The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MON DAY EVENING, MARCH 26, 1866.

LONDON, MONDAY, MARCH 26, 1866.

The venerable lady who died at Claremont on
Saturday was one of those persons who pass an
eventful life as to outward circumstances, and yet
in themselves lead a quiet and retired life. Queen
MARIE AMELIE was born in 1782, and had, there-
fore, nearly completed her eighty-fourth year. Few
attain to this age, and especially after so many
vicissitudes have been gone through. From her
earliest years the late Queen of the French had to
encounter many turmoils ; and it is indeed surpris-
ing that she contrived to pass through them with
so much serenity. She was the daughter of
FERDINAND of Naples, and the Royal family
were constantly in fear of attacks for
some time in consequence of the French fleet
hovering about, and at length these fears were
realised, for the French troops took Naples, and
FERDINAND and his family fled into Sicily. This
was in 1798, and it would have been curious if any
one had foretold to the young princess that half a
century after, in the year 1848, she would again
have to take to flight, and with her husband and
children proceed to another land. When MARIE
AMELIE first met the Duke of ORLEANS ho was also
an exile from his country. Few stranger things are
seen in history than that these two royal person-
ages should have first been in exile, and then through
long years have lived as Sovereigns over a great
country, again passing into exile, and finally ending
their days away from their former possessions, and
bereft of their old dignities. At any rate there was
more affection in this marriage than can often be
observed in royal unions, and it is well known that
their family was brought up in an excellent manner,
and altogether that their household presented a
model to those of high rank and position. They
were married in 1807, and for some years after-
wards were comparatively tranquil. The star of
their destiny, however, seemed to have
decreed that they should always be in a
state of disquietude, and more or less be
subject to doubts and difficulties. In 1814 the
restoration of the Bourbons took place, and the
Duchess of ORLEANS repaired to France, but the
Hundred Days, with their stormy scenes, drove her ,
to England with her children, and here she remained
until the year 1819. From then to the Revolution
of July sheiwas again in England, where she gained
esteem from those of all sides by her gentleness and
many virtues. In 1830 a great change took place
in her position, and she became
Queen of the
French. This elevation, however was not produc-
tive of satisfaction to her, because she did not think
that her husband posssessed a rightful claim to the
throne on which he was placed so suddenly. How-
ever, she chose her own part, and took no heed of
public matters ; but in her domestic life she was a
pattern of devotion, and she also interested herself
.
w°llt% of charity. It may be said that few, far
less royal, ladies
led so unobtrusive a life as this
Queen of one
of the most powerful people in the
world, and no
doubt it was through her untiring
energy and
zeal In the training of her family that
her sons and daughters
atte
rwards acquittedthem-
selves so creditably in their different positions.
quiet path which she chose for
Even in this
herself, however, the unfortunate
Queen
heir
to
called
doomed to disappointment, and indeed was
to deep
affliction. ller eldest son, thethe throne,
and the favourite of the people, was
suddenly
away, and in his loss the best security for the house
of Orleans was -,one. The fears to which the sud-
dent, death of this amiable young prince gave rise
were only too fully realised six years later, and no
doubt, had he lived, the fortunes of the royal house
of Orleans would have been very different. Even
if Louis PHILIPPE had been compelled to leave the
throne he might have abdicated in favour of
his eldest son, who was universally popu-
lar. Before the death of the Prince the
Princess MARIE was taken away prematurely, and
this was another serious calamity. Serene and
tranquil as the Queen was, however, on occasions
when nothing called her out of her retirement but
scenes of Pomp and show, she could in peridds of
danger and in time of trial show hen get bold and

brave enoughw- - The granddaughter
RIE
THERESA and the niece of AYARIE
came out in a style and spirit worthy o
when the French Revolution of ANofTOIIANEM
took her race,ook
1848 place.
LAMARTINE has described her in eloquent terms,
anOnshowe
choi mm
ne lgf
ht s
h thehigh
troops,h
when she
outbadein a the KING
and come
posi-
tion. Had he taken her advice the result mightLiE
have been otherwise; but at any rateMARIEAmE
displayed her character in its true light, and we may
notice in her career, as in that of other natures like
hers, that it is not always those who make the most
parade on ordinary occasions who are capable of the
most heroic efforts, and are prepared to encounter
the greatest struggles.
Another phase in the life of this Queen began at
Claremont, and here for eighteen years she passed
her life. During this period numerous domestic
afflictions rendered her last years gloomy ones.
First, she lost her husband, who never got over his
trials, and the same year the Queen of the BELGIANS
died. The two daughters-in-law of the Queen,
the Duchess of ORLEANS and the Duchess of
NEMOURS, were both called away before their vene-
rable relative, and a few months back,the King of
the BELGIANS joined the long list of friends and
relations whom MARIE AMELIE had survived. We
may find a lesson in this long life that can point a
warning to crowned heads, and teach ambitious ones
a solemn truth. Ten of those in an elevated position
realised more fully than did this exiled Queen of
FRANCE that the fashion of this world passeth
away, for she was bereft of her friend and family
to a great extent, and her worldly belongings were
taken from her; but we can well say, in looking at the
retrospect of her life, that she led " captivity cap-
tive," as it were, and overcame her adverse fate by
her gentle and her gracious ways. She was not
dependent on prosperity for her strength, and
therefore adversity did not find her weak. She was
essentially one of those who, having no-
thing, possesses all things. The caprices of
fortune and the fickleness of peoples bestowed
thrones and crowns upon her, and as suddenly de-
prived her of them ; but the world could neither
give nor take away the better part which was her
portion, her trust in HEAVEN, which made her long
pilgrimage on earth as ways of pleasantness and
paths of peace amid the strife of States and the
gloom so often cast over her by the shadow of
death.

The circumstances attending the loss of the
steamship London have made too deep an impres-
sion on the public mind to be easily forgotten, and
the general dissatisfaction felt at the manner of
conducting the official inquiry is not likely to be set
at rest without a more full and free examination
into the whole history of the disaster. It can
hardly be thought that the result of the inquiry
was all that could be obtained as a warning or a
lesson from the catastrophe, and it is only justice to
thevast population who are constantly traversing the
seas that no effort should be spared to elicit the whole
truth. If the construction of the London was ori-
ginally faulty, if her length was too great for her
breadth, then let the fact be openly recognised, so
that such dangerous -errors may be avoided in
building our merchant vessels. If the overweight-
ing of the ship was, as many believe, the principal
cause of the disaster, then it is surely a most
mistaken and mischievous course to endeavour to
hush it up instead of carefully inquiring into the
matter, so that the same mistake might never be
repeated. It can hardly be supposed that
Messrs. Wrion.tm deliberately overweighted their
ship and wilfully endangered the lives of
their passengers. The mistake which they com-
mitted, or which was committed by those in their
employment, was one which any of our large ship-
owners would be very liable to fall into, and it is
the strong temptation to reckless overloading of ships
which exists at thepresent day that renders it so impe-
rative for the official inquiry to have entered fully upon
this point. From all quarters, statements, asser-
tions, and observations have come both from inde-
pendent eye-witnesses and from parties more
directly interested, who went on board the unfor-
tunate vessel to take what was to be a final leave of
their friends or relatives. Nautical opinions have
not been wanting, and a singular unanimity is ob-
servable among all these varying accounts. Some
attribute the wreck mainly to one thing and
some to another—one thinks the construction of
the ship in fault, and another the seamanship
of the captain ; this one is disposed to blame the
motley and undisciplined crew, and that the excep-
tional severity of the storm which the vessel encoun-
tered, but all agree in saying that the ship was
overweighted. Mr. HIGIITON, whose letters on
this subject have excited so much interest,
is strongly convinced that to this overweighting
must be ascribed the whole disaster. This opinion
on his part is only natural, seeing that it is founded
on a few striking words spoken by one of those
"voices from the London" which have thrilled so
deeply to the hearts of all who caught their echoes.
A near relative of Mr. lIIGHToN's was among the
victims of the catastrophe. lie is described as hav-
ing been a man of great courage, presence of mind,
and practical experience, well acquainted with the
perils of the seas, having previously experienced them
on many various occasions. A few lines from this
gentleman, written only two hours before the vessel
went down, have come into the possession of his
relatives. After bidding his relatives a brief and
touching farewell to his family Mr. DENIS says :
" Ship overweighted with cargo and too slight a
house over engine-room; all washed away from deck.
Bad poop windows, water broken in. Storm, but
not too violent for a well-ordered ship." Such '
a testimony could not certainly fail to have
weight with those so nearly concerned, but
it has been largely supplmented by evidence from
other quarters. One of the surviving passengers
declares that it was always his conviction that the
vessel was too low in the water, and that he believes
the breaking down of the engine hatchway to be
attributable not to one particularly heavy sea,
but to the succession of heavy seas breaking over
the vessel in consequence of her lowness in the
water. Two other survivors give similar evidence.
The want of buoyancy in the vessel is strongly
dwelt upon by several who noticed her barge-
like appearance. Mr. HiGrfroN, after referring to
the numerous letters which he has received from
parties interested in the matter since he took it up,
observes, " Upon one vital point I must emphati-
cally add that roy correspondents are agreed, viz.,
that the ship was overladen, and that all her disasters
are primarily attributable to that cause." In a subse-
qu„tztsltertoteurgAelsr.
tsallrrssinorianoceN datehdatartehsethuanitbveerhsaasl receivedopinion
of all who sawthe vessel on her passage from Lon-
don to Ply
mouth was that she was overweighted
the water.,,
and too deep in
writes to say that he visited the London in the
she saikel, and then found
An old commander
docks ten days before
her looking like an " elongated
collier
city merchant
" thougha
she was still taking in cargo. A merchnt
declares that before leaving the dock she was so
choked up with cargo as to be obliged to land 40
or 50 packages, although several cabins had to be
knocked down to make way for stowage. The
pierman at Woolwich, who saw the vessel pass, said
that In Would not baye gone out in her for £lOO,

for t/ sat she was too deep and would never rise.
The danger of carrying too heavy a cargo was of
coin se very greatly augmented by the peculiar
buib I of the ship. At all events there has
been quite enough evidence brought for-
wards directly and indirectly, to justify a
demaurd for a much fuller and more searching
inquir •y. This matter of overloading is no mere
triv4.al point or venial act of carelessness ; it is a
question which concerns the lives, the property,
and the interests of a very large proportion of the
population. Heavy insurances may recoup the
shipowners, but no profitable investments will
at one to the families and friends who have seen
tl,,ose dear to them cut off in the very prime of
their days. No doubt the perils of the seas are
great, and no human care can fully insure
against them any more than human skill or science
can control the winds and the waves. But the
very magnitude and imminence of those dangers,
the very strength of those irresistible forces, should
surely teach us humility and caution rather than
presumptuous confidence and reckless desire for
gain. If the lives of hundreds of passengers are not
to be allowed to weigh against the chance of a pro-
fitable cargo, if the safety of a vessel during a
long and trying voyage is to be a mere matter of
speculation, only calculated with regard to the
s. d., then it is well that our travellers and colo-
nists should know the risk to which they expose
themselves even when they step on board an A 1.
But in every other branch of business the action of
the Legislature steps in to control the exciting in-
fluences of personal gain or ambition, and there
are very few departments of life in which the wel-
fare of others may be left with safety to the irre-
sponsible action of private interest. Surely, then,
we have evidence enough that it is time for direct
interference and supervision ; and as the first step
in a very momentous proceeding we hope to see a
full and unprejudiced inquiry into the whole of the
circumstances attending the last voyage of the
London.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Friday Evening.

A German paper, though disclaiming all desire for
war on the part of Austria, says that Power is pre-
pared to resort to it rather than agree to the, claims
of Prussia. The Vienna papers, who support the
Austrian Government, all endeavour to show that
if there should be war, the fault will be that of
Prussia and not of Austria, who, they contend, has
been as conciliatory as possible in all her recent acts
and proceedings. On the other hand, the National
Gazette of Berlin complains of the hostile tone
adopted in private letters and by the press, in re-
ference to the supposed warlike preparations of
Austria. They appear to wish, says a Prussian
paper, to alarm all the middle and small States, that
they may rally round Austria and vote for her at
Frankfort. The Cabinet of Vienna is determined
to bring the question of the Duchies before the
Federal Diet.

An eccentric old soldier, of 71, named Alexandre
Blaise, has just died at Pantin, near Paris, from
excessive drink. He had a pension from Govern-
ment of I,Boof. a-year, and he spent the greater
part of it in a curious fashion. Immediately after
breakfast every day he made the round of all the
wine shops in the place, and there are a great many.
He called for a glass of wine or brandy, drank a
portion of it, covered the glass with a saucer, and
then performed the same ceremony at another estab-
lishment. Having finished the list of 'wine shops
he returned back to cash, and drank the rest of the
wine he had left in the glass. During 12 years he
never missed his visits for a single day, and it is
calculated that during this time he drank 64,200
glasses of wine or brandy. Some friends invited
him to a fete in honour of his List Hires-clap, iuul
he drank such an enormous quantity of spirits that
he was found dead in his bed the next morning.
It appears that there is an unusual inundation of
English pickpockets in Paris at the present time.
The Paris papers say that robberies from the per-
son by English pickpockets increase every day.
At the Vincennes steeplechases an Englishman of
26 contrived to pick the pocket of a gentleman of
a pocketbook containing 1,500 f. in bank notes.
lie was seen in the act, but he was clever enough
to pass the property to his companion. The
crowd was very indignant, and yelled and hooted
at him as he was taken to the Commissary of
Police of St. Maur. The theft was executed with
great rapidity and dexterity. The prisoner said
he had been a jeweller in London for some years.
In his pocket was found a list of public places of
resort in Paris and other capitals, where it was
most probable that business could be done.
As I informed you would be the case, the Em-
peror received the address in answer to his speech
yesterday. I did not translate it, knowing that
you would receive it by telegraph. It has been
eagerly read by all classes, and has given intense
satisfaction. At the Bourse particularly it operated
favourably upon all kinds of Public Securities.
" Kings never forget their promises." So eays
Rossini, but, although he indorses the proverb, he
does not seem to have entire faith in it, for he has
just written a letter to Don Pedro of Portugal, re-
minding him of a certain offer to send him a pipe or
two of the finest port which Portugal has produced.
The young King was in Paris a month or two ago,
and during a visit he paid to the great maestro he
voluntarily made the offer on the part of his father.
The wine not having yet arrived, Rossini gives a
gentle hint about it ; but while professing his entire
confidence in the promises of kings, he touches in
a word upon the danger of procrastination, for, he
says, he is getting an old man, and he makes the
King understand that if there should be much
more delay he might die before the wine
reached Paris. Wine improves by age. Not
so with old men. They get worse and
worse. Rossini has still in his cellars some magni-
ficent port presented to him by the King of Portugal,
but it diminishes, and perhaps Rossini is not wrong
in wishing for a little augmentation of the supply.
At all events, he is firm in his confidence in the
" promises of kings."
The tribunal of Caen has given its decision in
the case of the Fcederis Arca, and the circumstances
of the frightful crime will be brought before a mari-
time court, the tribunal of Caen being of opinion
that the offences come under the definition of piracy
of the worst degree. The readers of The Sun will
be aware from my correspondence that most terrible
murders were committed on board the vessel in ques-
tion, and that the prisoners charged with partici-
pating in them claim to be tried by a criminal court,
in the hope that such court may, as is generally the
case, find " extenuating circumstances." A mari-
time tribunal in France has no power to moot the
question of " extenuating circumstances." It must
find a prisoner guilty or not guilty. The Govern-
ment did not wish such inhuman criminals to escape,
and hence the protracted arguments before the
various tribunals. during so many mouths. The
case in question is a very remarkable instance of
the " law's delay." .

A deplorable case of murder and attempted
zuicide has been tried before the Court of Assize
for La Manche at Coutances. A young man named
Bellis was charged with attempting to murder his
sweetheart, Marie Jonanne. For months he had
paid court to her, but as she refused to receive his
addresses, he watched her home from her work and
shot her with a pistol. It is doubtful whether she
will recover from her wounds. He then reloaded
his pistol and shot himself, but he was not danger-
ously hurt. The prisoner was condemned to hard
labour for life. Since he has been back to prison
he refuses to take any nourishment. He confesses
his crime, and says he committed it "for love."

PARIS, Sunday Evening.

If the Parisians be often on " pleasure bent," it
is undoubted that they are very strict in the obser-
vance of great religious days. The churches have
been crowded during the day—Palm Sunday--and

the imposing ceremonies incident to it have been
witnessed very devoutly. Forests of palm—or
rather of the box-tree, for palm is not to be had—
have been borne through the churches by the con-
gregation, and indeed every one in the streets has
carried his branch. At every church door sellers
of palm have congregated. Indeed large sums of
money are expended for the purpose in Paris on this
day, and thus even as a matter of industry only
great service is rendered to the poor. Palm Sunday
is called in ancient books Easter in flower. The
custom of blessing the palm only dates from the
eighth century. According to some of the Fathers
of the Roman Catholic Church, however, the custom
existed among the Gauls in the seventeenth century.
From a very early period, however, there were pro-
cessions with palms in honour of the triumphal
entry of Christ into Jerusalem a week before Easter.

A complete change is about to take place in the
management of the Opera. By a decree of the Em-
peror, from and after the 15th April next, the manag-
ing director will undertake the charge entirely at his
own risk and peril. He will have to pay, as security
for proper management, 500,000 f. Independently
of the subvention allowed by the State, the director
will receive from the Budget of the Civil List an
annual sum of 100,000 f. This subvention will be
placed to his oredit in increase of his security money,
but the total amount will only be paid to him at
the expiration of his management. The opera in
Paris, like that in England, was for many years an
unfortunate speculation. In 1807 the regulation
of it was entrusted, ex officio, to the Chamberlain
of Napoleon the First, and M. Picard was
appointed director, and Pradel superintendent.
The celebrated Habeneck was appointed director in
1821. Count de Blacas, chorister of the King's
Household, became superintendent of the Royal
Theatres. He was succeeded successively by the
Marquis de Lauriston, the Duke de Doneauville,
and Viscount de la Rochefoucauld. Duplantys
succeeded M. Habeneck. After the resolution of
1830 the management of the opera became a private
speculation. M. Veron was director. He was
succeeded by M. Dupouchel and then by M. Leon
Fillet. The Imperial Academy in 1852 once again
came under the administration of the Minister of
his King's Household. In 1852, M. Roqueplan was
appointed director ; in 1854, M. Crosnier ; in 1856,
M. Alphonse Roger ; and in 1862, AL Perrin. Some
time ago I informed you that the salary of the band
of the opera had been increased, but the artists
did not consider the increase sufficient, and
in consequence of a representation made by
them to the Minister of the King's House-
hold that the baton proposed to the Emperor
to order that the administration of the opera should
again be made a matter of private speculation, his
Majesty, with his usual consideration in favour of
talent, himself added the clause to the decree be-
stowing 10,000 f. a year in support of the enterprise.
The director under the new regime is not yet ap-
pointed. In 1713, under Louis XIV., the Govern-
ment regulated the number of performers, the sala-
ries they were to receive, and other matters, order-
ing also that the general composition of the staff
should " always exist on the same footing, and not
be changed under any pretence whatever." The
salary of the principal male artist was fixed at
1,500 f. a year, and the same sum was to be paid to
the prima donna. The sixth-rate actress was paid
700 f. a year. The salary of the chorus singers was
400 f. Twelve ladies of the chorus received 400 f.
also. The leading danseuses were to have each
900 f. a year. Eight others received 500 f. and
400 f. The salary of the conductor of the orchestra
was I,ooof. The orchestra was to consist of 46
performers at salaries varying from 600 f. to 400 f.
per annum. The whole personnel of the Opera in
1713 amounted to 126 artists or persons employed
in various capacities, and the total yearly cost of all
was 67,000 f. How "we have changed all that"
both in England and France. The annual salary of
the " whole camp, pioneers, and all" was then per-
haps less than the sum received nowadays in a week
by some of our prima donnas. The director of the
Grand Opera in Paris is a very great personage.
He holds the fate of singers in his hands, and he
ac
ra
tn. even
som check etre
cotro
rpsr eavreen t
otbhset
irrn
aotge e sosr
°it
henylul2liacvael
their whims and fancies. To such influences may
be attributed the fact that Jenny Lind was not en-
gaged in Paris.
The town of Bourges and the whole of the de-
partment of the Cher have been subjected to a
disastrous inundation, in consequence of the late
tremendous storms and heavy rains. The water
rushed through the streets and gardens, and in some
of the houses the water rose to a yard in height.
Persons in boats assisted the affrighted inhabitants.
At Gracay more than 150 houses were inundated.
and the scene was terrific. The waters have since
retired. No loss of life is recorded. At Paris the
weather has been very stormy since Thursday. On
Friday night the wind was alarming. The delivery
of the letters from England of that day was much
delayed. Yesterday evening there was one of the
most violent storms of rain experienced for many
years. To-day the wind has abated, but the sky
has looked dark and gloomy, portending more un-
settled weather.

A few days ago there died at Chappes, in the
department of the Allier, a man named Charvernon,
who was upwards of 100 years old, and who, it is
stated, preserved his intellectual faculties to the
last moment of his existence.

Among the passengers by the English steamer
Cella, whose arrival at Havre I have mentioned,
was a woman of 23 of English origin, named
Martha Hilen, who embarked in London for New
York. Soon after the vessel anchored a telegram
was received respecting this woman, but the captain
being engaged. or absent at the time the telegram
was not read. As soon as the contents of the de-
spatch were known search was made for this woman,
but she was not to be found. The body was, how-
ever, afterwards discovered when the tide went
down. The Journal du Havre says that there is
some great mystery respecting this roman, but
hitherto no facts respecting her have transpired.
The authorities pursue their investigations, how-
ever. On the passage from London this woman
gave indications of insanity. She was very tall and
of agreeable countenance. It appears that she was
well disposed, and had a watch and gokl'earrings.
In reference to the case of M. Sandoen, the author
who claimed damages from M. Boniface, the editor
of the Constitutionnel, for having inserted a com-
munique which he alleged was defamatory of his
character, the Civil Tribunal of the Seine decided
that as the insertion of such ministerial communica-
cations was obligatory upon newspaper proprietors
they could not be made responsible for the state-
ments made in them. The court therefore dismissed
the complaint of M. Sandon, and condemned him to
pay the expenses of the proceedings.
Volumes of articles have appeared in the Paris
papers respecting the answer of the Emperor to the
address of the Chamber. Such intense satisfaction
has been created by it in the public mind that the
vague and tortuous objection's to it made by some
of the opposition journals scarcely need any com-
mentary from me. Indeed, the most violent oppo-
sition papers admit that the
" Emperor desires
liberty." The great question, however, is (say the.
opposition papers) as to the extent to which
ought to be carried.

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.—Rear-Admiral Chas.
George Edward Patey has been appointed Admi-
nistrator of the Government of the settlement of Lagos, on
the West Coast of Africa. Bruce Lockhart Burnside, Esq..
has been appointed a member of the Executive Council of
the Bahama Islands. Augustus Adderley, Esq., has been
appointed a member of the Legislative Council of the Ba-
hama Islands. Edward Everard Rushworth, Esq., P.C.L.,
has been appointed Government Secretary and Secretary
to the Court of Policy and Combined Court for the colony
of British Guiana. Mr. T. Carew Hunt, her Majesty's
Consul at Stockholm, has been appointed Consul at Bor-
deaux. Mr. R. Callander, Consul at Manilla, has been ap
pointed Consul at Stockholm. Mr. 11. T. Rainals has been
appointed consul at Manilla. Mr. George Annesley has
been appointed Consul at Hamburg.—The Observer.

Mr. Joseph Ferguson, the pianist, who mistaking
a policeman for a garotter, stabbed hina at Syden-
ham in February, was brought up at Greenwich police..
court on Saturday for further examination. The magi;-,_
trate resolved on committing the case for trial, in or'.4er, as
he said, that some expression of opinion might Y 24,5 elicited
from the judge in reference to putting polio mien into plain
cicthee.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

PORTUGAL.

LISBON, MARCH 25.
To-day, in the Chamber of Deputies, the debate
on the Budget was commenced.
A new law on the press has been passed.
The Government is taking sanitary precautions
against the cholera.

HUNGARY.

PESTH, MARCH 25.

The sittings of the Lower House of the Ilun-
garian Diet have been adjourned to the 10th, and
those of the Upper House to the 16th of April next.
The latter, on resuming its sittings, will discuss the
second address to the King adopted in the Chamber
of Deputies.

CHINA.
(Via Alexandria.)
SHANGFIAE, FEB. 9.

The Nienfei rebellion is becoming more alarm-
ing. New Chong is in danger, and the residents
are drilling. Hankow is also threatened, the rebels
being within 20 miles of the city, burning the sur-
rounding villages. The foreign residents are pre-
paring to resist any attack. The English and French
Consuls are also making arrangements for the safety
of the residents, and the gun-boats Cardiff and
Algerine are held in readiness to render assistance
in case of need.

It is reported that the rebels intend to attack
Pekin. The rebels near Swatow are said to be
organising a flotilla to attack Chow-chow-foo.

The French Municipal Council of Shanghae have
been imprisoned for refusing to deliver up certain
documents. The particulars have not transpired.

N.B.—According to the later advices from China
received via Galle by overland telegraph, and pub-
lished on the 21st inst., the movements of the rebels
in the vicinity of the northern ports were less
threatening.

THE ABYSSINIAN PRISONERS.
LETTER FROM DB. BEKE.

NIKULHE (Near Massowah), FEB. 17.

Mr. Rassam, on his arrival at Matawwa, wrote
to the Emperor, who sent an escort to conduct him
to Debia Tabir, where, or at Korata—not Den-
goller—on Lake Tsana, he is to await the Empe-
ror's return from his campaign in Godjaw. The
Emperor has written to the German artisans in his
employ at Gaffat, ordering them to receive Mr.
Rassam and treat him well.
Letters down to Dec. 27 from Consul Cameron
and Mr. Karans, at Magdala, have reached Mas-
sowah through Mr. Rassam, but none have come
on from the captive missionaries. At that time all
the prisoners were suffering from influenza.

FRANCE.
BOURSE, March 24, Three o'clock.—The market
closed at the following quotations :-
4i per Cents 97 30
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 6B 42i
Do. end month CB 45
Credit Alobilier 670
Do. end month
Bank Shares 3600
Credit Foncier —
Italian Loan 6O 75
Do. end month 6O 75
RAIL

Roman

Ottoman Fives —
Mexican Loan 4B 50
Do. Bonds 3OO
Russian —
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt
Deferred

WAYS.
Cash.

---- Orleans
... 873 75
Northern — ... 1121 25
Lyons and Mediterranean — ... 885
Southern — ... 555
Western — ... 560

q4B
Austrian
Lombard — 407 50
North of Spain —
Saragossa — 221 25
Ditto to Barcelona
Romau ... 98