The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-20
Un.lr rs GOING ON IN EUROPE

The Nihilsts have always shown great deal OF
skill and cool dclbcratlon in their criminal at
tempts 1t is to be supposed that II they had
made up their mind to take the life OF the Gar.
they would have managed tho business more
adroitly. Gen Drenteln Ia the only one OF their
victims who has ne yet escaped unhurt. In tho
cases Of Prince Krapotkne Gen. Mezentzoff
Gen. Trepon and several other Officials they
carried out their plans most successfully. 1t
must be taken for granted that they would not
have intrusted the task OF assassnating tho
Car to n man capable OF missing his victim
several times at distance OF three or four feet ;
and until we hear from the official investigation
1t will be- safer to assume that the attempt Of
SooviefT was one Of those individual acts OF
criminal madness in which the history OF regi-
cides abounds.
The fate Of the assassin Is. OF &C urse. sealed.
He il to be tried by an Extraordinary High
Tribunal" and will be hanged. Tho general
belief il that capital punishment is very COM
mon in Russia. In point Of fact that penalty
exists only for murder combined with high
treason and for treason in time OF war In all
other cases capital punishment was abolished
by Alexander III. shortly after his accession to
the throne. Tho penalty for common murder
is hard labor for life in tho mines of Siberia.
England is kept in painful suspense by the
is known to have started with a force OF G.0OO
men to tho relief OF the valiant detachment OF
Col. Pearson. shut up at Ekowe. The British
Commander-n- Chief must either obtain q COM
plete victory or fall at the head OF his column.
Any other result Of the present expedition
would mean for him trial by court martial and
military disgrace. II would probably not mean
this In the case OF an officer OF any other nation,
but II seems quite natural when the English arc
concerned. They have not lost. as yet. thou
sand men oil told. but the country Is as much
excited rs II a mole army corps had been ami
Inflated. The reason OF this is complex. but tho
main element lie tho tact conviction OF the
nation that the war is useless one and that II
has been undertaken with inadequate means.
Lord Chelmsford has to answer not only for
his own bad strategy. but for the reckless and
ambitious policy Of the Cabinet. too
Should anything happen to Lord Chelmsford
on his present expedition his place will be
taken. not 10y Gen. Sir John Bisset. as has been
announced. but by Gen. the Hon. II. II. Clifford
who is at the head Of the reenforcements. Sir
John Dsset has been sent out merely rs a kind
Of military adviser TO the Commander-in-C Chief,
being rather a theoretical strategst and mill
tary administrator than a practical general.
Gen. Clifford. on the contrary. is an expert
enced soldier. who has gone through several
campaigns and who took part in the Kafllr war
Of 1S4G-4s. The London World tells a good
story Of him:
One day in British Eqnrara he vas in the ses Of sitting
hoy on ye FrIu9 pog 3s nam UyhSa W. n ,aeb
aud found to his horror 1t was pgnadder, a most
would haye removed MS 6and probably to be signg IN
held the snake down nrmly with one hand, with the
other drew his claspkno from his pockeLopen ned with
IRON its body
II Gen. Clifford displays the same cool pres
ence Of mind on tho battlefield. he is not unlike
ly to prove valuable lieutenant to the appar-
entity very nervous Lord Chelmsford.
On Friday last Queen Victoria met the King
and Queen Of Italy at the castle Of Mona. near
Milan. Queen Victoria. with her usual shyness.
avoided receiving them at her temporary Ba-
veno residence. and preferred making jour
noy to Mona to the trouble OF receiving the
royal party at the villa Clara Tho interview
seems 10 have been OF a rather formal character
and OF very short duration.
Queen victoria's visit TO Italy will terminate
on Wednesday next. Her original intention OF
visiting Darmstadt and Coburg- Gotha on her
way home has been abandoned. She goes
straight 10 England. and is expected 10 arrive
in Paris on Thursday night and at Windsor on
Saturday. Her journey docs not seem TO have
been FREQ from certain comicCl accidents. re-
ports Of which were carefully suppressed till
the IVhdehdH Rerieir committed the indiscretion
Of letting the cat out OF the bag:
The Queen had been SO iatisued ly the long railway
stepping Of the carriage. iel Her Gracious Majesty
XIV ~ ~, ' IN, ~, y' W. i oI nv W
Marshal i, not ne most ogs and fragile of digo
Ssiest. iS ,ai he shock Was great, he resicd bin.
sGi snd Ile queen OF Great bn,ain Gnd Ireland I'm.
% the Court Of France would both iuevitab have fallen
ing rat,s mob lad ne! he 'rg.iy John Brown lsensd
tress who being thus supported naturally supported
Lord Lyons; whom She was ohlsing TO. suppose
that tie queen and Lord on. had really fallen What
do you supre would have been the result OF such
woman, her PRIDE As sovcr,isn ana lady would have
course have blamed Lord Lyons Tor having been able
& ,nppor her vet .hoal have been sreatly SURPRISED
favor Of her Nlcsty Who can eli whether, perhaps
foreign policy Of our countryi
The London opera season has fairly opened
The so-calied Royal Italian Opera. managed by
the two young eyes. has been at work for nearly
fortnight Col. Mapleson opens Her Majcsty's
Theatre on Saturday next. The competition
between the rival houses promises TO be very
fierce. The eyes have Patti, Milan celebrity.
Emma Turolla by name the famous Mile.
Bloch. the baritone Lassale Of the Grand Opera.
and long list of minor stars against these
Col. MAples0n produces not very long list,
with Gcrster Christine Nilsson. and Trebelli at
its head. The names Of Miss Hauk and Miss
Kellogg occupy prominent places in this list.
In France political life has not yet resumed
its course, owing to the prolonGation of the
Easter holidays; but theatrical and artistic life
has fairly entered upon its bright spring sea-
son. Great preparations are being made for
the Salon. and novelties are in rehearsal at all
the leading plaYhouses. Suppe's new opera,
Fatinit2a." is an unqualified success. Several
London managers bid against each other for
the right of producing it in England and have
thus secured for the composer a remuneration
which exceeded all his expectations. At Vienna
the opera remains the rage Of tho season. and
has given origin to queer sort Of fashion II
we may believe the correspondent Of the Lon
don Horld
The last or( fashion in Vienna is the socalled "Booca
and mink one ON the risht The IDEA was taken irom
The churWW costume which itauciu liuA wore iu the
last act ui supp new opera. Whether the monte
took the notion from the 0rui nopi, nr t tffe, II Is
nara tu sf they always copy another Certain II
mat both the cHhfs of society have adopted the Boccu
emo Hose, us the very short dresses aud low shoes
now WON give one ample opportunity OF ascertauiug.
The death Of the painter Couture has fur