The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-17 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 17, 1868.

of things that has come to pass in the Reichsrath
seems to be successful so far as it goes, and
the fears that were entertained as to the
changes not being found welcome are here found
illusory. The Reichsrath is to elect its own Presi-
dent, instead of having one appointed by the Go-
vernment, and this of itself is of great importance,
and augurs well for the progress that has been made.
After the election three cheers. were given for the
EMPEROR, which was a welcome proof of the effect
produced by the auspicious reforms that had been
inaugurated.

LATEST INTELLLGENCE.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE ABYSSINIAN EXPEDITION.

The following telegram from the Times Special
Correspondent was forwarded from Suez on the
11th inst., at 9.20 a.m. :

" SENAFE, Feb. 1.
" The British troops yesterday occupied Addi-
grab t.
" The Deral and Talanta peasantry are reported
to have submitted to 'Theodore."
ALEXANDRIA (via Malta), Feb. 10.

Advices from Annesley to the 29th ult. state that
the Bay was full of transports, which were lying
idle, the bad weather rendering towage impossible.

Colonel Dunn has been killed at Senafe by the
accidental discharge of a fowling-piece.
A great scarcity of water prevailed at Annesley,
and the daily allowance was three quarts.
Her Majesty's transport Crocodile arrived here
to-day with the 92d Highlanders, who will proceed
to Suez to-morrow to embark in the Malabar for
India.

MALTA, FEB. 16.

Her Majesty's Indian troorship Crocodile has
arrived here from Alexandria, which she left upon
the 12th. She brings reports that the main body
of the Abyssinian Expedition cannot advance until
the depots have ;been formed at Senafe, which will
require considerable time, as each mule's burden
upon reaching its destination is reduced to an aver-
age weight of 101 b. Nineteen miles of piping for
the conveyance of water was passing through Egypt
for Abyssinia.

SOUTHAMPTON, Feb. 17.

The North German Lloyd's steamship New
York, from New York, passed the Needles at 11.10

a.m. to-day.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam-
ship Tanjore passed the Needles at 8.55 a.m.

FRANCE.
BOURSE, Feb. 15.—Three o'clock.,--The market
closed as follows :

4i per Cent.
End of month... Ital'an Loan
3 per Cent
End of month 6B 65 Mexican Loan ... 16 50
Credit Mobilier
End of month... 190 Spanish Threes
Credit Foncier ...1412 50 Rome Debt 34
End of m0nth...1383 75 Deferred —
RAILWAYS. Account
Orleans , •••• 895
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean ......... . 9OO
Southern.....
Western
Eastern .. ........................ 545
Sardinian
Austrian 546t
Lombard 365
North of Spain
Saragossa
45
Roman

CHRISTMAS-DAY ON BOARD THE

GALATEA.

Christmas-day in port o board a frigate like the
Galatea, where there is a complement of well-nigh
500 men, thousands of miles away from home, was
by no means to be lightly observed. The whole of
the mess tables on the lower deck had been mar-
vellously decorated with flowers, fruit, evergreens,
and paper of many tints, each aide of the deck
showing a series of bowers of luxuriant foliage,
prettily interspered with oranges. The religious
services over, the tables were lighted up with a
lavish display of wax lights arranged in pretty little
chandeliers, and the leafy avenues were rendered
brilliant by many lamps. The ordinary fare of the
mess table had given place to such a variety of
viands that caterers for entertaiments to Royalty
might envy the tact and genius displayed. During
dinner visitors, and especially the ladies, were be-
sought, in the most winning and persuasive manner,
to partake of the good things provided, and were
enjoined to eat, drink, and be merry, and make
themselves thoroughly at home. Compliance with
the earnest and pressing invitations could scarcely
be avoided, and great was the delight of " Jack"
to see his guests enjoy themselves. There was a
plentiftil supply of diluents, ranging from cham-
pagne and various wines to " four water" grog
and colonial ale. Dinner and dessert were followed
by dancing on the gan-deck, and fiddles, flutes,
concertinas, and accordions were kept going at a
rapid rate. Then came the chairing of the officers.
One after anothei, from the commander down to
the tiniest " middy," was seized, placed on a chair
lashed with two handspikes, and duly hoisted and
carried round the decks in triumph. The ludicrous
procession was accompanied with vocal and instru-
mental music, the chief burthen of which was a re-
peated and prolonged outburst of " He's a jolly
good fellow," sung to the usual popular tune, and
followed, as the delighted occupant of the chair was
shot out at his cabin, with three times three rattling
British cheers. When the list of officers had been
exhausted the petty officers were also treated to a
taste of the triumphal entertainment, but with much
less delicacy of handling ; and when the spree had
well nigh run its course, the dogs belonging to
various parties on board were decorated with
ribauds, and underwent the chairing process i❑ a
state of blank bewilderment, and with countenances
on which the most comic consternation was ex-
pressed. After tea singing and dancing were re-
sumed, and set-dances, circle-dances, and step-
dances were carried on simultaneously with un-
flagging zest and vigour. One great feature in the
day's amusement is that the boys on board are for
the day promoted to the rank of men and petty
officers, and these in turn take the place of the
boys. Great scope is thus afforded to the youngsters
to have some playful retaliation. The proceedings
were full of good humour, and the visitors will not
soon forget Christmas-day on board the Galatea.—
Melbourne Argus.

ENGLISH ENGINEERS IN EGYPT. —A number of
English railway engineers left this country for Egypt about
the middle of May, 1866, having been engaged by the Vic e-
roy's Government for three years, at the rate of £2O per
month for the first year, £22 for the second, and £24 for the
third, with overtime in proportion, and a free house, or in
lieu £4 a month. The engineers had been only a short
time in Egypt when they found a cause of complaint in
their overtime not being paid in terms of their contract,
and further in being left to provide lodgings at their
own expense. They accordingly objected to this in..
fringement of their engagement, and no attention being
given to their remonstrances, they took the step of for-
mally intimating to those in authority; that unless
their grievances wore redressed they should leave the
employment of the Viceroy. They did so on the 20th of
April, 1867. They then applied to the British Consul at
Cairo, and on his representations a commission was ap-
pointed to inquire into the whole affair, which sat for 11
weeks, and reported in favour of the men's claims. Still no
redress was given by the Egyptian Government. Our COLISUI
at Cairo, however, paid the men their overtime and lodging
money, and shipped them free back to Britain. On arriving
in this country, a number of them, who had procured employ-
ment in Edinburgh, immediately entrusted their business to
Mr. D. Bridgeforth, S.S.C., who proceeded to London and
laid the proceedings before the Foreigu-office. On return-
ing to Edinburgh, Mr. Bridgeford sought and obtained for
his clients an interview with the Lord Advocate, which
seems to have been decisive of the matter, for on the 10th
inst. a communication was received by Mr. Bridgeford from
the Foreign-office, the effect of which is that the Egyptian
Government agree to pay the men the sum duo for the
period they remained in Egypt while the Commission
sat—about 11 weeks—and also a further indemnity of
three months' salary, in all something mord than £loo.
Scotsman.

LU.atE3PONDBNOI; FROM PAPr3.

(FROJI OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SUNDAY, Feb. 11

MM. Bcrryer, Favre, and Thiers are said to have made
)rilliant speeches on the subject of the criticism of public
'unctionaries in the press, but without obtaining their
vish. Berryer directed his remarks especially to the
inancia,l administrators, who should be open at all times
;o criticism and attack. M. Pinard argued that adminis-
Tatou should be permitted repose, and that if they were
tilowed to be the subjects of accusation they would be for
!ver in the courts to defend themselves. The Ministers
lad their way, but the minority numbered 60, which shows
t change from those long years in which the whole Opposi-
ion counted but five votes.

The France p üblishes a satirical page which has been
;irculated in Paris. It is entitled, the " Commandements
the Press," and is altogether a clever parody of the press
acv. It recites that he who starts a paper must fund a
are caution, pay daily duties to the treasury, never cen-
>r re the acts of the Government, respect the Chambers
tnd the Ministers, say nothing of any citizen without his
Nmsent, and publish no summary of the debates. Failing
the publisher will undergo fine and imprisonment.
[very fn 2 will devour the third of his caution ; he will
'.ose the rights of an elector, and his paper may be sup-
pressed provisionally or definitely.
" Sad ces reserves, to pourras
Ecrire et parler librement."
(These modest limits not transgressed,
Your thoughts may freely be expressedl
There are evils in liberty from which a Government
keeping the " initiative" in its own hands are free. The
Army Law passed in France without a demonstration—
for a sufficient reason. In Belgium, on the contrary,
meetings are being held to protest against the Belgic
imitation of it. Popular assemblies have been held at
Antwerp and Libge, numbering each five to six thousand
persons, to resist the " blood tax " (l'impot du sang). The
meeting at Antwerp broke up amid cries of "Down with
the Conscription 1"

The rumour is renewed that M. Baudrillart will become
the chief editor of the Constitutionnel, at a salary of 30,000 f.
M. Baudrillart has declared that ha is a Liberal, and will
remain one in his new post.

A correspondent, writing from Naples, states that there
is a large amount of distress in Italy, and, consequent On
the distress, discontent. The three invasions of cholera
have been more injurious to trade than even the financial
evils of the country or the European crisis, and a large part
of the people attribute the cholera to the authorities. " Our
masters are our enemies," has passed into a proverb with
them. The paper-money is a great curse to trade. The
writer does not believe, notwithstanding, that the Neapo-
litans are ripe for insurrection. It is admitted on all hands
that Bourbon brochures are circulating widely in South
Italy. At the present moment Vesuvius is the great
attraction at Naples, and the plate is full of visitors.

Auber's " Premier Jour de Bonheur "was produced yes•
terday at the Opdra•Comique. The honoured composer Is
now 84 years of age. He retains a great deal of the plea-
sat►t happy bearing and active habits of his youth. Some-
body said to him the other day, "It is not pleasant to
grow old, is it ?" " No," replied Auber, " and yet it is
the only way cue has of living a long time."
A few days ago a Frenchman, named Sdbille, a well.
known forger, succeeded in discounting with an agent of
Rothschild's at Brussels 600 forged railway shares. The

forgery was discovered, and the man's lodgings searched,
when it was found that he had by him a large amount of
the scrip of various French companies.
The death is announced of M. Coulvier-Gravier, a labq.
rious observer of shooting stars. Under the advice of
Arago, he made meteors a special study forty years ago,
at a tine when astronomers generally were indifferent to
them.

The Poles of Prussia are bringing a very strong pressure
to bear upon the Ministry to oppose Russia in her Eastern
policy. The Polish deputies have been much gratified to
find that the Confederation will not go, as Prussia has
hitherto done, through thick and thin with Russia. The
Poles themselves are more actively opposed to Russia at
this moment than they have been since the rebellion.
Able-bodied refugees have flocked to Turkey or Gallicial
where they hope to have an opportunity of serving against
the Czar. At present it is not likely that Russia will
oblige them by rash proceedings in the East. Russian
and Slavonic journals are urging the postponement of the
great " South-Eastern revival," and retorting oil France
and Austria the desire to bring on the crisis. It appears
that large purchases of horses have lately been made in
Hungary for France. The Times Berlin correspondent is
informed that as many as 25,000 are to be despatched from
Pesth to Strasburg.

A Trieste journal reports a great improvement in the
health of the Empress Charlotte. The profound impres-
s:on produced by the announcement of Maximilian's death
has been followed by a favourable reaction. At first it
was intended to inform her of the Emperor's fate, con-
cealing the circumstances under which it took place. The
King of Belgium, however, insisted that the whole truth
should be told to the Empress, and the effect appears to
justify his opinion.
A conference on education is being arranged between
several members of the episcopal bench and some of the
leading advocates in Parliament of primary education.
Earl Granville, Mr. Bruce, ALP., and Mr. Forster, M.P.,
will take part in the conference.

At Huddersfield great efforts are being made by the
Conservative party to find a candidate who will contest
that place against Mr. E. A. Leatham. The present
member for the borough, Mr. Crosland, who successfully
opposed Mr. Leatham at the last election, is incapacitated
through ill-health from discharging his parliamentary
duties.

At Stoke-upon-Trent the contest is expected to be an
unusually close one. It is anticipated that the publicans
and the beer-sellers will support Mr. Campbell, the Con-
servative candidate, in consequence of Mr. Melly having
declared himself an advocate of the Permissive Bill prin-
ciple. Out of a constituency of 3,446, there are 808 pub-
licans and beer-sellers, and if the main body vote for Mr.
Campbell there will be little chance for Mr. Melly.
Earl Russell's long-promised letter to Mr. Chichester
Fortescue, M.P., on the state of Ireland, has been pub-
lished. A very considerable portion of it is occupied
with a review of English policy and legislation respecting
Ireland, and a description of the amelioration of the con-
dition of the Irish population which has taken place since
the commencement of the present century ; but the larger
half relates to Church questions. Earl Russell advocates
the passing of a bill, such as that of Lord Mayo or Mr.
Chichester Fortescue, to give a security to tenants that the
duties of property will not be violated by the landlord
with impunity, and that a tenant who improves, if ejected
while he pays his rent, shall have compensation for his
outlay ; but he appears averse from measures in excess of
that reform, as either violating the rights of property, or
founded on a misconception of the character of the Irish
tenant.

The noble earl proposes to realise ecclesiastical equality
in Ireland, not under the form of impartial disendow-
ment, but by the endowment of Roman Catholics, Presby-
terians, and Protestant Episcopalians, after the latter
body has been disestablished. The Protestant Episcopal
Church in Ireland, in ceasing to be established, would
cease to have its archbishops and bishops sitting in the
House of Lords. Parliament might provide for the num-
ber of bishops to be maintained, and the mode of their
election or appointment ; but when made they would be
known to the Secretary of State only by their names, and
not by their jurisdictions, while they would be at liberty
to assume their ecclesiastical titles to members of their
own Church. A mere abolition of the present Church
Establishment, Earl Russell holds, would be an injury to
Ireland.

His lordship would employ six-eighths of the rentchargo
in building churches, purchasing glebes and glebe houses
for the Catholic clergy, and furnishing a better income to
the poorer ministers of the Roman Catholic Church. And
in order to give security to the Catholics aid permanence
to the settlement of Ireland, it would be necessary that
the sums to be applied to the purposes of the Catholic
Church should be placed to their credit, and at the disposal
of persons chosen in the same manner as the Catholic por-
tion of Sir R. Peel's Board of Charitable Bequests. Earl
Russell makes an appeal to Mr. Gladstone to come for-
ward and attempt to carry a scheme of this ldnd. Two
steps only are required—the first a resolution of the House
of Commons affirming the ecclesiastical equality asked
for as a boon to Ireland ; the second, an address to
the Crown praying for measures to give effect to that
resolution.

" Historicus " writes to the Times suggesting that Lord
Stanley should invite the gathering of an international
congress to discuss and settle the following questions :-
1, Naturalisation ; 2, Expatriation ; 3, Criminal Jurisdic-
tion over Aliens ; 4, Extradition. Such a congress would,
in Mr. Harcourt's opinion, make diplomacy a blessing to
mankind, instead of being what it has often proved-- a curse.
e should find on all these questions (except, perhaps, the
last) a great concordance of opinions ; and, at all events,
we should discover pacifically the extent of disagreement
and the means of reconciling it. If such a congress were
brought together, what should hinder it from further
settling the vexed questions of the rights and the duties of
neutrals and belligerents in respect of such matters as
those out of which the Alabama claims have arisen,
though, perhaps, not the particular case itself ? And thus
a solution of this question also might be at the same time
reached which would satisfy the justice and save the
dignity of nations. The public mind is prepared. The
ta01;1014 favourable, and ought not to be

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