The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-15 00:00:00

ie prizes to be awarded to exhibitors, and they

have been approved of by the Emperor. There are
to be 10 prizes, the total value of which will be
100,000 f., and, in addition, one great prize of
100,000 f. (say £4,000), which will be granted either
to the individual or to the place from which they
are sent, some objects considered to be wonderful,
or of first-rate superiority. The jury who will have
to judge the various articles will be formed of per-
sons of note, from the different countries from which
articles may be sent. There are to be three classes
of prizes, the total value of which will be 800,000 f.
The jury will be empowered to make " honourable
mention " in 20 cases only.
Aspe, the man who murdered his servant woman
atToulouse, cut off her head and mutilated her body,
under extraordinary circumstances, has arrived at

the hulks at Toulon. The version he now gives of
the murder is that they had a violent quarrel, which
so enraged him that he struck his victim on the
head two blows with a heavy piece of wood which
was in the fire-place, the woman having first threat-

ened to stab him with a knife. As to the head,
although he first stated that he would point out the
locality where he had hidden it, he now says that

he burned a portion of it so that it could not be re-
cognised, and then threw the remainder into a mill
in order that it might be ground to dust. He is
very sullen and indifferent as to his position.
Although horse racing is so much in vogue in
France at the present time, the amusement was
little thought of at the beginning of the present
century. It was in 1807 that Napoleon issued a
decree instituting public races in France. Very
little progress was made up to 1830. The total

number of races in 18'29 was 62. Of this num-
ber 25 prizes were gained by Arabian horses, and
37 by English bred. Four years ago the present
Emperor inaugurated the races at Fontainebleau,
but they were never first-rate until Sunday last.
The racecourse in the beautiful valley of the Solle
was arranged under the auspices of a committee
composed of Count A. de Beries, Count H. de
Grefulhe, and M. de la Rochette, over which Gen.
Prince de la Moskowa presided. The spot was
selected by the Inspector of the Forest, M. de
-Naffieux. _

In spite of the late panic at the Bourse, the state-
ment of M. Viutry, the Minister, as to the general
soundness of French finances, is confirmed by the
position of the Bank of 'France. According to the
last account the sum in the Treasury exceeded 700
millions. The current accounts of private indi-
viduals had reached a higher amount than was ever
before known ; they exceeded 400 millions. At the
same time the portefeuille and the circulation of
notes had sensibly diminished.
The interment of the remains of two of the vic-
tims by the explosion of the boiler of the steam-tug
of the Passe-Partout at Havre has taken place in
that town with marks of general sympathy. The
bodies were those of the Captain (Duhamel) and the
stoker Gallard. There is as yet no trace of the re-
mains of two other men who were known to have
been on board. No doubt the remains were pre-
cipitated to a considerable distance. Part of the
boiler has been found at a distance of many yards
from the steamer. The captain's wife went to Caen
on the morning of the-fearful accident to be present
would
Captain return
jo uh
a h
at the marriage of a relative, little thinking that
she
mmeni,s b
ea widow. About bkoiltitetdlBo-nmboonatrhds
ago
a steamer on the Seine which he commanded, in
consequencemootfiotnhelssiacirleew
he
been suddenly
put to
into
some repairs to it which were in progress.
The Government, with great promptness and
humanity, has ordered the Commissary of Marine
at Havre to give pecuniary assistance to the families
of the sufferers.
One of the pleasure steamers which ply on the
Seine between Paris and St. Cloud, from some un-
explained cause, was suddenly sunk the day before
yesterday. There were no passengers on board, as
an experimental one. The
crew the vmo voyage e wasd
to
eosnyelap
e to.shore. This is the first
time that an accident has happened to auy of these
boats. _ _ . .

The Emperor, accompanied by the Ivliniker of