The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LON.DON, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 5, 1866.

Tully to account. By a curious inconsistency the
I Irish, who in other countries working for other people,
are among the most industrious of mankind, are too
often idle and thriftless in their own land. There
seems, indeed, in reference to the oyster fisheries to
be some difficulty about the licences, and it was to
this that Lord J. BROWNE called the attention of
the House of Commons last evening. He wished to
know whether it was the intention of the Govern-
ment to introduce a bill to carry out the recommen-
dations of the Royal Commissioners on the sea-
coast fisheries. These gentlemen, it will be remem-
bered, advised the granting of titles to oyster
licences, which should be final and conclusive. At
present the condition of affairs is very unsatisfactory.
The demand for oysters is constantly on the increase,
and, as every one knows, they have lately risen
very much in price. The Irish oyster beds are
rapidly diminishing, owing to neglect, improvi-
dence, and over-dredging. So far back as 1850 the
Commissioners stated that the oyster fishery of Ire-
land had suffered much injury from being neglected
and over-dredged, and that some of the banks had
become exhausted. The next year they stated that
the fisheries in Cork harbour were in course of
rapid extinction, owing to the total disregard of
proper precautions ; and 1859 they reiterated the
warning, and it is said that the exhaustion of the
public oyster beds would have been more complet e
had it not been for the supply being in some mea-
sure kept up by the private oyster beds. It is in
reference to these private oyster beds that the
grievance complained of exists, since the owners,
after having expended perhaps several thousands of
pounds, possess no guarantee for securing their
property. Lord J. BROWNE mentioned one
instance, in which about £1,400 had been expended
in labour on an oyster bed in Crewe Bay. Sir R.
GORE BOOTH obtained a licence, but some dredges
in Sligo Bay dredged his ground, and on the case
being tried at the Sligo Assizes it was contended
that the Commissioners had exceeded their jurisdic-
tion in granting the license, because the ground
had previously been the site of a public bed. This
has created great uneasiness among the owners of
private beds, since they find that after many years,
and the expenditure of large sums of money, their
right to possession may be disputed. The Commis-
sioners recommended that, after due inquiry,
licences for the private oyster beds should be
granted, and that the only appeal from the decision
of the Commissioners should be to the Privy
Council. Mr. Sergeant ARMSTRONG supported the
views of the noble lord the member for Mayo,
and declares the whole question of the fisheries
to be in a very unsatisfactory condition.
We are glad that the Attorney-General for Ireland
declared himself willing to advise the Government
that they should promptly bring in a measure to give
finality to the orders of the Commissioners. He
confessed that the present state of the law was very
unsatisfactory, and said that he considered the ques-
tion as one of great importance. Certainly while
the population of Ireland are annually leaving their
own country by thousands in search of profitable
employment it seems to be most impolitic and ex-
travagant to neglect so fruitful a source of national
wealth as the sea-coast fisheries.

The recent terrible list of catastrophes in the
vicinity of Torbay has not unnaturally called atten-
tien to the question of constructing a harbour of
refuge. The great shipwrecks which created so
widespread a feeling of consternation and sorrow in
some measure diverted the public mind from the
occurrences at Torbay, but they were of a very
serious and tragic nature. It was the same storm
in which the London went down that caused
the principal part of the havoc, and in conse-
quence of a sudden change of wind at midnight,
on the 10th of January, 14 vessels were wrecked in
and 79 1"1"
PALK last evening, in presenting a petition from the
inhabitants of Torbay and other neighbouring towns,
observed that the 'fishing trade thereabouts was
very large, and that it was computed within the
year that Torbay was resorted to by between
2,000 to 3,000 vessels, independently of fishing
craft. The fish trade alone is valued at £l,OOO
per week. The Channel Fleet, it seems, has
often been in the bay for days together,
so that the place has certainly powerful claims on
the attention of the Government. Unfortunately
it is not favourably constituted for the construction
' of a harbour of refuge, but there is no reason
why a jetty, with a curve at the end, should not be
ruu out to a sufficient distance to afford a valuable
protection to the shipping. This, in spite of Mr.
GIBSON, should be done at the national expense,
since it is in reality a national boon, as ships
from all parts of the country would benefit by it.
In the recent storms there were vessels from very
different localities, and if the bay is properly cleared
from the wrecks, and a jetty run out, as we have
said, it will be an immense advantage to the
shipping interest generally. It is not fair to expect
the local resources to supply the whole means of
doing this, and we hope Mr. MILNEII GIBSON and
his colleagues will be induced to reconsider the
subject.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRIISPONDENT.)

PARIS, Friday Evening.
As I led you to expect, the French Government
has made public the policy it intends to pursue in
regard to the crisis in Germany. In the Legislative
Body yesterday the Minister of State, M. Rouher,
after a brief allusion to the subject, summed up the
policy that France meant to adopt as being pacific,
strict neutrality, with entire liberty of action. On
the part of the Government the Minister asked the
sanction of the Legislative Body to the project of
law for a contingent of 100,000 men for the land
and sea forces. M. Rouher assured the Chamber
that the policy of the Government was eminently
pacific ; but the Chamber must have understood
that the " liberty of action" which Ministers
claimed meant that France would support that side
of the struggle in Germany which it deemed to be
the just one. The vote was agreed to with enthu-
siasm by 248 against 16 ; and such was the warlike
spirit manifested that the Opposition party with-
drew several amendments, and almost the whole of
the Chamber exhibited a determination to support
the Government in the course it might think it
right to adopt to arrest the aggressive spirit of any
German Power.
Before the Chambers went to the vote the
Minister read, amidst marks of enthusiastic interest,
a letter from the Ambassador of Italy, which gave
the assurance, that come what might, Italy would
not, upon any pretence whatever, begin the
attack.

Another important incident of the sitting was a
iieoruss, whlel i celvteor nine
awd, r se." latyws
a'
s' wi
na
one
eecolfi
the
most
lOt
deed curious in one respect, for although the Minis-
ter of many Governments denounced the policy of
the present Ministry, he neither declared himself for
war nor peace. M. Thiers denounced the course
pursued in regard to Denmark, lamenting that spo-
liation had been allowed to be perpetrated against
her. He entered into some rambling expressions of
sympathy for " unfortunate Denmark," and did not
seem satisfied with the conduct of any of the Powers
in regard to her. In short, so far as could be
gathered from his speech, at least, M. Thiers neither
opposed nor supported the Ministerial proposition
for the contingent of 100,000 men. M. Thiers then
referred to the Paris Congress, seemingly with the

intention to ridicule the idea that it could do any
good. The orator denounced in energetic terms the
want of sympathy for Denmark :
" Eighty thousand Austrians and Prussians rushed
upon the Duchies, and arrived upon that frontier of
Schleswig which is the grand position of Denmark.
The Danes were only 15,000 in number, but they
made a most heroic defence. They were over-
powered, but they supported firmly the flag of their
country. (Applause.) When this army of 15,000
men, reduced to a quarter of that number, only re-
treated to the island of Alsen, there was a general
shudder of indignation in Europe. England seemed
to feel the result deeply, and proposed a conference,
but unfortunately the time was ill chosen, and she
was unfortunately in a false position in regard to
France." M. Thiers, in further reference to Aus-
tria and Prussia in their crusade against Denmark,
emphatically said—" Let those noble Austrian and
Prussian armies allow a Frenchman, who honours
courage everywhere, to say that after the great
things they have done in the world, and to which
we have all been witness, they ought to have aspired
to a triumph more worthy of them." M. Thiers,
then, in conclusion, contended that it was the crimi-
nal apathy of England and France which now
allowed Germany to obtain the mastery over Den-
mark.

A large number of workmen are now engaged in
making a breach in the wall of the Quai d'Orsay,
opposite the Champ de Mars, through which the
River Seine will pass round the great Exhibition
building. Among the many curious articles NI hick
will be sent to give interest to it, it is said, that the
Patriarch of Jerusalem intends to forward several
unique objects connected with the religious history
of Christianity and the Passion of our Saviour, roses
from Jericho, and a bottle of River Jordan water.
Persia will send a series of all the costumes of the
kingdom and a collection of topazes from the mines
of Topaze. In Egypt workmen are engaged in mak-
ing models of ancient monuments and buildings,
and of antique jewels from the Museum of Cairo.
The Turkish Government will furnish historical
medals struck at the Mint at Constantinople. If
there be space, there will also be a hippopotamus,
many birds from Egypt, and a young crocodile,
which will be reared especially for the purpose.
Since that Ist of May there has been additional
attraction in Paris in the shape of five concerts of
military music in the open air, viz., in the Tulleries
Gardens and the Place Vendome, by the band of
the Garde de Paris. The bands of the Regiment of
the Line play in the Place Royale, and the Luxem-
bourg Gardens. There are three bands which have
a high reputation—that of the Guides, the Garde de
Paris, and the Gendarmerie. Among them are
instrumentalists of first-rate talent,who receive their
instruction at the Conservatory of Music. It is
under the sanction and superintendence of the
authorities that the bands are employed to gratify
the public, and if harmony do not reign in Paris the
fault does not lie with the Prefect of Police.

The Constitutionnel, in an article to-day upon the
German crisis, says that the English papers do full
justice to the prudent and disinterested course
adopted by France, adding that if the dangerous
point to which events seem to be verging should be
turned aside, and there should be a happy issue to
the difficulty, that good result will be due to the
m anifestations and advice of France.

Winter has again been in the ascendant to-day.
It has been cold, cloudy, rainy, stormy, and cheer-
less. The May flowers have hidden their diminished
heads.

The Moniteur of this evening announces that a
Chinese Mission, charged by the Celestial Govern-
ment to visit Europe, arrived yesterday at Mar-
seilles, and was to leave immediately for Paris.
The Bourse has been in a very excited state
to-day. The downward tendency creates alarm.
The 3 per Cents. fell 50c. ; the Credit Foncier de
France, 15f. There was a great decline in railway
and other shares ; in short, there is a minor panic.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

SPAIN.

MADRID, MAY 5.

It is stated that the Council of Ministers have
fully approved the bills proposed for completing the
financial scheme of Senor Alonso Martinez.

ITALY.
FLORENCE, MAY 5.

In yesterday evening's sittings of the Chamber
of Deputies, Signor Avitabile addressed the Minister
of Finance upon the subject of the decree ordering
the forced Bank-note currency. He censured this
measure as injurious to the interests of the Bank
of Naples and other Italian banks. Signor Scialoja,
in reply, fully explained the motives of the
Government for issuing the decree, and
stated that this measure was the best
that could be taken under present cir-
cumstances. Signor Scoti made some observa-
tions relative to the effect of the decree on the Bank
of Tuscany, which he believed would be injured

thereby.
The Chamber finally passed to the order of the

day.

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, MAY 4.

Prussia is said to have declined all negotiation on
the definitive solution of the question of the Duchies
on the basis proposed by Austria.
An official notification in reference to the issue
of the proposed Government currency is shortly ex-
pected. Paper money will not be issued by the
Government itself, but by the National Bank of
Austria, which will issue notes of 1 and 5 florins to
the amount of 110 millions. This amount will be
placed to the account of the Government, the latter
reserving to themselves the right to order the issue
of 40 more millions of florins.

FRANCE, AUSTRIA, AND

ITALY.

PARIS, MAY 5.

The Memorial Diplomatique of to-day publishes
an article denying that France had made energetic
remonstrances at Vienna relative to the Austrian
armaments in Venetia. The writer continues :
" The despatch sent to the Duke de Grammont on
this subject was couched in the most courteous
terms, and solely requested confidential explanations
respecting the object of the Austrian preparations.
The Austrian Government replied, protesting
that it would maintain a strictly defensive attitude.
France accepted these explanations, and the result
was a mutual understanding, according to which
Austria undertakes that, should Italy attack Venetia
independently of France, Austria will not secure for
herself any of the eventual results of victory without
the diplomatic intervention of France."

BOURSE, May 4, Three o'clock.—The market
has closed on the following quotations :

4 per Cents 94
Do. end month —
3 per Cents. 64 65
Do. end month €4 67i
Credit Mobilier
Do. end month
Unis —
Do. end month —

Bank Shares 3500
Italian Loan 42 25
Do. end month 42 40
Mexican Loan 34
Do. Bonds 270
Spanish Threes
Home Debt —
Deferred
'AYS.
Cash.

Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian .
Austrian
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona
Roman

Acct.
810
1077 50
... 843 75
542 50

... 520 -

- - ... 305 ---
- -- ... 325 -
- - ... 132 50

CALCUTTA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN

MCA:XI:10.

SUEZ, MAY 3.
The Bengal anchored at 1 p.m., Thursday,

Maya.