6 JUNE 1840, Page 2

The disastrous result of the expedition of the French army

in Africa against Ann-131.-KADER. is the principal subject of the Paris newspapers. The Moniteur of Wednesday fills ten columns with Marshal VALL1:E'S despatch, dated Algiers, May 27th, and con- taining a narrative of his operations. It appears that the return to Algiers was very hasty, and that the French were constantly at- tacked in their rear by the Arabs. Indeed, that was their fate on the onward march ; for the enemy immediately reoccupied the ground from which they had been driven, and always seemed• to be surrounding the invaders. There were eight serious engagements— the last on the retreat at Medeah, when Marshal VALLEE says the Arabs fought with extraordinary fury. He considers this a drawn battle ; but the Cuurrier Francais, on private authority, says that the Arabs had chased the French. The Marshal's tone is apologeti- cal : he complains that his army was only nine thousand strong, as he was compelled to leave a large force to garrison numerous points in the neighbourhood of Algiers : he hopes, how- ever, that the serious loss sustained by the troops of ADD-EL- KADER has crippled his resources, and rendered future operations less difficult. The total loss of the French is put down at 149 killed and 594 wounded ; but the private correspondence of the Journal des Mbats makes it much heavier. The Notional accuses the Marshal of hesitation, of ignorance of the enemy's movements, issuing orders and counter-orders without judgment or fore- sight, imprudent bivouacs, want of attention to his cavalry, and neglect of the wounded. It was reported in Paris, that Marshal VALUE had been recalled, and that General CuniEuns or General TREZEL would take the chief command at Algiers. In the Chamber of Deputies, on Tuesday, M. TnrEtts stated, in reply to M. MAUGUIN, that he considered the sulphur-monopoly of Naples unjust, and that France had demanded its abolition be- fore any difficulties had arisen between England and Naples.

The Chamber of Peers has rejected the bill for reducing the in- terest on the Five per Cent. Stock, by a majority of 101 to 46.