MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 14, 29 April 1871, Page 7

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

The official correspondence respecting the treaty of 1856 has just been laid before Parliament, and consists of 105 pages, containing 200 dispatches. Many of these, however, relate exclusively to the earlier stages of -the negotiations that succeeded the declaration of the Russian Government, and referring as they do to the preliminary steps taken with a view to the assembly of a Conference, possess but little interest now that the Conference has met, and that the subject in dispute may be supposed to be in the course of settlement. The difficulties that arose in connection with the attendance of a representative France seemed at one time on the point of being overcome ; but they reappeared in a fresh shape, and as the public are aware, the conference has met without any representative from France being present. In a note from Mr Odo Russel, dated January 15th, Earl Granville says that the difficulty which had been raised both at Versailles and at Paris with regard to a safe conduct for M. Favre was substantially a matter of' form, and that of either party if desirous of doing so, might easily have overcome it. Earl Granville had previously stated that Her Majesty’s Government considered it of importance that the Provisional Government should be represented at the conference; and that France should show that even at a time of temporary defeat she had not lost interest in questions of European interest, particularly in one in which she was so closely concerned. “ I should not,” he adds “ have consented to enter the Conference until France had been invited to attend.” Earl Granville refused, however, to allow the question of peace or war to be formally brought before the Conference, as the French Government wished, but at the same time stated that if the Plenipotentiary of France at the end of the proceedings; or of one of the sittings, thought fit to. introduce that question, he would not be interfered with. Another statement made by Lord Granville claims attention. When on November 9th, Baron Brunow handed to the Foreign Minister a circular explaining the reasons why the Emperor of Russia no longer considered himself bound by the special Convention limiting the naval forces of Russia in the Black Sea, Earl Granville declined, owing to the importance and suddenness of the communication, to make any reply at the time, and justified this course on the ground, that “ Her Majesty’s Government were determined to measure its words on all questions involving international difficulties, so that there might not be the slightest chance of its going beyond that to which it intended strictly to adhere.”

A.correspondent of the “Pall Mall Gazette’ ’ inside Paris states :—“ Paris has been very much astonished to learn that one of its pet heroes, Sergeant Hoff, was in reality a Bavarian lieutenant who was playing the part of a spy.. For a long time Hoff was the object of universal admiration. General Trochu conferred the Legion of Honor upon him for having slain over 30 Prussians. General Schmitz gave him an official bulletin, and he was interviewed by journalists. Hoff generally used to go out alone ai; night, and bring back helmets and muskets in proof of the amount of business he had performed. In looking back at some notes, I find that when that wily gentleman went out with a party he generally advanced alone, and the Prussian post was soon heard scampering off. On the 2nd of December, Hoff, much to the grief of his comrades, disappeared, and the Government was greatly blamed for having allowed such a valuable man to go into action like a common niortal. In some quarters it was considered that Hoff' should have replaced Trochu. When it was supposed that he had fallen, a subscription was raised for his disconsolate £ widow,’ which was carried to that lady with the greatest respect by our officers (reminding one of Monsieur. Malbrook’s funeral). To the astonishment of the military deputation, the first exclamation of the bereaved one on seeing men in uniform enter her apartment was, ‘I did’nt know he was a Prussian till the other day,’ Tableau | f