The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-16 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The Marquis de Valdegamas, Envoy Extraordi-
nary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Queen of
Spain has had an audience of the Emperor, for the
purpose of presenting the insignia of the Royal
Order of Noble Ladies of Maria Louisa, which his
Sovereign has conferred on the Empress.
The Moniteur publishes another list of 38 per-
sons who were sentenced to various degrees of
punishment by the commissions appointed to exa-
mine the cases of political prisoners after the affair
of the 2d December, 1851, and who are now par-
doned by the Emperor.
The Univers announces that its chief editor, M.
Louis Veuillot, has appealeno the Pope against
the prohibition of his journal by the Archbishop of
Paris as regards the clergy of his diocese.
The Interet Public of the Hautes Pyren6es has
just received a first warning from the Prefect of the
department, for " persisting in a system of attacks
and improper insinuations against the departmental
authorities, a system which had drawn on it in
August last a warning, from which it was relieved
by the clemency of the Emperor.
The sums received at the Paris Savings' Bank
during the past week have amounted to 696,726 f.
from 6,125 depositors, of whom 996 were new, and
the sums paid back to 422,708 f. The sums paid
into the. Caisse de Retraites for the aged, amounted
to 334,875 f., from 604 accounts, of which 440 were

new.
It is said that dispatches have been received from
Rome on the subject of the Pope's visit to France.
Pius IX., while stating his readiness to undertake
the journey, expresses a doubt if he can come be-
fore the month of August. The Sacred College
had not yet come to any resolution as to the terms
on which it would give its consent to the journey.
This delay is very annoying to the Emperor, who
is still anxious that the coronation should take
place without delay, and it is said that in his im-
patience he was heard to declare that he would be
crowned in the month of May, whether the Pope
came or not. The general belief is that the Pope
will certainly come, whatever time may be fixed
On.
The account received to-day as to the state of
Marshal de St. Arnaud's health is very unsatisfac-
tory. His recovery appears to be almost despaired
of by his medical attendants.
Whilst the French Government is occupied in
organising the transatlantic steam-packet service,
it has augmented considerably of late the steamers
plying between France and Algeria. A company,
with the title of Imperial, has obtained the adjudi-
cation of the' enterprise of carrying over letters and
troops to Algeria. There are to be ten screw-
steamers of 350-horse power, and six others of
from 100 to 120-horse power, especially intended
for carrying over heavy merchandise. In fact, the
intention of the Government is to improve the
French steam-packet service in every direction.
There was a steadier feeling displayed on the
Bourse yesterday, and the Three per Cents., which
were quoted sc. lower than Monday for cash,
proved to that fraction for the settlement ; the
last prices called being 80f. 75c. for cash, and 80f.
85c. for the account. The Four-and-a-Half
per
Cents. left off at a rise of 30c. on the cash prices
of Monday, and of 55c. on those for the end of the
month, the official call at the termination of busi-
ness being 104 f. 30c. for cash, and 104 f. 25c, for the
account. There was not the slightest inclination to
touch Bank Stock, which has not recovered
any of
the mazy heavy declines which have of late been
experienced, and which ended at 2,745 nominally,
but really a shade lower for sellers. Railway Stocks
not quite so active—Northern, 912 f ; Strasbourg,
825 f. ; Lyons, 932 f. ; Western, 755 f. ;and Besan-
con, 558 f.