Our French neighbours seem destined not to acquire much glory
in Africa. The army of Marshal CLAUSEL, whose capture of Constantine was set down as certain, the very day of his antici- pated entry into the city being named, has been forced to retreat, with troops weakened by sickness, before a superior Arab force. It is even stated in a Toulon paper, that he had been completely defeated; but this is not probable. The accounts received in the beginning of the week of the spread of disease in his army, occa- sioned by the rainy weather, prepared us for the news of his retreat. The sick were transported from the African coast to Toulon, 800 or 900 at a time. The Duke DE NEMOURS, who was expected home in triumph, will hardly show his face in Paris for some time to come.
The prospects of the Ministry in the Chambers, and ques- tions of Spanish policy, furnish topics of discussion to the Paris journalists. They can hardly possess a very accurate knowledge of the strength of parties, who predict confidently on the one hand that GUIZOT will have a majority, or if beaten will dissolve the Chambers, while others pretend to consider the restoration of TRIERS and the dismissal of the Doctrinaires as inevitable. When the day of action arrives, it will he seen that Louis PHILIP can manage the Chambers ; and if GUIZOT is dismissed, it will be because the King has dropped him. It probably answers LOUIS PHILIP'S purpose to give occupation to the press and the restless portion of his subjects by frequent Ministerial changes. The great bulk of the people take no interest in squabbles not in- volving in their result the fate of any question of national im- portance.
The following paragraph, from the Nouvelle Minerve, is a spe- cimen of the gossip with which the writers in the Paris news- papers amuse their readers in dull times.
" The European project with respect to the Duke of Bordeaux is as follows. It is announced that he is preparing for a long journey, for his instruction. The Duke of Bordeaux will go post to St. Petersburg, where a proposed marriage of the young Prince and one of the Grand Dutchesses is already spoken of. The difficulty is, that the Princess is brought up in the Greek religion; but this difficulty, and even the difference of religion, will be got over. It is evidently intended to prove that the fallen dynasty is preferred to the family which the Revolution has chosen. From Petersburg the Duke will go to Spain, where it is hoped Don Carlos will be restored. Madrid will then become the focus of Carlist plots. The first step will be to form a Royal Guard for the Duke of Bordeaux, composed of officers, young men of noble families, devoted to the principle of legitimacy. Then some attempts will be made from the Pyrenees an the South departments. Such is the plan ; it is not kept secret. Will it be allowed quietly to be carried into execution ?"
" Will it be allowed ?"—Ay, that's the question.
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