The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-16 00:00:00

FRANCE.

A French Cabinet Courier left Paris on Wednes-
day night with despatches for the Ambassador at
Constantinople. He received orders to proceed by
the shortest route, to employ the most rapid means
of conveyance at the disposal of the traveller, and
to rest neither night nor day till he arrived at his
destination. It is scarcely necessary to say that
the despatches he bears must be of the highest im-
portance, and they are believed to contain instruc-
tions for the military Ambassador at the Sublime
Porte suited to the exigency of the moment. Their
purport has not transpired, but it is surmised that
the admirals are enjoined to carry into execution
the orders which they had previously received to
protect the Turkish fleets and the Asiatic coast
from aggression, and, if aggression be committed,
to punish the perpetrator, or avenge what they
could not prevent.
_ _

The Em'peror and. the Empress drove to St.
Cloud on Tuesday at two o'clock, with ut escort,
and returned to the Tuileries a little before five.

The Constitutionnel has another long article on
the progress of the French navy under the pre-
sent government. We extract the most important
passage :

"The budget of the naval department, which
amounted to 158 millions in 1847, and to 153 millions
in 1848, was in 1852 and 1853 only 117 millions, and
out of that sum the estimates of 1852 left 10 millions
disposable, one half of which was carried forward to the
followini year, and the other half returned to the trea-
sury. What has been the state of our navy notwith-
standing this reduction ? Instead of 130 vessels fitted
out agreeably to the provisions of the budget, we have
had 161 at sea ; and instead of an effective strength of
27,000 men, we have had nearly 34,000. Thus, with a
budget of less than 115 millions on an average of
the last two years, we have kept 161 vessels at sea,
and have employed 34,000 seamen. The govern-
ment has been thus able to realise an idea which
was suggested in the ordenna,nce of 1846, on the
constitution of the fleet, but which had never before
been carried into effect—namely, that of organising two
squadrons, one to operate in the Mediterranean, and the,
other in the Channel. It is needless for us to enlarge on
the importance of a measure which makes us prepared
for any eventuality. If the Mediterranean is not a
French lake, we perform a part there which becomes
every day more and more considerable, and it calls for
the continued presence of an imposing force either in
consequence of our African possessions or on account of
political events which succeed each other so frequently
in the East. Thus for a number of years our squadron
of evolutions has been compelled to confine itself to
the Mediterranean. The last complications of the Turco-
Russian differences also show the importance of the new
organisation. We have now therefore a squadron in each
sea ; the vessels kept in a very advanced state in our
dockyards could in case of need promptly reinforce either
of them, and the railways furnish a ready means of re-
moving in a few days, according to circumstances, our
maritime personnel from Brest to Toulon or vice versa as
they ;flight be required. The only squadron which we
had laSt year was composed of eight sail of the line ; our
two squadrons now consist of 14 ships of the line with-
out reckoning a proportionate increase in the number of
steam-frigates and corvettes. We have besides the naval