The Sun.
London, England, 1866-09-28 00:00:00

debentures was 6 per cent. for three years, 51 per care of all the interests most dear to them as citizens.
cent. for five years, and 5 per cent. for seven years. He felt that the presence and the interest of the
A vote of thanks to the chairman and directors. Lord Mayor in reference to all the public
terminated the proceedings. events which had marked his mayoralty had been
attended with the happiest results, and that he had
satisfied all thinking men that the attachment which
was felt to the office of Lord Mayor was not merely
a sentiment, but was connected with their best
and truest interests. As the City of Lon-
don was the guiding star of all other mu-
nicipal institutions in the country, the conduct of
the Lord Mayor and the manner in which he had
proved the usefulness of his office had added still
more to the reverence for municipal institutions,
with which he (Mr. Smith) believed the glory and
safety of the country were greatly identified. Tho
toast was drunk with enthusiasm, and the health of
the Lady Mayoress was afterwards proposed in
graceful terms by the Master of the Fruiterers' Com-
pany (Mr. Nissen). At intervals during the evening
a number of glees and songs were sung by Mr.
Montem Smith, Mr. Fielding, Mr. E. Ball, and Mr.
Henry Buckland. The company separated about
11 o'clock.

DUBLIN AND KINGSTOWN.

The half-yearly meeting of this company was held
in Dublin on Tuesday ; Mr. H. Pim presided. The
report stated the available balance amounted to
£17,394. Out of this sum the Board declared,
for the half year ended Aug. 31 last, a dividend on
the capital stock of the company of 5 per cent., less
income tax, leaving a balance of £lB6.

The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the adoption of the
report, said he had fortunately no observation to
make, but he would be happy to give any informa-
tion in his power.
Mr. HOGAN seconded the resolution, which was
adopted unanimously, and the proceedings termi-
nated.

VE NE TIA.

(From the Times Military Correspondent.)
VENICE, Sept. 19.
It is not to be expected that Austria can give up
Venetia with nothing but compliments on both
sides. The Italians are an excitable people, long
subjection has taught them to be over-suspicious and
ready to make accusations, and their military failures
have not put them in a humour to be generous. On
the other hand, the Austrians have been so long a
ruling race that they are perhaps too much disposed
to despise popular clamour. The people, too, have
come to regard Venice and all it contains as sacred,
so they keep a jealous watch on every- package that
is taken away, and not without reason either, for
Austrian officials are apt to be too zealous and carry
matters with a higher hand than is intended by or
pleasing to their Government, and especially to the
Emperor. There have been many scandals spread
abroad here, and to listen to the Italians and believe
them would be to commit oneself to the opinion that
the Austrians are a nation of robbers. To be just,
I believe that the Emperor wishes to behave honestly
by the Italians, and a plain statement of certain
grievances which appear to be real may lead to an
investigation of the point at issue. The following
may be accepted as the truth of an affair which has
created great excitement among both Italian and
English cultivated society here, as I have carefully
compared both sides of the question.
On the 21st of July a Benedictine priest and man
of letters named Dr. Dudik presented himself to
Count Dandolo, Keeper of the Archives, with an
order from Count Crenneville, Adjutant of the Em-
peror (which may, therefore, be considered as having
proceeded from the Emperor himself), giving him
authority to select such documents as were proper
to be removed to Vienna for safer keeping. He
brought with him a list, but against some of the
documents named in it a query had been put, and
Dudik said that he would not claim them from the
hands of Count Dandolo, so no further notice
need be taken of them, except to say that among
them were papers relating to England, France,
and Germany in past ages—in fact, general cor-
respondence of the Republic on foreign affairs.
Now, it appears that the Emperor of Austria issued
an order some years ago, which yet remains in force,
directing that all public documents in the archives
were to be retained there, and not to be removed
on any pretext whatever, so that Count Dandolo
was in the right when he quoted this order and ob-
jected to give them up. Dudik is said to have re-
plied significantly that he was attended by a file of
soldiers, who waited below. Dandolo could offer

no further resistance, and it was arranged that
Dudlk should return the next morning at 8 o'clock

to commence his selections. In the meantime Dan

dolo, who neither knew Dudik by sight nor had
ever seen the signature of Count Crenueville,waited
upon General Alemaun, the military Governor of
Venice, early in the morning, and laid the matter
before him. The latter said that Count Crenne-
vine's order 3 were superior to his own, and di-
rected Dandolo to submit. At 8 a.m., accord-
ing to appointment, Dudik returned and be-
gan his labours. Nothing was done secretly,
and Signor Pazini, head of the reading room, was
directed to assist in making a list of the documents
removed, which was afterwards signed in duplicate
by all the persons immediately concerned in the
transaction ; one copy being taken away by Dudik,
the other remaining in the hands of Count Dan-
dolo. The bulk of papers selected was considerable,
and caused wild rumours to be spread abroad, but I
can positively assert from my own kn)wledge that
by far the greater part consisted of documents re-
lating to Istria, Dalmatia, and Aquileia, provinces
still remaining in the hands of Austria. There
were, however, others which certainly ought to
belong to Venice, relating as they do to the history
of the Republic both internal and external. Among
these were 32 volumes of " Comraemriali," a sort
of pro memoria drawn up for reference of the Doge
and council, and ranging from A.D. 1300 (about)
upwards, towards the later days of the Republic ;
correspondence relating to Germany and other coun-
tries from about the sixteenth century to the fall
of Venice; " Misti del Senato," or index to pro-
ceedings of the Senate; ",Pasta,"—that is, treaties
of the Republic ; all the Byzantine Arab documents,
which are said to be unique, and perhaps some
others. It appears that certain papers have been
taken from St. Mark's Library also. On hearing
of what had occurred, Signor Namais, secretary of
the Institute, wrote to Count Dandolo, calling upon
him to make a public protest ; but the Keeper of
the Archives found himself placed in a very difficult
position, and may be supposed to have urgued some-
what as follows :—" I do not approve the abstrac-
tion of these papers ; but I have a double duty, Ito
obey the Austrian Government and the Emperor,
whose servant I am, and, at the same time, to pro-
tect the archives. If I protest publicly I may be
removed, and who can say what obliging partisan
may be introduced in my place—perhaps even Dudik
himself ? I will not make a bid for popularity at
the risk of losing control over the documents and
the list that has been left behind." At any rate,
whatever he may have thought, be remained at his
post, contenting himself with drawing up an appeal
to his Imperial Majesty, to which be appended his
own signature, and obtained also that of Signor Va-
lantinelli, the head of St. Mark's Library, because
St. Mark's, too, had lost some of its treasures. The
appeal was sent to Gen. Alemann, who considered

that his duty prevented him from forwarding it, but
sent it to Namias, probably under a misapprehension
that it came from the Institute, for Count Dandolo
and Signor Valantinelli are both members of the

latter. Since then it is said that the list, or part of
the list, has appeared in a Padua journal, but it is
difficult to verify this, for Padua journals are not
sold just at present in the Piazza di San Marco.
iCnoguin n De
lt
raant
idoonl o
tois h
a manis
duties,of muchand
in liberalityhis hands of f etehl
the
Austrian Government has obtained the goodwill of
literary men by the free access which he has always
permitted to the valuable papers under his charge.
As Englishmen we have to thank him for havino.
enabled Mr. Rawdon Brown to publish the Statet'
atsaakpepneaehreadrgaenedf the
ar
ee
s of
.f vHhee ih
a hs
speanpnenrd is s , onein theo lu
archives since 1861, and will, it is to be hoped, con-
tinue to do so under the Italian Government. No
Emperor will
s of their proper
complaint is made against General Alemann, who
is decidedly popular here ; he probably only did his
restoreduty, s %
andi thereth ple
pleasure
is s
ri little t en doubtto the
hthatan hands
keepers documents of such great value, as soon as
he shall receive a request to do so from the King of
Italy. In the meantime there has been a little storm
about the affair, and it would be a graceful act if
Austria would return those that do not belong to
her by right, trusting the Venetians to take care of
them for the present.
But this is not the only accusation brought against
the Austrians. They are also said to have taken j

away pictures which are not theirs of right, and here
lies a considerable difficulty, for there are several
conflicting statements which are hard to reconcile.
It is admitted on both sides that 16 or 18 valuable
pictures were packed up, and had, I believe, started