The Sun.
London, England, 1852-11-19 00:00:00

REDUCTION OF THE FRENCH ARMY.

PARIS, THURSDAY.
The following are the terms in which the Moni-
teur conveys the news of the long-expected an-
nouncement:—

On the Ist January, 1848, the effective of the army
amounted to 380,500 men. After the revolution it was
raised to 446,808, at which figure it stood at the period
of the first election of Louis Napoleon. By suc-
cessive diminutions, the number had fallen on the
Ist January, 1852, to 400,594 men. His Highness the
Prince President has just given orders to the Minister of
War to reduce it to 370,177. This effective comprises the
army of Africa and that of Rome. On the Ist of Decem-
ber this important measure will be realised; it will be a
reduction of more than 30,000 men in less than a-year."

The Moniteur contains a series of instructions
regarding the mode of taking the vote on the
Senatus Consultum, which, if fairly carried out, as
no doubt they will, cannot fail to ensure fair play.
The bureau or committee of each electoral college
is to be composed of a president, of four assessors,
and a secretary, chosen from amongst the electors.
The president is to be the mayor, or his delegate ;
and the assessors are to be taken from amongst the
municipal councillors, or, in default thereof, of two
of the oldest and two of the youngest electors
present. The list of persons entitled to vote is to
lie constantly on the table, and each name checked
off and certified according as the vote is given.
There are also the usual orders for sealing up the
ballot-boxes taking the total, and remitting the
results certified to the Corps Legislatif.
The Patrie, on the eve of the vote for the Em-
pire, enumerates the services rendered by Louis
Napoleon. First, with regard to the clergy, there
is the restoration of the Pantheon to the service of
the Church ; then the appointment of priests to the
navy, the addition to the salaries of the canons of
St. Denis, the authorisation for religious orders of
women, the introduction of bishops into the Senate,
the credits allowed for different churches, grants
for the benefit of the lower orders of the priesthood,
and the payment of the debts incurred by the
Bishop of Algeria. The Government journal
next dwells on the formation of the Senate and
other bodies of the State, as showing great construc-
tive power. Then comes departmental decentrali-
sation, by which freer latitude of administration is
afforded the local authorities. The reform of the
university. Then comes the army, with the re-or-
ganisation of the military equipages, of the hospital
service, of feeding and clothing, the restoration of
the pensions attending the cross of the Legion of
Honour, and the institution of the military medal.
Nor has the navy been forgotten—this branch of
the service is reminded of the development which
has been given to the elements of force and promise
already contained in it by the decrees re-organising
the Admiralty Board, the regulations for the mari-
time inscription, the coast and deep sea fisheries,
and the new disciplinary code for the merchant ser-
vice. Finally, the people at large are reminded of
the development given to railways—the immense
employment afforded by public works—the improve-
ment of sea-ports—the completing of the Louvre—
the opening of new streets the conversion of
the Five per Cents.—the redemption of the canals
—the institution of mortgage loan and other loans
banks—the extension given to the operations of the
Bank of Fiance—the reduction of the rate of in-
terest—the mutual aid societies encouragement to
sanitary institutions—the whole crowned with the
Crystal Palace preparing for the Exhibition of
1854. The Patrie dwells, too, on the attention
paid to the colonies, and the impetus given to emi-
gration. In diplomacy, there is the solution of the
question of the sanctuaries at Jerusalem, the treaty
of commerce with Sardinia, the treaty of navigation
with Holland, the Plate River Convention, opening
its navigation, with that of its tributaries, to Eu-
rope, the indemnity to French merchants whose
ships had been sequestered at California, and the
literary property treaties. With such a summary
of acts before the country the Patrie looks with
most complete confidence to the coming vote.
The Bourse was agitated, and public securities
declined in price. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents.
opened at 107 f. 80c., and closed at 107 f. for the
end of the month; the Three per Cents. closed at
85f. 75c.; Orleans Railroad shares, 1,750 f.; new
shares, 1,095 f.: Rouen, 1000 f. ' • Havre, 150 f. ;
Great Northern, 895 f.; Paris and Strasburg, 870 f.;
Paris and Lyons, 960 f.; Lyons and Avignon, 800 f.:
Western of France, 780 f.; St. Dizier to Gray,
590 f.: Caen to Cherbourg, 640 f.; Dijon to Besan-
con, 630 f.; Bordeaux to Cette, 650 f.