The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-09 00:00:00

result wherever the Prussian forces have appeared,
and their success in Northern Germany was
only :a prelude to their eventual denouement in
Bohemia. It seems really difficult to 'explain the
cause of the fatal hesitation which has been dis-
played by the other countries of Europe. It is said
that Marshal BENEDEK has been relieved of his
command, but according to the accounts we have
received it would appear as if the faults of the Aus-
trian management may be laid to the charge of the
Government of Vienna rather than to the General
in command. In regard to this important matter
it is certainly an advantage that our Government
has changed hands, for the Ministry of Earl
RUSSELL was conspicuous for its neglect of
the army and navy departments. Ques-
tions about " breech-loaders" have already
been asked in the Rouse of Commons since the
result of the campaigns in Bohemia was reported to
the public, and it is satisfactory to notice that
General PEEL seems fully alive to the necessities of
the case. We trust that he will use every effort tq
improve our position in this respect, and so remove
a slur from our military reputation. We are not so
likely to require the aid of such weapons as the
nations on the Continent, but, at the same time,
we should be fully prepared for the emergencies
that may present themselves.

It is now, of course, the great, question with all
What will the Emperor of the FRENCH do in the
approaching deliberations concerning Germany ?
It is suggested that Prussia has a perfect right to
enjoy the gains she has fairly won by the sword,
but it is nob likely that the Emperor Louis. NAPO-
LEON will quietly look on and see the Prussian
Monarchy become more powerful than his own.
The state of affairs in Europe is, indeed, most com-
plicated at this juncture ; and it will require
care, consideration, and magnanimity on the
part of those engaged in their adjust-
ment to prevent wrong and injustice.
The question is,Where are we to find these needful
qualifications? Of one thing are we quite convinced,
that it will fare most badly for all parties concerned
if Prussia is to be allowed to be in the ascendant,
and to dictate terms as she pleases. The only Power
that can or will check her will be France, and it is
to be hoped that, after reflection, the King of
PRUSSIA and his advisers may consent to those just
conditions which will be put before them by the
neutral Powers of Europe. We see no hope of a last-
ing arrangement of a satisfactory character if the
Prussians are to give the word of command, and
merely make a tool of the French Emperor not to
carry out their design in the best way that he can.
Of course substantial advantage will be gained by
the victorious Power in Bohemia, but it will be in-
consistent to expect that they are to take possession
of the best part of the Austrian dominions. Such a
course of aggression will only draw upon them the
contempt of Europe, and their best friends will be
against their following it out to the extent
that they seem to desire and expect, to
judge from what has taken place already.
We hope the French EMPEROR will be firm and
cautious in his difficult position, and that the other
Powers will support him ; for it is the interest of
all not to allow any one nation to acquire a special
ascendancy over the others. If Prussia become too
strong now it will cause a great deal of trouble
hereafter to keep her in check, and she herself will
be the greatest loser in the end by her over-greedi-
ness just now to secure all that she can possibly
take.

The Princess of WALES has just performed a
kindly and graceful action—one no less consonant
to her feelings as a young mother than to her
charitable inclinations as a member of that Royal
family who always take a cordial interest in bene-
volent undertakings. The ceremony of laying the
foundation stone of the Home for Little Boys near
Farningham, Kent, was something more than a
mere formal matter of routine. The presence of
the Prince and Princess of WALES and the brilliant
assembly which accompanied them testifies to the
growing sense of our national obligations towards
those helpless little ones whose fathers' sins
are visited upon them in their early associa-
tions of vice, crime, disease, and wretchedness.
In former days it was thought that the State had
done its duty when it punished with unpitying
severity the offences of adult criminals, dealing with
them simply as they stood before the offended law,
regardless of their past or of their futuril! The
gradual improvement of mind and feeling has by
degrees brought about a better state of things. We
cannot, indeed, overlook the crimes of any culprit
whatever his natural or accidental disadvantages.
Public justice can admit no excuse in palliation
of fraud or violence, but Christian charity has now
addressed itself to the consideration of the question
whether we cannot anticipate the evil. The enter-
prising philanthropy of the present day has suc-
ceeded in penetrating the gloom which in former
times enshrouded " the dangerous classes ;" it has
gone down, as it were, to the lowest strata of our
social organisation, and has placed before the public
such startling facts that humanity can no longer
refuse to listen to its appeals. We know the train-
ing which the children of vagrant or criminal
parents are likely to receive in the streets and lanes
of this city. Can we reasonably expect them to
turn out decent, honest, and industrious citizens ?
Should we not hold it little short of a miracle if we
discovered a boy, the son of a thief or a beggar, the
constant associate of pickpockets and sharpers of all
degrees, who was honestly working for his living,
and likely to grow up a respectable man ? Few
Would be inclined to believe such a transformation
even possible for true, as is the old warning that
" evil communications corrupt good manners," it is
never so true as in the tender and impressible days
of childhood and youth. So firmly are all intelli-
gent men convinced of this fact, that constant and
general encouragement has been given to the
asylums, industrial schools,
numerous homes, refuges,
and other institutions which have for their object
the rescue of these neglected children and their
training in honest ways. Such associations com-
mend themselves to the support of every man what-
ever his faith, his politics, or his opinions. There can
be but one conviction as to the duty and benefit of
giving these little ones at least the chance of better
things,and,
if we neglect so manifest a duty the
country assuredly rue our negligence and
have to pay heavily for
wi most
our error.
The Home, which has been fortunate enough to
secure the co-operation of the Princess of WALES,
is designed to fill a vacancy which formerly
existed in the list of these kindly refuges
and asylums. It is intended for very young
boys whose characters and circumstances disqualify
them for orphan asylums, and whose youth excludes
them from refuges. It gives a home to such children
as are deserted by their parents, and are left to be
vagrants and infant thieves, and to others of a
similar class. It has been in existence for about
two years at Tottenham, but the committee have
found their work grow so much, and have received
such encouraging promises of support, that they
have now removed and extended their establish..
ment. They have obtained a site of 20 acres at
Horton Kirby, near Farningham, Kent, upon rea-
sonable terms. The design include 3 school-build-
ings, A superintendent's residence, with workshop

and stores, and four dwelling-houses, to contain
thirty boys each, while in the main schoolroom
infants' school and class room there is accommoda-
tion for 300 ghildren. If the institution grows and
prospers as it deserves to do a larger group of build-
ings is in view ; but at present this plan meets the
requirements of the undertaking. The inaugura-
tion of the work on Saturday was all that was pro-
mising. The day was favourable, the preparations
loyally made for the reception of the Royal
visitors were on a scale which did credit to the
taste and liberality of those concerned, and the
Princess must have been touched while she listened
to the little voices of the children singing a hymn,
and thought of her own little boys so differently
gifted by nature and fortune. Her Royal Highness
performed her duties as an amateur mason with
characteristic grace and courtesy, and had the satis-
faction of feeling that her presence had been pro-
ductive of substantial benefit to the institution,
since the presentation purses alone amounted to
1775.

The Prince of WALES, not to be outdone in
kindness, had undertaken to preside at the dejeuner
which followed the laying of the stone. His Royal
Highness proved an earnest advocate of the claims
of the charity, and reminded his hearers that they
were all called upon to give it practical assistance by
their subscriptions. This duty the Prince and Prin-
cess fulfilled by donations of £5O each, and byplacing
the names of Prince ALBERT VICTOR and Prince
GEORGE on the list as life-governors. The enthu-
siasm excited by this kindly act apparently stimu-
lated the generosity of the assembly, fer the sub-
scriptions received on Saturday amounted to £1,600.
Such a result must have been very gratifying to the
president of the " Home," Mr. ROBERT HANBURY,
M.P., who has laboured arduously in its behalf.
In his address at the dejeuner, he gave an appro-
priate illustration of the work drawn from the
scene around them. "I trust," he said, " that the
spot where we are assembled may be the typo of
our work and of its success. A few days ago
all to be seen hero was a barren moor,
without roof or shelter, and the beginning of the
work gave little promise of its close. So may it be
with the effort inaugurated by your Royal Highness
to-day. The class from which our little boys'
are gathered may seem rude, rough, and unpromis-
ing as this once barren moor ; and the early days of
their training may seem of small avail. But in them
may be wrought, by GOD'S blessing on our efforts,
that change which shall fit them ere long to be
earnest Christian men, useful, happy, and loyalsub-
jects of her MAJESTY." The Home is designed for
the youngest and most necessitous children of this
necessitous class ; it is open to all sects and denomi-
nations, and to children from all parts of the country.
The only qualification required is that the little
ones should be homeless and destitute, and the only
objects proposed are to give them " a sound, useful,
Christian education, and to teach them- at an early
age as possible to earn their own livelihood." The
trades and occupations taught in the workshops
will fit them for employment either at home or in
the colonies, so that instead of crowding our gaols
and burdening our taxpayers, these children may,
when they reach manhood, add to the strength,
the industry, and the welfare of the State, able in
their turn to stretch out a hand to others instead
of helping to drag a fresh generation down to de-
gradation and misery.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, Sunday Evening.

" Divers urgent and important affairs" prevented
the Emperor from leaving Paris on Wednesday last,
as was fully arranged, and now his departure for
Fontainbleau is I believe indefinitely postponed for
the same mighty reason. His Majesty presided at
a Council of AlinisterS yesterday at the Tuileries,
at which the Empress was also present.
The " armistice" proposed by the Emperor has
led to historical and etymological investigations into
this term and other devices connected with " war's
vast art." There are three modes employed in war
to procure a cessation of hostilities. The suspension
of arms, a truce, and an armistice. There is a dis-
tinction as well as a difference between these three
modes. A suspension of arms is often granted by
mutual consent for purposes of humanity, or to
bury the dead, without any immediate intention of
discontinuing the conflict. There was a suspension
of arms during the recent campaigns in the Crimea
and in Italy. A truce is a warlike arrangement of
very ancient derivation, and was connected with
theological points. Thus arose, says one writer, in
religious wars the term God's truce. The Council
of Tuluges in 1041 decreed that, in order to reader
honour to Sunday, the mutual enemy should not
attack each other between the hours of nine on
Saturday night and one o'clock on Monday morn-
ing. In later times God's truce was extended from
Wednesday until Monday. One of the longest
truces on record between belligerents was between
Spain and the United Provinces, which lasted 12
years. An armistice is general or particular. 'When
it is general it must be signed by the respective
Sovereigns; when private, it is of local effect, and
may be arranged between the heads of the two
armies in presence of each other. A memorable
armistice was agreed to in 1813 in Silesia between
France, Russia, and Prussia. It is important to
bear in mind the exact signification of an armistice,
to understand the position of affairs in Germany.
It appears from information to be relied on that the
Emperor of the French has received two telegrams,
one from the King of Prussia and the other from
the King of Italy. The King of Italy declares that
before agreeing to an armistice he desires to come
to an understanding with his ally and co-contracting
party the King of Prussia, andthe latter replies that
before consenting to an armistice, it is necessary
that he should become acquainted with the prelimi-
naries, so as to discuss them, without being bound
to reject or to agree to them. Thus, according to
the views of some of the Paris papers, there may be
a diplomatic delay of a fortnight before an armistice
may be accepted or rejected by Prussia. Negotia-
tions upon the subject will commence immediately
in Paris. On the other hand, there is a report.,chat
Prussia is disposed to agree unconditicnially to an
armistice.

The following is from La. itberte :—" The Cabi-
netas Council o
ny
at n
La four till six o'clock, and it
w
Prince de Metternich arrived
llastednine
o j
,: ti far:
at the Tuileries, and declared that he was furnished
with full powers to treat, on the part of Austria, for
the armistice upon the basis of the terms transmitted
by the French Government to Vienna. The Em-
peror sent for the Empress to his private room, al-
though she was hardly recovered from the fatigue of
her journey to Vienna. M. Drouyn de l'lluys
came, and the conference 'was prolonged to half-
past ten o'clock at night, when Prince de Metternich
and TI.
s, D
theuy d
tookHtunyrsningto leavethe E
orafptrhoessir,
said " Eugenie, this is a good day for France, and I
Faragnooced
saito aorfi svheanveet da otnoe
hdaasy'bs elen'orcko.m" p
eTt
ohley caensd-
definitively effected, without any other condition
on the part of Ar.stria than the permission to with-
draw her cannon, guns, and munitions in the places
of war. Venetia is now entirely French territory.
' There is a remarkable distinction between the
Legislative SeFision in England and France. Al-
though the Session of the Legislative Body was pro-
rogued sonv;,‘ days ago the Senate is still sitting, and
it is to mer.it to-morrow (Monday) to appoint a com-
mittee to consider the proposed Senatus -Consulte.
It is composed of four rather long articles, and the
first president, M. Troplonf, explained that in its
amended form the objects of it are these : to insure
in a more efficacious manner respect for the Con-
stitution ; to fix precise rules for the examination
of petitions tending to the modification of the .Con-