The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-30 00:00:00

error.

Th• Pope blesses, but his Holiness never curses any one.
Excommunication is an ecclesiastical censure, but not a
curse ; and "anathema" is simply a name of the greater ex-
communication. It is thus defined by the canonists— "Ex-
communicatio est a communions exclusio."

As for the Vegezzi mission, believing M. Vegezzi to be
an honest and well-meaning man, I think sonic good might
come of it if the secret societies and the other evil influences
which surround the Court of Florence could be and are
controlled. It was they who defeated the former mission
of the same person. I know nothing of this second attempt
except what I see in the newspapers; but I am convinced
that Vegezzi will not be permitted to tell the Pope that he
should cease to be a King. To entertain such a proposal
would be practically destructive of the spirit and intention
of the treaty of September, 1864, which (as it has been re-
peatedly declared by the Government of the Emperor
Napoleon) involves the bond fide renunciation of Itome by
the Government of Viotor Emmanuel.

But we are now told that there is to be a plebiscite at
Rome. What does this mean? The examples of Nice
and Savoy show how delusive and fraudulent plebiscites
are. But in the present instance it seems that it is coolly
proposed to dethrone a Sovereign in full possession of his
throne, and to annex his States to a neighbouring country
by the operation of illegal and clandestine voting under
the direction of a secret committee of conspirators. And
that committee would, of course, have the power to manu-
facture as many votes as they pleased. This is, indeed,
carrying the doctrine of plebiscites to an extreme hitherto
never attempted.

Apply the same principle in Ireland. Suppose a plebiscite
in.that country proclaiming an Irish republic connected
with the United States. If the Roman plebiscite be valid,
the Irish plebiscite would be equally so; and it is no answer
to say that an army from England would put it down. You
call on the Pope to submit to be dethroned by the votes of
the disaffected portion of his subjects. Are you prepared
to give the same advice to the Queen regarding Ireland and
India ? Surely, the doctrine and practice of plebiscites
have already been carried far enough ?
Thus much for the theory of this question. As for the
practical result of the present state of thing, I cannot be-
lieve that the Emperor will so far violate his duty as the
eldest son of the Church, and his obligations under the
September treaty, and the feelings and convictions of the
French nation, as to permit any one to overthrow the
temporal sovereignty of the Vicar of Christ.
Naval and Military Intelligence.

The Magnet gunboat, 60-horse power, formerly
tender to the Pembroke at Harwich, which has been
for some time undergoing repairs in Sheerness dock-
yard, was, according to orders, prepared for sea, and
started last night for Ireland, with men and ammu-

nition.
The Earnest gunboat; 60-horsepower, has arrived
at Sheerness from Portsmouth, and bad her crew
turned over to the Magnet to navigate that vessel
to Ireland.
The Lizard, iron paddlewheel vessel, 340 tons,
150-horse power, Lieut. in command Stanhope G.
Price, which has been acting as tender to the For-
midable flagship at Sheerness, has been ordered for
service to Ireland.
The Helicon, 2, paddle despatch vessel, Com-
mander E. Field, sailed from Portsmouth for
Queenstown, Ireland, at 8 a.m. yesterday.
The screw steam frigate Liffey was towed yester-
day from the dockyard at Devouport to the steam-
yard at Keyham, where she is to be prepared for the
first division of the steam reserve in Hamoaze.
The paddlewheel steam stareship Dee was placed
yesterday in the steam-yard at Keyham to discharge
engine gear for the sloop Daphne.
Her Majesty's paddlewheel vessel Medusa, Com-
mander Thomas Potter, went up to Woolwich Ar-
senal yesterday from Sheerness, and embarked a
detachment of Royal Marine Light infantry, in

command of Captain Harris, for special service in
Ireland. The detachment consisted of, in addition
to Captain Harris, Lieuts.lGore and Emra, 4 ser-
geants, 4 corporals, 1 drummer and bugler, and 88
privates—total, 100. They are to join the 72-gun
Coastguard service ship Royal George, at Kings-
town, as supernumeraries, to be called out in case of
emergency. The Medusa also embarked at Wool-
wich about 20 tons of ammunition and 5,000 stand
of the new Snider breech-loading rifles, for distri-
bution to the troops in Ireland. She will take her
departure from Woolwich by the 7 o'clock til3 this
morning. B fore the embarkation of the troops on
the previous evening after nightfall one of the col-
lier screw vessels, the Countess of Durham, Mr.
Waddington master, during the dense fog, mistook
the light at the T pier at Woolwich, and ran foul of
the gangway, or platform. The gaspipes of the
pier, the tramways, and other ponderous iron fit-
tings, ballusters, newly-erected awning, &c., as well
as one of the lamp-posts, were completely carried
away, and the tier was scarcely available for the
embarkation. It is stated that the expense of
making good the injury will fall on the pilot.
The 52d Regiment, under the command of Lieut.-
Col. Peel, consisting of 20 officers, 47 sergeants, 21
drummers, 603 rank and file, 76 women, 75 children,
and seven officers' chargers, arrived at Portsmouth
dockyard yesterday by special train from Aldershot,
and embarked on board her Majesty's troop-ship
Orontes, Capt. H. W. Hire, for conveyance to
Queenstown, Ireland. The sailing of the Oronce s
was deferred from yesterday until this morning
owing to a heavy fog which hung over the harbour
and the bar in the entrance channel during avail-
able tide time.

The Pallas, 6, armoured sloop, Captain M. Con-
nolly, is at present engaged in patrol duty off the
coast of Ireland. The Vixen, armoured twin-
screw gunboat, Commander S. P. Brett, is also on
her way to the Irish coast, to strengthen further the
small squadron of vessels already on duty there.
The Hector, iron frigate, Capt. R. Luard, is com-
pleting her refit at Portsmouth as rapidly as possible
to join the Irish coast squadron if necessary, and
the Research, Wivern, and other vessels arc also
immediately available for the same purpose. The
iron frigate Bellerophon will most probably not be
complete in her armament and refit and again ready
for sea before the latter end of February, but as she
possesses a fine and well-drilled crew, the ship could
be left in the hands of the dockyard authorities to
complete, while her officers and men could join the
Irish coast flotilla in a couple of gunboats, such as
the Netley and I rinculo, now rigged, stored, and
armed at Portsmouth, in readiness for commission ;
or do shore service, either as artillery or riflemen,
wherever their presence might be found desirable. In
addition to their qualifications as artillerymen, the
seamen and marines of the Bellerophon turn out four
strong and exceedingly smart companies of riflemen,
with the usual accompaniment of light field artillery.
The whole of the troops in garrison at Woolwich
otherwise unemployed yesterday paraded at nine
o'clock a.m. and proceeded to Bostol-heath for the
purpose of going through a field day's manceuvrcs
under the direction of Major-General E. C. Warde,
commandant of the district. 'llie field-day is an-
nounced to be repeated fr;:quently during the win-
ter, the weather permitting.
It is said that Lieut. A. F. Pickard, V.C., B bri-
gade, Royal Horse Artillery, now at Shoeburyness,
has been appointed to attend his Royal Highness
Prince Arthur during the course of studies on which
he is about to enter at the Royal Military Aca-
demy at Woolwich.

The following appointments were made yesterday
at the Admiralty : Lieut. W. Thresher to the St.
George ; Dr. Prince Mansfield, surgeon, to the
Racoon ; and J. Wilson, acting-assist.-Liurg., to the
Racoon,