The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-28 00:00:00

[PRICE 4D.

STAMPED 5D-

MONT BLANC THIS DAY, at 3 and 8 o'clock.
Egyptian Hal!,

TRIUMP HA L ENTRY OF THE FRENCH
CRIMEAN HEROES INTO PARIS.

( From the Constitutiennel.)
" The annals of the empire up to 1815 record
several triumphal entries into Paris made by bodies
of troops after a great victory, a glorious peace, or
in a solemn crisis. One of the most remarkable
was that which took place on the 14th July, 1800.
The Consular Guard, still covered with the glorious
dust of the plain of Marengo, then marched to the
Champ do Mars. It set out on its march for
France the very day after the battle, in order to
arrive at the rendezvous which Napoleon gave it at
Paris. It deposited at the Invalides the flags con-
quered from the enemy, and
,proudly displayed its
own, all blackened with gunpowder. Its share in
the battle may be remembered. Though a small
corps of only 800 men, it supported alone, for
several hours, the reiterated efforts of all the Aus-
trian cavalry. When Napoleon, on leaving the
Invalides, proceeded, attended by a numerous
staff, to the Champ de Mars, the crowd filled the
air with cheers, and rushed from all sides towards
the heroes of Marengo, to see them close ; and
then, intoxicated with joy, after the review it ac-
companied the general to the Tuileries. An in-
terval of several years elapsed, and again the inha-
bitants of Paris greeted with acclamations the
entrance into the capital of some of the invincible
bands which had inscribed on the page of history
the names of Austerlitz, Jena, and Friedland.
This fete, which was exclusively of a military cha-
racter, was more magnificent than that of the 14th
July. The army brought, so to speak, in the folds
of its flag, the peace of Tilsit, aid the glory of the
most brilliant victories the Emperor ever obtained.
The municipal body went to meet the regiments,
and triumphal arches were raised on the road by
which they came in. The Imperial Guard, in full
uniform, opened the march, and on arriving at the
barrier, where there was a compact crowd, who
greeted it with acclamations, the prefect haran-
gued it Heroes of Jena, Eylau, and Friedland,
conquerors of peace,' said he ' we return you
thanks It is for the country you have conquered,
and the country will eternally remember your
triumphs. Your names will be handed down by it
on bronze and marble to the most distant pos-
terity ; the recital of your exploits will inflame
the courage of our last descendants ; and your ex-
ample, long after you shall have passed away, will
protect the empire which you have so gloriously
defended ! Let these laurels,' he added, wreathed
into a crown by public gratitude, remain hence-
forth suspended from the eagles which float over
your victorious heads The prefect in these
words, referred to crowns of gold which the city of
Paris had voted, and which were suspended to the
eagles of the Imperial Guard. At this moment an
orchestra, placed in the interior of a triumphal
arch, executed the ' Chant du Retour,' composed
by Mehul. The Guard then filed off in this order :
—The fusiliers of the Guard, the foot chasseurs,
the grenadiers, the light dragoons, the Mamelukes,
' the heavy dragoons, and the gendarmerie d'elite.
All these corps were preceded by generals and by
the commanding officers. The troops proceeded
through an immense crowd to the Tuileries, by
the Place du Carrousel. They passed through the
palace to deposit their eagles, and then piled their
arms irt the garden ; after which they proceeded
to the Champ do Mars to partake of a banquet
prepared at the expense of the municipality. Two
days after this triumphal entry, the soldiers pro-
ceeded to the Senate, the President of which ad-
dressed to Marshal Besseres a speech, which ter-
minated thus Representatives of the first army
in the world, receive through us for yourselves and
for your brethren in arms the best wishes of a
great and good people, whose love and admiration
are a presage of those of posterity !' A grand fête
was afterwards given them in the garden of
the Luxembourg. The reason why there honours
were paid principally to the Guard, though all the
army contributed to the victories so celebrated,
was, that, as it was impossible to admit all the
army to fetes, it was deemed natural that they
should be given to its elite. The Imperial Guard
has always been as much loved as respected ; no
corps, in fact, was ever more popular. And the
!reason is, that it never had anything in common
with those special troops formerly maintained by
Sovereigns, not to serve the country, but to exe-
cute their personal designs—to oppose, if necessary,
the wishes of the people and the rest of the army.
The Imperial Guard, on the contrary, has always
been distinguished by ardent patriotism and by
energetic devotedness to the French name—it Las
been as an elder brother in the military family. A
third solemn entry was made by the Imperial
Guard into Paris ; hut we need not describe it, for
it will remain eternally ongraven in the memory
of Frenchmen. It was one of the grandest scenes
in the Imperial epoch ; tradition will perpetuate
it from age to ago, and it will make the hearts of
our descendants throb with the same force as the
hearts of those who witnessed it. We said an entry
into Paris, but what we ought to have said was an
entrance into France—for what we refer to was the
arrival of the battalion of the Isle of Elba, in
March, 1815. The art of painting has preserved the
souvenir of the prodigious march of 18 days across
France, when the eagle flew from steeple to steeple
to the towers of Notre Dame.'"

" ' PROCLAMATIOY.

" ' The investigations into the causes of the collisions
which have repeatedly taken place between military men
and civil authorities in Finland have convinced me that
the raid collisions do not arise from design on either side,
but generally from ignorance of the laws and institutions,
of the habits and customs, and of the character and
language of the people. A knowledge of the national
customs, but especially of the language, might in many
cases avert all possibility of such misunderstandings,
which often produce disagreeable consequences for both
parties. I therefore recommend all officers nader my
command (without reference to the first conditions which
distinguish all educated persons from the lower classes,
viz., a civil and friendly bearing towards persons of all
ranks, as well as in communications on duty with the
authorities here (e. g., the Pest-office, the magistrature,
&c.), to consult with persons acquainted with the laws
and institutions of this country ; and when they hate
learnt the proper mode of proceeding and the accepted
customs in such cases, then, and not before, to set
about the business they have in band. Respect shown
by military men for the laws and institutions of the
country creates confidence among the inhabitants to-
wards the troops. A civil and friendly bearing enables
the troops to obtain their lawful demand which must
always be more or less burdensome for the inhabitants.
An obliging manner towards the authorities creates in
them a disposition to return like with like,' and lam
convinced that if military men will pay attention to this
my advice many misunderstandings and collisions be-
tween the troops and the inhabitants will be avoided, to
the advantage and mutual satisfaction of both parties.
" Adjutant• General BERG.
" Helsingfors, Sept. 12.' "

The article, in conclusion, contains the following
observations :

"It must be admitted that when the people of
Paris greeted our soldiers with acclamations, on
their entrance into the capital, after the great vic-
tories of the Empire, their joy was not unmixed.
They felt that the vanquished monarchies would
not pardon us their defeat, and that they were only
awaiting the moment of vengeance. Our triumphs
being gained at the expense of all nations, brought
on us the enmity of all ; the incessant menace of
their coalition weighed on us, and it was well known,
that though prodigies of genius and bravery had
dissipated such storms, prodigies could not be con-
stantly renewed. The least caprice of fortune might
consequently wrest from us—as, in fact, it did—
the fruit of so many exploits. At present we have
not this fear. Engaged iu a just war, the object
of which is perfectly defined, we have for us the
wishes of all Europe. Each of our victories is
greeted with acclamations in the south and north
with almost as much satisfaction as in France. The
more the conflict is prolonged, the more foreign
nations express sympathy in our favour ; and we
may, therefore, regard the future with security."

I 4

1. AP~r

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private. individuals. The dearness of everything has now`'-
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. - —411141% . ' :I • reached an extraordinary height. I will not speak oft
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colonial wares, but I will just mention the price of some 9
of our home produce. A cow now costs at Flelsingfore
35 silver roubles. Wood costs 15 silver roubles &fathom.
(A fathom of birchwood, which is considered enough for
the consumption of one stcve during the winter, costs
about. one guinea at Stockholm at present; in ordinary
times about 15s. Pinewood is about one-third cheaper.)
Lodgings are hardly to be got at all ; most of them are
hired at enormous prices the very day they become va-
cant for billeting troops. Nearly all the lodgings have
been occupied during the whole year by Russian soldiery.
Soon there will be no other course open but to hire
apartments from the Russian officers, and I know a per-
son who has done so already. If one travels to or from
Helsingfors one has the greatest difficulty in obtaining
post-horses. A. person going to Abo was compelled to
wait at the post-house at Grahus from 3 o'clock in the
afternoon till 6 o'clock on the following morning for one
post-horse. This has a very bad effect on the university,
which opens in a few days, and for which a number of
students have already arrived from all parts.
" As a proof of the vigilance which characterises oar
i e v governor general, I send you in conclusion a procla-
mation, which is calculated more than any description of
mine to throw light on the existing state of things here.
This proclamation was to be posted up in all the assize
towns, the public-houses, and on the roads frequented
by the military :

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