The Sun.
London, England, 1867-12-20 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON. FRIL)AY EVENING, DECEMBER 20, 1.-614.

be greatly furthered and advanced ; and this is very
true -in. all respects, because we have already an
ample' illustration of th? advantages to be derived
from a . change of plans, and-much may be done by
energc tic means even in the dreary shade of Oppo-
sition "by those who seek to serve their country.

The hopeful views which we have from the first
entertained of the prospects of the Abyssinian
campaign seem in a fair way of realisation. So far,
at least, the dismal prophecies of those who fore-
told every possible disaster to the expedition are
unfulfir ed. A telegram, which the Secretary of
India has just received from Colonel MEREWETHER,
is most encouraging. It is dated Senafe, Dec. 7,
and rep arts the encampment of the advanced
brigade ou a fine. plain. "This body," says
the Colons], " has come up from the coast
without a hitch, proving that the British
troops can enter Abyssinia with ease." Thus the
only preliminary difficulties which our ignorance of
the real nature of the country might have led us
to apprehend have melted away altogether, and
a most important step is gained. So far, too, the
health and morale of the troops continue excellent.
Colonel MEREWETHER reports " All well," a grati-
fying intimation to the many friends and relatives
of the adventurers for the Christmas season.
Whatever doubts or discouragements may have
been indulged in by critics, their anxieties and
apprehensions do not appear to have affected those
most concerned, for, from the outset, both officers
and men have been full of spirit and confidence, re-
joicing, as British troops naturally do, in an honour-
able service and an opportunity for distinction.
Scarcely less important than the ready means of
access to the interior is the news of the continued
friendliness of the Abyssinian people. Several more
chiefs, according to Colonel MEREWETHER, have
come in to pay their respects. There is, therefore,
little reason to expect a very formidable resistance
from a people so dissaffected to their own Sove-
reign that they are ready to welcome any stranger
who sets foot in the country. From the
first the chiefs and people in the vicinity of the
camp have shown a friendly spirit. This is of more
importance to the interests of the expedition than it
may at first Bight appear, because we must in a
great measure rely upon the Abyssinians themselves
to protect the lives of the captives, who are at pre-
sent beyond our reach. The accounts which have
been lately received from the interior report that
King THEODORE had burned Debra Tabor, and was
preparing to march upon Magdala ; but that the
insurgents resisted his advances, and the na-
tives killed the stragglers from his army.
Thus the opportune rebellion of the dis-
affected chiefs will form a powerful means of
protecting the lives of the captives from the caprice
or cruelty of the KING. The rebellion of his people
is rather the despe rate resistance to intolerable
tyranny than the effect of political or military
ambition, and consequently the leaders are disposed
to look upon the advancing Europeans rather as
powerful auxiliaries than as national enemies. No
foe can be more dreadful than THEODORE, and very
certainly, should they fall into his hands, none can
prove more merciless. It is possible that the pro-
longed incarceration of the unfortunate captives
may eventually be the means of securing the libe-
ration of the Abyssinian people from the oppressive
bondage under which they have so long groaned.
Of the effect produced upon the mind of the
KING by the news of the invasion we are as yet un-
certain. News of a very doubtful character was
published this morning from Vienna, dated Dec.
18. Whether we regard the means of communica-
tion or the news itself, we must regard it with very
great suspicion, and it is farther to be noticed
that the Government has received no confir-
mation of it. The telegram we refer to states
that, according to communications just
received from Egypt by the Government, the ope-
rations of the Abyssinian expedition had been sus-
pended, King THEODORE having given guarantees
that the demands of England should be acceded to.
This news on the face of it was unreliable, for it is
neither probable that THEODORE would give such
guarantees, or that the commanders of the expedi-
tion would be foolish enough to take them. What
possible " guarantees" could be forthcoming which
could be of the slightest value in the eyes of Euro-
peans, and what reliance could be placed on the faith
and fidelity of a man whose perfidy is almost as
great as his cruelty ? We do not believe there is
any foundation whatever for the report, but should
the KING make any such advances we sincerely hope
the English leaders will not allow themselves to be
deluded. No parley should be held with THEO-
DORE, no proposals listened to until the captives are
safe in our hands. When that result is attained we
may make what arrangements we please, but to
show ourselves ready to trust the KING at the first
sign of concession, to put reliance on the promises of
a man who has so often deceived and betrayed
those with whom he has come in contact
would be as injudicious as unjust to the interests
of the captives, for whose sake we have under-
taken this costly expedition. It is probable, in-
deed, that England, as well as Abyssinia, may
be the gainer by the affair. If the reign of ter-
ror which has so long overclouded the destinies of
the people can be broken, they may rise with
rapidity in the scale of civilisation and progress.
They appear to be naturally intelligent, and capa-
able of playing a not unimportant part in the
history of their continent ; but shut out as
they are from the sea, King THEODORE
has hitherto kept them in hopeless degra-
dation and servitude. If a free communica-
tion with the outer world were established—if a
milder and more humane form of government took
the place of the oppressive and bloodthirsty do-
minion of the common enemy, we might see- a re-
markable change in Abyssinia and its people, and
an important step would be won towards the great
object of African civilisation. There is evidently
no fiat of Nature against such a change. The
country, so far as our pioneers have informed
us, is reasonably healthy, and possesses fine
natural capacities. It is in this view
that England herself may be a considerable gainer
by the Abyssiuian expedition. Coal no doubt exists
to a great extent in the mountainous districts of
Abyssinia, and what an invaluable resort for our
Oriental steam vessels it would prove. The Abys-
sinians, in return for our assistance and protection,
might gladly concede to us the right of holding cer-
tain points, as we do in China, to the manifest ad-
vantage of the trade and commerce of the people
themselves, without iu the least interfering with their
internal Government. Out of evil cometh good in
politics as well as private life occasionally, but the
first object to be aimed at, and the first success to
be won is the liberation of the captives, and until
this is effected every other consideration is but se-
condary.

;SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER HALL.-
The 36th annual Christmas performance of Handel's
" Messiah" takes place this (Friday) evening, the principal
vocalists being Madame Sherrington, Madame Sainton-
Dolby, Mr. G. Perren, and Signor Foli.

CONSUMPTION HOSPITAL, BROMPTON.—Therejis
now a vacancy for an assistant physician at this institu-
tion, for which applications are to be sent in on or before
January 1. The election is vested in the committee of
management, and the office may be held in conjunction
with another hospital appointment.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR ovaT CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, Dec. 19.

The three interpellations tabled by M. Picard have been
rejected by the bureaux of the Corps Ltislatif. Only one
bureau moved for the interpellation relative to the finances
of the city of Paris.
The discussion on the reform of the army still goes on.
The name of more than a hundred speakers are down for
this debate, and as every variety of opinion is entertained
on the subject, the discussion is certain to go on for two or
three days at least. The objections taken to the bill are
founded on the expense which it would entail, and on
the injustice of the section which provides that soldiers
of the reserve shall not marry until near the close
of their term of service. The Marquis d'Andelarre pro-
poses that one franc a day be given to the wives of
soldiers of the reserve as long as the shall be out on
active service ; but upon this point we fear it will be
difficult to come to a conclusion that will give general
satisfaction.

The death of the Duke de Luynes at the age of 65, and
under circumstances which are in themselves the highest,
as they are the last testimony to the benevolent disposition
of this good man, was learned with deep regret in Paris.
He was born in 1802, entered the Royal Body Guard at
the age of 16, but quitted the service in 1625 that he might
the more unreservedly gratify his taste for literature and
the arts. After the overthrow of the Orleans dynasty he
was elected member of the National- Assembly. Quite
recently, when matters were approaching a crisis in the
Roman States, the duke left his native country to offer
his services to the Pope. The immediate cause of his
death is to be found in his own disinterested benevo-
lence. He was tending the wounded soldiers in the hospi-
tals. The weather being extremely cold, he took off his
coat and left it with one of the wounded. He caught a
a severe cold, and was carried off in a few hours. The
journals here are all paying a merited tribute to the bright-
ness of his intelligence and the largeness of his generosity.
The Imperial Family continue to take an anxious inte-
rest in the sufferers from the explosion from fire-damp at
Blanzy. Constant inquiries are being made by the Em-
peror, Dad besides the 10,000 francs which he has already
sent, the further sum of 20,000 francs has been given to
the sufferers in the name of the Emperor, the Empress,
and the Prince Imperial.
The other day the Marquis of Hertford wrote a letter to
the Moniteur des Arts, in which he warned picture dealers
that he was really not in the habit of buying pseudo-
Titians and paying for them the price which he would
give for a genuine specimen of the old master. A rumour
had been afloat to the effect that the Marquis had given
80,000 francs for a Titian which a huckster bad picked up
for thirty francs. Ever since his lordship has been
tormented by showers of letters, all offering to sell him
genuine Titians on similar easy terms. His lordship,
however, denies having given 80,000 francs for any
" pseudo " Titian, and does not express anxiety to
do so. Another case of a similar kind has just oc-
curred here. Count de Neuwerkerke bought a bust in
terracotta of Jerome Benivieni, the friend of Savoaarola.
The bust had been exhibited in 1864, when it was cata-
logued as a work of the 15th century. The Count, after
purchasing it, presented it to the Louvre Museum, where
it now figures among the works of the Rennaissance period.
It has just been discovered, however, that the work was
executed only three years ago (1864), at Fiesole, by an
artist named Bastiani. The man who saw Bastiani at
work on the bust has been produced, and the model who
sat for it is one Guiseppe Ruonaiato, a tobacco spinner.
A slight enthusiasm for conferring honorific titles is at
present thrilling through one or two European Courts.
The Pope, it is announced, is about to confer the title of
Duke of Mentana upon General K.anzler, and similar
honours upon other generals. The King of Prussia, it is
said, is going to burden Count Bismarck with the dismal
title of Duke of Sadowa—a name that must always recal
the slaughter of that field—and the Charirari suggests
that France, to keep Prussia and the Pontifical States in
countenance might very appropriately on the coming New
Year's Day gazette the Marquis de Moustier Duke de
Peut-Etre and M. Rouher Count de Jamais.

The Emperor and Empress leave Saint Cloud and return
to the Tuileries on the 22nd.

The general meeting of the society fer the assistance
of former pupils of the Ecole Polytechnique was held a day
or two ago—M. le Marechal Niel presiding. The report
of the secretary was to the effect that after only two years
of existence the society now numbered 2,200 members,
had disbursed this year 14,000 f. in giving help to former
pupils of the Ecole, and was in possession of a funded
capital of 42,000 f.
The brother of the Tycoon, with suite, arrived here yes-
terday, on his return froth London.

In the Italian Chamber the other day, General Mena-
lirea was asked whether the September Convention still
existed. His answer was, that every convention continued
to exist until superseded by a subsequent convention.
But, he went on to say, the September Convention could
not be said to exist so long as the French troops re-
mained on Italian soil. M. Minghetti delivered
an address a day or two afterwards, the subject of
which was to prove the excellence of the September Con-
vention, and the necessity of keeping it intact. In sup-
port of his argument he quoted a letter from Lord Pal-
merston, which, however it affects the question, shows
at least what this statesman thought of the Convention.
The letter is quoted by La Liberte, and its most decided
statements are to the following effect:—" The difficul-
ties of the situation were great, and the agree-
ment come to is excellent. I must confess it seemed
to me impossible to obtain one so advantageous. It is a
matter of first necessity for Italy that the French should
evacuate the country. The engagements of your King
not to attack Rome and not to permit bands of volunteers
to invade Roman territory were naturally inevitable.
These engagements will assuredly be maintained."
The Paris correspondent of the Morning Post says :
" According to the latest despatches from Florence the
debate in the Italian Parliament on the affairs of Rome
continues. His Excellency General Menabrea, called atten-
tion to the precarious condition of the kingdom, and the
necessity of suppressing any violation of the laws which
might be occasioned by rebellious factions. The President
of the Cabinet advocated the necessity of inducing France
to evacuate the States of the Church as early as possible,
The general tenour of the debates shows that there exists an
almost universal desire on the part of the representatives
of the people to prosecute a policy which should continue
in demanding Rome as the capital cf Italy. All these
indications are obviously protests against the jamais ' of
the Imperial Cabinet."
A great convention of Russian diplomatists will take
place immediately at St. Petersburg. Baron Budberg,
the Russian Ambassador at Paris, General Ignatieff, and
Prince Gortschakoff will be present on the occasion. The
semi-official Etendard says that Baron Budberg will not
return to Paris for a fortnight, so that it would appear
the French Government are quite well aware of
the natnre •of the meeting at St. Petersburg.
The business before the Russian diplomatists will
comprise the whole foreign policy of the Government,
and the choice of the Emperor, it has been asserted, will
alone determine whether the programme shall be peace or
war. The question o: the successor to Prince Gortscha-
koff as Minister of Foreign Affairs will also be decided.
Should Baron Budburg be chosen, we may consider the
omen as promising peace; should General Ignatieff come
into office, we may expect to see the aggressive policy of
Russia continued, and the Eastern question reopened.
The trial at the town of Aix, in France, of a number of
Italian bandits who have recently been infesting the south
of France, was brought to a satisfactory conclusion this
week. Four of the band, including the leader, were con-
demned to death, three to twenty years' hard labour, one
to fifteen, and three to ten years' hard labour, while the
twelfth was acquitted. The leader of the band is named
Coda, is 35 years of age, and is apparently a criminal of the
deepest dye. Something may be predicated of the condi-
tion of prisons in Italy from the fact that this ruffian
was on three occasions thrown into prison for acts of rob-
bery and murder, and that on each occasion he contrived
to make his escape.

The rumour to the effect that the Paraguayan war would
soon be terminated is corroborated by news which has
reached us by the Brazil and River Plate Mail steamer,
and the dates of which are to the 23rd November. Presi-
dent Lopez, according to the Gazette du attacked
the allied position at Tuyuty, at the head of 8,000
Paraguayans, on the 3rd November, Piid was severely
deeated. A despatch from General Mitre, in the Tribuna
of Buenos Ayres, states that in the two following days the
Allies had buried 2,043 Paraguayans, including 72
officers, and that additional numbers of killed were
hourly being discovered on all sides. The estimate seems
to have been that nearly half of the entire attacking
column must have been destroyed. Sixteen hundred and
fifty muskets had been collected on the field by the Bra-
zilian troops, and 260 by the Argentine. The Brazilian
loss was 600 in killed and wounded, and one 32-pounder,
while that of the Argentines was 22 killed and 95
wounded, and six pieces of artillery. The position on
which the attack was made is considered to be the key of
litunaits, and both the river and land blockade are now
stated to be fully established, the communications of
Lopez alike with the interior and the river being entirely
cut off. On the 7th of November another but compara-
tively slight sortie was attempted by the Paraguayans, in
which they lost 200 killed and 30 prisoners. About a
week previously two Paraguayan steamers had been sunk
and a third escaped,