The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The Emperor has forwarded a sum of 100,000 f. to the
Prefect of Police for distribution at the residences of
artisans out of work and the needy families of the capital.
The ocean squadron is hourly expected at Toulon, on
board which are 1,600 sailors, to man six ships of the
line and the frigate Zenobie, now being fitted out at
that port.

The Marengo and the frigate Asmodee are awaiting
their sailing orders for Constantinople.
The first representation of M. Meyerbeer's new opera,
L'Etoile du Nord, toot: place, says the Paris corres-
pondent of the limes, on Thursday night at the Opera
Comique. The house was crowded in every part,
and many who had sought admission at the doors
were obliged to go away disappointed. The Emperor
and Empress were present ; they arrived early, and
were among the last to leave. The Etoile du
Nord had excited nearly as much attention among
musical, literary, and even political persons as the
Eastern question still does in the diplomatic world. Nor
will this seem strange when it is known that the plot,
the hero, and every incident in the piece has reference
to Russia. It is an episode in the history of the extra-
ordinary man who, though little better than a barbarian
himself, struck the first effective blow at the barbarism
of his country ; and, who, cruel of character, and brutal
in habits and manners, yet introduced the first elements
of civilisation among a people who passed for Christians,
but who were as yet scarce half-converted from gloomy
and fierce Paganism. The hero of the Etoile du Nord
is Peter the Great ; the heroine, that equally extraor-
dinary woman who rose from the humblest class,
and a degraded condition, to be the partner of the
mighty Monarch of the Russias ; whose gentle influence
could alone subdue the savage nature of her lord, and
who when seated on the throne exhibited those virtues
to which her claim in a humble condition was more than
doubtful. The elevation of a beautiful female from a
private condition to be the partner of an Emperor pre-
sented some analogy with the more recent history of
the actual ruler of France, and that analogy, with the
fact of the plot being taken from the history of Russia,
independently of the acknowledged merits of M. Meyer-
beer and M. Scribe, fully accounts for the in-
terest which the piece created among the public.
These facts may also explain the difficulties that
were anticipated with reference to the censorship. The
Emperor, however, appeared to have considered the
matter in an exclusively artistical light, and, with the
exception• of some few passages, the piece was repro-
sentethas originally sketched. The enthusiasm of the
public-during the performance was great beyond prece-
dent ; and the celebrated composer appeared ou the
stage at the fall of the curtain, and, in compliance with
the universal and prolonged demand of the audience, to
receive their congratulations and plaudits in person.
The Bourse opened with tolerable firmness yesterday,
and the Three per Cents., first quoted at 68f. 10c., rose
to 68f. 35c. It was subsequently reported that the
Austrian Government is showing a disposition to sepa-
rate from the Western Powers. The Three per Cents.
then fell to 67f. 80c., and closed at 67f. 90c. for the end
of the month. The Four-and-a-Half per Cents. closed
at 97f. 50c.; Orleans Railway shares, 1,075 f.; Rouen,
890 f.; Havre, 4501.; Great Northern, 737 f. 50c.; Paris
and Strasburg, 717 f. 50c.; ditto, New, 565 f.; Paris and
Lyons, 820 f.; Lyons to the Mediterranean, 655 f.; Wes-
tern of France, 575 f.; Bordeaux and Cute, 540 f.; Great
Central, 438 f 75c.; Lyons and Geneva, 155 f.; Shares
of the Bank of Cr4dit Mobilier, 617 f. 50c. •

SPAIN.

Our accounts from Madrid are of the 17th inst.

The Gazette publishes the following royal decree
:
"Her Majesty the Queen, having been informed of
the sudden rise in this capital of the price of bread, with-
out any justifiable motive, has deigned to order, in her
solicitude for the welfare of the people, and particularly
of the indigent classes, that your Excellency should im-
mediately remedy the evil, authorising you, for that
purpose, to adopt all the measures you may deem neces-
sary, &c.

ilMadrid, Feb. 11, 1854."
We read in the Correspondancia Autografa—
" We can assure our readers that the rumour in cir-
culation relative to the sending a Spanish army of 20,000
or 30,000 men to Italy is totally unfounded. The same
may be said of the reported convention concluded between
Spain, England, and France, and which would bind
them to take part in the war about to break out in
Europe, on the occasion of the Eastern question."
The weather had suddenly changed and become in-
tensely cold.

It Laing Sunday the Bourse remained closed.

MARKET NEWS-(TLIIS DAY.)

COVENT GARDEN.

The demand for both fruit and vegetables was firm at
this market to-day, as follows;—
FRUIT.—Pine apples, English, 6s Od to 10s Od each ;
ditto colonial, is Od to is 3d each ; hot-house grapes.
8s to 12s; foreign ditto, is Gd to 3s Od per lb; apples,
Gs to 8s per bush ; pears, 3s Od to 6s per dozen ; lemons,
Os 9d to 26 ; oranges, sOd to 103 per 100 ; almonds, 2s
to 3s per lb. ; Barcelona nuts, 24s per bush.; cob-nuts. 95s to
105 s per 1001bs. ; chesnuts, 2s to 43 per peck ; filberts,
850 to 1002 per 100 lbs; walnuts, 8d to Is 6d per 100.
VEGETABLES.—Cabbages, 9d to is 6d ; Brussels sprouts,
2s Od to 3s Od per half sieve ; brocoli, 9d to 2s Od per bund.;
greens. 2s 6d to 4s Od per doz. bunches ' • French beans, 3s
to 5s Od per 100 ; potatoes, 120 s to 165 s per ton ;
turnips, 2d to 4d per bunch ; carrots, 4d to Gd per
bunch; cucumbers, 20 Od. to 4s Od each celery, 9cl tc
Is 6d per bundle; spinach, 4s Od to 6s Od per ,sieve;
onions, 2s 6d to 3s 9d '
,per bushel • Spanish ditto, is to 3s
' per doz. ; leeks, 2d to 4d per bunch ; shallots, 8d to 10d
horse-raddish, 2s Od to 480. i per bundle ; parsley 3s 6cl to
33 Gd per dozen bunches ; rhubarb, is at to is 6d per
bundle ; endive, 2s to 3s 6d per score ; beet, is to 2s 3d
per dozen bunches.
NEWGATE AND LEADENHALL.
Turkeys, 486 d to Od; Geese, 4s 6d to 6s each ; Ducks,
2s to 28 Gd; tame Rabbits, 10d to is Gd ; wild ditto, 10d
to is 6d ; Pigeons, Gd to &1 each; roasting Pigs, 4s to 7s Od
each; Surrey Fowls, 5s Od to 9s Od ; ditto Chickens, Os 0,1
to Os Od; barn-door Fowls, is 9d to 2s 9d per couple;
Capons, 3s to 4s Od ; Chickens, is 6d to 2s Od per couple ;
Pheasants, 3s Gd. to 4s Od; Partridges, is 6d to is 9d; Hares,
2a Gd to 3s 6d; Leverets, Os Od to Os Od; Woodcocks, 2s Gd
to 3s 6d; Grouse, 2s Od to 2s 6d; Snipes, 9d to is 6d; Teal
6d to 9d; wild Ducks, is 9cl to 2s 3d • Widgeons, 9cl to
is Od; and Plovers, Gd to is each. English Eggs, 8s Od to
Os Gd; French ditto, 6s 9d to 7s 6d per 120 ; Ostend fresh
butter Ils 6cl to 13s Od, and English 12s Od to 16s Od per
dozen lbs.

BILLINGSGATE.
Turbots, 2s 6d to 15s ; Brills, is 6(1 to 7s each; Salmon
3s 6d to Os per lb; Cod Fish, 53 Od to 10s Od each ; Soles,
2d to is 6d per pair ; Eels 8d to is per lb ; Lobsters, 6d to
3s Od; Crabs, 4d to 2s 9d; Whitings, 1s to 2s 6d per doz.;
Doreys, 2s to 7s ; Mullets, 6d to 2s 6d each ; Common
Oysters, 103 Od to 16s Od; Natives, 40s Od to 50s Od per
bsh; Mackerel, 25s to 30s per 100; smelts, is Od to 3spr doz.;
Skate, 6d to Od per lb; Shrimps, is 6d to 2s 6d per gallon;
Bloaters, is 6cl to 2s Od per doz. ; Fresh Herrings, 8s 0(1
to Os Od per 100 ; Haddocks, 614 to 12s per doz. ; Plaice,
4d to is Od each ; Carp, 2s Od per brace ; Tench, 2s otl
to Os Od per brace ; Gurnets, 4d to is Od each ; Halibut,
6d per lb. • Salt Fish, 2d to 5d per lb. ; Prawns, 2s Od to
4s 0,1 per lb. ; Flounders, is to is 6d per dozen ; Sturgeon,
6(1 per lb.; Pike 6d per lb. ; sprats, 3s Od per bushel.

. ,
BREAD.
The prices of wheaten bread in the metropolis are front
lld to 114 d; of household ditto, 9d to 100 per 41b loaf.

NEWPORT.

Beef from 3s 4d to 4s 2d.; mutton, 3a 6d to 4s 8d ;
veal, 4s 2d to 5s 2d ; pork, 33 8d to 5s Od per 81bs.

WRITECHAPEL.

Beef, froin 3s 2d to 4s 2d ; Mutton, 3s 4d to 4s 8(1 ;
Voal, 4s 04 to 5s Od ; Pork, 3s 4d to 4s 10d per Blbs. by
the carcase. _ _

HAY MARKETS.
SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, 21 15s to 51 59 ; clover
ditto, 31 15s to 6/ Os ; and straw, 11 16s to 21 39 per load.
Supply good, and trade dull.
COMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, 2/ 18s to 5/ Os ; clover
ditto, 41 Os to 61 Os ; and straw, 11 18s to 21 4s per load.
A full average supply, and a sluggish demand.
WHITECIIAPEL.—,Meadow hay, 21 15s to Si Os; clover
ditto, 41 Os to 610 s ; and straw, 11 163 to 21 3s per load.
Trade dull, at our quotations.

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812s1

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261
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