The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-25 00:00:00

REMARKS.

Atmoßpherical pressures are cot:Adorably greater at all stations
than they were yesterday : the increase in Scotland has been upwards
of three-tenths of an inch, but in the west and south-west the change
has been somewhat less. The highest readings are in the south-west
and the lowest in the north of Scotland. The difference between
those at Brest and Nairn more than half an inch. Temperature is
slightly less in the north. Fresh north-westerly winds blew yesterday
in the N. and N.W. of our islands, increasing to a force 3 at Green-
castle : this morning moderate westerly and north-westerly winds
prevail. At Cape Gris Nez a highwind from the westward is reported
The weather is generally cloudy.

An approaching change in the general policy of Spain has
long been spoken of. The Independence Beige announces that
these rumours are assuming consistency, and that special
information which it has received tends to confirm them.
A slew Ministry is to be the head and front of the change,
and it is to consist of the Moderate party. The names
mentioned, however, are not very reassuring, and the
Independence Beige thinks that public opinion will not be
satisfied with such a change. Such a Cabinet might recall
the Duke and Duchess of Montpensier, proclaim a complete
amnesty, render the elections free and unbiassed, and give
freedom to the press, without producing any good effect.
The malady has gone too far for ordinary remedies. Even
the partisans of the Crown are speaking of the abdication
of the Quetn in favour of her son, but this will not satisfy
the Belgian paper. It believes the dynasty to be doomed.
gather'ng at Rapperswyl, in Switzerland, to
inaugurai4 a monument commemorative of the Polish
struggle for indei:!,udence was not large. There were about
two hundre 1 Polish e 2 'grants present, and there was
also the same number of sympaL''itiers from other countries,
but chiefly Swiss. Great efforts were mi.4..4e to secure a good
attendance of visitors, but it was hardly to expected
that many would come a long distance for such a hope:"
purpose. Inaugurating a monument to preserve the
memory of a lost nation is but a gloomy ceremony ; besides,
the various Governments of Germany interfered, and in
some measure preVented many Germans or Hungarians
from attending. The inaugural address was delivered by
Count Plater, the most distinguished among the Polish
emigrants in Switzerland. The monument itself consists
of a column of black marble, surmounted by the white
eagle of Poland. The four sides contain a melancholy
catalogue of nine abortive attempts at independence, and
the inscription—" The immortal genius of Poland, unsub.
dued after a struggle of a hundred years, on free Helvetian
soil, appeals to the justice of God and man." It is a
mournful and touching appeal. But why signalise the
funeral of a nation by this column of black marble,
if, as the patriots say, the cause of Poland is not yet
lost ?

Society in St. Petersburg has been " occupied'. for
some time past by a scandal, in which no less a personage
than Prince Gortschakoff figures prominently. A Madame
Akimfjew was the wife of a young lieutenant who had been
expelled from his regiment for his profligate and dis-
reputable conduct. Madame Akimfjew attracted the
attention of Prince Gortschakoff, to whom she is in
some manner related, and the belief gained currency that
as soon as a divorce could be arranged to separate the
proffgate lieutenant: and his wife, the latter would
become Princess Gortschakoff. Years, however, elapsed,
and no judgment as to the divorce was pronounced, the
delay being accredited to the Emperor himself. It appears,
however, that Madame Akimfjew entertained aspirations
which soared even abo :e the great Russian diplomatist.
She sought to become the wife of no other than
the nephew of the Czar, the Duke of Leuch-
tenberg, and in spite of the extreme opposition of
the Emperor, both parties were secretly married by a Rus-
sian pr. est at some unknown place, perhaps out of Russia.
Of course the marriage is invalid, the divorce not being
pronour ce 1, and the profligate lieutenant still being the
husband of the lady. It was through the influence of Prince
Gortschakoff that the lady obtained her passport, and it is
thought that Minister's complicity in this bigamy will
affect his position.
Intelligence from the Russian frontier anacunces that
the Russian expeditionary force met with great losses
before the conclusion of the negotiations with the Emir of
Bokhara. The Russian garrison in the citadel of Samar-
cand had detached four companies of infantry with two
guns to attack the Bokharian cavalry, which surrounded
the fortress and kept up a guerilla war in the neighbour-
hood. This small Russian force fell into an ambuscade,
and was almost destroyed. The Bokharians were greatly
encouraged by this success. They attacked the citadel
with 10,000 men, and the place appears to have been in
some peril, It was, however, saved after a defence of
eight days by General Kauffman. By the treaty which
has been concluded the Emir undqt*Cq o pay to
Russia the num of £800.00). •