The Sun.
London, England, 1868-05-15 00:00:00

VOIMESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, THURSDAY, May 14,,
The Opinion Nationale publishes startling news to-dap.
It gives a telegram just received from its Italian correspon.

dent, according to which the French occupation of Roma
is about to be renewed. Large quantities of war materiel
are being constantly disembarked, and the Papal Pro-
Minister of War has received orders to prepare certain
barracks for the French troops. This news, taken in con-
nection with the statement that the Pope is forming a
military camp at Frischiera and fortified barracks at Cer-
toza, has caused some excitement.
The rumour has been revived to-day that we may
shortly expect to have the disarmament question raised.
I cannot find any foundation for it. On the contrary, I
learn that the manufacture of arms still goes on with the
same rapidity as before, and that there is a conflict waging
between the Commissioners on the Budget and the
Government; the first wanting to reduce the proposed loan
by about 9 per cent. (21,600,00), and the second refusing
to do so. However, there is no doubt that to day peace is
in the ascendant, and we are congratulating ourselves that
it is scarcely possible for war to break out under three
months—and time is always ou the side of peace.
In reference to this matter I may mention that some
uneasiness has been caused at Vienna by the frequent
ref erc nces to our armaments which have been made in Baron
von Beust's organ, the Neue Frete Prase. This journal
has just been pointing out that the whole of our infantry
have been armed with the Chassepot, and that this
weapon gives fifteen shots a minute, with excellent
practice, at 1,000 yards. The organisation of 200,000
of the National Mobile Guard has been nearl37, completed,
and in the eastern departments this force is actually doing
duty. Within the last year 1l 5,0 C 0 bosses have been
purchased by our War Department. There are 'AO breech-
loading guns at Lille alone, and at Metz much activity
prevails in repairing the fortifications. Such are the
statements which come to us from Vienna. The frequent
references to these matters in the Austrian Premier's
journal has led some persons to suppose that he is really
not so pacific as is generally thought. The St. Petersburg
papers also refer to our armaments incessantly, and
declare that France is on the look-out for an opportunity
of attacking Russia, and that Austria will be drawn into
the quarrel by France.
Prince Napoleon has not yet taken his departure for the
Lower Danube, and it is not known when he will do so.
It is rumoured that he will pay a visit to the Suez
Canal.

The Pinard•Ptouher quarrel still gives rise to much
gossip. Marshal Niel, who has no love for the Minister of
State, is said to have been at the bottom of the affair.
But the Minister for the Interior came out badly. The
Emperor is reported to have told Pinar& that he (Pinard)
wished to be independent, and that the end of it would
be, he would find himself isolated. It has been
noticed that the Due de Persigny has had a long interview
with the Emperor, and some persons believe that this hero
of the coup <Mat, whom your Mr. Kinglake has gibbeted
so unmercifully, is about to return to the Home Office. I
doubt it very much. The duke made such a mess of the
elections in 1863 that he was compelled to resign. It is
not at all likely, therefore, that he will be reinstated just
as another general election is imminent.
M. Horn's pamphlet, " Le Bilan de l'Empire," which so
unmercifully exposed the extravagance of the Second
Empire, has brought forth a rejoinder, " Les Finances de
'Empire. It is written by M. Vitu, one of the editors of
the Etendard, and he bas received a letter from the
Emperor, thanking him for it. The pamphlet has not yet
been circulated, but it is likely to be published bodily in
the Mon iteur. _ _

I hear that M. Baroche, the Minister of Justice, is
about to address a circular to all the Procureurs Generaux,
recommending them to exercise moderation and prudence
hi the execution of the new Press Law.

The first part of M. Thiers's speech was a failure, ana
as it only reproduced the statements and arguments of the
other Protectionist speakers I need not trouble you with
any long account of it. Incidentally he stumbled upon
the truth when he said that France was differently
situated from Switzerland, because Switzerland had
neither a conscription nor taxes. His main arguments
were, that England had much larger resources and much
larger markets than France, and could therefore raise her
produce at a much cheaper rate, and that France bad
hitherto devoted her-attention chiefly to the manufacture
of articles of luxury, and could not, therefore, suddenly
compete with England on equal terms in the manufacture
of articles of utility. In one part of his speech he
became somewhat personal. Addressing M. Rouher, he
said : " You have the pretension to seize for yourself the
power of deciding what shall be the economical system of
the country; of determining it in two or three days in
that Palace of the Tuileries which contains a power the
most august, but which is not the nation." This called up
the Vresiaent and M. Rouher, who rebuked the speaker ;
but he rertated his words in a slightly varied form,
saying : " Yes ; all that is at the Tuileries is august ; but
there is something still snore so, and that is the nation
itself." M. Thiers spoke till about six, and then went to
the bureau at 3 a.m. to day, and stayed correcting his
proofs for the Moniteur until 7 a.m. Not bad, this, for a
man of 71.
To-day the Hall was as crowded as it was yesterday.
M. Forcade de la Roquette, 111inister of Agriculture and
Commerce, replied to M. Thiers. He began by referring
to the crisis which, quite independently of any system of
legislation, had had a depressing effect upon the manu-
facturing industry of France as upon that of other
countries. He maintained that the traditions of France
in matters of political economy were not those of
restriction, but of progressive commercial liberty.
even in the 17th and 18th centuries much attention
was paid to the development of commerce : the tariffs
were moderate, and agriculture was not thought to need
any special protection. If the duties were heavy upon a
few articles of foreign production, this was with a view of
establishing certain special manufactures. It was only in
1814, at the Restoration, that certain powerful interests
coalesced, and succeeded in establishing and adopting
those high tariffs which had since been persisted in until
1855. But under the Restoration the opposition had never
ceased to protest against the commercial policy of the
Government, and had denounced the creation of large
landed proprietors with wealthy manufacturers' interests,
which was all-powerful under that regime. The commer-
cial policy of the Second Empire was in perfect accordance
with the best traditions of France. It was not free trade.
It did not suddenly withdraw all protection, but it gradu-
ally lessened, as the need of it diminished, that protection.
This policy did not date from the treaty with England in
1860, it dated from the Customs Laws voted by the Cham-
bers in 1855. What had been the result? So far from
suffering, French industry had since that date developed
more than during the twenty-one years previous. How
could such an increase be explained, if not by the sound-
ness of the commercial policy adopted by the Emperor?
Pouyer-Quertier was to reply to the Minister.
The civil marriage between Prince Achille Murat ana
the Princess Mingrelia took place to-day at the Tuileries,
in the presence of the Emperor, the Empress, the Prince
Imperial, the Princess Clotilde, the Princess Mathilde,
and a large number of distinguished persons. As it has
been arranged that the children shall be brought up in the
Greek faith, the Pope has refused to give his blessing, and
the religious service will take place in the Greek Church.
I am glad to say that the reports of the crops are now
very much more favourable. The price of cereals has
fallen in the Paris market.

The Prussian Government has given notice that if
within a certain period the Hanoverian soldiers now in
France do not return to their own country they will be
considered guilty of high treason.

According to the Borsenhalle, a Hamburg paper, the
Emperor Napoleon has asked the King of Prussia what
are his intentions with regard to his summer tour, as the
Emperor and the Empress would like to meet their
Majesties at some watering-place.

The Presse, which, as " Journal de I'Empire," is scarcely
likely to exaggerate at the expense of the Government,
gives a very gloomy account of Algeria. The recent
murder of a Christian youth by Arabs has caused im-
mense excitement, and 10,000 persons attended his funeral.
The police are powerless to protect the colonists, and they
are all buying arms in self-defence, so that the price of
revolvers has doubled. The population is still rapidly
diminishing through famine. The only bright spot is, that
this year's harvest, which is now ripe, is excellent.

The English holders of Austrian securities have had an
interview with Count Apponyi, the Austrian Minister in
this country, to represent to him the serious wrong that
would be done to them by carrying out the proposed mea-
sure of levying incom€, tax upon them. Such a step is
without precedent, and it would, no doubt, have the effect
of excluding all • Austrian securities from the London
Stock Exchange, in the same way as Spanish and Greek
securities are now excluded. The memorial presented to
Count Apponyi was signed by 43 of the most influential
firms in this country, including the Lothschilds and the
Parings.

The Spanish Cortes have discovered that the Govern-
ment has no power to confer a home guarantee upon the
recently-projected Spanish Colonial Loan for £2,335,000;
consequently, the agents for the loan in this country,
Messrs. Bischoifsheim and Goldschmidt, have informed
subscribers that their money will be returned to them
forthwith, with interest at the Bank rate of 2 per cent.
The agents deposited £llO,OOO caution money, but it is
supposed that even the Spanish Government will not hesi-
tate to repay this amount at once.