The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-26 00:00:00

FRANCE.

It appears by the official Customs' returns pub-
lished in the Monitear of Tuesday last that the
Imperial decree removing the duties payable onthe
importation into France of articles of first necessity
used in manufactures has produced a great increase
in that branch of trade. The cotton, for instance,
on which the duty was paid increased from 51,730
kilogrammes in May, 1859, to 588,173 kilos. in
May, 1860. There has likewise been a considerable
increase on the importation of wool. The quantity
on which duty was paid in May, 1859, was only
2,027,000 kilogrammes ; it increased in May, 1860,
to 7,853,200 kilos. The increase is the more re-
markable, as the decree removing the duties did not
take effect until the 7th May. On the other hand,
the stocks in the bonded stores have diminished
very considerably. There were 211,644 kilo-
grammes of cotton in the stores on the last day of
May, 1859. There were but 71,548 kilogrammes
on the last day of May, 1860. There were 28,862
kilogrammes of wool in store on the same day in
1859, and but 14,110 in 1860. The diminution in
the amount of the Customs' duties received in May
last as compared with May, 1859, is enormous. It
is 8,057,556 f. This, however, is the result of the
new commercial system inaugurated by the Em-
peror, and was expected. The increased consump-
tion, the consequence of low prices, will, it is believed,
repay the Government for the temporary sacrifice.
It is stated positively that the Council of State
has rejected the propositions of the Commission
appointed by the Corps Legisla4f to examine the
bill for granting a loan of 40,000,0001 to the French
manufacturers. The report of the commission re-
commended that a great financial and industrial
association should be established, with power to ad-
vance 300,000,000 f. to French manufacturers requir-
ing assistance, to be repaid by instalments within
10 years, the Government to advance this company
40,000,0001. The Corps Legislatif are of opinion
that this would be the most expedient mode of
assisting the manufacturers without adding to the
national debt, thus substituting the action of a pri-
vate company to that of the State. The Council of
State are of a different opinion; they recommend
a direct loan. As it is not probable that the Corps
Leteis/atif will yield to the Council of State, the
only mode of preventing a conflict between these
two powerful bodies is the suggestion of some
other arrangement which may meet the ap-
probation of both parties. The Governor of
the Bank of France has opened a list for indivi•
duals willing to subscribe to loans t o he raised by
the Ardennes, the Bordeaux and Cette, the Dau-
phine, the Orleans, the Western, the Paris and
Lyons, and the Strasburg railway companies. The
Paris and Lyons Company propose to issue 275,000
bonds at 293 f. 75c., to be repaid at 500 f. each by
annual drawings, with interest at 15f. per annum;
the Orleans Company 200,000 bonds, at 293 f. 75c. ;
the Western 170,000 bonds, at 292 f. 50c. ; the
Strasburg 154,000 bonds, at 292 f. 50c. ; the Bor-
deaux and Cette 100,000 bonds, at 2921. 50c.; the
Ardennes 100,000 bonds, at 291 f. 25c.; the Dau-
phine 24,000 bonds, at 291 f. 25c. The subscrip-
tion list is to be closed on the 2d of July next.
The weather has changed considerably for the
better within the last two days, and it is to be
hoped that. it will continue as fine as it is at
present. This is a critical moment for the wheat
crop, which is now in blossom. The accounts
received from the south of France continue to
announce the favourable appearance of the grow-
ing crops. The reports from the wheat-growing
districts in the neighbourhood of Paris represent
one-third of the wheat crop to be excellent, one-
third passable, and one-third bad. All will depend
on the weather; a scorching sun is now as much
dreaded as rain. Letters from Algiers state that
the wheat crop in the province of Oran was much
injured by the excessive heat which set in at the
moment it wee arriving at maturity. The last ac-
counts from the north of Italy announce that the
wheat crop is ripening, but that the present har-
vest cannot be reckoned among the most abun-
dant. The news from Germany announces that
the constant rain has seriously injured the rye
crop. This is the more unfortunate, as the people of
Germany rely upon that grain for their subsistence.
The change in the weather has had a favourable effect
on prices in the Paris flour market last week. Flour
of the four marks has fallen 1 f. the sack of 157 kilo-
gratnnw-% The factors declared on Saturday 2,751
sacks of Wear, of which 71 sacks are of first quality,
sold for delivery within 30 days at prices varying
from 671. to 701. the sack. There was more wheat
offered for sale by farmers last week than the week
preceding. They still, t owever, demand the pre-
vious pt:iees. The millers refused to give more than
42f. 50e. the sack of 120 kilogrammes for the
prirnest samples of wheat, and from 39f. to 41f. for
other samples according to quality. There were
offers at these prices from merchants from Poitou,
Nivanois, Allier, Burgundy, and Chalons. The
accounts of the oats crop are favourable, and that
grain is more offered in the Paris market. The
Minister of War signed a contract on Wednesday