The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-17 00:00:00

MR. COBDEN TO M. MARCO MINGHETTI.

" Midhurst, Aug. 26, 1861.
" My dear Sir,—You may have seen a statement
made by Mr. Roebuck that an engagement had been
entered into between the Governments of France
and Italy for the cession of the island of Sardinia
as the condition of the evacuation of Rome by the
French troops. Would you have any objection to
answer the question whether any such arrangement
was ever entered into or contemplated on the part
of the Government of Turin ? At the same time,
let me add, that if you prefer not to reply to this
letter, I shall consider that you have good public
grounds for your silence, and it will not diminish
the present esteem with which I regard you. I
need hardly assure you with what friendly interest
I have witnessed the great services you have ren-
dered to your country. My sympathies will always
accompany you and your fellow• countrymen in your
struggle for the independence of Italy.—Believe
me, yours truly,
(Signed) "RICHARD COBDEN.
" M. Marco Minghetti, Minister of the
Interior, Turin."
M. MARCO MINGHETTI TO MR. COBDEN.
" Turin, Sept. 2, 1861.
"My dear Sir,—l thank you for your letter of
the 26th August, and for its expressions, so cour-
teous towards myself and so kind for the Italian
cause.
" After the note inserted in the Ilionzteur, it were
perhaps superfluous for me to answer your inquiry.
However, truth will always bear repetition.
I can, then, positively assure you that the
Italian Government never had any agreement, and
never entered into any negotiation, for the cession
confirm tihni s,
the not
Government,
voeendn
of Sardinia or any other part of the national terri•
mtoyryse.lf
I can
occupied a post
from the intimate confidence I nrljnyoym fromee
lamented Count Cavour, and I am certain he would
t:
with buth av
alsoing
thehave spurned any project of the kind if it had been
submitted to him.—Accept the assurance of my sin-
cere esteem.
(Signed) "MARCO MINGHETTT."

An old lady who lived not far from Abbotsford,
and from whom the " Great Unknown" had derived many
an ancient tale, was waited upon one day by the author of
" Waverley." On endeavouring to give the authorship
tho go. by, the old dame protested, 44 D'ye think, sir, I
dinna ken my ain groats in ither folk's kail ?"—Remtnis-
onoB of Scottish Life and Character.

AN IMPERIAL STAG-HUNT AT. COM-

P1E(.711, E.

A correspondent writ' lig from Compiegne, yes-
terday morning, says ;
" A grand hunt took place in the forest on Mon-
day, and was favoured by the most beautiful
weather. From an early hour in the morning all
the principal avenues were lined with carriages and
filled *with numerous bodies of people on foot, not
less than 10,000 having assembled. Vast numbers
arrived in the morning from Paris by the railway.
At eleven o'clock their Majesties and the Court sat
down to breakfast, and at a quarter before one en-
tered the chars a-bancs to proceed to the forest,
where the hounds and the horses awaited them.
The meet took place at the Puits du Roi, about
three miles to the south-east of Compiegne, and
almost in the centre of the forest. The Prince Im-
perial set out a short time before the long cortege
of the Court, and his appearance was hailed with
loud acclamations. He wore the regular hunting
costume—green gold-laced coat, white breeches, and
high boots—with the three-cornered cocked hat of
Louis XV. trimmed with white feathers, which the
Emperor and Empress alone are privileged to wear.
The Prince had that morning been presented by
Marshal Vaillant with the button which entitles
the possessor to wear the Imperial hunting cos-
tume, and the number of which is limited to 90.
His Imperial Highness rode a small Sardinian pony,
which showed so much fire that M. Bachon, equerry
to the Prince, was obliged to keep as close as
possible to it, fearing that the noise of the hounds
might make the spirited little animal start off, and
even cautioned the Prince to pay great attention to
his horse. ' But Bachon,' replied the young horse-
man, you have always told me not to be afraid of
anything; Their Majesties soon after arrived. The
Empress, in a hunting costume, green, ornamented
with gold lace, was the first to alight from the char
a bane and run and kiss her son, who without alight-
ing from his horse graciously saluted on all sides.
The Emperor, also in hunting costume, came and
kissed the young huntsman, caressed the pony,
and examined all the details of the girths, bridle,
&c. The Princess Mathilde and Prince Joachim
Murat soon joined their Majesties. The Emperor
afterwards conversed for a few minutes with Lord
Cowley and the Prince de Rouss, and then mounted
his horse and gave the signal for the sport to
commence. The King of Holland, who was
dressed in plain clothes, remained in the char
a bane, and followed the horsemen at a short
distance, es did also the ladies and other guests
at the Palace. The Empress, who had mounted
a magnificent horse, followed the hounds for
some time, and then, fearing the young Prince might
become fatigued, took him with her in a caleche
which was in waiting. A fine stag was started at
the Grand Marais, and after a run of two hours was
killed at the Mare-aux-Planchettes. All the Court
soon, after assembled at this spot, where refresh-
ments were served at the foot of a majestic oak. The
Empress and the young Prince, who had for a time
lost themselves in the intricacies of the forest, drove
up soon after, and the Emperor led the prince to the
spot where the animal was lying, his Imperial High-
ness expressing great regret that he had not been
able to follow the hunt. At half-past four the Em-
peror, the Empress, the Prince Imperial, and the
King of Holland returned to the Palace. At seven
o'clock there was a dinner of 70 covers. At nine
o'clock the curee took place as usual by torchlight,
their Majesties standing on the balcony to witness
the animated scene. After the curee there was a
soiree at the Palace and dancing.

COMPLETION OF THE 11141.7 A AND

ALEXANDRIA TELEGRAPH.

We are happy to announce the successful submergence
of the last section of the Malta and Alexandria electric
cable. The whole line is now laid and working admirably
between these two ports. We have been able to collect the
following particulars of this interesting and important
undertaking, which has just been brought to such a suc-
cessful termination :

It is already known that her Majesty's gunboat Mohawk,
Commander Howard, left Malta on the 12th September for
Port Bardiah, on the north coast of Africa, about midway
between Alexandria and Bengazi. She was followed on the
15th by her Majesty's surveying vessel Medina, Captain
Spratt, C. 8., and a telegraph steamer Rangoon for the
same place. At five p.m. on Thursday, the 19th ult., the
end of the Alexandria section of the cable, lying off the en-
trance of Port Bardiah, was picked up, and the three ves-
sels proceeded on towards Bengazi. The Medina led the
way, under the direction of Captain Spratt, and the Ran-
goon followed, paying out the cable, while the Mohawk
kept close at hand to render any assistance, should it be
necessary. On the morning of Friday, the 20th, they
sighted Ras-et-Teen, to which place her Majesty's gun-
boat Assurance, Lieut.-Commanding Luard, had been
despatched on the 16th from Malta, to join the telegraph.
squadron on its passing that point. The four steamers
then all proceeded in company till nightfall, when they
anchored off the picturesque town of Derna for the
night. Early on the following morning, the 21st,
the squadron continued their course towards Ben-
gazi, skirting the interesting coast of Cyrenaica, and
passing by the ruins at Marsa Sousa, Tolemeita, &c., and.
arrived at Bengazi, on the morning of the 23d, without a.
single interruption, the weather up to this time being very
favourable. The Rangoon anchored about six miles from
the shore, and having spliced the shore cable to the deep
sea cable, steamed in as far as practicable, when she again
came to an anchor, and the remainder of the shore end was
landed by the boats, the crews of her Majesty's ships assist-
ing in the operation; thus completing the section from
Alexandria to Bengazi.
The other telegraph steamer Malacca, having on board
the portion of cable to finish the Tripoli and Bengazi section,
was at Bengazi, awaiting the arrival of the Rangoon, having
left Malta on the 19th for this purpose. The whole of
Messrs. Glasse, Elliott, and Co.'s electric and engineering
staff, and the Government staff, except some electricians who
were left at Bengazi to carry on the necessary testings,
having passed over to her from the Rangoon, which returned.
to Malta, the Malacca, followed by the Medina, Mohawk,
and Assurance started on the 24th, at 6 p.m., for the buoy
in the Gulf of Syrtis. This buoy was attached to the end of
the Tripoli portion of the Tripoli and Bengazi section, which,
it will be remembered, was laid down in the beginning of
last June. The Malacca reached the spot early next morn-
ing, the 25th. On the Medina cowing up s nue hours after-
wards she pointed out the exact position of the buoy, but
owing to there being a heavy sea on at the time, and a
strong breeze blowing, the cable was net hooked and the
end brought on board until the afternoon of the following
day, the 24th, when the weather moderated. The splice
being made, the Malacca commenced paying out—the Me-
dina, under the able directions of Captain Spratt, again act-
ing as pioneer, the other ship- of war closely following as
before. In the evening of the 27th one of the ships was
sent on to the Garah rocks, and took up position near them,
showing night signals, for the guidance of the squadron in
passing those rocks by night. Next morning, the 28th,
Bangazi was sighted ; and at 11 o'clock a.m. the Malacca.
anchored at a buoy that had been placed there beforehand
to mark the spot for the junction of the deep-sea line to the
shore cable. As the Malacca was steaming in with the
shore end, the moment became one of great excitement.
Captain Spratt signalled from the Medina—" Fortune fa-
vours the enterprise. I congratulate you on your success.'''
The end was then landed, and carried into the same cable
house into which the end of the Alex.andria section had been
as successfully brought a few days before. The final opera-
tion was performed in the presence of a crowd of astonislsed
natives, under a salute of 19 guns, and amidst the enthusi-
astic cheering of all parties engaged. The whole line of
cable between Alexandria and Malta is found to answer
most admirably; its electric condition is perfect, and mes-
sages are despatched and received through its entire length
with the greatest ease. There can be no doubt that it is
the best laid and most perfect submarine cable in existence.
Great care, foresight, and skill have been bestowed both on
its manufacture and laying it down, and the reward Ilan
been the most complete and unprecedented success.
THE MALTA AND CORFU AND MALTA AND CAGLIARL
TELEGRAPH LINES.—The screw steamer Berwick, belong-
ing to Messrs. Glasse, Elliott, and Co., which has been
engaged
betwee for o
between France
si some
and time
Co
al as yt ionfgAsfervi
cear al s
for submarine French ca
Go
I oe a.
vernment, has arrived at Malta, from Algiers, and proceeded
to Corfu, for the purpose of attempting the repair of the
Malta and Cortu cable, or, if this be found impracticable, to
recover as much of it as possible. After this she will try to
repair or recover the Malta and Cagliari cable. We trust
that the enterprising firm, who have just brought to such
a happy termination the grand undertaking of the Malta
and Alexandria telegraph cable, will meet with all the suc-
cess their perseverance and skill so richly deserve.

DEATH OF MAJOR PRINGLE —The death of
Major John Watson Pringle, of the Royal Engineers, oc-
curred at Bathwick-hills Villa, Bath, on the 12th inst. The
deceased officer, who was in his 70th year, entered the above
corps on the 23d August, 1809, and served in the Peninsula
from January, 1810, to the end of the war in 1814, includ-
ing the battles of the Nivelle and Nive, in which latter en-
gagement he was wounded. He served also in the cam-
paign of 1815, and was severely wounded at Waterloo. He
became lieutenant May 1, 1811; captain, July 21, 1815 ;
and major, November 28, 1854. He had received the war
medal with three clasps for his valuable services.

Mug