The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-30 00:00:00

FRENCH. POLICE.

PARIS, DEC. 23.
[EXTRACT OF A LETTER.]
A curious circumstance has come to light,
which, while it furnishes a striking proof of the vigilance and
suspicion of the French police, under its present direction, may
enable the public to obtain disclosures of a piquant or interest.
ing nature. It will be recollected, that some time ago a notice
was published at the English Embassy here, that no more pri-
vate letters would be allowed to be sent to England by the Eng-
lish Ambassador's bag. It is well known; that for some time
past the English have suspected that letters sent by the post
have been opened. Those, therefore, who had any pktical
secrets to communicate, or who wished to secure the safe trans-
mission of their correspondence, and who had any acquaintance
at the Embassy, sent by the English courier. This was known to
the police: a plan was therefore arranged for procuring a view of
this '
,correspondence and adroit persons were a ppointeXto carry it
into execution. The English messenger very generally slept at Ca.
lais, in waiting for the packet; and during the time of his repose,
persons employed by the police got possession of his bag, opened
it, took out theletters, unsealed them, read them, and took copies
of such as appeared most curious or important. These copies
were transmitted to Mr. Franchet, the Director General of
Police, who thus became privy to all the secrets' in the bag.-
-M. Franchet could not gain this hidden knowledge with-
out putting it into the power of others to disclose it. One of
the agents whom he employed thought he might turn the
secrets to advantage, and not only took a copy of many letters
for the Director-General of Police, but for himself. This
agent has been dismissed, and thus the proceedings have been
revealed. The copies of the letters which he reserved for him-
self he now offers for publication, and has accordingly set out
for London to offer the precious collection to a bookseller. It
contains, it is said by a gentleman to whom it was submitted,
nearly 20 letters, addressed to his Majesty of Great Britain by
the Ilanoverian ambassador, Mr. Von Grote ; several addressed-
to, a Noble Lord (Lowther), whose father is a great borough.
holder in the north ; and to several other well-known cha-
racters. The letters to Lord Lowther were a strange mixture
of political and theatrical gossip--the latter topic predominated.
The relative merits of Fanny Bias and Fanny Brocard, were,
it is said, discussed with more goat, than the rival pretensions
of Messrs. de Villcle and Montmorency. As the letters of the
Hanoverian Minister are addressed personally to the King, it
may be easily imagined that they contain details which have
no reference to general interests. There is no doubt of the'fact
that an agent of the police is in possession of such a collection.
It may be bought up or may be published : it may be interest.
ing, or it may be dull : but that the letters which he exhibits
as a part of the correspondence found in the English Ambassa-
dor's bag are genuine copies, I am informed there cannot be
the slightest doubt. It would be needless to enlarge on the 6lis-
honesty and knavery of the man who has thus abused a double
confidence. If the secrecy of a private correspondence was thus
violated, is there any security, it may be asked, that the dis
patches of the Ambassador escaped exaniination ?

CONVERTS TO CATIIOLICISM.-One of the two
English Gentlemen who were with the Trappists
of Gard, made his abjuration on Christmas-eve,
in the hapel of the Dames Recollets, rue de
Madeleine. The abjuration was received in pre-
sence of the Apostolic Nuncio, by Dr. POINTER,
Catholic Bishop of London. This Prelate ad-
ministered baptism, under condition, to the new
convert. The Countess de GENETS and the young
Chevalier de St. Louis, whom God had been
pleased to employ in recalling him to the faith
of his fathers, were his sponsors. The Curates
of the parishes of the first and second arrondisse-
ments, M. DE HALLER, and several persons belong-
ing to the Court, were present at this ceremony,
which was the more touching, as this young
Englishman, who is of a noble family, exposes
himself by embracing the Catholic religion to
lose rights to which he is entitled by his birth.—
(Paris Paper.)

BIRTHS.
On the 27th inst., at Mrs. Fish's, 63, Russell-square, Mrs.
Henry Pownall, of a son.
At the Cottage, Stapleburst, Kent, Mrs. Ottaway, of a son.
On Monday, at Portsea, the Lady of Lieut. James Bradley,
R. N. of a daughter.
On the 18th inst at Bognor, the Lady of James Woodman,
Esq. M.D. of a son..

MARI? Ili D.
On Saturday, the 28th inst., at St. Lawrence, Jewry, Mr.
George Edwards, of Halifax, solicitor, to Eliza, second daugh-
ter of John Smith, Esq., of Cateaton-street.
On the 26th inst., at Ringwood, George W. Harris, of the
Worcester Militia, to Jane, only daughter of Mr. John Travers,
of the above place.
On the 26th inst., at St. James's church, Mr. Richard Saun-
ders, of Leighton-Buzzard, to Miss Anne Chew, daughter of
T. Chew, Esq., of the same place.
Lately, J. Christie, Esq. Secretary to Admiral Sir J. P.
Beresford, on the Leith station, to Miss't'ate, of York, niece of
the Rev. Wm. Tate, Preceptor at the Royal Naval College at
Portsmouth.
Lately, C. C. Bompass, Esq. Barrister at Law, Bristol, to
Mary Steele, eldest daughter of J. Tomkins, Esq. of Broughton,
Hampshire.

DIED.
On the 27th instant, at the Parsonage of Great Bromley,
Essex, Extitia, wife of Robert Mangles, Esq., of Sunning_
hill.
At Eweford, the 16th inst., Mr. James Watteriton, farmer.
At Dunfermline, on the 17th inst., Mr. John Hutton, writer,
aged seventy-one.
At George Town, Dernerary, on the 29th day of October
last, Colin Campbell, Esq. of Good Success, Issequibo.
At Granada, of the 7th of September last, Mr: Archibald
M'Vcan, son of the late Patrick 11I'Vean, -Minister of Ken_
more.
On' Wednesday, at Canterbury; Captain Gebrge ItcYnOldi,
Royal Navy.
On 'Monday last, in the 16th • yettr, of his age, Mr. Arthur
Faulconer, of 13arcomb; near Lel:ire', -youngut - son of Wm.
Fivileoner,ESq. of Henfreld.,

From the LONDON GAZETTE of Dec. "8.

BANKRUPTCY ENLARGED.
E. Walker, Leymoor in Golcar, Yorkshire, clothier, from
Jan. 4 to Feb. 8.

BANKRUPTS.
J. Oland, Bristol, potter, to surrender Jan. 8,9, Feb. 8, at
the Rummer Tavern, Bristol. Solicitors, Messrs. Holme,
Frampton, and Loftus, New-inn.
T. Roose, Liverpool, baker, Jan. 20, 21, Feb. 8, at the
George Inn, Liierpool. Solicitor, Mr. Chester, Staple-inn. •

DIVIDENDS.
Jan. 20, T. Diston, Tewkesbury, corn-dealer.—Jan. 25, J.
Belcher, Enfield, stone-mason.—Jan. 11, T. and E. S. Fos-
ter, Vatting, Kent, maltsters.—Jan. 24, S. T. Harding, Tam_
worth, banker.—Feb. 14, J. Atherton, Warrington, cabinet-
maker.--Jan. 28, W. Scandrett, Worcester, glover.—Feb. 4,
E. Prichard, Llanrwst, Denbighshire, shopkeeper.--Jan. 18,
G. Gardiner, St. John-street, ironmonger.--Jan. 21, J. Jones,
Upper Brook-street, Grosvenor.square, tailor.—Jan. 18, J.
Forbes and D. Gregory, Aldermanbury, merchants.—Jan. 18,
P. P. Good, Lloyd's Coffee-house, insurance-broker.—Jan. 30,
A. Holmes, H. White, and T. Tindall, Chesterfield, hat-
manufacturers.

CERTIFICATES, JAN. 18.
I. T. Bird, Bury St. Edmond's dealer.W. Scandrett, St.
Clement, Worcestershire, glover.LJ. Ansell, Filkins, Ox-
fordshire, farmer.—.W. Baker, Ticehurst, Sussex, blacksmith.
—T. Hopps, jun., York, cornfactor.
PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED.
J. R. Greaves, J. Miller, and W. Huthinson, Liverpool,
cotton-brokers—G. Farren, J. W. Scrivener, and W. Stuart,
King's Arms-yard, Coleman-street, attornies--F. and R. Holt,
J. H. Beever, and E. Lord, Lower-place, near Rochdale—
S. and J. Laycock and W. Waller, Sheffield, carpet-manufac-
turers—NV. Line and J. Johnson, Coventry, builders—M. Ar-
rowsmith and J. E. Stacy, Finchley, surgeons—W. P. Tyars
and W. Teanby, linendrapers—E. and T. Tanner, Peckham,
coach-masters—G., G. W., and H. Cook, Tavistock-street,
Covent-garden, tailors--G. Browne and J. St. Barbe, Bettis-
street, St. George's in the East, brewers—J. and %V. Ellis,
Pickering, Yorkshire, shoe-makers—C. Brown and T. Gilby,
Uxbridge, grocers—W. and R. Whitehead, Norwich, bamba-
sin-manufacturers--NV. A. Newsome and S. Elkington, Upper
Russell-streei, Bermondsey, wool-staplers—E. Jones, J. L.
Smith, and J. Chambers; Budge-row, Watling-street, dealers
in' tea—T. and J. Clark, Guildford, linendrapers—S. Rogers,
J. Towgoodi H. Rogers, and S. Olding, Clement's-lane,
bankers, so far as relates to the said H. Rogers—M. Becken
and H. Hurst, Worcester, grocers—W. Hickman and D. Ti-
mothy, Leicester-square, hosiers—T. Greasley and J. Morley,
West Smithfield, woollendrapers—J. Vass and G. Campbell,
Aberdeen, quill-manufacturers—R. and J. Laishley and R.
Liney, Southampton, brick-burners--W.Pelly, H. E. Roberts,
and T. B. Bowen, Pernambuco.