The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, FRIDAY.
It is said that a contract has been signed between
the Marine Department and a firm at Marseilles
to supply the islands of Guadaloupe and Martinique
with 20,000 free Africans suited for agricultural
labour before the Ist of January, 1863, and that
similar contracts have been entered into with other
houses, which Prince Napoleon, as Minister of the
Colonies, is resolved to avail himself of.

The officer late in command of the Antelope
steam cutter is to be tried by Court Martial at
Cherbourg for the loss of that vessel. There is
hardly any doubt, however, of his acquittal, as his
testimonials of his professional skill are said to be
excellent.

The Moniteur publishes a report to the Emperor
from the Prince Minister of Algeria, recommend-
ing the re-constitution of the Imperial Court of
Algiers, and the assimilation of it, as regards the
number of chambers and their attributions, to the
same courts in the mother country. The report is
followed by decrees carrying out the above sugges-
tions, and making the promotions and nominations
necessary for carrying them into execution.

BOURSE, Dec. 17.—The market at the opening
was rather buoyant, with an advance on yesterday's
quotations, but transactions were limited. Threes
have been done at from 73f. 35c. to 73f. 45c. ; Mobi-
Her, 985 f. to 992 f. 50c. ; Austrian, 646 f. 25c. to 647 f.
50c.; Orleans, 1,395 f. to 1,400 f. ; Northern, 1,005 f.
to 1,010 f.; Lyons, 885 f. to 890 f.; and Southern, 587 f.
50e. to 590 f. The market was dull towards the
close, when the following were the last quota,
tions

41 per Cents. .... 96 801
Do. end month .. 97 101
3 per Cent 5....... 73 20
Do. end month.... 73 351

Criidit Foncier 60
Belgian 41 991
Piedmonteso (5)
Roman 93
Austrian
Spanish Threes
Home Debt 43 50

Bank Shares. 3145 --

CrCtdit Mobilier .. 987 60

Do. Account] 900 --

RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans
Northern
New ditto. 847 50 .. 845
Lyons and Mediterranean BB5 .. 882 50
New ditto
-- • • --
Genova — • . 621 25
Midi
• • --
Southern
Western 607 50 .. 605
Eastern
Grknd Central — ..
Sardinian
Austrian

Exchange on London, at sight, paper, 25f. 121 c. ; money,
25f. 10c. ; three months, paper, 241. 971 c. ; money, 241.
95c.

RUSSIA.

A St. Petersburg letter of the Bth says :—" The
Russian representative at the Austrian Court, M.
de Balabine, has certainly been sent to Vienna only
on a private mission, as some journals have stated.
As long as Austria hesitates to accredit a minister
to this Court, M. de Balabine will have no other
title ; but when Austria shall have made a choice,
he will be named Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary. A tendency is also
noticed on the part of Austria to come to more in-
timate relations with this Court ; at least the ap-
proaching ' arrival of Baron Werner, Austrian
Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs, is regarded in
that light. The immediate cause of the baron's
voyage is the difficulty experienced in the conclu-
sion of a treaty of commerce with Austria—a diffi-
culty which he hopes to remove ; but his mission,
it is said, is not to end there, as he is to endeavour
to improve the relations between two powers."