The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENIISO, JUNE 14, 1866.

the Berlin Cabinet for its policy in Holstein. It
states that "the march of the Prussians into Holstein
is an event of the very highest moment, and that
Prussia has thus proved her conviction that
the Gastein Convention is invalid, for she has
been guilty of a flagrant and unexampled infrac-
tion of it." On the other hand, the semi-official
Norddeutsche Zeitung declares that the proceed-
ings of Prussia in the Diet are at variance with the
Federal Constitution. The proposal for mobilis-
ing the forces of the Confederation is not in accord-
ance with Federal law, nor " can Prussia recognise
the competency of the Diet to give a decision re-
specting international treaties already concluded."
This is Prussian policy to the letter, ever ready to
acquiesce in the legality of any authority that up-
holds its views, and .yet questioning the
right of any Power or law that interferes
with its working. In conclusion, we are told,
and doubtless the information is true, that Prussia
will be compelled to regard every State as its enemy
which subscribes to the demands of Austria. The
notion of Federal Reform at all is quite inconsistent
with this conduct of Prussia, for if half of her plans
were carried out it would be quite impossible for any
change or alteration for the better to take place.
The best proof of its inconsistency is shown
by the unfavourable reception it has met with
from the German Middle States, and so great
has been the annoyance created that Hanover
has ranged herself on the side of Austria,
and she will vote for the mobilisation of the Fede-
ral Army, the very thing so inimical to Prussia.
To-day the question will be settled at the Diet, but
not much importance is attached to it, except in so
far as it shows the state of feeling engendered to-
wards Prussia. The full text of the EMPEROR'S
letter to M. DROUYN DE L'HUYS is now before us,
but the most important points of it were anticipated
by the summary of yesterday. The EMPEROR
declares that the object before him is to put the
conduct of his Government in its true light
before the diplomatic agents abroad, and to make
known the course of policy which France would
have pursued had the Conference been carried out.
M. DROUYN DE L'HUYS is reminded thereupon of the
tenour which his language would have assumed
towards the different representatives of the several
countries assembled. He was to declare that he
repudiated all idea of " territorial aggrandisement"
so long as the equilibrium of Europe was not dis-
turbed. Then follows the celebrated passage to
which we referred yesterday, of his unwillingness to
extend his frontier, except in " case of the map of
Europe being remodelled for the exclusive benefit
of a great Power, and of the conterminous provinces
demanding by votes freely expressed their annexation
to France." This is a. very significant announce-
ment, and does not speak very favourably for the
designs of Prussia, as she must be the great Power
referred to in this manner. The EMPEROR opines
that the " moral force" of France will be quite
sufficient to protect the interests which she
has at heart—namely, the preservation of the
balance of power in Europe, and the maintenance
of the edifice which the French have helped to raise
in Italy. Those Courts engaged in the conflict have
given their assurance to the EMPEROR'S Govern-
ment that none of the questions concerning France
shall be solved without her assent. As for the
objects which the EMPEROR would have sought
,to
promote, they could hardly have been settled at any
Conference, however favourable the circumstances
might have been. It is not yet known what effect
this statement has produced in Paris, but probably
its meaning was pretty well guessed at by those
well informed. We have at all events the opinion
of the EMPEROR, that the force of arms will alone
decide the question in dispute.

The thirteenth meeting of the Royal Geogra-
phical Society's present session was held last even-
ing at Burlington House, and the subject first con-
sidered was one of great practical importance. It
was the effects of the destruction of forests in the
Western Ghauts of India on the water supply, and
the paper written by Mr. MARKHAM, after careful
observation, showed that the extensive clearings
made for the several plantations on the mountains
of southern India have produced a remarkable
effect on the' climate. Great changes have
been perceptible during the last twenty years,
during which a total area of 180,000 acres have
been cleared for coffee, tea, and cinchona planta-
tions. Sudden floods now occur, which are
yearly increasing in volume and destructive-
ness. In Madras a system of forest conservancy pre-
vails, but Mr. MARKHAM suggests a better remedy
in the construction of hill reservoirs, which should
regulate the supply of moisture to the great
plains, and thus prove a double blessing. These
plains depend for their habitability on the
rivers and irrigation works fed by the mountain
rains, and the storing of water in these reservoirs
can be effected at a rate of about £lOO of capital
for a million cubic yards of contents. The ex-
pense need not interfere with the project. The
cinchona plantations will, when fully grown, com-
pensate in some degree' for the destruction of the
primeval forests, but on all these interesting
points we have much to learn by experience as
well as by study. The whole subject deserves,
and will probably receive, careful attention from ,
the authorities, as well as from men of science.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Wednesday Evening.

The memorable letter of the Emperor to his
Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Drouyn de l'Huys,
read yesterday all of a sudden by the Minister of
State, M. Reuther, to the Legislative Body, the con-
tents of which, no doubt, you received by telegraph,
has produced profound sensation in Paris. When
I told you that the Emperor was "a man of impulse"
I " spoke by the card." The Moniteur of to-day
contents itself with publishing it, and, like the other
morning papers, wants breathing time for its appre-
ciation. The Constitutionnel, however, says :
" The Emperor's letter is the eloquent resume of the
policy followed by the French Government from the
commencement of the difficulties about to be solved
by force of arms,which have agitated and disquieted
Europe. These great words, inspired by the most
profound wisdom, will be heard by the whole world.
They will now even dominate over the report of
war."

One of the most splendid and attractive fetes of
th
limited to 350, but th
Palace
season has been given by the Empress at the
of Elysee, in honour of the Grand Duchess
Marie of Russia.
The
w elLumalbl eprersoof n sguoefsdtsistwinecre.
tion, including
P i the Princess Mathilde, the young
r ncess Marie, and nearly all
There the' foreign Ambas-
sadors now in Paris.recep-
tions, and promenade in the was
a dinner,
persons were invited to the dinner.garde, us. Only 30
The gardens of
the Elysee were illuminated with
The bands of the Gendarmerie of the Guard played
during dinner, and there was singing '
m the evening
by the chorus of the Conservatory of Music.
There has been a frightful catastrophe at Havre.
The towing-steamer, Passe Partout, was about to
take into tow the three-masted vessel Maria,
of Caen, when her boilerbu rst. The chimney, a por-
tion of the deck, the steam engine and boiler were
scattered into fragments, and projected to a con-
siderable distance. A sailor, named Jacques
Manach, was blown to pieces. Three others are
supposed to have been killed. The captain was
precipitated into the air, and died in a very few

minutes. The stoker, a man named Gallard, was
killed ; his body was frightfully mutilated. Many
of the sailors were also much injured. The Passe
Partout sunk soon after the accident, and the
Maria suffered considerable damage.
A tragedy of real life, with startling accessories,
has been elucidated by the Court of Assize for the
Department of the Haute Saone. Two widows,
mother and daughter, were charged with the murder
of Jean Baptiste Collileux. The murdered man was
the son in law of the former and the husband of the
latter. The prisoners are Virginie Pipert, widow
Petet, Marie Louise Petet, widow. Collileux was
her husband. It appeared from the evidence that
the mother in law had for some time past been actu-
ated with bitter hatred against her son-in-law, and
she had been successful in making her daughter
share that hatred against him. The father-in-law
also joined in the feeling, but he was not inclined to
commit murder to satiate it. There was, however,
suspicion against him, and he was taken into cus-
tody, but he avoided inquiry by cutting his
throat in prison. The victim, the unfortunate
son-in-law, was a man of rare credulity.
The mother-in-law persuaded him that there
was a valuable treasure concealed at the bot-
tom of the Rahin, a river which runs near the vil-
lage of Lure, where the prisoners resided, and that
they knew how to obtain possession of it ; but they
told him that to effect this object it was necessary
that he should sit on the ground, allow his feet and
hands to be bound, and that he should be placed
parallel to the river, his face turned towards the
west, and that he should fix his eyes steadily upon
the river, and watch its course until a sudden light
from heaven should indicate the spot where the
treasure was concealed. All this the victim did
without difficulty, and in full confidence of success,
and placed himself in the position which his two
near relatives desired. As soon as the two women
had arranged the matter, and while the poor
victim was looking out for,the light from, heaven
which was to lead him on to fortune, the elder pri-
soner struck him on the head with a heavy hammer
with such force that he rolled over on his side
and become insensible immediately. From the con-
fession of this tender-hearted woman it seems that
she did not like to go too far, and she therefore
called to her daughter, and said, " There he is."
The daughter was unwilling to interfere in such a
delicate affair, and this being so, the mother took it
upon herself to finish it. The man being dead, the
daughter lent her assistance to throw the corpse into
the river. The jury found the mother guilty, and
she was sentenced to death. With the usual kind-
ness and consideration of French juries, they
found " extenuating circumstances" in regard to
the daughter, who had at least been a spectator, if
not an aider and assister, while her busband was
being murdered, and so she was only condemned to
hard labour for 20 years. This account may be
read as if it were a sensation romance in a cheap
periodical, but it is an " ower true tale,", analysed
from the records of the Court of Assize of the De-
partment of the llaute-Saone, which has not yet
finished all the cases to be submiteed to it at its
present " gaol delivery."

As an appropriate addition to this illustration
of murder and disregard of the admonition " no-
thing extenuate," it may be added that a man
named Jean Barre, found guilty before the
Court of Assize for the Department of the Correze
of murdering his wife and two of his children, has
escaped the punishment of death from the sovereign
sway which " extenuating circumstances" have over
those who administer justice in France.
Last evening we had a slight storm of thunder
and lightning, and to-day the weather is unsettled
and showery, and rather cooler. The observations
at the Observatory lead to the expectation of vio-
lent storms all over Europe. Thus the new moon
to-day is ushered in under troubled auspices.

THEATRE ROYAL PRINCESS'S.

Mr. Charles Kean's Hamlet.

The character of Hamlet, as traditionally inter-
preted by an uninterrupted succession of great
actors—according to Shakspere's own conception of
how that wonderful and paradoxical character
ought to be realised to sight and hearing upon
the British Stage—finds its last representa-
tive (take the words literally, its last re-
presentative) in the person of Mr. Charles
Kean. The Traditional Hamlet, remember ! The
very Hamlet of Shakspere! The character of Hamlet
as Shakspere himself intended that character to be
impersonated ! Generation after generation that
Shaksperian interpretation of the part has come
down to our own time. Tragedian after tragedian
has carried our great dramatist's own notion
of the character down to us, turn by turn
—as we have already expressed it, uninter-
ruptedly. Burbage, Taylor, Betterton, Booth,
Garrick, John Kemble, Edmund Kean, Charles
Young—until the series is completed, and closed, so
far as we have yet any reason whatever to know,
by the distinguished actor who last evening per-
formed the character once more upon the boards of
the Princess's. As to the part itself, it is pro-
verbially the most arduous in the whole range of
the drama. It is, to this day, an enigma all-
but inscrutable to the most astute of Shaks-
perian Commentators. Technically speaking,
it is well known, in regard to the mere
length of it, as beyond all comparison the longest
part upon the stage—a part extending, if we re-
member rightly at this moment, to no less than thirty-
two " lengths," otherwise to upwards of twelve hun-
dred lines, according to the Acting Version of the
great Tragedy. As for the Prince himself, " Ham-
let the Dane"—Coleridge speaks of him by no means
extravagantly when he calls him " the darling of every
country where the literature of England has been fos-
tered." Yet, beloved thus though the character of
Hamlet is by all those who have eyes to see and ears
to hear, brains to think and hearts to feel, it is so far
an enigma, as we have already said, all-but in-
scrutable, that Schlegel is forced to the conclusion in
regard to it, that it is a work resembling " those irra-
tional equations in which a fraction of unknown
magnitude always remains that will in no way ad-
mit of solution." Perhaps, indeed, after all,
Goalie's clue through the labyrinth, is the
surest—guiding us through most of its entangled
involutions to the central heart of it—
where (is it not in Wilhelm Meister) he suggests
that " the key to Hamlet's whole procedure" is dis-
coverable in his own agonised ejaculation—

" The time is out of joint, 0 cursed spite!
That ever I was born to set it right !"

And it is as the last (shall we say, lineal ?)
descendant of the traditionally Shaksperian imper-
sonators of this exquisite and marvellous creation,
that Mr. Charles Kean, whenever he assumes
the character, captivates the attention of his
audience, no matter where the stage may be
erected upon which his representation of the
part appears, as at once upon a pedestal and
within a framework—whether here in England
or at our Australian antipodes ! After him
—other impersonators of it there will be, as a matter
of course. But—so far as we have yet any reason
to know—there will be no traditional delineation of
the character as it has descended from Burbage to
himself. Contemporary with Mr. Charles Kean's
Hamlet, one remarkable impersonator of the part
there happily still is no doubt yet remaining to us.
But his Hamlet is distinctly, and avowedly, and recog-
nizably, and undeniably, an innovation—an innova-
tion even to his very aspect, a blonde Hamlet being
absolutely unknown to the stage until the appearance
of Mr. Fechter. But the Hamlet who has been
more or less familiar to the boards of our great
English theatres during these last 300 years or
thereabouts—Hamlet, as he has come down
to us not only from the hand of Shakspere
as Dramatist, but from the guiding and directing
influenceof Shakspere as Actor and Stage-Manager.
—that is the view of Hamlet's character, of
which Mr. Charles Kean has the con-
spicuous but mournful
_eminence of being the
very last tradition al representative. Any-
thing like an analysis here of his inter-
pretation of the part 'would be worse than
merely supererogatory would be little else
than simply tedious--would be certainly out of place
as far more than a thrice-told tale, would be hardly
less than an impertinence. Enough, if we content our-
selves with remarking, here very briefly., that it was
applauded to the echo, this world-famous represen-
tation of Hamlet—applauded at times with abso-
lute enthusiasm by the audience, assembled
last night to welcome it back once more to the
boards of the Princess's—Boards upon which
the chief points of Charles Kean's impersona-
tion of Hamlet have so often and often before
now been greeted, as they were last evening, with
frequent bursts of acclamations. How far this
impersonation still continues to be appreciated by
our contemporaries here in London, the following ex-
pressions of opinion will significantly serve' to indicate.
It would be ungracious, however, if we did not add,
no matter how tersely, that the Gertrude of the
play last night, as interpreted by Mrs.
__Charles
Kean's rare abilities as a tragic actress; was again
noticeable as a most pathetic and impressive
performance. Mr. Mead looked the part of
Claudius far better than he acted it. -Whereas Mr.
Cathcart acted the part of Laertes far better than
he looked it. Miss Chapman both looked and acted
Ophelia very gracefully. Mr. Vollaire's Polonius
was senile and unexaggerated. Mr. Robins's Rosen-
crantz was simply simpering--Mr. Everett's Horatio
a mere nonentity—Mr. Shore's Osrick was in itsway
excellent—and Mr. Dominick Murray's First Grave-
digger drily, perhaps a little too drily, humorous.

The Tinzes, always enthusiastic about Mr. Charles
Kean's impersonation of Hamlet, reserves its opinion of last
night's performance, we presume until to-morrow.

The Morning Hcrold says emphatically, "Doubtless, the
Prince of Denmark is Mr. Kean's most finished achievement,
and through it in an especial manner his nama will be
handed down to posterity."

The Morning Post observes—" Mr. Charles Kean appeared
last night as Hamlet, the part in which he first acquired
his reputation, and which he has performed more fre-
quently than any other in the course of his professiorte
career."

The Star says of the impersonation that "It unquestion-
ably exhibits marked intelligence, and gives abundant
evidence of diligent and conscientious study." Adding, a
little later on —"it will suffice to state thatlast evening Mr.
Charles Kean, adhering in all respects to his old reading
of the character, made all his familiar points in the familiar
manner, and was rewarded with frequent and cordial
applause by a large and evidently most appreciative
audience."

The Morning Advertiser goes so far as to say that "Per-
haps of all the Shaksperean characters performed by Mr.
Kean there is none more immediately associated with his
dramatic reputation and histrionic fame than that of
Hamlet. The conception itself is impressive throughout
and Mr. Kean's rendering conveys a more clear notion of
a sustained individuality than any other in his usual
range."

The Daily New 3 contents itself with remarking—" Mr.
Charles Kean has given up Louis Xl.,' in which he
stands without a rival, and has takes to ' Hamlet,' in
which he has many rivals. He appeared last night for the
first time during his present engagement at the Princess's
in this arduous Shaksperian character, and was very
warmly received by a crowded house.

THE REAL SCENE OP GRAY'S ELEGY.—IIere,
perhaps, we may as well devote a few lines to the
pretensions put forward by other country churchyards to
the distinction of having originally suggested the " Elegy"
to Gray. Of these Grandchester, near Cambridge, and
Upton, about half-way between Slough and Windsor,
assert their respective pretensions with the greatest confi-
dence, though others have occasionally put in a more mo-
dest, though not more doubtful, claim. Mitford it is well
known, has argued strongly in favour of Grandchester, but
I must own that the weight of evidence, both internal and
external, seems to be strongly opposed to his view. There
are those, too, who believe that the little Norman church of
Upton, long in ruins, but recently restored, is the pnototype
of the church which Gray celebrated in his " Elegy ;" but
although we must own that something may be said in
favour of the ivy-mantled tower, surrounded by yews, yet
that is the only feature peculiar to Upton ; and it must be
remarked that tho spire which surmounts the church of
Stoke is a modern addition to the tower, and not 100 years
old ; so that ivy mantled tower will harmonise as well with
Stoke as with Upton, while the former can point to its
"spreading elms," which Upton cannot."—Once a Week.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

ROME.
IiOME, JUNE 13 (Evening).

This morning all the shops of the Exchange
agents in Rome were closed by the authorities on
the ground that they had been exchanging notes at
a higher premium than that fixed by law.
Several dealers in silver money and some pur-
chasers also have been arrested in some banking
establishments.

GREECE.

ATHENS, JUNE 12.

The King has announced his intention of relin-
quishing his proposed visit to Corfu on account of
the imminence of war.

The public mind still continues very agitated.

DENMARK.
COPENHAGEN, June 14.

The Czarewitch arrived here last night. His
Imperial Highness will start to-day for Fredensborg
on a visit to the Royal family.

SPAIN.

MADRID, June 14.

The whole bill of Marshal O'Donnell granting
extraordinary powers to the Government was
adopted by the Congress yesterday evening, by 160
against 96 votes.

THE BRAZILS.

ARRIVAL OF THE GUIENNE VIA LISBON.

RIO JANEIRO, May 24.

Exchange on London, 241 244. Coffee, good
first, 7,100 to 7,300; receipts during the past fort-
night, 4,000 bags ; stock, 100,000 bags.

CANADA.
THE FENIAN RAID.

TORONTO, C.W., June 1.

The intelligence that several hundred Fenians
have congregated at Buffalo with the intent of
making a demonstration against Canada produces
very little excitement here.

In case of danger the railway authorities have
adopted precautionary measures by withdrawing all
surplus cars from the Suspension Bridge.
Telegrams arrive from Buffalo of an exciting cha-
racter. It is said that the Government are fully
aware of the movement, and are prepared to resist
any Fenian incursion.
Yesterday the Soldiers' Industrial Exhibition was
opened by Major-General Napier 'in the name of
her Majesty, on which occasion the royal salute of
21 guns was fired. Colonel Lowry, of the 47th
Regiment, then read an address to General Napier,
to which the latter suitably replied. The bands of
the 47th and 17th Regiments attended.
The Industrial Exhibition was well attended,
considering the inclemency of the weather, and
many of the articles exhibited attracted merited at-
tention. One article, the Royal arms, beautifully
worked by the schoolmistress of the 47th Regiment,
has been purchased for the Queen.

THE BOMBAY MAIL.
SAL TA, June 13.
Tha Jeft-liere at 5 a.m. to-day.
She may be expected at Marseilles on. the even-
ing of the 15th inst.