The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-14 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE Flto2ll PARIS•

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.
The anticipation in my letter of yesterday that
the treaty for the regulation of the affairs of the
Grand Duchy of Luxemburg would be signed on
Saturday has been realised. The Moniteur states
that the Government of the Emperor will without
delay lay before the Chambers the provi3ions it

contains.
The Prince of Wales has arrived in Paris. He
is for the present the guest of Lord Cowley. The
King and Queen of the Belgians are expected to-
morrow. The Grand Duchess Marie Niculaevna,

sister of the Emperor of Russia, is also expected

Apartments have been ordered for her at the
Grand Hotel.

The King of Italy left Florence on Thursday, and
arrived on the same evening at Venice. On receiv-

ing the authorities the King announced that he
should devote the sum of 50,000 f. to the poor of
Venice. His Majesty added that he intended to
propose a law to Parliament, allowing a credit of
10 millions of francs for various public works to be
executed at Venice, and particularly for the Arsenal.
A letter from Florence states that information
has been received there from various parts of the
kingdom expressing the favourable impression pro-
duced by the explanation of the financial position
made to the Parliament by M. Ferrara, the Minis-
ter of Finance. ' The promise made as to the speedy
suppression of the forced circulation of bank notes
has given great satisfaction.
The Diet of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar
was opened on the 6th of May with a view to dis-

cuss the new Federal Constitution. The formal
opening of ;.he session W../3 mad,: by the Miuist2r of
Sate, who read a niess:►ge from the Grand Duke.
After haring alluded to the general advantages it
would confer upon all the Confederate States, from
the sacrifices imposed, his Royal Highness expressed
a hope that the Diet would appreciate the necessities
of the position, and that it would give its consent
to the act constituting the Confederation of the
North.

In the Senate to-day an important communica-
tion was made by the Marquis de Moustier, Minister
of Foreign Affairs. It stated that the Landon Con-
ference had finished its labours, and signed on
Saturday a treaty, determining in a definitive man-
ner the international situation of the Grand Duchy
of Luxembourg. After mentioning the facts already
known, the document stated that the text of the
Treaty would be published as soon as the ratifica-
tions were exchanged. The chief points, however,
are that the City of Luxembourg will cease to be a
fortified city. The King of Prussia declares that,

immediately after the ratifications, the troops now
in garrison in the fortress will receive orders
to evacuate it. The Grand Duke of Lux-
embourg, on his part, engages to take the neces-
sary measures to convert the place into an open city
by means of demolitions to satisfy the intentions of
the Powers. The ratifications are to be exchanged
within a month at the latest. " This treaty fully

carries out the views of the French Government. It

puts an end to a situation created against us in ad-
verse times. It gives to our northern frontier the
guarantee of a new neutral State. It assures to
the King of the Netherlands entire independence.
Not only it suppresses the causes of an imminent
conflict, but it gives fresh guarantees for stregthen-
ing our good relations with our neighbours and
for the peace of Europe." A similar communi-
cation was made to the Legislative Body.

An interesting experiment has been made on the

Seine under the auspices of Prince Oscar, of
Sweden, with the small Swedish boats sent for the

Exhibition. The Prince did the honours on board
one of them, called Mathilde, in honour of a recent
visit from the Princess Mathilde. The Consul of
Sweden, M. de Fehnehjelm, was on board the other.
Several members of the international jury, and
scientific and literary men, were invited, and the
boats were beautifully ornamented with flags and
ornaments. These boats possess excellent nautical
qualities, and glide upon the water with much faci-
lity, and without vibration. In the environs of
Stockholm about a hundred of these boats ply like
our steamers on the Thames and those on the Seine.
They are fourteen metres long and three metres
wide. They can take sixty passengers, and with
four-horse power the speed is at the rate of from
two to three leagues an hour. They are coming
into use in Prussia, where many are to be seen on
the Neva. The Prince returned on board the boat
under the direction of the Swedish Consul. When
the experiments were concluded, M. de Watteville,
one of the jury, begged permission to propose a toast
to all around. " Monseigneur," said M. Watteville,
" to your Royal Highness and to Swedish hospita-
lity." Prince Oscar repliEgl—" Gentlemen, to
France. Let me say to France, which I love as
much as you do." The air resounded with cheers 'at
this simple but expressive speech.
Every one in Paris knows the popular engraving
representing a sentinel on duty at a time when
Napoleon the First was making a tour of inspection.
the Emperor wished to pasi ; but the sentinel,
in strict accordance with his orders, presented arms
and said, " if you were the Little Corporal himself,
I would not let you go on." The Emperor,
though annoyed at the moment, sent for the honest
sentinel in the evening, and bestowed the order of
the Legion of Honour upon him. This soldier,
Jean Coluche de Gastens, has just died at Gouaix,
Seine et Marne, at the age of eighty-eight. The
anecdote is founded on historical fact. The inci-
dent took place on the 12th of March, 1814. The
old soldier went to Fontainebleau a few years ago,
and was very cordially received by the Emperor
and Empress, who laughed at it over and over
again. The old sentinel had a pension from Napo-
leon the Third.
Last night was very stormy, and to-day, until
the afternoon, it rained in abundance. It then
cleared up, and visitors in great numbers ventured
to the Exhibition. I took a passing glance at two
l very remarkable objects, one in the English the