The Sun.
London, England, 1868-03-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, MARC EI 6, 1868.

the House to that public which will appreciate all LATEST INTELLIGENCE
honest services, and not withhold its confidence at the•
bidding of disappointed aspirants for offce- Nome (REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)
can say that he has thrust himself forward in an
unnecessary manner ; the duty has devolved upon
him, and he may lay just claims to the forbearance
of the House and the sympathy of the public ; and
we not only hope and expect, but feel trust and
confidence that such will not be withheld from him,
since he has done his best to deserve them.

;GREECE.

ATHENS, Feb. 29 (via Trieste).

Russian vessels have recommenced conveying
Cretan families to Greece. The :Greek steamer
Crete has made another successful run to Candia,
with clothes, ammunition, and provisions, and has
returned to Syria.

The meeting of the supporters of the new Premier
which was held yesterday at Downing-street did not
belong strictly to the category of political asse.m-
,
blies. The fact that it was not intended to do- so
was clearly indicated by the absence of Lord STA N-
LEY from4he meeting, and it was felt on all sid es
that an elaborate exposition of policy was II at
needed from the new Premier. Having filled so
prominent a part in the Cabinet of Lord DERr,r,
and having during the noble lord's illness acted is
virtual head of the Ministry, it was not to be sl op-
posed that any new or startling schemes would be
developed immediately upon his accession to poNver.
Mr. DISRAELI'S views and principles were alre acly
familiar to his followers, and they had no reason. 'to
apprehend that the Premiership would produce any
change in them. Such general information as was
necessary he would, it was known, lay before the
House of Commons later in the day, but there was
not much to be said in the way of programme •with
which the main body of the Government supporters
was not already acquainted. Still the meeting was
a large one, for it gave the opportunity of showing
confidence in the new Minister, and of giving him
a cordial welcome to the dignities of his new
office. Mr. DISRAELI has often assisted his
chief in receiving such assemblies, probably
not without some vision of the time when he should
himself fill the post of honour. On this occasion,
though the future was sufficiently laborious, there
was no pressing cause for anxiety, no formidable
attack to resist, no difficult question to deal with.
Mr. DISRAELI was received with enthusiasm by his
political friends, and, after alluding to the loss which
had been sustained by himself and the Conservative
party by the retirement of Lord DERBY, he ex-
pressed his satisfaction in being able to assure them
that the party would still have the benefit of his
direction and counsel, and he would, it was hoped,
soon be able to resume his seat in the House of
Lords. The new Minister admitted the difficulties
which lay in their way as a minority having to deal
with the great questions before them ; but he re-
minded his hearers of the triumphs of the last two
years, which might well afford them hope and con-
fidence for the future. No task can be more
difficult, no question more vexed, no subject can
be raised more certain to provoke opposition, to
disorganise parties, than Parliamentary Reform.
The long years of delay and the broken promises,
the repeated failures, and the extreme theories put
forward by amateur statesmen and mob orators,
all combined to complicate a question in itself
most difficult and important. The fact of having
successfully passed through such an ordeal, of
having made large and liberal concessions to the
people without - disorganising or disarranging the
existing securities for social order and good govern-
ment, has given the leaders of the Conservative
party a degree of strength and stability which
they have never of late years obtained. " Success
is virtue" in the House of Commons as well as in
the outer world ; and Mr. DISRAELI, in assuming
the duties of First Lord of the Treasury, carries
with him the prestige of the success of last year,
achieved mainly through his efforts and under his
auspices, a fact of which the main body of his
supporters are not insensible.

THE CRETAN QUESTION.
VIENNA, March 6.

Private telegrams have been received here stat•
ing that the Powers are negotiating for a settle.
ment of ,the Cretan question by a Conference of
their Ambassadors, now being held at Constanti-
nople, with the assent of the Porte.

At the meeting of the Court of Common Coun-
cil, held yesterday at Guildhall, the progress of the
various metropolitan improvements, or such of them
at least as come within the jurisdiction of the city,
formed the subject of discussion. The report of
Mr. CUB ITT, engineer of the new bridge at Black-
friars, was on the whole satisfactory, though there
have been some difficulties in the way of the under-
taking. The diversion of the Fleet Sewer, the
connection of the Thames Embankment works with
the bridge, and the construction of the railway,
which it seems stops the way of the others,
all remain as they were twelve months ago !
This is not very encouraging, and calls
for a little more inquiry. Rome was
not built in a day, and no one expects a railway,
nor a national undertaking like the Thames Em-
bankment, to be completed in a day either ; but
when it comes to a whole year spent, and no pro-
gress made, it is not unreasonable to call for a little
more vigorous action. The present condition of
things is very inconvenient to the public, and its
termination has been looked for with some impa-
tience, but if matters are progressing at such a
snail's pace the prospect is not hopeful. The
Blackfriars Bridge seems to be getting on faster.
Commencing at the north abutment the masonry,
according to the engineer, is now brought up consi-
derably above the level of the springing of the arch,
and all is in good working order. At the first pier
from the Middlesex side the caissons are all down
after very great difficulty, and the pier will soon
begin to show itself above water, the granite being
wrought and ready for setting. At the next pier
three of the caissons are down and the concrete in
two of them. The arches are also making satisfac-
tory progress. The south abutment is finished to
a point much above the road level, and the Chair-
man of the Bridge House Committee expressed his
belief that the new bridge would be finished in a
year or a year and a half.

Another very important city improvement
—that of Holborn Valley—was also reported
upon. Mr. Deputy Fny, Chairman of the
Improvement Committee, said the thorough-
fare along the viaduct would be opened towards
the end of this year or the beginning of next. The
foundation for the pavement of the western ap-
proach street between Ely-place and Farringdon-
road has been put in, and preparations are being
made for opening a line of traffic on the western
side of Farringdon-road through the western ap-
proach street to Hatton-garden. All parts of the
works seem making steady progress, and we may
soon look forward to seeing Holborn Valley trans-
formed from one of the troublesome and dangerous
highways of the metropolis into one of its most
handsome and useful thoroughfares.

THE LATE MRS. GEORGE COMBE.—On Tuesday
the grave closed over the remains of this estimable
lady—a daughter of the great Mrs. Siddons, and widow of
the author of the " Constitution of Man." Mrs. Combo
has survived her husband nearly ten years, Mr. Combe
having died in the autumn of 1858. They were married
in 1833, and during the 25 years between those Mrs. Combo
was her husband's inseparable companion in all his jour-
neys, spending three years with him in a tour through
America, where he lectured in most of the principal towns
and collected materials for his important work oil the
United States. To this work Mrs. Combo contributed a
description of the shore scenery near Portland, in Maine,
which was much admired. Mr. and Mrs. Coombe travelled
much on the Continent, and spent occasionally a whole
winter abroad. After Mr. Combo's death his widow lived
for the most part abroad, often suffering from ill-health,
and she died at Nico on the 19th ultimo. In accordance
with her wishes, her body was brought to Edinburgh and
interred beside that of her husband in the Dean Ceme-
tery. Mrs. Combo was the last survivor of her own
family, her brothers and sisters having predeceased her.—
Scotsman,

CORRESPONDENCE FROM FARM

(FROM OUR OWN CC7usESPONDENT.)

PARIS, THURSDAY, March 5,

As you are now endeavouring to devise some means
to put down bribery, it may interest some of your readers.
to learn an incident which has just taken place in the
Corps L4gislatif. At the beginning of the year an elec-
tion of a deputy occurred in the district of the Somme,
and Count d'Estournel obtained a majority of 309 votes.
His competitor protested against the election on the
ground of irregular votes, and also on that of bribery and
treating by the Count. The bureau of the Chamber has
ascertained that these charges are true, and has declared
the Count's election void. The particular circum,' Ince
to which I would call attention is, that the most
important charge against him was that he
made a donation of 6,000 f. (2240) towards building
a town hall, and gave £2O to workmen out of
employment. The Count Le Hon, in presenting the report
of the bureau, said, " Without wishing to proscribe acts of
generosity by a deputy towards his constituents, the
bureau cannot sanction, during the electoral period, acts
intended to obtain the favour of the voters." I wonder
what English M.P.'s would say to such a very rigorous
rule as this. At the same time, lam bound to say that
the Government is not always in this Spartan frame of
mind. For instance, M. Pelletan mentioned that at an
election for a seat in one of the councils-general three days
back, bills were posted announcing that by the influence
of one of the candidates the Government had granted a
sum of 400 f. to the town. Pelletan demanded that this
election also should be cancelled. I doubt whether his
demand will be conceded.

The newspapers being compelled to insert the whole of
the reports of the debates furnished by the Government
shorthand writers, are to-day forced to give up two pages
to the debate on the proposal to call -out a contingent of
100,000 men from the class of 1867. M. Picard objected,
and wanted to know what was meant by the words in the
report : "In presence of the new situation of Europe
there is an absolute necessity for France, in order to main-
tain her independence and her rank, to increase her defen-
sive force to 800,000 men." M. Pumher replied that they were
not to be understood as implying that there was danger of
war. On the contrary, he said, " Our relationswith the diffe-
rent Governments are most friendly and pacific, and the
clouds which a few months back seemed to be rising on the
horizon, have, in our eyes, completely vanished." Of course,
this admission strengthened logically the demand of the
Opposition, that France, instead of increasing her arma-
ments, should set Europe an example of disarmament. I say
logically, for that is quite a different thing from numeri-
cally ; and when the question was put to the vote that the
contingent be reduced to 80,000, it was lost by 220 votes
to 29.

There are still very prevalent rumours of a dissolution
of the Chambers. The Mithsterialists would feel aggrieved
by such a step, and they say it would be a violation of the
agreement by which, if they passed the Army Bill, the
Chambers should be allowed to live out their full time,
that is, until next year. But the Government is said to
have been warned by the Prefets that the new Press Law
will act unfavourably for the Imperial interests, and that
it would be better to get the elections over before that
law comes into operation.

Prince Napoleon's visit to Germany causes much more
sensation in that country than it does here. The German
newspapers persist in believing that the Prince, if he be
not officially accredited by the Emperor, is at least autho•
rised to make representations affecting the diplomatic
affairs of Europe. The Prince was received on his arrival
at Berlin by our Ambassador, M. Benedetti.

The Siede, which did not at first join with the five other
journals and the Revue des deux Mondes in demanding of
M. Cassagnac the production of the proofs of his charges
against those publications, has now joined them, and pro-
mises that it will not prosecute the proprietor of the Pays.
In connection with this affair the Made publishes a curious
letter from M. Boittelle, a senator and former prefect of
police. M. Boittelle says that in 1862 he received a visit
from a person whom he afterwards learnt to be M. La
Varenne. This person said that he was authorised by
Signor Rattazzi, then Prime Minister of Italy, to offer
M. Boittelle the insignia and brevet of Grand Officer
of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus. M. Boittelle ex.
pressed his astonishment at such a gift coming
in such an unofficial way, and said he should consult the
Italian Minister at Paris, S. Nigra, on the subject. The
Ambassador subsequently wrote a rather lame explanation,
to the effect that M. La Varenne had made a mistake,
and that the insignia, &c., had been addressed to him
owing to an act of forgetfulness, by which they were
omitted to be enclosed in a second envelope, addressed to
the Italian Legation. M. Boittelle was assured that the
decorations were intended for him, that they had been sent
at S. Rattazzi's own request, for he knew M. Boittelle's
warm sympathy for Italy. The Ambassador hoped,
therefore, that Monsieur would overlook the accidental
irregularity, and regard " as not having happened
the communication which M. La Varenne had
undertaken to make in the name of his Majesty."
M. Boittelle adds—which may, perhaps, throw additional
light upon the affair—that M. La Varenne had for some
time past been vainly asking him to obtain the Legion of
Honour for this very active agent.

M. Greppo, a former representative of Lille, has
just been condemned to a month's imprisonment and
R 4 fine for having introduced into France a news.
paper, L'Etoile Beige, whose circulation had been for-
bidden. M. Greppo will do well to content himself
with introducing filthy feuilletons in future. Against
such there is no law. As it is he may think himself lucky
that he has not bad the full penalty of a year's
imprisonment and £4O fine inflicted upon him. M.
Adolphe Royannez, chief editor of ahother paper, La Voix
du People, has been condemned by the Marseilles tribunal
to three months' imprisonment and £2O fine, and the
printer to the same fine and one month's imprisonment.
The paper also is suppressed. The prisoners will appeal,
but of course in vain.

Loose morals are contagious. Having half mime
private finance, they are now infecting Governments.
Thus the newspapers of the same day tell us that in the
United States both the Republicans of Ohio and the
Democrats of Pennsylvania have decided that the Govern-
ment bonds shall be paid in greenbacks instead of gold ;
that a Government Commission in Italy has recommended
the Government to deduct the income tax, which is 8 per
cent., from dividends paid to Italian fundholders, even
those residing abroad ; and that the Austrian Cabinet
have decided to deduct the same tax, amounting to 10 per
cent., from the coupons of all Government loans, inclinling
even those which were contracted under an express
guarantee against such an impost. The Times well
remarks that such proceedings are called in private life
bankruptcy and compromises ; in the language of Govern-
ments they are simply measures and necessities.

The Italian mission to this country, vacant by the retire-
ment of the Marquis d'Azeglio, has been offered to General
La Marmora. That statesman has declined the post, and
it is thought probable that Signor Minghetti will have the
refusal of it. Probably he will not be disposed to accept
it. Both statesmen have been Prime Ministers, and could
hardly accept the post without some loss of dignity, espe-
cially as it is only a legation, and not an embassy.
On Wednesday the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg was
betrothed at Rudolstadt to the Princess Mary of Schwarz-
burg-Rudolstadt.

On Sunday three doctors were engaged seven hours in
embalming the body of Ex-King Ludwig of Bavaria.
Incessant telegrams from Munich directed every detail of
the process, and also of the funeral arrangements. The
reigning King Ludwig IL was to have gone to Nice with
his mother to receive the remains of his grandfather, but
" an indisposition, aggravated by chagrin, has prevented
him from accomplishing this pious duty." The Emperor
Napoleon has given orders to yield to the ex•king the
honours due to a reigning sovereign. No doubt the corpse
is gratified by this mark of respect.

The Prussian Government seems determined to punish Ex-
King George of Hanover for his late speech by sequestrating
his property. However, King George will not starve; he has
a fortune independent of Prussia to the amount of about
£300,000. For Count Platen the matter is far more serious.
He is to be tried for high treason ; and it is said there are
abundant proofs of his conspiring to restore his former
master to the throne of Hanover.

King George is not the only one of the dispossessed
sovereigns who does not like his position. The Ex-Elector
of Hesse has published at Leipzig a proclamation calling
the " faithful Hessians" to arms "under the flag of the
ancient reigning house." The invitation, we need hardly
add, has received no response.

The Swedish Chamber of Deputies has defeated by 100
votes to 69 the Ministerial proposal to abolish the punish-
ment of death.

The Primate of Hungary and other Hungarian bishops
have offered to furnish the Pope with three Squadrons of
hussars, mounted and armed, and to be maintained at the
expense of the bishops. The Pope has accepted the offer.

According to the Lancet the health of the troops in
Abyssinia continues to be very satisfactory. The few
deaths that have taken placehave resulted from dysentery,
and there appears to be an impression that this disease
and diarrhoea may become more prevalent during the
summer in the parts bordering on the Red Sea, and during
the wet season on the highlands. The sanitary condition
of the mountain pass, which was unsatisfactory from the
presence of a number of dead mules and animals, is now
very faft. One field hospital is to be established gt &nabs.
and a_n4hor is obe Mc at