The Sun.
London, England, 1867-02-19 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.
The bulletin of the Moniteur says :—" A letter
'rom Civita Vecchia, dated Feb. 12, annouuces the

arrival in that port of several vessels laden with

corn which the Government of the Holy Father

had purchased abroad to insure sufficient food for
the inhabitants of Rome until the next harvest.

Thanks to the precautionary measures which had
been adopted, the price of bread has not risen
during the last six weeks. The Syndic of Genoa,
accompanied by four members of the Municipality,
had left for Venice to present an address for the
inhabitants of Genoa to the Venetians, and to offer

to them as a testimony of friendship the busts o:

Vittorio Pisani and Pietro Doria."

A despatch from St. Petersburg says that the
most important fact which has arisen there for some

weeks iithe dissolution of the Provincial Assembly

of that city. These provincial assemblies replaced
the ancient assemblies of the nobility, which only

met at intervals of three years.
Their attributions
are purely local and municipal,
and politics were
excluded from their consideration, but having

recently discussed political matters the Emperor

thought fit to dissolve them.
The Moniteur has received a communication in
regard to the composition of the new Italian
Ministry, but it does not seem to rely upon it, as it
says it publishes the news "under all reserve."
However, according to its correspondent, M.
Ricasoli will retain the position of President of the
Council and Minister of the Interior ; M. Visconti

Venosta will still be Minister of Foreign Affairs ;
M. Cordova will be Minister of Commerce ; and

General Cugia Minister of War. M. Depretis,
instead of being Minister of Marine, will be
Minister of Finance in the room of M. Scialoja ;
M. Mari, now President of the Chamber of
Deputies, will be Minister of Justice. In short, to
those not familiar with the names of. Italian
diplomatist; it may be necessary to state in a word
that the new Ministry is a hash of the old Cabinet
—a distinction without a difference.
The blue book, a large volume of 300 pages,
gives a mass of interesting miscellaneous informa-
tion relative to the internal position of France. It
contains the following statistics relative to the
newspapers : —On the Ist of Jan., 1866, the num-
ber of political journals was 330, of which 63 were
printed in Paris, and 267 in the provinces. On
the Ist of ,Tan., 1867, the number of political jour-
nals was 336, of which 64 were printed at Pari ,

272 in the departments. On the Ist of Jan., 1E66,
the number of nen-political journals was 1,307, of
which 703 were published in Paris, and 604 in the
departments. On the Ist of Jan., 1867, the num-
ber of non-political journals was 1,435 ; that is to
say, 710 in Paris, and 725 in the departments. In

imcaelntns.ew
sofin6
thneewdeppoalritt
e course of 1866 the Government authorised the
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Istat
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andcation
of Jan., 1866, to the Ist of Jan., 1867, 32 judi-
cial condemnations were pronounced against news-
papets, 13 at Paris, and 19 in the departments.
This book gives important statistics in regard to
the steam fleet in the course of construction in the
building yards. It includes 28 vessels of 12,670
horse power, viz., 4 ironclad frigates, of 3,800
horse power ; 7 ironclad corvettes, of 3,150 horse
power ; 3 ironclad coast guard Vessels, of 1,590
horse power ; 2 ironclad floating batteries for
coast service, of 300 horse power; a screw fri-
gate (not ironclad), 480 horse power ; 3 screw
corvettes (not ironclad), 1,350 horse power ; 7
screw avisos, 1,500 horse power ; one transpoi t,
500 horse power. The number of sailing vessels
in course of construction is 82, to which number
should be added many vessels intended for police
service and the protection of fisheries. In the
principal ports of France there is great activity in
the completion of some vessels of rather a for-
midable character.
As to the merchant navy, 1 gather ,from the
book that the French and English Government
have been for some time in communication with a
view to the abolition of onerous differential duties,
and also to establish one uniform system of mea
surement, and to facilitate as much as possible the
regulations in regard to ballast and.the shipment of
spare stores in place of ballast when the ballast is
unladen. The 1‘ hole tendency of the facts and
arguments published in this portion of the book is
to exhibit the desire of the French Government to
promote the principle of free trade in regard to navi-
gation and commerce.
The Siecle, in a review of foreign affairs, has
some sensible remarks in regard to Prussia. It says
—" Prussia, according to the statement in the Im-
perial Speech, is making every exertion to reassure
us. We believe, in fact, that without France she
would have gone farther than she did—in Saxony,
for instance. But she would not have gone so far
with an armed neutrality; and we regret that the
pressure put upon her prevented her. We do not
deny the great results announced in the Speech.
Our simple mediation has destroyed the Quadrila-
teral, emancipated Italy, and saved Austria. Here
is an immense result. According to the Speech
from the Throne, and the blue book, which forms
a commentary upon it, our relations with Prussia
are good. We will even add that, according to
the most recent manifestations of public opinion,
that public feeling, so sensitive in Prussia, has not
been irritated at the anticipation of history. In
other times if it had been said to the Prussians
that they had been stopped at the gates of Venice
all the organs of public opinion in Prussia would
have felt their national pride wounded. There is,
therefore, some progress there. As to Austria
she ought to be abundantly satisfied with the Im-
perial Speech. The Emperor declares that the
greatness of that empire is necessary to the gene-
ral equilibrium. Such a declarationis as good as
a treaty."
According to the Italie the Pontifical Budget for
the current year will present a deficit of 371 mil-
lions of francs. But as this deficit will be covered
by the sum of 20 millions, which the Italian Go-
vernment is to pay into the Roman Treasury next
month for the arrears of the public debt since 1859,
and also about 18 millions due from Italy for
annual interest of that part of the Pontifical debt
connected with the ancient provinces of the States
of the Church, the Holy See will, in 1867, have
sufficient funds to provide for its expenses.
This morning early it was a frost. As the day
advanced came a little rain, but with still less sun,
and as I enclose my letter the frost seems half made
up its mind to return.
ere

LAIV EXPENSES OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL COM-
MISSIONERS.-By a return issued yesterday it appears that
the Ecclesiastical Commissioners expended nearly £7,000
in legal proceedings having raw-once to manorial and other
right 6 in the county of Durham.