The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-28 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 28, 1868.

VORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS;'

SIII(ArtIIR- OWN COP.RESPONDENT.)

MoxpAi;

M. Magne'a statement bas lust appeared. It surprised
no one. It had been anticipated that a loan of at least
406,000,000fi. would be necessary, and public feeling is
somewhat relieved that it is not larger. One grievance at
a tithe. The military laiv
.at present absorbs attention'
sink leay. iCirrio'othei complaints.
Trade is slack in Paris and in the provinces, and if you
believe tradesmen and market reports, business is as near
as possible at a. standstill. Several of our manufacturers
continue to diminish the number Of their hands. I fear
that the addition of 440,000,000 francs to the burdens of
the State will not tend to strengthen confidence. The assur-
ance that it is a peace loan deceives nobody. Peace is, no
doubt, what we want, but it is peace upon a different
appui than 1,280,000 bayonets can give. Of course, mili-
tary expenditure when bank coffers are suffering from re-
pletion will give some sort of temporary relief. Orders are
out, it is said, for 1,200,000 pairs of boots for our
army and 800,000 for the Austrian army, which
may help to put the sons of St. Crispin into good
humour, but cannot possibly give snore than a fictitious
stimulus to trade. In the midst of this stagnation I take
it as a proof of a sensible administration that the Com-
pante du Chemin de fer du Nord has been authorised to
reduce its rates for coal and coke to Paris and Rouen 40
centimes (4d.) per ton. On this point I may notice a state-
ment in the Charleroi iron trade report. The reductions
in the prices of coke and of labour have enabled the
employers to keep their works going, "these circumstances
being to the producer equivalent to a rise in price." At
the present moment, the report adds, English makers
cannot compete in our markets. r observe that Russia
has just given out a contract for 1,600 tons of iron at
Charleroi.

The Ttfoniteur contains a statement by the manufac-
turers of Elbceuf of the depressed state of their industry—
the woollen trade. They state that they are finding em-
ployment for their hands at a loss to themselves. One-
third of their winter productions they have had to dispose
of at a great sacrifice. They do "not take the liberty of
raising a question of principle," but they " cannot avoid
remarking that, wider the protective system, our interests
increased, and its products were made perfect ; and that
since the commercial treaties they have diminished in
value and, generally speaking, lost the qualities that for-
merly distinguished them ; that we have had serious
losses, and that we are now in a state of crisis, the con-
sequences of which are incalculable." It is not unlikely
that an official investigation will be made ,into these
allegations. _ _

It is reported that the Dec de Persigny is about to favour
the public with a second letter, the subject to be the right
of assembly. If he is as much a friend to freedom of
public meeting as he is to the freedom of the press, and
no more, the duke will not add much to his popularity%
Apropos of this subject, Reform banquets are being organised
in various towns. The Patriote des Alpes reports a ban-
quet at the small town of Pont-de-Beauvoisin, where the
" Marseillaise " was sung, and, as was to be expected, the
authorities interfered.

The Opinion .Nationale is to be prosecuted for an article
headed " The 19th of January." The offence is that it
excited to hatred and contempt of the Government.
The Constitutionnee contradicts the rumours that have
been current of the intention to send M. Benedetti to
Florence. Had that taken place, it would have bees
accepted here as a proof that the Italian Government have
recovered their position in the favour of the Emperor.
But M. Benedetti remains at Berlin for the present.
The news from Naples is not favourable to the House ca
Savoy. The Duke and Duchess of Aosta have been coldly
received, the visit of Victor Emmanuel is deferred, and
the Bourbon demonstrations /grow more lively. Cholera
rages in Calabria, especially at Reggio, and brigandage in
several of the provinces is more audacious than ever. The
Syndic of San Vittorio has been obliged to pay:a ransom
of 59,000 f., besides suffering the loss of one ear. A leader
named Mora is the brigand in chief of the moment.
Some thousands of Poles, who were transported for their
share in the late rebellion, have recently been allowed to
return to Poland, or, as it is now Russified, the Vistula
Provinces.

News reaches us from Spain that fresh risings are appre-
hended. Some emphatic declarations have recently been
made by the President of the Council in the Chamber of
Deputies to assure the public of the loyalty of the Queen
and her Ministers to the Constitution. These, it is believed,
were inspired by the bad reports from the provinces with
respect to the projects of the partisans of the grandson of
Don Carlos. The widow of the latter has, it is said, trans-
mitted forty million reals in view of a solacement general
of the Carlists. They are probably the most powerful
party in the country, including as they do a very large
proportion of the bishops and clergy, and heaven knows
there are abuses enough to feed the flame of revolution.
A terrible storm broke over Havre two days ago. The
building, in course of erection for the Maritime F4hi.
bition was a good deal injured by the wind.