The Sun.
London, England, 1866-08-13 00:00:00

Tt. will ha a meat relief to the nublic to learn from
the return of the deaths in the metropolis, which
the Registrar-General is wisely issuing daily, that
the cholera has shown a perceptible diminution
during the last week. The daily average of the
week before last was 150, whereas, on Wednesday,
Thursday, and Friday last the deaths were respec-
tively 109, 114, and 85. This is encouraging,
though it should induce us rather to increase than
to lessen our efforts to relieve the sufferers and to
mitigate the extremity of that poverty which is the
most dangerous predisposer to infection. The impor-
tance of sanitary regulations cannot be too often
insisted upon, and although a deficient or unwhole-
some water supply may be an evil difficult to deal
with there are many other sources of danger, such
as dirt, bad ventilation, unwholesome or ill-cooked
food, which persons in tolerable circumstances can
avoid for themselves and others. Among the chil-
dren of the poor the sickness is fatally prevalent,
and the want of proper food, the eating unripe or
bad fruit and vegetables, is a common source of its
origin in a milder form, which of ten leads to serious
illness. Much can be done in checking the spread
of the disease by fortifying the poor against
its attacks. The scenes described by the clergymen,
officials, and visitors at the east end of London are
harrowing in the extreme. The hospitals are full,
and active measures are being taken to provide
temporary accommodation for the sick elsewhere.
As usual the ministers of religion of every deno-
mination are foremost in the field, toiling unre-
mittingly for the relief of the destitute, the assist-
ance of the sick, the comfort of the dying,
and the burial of the dead. Archbishop MAN-
NING has addressed a seasonable circular to the
Catholic clergy of the poorer parts of Lon-
don, wisely advising them to discourage all
" waking" or unnecessary attendance at burials,
and recommending them to join any committee or
board formed for the relief of the cholera patients.
A letter from a Catholic clergyman in one of the
eastern parishes was read the other day at the Man-
sion-house, giving a terrible picture of the distress
among his population. Many such letters were re-
ceived on Saturday at the Mansion-house, from the
rectors of the different parishes, giving appalling
details of the sufferings of their people from actual
want. A deputation from Bromley by Bow attended
to ask for a grant, statingthatthewantof nourish-
mentme and stimulants was
grievously felt. In so
cases they had seen water, even
or vinegar,want og f
some-
thing e to
poor creatures dying of
and
a f
cholera
more suitable. Mr. ARMSTRONG, the regis-
trar of St. Mary, St.
of deaths for the district
George-in-the-East, states that the bulk of the
people in that populous district were very poor.
wages of dockmen in full work are only from
provide
15s. to 18s. per week, which certainly
The
nothing • for emergencies. The Society of
Friends have been busying themselves most
assiduously in the relief of the poor of
Spitalfields, where help is greatly needed. In fact
there has been no lack of heroism, fortitude, and
generosity, and the public have responded nobly to
the appeals for pecunairy aid. The subscriptions at
the Mansion-house during five days are roughly
estimated at £5,000, while the Bishop of LONDON'S
Relief Fund received £lO,OOO in the fortnight. The
Princess of WALES has testified her sympathy as a
mother with the fiiendless little ones whom Mrs.
GLADSTONE has so charitably assistc.l by sending
£5O for the Orphans' Home, accompanied with
graceful and suitable presents and kindly words of

sympathy no less valuable. Such an example may
well be followed by other ladies to whom PROVI-
DENCE has preserved their little ones untouched by
the terrible visitor.

The news brought by the American mails is now
anticipated by the marvellous cable, although we
can learn from the ship news further details than
the magic messenger can spare time to give us.
We are glad to find by the telegrams from Valentia
this morning that the Gulf St. Lawrence cable has
been repaired, and is working well, the stiff breeze
which delayed operations on Saturday having mode-
rated. The value of the cable has been quickly
appreciated on both sides of the Atlantic, and it is
likely to be kept actively employed both in the
transmission of political news and commercial mes-
sages.

The greater part of the news brought by the
Africa from Halifax and Boston has been antici-
pated, as we have said, by the telegraph. The
Fenians seem just now to be the principal objects
of interest, the wise men of the Senate having
exerted themselves on their behalf. The Mayor
of Washington having very wisely prevented the
Fenians from holding public meetings in the Go-
vernment fair building, the Senate disapproved of
the prohibition, and has passed a resolution grant-
ing the use of the building for Fenian assemblies.
Whether they have the power to do this is uncertain,
but if Congress is to override every other authority,
and interfere with the precautions or directions
thought necessary for. the preservation of public
order, it would be well for a little more care to be
exercised in the selection of members. One of the
last acts of the House of Representatives before
they separated was to provide for the payment of
certain expenses or allowances, which would arrange
for each member receiving about $4,000 in addition
to his previous receipts. In this the various dis-
cordant parties were singularly unanimous. STE-
PHENS, of Irish celebrity, is as bent upon mischief
as ever, though whether he puts any faith in his
own professions and assertions is a matter of doubt.
He affects more of the grand seigithur style than
his rivals, and endeavours to invest Fenianism with
a character and importance which do not in the
least belong to it. He has now issued a circular
reiterating his former statement that fighting will
commence on Irish soil this year, and cautioning
the Fenians against alliances with American poli-
tical parties. This is evidently directed against the
Radicals, whose transparent attempt to gain the
suffrages of the Hibernians has met with little suc-
cess. STEPHENS is, at any rate, a mischievous
agitator, who will deserve little pity should he reap
the reward which his recklessness and folly de-
serve. The Government have evidently done
wisely in continuing the suspension of the Habeas
Corpus Act in Ireland, for at the least opportunity
there would be plenty of idlers who would like to
live at the expense of their dupes, and create dis-
turbance and discontent. Our transatlantic friends
have done good service in putting a stop to the
Canadian expedition. It would be a good thing
for all parties if they could continue to curtail
the activity of Head-Centre STEPIIENS.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FRO M OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Sunday Evening.

It is stated in an authentic quarter that Prussia
has now manifested a more conciliatory spirit than
when the proposals made to her, on the part of
France, were first mooted. This impression is
strengthened by the return to Paris of M. Benedetti,
Minister of France at Berlin.

The Gazette Universelle of Leipzig publishes a e'r-
cular addressed by the Prussian Government to her
allies of Northern Germany. Prussia proposes to
those States an alliance offensive and defensive to
arrange their relations with that kingdom until the
complete reorganisation of the German Confedera-
tion shall be effected. Among the conditions are
thn, 44,^ ";,s1 Qi-ntoe shnll ho 2„1„—.2
command of the King of Prussia. They are to
order, at the same time, the elections in Prussia to
the Federal Parliament. They are also to send
Plenipotentiaries to Berlin to establish, in concert
with Prussia, upon the bases of the proposition
made to the Diet, on the 10th of June last, the pro-
ject of a Federal Constitution to be submitted to
the Federal Parliament. Upon these terms Prus-
sia will guarantee to these States their inde-
pendence and the integrity of their territory.
All the States have accepted the conditions except
Saxe-Meinengen and the elder Reuss branch.

The Bishop of Strasbourg has taken a step from
which it appears that the Roman Catholic clergy are
no longer to be precluded from scientific studies.
This prelate has decided that ecclesiastical study at
the Grand Seminary of Strasbourg shall in future
be completed by a course of physiology, the direc-
tion of which is confided to Dr. Hergott, a professor
of the faculty of medicine.

The Minister of War has received despatches
from Mexico, dated July 9, which left! Vera Cruz
on the 14th. The military operations which have
taken place since the last despatches are without in-
terest. An encounter took place on the 20th June
at Topogrande, five leagues faom Monterey, be-
tween a detachment of the second battalion of
Africa, under the orders of Commandant de la
Hayrie and the disaffected, who left upon the field
40 dead and 70 horses. News had been received
from Acapulco to the 28th of May. On that day
the Commander of the Lucifer had attacked a por-
tion of the enemy in concert with the Mexican gar-
rison. The chief of the insurgents was killed. This
troop was beaten and dispersed. The vomito had
made some victims among the Mexicans at Flaco-
taplan, but happily the sanitary condition of the
French troops continued to be satisfactory.
The Bank of France was never so encumbered
with riches as at the present time. There are now
in its cellars to the value of 700 millions of francs
in gold, specie, silver, or jewels. This abundance
has resulted from the war in Germany. The
amount sent by German bankers and others num-
bers 200 millions. The King of Saxony sent 10
millions of florins. The cellars of the bank are so
crammed that the bank is compelled to refuse to re-
ceive any valuables which occupy much space. It
has happened lately that a single banking house has
sent several millions to the bank in one day.
The long-talked of marriage between M. Michel
Ney, Duke of Elchingen, and Miss Paule Heine,
the rich German banker's daughter, has taken place.
Among those present were General Prince de Mos-
cowa, Duke de Persigny, M. Achille Fould, Minister
of Finance, and M. Vintoy, President of the Council
of State. The marriage was solemnised by the
Abbe Bernard. It took place at the church of Roc-
quemount, department of Seine et Oise.

Two consecrations have taken place in the de-
partment—that of M. Grimardias, the new Bishop
of Cahors, and of M. Lequette, the new Bishop of
Arras.

The glory of the splendid Pompeian palace in the
Champs Elysees is eclipsed. The bailiffs arc in
possession of its splendid archaeological treasures.
They will be sold to pay debts.
This has been the most miserable and cheerless
day since last winter. It has rained from " morn
and has been cold enough for
Ctilhlrids
teLy eve,"
Christmas.

As great a villain as any of modern days has been
condemned to death by the Court of Assize for the
Seine Inferieure at Rouen. The condemnation is
for the murder of a widow lady named Ilattenfeld.
The assassin, a man named Picard, is only 25, but
soon after he was 14 he had suffered imprisonment
for various robberies, for brutal conduct to a girl of
twelve years of age, and for other crimes. He con-
fessed that, being determined to get money, he
visited several houses in a lonely locality, with the
intention of selecting the best opportunity for
murder and robbery. He bad been to several be-
fore he reached that of the domed, but had not a