The Sun.
London, England, 1867-01-02 00:00:00

scheme which he undertakes, no one can deny that
he is distinguished for great dexterity in reconciling
separate interests, and combining apparently ad-
verse influences to work together in carrying out•
his own ends. Under his excellent management
wa do not hear of those vexatious contretemps
which were always taking place under his
predecessors, and causing so much injury to
the prosperity of France, and the progress of
the people. We may expect that many mistakes
will be made in consequence of the somewhat ex-
clusive character of his Government, and it is certain
that there are grave errors in his policy in keeping
up the restrictions of an earlier period so per-
sisently, but we may at all events rest assured that
under his vigorous rule there will be no fear for the
eventual safety of the Empire he rules, and that he
will not suffer its character to be impaired or its
honour assailed with impunity.

When the long-looked-for Atlantic Telegraph
was completed, one of the common remarks made
was that it would tend very much to promote a
good understanding between this country and
America. Such will no doubt prove to be the case,
since the intervening distance has often much to do
with national jealousies and misunderstandings. It
is difficult even when both sides speak the same
language for the dwellers two or three thousand
miles apart to be completely en rapport with each
other, and little political disputes or temporary
agitations assume needlessly formidable pro-
portions when told a month later as im-
portant items of news. The great rapidity with
which the mails now carry intelligence backwards
and forwards has had probably much to do with
removing some of that mutual prejudice which for-
merly existed between Englishmen and Americans;
and now that the wonder-working wires can carry
on, if need be, a conversation between Queen
VICTORIA and President JOHNSON, between Lord
STANLEY and Mr. SEWARD, between JOHN BRIGHT
and THADDEUS STEVENS, there is less reason to
apprehend serious political or national misunder-
standings. The similarity of language has been
cited by Lord STANLEY as one of the reasons why
Englishmen and Americans are so ready to take
offence at one another's sharp sayings, but there
are also great advantages conferred by it in the way
of promoting cordiality and goodwill. The pleasant
excitement which has been going on at Cowes dur-
ing the last week has been rendered more agreeable
and satisfactory by the fact that the congratulations
and the compliments were exchanged iu the same
language, and the cordial welcome of the Isle of
Wight to its distinguished visitors was spoken in
their own tongue.
The ocean yacht race has been an interesting and
spirited affair, which Englishmen, and more particu-
larly yachtsmen, have watched with scarcely less at-
tention than the New Yorkers themselves. Royalty
itself has condescended to manifest an unusual
degree of interest in the beautiful vessels which
have winged their way across the broad Atlantic,
and her MAJESTY has emerged from her usual
retirement to wave her congratulations to the victor,
who, Republican though he be, was no doubt highly
gratified. The grand banquet, without which no-
thing important can be done in England, was given
on Saturday in the old quarters of the Royal Yacht
Squadron, and was worthy of the occasion. Taste
and ingenuity had been taxed to the utmost to give
the yachtsmen and their friends a true English
greeting, and the traditional reputation of the
English Yacht Club itself was not forgotten. Sir
JOHN SIMEON, M.P., took the chair, and was
surrounded by a goodly company of English and
Americans. The customary toasts were given
with all due honours, followed by some animated
and characteristic speeches on the relations between
the two countries and the naval achievements of
both sides. Mr. JEROME, one of the American

visitors, gave an amusing account of the manner in
which the yacht race was made up. The naval
candidates were at dinner, when two of them ar-
ranged it, and one as if to outdo the other said,
" Let us make it from Sandyhook to Cowes."
" That suits mc" was the answer. " Let us
sail in the stormy month of December."
This proposition was also agreed to. Then
a third member of the company asked if
they would let his yacht join the match. They
willingly agreed on Mr. JEROME'S authority,
as they thought her decidedly the slowest
boat. Yet that gentleman was Captain BENNETT,
and that yacht the Henrietta. It has been said
that good navigation had quite as much to do with
her success as the speed of the vessel, and that it
was owing to a mistake in the course that one of
her rivals did not outstrip her. At any rate the candi-
dates were very fairly matched, and American yachts-
men have good reason to be proud of the speci-
mens they have sent among us. Mr. JEROME said
very justly that the more friendly competition in
matters of sport and science there was between
England and America far less fear would there be
of their politicians drawing them asunder. The
science of navigation in every degree, whether fol-
lowed professionally or for sport, exercises a peculiar
fascination over all branches of the Anglo-Saxon
race, and the mutual tastes and interest afford a
pleasant and profitable meeting ground for English-
men and Americans. The more the two nations mix
together in a friendly spirit of rivalry and goodwill
the more will the rust of ill-founded prejudices
and jealous mistrust be rubbed off, and the
better will both parties learn to make allowance for
each other's characteristic failings, and to appreciate
and admire the sterling qualities which both possess.
Englishmen grave and earnest may enjoy that
sparkling American humour with which LOWELL
and SAM SLICK have made them familiar, and of
which Mr. FISKE gave them an animated specimen
the other evening. Americans may learn that Eng-
lish moroseness and exclusiveness exist more in name
than in reality, and that the mother country is ready
not only to give a hearty welcome to her children
from the other side of the Atlantic, but .is
eager to show her cordial pleasure in their
successes and achievements. In naval architecture
especially there is a noble race open before them, and
one in which the characteristic energy of the Ameri-
cans has been already displayed. They have sent
us over a specimen of their Monitors, and now they
show us in their three beautiful yachts that they are
no less successful in building vessels of a lighter
description. Our Admiralty may take the hint with
advantage, and while there are many things in
which our transatlantic kinsfolk may learn from
the experience and ability of the old country, it
would be a very desirable thing for our naval lords
and boards to try if they could not carry into our
English navy a little of the "go a-head" spirit
characteristic of Columbia.

Yesterday a banquet took place in the Town-hall,
Oxford, to celebrate the opening of the New Year,
according to the custom of the Oxford Lodge of the
Order of Friends. Mr. NEATE was the only re-
presentative of the city, as Mr. CARDWELL is in
Italy. He made an interesting speech, in which he
alluded to the present perplexed state of public
affairs. The advanced party, as it might be called,
was the only one to speak out just now, and stated
that what it desired was resi lential manhood suf-
frage. Mr. NEATE declared that he might say, with-

out' ca mmittin,g himself too far in that direction,
"that if Mr. GLADSTONE wonld propose a measure for
establiVling manhood suffrage, and Mr. CARDWELL
supported it, he, too, •would be ready to vote for it."
The hon. member then proceeded to vindicate the
House of Commons from the aspersions which had
of late been cast upon it, and said, very truly, that
it had been treated at recent meetings in a way
which it -did not deserve. He used to think that an
honour Fuld been conferred upon him when he was
made a member of Parliament ; but of late the
House had been spoken of in the " presence
of large assemblages of Englishmen in a
manner which, if justified, would warrant
him in asking them what they had seen about
him which made them think him worthy of being
placed in so disreputable a body."
The same suggestion may often have occurred to
those who read the inflated language in which Mr.
BRIGHT and his friends assail the House of which
they are members ; and it may well be asked, then,
why do they remain in a place of which they pre-
tend to be ashamed. Mr. NEATE spoke very sen-
sibly of the various meetings which had lately taken
place, and of the tendencies which might lead the
speakers to go too far and forget the difference be.
tween argument and intimidation, and the distinc-
tion between assemblages gathered together for
purposes of discussion and mere demonstrations of
numerical force. He further added that he was
quite sure the Liberal party generally would not
support the idea of a tumultuous assemblage in
the metropolis for the purpose of carrying out a
political object. We are glad that the hon. mem-
ber should speak so decidedly, and we hope that
his example will be followed by many others, be-
cause it is important that order and peace should
be preserved, and that serious consequences to
life and property should be averted. Nothing
will excuse those who may allow party -feeling
and prejudice to carry them beyond the limits of
prudence, and to excite the passions of those who
are not restrained by education and thought.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROX OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Tuesday Evening.
New Year's-day in Paris is the great day of the
year. It is anticipated eagerly by all, and some
previous weeks are occupied in preparing works of
art, industry, and taste. Paris has surpassed her-
self now. The display in the shops is marvellous
and beautiful. The Sun could not contain a list of
these wonders of skill and industry. They include
every article that is beautiful, luxurious, and useful.
In addition to the display in the regular shops there
are miles of temporary wooden shops on the Boule-
vards for wares and merchandise of more humble
character. It would be more easy to say what is
not sold at these than to describe the multifarious
"unconsidered trifles" which may be there obtained.
For many days past waggon loads of wares have
been on sale at the Halle and elsewhere,
The day has not been very favourable for a walk
about Paris, as the streets are deplorably muddy ;
but Parisians will go out when there is anything to
be seen, and so the thoroughfares have been crammed
to repletion, and the shops besieged. On this day
everybody goes to see everybody, or sends his card,
or present, or both, so the streets are overwhelmed
and the Post-office inundated with complimentary
messages. So enormous is the number of letters
just now that there is great delay in their trans-

mission.
On this eventful day all classes and conditions
greet each other with the wish for a happy new year
—/a bonne annee—and the amount.of embracing and
shaking of hands is something enormous. Time was
when bonbons were given for the sake of the sweet
artistical confections of which they consisted. The
Parisians have changed all that, and it is
the beautiful box which contains them that
is now coveted. The well-known house of
Siraudin, whose successor is M. Reinhard,
has this year set a costly example in this respect.
What do think of 1,000 f., or £4O, for a bonbons
box. That amount is nothing compared with the
sum given by those who have taste and cash.
This may be understood when it is stated that some
of the boxes are enriched with gold and diamonds,
or rubies or amethysts, or other precious glittering
trifles of that sort. The house of Siraudin might be
mistaken just now for a fairy palace. It is full of
gaudy wonders. At the door are two dolls, or
rather statutes, dressed gorgeously, and wearing in
their hair real.diamonds and other precious stones,
to say nothing of their diamond necklaces and
other ornaments. One of these figures is emble-
matical of the city of Paris. On the dress are
embroidered the arms of the city. The other lady
is supposed to represent the Great Exhibition of
1867. Her forehead sparkles with a diadem
of diamonds, and there is no lack of pearls and gold
on the dress.
I have said that it would be difficult to particu-
larise the various objects of art and industry, but I
must make mention of the dolls, for they form a
special feature of the productions of the day. Dolls
are to be had from lf. up to £l,OOO or £2,000
sterling. History is called into requisition as mo-
dels for their costumes. Thus there are dolls repre-
senting the dresses of the Queens of France from
remote ages, and imitations of the costumes of vari-
ous ladies of eminence. Literature, for instance, is
represented by a doll dressed after the manner of that
adopted by Madame de Sevigne. I should not omit
to mention that the favourite toy is the needle-gun.
The ear is saluted in all directions by the popping
of these guns, and the shrill cry of "the real needle
gun for 21fr."
It was the custom of the Romans on New-year's
Day to go into the woods and gather a branch of
palm tree, which is always green, and offer it as a
gift of lasting friendship, and as the homage to con-
cord and a sign of peace. King Tatius, it is re-
corded, accepted from his people such a modest
tribute borrowed from the time of the Goddess
Strenua. These branches of palm were soon
called strenxu, a word which in modern times has
been corrupted to etrenones (New Year's gifts.)
In Brittany many curious customs, derived from

the Druids, are still kept up. In some of the vil

lages the boys and youug men assemble at day
break with branches of the pine or oak, and visi

the principal inhabitants to wish them a happy New
Year, and, of course, receive a little gratuity. They
all shout out as they go in procession the word
" Eguinane," which, in the dialect of Brittany, sig-
nifies the period for the germination of corn. The
farmers parade about with a cart, drawn by six
oxen, which are decorated with ribands and agri-
cultural devices.

Apropos of the bonbons, which are so deeply

interwoven with the ceremonies of this day, a visit
to the house of M. Reinhard will convince the most
sceptical that their manufacture, and that of the
adjuncts to them, is an art requiring study and
taste. Their infinite variety is marvellous, and
equally wonderful is their flavour and the skill dis-
played in the form and variety of the bonbonniere or
box which contains them. There are some so ex-
pensive and so beautiful as scarcely to be within the
reach of any one but a millionaire. Siraudin, the
predecessor of the present proprietor, was addicted
to literature. He was a writer of vaudevilles, and
it is said that when the house was first opened his
sweetmeats were enveloped with poetical devices.
But great strides in luxury, skill, and expense have
been made since that time.

There was a Cabinet Council yesterday at the
Tuileries, at which the Emperor presided.
The Vienna Gazette publishes a letter from the
Emperor of Austria, by which he approves of the
project of military reorganisation presented by the
Minister of 'War, with the reserve that there shall
be a constitutional discussion upon it. The Emperor
at the same time allows some modifications in the
present law for the recruitment of the army. The
following are the most important modifications pro-
posed :--The length of service is to be six years in
the army, and six years in the army of reserve