The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-20 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SUNDAY, Jan. 19.
Discussion in Paris is absorbed in the tediously long
letter of the Duke de Persigny on the French press laws.
It contains a little meaning diluted in a sea of words. The
writer apprehends that the new press law to be immedi-
ately introduced in the Corps Ldp;islatif will enable a host
of petty journals to start " without authorisation," who
will indulge in libels on private character. The fact is,
that the French papers are rarely prosecuted for private
libel or scandal. They are harassed by communiques,
warnings, and prosecutions for comment on the acts of
the Government. M. de Persigny would have the public
prosecutor authorised to defend private persons against
attacks in the press.
Apropos of the French press prosecutions, the director
and principal editor of the Courrier Francais, for " de-
faming the police and publishing false news," have been
punished thus :—M. Lepage, a fine of 1,000 francs ; M.
Vermorel, 1,500 francs and one month's imprisonment. M.
Dubuisson, the printer, must pay a fine of 500 francs. The
death of M. Boniface, of the Constitutionnel, has put an
end to the action against that journal.
Gustave Albitte, dating from Ventnor, Isle of Wight.,
writes to the Liberte, asking why they should not agitate in
France against the new military law as they would in Eng_
land against unpopular legislation. Girardin replies : "The
liberty of meeting being prohibited in France, only two
things are possible, resignation or ' the explosion of the
boiler,' as in 1830 and in 1848 l" The references are suffi-
ciently obvious.

The way in which the Etendard endeavours to magnity
the importance of Fenianism would be amusing if it did
not display an animus which in a semi-official journal Is un•
pleasant. It has just informed its readers, virtually. that
there a secret understanding between Russia and the
United States to foster Fenianisrn, and that the Govern-
ment of the Czar sees a resemblance between the Pan-Slave
movement and that of the Brotherhood. The same
journal asserts that the Lord-Lieutenant has seized and
prosecuted the Irishman on suspicion only, and that if
the press of England enjoys freedom, it is not on account
of the laws, which are " more than severe—barbarous,"
but because of their wisdom and loyalty. This at a
time when some of the official papers and nearly all the
Opposition press in France is being prosecuted both for com-
ments and reports admitted to be faithful, is rather cool.
It is part of the systematic attempt to convince our allies
that they are under a better regime than prevails in Eng_
land, but it does not prevent them from sighing fos
liberte comme en Angleterre.

In connection with the Alabama correspondence, t
statement in the Liberte appears significant. It is to the
effect that Mr. Bancroft has been authorised by the United
States Government to commence negotiations with Prussia
fcr a new maritime and commercial treaty, the disguised
object of which is to assist Prussia to increase her naval
forces dans un bref delai.

We see by the Italian newspapers that the conduct o
the Rattazzi Government in secretlyencouraging the Gari4
baldian expedition meets with almost universal censure..
The Gazette d'ltalie, Pepereranza, and Nazione alike repro-
bate the duplicity.
Letters from Florence represent the situation or tno
Italian Government as very precarious. M. Menabrea
despairs of mating his Cabinet popular. The Mazzinians
have recommenced to agitate at Florence and at Sienna,
and rumours are again revived of a coup d'etat to cut short
the suspense. The currency difficulty has grown almost
insupportable. It is stated that the Government is about
to strike a bronze currency of 20 million francs.
According to the Etendard, Prince Nicholas, of Monte.
negro, has limited his demand on the Government of the
Porte to the free use, instead of the possession, of a port
in Albania. The French Government will second this
demand of the Montenegrins.
A good story is told of the alleged intention to elevate
the Archbishop of Paris into a cardinal. When the idea
was suggested to the Pope he added another to his mime.'
rous bons mote. " Mgr. Darboy !he is red enough (asse--.:-
i'ouge) already, without the addition of the purple of tht
Church."

According to a communique in the Avenir National',
there are in France 393,000 children who neglect primary
education, and 652 communes without a school. Matters
are worse than this, I fear, in England.

•
._,••••.._ •
THE AMERICAN AND CANADIAN MAlLS.—There
are three steamers due at Liverpool this week with the
American and Canadian mails. On Wednesday next the-1
Inman Company's steamer City of Washington, with
dates from New York to January 11, may be expected at
Liverpool, and on the same day the Nova Scotia, with cor-
responding advices from Portland, will no doubt reach tho.:
Mersey. On Saturday next the Scotia will leave the.
Mersey for New York with the United States mails.

THE LATE SElltirEAll DitErc.—The committee,
for raising a fund for the widow and family of the late',
Sergeant Brett, who had Elie custody of the police-van
from which Kelly and Deasy were released, and fell a
victim to his devotion to his duty, have invested the
funds placed at their disposal in such a way as to secure
for Mrs. Brett 21s. per week, and --UOO for the children at
her death.

About two o'clock on Saturday the pedestrians
in Church-street, one of the chief thoroughfares of Liver-
pool, were greatly startled by a terrific crash caused by the
falling on to the pavement of one of the gigantic plate-glaso
windows of Compton House. The -Window was blown out
of its frame by a sudden gust of wind, which blew with
almost hurricane force from the S.W. during the day.
Fortunately no one was injured, though the street was
crowded at the time, and the window was broken into a
thousand fragments.

SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION IN LIVERPOOL. - Mr.
Bernhard Samuelson, M.P., attended a private conference
on this subject at the Free" Public Library and Museum,
Liverpool, on Saturday ; Mr. Piston in the chair. The
question of the desirableness of increasing the facilities for
scientific education in large towns was freely discussed,
and it was generally admitted that, so far as the high
schools of Liverpool were concerned, scientific education
would receive much more favour if the same university
rcwards attended its cultivation as were now obtainable b•
pursuing classical and mathematical studies.

THE HEAD MASTER OF ETON COLLEGE.—The
Rev. James John Hornby, M.A., the new head master
of Eton College, is the youngest son of the late Admiral
Sir Phipps Hornby, G-.C.8., of Little-green, near Peters-
field, by Maria Sophia, eldest sister of General Sir John Bur-
goyne. He was born on the I.Bth December, 1826. His father's
sister was the wife of the late Earl of Derby, so that he is
first cousin to the Premier. His eldest sister is the wife of
Sir William Denison, Governor of Madras. When at
Eton the Rev. J. J. Hornby was a pupil of Dr. Goodfol
the present Provost. He was celebrated in the school for
his love of athletic sports, and with Mr. Chitty, his close
companion, carried everything before him. Since then
Mr. Hornby has been one of the leading aquatics at Oxford
University. He is highly distinguished for his classical
attainments.

FATAL GUNPOWDER EXPLOSION NEAR NEW-
CASTLE.—About one o'clock on Saturday afternoon an
explosion of gunpowder took place at the village of Scots-
wood, about three miles to the west of Newcastle-upon-
Tyne, which resulted in the death of two men and the
serious injury of several others. Mr. Minto, the landlord
of the Sportsmen's Arms, Scotswcod, had announced that
a sparrow-shooting handicap would come off at his house
that afternoon, and that announcement had attracted a
large number of persons, many of whom sat in the
kitchen of the inn. Owing to the heavy rain which had
fallen during the morning, the gunpowder of several of the
men was wet, and, with the view of making it fit for use,
they put the powder, to the weight of about 31b. into the
oven. Whilst the servant girl was in the act of stirring
the fire the gunpowder exploded with terrific force, blow-
ing down the oven and fireplace, and damaging the kitchen'
and inn generally. A man named Scott, a pitman, was
killed on the spot. Another man named Smith, belonging
to Wylan, was so severely injured that he died soon after
the explosion. Many other men were seriously injured;
among them was a man, named Louis Proudlock, living at
the Old Engine, Scotswood, who is not expected to live.
Strange to say, the servant girl was scarcely injured at
all.

REMARKABLE BETTING TRANSACTION. —For seve-
ral days there has been some gossip in Preston with regard
to a most extraordinary bargain or wager as to the pur-
chase of a horse. It appears that two young Preston
gentlemen, of good position and ample fortune, but given
lately to considerable speculation, began one day to discuss
sporting matters ; they commented upon the merits of
noted racers and their progeny, and at last the celebrated
animal Stockwell, his various achievements, and those of
his colts and fillies, became the subject of conversation.
By-and-by one of the gentlemen stated that he would
give £20,000 for Stockwell if his friend could obtain
possession of him within a certain time, but that if he
failed to do so he must forfeit £3,000. The challenge wa,:,
accepted, and the gentleman who had the task of obtaining
possession of Stockwell before him at once communi-
cated with a local owner of racehorses. Nego'Liations were
commenced for the purchase of Stockwell, and it' even-
tually became the property of the Preston gentleman for
£lo,ooo—not too large an amount, many disciples of the
turf would say, seeing that the earnings of Stockwell as a
stud horse have for many years, it is said, been £7,000 or
£B,OOO per annum. When this bargain was completed,
the gentleman who had offered the £20,000 began to alter
his mind, and solicitors were called in to arrange matters
for him. A considerable sum was offered in the shape of
!!,1444_04 )49117;! il/14 wv witlentaziti it h 4.4 well accepted,