Star.
London, England, 1816-01-24 00:00:00

We tan affirm that they are in the slate state as they
have been for some thine.

The Ojicial Gazette of January 20, contains the fol.
lowing Royal Ordinances: - _ _

,lst, For a general mourning and explatioe, and a solemn ser-
vice in every church throughout France, op tho gist of January
in every year.
That in further expiation of the crime committed on that un-'
happy day, there shall be erected, in the name and at the ex-
pense of the nation, a monument in such place and mode as his
Majesty shall direct. _ _

That there shall be also erected a monument, In like manner,
to the memory of Louie XVI. of the Queen Marie-Antoinette,
and of Madame Elizabeth.•—And,

That monument sbaU be erected, In like manner, to the
memory of the Duke d'Engbien,

This solemn Ordinance is dated January 19, 1916, signed by
the King, and co untersigned by Barba Marbists, Keeper of the
Seals.

The Second Ordinance goes to establish Regulations for the
University of Paris, and the other Universities of France, to ob-
viate the present too great facilities in obtaining degrees from the
same; and the specification of numerous Decrees of the Civil
Tribunals with respect to verif)ing the causes of absence of cer-
tain individuals.

They write from Nismes, that the number of de-
cenus in the prisons of that city diminish every day,
in consequence of the measures of the administrative
and judiciary authorities.. The Court of Assizes
has ordered several to be set at liberty. It has con-
demned to three months imprisonment and a fine of
.50 francs, Bernard Fontaine, convicted of seditious
expressions.

We read in the Administrative Memorial (of the
Cote d'Or) a Decree of the Count Maximin de Choi-
seul, the Prefect, by which this Magistrate, " consi-
dering that there still exist in several Communes what
are called trees of liberty, planted in places and before,
the churches—that these trees recall a mournful et: ich
when innumerable murders, and even that of the
King Louis XVI. were committed, in the name of
an illusory liberty—that it is fit to efface the traces
still subsisting of crimes ever detestable, which ought
not to live in the memory of Frenchmen, except to
excite their profound grief, and to make them bless
theclemency of our august Monarch," decree 4 Ist,
That on the 31st of January they shall proceed in all
the Comnii:nes of the depat :mom, :vier Divine Ser-
vice, to beat down those teal "dray. 2d, That the
wood shall be distributed by the Mayors to the in-
digent.
A Committee, composed of Fri nch and foreign
functionaries, li is been formed at the head-quarters
of each corps d'arti.ee of the aliied troops, wocse bu-
siness it wit! be to superintend the service, to prevent
.bases, and to do Wile: is proper with respect to all
the reclamations :hat may be presented.
The Prefect of C ilir.Akis has dismissed 60 Mayors
and Adjuncts, against whom heavy complaints have
been made from all qua; ms;
The previsional Govtrnu.ent of Milan was dis-
solved the 2d of this nio!oli, and a new Government
is now established for Lombardy, under the Presi-
dency of the Count de Sourau. an Austrian Minister
of Sate.

The work entitled " Confessions of Napoleon" was
seized yesterday. _ _

According to intelligence received from Marseilles
it appears that the catarrhal malady which Las pre-
vailed there, and the sty rounding district, for some
time, is not so serious as was at first imagined.
'flie ceremony of the marriage of the Prince Royal
of the Nethe;lands to the Grand Docless Anna
Paulowna, is rear at hand, but the day is not yet
fixed. The Princess joins, to the charms of beauty
vd youth, all the graces of body and mind ;—she
possesses a pleasing amenity of manners, which
softens the maj-sty of the throne without diminishing
its lustre, which will one day make her the happiness
of all who approach her ; meantime the Court is en-
tertained by a succession of magnificent fetes, which
often combine the most es eprisite taste of Europe
with the sumptuousness of the Courts of Asia.

Last Saturday a chef d'escadron belonging to a re.
giment of chasseurs, 'after quitting the Levee of the
War Minister, went to dine at the P.slais Royal, at
the Freres Pmvincaux, where he accidentally found
himself at the same table with an English °dicer.—
The English Officer had two bottles of wine placed
before him, which he emptied all but a single glass,
which, when full, he threw at the French Officer,
who indignantly rase Irons his seat and took sum-
mary vengeance. The Englishman, stupified by the
sudden attack of his adversary, demanded satisfac-
tion, which was immediately agreed to, but the Eng-
lishman requested a criarttr of an hour to go for his
arms. He accordingly went out, and soon after re-
turned with two pistols. The place was not very-
, convenient for a duel, and as, besides, it was very
late, they agreed to decide it in a private room. The
Englishman proposed that only a single pistol should
be loaded, which should be drawn by chance, and
thus each to run the hazard of blowing bis own
brains out. This proposition was accepted—the pis-
tols were put into a hat, and each immediately drew
forth one. The chef d'escadron, impatient to put an
end to the business, placed the pistol in his mouth,
and pulled the trigger, but he happened to select the
one that was not loaded. The Englishman, with
that phlegm which he had hitherto manifested, drew
the ram-rod, put it into his pistol, and finding that it
was loaded immediately observed, 44 I begin to think''
that I have the right one." He then paused and
asked the Frenchman if he had any children, who
replying in the negative, be added, I have, a wife and
children, and I wish to settle my affairs; T request'
an hour and a half. 44 I will give you all your life,"
replied the Frenchman, and at the same time he in-
sisted
that an end should be put to the business. The
Englishman persisted in his demand, promising his'
adversary that he would not be found deficient in
honour. They forthwith separated, and four hours
' afterwards the French Officer received a note from
' the Englishman, informing him that at the moment
when he should read that letter he should be no more ;
he made a thousand apologies for having employed
four hours instead of one and a half, but he assured
him that his private affairs itiditpensibly required it.
4s soon as the English Officer had put his affairs into
order, Ile had his bed warmed, went into it, and a
few minutes afterwards blew his brains out I The
Frenchman and the Englishman were both of thecti
men of honest:llN but it is Afflicting to humanity to we
the barbarous custom of cloelliq yetpierail is 4it age
of kiwwledge and philosoPT h.. • •
- •