The Sun.
London, England, 1839-01-08 00:00:00

FRANCE.

THE FRENCH NAVY. —A summary of the number of vessels
actually composing the French navy is given by the Memorial
Borde!ais, and we are inclined to look upon it as correct.
There are actually afloat 281 vessels of war of all kinds—
viz., twenty-four ships of the line, thirty-seven frigates, twenty-
two corvettes, eight corvettes. avisos, forty-nine brigs, seventy-
four small vessels, schooners, cutters, gun-boats, &c. ; fifteen
transport- corvettes, twenty-four transports, and twenty-nine
steamers. There are twenty-seven ships of the line and
twenty-six frigates building, without reckoning smaller ves-
sels. Three frigates are careening at different ports ; and nine
steamers are in course of construction.
LA ROCHELLE, JAN. 2.—Our city has been during two days
the theatre of deplorable scenes. Yesterday the coal-porters
tumultuously rose to prevent the shipping of corn, and to-day
the agitators, aided by the country people, who poured in in
great numbers, committed great excesses. The drummers
of the National Guard beat to arms, but only one-half of
the citizens turned out, and the authorities evinced much weak-
ness and indecision in repressing the disturbances. " The
houses of Messrs. Cormerais, Conier, and Martin Fraig-
Laud, A. Seignett, Leveque, junior, and Gon, were plundered
by the populace. It was only wLen they came to the house
of M. Bastean, the mayor, that resistance was offered by a
detachment of troops of the line. The latter were placed un-
der the cruel necessity of firing on the people, and several in-
dividuals were wounded.
" The town is about to be declared in a state of siege, in
order to check the influx of the country people. We are
differently situated from most of the towns of France, being
surrounded by a highly exasperated population, and having
close at hand, at Belle Croix, 1,500 military convicts, who re-
quire the presence of an entire battalion of our garrison. If
proper measures had been taken in time, these disorders would
not have occurred.
" About sixty bodies, proceeding from the wreck of the De-
siree corvette, have been picked up on the coast. More than
three-fourths are galley-slaves ; the bodies of none of the
officers have yet been found."—Commerce.

IMPORTATION OF CORN.—By the ships' reports
from the 21st to the 27th ult., we find the quantity of corn
imported into this port during that period was between
28,000 and 29,000 quarters. There seems, therefore, to
be still a supply from abroad.—Hull Advertiser.
The London Temperance Committee have an-
nounced to Ralph Grindrod, Esq., surgeon, of Manches-
ter, that they have awarded to him, for the best Essay on
Temperance, the grand prize of one hundred guineas. The
fortunate essayist has also had 3001. offered for the copy-
right, but which he has for the present declined.—Liverpool
Chronick.
THE EXETER CONSERVATIVE DINNNR.---Sir
Wm. Follett is a man who stands high with the Conserva-
tives. He possesses arnbition, talents, and character, and
has hitherto fortunately escaped any false step of conse-
quence sufficient to impede his progress towards popularity
and influence with his party. We have read his speech de-
livered at the Exeter dinner on Wednesday, and one
novelty it undoubtedly possesses. It is much more
moderate in tone than any political speech of his we
have known him to deliver for some years past. He cer-
tainly does anything but flatter the Whig Government, but
he indulges in no violent abuse, and utters not the words of
triumph.—Devonport Telegraph of Saturday.
A NEW NOTION.—A German writer observes that
in England there is such a scarcity of thieves they are
obliged to offer a reward for their discovery.—Aldine
Magazine.
ESCAPE OF A TIGER.—A Bengal tiger escaped
from Wombwell's menagerie, in the Commercial-road, on
Sunday night. The animal walked close to a lady and
gentleman who were passing, and shortly after was attacked
by a dog, which suffered dearly for its rashness, being killed
on the spot. It then commenced scraping at the door of a
house in Regent's-terrace, as if anxious to get inside. For
tunately the inmates were warned in time to prevent then•
opening the dcor. The animal was ultimately secured by
the keepers.
A very numerous meeting of the Proprietors of
East India Stock was held yesterday, at the London Tavern,
Bishopsgate-street, for the purpose of taking into considera-
tion the most effectual means to be adopted for promoting
the election of Lieut.-Colonel W. Hughes, F.R.S., to the
office of a Director of the East India Court, on the firs!
vacancy. After some discussion, resolutions in furtheranc'
of that object were adopted, andlthe meeting separated.