The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-26 00:00:00

Miscellaneous French News.

(From Correspondents of the Anglo-American. Ems)
,_ PARIS, March 20.
Monsieur Thiers' great speech in support of his
interpellation on foreign affairs was delivered last
Thursday. As early as six o'clock in the morning
the neighbourhood of the Corps Legislatif was in-
vaded by an eager crowd desirous of listening to
one of the most eloquent orators of the age. More
than 10,000 applications for admission had been
addressed to the Deputies by their friends, but as
the galleries could only accommodate a few, the
greater portion had to leave disappointed in their
expectations. Those who remained were in due
time installed in the balconies. Among them were
remarked the Prince Napoleon, Mustapha Pacha, a
large number of Senators, and various literary and
diplomatic celebrities. The orator commenced
speaking at about two o'clock, and continued for
nearly four hours, resting only ten minutes from
beginning to end. At the close of the speech his
voice and delivery showed some fatigue, but all was
eloquently and impressively pronounced. Monsieur
Thiers is seventy-five years of age, in the full en-
joyment of his intellectual faculties, which are of
such vigour and fecundity that they impressed all
who heard him on this great occasion with the
power and authority of the gift of speech.
A society of learned men is now assembled at
Geneva for the purpose of issuing a new translation
of the Bible. A facetious French writer remarks
on this subject that "the Bible is one of those
books which the savants translate every two or
three years, without being satisfied with their
labours. They are less occupied in discovering the
true sense of a text than in finding fault with their
predecessors." Fur our part we are pleased to
know that the good Book is to be again translated.
Perhaps things will be brought to light which we
did not dream of before. We believe firmly all that
this Book tells us ; but, at the same time, would not
be sorry to know if it really tells us what we be-
lieve.

An interesting and touching ceremony took place
ast Friday in a church in this city. The Society
of Foreign Missions was assembled to witness the
departure for distant countries of some thirty or
forty pioneers of the Catholic faith. It is a remark-
able fact that, of this number, who are sent out
every year, but few, if any, ever return. They
either suffer martyrdom from the bands of the
savages they are sent to Christianise, or fall victims
to disease.

This well-known fact gave a melancholy interest
to the spectacle, as the missionaries were receiving
the parting blessings and embracings of their Chris-
tian brethren and relatives.

The twelfth birthday of the Prince Imperial was
celebrated here on the 16th March. The theatres
and public buildings were decorated with flags in
the day, and illuminated at night in honour of the
event.

The cession of the statues of the Plantagenets to
England has caused so much dissatisfaction in France
that it is hoped the former Government will decline
to accept the generous offer of the Emperor. In
compliance with the will of Henry 11. (Plantagenet)
and Richard Coeur de Lion, their bodies were
brougllt back to Anjou, their tombs to be created
in the Abbey of Pontevrault, and their statue's
executed by French artists.
Advertising "theatre curtains" have been introduced
into the Paris theatres. This experiment was at-
tempted several years ago, but had so much Ameri-
can progressiveness in it, that it did not please the
delicate sensibilities of refined Parisians. Now it has
been resumed, and several days ago in the centre of
a bait to credulous aad cv
eurrttistienm,
eNnv rti tatpepneianr
egdl glaring capitals, the following
visi-
tors to the Exposition .

" General Agency of International Marriages.—
Happiness Guaranteed for One Year." This was a
little trop fort, and after some difficulty the enter-
prising undertaker of "happiness guaranteed" was
prevailed upon to efface it.
Captain Hudson, of New York, and the owner
and commander of the celebrated little ship, Red,
White, and Blue, has arrived in Paris. He crossed
the Channel in his ship, leaving Dever in a severe
gale of wind, and arrived safe and well in the quiet
waters of the Seine. The little ship is now lying
some distance below 'Paris, where she will remain
until brought to the Pompeian Palace, where it will
be on exhibition during the Exposition. This is
the first American craft that ever registered as
arriving in Paris.
I learn that the Rev. J. S. C. Abbott, the his-
torian, has received an autograph letter from the
Emperor, giving him permission to present to the
Prince Imperial a magnificent work, in three vo-
lumes, on the American Indians.

The agent for American artists at the Exposition
Mr. Avery, has arrived in Paris with a fine
collection of paintings, bronzes, and statuary.
There arc many magnificent specimens of art
among them, and the most celebrated were
executed by Bierstadt, Colmore, Huntington,
Hart-Leutze, Weir, and Dix, artists well
known to the American public. Among the
recent arrivals in the Exposition is the celebrated
" Ferris Gun" from the United States. It has
already been placed in the American Department.
This is considered the most wonderful invention of
tbe day in the way of light artillery, and is capable,
it is said, of throwing a 121 b. ball the distance of
nine miles. The restaurant in the American de-
partment of the Exposition building is being rapidly
finished. A ladies' parlour has been added, beau-
tifully furnished, and supplied with one of Clicker-
ing's best pianos. The proprietors have engaged
the services of fifteen coloured men, so that it will
be carried on a la mode Americaine.

It was my intention to give in this letter a slight
description of the interior of the Exhibition build-
ing, and of some of the contents which have already
arrived. However, as the interior is still in dis-
order, and the exhibitors have not arranged all of
their goods yet, I will defer a description of it to a
future letter. Mention may be made of a new in-
vention, which will no doubt prove very beneficial
to the public not only of America but throughout
Europe. It consists of a new style of railway car-
riage, particularly adapted to the streets of cities,
but which can be also used with steam. The inven-
tor has also contrived a railway different from any-
thing yet used, and so arranged as to suit all kinds
of carriages or vehicles. The rails are of a con-
clave form, and carriages can pass in the grooves,
in or out, and across them without obstruction.
The weight and cost of these rails will be less than
those of ordinary railways. The cone-pointed rim
of tbe wheels of the carriages, of smaller circle than
the concav'e of the rails, makes a small bearing-point
of the metal. to sustain the entire weight, thereby
causing little friction while running. The wheels
are so formed as to assist in keeping the track,
and
also to get out of the grooves when necessary to come
out, by acting as a wedge upon an inclined plane,
and they will run on other parts of the road or pav-
ing as well as wheels of carriages of ordinary con-
struction. The inventor of the above described car-
riage and railway is Mr. Z. Eastman, an American,
from the State of New York, and at present the
United States' Consul at Bristol, England. •

PARIS, March 19.

Concerts and official evening receptions are the
order of the night, while make-believe Lenten
penance is the disorder of the day.
At all the well-attended sermons, we have " robes
penitence," all grey and shimmer, and the onlypecu-
liarity Ican discover in the cut of these is that they

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top, the trimmings are rich gi
•• • icgnace, or jet
tassels down the seams, and always of the same
shade or tone, which, though of a leaden tint, is
supreme haut ton. Ido believe in sackcloth and
ashes, for where is the woman who, having to wear
either or both at the same time, would not repent
as fast as she could ? But I do not trust much
in the effects of a moonlight haze round a shrink-
ing-, kneeling blonde, though these are the very
women in Paris, who have, I suppose, a god deal
to repent of.
The most intellectual an•l dazzling entertainment
of last week was Madame de Walewski's official
concert at the Senate. -All the uublesee
of France and notabiaies from the Lower House

wero present, wearing their different ordef;
and iu uniform. Diamonds, Paris, and the
most bri:liant diadems, shone under the splen-
didly illuminated gallery, on the foreheads, necks,
shoulders, and aril s of the Senators' wives and
daughters. Princess Clothilde was attired in
white moire, her bodice was half pink and hslt
white. The predominant feature was satin. Two
sisters were much admired ; they wore little skirts
looped up with Scotch heath, sparkling under dew.
The flounces round the under skirts were festooned
with the same. Coral is the great vogue. It is
much worn on white satin, and indeed with every-
thing ; a blonde chooses a set of light pink, a brune
prefers the deep red. Small seed diamonds are
sprinkled between close coral beads, ovals, or scales.
The coral serpent is a frmurite bracelet. Coral
Ceres, or wheat-ear' diadems, and comb, are very
elegant, as also plain long chaplets of richly-cut
coral balls. Nothing can be more becoming, with
plain white, and a simple sash of coral-
shaded ribbon. All this detail has somewhat
led me astray, for I must return to Mdme.
de Walewski's concert, though only to say that
Mdme. Miolan-Carvalho was the star of the
evening ; she was presented with a bouquet, in the
middle of which figured a large "M. " in white
flowers. The initial was meant both for Miolan.
and Marguerite (" Faust's"). She sang Gounod's
" Valse de Mireille'l and Auber's " Air d'Acteon."
Artistical success leads me to mention the name
of Mr. Glatigny, a p4te improvisateur, and a pity
it is, his field of exertions should be the Alcazar ;
but talent must force its way upwards, and it does
not matter much in the end to those who glow.with
the sacred fire wbethertheir audience applaud with
brown muscular hands, or gently tap tightly-gloved
palms together. I have seen many poets glad to
be encouraged by enraptured old women firmly
knocking on the floor with a stumped umbrella. Mr.
Glatigny's case was somewhat deserving of
sympathy before his debut, for when the censors
were informed that he was going to favour the
Parisian public with something extempore he was
begged to hand his " improvisation" to the autho-
rities before he gave it utterance. It strikes me
(but censors are hardened very likely, and cannot
be struck) that an improvisation is a thing that
cannot be handed forth, and I should decidedly
object to anything improvise that could be. The
consequence was, that after some expostulation an
arrangement was entered into, which made Mr.
Glatigny's task truly arduous. Ten distinct per-
sons present were to give ten rhyming words, an
eleventh the title, and the poet was to put it all
together in sonnet shape. He accomplished this
to every one's satisfaction, and his audience
on that evening was composed of all

the cleverest writers in Paris. If I thus expatiate
on achievements performed in very second-rate
places, it is because I think it right to give honour
where honour is due, and the fable of old has
taught us that a pearl was once found by a wise
_ _

- -
scratet.ing old hen in the remotest corner of a
poultry-yard.
If 1. were allowed to talk politics I should delight
in giving the readers of the Franco a sketch of M.

Thiers' speech, but the learned brotherhood would
never forgive me. I may but say that there never
was such a brilliant assembly at the house before,
Tulle bonnets and-glittering frosted flowers orna-
mented all the diplomatic heads of the elite of

Parisiennes, and they seemed to understand the
question of equilibrium power, which we have

:1,11 had to study, of course, since we adopted
top-heavy chignons. The dresses were mostly
velvet fourreaux. Amaranthe satin and arnar-
anthe poult-de-soie, green and blue, were the
plain silk shades. Our spring shapes are the
_ . _

_ .
perfection of our winter low crowns. A pretty trim-
ming is straw on• velvet, amber-drops on straw-

bells.

A bonnet I much admired at a Mdlle.

Talon's, 24, Rue Drouot, was made of pink
tulle ; it was low-crowned, but on the front

rose a diadem of elder blossoms, in which was

a moss rose at the side. There were two pairs of
strings, one to be tied behind, the other of wide

pink tulle in front, with another moss rose and a

straggling elder branch. Mdlle. Talon is not a great
milliner, but she has the taste of something less im-
posing; a light touch, and that is applicable to hQr
when she draws up a bill also, for her prices

arc very moderate. Her straw hats for
young people are lovely ; they are trimmed
with field flowers, grass, hay, a little bush
of dog-grasses, clover, and buttercups, looking so
rural that no wonder men are deluded into a hope
that the girl who wears such a hat thinks and wishes
for nothing but a cottage, and a heart; his, in pre-
ference to any other, because it is—so simple. All
the young ladies I hear of are wishing for some-

thing more. However, if they could but have a new

broche, or a silk muslin with the new brocaded
flowers all dotted over—one of those which cost 18f.

the metre—or a dozen foulards! But I will give

more of these new treasures in my next.

Departure of the Great Eastern for New

Y o: k.

The Great Eastern, under the command of Sir
James Anderson, will leave the Mersey for New
York to-day. Since the big ship reached Liverpool
after her-successful cable-laying expedition, she has
undergone a thorough renovation, both internally
and externally. The outer hull has been scraped
and painted, and several defective plates in the
bottom have been replaced by new ones. The
most important alterations, however, are those
which have taken place
.inside the ship. The
enormous space formerly occupied by the
cable tanks has been transformed into a splendid
suite of saloons, three in number, furnished in the
most gorgeous and substantial manner, under the
direction of Messri. R. Anderson and Sons, of Bold-
street, Liverpool. The berths, which afford sleep-
ing accommodation for about 3,000 passengers, are
all fitted up in the most comfortable style ; one
great desideratum being that of good light and
ventilation. The culinary arrangements are of the
best, and are placed in. that portion of the ship
which put them out of the way of the passengers.
There arc four large condensers on board, capable
of condensing 10,000 gallons of water per day, which
will be quite ample when we consider that the big
ship starts with 36,000 gallons of fresh water on
board. The vessel will be steered by steam either
from the bridge or from the apparaitl3 at the stern.
She carries a screw steam launch 55 feet long, in
addition to 11 lifeboats and 11 ordinary boats. On
the upper deck there is a splendid saloon capable of
dining 500 people at once. The roof of this saloon
long,ha which sbewenformed into a splendid promenade 200 feet
weather. Olln'itllhenofodroeubtbe w
part ofel l
the
patrondeek tiiswerd in
e is
also
another but smaller saloon, containing a smoke-
room, coffee-room, and a barber's shop. S.)
much for the passenger accommod
oativoenr.haueThe
engine a department has been completely
A new set of screw engine boilers, especially de-
signed by Mr. George Beckwith,the
Grtela the
Eastern,chiefsu hperaivne-
tending engineer on board
been fitted up, and a new eccentric paddle shaft has
also been substituted instead of the old crank.
Everything that can add safety and comfort to the
passengers and speed to the ship have not been over-
looked. All the plate to be used on boardjias been
supplied Messrs. Elkington and Co., the only
firmiii by.
England who were capable of furnishing it
in time. We can now but hope that the Great
Eastern will prove as great a success in her new
route between America and France as she did in
laying the cable which binds the Old and New
Worlds in unity. j