The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-23 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) :r4

PARIS, FRIDAY, 1114 11:‘

Actdal news is scarce to-day, but there is a revival of
unpleasant rumours. Attention has again been called to
the Prussian armaments, and that in a journal whose
position gives weight to its representations the
lifoniteur de l'Armte. That journal emphatically
declares that the concentration of three Prussian
corps d'armie on the north-eastern frontier of France
is a menace to the French nation. Perhaps this article
was written in order to aid the- Cabinet in overcoming the
resistance of the Budget Commission. This body is still
holding out for reductions which the Council of State will
not grant. Even the small concession which was announced
a few daj's back is now denied. Simultaneously with this
article of the AI onitenr de l'Armee, we have accounts pub•
lished in a Russian journal of the great military prepara-
tions which are being made in Austria. Altogether the
sky is considerably overcast to day.
It is now stt,ted that Prince Napoleon's visit to Vienna
and Constantinople has been deferred. There is reason to
believe that the projected journey caused great dissatis-
faction at St. Petersburg, if not at Berlin. It may be
prudent, therefore, to postpone it. It would have been
more wise and more dignified to have said nothing
• • ,
about it.

His Tm. er'"al Highness is not very succ.r.-ful in
his amateur diplomacy. How signally he failed at
Berlin all th wiAti knows. I now learn that he
has not done ai y better at Florence. During his stay
in Italy he had several private and non-official inter-
views with General Menabrea, in order to discuss a new
September Convention. The General was very cautious
and reserved, and said that he did not see any reason fox
departing from the stipulations of the Convention of 1864.
The Italian Minister added that this Convention having
been neither denounced nor suspended, and consequently
still existing legally, there was nothing to justify the occu•
pation of Pontifical territory by the French expeditionary
force, lie reminded the Prince that at the end of last
October the French Government promised to withdraw its
troops as soon as tranquillity was restored. It had been
restored for several months, yet the French troops were
still on Italian soil. The truth is, Napoleon means to
maintain his force there by way of counteracting the
Prusso-Italian alliance which everyone believes to be in
existence. At the same time, the very presence of that
force only renders the alliance stronger. Both parties, I
believe, France and Italy, contemplate a European war as
a by no means improbable contingency, and each is doing
its best to check the other.

Your Ministerial crisis continues to excite the greatest in•
terest here, as well it may. The Paris journals cannot under-
stand how it is that your House of Commons consents to
let a Minister who is beaten every riAt remain in power.
They supposed that:with you parliam ntary, not peisonal,
government was the rule. Nor is it only the Liberal and
democratic journals which thus express astonishment.
Semi•ofilcial organs like the Constitytionnel come down
upon Mr. Disraeli and say, " One thing appears clear to
us for the moment : it is, that if Mr. Disraeli sticks to
otrace it is certainly not because it offers him a sweet or
4ree:,-.ble path."