The Sun.
London, England, 1868-06-08 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 8, 1868.

and he thought for his part that the
great value of the English press consisted in the
fact that it represented the opinions of the country,
or, as Lord HOUGHTON styled it, " the serious se-
cond thought of the nation." In foreign countries
the speaker said that he had often heard of the
good press and the bad press, but as a general rule
the " good press" was thoroughly useless. The
fact was that in matters affecting public life we
must take the good and bad together trusting that
they would succumb, and this had been on the
whole the case with the English press. " You
have always seen the press of this country first .;
so the calumny which haunts every press has gone
down; so the partiality which haunts every press
has diminished ; so it is that the press has become
more independent, more sincere, more noble, and
more free." Hord HOUGHTON gave an amusing
quotation from the opinions of the chzffoniers of
Paris, who drank the health of the press at their
meetings because it kept up the price of rags by
the consumption of paper. Fortunately, added
the noble President, it kept up other things too—
the price of political character, of public honesty,
of true patriotism. The reporters, who were the
main recipients of the benefits of this society, are
among it most useful members. They are, as Lord
HOUGHTON called them, the historians of our time,
and if oar predecessors had had such faithful and
intelligent chroniclers of their public events we
should now be in possession of much valuable in-
formation, and men's lives and actions would ap-
pear in a clear light to posterity. Dr. RUSSELL,
who proposed the Houses of Parliament, remarked
that when the first trembling accents of the press were
raised to eulogise or to criticise what was spoken
in Parliament it was at mortal peril not of life, but
of condign punishment inflicted by the great offi-
cials of the two Houses. Nowadays the Parlia-
ment, as well as the public, would be prompt to
resent the exclusion of the reporters, and the
only anxiety of members respecting their
presence is that they shall give due
attention to their individual addresses. Dr. Rvs-
SELL, in referring to this topic, alluded to the
very unnecessary fears which some persons
felt, or pretended to feel, when this fund
was first established. It was said that
it would affect the independence of the press,
more especially with regard to its relations with
Parliament. Certainly this apprehension was
groundless, for the press has not spared Parlia-
ment of late years. Altogether the evening was
a brilliant success.

The Lower House of the Austrian Reichsrath has
been occupied with the consideration of the fin-
ances. The Finance Minister made a long speech,
in which he entered into explanations relating to
the subject. His statements were fair enough, for
he showed that the agreement with Hungary that
had been entered into rendered it necessary to fix
the sums as they were recommended to the House.
He advised them not to adopt any other measure,
but to allow the Administration to keep to the pro-
posal of the Minority. The Government pro-
posal for the unification of the State debt
appears, under the circumstances, to be as
good as can be desired, and it is fortunate that it
should have been acceded to. The Minister pre-
siding spoke out very fairly in his remarks on the
subject, and declared that the primary object of the
Government was to maintain intact the capability
of the State to meet its engagements. This is a
very safe principle to act upon, and
we are glad that the Austrian statesmen can make
so good a stand in the cause of progress and for the
sake of the good faith of the country. A resolu-
tion was passed that the House did not consi-
der itself bound to provide for the payment
of unconstitutionally contracted deb's, but re-
cognised the existing debts from high political
considerations. These decisions arrived at by the
Lower House of the Reichsrath appeared to have
given general satisfaction, and naturally so, for
they are wise, and also spirited in their tone. On the
whole, there is no cause to fear that Austria will fall
back from the position she has won of late, nor
deviate very perceptibly from the line marked out
by her reformers. Prince NAPOLEON'S visit to
Vienna has given rise to a good deal of speculation,
but it certainly shows that more friendly feelings
are in existence between France and Austria. The
Berlin chroniclers would have us believe that his
Imperial Highness is to remain a week or more in
the city, and will doubtless arrange some policy be-
tween the two Governments, or at least facilitate
the chance of others doing so. It is very satisfac-
tory to find the affairs of Austria so promising, and
it furnishes another instance of what may be done
by perseverance.

LATEST INTELL CGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE NORTH GERMAN CONFEDERATION.

SCHWERIN, June 8.

Herr von Bulow, Minister of State of New
Strelitz, has been appointed Minister Plenipoten-
tiary of the two Mecklenburgs at Berlin, and will
represent both Grand Duchies in the Federal
Council.

INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS.
ALEXANDRIA, June 7.
The Tanjore left at 1 p.m., and the Massilia at
3.30 p.m. yesterday.
The former may be expected at Marseilles on
the 12th, and the latter at Southampton about the
19th inst.

SOUTHAMPTON, June 8.

The North German Lloyd steamer Hansa, from
New York, passed the Needles at 10.25 a.m. to-
day.

Bo URSE, June 6.—Three o'clock.—The market
closed as follows :

Bank Shares
IW:en Loan —
End of month —
Mexican Loan
Do. Bonds
Spanish Threes 38 25
Rome Debt
Deferred —
Cash
Orleans
N orthern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern.....
Western
Eastern ••
Sardinian
Austrian
...
Lombard

41 per Cent.
End of month —
3 per Cent
End of month 7O 50
Credit Mobilier
End of month 293 75
Credit Foncier _1540
End of month — -
RAILWAY

North of Spain ,
Saragossa
Roman

An Italian rabbi, Rabbi Jona, ,of Jurea, has pub-
lished a drama, the object of which i 4 tt expose the absur-
dity of the blood accusations agetin3t the Jews, and to
show on the stage the misery which they have brought on
this people. The title of the dramas is "Michokky." It
has been most favourably noticed b•y the Italian general
press.—Jetoish Record.

THE AMES EMBANKMENT.- —A Parliamentary
return prepared by the Metropolitan E card of Works shows
that the estimates for the embankment (north and south)
amount to £3,167,515 Mansion-house-street, £2,227,837 ;
other approaches, £173,000 ; total, £5,568,352. The ex-
penditure to the sth of May, 1868, reached £3,572,013;
there was £157,339 available ;or !further expenditure,
leaving a further sum of £1,839,000 required.
EXCLUSIVE. VERY IMPORTANT, R ARE, AND VALUABLE
are the properties of Laniplough's Py, 'etic Saline, curing the
worst headaches, sickness, skin, or biliar y affections. Pleasant,
palatable, and invigorating. Sold by all ( 71aemists,--[Advt.)

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SUNDAY, June 7.

Two official documents appear in to day's papers : one
addressed by the Minister of the Interior to the Prefets ;
the other by the Minister of Justice and Worship to the
Procureurs•Generaux. M. Pinard's is a modest produc-
tion, only a column long ; M. Baroche's occupies between
three and four columns, and is terribly wordy. The interest
of both is rather for French than English readers ; but I
may mention that M. Pinard advises the Prefets to make
their communiques as short as possible, and that M.
Baroche tells the Procureurs that " in the last moments of
an electoral struggle they may with the approval of the
Prefets institute legal proceedings. At the same time, the
Government is very far from wishing to excercise a dis-
quieting and stormy surveillance upon the minor extra-
vagances of the press." It is cnly " disloyalty " and
" violence " that need repression. The first of these words
is rather elastic, and I imagine that the interpretation of
it will depend very much upon the idiosyncrasy of each
official.

The second circular ratite* confirms the belief that the
elections will come off this year. Another incident
strengthens the same conviction. About a fortnight ago
an election took place for the circonscription of Tarn;
the Government candidate was defeated, and Baron Gorsse
elected. On Saturday this election had to be ratified,
and M. Emile 011ivier took advantage of this opportu-
nity to make a strong protest against the system
of official candidates. He said that it might be admis-
sible in cases where there was a Rubicon between the two
candidates, but that in such cases as the present one the
system was intolerable. A semi-official paper had de-
clared after Baron Gorsse had been elected that he was a
friend of the Government; why, then, did the Govern-
m :nt oppose him ? The Constitutionnel had said that
the Government had been consoled for the de-
feat of one of the two candidates by the success
of the other. "After this exposé," added M. Emile
011ivier, " I will not add anything ; but yet might I not
justly say, as the public says, that there is at the Ministry
of the Interior a show Minister--" (Exclamations.)
The President : "M. 011ivier—" M. 011ivier (con.
tinning) : " kept in check by a Minister of action,
modestly concealed under the title of Director-General?"
(Fresh disturbance.) The President : " You have made
use of an expression which doubtless does not express your
meaning ; pray correct it."—M. 011ivier " The ex-
pression was intended. It does not exaggerate my
meaning, and I maintain it."—The President : " You
ought not to maintain such an expression, and for my
part I most energetically protest against it."—M. Rouher :
" This expresssion of M. 011ivier's justifies me in asserting
that this discussion of his is a show discussion." (Great
applause ; lively excitement.)—M. 011ivier : "Ad-
mitting that my discussion is a show discussion,
allow me to reply that it is you who have been my master
in the art." (Great noise.) After a further protest from
the President, M.ollivier was allowed to finish his speech,
and M. Rouher replied to it, declaring that there was
the most entire accordance between the officials of the
Ministry of the Interior (a notorious untruth, by the
way), and justifying the conduct of that department with
reference to that particular election, and the right of the
Government to support the candidates it chose. M.
011ivier replied, and then followed another stormy scene.
M. It.kailier told him that he should not talk about a house
divided against itself, when the Opposition was split up
into factions. That was the house which was likely to
perish. " Then don't meddle with the elections," M.
011ivier replied. M. Rouher went on to say that with
the Opposition every enemy of the Government was a use-
ful candidate. " Every friend of liberty," you mean," said
011ivier. To this Rouher replied, that " the work of the
Empire was summed up in two words— the preservation of
order and the separation of the Liberal flag from the
revolutionary ; and the first we shall know how to uphold
high and firm." (Great applause). Thereupon M. Latour
du Moulin got up, and protested in very vehement
language against identifying his friend Baron Gorsse with
the revolutionary party. He c'e land that the remark
of the Minister was an equivocation which he would not
characterise. M. Rouher : " Characterise it, if you
please." M. Du Moulin : " Equivocation is quite enough.',
At that moment M. Pinard entered, and M. Du Moulin,
referring to what M. 011ivier had said of the Minister,
invited him to say if he was or was not a show Minister.
M. Pinard did not accept the invitation, and the stormy
scene then came to a close. I should mention that though
this incident is supposed to indicate the intention
of the Government to dissolve the Chamber this year, M.
Rouher, in the course of his speech, referred to next year
as the time when the country would give its verdict upon
the Imperial policy. That, however, does not amount to
much.

At the p:esent time the Lower Chamber is very hard
worked, for France. It is going to have two sittings a day
in order to get rid of all the business that has to be gut
through. Even then► there is no chance that the session
will be over till the beginning of August. The Budget
will not probably be presented for more than a fortnight,
Already several deputies, overcome by the herculean
labours of some four hours a day, are asking leave of
absence.

The semi official papers say that the Emperor has re-
covered from his attack of rheumatism. He has, however,
put off till Tuesday his visit to Fontainebleau, and will
hold a Council there on Saturday, and one at the Tuileries
t.)-morrow.

Prince Napoleon is going to stay a week in Vienna.
Some people say that he ardently desires peace. lam afraid
that they are more sangnine than discriminating. News
from Vienna states that there is a strong war party in
Pesti), it being thought there that it is only by war that
Hungary will he able to take a position which would put
an end to the Pan-Slavist agitation. The Prince is going
to Pesth from Vienna.

You have already been informed that the new Russian
Ambassador has arrived here. He is said to have in-
formed our Foreign Minister that in the event of a war
between Fraud and Prussia, Russia would preserve neu-
trality except Austria should take part in it, and then the
Czar would feel it his duty to make an active alliance with
King William.
lam sorry to give very bad news of M. Forcade. His
madness has increased, and he has to be restrained from
doing violence. It is feared—should I not rather say
hoped ?—that he cannot live much longer.

THE WEATHER TABLE.-THIS DAY.

~---

THE EUPHRATES VALLEY RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

SlR,—The events of the past few weeks have
directed general attention to the improvement of
our communications with the East.

The success of the Mont Cenis Railway holds
out the prospect of the early substitution of the
route by Brindisi for that by Marseilles. So far,
one step in the right direction will be accomplished.
But the advantages of this change are as nothing
when compared with those which we have it in our
power to secure by the opening up of the Euphrates
route from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf.

The substitution of the Brindisi route for that by
Marseilles is spoken of as a " geographical neces-
sity." The truth of this is apparent enough to any
one glancing at the map of Europe. But how much
more obvious is it that the establishment of the
Euphrates route is a " geographical necessity ?"
The Brindisi route will shorten by a few hours
the journey between England and India, while the
Euphrates Railway would enable us to save upwards
of seven days.

And who can estimate the increased security
which such a railway would afford for the integrity
of the British Empire, or the importance of the
commercial results which would accrue from it, not
only to this country and her Eastern dependencies,
but to the world at large ?

Captain Tyler, R.E., in his official report to his
Grace the Duke of Montrose, Postmaster-General,
on the subject of the Brindisi route, drew attention
to " the still more important saving of time and
distance" which would be obtained by the Euphrates
Valley Railway ; pointing out, at the same time,
that the navigation of the Persian Gulf to Bombay
would be " far preferable to that via Suez and the
Red Sea ;" and recommending the subject to the
serious consideration of the British Government on
the ground of his strong conviction of " the itn-
portant bearing that the construction of such a rail-
way would have, commercially and strategically,
upon the British Empire."
One would suppose that anything tending to the
security of the British Empire, while at the same
time promoting general prosperity, and thus afford-
ing the best guarantee for the peace of Europe,
would require little argument to recommend it to
the support and encouragement of British
statesmen.

A telegram published in the newspapers of the
Ist inst., stated that a great battle had taken place
between the Russians and Bokharians, resulting in
the death of the Emir, and the capture of Bokhara
by the Russians.
Surely there is something of significance in this
fresh proof of the gradual advance of the Russians
in the direction of our Eastern frontier, something
which should rouse us from our policy of inaction
in regard to the Euphrates Railway.
Are we to wait until events farce upon us the
adoption of the Euphrates route at a time when we
may be obliged to undertake the construction of
the railway at a vastly enhanced cast, and under
circumstances involving the sacrifice of thousands
of our soldiers?

Are we never to learn wisdom from the dearly-
bought lessons of the past, ant are we to rest for
ever in a fatal apathy, content that England
should be scoffed at by all the world as the great
unready ?

Three months ago I brought the subject of the
Euphrates Railway, and my correspondence with
Lord Stanley, and Sir Stafford Northcote regarding
it, formally to the notice of the Viceroy and Go-
vernor-general of India, the governors of the Pre-
sidencies, and the principal chambers of commerce
in India.

I submit that the subject is one which it is the
bounden duty of the press to advocate, or at least
to discuss, and under that feeling I address these
remarks to you.—l am, Sir, your most obedient
servant, W. P. ANDREW.
London, June 6, 1868.