The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-08 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Moniteur of to-day (Wednesday) announces
the departure of M. de Kisseleff, and has com-
menced the publication of the French documents.
The French Ambassador at St. Petersburg Count
de Castelbajac, has been recalled.

It was on the sth inst. that the Western Powers
signed and despatched to St. Petersburg the pro-
tocol containing their answer to the refusal of
Russia to agree to the propositions of the Vienna
conference.

We stated yesterday that the French Atlantic
squadron which is stationed at Brest, had received
orders to put to sea immediately. The order was
received at Brest on the 3d instant. It is confi-
dently stated that this squadron is to proceed to
Toulon, to Algiers, and to Civita Vecchia, for the
purpose of embarking the troops which are to form
the expeditionary column about to proceed to
Constantinople. The provisions for the expedition
have already been.contracted for.
A duel was fought in the Bois do Boulogne yes-
terday, between the Prince Roger de Beaufremont
and the Count do Ludres. The duel was fought
with small swords. The Count de Ludres received
a severe wound in the chest, but his life is not
considered in danger.
It being pretty accurately ascertained that, in
case of emergency, such as the Russians menacing
to extend their operations by land against Turkey,
England and France will send a force to her assis-
tance, the question now arises as to the mode of
conveying that force, or the route it would take.
A plan has been mentioned which, it is said in
Paris, originated in the highest quarter, has been
approved on military authority, and not rejected
by the English Government.
The plan is, that the division to be sent to the.
East shall consist of from 70,000 to 80,000 men ;
50,000 or 60,000 to be furnished by France, 15,000
or 20,000 by England. - Of the French contingent,
25,000 or 30,000 men, selected in the manner I
have on a former occasion mentioned, indigenous
troops, or of men well hardened to the climate, are
to proceed from Africa ; the remainder from the
army in France. The body thus composed will be
transported to Civita Vecchia, and march overland
to Ancona. if Austria permit them to land in one
of her ports in the Adriatic, so much the better ;
if not, they will disembark in a Turkish port lower
down, then march to Servia, and then to wherever
their services may be required, or would be most
availahle. With the Austrians in Italy, where so
much fermentation exists at this • moment, with
Hungary discontented on one hand and Lom-
bardy on the other, the political consequences of
such a move would, undoubtedly be very great.
The rumour has circulated for several days past
that a part of the English force intended for the
East would pass through France to the Mediterra-
nean by way of Paris. Any English regiment that
would pass through Paris would be received with
welcome, if not enthusiasm, by the people.

Of those who are most ardent in favour of the
Turks, and most desirous that the first blow shall
be such a one as shall bring the war to as speedy a
conclusion as possible, is the Emperor's cousin,
Prince Napoleon (Jerome). Ho is for no half mea-
sures,convinced. as he is that an insufficient force or
a hesitating policy would only prolong the evil. In
case of war the Prince would probably receive a
command, and win his spurs on the Danube. Ge-
neral Prim had a long interview with him and gave
full details of all he saw during his sojourn in the
camp of Omer Pasha. The Spanish General's
praises of that Commander are of the. warmest, as
also of the Turkish soldiers. It is said that the Prince'
in the conrse of his interview with the Kin of the King/
elgians expressed to his Majesty the satisfaction
of his cousin the Emperor of the French that a
more friendly feeling had lately grown up between
the Belgian and French Governments. The Prince
is said to have added that, as hostilities were prob-
able between France and Russia, the Emperor
Napoleon wished to be assured of the attitude
which Belgium would assume in such an emer-
gency ; that his Belgian Majesty had at his dis-
posal 100,000 troops, and in the event (improb-
able though it be) of Prussia taking part with
Russia, 50,000 Belgians might be sent to the
Prussian frontier ; that the Emperor did not
wish any force to be sent to the French
frontier, but that the force in question should
guard the Prussian. To that proposition it
is added that the King assented. With respect to
the fortresses along the French line, the wish was
expressed that they should be in part reduced, and
to that also his Majesty is said to have assented.
The Prince suggested that, as King Leopold was a
constitutional king, it would be necessary to have
the sanction of the Minister for Foreign Affairs to
the arrangement. Tile Minister was sent for, and
was given to the proposed arrange-
his approval
ment. Such, it is stated, on very fair authority,
was the object of Prince Napoleon's mission, as also
its result. •
However strange it may appear, after all that
has taken-place, it is still a fact that au opinion is
expressed by persons of the best authority that the
Emperor of Russia will yet make concessions, and
Oat the single and slight chance of peace is not lost.
It is said that the despatches sent out by the
Caradoc which left Marseilles on the 4th, point out
in the clearest manner the line of conduct to be
pursued by Lord Stratford de Redcliffe and Gene-
ral Baraguay d'Hilliers.
The Emperor and Empress visited the Theatre
. is Monday evenina. The erformauces

by M. Scribe, called Mon Etoile. M. Bressant
made his debut in the former piece.
Prince Jerome has purchased a piece of ground
at Havre, and workmen have already commenced
preparations for building a house on it for the sum-
mer residence of his Imperial Highness.
The Moniteur publishes the account of the
operations of the Bank of France in 1853, pre-
sented by Count d'Argout, the governor, to the
general assembly of the shareholders held on the
26th ult. It commences by expressing regret at the
death of M. Odier, censeur for thirty-four years,
and of M. Halphen, one of the regents. It then
makes the following observations

" Various circumstances influenced, in a marked man-
ner, the operations of the establishment. Never at
any period was the activity of trade, manufactures,
public works, and speculations of all kinds greater
than in 1853, especially during the first nine months
of the year; hence the transactions of the Bank
were unusually important. The insufficiency of
the harvest caused numerous purchases of corn .to
be made abroad; hence, a reduction in the metallic
reserves has been occasioned. The constant increase in
the importation of gold has considerably modified the
nature of the metallic circulation of France. Formerly
this circulation consisted almost exclusively of pieces of
silver ; but at present, in the reserves of the Central
Bank, and in the collections made at Paris, gold domi-
nates. The fixity of the relative value of the two metals
has undergone a certain alteration."
This is followed by a report from the censors of
the Bank testifying to the order and regularity
with which all the operations were conducted, and
to the fidelity with hick the standing regulations
were observed. This report also gives a detailed
account of the expenses of the year : in it losses
figure for 220,000 f. and increase of salaries for
194,300 f.

The Moniteur publishes a return of the receipts
of the railways, from which it appears that in 1853
they were 165,503,450 E, whilst in 1852 they were
only 132,490,239 f.—an increase of more than
33,000,000 f. And this increase is not, it says,
owing solely to the opening of new lines, but arises
principally from an augmentation of traffic ; thus,
for example, the average receipt per kilometre was
41 304-1000ths francs in 1853, whereas in the pre-
ceding year it was only 35 712-1000ths francs,
which gives an increase of 15.66 per cent.
The Algiers journals publish the following letter
from the Emperor to the Governor-General of
Algeria in return for the 'congratulations sent to
their Majesties by the letter on the occasion of the
New Year :--

" Monsieur le Gouverneur-G4n4ral —Notwithstanding
the distance at which you are removed, -you do not,. I
know, allow any opportunity to escape of manifesting to
me the sentiments with which you are animated. It is
therefore with great pleasure that the Empress and my-
hell have received your congratulations on the new year.
We thank you sincerely for them. As the interpreter
of the brave army of Africa, of the functionaries, and
of the colonists, I beg you also to be mine towards
them ; tell them how much I appreciate their courage,
their labours, and their sacrifices ; how happy I should
be were circumstances one day to permit me to go and
personally express to them all my satisfaction. May
1854 consolidate the work which has been already
strengthened in 1853. lam pleased to be able to share
with you in this hope, and doubtless your skilful admi-
nistration will have powerfully contributed to it. For
this, Monsieur le Gouverneur-General, may God have
you in his holy keeping. " NAPOLEON.
Palace of the Tuileries, Jan. 15."