The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-01-16
The Gazette's Paris Letter

Paris, December 9Th, 1885
Though It be something like hope against hope,
yet people hug 1t all the same-that of desiring a
tiny victory for France on the high road to BAG
mini, so to satisfy her amour DTODre, permit of
| concessions being made, and an arrangement to
remove a eniisHs bsi, effected. Bat If the Chinese
go in for amour pJoDJI also and maintain, as in
| the kouidia dispute with Russia, no surrender
| attitude It is unknown what catastrophes may
| issue. The French people do not desire war; they
| lament that under republic as under royalty and
| empire, their government cannot keep them out of
! hot water. Besides there Is the shadow of Ger
many that falls across France, and possible up
! heaviugs IL Algeria of Mussulmau's fanaticism;
the French feel all such is quite sufficient without
being involved with Celestials Malagasys and Con-
/ goans \ war with China yegis, would raise
difficulties with Europe and the United States that
the wisest heads feel pain when rejecting thereon
German bankers hold heavy mortgages on the
Customs receipts of the Chinese open ports: France
has no depots of provisions, Goals for her ships
/ in the Far East. her commerce may be swept away
If China issues Lctfsfs dc MnTqne, and n large eI
petition OF soldiers must disturb the home mill
ary organizations, planned not for either little
great foreign wars. People talk familiarly of a
general next spring as the only real solution
for the times now 50 much out of joint. The au-
rpra borealis that has streamd like meteor in
the troubled air the last few evenings is evidence
strong as proof Of holy writ for many easy
going souls. More serious Is the fact, that bust
ness people are resorting to reefs, and taking in
SAIL as If the storm signals had given the sublime
warning IL is currently credited, that England
intends not to allow either France or China to
protect Aram out of existence. If the Red River
be not left free international route, she will de
maud the island OF Haihnam, as her slice of the
prutocturate pudding-as a coaling station" aud
thus commands Sulina, mouth of future Danube.
TIE sUEz QUESTION.
Respecting the Suez question one good sign
about Il dispute is, TINT less Chauvinis is mixed
up with the debate. The opinion is gaining ground
that in the way of making concessions NJ. de Les
seps will soon have only Hobsons choice. The
r. Al
council of administration. In an Egyptian canal
is England, who owns ~ per cent Of the capital
and keeps the speculation alive by contributing TO
four fhs Of the traffic, to be left out in the cOldl
Her mercantile interests, at first did not believe in
the feasibility of the project, but when its practi
bility was demonstrated, they patronized it. PeO-
pie did not abandon high roads till locomotives
settled the matter, We take advantages where we
can get them. The Mahdi's advance does not
please the French, it implies henoefUrth the in
definite occupation of Egypt by the English. The
former certainly would find preteIt for flight
into Egypt after the departure of the last High
lander. and would willingly give up Tonkin, Mad
S sibs''' anu 'D' ''S' ~ ''''' '' u 'D
POLITICS.
The senate has decided, that there'is no neces-
sity to Immediately revise the Constitution. For
once, at all events, the patricians boast they
are one with the nation. The Anarchists are still
of opinion that the only way TO be sure; first,
society at large and next France, is to kill right
of the middle classes; make target Of every man
with means Some of the Anarchists who have
put in their six months in the Sainte-Pelagie PR
son. for indulging in political literature Of the in
hammable type, have not returned converted.
They are more hardened than ever. fresh batch
of nitro -gycerino writers and orators have been
sent to the same gaOl ito cease to do eyir'-which
is certain to be assured during their Incarceration;
but as for learning 20 do well" such is hopeless.
QUANTITIES FOR EDTrORs.
The aiute-Pelagie Prison is commencing TO ac-
quiTe once more nOtoriety. 1t is the "stOne jug"
for editors and lame ducks.
There are three classes of prisoners, the editors
do not work and who are not called upon TO sup
port themselves the bubble fnanciers who can
avoid working by paving 7fr. a fortnight for the
exemptiou and the workers. who gain one sous
per day pocket money to dissipatc in the canteen.
The latter in prison costume, and have for vaca-
ton the fetes and Sundays.
By paving four sous day, an editor has right
to a room where only two other prisoners sleep.
He can pass his days in chi. chat can get special
out leave occasionally, and can live like Dives,
though luNuries are strictly forbidden. There are
three gs for the execution Of errands who are paid
following special tariff. Prisoners are allowed
to see visitors Sundays and Thursdays, in iron
rallied oil parlors: warder, called dJoye"r or
baker" calls each prisoner as he is wanted. Ex
cept debtors to the State there is no Imprisonment
for debt in france since 1863, and if there is no
room in the princes department tho unfortu-
nate editor must take pot-luck with The herd.
Sainte-Pelagie was the favorite prison, its OabA
sffes where Napoleon l., sent all who displayed no
admiration for his policy: Napoleon Ill after the
eopDE stnt ncarcerated in this prison "a deputies
and 700 dangerous citizens. Louis XVIII, a few |
days after his restoration, imprisoned 185 individ
uals who exhibited no admiration for Bcurbonism.
In 1914, when Alexanderof Russia entered Paris,
he set free all NapOeons prisoners replacing them
bv 1872 Russian deserters. chiefly Poles 1t was on
quitting this prison for the scahold, that Madame
Roland exclaimed "Ohi Liberty, what crimes are
committed in thy name.s Josephine de Beau
barnais later Empress of the Fren,h, was i'm
prisoned in S4inte- PelaGie in 1874. Tie same es
tablishment had within its walls Branger the |
poet p. J.. Courier, Cavaignac, LameInais, Felix
Pyat, PrUudheu, Blanqui and Rochefot In 1885, |
Cavaicnac and Is cOdetenus escapd. Baron |
Freuck fashion, having borrowed a run 60 feet
long; the Count de Richmond who boz sted TO be |
the son of Louis XVI, also escaped. The last in
this line was Englishman, Thomigs jackson;
he hoisted himself on the roof one Writer'S night
and went down on the other side, babe the sentry
REVIVAL OF An OLD OPERA.
The theatre des Itaiens has had maiiy ups and |
downs in Paris, because it could nevei count for
permanent support the French who prefer their
oWa school Of music. The Italiens has Just re- |
opened after six years Of silence, with eris three
act orgr9 Simon Esleranegga A quartsr Of cen
trrv AGO this work was failure at Veni ,e: however,
in ISL Verdi rctouched il. and IL was brought |
ont at Ia Scala, al Milan, where II captvated
al who heard il. much Of this success, and the re-
yersai of the Judgment Of the Nenetans, was due |
TO The admirable singing and actini. Of Meson,
Naurel and Reszke and Madame Fldis-DevTiesy |
three incompatible sri,stes who interpret the
opera here. As IN the case OF lgDratoti tts lDret
to is very 50 so. The plot is laid in Genoa about
1881; Tiesque IS a patTieian. Simon hoccanecgra-
is a pleh and corsair who has done tue Republic
some service both are candidates for he Office of
Doce. Simon has seduced the daughter Of Pies
cue by whom be had 0na child, n lovely girl. The
mother l. taken back by her father and dies in the
palace. the child Is adopted unknowningly by
Fesque. and Simon IS elected Doge. The music
is neither the best nor the worst written by Verdi
il belongs 10 his neutral style. The tst act Is the
best and contains much Of that plaintive music
Of which Verdi has the secret. The third act,
where Simon and Fiesque are reeoneI ed, is full OF
pathetic and graceful weT1faHr. The opera Is
well pat on the stage, but perhaps the sHeees
Ffssiiae is rs much due TO the artines..as TO the
s1mPoser-
MrSoE afA-TERs-
The law courts are occupied with tito important
swindling plots one, where IN inquiry office, the
private" kind. concocted eyidano, for an old
lady who desired to be separated from her husband
and chose for their victim. the yoilnc, pure and
innocent wife OF Cloris Hughes, tns poet-dePuiy
for Marsailles The young couple intended tod
pose Of the calamniators themselves BY means Of
revolver: but better leave the soolinarsls to the
law.