The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-18 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS-

(FROM on OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, FRIDAY, July IT.
The debate on the Budget yesterday relapsed to that
Darren subject, Algeria. Except that the colony was an
.ixtremely convenient means for swelling the Budget and
;raining soldiers at the same time, and that France would
not have lost a great deal if Algeria had been
left to its unfortunate natives, the discussion did not
produce much. The Opposition speakers endea'
voured to shew that all the calamities which have
befallen the country are the direct result of the military
Pegime. It would certainly not be easy to prove that mili-
tary rule has done much good. Many public works, inthe
shape of railways, canals, and ports, have been:constructed,
but the money would have been better employed in
reducing the annual deficit. At the same time it would be
difficult to estimate at present the exact effect of the
civil government demanded by the Left. The country has
been subjected lo an unheard-of series of calamities. In
1864 a formidable insurrection, dictated by religious
influence, required all the resources of the Government
to quell it. In 1866 an invasion of locusts left the colony
a desert. In 1867 the winter was unusually severe, and
great part of the flocks in one district perished. Lastly
came the famine, which has resulted—in cannibalism. No
Government can fairly be criticised under such circuna-

stances. All that the Opposition cduld prove was that
Algeria was never likely to do much credit to France.
The Progres de l'Algerie reports a trial for cannibalism. An
Arab was charged with having dug up the body of a
child, and roasted and eaten it. The poor wretch pleaded
guilty, adding that it was such bad fare that he left it for
a jackal to finish. The counsel for the prisoner read a
letter from the Governor-General to the Archbishop of
Algiers, in which it was maintained that man-eating wa►
the result of an affection of the brain. It stated that in
Ireland (the point disputed by Cardinal Cullen), as well
us in Algeria, cannibals have invariably proved to have
been under the influence of insanity. The prisoner was
acquitted.

The marked manner in which Baron Offenburg, the
Prussian representative at Bucharest, avoided meeting
with Prince Napoleon has given rise to some comments
here. Baron Offenburg was Cr only consular representa-
tive who did not visit tho prince. Ho was likewise absent
from the official reception which Prince Charles gave in
honour of his illustrious guest. On his part, Prince Napo-
leon declined to receive M. Rosetti, the chief of the Reds,
who is on intimate terms with Mazzini. M. Rosetti did
all ho could to obtain an interview, but in vain.
The Duke de Gramont has sent Baron Beust another
protest against the taxation of Austrian bonds. The note
does not this time confine itself to bonds taken up in
France, but applies to all foreign holders.
The titles of newspapers are every day—for they are
thoroughly ephemeral—becoming more extravagant. The
Lanterne alone has lighted a host of minor lights. The
Mandelle, the Lampion, the Congre, the Quinquet are all
paling their ineffectual fires at present, and a few more
would complete the whole possible circle of illumination.
The Luxemburg Washerwoman and a few notable English
papers are nowhere in the race. Eccentricity has led to
extravagance, and extravagance has led to absurdity. The
walls of Paris are just now covered with a placard in huge
letters, announcing a new paper to appear once a week.
The most imaginative man—lL Dumas himself—could
never guess the title, or explain the object of this print.
Its name is to be the Bug in Butter.

Here, however, people love singularity in everything,
from newspapers to suicide, No other country could
' produce such an array of methods by which those weary of
existence contrive to rid themselves of it. Suffocation is
the favourite mode, but after charcoal there seems to be
no preference. If a Frenchman shoots himself or takes
poison, he surrounds the simple action with dramatic
accompaniments in the shape of amorous notes, dying
speeches and confessions, and mysterious warnings. He
is, however, fertile in expedients altogether new. Not
long ago a man knocked a hole in the bottom of a barge,
got thoroughly drunk, and went with his craft to the bottom
of the Seine. Another, in the South, blew himself up,
together with a stable, by means of gunpowder. We may
even look for the application of nitro-glycerine. Its effect
would be so novel and astounding that it cannot long
remain unemployed. The redeeming feature of French
fel° de se is that the principals very often repent before it
is too late. This, however, was not the case with a girl
who yesterday swallowed a solution of phosphorus
which she Lad obtained from the ends of some chemical
matches. She was discovered in the most horrible agony,
and medical assistance was procured and the effect of the
poison arrested, but the girl's life is still despaired of,

THE WEATHEIZ TABLE.-THIS DAY.

LETEOLOLOCICAL LEI ORTS.