OUR PARIS LETTER.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1532, 14 April 1887, Page 2

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(FJROM OTJB PARIS CORRESPONDENT.) Paris, February 15. The following interesting selections ate from the voluminous letter received by ue under the above date from our Parie correspondent : — EQUAL TO VENISON. Gourmetß are perhaps not aware that the fleah of an old donkey that haa died a natural death Is equal to venlaon. So at least a witness, affirmed m the trial of a man at Erreun for fraudulently selling the one for the other. The purchaser of a hauaoh of the animal Bftld — "Although 1 was told that I had eaten donkey for deer I could not believe that I had been deceived. The meat waa excellent and just like venison that I tasted fifteen years ago ." Other wltnesaea affirmed that It had a delicate flavor of venison. The defendant waa nevertheless sentenced to two > montha' Imprisonment, THE LA^E PRINCE DE WAaRAM. Priuco de Wagram has just died m Paris, aged 77 He waa the son of Barthier, one of Napoleon's great marshals, and when Peer of France under the Monarchy of July he refused to alt on the trial of Prince Louia Napoleon for the attempted rising at Boulogne. He was a senator under tha Second Empire, and was allied by marriage to the Empress of Austria, Queen of Naples, Counteßß Trani, and Counteau d' Alencon. He married m 1832 a daughter of Count Clary, coualn of the King of Sweden. By this union he had three children. One of his two daughtera became Princess Murat, who reoently died, and the other Countess Guy de Turenne, Hia son Prlnoe Alexander de Wagram, married Mile Bertha de Rothschild. SCIENIIFIO. M. Paul Vibert has delivered a moßt interesting lecture at the Salle d*s Conferences m Paris, on the Mawai tribep, m Central Africa. He showed that they are by no means the f erooioua savages generally j supposed, and that travellers may safely penetrate to the very hearb of the countty provided they carry with them a sufficient number of trinkets. Some of the woman of the tribe adorn themielves with gewgaws weighing from 10 to 12 kilos, and enterpriaing travellers who wish to go and come m safety must make up their minds to load some fifty ranks with presents whioh thoy are expeoted to offer as passports from tribe to tribe. Referring to South Oran, M. Yibert insisted on the importance of opening up extended railway communications m the interest of trade, and showed that raarahal Bugeaud's idea that the country is only superficially dry and tbat artificial oases may be opened up m all directions has latterly been confirmed. He contended that theae manifest signs of oivillßation will exerolee an important kfluonoa on the nomad tribes, and will at the came time lead to an extroardinary development of European trade. The lecture was one of the moat eloquent and convincing ever delivered at the Salle des Conference. A gold medal has been awarded by the Paris Geographical Society to Mr Joseph Martin for hia exploration m Siberia, across the Stanavoi mountains and m the unknown region between the Lena and the Amoor, spreading over t» period of five years. He haa brought home a valuable collodion illustrating the natural hißtory and productianß of the coantry, whioh will be exhibited at the Tmoadero. He traversed a distance of 1,600 miles through a desert of ice and anovr m whioh there was no trace of human habitations. M. Martin has promised to give an acoount of hin joarney at the next meeting of the Geographical Society. PRANCE AND THB EGYPTIAN QCJSSTION. M. Soberer, m tha Temps, haa addressed some observations to the French press on the manner m which t'ae Egyptian question has been ao far treated 9 in Franco. On the obj jet to be attained, he remarker, there can De no divergence of views, foe it may be taken for granted that the taßk of Europe ia to protect the Egyptian Government againol revolutionary acts, to preserve order, and to enable the oouutrj to meet ita financial engagements But while all agree on the end the question of the means has never been agitated, and all the clever inventors of schemes, so prolific m projects for solving other problamß, hive never taken this one m hand. France, should not, he .main tain?, confine herEelf to complaining of the pregsnee of the Engliuh m E>ypfc, but should also have an opinion of her own as to the means by which Egypt is to be evaouated. Her duty is not only to wait for tho rasolutiona of England and then criticize them with more or less illhumour and sarcasm, but to nsatat within the measure of her strength. To simply remain on the defensive and clamour at every moment for the evacuation la not a dignified nor a sagacious policy. France should have something to propose In place of the occupation, if she ia not convinced that Egypt, left to herself, will be able to walk alone. The French Government should have a reply ready to two ques*tionß. Wou'd Egypt, aftar the departure of the English be able to preserve order and to fulfil her engagements 1 And, if there is a danger of Egypt relapsing into anarchy what m the opinion of France are the means to avert that danger. He hoB read eloquent declamations on Egyptian affairs, but has never Been any serious attempts to examine m a statesmanlike manner the political difficulties left by the insurrection of Arabi Paaha. Fashion notes. One of the most marked features of the fashions durini? tho present aaaaon Is the almost complete suppression of the train In evening toilettes for young ladies, nor is it obligatory even for elderly wearers, except at the largest of balls or the grandeat of state or official dinnerß. This innovation haa probably beea greatly aided by (he adoption of light and aerial materiala for evening wear. A train m tulle ia not very practicable, and It Is certainly the roverae of durable. The earliest apring bonnets shown are In black lace and jet, lined and trimmed with satin m a brilliant pale green, which I color soema to have replaced the shades of red, that were bo popular last season. Fancy Btrawa are also shown, veiled m old pink or heliotrope gauze, and with a trimming of flowerß or of faille ribbon, corresponding m hue with the tulle or gauzß. The capote ahape is still m favor. A novel way of putting on the strings is to have them start from the centre of the crown, where they are held m place by an ornament m jat or tortoisoahell. Two very original entertainments have recently been given at prominent French houass. One waa a blrd's-head dinner party at whioh e»ch cne of the ladie3 had ler head arranged to represent that of a bird. The moat elegant one we* that of a peacock with the crest represented by an aigrette m diamonds, emeralds and sapphires. The moßt original head waa that of an owl, and the moat taateful that of a turtle dove. The othor entertainment waa a bezique party, at wh'ch the game w»b not played, but was represented by the guests who were dressed aa a pack of cards, Care had besn taken to have the King and Queen of eaoh suit represented by a married couple, bo that uaiformity of costume could be preserved. The queen of hearts waa arrayed m ruby velvet and roae-oolored satin, and the queon of clubs m black velvet and silver tiaauo. t The gueata who personated the common cards of ths pack were dressed, 1 either m black or toarlet, the gentlemen eaoh having the card fastened to a lapel of the coat, while each lady wore hers attached to her coraaue.