The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-25 00:00:00

FRANCE.

A despatch from Marseilles says that three divisions
of the expeditionary army will have probably embarked
by the end of the month, and that the fourth will follow
in the first days of April.
It is thought that the French will stop at Gallipoli,
and that the English will establish themselves in the
Gulf of Enos. After a short time for repose, the Anglo-
French army will be despatched either to Adrianople or
to the Crimea.

They are preparing at Marseilles a grand fete for the
Duke of Cambridge and Prince Napoleon.
It is said that the subscriptions to the National Loan
reach the amount of 400,000,000 f.
A house has failed in Paris for 2,500,000 f. Other
houses are spoken of as likely to suspend their pay-
ments before many days are over.
The- Chamber of Commerce of Nantes, having ad-
dressed a letter to the Minister of the Marine, calling
his attention to the danger to which the mercantile ma-
rine will be exposed when war is declared, not only from
Russian vessels of war but from privateers, the Minister
has replied, assuring the Chamber that the most ener-
getic measures have been already taken to protect the
French flag in every sea, and in which the English crui-
zers will also co-operate.
All the securities again fell yesterday on the Bourse.
The Three per Cents. opened at 64f. 5c., declined 63f.
70c., and recovered to 63f. 95c., the closing price for
the end of the month ; the Four-and-a Half per Cents.
closed at 90f. 45c. ; Orleans Railway Shares, 1,0671.
50c. ; Rouen, 845 f. ; Great Northern, 717 f. 50c. ;
Strasburg, 696 f. 25c. ; New Shares, 527 f. 50c. ; Lyons
to Paris, 791 f. 25c. ; Lyons to the Mediterranean, 655 f.;
Western of France, 575 f. ; Bordeaux to Cette, 517 f. 50c.;
Great Central of France, 408 f. 75. ; Lyons to Geneva,
430 f. ; Rink of Credit Mobilier, 525 f.

THE FRENCH EXPEDITION TO THE EAST.

A letter from Toulon, dated March the 21st, 'says :
The preparations for the expedition are progressing, al-
though the town is so quiet that many casual visitors
are heard to observe " there is no appearance of prepa-
rations here for war." Not so in the interior of the
arsenal and the dockyard, where thousands of operatives.
are labouring early and late in fitting out ships for sea,
or in fabricating instruments of destruction. Outside
the town, another movement is going forward. The
Champ de Mars is filled every afternoon with detach-
ments of Infantry of Marine, and the 74th Regiment
of the Line (both under orders for foreign service),
practising the various manoeuvres which in a short
time, no doubt they will have to perform with more ef-
fect in presence of a foreign enemy. Other detachments
of the same corps every day practice firing at a target
with ball cartridge, in which they have attained a high
degree of proficiency, to judge from the riddled state of
the targets after their practice is concluded. In the
meantime Admiral Bruat is sot idle. Some hundreds
of the crew of the Montebello, the Admiral's flag-ship,
are every day landed and drilled as light infantry. They
are armed with rifles and poignard bayonets, like the
Chasseurs of Vincennes. They are so perfectly disci-
plined that in case it may become necessary to land sea-
men they will be able to afford effective assistance to
the expeditionary corps.
The volunteers for foreign service from the 57th Regi-
ment of the line, who arrived here from the department
of the Upper Alps, have been incorporated with the
74th Regiment. Colonel Breton, on receiving them,
addressed them in the following terms :
" Soldiers of the 57th,—You are welcome amongst us.
The 74th are happy and proud to open their ranks to you,
for they are certain to find in you those noble sentiments
of duty, of discipline, and of devotedness to the Emperor
which animate them in so high a degree, and which con-
stitute their force and their glory. During the difficult
circumstances which present themselves we shall no
doubt have good and bad days to pass together, but the re-
collection of the great interests of France which we are
called to the honour of defending, and the desire to prove
ourselves worthy of that honour, assure me that I shall
find you equal to your glorious mission. Soldiers of the
57th, let us join in one rallying cry of Vive l'Empereur."
The soldiers responded in the most enthusiastic man-
ner, and, having repeatedly cried, " Vice l'Erapereur,"
they added " one cheer more" for the Colonel.
The only troops arrived here within the last two days
are a battery of artillery and 33 conscripts from Bor-
deaux for the 74th, under charge of two non-commissioned
officers of the 34th. They were 26 days on their march.