The Sun.
London, England, 1853-06-23 00:00:00

FRAN CE.

The following decree of the Emperor, dated yes-
terday, appears in the Moniteur :
" Considering that the calm and security which reign
in the country permit the suppression of the Ministry of
General Police, the institution of which was founded on
exceptional circumstances, we have decreed and do de-
cree as follows :

"Art. 1. The Ministry of General Police is sup.
pressed.
" Art. 2. The attributions of the Ministry of General
Police are again added to those of the Minister of the
Interior."

In consequence of the suppression of the Minis-
try of Police, the Emperor has decreed that there
shall be established at the Ministry of the Interior
a Direction of Sfirete Generale, and appoints M.
Collet-Meygret, Prefect of the Aube, to be the di-
rector. Other decrees of the same date raise M.
de Maupas, the Minister of Police, to the dignity
of Senator ; M. Latour-Dumoulin, director of the
press, to the grade of officer of the Legion of
Honour. Another decree confers the decoration
of chevalier of the Legion of Honour on M.Theblin,
chef du cabinet of the Minister of Police.

We read in the Alontiteur :—" The Emperor has
decided that the Ministry of Agriculture and Com-
merce shall be re-established, and that the present
attributions of the Ministry of Public Works shall
be attached to it. This new ministerial depart-
ment is to be confided to M. Magne." The same
journal states that M. de Maupas, the Minister of
Police, will be speedily appointed to a diplomatic
post. _ .

- The Minister of War has appointed a commission
of superior officers, under the presidency of General
Count Schramm, to pass the final examinations of
the pupils of the Ecole Imperiale Speciale Militaire.
" It is intended," says the Patric, " shortly to
make the troops of Satory give the representation
of an attack on Versailles, by night, as if it were a
hostile city."
A telegraphic despatch announces that Marshal
de St. Arnaud had arrived on Monday at Sarre-
Louis on his way to Sarrebruck, and would most
probably return to Paris on the evening of Wed-
nesday.
The funeral obsequies of the late Mgr. Gari-
baldi, the Pope's Nuncio, took place yesterday at
Notre-Dame. For the last three days the body of
his Eminence had been exposed, covered with his
archiepiscopal ornaments, in the midst of a chapelle
ardente at the residence of the deceased, in the
Rue d l'Universite. Masses were each morning
said by the side of the body, and on Monday,
funeral services were celebrated in all the chapels
of the religious houses for the repose of the soul of
the deceased. In the evening of that day the body
was placed in a leaden coffin, and then in one of
oak, covered over with purple velvet.
The monks of La Trappe de la Meilleraye have
addressed a letter to the Emperor expressing their
deep sense of gratitude to his Majesty for his bene-
volence in furnishing them with money for the pay-
ment of the transfer duty which devolved on them
in consequence of the death of their superior,
Father Maxime, and which amounted to 18,032 fr.
82c. _ _

The Phare de la Manche states that the greatest
activity prevails in the dockyard at Cherbourg,
where the Austerlitz mixed line-of-battle ship of
100 guns, and the Alceste 52-gun frigate are being
got ready for sea. It was also reported that the
Clorinde and Bellone frigates, and the Phlegeton
steam corvette were to be immediately fitted out.
The Constitutionnel, after quoting the above, says :
—" We may add, that in order to expedite the
fitting out of the Austerlitz, which has only been a
few months off the stocks, a large number of me-
chanicians have been sent from Indret to Cherburg
in order to fit up her engines, It is thought that
the three line-of-battle ships now fitting out at
Cherburg and Brest, together with some sailing
and steam frigates, will form a Channel squadron,
which in case of need will act with the English
squadron under Admiral Corry, as the Levant
fleet acts with that under Admiral Dundas."

At the Bourse yesterday a general decline in
prices took place, its further progress apparently
being only arrested by the termination of business.
The final quotations were :—For cash, Three per
Cents., 76f. 60c. ; Four-and-a-Half ditto, 101 f. ;
for the account, Three per Cent:,., 76f. 30c. ; Four-
and-a-Half per Cents. ditto, 101 f. 20c. ; Bank
Stock, 2,665 f. Shares of the Mortgage Bank re-
mained without variation, being still quoted at
705 f. Those of the SocieL6 Mobiliere fell 5f., the
last quotation being 780 f. At the Railway Share
Market yesterday business was generally dull, and we
have to report a decline in the shares of nearly all
the principal lines ; in Paris and Lyons and Paris
and Rouen Shares to the extent of 10f., and from
2f. to sf. in the remainder. Closing prices :
Northern, 878 f. ; Paris and Orleans, 1,046 f ; Paris
and Strasbourg, 890 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 890 f. ;
P Iris and Rouen, 990 f. ; Lyons to the Mediterra-
nean, 715 f ; Western, 710 f. ; Rouen and Hawe,
565 ; Bordeaux and Cette, 615.

TURKEY.
A private telegraphic dispatch from Trieste,
dated yesterday, announces the arrival, on the 13th,
of the British and French fleets in the Bay of
Besika. At Constantinople the armaments con-
tinued.

The late events at Constantinople have produced
a profound sensation throughout Arabia. The
numbers of pilgrims that are assembled at Mecca,
and all the native tribes, wait but the signal to
commence the war. Religious fanaticism bas
reached the highest point.
The prices of grain have risen, owing to extensive
purchases which have been made for the Russian
fleet and army.
On the evening of the 6th the Mussulman fast
of the Ramadan commenced, during which time, as
it is well known, all good Mussulmans abstain from
eating, drinking, or smoking, from sunrise to sun-
set, after which they make up for their abstinence
by feasting and merrymaking. This fast, most
painful to the lower orders, who keep it strictly,
and have to labour in the sun besides, sits lightly
on those of higher rank, who sleep during the
greater part of the day, and do but little business
during the rest. The important city of Smyrna, the
second port of the Ottoman Empire, has now been
nearly four years practically in a state of siege. The
inhabitants cannot go, as formerly, to spend the
hot months of the summer in the neighbouring vil-
lages, nor can any one with safety walk half an
hour beyond the walls. The besieging army consists
of about a score of clever desperauoes, headed by a
certain " Yani Katurgi," or John the Muleteer, a
sort of Rob Roy, who levies black mail on the neigh-
bouring villages, and frGm the mountain heights
watches the movements of the caravan or rich tra-
veller. Muleteer John has a well-organised band
of spies in the city, and when any wealthy mer-
chant or banker strays somewhat out of bounds he
is pounced upon and carried to the hills, where he
has to remain ill-fed and lodged, and otherwise un-
comfortable until terms of ransom are agreed upon.
This accident happened about a year ago to the
Dutch Vice-Consul, who was seized in his own .our-
den, and carried off, nor was he restored to his
family until a large sum had been paid as ransom.
The Sultan refunded him the money, but others
who can less afford to lose their cash have been
obliged to raise the ransom on their own resources.
A few days ago a new exploit was recorded of this
bold freebooter. The General Assembly of the
Island of Samos sent a deputation of three of the
principal inhabitants of the island to Constantinople
with the annual tribute, amounting to 1,0001. The
deputation landed on the coast of Asia, and pro-
ceeded on their road to Smyrna. When neat the
village of Ghiaourkeni, five men, armed with double-
barrelled guns, pounced upon them, seized and tied
their hands behind them, after which they pro-
ceeded to the boat, of which they took possession,
having secured the sailors. Towards the close of
the day they disembarked with the prisoners, sailed
to a desert point of the Island of Samos, and sent
one of the deputies to his friends to say that if
1,0001. were not paid at a certain place within three
days, the other prisoners would be put to death.
We have not yet heard of the result of this affair,
but if the poor Greeks escape without paying ran-
som they w:11 be the first who have done so. The
exploits of Yard Katurgi's band would make a very
interesting addition to the lives of freebooters, but
the moral of the story is comprised in the fact that
for years a small band of robbers can perform, un-
molested, feats of this kind, and hold the second
city of the Empire in a state of blockade.
Some of the Paris journals of yesterday did not
publish the circular of Count Nesse?rode, but pro-
mise to give it. The journals, which do give it,
abstain, with one exception, from comment. The
exception to which we allude is the Constitutionnel,
but we are not able to judge from the little that is
said by this journal, what view the French Govern-
ment takes generally of the document. For the
present, the Constitutionnel confines itself to reply-
ing to a reproach against Fiance of having been
the first to disturb the good understanding between
Russia and Turkey, by demanding and obtaining
from the latter concessions and privileges on the
subject of the Holy Places, which were at variance
mith the principles on what that question had be-
fore been treated. The, Constitutionnel denies
that the charge against France is well founded.
There may, perhaps, be more foundation than
the Constitutionnel admits for the argument
of Count Nesselrode as regards the question
of the Holy Places. We i-e:rember yell that,
even at the moment when sore of the Minis-
, terial journals were boasting of the influence of
France at Constantinople on this subject, it was