It ham been finally decided to make Mgr. Lucien Bonaparte,
grandson of Lucien, brother of Napoleon I., a Cardinal, the nomination being made in some specially honorific manner He will be the youngest Cardinal in College, being only thirty- eight, and the Times hints that the object of his promotion is to secure to him the next vacancy of the Papal Chair. He is regarded, it must be remembered, as an Italian, not a French- man. One-half the Cardinals are Italians, and he himself is a silent, reserved man, with the Bonaparte face and no personal foes. If the Austrian, French, and Italian influence can be concentrated on him, his chance in the Conclave will be a good one, but a Papal election almost always baffles calculation. The rule which requires a majority of two-thirds enables all man- ner of sub-fractions in the Conclave to unite against the strongest one. Besides, Pius is keeping some twenty vacancies, in order at the last moment to make the party he favours strong.
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