The Sun.
London, England, 1867-05-16 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Wednesday Evening.
The Paris papers are, of course, earnestly and
almost exclusively occupied with appreciations of

the probable result of the treaty. The Siecle, which
represents a large mass of the people of France, says
it has placed itself in connection with a great num-
ber of citizens who have communicated their views,
and from the various currents of opinion which have
been elicited it is certain that its sentiments express
the assent of the majority. "We acknowledge,"
says the Siecle, " that the treaty removes the im-
minent danger of a war between France and Prus-
sia, but ought we to sing songs of triumph be-
cAuse Prussia has granted to the Government
the smallest satisfaction which it had the right
to demand ? The Government tells us that

' it took great care to respect the just susceptibilities
of Prussia.' We regret that Prussia had not the
same delicacy towards us. What could have
been the just susceptibilities of Prussia in the
question of Luxembourg ? It has been super-
abundantly proved that, in virtue of existing treaties,
Prussia had no sort of right ti occupy the Luxern-

burg fortress. Every federal tie being broken be-
tween the Grand Duchy and Luxemburg, as M.
Bismarck acknowledged in the Parliament of the
North, Prussia ought spontaneously to have with-

drawn her troops from that fortress which was
armed against us, if, upon her part, she had been
desirous to defer to the just susceptibilities of

France. Such would have been the legal solution
according to the treaties, a solution according to

our wish.

"As to the popular right, France would have
;estified her satisfaction if the population of Luxeni-

burg had been consulted. But the principle o:
national sovereignty had again this time been sacri,

ficed by Prussia and by Europe. It does not see
that even the least allusion was made at the London
Conference. This forms a diplomatic arrangement
for which modern right has not received any con-
servation.

" We cannot avoid seeing an unfortunate inci-
dent in the stipulation of the treaty which attaches
irrevocably the Grand Duchy to the House of
Orange-Nassau. There is a report that the neu-
trality guaranteed by the Powers did appear suffi-

cient to insure that connection, athi that there is a
special clause which forbids the Grand Duke to
alienate the territory. We also regret that the
officers 2nd official press of Berlin makes the Prus-
sian Gov.aanent reply to the proofs of our disin-
terestedness and sympathy, by a mysterious, almost
menacing policy, and by acts of detiauce hardly
cancelled."

In reply to La France, which says that the fun-
damental and most interesting question was the
cessation of the foreign occupation of the fortress
of Luxemburg, the Siecle proceeds :

" We don't wish to mar the satisfaction of La
France, but we have to make one objection. If it

had been the intention of the Prussian Government
to proclaim loudly that it did not intend to threaten
any of its neighbours, it ought spontaneously to
have evacuated a citadel where it had no right to
hold garrison. it was acknowledged by M. Bismarck

in the sitting of the Reichstag of the Ist of April
that Holland protested in the months of July and
October; 1866, against the occupation of the
citadel of Luxemburg. The most ordinary rules
of right called Prussia to retire. It ought not to
have been necessary to convoke a meeting of the
great Powers to induce Prussia to adopt a course
which from the first moment equity ought to have
dictated to her."

According to the Temps the solution of the Lux-
embourg question is merely one incident, out of a
mass of international difficulties created for France
and Germany by the formation of a German

tary Empire. It adds, however, that the first re-
sult of the discussion has the great merit of post-
poning the chances of a conflict, and to give time
to the demonstration manifested in favour of peace
to develope itself.

Upon the whole it seems after a careful perusal
of the Paris journals that they are inclined to re.
gard the present solution as merely " the corn.
►nencement of the end."
The French Government has not lost a women'

in proving its pacific declarations ; but immediately
upon receiving the news of the signature of the
treaty respecting Luxemburg, the Emperor decided
that all the sub-officers and soldiers of 1860, be-
longing to the active army and the volunteers en-
gaged, who have a claim to liberation between this
and the 31st December, 1867, shall be immediately
allowed to return to their homes.
Although the Queen of Portugal has come to
Paris with a travelling title, and does not make
any State visits, her Majesty is received by the
members of the royal family, and was at the even-
ing party of the Princess Mathilde on Sunday last.
The Emperor of Russia has left Moscow for St.
Petersburg, to receive King George I. of Greece,
1 who is now in the latter capital on a visit to the

Emperor.
The King and Queen of the Belgians have ar-
rived in Paris to inspect the Exhibition. The
Emperor went to meet them on their arrival at
the Northern Railway station.
The following is the result of the first matches of
the season of the Paris Rowing Club on the lake
in the Buis de Boulogne :
Prix de la Cascade (six boats engaged) ; won by
Seminal' te.
Prix de la Muette (seven boats engaged) ; won

by Iris.
Prix de la Ville de Paris (12 boats engaged) ;
won by La Mouche.
Prix des Lacs (aye boats engaged) ; won by
Gauloise.
Prix de la Societes des Regattes (eight boats en-
gaged) ; won by Eva.
The second day's matched will take place on the
lake on Sunday next.
There has been a frightful thunderstorm in the
environs of Antwerp. Twenty-three stalls erected
at the fair were entirely destroyed. Two persons
were struck by lightning and killed near the Tete
de Flandre, and two boatmen perished on the
Scheldt. Much injury was done to. the vessels in
l the roads, and to many buildings on shore. 'here