The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-19 00:00:00

FRANCE.

People now, says the Times correspondent of
yesterday, begin to ask each oth*arnestly what will
be the conduct of Prussia and'lfitstria the moment
all chance of reconciliation is admitted to be at an
end, and that the Emperor of Russia replies to the
presence of the fleets in the Euxine by some act
equivalent to a declaration of war. Nothing has
as yet been very clearly ascertained on that point.
We know that they stand together, and will con-
tinue together up to the point when negotiation is.
still practicable ; but will they go further ? Austria
and Prussia have never, it is stated, explained
what their line of conduct would be in that emer-
gency. There is evidently a struggle between the
Emperor of Austria and the nation in this respect.
.He no doubt feels great admiration for, and per-
haps stands in awe of, the Czar, but it is pretty
certain that the Austrian people are decidedly op-
posed to any advance of Russia on the Danube,
and it is probable that if the naval Pc;wers struck
a blow in the Black Sea the Cabinet of Vienna
would be forced to follow the impulse of its people.
We are all the more inclined to believe that the
Emperor of Russia is not at this moment in the
best temper to listen to reason, both on ac-
count of the reverses his arms have met in
Wallachia, as by reason of the sentiments ma-
nifested by the inhabitants, if not for the Turkish
Government, at least against Russian domination.
I have said that several persons who have hereto-
fore clung to the hope of peace being maintained,
now confess that these hopes are no longer cherished
by them. M. Thiers, who has had some experience
in Eastern affairs, is described as one of these, and
as declaring very recently that in case of a conflict
he really thought the French Government ought to
be supported. Some persons, supposed to bo
friends of the distinguished orator, repeated that
declaration to a member of the Imperial family,
and perhaps those friends went too far, but
the impression made on the mind of the Prince
was, that M. Thiers was not unwilling to tender
his "services." The Prince thanked the indiscreet
friends referred to, and is said to have added that
there was no necessity for the present Government
to make large sacrifices in gaining over partisans ;
that they had found corruption so admirably re-
duced to system by their predecessors that the task
was easy indeed when they wished to undertake it.
Nevertheless it is not considered improbable that,
should an occasion serve, M. Thiers would be
offered some mission
;.....portance, instane.
clif
Om+ nf inary, should the time come
for a Congress.
It is understood that M. Kisseleff, the Russian
Minister at Paris, has intimated to some of his
friends that he expects from one hour to another
to receive the order recalling him. Hitherto,
however, he is without any precise instructions as
to the attitude he is to maintain with respect to
the French Ministry, and he consequently finds
himself in a very embarrassing position.
A telegraphic despatch received yesterday in
Paris, from the Duke of Nemours, declares that
the letter published by the English papers under
the name of the Duchess of Orleans, is a complete
and absolute fabrication.

The financial difficulties of the French Govern-
ment are by no means diminishing. It is said that
in order to obtain financial resources there is a
project on foot of selling the landed properties in
different parts of France, belonging to asylums and
other charitable institutions. It is calculated that
the amount which can be derived from this source
will amount to 800 millions of francs, in lieu of
which the charitable institutions will receive rentes
on the State. In 1813, in similar circumstances,
the Emperor Napoleon sold a portion of the pro-
perty belonging to the charitable institutions of the
capital, and gave them compensation in the shape
of rentes, which they draw to the present day.
The French police are at the present moment on
the look-out for some Russian spies, who are known
to have been particularly active in Paris during
the present crisis. One of them who is wanted is
a Frenchman.
In the French ports the utmost activity prevails.
At Cherbourg upwards of 400 men are employed
on one ship, the Tilsit, which will be launched in
the course of April.
The speculators at the Bourse yesterday were
much depressed by the announcement of the arrival
of two telegraphic despatches from Vienna and. one
from Berlin, stating that the Emperor of Russia
had expressed his dissatisfaction with the proroi-
tions prepared by the Conference at ir.i.una. The
Three per Cents. opened at 711. 50c., fell to 70f.
85c., and closed at 71f. for the end of the month.
The Four-and-a-Half per Cents, closed at 99f.