The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-01 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JUNE 3, 1866

LONDON, FRIDAY, JUNE 1, 1866.

-49.. ---

'The debate on the Reform Bill was continued
last night without any remarkable incident, save
that the leaders of the two sides came to an under-
standing that the discussion should not be pro-
longed beyond Monday evening. The hopes of the
Government must by this time be somewhat damped,
for the passage of their bill through the several
stages is a tedious and disheartening process; and
there is yet the committee to come, and the final
debate, to say nothing of the opposition which it
may reasonably be expected to encounter in the
tipper House. At all events they preserve a bold
front, and profess to believe in the perfection of
their bill and the full approval of the country.
The principal speeches last night were those of
Sir JOHN PAKINGTON and Mr. GOLDSMID, and the
Great Speech of the Night, the speech of Mr. LOWE
—none of these, as may be supposed, very favourable
to the Government. Sir JOHN PNKINGTON, of course,
belongs to the front rank of their opponents, though
he is honest and independent enough to support
measure which he really approves. Mr. GOLD-
SMID'S political fate is connected with that of the
condemned borough of floniton—condemned at
least to share ,his Parliamentary honours with its
neighbours. Naturally enoagb, therefore, he is not
inclined to look at the measure, particularly at the
re-distribution part of it, with very favourable eyes ;
and in opening the debate last night he was very
le4'l7' with criticism and censure on its deficiencies.
The manner of grouping some of the boroughs he
showed to be arbitrary and inconsistent. But the
principal point which Mr. GOLDSMID censured in
the Ministerial arrangement was the limit of 8,000,
within which their changes were restricted. He
argued, justly enough, that it would be better and
more reasonable to raise the number to 10,000.
4‘ Were there not," he asked, " nomination boroughs
there
above 8,000 ?" In point of facttarein elvviel
or
osa
whose
constituencies with a much larger pepiiia
members virtually represent the opinions of two
throe influential men, but these would be difficult to
deal with. Mr. GdealinglD'S plan of dealing with
the union boroughs is simple and practical enough.
Ile proposes that no borough below 8,000 in Popu-
lation shall enjoy a separate representation, but
shall be grouped with others ; next, that boroughs
between the limits of 8,000 and 10,000, of which
there are nine, sending to Parliament 1.1 Liberals
and four Conservatives, should in future return one
member each instead of two ; and, thirdly, that
boroughs with more than 10,000 inhabitants should
have two members. This plan, Mr. GOLDSMID
urged, would not affect the general scheme of the
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER ; but the hon.
gentleman, in his very straightforward 411 d -

public-spirited address, overlooked one objection.
He readily admitted that his own borough was over
represented, and that he was prepared to vote for a
change which should deprive it of part of its privi-
leges; but, not being actuated by personal or party
considerations himself, he forgot to make due
allowance for Ministerial embarrassments. The
reason for stopping at the limit of 8,000 instead
of 10,000 may
easily be found in the relative pro-
portions of Liberals and Conservatives among the
18 representatives of the intervening boroughs. It
is no great wonder that the Ministers shrink from
thinning their failing ranks, or from provoking the
vehement opposition to be reasonably expected from
the 14 Liberals whose seats are thus threatened with
confiscation. It is these little party perplexities and
considerations which so much impede the course of
public business, and mix themselves up in the con-
sideration of every national question. Sir J. PAK-
INGTON, whose speech drew down thunders of ap-
plause, called upon the Government to take this
great question entirely out of the regions of
party or faction. "I declare," he exclaimed
emphatically, and with an earnestness which
carried the house with him, " that if there is one
thing which it is more desirable to remove from the
category of party measures, it is this question of
reforming the representation of the people." For
himself, Sir JOHN showed his sincerity by making a
suggestion that the whole subject should be in-
quired into by a Royal Commission, to be composed,
i not of Ministerialists or leaders of the Opposition,
nor even of a fair combination of both, but a com-
mission impartially constituted of competent men.
The duty of this commission would be to make a
comprehensive analysis of the question in all its
bearings, to verify the official statistics which Mr.
BRIGHT refuses to believe, and to make a report in
a full, broad, and impartial spirit, which shall enable
the house to form an accurate and statesmanlike
judgment. All these suggestions point one way,
and seem to show how little Parliament is satisfied
with the Bill or the Government.

Mr. LAYARD in the House last night admitted
that the Chilian Minister had delivered a letter of
recall ; but the hon. member added that they had
reason to believe our relations with the Chiller'
Government are on the most friendly footing. It
is a great disgrace to our Government that this
Chilian affair should have taken place at all, and it
will remain a lasting stain on the Government of
Earl RUSSELL, as the Danish war will on the last
Premiership of Lord PALMERSTON. People may
well ask what we have a fleet in the Pacific
at all for, if our vessels are to steam
out of the harbours whenever requested
to the sea, at the solicitation of those who outrage
good taste and good feeling by their barbarous
mode of making and carrying on war. The fact is
that the new mode of procedure that has been in
favour with the Foreign-office of late is a great
failure. It fails to secure us the respect of foreign
nations, it fails to protect our interests abroad, or
to satisfy the requirements of our people at home.
It is mean and cowardly, it holds out every possible
encouragement to the bully and the tyrant, while it
sanctions the ruin and destruction of the
weak and unprotected. If proper instructions
had been given to the Admiral, he must have com-
ported himself in a different manner. How far
otherwise was the course advocated by the American
commander ; he acted more in accordance with the
old English style and spirit, and advocated a policy
that belonged to the days of old, when the name of
England was respected in every land and on every
sea. We wonder to what lengths our Government
will proceed in their prosecution of these pusillani-
mous plans. But they may go too far, and raise the
feeling of the country against them until it finds ex-
pression in a manner that they cannot misunder-
stand or discredit. For want of a little timely ex-
hibition of firmess valuable property has been sacri-
ficed to a very considerable extent ; but far
worse than this loss is the precedent established,
and the fatal principle of inaction laid down.

The arrangements for the Conference have now
proceeded so far that it is expected the first sitting
will take place by the end of next week, or before
that date. All the Powers, in signifying their ac-
ceptance of the invitation, have notified that they
will take measures to prevent the occurrence of any
" act of hostility until a definite decision" has been
come to by the Conference. Prussia, it is said, has
accepted the Conference without conditions. If so,
it shows that a change has, indeed, come over the
dream of llerr BISMARCK, since he was ready to
move heaven and earth to interpose propositions of
his own. In this reply the Berlin Government
declare that the Schleswig-Holstein question
did not cause the "imminence of war,"
for that Prussia never had the intention to go to
war on that account, but that the threatening
armaments of Austria and Saxony were the reason
of its approach. The Presse goes so far as to say
that the Emperor NAPOLEON will preside at the
Conference, and that M. DROUYN DE LITUYS will
be merely the second " Plenipotentiary," but this is
scarcely probable, because the Emperor would not
like to be so prominently mixed up in the matter.
Count BISMARCK is expected to arrive in Paris soon,
and it will be a great pity if he goes to the Confer-
ence to represent Prussia, for he is so in-
fatuated that he is most likely to cause con-
fusion and disturbance. In fact his presence on
such a memorable occasion would be most unpro-
pitious, and if the King of PRUSSIA has any dis-
cernment he will not suffer him to go there. It is
believed that the plan adopted by Austria in Paris
will be to state that Venetia has been given to her
by European treaties, and that the right of posses-
sion has been confirmed by the Treaty of Zurich.
She has respected this treaty, although others have
violated it, and therefore she claims Venetia on the
same principle that the cession of Lombardy has
been respected.
It will be much regretted if Austria pursues this
course, and she will be letting slip an opportunity
that may not occur again in suhurry. Just now, in
consequence of recent affairs, the general sympathy
of Europe is on her side, but she will cast that to
the winds, if she persist in adhering to old worn-
out treaties in this head-strong fashion. It is added
that the Austrian representative at the Conference
will probably assert, that if the interests
of Europe require the cession of Venetia,
Austria must be compensated, and that the
compensation must come from Prussian territory,
because Prussia has raised the late turmoil for the
purpose of depriving her of Venetia. The Con-
ference will be held in the Salon du Congres at the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is so called because
the Congress of Paris was held in it. All due re-
spect has been paid to the affair by the EMPEROR
atnhodstehwosheo takewh who settle things in Paris ; and it is to
be hoped that their example will be followed by
may
be a
Conferencepart inin the discussions,
asiscu well a
ssions,as n
in d thatnam name,
t,
con
the better
which distract
momenta and
d du c nuge s t Ln s o
v
e
better settlement of the
ex
politics of Europe at this
m.m A v Pe
er
yr I)larduouse x
the
task is before them, and they wi •
ll need all their
energies and abilities to get out of the dilemma with
anything like success. In the A • nstrian hint as to
coopentatioa frQui Prussian tarit,Q • •
TM) and is the ,

Prussian declaration that the menaces of Austria
have induced the war now threatening, we find some
indication of the bitter state of feeling that prevails
in those kingdoms.

Austria will have a great advantage over Prussia
in the event of a war, on account of the general
support she will meet with. The Municipality of
Pesth has forwarded an address to the EMPEROR,
in which it declares that Hungary is ready to de-
vote all her forces and treasures to repulse any
attacks that are made against the nationality. It
is so far fortunate that the Prussian people have
been so much against the war, because it may in-
duce Herr BISMARCK to come to better terms at the
Conference than could possibly have been expected
of him were he sure of support at home whatever
befell.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FRO3I OUP. OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Thursday Evening.

The whole of the news of which we are in pos-
session to-day leads to the hope that affairs have
assumed a pacific phase. My information of the
consent to the Conference by the different powers
is confirmed, and it is said officially that it will
begin its labours without delay, either at the Palace
of the Elysee or at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
probably at the latter locality. The France says
that the adhesions of the Powers are without re-
serve, and that M. Bismarck will be present at the
Conference. The questions to be discussed will
turn necessarily on the Duchies of the Elbe, Federal
Reform, and the " Italian differences."

The Moniteur does not communicate any addi-
tional facts, but it says that the steps taken by
France, England, and Russia for the meeting of a
Congress have excited great satisfaction throughout
Europe. The English papers, it adds, are unani-
mous in their approval, and several of the Russian
journals speak in terms full of wisdom. The Ger-
man population generally look upon war with little
favour, and the Italians themselves, in spite of the
excitement prevalent on the other side of the Alps,
do homage to this amicable interposition of the great
neutral Powers.

On the other hand the Constitutionnel says—
" Although agreeing to the Conference, the Powers
engaged in the dispute have not, up to the present
time, as has been wrongly stated, suspended either
their movements or their military preparations. The
proof of this is the departure of Marshal Benedek for
the headquarters at Olmutz, the statement of the
Gazette de l' Allenzagne du Nord that the concentra-
tion of the Prussian troops will be proceeded with,
and the raising of additional volunteers in Italy.
The number of battalions of Infantry to be raised
there will now be forty-two.
There has been a terrible and disastrous occur-
rence in the Rue de Belleville, near La Villetta, au
explosion at the manufactory of M. Aubin, who
makes fireworks for the Emperor. The accounts
are somewhat confused at present, but the number
of victims is at least 20. There were about 1,2001 b.
of gunpowder on the premises. Most of the persons
employed were women. One account says that the
remains of 21 persons were found, so mutilated that
it was impossible to recognise either age or sex.
One woman gave birth to a child at the moment of
the explosion. They were preparing fireworks of a
peculiar kind which explode on coming into contact
with the air. Thirty persons at least have been
more or less seriously injured. The locality presents
an aspect really terrible. It looks as if there had
been an earthquake. The walls areblown away. The
gas lamps are broken to pieces. The municipal
authorities and the firemen, aided by the inhabi-
tants, were upon the spot without delay, but they
could only be spectators of the scene of death and
desolation. There is to be a solemn interment of
the victims to-morrow. Another account says that
17 dead bodies were extricated almost carbonized.
The force of the explosion may be judged of from
the fact that window frames have been shattered
and projectiles found at a distance of 300 yards. It
was horrible to see men and women rush from the
flames, their clothes on fire, and their hands, faces,
and other parts of the body shockingly burnt.
There has not been such a dreadful occurrence
in Paris since the accident on the Versailles
Railway in 1842. Limbs and other portions
of bodies were precipitated to a considerable
distance from the manufactory. All the remains
have been collected and transported to the cemetery.
The Emperor, on hearing of the calamity, imme-
diately proceeded without delay to the spot and ex-
pressed the utmost sympathy for the sufferers. His
Majesty also expressed his intention and desire to
do anything in his power to mitigate the effects of
the terrible event. The assembled thousands re-
ceived his Majesty with even more than the usual
display of popular regard and affection. Among
other acts of devotion was that of a priest who
prayed over the remains as they were extracted from
the ruins. Seldom have more lamentable scenes
and incidents been witnessed. Parents, and hus-
bands, and wives rushed to the spot, and when
bodies were extricated they were so burned, dis-
figured, and mutilated that persons nearly and dearly
related to each other could not identify the remains.
The Emperor has begun to manifest his sympathy
and regret by sending 5,000 f. to be distributed
among the sufferers. To-morrow I shall be able to
send a more exact account of the loss of life and
mischief. In the meantime it is known that of the
45 workmen usually employed only three were ab-
sent at the time of the disaster. The last account
up to the time I write is that the number of dead is
22.

It may be as well again to allude to the extraor-
dinary statements about the Conference and the
war. Although, as will be seen above, the official
announcement gives reason to suppose that it will
assemble immediately, yet the Journal des Debats
says

" The meeting of the Conference will pro-
bably be delayed for some days, the Diet
having decided to make known the con-
tents of the " identical Notes" to the German
Governments. This, no doubt, is only a formality,
but whatever haste may be employed to fulfil the
task, it will take time. Besides, it is not probable
that, under present circumstances, German diplo-
macy will think it expedient to depart from the tra-
ditional customs of delay, which it considers a matter
of dignity. These inevitable delays lead to the
belief that the Conference will not meet until the
latter portion of June. In the meantime, there is
no cessation in the military preparations.

This statement relative to the Conference is in
direct contradiction to that of the Patrie, which
says it will assemble in the course of next week.
The Pays gives a .curious illustration of igno-
rance, as well as the manufacture of news, to which
I have alluded. It says that some of the provincial
French papers have correspondence from Paris, in
which the writer speaks of the cordial reception of
Mr. Layard by the Emperor. He adds that, when
Mr. Layard was about to leave, the Emperor said
to him, with emotion, " Tell Lord Russell and Lord
Palmerston that I hope soon to see one or both of
them in Paris."

M. Vital Dubray, the sculptor, is engaged upon a
statue of the Empress Josephine. It is in white
Italian marble, and will be placed in the Avenue de
l'lmperatrice Josephine, near the Triumphal Arch
in the Champs Elys6es.
The amount paid for admissions to the race
course and the grand stand, on the day when the
Great Prize was run for, amounted to little short of
£5,000 sterling. The Duke of Beaufort is said to
have won two millions of francs Are not sports-
men going a-head in France?

THE COURT OF AFPEAL.—SIIOUId any vacancy
occur in the office of Lord Justice of the Court of
Appeal, it has been arranged by her Majesty in Council
that ono of those important judgeships shall be held by
the Master of the Rolls for the time being, and a now Vice-
Chancellor be created. The Master of the Rolls, by virtue
of his office, keeps the records of the kingdom, and is also
a judge in Chancery ; but at present his decisions aro sub-
ject to appeal before the Lords Justices or the Lord
Chancellor.
:WILVS YOUR DOC.= ?-SWRIZON'tS Pte'

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAIT S.)

THE WAR CRISIS.

VENICE, MAY 31.

The official Gazette of Venice confirms the intel-
ligence that Austria has positively refused to enter-
tain any project for the cession of Venetia; that
she proposes the solution of the Schleswig-Holstein
question to be brought about by the convocation of
the estates of those Duchies, and maintains the in-
competence of the Conference to discuss the affairs
of the Germanic Confederation.

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, JUNE 1.

Colonel Kiss of the French army arrived here at
the beginning of the week. He had an interview
with the French Ambassador and several high per-
sonages, and returned to Paris after one day's stay.
A certain importance is attached to his journey.

BERLIN, MAY 29.

Prince Albert the elder is to have an important
cavalry ccmmand. Major-General von Blumenthal
has been
appointed chief of the staff to the Crown

Prince.

According to present arrangements, the various
army corps will not be kept together entire, but
single regiments from different corps support those
first engaged in active service. The whole Prus-
sian formation has undergone a complete change in
consequence of the determination not to assume the
offensive.

The Crown Prince and Prince Frederick Charles
have been appointed to command divisions. The
King will certainly command in chief, and his Ma-
jesty's field equipment is already completed. The
King's head-quarters will not be settled until the
commencement of hostilities is close at hand.

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, JUNE 1.

The Vienna papers of to-day confirm the news
that Count Mensdorff will be the Austrian Plenipo-
tentiary at the Paris Conference.

SPAIN AND CHILI.

FLORENCE, JUNE 1.

Letters received here from Peru, to the 28th
April, announce that the Italian Minister, Signor
Migliorati, had interposed his good offices between
Admiral Nunez and the Peruvian Gouernment.
On the departure of the mail, on the 28th April, a
favourable result was expected from the negotia-
tions.

The Nazione of to-day believes that the Govern-
ment, in its Note accepting the Conference, has
avoided touching upon questions liable to create
discussion, in order not to delay the opening of
the Conference.

TURKEY.

CONSTANTIN OPLE, MAY 30.

It has been definitively arranged that the annual
tribute paid to Turkey by the Viceroy of Egypt is
to be increased by £350,000.
It is said that should an European Congress meet
Fuad Pacha will represent the Sublime Porte.

THE CALCUTTA MAILS.
SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 1.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Pera, with the heavy portion of the above mails,
has arrived here. She brings 165 passengers,
£3,230 in specie, plate value 250 pounds, 1,997
chests of tea, 1,000 packages of sundries, and 468
bales of raw silk, value £40,000 sterling.
The Pera experienced strong south-westerly
winds and a heavy sea across the Bay of Biscay
and up Channel.

On the 28th she spoke the British ship Mersey,
and on the 30th ultimo the steamers Massilia and
Bernice.

Her Majesty's ships Victoria, Royal Oak, Re-
sistance, Wizard, Cockatrice, Hibernia, and Psyche
were at Malta.

The Spanish frigate Gerona had returned from
Madeira to Cadiz.

GIBRALTAR, MAY 27.

The British steamers Grecian, Adalia, and Luxor
from Liverpool, the Meteor from Swansea, and the
Spartan from Glasgow, have arrived.

Exchange on London, 49i ; on Paris, 5.25 ;
Marseilles, 5.16 ; Madrid, 2 dis. ; Cadiz, 5 dis. ;
Seville, Ito dis ; Malaga, 1 dis. ; yremium on 5
franc pieces, 1} per cent.

other place. In foreign bottoms the duty is also
100 f. for the same weight.
The Moniteur de la Meurthe relates a 'lament-
able accident which has happened to M. Deisch,
secretary to M. Chevandrier ds Valdrome, Deputy.
The unfortunate gentleman, while travelling by the
mail train, happened to put his head out of the
carriage window at the moment of passing a bridge,
with which his head came in contact, and his skull
was smashed in. Medical assistance was promptly
procured, but M. Deisch expired in a few hours.
A statue to the dramatic writer Collin d'Harle-
ville was inaugurated two days back at Maintenon
(Eure-et-Loir), his birth-place.

The Independance Beige, in speaking of the resig-
nation of the Spanish Minister of Finance, M.
Alonzo Martinez, observes :--" This is a great loss
to the Government, as M. Martinez is a liberal-
minded man, who had set to work seriously to
restore order to the finances of Spain. There is
reason to presume that the motive for his retirement
is less the state of his health than the difficulties he
had met with in the accomplishment of his task, and
the attacks made on him in the Cortes."
The Moniteur says :—" Advices received from
Alexandria and Djeddah represent the sanitary
state of the lledjaz as very satisfactory. The num-
ber of pilgrims who have arrived at Mecca is far
less than in previous years, and especially than in
1865."

Letters from Venice announce that the Jesuits
are evacuating their houses in that city in order to
remove to the north of the Empire.
Madame Poujade, nee Princess Ghika, wife of the
French Consul-General at Turin, has just died, aged
only twenty-five years.
BOURSE, May 31, Two o'clock.—The reponse des
primes is taking place to-day at the following rates:
—French Rente, 64f. 95c.; Italian Fives, 41f. 80c. ;
and Credit Mobilier Shares, 535 f. The market
opened on yesterday's closing quotation, but has
gradually dropped, and lower prices are now sub-
mitted to. Threes are now at 65f. 5c., or 30c.
lower. Italian Fives are quoted 41f. 85c., a de-
cline of 20c. The loss on Credit Mobilier Shares
is 5f., viz., 540 f., and on Credit Foncier Shares 12f.
50c.—viz., 1,170 f. Railway Shares are likewise
dealt in at lower quotations. Lyons have declined
sf.—to 805 f. ; Lombard, if. 25c.—to 307 f. 50f. ;
and Austrian, sL—to 315 f. English Consols have
been been telegraphed without variation.

Three o'clock.—The market has closed on the
following quotations :

41 per Cents —
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. —
Do. end month 65
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Credit Foncier —
Do. end month 1167 50
BALL

Bank Shares —
Italian Loan —
Do. end month 4l 50
Mexican Loan 3l 50
Do. Bonds 250
Spanish Threes
Home Debt
Deferred
'AYS.

For Account.
Orleans
Northern lOB5
Lyons and Mediterranean BO5
Southern
Western 527 50
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian

Lombard 307 50
North of Spain ll7 50
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona —
Roman —