The Sun.
London, England, 1852-07-15 00:00:00

[HE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The Constitutionnel has an article on the report
presented to the English House of Commons relative
to the consumption of foreign wines in England. The
Constitutionnel, although a systematic opponent of
free- trade principles in France, 83 being likely to in-
jure the public treasury, seems to think that a large
reduction of the duties on French wines in England
would so much increase the consumption that the
amount of revenue to the State would be rather in-
creased than diminished. The Constitutionnel re-
gards the reduction also as a measure prescribed by
equity. There can be no doubt that a large reduc-
tion of the duty on French wines would lead to an
enormous increase of consumption in England,
and be of great benefit to the French growers.
There are certain French wines which are at once
wholesome and cheap, and which please the
English taste. The duty on some of these wines
in England amounts to three times its original
cost, and acts- therefore almost as a prohibition.
Good Beaune, for instance, if there were no duty,
could be had for sixpence per bottle in England, and
Picardan, an excellent substitute for sherry, for about
the same price. If, therefore, the duty in England
were to be no more than the cost of the wine, the
English would have a choice of some ten to fifteen
good wines, at a total cost of about one shilling per
bottle, and none but the very poorest persons would
ba unable to drink French wine. The reduction of
the duty has long been talked of, but, considering the
advantages that it would hold out to this country, the
Governments in England have always stipulated for
some concessions in favour of iron, coals, or other
articles of British produce. Fifteen years ago the
Governments of France and England bad en-
'ered into serious negotiations for the recipros
cal reform of their customs' tariffs, and Sir
HENRYBULWER and Dr. BOWRING were appointed as
Commissioners of the British Government to discuss
with the Commissioners of the French Government
the bases of a new commercial treaty. These labours
oontinued several months, and were proceeding sa-
tisfactorily, when they were suddenly broken off by
M. TRIERS, who was then in the French Cabinet.
The only motive assigned for this proceeding was the
improbability
which at that time was composed in a great measure
of inducing the Chamber of Deputies,
of monopolists and anti-Free-traders, to consent; but
it was, we understand, the opinion of the English
Commissioners that, if the Government bad been sin-
cere in its professions, its influence on the Chamber
would have sufficed to bring the affair to a satisfac-
tory result. The obstacles which then existed to a
mutual reform of the tariffs of the two countries,
with a view to new international advantages, do not
exist now.
Bou Man, the Algerine chief, has escaped from
Ham. The Courrier du Pas de Calais of the 13th
says :—" On Saturday night Bou-Maza, who was
detained prisoner in the citadel of Ram, succeeded in
effecting his escape. All that is known of the matter
is that he took the railway at Montecourt, and that
he had with him a miller's man, who used to act as
his servant. The only luggage that the fugitives had
with them was a trunk and a carpet bag. The news
of his escape was immediately transmitted to the
various authorities."
Th© Impartial de la
...lleurthe says ;—ti The Go-
vernment has just extended to the Protestant minis-
ters' and the ministers of the different sects paid by
the State, the indulgence which is extended to Ca-
tholic ministers, of being exempt from the osth."
It is stated that the President of the Republic was
most anxious to be accompanied in his journey to
Strasburg by M. Fould ; but that when the proposi-
tion was made, the ex-Minister expressed his regret
that he was unable to accept the invitation in conse-
quence of previous arrangements for a visit to the south.
The answer did not appear, however, sufficiently deci-
sive ; and a second intimation is said to have been
made on the same subject, but without success, and M.
Fould set out on the journey he had originally ar-
ranged. This has given rise to a good deal of con-
jecture as to the probability of M. Fould re-entering
the Cabinet, of which the invitation to join the Pre-
sident was to be the prelude. Others doubt much
that such a result would have taken place even had
M. Fould consented, but believe that the attention
shown to the ex-Minister was more apparent than real.
A letter from Marseilles of the 10th inst. states that
a dreadful storm, accompanied with thunder, light-
ning, and torrents of rain, fell on Wednesday last on
the town of Auriol and the neighbourhood. An un-
fortunate peasant, who was sitting in hii kitchen
smoking his pipe, near his wife, who was rocking
her infant in a cradle, was killed by the lightning
the woman and child were not hurt. At the country-
house of Notre Dame, belonging to M. Remusat, two
children and their grandmother were severely
wounded.
A letter from Montauban of the 9th states, that the
torrents of rain which fell on the 7th inst. caused con-
siderable injury to the canton of Lauzerte. The wheat
which was cut in the fertile valley et" Ftaignelonne
was all swept away by the overflowing of the river.
The poor farmers, who bad already suffered severely
from the hailstorms, are in a state of desolation. The
communes of Denfart, Montagudet, Miramont, and
St. Nazaire have likewise suffered severely.
A letter from Nyons, in the DrOme, of the 10th
instant, that the communes of Sr. Maurice and
Vinsobresns had been ravaged on the afternoon of the
7th inst. by a terrific hailstorm. The hailstones,
which it is said were as big as walnuts, had com-
pletely destroyed the wheat which was not yet cut
and stripped the vines of their leaves.
A letter from Bergerac of the 10th inst. adds,
that such heavy rains as followed the storm of the
7th inst. bad not been seen within the memory of
man. Three houses were demolished in the village
of Monleydier and the materials carried into the
Dordogne.

Accounts from Aucb, in the Gers, state that a fresh
disaster had bifallen that department, already
cruelly punished in the course of the present year.
A water- spout fell on the canton of Nogaso on the
Btb, and caused immense damage in the communes of
Manciet Sorbets, Saint Martin, and others. The rain
fell in torrents during two hours and a half. The
laths were covered on the following day to the depth
ofP two feet with water which could not find a
passage. At Saint Flower likewise the damage is
immense : fortunately no lives were lost.
Govern Secur
morn finn
itiesowerefefble at the Bourse;
smhaenrets were The Four-and-a-
railw
aif °per Cents. opened at 1021. 95c., and closed at
102 f. 90c. for the end of the month; the Three per
Cents. closed at 72f. 5c.; Orleans Railway Shares,
1,3601.; Rouen, 892 f. 50c.; Havre, 347 f. 50c.; Great
Northern, 6311. 25c.; Avignon, 460 f.; Basle, 291 f. 25e.;
Buis and Strasburg, 611 f. 25c.; Paris and Lyons,
682 E 50g.; Great Western, 575 f.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, JULY 14.
Dutch Rhenish, 5 7/8 —Eastlndian,27l4—Luxembourg,
—Namur and Liege, 6%3—Northern of France, 25—Paria
and Lyons, 17%8—Paris and Rouen, 347/a—Rouen and Havre,
131/2—Sambre and Meuse, 77/s.

•
GERMAN Y.
A telegraphic dispatch announces that the -Ern,
pero
r of AUSTRIA returned to Vienna on the loth,
and presided at a council of Ministers at the palace of
Scho3n
brunn. His MAJESTY came from Chemnitz
-
and lireninitz, and was to leave the same evening to
continue his journey in Hungary.. A letter from
vienno, states that it has been resolved to strike off
others who favoured or did not oppose the
frorn the list of " private counsellors" the functiona.
of 1848. The dignity of " private coup..
one of the hiFliest in Austria ; it gives the
sellor" is
of 46 Excellency,' and entrance to the Court.
title
person to be removed from the list is, it is
The first
aid, Baron. DB PELLERSDOEFF, who at one time wa,
'President of the Council of Ministers.
rr
ei es
so
1 Until° ri

SWITZERLAND.
have been for some time pending relative
The Suisse, of Berne, announces that the negotia.
which
hhision of a treaty of commerce and friend. 'Helvetic Confederation and the
ship between
t o lions
the wcbon
have bad the result aimed at, and that
United State',
MANN, the American plenipotentiary,
Mr. D twLEY
has left on hiireturn to Wabhington.'