The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-14 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The state of the Bourse, and the long-continued
daily decline in the price of the Rentes, form the
chief topics of discussion in Paris. The closing
prices yesterday afternoon of the Three per Cents.
were officially reported at 70f. 60c. for the account,
being a fall of 50 centimes on the last rates of the
previous day; the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. were
quoted 104 f. 60c., being a decline of 65 centimes
on the opening rates the same morning. The Bank
stock, railway and assurance shares, and, in fine,
all other investments, partake of the same panic,
and transactions for cash were effected on almost
any terms. This state of things naturally gave rise
to many ill-natured reports, one of which went the
length of asserting that a person of high official
standing in the Government had been guilty of
some unprincipled jobbing on the Stock Exchange.
With reference to these scandalous stories which,
it was said, chiefly affected the Minister of War,
and which alleged that, being unable to pay his
losses, he had been executed, while others said he
had been saved by subscriptions got up amongst
the agens de change, and others again that M.
Fould had, to save the credit of the Government,
ordered
the money to be paid, the Moniteur, in
reply to all such inventions, contains the following
decisive note :
" Public opinion has latterly been pre-occupied with the
situation of the Bourse, and of certain operations in which
the name of a public functionary of a very high order has
been implicated. It is known that the habitual tactic of
the enemies of the Government consists in spreading about
each day the most absurd and false news regarding its in-
tentions and acts, and in seeking, through despair of other
means, to disparage the men who afford it the most useful
support. The Emperor, however, who desires to found
the influence of his administration upon the respect inspired
by the probity of functionaries of all degrees, has felt
moved by rumours which have moved even him. He
wished to know the truth as to their nature and origin, and
ordered investigations, which have furnished the most in-
contestable proof that those rumours have no sort of
foundation, and are the result of an odious calumny."
The Moniteur confirms the fact mentioned of the
reception of the Turkish ambassador.
The following naval appointments have taken
place :
Captain de la. Graudiere to the command of the
corvette 'L'Eurydice.
Captain Leps to the command of the brig La-
perouse.

3,420

- Lieut. Ferr6 to the command of the gabarre La
Sarcelle.

Lieut. Cornequel Dubodon to the command of the
gabarre La Pintade.

- Lieut. Thomassy to the gaellette L'Estafette.
Captain le Saulmer de Vaubello to the steam-
frigate Le Sane.
Captain Sagot-Duvauroux to the steam aviso Le
Requm.
Captain Dupourg to the steam aviso Le Marceau.
Five columns are filled with names of persons
decorated with the Legion of Honour, followed
with various appointments to places.
The same journal contains the following gratify-
ing announcement :—" We made known, the 29th
December last, that the number of pardons ac-
corded by his Majesty to political prisoners con-
demned by the mixed commissions amounted to
1,232. By two subsequent decisions, the Emperor
has admitted to the benefit of his clemency 383
persons, that is to say, 180 the sth, and 203 the
Bth of January. We now learn that by a decree
of the present date 80 more prisoners have either
been liberated or have had their sentences miti-
gated. The number of pardons accorded by his
Majesty to persons condemned for political causes
by exceptional tribunals amounted to 1,695."
The first Imperial ball, whose announcement
has Agitated the whole of the gay world in this
gayest of capitals, kept so many on the tenterhooks
of expectation, and which has called forth the ex-
ercise of as much diplomacy as would have made
the fortune of half-a-dozen Talleyrands, took place
on Wednesday night. It is calculated that the list
sent in from the English Embassy alone included
not less than 220 names. The card for the ball was
in this form

" Par ordre de l'Empereur, le Grand Chambellan a
l'honneur de prevenir M. - qu'il est invite 'a passer
la soiree au Palais des Tuileries, 1e Meraredi, 12 Janvier,
9 heures.

" Duo DE BASSANO.
"On est prid de remettre cette carte en entrant."
Though the hour mentioned was 9 o'clock, yet
Long before carriages began to arrive at the Court
of the Palace. Th6re were two sets of tickets—
those of a rose colour procured an entrance by the
Pavilion floor, and were set apart for the members
of the Diplomatic Corps and the higher func-
tionaries of State ; and white tickets for the other
persons, who had access by another entrance on
the same side. The Emperor entered the State
apartments precisely at 9 o'clock, and proceeded to
the throne room, where he received such persons
as were specially presented to him by their respec-
tive ambassadors. About 10 o'clock a general
movement was observed in the saloons leading
to the throne room, and soon the Emperor ap-
peared, with Lady Cowley leaning on his arm, and
followed by the Ministers, the members of the Di-
plomatic Corps, the officers of the household, the great
functionaries of State, and the ladies and gentle-
men who had just been presented. Louis Napo-
leon was dressed in the uniform of a general officer,
with the riband and star of the Legion of Honour.
He wore shoes with small diamond buckles, and
white silk stockings with diamond knee-buckles.
The Ministers, and several other public function-
aries, were similarly habited. The Emperor looked
well, and appeared in excellent spirits as he passed
along between the rows of gorgeous uniforms and
costly dresses of ladies, bowing to the right and
left. He proceeded at the head of his brilliant
cortege to the Salle.des Marechaux, where dancing
at once commenced. The Emperor had. for his
partner the lady of the English Ambassad or. Ar-
rivals continued almost without intermission till 11
o'clock, and soon the magnificent saloons of the
Palace were filled, yet not inconveniently :so.
Dancing continued with spirit till near 12 o'clock.
The Emperor had danced with Lady Cowley, the
Princess Mathilde, and the Countess of Toba—the
last one of the most beautiful women in Spain. He
then sat down, with the Grand Chamberlain stand-
ing or seated 3ehind him, and looked on at others
dancing, or walked about with a lady leaning on
his arm. It is but fair to say that one of ale most
conspicuous for the vigour and energy of li is danc-
ing was Marshal Magnan, whose movem eats did
not seem in the least encumbered by th e weight
of his new honours. At 12 o'clock the 39,3mperor
led the way to the supper room. Tli e feast
was laid out in the theatre of the Palace,
which was also richly decorated for the 0 ccasion.
In order that the repast might be enjoy ed with
more ease, it had been arranged that th,e ladies
should sup by themselves, and the men aft ex. The
Emperor was followed by a numerous co rtege of
ladies and gentlemen. When the foldi rig-doors
which led, from the long gallery to the estibule
through which you pass to the theatre, wer e' thrown
open, nothing could exceed the briliancg of the
spectacle. Around the semi-circular apart' 1 lent ran
a buffet laden with refreshments. The number of
tables laid out were 40 ; they were round, and each
provided ample accommodation for 14 persons.
Meats of every kind, and wines of every vintage
were supplied in abundance Besides tI ie bril-
liant light which flowed down from the lustres
which hung from the ceiling, three silver
branches, with three or four lights each, were
placed on each table. An elevated gal I cry ran
round the hall, and two bands of music; played
the most select airs alternately during th,e whole
time. The favourite air, " Partant ;pour la
s
yrie," was always sure to be heard wherever Louis
Napoleon made his appearance. It was r( 3 marked
that the plate bore the initial " N.," with the Im-
perial crown, while the napkins—a least many of
the
1
ce
noB4yr
them—.had the letters "L. P.," and the date
7or,
of the
tt marked on them. Supper was ow lr at two
o'clock, but more than an hour previously the Em-
evenEmriao Cioad_eto the Salle. des Marecha 4.ix with
and dancing was resumed with
preeroyr
the compan
Dancing began to thin; and before tlnat time
retired to tfoourhisop At thre e o'clock
the
criloveakt.e van' tments.
The Pour
10c., rose to 10-saillialf per Cents. opened at 105 f.
50c., and closed at sc"
wasankecrestthess than before.
fell subsequently to 105 f.
month,- and the Threelo4f. 60c. for the end: of the
60c. • Orleans Railway Share
per Cents. closed at 79f.
9771. 50c. ; Havre, Ko6ofhares, 992 f. 50c. • Rouen,
830 f.; Basle, 347 f. Oe ;pa 50c. ; Great Northern,
Paris and Lyons, 865 i. ; ris and Strasbur g, 787 f.;
nean, 705 f. ; Western of Lyonsan to -the Moditerra-
Cherbourg, 6201. ; Dijon andee 67°f- ; Caen to
Shares of the Bank of Credit _ _ Besancon, 520 f. ;
Mobihe •
r ;sued at
500 f.), 770 f.

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 14, 1853.