, 1860-03-30

Ihe general impression lett on our mind!
after perusal Of the last two articles in the
.Honiteur de PArmce, on the subject of the
needle gun and its de6utive adoption
throughout the Prussian military service, i,
that the question is seriously contemplated
in French military circles whether breech
loading small arm for the whole French in.
fanlry may not at no long date supersedt
the muzzle leaders at present employed iu
that service
An MPERrAL WIFE HUNr-DoNxA IsA.
BELLA OF BRAzlL-Among the items of in.
telligence 10y Il recent arrival, is one to the
effect that the Austrian Archduke Maxi.
milan is to spend the next six months in
that true dowery land" Brazil. Some
have endeavored to see q political mares
nest in this cont emplated visit, and even 60
so far as to announce that his Hghness
would be abseAt for a number of years
The AuStrian/ GOvcrnmen has felt. itself
compelled to$tate officially that the limit
! of the AYThduke's visit will be but six
months/ No statement, however, has been
made as to the motive of his short sojourn
in the peasuntest portion Of the world
We might fancy all sorts Of motives rome
which would be that he was going thither
to prepare a peaceful refuge for his august
brother when Hungary shall have turued
Austria topsy-turyy-but we discard all
such considerations.
The Archduke Ferdinand Macmillan
Joseph is not only handsome and noble, but
is the first brother of the Emperor of Aus
tria. He is a dashing, wel-educatcd young
fellow of twenty-Seven, who is colonel and
proprietor of the eighth regiment Of Aus
trian Uhlaus, commander-in-chief of the
third regiment Prussiau dragOous, and, as
if to shine on water us well as upon Iund,
he is an admiral, commanding a very 6no
frigute in the Imperial marine. Some
might say that this handsome Duke is
merely intent on visiting his Imperial Bra
zilian relative, our cultivated and gifted
Don Pedro ii for, as is well known, the
mother Of the Emperor Of Brazil was the
Austrian ArclIduchess Beopoldina, sister
Of Marie Louise, NapOleOn's second bride.
But we adopt another theory: In l946,
Don Alfonso, the Imperial Prince of Bra
zl, died in infancy; but as there is no salc
law in BTazil. the Princess Isabella, in de-
fault Of mail issue to Don Pedro II, be-
comes the Empress Of that vast empire =
Don Pedro II would not for political con
sderations, allow his daughter to wed either
Of the four brothers Of the King of .Portu.
gal, who has desired such an alliance; aud
so we venture topredict that the Arehduke
Max. has gone wife-hnniing.
Donna Isabella is most beautiful lady,
in her flIeenty year7-the age of fall
blown wOmanhOod in Brazil. She Is blonde,
blue-eyed, and altogether a most interest
ing parsonage, The writer Of this remem-
bers well the impression which, by her
beauty aud mOdesty. she produced at the
Brazilian Court \ few yeats ago; and If the
Archduke succeeds 10 making himself ac-
ceplube, be will not only obtain the hund
Of the ruler Of the largest territory under
one government ia the world, but Of aR
amiA6le, intelligent and estimable woman.
Donna Isabella has had the best Of teach
ers, under the direction Of her august "a
ther, aud It is hoped that she, Us Empress,
will prove as great patron Of science, art
and general improvements, as Don Pedro
second
This is not the first time that European
prince has visited Brazil Napoleon III.
1887, entered the magnificent harbor Of
Rio Janeiro, and came thence to Norfolk,
Va. He had been sent to France alter the
affair of SirasbOug, at tho order of Louis
Philippe. In lS43, Prince dc JOnyille
went in the frigate Belle Ponle, to the cap
ital Of the empire, aud brought back TO
France, as his bride, the charming Donna
FRANCESCA, who won all hearts at the Tuil-
eries. Ia 1874, Louis Charles Marie Jo-
de Bourbon, the Prince Of the Two Siciies,
brother Of the late King Ferdinand. mar
ried Don PedrO's elder sister, the Donna
Jamiona In the years lsl5JlS, Prince
Macmillan Neuwid Travelled in Brazil for o
very different purpose. He Investigated
the wonderful fora de farina Of that empire,
and his published works, embodying his ex-
perience, are Of an exceedingly interesting
character.
II the Archduke Of Austria succeeds in
obtaining the hand Of Donna Isabella, he
does not thereby become Emperor. He will
merely be the Empress eonsOrt. He can
uot, by the constitution Of Brazil, have any
political power. Aud thus, the almost nni-
vcrsal suffrage-ihe freedom Of the press.
the liberation Of oil religions deuomlna-
tons, the drffusion Of knowledge by com
mOn schools, and the general march Of i'm
proyemeut-Wll not in the least degree be
liukered by u prince whose antecedenls
have all been IN the despOtic house of Haps-
burg. This must, however, be said in his
favor, viz: that be is Que VI the most LID
eral Ol the Austrian Imperial family. We
wish hun all success in his contemplated
visit
~ Mix or cream whrn IL hns tnrned