The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-09 00:00:00

The Conference.

The Conference met on Tuesday at the Treasury
n Downing-street, in the room which was the scene
of the Sleswig-Holstein Conference in 1864. The
old round table was furbished up, but the historic
hole in which Mr. William Stuart sat as protocolist
was filled up, and Mr. Julian Fane, who officiates
on the present occasion, was banished to a small
side table. He remarked that at any rate the pro-
tocols would be more on the square than they were
on the last occasion.
The members of the Conference proceeded to seat
themselves in the French alphabetical order of their
respective countries—Autriche, Belgique, France,
Grande Bretagne, Luxemburg, Pays Bas, Prusse,
Russie. They had hardly arranged themselves in
eight chairs round the big table when it was per-
ceived that there was a ninth vacant on the right
of Lord Stanley. Count Apponyi asked if that
were Banquo's chair. Lord Stanley replied " Not
at all ; it was for Italy, as they would sea pre-
sently."
A general overhaul of pockets then took place,
and the Plenipotentiaries after a great deal of
shuffling of papers exchanged their " pleins pou-
voirs." A rather awkward incident here occurred,
as Baron de 'f ornaco, representing Luxemburg, got
hold of Count Bernstorff's secret instructions from
Bismarck, which the count had accidentally mixed
up with his full powers. They were, however, im-
mediately restored.
Count Apponyi, as representing the Power senior
in alphabetical order, proposed, and in flattering
speech, and placed
1864, which contained
grotty
terms, that Lord Stanley should preside over the
Conference.
Lord
am
of
the record of the Conference of that year. It would
serve as a warning and a guide. He then proposed
o n the table Stanley
the O w made
l b u
that Italy should be admitted to the ninth chair.
This was objected to by several members, as Italy
had not signed the Treaties of 1839.
The Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne said that was
a question of the Past. They were met to arrange
the Future ; and Counts Apponyi and Bernstorff
would agree with him that, prospectively, Italy
would sign many treaties as a great Power.
The proposition being agreed to, the Marquis
d'Azeglio was summoned from a neighbouring room,
where he had been anxiously awaiting the issue of
the discussion, and he was seated between Lord
Stanley and M. de Tornaco. This occasioned a slight
shifting of ci:airs, and a sharp cry from Baron de
Bentinck was explained by M. de Bernstorff having
trod on his foot. He had lately suffered from gout.
The Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne was disposed to
resent this very warmly, but Lord Stanley judi-
ciously interfered, and the incident, which threat-
ened at one moment to give rise to a scene, resulted
only in an overwhelmang competitive exhibition of
sympathy for the Dutch Minister on the part of the
French and Prussian Plenipotentiaries.

In the meantime it was remarked that the Presi-
dent and the Prince had edged their chairs rather
closely together, but Baron de Brunnow, who had
also drawn up very near to the Prussian, whispered
that it might be wiser not to notice these little rap-
prochements.
M. Van de Weyer, however, said in an under-
tone to his neighbour, that Brunnow, in the move-
ment, " avait presque tombe sur son Prussien."
The prince did not reply, but only hummed " C'est
dans le nez que ca me chatonille." -

general good feeling
The business of the day was then commenced. A
prevailed. The French and
Prussian Plenipotentiaries did most of the talking.
M. de Tornaco was rather bewildered, and Baron
de Bentinck shuddered occasionally. Count Berns-
torff said his instructions were to be very yielding
at first, but that Bismarck always began that way.
Lord Stanley
remarked that it would be the duty of
the Conference to hold him to the ground he had
taken. This view was generally supported ; and
after a very unanimous agreement upon
prelimina-
ries, and an accord as to the outline of the guarantee
question, the Conference broke up, leaving matters
of detail to the meeting which is to take place on
Thursday.
It was hoped that on that day
any small difficul-
ties might be surmounted, and that on Saturday the
Conference might meet to sign a final protocol
which should settle the peace of Europe, and allow
of the
mond with the Owls.-7 he Owl.
Plenipotentiaries dining on Monday at Rich-

THE WAR DEPARTMENT.—It is the intention of
the Government to resist the motion for referring the orga-
nization of the War Department to a Select Committee,
but we believe the Minister of War will propose that a
Royal Commission will be issued to inquire into the gene-
ral organization of the administrative branches of the
army, and that the report of Lord Strathnairn's Committee,
which had gone most fully into the question, and pre
eented a report which will be found most complete and
exhaustive of the various questions submitted to it, and
which has been generally approved by the Government
will be referred to the Commission. We may hope, there
fore, that we shall at length arrive at a system of adminis
tration for the army which shall place it on a permanent
basis, so as to remove it for the future from the chances
of the u4cert.34ty
thp,atilaig27, Qf -
result from the political changes

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(NEUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ITALY.

FLonExcE, May 9.
The King will go to-morrow to Venice accom-
panied by the Minister of Justice.
The Chamber of Deputies have passed the Bill
modifying the tax on personal property.