The Sun.
London, England, 1849-01-30 00:00:00

menfary in (hence ? Of course " th-! o
yiel i, that tile few may be conciliated.
Again, we find that 532 gentl-men hold the rank
of post-captains (who are eventually to be. reduced
to 500); this is in addition to 95 retired captains,
who are in receipt of 1/. per diem, and of 37
in receipt of 183. per diem, making in all
100—while there are 50 captains in a idition
appointed under h. q. MAJESTY'S order in council of the
10th of August, 1840. We have thus a grani total
of 714 captains—the number of which is to be perma-
nently fixed at 650. Surely this is almost as dis-
proportionate to the wants of the nation as the ad-
mirals themselves, and the number might gradually
be reduced in the manner we have suggested with
respect to the admirals, making but one new ap
pointment for every third vacancy.
From the period that parties are placed among the
captains their promotion goes on according to
seniority. There is no departure from the usual routine
however valuable may be the services, or brilliant the
exploits of the cfficer. All the influence is ex-
erted to bring the aspirants within that magic
circle, to place their feet upon that important step in
the ladder of promotion. Many complaints are made
by deserving officers, who feel that they have been
unjustly passed over, and that their past services
have been forgotten and disregarded. But, unfortu-
nately, their complaints cannot reach the inner
shrine—they cannot be permitted to show cause
against being deprived of their chances of promotion.
We find in the long list of 864 commanders—
(might not this number likewise be reduced ?)—one
gentleman, who obtained his commission more than
50 years ago, and many who have held tin rank
more than 30 or 40 years ; while of the 2,310 lieu-
tenants, a large proportion, 1,038, are of more than
30 years' standing, and yet one of the latest promo-
tions to the rank of post-captain was a gentleman
who was a commander of 1846, a lieutenant of 1844,
and who was born long after many of those veterans
had attained their present rank. We do not intend
to cast any imputation upon Captain 'WILLIAM
PEEL ; we believe him to be a very
meritorious and deserving young officer ; but
there are others of equal deserts, whose claims
have been disregarded, and it is impossible not to per-
ceive thst, were it not for his close relationship to a
late Prime Minister, he would have had little prospect
of being posted at so early a period.
It is this system, then, that must be changed. Re-
strict the number of officers to the requirements of the
service; prevent the aristocracy from providing for
their friends and relatives at the public expense, and
you may keep up the number of men that will be
sufficient to maintain the national honour without any
complaint being preferred of undue extravagance or
unnecessary outlay.

"y" must

E FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris papers of yesterday.

Paris now appears like a city which has been con-
qtvred by a foreign foe. The rappel was heat early
yesterday morning, the whole of the National Guards
turned out, every street was filled with soldiers, and
upwards of 80,100 set Hers of the line, cavalry, in-
fantry, and artillery, were bivouacked upon the
Champs Ely sties, the Place de la Madeleine, the Hotel
de Viile, the Place de la Bastille, and along the Bou-
levards. TheTuileries were completely occupied by
troops. The object of this great milli rry display would
almost appear to be to provoke the supporters of the
Republican form of government to the commission of
some act which may be seized on as an excuse by the
reactionaries for making of Paris a second Vienna,
but we are happy to state that the people have hitherto
attended tp the advice of their leaders, and have
reinains4 • that there has bean no excuse
afforded for calling on the troops to act, and we hope
tley,iviii•contijave to follow this excellent advice.
The excuse given by General CHANGARNIER for this
military dictitiXils a dread lest the Gardes
Mobiles shoild'inutiny, but although there were
rumours innumerable circulated in Paris by the
agens provocateurs of the Government during the
course of yesterday, it does not appear that any out-
break has taken place, either among the people or
among the Gardes Mobiles, although it must be al-
rnitted that it is not for want of provocation on the
part of the reactionary party. Oae of the rumours
circulated was, that a portion of the Gardes Mobiles
had escaped from their barracks in the Banlieu, and
had entered Paris ; another, that those stationed at
Courbevoie and St. Denis had seized the fort of
Aubervilliers. Another, that they had joined the
Socialists and Red Republicans, and were prepared to
march with them against the National Assembly, and
at once insist on its dissolution. This latter project,
we should imagine, is much more likely to be planned
and executed by the Legitimist CHANGARNIIM than
by the republican Gardes Mobiles, The Government
has dispatched BIZGEAUD'tO the army of the Alps,
with orders to marsh atvnce upon Paris, if necessary.
The ilioniteur contains the following announce-
ment
"A Cabinet CoU'ric:l was held this day at the Palace
' of the President of the Rtpublic. The Ministers having
announced the events of Saturd iy to the President, he
replied that he saw no-reason to change his course of
vlicy, and that the Cabinet might depend upon his firm
and persevering support."
The PRESIDENT, attended by his Aides-de•Carnp
and a party of Lancers, visited the troops yesterday.
He was received with cries of " Vive le President !"
"Vive l'Empereur
It is said that a deputation from the Gardes Mobiles
went on Sunday to the office of the Reform news-
paper, to open a commurication through that medium
with the partisans of the Red Republic.
The following representatives of the people have
attached their sipatures to the impeachment of the
Ministers, presented by M. LEDRU ROLLIN oa
Saturday:—
P;erre Leroux. Astaix, Martin Bernard, 011ivier
(De:noslhenei), Gent (Alphonse), Pyat (Felix), Cle
moot, Brives, b;alliieu(Drotm.), Benoist, Greppo, Ledru
Duatre, Garnbon, Proudhon, Pegot Ogi,r, Mule
(sine), Joigneanx, Jody (Us), Jo ly (pPre), Cholat, Bur-
tholon, Fargin- Fa) olle, Terrier, Lefranc, Buvignier,
Deville, Pruy; (:\ rne.lee). Menard, Alatllo (Felix),
Baune, Robert (Yonne). Ch. Din, James
Demontry, 801A:etcher (V.), Detours, Th. Bac,
Bravard-Toussaint, Eugene Raspail, Vignerte, Germain
Sarrut, Lamenned,?, Dubarry, Mechain, Perdiguier,
Madet.

It was reported that M. CLEMENT THOMAS had
been shot in a duel by the Editor of the Corsaire.
Galignani s. Messenger, published yesterday after-
noon, has the following :
" This morning, at an early hour, the rappel was
beaten in the first arrondi'sement for the convoca-
tion of the National Guards to receive their new
Colonel, General Gourgaud. The ceremony took
place with the usual formalitie4. Soon after the
rappel was beaten in most of the other arron-
dissements, but the object was not stated. It
was generally reported that the Government
had received information of an intended manifestation
by the Red Republicans, and as a precaution had nilled
out the National Guards to protect the streets and main-
tain order. In the course of the morning a large rein-
forcement of the troops of the line entered Paris from
the environs. Up to this time, however (half-past two
r.at ), we have not learned that any serious attempt has
been made in any quarter to disturb the public tran-
quillity."
The following was the situation of the Bank of France
on Thursday, January 25: