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

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
di 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
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 Vienna. 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-
gence 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 an 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-
clads 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. 2 he
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 shots 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 au 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

the intentions of LOPEZ. He has too much
courage and ability, and is too confident of the
cordial support of his people to abandon the
struggle. He is doubtless reorganising his forces,
and either preparing for some bold movement to
recover lost ground, or else arranging for a defence
of the interior. The loss of their cherished strong-
hold has no doubt given a severe shock to the
people of the Republic. Humaita was considered
wellnigh impregnable ; it bas been their pride for
years, and no pains nor expense have been spared
to increase its powers of resistance. The old Pre-
sident (Lonz) had, it is said, such faith
in its impregnability that he believed if a
XERXES attacked Paraguay he could not pass
Humaita. As may he easily believed the Bra-
zilians are greatly elated by the unexpected triumph,
and honours are showered on the fortunate officers
and men who took part in this assault. Never-
theless, the success, however remarkable, is not
conclusive. The Paraguayans are not yet con-
quered, their national spirit is not crushed, nor
their old love of independence extinguished. 'We
cannot but hope that, notwithstanding this sad re-
verse, they may be able to prove that the race is not
always to the swift nor the battle to the strong,
but that there is in a firm and united national feel.
ing a vigour which is able to withstand the most
adverse circumstances.

The public will learn with satisfaction the deci-
sion of the Board of Works with respect to Tootine.
Common. They have purchased tfie whole of this
for the recreation of the public. This is the more
important, since so many valuable places of resort
for air and exercise are gradually disappearing, or
at least being greatly curtailed. Every one knows
the sad inroads that are being constantly made on
those open spaces which were once the pride and
delight of Londoners, and all who look beyond the
present rage for buildings and mania for enclosing
regret deeply the serious and lasting injury that is
being thereby inflicted on the community. The parks
are of course very well in their way, but they do mot
compensate for the absence of open spaces, and it is
quite preposterous to say that they do. Especially
the poorer classes have reason to deplore the persist-
ency which has been shown in this undesirable
course. It would have been far wiser to have
started in the right line at an earlier period, and
protected Hampstead Heath from invasion, instead
of allowing it to be gradually invaded by the
deadly forces of bricks and mortar. Epping Fo-
rest is also disappearing, and will now remain to
all intents and purposes as a holiday place no
longer but in memory. A more short-sighted
course than this it is difficult to ima-
gine, because when once the list has
gone forth, and the work of demolition has begun,
it is impossible to remedy the evil, or to reinstate
things in their former place, whilst comfort and
freedom are for ever sacrificed to the whims and
fancies of those whose pleasure it is to convert
country into town, and to drive nature further and
further still from the discontented searcher after
rural haunts and purer air than can be found in the
great metropolis. Tooting Common is to be an
oasis in the deserts of bricks that are encroaching
more and more on our right hand and on our
left ; and it is indeed satisfactory to find
that something so sensible has been done.
No time should be lost in rescuing now, before it
is too late, all open spaces and threatened commons
from the grasp of the ruthless invaders, and all who
contribute to the good work deserve the thanks of
the community, and they may also reflect with
satisfaction that they are rendering a service to
those yet to come. The prospects of the next
generation are indeed sombre so far as green fields
and shady lawns are concerned, and there are hardly
left sufficient time and opportunity to spare thorn
room for refreshing change and recreation.

It is a matter of general congratulation that
after a long series of disappointing and unsatis-
factory seasons we are blessed with so fine and pro-
mising a spring. It needs no great agricultural
knowledge to be aware that we may reasonably
hope for a very different harvest from that of last
year, and since the high price of bread has been one
of the most trying features of the late period of
commercial depression, we could scarcely have more
welcome news. The poor have suffered terribly from
the 'mice of bread in conjunction with the scarcity of
employment ; and, indeed, in many a household
above the reach of actual want the difference of one
loaf in every three is a matter of serious considera-
tion. Yet such has been the effect of the change
of price in the metropolis, and we may be thankful
that we have struggled through such a winter
without even greater distress than has existed. The
genial beauty of the weather at present has already
produced most favourable effects, especially since
we have had no lack of that March dust,
which is, according to the old adage, " worth
a king's ransom." The Yorkshire farmers, who are
generally pretty shrewd judges, send us most cheer-
ing intelligence. Everything, they say, in farm
and garden promises well. The season is one month
in advance of date. Cornfields and pastures are
showing vigorous growth ; wheats having, in some
places, outpaced the latter, and covering the ground.
Clovers are ready for sheep, which are, however,
independent of them, being still on turnips. These
latter, again, are forward and plentiful, some fields
being in full flower. There is a plentiful supply of
fodder still on hand, and the spring herbage pro-
mises so well that the prices of lean stock keep up
at a good rate. Thus everything tends to cheer and
encourage the farmer, and not the farmer only, but
every class of the community ; for without those
humble every-day blessings which we owe to the
sunshine and the winds and the rains of heaven the
best and most valuable of our possessions would be
worthless.

NAVAL AND MILITARY IN7ELLIGENCE.

The Wasp screw corvette, Capt. Norman B
Bedingfield, will be inspected this morning by Ad-
miral Sir Thomas S. Pasley, Port Admiral and
Naval Commander-in-Chief at Portsmouth. After-
wards the Wasp will steam into Portsmouth bar
bour to be dismantled, return stores, and pay out
of commission. The following vessels were spoken
by the Wasp between Trincomalee and Spithead,
and desired to be reported :—The Newcastle, Dec.
3, 1867, lat. 7.43 S., long. 88.321 E. ; Distinguishing
pendant 6741, standing to westward, December 28,
lat. 3318 S., long. 31.35 E. ; No. 3 pendant 0239,
December 31, ;1867, lat. 34.7 S., long. 2619 E. ;
the Otter, of Liverpool, 10 pendant 9265, March
18, lat. 41.12 N., long. 3318 W., from Valparaiso
for Liverpool, 91 days out ; the Runnymede, of
Liverpool, March 18, lat. 4112 N., long. 3318 W.,
from Adelaide for Liverpool, 150 days out ;
the Admiral I)efosses (French bark), of Fe-
champ, March 26, lat. 45.37 N., long. 17.7 W.,
12 days from Fechamp; the Sans Pareil,
of Liverpool, March 27, lat. 47.0 N., long. 16.39
W., from Liverpool for Philadelphia ; the Adelaide,
of London, April 2, lat. 4911 N., long. 7.32 W.,
from Adelaide for London, 103 days out ; the
Jason, of London, April 3, lat. 49.30 N., long.
6.49 W., from Sydney for London, 160 days out.
The figures of indicated power by the engines of
her Majesty's ships Minotaur and Warrior in their
recent trials
pi
thetriaslsothneadand Weymouth measuredrmmioluh
elandßathy, w
the sea e trialsrea s
follows :—Minotaur : measured mile, 6,705 horse ;
sea trial, 6,194 horse ; difference, 511 horse. War-
rior : measured mile, 5,269.75 ; sea trial, 5,089.75 ;
difference, 180 horse.