NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1970, 28 August 1869, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

The whisper of a grave scandal has become so loud in circles where reliable information is to be found that it is no longer possible to leave it unnoticed. It relates to a very high personage, whose position ought to place him far above the breath of suspicion, but whose private life is sullied by excesses which threaten to ■'bring disgrace upon the order to which he belongs, and even to sully the ermine of royalty itself. Had the causes of complaint or of reprobation been confined to private history alone, the probability is that the veil might not have been raised ; but it is asserted that a flagrant abuse of patronage has long prevailed in the department over which the person in question holds imperial sway, and the storm of dissatisfaction is gaining strength and impetuosity which will probably lead the House of Commons in the interests of the public, to direct such an enquiry as the circumstances of the case may demand. The subject is one of extreme delicacy; but in a reforming age like the present, if suspicion justly attaches, it would seem but right that those who are responsible for the honor of the administration, whether it be military, naval or civil, should interfere ere it be too late, to prevent a great scandal, if not a national i-eproach. It is rumored that certain acts in connection with the matter have been laid before the Chief Adviser of the Crown, and that the first move towards inquiry may possibly be in the shape of a motion in the House of Commons for a return of the appointment, pay, salaries, pensions and allowances held by the individual in question.—London correspondent of Belfast News-Letter. A Bill is before the Canadian Parliament respecting seduction. It provides that a seducer, under promise of marriage, of an unmarried female of previous chaste character, shall be punished by fine or imprisonment, or both, at the option of the court, but shall not be condemned on the sole evidence of the female. Authentic documents have come into the hands of an English journal, published in Japan, which place beyond a doubt the fact that several of the principal daimios have resigned their rank, independent powcs, rights as sovereign princes, lands and men, into the hands of the Mikado, with a view to centralise and strengthen the Government of Japan, and to enable their country “ to take its place side by side with the other countries of the world.” “ This unexpected and extraordinary move has naturally excited great attention.” Four youths, natives of Fsenza, in consequence of a quarrel, as old as last Carnival, met recently in a field at a short distance from the city, after having dined together, says the account, with every appearance of cordiality and good fellowship. The conditions of the fight were that after discharging their pistols the parties should continue the combat with their knives. In both cases the pistols were fired oft’ without effect, and the second act of the drama began. One pair of combatants fought with great fury, and in a few minutes both men were on the ground, one with five wounds, the other with seven. A fortunate accident put an end to the second encounter, for one of the knives coming into contact with a button or some other hard substance, was broken in two, and the horrid spectacle of their friends weltering in blood seems to suggested other thoughte than that of continuing the conflict. A medical man, called to the spot, gave small hopes of the recovery of the two wounded men.

The Journal of St, Petersburgh gives some details of the strength of the Russian navy. It comprises two hundred and sixty-seven vessels, of which two hundred and thirty are steam. Those

include four iron-clad frigates, three iron-clad batteries and thirteen monitors. More than one-half of this immense naval force is in the Baltic, where it is frozen up about one-third of the year. Thirty-two steam and nine sailing vessels are on the Black Sea, and twenty-nine steam and two sailing vessels on the Siberian coast, in the North Pacific. The whole force appears to be balanced, well in hand, and very efficient. The Baltic fleet is ready for any Prussian complications. Prussia has nothing which can hope to contend against it. The Black Sea fleet is sufficiently strong to make a dash against Turkey when the moment arrives for opening the Mediterranean. The Siberian fleet is well posted to protect the aggressive movement of Russia upon the Chinese empire and the northern island possessions of Japan. While the rest of Europe quarrels and wastes its strength in silent warfare, Russia progresses and swells her boundary lines.

How to ride a velocipede : —Straddle a saddle, then paddle and skedadle.