The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-09 00:00:00

THE FRENCH EMPIRE.

The Senate has closed its session. M. Troplona
declared that the Senate did not oppose the 'pro-
mulgation of the following bills :—that relating to
an exchange of property between the State and
the heirs Villepreux ; that authorising the aliena-
tion of some property belonging to the majorate of
the Duke de Padoue • that extending the jurisdic-
tion of the Prefect of Police of Paris to the ban-
lieue ; that prohibiting the carrying of arms in
Corsica ; and that relating to the supplementary
and extraordinary credits of 1852. Some reports
on petitions were then heard ; after which the
Minister of State read a decree from the Emperor,
declaring the session of 1853 to be closed. The
members separated with cries of " Vive I'Empe-
reur."

Yesterday, being the day fixed for the visit
of their Majesties to the Hippodrome, every part
of the building was densely crowded. In the
box appropriated to the Emperor and Empress
were, besides their Majesties, the Princess
Mathilde, with several other ladies of distinc-
tion, Count de Morny, General Roguet, M. Abba-
tucci, &c. The Emperor and Empress were accom-
panied on their arrival by several Ladies of
Honour, Colonel Fleury, and M. Tascher de la
Pagerie. In order to do honour to the Imperial
visit, the place was fitted up with great taste, and
the greater number of the costumes were new.
After the tournament the Eolus balloon went up,
carrying with it M. Letur and his apparatus. He
had let go from the balloon with his parachute, by
the aid of which and his wings he calculated on
being able to come down gently to the ground; but
it appears that neither one nor the other acted, for
he descended with frightful rapidity in the Champ
de Mars, and it was feared by those who saw him
that he was killed ; but it was found that such was
not the case, but that he merely received a very
strong concussion. The Emperor and Empress did
not leave the Hippodrome until the balloon was
completely out of sight.
The Emperor has just accorded from his privy
purse a pension of 1,200 f. a-year to Mdme. For-
nier, the eldest daughter of General Bisson, Count
of the Empire and Grand Cross of the Legion of
Honour. Napoleon I had created in favour of the
general a majorat from the Stkte-property, but it
ceased in 1814. Mde. Fornier never received from the
succeeding Government any pension, and her little
patrimony was pillaged and burned in 1814. The
Emperor has also granted from his privy purse a
pension of 2,000 f. a year to the Mlles Corneille,
descendants of the author of the " Cid."

In execution of the Imperial decree of the Gth
of March last, the Treasury paid over on Tuesday,
to the old Bordeaux to Cette Railway Company,
in the person of M. Tarbe de Sablons, the liqui-
dator of the company, a sum of 5,500,000 f., being
one-half of its caution money. In consequence of
this payment, and of those made on April 20 to
the Fampoux to Hazebruck Company, and on the
23d of the same month to the Lyons and Avignon
Company, the decree of March the Gth is now com-
pletely executed.
The market for Government Securities was dull
yesterday, though on the whole prices were toler-
ably well maintained. In both the Three and
Four-and-a-Half per Cents., for cash, a decline of
15c. took place, and of 20c. in the Four-and-a-Half
per Cents. for the end of the month. The Three
per Cents. for the term improved 20c. The closing
prices were :—For Cash—Three per Cents., 77f.
10c. ; Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 101 f. 85c. For
the Account—Three per Cents., 77f. 20c. ; Four-
and-a-Half per Cents., 101 f. 80c. Bank Stock,
2,674 f. 50c. A further decline in prices occurred
in the market for railway securities. Final quo-
tations : Northern, 885 ; Paris and Orleans,
1,053 ; Paris and Strasbourg, 898 ; Paris and
Lyons, 909 f. 75c. ; Paris and Rouen, 1,025 f. ;
Lyons to the Mediterranean, 725 f. ; Western of
France, 727 f. 50c. ; Rouen and Havre, 485 f.