The Sun.
London, England, 1868-04-07 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE.

THIS DAY.—Morning, lb. 57m.—Afternoon, 2h. 18m
fo-Monnow.-31orning, 2h. 40m.—Afternoon, 3h. Om.

rgig 41 it
.F‘v 114-Th

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1868.

It seems as if it was fated that affairs in France
should not be settled yet, and ever and anon we
meet with accounts of contrarieties and disturb-
ances, of misunderstandings and misrepresentations.
One of the most unpropitious signs has been the
want of unity between the Senate and the Legis-
lative Body. The bill on public meetings that was
voted by the latter has not been well received by
the Senate. M. de MAUPEZ has been appointed
reporter to the Commission on the bill, and that is
a significant circumstance in itself. He is vehe-
mently opposed to both the Press Bill and the
public meeting one. It is, indeed, supposed
that he has been chosen for this post because
of his decided aversion to the bill or the public
meetings, hence it is not very likely that the result
will be a propitious one. Of course, if this style
of things is to continue, it will be a drawback to
all progress, for where will be the use of the Legis-
lative Body passing Liberal measures if the other
branch of the Legislature persist in rejecting them?
Besides the unedifying spectacle of the two Cham-
bers coming into collision, it is evident that a serious
injury will be inflicted on the public by this oppo-
sition to improvement. It is no wonder that little or no
reliance can be placed in the present situation of
affairs, when so much bitterness of feeling and ill-will
pervade the minds of those in influential places,
and who certainly ought to know better than to pur-
sue the course they are doing. A great deal of
speculation is afloat on the subject of this difference
of opinion between the two Chambers, and people
naturally ask what will be done. The difficulty,
far from being solved, has not really begun. It is
hardly likely that the Legislative Body will readily
agree to the decision of the Senate, which subverts
their wishes, and then again it is doubtful what
course the EMPEROR will take in the event of a
drawn battle between the Houses. He can, if
he likes, overrule the decision of the Se-
nate altogether, or declare the law to be in force,
but whether he will or not is extremely uncertain.
It is curious to notice the remarks made by some of
the journals on the subject of this measure. The
Temps declares that the little it offers to Liberty is
not worth disputing about, for it cannot possibly
affect the Government. " Liberty," it is added, "has
nothing to claim from the balance-sheet of the

second Empire."
Besides these domestic differences the external
signs are not altogether satisfactory ; a restless
spirit seems to pervade the French, and they are on
the look-out for all that may arise to afford a
change. The military circles seem to attach a great
deal of importance to the report that has been lately
sent in by the military attache to the French Embassy
at Vieiana. Marshal NIEL, in drawing up the re-
port, is compelled to admit that in Austria the re-
organisation is going on very slowly indeed, and
that, in fact, it will take two years before the army
can be in a right state for action. At the present
this plan is pursued with even greater celerity.
It is very naturally asked in some quarters why
any disappointment should be felt at this intelli-

Bence if it is true that peace is certain, which has
been of late more than once officially an-
nounced. The best proof of the un-

easy state of the public mind is afforded
by the journals, and they declare that as the EM-
PEROR can of his own accord go to war at once, it
is idle to consider the present situation a secure
one. At any time the conduct of Count BISMARCK
may afford a favourable pretext for going to ex-
tremities, and although a war between the two
great countries of Prussia and France will inflict

many serious injuries on Europe, still it is by no
means au improbable event if matters do not mend
very materially before long. People get tired of
hearing the same thing, and become incredulous ;
but the day at last arrives when speculation and
rumour resolve themselves into certainty and deter-
mination.

The arrival of the mail steamer from Brazil and

the River Plate brings no fuller accounts of the
recent events at the seat of war than have yet
reached us. It seems that on the night of the 13th
of February three small ironclads, built in Rio,
passed the batteries of Curupaity to join the iron-
dads above. An attempt had been made to do so the
night before, but owing to the unmanageability of
the vessels from the hard working of their engines
and deficient power they were obliged to return.
On the night of the 13th, however, they set forth
and succeeded in getting past the bat-
teries. The Paraguayans appear to have kept a
sharp look out, for notwithstanding the
darkness of the night they discovered the movement
and opened fire, but the gunboats kept as far off as
possible, and only one of them was struck. The
wooden vessels belonging to the Allies on hearing
the firing moved up, and retaliated upon the forts
until the gunboats had passed. A still more diffi-
cult task remained, however, to be accomplished.
Humaita was beyond, and the attempt to get a
division of ironclads past it was a matter of intense
anxiety. The river had risen very greatly, and
this circumstance proved very advantageous to the
invaders and disastrous to the Paraguayans. Not
only was it believed that the rise had displaced
the torpedoes in the Channel, but it had also
affected the chains placed slanting across the river
in the face of the great battery. These chains,
owing to the rise of the river, bagged so much in
the middle that they were twelve feet below the
surface, and as the larger Brazilian ironclads only
drew eight or nine feet of water, they were able
to pass over the chains instead of cutting them.
The ironclads, which were built in England, proved
themselves of sterling value, having survived for
forty-two minutes the combined fire of 180 guns
at short range. " The fire of the enemy," says the
Brazilian Admiral in his despatch, " was terrible."
fie computes the sho's they sent at 3,000, answered
by about 1,000. The capture of the fort to the
north by the Marquis of CAXIAS took place the
same day, with nearly equal loss of life on both
sides. The Paraguayans defended their position
gallantly, and the Marquis expresses great anxiety
that the prizes may be removed as soon as possible,
evidently fearing an attempt at the recapture. The
Paraguayans have still six steamboats above As-
suncion, though the passage of the Humaita gives
the Brazilians the command of the Paraguay. The
movements of the Paraguayans are as yet uncer-
tain, and the invaders are unable to discover