The Sun.
London, England, 1852-08-07 00:00:00

►THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Finis journals of yesterday.
The Constitutionnel has the following on the com-
mercial treaty with Belgium
Fele treaty of commerce between France and Bel-
gium expires on the 10th instant, and no convention has
yet been entered into between the two countries to
secure the continuation of it. Negotiations were, it is
true, opened a few months since in order to prolong
the treaty by adding fresh clauses to it; but it is not
probable that they can be brought to an end before the
term fixed for it to expire. The principal cause of the
delay is the situation of the Belgian Cabinet, which ten-
dered its resignation after the late elections, and which
could no longer assume the responsibility of such an
important act. The present treaty, nevertheless, draws
towards its close, and if no convention be entered into in
a few days, the advantages which were granted on either
bide will cease as a matter of course. It is well known
in what the principal clauses of this treaty consist.
We have conceded to Belgium an advantage for her
threads and linens, and Belgium on her side consented
to a reduction in the duty on our silk goods and our
wines. Thus, if the treaty expires, the importation of
Belgian threads and linens into France, and the import
of French silks and wines into Belgium will be subject
to the general tariff of duties. If we are well in-
formed, the two Governments, in order to avoid this in-
terruption to established relations, are engaged at the
present moment in arranging a provisional convention
destined to prolong the treaty now in force until a more
complete one shall have been concluded. This conven-
tion will, it is said, be signed towards the end of the
week, and will be promulgated in time to prevent any
suspension in the existing relations between the two
countries, and we have every reason to hope that this
provisional convention will contain several new clauses
favourable to our commerce. It was important
that some stipulations should be made in favour
of our salt. The treaty of commerce recently
entered into between Belgium and England would
be of a nature to prejudice our saline productions, if our
Government is not on its guard. It is necessary that
Belgium should grant to our salt an advantage which
would permit us to compete with English salt; she must
also consent to make that advantage to the white rough
salt which our establishments in the Mediterranean now
produce in such great perfection. These measures are
the more urgent as our home market is far from satisfy-
ing the wants of our production, as the salt-works of the
south have enough on hand to supply the whole con-
sumption of France for more than two years. The
abolition of literary piracy would be a measure not less
desirable; but, although the negotiators are nearly
agreed, we dare not hope that it can be concluded in
' the provisional convention, which will admit of no delay."
The Constitutionnel says—" We learn that M.
VIEYRA, the chief of the staff of the National Guard
of the Seine yesterday (Thursday) tendered his re-
signation to the Minister of the Interior. We are not
aware whether the resignation has been accepted
or not."
A letter from Cherbourg, 3d inst., says—" Prince
JEROME BONAPARTE arrived in our roadstead yester-
day evening, in the screw steam-corvette Reine Hor-
tense, and was received by a salute from the vessels
in the harbour, which manned their yards, and with
cries of Viva le Prince Jerome! Vive Napoleon!'
The Prince was received on his landing by the Port
Admiral, the sub-Prefect of Cherbourg, and the other
civil and military authorities, after which he proceeded
to view the different works in course of construction
for the improvement and defence of the port. The
Prince, who has not visited Cherbourg for more than
forty years, expressed his astonishment at the works
which had been executed, and which will tend to
make it one of the first ports in France. On his land-
ing an immense crowd assembled, by whom he was
received with the greatest enthusiasm, and it was
evident how much interest was attached to him as
the brother of the EMPEROR. After a short stay at
the Maritime Prefecture, which was closely
surrounded by an immense crowd of people
who loudly cheered him both on enter-
ing and leaving, be embarked to proceed to
the Reine Hortense. On the following morning he
again landed and met with a similar reception. After
finishing his examination of the different parts of the
dockyard he again embarked and proceeded to St.
Malo.' Another letter states that the Reine Hortense,
which had left for St. Malo, had been obliged to re-
turn to Cherbourg, having, when off Cape La
Hogue, met with very blowing weather ; but the
Patris of yesterday evening states that the Govern-
ment has received information of the Reine Hortense
having again started from Cherbourg, and arrived
safely at St. Maio, where the PRINCE met with an
enthusiastic reception.
The inauguration of a bust of the PRINCE PRESI-
DENT in the drummers' room of the etat-major of the
National Guard at the Palais-Royal took place on
Thursday afternoon. Beneath the pedestal of the bust
was the following inscription :—" Hommage des ser-
gens, caporaux, tambours et trompettes des 22 bat-
talions de la arde Nationale de Paris, au Prince
President Louis Napoleon, inaugur: le 5 Aoilt, 1852."
M. Levan., chef d'escadron of the staff, assisted by
Captains DUPLANTY and DE BONVILLE, presided at
the ceremony. M. LoYsEL, in an appropriate speech,
which was responded to with loud cries of "Vive
aL _
the PRINCE to the love and gratitude of the country.
The Bourse was feeble, and a further decline took
place in the price of public securies. The Four-anaL a-
tlalf per Cents. opened at 1041. 60e., rose to 105 f. 15c.,
and tell subsequently to 104 f. 80e., at which they
closet'; the Three per Cents. closed at 751. 10c.; Or-
leans Railway Shares, 1,3801.; Rouen, 887 f. 50c.; Havre,
3701.; Great Northern, 637 t. 50e.; Avignon, 475 f.;
Basin, 3031. 75c.; Paris and Strasburg, 637 f. 50c.; Paris
and Lyons, 751 f. 25c.; Western of France, 610 f.; Lyons
to Avignon, 597 f. 50c.; St. Dizier to Gray, 552 f. 500.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, AUG. 6.
Dijon and Besangon, 2%—Dutch Rhenish, 6—East In-
-26%—Grand Junction of France, sX—Great Western
of Canadae Luxembourg, 67/B—Madras, 4% p.—
Shares,
Namur
p,534 6%—Northern of France, 26—Ditto, 201.
193/4—Paris and
Strasbourg, 253/8 Sambre and Meuse, 7%—Tours and
Nantes, IVA—Western of France, 934.
racent. d L ieg Bonds,
13%—Paris and Lyons,