The Sun.
London, England, 1866-12-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 26, 1866.

ascertain upon what terms Congress would allow a
complete restoration of the Southern States. In
the present aspect of affairs the true answer to the
returned would probably be none at all ; but
before the Session is over affairs may have
assumed a different aspect. At any rate
it is well to put the extreme party to the test, and
to force them to commit themselves one way or the
other in the public estimation. The scheme for
providing the Southern States with civil govern-
ments has been introduced into the House of
Representatives, and it deserves some attention,
for it has evidently been prepared with care
and deliberation as a comprehensive measure.
The Southern States are to be erected into tem-
porary and territorial Governments, the executive
power to be vested in Governors having the veto
power. There is to be the regular machinery of
government, but the old difficulty of excluding every
one who has held any office, civil or military, or
borne arms against the Federal Government, from
either voting or being voted for, will render this
bill as unpopular as any other. Mr. STEVENS has
also introduced a bill to re-establish civil govern-
ment in North Carolina, evidently intending it to
apply also to the other excluded States. We have
not yet the particulars of this measure, but it is said
to be more statesmanlike than the usual Radical
schemes; and although it was introduced in a quiet
manner, it is currently believed to be intended as
the general " platform " of the leading Radicals.
When it comes on again the whole question of
restoration will be most probably re-opened.
Great lawlessness is said to prevail in Missouri,
and the laws are enforced in several counties under
military auspices. This is unfortunate, and proves
what disastrous consequences must result from the
disturbed and unsettled condition in which the
Southern States are being kept. SUERATT,
who has been at length secured, will, it
is said, implicate in his evidence several
persons as yet unsuspected of any complicity in Mr.
LINCOLN'S assassination ; but we have already had
specimens of the unreliable nature of such ac-
cusations.

The Fenian prisoners are reported to have been
surrendered to the Home Government by the Ca-
nadian authorities, who are probably glad to be rid
of the troublesome charge. Fenianistn seems to be
subsiding. The Colonial Government has acted
very wiselyin reprieving the criminals, since to have
made them martyrs would have been impolitic with
regard to the Americans, as well as to that turbu-
lent American-Irish element which is likely to be
troublesome to more governments than one.

elusion must be arrived at. Should we prepare to
make war against Prussia, or would it not be pre-
ferable to accept faithfully accomplished facts, and
maintain with New Germany the relations of peace
and good neighbourhood ?"

The Courrier de la Meuse, a paper published at
Maestricht, states that the cattle plague has broken
out with great severity at Hassum, in Prussia, on
the route from Goch to Afferden (Limbourg). On
Friday last it was deemed necessary to kill 21 head
of oxen affected with the disease. The authorities
have adopted stringent measures to prevent the
spread of the disease. A fresh augmentation had
been noted in the number of bovine typhus. During
one week there had been 7,703 cases.

There has been a tremendous explosion of gas at
Versailles, but happily no personal injury has been
sustained. The explosion was heard at a distance
of several miles. The gasometer contained about
18,000 metres of gas. The loss of gas is estimated
at the value of 6,000 f., and the injury done to the
works amounts to no less than 200,000 f. The
steam engine was blown to pieces, and stones and
portions of columns were hurled to a considerable
distance. The water from the broken reservoir in-
undated the works, and the rats rushed out by
thousands to seek refuge elsewhere. The gas set
fire to a building in the vicinity.
The great financial authority, the Semaine
Financiere, thus appreciates the Budget of M.
Fould The impression arising from reading this
important document is two-fold ; it excites admira-
tion at the fecundity of the resources of France, and
a sentiment of painful surprise at the laborious
efforts which it is necessary to make to keep our ex-
penses upon a level with those splendid and inde-
fatigable resources. With such elastic resources as
ours, with resources increasing to the extent of 45
millions from year to another, and which, according
to the views of the Minister of Finance, will exceed
by 40 millions the expectations of the Budget of
1867, which could not be done by Governments
like those of England and the United States, accus-
tomed to assist by skilful and comprehensive mea-
sures, to advance the progress of the riches of their
country."

away."

LATEST INTELLIGENCE,

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE ATLANTIC YACHT RACE.
HunsT CASTLE, Dec. 25.
The yacht Henrietta passed Hurst Castle at 4
p.m. for Cowes.

COWES, Dec. 25.
The Henrietta arrived off here at 5.40 p.m.
Neither of the other yachts is in sight.
COWES, Dec. 2G.
The FleAwing arrived at 2 a.m., and the Vest a
at 3.30 a.m. to-day.
Great excitement prevails here in consequence
of this race, and all the yachts arriving so closely
together. The three vessels are lying off the Royal
Yacht Squadron Club House, by the members of
which club the yachtmen have been most cor-
dially received, especially those belonging to the
Henrietta. Hundreds of boats with visitors arc
sailing round the yachts.

The winning yacht, the Henrietta, with Mr.
Bennett, jun., the owner, on board, is commanded
by Captain Samuels, formerly of the clipper ship
Dreadnought. With the exception of the Dread-
nought the Henrietta made the quickest passage on

record. She had no accident, and did not lose a
rope, and made the entire passage from New York
to Cowes on one tack ; her greatest run in one day

was 280 miles, her least 113—and that was on the
19th inst., when she laid to in a heavy storm. The
Henrietta averaged throughout the passage 218

miles a day.

On the 12th inst., the day of starting, the Hen

rietta passed the Vesta at 6 p.m., and was com-
pelled to shift her course to shake the
Vesta off. Heavy squalls, snow and sleet ;
the 13th, squally ; the 14th, moderate breeze ; the
15th, cloudy, heavy with hail and snow, and squally;
the 16th, heavy northerly winds ; the 17th, north-
easterly winds with heavy squalls ; the 18th and

19th, heavy cross seas ; the 20th, strong westerly
winds ; the 21st, heavy swells ; the 22d, southerly
wind, cloudy ; the 23d, smooth seas ; the 24th,
weather threatening squally ; the 25th, brisk south..
westerly winds.

The llenrietta parted company with the other
yachts 24 hours after starting, and saw nothing of
them afterwards till their arrival at Cowes. The
same with the Vesta and Fleetwing.
The Fleetwing, when eight days out, encountered
a heavy southerly gale. The sea boarded her at
9 p.m., and carried away her jibboom, and washed
six men overboard, including two quartermasters--
all of whom were lost. This caused a deficiency of
hands on board, and to that and her loss of canvass
is attributed her losing the race. The Fleetwing
was commanded by Capt. Thomas, of the packet-
ship New York. The Fleetwing is a beautiful spe-
cimen of marine architecture.

The Henrietta is exceedingly smart looking, and
spreads a large quantity of canvass. She will re-
main in Cowes roads open to public view until
Saturday, as also will the other two yachts. The
Henrietta leaves on 'Monday for Havre, where she
will lay up for the winter, preparing for the Cher-
bourg races.

A grand banquet will be given to the yachts at
Cowes on Monday next.
The Vesta was boarded by Pilot Webb at 8.50
p.m last night 10 miles west south-west of the
Needles, as he supposed, but owing to the misty
weather he mistook the St. Catherine light for the
Needles, and thereby caused the Vesta to be last
instead of second in the race, as she would other-
wise hare made the Needles at 9.50 p.m. instead of
12.40 a.m., Wednesday. The Vesta met with no
accident, and did not lose a rope. The Vesta's
greatest run in one day was 277, and her least
165 miles.

According to :arrangements between the owners
of the three yachts before leaving New York, the
winning yacht is open to accept a challenge from
any vessel belonging to any yacht club in the world
for any sum to sail to the Azores and back, and
which Mr. Bennett, jun., the owner of the
Henrietta is ready to accept.

RUSSIA.

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 25, Evening.
The following medical bulletin has been published
here to-day :

"Prince Gortschakoff's health, which was lately
such as to afford serious ground for alarm, is now
much more satisfactory, and all danger has passed

BELGIUM.

BRUSSELS, Dec. 2.5.

The Moniteur Belge of this morning says :—" In
consequence of the spread of the cattle plague in
Holland more rigorous measures have become neces-
sary for the repression of fraud on the frontiers of
Eastern Flanders, and several other communes have,
therefore, been placed under the provisions of the
law of 7th February, 1866."

AMERICA.
PER THE CITY OF PARIS.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.
A bill introduced into the House, proposing that
the Secretary of the Treasury sell two millions of
gold weekly on certain conditions, was eliciting
considerable discussion at Washington.
General Butler's seat in Congress is to be con-
tested by the Democratic candidate who was defeated
at the last election.

A large number of distilleries in New York city
had been seized by the Government for alleged
evasions of the revenue laws.

The Welland Canal has been officially closed for
the winter season.

Cyrus W. Field was at Washington, arranging
with the Government about matters connected with
the Atlantic cable.

By way of San Francisco a few details of Mexican
news have been received. Letters from Mazatlan
and Guaymas give no later news. A number of
Liberal troops had occupied Coloma. They were
said to be 3,000 strong. The report of the death of
General Placido Vega was unfounded. Ho was with
Juarez at Chihuahua.

An Acapulco letter, dated Dec. 4, from General
Montenegro to the Mexican Imperial consul at San
Francisco, states that there is no truth in the report
that the Imperialists intended to evacuate that
place, and says that no official account has been
received there of the capture of Coloma. The
Imperial General Oronoz still occupied part of the
State of Oajaca, and at Tehuantepec the Imperial
Colonel Toledo defeated a body of Liberals who
went from Oajaca to attack him. Per contra, pas-
sengers by the Panama steamer report a fleet of
French vessels in the harbour of Acapulco, one of
which had a large number of troops on board, and
report that the French would evacuate the place in
a few days. The French commander had attempted
to levy contributions on the town of Acapulco and
the property of the Pacific Steamship Company,
but the arrival of the United States steamer stopped
the proceedings. It was also said at Coloma that
the French were defeated near Tehuantepec, three
hundred of whom reached the coast and sent to
Mazatlan for relief.