The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-17 00:00:00

FRANCE.

"The recent visit of Lord Clarendon to Vienna,"
says the Pays," had for result the reduction of the
Austrian army. The Vienna Cabinet is said to
have consented to that measure on the formal
promise that England would induce the Italian
Government to adopt a similar proceeding." On
the other hand, the Fremdenblatt, of Vienna, pub-
lishes a letter from Turin which represents France
as acting in a similar sense. it says :—" King
Victor Emmanuel this week received from a French
officer, sent here expressly, an cutograph letter from
the Emperor Napoleon. The King immediately sum-
moned a Cabinet C,uneil. An hour after all the
Ministers bang assembled, his Majesty, with the Em-
peror's letter in his hand, said, " Gentlemen, Austria
is disarming; the order for reducing her army has
been given, and in Venetia alone 15,000 men quit
their regiments. The Emperor Napoleon is greatly
pleased at those pacific tendencies of Austria, and
desires to see us follow the good example so given,
and to introduce strict order in our finances.' A
long deliberation followed, and I can affirm that
the Cabinet was unanimously in favour of acting
like Austria. In spite of a marked unwillingness
on the part of the King to reduce the army, his
Majesty was obliged to give directions to the Mi-
nisters of Finance and of War to concert together
for the purpose of fixing the amount cf the reduc-
tions that might be necessary, and to present to him
as soon as possible positive propositions on the
subject."

Some provincial journals," says the Constitu•
tionnel, " have announce:i the formation of a high
commission charged to revise the organisation of
the administrative officials of the army. We are
able to affirm that the War Department had no
project of the kind in contemplation. Tne Europa
of Frankfort is not better informed as to the
extraordinary works which would, it says, cause
the marshals to meet much earlier than uival.
They are to be convoked for the ordinary period,
and will only have to occupy themselves, as in
former years, with the classification of the officers
proposed for promotion at the last general inspec-
tion."

BOURSE, 0.. A. 15.—The market has been more
buoyant. Threes, for the Account, are now at
65f. 30c. Mobilier, which was yesterday quoted
by mistake 8784,, instead of 8884, has improved to
897 i. ltailwayoMarket firm, with an improvement
on some of the lines. The market closed as fol!ows :
4i per Cents .. 91 80 Italian Loan 65
Do. end month.... Do. end month 65 SO
3 per Cents
Do. end month.... 65 20 New Mexican .... (0 75
Credit Mobilier.... 898 75 Russian
Do. end month.... 897 50 Austrian .. —
Bank Shares 3390 Spani,h Threes....
Credit Fancier ll6O Rome Debt
Roman — Deferred

RAIL WAYS.
Cash. Account.
837 50 4. 835
972 50 .. 970
890 .. 888 75
690 590
600 .. 500
497 60 .. 497 50
330 .. 330
430 .. 432 60
612 50 515
37.2 50 .. 377 50
470 .. 466 25
.. 20J

0 rl saps ..••.
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian ..
Lombard
North of Spain
Saragossa
Ditto to Barcelona

CHINA AND JAPAN.

We take the following summary of news from
the China Overland Mail of 27th August :

" Japan has been the subject of some anxiety during the
last fortnight, and thote are not wanting prospects of speedy
hostilities in the Straits of Shimonoseki, which forms the
Gibraltar of the Inland Sea. Matters may thus briefly be
stated. On or about the 25th of July last two Japanese
' ambassadors' reached Yokohama by the mail steamer.
Both were dressed as Europeans, and had been for three
months in England, whither they had been sent, they
affirmed, by their master, the Prince of Nagato.
Shortly after their arrival, two of her Majesty's vessels
of war (the Barossa and the Cormorant) got up
steam, and proceeded to the Straits of Shimonaski
with the two men on board. There were also on
board an engineer officer and some French and Dutch offi-
cers. This was the first visit paid to these Straits by any
foreign vessel for about a year, and there was some reason
to suspect that Nagato had in the interval strengthened
his fortifications. There is every reason to suppose that
this suspicion is correct. -Whatever errand the two ships of
war went upon—we hear it was to demand the opening of
the Inland Sea—they returned without having accomplished
it. All their demands met from the Prince of Nagato an
absolute refusal. The ambassadors' were put on shore at
their master's territory. In consequence of what passed it
was at once arranged that the combined French, English,
and Dutch fleet should leave Yokohama about the 2 ith inst.,
to see how far it was possible to enforce their demands upon
the Prince. The fleet intended for this service consisted of
16 English, two French, and four Dutch vessels of war, a
force somewhat more formidable than that employed at
Kagosima, but of questionable use against the forts and
forces of Negate, should he prove to have increased in mili-
tary strength during the past year, which it is to be feared
he has to a very considerable extent• _

" A battalion of Marines will embark with the fleet from
Yokohamo, leaving that port defended by the 20th Itegi•
meat and detachments of the 67th. There have also been
ordered up from Shanghai 100 men of the 67th and 150 Be-
loochces. Aa an additional protection to the settlement her
Majesty's ship Conqueror and the United States steamer
Jamestown will remain at Yokohama. _ _ .

" The liet about to sail 12 days after the date of our last
Japan advices (Aug. 1;)) was to rendezvous in the Bingo
Channel. where her ijesty's ships Perseus and Osprey
would join them from Shanghai, with a supply of coal in
sailing vessels which they were ordered to escort. It can-
not be sooner than the middle of September before hostili-
there is some
at ihe
ds ofirnormn entche should
e,extent
oof
the matters
oe
pveetre
tct
oo
tim to that pass ;
e:
reason to fear the worst. Large as these preparations are,
comparatively, they aro much too insignificant, in the
opinion of well-informed judges, for the purpose of putting
our relations with Japan on a liberal, permanent, and satis-
factory footing. For this purpose a land force of not less
than 15,000 is said to be needed; and if we should wait
te latest
calculatedauthentic to
arouse items te
another year, while the Japanese continue to mature their
own preparations, a force of 20,000 men might be unequal
to the task of obtaining what we desire. Meantime, these
are alfromy. Japan, and
they arc l h
seriousmso w
f news

" From China the chi©f political news has reference to
the state of the country. That China can never be at perfect
peace is a problem which we need not attempt to solve. Its
Government has been called a despotic government, but
there is no country in the world where the peace of the em-
pire depends so much on the goodwill of the people, and of
this few are better aware than the mandarins themselyes

The Taeping rebellion has been one of the worst sores conse-
quent upon the pride, haughtiness, and self-sufficiency into
which the Chinese rulers had fallen (from Hien Fung down
to the lowest civil officer) that has for a long time punished
the sins of the governing classes. It was in itself a malady
that would never have resulted in political purgation—an
ulcer which foreigners wished to keep clear of by 30
miles at least, and which they have shown the Chinese
how to cure. The physician has hitherto got but scant
thanks from his querulous patient, and the next matter of
curiosity will be to see whether China's renewed vigour
will be used in our favour or against us. Several questions
have been waiting solution for some time, chiefly with re-
gard to treaty rights ; and those questions have been defer-
red on account of the trouble attending the Taeping re-
bellion.