The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

A special train passed through Nantes on Satur.
day, conveying to St. Nazaire about 600 Belgian
volunteers on their way to Mexico. Those men
will embark on board the Louisiana and the Florida
steam packets for Vera Cruz. Their uniform is
becoming, and resembles that of the Chasseurs de
Vincennes, with the exception of the head-dress,
which consists of a Tyrolean hat surrounded by a
band of yellow twisted worsted.

The Journal des Fabricants de Sucre says :
" A bad year for the growers, and more than unfa-
vourable for the manufacturers—such is the
balance-sheet of the situation. The deficits which
had been announced aro in fact confirmed, if they
are not exceeded, and the certainty is that on
an equal extent of ground the crop will not be
greater than that of last year. The quantity
w ill not be more than 130 millions of kilogrammes.
As to the beet root plant this year it is decidedly
not very rich in saccharine matter, although the
juice and the syrups of the first and second drawings
are readily worked, and the yield will be rather I

under than over that of last season, which was far
from being a favourable one. Much pulp is made ;
from 6 to 8 per cent. more than the usual propor-
tion, but every one knows that when there is much
bran, there is little flour."

The planet Mars is visible at present in the eon.
stellation of Taurus, between Aldebaran, a star of
the first magnitude and Beta Tauri. This planet,
the real size of wich is six times that of the moon,
will be very near our satellite on or about this day
(18th).

As a young girl of 18, residing in the Rue Ste.•
Anne, was the day before yesterday leaning out of
a third floor window, watering some flowers, she
lost her balance, and falling headlong into the coart,
received such serious injuries that she died in a few
minutes after. The deceased was a fine young
woman and about to be married.

BOURSE, o.:t. 17.—The market continues firm,
but without any material improvement in prices.
Tarees, for the Account, are now at 65f. 25e., and
Mobilier at 902 f. 50c,.. Railway Market quiet, but
firm. The market again became rather heavy to+
wards the close, and left off as fol!ows:

(Italian Loan 65 60
Do. end month 65 85
Ditto Threes ..
New Mexican .... E 0 50
Russian
Austrian
Spanish Threes —
Rome Debt
Deferred
WAYS.

41 per Cents .. 92 10
Do. end month....
3 per Cents
Do. end month 65 20
Credit 892 59
Do. end month B9O
Bank Shares 3390
Credit Foncier ll6O
Roman

BAIL

Orleans
Northern ....
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern
Western
Eastern ....
Sardinian
, 61
Austrian
Loin herd
North of Spain & .•
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

Cash. Account.
830 -- .. 835
970 .. 970
887 50 ~ 887 50
585 .. 580
495 .. 495
497 50 .. 498 75
330 ~ 330
432 50 .. 435
515 .. 515
375 .. 375
463 50 .. 465 -
- -- .. 20)

The Colony of Victoria.

We take the following summary from the Mel-
bourne Argus of Aug, 25:
Ihe question of transportation has occupied a very large
share of public attention during the month. The essence

of a despatoh from Mr Cardwell to his Excellenny, com-
municating tha determination of the Home Government as
to transportation to Western Australia, has been made
public ; and the debate in the House of Lords on the
Penal Servitude Bill has left us at no loss to understand the
arguments on which the decision of her Majesty's Govern-
ment has been based.

Mr Cardwell's despatch has excited a general feeling of
disappointment, which finds vent through every public
channel. The Ministry have already invited all the colo-
nists, excepting Western Australia, to unite in common
action to oppose the continuance of the system, and there
can scarcely be a doubt that this course will be taken.
They also send home by the present mail intimation of their
intention to withdraw from.the contract for the postal ser-
vice with the mother conntry unless the mail steamships
cease to touch at any port in 'Western Australia.
_ _

The border customs question has assumed an aspect
which promises some trouble to the Governments of Victoria
and New South Wales, and some inconvenience to the inha-
bitants of the Riverine District and the merchants who trade
with them. The Murray River Railway will be finished in
the course of three or four weeks. Echuca, the township on
the Victorian side of the river, Rill then become the port for
the trade of the vast plains which stretch northwards to
Cooper's Creek, watered by the Lachlan, the Merumbidgee,
the Darling, the Warrego, and other rivers. These plains,
however, are within the limits of New South Wales and
Queensland, and, as the tariff of Victoria is much more
liberal than that of New South Wales, the Sydney Govern-
ment proposes that the Victorian authorities should collect
the extra duties on goods sent across the Murray from this
colony, handing the amount over to the Treasurer of New
South Wales, on payment of a commission for collection.
In commercial matters the state of the colony is sound,
and the yield of gold for the year has, so far, been very
satisfactory.