The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-23 00:00:00

FRANCE

PARIS, WEDNESDAY.
We read in the Consiitutionnel :—" About the
middle of the representation at the Opera last
might, a report became current that the Govern-
ment had received a despatch announcing that the
breach had been made in the Malakoff Tower. We
cannot guarantee this account, but it was repeated
by persons who might be thought to be well in-
formed." The Moniteur does not say anything to
corroborate the rumour.
His Excellency Lord Howden, the British Am-
bassador to Madrid, is at this moment in Paris.
The Nemesis, Sirene, and Ulloa, frigates, and
the Turenne, line-of-battle ship, left Toulon and
Marseilles on the 18th and 19th for the Black Sea,
with troops and military stores for the army.
A letter from Bucharest states that a rumour
prevails in the Principalities of the approaching
arrival of a corps of Anglo-French troops at Sulina.

BOURSE, AUG. 22. CLOSING PRICES.
Cash, fr. e. End of Month.
4i per Cents 95 —95 f. —c.
i per Cents 66 90 66 95
,Jredit Mobilier 1217 50 Roman
Credit Foncier 540 Austrian
Belgian Fives ...... .. - Spanish Threes —
Piedmontese . 85 Hcme Debt —
R.S.ILW A YS—IrOR CA.BII.
tr. c. fr. c
)rleans
western B3O Rouet.
%tte 740 Strasburg
ilediterransan 1320 Havre 702 50
'4orthern ..... ....... 920 Cherburg

AUSTRIA.

- - ---- -
We read in the IVanderer of Vienna :

‘of hN.:A.tacpkc,oi,nlredd, n g Napoleon has
what is
sl
lyhandave. more said in
it
The importancediplmo
hereatic circles
than
fette
e
presence
at
the high functiouar ies of the State to h
esf ervic
'armed in the church of S. Anse, and at the dinner given
the French Ambassador, proves, it is said, that the
almost
p e all
r -
friendly relations which have long subsistei between
France and Austria become every day closer. It appears
that Austrian statesmen see, in an alliance witn France,
the guarantee of future tranquillity. They have acquired
the conviction that there exists a great number of import.
ant political interests common to the two countries, and
which cannot consequently be secured but by means of a
close accord between the two States. There are many in-
dications which prove that the relations with France
have tended to become closer as since the aecesion of
the present Emperor. What Austria desires is the main-
tenance of the balance of power in Europe, and the in-
corporation of Turkey in that equilibrium. A firm
conviction is felt here that France also, as much as
any continental power, can have no other object. The
difference in the means employed to attain it does not in
the slightest degree prevent a complete accord as far
regards the main object in view."
A letter, dated Vienna, 18th, in the German
Journal of Frankfort, says :—" M. de Negrelli,
Councillor of State, has recently been sent to Paris
to take part in the conferences about to be held on
the proj cted cutting through the Isthmus of Suez.
M. de Negrelli bas already taken part i the pre-
liminary negutiatluna which have been vpeneu. un
this subject."
The Silesian Gazette contains a letter from Vienna
of: the 16th,' which says :—" The arrangements for
the journey of the Emperor and Empress have been
altered. Their Majesties will remain at Laxeubourg
ro the end of the month, and will then only go for
a very short time to Ischl ; thence the Emperor
will join in a chamois hunt at Berchtergen, to which
he has been invited, and will leave afterwards for
Italy with the Empress. The recent meeting of
the Central Congregations (provincial councils),
and the reversal of the forfeiture of the possessions
of 31 Italian 6wigros, will give greater briliiancy
awl cordiality to the welcome which their Majes-
ties will receive from the population of that coun-
try."

The Corriere Mercantile, of Genoa, states that
the Piedmontese Government has instructed the
treasurers of the ecclesiastical fund not to pay the
increase of salary consequent on the new law for
the suppression of convents to such curates as in-
sist upon protesting
.in
_writing against the said
law. Those that merely protest viva voce are to
receive their full salary.

The Governments of Prussia and Ru,sia have just
concluded a convention, in vii ins of which the Warsaw
.rid St. Petersburg Railway is to be connected With the
Great Eastern l►ne of Prussia.

Yesterday a return was issued which shows that ti,e
expense incurred in carrying nut the Treasury minute to
pr-vent the fraudulent Awe of the mixture of chicory with
,offee was 2 1701. 10s. fid. ; but the fines paid by per-
sons convicted have more than covered the amount.

SUDDEN DEATEI OF AN ECCENTRIC LADY.—Yester lay
afternoon Mr. W. Baker, jun , the ..eputv coroner, held
an inquest at the King's Head Tavern, Kieg-street,
Heaton-square, Shored itch, on view of the body of Eliza-
beth Smith, aged 70 years, a maiden lady, who was
found dead under the following eircuinsta, ces :—The de-
ceased was of very eccentric habits, and hail resided for
the last 24 years at 48, floxten-square. She was sup-
posed to he very rich ; her relaiiona were all dead ; and
after her death 30 sovereigns and other coins were dis-
covered in a tea-caddy by the landlord. Mr. Black-
more, surgeon, was called in, but the deceased had been
(lead for several hours, from disease of the heart or apo-
plexy. The coroner said as there were n legal claimants
to the deceased's property and cash Mr. Waller, the
beadle, had better take charge of it, pay the expenses of
the funeral, and band the balance to the parochial autho-
rities. The jury ultimately returned a verdict of "Died
by the visitation of God."
WRECKS.—THISTED, Aug. 16.—The Mentor (brig),
Forster, of and from Newcastle, from Swinemunde, with
coals was stranded on the coast near Klitmuller this
morning ; crew saved, and materiais expected to be re-
covered.—Syra, Aug. 7.—The Naomi (British vessel), of
and from Liverpool for Conetaatinople, struck upoe the
rocks off the island of Falconera, on the 3d of August,
and foundered ; master and crew sawed arid landed at,
this port by the Eliza Bowen (brig); Jones, from Liver-
pool to Salm-nese The Jane (bargee), Findlay, of iNlon
tiose, from Constantinople to this poet, to load grain for
England, was stranded on Lighthouse Island, off the en-
trance to this harbour, on the 4th of August, and there
are no hopes of saving her. The rigging, sails, masts,
will be recovered.
WALES.—The various fashionable resorts and water-
ing places in the principality are new filled with com-
pany. Aberystwith has received its full share of Oa-
tronag,e, and every advantage has been taken of the fine
weather by sea and laud. At Beaumaris the bathieig
accommodation has been much improved, and Holyhead
has proved a source of great attraction to thousands of
tourists who have inspected the gigantic works in pro-
gress there. The town of Rhyl has been filled to over-
flowing, and indeed the whole of the coat towns have
received a full quota of visitors, while in the interior
large numbers of tourists have visited the best and fa-
vourite localities.
THE NEW EXCISE DUTIES Acr.—The new act (18th
and 19th Vic , c. 94) has just been published, to impose
increased rates of duty of Exc.se on spirits distilled in
the United Kingdom ; to allow malt, sugar, and mo-
lasses to be used, duty free, in the distilling of spirits in
lieu of allowances and drawbacks, and to amend the law
relating to the duties of Excise. The next act contains
37 sections. On and after the let October next they
duties on spirits distilled will be—in Great Britain, Bs.
per gallon ; and in Ireland, 6s. 2d, The new duties are
to be under the management of the Commissioners of the
Inland Revenue. From the passing of the act (the 14th
of August inst.) malt may be made and used free from
duty in distilling spirits. There are several provisions
against frauds in respect to the making and using of malt
duty free. Every person other than a distiller making
malt duty free is to give security. Allowances are to be
made to distillers on stock, or on spirits in warehouses
made before the Ist of Octob r next. The allowaecet
are to he 8(1 per gallon on spirits distilled from male
only, and on spirits distilled from any other material
than malt only an allowance of 2d. per gallon. On and
after the Ist of Oct( ber Vie allowances in respect of malt
and on sugar used in distilling are to cease. The act re•
ca:: ed thz, Enyr..l anzilt az tt.3 day of the prorpti::.