The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-10 00:00:00

THE SULTAN AND THE EMPEROR OF
THE FRENCH.

The Moniteur of yesterday publishes a full ac-
count of the ceremony of presenting the Grand
Cordon of the Le; ion of Honour to the Sultan.
It took place on the 29th of December.
M. Thouvenel proceeded in great State to the
Palace of Tcheragan. Four of the Sultan's State
carriages were sent to the French Embassy for him-
self and suite. The Ambassador's carriage was
drawn by four grays. This carriage had been pre-
pared in anticipation of the Emperor's visit.

At the foot Of the staircase of honour M. Thou-
venel was received by Aali Pasha, the Grand Vi-
zier, wearing the Grand Cordon of the Legion of
Honour ; Mehemed Aly Pasha, the Sultan's bro-
ther-in-law, High Admiral ; Ahmet Fethi Pasha,
brother-in-law of his Majesty, Head of the Artil-
lery ; Ali Gilalib Pasha, the Sultan's son-in-law,
Head of the Household ; Mehemet Rnschdi Pasha,
Minister of War ; Kibrisli Mehemed Pasha, Presi-
dent of the Council of the Tatizimat ; and by
Chefik Pasha, President of the Council of State.
A company of the Sultan's bodyguard was drawn
up in the hall.

M. Thouvenel addressed his Majesty es fol-
lows :

" Sire,—His Majesty the Emperor, my august mas-
ter, has deigned to charge me with a most agreeable
mission, that of placing in the hands of your Imperial
Majesty the Grand Cordon of his Order of the Legion of
Honour.

" It is the first time that the friendship of a Sovereign
of France for a Sovereign of Turkey has manifested it-
self in so striking and so personal a manner.
" Your Majesty will therefore see, in the offer of
these precious insignia, a proof of the sentiments of high
esteem and sincere attachment which the Emperor Na-
poleon entertains for your Majesty. This demonstration,
of which I au proud of being the organ, emanates also
from another thought, and gives a peculiar signification
to the circumstance ; it is a new pledge of the memor-
able alliance which henceforth places the destinies of the
Ottoman Empire under the guarantee of the interna-
tional law of Europe, as also under the safeguard of that
civilisation of which your Imperial Majesty, seconded
by your Ministers, in the accomplishment of the work
to which the glory of your reign is attached, announced,
on your accession to the throne, that it was your wish
to spread the moral and material benefits among all the
populations under your rule."
His Majesty the Sultan, on receiving from the
bands of the Ambassador the Emperor's letter and
the insignia of the Legion of Honour, as remark-
able for the brilliancy of the jewels in which they
are set as for their exquisite workmanship, replied
as follows :

" I consider these precious insignia not only as a
token of the private friendship of his Majesty the Em•
peror, my august ally, for myself, but also as one of the
great consequences of the memorable alliance which is
destined to consolidate for ever those ancient relations of
friendship which exist between the two empires. lam
the more touched by this mark of consideration on the
part of his Majesty, as it is the first foreign decoration
which I receive, and I am also glad to receive it from the
hands of so distinguished an Ambassador as yout self.
" I sincerely hope that my untiring efforts for the
welfare of all toy subjects will be crowned with the de-
sired success, and that my empire having become, hence-
forth, one of the members of the great European family,
will prove to the whole universe that it is worthy of
occupying an important place in the circle of civilised
nations. Turkey will never forget the generous semi-
fi,.!es which its noble allies have imposed upon themselves
to procure this happy and great result.
" I will write directly to the Emperor to thank him ;
but I request you, Monsieur l'Ambassadeur, to make
him acquainted with this expression of my sentiments."