The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

GREECE.

According to intelligence from Malta of the 22d,
the division of General Forey, was to leave yester-
day (Friday) in 14 steamers, for Athens, which
city it will occupy.

FRANCE.

REPORT ON THE BUDGET OF 1848.

This document, which has been drawn up by
Baron Paul de Richemont, appears in the lifoni-
te.ur. It is of great length, filling nearly nine
closely-printed columns of the official journal. It
commences by remarking on the very decided ame-
lioration which has taken place in the trade and
manufactures of the country under the present
Government. The trates of the perturbation which
the Revolution of 1848 had produced have, it de-
clares, totally disappeared since December 2,1831;
confidence having been restored, public and private
credit has received such an impetus, that the indi-
rect contributions, that certain mark of public
prosperity, have increased in three years from 707
to 846 millions. That marvellous prosperity, the
report goes on to say, improved further by the
continued action of a prudent and strong Govern-
ment, was not produced in France only, but spread
itself abroad in every direction; for it is the destiny
of France always to react on other countries by her
prosperity as by her disasters. But all of a sudden
this favourable posture of affairs seemed to be en-
dangered by the prospect of war. The report on
that point uses the following language :
" Suddenly, a sovereign, who for a length of time had
been desirous of passing for the most firm supporter of
European tranquility, impelled by an ambitious and ego-
tistical feeling, traditional in his dynasty, compromised
the security which the world enjoyed. • It is therefore
in the midst of circumstances, new, unforeseen, and
difficult of appreciation in all their ulterior conse-
quences, that the Government has been obliged to
prepare the elements of the budget of 1855, taking
into account the influence which the events of foreign
policy might exercise on the provisions of the pub-
lic poWers. This reserve, which is pruent and ne-
cessary, must not, however, be carried too far, for
the difficulties of the state of things would be in-
creased by anticipating their being too considerable or
too nnmerous. The Government fora long time refused
to believe in a war which moderation condemned, and
good faith rejected, and which the most sacred interests
of Europe should have caused to be considered impos-
sible. Nevertheless every day the rupture became more
and more imminent, and when the budget was laid
before you, we were in that • strange situation, which
was sojustly defined in the Parliament of a neighbouring
country, iu these words ; 'lf we ore not yet at war, Nyt;

are no longer quit 3 at peace." On the 27th March, at
the very moment when t!,c Legi,latPe waq about
to detibcrate in its bureaux on the bi:l fixing the receipts
and expenditure of 1855, it was convoked to hear a coq'
inunication from the Government. The Minister of
State announced that the' united efforts of France
and England to bring the Czar to moderate resolti-
tions had failed ; and that Russia had put herself in
a state of war towards the allied powers, the respon-
sibility of which would fall on her alone. An august,.
voice has 'said,Woe to him who shall be the fir"
in Europe to give the signal of a 'collision, the con'
sequences of which must be incalculable.' Experience
has taught us that this voice never prophecied in vain.
For our parts we add, Woe to France and to Europe
if they do not arrest this new invasion of despotism and
barbarism.' It is therefore to secure to the world le
durable peace, that we must know how to resign our-
selves momentarily to war. Our country has admirably
comprehended this ; and, as it wishes for peace, it Will
not hesitate at any sacrifice to obtain it, and to place lt
beyond the reach of any fresh attack. Powerful and
numerous reasons unite to deprive this transient struggle
of the character which war has too often assumed in past
times. The equity, good sense, and disinterestedness,
which inspire the policy of the Government, have secured
to France the approbation of the whole world, the alle-
giance of all the great states, and the sincere and ener-
getic co-operation of a nation, long our rival, but novra
the partner in our efforts to maintain the security 0'
nations. This state of things gives us tranquillity on
the continent, and secures our rule over the seas ; it
has established the great principle of liberty of neu-
trals ; and by a measure of justice due to a good
cause, it removes from our commerce all the calamities
of war to throw them entirely on that of the enemy
Thus, a war which is unfortunately necessary, but the
scene of which is at a distance, and which certainly will
be but temporary, as it is waged by all against a coal'
mon enemy ; the prospect of a speedy peace, founded Ou
a basis which it will not be henceforth easy to over-
throw, or even perhaps to shake ; our commerce pre-
serving nearly all its usual markets—such is, without
any exaggeration on either side, the situation of rrance
at the moment when the budget is submitted to your
amination. For the Emperor, as for France, L'Empire
c'est la paix. Thus the regular budget of 1855 is pre-
sented to you in normal conditions, which the govern-
ment does not despair of seeing realised. It was thus
that you have understood it, gentlemen, in receiving, an
you have chine, the announcement of the state of war,
and in authorising with a patriotic eagerness the loan to
meet the necessary expenses. It is thus that the cowl-
try understood it in giving, with such unanimity and so
much warmth, its financial co-operation to the political
measures of the government ; and it is thus that your
committee must understand it, in order to be the faith-
ful interpreter of the sentiments of France and of your
own."

The report then speaks of the credits demanded
for the departments of War and. Marine ; its lan-
guage beginning as follows :
"The whole of the credits demanded for these tvic
ministerial departments amount to 443,500,193 f. for
War; 315,897,791 f.: for Marine, 127,602,402 f. ; the
credits awarded in 1854 were 426,567,048 f. ; increase
for 1855, 16,933,145 f. These figures were adopted
in expectation of a state of peace. We hope that
that state will soon be restored to us. What is certain
is, that favourable chances will increase in direct
proportion to the rapidity and energy with which the
war is conducted. While we were examining the budget,
facts were advancing, the campaign was entered on, and
hostilities commenced. The Government, responding to
the confidence of the country, was giving to our army
what it considered the strongest organization. That
organization, which cannot be the work of a day, le
partially effected ; it renders necessary expenses which,
by their permanent character, will be set down in
the budget ; but it is still difficult to know what will be,
financially speaking, the definitive result. Once that our
military forces are more vigorously constituted, will it
not be possiblo to effect reductions, and to diminish
expenses which now appear probable ? Witnesses of
the transformation which is being effected in the organ'
ization of the army, ought we to have taken the ise'
lated elements of that change, and have inscribed them
in the budget We have not thought it right to enter
on that path. There are extraordinary situations which
incontestably bear down the rules of normal times. We
believe that we have understood what the present
situation requires ; we belive that we have con-
formed to the wishes of the nation which we repre-
sent, by seconding with all our force the initiative and
energy of the man whose mission it is to display the
flag of France. The Emperor rightly counted on the
enlightened and absolute cooperation of the deputies of
the departments. We give it willingly, and we set
aside all questions likely to create embarrassments. Be
assured, gentlemen, that the rights of the Legislative
body are not compromised when they are placed at the
service of France. We propose to you, then, to adopt
the budgets Of war and marine, as they have been pre-.
sented to us. When the moment shall have arrived,
decree of repartition will regulate the employment of
the sum which you may have voted, and bills will be
submitted to you to regularise any supplementary and
extraordinary credits which circumstances may have refl.
dered necessary."

A private letter from Berlin states that it was on
the receipt of an angry letter from the Emperor of
Russia, in reply to one recommending moderation,
that the King of Prussia ordered the last protocol
to be signed. It is further stated, that despatches
have been received from the French Minister at
Vienna, announcing that the explanations given by
the Austrian Cabinet relative to the treaty con-
eluded between it and Prussia were highly satis-
factory, and that those given by Prussia were,
though not unsatisfactory, less unreserved.
The army of St. Omer will be divided into three
divisions, and will be extended towards the East.
One division will be commanded, as already stated,
by General Baraguay d'Hilliers, another by Gene-
ral Pelissier, and the third by General d'Arbott-
ville. According to information which is believed
to be correct, the following is the manner in which
the troops that are to be concentrated in the
neighbourhood of Marseilles will be distributed.
One division will be cantoned at the Pennes, and
another in the commune of St. Victoret, between
the Pas des Lanciers and the railway. These
troops will be about 25,000 in number. It is also
in contemplation to quarter a division in Mar-
seilles or the suburbs, but this has not been defini-
tively decided on. In 1849, at the time of the ex-
pedition to Rome, one brigade was quartered in the
surrounding hamlets, while another was in the
town itself. Lastly, about 15,00 will be encamped
at St. Maximim, this point being convenient for a
sudden embarkation either from Toulon or Mar-
seilles. The localities above-mentioned have been
visited within the last few days by M. Appertp
aide-de-camp to the Minister of War.
We read in the Courrier de Marseille :

"According to information which we have eve/
reason to believe to be correct, the following is the,
manner in which the troops, that are to be concentrated
in the neighbourhood of Marseilles, will be distributed.
One division will be cantonned at the Pennes, and
another in the commune of St. Victoret, between the
Pas-des-Lanciers and the railway. These troops will be
about 25,000 in number. It is also in contemplation to
quarter a division in Marseilles or the suburbs, but this
has not been definitively decided on. In 1849, at the
time of the expedition to Rome, one brigade was quar-
tered in the surrounding hamlets, whilst another was in
the town itself. Lastly, about 15,000 will be encamped
at St. Maximin, this point being convenient for a sudden
embarkation either from Toulon or Marseilles. The
localities above mentioned have been visited, within the
last few days by M. Appert, Aide-de-camp to the
Minister of War.*
The Three per Cents. opened yesterday at 68f.
85c., and rose to 69f. 95e., the price at which they
closed for the end of the month ; the Four-and-a-
Half per Cents. closed at 95f. 20c. ; and the Nevr
Loan at 69f. ; Orleans Railway, Shares, 1,130 f. ;
Rouen, 925 f. ; Havre, 467 f. 50c. ; Great Northern,
827 f. 50c. ; Strasburg, 755 f. ' • New Shares, 597 f.
' 50c. • Paris and Lyons, 922 f. 50c. ; Lyons to the
Mediterranean, 790 f. ; Western of France, 645 f. ;
Bordeaux and Cette, 570 f. Great Central of
France, 487 f." 50c. ; Lyons to Geneva, 475 f. ;
Bank of Credit Mobilier, 640 f.

ITALY.
The Imperial Lieutenant of Lombardy has issued
a notification, dated the 20th, from which it ap'
pears that the contingent of the Italian provinces
to the new levy of 950,000 men ordered by the
Austrian government, is 14,103 men, viz. : 7,661
for Lombardy, and 6,442 for Venetia.

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