The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1866.

suffrage, was rejected by 95 to 36 votes. The
House of Representatives has asked the PRESIDENT
for the instructions given to the Federal naval com-
mander in Chilian waters, so that the Americans
do not apper►r to be better satisfied with the con-
duct of their naval officers than the English are.
The general aspect of affairs in the States is tran-
quil, and both parties in the political struggle are
probably engaged in gathering strength for a fresh
encouP..ter.

We hope that the House of Commons will not
rest satisfied with the explanation given last evening
by Mr. LAYARD respecting the bombardment of
Valparaiso. As is usually the case the official
statements endeavoured to smooth everything down,
and, as Mr. WHITESIDE justly remarked, vindicated
everybody but the British subject. The energetic
and indignant protest addressed by the British
merchants of that city to the Government is an
awkward fact, and although Mr. LAYARD went so
far as to say that its statements were entirely
without foundation, and quite contray to the
facts of the case, the impression made upon
the House was evidently strong. The memberswould
not, of course, from a sense of justice, pass any cen-
sure upon the conduct of Admiral DENMAN without
knowing the facts of the case, and the gallant Admiral
was not without warm defenders, but the whole
affair was felt to be very discreditable to this
country. There is no doubt that the Admiral
was restrained by his instructions, and our
Government, with the amiable simplicity which
seems to characterise them, could not bring them-
selves to believe that the Spaniards would proceed
to such extremities, forgetting that the whole war
has been, from first to last, a piece of unwarrantable
aggression. Mr. LAYARD confessed, indeed, that
they had been, in a manner, duped by the Spanish
Government, who were sending out peremptory
orders to their Admiral all the while that they were
pretending to listen to our pacific overtures.
This is a specimen of Spanish good faith, and
of the respect which we succeed in obtaining from
foreign courts. No explanations can alter the
facts that a defenceless town, in which a very large
quantity of British property was stored, was bom-
barded in presence of an English fleet, which
quietly moved out of the way to allow the work of
destruction to be carried on. No minor details
alter these glaring facts, and they remain a lasting
disgrace not only to the Spanish Government, but
to every nation who permitted so wanton and cruel
an attack. We hope the House will insist on a
full and searching inquiry, or else, as Sir LAWRENCE
PALK suggests, we had better curtail our estimates
and send our Admirals in yachts armed with broom-
sticks.

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

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

The following is a summary of the position of
affairs in regard to Germany :—All the forces of
the Germanic Confederation are placed upon the
full war footing. Austria has 370,000 men in
Germany, 150,000 in Venetia, 80,000 in Dalmatia,
and 100,000 dispersed about Hungary, Istria, and
the circle of Trieste. The principal army of Prussia
will comprise about 250,000 men, under the com-
mand of the King, with General Moltke chief of the
Staff. It will be disposed so as to prevent the Aus-
trians from marching upon Berlin by Saxony.
Another army of 120,000 men will be cantoned
near Nisse, an important strongly fortified position
to the south-west of Silesia. The tone of most of
the German papers received to-day is warlike—in-
deed more warlike than for some days past. Never-
theless, as far as I can gather the opinion of the
begtAaprraftkciirrwl Isian lY nr y eV-m.llin YAM 0)e,liO,
the difficulty amicably. There has been a report
that Austria, under the powerful advice of England,
France,. and even Russia, was disposed to cede
Venetia to Italy. In reference to this report, the
France, which boasts of having authority to do so,
says :—" We have information which enables us to
affirm that Austria has repudiated in the most abso-
lute terms all idea of giving up Venetia to Italy."
A writer in the Siecle, describing the Austrian
army, says the staff includes 215 field-marshals,
generals, lieutenant field-marshals, and major-
generals in activity. The infantry of the line num-
bers 80 regiments of four battalions, with 14 com-
panies each. The peace footing is 145,804 men,
and the war footing 385,224 men. The Austrian
cavalry numbers 39,185 men in time of peace, and
41,900 in time of war. The total force, includ-
ing artillery and troops of public safety, is 280,996
men in time of peace, and 619,210 in time of war.
In addition to this regular force it has a large ir-
regular one, consisting of voliAnteers, militia, and
other troops.

The following is the result of the last Chantilly
Races :—Prix de Danger, s,oool.—Gontran, 1 ;
Tourmalet, 2 ; La Fortune (Count de Lagrange),
3 ; Prix de l'Oise, 2,ooof.—Scxvola, 1 ; Duke de
Bourgogne, 2. Scvola was claimed by M. D'Evry
for 2,250 f. Prix de l'Empereur (handicap), 2,000 f.
—l5 ran. Bruneau, 1; Salambo the Second, 2 ;
Mercedes, 3. Jockey Club Prize, 25,000 f., 2,000 f.
to the second horse. 17 horses ran. 39 paid for-
forfeit (500f.)—Florentin, 1 ; Baionette, 2 ; Le
Scoulet, 3. The betting was very changeable.
The favourites were Count Lagrange's Baionette
and Auguste. As to the winner, Florentin, it was
very little thought of, and the result astonished
everyone. This is called the French Derby. Amount
of the prize, 57,300 f., deducting 2,000 f., given to
the second horse. Prix des Etangs, 2,000 f.—
Anglo-Saxon, 1; Tourist, 2. There will be races
in the Bois de Boulogne on Sunday next.
On Thursday next a trial for two murders will
take place at the Court of Assize of Puy de Rome,
at Rim. On the evening of the Ist of March in-
subordination manifested itself in the shoemaker's
shop attached to the prison at Riom. Seventy-five
convicts were employed there. The men refused to
work, and broke the lamps and furniture. One of
the warders was stabbed to the heart by a convict
named Cellier, who also assassinated one of his
fellow prisoners. It was necessary to call in soldiers
to quell the riot. It is for these two murders that
Cellier is to be tried.

Among the projected improvements of Paris is a
new square in the Rue du Petit Lion, near the Rue
St. Denis. Here is situated a remarkable building,
which, however, is little known to the Parisians. It
is the dungeon which formed part of the hotel of the
Dukes de Bourgogne, which was the scene of many
sanguinary struggles in the reign of Charles the
Sixth, during the war of the Armagnacs and Bour-
giguons. Not far from the spot was the Porte des
Peintres, by which the Sovereigns entered Paris.
Charles the Bold once lived in the tower of this
dungeon, and Jean sans Peur slept in it. Hence
it was called the dungeon of Jean sans Peur. The
Tower has neither the height nor the beauty of that
of St. Jacques, one of the most remarkable con-
structions of Paris, but it is a curious specimen of
the feudal architecture of the Middle Ages. This
dungeon will occupy the centre of the new square.
Now it is lost among the miserable buildings of the
locality in question, all of which are about to be
pulled down.

M. D., residing in the Rue St. Andre des Arts,
was sent for two days ago by a notary, who read to
him a will by which a rich lady had named him,
residuary legatee, which would make-him possessor
of about £4,000. While the will was being read to
M. D. he suddenly turned very pale. The notary
asked him what was the matter with him. He
made no answer. A surgeon was called in, but
the man was dead. The sudden joy bad killed him.
The second Conference of the Ministers of the
secondary States of the Germanic Confederation
took place yesterday. I believe that no authentic
account of what took place has reached Paris.
mote, the new Minister from Maio)