The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-30 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Paris papers of yesterday had not arrived
when we went to press. We have, however, re-
ceived the following by telegraph
M. Visconti has died suddenly.
The Bourse yesterday, which was dull at its
opening, closed with a rise. There was a rumour
of the Sultan having authorised Redschid Pasha to
negotiate a peace.

The Three per Cents. closed at 74f. 30c. for the
end of the month, and the Four-and-a-Half per
Cents. at 101 f. 25c.

A decree of the Emperor appoints M. Stourm,
Councillor of State, to the post of director-general
of the Post-office.

An imperial decree authorises the formation,
under the guarantee of the city of Paris, and under
the authority of the Prefect of the Seine, of a bank
for the use of the bakers of Paris. It is to be
charged to pay for them the amount of their pur-
chases of corn and flour, and to that effect a credit
will be opened to each baker on the deposit of proper
securities. Every baker is bound to send to the
bank, withilithree days after each acquisition, a
declaration of the corn or flour purchased by him,
and these declarations will serve as elements to
make out the official prices for the month. The
bank is authorised to advance to the bakers the
amount of the deficiency which may exist be-
tween the price of bread, as fixed by the municipal
council, and the price resulting from the official
returns of corn and flour for the month. In order to
receive back such advances, the bank is to take as
a compensation the sums arising from the surplus
existing between the price of bread and that which
it ought to be sold for according to the official re-
turns. If advisable, the operations of the bank are
to be extended to the bakers in the other communes
of the Seine. The bakers' bank can, with the au-
thorisation of the Municipal Cc uncil, borrow the
funds necessary for the service with which it is
charged, and the expense of its administration is to
be borne by the city of Paris.
_ _

The illo;liteur pdblishes a decree abolishing the
restrictions imposed by the rescript of the Bth of
February, 1826, on raw cotton imported into
France from Great Britain and the British posses-
sions in Europe. According to the said rescript the
produce of Asia, Africa, and America, sent from
England and her European possessions into French
ports was to be admitted for re-exportation only.
It is announced, in quarters generally well in-
formed on such subjects, that the Emperor is deter-
mined to extend the principles of free trade, and to
reduce the excessive duties payable on the importa-
tion of various articles used in manufactures. An
Imperial decree will shortly appear, it is said, re-
ducing the duty on cotton thread. It has been
observed with pleasure that the great majority of
the commissioners appointed to direct the arrange-
ments of the Great Exhibition to be held in the
Champs Elysees in the year 1855 are Freetraders.
In the meantime, the partisans of the old system
are not idle. Petitions are being signed against
the reduction of the duty on English cotton
thread.

The Moniteur announces all the receptions that
are to take place on the occasion of the new year
by their Majesties. The diplomatic corps is to be
received at half-past eleven on the Ist of January,
and there is to be reception of ladies and gentle-
men in the evening of the 2d.
The Debats says :—" Letters from London posi-
tively state that the English Cabinet into which
Lord Palmerston has returned has agreed on the
two following points ; the temporary postpone-
ment of the Electoral Reform Bill, subject to a
fresh examination of the question towards the end
of the session, and the despatch of instructions to
Lord Redcliffe and Admiral Dundas for the imme-
diate entrance of the English fleet into the Black
Sea." •