The Sun.
London, England, 1861-12-14 00:00:00

GENERAL SCOTT'S DEPARTURE FROM

PARIS.

A letter from Paris says :—" I yesterday men-
tioned that General Scott was to have left Paris for
the United States, as it was rumoured, on a mission
from the French Government. The fact of his de-
parture is certain, but that of the mission I cannot
affirm positively. General Scott has had, since he
came to Paris several interviews with Prince Napo-
leon, and has seen the Emperor once at least. His
departure was suddenly resolved upon—l believe
the same day he left. The general belief is that he
has gone with the intention of enlightening the
Washington Cabinet as to the feeling that prevails
in France, and with the French Government, on the
Anglo-A merican quarrel. He is doubtless acquainted
with the opinion of the Emperor, and that it is not
favourable to President Lincoln's policy we are
already aware. The General will probably con-
vince his country men that they cannot count upon
the moral support of France in this matter.

Something is also said of his being charged to
propose the mediation of the French Government.
With respect to his last point, it is true that the
23d Protocol of the Paris Congress of 1856 does
recommend mediation. It is, however, but a re-
commendation, and not an engagement accepted by
the Powers. Here are the words :

" The Plenipotentiaries do not hesitate to express, in the
name of their Governments, the wish that the States be-
tween which any serious dissension may arise would, before
appealing to arms, have recourse, so far as circumstances
may admit, to the good offices of a friendly Power. The
Plenipotentiaries hope that the Governments not repre-
sented in the Congress will associate themselves to the
thought which has inspired the wish expressed in the pre-
sent Protocol."

The outrage committed on the Trent is hardly
one of the "circumstances" admitting of anything
short of the surrender of the Commissioners ; and
both France and Piedmont paid little regard to the
" wish" expressed in the Protocol when they deter-
mined on the war with Austria.

TFIE RETURN OF GENERAL SCOTT.—Mr. Thurlow
Weed has given a prompt contradiction to a statement of
the Pah ie, to the effect that Lieutenant-General Scott's
return to America was " in consequence of an urgent de-
spatch from the Washington cabinet." "He had received
neither an order nor a suggestion from his Government.
His change of purpose was the result, under changed cir-
cumstances, of his own sense of duty." The Patrie has
made itself conspicuous by publishing news about Ameri-
can affairs for which there was not the least foundation.
ARMING OF MERCHANT VESSELS. In conse-
quence of the uncertainty which exists as to a war with
America, the merchant vessels belonging to Messrs.
Wigram, Green, Somes, and other large firms, are about to
be armed with guns on the upper deck, and in some cases
rifled ordnance will be used in order to be prepared for pri-
vateers, should a war take place during the voyage.

The deficiency in the grain crops of England and
France this year is estimated at 144,000,000 bushels—viz.,
80 millions in France and 64 millions in England. This
deficiency has been and will be chiefly supplied from Ame-
rica. Upwards of 100 million bushels of breadstuffs will
reach New York in the present year, and this supply will
be kept up during the winter. The value of the exports of
domestic produce from New York up to the latter end of
November amounted to 118 million of dollars.

PORTSMOUTH, Friday, 6 p.m.—The strong breezes
of the past few days have settled down to -day in a strong
gale from the southward, which increases as the day closes,
and gives every prcmise of "dirty weather" in the Channel.
The barometer on the Victoria pier—one of Negretti and
Zambra's sea-coast—fell half an inch in the previous 24
hours at 9 a.m. to-day, and still continues its downward
movement. It now stands at 29.4.

THORPE, SUFFOLK, Dec. 12.—During a heavy
south-westerly gale, thick with rain, early this morning,
the brig Content, of Sunderland, was observed with a flag
of distress flying, to be driving on shore opposite the Sluice,
Sizewell, Suffolk. The National Institution's lifeboat, sta-
tioned at Thorpe, proceeded immediately to the rescue of
the vessel's crew of five men, whom she succeeded in taking
off and landing in safety. A boat, belonging to a smack
that was cruising about, had previously reached the brig;
the boat's crew, however, became alarmed, and after the
lifeboat had taken off the vessel's crew, they entreated the
coxswain not to leave them until they had got their boat
through the broken water. The total number of lives saved
from a watery grave by the lifeboats of the National Life-
boat Institution during the present year alone amounts to
two hundred and eighty-three.

GALLANT LIFBBOAT SERVICES.—FISHGUARD,
Dec. 12.—During a terific gale from the S.S.W., with
heavy rain, this afternoon, the coxswain of the lifeboat,
belonging to the National Lifeboat Institution, descried a
flag of distress flying from a smack at anchor in Fishguard
Bay. In less than half an hour the lifeboat was alongside
the vessel, which proved to be the Ellen Owens, of Cardi-
gan. The vessel was dragging her anchors, and was
rapidly driving on the rocks, when, in the absence of the
lifeboat, every soul on board must have perished. Under
these circumstances, the master and his crew of two men
determined to abandon the vessel. The lifeboat therefore
safely landed them. '1 he crew of the lifeboat reported that
she behaved admirably on the occasion. Fortunately the
gale subsequently moderated, and the vessel having held to
ber anchors, her crew were afterwards put on board.
WARLIKE PREPARATlONS.—Preliminaries for the
prompt despatch of soldiers, sailors, and marines, together
with military and commissariat stores,as well as ammunition
and ordnance, including rifle and smooth-bore guns, con-
tinue to be pushed forward in Liverpool with the utmost
alacrity. The offices and counting-rooms of the Cunard
Company, and of Capt. Leycester, R.N., present an appear-
ance widely different from their usual quiet aspect. All is
bustle and animation ; the floors are piled, like warehouses,
with boxes and packages of all forms and varied dimensions.
The officials, as if conscious of the important part assigned
to them in this unusual drama, seem intent on bestowing a
double amount of care and attention in the discharge of
duties differing little from those they have long been in the
habit of discharging with the most entire success, yet which
they appear now to attach unusual importance to. Rumour
also is busy in all quarters, and on every hand the inquirer
obtains hints of communications between the Government
and companies possessing first-class steam •vessels. Yes-
terday one of those rumours assigned a Government char.
ter to the Pacific Steam Navigation Company's fine new
steamer Peru, which is expected round from the Clyde in
the beginning of next week—one portion of her rumoured
allotment being 60 sailors and 40 marines, as reinforcements
to our squadron in the Pacific. Ihe Cunard mail steamer
Niagara, which sails to-day for Halifax and Boston, will
take out 20 officers and 350 men and non-commissioned
officers belonging to the Military Train, under command of
Col. Kennedy, C.B. The Australasian steamship, belong-
ing to the same company, was to sail with last night's tide,
carrying 831 non-commissioned officers and men and 254
non• commissioned officers and privates of the 4th Brigade
of Artillery. The Persia will have despatch on Sunday
morning.

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE EXHIBITION BUILD-
ING.—Mr. C. St. Clair Bedford, the Westminster coroner,
held an inquest at St. George's Hospital yesterday after-
noon on the body of Martin Conolly, aged 23, residing at
6, New-court, Brompton, who was killed by an accident at
the International Exhibition building. It appeared from
the evidence of several witnesses that on Monday last a gang
of workmen and labourers engaged in the construction of the
roof and domes of the building were hoistingand placing bars
of iron, technically termed "principals," weighing llcwt.
each, on the toyscaffold of the great dome. One of these " prin-
cipals" suddenly fell, in consequence of not being properly
bolted, thereby tipping over some planks on which deceased
was standing. He was in consequence thrown headlong to
the ground, a distance of upwards of 60ft., the falling prin-
cipal and planks inflicting injuries on two other men. The
sufferers were promptly removed to St. George's Hospital,
but the deceased expired from internal injuries before ad-
mission. A number of witnesses were examined with a view
to ascertain if any one was to blame for not having the prin-
cipal properly bolted, which it was clearly shown was the
cause of the accident. It was stated to be the duty of the
ganger, named Firm, to see that the bolts were fixed. Firm
deposed that he duly appointed the deceased and another,
called Mara, to see to this being done. Mara swore that
he knew nothing whatever about it, and that he was absent
21 hours talking to a friend. The jury returned an open
verdict, that deceased died from the effects of a fall at the
International Exhibition, by gross negligence, arising from
the bolts of the principal not being properly fixed,
EXTENSIVE DEFALCATIONS AT CHESTER.—At
the Chester polioe-court, on Wednesday, John Jacobs
Johns, chief cashier of the Shropshire Union Railway and
Canal Company, was charged with forgery and embezzle-
ment. Mr. Ford prosecuted, on behalf of the Albert Medi-
cal and Family Endowment Society, and Mr. Cartwright
defended the prisoner. It appears that it is usual for the
Shropshire Union Railway and Canal Company, when they
engage persons for situations of trust and responsibility, to
insist upon guarantees for honesty and fidelity. Tho prisoner
has been chief cashier to the company about eight years,
and the Albert Medical and Family Endowment Society
became security for him. Some little time ago suspicion
was excited, in consequence of some irregularies in the
prisoner's books, which led to a partial examination of
them. The result of that examination was, that defalca-
tions to the amount of upwards of £BOO were discovered, in
addition to which there appeared strong reason to suppose
that forgery had been committed by the prisoner. The only
evidence adduced on Wednesday was to prove that the pri-
soner had not paid £l5 15s. into Messrs. Dixon and War-
dell's bank, on the Bth of October last, which amount he
had debited that bank with in his pass-book. This having
been proved, the prisoner was remanded for a week, in
order that the books of the company might be thoroughly ,
murdned. 134 refused.