The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-25 00:00:00

PARAGUAY.

The Decid6e, French war ship, has returned to Buenos
Ayres, after a voyage up the La Plata to Asuncion. The
commander of this vessel had an interview with the French
consul at Asuncion, and was informed that none of the
French subjects inhabiting Paraguayan territory had
been moles' ed in any way whatever by Lopez. This is,
in part at least, a direct contradiction to Mr. Washburne's
story of outrages committed by the Dictator upon the
English, French, and American subjects. The case of the
American representative does not improve.

THE CONDEMNED MEN IN TA U. 2170117

GAOL.

To those who are anxious to know about such things as
the "demeanour" of condemned prisoners, &c., it may be
interesting to know, with regard to the wretched men
who lie under sentence of death, that Bisgrove con-

tinues to sleep well, and to eat heartily, especially
at dinner time. He prays aloud night and morning,
avowing himself " a poor, simple murderer." He has not
been visited by any of his friends. He repeats his published
account of the murder with little variation, except that he
says he believes Sweet was sitting on the style of the Camp
field, at or close about the time of the murder, but does
not think he knew anything about what he (Bisgrove) was
doing. In the event of the extreme penalty being enforced,
Calcraft will be engaged to carry it into execution, although
the governor has been beset with applications from others,
some offering to come at a reduction of the usual fee.
For instance, a man in London writes : " Understanding
that there is a prisoner under sentence of death in
this gaol, I have made application for some time past
to different county gaols for the office of hangman, and
have had promises of some governors in my behalf. Should
circumstances occur, I would undertake the engagement
at less expense to the county than Calcraft, and fulfil the
duty equally as satisfactory. In strength and stature I
am equal, if not superior, to Calcraft, and being his junior
by some number of years." In past times Mr. Oakley
has actually had application from members of the surgical
profession. No communication respecting either Sweet
or Bisgrove has been received from the Home Office, and
this would seem to favour the idea entertained by some
that the sentence of death may be commuted into penal
servitude for life.

Lord 'latherley has presented the living of Mor-
ton, near Oswestry, to the Rev. 31r. Hook, a son of the Dean
of Chichester. The appointment is worth nearly .£7OO a
year, and there is a good house.
_ _ _

Lord Mayo will not probably land at Calcutta till
the 12th of January, the day when Sir John Lawrence's
term of office expires, for etiglette demands that the first
act of the Viceroy elect shall be the swearing-in, after which
his predecessor spends a few days with the new governor-
general to give the benefit of his experience.
Mr. Disraeli, just before guitar g office, ordered a
donation from " her Majesty's Royal Bounty" to be granted
to Miss Barbara Wallace Fyfe, of Nottingham, in conside-
ration of the distinguished merits and numerous and
valuable contributions to literature, general science, and
scientific agriculture of her late father, Mr. Wm. Wallace
Fyfe.

Information received at the Ministry of Marine
announces that the port of Koenigsberg, in the Baltic, is
closed to navigation by ice in the estuary between that town
and l'illan.

By some unaccountable circumstance the success
of the Conservative candidate at Wareham at the election
on Monday hus not been "honoured" by even a declaration
of the fact in the Times.

The cold at St. Petersburg is extreme, the thermo-
meter marking 2 1-5 deg. below zero (Fab.). The public
drives and principal streets are crowded with sledges.
There have been a few intermittent showers of rain, but
the frost immediately returned, the ttmperature remaining
about the same.

A charge of murder, arising out of the late Black-
burn election, was tried at the Liverpool assizes on Wed-
nesday. A man named Thomas Whitaker, a supporter of
the Conservative candidates, while uttering party cries in a
district inhabited by adherents of the Liberals, was knocked
down and killed, and two men were yesterday charged with
his murder. The jury, however, acquitted the prisoners.
It is a curious fact, says a New York paper, as
appears from the report of the Secretary of the Interior, that
while there is but one Revolutionary soldier now living (he
lives in this State) and drawing a pension, there are at
the present time on the rolls the names of 888 widows,
of Revolutionary soldiers. The mothers of the Revolu-
tion were evidently younger than the fathers, or else they
live longer.

The new line from Brompton to Westminster
Bridge, in connection with the Metropolitan Railway, was
opened for traffic early this morning. The stations are large
and well built, and present a great improvement over the
small and ill-ventilated stations on the Metropolitan Railway
proper. The frequent trains have been well filled, and the
new branch is likely to cause a large influx of traffic on the
old line.

At Bolton an interesting question has been raised
with regard to the liability of " the hundred" to provide
compensation for damage done during a riot. At the re-
cent election there was a considerable amount of
window breaking by tho mob, and the sufferers seek
to saddle the hundred of Salford with the cost
of repairing the damage done. It is, however con-
tended that, unless it can be proved the rioters intended
wholly to demolish the buildings which they attacked—a
very difficult matter - the claims cannot be sustained. The
decision of the magistrates was adverse to the claimants, and
the question is to be raised before the Court of Queen's
Bench.

Lord Stanley is expected to visit Manchester soon.
Sir Alexander Grant, Bart., LL.D., has been ap-
pointed Vice Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh.
It is estimated that the lus3 by the storm to the
harbour at Wick will amount to from £20,000 to £30,000.
The electoral college of Ozieri (Sardinia) has re-
turned Garibaldi.
Sir Ilerbert B. Edwardes, K.C.8., died yesterday
morning at Holles-street, Cavendish. square.
Up to Monday 673 miles of the French Atlantic
cable had been manufactured and certified by the engineers.
Mr. Dickens has accepted the invitation given him
to attend a complimentary banquet in Liverpool. It will
probably take place on Saturday, the 10th of April.
A subscription is being raised in Germany to erect
a monument to Gluck, in his native town of Wcidenwann,
in Bohemia.

Colonel Wilmot is named by the local journals as
the most suitable and likely candidate of the Constitutional
party for the seat that became vacant by the death of Sir T.
Gresley, for South Derbyshire.

The death is announced of Mr. William Carleton,
the well-known author of "'Traits end Stories of the Irish
Peasantry." Mr. Carleton's genius was uncultured and
highly original. He was intimately acquainted with the
Irish character, and has reproduced its light, its pathetic, or
its sombre colouring with much vividness and appreciation
of the subtleties of the Irish nature.

0111
t

HER MAJESTY.

OSBORNE, Dec. 24.

The Queen, accompanied by Princess Beatrice
walked and drove in the grounds yesterday after-

noon.

Her Majesty, accompanied by her Royal High.
ness, went out this morning.
Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess of
Prussia (Princess Royal), Prince Arthur, and
Prince Leopold walked in the grounds.

LATEST INTELL MENGE.

(REUTEn's TELEGRAMS.)

TURKEY AND GREECE.

PARIS, Dec. 24 (Evening.)

The Paine of this evening publishes advices
from Athens of the 22d inst., stating that a petition
has been presented to the Chamber of Deputies by,
the Committee of Action, urging upon the Greek
Government to rely for support upon the feelings
of the country, and declare war against Turkey.
VJINNA, Dec. 24.

It is stated on good authority that the negotia-
tions between the Great Powers relative to a Con-
ference on the subject of the dispute between Turkey
and Greece are being strenuously continued. It 13
also asserted that the views of Austria on the
eventual bases of the Conference are entirely in
accordance with those of the Western Powers.