The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-10 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

The Austrian Gazette of the 6th, alluding to the
remark of the Earl of Derby that Austria will not
make any attack, says :—" We well know Austria
has never had any intention of making war on Sar-
dinia, although sufficient causes have been given for
doing so. Austria does not wish for any conflict ; she
would rather avoid it; she can gain nothing by such
a course, and will not seek for it. The most im-
portant thing is that France also promises not to
attack, if Sardinia is not interfered with. That
promise has doubtless been given tithe English
Minister in a very positive manner, and in face of
it disappears all the rumours, pamphlets, and articles
of the semi-official journals. There only remains the
case of Sardinia commencing war of herself, in the
hope of bringing on a general struggle. We think
little of the political talent of Count de Cavour, but
we do not dispute his common sense, and he would
have lost the last spark of it if he were to resolve
on such a mad act. We therefore retain the hope
that there will be negotiations, and no fighting ;
that ink will be spilt, and not blood."

THE CASE OF THE REV. THOMAS PUGH.—Yester-
day, at the meeting of the representative vestry of St. Pan-
cras, for the purpose, amongst other matters, of considering
the appointment of a chaplain to the workhouse in the room
of the Rev. Thomas Pugh, who was dismissed from his
office on account of his refusal to give up the address of the
absconded medical officer, Maskett—Mr. Churchwarden
Attenborough in .the chair, a communication was read
from the Poor-law Board, stating that by an order issued in
1846, still in force, the dismissal of an officer could not be
carried out without their sanction. The Rev. E. Eckett
disputed the right of the Poor-law Board to interfere, and
said as the question of their power had never been tried it
was the duty of the vestry to contest the point. He moved
that the communication be referred to a committee, with
power to take legal advice in the matter. Mr. Collins se-
conded the motion. Mr. Churchwarden Cameron said the
19th section of their local act was so clear that the vestry
had power to remove all officers at their will and pleasure,
that he could not conceive the Poor-law Board had the
slightest ground for their interference. Mr. Nodes moved
that the communication from the Poor-law Board be ac-
knowledged, and that it lie on the table. Mr. Ross
seconded the amendment, which was carried.
THE ROYAL ACADEMY AND THE FRENCH EXHIBI-
TION OF ART.—The following letter has been addressed by
Mr. John P. Knight, secretary of. the ROyal Academy, to
M. Theophile Silvestre, appointed by his Excellency the
Minister of State and of the Household of the Emperor of
the French, to inspect the museums and other institutions
of the Fine Arts in Europe :—" Royal Academy of Arts,
Trafalgar-square, London, Jan. 31,- 1859.—Sir,—I
your two letters, the last dated the 24th inst., before the
president and council of the Royal Academy of Arts, at
their meeting on Saturday last, and am directed to convey
to you the assurance of their- high appreciation of the ex-
pression of his Excellency the French Minister of State, in
appi obation of the English school of art, and also of the
offer on his part to devote-a itom for the reception of Eng-
lish works of art for exhibition at the Palais de l'lndustrie
in April next. I have also received instructions to make
known this gratifying and generous offer to the president
of the different art societies in Great Britain. The president
and council feel that this expression of sympathy for British
art, on the part of the French government, deserves and de-
mands an earnest response from British artists, as founding
a noble emulation and mutual good-will between the artists
of the two countries.--I have the honour to be, sir, your
obedient servant, JOHN P. KNIGHT, R.A.Sec. M. Theo-
) phille Silvestro."
PUBLIC INCOME AND EXPENDITURE.—In the
year ending the 31st December, 1858, the public income of
the United Kingdom amounted to
.£66,286,995, and the
public expenditure to £65,159,388, leaving a balance of in-
come amounting to £1,127,657. The balances in the Ex-
chequer at the end of the year were £7,755,455. The fol-
lowing are the items of the income of 1858 :—Customs,
£24,091,999; Excise, £17,966,000; stamps, £7,996,342;
taxes (land and, assessed), £3,158,034 ; income-tax (inaccu-
rately styled " property-tax"), £7,591,187 ; Post-office,
£3,075,000 ; and Crown lands, £277,440. The items of
expenditure are :—lnterest'and management of the public
debt, £28,501,479; the charges on the Consolidated Fund,
£1,832,576 ; and the supply services, £34,575,282. The
Army (in this last item) figures for £12,588,736 (including
Commissariat, Ordnance, and Militia charges) ; the Navy
(including packet service, transports &c.), for £9,637,103;
Miscellaneous Civil Services, for £'4253,059 ; the salaries
of Revenue Departments, for £4,474,440 ; the China Naval
and Military operations, for £391,943 ; and the war expenses
(Russia), for £230,000. The Civil List costs the country
£406,871; annuities and pensions, £339,405; salaries, &c.,
£158,060; diplomatic salaries, &c., £162,638; and courts of
justice, &c., £598,885.
A MAGISTRATE UNDER FIRE.—J. Foord, Esq.,
J.P., found himself in a most disagreeable and somewhat
perilous position the other day, in crossing the ground at
Tom All-Alone's, Chatham, used for musketry practice.
The officer in command stopped the firing at first, but it re-
sommenced before Mr. Foord had got out of its range, and
the worthy magistrate was compelled to seek safety by lying
flat on the ground until the practice-was over. Ile was not
released from his danger until ho had spent more than half
an hour in listening to the bullets whizzing over his head.
—litaicistyne 4Tornal,