FOREIGN NEWS.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 730, 13 April 1853, Page 4

FOREIGN NEWS.

(From the Home New?, December 24.) FItANCE. The obsequious Senate of his Imperial Majesty voted the Senatus-consxiltum without much difficulty, fixing the civil list at 26,000,000 francs. But there appears to be no such unanimity in the discussion of the constitution even in that packed Council; and it is understood that, headed by the Marquis d'Audiifrct, a strong opposition showed itself to that salient point pi the scheme, —the adoption or rejection " en bloc" of the budgets of the various 'administrative departments by the Legislative Corps. Another objectionable provision is said to be the power retained by the Emperor to sign treaties of commerce. It is thought probable that Louis Napoleon will not yield a single point of his assumed prerogative. Among the most prominent characteristics of the new regime is the military aspect of everything. Concealed but constant activity pervades the whole war administration. On Sunday the Emperor gave a military banquet at the Tuileries. M. Achillo Fould is now " Minister of State and of the Household of the Emperor." According to an article in the Paris Moniteur, there is a deficit of 40,000,000 francs in the budget of the year 1852. The Bonapartes are eagerly dividing the rich spoils of France. They are rivalling each other in dexterously appropriating whatever palaces they like best. Louis Bonaparte, of course, takes the Tuileries; Jerome has awarded himself the Palais Royal; Napoleon, his son, the Elysee; and the Princes Mathilde, the Louvre. The Mor/item; too, publishes a list of all the estates, chateaux, and places that constitute the domain of the Crown. Strasbourg figures in the list. Boulogne, it would seem has been forgotten. The Senatus-Consulte, recently' presented, declares that there shall be only three princes of the Imperial family—to wit, Louis Bonaparte himself, old Jerome, and his son Napoleon; all the other Bonapartes are princes tout court. Old Jerome, who never forgets himself, is to have a dotation of two millions of francs (.£80,000), the Palais Royal for a residence in winter, and Mendon in summer. Besides, he will be appointed Grand Admiral, with from two to throe hundred thousand francs salary. His son, Napoleon, is to be heir presumptive to the Crown ; and the understanding is, that he shall have the Vice-Royalty of Algeria, under a title of Lieutenant of the Emperor ("Imperatoris Legatus," as it was called in the Roman Empire). The system of severe measures is still in force. There has been an amnesty, on paper, for offences of the press. Meanwhile, two editors are still in prison. As to "warnings," they have begun again. A legitimist paper of Angers, L' Union de UQuest has been the first to enjoy the honour. Domiciliary visits are paid to all the printing houses in the hope of seizing certain clandestine writings which annoy his Majesty the Emperor. Printers, masters, and workmen alike, are whisked off from their homes in the dead of night, thrown into solitary confinement, and examined separately. A correspondent of one of the London papers gives the following account of the naval and military preparations now in progress in France. " An immense activity is observable at the Ministries of War and the Marine. Orders are being sent off every day to all the ' chefs de corps' to get up the warlike spirit of the soldiers. In all the military and naval arsenals all his movement. Just now, a new system of" artillery, devised by the Emperor, is being experimented upon in the various Polygoncs. —This system consists in reducing to a single calibre all the various field pieces, which as now composed of four, different calibres—pieces of four, light artillery ; pieces of eight, artillery; of the line; pieces of twelve, artillery of reserve; and six-inch howitzers. The uniform calibre proposed by Bonaparte is to be that of twelve. Now, to make you understand all the importance of this change, I should add that, these pieces of twelve cany 1000 yards, while the other pieces carry only from 800 to 1000 yards. These experiments, I repeat, arc being actively carried on. .Don't be too confident in our veracious Emperor's pacific assurances. It may be that, some morning, all Europe will awake (as Paris did on the 2nd of December) to find the army of Paris on the frontiers of the Rhine. There are sober people who believe in this eventuality, as they do in to-mor-row's sunrise. Besides this change of system in the artillery, an equally grave modification is proposed in our present recruiting system. According to the existing law, 80,000 men are enlisted every year, for seven years service—just one quarter of the actual male population. In the new system, the entire male population would be called upon to serve ; but instead of serving for a period of seven years, the men destined for the infantry would only serve one year. As to the men destined for special corps, such as cavalry, artillery, engineers, grenadiers, and imperial guard, they will remain in service, some eight, the others seven years. The soldiers discharged will be liable to be recalled to serve until they are 33 years of age, Here is the formidable levy we should be able to take the field with sxt anygiven moment; Ist. The army actually in service, 400,000 men; 2nd reserve of twelve classes, from 21 years of age to 8:3—280,000 men in each c1a55—3,360,000 soldiers for the twelve clases; general total, 8,700,000 men. Ihere is enough, and more than enough, to sweep the world !" M. Chavoix, cx-reprcsentative of the people, has written to the Pays to deny the authorship of a letter imputed to him, accepting in very humble and submissive terms the gracious ' pardon' of the Emperor. This letter, which was published very conspicuously in all the Government journals was a forgery. "I neither wrote it nor signed it; I know not who is the author," says M. Chavoix. Not a single person of note has yet accepted the general conditional amnesty of the Government. The Emperor left Paris on Saturday last for a hunting party at Compiegne. The party invited by the Emperor consists chiefly of the members of the Corps Diplomatique. It is rumoured that the right conceded to the Emperor by the new Constitution of modifying the tariffs of all commercial treaties will be exercised in the first instance in reference to the tariff between England and France. In this event the main object would be to admit English coals into France on more favourable conditions than hitherto, and to diminish the import duty in England on French wines. For a long time this lias been in agitation between the interests mutually involved, and such a measure would be popular on both sides of the water. According to a recent estimate, the French army consists of 0 marshals, 78 lieutenants-ge-neral, 152 majors general, 589 officers of the general staff, 21',4!)l gendarmes, 7708 of whom are foot soldiers, while 18,098 are mounted gendarmes; 100 regiments of infantry, viz.—7s regiments of the line and 25 light regiments, each regiment, consisting of 3 battalions, each battalion of 6 companies, and each company has 125 men. Next come the Vincennes Rifles, in 10 battalions of of 8 companies each, each company of 110 men; making a total of 8000 Vincennes Rifles. There are also 3 regiments of Zauves, now in Africa, each regiment of 3 battalions, and each battalion of 9 companies; and 8 battalions of Light African Infantry, and 12 fatigue companies. Besides these, there is the Foreign Legion, in 2 regiments, each of 2000 men. The chavalry consists of 2 regiments of Carabineers, 10 regiments of Cuirassier, 16 regiments of Lancers, 12 of Dragoons, 9 of Hussars, 4 of African Mounted Rifles, 3 regiments of Spahis, and 1 regiment of Guides. The Artillery consists of 15 regiments, each of 10 batteries. There are 3 regiments of Engineers, each consisting of 2 battalions. The total is foot, 275,000, horse 00,000, artillery-men 80,000, corps of Engineers 10,000 men, and 12,000

of the Foreign Legion and bands of Africans in the French service. The French ileet numbers 40 vessels of the line, 50 frigates, 40 corvettes, 50 brigs, and 18 transports, .ill sailing vessels. Add to this their brilliant and efficient steam navy of 10 frigates and 20 corvettes of from 820 to 400 horsepower, and 70 small steamers. There are altogether 328 vessels, namely, 22(5 sailing vessels and 102 steamers commanded by 2 admirals, 10 Vice-admirals, 20 contre-admirals, 110 captains of vessels of the line, 230 captains of frigates, 050 first and 550 second lieutenants, and 800 cadets, and manned by 27,000 gunners, marines, and sailors, Belgium. Beyond the confirmation of the report that a temporary commercial treaty had been signed by the French and Belgian Ministers, renewing thit of 1845, there is no important news from Belgium. The additional 10 per cent, on Belgian coal and iron entering France is now, therefore, abrogated. Italy. The accession of Louis Napoleon as Empercr has been proclaimed to the French troops at Rome, and notified to the Pope. Arrests and police searches continue at Florence; and 14 large schools have been closed, the Government disapproving of the teachers. _ The Jesuits are making great progress, and it is expected that before long the education of the people will be entirely in their hands. Five persons we're hanged at Mantua on tin 7th December for having been engaged in revo lutionary projects. It is stated'that the Sardinian Government ha; obtained the intercession of the. French Emperor at Rome for the arrangement of the differencet with the Vatica.