10 JANUARY 1857, Page 10

Formerly, in travelling from Venice to Padua—a two-hours journey by

rail—passports had to be shown five times : now they have to be produced only at the two termini.

It is said that the French Government has determined to abandon Tahiti, finding that it costs much and produces nothing : but, on the other hand, the Government is seriously occupied with the creation of another colony, New Caledonia. This island is rich and the climate healthy ; and it is appropriated to receive a portion of the French colony of Guiana. A permanent garrison of 700 or 800 men is to be established there. The French Government is likewise much occupied with the development of the colony of Senegal. An expedition has been sent from Algeria to ascertain the practicability of establishing a communication between those two colonies by land.

The French Emperor's " munificence" is not to be checked : another of those exhaustless and comfortable " credits " is to be " opened "— 1,800,000 francs for uniting the Louvre with the Tuileries.