The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-24 00:00:00

THE FENIA.N FIASCO.

A few clays ago a startling paragraph appeared in the
papers describing a flying shot from a carriage of a train by
a supposed Fenian, at the engine-driver. The following
letter may throw some light upon it. It appears in the
Dublin Evening Mail:—" An alarming telegram of yes-
terday d -scribed a flying shot at a railway train, which
was believed to prove ..that at least one armed Fenian
was coming back, per Sunday day mail, to invade Ireland.
It is a curious but indisputable fact that a young friend
of mine, ten years old, and a 'fine boy of his age,' came by
that identical train from London to Holyhead, and amused
himself en route by snapping off caps at passing trains and
other objects of interest. On leaving school for the Christ-
alas holidays, be had been presented with a toy-gun, guilt-
less of powder and shot, but fitted with a percussion lock for
cap. It is not a deadly weapon, when you examine it closely,
as I did yet.torday ; but it can make a no's and at a dis-
tance looks formidable.

SUDDEN DEATH OF MR. JAMES
DISI?AELI.

The death or this gentleman took place quite suddenly
on Wednesday morning about three o'clock. He had suf-
fered for some months past from frequent attacks of
heart disease, but latterly he had been so much better
as to attend at Somerset House, where he held the post
of Commissioner of the Board of Inland Revenue, and
he transacted business as late as Tuesday afternoon.
About three o'clock in the afternoon he left Somerset
House, and he appeared then in good health, but
soon after two on Wednesday morning he suffered from
an attack of heart disease, which lasted with great
severity until his death. The deceased gentleman was
appointed to the Board of Inland Revenue in 1858 ; and
previous to that he was for some years treasurer of the
County Courts of Lincolnshire and Derbyshire. Mr.
Disraeli was the brother of the Right Hon. B. Disraeli
(ex-Prime Minister), and of Mr. Ralph Disraeli, one of
the registrars in Chancery. The deceased gentleman was
a widower.

TEE LATE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

.0- -- -

Another batch of papers was added on Wednesday to
the large quantity already issued with regard to the expe-
dition to Abyssinia. One is a long account by Mr.
Rassam of his mission to King Theodore from the time
he entered Abyssinia until his release from captivity.
The other is a report by Consul Cameron respecting his
imprisonment in that country. The same tale
has been told so many times that it would
be of no interest to our readers to give even
a summary of the sufferings which were under-
gone by both Mr. Rassam and Consul Cameron,
especially as there is nothing new in either of the accounts.
In reply to Mr. Rassam, Lord Stanley (the then Foreign
Minister) under date December 5, informs him that, as
some compensation for the suffering which he underwent,
as well as a testimony of appeciation of good service, her
Majesty's Government had resolved to present him with
£5,000. They also notified their intention to give £2,000
each to Dr. Blanc and Mr. Prideaux. To Consul
Cameron Lord Stanley sent the following answer :
" Foreign Office, Dec. 7, 1868.—Sir,—I have to inform
you that her Majesty's Government have decided to sup-
press the appointment held by you of her Majesty's
Consul at Massowah, and that in consideration of the
sufferings which you have undergone during your captivity
in Abyssinia, and of your services being now no longer
required, the Lords of the Treasury have been pleased to
sanction the grant to you of a special pension at the rate
of 5350 a year, to commence from this day."