The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-17 00:00:00

,4144.
44.4 t,

LONDON, FRIDAY; AUGUST 17, 1866.

The Emperor of the FRENCH having decided not
to go to war just now, there has been nothing
to disturb the celebration of his fête-day, and in
some respects the affair passed off very well, for
the weather was very fine, and therefore many
were able to enjoy themselves. The EMPEROR,
as an act of grace, pardoned or commuted the
sentences upon more than eight hundred military
offenders, which was a politic arrangement, be-
sides affording general satisfaction. Unfortunately
the day did not pass over without any draw-
backs, for in the evening a crush occurred in
which several persons were killed and a consi-
derable number were injured. Many persons will
doubtless be satisfied at the decision of the Em-
PEROR respecting the war ; but the real question
is, how long will the present peace last, and
what will it be worth ? France must either yield
the first place in foreign affairs to Prussia, or
else be constantly striving to resist her encroach-
ments. How long she may be able to do so with
the mere force of diplomacy will remain for the
future to decide; but we may be certain that,
while the Emperor NAPOLEON lives, he will not
be content to be put back while his arrogant ally
is in the ascendant. For some reasons, certainly,
we may all find cause to approve of the recent
decision of the French EMPEROR. It has put
off the evil day, and afforded opportunity for
the harassed soldiers of Prussia to rest after their
hard work, and it will allow the more speedy resto-
ration of the tranquillity which has been so much
disturbed by the Continental hostilities and the
period of anxiety which preceded them. When we
consider the real interests of Europe, and look more
to the ultimate effects than to the immediate object,
we may doubt if, after all, a collision between the
rival Powers might not have been productive of
some beneficial effects. It cannot be for the gain
or the good of Germany that the plan of Count
BISMARCK should be allowed to succeed. If matters
go on for some time after the fashion that now
prevails, there will either be a complete revulsion of
feeling taking place which will subvert the present
authorities, who are carrying all before them, or
else the Germans will have gone so far back in real
freedom and enlightened progress that it will take
years of toil and trouble to be where they now are,
or rather were previuus to the outbreak of this war.
It is very much to be doubted if those are not mis-
taken who think that the apparent inconsistency
displayed by the French EMPEROR arises from his
having changed his mind. Such vacillation is not
like him, and be must have known very well that a
refusal was what he would most probably meet with.
lie could not have considered it an advantage to
be thus checkmated before the eyes of Europe,
and if he did not wish to resort to war, in case ofr
non-compliance with his request, he could have
sounded the Prussian Cabinet, and ascertained

their intentions in a more reserved manner.

The threatened fracas with France being over,
the Prussian Government have nothing else to do
but rejoice at their success and consolidate their
Plans. Fetes and congratulations are the order of
the day, and of course BISMARCK is for the time a
sort of demigod. It is said that the peace negocia-
tions between Prussia and Bavaria are progressing
favourably, which is
so far fortunate, as it will pre-
vent more sanguinary lontests taking place. The
new Prussian Electoral Law, which has been laid
before the Prussian Chambers, appears, so far as we
can judge of it at first sight, to be moderate and
not devoid of merit. Of course it is a very elaborate
production, as all the details of German States are
sure to be; but it promises more than might have
been expected, only the danger is whether the half
of it will ever be practically arrived at. Very
likely it is intended that this arrange_
in en t shall satisfy people at the time, and
f afterwards it should turn out that its working
is not satisfactory, then the Government can either
so alter it as to change its meaning or else refuse to
act upon it altogether. No doubt many will go into
rhapsodies concerning the liberality of .the clauses of
this bill, and declare that great benefits will accrue
thereby to Prussia, and consequently thereon to the
large possessions she has acquired. But we would
rather dwell upon the probability that exists for
carrying these proyiAitaw into effect than specu-

late upon their merits. It cannot be denied that
BISMARCK is a consummate actor, and that
he shows zeal and discernment worthy of a
better cause, but of what avail are these qualities
to the progress of the people whom he rules over ?
They are forced to ply their trades in his opinion,
and assist him in the execution of his schemes
whether they are willing or not so to do. What,
then, is the use of drawing up programmes like this
Electoral Law, when we know very well that no-
thing will be carried into effect that the Government
does not approve of ? Thus we find that the " right
of election is to be exercised by personally de-
positing an unsigned voting paper in a box to
be provided for the purpose?" but will not the effect
of this concession be really invalidated by the course,•
pursuel towards the Deputies when they are elected.
We know from past experience that whenever any
questions of vital importance arose which called for
a definite expression of opinion from the Chamber
of Deputies, that the Ministers were sure to de-
nounce those who acted contrary to their wishes, and
were not sparing of their abuse in replying to them.
It seems but lost labour to allow every Prussian
who has completed his twenty-fifth year to
vote, and to introduce vote by ballot, when tyranny
and despotism are so rampant in high places, and
when no real expression of opinion on the part of
the people is allowed to beig,iven. Will the Govern-
ment that prevented the festival at Cologne, and
abruptly dissolved the Chambers, that carried on
the administration of the country without the
Budget being passed, and trampled on the statutes
of the Constitution, now return from the errors of
their ways and become the generous dispensers of
a jus't policy ? No such transformation is,
we fear, in store for Prussia, and the people
must reap what they have sown in permitting
an unscrupulous Minister to have his own way to so
great an extent, and allowing themselves to be led
away by the illusion of military glory so far that
they have lost sight of their real interests at home
and their integrity abroad. The period of the
Danish war was the turning point in Prussian free-
dom, and they suffered that opportunity to be lost,
so intent were they upon seeking for an aggrandise-
ment of territory, and of manifesting their impor-
tance in the sight of the nations of Europe, a deci-
sion that is likely to cost them dear.

The importance of a good supply of pure water
to the inhabitants of a great city is becoming more
and more generally recognised. Unfortunately, in
spite of our sanitary and scientific knowledge, the
population of the metropolis has a good deal to com-
plain of in this respect, and until we give up the
systematic poisoning of our rivers by sewage we
cannot hope to escape the evil consequences of

drinking unwholesome water. We are glad to find
that the Liverpool authorities are taking active
steps for the better supply of water to the town.

Liverpool has long enjoyed pre-eminence among

our ports and cities, but it can, unfortunately, also
claim a rate of mortaility considerably higher than
that of any other great town in the kingdom. It
is, of course, extremely populous, and many cir-
cumstances tend to deteriorate the public health,
but when once the inhabitants have fairly made up

their minds that something can be done to diminish
the mortality, and have addressed themselves

in earnest to the improvement of their
sanitary condition, we shall, no doubt,
see the death rate of Liverpool rapidly
decline. Pure air it may be difficult for the resi-
dents in the poorer and more crowded parts of the
city to obtain, though something might be done in
this respect, but pure water has been so abundantly
proved to be of primary importance in a sanitary
point of view that the question of a good and ample
water supply may well engage the attention of all
interested in the health of the city. The visitation
of cholera, though happily not severe in Liverpool,
has been sufficiently marked to excite considerable
apprehension, and to arouse men from their habitual

indifference on sanitary matters ; and, accordingly,
we find that the water supply of Liverpool has of

,ate been anxiously discussed.

There have been

two very adventurous projects submitted to the
Town Council, either of which would entail con-
siderable outlay and exertion, The one is to draw
a supply from the Cumberland Lakes, the other
from the Bala Lake in North Wales. The engineer
to the Corporation has reported in favour of the.
Bala Lake, and the estimated expenditure is
about a million and a half. A special meeting
of the Town Council was held a day or two ago

to consider the subject, when an animated discus-
sion took place on the merits of the respective
schemes. The supply of water to Liverpool is at
present obtained from the Rivington works, and

'rom wells sunk in the red sandstone rock under-

lying the town. It was contended by the opponents
of the new scheme that the Rivington works
had already cost £2,000,000, and that the supply
obtained from them, with the assistance of the
wells, was quite sufficient for the wants of
the town. Liverpool, they urged, had already
spent much more for its water supply than
Manchester and Glasgow, and quite as much in
proportion as London. This argument, however, is a
very unsound one, since the question is not what
amount each town or city should spend to
keep pace with others, but what expenditure
the necessities of its population may require.
It is obvious that some towns from their geogra-
phical position may have to spend a great deal
more in obtaining pure water than others, though
we should certainly imagine that good water was
to be had nearer Liverpool than the Welsh or Cum-
berland Lakes. Liverpool is rich enough to afford
whatever expenditure is necessary, and the money
could not be better laid out than in securing a good
water supply for the increasing population of the
city, which now numbers half-a-million, and in
eight or ten years will, according to the present rate
of increase, be considerably larger. Besides this,
the gradual extension of the town will tend to
deteriorate the existing wells, so that it will not do
to depend too much upon them. The conclu-
sion at which the Council ultimately arrived
was that engineers of talent andthe experiencelocal
sources
r es):
so should
be employed toinvestigate
supply before
proceeding to
larger and more distant operations.
the consideration of
The example of Liverpool may very well be
followed in London, and it would be well if com-
petent persons were employed
in investigating
the whole question of our metropolitan
water
It has been proposed to sink wells Londonbelowthethe
clay, at a great cost, no doubt, but with
cer-
tainty of obtaining pure water. It has also
been suggested to bring water from a very great
distance to London. The whole question is of
such great importance that it deserves to be fully
discussed and examined in every possible aspect.
We do not need the experience of an epidemic to
show us that the habitual consumption of impure
water is a strong predisposing cause of disease, and
that we can never get a healthy population
in districts in which the water supply is impure
or insufficient. The resource which medical men
at present advise is for poor persons to boil the
water they drink ; but it speaks very 1 adly for our
metropolitan authorities if they are willing to rest
satisfied with such a state of things. We boast
not unreasonably of the skill of our tngineera, and

the acquirements of our men of science. Surely,
then, we need not rest contented with boiling impure
water when there is no lack of running streams in
England.

The provisions of the new Sanitary Act are very
useful and important, and it is to be hoped that our
various local authorities will avail themselves to the
full of the extended powers conferred upon them.
Every one who has inquired at all into such matters
must be aware how much divided authority inter-
fers with the practical working of the laws hitherto
in existence, and how often a question of routine
or etiquette may lead to serious mischief. The first
ten sections contain important provisions with
respect to efficient house drainage ; the eleventh
gives power to the local authority to supply its
district with water by digging wells, making reser-
voirs , &c. This is a valuable provision, especially
at the present time, and we hope that, it will be put
into active practice. Another clause empowers the
chief officer of police to deal with the nuisances of
a district, if the nuisance authority is proved to
have neglected his duty, but the police may not
enter a house for this purpose without the consent
of the occupier or a magistaate's warrant. To the
list of legal nuisances is added houses overcrowded,
dirty, ill-ventilated factories and workshops, and
furnaces not consuming their own smoke. All
these are fruitful sources of mischief, and their being
placed under the control of the nuisance authority
is a great public good. Among the other provi-
sions are clauses for the disinfecting of houses after
contagious sickness, the provision of carriages for
the removal of the sick, the reception of the corpses
of those who have died from a contagious disorder,
and empowering the local authority to provide tem-
porary hospitals. Penalties are to be enforced
against persons letting houses or driving hackney
carriages known to have been used by persons suffer-
ing from contagious sickness without previously
disinfecting them, and altogether due care seems to
have been taken for guarding the public health
against some of the dangers to which it is at present
exposed without interfering with the liberty of the
subject.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Thursday Evening.
The clouds which lowered in the horizon at the
time my letter was posted yesterday cleared off,
and the opinion is universal that there never was
such a magnificent fête in Paris, nor could there
be elsewhere. From the Tuileries to the Arch of
the Etoile was a blaze of many-coloured lights.
Not only were the trees illuminated, but all the
grass-plots and flower-gardens were decorated with ,
lamps of every hue. They who had come from far
distances must have thought the trouble of the jour-
ney well repaid. Imagine miles of light of all
colours, Chinese lanterns, beautiful flags, and
fanciful ornaments. Nothing in the Arabian tales
or Oriental imagining could come up to the
reality of the beauty of the Place de la Concorde
and the Champs Elysees. The effect of the fire-
works was magical. The Seine appeared as if on
fire. The reflection was thrown for many a mile.
The multitude was countless or would have taken
months to count.

In the French calendar the 15th of August is
marked as the Fête de l'Assomption, but there was,
in fact, a Saint Napoleon. By ancient writers he
is styled Neopolus or Neopolis in the Roman lan-
guage, which afterwards in Italian became Napo-
leone, and in French Napoleon. Saint Napoleon
was celebrated by birth and attainments. He
flourished in the reign of persecution under Diocle-
tian and Alaximien. He died for his faith, and,
after having been cruelly tormented, he was thrown
half dead into prison, where he lingered for some
time. I hear that there were some accidents
arising from the immense crowd in the Place de
la Concorde.

The Feast of the Assumption in honour of the
happy death of the Virgin Mary and her glorious
assumption in heaven is, says the Abbe Godescard,
" a pious tradition, according to which the Holy
Virgin was resuscitated immediately after death,
and, by a special privilege, the soul, uninhabiting
the body, was received into heaven. Andre of
Crete and Gregory de Tours attest that this tradi-
tion existed in the East in the seventh century, and
in the West in the sixth century. It is, besides,
founded upon the sentiments of piety and respect
which we owe to the Mother of God. It was ap-
propriate that this sacred, uncorrupt body should
not be subject to decay, but that it should be imme-
diately resuscitated and placed in the possession of
glory." Some say that Mary died at Ephesus, others
that it was at Jerusalem. This point the Abbe says
he cannot determine.

In addition to the various games and diversions
yesterday, including the climbing up a greasy pole
for watches and jewellery (the Mat de Couragne),
the theatres were opened gratis at two o'clock in
the afternoon, and I perhaps need hardly say that
they were all crowded to suffocation. The price
paid by Government last year for these gratuitous
representations was 80,000 f. Probably the amount
was about the same yesterday.
The trial for the great railway robbery is about
to take place before the Court of Assize of the Seine.
The accused are three in number—M. Berthome,
cashier ; M. Dupray de la Maherie, a printer ; and
the Prince de Crouy Chanel. The latter is not in
custody. I gave some particulars of this robbery
at the time. The sum abstracted from the Sous
Comptoir of the railways is no less three millions
of francs.

The Minister of Marine has received some infor-
mation valuable to the herring fishery on the coast
of Scotland, from which it appears that for some
time past on the northern coast the fishing was very
successful, and that the French fishermen were dis-
appointed because they left the ports of France too
late, and did not go sufficiently far northwards.
They therefore could take no part with the 3,200
English boats in the Gulf of Moray. An immense
number of herrings had been taken.

M. Gendre, a furniture dealer, at Rouen, lately
bought several articles from a person in distress for
110 f. While cleaning one of the articles, a drawer,
which opened with great difficulty, was found to
contain a bag in which were 5,125 f. M. Gendre
hastened to the person of whom he had bought the
furniture and restored the money. It had been left
to him by will some time previously, and he bad
never thought of opening the drawer.
The papers not being published this morning, in
the absence of news I give you an analysis of a very
able and beautiful review of the second volume of
"The History of Julius Caesar," by the Emperor.
This criticism is from the pen of the admired and
enlightened literary and dramatic critic of the
Moniteur, Theophile Gautier. M Gautier, speaking
of Julius Caesar, says that no Personage had more
illustrious histeriansor more august annotators.
Charles The King of France, VIII., had a peculiar
taste for the Commentaries of. Casa"r
;a translation
of which was presented to him by the celebrated
monk, Robert Gaguin, in 1480. The Viceroy of
Sicily, Ferdinand de Gouzaque, sent to France a
scientific commission to study upon the spot the
campaigns of Julius Caesar. The 40 plans drawn
op by this commission are still in existence. The
great Conde patronised the translation of the Com-
mentaries by Perrot d'Ablancourt ; Louis Philippe
of Orleans, surnamed EgalitC, ordered a plan of the
campaigns of Cxsar in the Gauls. Napoleon 1., at
St. Helena, dictated to Count Marchand un Precis
des Guerres de Ccesar ; " and the Emperor Napo-
leon 111. is about to raise to the glory of this man,
the most perfect, perhaps, whom nature ever pro-
duced, a monument, which, for the greatness of the
plan, the richness of the materials, for the accuracy
of the appreciations and the position of the author,
from whom nothing is hidden of things military or
political, may justly be considered as definitive."
M. Gautier proceeds to say that the second volume
which he has under consideration contains the war
of the Graule according to the Commentariee," In