce should be looking
to their armour, and polishing up their weapons of
attack and defence.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.

The Moniteur announces that, according to the
latest news from Stockholm, the Duke of Dalccar_
lia, whose illness had excited much uneasiness, was
favourably proceeding towards convalescence.
A telegram from Athens announces that King
George the First embarked at Piraeus on Monday
last. His Majesty is expected to arrive on Satur-
day next in Paris, where he will stay a few days,
after which he will proceed to London, and from
thence to Copenhagen, in order to be present on
the 24th of May at the birthday anniversary of his
august father, King Christian the Ninth, whose
return to Copenhagen from London I menti9ned..

The Chamber of Deputies of Italy has agreed to
the convention of the 71-1 December, 1866, relative
to the partition of the Pontifical debt.

The following article from the Siecle is worth
attention :

"It is evident that the decisive moment is ap-
proaching. The peace of Europe depends upon the
answers which the Cabinet of Berlin will give to the
communications of the neutral Powers. A consi-
derable effort in behalf of peace is made by Eng-
land and Austria. If it be true that Russia has
associated herself with the views of the British Go-
vernment, we ought not to despair of the success of
the effort. Will Prussia be led away by military
pride so far as to reply. by a non possumus to the
representations of Europe ? Will she risk a rupture
in the presence of the formal reprobation of the
Great Powers, and the conciliatory but resolute
attitude of France? We wish still to hope, in spite
of our apprehensions to the contrary, that the Cabi-
net of Berlin will consult its own interests, and will
not allow itself to be intimidated by the clamours of
German Chauvinisine, and will accept a compromise
honourable for the two nations, which has no doubt
been proposed to her by the neutral Powers.

" If war be not already resolved upon at Berlin
it may be avoided, for we cannot admit that our
Government desires war. . Public opinion is so
unanimous in favour of peace that the Government,
even if it had the desire, as some foreign journals
assert, could not avoid an agreement with the feel-
ing of the country. It is not at Paris, therefore,
that the mediating Powers will find an obstacle to
their efforts. Prussian infatuation and Germanic
folly present the real danger. The Powers under-
stand this well, for it is in a pacific sense that they
concentrate their influence with the Prussian Go-
vernment. Will they succeed ? We ardently
desire it, without founding our hopes upon illusions
which may soo❑ be destroyed. The English press,
and, we may add, the English Government, are of
the same opinion as ourselves."
There was a Cabinet Council yesterday at the
Tuileries, over which as usual tha Emperor presided.
The Empress was present.
The cattle plague has broken out again in Bel-
gium. It has manifested itself with some severity
at Antwerp. It was necessary to kill three cows
belonging to a milkman in the Rue de l'Helice.
The police formed a sanitary circle round the in-
fected cow-house, to prevent the propagation of the

disease.
The Journal des Dcbats excuses itself for not dis-
cussing the Luxemburg question, on the ground
that it adds another difficult knot to the many serious
complications which arose during the year 1366. It,
however, gives some explanation relative to the
treaty of the 19th April, 1839, upon the force of
which all the difficulties hinge. In conclusion, the
Debats says—" If the treaty had given up Luxem-
burg to Belgium, and deprived that strong place of
its feudal character, it would have put the seal of
participation upon the creation of the kingdom of
Belgium."
The two equestrian statues at the entrance of the
Exhibition, by the Porte Rapp, are now placed upon
their pedestals. One represents Charlemagne, the
other Don Pedro of Brazil. 'These two statues are
the only pieces of French monumental sculpture to
be seen at the Exhibition. They are both by the
same artist, M. Louis Rochet.
Everything possible is done by the Imperial Com-
mission for the convenience of exhibitors and visitors.
In addition to the facilities for correspondence by
the telegraph, offices have been established to enable
a person in any part of the interior to telegraph to
his coachman to come to him with the carriage or
cab where he may have alighted to that part of the
.building from where he may wish to take his de-

parture. Thus not a moment's time is lost. The
charge is half a franc.
On Easter Sunday 62,000 persons paid for admis-
sion to the Exhibition. On Easter Monday the
number of visitors exceeded 100,000.

The large green house for the palm trees in the
reserved garden is nearly finished, as well as the
tent which serves for the vestibule. The fountains
play, and the basins are filled with water. The re-
served garden will be opened next Sunday. The
aquariums and other features of this interesting por-
tion of the Exhibition will very soon be completed.

The official banquets and fetes on the occasion of
the Exhibition have commenced. No less than
5,000 persons attended the inaugural fete of M.
Rouher, Minister of Finance. On Saturday, the
4th of May, the Minister of Agriculture will give a
grand bill. Toward 3 the end of May there will be
splendid balls at the Tuileries and at the lljtel de
Ville. The City of Paris is organising splendid
entertainments, to be given by the municipality.
On Tuesday the Minister of War gave a grand ball.

In the Greek s6ction of the Exhibition there are
no less than 55 varieties of oranges and lemons.
Among them are some of extraordinary size and
beauty. These fruits are classed under the classical
title of Hesperides.
A remarkable work of art just added to the Ex-
hibition is a model of one of the gates of the Bap-
tistry of Florence, that of Andrea Pisano. It
illustrates the most interesting incidents in the life
of St. John the Baptist. The original consists of
28 bas-reliefs in pure Gothic style. The artist is M.
Villemseus.

The opening of the international theatre in the
Park was intended to take place on Sunday last ;
but the building, which is of a peculiar character, is
not quite finished. It occupies a space of 2,000
metres, and will contain 1,200 spectators. Artists
from the principal theatres of Europe are engaged.
At the Billancourt Agricultural Exhibition there
is the most curious and important show of ploughs,
both English and French, ever collected together.
Napoleon, whose Empire is Peace, would rather
" Speed the Plough" than the sword. The Emperor
has manifested his interest in them by a visit,
accompanied by Prince Oscar of Sweden, and
expressed his great gratification at these wonderful
adjuncts to industry. Trials of their capabilities
were made yesterday, and will be continued from
day to day. Every man connected with agriculture
should see these ploughs.
A new opera in five acts, by M. Gounod, is about
to be produced at the Theatre Lyrique, called
" Romeo et Juliette." The French have rather an
obscure idea relative to Shakspere. It is true some
are enthusiastic about the " divine Williams," and
others know something about " Romeo and Juliet"
from Bellini's opera, " The Capulets and Mon-
tagues ;"
deeply but, upon the whole, our great poet is not
appreciated, or even known. A critic who
speaks about M. Gounod's forthcoming opera informs
his readers that the author of " Romeo and Juliet"
died on the same day as Cervantes, the 23d of
April, 1616, and adds that " Shakspere was not
devoid of merit." A sketchy gossiper says he asked
his grocer if he knew Romeo. " Sir," replied the
man, " I am quite sure there is nobody of that
name in this street." He prosecuted his inquiry by
asking the porter of the house when he went home
if he knew Juliet. The porter, albeit a man re-
puted to be seriously inclined to literature, looked
very serious, as if the question loomed upon immo-
rality, and answered—" Sir, I should have thought,
as you have lived so long here, you must have
known that we do not let apartments to ladies in
this house."

The branch line of the Western Railway which
connects .St. Pierrie with Louviers was opened on
Monday. The Bishop of Evreux pronounced a
blessing upon the machines. There was. a banquet
in the evening at Louviers, at which 250 persons

were present.
This has been another April day, but the April
showers were so heavy and so frequent that there
was a touch of December about them.

BANK OF FRANCE.

PARIS, April 25.

The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figuras of the previous account :

DEBTOR.
April 25. April 18.
fr. c. fr. c.
Capital of the Bank.... 182,500,000 182,500,000
Profits in addition to

capital (Art. 8, Law,
June 9, 1857) ........
rty
..................... 4,000,000
7,044,776 02 7,014,n6 02
Reserve of the Bank
4,000,000
Notes
and its branches...... 22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14
Reserve in landed pro-
-014,558,675 1,022,401,375 1'106,799,061 40 120,524521 75
Banknotes to order and
19 910
receiptss ih ti I.
. .. circulation.
payable.. . ... ... . . .a.
. t..
, , 933 63 18, 993, 500 03
Treasury account cur-
Currernetntcareditounrts," ........ ... 269,392,653 37 230,301,350 77
35,256,030 35,332,539 —.
Do. branch banks ......
Dividends payable...... 929,596 75 980,856 75
Discounts and sundry ~.
6311,611 17 6,950,072 51
interests . ............ ..
Rediscounted the last
1,574,256 34 1,571,255 31
six months ............
Surplus of receipts not
distributed ............
8,386,622 71 8,850,603 91
Sundries ..................

Total ............... 1,679,769,969 53 1,661,561,602 25

CREDITOR.
0n5.9
07c
April 25.
772,656,506 15
April 18.
f r. c.
114,200 65 140,890 95
Commercial Cashdue Branchin.
.. h.
a.n.billsllbanks._ . and.-.
0. .
.v. . .
e. .
.ir. in
..
..
Commercial 11111 l dis-
counted, not yet due 263,296,689 47 255,132,772 99
Do. branch banks t 2891395,951 268,079,356
Advances on deposit of
bullion . - . . .... - ,
34499,700 31,882,900
Do. branch banks .. .. 7,378,500 8,272,800
Do. on French Public.
12,816,500 12,830,300
Securities .. . .° . ...
Do. by branch banks 7,690,900 7,543,800
Do. on railway shares
and debentures 37,239,400 37,084,700
1). branch banks 26,907,450 27,051,350
Do. on Credit Fencier
811,450 200
981
Bonds
Do. branches ...... ._.
Do. to the State (Con-
vention, June 10,
60
1857) ,000,000 60,000,000
Government Stock re-
serve 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14
Do. disposable
Rentes Immobalisees
(Law, June 2, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000
Hotel and furniture of
the Bt.uk and landed
property branches
Expenses of manage-
ment 1,144,307 GI 1,134,427 06
Sundries

Total 1,679,769,969 53 1,661,561,602 25
Certified by the Senator Governor of the Bank of France.
(Signed) BOULAND.

THE LAW OF LICENSING.—A case having been
submitted by the Shrewsbury magistrates to Sir J. Kars-
lake and Mr. Turner on a doubtful question respecting the
transference of an ale and spirit licence, the following
"opinion," signed by those gentlemen, was received:—
" We are of opinion that a minor is not a fit and proper
person to be licensed within the meaning of the act (9th
Geo. IV., cap.. 61), and the magistrates would not be act-
ing legally, or ou a sound interpretation of the act, in per-
mitting a transfer of the Hectic° in
question to a minor."
The application for the transfer was accordingly refused.
A SNUFF-LOVER'S WILL. Dame Margaret
Thompson's last will and testament was something unique.
it set forth that, as it was usual to put flowers into the
coffins of departed friends, and she had never found any
flowers so'flagrant and refreshing as the precious powder,
her trusty servant Sarah was to take care her body was
covered with the best Scotch snuff. Six men, the greatest
snuff-tr.kers in the parish, were to carry her to the grave ;
and the half-dozen old maids selected to act as pall-bearers
were to be supplied with boxes of snuff wherewith to
refresh themselves on the road. The officiating clergy-
man was to be paid four guineas on condition that he
walked in therocession, and "took a certain quantity,
p
not exceeding 11b." of the same. Sarah's legacy depended
upon her carrying out the wishes of the testatrix—strew-
ing the threshold of the house in Boyle-street with two
bushels of snuff, and walking before the corpse for the
purpose of distributing "every 20 yards a large handful
of Scotch snuff to the ground and upon the ground."
Lastly, to every legacy bequeathed by Dame Thompson
was attached a gift of 11b. of "the grand cordial of nature."
The sex "added a foil to every obvious grace" down to
the days of the Regency ; Queen Charlotte herself was a
dear lover of a pinch, and kept her box well filled with
best Spanish or violet Strasburg mixed with green tea;
and, of course, as long as the first lady iu the land set
such an example, fashion saw nothing unladylike in femi-
nine snuffing. —Chambers's Journal, New and Improved
Series,

LATEST INTELLIGaN OE

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

TILE LUXEMBURG QUESTION.
BERLIN, April 26.

A.Cabinet Council was held yesterday evening
to consider the proposals of the mediating powers
upon the Luxemburg question.
The Borsenzeitung of to-day considers that an
understanding is possible on the basis of the neu-
tralisation of Holland and Luxemburg, and the
evacuation and demolition of the fortress, which
would take place after converting Trier or Saarlouis
into an important military position, to the cost of
which Holland would have to contribute.

It is seated that the King of the I3Jlgi ins will
return to Paris with fresh proposals for mediation.

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, April 26.

The semi-official North German Gazette of -this
morning replies in moderate terms to a warlike
article lately published by the Patrie. The same
paper adverts to the article of M. Paulin Limayrac,
published in yesterday's Constitutionnel, declaring
the peaceful intentions of the French Government,
and adds : " These peaceful assurances of the Con-
stitutionnel are, however, in contradiction with the
irritating language of the other Paris papers."

THE (HEAVY) BOMBAY MAIL.
SOUTHAMPTON, April 26.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation
Company's steamer Nyanza, with the heavy portion
of the above mail, arrived here to-day with 107
passengers, £1,040 in specie, and a general cargo.
She experienced strong south-westerly winds and
heavy swell across the Bay of Biscay, but fine
weather up the Channel.

GIBRALTAR, April 21.

Her Majesty's troop-ship Himalaya left here on
,he 19th inst. with the 86th Regiment for the

Mauritius.

Her ANest,, '5 ships Prince Consort, Royal Oak,
SkyFark, and the yacht-TJudine were in the harbour.
Exchange on London, 494 ; ditto Paris, sf. 25c. ;
Madrid, 1 per cent. discount.

GIRRALTAR, April 25.

The Tanjore, from Southampton, on the 20th
inst., arrived to-day at 2 p.m., and leaves at 5 p.m.
for Alexandria. She experienced two days' bad
weather. All well,

AGRAM7 April 25.
The party favourable to the union of Croatia and
Hungary has recently considerably increased in
number. Herr Cescb, the Royal Commissioner
for Fiume, has arrived in that town. He ♦vas
enthusiastically received by the inhabitants.

SUEZ, April 24.

The Messageries Imperial es steamer Tigre arrived
here this evening, with the homeward India, China,
and Japan mails, 205 passengers, and about 2,000
packages of merchandise.