27 JUNE 1874, Page 1

The Times is making the best use of its new

wire. Its Corre- spondent, whose tone has become strictly Left-Centre, sends over day by day columns of readable matter, and recently gave us, on the authority, the Times says in its leader of Friday, of the Due d'Audiffret-Pasquier, a curious bit of history. The Comte de Chambord did throw away his chance of becoming King of France. His Committee had secured the Government, had secured the Assembly, and had induced the Marshal to repeat his promise to obey any vote, when the President suddenly made a reserve. If the White Flag were exhibited, the chassepots "would go off of themselves," and he would answer "neither for order in the streets nor discipline in the Army." This grave communication, subsequently reduced to writing, was shown to the Committee, who deputed M. Chesnelong to explain affairs to the Comte de Chambord. That Prince assured him that he would accept the Tricolour till he could alter it by an arrangement with the nation, but when M. Chesnelong's statement was doubted, waited a fortnight, and then recurred to the White Flag. The important point in this story is that the Marshal is not prepared to obey any vote, but only any vote except unreserved submission to Henri Cinq. This strikes the Legitimists out of the list of active parties while M. de Chambord still lives.