The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-16 00:00:00

THE FETE IN lIONDUR OF THE AN-

NEXA TION OF SAVOY AND NICE.

(From the Times' Second Edition)
PARIS, FRIDAY.

The fete in honour of the annexation of Savoy and
Nice was celebrated yesterday according to pro-
gramme. It was opened by the Te Deum at Notre
Dame. The Minister of Public Instruction was
charged with that part of the ceremony, and it was
he who issued the cards of invitation. The religious
ceremony was performed with the usual pomp,
under the immediato direction of Cardinal Morlot,
Archbishop of Paris. A company of the 2d Regi-
ment of Grenadiers of the Guard, with a company
of Voltigeurs of the 7th Regiment, lined the
streets leading to the Cathedral. A squadron
of the 9th Regiment of Chasseurs, the 7th Re-
giment of the Line, and a detachment
of the Gardes de Paris were formed in order
of battle on the Place Notre Dame. The
great dignitaries of State, senators, deputies, mar-
shals, members of the courts of law, members of
the Institute, a deputation from Chambery, Annecy,
and Nice took their seats to the right and left of
the nave. In the space usually reserved for the
Corps Diplomatique were seen the members of the
Sardinian Embassy; they were, I believe, the only
foreign official participators in this thanksgiving
for the loss to Piedmont of her provinces. No
members of the Imperial family were present. The
church was full, and the heat was oppressive.
The Emperor was, as usual, fortunate in the
weather. Wednesday was cold and wet; yesterday
the sun shone out brilliantly, and a light breeze
tempered the heat throughout. The Parisians are
proverbially fond of shows, particularly of military
ones, and from au early hour in the morning the
tide of human beings on foot, on horseback, and in
carriages of every description, rolled along uninter-
ruptedly towards the Champ de Mars. The public
buildings, and some private ones, though not many,
were decorated with flags and streamers—the
colours of France and Savoy. Various groups
were stationed on the Place de la Concorde, and
the terraces of the Tuileries gardens were fully
occupied. The Emperor issued from the Palace
exactly at a quarter to two o'clock. He wore,
as usual, the uniform of a General of Division,
with the riband and Star of the Legion of
Honour. He was preceded by a squadron of Cent
Gardes in their brilliant uniforms, their bur-
nished helmets, cuirasses, and swords flashing
in the sun. Immediately behind were mounted
officers ; and the Emperor next advanced, ac-
companied by Prince Murat, Marshals Canrobert,
Niel, and Pelissier, the Minister of War, and Prince
Napoleon. These were followed by all the general
officers in active service at present in Paris. A
crowd of orderly officers and aides-de-camp came
after, and the cortege was closed by the usual escort.
On former occasions the way taken to the Champs
de Mars was by the Quai de la Conference to the
Bridge of Jena; on the present the route was along
the grand avenue of the Champs Elysees, which, by
the way, seem likely soon to have a better title to
its name than previously, as it is gradually being
converted into beautiful grass plots and gardens.
The Emperor was received well enough, but
there was no inconveniently demonstrative
enthusiasm; the enthusiasm at least on the Place
de la Concorde and Champs Elysees was of a
very sober and sedate character. This is not ex-
traordinary. The French people, and especially
the Parisians, are rather biases in enthusiasm.

The Emperor turned from the Champs Elysees
to the Bridge of Jena ; his appearance as he ap-
proached the ground was announced by an Imperial
salute from the guns of the Invalides. On clearing
the bridge he galloped up the middle of the Champ
de Mars towards the Ecole Militaire, while] the
bands of the different regiments struck up the now
familiar air of " Partant pour la Syrie."
The Champ de Mars was covered with troops,
composAl of the regular army and the National
Guards of Paris and the Banlieu, They were
massed in close column of divisions. The cavalry
were drawn up in three parallel lines opposite the
infantry. The artillery were stationed at the en-
trance of the Champ de Mars, towards the Bridge
of Jena. The National Guard consisted of 10
columns of five battalions each, comprising about
18,000 men. The Imperial Gaard, under the com-
mand of Marshal Regnaud de St. Jean d'Angely,
consisted of the first division, under General Milli-
net, the regiment of Gendarmery of picked men,
the three regiments of Grenadiers, and a regiment
of Zouaves ; the second division, under General
Camou, consisted of the battalion of Foot Chasseurs
and the four regiments of Voltigeurs.
The Infantry of the Line, forming the garrison of
Paris, consisted of three divisions—the first, under
General L'Admirault, comprised the 11th battalion
of Foot Chasseurs, and two battalions of the 45th,
49th, 56th, and 74th regiments of the line; the
second division, under General Bazaine, which has
recently returned from Italy, consisted of the Bth
battalion of Foot Chasseurs, and the 33d, 34th,
37th, and 78th of the line; the third division, under
General Frerion, comprised the 4th battalion of
Foot Chasseurs, the 7th, 28th, 57th, and 62d of
the line.

The reserve brigade, the battalion of the School
of St. Cyr, the battalion of the Sapeurs Pompiers
of Paris, and two battalions of the Garde de Paris
followed.

The cavalry consisted of the Imperial Guard, the
squadron of Cent Guards, a squadron of the Gen-
darmery of the Seine, a squadron of the Garde de
Paris, the regiment of Guides, and a regiment of
mounted Chasseurs of the Guard. The cavalry was
under the command of General Morris.

The cavalry of the line was under the command
of General d'Allonville, and was composed of the
sth and 9th Chasseurs, and two regiments of Cuiras-
siers, and the Ist and 4th.
The artillery mustered 16 batteries, of which 10
were of the Imperial Guard, and six of the 2d and
19th Regiments. The whole mass, about 100 bat-
talions and 40 squadrons, representing a strength of
from 55,000 to 60,000 men. Among these regiments
were discerned some numbers that had figured at
the great battles of Marengo and Friedland ; the
28th of the line, and the sth Mounted Chasseurs of
the former; and the 28th with the 33d, 34th, and
57th of the latter.

It was perhaps not unintentional that the Em-
peror fixed on the 14th for this review. He proba-
bly desired to plan the annexation of Savoy and
Nice to France under the sanction of the two great
military events that distinguished the Consulate and
the Empire. The Victory of Marengo gave Italy to
France ; but the very day of that glorious feat of
arms General Kleber fell by the hand of a fanatic
at Cairo, and France lost Egypt—the conquest of
which was so long and so dearly cherished by Bona-
parte. Friedland was soon followed by theinterview
of the two emperors on the Niemen, and there was
planned the partition of Europe. A few years later
Russia turned against Napoleon, and what followed
everyone knows. The present Emperor has a pre-
dilection for certain dates. Under the first empire
Savoy and Nice formed but two departments—
Mont Blanc and the Alpes Maritimes ; they are
now to form three. It was thought well that the
French empire should consist of 89 rather than 88
departments ; and 1789 was the commencement of
the great conquests of France under the Republic,
the Consulate, and the Empire.
This, however, is a slight digression. The Em-
peror, after riding through the lines, and passing
in front, took his stand under the balcony of the
Ecole Militaire, when the marching past of the
troops commenced. The infantry, to the cries of
" Vive mpereur !" and " Vive !" marched
in battalions en masse ; the cavalry in squadrons at
full trot ; and the artillery, divided into batteries,
went through the same movement as the infantry.
The marching past lasted an hour, and was not over
till 3 o'clock. The troops looked remarkably fine,
and were much admired. The weather continued
beautiful to the last. The crowds of spectators
were immense.

All the public buildings, theatres, cafes, restau-
rants, some of the clubs, the shops of the Court
tradesmen (the Court tailor, at the corner of the
Rue Lepelletier, as usual, magnificent), were
brilliantly illuminated. The triumphal arch
at the Barriere de
,l'Etoile, the Palais de l'lndus-
trie in the Champs Elysees, the Palace of the
Elysee, the Foreign-office, the official residence
of the President of the Legislative Corps, the
Chamber of Deputies, the hotels of the Ministers
of Finance and Marine, the Cercle Imperiale, the
column of the Place Vendome, the hotels of the Rue
de la Paix, and several houses in the Boulevards
des Capucins and Italiens, the Opera Frangais, and
Opera Comique, several hotels of the Faubourg St.
Honore, and several private houses were lighted up
with gas and decked out with flags. The night was
fine, and the streets in the neighbourhood of the
Madelline were thronged with people. Altogether
the show was brilliant, and the public seemed to
enjoy it pretty much in the same way as they have
enjoyed so many others under the Republic and
the Empire. I have not heard of any accident
occurring.
.The Emperor leaves this morning for Baden to
meet the Prince of Prussia.
A deputation composed of the most distinguished
Sicilians is expected in Paris in a very few, days.
The object is to address some observations to the
j ors.
0
Emperor on the state of their country. Several
of
the deputies belong to the ancient nobility of Sicily;
the
mothers are r
onui
letr ccllioasnetss
hisan dla
articlend e di
np rt
h e o
o ri t
Nationale on the fete of the annexation with the
following burst of enthusiasm :

A grand day rises truly on the world. Let us celebrate
it. While behind us the idols of the past are sinking into
darkness, and while the followers of brute force, and of in.
tolerance see their moth-eaten temples crumble over their