The Sun.
London, England, 1866-02-10 00:00:00

T}lE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 10, 1866.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Friday Evening.
Several of the Paris papers pass over her Majesty's
Speech in silence, and those which discuss it are not
laudatory in their appreciation of it. The Opposition
papers complain of the reserve it maintains upon
important questions of foreign policy, and charac-
terise its expressions upon the great question of
Reform, which, they say, " deeply agitates Eng-
land," as being very vague and tending to prove
that the Government does not wish to compromise I
itself upon the question.

Accounts from Brussels state that the Queen of
the Belgians is in an interesting condition, and that
in the month of July next there will probably be a
new addition to the illustrious race of Saxe-Coburg.
The Moniteur of this morning contains a despatch
from the Minister of France at Washington to the
Minister for Foreign Affairs at Paris, dated Jan.
23, which confirms the particulars already known of
the capture of Bagdad, and mentions the measures
adopted by the Government of the United States to
prevent any infraction of the principle of neutrality.
The Government has received despatches from
Mexico to the 9th of January, but they do not add
any new fact of importance to the accounts received
by the last packet. The Emperor and Empress
Maximilian were about to be present at some grand
fetes, but they had been countermanded in conse-
quence of the receipt of the news of the death of
King Leopold.

The fancy dress ball at the Tuileries was a very
grand affair. Dancing was kept up till nearly five
in the morning. About 1,000 fashionables were
present. The Emperor wore a grey Venetian velvet
mantle, and the Empress was dressed as Marie An-
toinette. The Princess of Hohenzollern wore a cos-
tume of the 16th century. The Imperial Prince
represented Masaniello. The Princess de Metter-
nich was attired in a marvellous looking dress
of olden times. The Countess de Castiglione,
like the Empress, assumed the costume of Marie
Antoinette. The Princess Mathilde was at-
tired as a lady of Roumania. Perhaps
the dresses which excited the most admiration were
those of the Mesdames Rothschild, which were
costly, magnificent, and beautiful ; one was com-
posed of various colours, the other was white. The
most remarkable dresses of the gentlemen were
those of the Marquis de Gallifet, who was en
ilioliton ; M. de Choiseul, as Time, with his scythe ;
and M. Edmond Dolpus, as a Swiss captain. A
very splendid supper was served at two, after which
dancing was resumed.
I supply some additional particulars of interest
relative to the execution of Poncet, furnished by a
gentleman who had access to the prison. At half-
past four in the morning the Abbe Frolley went
intoPoncet's cell to announce the melancholyintelli-
gence to him that he had but a short time to live.
When Poncet heard the announcement he became
exceedingly agitated and turned very pale, but he
almost instantly recovered his self-possession, and
said, " In fact it is better to lose one's head on the

mountain than to return yonder to Cayenne to re-
ceive 20 blows with a whip at any moment, if no-
thing else." He then asked for a glass of brandy.
It was given to him, but it had been previously
mixed with water, of which Poncet complained,
and asked for another glass of pure brandy. This
was also given him. The Abbe Frolley exhorted
him to pray. " I am going to smoke," said Poncet,
and he then took up a cigar which was lying on the
floor of his cell. " This cigar is not so good as
those you used to give me, Dr. Berigny," said he
to the prison doctor. The abbe confessed him, and
said a mass, which could be heard by the other pri-
soners without their being seen. After mass,
Poncet was delivered up to the executioner. When
the latter was about to cut off his hair, Poncet said,
"Don't be afraid of using the scissors. 1 have not

much hair, but I have let my whiskersgrow." Poncet
had on a handsome coloured American shirt, and he
remarked to the executioner that it had cost him
15 francs. " When I think that I have only three
quarters of an hour to live," continued Poncet,
while his whiskers were being shaved, "it appears
to me so droll, but go on." The executioner then
took off the irons which confined his hands, and
, made him sit down while he took those from his feet.
As soon as Poncet felt himself free, he rose up
gaily, and placing his right leg in advance while he
pressed his body with his elbows, he said—" I know
all that. I know how it is done. It is for the
cords." He allowed himself to be tied without
saying anything, having previously given a letter
to Dr. B-erigny, containing a lock of his hair, which
he requested that gentleman to deliver to his bro-
ther. The Zouaves and Grenadiers kept the spot
where the execution was to take place. The num-
ber of spectators was immense. Thousands hadbeen
on their way to the spot during the night. At seven
o'clock precisely there was deep emotion among
the crowd. The fatal cart was driven up rapidly.
" Theves Poncet, theves Poncet !" issued from the
mouths of thousands. He descended from the cart,
supported by two assistants. The priest embraced
him and delivered him to the executioners. His
face was deadly pale and he was almost fainting ;
he turned and bowed to the crowd and said, " I die
innocent, God knows it." In an instant he was
placed on the terrible guillotine ; the axe fell, and
in less than four seconds human justice was satis-
fied, for Poncet had expiated his crime.
Madame Listz, the mother of the eminent pianist,
died a day or two of bronchitis, in her 84th year,
after a short illness. Her remains, after the funeral
s6rvice had been performed at the church of St.
Thomas d'Aquin, were conveyed to the cemetery
of Mont Parnasse, followed by a large number of
mourning friends.

A new piece by M. Emile Angier is about to be
produced at the Odeon, called La Contagion. The
title first given to it by the author was Le Baron
D'Estrigawl, but as the incidents turn upon some
exciting everts connected with cholera, M. Angier
changed it to La Contagion. Such, at least, is the
dramatic version of the piece, but I have not yet
read it.

The weather continues to be exceedingly warm,
very unlike that of February, but it is rather stormy
and windy. The growth of the buds has advanced
very much during the last week.

Loss of the Ship Diadem, from New York.

SHOCKING SUFFERINGS OF THE SURVIVING
CREW.

The Board of Trade have received the annexed
despatch from her Majesty's Consul at New York,
reporting the melancholy loss of the ship Diadem,
with many of her crow :
" British Consulate, New York,
Jan. 22, 1866.
" Sir,—l have the honour to transmit herewith

for the information of the Lords of the Committee
of Privy Council for Trade a report made to me by
John Harrison, chief mate of the barque Diadem,
of Liverpool, detailing the circumstances of the loss
of that vessel at sea, and the deaths by drowning
and exposure of many of the people belonging to
her.

" The Diadem sailed from New York on the Gth
of January with a cargo of petroleum oil in casks,
and on the following day encountered a gale, which
continued to increase in violence until the 9th. On

the latter day a fearful hurricane struck the ship,
which threw her on liar beam ends, carried away all
the masts, and swept everything above deck, includ-
ing the cabin and house, into the sea, and filled
the vessel with water, reducing her to a helpless
wreck. Four seamen named Wm. llannan, Henry
Wheeler, Wm. Phillips, G. Spencer, and the cap-
tain's wife, were at this time washed into the sea,
and drowned. The survivors now lashed them-
selves to the rigging, but owing to the severity of
the weather on the same night, another of the sea-
men died from the effects of the cold and exposure,
and shortly afterwards the master expired from the
same causes. During the period of three days the
survivors continued in their perilous position ; total
deprivation of food and water being added to their
other sufferings. On the 17th, about 6 p.m., the
wreck was sighted by the barque M. and E. Rob-
bins, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Captain Byron
Robbins, master, which vessel after a delay of six
hours, and with much difficulty, bore down upon
the wreck, and succeeded finally in taking from it
eight men who continued alive. These men were
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long exposure. They were with difficulty taken
on board the M. and E. Robbins, in the
boats of that vessel, where they were received and
treated with the greatest kindness by Capt. Rob-
bins, who resigned his own cabin for their use, and
did all in his power to contribute to their comfort."
Tho Consul adds—" Captain Robbins appears to
have acted with great humanity, the preservation of
their lives being no doubt due to his perseverance
in approaching the wreck and perilling the safety
of his vessel. The eight survivors of the Diadem's
crew have been landed here in a deplorable condi-
tion, owing to their long exposure, and it has been
necessary to send them all except the mate to the
hospital. Thomas F. Keeling, one of the number,
has died since, and some of the others continue in
a precarious condition. All the papers of the
Diadem, including the certificate and register, with
log-books were lost.—l have the honour to be, your
obedient servant,
(Signed)

" E. M. ARCHIBALD,
" H. B. M. Consul.
" The Secretary, Marine Department, Board
of Trade, London."

The names of the crew lost were Capt. William
Hannan (znaster),'Mrs. Hannan (his wife), William
Hannan (nephew), Henry Wheeler, Wm. Phillips,
G. Spencer, J. Hurley, and Thomas V. Keeling.