The Sun.
London, England, 1858-04-03 00:00:00

IN PARIS.

(Front the Tunes.)
What is to be done about the Protestant Chapel
in the Rue d'Aguesseau at Paris ? It may be re-
membered that some time hack, upon the recom-
mendation of the English Ambassador, Lord Cow-
ley, the Lords of the Treasury sanctioned a grant
of 9,000/. for the purchase of this property from
the Rev. Mr. Chamier. The step, however, proved
a premature one, for when the sum was proposed
in the Estimates the Commons refused, and we
think very properly, to sanction the grant. The
consequence was that the property was thrown back
upon the hands of the purchasers. We much regret
that they should be put to inconvenience, for there
can be no doubt that Lords Cowley and Clarendon,
and all other parties to the transaction, although
not altogether free from blame on the score of in-
discretion, were actuated throughout by the most
praiseworthy desire to promote the spiritual wel-
fare of the English residents at Paris. We would
gladly give them what assistance we can in this mat-
ter not only because their intentions were most
laudable, but because it is really desirable that
there should be free church accommodation at
Paris for our poorer fellow-countrymen who may
be resident at any time in that city. We do so,
however as the lawyers would say, "under protest,"
inasmuch as we most heartily concur with the de-
cision arrived at by the House of Commons last
year. The Anglo-Parisians have no title what•
ever to come to Parliament for a grant. If they
have a direct claim upon any Government it is
upon that of France, for that is the Government to
the maintenance of which they contribute. With
what show of reason can a congregation of English
Churchmen residing in a foreign State address
themselves to Parliament, and expect it to make
an indiscriminate levy upon the public for their
benefit ? Every argument which its promoters use
in favour cf this grant may be turned against them
with tenfcld effect by their opponents. If this
spiritual destitution at Paris is so lamentable
a matter, how is it that the parties principally con-
cerned make such slender effarts to free themselves

from their painful situation ? It is easy enough to
play the part of the daughter of the horseleech, and
to cry, " Give, give !" but what have they given
themselves ? Which is most to be dreaded—the

loss of spiritual consolation, or of a sum ranging
from 1001. to the wicliw's mite 1 Again, it is said
that the case of Paris is exceptional. Whereas
iu other foreign capitals there are but few English
residents, and they are comparatively wealihy, in
Paris the number of English residents is very con-
siderable, and they are of all classes. They constitute
quite a colony or community. If this be so, there
is tie more reason that they should help them-
selves. Among the Anglo-Parisians wealth, or at
least opulence, predominates over poverty in a far
greater degree than at home. Pre-eminently such
a congregation should take care of itself, or at the
very least make great efforts for its own preserva-
tion.

After all, it is so slight a matter which is required
on one side—so great an one.which is demanded on
the other. The Anglo-Parisians ask the British
Parliament to affirm the principle that the nation
is responsible for the spiritual concerns of its mem-
bers being residents in foreign countries. The
British Parliament declines to affirm that principle,
and adds, " Principle apart, it seems very strange
to us that the English community at Paris cannot
make up among themselves, and with such assist-
ance as they could surely obtain from the private
benevolence of the English who are in the habit of
visiting Paris, the trifling sum which is required."
Lord Cowley in one of his letters talks of the im-
possibility of making up even one half of the re-
quisite sum by the contributions of the English re-
sidents at Paris, but the truth is half the sum will
not suffice. In place of 9,0001., the original sum,
the cost now to be incurred is computed to amount
to something more than 10,0001. The increase,
we are told, depends entirely on the fiscal regula-
tions of the French Government, which levies some
thing like 9 per cent. of the purchase-money upon
each transfer of property of this description. It
appears, on the other hand, that if the Anglo-
Parisians, assisted by as many of their fellow-sub-
jects at home as can be induced to contribute
to the fund, can succeed in raising 5,0001., the
other moiety might be contributed under the
11th section of the Act 6th George IV., cap,
Now, surely, if this slight effort cannot be made
by the persons principally interested and by those
who are most distinguished by their anxiety for
the spiritual welfare of their brethren resident in
foreign countries, the British nation collectively
may reserve its sorrow for worthier objects. If this
kind of mixed art angement cannot be carried out,
the chapel must be sold by private contract, and
the deficiency, if any there should be, must be
made up in one manner or another. Lord Malmes-
bury is perfectly right in the decision at which he
has arrived. Lord Cowley had proposed four
schemes, all of which were rejected. The first two
imposed upon the Minister the necessity of going
to Parliament for a grant which, although it might
be less in amount than the sum originally de-
manded, could only be claimed upon two principles,
one of which had been pronounced untenable, and
the other was vicious. The first was the principle
rejected by the Commons last year ; the second
w,,s the principle of taxing the community to get
Ministers out of a scrape. Lord Cowley's first two
propositions were :—First, to put the chapel up to
aucdon, and to sell it to the highest bidder, Par-
liament undertaking to provide for any deficit that
might remain ; secondly, to sell it by private con-
tract, Parliament in the saute way making itself
responsible for any deficiency. Objectionable as
these two propositions were, we prefer them to the
two others brought forward by the English Am-
bassador. Lord Cowley's third and fourth propo-
sitions are as follows :—Third, that the purchase-
money should be borrowed. Parliament guaran-
teeing the payer cut of interest on the loan ; fourth,
that Parliament should advance the money as a
lean, to be repaid by the proceeds of the seat rents
of the chapel. This would be in either case to con-
vert Parliament, as representing the British people,
into the proprietary body of the little chapel in the
Rue d'Aguesseau at Paris. We think we may ven-
ture without much presumption to say that the
English nation declines very respectfully to engage
in the transaction. The common sense of this
matter is, that the Anglo-Parisians must bestir
themselves in their own especial business. From
our long experience of the great liberality which is
invariably displayed in such matters by the English
people in their private capacity we can have no
doubt that if our fellow-countrymen at Paris give
good evidence of their own sincerity and earnest-
ness on the point they will be largely assisted at
home. The evidence required is a liberal subscrip-
tion. Let them form a committee, if this has not
already been done, and go to work with that spirit
and zeal which will infallibly insure success. When
they have done their own part, but not till then,
they may come over here, and they will certainly
obtain aid and support at home. Let them, above
all things, be careful to prove to the world that this
is not some clergyman's job, but a real effort to pro-
vide for the spiritual destitution of our country-
men at Paris.

The Shah of Persia, who is a great amateur of Arabic
cahgraphy and of water-colour painting, is having pre-
pared, under his immediate and personal superintend-
ence, a magniffeent edition of the " Arabian Nights'
Entertainments." During the last seven years the most
celebrated Persian painters have been engaged in the
illustration of this work, which has already cost
300,000 f., and will be a production unique of this kind.
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