The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-09 00:00:00

EXPLANATD

Barometer corrected and reduced to 22 deg. a sea level. Thelett
r., rising; f., falling; s., steady—indicate direction of motion of tl

. _
mercury within last 14 hours. Thermometer exposed in shade.
Extreme Force with its Direction during last 24 hours. Z.—calm
Weather : b.—blue sky ; c.—clouds, detached ; f.—fog ;
I.—lightning ; m,—misty, hazy ; o.—orereast, dull; r.- rain ; a.- snow
b.—thunder. Rah.-fall, snow or hail (melted) during last 24 hours.
Sea disturbance.
REMARKS.

Since yesterday barometrical pressure has increased very suddenly
four-tenths of an inch in the north, whilst at our southern statior,s a
diminution of about one-tenth has occurred. Readings are now
highest in the north, but pressure is still rather evenly distributed.
Temperature has decreased in Scotland; elsewhere it has scarcely
altered. The winds still continue light, especially on our south coasts.
They have again veered to the north-eastward on our eastern and
southern coasts. The weather is now fine, with a cloudy sky ; and
some rain has fallen at our south-west stations.

A letter from Prague to the Libert4 announces that a
number of Russian agents has arrived in the B themian
capital. The object of this mission is to negotiate the
qmigration of several thousand Czechs to Southern Russia.
The emigrants " will be the object of special favours from
the Russian Government."

A convention, guaranteeing the interest and sinking
fund of a loan of £135,000, to aid in rendering the River
Danube navigable from Isaktchi to the sea, has just been
signed by the six Powers bound to the Treaty of Paris.
It will be remembered that by the treaty of 1856 the
navigation of the Danube was opened to all nations without
toll, except certain payments to the Porte. A commission
of consular agents was appointed to improve the river,
and this commission has been at work for eleven years,
with the prospect of concluding its labours in four years more.
The cost of the works was to be defrayed by the Ottoman
Government, which was to reimburse itself by the only
dues allowed to be levied on ships. The Porte has not,
however, met its obligations, and the commission has been
obliged to contract loans, guaranteed by the Powers, and
paid out of the tolls which have been handed over by the
Porte. The benefit accruing to the commerce of the world
from this work will be very great. Not only was the river
formerly unnavigable in many places, but all the States
through which it flows levied dues merely by right of
sovereignty.

Rather a serious charge has been brought against Sir
Robert Napier as to his conduct towards Theodore. It is
stated that Theodore's fortress was stormed and he himself
driven to commit suicide at a time when there was a
general impression in his camp that peace had been made.
The story, as stated by those who are anxious to impair
the "glory of Alagdala," is something as follows. On
the 12th, after the defeat of his army, Theodore sent
down a present of cattle, with a letter praying for friend-
ship, and offering to surrender all the captives. Sir Robert
Napier's answer, it is said, was verbal, and the European
prisoners were under the impression that the present had
been accepted. In Abyssinia, if a present is accepted it
is tantamount to saying that peace is made. Under that
impression, therefore, Theodore sent down all the prisoners.
It is also stated that Sir Robert Napier sent no letter or
message to the King on the subject, and that without any
further parley Magdala was stormed, and the King driven
to shoot himself. This, however, is hardly the case, for
Sir Robert Napier did write a letter to Theodore, refusing
the present ; so that—although that letter, as it now
appears, did not reach the Negus—the commander-in-chief
cannot be to blame. But, apart from this,.the actions of
Theodore prove most conclusively that he did not think
that the present was accepted, as ho at first tried to escape,
and. then shut himself up in his fortress, awaiting what-
ever might come. More than this, he ordered the release
of ‘,:he prisoners sonic time before he sent the cattle. It is
tl7cref,re clear that Theodore, thinking tho end of the
e:::.)cciitien would be accomplished by the
release of the captives, sent a present of cattle to o?n.!.
ciliate the English; -Finding, however; lOWA boa/ w&
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