The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-27 00:00:00

T.HE SUN, LON Dio:.v. FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 27, 11367._

i!OrW Brd to devote their few spare hours to new •
a.-a 3. voluntary exertion. If the Fenians have
su seceded in nothing else, they have at least
sh own the world that the English people
at r not to he terrified into unreasoning panic, or
in lensed into injustice, but that while they are pre-
pat •ed to support the civil authorities to the utmost,
and to defend their homes and property against
atta ck, they are still resolved to mete out the full
meas ure of justice to the suspected offenders, and
to giN r the men under trial every facility for clear-
ing tL emselves, if possible, from the charges brought
again: t them. The suggestion of the Home-office,
with r !gard to the enrolment of special constables,
has beett responded to with surprising vigour and
promptitude. In fact the public experienced a re-
lief in being called upon to give active expression
to their feelings of indignation against the perpe-
trators o f the dastardly outrage in Clerkenwell,
and in braving definite duties to perform for the
protection of life and property in place of in-
dulging in vague apprehensions and general panic.
In the metropolis alone 30,000 special constables
have already been sworn in, and a vigilant force to
supplement the efforts of the police wherever re-
quisite. It is a gratifying thing to find so many
working men coming forward to enrol themselves in
answer to the appeal of the Government, as if to
show that the traditional love of law and order
which belongs to the English working man is some-
thing more than a mere name ; notwithstanding the
efforts which have been industriously made to re-
present the English workman as an oppressed and
discontented misanthrope, any public occasion of
this sort invariably shows him in his true light—
quick to feel sympathy for the suffering,
stout of heart and strong of hand to pre-
serve order and see justice done, and stern to
resent cruelty and cowardice under whatever names
they may endeavour to disguise themselves. There
is a total extinction of all the mock sympathy with
the " misguided patriotism," whose object is to be
attained no matter at what slaughter and sacrifice
of the unoffending women and children. Those
who have looked on the maimed and disfigured
forms of the helpless women and little ones in the
hospitals will not listen with much patience hence-
forward to funeral orations over Fenian heroes, or
appeals for mercy on behalf of Fenian convicts.
Fenianism has shown itself in its true colours, and if
the authorities had not forcibly arrested the elo-
quence of the speakers over the mock coffins and
of the orators at Clerkenwell-green, they would
have found it very difficult to re-adjust the mask.
Every one must regret the severity of the local
misfortune, and the sympathies of the country have
never, perhaps, been more strongly or more simul-
taneously aroused; but out of the evil good has been
forthcoming. The common feeling of pity and in -
dignation has united the people and hidden all minor
differences. It has exhibited to the world in a strong
light convincing proof that the English are really
contented with their form of Government, and re-
solved to maintain their social and political system
in statu quo. The greatest unanimity has marked
the public meetings at which the question of special
constables has been considered, and some of the
large London parishes have contributed 3,000 and
4,000 each. No doubt yet more would be forth-
coming it needed, but at present there is ample pro-
vision for any possible emergency. There is no
probability of a grand assault or combined
attack. The danger is exceptional and insidious,
and it is the more necessary to keep
a strict look out, because the designs of Feuianistn
are only too welcome to what are known as the
dangerous classes. The confusion of an explosion,
the panic of a fire, the darkness following the sud-
den extinction of gas, all afford welcome oppor-
tunities to the burglar, the pickpocket, and the
thief or garotter. Winter is of itself a a conve-
nient season for these gentry to practise their
favourite pursuits, and the Fenians will never
lack for hands to carry out their evil de-
signs. Under such circumstances a strict
and vigil tnt guard over all large estab-
lishments is the best and most efficient means
of preserving the public peace ; and the public,
already over taxed and in great personal danger,
are not numerically strong enough to fulfil the task.
The force is to be increased by one thousand, but
even then there would be much to be left to private
enterprise and volunteer assistance, and we have no
doubt that the circular which the Home-office has
just sent to the provincial mayors will meet with as
cordial and ready a response as the appeal which
has already been made to the patriotism and public
spirit of the citizens of London.

BANK OF FRANCE

PARIS, Dec. 26.

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

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, Dec. 26.

Very decided opinions are held here the Army
Organisation Bill, and I need not say that these opinions
are diametrically opposed to Government. The Senate
has examined seventy-eight petitions, covered with
thousands of signatures, and which have come from the
districts of the Gironde, the COte-d'Or, the Seine, the
Jura, and other districts where the inhabitants are
employed more in agricultural than in manufacturing pur-
suits. Each of those petitions criticised the organisation
scheme severely, and prayed for its rejection. The peti-
tioners state that the consequence of the new military law
will be the probable ruin of agriculture.

A feeling of uneasiness is felt with respect to the eastern
frontier of France. The needle-gun of Prussia is a cause
the effects of which will never be fully comprehended.
Engineers have been sent to Metz to strengthen the fortifi-
cations of that town, and a third regiment of the line will
be sent directly to add to the defensive force of the dis-
trict, and to assist in the works of fortification.

Rumours of the possibility, if not the probability, or
war are everywhere afloat, and in this season of commer•
vial depression the armourer is the only busy man. A
melancholy state of matters prevails in Northern Italy.
The country itself is poorly armed ; but, strange to say.
one special branch of industry actively carried on there at
present is the manufacture of Charsepot rifles for France.
The /taiie,states that 30,000 of these weapons have already
been delivered, and that the manufacture is being carried
on with the greatest activity. Three French officers have
been sent to Brescia to examine and receive the arms a.s
soon as they are delivered.

One of our journals, La Liberte, announced the °the_
day that the garrison of Malta had been reinforced, and
that the English fleet had assembled in the port. The
latest information is that Lord Clarence Paget had re-
ceived orders to complete the storage of the vessels, and
be ready to take to the sea at the first signal.
M. de Lamartine, about whose health the mcst serious
reports were common only the other day, is believed to be
less dangerously ill than was at first stated.
At the Theittrd Lyriqe, the " Fair Maid of Perth "
La Jolie Fille de Perth—a comic opera in three acts, is now
being performed. The libretto is by M. de Saint-Georges,
and the music by M. Georges Bizet. One is a little
amused to note in the advertisements that the part of
" Henry Smith" is undertaken by M. 11.1 Issey. The first
representation of a new opera-bouffe, by M. Offen-
bach, entitled, " Genevieve de Brabant," was given the
other night. The " Train des Maris" is running at the
Ath6nde. Two first representations are promised on the
same evening by the Fantaises-Parisiennes—" Le Croisade
de Dames," by Schubert, and the " Elixir de Cornelius," a
comic opera, by Henri Meilhac and Arthur Delavigne.
Comic operas are the only kind of musical entertainments
that go down at present. A new one, called " Roger
Bontemps," comes out directly at the Fantaises-Pari-
siennes, and also another, called "La Peti Fadette."
Mdlle. Patti is singing in " Ernani" at present, and
" Don Giovanni," in which the Patti will play the chief
r6le, is promised for an early day.
A friend of mine was in company with the famous
Emile de Girardin, editor of La Libeite, at the Bureau of
Police the other day Monsieur, the chief authority im-
proved the occasion by instructing the witty editor
to make no remark whatever in his journal respecting
the Italian question. " Ah, agreed," said Girardin,
laughing good - naturedly ; " I shall let Rome
remain where it is for the present—Mexico will
suffice ! " As might be expected, the authorities were
more enraged to think that the disastrous Mexican expedi-
tion, the sorest subject to a Frenchman of all subjects,
was again to be exhibited before the Parisians, that they
would have been, had the Italian difficulty been written
about, in the very fiercest terms.