The Sun.
London, England, 1868-01-18 00:00:00

FRANCE.

BOURSE, JAN. 17, Three o'clock.—The market
closed as follows :-
41 per Cent.
End of month—. It&lian Loan
3 per Cent
End of month 6B 774 Mexican Loan ... 17 50
Credit Mobilier
End of mouth... 163 75 Spanish Threes
Credit Foucier ...1355 Home Debt —
End of m0nth...1358 75 Doferrqd —
RAILWAYS. Account
Orleans
Northern
Lyons and Mediterranean
Southern__ 538
Western
Eastern
Sardinian
Austrian
Lombard 3Bl
North of Spain 59
Saragossa
Roman 47

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, FRIDAY, Jan. 17.

The papers are giving prominence to a statement to the
effect that the Minister of Finance and the Minister of
State are at variance on the question of a loan. To M.
Magne it appears that a loan is imperative. On the other
hand, M. Rouher is persuaded that combinations are pos-
sible by which it may be avoided.
Great alarm has been caused at the Porte St. Martin
Theatre by the reception of several anonymous letters,
addressed to the director, stating that the building was
undermined with gunpowder, and that the train would be
lighted during the performance of a piece. Treating the
matter at first as a hoax, M. Fournier eventually thought
it best to communicate with the police. A search being
made at night, two men were found concealed in the base-
ment behind the warming t‘pparatus. Not being able to
give an account of themselves, they were removed to the
Prefecture. Many persist in thinking they are Fenians.

The Pattie publishes an article on the naval fleet of
France, in which it is stated that Admiral Rigault de
Genouilly, during the year in which he has been at the
head of the Marine Department, has given a fresh impulse
to-the'work begun by his predecessors. He has adopted
many excellent measures, among which may be mentioned
the increase of the strength of the Atlantic and Mediter-
ranean squadrons. The Patrie observes that France has
at present fifteen armour-plated frigates, including the
Gauloise, the Valeureusl, and the Revanche, which are
the latest completed. The system of numerous squadrons
affords two special advantages : the first, that of extending
the instruction of officers and men by habituating them to
act in large masses ; the second, to test the new vessels,
not only in isolated manoeuvres, but together, so as by the
results observed to profit in the construction of the ships
now on the stocks or to be laid down. The creation of the
fighting fleet, it is argued, is not due to the military events
of 1866, as some French and foreign journals have
affirmed, but it was decided upon long before that epoch,
and its conception arose from no accidental circumstance,
but from the desire that France feels to place herself
always and in every respect in the van of progress.

Amongst the latest statistics published are those giving
the number of merchant ships possessed by the different
countries in Europe. In all there aro 100,000 ships,
of a total tonnage of 12 millions, manned by
600,000 sailors. Of this number, Great Britain has
27,868 vessels, France 15,254, Italy 13,223, Russia
1,416, Holland 2,227, Greece 4,452, Turkey 2,300, Sweden
2,236, Norway 2,552, Austria 9,491, Prussia 1,443, Spain
4,859, Germany 2,818, the Duchies, 2,552, Denmark 2,740,
Portugal 591.

- -
The Pays has taken up the cudgels for The Emperor,
I mentioned some days since that his Majesty had
ordered that the mattresses and bedclothes of poor
people placed at the Mont-de-Piet6 should be restored
to them free of charge. The Paris press has not been
go enthusiastic about this considerate act as the Pays could
have desired. It had hoped to find at least a few words
of recognition in the Paris journals—in those especially
which claim as their privilege the right of expressing the
popular sentiments. Some of them mention the fact,
but Lo`, ono has said " That was well done." In
this spontaneous act of solicitude for the laborious
classes the Siecfr only sees an occasion to call to mind all
the difficulties of the moment. The Emperor comes to the
help of the unfortunate ; that only proves that there are
unfortunate persons. This systematic ingratitude does
not astonish us. The sovereign knows it ; it can inspire
him neither with regret nor with anger. Whatever the
Emperor may do for Paris or the Parisians, the Opposition
journals will always blame him. When they cannot find
fault they will remain silent rather than render justice to
what is great and good. In vain would the Emperor
metamorphose the inhabitants of Paris into so many mil-
lionaires, the journals would only be more bitter in their
revolutionary crusade, the deputies of the capital only
more obstinate, and their votes and speeches only more
hostile. The justice of parties must never be counted on,
as that would be to expect too much from human nature.
But, at least, let this new example of injustice be appreciated
at its true value, and let the lesson profit for the future.