Show Paris advices are to the effect that the French merchant marIno is In a most unsatisfactory condition In the decade from 18S6 to 1896 it actually show a decrease while that of Germany Ger-many had more than doubled England Eng-land In the same tune showed a aug mentaton of 51 per cent In her mer cantie heel and even Spain and Italy lade a better showing than France Th former increased about onethhd and the later more than onehal An explanation of this condition is found in the excessive cost of cargo boats built in French yards where they have to be built to entitle them to the government bounty They cannot compete with those constructe in Ensl6h or German yards As a consequence unmlst abl signs of retrqr sion and decadence decad-ence and the pope authorities arc endeavoring en-deavoring to find and apply a remedy |