The Sun. — 1869-04-10 (London, England)

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.  (FROM OUR OWN CORL.ESPoNDENT.) PARIS, FRTDAY, April Q,  The Belgian affair remains in a generally mysterious, but unsatisfactory, condition. The war rumours have vanished for the time ; and now wo are troubled with reports of Ministerial changes. The speech of M. Thiers has produced an immense effect. A crop of no less than 10,000 cards has been left at his residence since the speech was made. The effect produced at the Tuileries is scarcely less marked than the impression on the general public. The Ministry is to be remodelled, we are told, and concessions—Ministerial responsibility at least—are to be made at once. M. Emile 011ivier is to form one of the new Cabinet, whilst M. Rouher is to be set aside with the Presidency of the Senate ; all of which we shall be in a position to believe when it happens. But we still live in the hope that some results will follow the recent attacks upon the Imperial position. Ministerial responsibility would be better than nothing.  The Left is by no means so thoroughly uniten in face of the ccming elections as its friends could wish. The various sections of anti•lmperialist politicians seem disposed to keep up their minor differences, instead of uniting in the common cause pf liberty. M. Emile 011ivier, for instance, will be opposed both in the Var and at Paris. In the latter circumscription he will have two antagonists, and between the three an official candidate may slip in. The Liberty bitterly and justly complains of this. Liberty is the first consideration which the Left ought to provide for ; differences among themselves might safely be adjourned. In 1863 the great victory throughout Paris was achieved simply by unity. The friends of M. Thiers aided the friends of M. Jules Favre, and vice versa. Is this wise policy not to be repeated?  It is now asserted that the elections will take place on the 23rd and 24th of May, instead of the two last days of the month. The reason given for this fresh change is that the Government desires to terminate the disagreeable discussions of the session as speedily as possible.  An extraordinary scandal which occurred here some days ago is still the theme of comment and dispute. Commandant ThZ:ve recently committed suicide by shooting himself at his barracks. When the report of the pistol was heard people rushed to the room. They were met by a lady in a complete state of undress, who emerged from the apartment. She was the Marquise de la Mothe Fenelon. The condition in which she was seen left no doubt as to her relations with the man who had jast terminated his life; and it is said that the two had been on improper terms for six months, the Commandant gratifying the Marquise's extravagant taste for dress. Scratches were found on the lady's shoulder, leaving it to be inferred that her paramour had attempted to commit suicide, and had ultimately accomplished his purpose after a struggle. After this exposure the lady was reported to he in a state verging upon insanity. In this mysterious condition the matter was left ; but now a new element of complication presents itself. The Marquis de is Mothe Fenelon, the husband of the lady, writes to say that his wife had gone to the barracks at his request tl see M. Thbve, for the purpose of inquiring after the health of his eldest son, who is enlisted in the sth Hussars. Surely the affair had better have been left as it stood. This statement neither clears up the mystery, nor does it clear the character of the Marquise. For, in the first place, it is an all but impossible coincidence that the Commandant should have chosen the visit of the lady to inquire alter her son as the most eligible occasion for committing suicide. And, then, how about the state of her apparel? It is impossible to explain away this last condemning fact. The scandal rivals the poisoned bonbon affair; but that it is a scandal seems, unfortunately, too true.  The papers tell a strangly sad, tale of adventure at sea. In August 1863, the trading vessel Adelina Eliza sailed from Bordeaux, bound for Hong Kong. A mouth after she was spoken to off the Cape, but never afterwards heard of. A solitary survivor of the crew of fourteen has just returned to narrate the dismal fate of his companions. The vessel having been driven from her course by a violent tempest in the Southern Ocean, lost her masts and rudder, and finally struck on a coral bank. The men had only time to get into the long boat before she sank. They landed on a neighbouring island, and being exhausted went to sleep. On their awaking they found themselves surrounded by a number of natives, who made them prisoners. Their captors turned out to be cannibals, and gradually killed and ate eleven of them, including the captain. The other three managed to get hold of a canoe, and made their escape to an islet not far off, but there two of them succumbed to fatigue, and died. The last, after moving by degrees from one small island to another, and living on shell-fish and roots, finally managed to construct a raft, and committed himself to the mercy of the waves. He drifted out to mid-ocean for an indefinite space of time. At last he was thrown on the coast of South America, where lie was found by some whites. He was treated with every kie 'less and sent back to Europe in a Portuguese vessel. An execution has just taken place at St. Omer. It is the first at that town since 1857.