The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOM:ON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 1867.

minds of all most immediately concerned in the
affair the great importance of this question, and
the duty that lies before them—a duty that is high
above and far beyond the claims of party. If for
a brief time separate interests are laid aside for the
common good the result will be such as to insure
success, and there will be something gained of far
more consequence than any ephemeral triumph of
the hour ; for a momentous question that has long
impeded the progress of the community will have
been taken from the vexatious position it now holds,
and removed from the arena of discussion.

The American Radicals must, we fear, be desig-
nated political busybodies. Whatever goes on
North or South, anywhere over the whole surface
of the great American continent, must come under
their notice. They have, in their own estimation,
proved themselves so thoroughly competent to
legislate for the United States that they have time
and attention to spare for the British American
Provinces, for the Mexican Empire, and for the
States of South America. Their last achievement,
as recorded by the cable on Saturday, is sufficiently
characteristic. " The House of Representatives,"
so runs the telegram, " has ordered the immediate
appointment of a committee on foreign relations, in
view of the approaching confederation of the British
North American provinces." This is a piece of
somewhat unwarrantable impertinence. What has
the confederation of the provinces to do with the
House of Representatives? Very certainly Canada
does not expect to be consulted as to the admission
of Colorado or Nebraska. The Radicals appear to
have an impression that we hold Canada on suf-
ferance, and that they have a right to express an
opinion as to its form of government. The other
day they were in a fuss because there was a ru-
mour of a Canadian kingdom, and they plainly
hinted that such a thing could not be allowed. But
a confederation of states, one might have imagined,
would have been most congenial to the American
mind. The Radicals, however, are up in arms at the
thought, and they cap their proceedings by passing
a resolution expressive of sympathy with Ireland.
This last achievement fortunately takes the whole
affair out of the region of practical legislation into
that of extravagant absurdity. The Radicals are
determined to produce an effect somewhere,
and so they have recourse to the make-believe
heroism of Fenianism. The PRESIDENT, we learn,
will not send the usual message to Congress. Pro-
bably he thinks that his veto messages have suffi-
ciently explained his policy, and his position with
the Houses is now so awkward that the message
would be a difficult and unsatisfactory task. As
yet the dominant party in the new House has not
shown much wisdom, and we must hope that a little
time will bring about a modification of their plans
and policy.

After London streets and squares have been left
to grow and extend themselves very much after the
inclination of builders and speculators, the autho-

rities seem to have; been suddenly inspired with a
desire to introduce some sort of architectural har-

mony into the great unwieldy metropolis. Reform,
which is usually slow enough in its operations, has

during the last few years effected vigorous changes,
and we have the prospect of more to come. What
with the Holborn-valley improvement, the new City
thoroughfares, the Thames Embankment, and its
attendant alterations, and the new bridges, we
shall soon scarcely recognise some of old London's
most familiar features. One of the most useful of
the West-end improvements will be the relief of the
traffic at the southern half of Park-lane. In the
days of the first Great Exhibition the pressure on
this narrow and troublesome passage was very
great, and much inconvenience was felt from it.

But exhibitions, however successful, are temporary
things, and it was confidently expected that Park-

_ •
lane would soon resume its wonted quietude. The
erection of the Victoria Station forbade any such
tranquillity, and the stream constantly flowing
northwards to southwards from Paddington to Vic-

toria, and vice versa, occasions perpetual perplexity
to drivers, alarm to travellers, and danger to those
on foot. It is acknowledged on all hands that some-
thing must be done with the bottom of Park-lane.
From Piccadilly itself up to Pittshead-rnews the
lane is entirely unsuited for anything like rapid and
continuous traffic, and the danger and inconveni-
ence daily experienced are so great that the public
are impatient for some change. Many suggestions
have been made, many plans laid before the Metro-

politan Board ; and, as a matter of course, many
objections have been raised to every scheme pro-
posed. The plan which has been fortunate enough
to oLtain the approval of the Board is the most
simple, and, at the same time, probably the most
efficacious that could have been suggested ; its only
objection being the attendant expense. It consists,
as our readers are aware, of the removal of the
houses on the western side of the lane, which will,
of course, add greatly to the width of the thorough-
fare ; in fact, it will at the south corner, where the
pressure is greatest, nearly double it. Those
familiar with this part of London know that the
houses on the western side run but a short distance
up the lane ; in fact, they terminate just opposite
Pittshead-mews, and consequently the task of re-
moval would not be too formidable.

Another scheme has recently been submitted to
the public by Mr. SAXON SNELL, which has the
two advantages of economy and efficiency, and
which, therefore, deserves careful consideration.
Mr. SNELL'S plan is to make the wide Park road
which runs from Apslcy House northwards a public
road as far as Stanhope-gate, making a new road
for the park traffic a little to the west where the
grass now is. Mr. SNELL argues that his plan
would secure a wide and handsome road, amply
sufficient for even greater traffic than we now
have, while he presses upon the attention of the
ratepayers a more potent argument—the great re-
duction of expense. The Metropolitan Board esti-
mate the cost of their scheme at £105,000, which
Mr. SNELL thinks may probably be £150,000. His
own method, on the other hand, would, he thinks,
require no more than £ll,OOO. Certainly, these
figures plead loudly on Mr. SNELL'S behalf ; but,
though expense is a very important consideration,
it is not a paramount one ; and in a great and
wealthy city the first question to be asked with
regard to permanent improvements is, not how
they can be most cheaply done, but how
they can be best done. An anecdote is told
of RENNIE, that when some economical gentleman
objected to the estimate of 'Waterloo-bridge, he
answered in characteristic fashion—" Hoot man ! a
hundred years hence people won't ask how much it
cost, but who built it !" This is the spirit in which
to plan and to execute a great metropolitan work,
and any attempt at ill-timed and unsuitable economy
generally defeats itself. The saving effected in
building the National Gallery will have cost a good
many extra thousands before we have done with
it, besides being a constant source of mortification
and annoyance. London can surely afford to carry
out a public improvement in a large and liberal
spirit, and though there is no need to waste the
money of the ratepayers, the general feeling will be
in favour of a really satisfactory plan. Mr. SNELL'S
scheme is, of course, much less costly, because there
is no compensation required ; and he hints that if

the new park railings are thrown back all the way
up, one of the handsomest and least expensive
streets in London would be formed from Grosvenor-
place to Oxford-street. But on the same principle,
by building over half the park, we might
have several handsome and inexpensive streets
and squares. Everybody knows that the ground
so enclosed could be turned to excellent account for
building, but all classes are of opinion that we have
pavements and chimneypots enough, and that it is
desirable to keep some few green oases in this
desert of bricks and mortar. The parks are for the
enjoyment of all ranks, and any one who goes there
on a fine summer's evening may see for himself that
all ranks avail themselves of them. Why then
should there be such a serious interference with

Hyde Park? The confusion, banished from Park-
lane, would reign tenfold at Hyde-park-corner,
where the conflicting throngs of cabs to and from
the railways, horses, and carriages going in and
coming out of the Park, nurses and children going
to look on, would meet in most admired confusion.
Hyde-park-corner is, in all conscience, busy enough
in spring and summer with the ordinary pleasure
traffic without adding to it the eager travellers
rushing from one train to another, the heavy lug-
gage, and all the other impedimenta of great railway
routes. The free admission of public carriages to
Birdcage-walk is several times referred to by Mr.
SNELL in his statement, and he thinks
the precedent answers all objections. But
the traffic at Hyde-park-corner and Park-
lane is a very different thing, and the damage done
to the park would be very much greater. As for
the acute angles he talks of no London driver need
fear them, since he can hardly get from the centres
of business to any of the great stations without
sundry turns and corners. Mr. SNELL'S scheme,
as we have said, deserves attention, but we think it
is open to grave objection. Our Parks have been
laid out at great cost for public recreation ; and the
necessity for preserving open spaces increases
rather than diminishes. Mr. SNELL'S scheme
would effect a great change in the Park, and would
not, we think, in any corresponding degree, effect
the desired relief in the traffic.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

There was a Cabinet Council yesterday at the
Tuileries, at which the Emperor presided. The
Empress was present.
The project of law for the reorganisation of the
Army and the National Guard, which has just been
submitted to the Chambers, is preceded by a report
of great length relative to the former and present
condition of the Army and the best mode of im-
proving it. The object of the changes may be
briefly described as being based upon the prin-
ciple of diminishing the expense of the Army in
time of peace and augmenting its resources in time
cf war. Thus the law will authorise the enrolment
out of the 325,000 young men who every year at-
tain the age of 21 a total of 160,000 men instead
of 100,000 hitherto chosen by lot. These 160,000
will be formed into two parts, one forming the
active Army and the other the reserve. All the
young men are bound to serve for nine years, but
in different degrees. The soldiers of the first part
of the contingent will serve five years in the active
Army and then 4 years in the Reserve. The sol-
diers of the second part of the contingent will serve
four years in the Reserve and then for five years in
the National Guard. This enrolment of 160,000
men, who, with the deductions for the Marine,
exemptions and exonerations, will be reduced to
117,000, will give to the active Army, after five
years, 400,000 men, and, at the end of four more
years, 275,000 for the Reserve of young men, thus
augmented by 55,000 men only. In time of peace
the new project will considerably decrease the bur-
then of conscription, but in time of war it will fur-
nish, considerable resources and add materially
to the strength of the Army. France will, by
its means, be able to place under arms :

Soldiers on active service ... ... 400,000
Old soldiers who hare served 5 years 154,000
Bounty soldiers of the reserve ... 275,000

Total ••• ••• ... 829,000
As to the National Guard, there will, under the
provisions of the law in future, be no difficulty.
The general total of the land forces of France will
be thus composed :
Active army ••• ••• ... 400,000
Reserve, 154,920 soldiers, and 275,595
•••
youngobile National
con-
tingents of the reserve, and 94,000
exonerated. •••
soldiers
Guard, five M

... 430,000

... 408,000

Total, men ...
...1,238,000
Thus, with an annual contingent to be reduced to
117,000 men, under the regulations above named
and with the addition of the National Guard, who,
will not be subjected to any inconvenient exercises,
France will be able to reckon in case of need upon
more than 1,200,000 soldiers.
The Paris papers, of course, discuss the proposed
law very earnestly, to the exclusion of all other
topics. The Journal des Debats seems to consider
the proposal as involved in obscurity, and as dis-
appointed that soldiers will still be allowed to
marry after having obtained permission from their
surperior officers.
The Opinion Nationale is more unfavourable to the
proposals than any of the other papers. It says—
" Exoneration is maintained for the active army, for
the reserve, and the National Guard ; the principles
of substitution isadmitted. Exoneration from mili-
tary service has always been one of the privileges
of the rich, but for the poor there was at least the
chance of the urn. Now for the poor there is no
change. In some sort the poor alone will pay the
blood tax."

The Arts have sustained another loss by the
death of Louis Boulanger, the eminent painter,
which took place at Dijon. He was only 61.
Boulanger belonged to the romantic school of
painting, and was director of the Dijon School of
Fine Arts.

The little American yacht Red, White, and Blue,
which sailed from Dover a few days ago on a
voyage across the Atlantic, intending to put into
Havre, met with a heavy sea, and was forced to
take shelter in the port of Caen. Capt. French,
of the steamer Le Souvenir, rendered the most
praiseworthy assistance, and the yacht did not sus-
tain any injury.
The eminent German painter, Pierre de Corne-
lius, is also dead. He was born at Dusseldorf in

1787, and when only 19 he was engaged to paint
the cupola of the church of Neuss, a work which
laid the foundation of his great reputation. After
having studied at Rome he was employed to re-

store the celebrated mythological frescoes at Munich.
In Germany his master-piece is considered to be
" Cycle des Niebelungen." Cornelius was one of
the foreign members of the French Institute.

As I informed you in my letter of Friday, the
assassin Lemaire was executed that morning at six

o'clock. It was only at half-past five o'clock that
he knew the sentence was about to be carried out.

When the prison attendants informed him that the
hour was arrived, he said, " Very well, gentlemen ;
dress me, I am ready." Ile was seated awake on
his seat when they entered his cell. Ilis strait
jacket was taken off, and he was dressed in his
usual clothes. lie was as calm as possible,
and combed his hair very carefully. Being
asked if he wanted anything, he said he should
like a glass of wine and water, which was given to
him. The Abbe Crauzes, the almoner of the pri-
son, wished to speak with the culprit, but the lat-
ter did not pay much attention to him, and the con-
versation was very brief. The minister of religion
was much more moved than the man who was about
to die. The prisoner crossed the courtyard as
quickly as his bonds could allow bite, and he mounted
the scaffold with perfect indifference, and then
quietly embraced the abbe. The crowd was im-
mense, although the amateurs of executions had
assembled and been disappointed every day for a

week previously. The soldiers kept the people at
such a distance from the scaffold that it was not
much of a spectacle for them. One remarkable in-
cident of this terrible affair was indicative of the
penchant of the fair sex for such exhibitions. The
great proportion of the crowd was formed of wo-
men. A more solemn characteristic of the scene
was that while the quivering remains of the mur-
derer were being conveyed away in the blood-cov-
ered wicker trunk containing the body and the de-
capitated head, the Abbe Crauzes was seen on his
knees praying for the soul of the criminal. Just
before the fatal moment of the execution, Lemaire
said, " Happily my first crime was my last ;" and
so did he end his earthly career. A tradesman of
Montmartre who was well acquainted with Lemaire
when he was but sixteen, relates that he often saw
him with a woman who sold carpets, and whom he
supposed to be his mother. One day the conversa-
tion turned upon great criminals. Lemaire became
suddenly animated, and said " I shall die upon the
scaffold, and my affair will make a great noise in
the world. You will see details of it in all the news-
papers, and you must come to iny execution, for
you will never be able to witness anything like it."
The narrator of this accountsays he advised Lemaire
to read the Causes Celebres, and the accounts of the
sufferings of convicts at the hulks, thinking that
they might change his sinister ideas, but Lemaire
replied, " I know what the prisons and hulks are.
1 don't mean to go there. If I were condemned
now they would send me to them. I shall wait."
His fpiend said, " But you have not the phrenolo-
gical bump of crime." " Look behind my neck,"
replied Lemaire, "y ou will see a place where the
hair has never grown. That is a sign that my head
will be cut off." The person who gives this ac-
count says that he was determined to keep the
terrible appointment, and that he went for several
mornings to the place of execution, but that, like
thousands of others, he was disappointed because of
the postponement of the " last scene of all."
There has been a horrible attempt at parricide at
Calais. Alfred Luornez, aged 29, employed as a
dockyard carpenter, has made a murderous attack
with a knife upon his father, a man of 65. The
crime is surrounded with aggravating circumstances,
long premeditation, breaking into a house, incen-
diarism, and attempted suicide. The villain at-
tacked his father in the night, inflicted severe if
not mortal wounds, and cut out one of his eyes.
He then set fire to the building where his father
slept in the dockyard. His excuse is that he has
long been subjected to ill-treatment from his father.
The wounds of the ruffian himself are not serious ;
he was prevented from carrying out his intention of
PARIS, Sunday Evening, suicide.

A petition to the Senate is in course of signature
at Paris, praying for the imposition of a tax upon
bachelors. The greater number of the signatures
hitherto obtained are those of women.

There was great abundance of violent rain last
night. To-day the rain has been heavy and copious.
The temperature, however, is completely changed.
It has been warm, and the air is like that of spring.
According to the Spanish astronomer the second
deluge will commence in the course of the ensuing
week. Such superstition still prevails in the Landes
and near Bayonne that some tradesmen are said to
have sold off their stock-in-trade and left the
country.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE ITALIAN ELECTIONS.

FLORENCE, March U.

In addition to the returns already announced, the
following Deputies were elected yesterday to the
Italian Parliament.

For Bari, Signor Massari ; Brogatoro, Signor
Torrigiani ; Casalborgone, Signor Baroni ; Creme,
Signor Martini; Recanate, Signor Briganti ;
Bellini, Signor Bologna. The first college elected
Signor Ceneri by 419 votes against Signor Ming-
hetti, who obtained 394 votes. The second college
elected Signor Pepoli by 488 votes against Garibaldi,
83. For Vigone, Signor Corte ; Ivrea, Signor
Brida ; Partinico, Signor Castiglia. ; Vercelli,
Signor Marchetti ; Clusone, Signor Festa ;
Girgenti, Signor Laporta ; Biandrate, Signor
Tornielli ; Corleone, Signor Napoli ; Todica
elected Signor Papa by 225 votes against Mazzini,
who obtained 144. For Desio, Signor Borromeo ;
at Sanvato, Signor Bremeni was successful against
Signor Bilia, the former obtaining 182, the latter,
96 votes. For Tirano, Signor Visconti-Venosta ;
San Remo, Signor Biancheri ; Porto Maurizio,
Signor Alfieri ; San Giovanni, Signor Bixio. At
Naples, the First College elected Signor Ruggiero,
334 votes, against Signor Avezzana, 291. The
Second College elected Signor Poeris, 277 votes,
against Signor Aproni, 101. In the Third
College, signor Luzzano defeated Signor Castel-
lano by 221, against 198 votes. The Fourth
College elected Signor Delucca, 377 votes against
Signor Cosenz, 194 ; the Seventh elected Signor
Sandonata ; the Ninth Signor Pessina, 245 votes
against Signor Persica, 239 votes ; in the Tenth
Garibaldi, 95 votes against Signor Detullo, 50.
For Cassati, Signor Sella ; Turin, Signor Nervo ;
Afrazola, Signor Chiaradia, 143 votes against Signor
Cumino, 86 ; Minervino, Signor Greco ; Iseo, Signor
Zamardelli ; Taranto, Signor Pisanelli, 295 votes
against Signor Carbonelli, 178 ; Avrano, Signor
'Mancini; Cangri, Signor Mari, 220 votes against
Signor Massarini, 119 ; Empoli, Signor Salvagnoli,
347 votes against Signor Bardi, 78; Sorrento, Signor
Demartino ; Crescentano, Signor Bertholet ; Chieri,
Signor Villa; Salerno, Signor Nicoteri. At Milan,

the first College elected Signor Cattaneo, 421 votes
against Signor Visconti-Venosta, 348 votes. In
the second College Signor Tenca, 786 votes, against
Garibaldi, 144. In the third, Signor Carrenta, 563
votes, against Signor Ferrari, 117. The fourth
elected Signor Sirtori by 479 votes, against Signor
Corbetti, 219. In the sth Signor Paotti, 593 votes,
against Signor Piola, 358. Venice Second College,
Signor Fambri, 314 votes against Signor Benibo,
82. Third College, Signor Rocca, 130 votes,
against Signor Bembo, 68 ; Bologna, Signor Berti
Pichard, 477 votes, against Signor Loup, 33 ;
Cuggiono, Signor Amoni ; Altri, Signor Devicenzi ;
Feltre, Signor Alvisi, 174 votes, against Signor
Deboni, 109 ; Lecce, Signor Bertani.