The Sun. — 1870-05-19 (London, England)

THE AAIRICAN FENIANS.  The doings of the Fenians in America occupy some space in the New York papers received yesterday. The New York Times of the 6th says :—" There is everyreason to believe that the Fenians, to use their own expression, mean business this time. •The utmost activity prevails among the officials of all grades here and elsewhere, although quiet seems to reign in and around head quarters. Men are being despatched daily to different points to facilitate the conconcentration of the " I. K. A." which, it is said, already numbers 33,000 men, well disciplined, and fully provided for a long campaign. General O'Neill says that he will not lack means to aid him in the coming tug of war, as he daily receives liberal contributions of money from all parts of the Union. Yesterday one gentleman alone placed 10,000 dols. at his disposal for the good of the cause. Men are only too willing to join in any expedition against England, so that, numerically speaking, his army is strong. The same paper, m its issue of the following day, says :—" The Councils of the Fenians become daily more frequent and secret. Yesterday pursuant to the call of General O'Neill, the members of the Executive Council of Nine, appointed by the late Congress, arrived in this city, to confer with him on the approaching expedition. During the day nothing was done at head-quarters, a quorum not having reached the city until a late hour. At a late hour last night, however, a secret meeting was held. The business transacted thereat did not, of ccurse, transpire, but it was ascertained that its object was to decide upon the time when the movement shall take place. ' The council meets again to-day.  THE MASSACRES IN GItEECE.-A fresh series of despatches (the 9th) respecting the tragedy in Greece has been issued frem the Foreign Office. It principally consists of documents which have been presented to the Italian Chamber of Deputies relating to the murder of Count Boyl, the Secretary of the Italian Legation at Athens. In a despatch dated Florence, April 30, Signor Visconti Ve:iosta, the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs alludes to the want of vigilance on the part of the authorities charged with the maintenance of order in Greece, and says that it had violently excited public opinion. " The Greek Government," he adds, " has had a proof of it in the steps taken by all the diplomatic representives accredited at Athens. We have had a clear proof of it also in the haste with which the Austrian Government has let us know that it is ready to co-operate with us in any measures we think proper to adopt with reference to Greece. A similar communication has also been made by the Cabinet of Vienna in London." The letters from Mr. Erskine to Lord Clarendon are four in number, and they are all dated May 7. In one of these he encloses a translation of the deposition made by the guide of the military detachment which fell in with the tourists while they were still on the plain of Marathon. The guide distinctly declares that he repeatedly warned the party through the dragoman Alexandros to drive slowly and keep with the soldiers. " This statement, as it appears to me," adds Mr. Erskine, is most conclusive against Alexandros, 'who indignantly denied in my presence that any such_ warning had been given to him." In another despitchi Erskine says it would almost look as if Alexandros was the person who supplied the information as to the travellers' movements to the brigands, and as if another person, named Costa, who is in custody, was the medium of communication with them. On May 7 all trace of the brigands had been lost.