The Sun.
London, England, 1861-06-20 00:00:00

FRANCE.

The report of the Commission on the Bill for re-
cruiting the army next year has been communicated
to the Legislative Body by Baron Jerome David.
It states that 100,000 men are to be drawn for, who
attained the age of 21 during the present year.

This number, which is called the normal contingent
for a peace establishment, is represented to be about
as onerous a charge upon the population as was
the eon tingent of 80,000 men under the Government
of Louis Philippe. In 1832 France contained
32,000,000 of inhabitants. The contingent of 80,000
therefore took one man for every 400 inhabitants.
In 1861 France contains upwards of 38,000,000 of
inhabitsnts ; consequently one man out of every
400 inhabitants will give a contingent of 95,000.
A contingent of 100,000 men will keep the army
effective at 600,000, which is equalled or exceeded
by the great Powers. Baron David says, " But I
apprehend the gentleman must be very much mis-
taken, for although Austria may equal and Russia
surpass, perhaps, this number on paper, in-
cluding frontier sedentary forces and military
colonies, neither of them has anything like the
effective army of France." The pretext for aug-
menting the annual levy by 20,000 men during
peace is sufficiently original to merit notice.
From the 100,000 men obtained annually by
conscription, 5,000 are to be transferred to the
navy, to serve during the whole of the seven years ;
5,000 are dispensed with as belonging to public
services (maritime inscription, public instruction,
theological seminaries, ite.) ; 18,100 are allowed to
purchase exemption at £lOO each, and who are
therefore replaced on the ranks by the substitutes,
who receive a portion of the " smart" money ; 1000
are exempted from service as being necessary to
support their families ; and 2,500 are presumed to
die, to be found incapable, or to desert. There
will then remain 64,100 men available from the
contingent for the annual recruitment of the army.
The Donawerth screw liner has also arrived from
Beyrout, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Chopart,
and with troops on board.
The Rodeur has arrived at Toulon, after having
deposited 200,000 young oysters along the coast.
She is under orders for Corsica, where the same
operation will be repeated.
BOURSE, June 19. Business continues in the
same inanimate state, but prices without any mate-
rial change. For the Account, Threes are now at
67f. 85c. Railway shares also quiet. The follow-
ing are the last quotations :-
41, per per Cents ... 96 70; Credit Fonder lOOO
Do. end month.... 96 80 j Belgian 41 99 75
3 per Cents
Do. end month 67 801 Roman
Bank Shares 2905 —1 Austrian
Credit Mobilier.... 697 30 Spanish Threes —
Do. Account .. 7OO Home Debt
RAILWAYS.

Cash. Account.
Orleans 1360 .. 1361 25
Northern
New ditto B9O .. 890
Lyons and Mediterranean 940 .. 942 50
Geneva 4OO .. 398 75
Southern
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard . 493 75 .. 495

CARELESS NURSES.—A most deplorable scene
took place on Monday evening in front of the parade at
Eastbourne. A nursemaid had been sent out by Mr. Cook,
of Cavendish-place, in charge of her little twins, a boy
and a girl, aged about a year and a half. One of these was
carried in arms, and the other wheeled in a perambulator.
Express instructions were given that the children's walk
should be confined to a shady neighbouring lane, which
order the girl directly disobeyed by proceeding to the sea-
wall parade. It was high water, and a strong east wind
was bringing in a heavy swell. At the narrowest part of the
walk the girl let go her hold of the perambulator, in which
was the little boy, and probably impelled by the wind, it
ran headlong over the edge of the wall, and was swept out
by a retiring wave. All within hearing immediately
gathered at the spot, and many efforts to catch the carriage
with the poor child, as it was tossed to and fro, were
earnestly made. Especially a soldier, named Cannon, of
the Met Regiment, manfully plunged into the waves, and
nearly succeeded in grasping the infant, who was now de-
tached from the perambulator. The brave fellow was,
however, too exhausted to accomplish his humane pixpose,
and ultimately struggled alone to the shore. The child was
at last caught by the vigorous exertion of Mr, Brown, a
neighbour, and a good swimmer. No injury appeared to
have been caused by the mere fall, and the poor little thing
was heard to scream when in the water, but all the con-
tinued efforts that were made by medical skill to revive it
were unavailing. It was drowned. The distraction of the
poor mother, who rushed to the scene, was heartrending :
and, indeed, there were few who did not share her extreme
distress, for the sight of the poor infant and its tiny car-
riage tossed to and fro by the powerful waves, alternately
appearing and disappearing, was most harrowing. Great
sympathy is felt for the family,