The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-29 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, FRIDAY:
A Paris letter in the Nord of Brussels says :

" A great difference was perceptible between the
general aspect of the last ball at the Tuileries and
the first. Evidently less anxiety was felt. The
foreign presentations took place as usual before
their Majesties entered the ball room, and the Em-
peior was observed to converse frequently with
Baron de Hubner. Many eyes were turned to-
wards them, eager to catch from the expression of
their countenances what was the subject of their
conversation. M. de Persigny also talked very
gaily with the ambassador, who withdrew imme-
diately after, his court being still in mourning.
The Emperor and Empress entered at a quarter
past ten. At midnight their Majesties came into
the grand gallery, and after having made the tour
of it, took their seats in the middle, and a waltz
was danced before them. Their Majesties soon after
left the rooms and retired ; the Emperor, having
been shooting in the morning, was fatigued, and no.
official quadrille took place. The toilette of the
Empress was, as usual, most beautiful ; her hair
was ornamented with leaves and diamonds. The.
Emperor wore the uniform of a general of division,
and his decorations in diamonds."

According to recent intelligence from Hongkong,
Admiral Rigault de Genouilly has despatched from
Turon to China a staff officer and naval commissary
with the view of freighting flat-bottomed boats
proper for the navigation of the Hue, which is: in-
accessible to vessels of war on account of its bar.

A letter from Hong Kong, of the 14th ult., gives
some account of the accident which happened to
the French corvette Laplace, which we have briefly
mentioned :—" The vessel had appoached the Chu-
san islands with a strong breeze and during a thick
fog, which caused one point of land to be mistaken
for another, and the steamer, instead of entering,
as was thought, into the regular passage, got into a
place where there was no outlet. The moment
this was discovered, her engines were stopped and
anchors let go, but so violent was the wind and
current that the cables parted, and in a moment
after the vessel struck on a bank of mud. A boat
was lowered to take a hawser on shore, but she
was swamped in an instant and three men
drowned. It was about noon when the vessel
struck, and as night approached the wind and sea
became more violent, and the vessel sank deeper
and deeper. At eight o'clock in the evening the
captain announced that he no longer had any hope
of saving the vessel, and every one consequently
prepared to reach the shore as best he could. Some
time after another attempt was made to send a
boat on shore, and an officer and some men were
fortunate enough to effect a landing. Letters were
immediately sent off by them to Shanghai and
Ningpo, requesting prompt assistance. The next
two days the situation of the persons remaining on
board the Laplace continued to be critical. The
vessel struck heavily and was sensibly approach-
ing the shore. On the Ist Dec. the weather be-
came finer, and Chinese junks began to make their
appearance. They took on board the guns, the
ammunition, the ballast and ether heavy stores
from the corvette ; and when thus lightened she
rode easier, and by means of an anchor, carried out
at high water, she was hove afloat in about eight
fathoms water. Her hull and her engines had not
received any material injury."
BOURSE, Jan. 28.—The market continues in a
feverish state, owing to the important operations
which must be closed for the liquidation. There
have been vague reports of disturbances at Ravenna,
and of the sending of reinforcements of troops to
Civita Veccha. Threes, after having been done at
68f. 65c., declined to 68f. 45e., and afterwards
rallied to 68f. 60c. ; Mobilier varied from 785 f.
to 775 f. ; Austrian, 565 f. to 562 f. 50c.; Orleans,
1,330 f. to 1,325 f. ; Lyons, 837 f. 50c. to 832 f.
50c. ; Northern, 937 f. 50c. to 935 f. The following
were the last quotations:—

41 per Cents. .... 96 90 Credit Fonder 650
Do. end month .. 96 90 Belgian 41 99 50
3 per Cents 6B 80 Piedmontese (5) .. 84 75
Do. end month 6B 75 Roman B7
Bank Shares.— 2940 Austrian
Credit Mobilier .. 790 Spanish Threes
Do. Account 787 50 Home Debt 4O --