The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-24 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONnt3.N, FRIDAY EVENING, AUGUST 24, 1866.

teaching or praiBbworthy the arrangements of parish
schools, we all know that a stigma is attached to
pauper children. When they leave school they
must go to the workhouse and get branded as pau-
pers. If boys they start in life under great disad-
vantages, if girls the odds are ten to one against
them. It is well worth while to consider whether
some effort cannot be made on behalf of these chil-
dren to keep them up in the social scale, for the de-
gradation of every citizen is a loss to the State.
The LORD MAYOR is wisely determined to avoid a
balance, and to lay out the money entrusted to the
committee for the purpose for which it was sent, and
we do not think he can do better than in devoting
some portion of his funds for the assistance of these
fatherless eb"dren.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FP.031 OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.

- -
The Constitutionnel says ;—" The Berlin pap

do not yet confirm the news of the conclusion of
peace between Prussia and Austria. Public opinion
in Italy is impatient at the delay in the negotia-
tions, and is anxious that peace should promptly
put an end to the present state of uncertainty."
The following is from the bulletin of the Moniteur:
" Peace has just been concluded at Berlin between
Prussia and Bavaria. The suspension of arms
which expired to-day, has been prolonged until the
signature and the ratification of the treaty. The
cession of territory to which the Bavarian Govern-
ment has agreed is insignificant, but it wilt have to
pay 30 millions of florins for the expenses of the
war. It is not exactly known what conditions will
be imposed upon the kingdom of Saxony. The
negotiations for peace between Austria and Italy
will take place at Vionna, and the treaty will be
signed in that city."
Little children now appear to be trained up in
the way they should not go, at least if the following
be an example. As the wife of a tradesman was
walking along the Faubourg St. Antoine a little
child of 13,ran up to her and joyously threw her
arms round the lady's neck, saying, " Oh, my aunt,
what happiness." The lady, gently extricating her-
self from the child's caresses, told her that she was
mistaken, for she did not know her. "My God,"
said the child, " I see that is true. I was mistaken.
I beg your pardon." The child, upon this, took a
contrary direction, apparently much grieved that
she had not found her aunt. The lady soon found
she had been robbed of her purse, and suspecting her
she made a search after the little innocent,whom she
found at a wine shop with her father and mother,
whom she was treating with the produce of the
money. The purse was found upon the father.
The Frankfort journal publishes a notice from
the new civil governor, Baron de Platow, on assum-
ing his functions in that city by order of the King
of Prussia. He says he arrives full of confidence

and goodwill, and he hopes to find the same senti-
ments among the inhabitants. The Baron then
states that no change will be made in the relations
between the civil commissioners in the territories of
Nassau and Upper Hesse.

The Gazette of Northern Germany announces
officially that the annexation of the kingdom of
Hanover to Prussia is an accomplished fact.
A constitutional question of some importance is
to be raised before a Paris tribunal. 'The point in-

volved is somewhat similar to that raised some five
and twenty years ago in regard to the louse of

Commons, in the case of Stockdale v. Hansard.
The point is, whether an individual can obtain
damages or reparation for statements which be con-
siders defamatory contained in a report of the pro-
ceedings of the Legislature. M. Brouillon, the
complainant, seeing in the Moniteur in the Parlia-
mentary report a letter and some observations
which he considered injurious to his reputation,
claimed insertion of an article in reply to them. In
the Evening Moniteur there appeared a modification
of the report, and of this he particularly com-
plains. For the present the proceedings are
merely to compel the insertion of his explana-
tion in the Moniteur, which is refused by that

_ -
parliamentary reports in England .and in France.
Journalists cannot have a report from reporters of
their own, but must use one authorised report fur-
nished by shox t-hand writers appointed for the pur-
pose. In the case brought before the House of
Commons the alleged defamation was contained in
a parliamentary paper, and the House of Commons
claimed privilege for all documents published under
its authority. Lord Denman, however, said it was
monstrous that any body should exercise a privilege
which would enable them to publish articles which
might be injurious to the reputation of an English
subject. In the present case, should the French
court refuse the claim for the insertion of the ex-
planation in the Moniteur, the complainant, I believe,
intends to bring an action for damages and defama-
tion before another tribunal.
The Journal des Debats defends the Extradition
Bill passed by the House of Commons last session
against the attacks which have been made upon it
by some of the papers. It says that the change is
simple, though important. It will no longer be ne-
cessary to have a witness to prove the authenticity
of documents transmitted from France, as was for-
merly the case. It has only been voted for a year,
but we should be glad to see the bill made per-
manent.

Accounts from Li"e state that the cholera has
almost ent;-ely disappeared from that town.
A touching proof is mentioned of the solicitude
of the Empress for her subjects. Her Majesty sent
the Marquis de Piennes, one of her Chamberlains,
to all the houses of the relatives of the persons who
were killed or injured at the fête, and took to them
succour and consolation. The money was given in
a most kind and delicate form. It was contained
in a small purse, and the recipient was requested to
take it as a souvenir of thp Empress.
Summer has not left us after all, as people began
to fear. Since the sun rose till evening it has been
bright and beautiful and intensely hot. The ther-
mometer at mid-day was as high as it has been any
clay this year.
The Moniteur announces that the Princess Marie
Clothilde Napoleon, the wife of Prince Napoleon
Jerome, has entered upon the sixth month of her
pregnancy.

A letter from Berlin, dated August 20, says :
" The definitive treaty of alliance between Prussia
and the Northern States of Germany was concluded
upon the basis detailed by the Count de Bismarck
in his despatches of the 4th of this month to the
Courts who placed their troops under the command
of the King of Prussia. It now remains to nego-
tiate with the Duke of Saxe-Mciningen, who voted
with Austria at Frankfort, without, however, taking
any part in the war, his contingent having been de-
signed, according to the avowal of Prussia, to form
the Federal fortress of Alayence."

Business at the Bourse to-day, like yesterday,
was inactive, and consequently with little variation
in prices.

AN UNEXPECTED EMERGENCY.--I was highly
amused at a story told by the captain concerning Lord
Grosvenor, who was among his passengers some time
since. This nobleman is the eldest son and heir of the
Marquis of Westminster, whose fortune is enormous, and
said to produce the immense sum of
.£150,000 per annum.
He is highly intelligent, and the variety and depth of his
information would be considered great oven for a com-
moner. Ho has travelled extensively in all parts of the
world, and it is not long since he returned from a lon.-
tour in the -United States. Whi!o at the West he was ono
day waiting at a country station for a tardy train, when
one of the farmers of the neighbourhood entered into con-
vers.itiim with him. " Been about these parts consid'able,
o
• stranger ?" " Yes, for some length of time." "Like
prettyrb w
heroell,
2,, A few
weeks."
?" "Yes, pretty well." "How long have
y
What's yer business ?"
"I have no business." "What are you travellin' for,
then ?" " Only for my own pleasure." " Don't yor do
any business ? How do you get yor livin' then ?" " It is'at
necessary for me to work for my support. My father is a
Iran of property and gives mo an allowance sufficient for
my wants." "But s'pose the old man should die?" "In
that case I dare say he'd leave us enough to live upon."
"But s'poso ho should bust up ?" Hero the conversation
ended, and Lord Grosvenor walked away, evidently struck
with a new idea, and one which had never been so-forcibly
presented to him until now.—Bodoil

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

SPAIN.
MADRID, August 24.

A Royal decree has been issued, suspending for
six months the levy of export duties at all the ports
of Cuba, without distinction of flag.

GERMANY.
FRANKFORT, August 24.

The Legislative Assembly of the free town o:
Frankfort sanctioned, yesterday, the conclusion of
a loan of 12 millions of florins.

MAYENCE, August 24.
The state of siege in this town was raised yester

day.

The Prussians will march in the day after to

morrow.

FALMOUTH, August 24.

The William Duthie of Aberdeen, from Sydney,
92 days, was off this port this morning, with gold
to the value of £14,384.

OVERLAND MAILS,
CALCUTTA AND CHINA MAILS.

MALTA, Aug. 23.

The Syria left at midnight on the 21st, and the
Ceylon at 4 p.m. to-day. The former may be ex-
pected at Marseilles on the 24th inst., and the latter
at Southampton about the Ist September.

BANK OP FRANCE.

PARIS, August 23.
The following is the return of the Bank of France
for the week ending to-day, together with the cor-
responding figures of the previous account :

DEBTOR.
Aug. 23.
fr. e.
Capital of the Bank.... 182,500,000
Profits in addition to
capital (Art. 8, Law,
Juno 9, 1857) 7,044,776 02 7,044,776 02
Reserve of the Bank
and its branches
Reserve in landed pro-
perty 4,000,000
Notes in circulation ... 967,178,125
Banknotes to order and
receipts payable at
sight
Treasury account cur-
rent creditor
Current accounts, Paris 311,274,835 71 322,515,556 36
Do. branch banks
Dividends payable 1,869,274 75 2,093,328 75
Discounts and sundry
interests
Rediscounted the last
six months
Surplus of receipts not

Aug 16.
fr.
182,500,000

22,105,750 14 22,105,750 14

4,000,000
970,092,525

28,953,757 38 28,435,912 63

2,372,304 91 2,372,304 9

distributed
Smithies

8,880,108 70 9,351,896 27

Total
CREDITOR.

Aug. 23. Aug 16.
Cash in hand and in fr. c. fr. c.
Branch banks
Commercial bills over-
due
Commercial bills dis-
counted, not yet due 287,541,705 34 286,474,816 09
Do. branch banks 336,458,187 355,112,106
Advances on deposit of
bullion
Do. branch banks 11,453,300
Do. on French Public
Securities 13,269,400
Do. by branch banks 8,042,900
Do. on railway shares
and debentures
D. branch banks 22,817,500
Do. on Credit Fencier
Bonds
Do. branches
Do. to the State (Con-
vention, June 10,
1857) 60,000,000
Government Stock re-

184,216 02 2,863,148 18

18,314,400
11,881,700

13,257,200

8,145;600

34,557,100

2696',100

684,100 - 694,600
485,600 - 479,000

60,000,000

servo 12,980,750 14 12,980,750 14
DJ. disposable
Routes Immobalisdes

(Law, June 2, 1857) 100,000,000 100,000,000
Hotel and furniture of
the Bank and landed
property branches ...
Expenses of manage-

8,298,993 - 8,291,536

went -
Sundries

920,746 67 685,380 17
15,106,146 90 21,126,485 94

Total 1,716,363,036 53 1,724,561,421 20
Certified by the M-pu ty-Gevernor of the Bank of France.

(S i gne d)

BOULAND.

The Inventor of the Need'e Gvr.

Amongst Pauly's workmen at Parrs was an in-
tel"gent Prussian, by name John Nicholas Dreyse,
the son of a locksmith in Sommerda, near Erarat,
and, moreover, a pupil of the eminent Italian che-
mist Berthollet. Berthollet, it will be remembered,
was welt versed in the chemistry of wrr ; he had
euccealcd in supplying the patriotic armies of
France with the materials of wrr, when her sup-
plies were cut off by the eneyri.es that surrounded
her, pointing out the means of obtaining saltpetre
from the co", and of forming al Lificial nitre-beds;
and under him Dreyse rigently studied the pre-
paration of explosive compounds. In the construc-
tion of Pauly's experimental gun Dreyse took a
deep interest, which he doubtless turned to profit-
able account in after yea 7s. In 1821 he lest Pats,
and estabrshed himsdf in his native town as an
engineer and iroyfounder ; and in 1824 eet up a
manufactory for percussion caps, which caps he
improvei by the invention of the capper interior
lining which supplanted the old coating of varnish,
and for which he obtained a patent and special pri-
v"e,es. This business brought Dreyse into official
connection with the Prussian Ministry of War,
and, taking advantage of the occasion, he was not
long in suggesting plans for the improvement of his
country's armaments; but the public mind, nauseated
with bloody wars, was then indifferent to a"t matters
connected with fire-arms. By perseverance, how-
ever, he secured attention, and even received en-
couragement; and in 1827 submitted to the milita-y
fi t th ne etre`, Wei; gra n argi.ar'yLir a nyn er
through the breech-pin, and firing a fu'minating
compound that, with the beet, compised the cart-
ridge, for the charge contained no g anpowder.
Tuis gun was in appearance very 'le the small-bore
fancy rifles for rook-shooting, &c., t) be found
in gunsmiths' shops. The gun was not adopted
because it re lui red a caution in its use that a soldier
might neglect in the heat of an engagene it, and
which, neglected, might have caused ink,- y to the
person who happened to load it. Undaunted
by the rejection of his first gun, Dreyse
in the next year, 1828, submitted another ; this,
too, was a muzzle-loader, but it embodied the prin-
ciple of the now famous ignition cartridge, wb'ch
in this gan was held in the chamber by a sma"
spring, and fi-ed by a neare propelled by a spiral
spr. lg. It was wb"e th's second weapon was
under tr:al that Dreyse had the good fortune to
become personally known to the then Crown
Prince of Prussia, afterwards IC'ng Frederick
William IY., who took the warmest interest in
the prowess al-cad), made, and seen-ed for the
inventor the co-operation of sbilful officers and en-
gineers. The i Art val between 1829 and 1836 was
occapird with the profound study of the principle
and constructive deta"s of the gun and its cartridge.
Liberal sears of money were voted in each annual
be lget, and the mechanical genius of the country
was brought to bear upon the perfection of the wea-
pon. But a constant difficulty had ocer-=ed from
the use of iron barrels,which would, and wilt, always
wear loose at the breech ; this was overcome in 1836
by the introduction of a barrel formed of cast steel,
and then was produced the gun whose fame is now
echoing through Europe, and of Which 60,000 copes
were immediately ordered. These were in 1841
served out to the army ; one hundred men of every
battal'on of the line being equipped with them.
The royal decree—which, it must be remembered,
came from a_ king who had served a good appren-
ticeship to milita7 art, and who, from his education
and training, was well able to judge the merits of a
weapon—justifies lb's adoption of the needle-gun
in the fo"owing remarkable words :—" Tire rifled
needle-gun ia, according to our present connection,
the perfection of military arms; and its practical
introduction will no doubt lead to its adoption in
all branches of the service. The result of nume-
rous experiments made us appreciate this invention
as an especial dispensation of Providence for the
strengthening of our national resources ; and we
cherish the hope that the system may be kept secret,
until the great part which it is destined to play in
history may couple it with the glory of Prussian
arms and the extension of enapiae." With what a
prophetic import has the history of the past few
weeks endowed these words ! The use of the
needle-gun by the Prussian infantry became gene-
ral about 1848: slight modifications in its construc-
tion were introduced in 1854, 1860, and 1862 ;
while in 1857 the cavahy regiments were prosided
with a breech-loading carbine. From the factories
at Sonnerda, Spandau, Erfurt, and Danzig,
105,000 needle-guns can be produced annually,
while the actual number of these arms possessed by
Prussia last year amounted to 660,000. We be-
lieve that Herr von Dreyse, who was born in 1788,
has .I:Ned to see the fearfu'ly successful result of his
labours. A few months ago he was in the enjoy-
ment of full health—and abundant wealth ; and it
is hardly likely his death could have occurred re-
cmtly without creating attention, we may reason-
ably conclude that he is still alive.—Once a Week.

THE PILCIIAED FISILMIF,S.—The accounts from
the Nor:h Sea which have reached Penzance &minis the
past week have been more favourable than on former occa-
sions. We have heard of one boat wb4ch has caught £BO
worth of he! :ngs in one week. The li:sh fishery draws
fast to its close. Several art:vals have taken place sines
our last, and in many instances the boats have not cleirell
the expenses attending their outfit. At St. Ives the seines
were put in pay on Monday, and the boats stemmed at 'fie
rent stations. Vessels and boats report at St. Ives large
quantities of pilchards in the Bristol Channel, and it is
hoped the fishery may be succossfr', as the mackerel and
Irish fisheries have been failures so far vs St. Ives is con-
cerned. At Scilly some pilchards have been taken by ordi-
nary hancl-neti6.--CorniA Telegrairn•