The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-20 00:00:00

Thursday,
August 20,
8 a.m.

Nairn .

Aberdeen 1
Leith
Shields

Scarborough
Yarmouth-1
Helder ....i

Cuxhaven ..
Bandanas
Ardrossan
Greencastle
Holyhead
Liverpool
Valentia
Cape Clear.
Roche's Pt.
Penzanc
Plymouth
Weymo uth
Portemo uth
London
UpeGris Nez
Brest
L'Orient
Rochefort
Biarritz
Corunna
Brussels
Paris
Strasbourg
Lyons

Toulon ....
Heart's Con-1
tent (6 a.m.,
local time)

EXPLANATION.

Barometer corrected and reduced to 32 deg, a sea lerel. Theletter
T., rising; f., falling; s., steady—indicate direction of motion of the
mercury within last 14 hours. Thermometer exposed in shade.
Extreme Force with its Direction during last 24 hours.
Weather : b.—blue sky ; c.—clouds, detached ; f.—fog ; h.—hail;
I.—lightning ; m.—misty,hazy ; o.—overcast, dull ; r.—rain; s.— snow;
t.—thunder. Rain fall. snow or ball (melted) during last 24 hours.
Sea disturbance. REMARKS.

The barometrical pressures over the northern and western portions
of our islands are a little lower than yesterday, whilst in other dis-
tricts there has been a general increase, amounting to in: re than
two-tenths of an inch on the Channel coast. The region of greatest
pressure is in the S.IV. : readings are now very uniform. The charge
in temperature has been slight. The wind yesterday was strong from
the N. at the entrance of the Channel, and was generally fresh on
other coasts. Light and variable winds prevail over these islands this
morning : in the west of France the wind is strong from the westward.
Eome rain has fallen in the south. In the N. the weather is fine, but
on other coasts it is generally cloudy.

The French staff officer who was recently arrested at
Cologne for drawing plans and surveying the country
round about, is not the only " artist " of the kind who has
been found in Rhenish-Prussia. The German papers
speak of the arrest of another French officer at Schliich-
tern, in the Electorate of Hesse. A number of plans
and maps was found upon him. He replied to the interro-
gations of his captors that be was really an artist, and that
he was travelling for his own pleasure. The authorities
of Schliichtern asked for instructions from Cassel and
Berlin, and were told to set the officer at liberty, on con-
dition that he immediately returned to France.

A letter from Kisscngen to the Libcrte combats the
idea of an alliance between Russia and Prussia. The writer
says that Prussian politicians are too anxious to get pos-
session of the German provinces annexed to Russia to
desire very friendly terms with that country. Further,
the King of Prussia is much opposed to the marriage of
the daughter of the Emperor Alexander to the young
King of Bavaria. On the other hand, Russian diploma-
tists
are disquieted at the evident desire of Prussia to rule
the Baltic, and are convinced that Russia would err in
favouring the designs of such a powerful neighbour. If
the Borsenhalle of Hamburg is to be believed, the
recent visit was a surprise to the Russian sovereign, " who
did not know the King of Prussia was coming until the
carriage drove up to the hotel." The visit lasted some
three-quarters of an hour. The Hamburg paper appears
to entertain some curious ideas of royal etiquette.
A correspondent of the Independence Beige says the
Baden Government has abandoned its resistance to the
scheme of a system of common defence for the three
States of South Germany, and there can be no doubt
of the realisation of the project. The system will,
as was expected, be on the same principle
as that adopted in North Germany, and the three
Southern States will, indeed, form but a portion of the
great military union under the leadership of Prussia.
Count Bismarck, it appears, has gained the victory in
this as in every other struggle. The Prussian general,
Beyer, who is Minister of War in Baden, has gone to Ems
to "receive King William's orders on this matter."
In the political circles of Madrid it is considered
probable that an interview will shortly take place between
the Emperor Napoleon and the Queen of Spain. No date
is assigned for this meeting, but it is thought that it will
be arranged when the two monarchs go to the seaside—the
Emperor to Biarritz, and the Queen to Laqueitio.
Notwithstanding the passage of the Bribery Act,
mon.l, will be of great weight in the general election.
Political prophets say that the next Parliament will be
essentially one of moneyed men. Capitalists elected by,
and representing labour, will, it is said, have the control
of our legislation. Supposing this estimate of coming
events be a correct one, there arises the difficult question
of what effect such an arrangement would have with
regard to the great questions of capital and labour now
being agitated. That " £ s. d." are still letters which we
must connect very closely with electioneering proceedings,
the following advertisement, for the bona fides of which
Echoes from the Clubs is responsible, will skew :—" Parlia-
inent.—A candidate of independent and advanced Liberal
views may hear of an eligible chance by addressing real
name, in confidence, to Agent, Meadows's Library,
Aleiander•place, Brompton, S. W."
" Ex-Candidate," in a letterto the Times, draws attention
to another matter which requires consideration with regard
to the elections. He protests that canvassing is a " vulgar,
unnecessary performance, utterly unworthy of any man
who ought to have a seat in the House of Commons."
Canvassing is, doubtless, the cause of bribery. It hardly
enhances the dignity of a candidate to go soliciting and
begging from A, B, and C their votes. But it would be
difficult to stop it altogether, except by the common con.
sent of aspirants for parliamentary hoauri. Let it be felt
'tbat a man loses respect by going from bo4se to house ijA'
Nad. 421Y44,§i11g bisat an