The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-03 00:00:00

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Monday Evening.
No papers have been published to-day, in conse-
quence of Easter Sunday. In the absence of direct
channels. of news, however, the Bourse to-day has
been very crowded, and for some time past I have
not seen so much animation. Warlike rumours re-
specting Prussia and Austria have had their full
swing. The public is so confused by the contradic-
ory statements in regard to those Powers that I
think it well to quote the opinion of M. Forcade,
who is the very best authority. M. Forcade, in his
admirable summary of the week in the Semaine
Financiere says :—" The public funds and secu-
rities are at the mercy of the news, more or less
obscure, which arrives from Berlin or Vienna. It
would be as absurd to hazard predictions as to the
next act of the Governments of Prussia and Austria
as to deny the influence which the fear of a war in
Germany has upon the Stock Market. There
seems to be a fear that a war will speedily break out
between Austria and Prussia. We believe it to be
very possible that the present state of uncertainty
on the point may last longer than people think.
Austria could not begin a war without entailing
heavy expenses. Prussia could not try it with a
single corps d'arme'e. As neither of these Powers
wish to begin the attack matters may remain
for a long time upon their present footing.
We cannot give the assurance that the difference
between Austria and Prussia will not end in war ;
but it is not at all impassible that the demonstrations
with which each alarms the other may be only a
devise (une ruse) to make the other pay dearly at
the end. Under such circumstances the Italian
Government and Parliament were badly inspired
when postponing the solution of financial questions.
Such indolence is inconceivable in the midst of the
crisis of Italian credit.
" The amount in the Bank of France has reached
508 millions. This total very nearly reaches the
sum to which the prolonged stagnation in affairs
under the Republic raised it."
The last steeplechase races of the spsing meeting
at Vincennes yesterday went off well. The weather
was fine, and the betting animated. The Prix de
St. Maurice, of 2,000 f., was won by Count de la
Bigne's La Chatte ; Mireille, 2 ; Pronostu, 3. The
Prix de la Marne, a handicap of 4,000 f., for horses
4-yrs-old and upwards, was won by Mr. Harper's
Astrolabe ; Ossian, 2 ; Sentence; 3. The Prix de
la Pyramide, for horses bred in France (French
jockeys), was won by M. Bournet's Robert ;
Tambour Battant, 2 ; Magenta, 3. Robert was a
length in advance of Tambour-Battant.

There being happily to-day a cessation of politi-
cal alarms, I profit by the occasion to give you an
illustration of the amenities of the slaughter-house.
Madame Gautier has just figured at the Correctional
Police office as a complainant for an assault made
upon her by Madame Dubut. " What is your pro-
fession ?" said the President. " I am a slaughter-
house woman," replied the lady; " I take the place
of a man at the boiler." (In slaughter-houses the
offal is boiled down.) Complainant—" She might
say she takes the place of two men, for she is strong
enough to carry half of the heaviest ox ever born.
Look at her hand (it is a hand of gigantic propor-
tions). With that litlle.toy," proceeded the com-
plainant, " she struck me. If she had given me a
second blow with it I should have fallen into atoms."
A witness who saw the commencement of the
conflict said that knowing how dangerous was
the defendant's hand, and being of a temperament
which made him dislike to see women fight, he in-
terfered, and asked if two members of the gentle
sex could not settle their differences more pleasantly

and more amicably. All I got by my interference,
however, was a blow—and such a blow ! The wit-
ness afforded a good illustration of the fable—

"They who in quarrels interpose
Must often wipe a bloody nose."

The President asked the witness if he knew the de-
fendant. Witness—lf I had known her I should
not have lost a bet of a quart of wine that she is
a man. The defendant seemed tickled at this re-
mark, and a modest smile was seen to play about
her lips. The President—Why did you assault
the complainant ? Defendant—Because she with-
drew my character. Complainant—lf I could
have taken away the character she bears altogether
she ought to have been very much obliged to me.
The sooner one gets rid of such a reputation as hers
the better. The defendant started at the satire,
and gave a " slaughter-house" look at the com-
plainant, who drew back a few paces, evidently
fearing a second blow, which would reduce " her to
atoms." Such a consummation would have been
difficult, for there was a mountain of " too, too
solid flesh" to annihilate. The defendant was fined
20f. for the assault. They both returned to the
boiler, but neither apparently in a " melting mood."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

MEXICO.
MURDEROUS ATTACK ON THE BELGIAN
DEPUTATION.
BRUSSELS, APRIL 3.
The Minister of War has received a despatch
stating that the Belgian deputation charged to
notify the accession of King Leopold to the Em-
peror Maximilian was attacked on the road from
Mexico to Vera Cruz.

A sanguinary conflict took place in which Baron
uaaet was killed, and several others wounded.
Further details of the affair are wanting.

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA.

VIENNA, MONDAY, NOON.

In a Note presented by Count Carolyi to Count
Bismarck on the 31st of March it is stated that it
had come to the knowledge of the Imperial Austrian
Cabinet that the Government of his-Majesty the King
of Prussia, in order to get rid of the responsibility
of having given rise to apprehensions that peace was
in danger of being disturbed, had not only attributed
hostile intentions to Austria, but had spoken of the
probability of aggressive measures bein g taken against
the Prussian monarchy. Although the groundless-
ness of such an assertion must be evident to Europe,
the Imperial Government deems it advisable to enter
a protest against an imputation which is totally at
variance with the actual state of things. The un-
dersigned has, therefore, received instructions for-
mally to declare to Count Bismark Schonhausen
that nothing is further from the intentions of his
Majesty the Emperor than to act offensively to-
wards Prussia. Not only do the friendly feelings
of the Emperor for his Majesty and for the
Prussian Monarchy, which have often been proved
by word and deed, preclude the possibility of
such a thing, but the Emperor is mindful of the
duties which Austria, as well as Prussia, is by the
German Act of Confederation solemnly bound
to perform. His Majesty the Emperor is firmly
resolved not to controvert the conditions of Arti-
cle 11 of the Act of Confederation, which for-
bids the members of the Bund to have recourse to
violent measures for the settlement of their quarrels.
At the same time that the undersigned requests the
Minister President to communicate the contents of
this Note to his illustrious Lord the King, he ex-
presses a hope that the Royal Government will
think fit to repel in as positive and unequivocal
terms as he has 'done in the name of his Cabinet the
suspicion that it intends to break the peace. By
such a declaration confidence that the internal
peace of Germany will not be disturbed may be
restored.

VIENNA, APRIL 2 (Evening).

The Duke of Coburg has arrived here, in order,
it is stated, to act as mediator in the dispute be-
tween the Sovereigns of Austria and Prussia. He
is said to have already laid before them proposals
to effect this end.