The Sun.
London, England, 1852-06-04 00:00:00

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.
The Constitutionnel resumes its arguments in favour
of the Protection principle in trade, and repeats the
expression of its regret at the Government having
proposed modifications in the Customs tariff. The
other day the Constitutionnel condemned the proposi-
tion to admit duty free the raw material used in ship
building, and attempted to show that the benefits to
be derived by the shipping interest would not
counterbalance the injury to be inflicted on
certain branches of industry in France. Now
the Constitutionnel complains of the propo-
sition to reduce the duty on thread from refuse
silk from twenty-eight to forty per cent. The
value of the quantity of this article in its raw. state
annually used in France, it says, is only one million
and a half of francs, and when spun it is worth ten
millions—consequently eight millions and a half are
paid for labour. To reduce the duty on the manu-
factured article imported into France from 82 to 40 per
cent. would have the effect, therefore, contends the
Constitutionnel, to deprive French labour of its rights.
Without going into details, it may be observed that the
arguments in favour of protection, if adopted to the full
-extent demanded by its advocates, would prevent all
amelioration in the condition of the consumers, who
form the great majority, to the exclusive benefit of
the producers, and would also keep the produce of
manfactures stationary, for it is only by competition
that men are induced to improve. Hitherto, in
France, the Governments have found too much op-
position in the Parliaments to be able_ to realise any
important measure for the relief of the great mass of
consumers. It remains to be seen whether the same
resistance to progress still exists.
We read in the same journal—
" Some journals announce that • a Bill has been sub-
mitted to the Council of State, having for object to im-
pose a duty on dogs. It is a tax which would be seen
with pleasure all over France, particularly if it could en-
able us to get rid of those parasite dogs which every day
cause such terrible accidents. It is in vain that placards
are posted up to force the owners of doge to keep them
muzzled or tied up ; a man cannot go out of Paris with-
out being assailed by hungry dogs issuing as they
please from the court yards or lanes. In the public
gardens the promenaders hold their dogs by the string
whilst passing before the sentry, but as soon as they have
entered, they let them loose. We can comprehend that
the persons appointed to superintend the matter should
give way at last, tired out by the struggle of every mo-
ment; but perhaps they would triumph if a tax came to
their aid, by diminishing to a certain extent the canine
race."

The three members Of the Legislative body who
voted against the Bill for opening a supplementary
credit of 360,0001. for the improvement of the So-
logne were, Count DE CHADRILLAN, M. DE PARIEU,
and M. TAILLEFEE.
The Moniteur recently announced the promotion
of M. PROUDHON, judge of the Civil Tribunal of
Besancon, to be a judge of the Court of Appeal of
that city. " This gentleman," says the Independence
of Brussels, " is the father of the celebrated Socialist
writer. In 1845 the latter was corrector of the press
in a printing office, and his acquirements in theology
attracted the attention of the Archbishop of the city.
The prelate noticed favourably his articles in the
Encyclopirdie Catholique. It was at Besancon that
he wrote his famous treatise on Propriete, and his
book on the Observation du Dimanche.
The Moniteur contains a decree of the PRINCE
PRESIDENT of the Republic, officially promulgating
the convention between France and Bavaria, con-
cluded on the 4th February, 1848, for the formation
and working of a railway from Strasburg to Spire.
In 1803 General MOREAU had a monument erected
in the neighbourhood of Bale in memory of General
CHARLES ABATTUCCI,WhO was killed before Huningen
in 1796, at the age of 26. This mausoleum was re-
built in 1832 by subscription. It is now again com-
pletely out of repair, and is to be again restored. The
Minister of the Interior has, it is said, given orders to
DUBRAY, the statuary, for a bust of General
ABATTUCCI, to be placed in the Gallery of Versailles.
The French Academy has adjudged its annual
prize for eloquence—the subject being a eulogium
On BERNARDIN DE ST. PIERRE—to M. PREVOST..
PARADOL, pupil of the Superior Normal School.
We read in the Corsaire—" The Constitutionnel
relates some strange accounts of the effects of the
lightning during one of the late storms. It says that
the electric fluid took up a pail of water and carried
it across a room without spilling a drop of it, and then
lifted a pile of plates surmounted by a salad bowl
from a table and placed them on a chair without
breaking or deranging any of them. Doubtless this
performance does the lightning great credit, and we
thank the Constitutionnel for pointing it out. But
we know of one which was more remarkable and
meritorious, for it was an act of gallantry towards
the oyster women. In April, 1846, the lightning
entered a restaurant in the Rue Montorgueil, shut
two doors, and opened three dozen of oysters."
M. CARTIGNY, formerly one of the actors at the
Theatre Francais, died on Tuesday at Paris, aged
69, after a very long illness. M. CARTIGNY was for
some years one of the most favourite performers at the
French Theatre in London.
There was a considerable amount of business trans-
acted at the Bourse in Railway Shares, without much
variation in prices. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents.
opened at 100 f. and closed at 1001. 25c. for the end
of the month; the Three per Cents. closed at 71f. 65c.;
Orleans Railway Shares, 1,2101. ; Rouen, 7971. 50c.;
Havre, 3231. 75c.; Great Northern, 600 f.; Avig-
non, 3421.50 c.; Vierzon, 6051. ; Bask, 255 f.; Bordeaux,
625 f.; Paris and Strasburg, 571 f. 25c.; Tours and Nantes,
3751.; Paris and Lyons, 625 f.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT TITF.
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JUNE 3.
Luxembourg, 3U—Namur and Liege, 614—Northern of
France, 2314—Orleans and Bordeaux, 1534 ex d.—Paris and
Lyons, 1034—Paris and Strasbourg, 2234—Rouen and Havre,
11;i—Tours and Nantes, 11V,, cx div.