The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-24 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, Dec. 24.

The Constitutionnel of this morning, in reply to
a statement in the TVezerzetung, recalls the speech
of the Emperor at the opening of the Session, in
which he said that France frankly accepted the
changes which had taken place at the other side of
the Rhine.

BOURSE, Dec. 23, Three o'clock.—The market
closed as follows :

q per Cent.
End of month —
3 per Cent
End of month 6B 65
Credit Mobilier
End of month l6B 75
Credit Foncier 1365
End of month 1365 -
RAILWA'

Bank Shares 3210
Italsan Loan . 45 25
End of month 45 271
Mexican Loan 14
Do. Bonds
Spanish Threes
Home Debt —
Deferred 34 50

Orleans

Account
869

Northern 11721
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern..... 552*
Western —

Eastern • • 532i
Sardinian
Austrian so6}
Lombard 350

North of Spain 62}
Saragossa
Roman so}

ROYAL RE COGNITION OF GALLANTRY. —We undeß-
stand that the Queen has conferred the Albert Medal of the
first class upon Mr. A. T.Shuttleworth, Deputy Conserva-
tor of Forests at Alibagh, in consideration of his gallant
conduct on the occasion of the wreck of the Berwickshire
on the 22d of July, 1866, where after two days' exertions
he succeeded in rescuing six men of the Di Vernon on the
Ist of August, 1866, and of the Ferzah on the 18th of July
1867, where he contributed to save the master and 13 mon
of the vessel. Her Majesty also conferred the Albert
Medal of the second class upon John Rickett, A. 8., of her
Majesty's ship Clio, for having, on the 29th of May, 1866,
when off Ajiabampo, on the coast of Mexico, saved the Lfo
of a boy of that vessel who had fallen overboard. The port
at that time was infested with sharks, and the seaman
Rickett was suffering from an attack of coast fever.
NITRO-GLYCERINE.—The frequent recurrence of
accidents in connection with this highly-dangerous explo-
sive imperatively calls for legislation to prevent its use in
industrial undertakings ; and, inasmuch as, practically
considered, it has no advantages and many disadvantages
in comparison with gunpowder, its use should be imme-
diately prohibited. It is true that a similar weight of
the nitro-glycerine possesses eight or ten times the
explosive force of gunpowder ; but as this extra force
is indivisible, and is not reluired for the work to bo done,
it is valueless in a commercial sense. It must further be
considered that nitro-glycerine (and the same remarks
will apply to the other new explosive—dynamite—in-
vented by Mr. Nobel), and its vapours are highly poisonous,
which is not the case with gunpowder. Again, gunpowder
always retains one character, and is•never more dangerous
than when first made, careless manufacture resulting
only in a less dangerous compound. Nitro-glycerine
on the other hand, even when most carefully made, is
more dangerous than gunpowder, and any want of care in
manufacture, or even a slight change of temperature
after it is manufactured, makes it still more dangerous.
It congeals (and may then be exploded by scarcely more
than breaking a crystal) at a much higher tempera-
ture than water freezes, and the suggestion that it may
then be rendered safer by warming it before the fire should
be adopted with so much caution as a proposition to keep
your powder dry " by storing it in well-heated furnace.
Mining Journal.

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HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dec. 23.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Louise and
Prince Arthur, drove out yesterday afternoon, at-
tended by the Equerry in Waiting upon horseback,
and her Majesty walked in the grounds this morn.
ing,accornpauied by Prince Leopold and Priuce°
Beatrice.
Princess Louise and Prince Arthur also went °lt'