The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 7, 1866.

takes off the responsibility from the two German
Powers. It is indeed to be regretted that this de-
cision was not earlier made by Austria, for it would
have prevented the Prussians from obtaining such
an ascendancy in many ways, as they have
done. Very true were the reproaches here
made about the course pursued by the Prus-
sians throughout this affair, and it is said with
perfect justice that had the two Powers agreed upon
a definitive settlement " of the treaties, there would
have been no need of this appeal being made ;" but
it is added, " all the efforts of Austria directed to-
wards obtaining the concurrence of Prussia to an
arrangement which all the rest of Germany recog-
nised as right and lawful were unavailing." The
pertinacity with which the Prussians upheld the
right of Federal execution now militates against
them in various ways, and, as the Abendpost states,
it was not as a European Power, but as a member
of the Confederation that she acted against Den-
mark. Very strong is the force of this satirical
passage.—" If momentary advantages do not con-
stitute the fundamental principles of her policy, if
she has preserved, despite her system of military
conventions, separate alliances, and dallying with
foreign Powers, one remnant of fidelity to Federal
rights, she will submit to the decision of the Diet,
as Austria has determined to submit herself." We
quite agree with this article in its denunciation of
the policy that has of late been pursued by the
Cabinet of Berlin, a belief in the destiny of the
Prussian monarchy, has for a long time exercised a
" dominating influence " upon them, and .the
sooner they change their tactics the better.
The Moniteur du Soir, in its bulletin last evening,
stated the reservations that Austria made to the ac-
ceptation of the Conference, and these had the ef-
fect of preventing any " thorough examination" of
the Austro-Italian difference. It is said that the
Baron Von WERTHER has presented to Count
MENSDOEFF the Prussian despatch, protesting
against the convocation of the Holstein Estates,
and accusing Austria of a violation of the Gastein
Convention ; and this despatch is regarded as the
prelude to the ultimatum which Prussia is expected to
deliver to-morrow at the Federal Diet, so that it
may be considered as the beginning of the end.
We have no doubt that the Berlin Government will
prefer to go to war rather than draw back from
their previous assertions and allow the Diet to settle
about the Duchies. The news from Berlin asserts
that the measures announced in the Diet by that
Power violate the treaty of Gastein, and cause the
suspension of the co-possession existing hitherto in
the Duchies. The two Powers are no* restored to
the position and rights accorded to them by the
Treaty of Vienna, which retains its " European
validity." There is nothing in this affair so
ridiculous as the way in which these treaties are
declared valid or invalid in order to serve the turn
of the disputants. The announcement of the
French EMPEROR that he detested the Treaties of
1815 was the prelude to various other declarations
for and against them in many directions. Here we
have Prussia declaring that she will stand by these
Treaties, and Austria asserting that the course pur-
sued by Prussia has violated them. •

Notwithstanding all these appeals to treaties,
valid or invalid, as the case may be, it appears very
probable that recourse will be had toaanns of theagency
which reverses treaties and changes the plans
wisest and strongest. The war which now seems
imminent will no doubt have the effect of pro-
ducing a new order of things. Prince FRE-
DERIC
C HARLES and the officers of his staff
had a farewell audience of the King of PRUSSIA
yesterday, and they-will proceed to the headquarters
of the army in Silesia. It is expected that the
KING will also proceed there in a short time. All
is being done to incite and encourage the Prussian
people to the contest. It is said by the semi-official
Provinzial Correspondenz that the neutral Powers
have thanked Prussia for her readiness to support
their efforts to preserve peace, and declared that
she is now completely free to take her own course.
This journal adds that' Prussia, having decided to
protest against the convocation of the Holstein
Estates, will "no doubt follow up her protest by
active measures." The troops are indeed already
on their way to take possession of the Holstein
garrisons that arc unoccupied by Austria, so that
this is in fact in some degree the commencement
of hostilities. By next week, in all probability,
some definite step will have been taken that will
precipitate matters, and in the meantime there is
sufficient to do in watching the various preparations
that are in progress in various directions, all tending
to the same lamentable result.

Among all the startling revelations of workhouse
management which have lately shocked the public
mind, the Strand Union has usually appeared in a
very favourable aspect. By common consent it has
been one of the best managed in the metropolis—
the master and matron have been represented as
unusually humane and intelligent, and the medical
officer laborious and self-denying. The Commis-
sioners of the Lancet, who render, such
valuable service in exposing the miseries and
deprivations of the wretched denizens of our
vast State hospitals, fully confirmed those favour-
able impressions of the Strand Union, although they
denounced the building itself as totally unfitted for
its purpose. The situation of the workhouse is in
itself unfortuate, and the buildings were declared
by these gentlemen to be, on the whole, less
suited to an infirmary than those of any other
workhouse, although seven-eighths of the beds
are occupied by sick or infirm paupers. Still
their opinion of the management was, on the whole,
favourable, and yet the revelations before the Poor-
law Board during the last day or two show a con-
dition of things which no person of the commonest
humanity can contemplate without horror. At the
root of all the unnecessary sufferings endured by
the sick in these establishments is the miserable
system of pauper nursing, a system which has been
repeatedly and empathically condemned by every in-
dependent and experienced observer. Mr. FARNALL'S
views on this point are well known, and surely if
there is any undertaking in which a certain degree
of natural aptitude requires to be improved by
careful training and patient experience it is that of
nursing the sick ; yet in these establishments the
mere fact of a man or woman being willing to
undertake the duty is considered sufficient, no
matter how ignorant, incapable, or infirm
they may be. Sometimes their physical
incapacity produces the most disastrous effects, as
in the case of a male nurse in the Strand Union,
who was unable to lift a bedridden man, who was
consequently afflicted with a dangerous bedsore.
The revelations at these inquiries show not so much
isolated errors or misconduct, but something radi-
cally wrong with the whole system', which must be
entirely remodelled and reorganised if we would
escape a national disgrace.

THE ROYAL MARETAGEs.--We believe we are
correct in stating that the following ladies will be
her Royal Highness Princess Helena's bridesmaids :—The
Lady Margaret Scott, the Lady Caroline Gordon Lennox,
the Lady Bertha Hamilton, the Lady Katharine Phipps,
the Lady Alexandrina Murray, tire Lady Ernestine Edg-
cuorea
uembe,the Lady Elizabeth Parker,. and the Lady Muriel
Campbell. Her Royal Highness I 'rincess Mary's brides-
maids will, we understand, be Lady Aneta Yorke, Lady
Cornelia Churchill, Lady Cecilia o.olyneux, and Lady
Ilamilton.—The Owl.

CORRESPONDENCE PROM PARIS.

metal gilt watch, exactly similar in appearance, but
worth only 12f.
The construction of a railway from Armentieres
to the Belgian frontier has been declared of public
utility, and it will shortly be commenced.
The workmen employed in removing the frag-
ments and rubbish at the private manufactory of
M. Auben, at La Villette, have found the remains
of the infant, nearly carbonised, to which the poor
woman named Lacroix gave birth at the moment
of the explosion, as I have already mentioned. A
subscription has been commenced to relieve the rela-
tives of the victims ; and to-night, the 260th anni-
versary of the birth of Corneille, a benefit in their
behalf is be given at the Theatre Francais.
M. and Madame Gallot, residing at Vaugirard,
have just died at a very advanced age. The hus-
band was 105 years and four mcnths, and the wife,
who died two days afterwards, was 105 years and
one month old. They both possessed their intellec-
tual faculties to the last, and but a few days ago
they were at the market making their purchases.
The Emperor had for several years allowed them a
pension of 600 f. per annum from his private funds.
M. Gallot, who does not leave any children, entered
the service as a dragoon in the reign of Louis XVI.
By order of the Viceroy of Egypt the antiquities
of the Museum of Boulacq are to be sent to Paris
for the Exhibition. They will be exhibited in a
special locality to be called the Egyptian Bazaar.
Fifty Egyptians, in national costume, will accom-
pany these interesting antiquities.

LA TEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE WAR CRISIS.
MuNicir, June 7.

The Committee of the Chamber of Deputies on
the address in reply to the speech from the throne
has made its report. It proposes that the Cham-
ber should uphold a close union of the Middle States
and a popular national representation as the point
of departure for a German Parliament.

VENICE, June 6.

A meeting of the Municipal Council has been
called for to-morrow to discuss measures for pro-
viding means of subsistence for the poor of Venice
in case the city should be blockaded.

HAMBURG, June 7.

The Prussian Ministry at this city has lodged
an attachment upon all funds deposited by •the
Holstein Government in the Norddeutsche and
other Hamburg Banks.

MADRID, June 7th.

Spain and Portugal have agreed to act in com-
mon for the defence of their neutrality in the event

of an European war,

FLORENCE, June 7.

The King will arrive here this evening.
The Chamber of Deputies has voted the financial
bills of the Government by 145 to 40 votes.

A correspondence has been published here be-
tween Gen. Turr and the Deputy Machi. Theformer
alludes in his letter to the intentions of the Italian
patriots to invade Dalmatia in case of war. Signor
Machi replied that the Italians desired war only for
the sake of liberating Italian provinces, but would
respect the rights of other peoples.

AMERICA.
ARRIVAL OF THE BAVARIA.

SOUTHAMPTON, JUNE 7.

The Hamburg and American Co.'s steamer,
Bavaria, from New York on the 26th May, arrived
off the Needles at 12.35 p.m. to-day.