The New York Herald Newspaper, April 24, 1867, Page 6

6 EW YORK HERALD. JAMES GORDON BENNETT, PROPEI BOR. JAMES CORDON BENNETT, JR, MANAGER. BROADWAY AND ANN STREET. + Ne. 114 AMUSEMENTS THD AFTERNOON AND EVENING, BROADWAY THEATRE, Broadway, near Broome street. —Li ATTLB BaRgroor. RK THEATRE, Broadway, New Y Diol Fas Sachen inte, ON; Tau Oaeu OM war Barres LOMDIN om 75 Tiawe RoPs, AN STADT THEATRE, 41 Bowery.— seue Mamounx um Kz Mas-Dut Maxuriavosszar. LUNG OLYMPIC THEA’ Broadway.—La Somnamavis. ‘Matinee at Fwo Glock Daxsiee Peeanoura. ‘Dorouman. L Mz. G. ‘W. Mongax's Ongaw Mazunzn at Two 0’ IRVING anes Irving piace.—Ma. Mas. How: Pavt's Granp FaRewai, m Goervus. age , opposite Tas < GAN FRANCTSOO MINSTRELS, 5% Some Grecia, Dasccne' ane Bi Coon—L' ArRiCcaINE, KELLY & eee. MINSTRELS. 720 Broadway, sitethe New tatty Pa 2 Sona, Dances. ‘nooen- ‘TRICITIRG, i—MaDacascaR Bast pont FIFTH AVENUE OPERA maven Nos. 2and 4 West Twenty-fourth astreet,—G: es & Cunistr's Mrvsteeys.— Ermoriux Mineremisy, Battaps, Buruesques, 4¢.—Tus Biack Croox—Ronzrr Macaine. TONY PASTOR'S OPERA HOUSE, 201 Bowery.—Coxrc Vocatism. Necro Minstaecsy, Buevesques, Batter Diver- Tissement, &c.—Tux FORTY FRMALe Jack "ARDS. Matinee ai 235 o'Clock. CHARLEY WHITE'S COMBINATION TROUPE, at Mechanics’ Hall, 472 Broadway—In a Vantery or Licat anp Lavcuasie Exteetainments.—Tus Maskep Bari. HOOLEY'S OPERA HOUSE, Brooklyn.—Eraioriay Mix- emetsy, BaLiaps anp BURLESQUES. THR BUNYAN TABLEAUX, Union Hall. corner of ‘Twenty-third street and Broadway, at 8.—Movina Mir- Rox OF THE Pionim’s | PROGRESS—SIxTE Magmivioext Scares. Matinee Wednesday and Saturday at 3 o'clock. NEW YORE MUSEUM OF ANATOMY, 618 Brosdway.— Hyap axp Ricut ARM or Pronst—Tum Wasitnatox co Woxpens iy Natunat, Hisrony, Science AnD mounts Daity, Open from 8 A.M, till 10P, M. TRIPLE SHEET. New York, Wednesday, April 24, 1867. REMOVAL. The New York Heratp establishment is now located in the new Hxeraup Building, corner of Broadway and Ann street. NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS. Advertisers will please bear in mind that in order to have their advertisements properly classi- fied they should be sent in before half-past eight o’clock in the evening. THE NEWS. EUROPE. The news report by the Atlantic cable is dated yester- day evening, April 23. Prussia and France were on the eve of war, and it was considered almost impossible that peace could be pre- served. Prussia was quietly arming, and appeared to wait the sbock. Marshal MacMahon has arrived in Paris from Algeria, where he ruled as Governor General, by command of Napoleon. Furioughs are declared at an end in Franco, and the army reserves are ordered to drill. The London Stock Exchange was agitated towards a financial panic at one period of the day, in consequence of the war aspect on the Continent Mr, Gladstone is censured by the English liberals for bis ‘* mismanagement” of the reform cause. Consols closed at 90%, for money, in London, with the market quiet and steady. United States five-twenties closed at 69 in London and 737% in Frankfort. The Liverpool Cotton Market was very dull at the close, with prices tending downward; Middling Upland rating at 10% pence. Breadstuffs quiet. Provisions quiet. THE CITY. The election for delegates to the State Constitutional Convention took place yesterday, and the result will be found in another column. The Japanese Commissioners who are in this city were waited upon by Mr. R, T.Chilion, of the State Depart- ment, yesterday, and tendered a hearty welcome on be- baif of the President, who, he said would be willing to receive immediately any communication they might wish to make, The principal Commissioner answered that they would go to Washington on Friday, when they would make known their business to the President, the purport of which they thought would be of mutual bene- fit to the two countries. The government commission on life saving inventions went down the bay yesterday, on the revenue cutter Kankakee, and tested @ number of life boats aad tog signals. In the Saporior Court, Part 1, yesterday, in the caso of Charles T, Prescott ot al. v8. Charles D, Fredericks and another, which was an action to recover $2,500 damages for injuries sustained by the billiard saloon and furnt- ture of the plaintiffs in consequence of the defendants’ neglect to carry out an agreement made with them, the jary brought in a veraict for ithe plamtits for $918 33. The plaintiffs ocoapy @ building next to defendants on Broadway and allowed thom to remove the southerly ‘wail of their house in order to build party wall, and in return for this permission the defendants agreed to take proper precautions to guard their property from dam- age. For the alloged neglect to do so the present suit was brought, The stock market was firm sey and closed strong. Gold closed at 153. There was some irregularity in the morchandise market yestorday—bus on the whole there was no especial change. Imported goods were generally frm. Groceries wore irregular, sugar being firmer, while coifee was lower—the concession inducing considerable business Cotton was lower, Petroleum was dull and lower. On ‘Change choice grades of flour aud wheat were firm, while common were heavy and jower, Corn was more active and higher on account of the war rumors. Pro- visions were somewhat irregular, but generally ciosed firm. Freights ruled exceeding quiet, but rates were firm. Whiskey was dull and nominal. Naval stores were generally unchanged. Wool was dull and heavy, Mexican papers say that Maximilian attempted to Fetreat from Quordtaro on the 26th of March, his general ‘officers only accompanying him, He was compelled to Put back, howover, a column of liberals under Riva Palacio having occupied the road. It is reported that Marquez, Quiroga and Vidaurri succeeded in making their escape, The steamer Blackbird, which carried afr. Seward's messenger to Juarez to intercede for Maxi- milian, put into Brazos out of coal, and would have to land the messenger at Tampico, Our files from Venezuela contain the information that Congress opened om the Lith of March. The subject of American claims against Venezueia it wag expected would be discussed, and an amicable arrangement agreed upon, Gon. Blanco, the President of the Senate, in bis opening spoech said that the restoration of Colombia to its former limits by annexing Ecuador was impossile, and that New Grenada was the natural and unfailing r.val of Venezuela, Additional details of the late revolution im Aayti are taken from the Jamaica papers. A decree was issued by tho Revolutionary Committee on the 17th of March, Danishing Goffrard, his family and all his ministers for. ever from the territory, confiscating their property, and authorizing any citizen to punish them for treason if they return, Another docreo was published on the 13th alt, dismissing all officers who did not take an ac- tive part in the revolution, Gen. Saget had accepted the Provisional Presidency, and Salnave had been lected President. The latter arrived at Cape Haytien on the 27th ult, and was enthasiastically received. It 2 mppoeed that he will immediately declare wag NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1867.—TRIPLE SHEET: against St Domingo, President Cabral being his bitter enewy. The Indian war appears to have opened vigorously. The Cheyenne Indians, after their consultation with General Hancock, captured and burned Lookout Station, about three bundred miles east of the Smoky Hill Route, and scalped three employes of the United States Express Company. General Hancock lost their trail at Fort Zara, and on surrounding their late camp found it deserted. A government train was captared near Fort Mitchell, in Dakota, and one hundred mules were stolen . A motion was filed in the Crimimal Court at Washing- ton yesterday by Surratt’s counsel praying that some ay be designated for his tnal, Judge Fisher signified ‘that he would like for the trial to take piace on the 27th of May. The District Attorney said he could not be ready before the 18th of June, and the prisoner's coun- eel then gave notice that they would be ready to pro- ceed with the trial on the 20th of May. ‘The floods in the Northwest are unabeted. St. Paul, ‘Minnesota, is partially overflowed, and the Minnesota Valley Railroad is badly damaged by the flood in the Upper Mississippi. The waters in the Missouri! and Platte rivers are also out of their banks, although slowly wabelding im the latter. In Canada East the ice is still firm, and a flood in the St. Lawrence and St. Maurice rivers hes flooded the towns of Three Rivers and Ber- thier. Much distress prevailed, the people of Three Rivers being compelled to take retage in the City Hall. Senator Wilson’s speech in Richmond is severely de- nounced by the ultra rebel papers of that clty, one of which calis him a “‘red handed political misstonary."” General Sickles has treued an order placing the police forees of his district under command of the post com- manders when necessary to preserve the public peace. Goneral Swayne commmanding the sub-district of Alabama, has issued an order amending the apprentice laws, enforcing the repeal of the Vagrant law, and abolishing chain gangs. Mr, Wendell Phillips delivered a lecture last evening in the Brooklyn Academy of Music before a large audi- ence on the subject of “National Affairs.” A telegram trom the President of the Western Trans- portation Company at Buffalo officially announces the resumption of the navigation onthe lakes. Tho Straits of Mackinaw are also open. A colored individual named Ash was elected one of the commissioners of Plymouth, N.C., at an election held there recently. He is considered one of the best selections that could have been made, and as part of his Policy he has deciared that he will oppose the arming of negroes for fear they might shoot a negro accidentally instead of a white man. The ice bridge opposite Quebec remains firm, and an attempt will be made if it does not move goon, to blow it it up with gunpowder. A Violent tornado swept over Newton, Sussex county, N. J., on Monday, doing considerable damage. France and Prussia. Onr cable news for the last few days relating to the Franco-Prussian difficulty has been in the last degree exciting. The Luxemburg question, which has towered into huge propor- tions, has been the all-absorbing topic of dis- cussion. In all the money centres—in Paris, in London, in Frankfort—stocks have been rising or falling, according as war appeared more or less imminent. One telegram informs us that war is inevitable and that the money market is dull. The next telegram encourages the hope that peace may be preserved and that the money market is more buoyant, Thus day after day has suspense been maintained and anxiety deepened. As the case now stands it may be thus stated: The Emperor Napoleon is determined that Luxemburg shall be a French fortress, at least that it shall not be Prussian; Count Bis- marck is determined that Luxemburg shall be aGerman fortress under Prussian control, at leqst that it shail not be French, and the other great Powers, anxious to preserve peace joint- ly, propose a plan by which the diffi- culty may be got over and peace pre- served. What that plan is we have not been told. We only know that while Napo- leon is willing to accept the proposed arrangement Bismarck disapproves of it. Peace yesterday was almost despaired of, and on the London Stock Exchange the ten- dency was to financial panic. A late cable despatch which we print in this morning’s Heratp announces the arrival in Paris of Marshal McMahon, Duke of Magenta, from Algeria, and that all furloughs are to be ended and the reserves drilled. Negotiations had not been broken off, but war preparations on both sides were being hurried forward with all possible rapidity. So the matter now stands. Our next telegram may bring us the intelli- gence that the difficulty has been got over, or that the two largest, best disciplined and best equipped armies ot modern times have met in moriai conflict, and that war is raging on the ancient baitle field of Europe. In the absence, however, of positive evidence to the contrary, we are unwilling to believe that the mediation of the other great Powers will be in vain. The ostensible question at issue is not of sufficient importance to justity a war which, if once begun, is all but certain to sweep, coaflagration-like, over the length and breadth of Europe, and to prove more disastrous than blissful in its consequences. All fire is destructive, but all fire is not purifying. It is the same with war. Some wars benefit while they destroy; but some wars are destructive only. There is no doubt a question of right involved in the Luxemburg affair ; but in the interests of man- kind at large it is a matter of comparative fasignificance whether the fortress shall con- tinue to be the property of the King of Hol- land, or remain in the hands of Prussia, or be banded over to France. The inhabiiants of the duchy are the parties most immediately interested ; but war, if it be commenced, will neither be begun carried on in their interests ; nor wishes inany way be advanced by the” whatever the result may be. ee What chiefly lends interest to Sty question and invests it to a certain extent with world- wide importance is the bearing which it has on the Fefative chances of success of the two great political schemers of the age. The game, which is yet far from concluded, bas been long and keenly played. How it is to end it is ex- tremely difficult to say. The probabilities are so numerous that he would be a bold man who should venture to tell beforehand on which side victory was to lean. If Prussia and France should go to war on this Luxem- burg question, it may hasten the final issue. If this difficulty is got over and peace maintained for the present, the issue may be delayod, but the diplomatic struggle will not the less con- tinue. Prussia and France have openly assumed the attitude of antagonists; on both sides fecl- ings have been embittered and passions roused; nor, 80 long as Napoleon and Bis- marck preside over the respective nations, do we see how & collision is to be ultimately avoided. War alone can determine tho rela- tions which new Germany and old France are to sustain to each other. Sooner or later war will be felt to be a necessity. But this Lux- emburg matter is not a casus belli which public opinion will sanction for the present or history jastify in the fature. We conclude as we began. Weare uuwill- ing to abandon the hope that peace may be maintained; but it will not surprise us to learn at the earliest moment that the first shock of arms has been felt It may, we think, be safely doubted whether either Napoleon or Bis- marck is, in present circumstances, personally desirous of war; but a necessity is laid upon both the one and the other which neither is able to master. Napoleon has the the consolidation of Germany on hand, and peace is necoasary to its success, But the proud spirit of the French people is roused and refuses to submit to farther insult; the Ger- man populations are united as one man against the alienation of one inch of the territory of the Fatherland; and it is by no means impoe- sible that the interests of the Exposition will have to be abandoned by the one and consoli- dation plans given up by the other, in obe- dience to the force of deeply roused popular feeling. A compromise, and therefore peace, is still possible; but the possibility does not sppear to increase as time advances. ‘Tho Election Youterday—The State Constitu- tional Convention. ‘The vote yesterday was very light all through the State, indicating that the people generally took very little fiterest in the eleo- tion. In this city and in Kings county all the democrats were elected. The aggregate vote here was probably leas than forty thou- sand, and in Kings it was about twenty-five thousand. Among the defeated candidates is Henry Ward Beecher, who ran behind his ticket. We give elsewhere a list of the dele- gates elected, in which a few alterations may be made by later figures, but which is in the main correct, It gives the re- publicans one hundred and four dele- gates, and the democrats fifty-six. The republicans are by their voluntary act thus made answerable for the work of the Con- vention. They cannot evade the responsi- bility. The people will look to them for such a constitution as will remove the evils of an elective judiciary, increase the power and re- sponsibility of the Executive of the State, and give to the city of New York an efficient gov- ernment. The expense of holding the Conven- tion will be heavy, and it will be a dead loss to the taxpayers if its work should be rejected by the populur vote in November next. The demo crats are in a minority too insignificant to enable them to work any mischief without republican aid. It is therefore incumbent upon the repub- licans to offer to the State a sound and liberal constituiion, in keeping with the progress of theage. If they neglect this duty the people will reject their work, and will repudiate their party as well. Our Commercial Relations With Japan. ‘When the first Japanese embassy arrived in New York enthusiastic speculations were indulged in in regard to the intimate commer- cial relations which it was likely to open up between the two countries. Some seven or eight years have elapsed since then, but these hopes have only been partially realized. Owing to the exclusive policy of the Japanese government difficulties of one kind or another have supervened, and it is only by slow de- grecs and by an occasional resort to force that they have at length been overcome. The people themselves, more enterprising and less prejudiced than the Chinese, have been ready to trade with us; but, restrained by the tram- mels of a rigid despotism, they have not been allowed to develop such of their indus’rial and other resources a8 would have enabled them to consume largely of European and American products in return. Their exportations have been almost entirely confined to silk and tea, and of these they have shipped only small quantities, Wi.h the replacement by more liberal minded rulers of the Daimios, who advocated this re- striciive system, th-re has come a change of policy. Thore now appears to be a dis- posilion to extend commercial intercourse with other nations, but more particularly with this country. The arrival in New York of a second embassy would in itself be a sufficiently satisfactory indication of this improved condition of fecling, but it is rendered more positive by the character of the insiructions given to it. The Japanese govern- ment, it seems, has formed such a high esti- mate of our commercial and industriai enter- prise, as well as of our naval and military systems, that it has ordered its commissioners to devote themselves to a careful study of our institutions. The effect of all this will be to develop in its turn the interaal resources of their own empire, and to enable it to export such a variety of products as will largely ex- tend its trade with us. We are preparing ourselves for the brilliant commercial future opening fo us in connec- tion with China and Japan by multiplying our means of direct communication with those countries, Already we havea monthly line of steamers running to their principal ports, and before long we shall have . weekly ones, The Pacific railad will com- plete the chain of connection, and then their — instead of having to!make poi g de ts A ee seers et aa sea E denpee over land. One great saviig of expense my will be effected by the change will be that made by the facility of dropping the goods at inter- mediate places of consumption, thus econo- mizing the long sea freights which at present add so much to their cost, Centrally situated as is the port of New York in relation to the commerce of the two hemigphores, and serving as it eventually will as the medium of the trade of Europe with the East, our city will before many years become the greatest commercial entrepét that the world has ever known. —_ ‘The Capture of Puebla. The capture of Puebla by the French army ot intervention opened tip gates of the Mexi- can capital to Maximilién and started poor Juarez and the republi¢ Northward to the extreme border town of El Paso, whore, upon five minutes’ notice, ho sould bo over on the soil of the United States, ind safe enough from Frenoh, Austrians, Belgians, Turcos, Bgyptians or renegade Mexicans. Now the tables are: turned, and the recapture of Pucbla by the republic, under the retuming Juares, not only cuts off Maximiliaa from his capital, but shuts him up in Queréiaro, beyond the last visible chance of escape. Thus it may be said that the late cxperimental empire bloomed and wilted at Pyobla, | the opareaicnas end sefpty of the people. Prussia Ambitious ef Becoming a Naval Power. Prussia is not content with having suddenly risen to its high rank as a military nation. It aspires to become also @ naval Power. Its only coast line is on the Baltic, and extends but five hundred and fifteen miles, The sea being shallow near the coast, and full of shift- ing sand banks, there are but few good har bors, except Stralsund, Colberg and ‘Dantsic. Yet the coasting and foreign commerce carried on from the twenty ports on the Baltic, of which Dantsic, Pillau, Elbing, Memel, Stral- sund and Stettin are the most important, had been largely developed before the recent war, and the inland navigation trade of Prussia with its river systems, and with its numerous artificial water courses, had be- come very considerable. The commercial marine, including river steamers, increased from 953 vessels, of 278,250 tons, in 1854, to 1,326 vessels of 339,442 tons on January 1, 1861, and the number of steamers from twenty-nine to eighty-five within the same period. The rate of increase has since been proportionately rapid. But buresucratism has no doubt checked instead of encouraged the development of the commercial marine of Prussia, if we may judge by a ourious example of its interference with inland navigation cited by our Berlin correspondent The ordi- nance regulating the river transports on the Upper Oder requires the locks to be closed at acertain period of the winter and to be re- opened on the Ist of April. This year the ex- traordinary rise of the water, the floating ice and the swell of waves are endangering some seventy river transports at Oderberg, the cap- tains of which are compelled to run the risk of total loss because the lock master, adhering stoutly to the printed regulations, refuses to let them pass below, where they would be in complete safety. In their distress the captains have petitioned the Minister of Commerce for an order from him to the lock master; but it is doubtful whether Mr. Von Itzenplitz will grant it, or, if he does, whether it will not be too late, inasmuch as winds and waves are not in the habit of dancing attendance in the ante- chambers of a Minister of State. The Prussian navy, which in its infancy in 1861, consisting of only fif e vessels, car- rying two hundred and sixty-five guns, has not since been greatly increased. But our Berlin correspondent annountes on good au- thority that the Prussian government intends to lay before the North German Parliament a detailed memorial respecting the necessity of 8 powerfal federal navy, and to apply for the means to purchase several Monitors, steam frigates and corvettes from the United States government. The Prussian battalion of marines is to be increased forthwith to a regiment, and the whole naval establishment augmented in proportion. Two new screw corvettes of twenty-eight guns each are to be built this year in the docks of Dantzic, and a number of heavy guns for the Naval Department have been completed and delivered at the arsenal, being partly intended for Prussian Monitors and partly for strand batteries. Prussia has, moreover, ordered for her own account a Monitor of the largest size, to be built in the United States, and Captain Werner, of the Royal navy, has been sent over to super- intend the finish of the work. Negotiations are pending with a great shipbuilding firm in Glasgow for a similar purpose. According to our advices from China to the 17th of February, the navy of Prussia has already signified its vitality in far distant seas. At that date a Prussian war vessel was in port at Shanghae, the naval visit having for its object the attainment of a strip of land on the island of Formosa for the use of the Berlin government. Our Berlin corre- spondent, however, believes that the establish- ment of anavy fora nation of thirty millions can only be the work of years, and that fora long period the German fleet must remain far inferior to the fleets of other European Powers, whose annual marine budgets show such stately figures for 1865 as :—Russia, twenty- nine millions; France, forty-three and a halt millions, and England, sixty-seven millions, while the highest figure that Prussia thinks of proposing for the present does not exceed ten million thalers. ‘ If the navies and armies of Europe should be engaged in a general war, the first per- ceptible effect on this side of the Atlantic might be only slight fluctuations in the price of gold. But what a flood of consequences would soon ensue! Judging by what England gained to our loss during the four years of our civil war, and by what the North itself gained in the prodigious development of in- dustry, wealth and power, the results of a European war would be immensely to our material advantage. What an impulse would be given to American production and manu- factures, to our export trade, to the value of United States securities abroad, to immigra- tion—in a word, to the mainspring of every form of national prosperity! The great Euro- pean steamship lines, such as the Messageries Impériales of France, the Austrian Lloyds, the Peninsular and Oriental, the Cunard, the Inman, the National Steam Navigation, and the other lines, together with the entire marine of oe might be swept from the 36as, aD States would have the carrying world. The City Hall Park, the Post Office and the City Railroads, If the new Post Office is really to be built in the City Hall Park some stepe should be taken at once to improve the Park and insure the re- moval of existing nuisances. It would be well if some arrangement could be made with the general government by which the Post Office building could be set further back in the Park than the present plan contemplates, so that space might be allowed for architectural dis- play and convenience. The trees and grass plats should be removed altogether, and « paved plaza should take the place of the pro- sent apology for a park. If the Post Office could be built far enough back to admit of fine open space in front it would be a very de- sirable improvement, The city railroads should stop on the upper side of the now Post Office and have a convenient opon space there for a streot depot. At present, crowding down to Broacway and across Ann strect, they are a public nuisance and « serious incorvenience and danger to pedestrians. If we are to have & Post Office in the Park at all let the arrange- ments bo made in a sensible manner and with some regard to the appearance of the city and The Indian Troublee—Hostilities Imminent. Active operations of a serious nature have actually begun on the plains, and the next news heard may be the destruction of the flying Cheyennes by Custer’s cavalry, unless, indeed, these fagitives have the art to draw their pur- suers into an ambush and repeat in part the Fort Phil Kearney massacre. It seems that the Indians did not like the tone of what was said to them by General Hancock on the 12th inst., reported in our special correspondence pub- lished a few days ago. General Hancock said he bad heard that “they had proposed to stop travel on the roads. If they did this they would do wrong, and the Great Father in Wash- ington would be angry and hit them hard.” This was said to deputation which came to FortLarned, and was reported by the deputation to the tribe, no doubt ; and when General Han- cock, starting next day, pushed on to the Chey- enne villages, they were found deserted. The Indians were not disposed to hear any more, or their awaiting the advent of the troops might be inconsistent with some arrangement pre- viously made with the tribes, The tendency of Indian thought in these dis- turbed times may be seen in what was said at the above conference by a leader named Tall Bear, who confined himself mainly to the Gen- eral’s declaration that the Indian must in cer- tain circumstances depend upon the wiiite man for food. Tell Bear indicated a difficulty. “He bad made his treaties and had kept them. The buffalo were becoming scarce. They had never been so scarce as during the past win- ter. The white man had made them scarce. When the Indian was hungry he had gone to the fort for food. The officer in command had told him he would shoot him if he came to the fort.” That, as Tall Bear saw it, is the way the white man is to feed the Indian—he comes to the fort for bread and gets bullets. Now Tall Bear put the case very moderately. We alluded a few days since to the way in which the massacre of December was brought about, and to the habit of assuming that In- dians are animated by hostile intentions and shooting them when they come in sight. There is no doubt our officers have gone farther than merely making such threats as that Tall Bear alluded to. The government is thus enabled to see one place where our Indian relations may be greatly improved by so simple a measure as appointing only men of discretion and calm judgment to frontier posts. While the Indian difficulties thus seem to threaten immediate hostilities in one direction, we are glad to note, on the other hand, by the news from General Sulley’s commission, that its conference with a division of the Sioux promises the best results. The agreement of this divi- sion to accept the policy of the government and go on reservations isan important point, and may yet influence all our Indian relations for better or worse, as the policy is wisely or indiscreetly carried out. City Real Estate Sales—A Decided Reform. By order of the Commissioners of the Sinking Fand Comptroller Richard B, Connolly sold on Monday last a quantity of real estate belong- ing to the city. For some years past similar sales have been managed in such a manner as to enrich a few favored individuals, who have Rae es os aan ie ER cate FE thecal Rien ae RRM al lier aetna EIS ES a a ee being at war with Chile, had reason to believe that the Tornado, on her way from England to South America, was intended to become a Chilean Alabama. The history of British neu- trality encouraged the suspicion and Spain seized the ship—Hine ille lachryme. England’s bad character among nations was the basis of Spain’s act, and if now British men-of-war should be employed to bombard in Spanish ports the warehouses of British owners it will only be a great piece of abstract justice, a fine case of destiny ® poisoned chalice to the lips of the one that mixed the draught. ‘The Paris Exposition. ‘The catalogue of the French Exhibition, of which an English copy has just reached us, makes a formidable volume. It is fuller in its classification than that of the London Exhibi- tion; but it would seem to us, from a cursory exe amination of them, that this fulness is obtaineg at an expense of space which the character or; ‘| the articles exhibited hardly compensates for, We could have wished, for example, that ig place of the immense amount of room accorded to ordinary agricultural products, there had been more given to works of art and architeo- tural designs. Group number one, which is ‘composed mainly of art models, occupies but eleven pages for all of the countries. exhibiting. We know that this limitation” of space was not occasioned by insufficiency of contributions; for in the case of this country great dissatisfaction has been manifested in re- gard to the exclusion of works that would have been a credit to us. When we mention that room could not be found for a specimen picture of such an artist as De Haas, it will be ad- mitted that but very poor discretion has been exercised in the arrangement of this depart- ment. Ifa portion of the wall room devoted in group number two to photographic speci- mens had been allocated to purely fine aré purposes, a much more satisfactory show of pictures from the different continental and American schools would have been secured. Photographic epecimens have become posi+ tive nuisances in these industrial exhibitions. Only firms that confine themselves to purely mechanical results that contribute them. Those which combine with them artistic features of a high character will not exhibit in a special classification. They choose either to have a; place in the ‘fine art department, or none at all, This is why, we presume, we miss the names of Mr. Brady and others of our leading American photographers from the catalogue. In group three (classification of clocks and watches) we notice with regret the absence of specimens of a branch of American manufac- ture which, although only of comparatively recent birth among us, is already producing: results of the most satisfactory character. The. watches manufactured by the Waltham Com- pany are certainly, so far as strength, dura- bility and excellence as timekeepers are con- cerned, as good as anything produced by the French or Swiss manufacturers. In nearly all the other groups where we expected to find a large display of American products, because we excel in those particu- lar branches, there is to be noticed a similar absence of well known names. Our leading manufacturers seem to have taken but litile enjoyed the good fortune to be inside the ring, at the expense of the people. The mode of operation has been, fitst, to lease the property at such low rates as to convey a false impres- sion of its value, and next, to keop the date of sale and the descriptive list as private as possitle. Comptroller Connolly has reformed all this, and the good effect is scen in the result of Monday’s sale. The largest publicity was given by that officer to the auction; the build- ings and lots were fully described, and their advantages pointed out, and the same efforts were put forth to insure cumpctition and good prices as would have been made if the property had been owned by private parties. This is a decided and happy reform, for which the tax- payers ought to be grateful in these days of offi- cial corruption. It also shows the advantage of advertising and the value of the press. If the sale had not been advertised and discussed the property inight have fetched only half its appraised value, instead of more than the esti- mates called for. One of the principles of our government, and it is a good one, is that everything should be done openly and above board. The people have a right to know all that is going on. The other day the United States Senate made a great fuss and bother over the Heratp finding out all about the treaty for Russian America, and everything else that had been going on in executive session. This is all nonsense. The free discussions of the press are worth more to the country than the secret deliberations of any number of fossil politicians. There is no certainty that the Russian American treaty would not have been beaten in the Senate, had not the Heratp, by giving it publicity, elicited an irresistible popular expression in its favor. Comptroller Connolly has set a good example in giving the people full and timely notice of the sales of city property, and the benefit of his action is seen in the fact that all the lots sold have realized their outside value. If the new Post Office site in the City Hall Park, privately bargained away by Mayor interest in the Exhibition; and if we were familiar enough with those of other countries. to enable us to analyze the list properly we would probably find that the same indifference exists abroad. Where there is a noticeable amplification over the catalogues of former exhibitions is in the contributions from the Asiatic countries, These, however, are made up of such few articles that they do not com- pensate for the deficiencies in the European departments, which we were led to expect would be unusually opulent in contributions, Altogether, the catalogue bears out the im- pressions of disappointment derived from the first inspection of the building. It justifies us in pronouncing the Emperor’s “ pot project’? a magnificent failure. The War Chances and the Neutral Powers, in Europe. The telegraphic despatches from Europe for the past few days point to the probability of interference by certain neutral nations in the complicity which threatens to lead to war. It is insinuated that an effort will be made to patch up the difficulty. Now, assuming that Prussia and France are disposed to go to war, we should like to know what Powers are likely to interfere, with any effect, to prevent the contest? It is not to be presumed that Russia will enter a protest against it, because we can hardly believe that the French alliance with England in the Crimean war is forgotten at St. Petersburg. There are memories which a decade cannot easily wipe out. In case of a war between France and Prussia it is not at all improbable that Russia would be found at the back of the latter country, refreshed by the recollections of Sebastopol, and French victo- ries won there. England is too old-womanish and too shaky just now to exercise any in- fluence in continental affairs. She has enough to do with her domestic troubles, and even if she were disposed to proffer 8 friendly media- tion, her interference would probably be re- | jected with contempt. It would undoubtedly ! Hoffman and his fellow operators for five hun- dred thousand dollars, had been advertised and disposed of at public auction, it would have bi to the city treasury from three to five millions of dollars. The property sold on Monday by Comptroller realized over eight hundred and pra free Ragland and Spain—The Consequences of Britioh Neutrality. British men-of-war have been ordered to a Spanish port to give weight to the demand of the British government in regard to the case of the Tornado. Britain demands and threat- be argued that a country which caanot govern its own people and is actually in a state of progressive revolution has no business to in- terfere with the question of peace or war be- tween other nations. We do not see very clearly, then, from wha” quarter mediation is to come between Prussia and France, if Prassia is resolved to bring about a quarrel; and we should not be at all to hear within a week or so of a movement of hostile armies towards the Rhine. The telegraphic straws apparently show that the wind is blowing in that direction. ‘The®Cendition of the Streets. We had occasion to complain continually of the condition of the streets when they were , delivered up to the @nder mercies of Brown, Devoe & Knapp, of unhealthy memory. Under the new régime we were led to expect a better state of things; but we do not find our expectations realized. It is said that the streets of London are in « disgraceful condidion ; but, if we except Broadway, which, being a great public thoroughfare end liable to constant oriticiem, is kept in @ decent condition, the sireots of New York are no better than those ofLondon. Many of our side streets, for ex~ ample, are in a horrible state of filth, notwith- standing the fact, as we are told, that eighty, thousand loeds ef dirt have been carted away within a short period. It would require the removal of several. thousand maga loeda of