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Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 856, 6 July 1867, Page 3

(feom our own correspondent.) London, May 1. Since the departure of the mail on the • 26th ult., things have taken a decidedly pacific turn upon the continent. , A congress of the various neutral powers having been agreed upon, there now exist strong hopes that Europe will be spared another war. Looking at the Luxemburg question, it is easy to see that Prussia could scarcely consent to evacuate the duchy in the offhand manner required by France. The fact that she was undoubtedly in possession of the fortress while the sale was being effected between the King of Holland and , i the Emperor of the French without her knowledge, placed her in a very far from dignified position. Then, when all had been done without so much as a word spoken to her about it, she is coolly told to clear out, we can easily conceive that the hitherto unbeaten Bismark was not the man quietly to submit to such a course of proceeding. The question that Franc© will now raise at the congresa is not whether, the sale was legal or no, but whether Prussia has any right at all to garrison Luxemburg. The issue, therefore, is very simple; the only thing that Prussia will have a right to demand is (supposing her - to be declared wrongly in possession) that the neutrality of the duchy from henceforth shall be guaranteed by the powers at the . congress. . . Notwithstanding the pacific turn things have thus suddenly taken, there exists in nearly every one's mind a strong conviction that the evil day is only delayed, not thoroughly averted. The preparations for war are carried on as eagerly as ever, while the words ore words of peace. „ There is not anything else to note with regard to continental affairs during the last four days, excepting the opening of the Prussian chambers by the King. Their . work is very simple, being to ratify the constitution as passed by the German parliament. They are told to do so, and as Count Bismark has the matter in hand, there can be little doubt it will be done. Our own parliament re-assembled on Monday night, and at once set to work to consider how- Ireland could be benefited. The matler under "discussion was the Government Tenants Improvement Bill, and, as usual, the House of Commons found that the members for Ireland were the most divided on the subject. The Bill has for its object the lending of money to tenants for the purpose of improving their farms, but as this does not suit the ideas of those members who are for an Act compelling landlords to grant long leases, we are likely to have an almost endless discussion on the matter. As it is, the debate last night was principally occupied in a discussion of an army purchase system. Mr. Trevelyan introduced the subject by proposing a resolution condemning the system, and re-de-livered one of the old speeches as to its evil effects. Nothing new was said by either side, and the usual result followed, the resolution being awfully beaten. While talking of Ireland we are reminded that the Fenian prisoners are now being tried by a special commission. The . trials are not exceedingly interesting; in fact the only thing that renders them at all attractive is the evidence given by the informers, some of whom were " generals" in the army of the Irish Republic. They give us at last a full description of how the Fenians, with 6,000. muskets, proposed to wrest Ireland from the hated English. Still, there was considerable skill displayed in the organisation of the affair, for conspiracy it can scarcely be called, it being so absurd. The great vexation of it is the. v frightful expense to which it has put. the country. "'•■-.■,•:■• ■-.'; >:_ I wonder whether Mr. Balwin, the pugi- , ;-, list, who was to have ; met. and fought hra friend Mr. Wormald for £400, last Satur- , : day, is 'a Fenian. Certainly he i displayed -! Fenian valour by absenting, himself from v the' battle field/ . The whole affaw.M sb 1 ridiculous I cannot help telling yoVofit.; You. know that in a former letter I men

tioned that these two artiste bad consented * to spoil each other, and last Saturday was fixed upon aa the clay for their noble deeds!. The arrangements were stated to be "beautiful," and certainly had the effect of drawing together a large crowd of battered j ■ visage "gentlemen" who paid £>2 to. be taken to the trysling place. Arrived there, lo and behold! only one of the competitors made his appearance, Mr. Baldwin not being discoverable. After the usual amount of bad language had been expended, this select party returned to their starting place, : only to discover that the missing gladiator had been quietly stowed away under a dark arch to^avoid the tender mercies of the police, who had declared they would spoil the; little game by arresting him. His j backer, it appears, placed him there in a cab, and in his excitement forgot all about him, going off himself in the train. The " result is that Mr. Wormald, without exchanging a blow, has become possessed of £400, a piece of fortune seldom falling to the lot of a pugilist now-a-days. The " fancy" are terribly incensed at losing their "treat." _______ *