The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-12 00:00:00

success of the undertaking.

The excavations at Naples to disentomb the bodies of
those who were involved in the landslip proceed slowly.
The workmen are overcome by the emanations from the
dead bodies ; it is feared there are at least forty.
The Arenir National announces the death, in London,
of Francois Taffey, a political exile of the See,
Empire.

Letters have been received from Zulla dating down to
January 25. The Times correspondent states that the
chiefs are afraid to ally themselves with us on account ofx.
having proclaimed that as soon as the captives are released
we shall quit the country. If any reverse should occur to
our forces the chiefs would be ready to unite against us.
Everything shews the loss we have suffered through delay
in starting the expedition. It is now clear that our troops
bad no means for coming up with Theodore and of attack-
ing him, as has been suggested, in the flank before he could
reach Magdala. By the sacrifice of his artillery he could
reach Magdala within five days from the 3rd Dec. At that
time not a British soldier had reached Senaf4, which is
340 miles from Magdala. The Times correspondent justi-
fies the largeness of the force, on the ground that it is
necessary to fortify positions, and ]seep open communica-
tions along 400 miles. In one of the tribes, the Daubali, of
the Koomayloo Pass, the taking of life is the sole proof of
manhood and the sole passport to marriage.

It has created surprise that the Emperor of China
Should select an American as his ambassador to Western
Europe. The appointment in itself shewed that Chinese
policy had undergone a remarkable change. It was pro-
bably given to Mr. Burlinghame as the representative of
the peaceful policy which the Americans have always
pursued towards the Celestials, and which they of course
prefer to our policy of force. China appears to be fairly
)pened to foreigners. A correspondent writes :—" Game
laws are unknown, and trespass not resented, so every one
is going up-couctry, shooting, during the Christmas and.
New-Year holidays, leaving their goods and chattels unde4.
the guns of her Majesty's ship Pearl."

The Siecle publishes a letter from a member of tho
Japanese national party to Count de Montblanc, which
thews that the resignation of the Tycoon was by no means
a voluntary sacrifice to the cause of national unity. Our
Idvices just received also shew that the lab) Tycoon was
driving to monopolise the benefits of foreign commerce,
in which the powerful Princes of satsuma, Chosin, and
other coast prow inces wished to participate. According to
the letter in the Siecle, the national party are prepared for
the liberal treatment of foreigners.

Strong rumours are flying about town that Lord Derby
either has actually intimated his intention of at once re-
signing office, or that he is immediately about to do so.
The gossips at the clubs are busy with the reconstruction
of the Conservative Cabinet. One conjecture is that the
Duke of Richmond will become Prime Minister 1
another that Lord Stanley will at once be called to the
Upper House, as his father was in 1544, and that he
will then formally take the leadership of the Cabinet.
A. third impression is that Mr. Disraeli would not quietly
acqui -:sce in seeing a man twenty years his junior promoted
ever his head, but that he would prefer to take the Pre-
miership, remaining at present in the House of Common!).
All these are, of course, mere surmises, arising from the
;moral belief that Lord Derby does not intend long tq.
retain his place as head of the Ministry.

At Stoke-upon-Trent Mr. Melly has addressed several
crowded and enthusiastic meetings. He is opposed to
the Chancellor of the Exchequer's proposal to give en-
larged representation to Scotland by increasing the num-
ber of the House instead of taking from the
rotten boroughs of England.
,He is an advocate
of the ballot, and an opponent of the principles of the
representation of minorities. Mr. Melly has announced
his adhesion to Mr. Bright's plan of dealing with Ireland,
and to the Manchester compulsory system of education,
and said he would give two-thirds of the inhabitants of a
locality power to prohibit the opening of a new licensed
house in that locality. He - advocated a reform of the
bankruptcy laws, and would not release a bankrupt from
the power of his creditors, they acting together, until he
had paid 10s. in the pound. He was willing to give legal
protection to the funds of trades unions against frauds by
servants. He would abolish the present game laws, and
substitute a stringent trespass law, which would, he
believed, more effectually stop professional poaching than
the present game laws; and he would throw open the uni-
versities to Dissenters.

The National Reform Union have held a numerously.
attended conference at the Town Hall, Manchester. Mr.
George Wilson presided, and among the speakers were
the two tvembers for the city, and Mr. R. N. Philips,
M.P. It was decided to "put forth renewed efforts"
to obtain the ballot, triennial Parliaments, the re-
peal of the ratepaying clauses of the new Reform
Act, the abolition of the representation of minori-
ties, the assimilation of the county to the borourh fran-
chise, and " a just and equitable re-distribution of seats
in proportion to population and property." A lady
who was announced as Miss Wilson made an effort to in-
duce the Union to add female suffrage to their programme.
Mr. Jacob Bright—who has, naturally enough, formed ne
mean estimate of tho political judgment of the sex to which
Mrs, Lily Maxwell belongs--supported the proposition ;
but unfortunately the word " male " occurs in the first
article of the constitution of the Union, and the chairman
flydarod that they had no power to strike it out.