The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-17 00:00:00

FRANCE AND SWITZERLAND.

PARIS, WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17.
The Moniteur contains an article on the Neu-
chatel question, the details of which it explains.
The French Government intervened with wise coun-
sels. It asked for the liberation of the Neuchatel
lois prisoners so as to prevent any armed conflict,
and to obtain a final settlement of the question.
Switzerland would not follow these counsels.
The Moniteur concludes with these words :
" Thus France met with moderation a sincere de-
sire to terminate a delicate question, and a cour-
teous deference for her political situation, on
the one side ; on the other, on the contrary, an
obstinacy much to be regretted, an exaggerated
susceptibility, and a complete indifference to her
counsels. Switzerland, therefore, must not be as-
tonished if, in the course of events, she should no
longer find the goodwill which she might so easily
have obtained at the cost of a very slight sacritice. '

FRANCE.
PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING

The Emperor and Empress yesterday forenoon
gave an audience of leave to the Birmese Envoys,
who are about to leave Paris.
The Moniteur publishes a report to the Emperor,
from Marshal Vaillant, Minister of War, proposing,
in consequence of the daily increase in the general
and special affairs, which tends to make the labours
of the Council of the Government of Algeria more
and more arduous, to add to the members of that
body the Inspector-General of rinance in the
colony and the directors of the political bureau and
of Arab affairs. The report is followed by a decree
carrying out the above recommendation.
BOURSE, DEC. 16.—The following were the last
quotations :

End of Efonth.
—fr. —.
66 35

Cash. fr. c
44 per Cents
3 per Cents 6O
New Loan —
Bank Shares 4,103 Roman (x d) ...
Credit Mobilier 1,435 Austrian
Belgian Fives 974 Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5) 9l 50 Home Debt

RAILWAYS-FOR CASH.

fr. c. fr. c
Orleans 1,317 50 Western
Northern 935 Strasburg
LySne 1,350 New Ditto
Mediterranean — Grand Central ..... 600
Lyons Geneva
Cette

EGYPT.
ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 6.

The departure of the Viceroy on his way to the
southern provifices constitutes the chief event of
the past fortnight. His Highness left Cairo on the
27th ult., and his absence from this country, it is
said, will be prolonged over a period of from three
to four months.

Among the limited number of Europeans who
accompany his Highness are M. Mougel Bey, the
constructor of the Barrage, and M. do Leslq3ps, the
projector of the proposed Isthmus of Suez Canal,
who arrived at Alexandria from Marseilles on the
22d ult.

It has been decided that the expedition organised
by M. l'Escayrac de Lauture for the exploration of
the White Nile will for the present not proceed
beyond Assouan.
Among other schemes that have of late occupied
public attention a prominent position has been held
by the projected formation of a company for run-
ning a line of steamers between Suez and the princi-
pal ports of the Rod Sea. The proposal originated
with the Viceroy, whose chief object was that of
affording greater travelling facilities to the immense
numbers of pilgrims who annually visit the holy
cities of the Hedjaz, at the same time entertain-
ing hopes that more frequent and regular com-
munication will tend to develope commercial inter-
course between Egypt and the countries bordering
on the Red Sea. A board of directors, composed
of six Turks and six European merchants, was
formed, and the presidency given to Mustapha Bey,
of the Viceroy, and son of the late Ibrahim Pasha,
but the project remained in abeyance pending the
concession of a firman from the Porte. At a meet-
ing of the directors it has however been announced,
though not officially, that the Sultan has granted
the requisite permission, 'and that he has subscribed
a sum of 2,000/. towards the undertaking. The
Viceroy himself will be the chief shareholder, and
his portion of the capital will be supplied from the
deposits in the old Egyptian Bank, which have
long been unproductive, and which together with a
fixed rate of interest will be guaranteed by the
Egyptian Government.