The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-03 00:00:00

IHE SUN, LON YON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 3, 1868.

als h? xe been established between ships and

forts, and altogether it can scarcely be said that any
expel lie ant has not been resorted to to ensure the
desired . end. had some of these precautions been
taken at other places, no doubt we should
not b ave heard of such attacks as those that it has
been our painful duty to record, but still it must be
rerne inbered that the Fenians are apt scholars in
erica e, and have shown throughout their lengthened
cow .se of villany that mixture of cunning and daring
whi c... 11 is so dangerous to deal with, and so perplex-
ing to defeat. It will not do at this time,
bow ever, to let ourselves be outwitted
any longer, and it may safely be said
as great credit will attach itself to those
wht ) prevent any disturbance as to those who may
sun leed in capturing any particular offender. We
are glad to see that Dr. MORIARTY, the Roman
Ca?,holic Bishop, has addressed a circular to his
clergy, in which he condemns requiem masses
and expressions of sympathy for the persons exe-
cuted in Manchester. This is a very proper thing
to do, and we hope that his example will be fol-
lowed by others, for the sooner the practice is
put a stop to the better, since under cover of a reli-
gious observance these evil men contrive to prosecute
their treasonable devices and mature their deadly
schemes. The impudence of some of these Fenian
cons pirators equals their wickedness. An anony-
mous letter has been sent to Mr. Aurora accord-
ing to promise, and in this communication it is stated
that the number of revolvers taken from his shop
was sixty-three. Unfortunately as yet no traces of
the plunder have been found by the police.
Under the trying circumstances in which they are
placed, it is so far satisfactory to find the autho-
rities in Ireland are doing their utmost, and with
the decided measures which are being taken there
and in this country it is to be expected that a
short time will see the termination of one of the
most uncalled-for and contemptible conspiracies
that have ever disgraced the history of a civilised
country.

The intelligence which reaches us respecting the
Abyssinian expedition continues to be most en-
couraging. The telegrams received from Aden,
Dec. 29, report that the head of the second brigade
was expected to arrive there the next day, and the
Soiude horse and Bengal brigade before the middle
of this month. Transports with necessary ma-
terials continue to arrive, and her MAJESTY'S
steamer Star was engaged in completing her slimly
of the coast. he intelligence from Senafe to the
11th instant reported the health and spirits
of the troops as excellent, but it is dis-
heartening to find the mortality among
the horses still so great. One regiment has lost 150
horses. Two very important items of news are
both founded on reports ; still they are considered
probable, and it is greatly to be hoped that they are
actually true. One is that the Chief of Shoa has
surrounded Magdala, thus cutting off THEODORE
from his benevolent design of making it share the
fate of Debra Tabor. The other is that the Egyp-
tian authorities at Massowah have received a letter
announcing that the captives' chains had been taken
off, and that there was every chance of their speedy
release. This report, as we have said, is thought
probable at Aden, but the means of transmission
is somewhat roundabout.

Meanwhile, the Bombay news reports that the
latest news received there from Abyssinia was of a
very cheering character, and the dlieulties in the
way of au advance were gradually disappearing.
The preparations for the departure of the troops
yet waiting to embark were being pushed rapidly
forward, and twenty elephants were despatched ou
the 7th December, while an equal number were to
follow. The number of mules, it seems, were not
sufficient, and efforts are to be made to find them
in Abyssinia itself. if they are forthcoming, then
it would be better to get them on the spot, since the
animals would have the double advantage of being
acclimatised, and of being spared the journey.

EunorE at the present day has but one oracles
and the first day of the year has come to be re-
garded as the proper time for a significant utter-
ance. The Emperor of the FRENCH is expected, in
receiving the foreign Ministers accredited to the
Tuileries, to say something of international import-
ance. It is, perhaps, gratifying to the vanity of
the grande nation, rather than conducive to the
peace and goodwill of the rest of Europe, that
this should be the case. If the rule of the
EMPEROR were not that of personal government, if
the military power of France were proportioned to
its real requirements, and the employment of that
power rested with the population of France, it
would be otherwise. The Ministers of foreign
sovereigns would be introduced to the EMPEROR
without any apprehensions of such a syprise as
astounded the Minister of Austria in 1859,
and precipitated the campaign in Lombardy.
As it is, they and the people they represent listen
to the Imperial declarations as if the issue of peace
or war depended upon them. The statesmanship
and good sense of Europe has found no Power to
enforce its treaties or to arbitrate on its dangerous
questions. Hence the equilibrium of the Con-
tinent is seldom stable. A Power like that of
France may at any time disturb it, and where
irresponsible power exists we are perhaps too
prone to credit it with sinister intentions. An
importance is attached to the words of the
Emperor of the FRENCH not conceded to those of
the CZAR or the King of PRUSSIA, and not wholly
due to their superior wisdom.

The circumstances which gave a certain impor-
tance to the audiences yesterday were the large
increase of the army on which the EMPEROR'S
Government has insisted, in spite of very decided
expressions of public opinion, and the critical state
of the relations of France and Italy. The only
sufficient motive for the large increase of the army
was supposed to be the possibility of a war with
Prussia and Italy combined. It seems certain that
no consideration of these Powers singly would
have given the motive for raising the French army
to the extraordinary force of 1,200,000 men. The
opportunity is past for interfering in the affairs of
Germany. No French Minister is likely to pro-
nounce irrevocable decrees as to what M. BISMARCK
will be allowed to do. On the other hand, how-
ever, it is stated at Paris that the bearing of
Italian statesmen towards France has become
defiant and almost insolent. Italy appears to be fully
prepared for an active alliance with the North
German Confederation, and it remains doubtful
what policy the Court of Berlin might pursue in
the event of the relations between Paris and Flo-
rence passing beyond angry expressions and defiant
deeds. The more probable motive, therefore,
for the increase of the French army was to isolate
Prussia, not to attack her. There was certainly nc
want of friendliness in the reception of Count Vo:,
DER GOLTZ, the new Minister of the Confederation.
The EMPEROR spoke of " the friendly understand-
ing between the two countries as a pledge of theii
prosperity, and a guarantee for the peace o
Europe." Unless Prussia be impelled hereaftel
by greater ambition, and the EMPEROR governed by
more reckless counsels and attended by a worse
fortune than heretofore, these are not guarantees
either of them will lightly throw away. That Italy
singly should make war on France is out of the
question.

Among the late arrivals from England at Rome
for the Zouaves are Messrs. Wallace, Tracy, Gerard,
Muggeridge, Leonard', Duck, and three brothers, Peter'
.Ambrose, and Christopher Kean. The Hon. Maxwell'
one of the sons of Lord 'Terries, Messrs. Newsham and
Johnson, from Ushaw, and several late students of Oscott
are likewise expected shortly.— IVeekly Revister.

THE DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.
BUCHAREST, Jan. 2.

The Government has obtained a great majority
at the elections ; 82 Deputies being supporters of
the Ministry, and 57 belonging to the Opposition.