The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATUROAY EV ENING, APRIL 27, 1867.

tween France' and Prussia, and the most powerful
influences which can be exerted would doubtless be
resorted to in order to avert the horrors of such a
contest.

Among the many dissentients to the war are the
Germans residing in Paris, to whom such a prospect
is naturally obnoxious. They have signed an ad-
dress to their countrymen demanding their aid in
the accomplishment of the work of conciliation.
The bases of the settlement of the Luxemburg
question which have bee❑ submitted to France
and Prussia by the mediating Powers are said
to be the neutral6ation of Luxemburg, its con-
tinuance under the sovereignty of the King of
Hou.asn, the evacuation of the fortress by the
Prussian garrison, and the dismantling of the for-
tifications. With the exception of the latter con-
dition all these seem fair enough, and we should
hope that the common sense view of the matter
would present its being carried out. It is always
a pity to destroy a place that might be rendered
available at an emergency, and it would be esta-
blishing a bad precedent in thus giving way to
the unfair demands and bitter prejudices
of Prussia. From the Hague we learn that
the Minister of Foreign Affairs made a speech
at the sitting of the First Chamber, in which he
alluded to the Luxemburg question, and declared
that it was not Holland which gave the first im-
pulse to these negotiations which had produced so
disquieting an effect. It is affirmed in some quar-
ters that Prussia will not stand out as to the main-
tenance of the statue quo, but will consent to a
guarantee by the Powers of Europe for the security
of Germany, and the nationality of Luxemburg.
This would be satisfactory if any reliance
could be placed upon it, but who can trust such
flattering promises respecting a Power so slow to
give up anything that she has actually got posses-
sion of, and every one knows that the real difficulty
of the thing has arisen far more from the un-
willingness of the Prussians to recede than from the
eagerness of the French to advance.
A Cabinet Council was held at Berlin on the
25th, in order to consider the proposals of the
mediating Powers on the subject of Luxem-
bourg ; but the result of the deliberations is
not made known. The King of the BELGIANS
is understood to take an active part in the work of
mediation, and is to leave for Paris with fresh pro-
posals for mediation ; but, after all, the chief burden
must fall on the parties themselves, and they must
decide which is the course they will take, that of
making sacrifices, or of procuring their desired
ends. Great stress seems to be laid by the Berlin
Government on the necessity that exists for the
destruction of the fortresses in dispute, which
appear most unreasonable, as is also the asser-

tion that the King of HOLLAND is to bear
the chief expenses of converting another place
into a military position. We may always be sure
of one thing, and that is, whatever be the objects
Prussia wishes to gain either at home or abroad,
she will take very good care that some one else shall
pay for their accomplishment, either entirely or the
chief part of them. We could enter more fully
into the views of au ambitious kingdom if there
was not so much intrinsic meanness dis-
played in all its works and ways ; but as it
is, it is really contemptible to witness the
lengths to which the statesmen of Berlin will go.
We have all heard over and over again of the great
things which the great man BtsmAncic has accom-
plished, and really an ignorant stranger might have
been pardoned thinking that Sadowa far eclipsed in
the magnitude of its results all the decisive battles
that the world has witnessed ; but a change has
speedily come over the dazling future, and Prussia
must either moderate her demands, or else engage in a

war more perilous than any she has wagAl since the
days of the First NAPOLEON. She will find no
assistance worthy of the name, and instead will
have to reap the bitter consequences of the selfish-
ness and cruelty she has displayed to so many dur-
ing the last few years, and doubtless her most
sanguine friends will rejoice at the chances of such
a contest being kept from her by a timely settle-
ment of affairs in a peaceful fashion.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Friday Evening.

The Legislative Body met again yesterday after
the holidays. There was a very full attendance,
and some anxiety prevailed, it having been reported
that there would be a cummunic,ktion from the
Government relative to Luxemburg. Nothing of
the kind took place, but M. Jules Favra put in a
claim in the usual form to be allowed to make inter-
pellations upon the subject. The Senate was to
reassemble to-day.

It appears from the Constitutionnel, and from
other semi-official articles, that the French Govern-
ment is animated by eminently pacific intentions in
regard to Luxembourg. It disclaims the idea of
obtaining any increase of territory. All that it
will require is the evacuation of the fortress by the
Prussians. This all is everything. Upon this great
point hinges the question of peace or war, and the
general tendency of the information received in
Paris to-day is that Prussia is determined to risk
everything rather than surrender its claim to con-
tinue the occupation. According to one telegram
from Berlin, it is not true that the neutral Powers
have offered mediation respecting the Treaties of
1839. Prussia founds her claim upon treaties con-
cluded previous to that period.

La France says consequence of the de
clarations of the Dutch Goverment the Grand Duk
has appointed M. Jonas, Councillor of State, as
Charge d'Affaires of the Grand Duchy of Luxem-
bourg at Paris, and M. Fcehr, member of the As-
sembly of the States, to the same office at Berlin.
The complete separation of the kingdom from the
Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is, therefore, au ac-
complished fact."
The same journal contradicts the report that a
simultaneous communication from England and
Russia had been favourably received by the Cabinet
of Berlin. It would be puerile to notice the many
contradictory reports hashed up by the Paris papers
to-day.
A brief account has been received respecting M.
nt r al
Lesaint, the intrepid French Traveller, who recentlye
left Paris on an exploring expedition in
e
Africa. M. Lesaint left Suez at the end of the
month of February, and on the 12th of March he
was at Djeddah, from where he wrote on the 13th
to say that he ghoul I start for Zoachim the next

day.
A new invention is, it is said, about to be adopted
at the Bourse, which will be very useful. By means
of a pentagonal column and a simple combination,
the prices will be exhibited instantaneously in large
letters upon all the points of the column, so that
they will be seen from any part of the building.
An Italian paper, the Corriere Italiano, says it
has authority for mentioning that Garibaldi, after
having had an interview with an eminent Italian
statesman, considering the gravity of the situation,
has prornisA not to create additional ernbarrasiment
for the Government. He therefore renounces his
intention of putting interpellations to the Ministers
upon the Roman question.
On the IGth inst. there was an interesting cere-
mony at St. Petersburg, the consecration of the
chapel erected by subscription at the entrance of the
summer gardens, on the spot where the attempt was
made to assassinate the Emperor of Russia at this
period last year. The Czar, accompanied by the
Princes of the Imperial family, and having at his
side M. Komisaroff, who turned aside the murder-
ous weapon and foiled the assassin in his attempt,
were present at the blessing pronounced by the
Archbilshop, the vast assembly who came to wit-