The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-14 00:00:00

FINANCIAL SLATE OF FRANCE.

France has at length discovered that there is a
power which checks armies, that bids ambition
pause, that places glory on an inaccessible height,
and commands that the gratification of taste shall
be foregone. In spite of the immense increase of
wealth which has marked the present reign, the
finances of the country have always been in a
doubtful state, and row it is acknowledged on all
hands that a term of economy must begin. The
Parisian millionaire is but the type of his country-
men. He does for himself what they, under Imperial
guidance, are doing as a community. His gains are
great, not only from legitimate industry, but from
taking advantage of the turns of fortune, and
watching every bubble on the political stream. But
though, in common parlance, a rich man, his sober
English friends look on him with suspicion, for he,
a man of yesterday, lives as only those live on this
side of the Channel 'who have great hereditary
wealth and are the representatives not only of their
own capital, but of that amassed by a line of fore-
fathers. The Frenchman shows by his expenditure
that he has so many hundred thousand francs a-year
but people cannot help thinking that, as in the case
of the Irishman, it is only for one year. A spacious
appartement at a fabulous rent, or perhaps a villa in
the new quarter which is springing up for the great
world, furniture of taste, pictures of genius, rare
books, bought only to be boasted of, costly enter-
tainments, and perhaps little private amusements
still more costly, puzzle the homely inhabitants of
our Tyburnia who happen to know something about
that Frenchman's business. On a large scale it is the
same with France. We know what we can afford,
and feel very sure that we could not afford all that
is being done across the Channel. We also are able
to form some estimate of the respective wealth of the
two nations, and, though conscious of the great ad-
vance made by France, we are not prepared to be-
lieve that she can persevere in these large public
and private outlays. Though a part of the expendi-
ture, particularly that of the capital, has been re-
munerative, yet undoubtedly vast sums have been
sunk to buy glory for the nation and popularity for
the restored Empire.
A few days since we commented on the difficul-
ties which lay before the Government during the
winter. The deficiency of the harvest and the ces-
sation of exports to America have not only deranged
the calculations of the Ministry, but threaten to
cause much distress among classes which have been
useful supporters, and may be dangerous opponents
of the Government. Any misfortune in a country
so closely connected with our own would be so sure
to affect ourselves that it is with a feeling almost of
relief we find that the rumours of the last week have
a foundation, and that a Finance Minister of some
calibre is likely to succeed to th© present clever, but
uninstructed, occupant of the office. We have no
wish to enter into the gossip of Paris, of which our
readers know, and desire to know, little, but, fol-
lowing common report, we may say that M. Fould
lost the direction of French finance through a feud
between him and other persons in high station,
which, it seems, was so bitter as to preclude him
from sitting in the Cabinet. This was certainly a
misfortune, for, though M. Fould may not possess
d ea ,
g man
who t
m
the qualities or the theological leanings which pro
pi
tia te
could certain
be
fo u personages,nd to he
prepare w as
a the most
French ableliu
and to prevent colleagues fro t u rageously increas•
ing its items. A year ago, hw oever, M. Fould was
snubbed because he was not
rich, for she had not
discovered
that she was poor.
M. Fould was not only •
s given to economical lectures,
which were very
unpleasant, but he had notions con-
cerning the recognition Italy of andthe withdrawal
of withdrawal
of the Francis from Rome
which a dominant party
in France highly resented. It is to be added to
this that there was, for one reason or another, a cool-
ness between him and a principal colleague—M. de
Persigny—which had, perhaps, some share in his
retirement. Happily, this feeling will now, in all
probability, cease to operate, for both Persigny
and Fould are men of the world, and never, from
the earliest times, did men of the world refuse to be
reconciled when their common interests prompted
the act.
For the present it is said that nothing has been
done, since the position of the new Minister has nott
yet been finally arranged. There i 6 much said about
the demands made by more than one individual.
(
M. Fould is said to have asked for the rank, ),.
President of the Council of Ministers. As M.

line. That had been for some time necessary, in
order that they might be able to carry out the
objects for which the lines were begun. (Cheers.)
Lieutenant Colonel MACLEAN thought it satisfac-
tory they should have such a good offer from the
North British, and they would be very foolish if
they did not accept it. When they looked at the
hopeless state of the railway for some years, he
thought the sum as large as they could expect any
people to give on taking such a concern. (Hear.)
To get the North British Company through would
take four times the net profit of the Port Carlisle
line, The expenses of the Port Carlisle line, at 50
per cent., would be £14,000, and it would take
£7,000 to pay what the North British now took on
their shoulders. (Applause.)
The resolution was unanimously agreed to. It
was stated that the consent of all the bondholders,
except two or three who were abroad, had been
obtained.

The directors of the company were authorised to
join with the North British Company in applying
for an Act to carry out the terms and arrangements
agreed to.
Mr. IRVING, in moving a vote of thanks to the
chairman, stated that negotiations were now going
on with a view to getting arrangements made for
the Silloth Company, which he hoped would be as
satisfactory to them as these were to the Port
Carlisle.