The Sun.
London, England, 1856-05-17 00:00:00

" IMPERIAL MANIFESTO.

"It has pleased Divine Providence to crown the
efforts of the throne and of the nation by concluding
the war with a satisfactory peace, and one which is
consistent with the rights and interests of our
crown, and the treaty of peace having been ratified
by us we have ordered it to be published.
" The soldiers of our armies, of all grades, called
to the defence of the country, have fulfilled their
duties throughout the war so gloriously ended,
with heroic valour, noble resignation to the evils
inseparable from war, and exemplary discipline
and obedience, causing the Ottoman arms to shine
with brighter glory, and immortalising their names
by filling the best pages of the history of our age
with the exploits of their heroism. Let them re-
ceive the proof of our Imperial satisfaction. Never
shall we cease to offer prayers on their behalf.
" All our subjects, without distinction or excep-
tion, in rendering these strikingservices, have shown
the same sentiments of fidelity and love to the
throne and country. The functionaries of all classes
and the notables of communities generally, have
exhibited the noblest emulation, and have well
performed their duty in executing the orders of the
Government. They have merited our high ap-
probation.
"In order that this happy peace which we have
obtained may be turned to the profit of our coun-
try, all classes of our subjects should continue to
be bound together by the ties of patriotism ; and I
trust that all our functionaries will show the
greatest possible zeal *in realising in an efficacious
manner, conformably to my immoveable intention,
the organisation and melioration of which, with
the assistance of Divine Providence, I have laid the
bases.

"I hope, by the goodness of the Almighty, and
the aid of my people, that onr country and nation
will thus gain more glory and grandeur in the
world by its progress in prosperity and happiness.
" The proofs of friendship and good will shown
us en this occasion by our august allies will never
be forgotten. The remembrance thereof will be
treasured for ever in the Ottoman heart ; and the
names of their heroic soldiers who have shed their
blood for our cause, and have covered themselves
on the field of battle with an immortal glory, will
have the same place in our history as in their own.
"Having decreed the publication of the general
Treaty of Peace, we order also that this token of
our Imperial satisfaction be transmitted to all.
" Given at our Imperial Divan, in the last days
of Chahar', 1272" (April, 1856).

FRANCE.
PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.

The Grand Duke Ferdinand Maximilian arrived
in Paris yesterday evening at six o'clock by the
Strasburg railway. Prince Napoleon received his
Imperial Highness at the terminus, and accompa-
nied him to St. Cloud. With the Grand Duke
had returned Baron de Hubner, the Austrian am-
bassador, the Dake de Tarente, one of the cham-
berlains of the Emperor, and the Duke de Cadore,
orderly officer to the Emperor, who will be attached
to his Imperial Highness during his stay in France.
A battalion of the Voltigeurs of the Guard and a
battalion of infantry of the line were drawn up
within the court of the station, and paid the usual
military honours. Several of the court carriages
wore in waiting. The cortege, escorted by a de-
tachment of the Guides, passed along the Bou-
levards, and up the Champs Elysees. On reach-
ing the palace of St. Cloud, the Archduke was
received by the Duke de Cambaceres, grand master
of the ceremonies, and the Duke de Bassano, grand
chamberlain. The Emperor met his illustrious visi-
tor at the top of the grand staircase, and led him
to the salon, where the Empress awaited his arri-
val. His Imperial Highnei;s is accompanied in his
visit by General Count de Mensdorff-Pouilly, his
grand master ; Captain Count Bela de Hadik,
chamberlain to the Emperor of Anstria ; M. de
Copmans, of the Austrian navy, orderly officer to
his Imperial Highness ; Baron de Pont, Ache
secretary ; M. Scherzenlechner, his private secre-
tary • and Dr. Trogher, his physician.
The Moniteur publishes the following report to
the Emperor from the Minister of State, relative
to the formation of a pension fund for the artists
of the Grand Opera :
" Sire —So long as the management of the Im-
perial Theatre of the Opera has been confided to
the Civil List, the artistes and employes attached
to that national establishment have enjoyed retiring
pensions, intended to protect their old age against
the effects of improvidence or misfortune ; and from
1804 ito 1830 they were admitted, in virtue of a
special regulation, to reap the benefits of the tute-
lary arrangements adopted by the State for the
remuneration of civil services. The regime of the
establishment having ceased by the effect of the
decree of the 29th June, 1854, and the director of
the opera having been replaced within the attribu-
tions of the Imperial Civil List, your Majesty, in
your paternal solicitude for the persons employed
in that establishment, decided that the artistes and
employes should also enjoy the benefits of the re-
turn to the old state of things, and that their con-
dition should be ameliorated by their obtaining re-
tiring pensions—pensions obtained without any
reduction in their salaries, which, before 1830,
were nevertheless much lower—and without any
sacrifice being imposed beyond the regular stoppage
of 5 per cent. In consequence, and in order to
conform to the commands of your Majesty, I have
the honour of proposing the creation of a special
pension fund for the Imperial Theatre of the Opera.
The dotation of thin fund, which will be managed

by the administration of the Caisse des Depots et
Constnations, is to ho formed txolusively of a
grant made by the Imperial Civil List, and from
resources belonging to the direction of the opera.
It will not therefore in any way interfere with the
finances of the public treasury. On the other
hand, the financial combinations of this institution,
and the conditions attached to the obtaining of
pensions, have not been adopted until after very
mature examination, and after taking into account
the serious lessons of the past ; and I am confident
that the flotation of the fund, thus constituted, will
suffice to meet all the charges which may fall on it.
Your Majesty will, however, remark that the
artistes and employes who form part of the com-
pany of the Imperial Theatre of the Opera, may,
with regard to their retiring pension, date their
services from 1830, so that the injury resulting to
them by the suppression of the old pension fund
will be completely repaired. Lastly, it has ap-
peared proper not to include in the participation
of the benefit of pensions such artistes as may
enter the Opera with a salary exceeding 40,000 f.
a-year ; because they are then in the full exercise
of their talents, and generally only remain a few
years. As, therefore, they could not attain the
time of service necessary to establish a claim to a
pension, any stoppage made from their emoluments
would be a charge without any compensation, and
it is, moreover, easy for artistes who receive such
high salaries to secure to themselves by economy
an equivalent for a retiring pension. If your Ma-
jesty deigns to approve of the measures above in-
dicated, and in which more than six hundred
families are interested, I beg you to affix your
signature to the annexed decree, having for object
to sanction them, as well as the arrangements at-
tendant thereon.

" A. FOULD."
BOURSE, May 16.—The following were the last
quotations :

Cash. fr. e. End of Month.
4a per Cents 94 25 —f. —C.
3 per Cents 75 25 75 50
New Loan 75 25
Bank Shares 4,000 Roman
Credit Mobilier 1,920 Austrian
Belgian Fives — Spanish Threes —
Piedmontese (5). — Home Debt