The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-13 00:00:00

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

THURSDAY.

In the Corps L4gislatif the unreasoned and unreason-
able charge of the Viscount de Kerieguen against the
journals of Paris was the occasion of considerable dis-
turbance in that august assembly. The silly charge of the
viscount, derived from a Belgian newspaper called La
I Finance, called forth a variety of expressions, and the
speaker was frequently interrupted with cries of " I
protest," " No, no," "Go on," &c. TWO litetury gentle-
' men, M. Havin, of the Siecle, and M. Gu6roult, of the
Opinion Nationale, and both of them members of the
Corps I.:sgislatif, challenged the viscount to prove
his allegations before a " jury of honour," to con-
sist of four gentlemen—two to be appointed on each
side— and an arbitrator. A letter from M. Kerveguen,
published yesterday, announces his assent the condi-
tions, and mentions the names of two gentlemen who will
act on the jury in his interest. M. Schneider, President
of the Corps Legislatif, who was asked to act as arbi-
trator of the jury, has very properly declined ; and
for this reason, tha on whatever side he, as arbitrator,
might give his decision, he would have to give it against
a member of the legislative body over which he presides,
and would thus commit an act which, by estranging the
sympathy of a member, might have political results.
The Imperial Council of Education opened its session
the other day, and I am happy to say that one of the first
acts of the Council was to approve unanimously of all
that has been done by the Minister of Public Instruction,
M. Duruy, for what is called the secondary or more
advanced education of girls. This secondary educa-
tion is intended to supplement the imperfect edu-
cation which young women of moderate means
receives in the convents. The plan is, that in
every town where there is a lycee (a public school) lectures
shall be delivered to classes of young ladies in history,
geography, natural science, and chemistry. No doubt
the plan will be successful. M. Duruy succeeds in almost
everything of the kind which he tries.
An affection of the brain, to which the name Anglo-
mania is applied here, is very prevalent just now among
the tbit ues of our theatres. English pieces are at present
considered the thing. We have " Romeo and Juliet "at
the Thaitre Lyrique, which is also going to produce " The
Fair Maid of Perth ;" "Robinson Crusoe " is being played
at the op6ra Comique ; " Gulliver" at the Chatelet ;
" Furnished Apartments" at the Vari6tes ; " Miss Su-
sanna " at the Gymna,se, " Marlborough" at the Atli6n6 ;
and " Jack Sheppard" at the Ambigu.

The frost, which has at length disappeared, has been
disastrous for pedestrians and for horses. The horse is to
be pitied, and the pedestrian too, of course ; but genuine
sympathy is only expended upon our four-footed friends.
A friend of mine says, " Look at the horse slipping and
falling heavily on the ice !" The public exclaims, " The
poor beast !" But if it is only a simple mortal that
falls, his brethren smile, and say to themselves, " The
imbecile I"

The death has been announced of the Duellesse of
Bassano, a lady of high birth, and who had been maid of
honour to the Empress for fourteen years, All Paris
remembers her grace and her good-nature. In her
the establishment of the Empress has sustained a severe
loss, and those who attend the approaching levees will
be forced to think with regret of her who had always a
smile and a kindly word for all.

The Situation asserts that the Kink of Hanover has
received an indemnity of fifty millions for his crown—
that is, two millions sterling. Not bad pay, it is true ;
still he might have preferred a throne if Bismarck had
allowed him a choice.

The imposing ceremonial of the funeral of the Ai:ch-
bishop of Malines took place on the 10th, and as the
deceased was widely known and much loved, a vast cod=
course of people from the country around as well as from
Brussels, Liege, Antwerp, and Ghent, flocked into the
old town on foot, or were carried rapidly to it by rail. At
ten o'clock the funeral procession began to move. Four
companies of foot artillery and one of carabincers led the
way. Behind these, and headed by a cross-bearer, marched
the clergy of the diocese, in cassocks and short surplices,
followed by the students of the seminary, and clergy from
other parts of Belgium. Next proceeded the canons of the
cathedral in purple robes and fur tippets, and birettas.
Perhaps, however, the next body, being the superiors of
all the convents in the diocese, attracted most attention
from the singularity and variety of their monastic cos-
tumes. Flowing robes and birettas—white, red, or black
work—when the cowl was not thrown over the head, added
much to the strongly-marked features and countenances
that characterised this deputation. Then the bishops of
Ghent, Tourney, Liege, Bruges, and of Charelois, sur-
rounding the Papal uncio, Archbishop in partlbus of Da-
mietta, all in full episcopal dress, and wearing their mitres,
with haw ls crossed in prayer, and with s'A faces, all at once
shot out as it were from under the gateway, and with their
gorgeous robes and solemn mien quite dazed the spectators.
As they passed on came six seminarists, bearing re-
epectively on cushions the cardinal's hat of crimson, the
purple biretta, the mitre, the grand cordons of the Orders
of Leopold of Belgium and of Austria, and the crozier of
the deceased prelate. Then succeeded the body, un-
coffined, dressed is full canonicals, with the hands crossed,
and holding a crucifix. The face was uncovered ; its
vigorous cast was unimpaired by death, and seemed rather
like that of one lulled to sleep after arduous labours. The
corpse was borne on its velvet couch by twelve minor
canons, who rested frequently on their passage to the
cathedral. Next followed the representatives of the King's
household. The rest of the cortege, made up chiefly of
municipal bodies, and of eccieties, lay and clerical, was
even more numerous than the portion which preceded the
corpse. A regimental band accompanied the procession,
and played funeral marches. The Cathedral of St. Rom-
bent was then reached, and the body having been placed
on a raised dais, mass was solemnly sung. A funeral ora-
tien, written by the Bishop of Namur, was then read.
Then, after absolution was recited by all the bishops
present, the body was committed to its last resting-
place.

ALLEGED FRAUDS BY EX-CONSUL CALYERT.—A
despatch from Constantinople, dated December 2, states
that Mr. T. W. Calvert, ex-Consul of the Dardanelles has
undergone his final examination before Mr. Acting-Judgo
Lane, at the Consular Court, on the charge preferred
by the Secretary -of Lloyd's Salvage Association, for
conspiring to defraud the London underwriters of
£14,000 by means of false documents, purporting to be
the papers of a vessel called the Poseidon. The Judge
gave an opinion that the case had been established by
evidence, and fully committed the prisoner for trial. His
Honour would accept bail, twe satisfactory securities of
£l,OOO each, and the prisoner in £2,0J0, with twenty-four
hours' notice.

POST OFFICE REFORM. —We beg to call the
attention of our readers to the fact that a public meeting
will be held at Exeter Hall on Monday, the 16th of
December, to take into consideration the grievances under
which post office employes labour. John Bennett, Esq.,
will preside, and will be supported by Charles Reed,
Esq., F.S.A. (the popular candidate for the new borough
of Hackney), John Richardson, Esq., Rev. Dr. Begg, of
Edinburgh, Thomas Chambers, Esq., M.P., Revs. Arthur
Mursell and G. M. Murphy, J. Macdonald, Esq., W.
Hester, Esq., J. G. Palmer, Esq., and other influential
gentlemen. We wish every success to this meeting, as
we are certain that no men arc harder worked and worse
paid than post office servants.
DESTRUCTION BY FIRE OF A PARIS THEATRE.--
The suburban theatre of Belleville was burnt to the ground
early on Wednesday morning. The flames were discovered
and the alarm given at three o'clock, and the firemen from
the neighbouring barracks, and also the soldiers from the
barracks of PrinceEugene,were soon afterwards on the spot.
Six engines were set to work, and the inhabitants of the
vicinity lent willing assistance. The colonel of the firemen
and the municipal authorities directed the operations with
zeal and intelligence ; but by five o'clock the building
was totally destroyed. The contents of the cash safe
were got out ; but Lieutenant Fournier, of the fire-
men's corps, received such severe injuries from a mass
of falling timber that he died shortly after being taken
to the nearest hospital. Five other firemen were badly
burnt, and oue is missing. It is feared, also, that two
persons employed about the theatre have perished in
the flames. Nothing is known concerning. the crigin of
the disaster.

THE EAST-END DISTRESS.—A few evenings ago
a substantial tea was given to 120 of the inmates of the
common lodging-houses in Spitalfields, at the Mission
Hall, 19, Princes-street, Brick-lane, under the auspices of
the Christian Temperance Mission. A special fund was
raised for this purpose, to which Lady Havelock and the
rector of the parish, with many others, most kindly con-
tributed. Several of the poor creatures had not broken
their fast since the previous day, and all did ample justice
to the ad libitum supply of bread and cake. After tea the
chair was taken by Mr. Conolly Peyton, the honorary
secretary, when an address was delivered by Mr. F. Gore,
which was followed by an entertainment given by the
committee and a few lady friends. Although so poverty-
stricken—many of them being shoeless—every man and
woman came to the meeting looking very clean. The
committee aro desirous of giving this treat at least weekly
during the present distress, for which purpose contribu-
Pions will be thankfully received by the treasurer at the
mistier, r 1..7 the manager at 141 4911e4#9 )A kr4404
QaDauli. -