274 



FKANCE. 



The fleet on January 1, 1869, was composed 

 as follows : 



The movement of shipping in 1867 was as 

 follows : 



At the head of the marine force, which alto- 

 gether consisted, in 1869, of 72,446 men, there 

 were two admirals, 0. Riguuld de Genouilly 

 (January, 1864); F. T. Trehouart (February, 

 1869); 16 active vice-admirals (besides 10 in 

 reserve); 30 active counter-admirals (and 19 

 in reserve). The number of marine and colo- 

 nial troops amounted to 28,882. 



The special commerce* of France with 

 America and some European countries was, in 

 1867, as follows (value expressed in francs) : 



The following is a summary of the move- 

 ment of commerce from 1853 to 1867 (value 

 expressed in millions of francs) : 



The merchant navy, on December 31, 1867, 

 comprised : 



The railroads of France are private property, 

 which, after the expiration of their term of con- 

 cession, will become the property of the state, 

 which grants to the companies aid for the con- 

 struction of the roads. On the 1st of January, 

 1869, the total length of railroads which were 

 in operation was 2,188.5 geographical miles (1 

 geographical mile = 1.153 English miles) ; be- 

 sides permission had been granted for the con- 

 struction of 794.3 miles. The postal statistics, 

 in 1868, were as follow : 



* By special commerce those imports are understood 

 t are It nded for npt1on in France, and those 

 exports which are produced in France. 



The total length of telegraphic lines, in 1868, 

 was 5J137.7 geographical miles. 



A new legislative session was opened by the 

 Emperor on the 18th of January. 



Messieurs les Senateurs, Messieurs les Deputes: 

 The speech which I address to you every year at 

 the opening of the session is the sincere expression 

 of the thoughts which guide my conduct. To ex- 

 plain frankly to the nation, before the great bodies 

 of the state, the progress of the Government, is the 

 duty of the responsible chief of a free country. The 

 task which we nave undertaken together is arduous. 

 It is not, indeed, without difficulty that, on a soil sha- 

 ken by so many revolutions, a Government is found- 

 ed sufficiently impressed with the wants of the age 

 to adopt all the benefits of liberty, and sufficiently 

 strong to bear even its excesses. The two laws which 

 you passed during the last session, and the object of 

 which was the development of the principle of free 

 discussion, have produced two opposite effects, which 

 it may be useful to point out. On the one hand, the 

 press and public meetings have created in a certain 

 quarter a lactious agitation, and have caused the re- 

 appearance of ideas and passions which were believed 

 to be extinguished ; but, on the other hand, the na- 

 tion, remaining insensible to the most violent incite-; 

 ment, and relying upon my firmness for .the main- 

 tenance of order, has not felt its faith in the future 

 shaken. 



Remarkable coincidence! The more adventur- 

 ous and subversive minds sought to disturb pub- 

 lic tranquillity, so much the more profound became 

 the peace of the country ; commercial transactions 

 reassumed a fruitful activity, the public revenues in- 

 creased considerably, the public interests were reas- 

 sured, and the greater part of the recent elections 

 gave a new support to my Government. The army 



