The Express. — London, England, 1853-10-06 00:00:00

Zite eri2ttoo. TO CORRESPONDENTS. A theond E.:loon of The Lapeer," containing the same evening's trrite," publiehed every Tuesday an Erntay , .n z.fte Mr poi. adecfLoetnents intendod for "The Earner," Landon Eeenwit paler. 'noel Met the I Mice, 10. Iffiseerife4treet„ by Teo o Uetit on the Ilay of pabtfostka. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TNT. 11.444-11oruies. 4h. . Aftern4444, 4h. Ow. Tasnuow—Mothiss, 4h. ... Afternoon. eh. LONDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6. TIIE " Court Circular" possesses at present a more than common interest. Wide eyes may be opened at this assertion by those who only care to peruse that courtly chronicle in the fashionable season ; but it is nevertheless true. It it impossible to read the simple annals of the tranquil and rational life lcd by our beloved Ws:re at Balmoral, and not contrast it with the feverish and nightmare existence of conti nental sovereigns. From France, we hear inces santly of political arrests. indicating the fears that cootinualy haunt its Emexiton ; the King of Pars- STA, when he gives audience to the municipal council of any petty borough he stops at in his travels, deems it necessary to tell them that their townsmen have been disloyal subjects, and that unless they mend their manners he will never more come near their town; the Emperor of At''IRIA, with scarcely • florin left in his ex chequer, can persuade no one to lend him money, and trembles at the prospect of war; the Emperor of itt ssIA begins to suspect the existence of pitfalls and man-traps on the banks of the Danube, and yet is ashamed to draw back. As for the chronic fret and worry in which small deer like PIO Noxo and King liumnA live, all the world are aware of it. If Kings were wise, and would read the English Court Newsman, they would sigh to be relieved from the burden and sting of that despotic power which they hug so madly, in order to enjoy the wholesome days and quiet nights which fall to the lot of an English constitutional Sovereign. The Queen of EN .i.tso's power to promote what ever is just or benevolent is immense. She can do it by merely setting an example and making such conduct " fashionable." She has, too, ker seasons of regal state and pomp after the fashion which abso lute Sovereigns love, when she passes her soldiers in review, or witnesses at Spithead the manteuvres of a &et that has no equal. She has had prouder triumphs, when—as at the opening of the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park—she astonished foreigners by Employing the nation at large as her body guard. And then she can withdraw to tho secluded Balmo ral, where " beauty smiles in the lap of terror," and bid the world pass while she enjoys the careless felicity of private life. Om day we read of her listening decorously on the Sabbath to the homely eloquence of some shrewd Presbyterian minister, and partaking thereafter of a quiet dinner with the mother who so well and wisely watched over her childhood, and who now reaps, in the prospect of her daughter's happiness, the rich reward of her care. It is the happy Lady of the Glen, not tho responsibility-burdened Queen we read of. Oa another day we read of what our northern countrymen call " a grand ploy " at Balmoral. The foundation-stone of the principal tower of her MAJEsn's new residence is to be laid, and her lkLuEsrt, setting aside that mysterious functionary, the Right Worshipful Grand Master of the' Grand Lodge of Scotland, performs the cere mony herself. Careless of her apparel, she mixes the mortar with her own trowel, and spreads it on the stone; she applies the mystic and typical level ; she pours the meaning-fraught corn, Rine, and oil; she gives the three conclusive allegorical taps with the mallet. No "free and accepted mason" could have done the job in a more workman like fashion. The mystic brotherhood has hitherto excluded the fair sex from its ranks—unless credence may be given to a legendary story of one female who wu reluctantly admitted, as a pis-aller, after by lurking in a lodge she was found to have made her self mistress of the whole secret. But, after Queen VICTORIA'S workwomanlike display, really this ungallant exclusion ought to be recon sidered. The scandalous allegation that women cannot keep a secret is untenable ; for certain secrets we will back the tenacity of a woman against that of any man. What a spectacle it would be to see the Queen of ENGLAND, bedecked with the jewels of the craft, opening a duly " tried" lodge and gravely interrogating her wardens respecting their duties and the discharge of their onerous functions! Yet another day and her MAJESTY is breasting the steep ascent of some highland hill, and through the pure transparent mountain atmosphere casting a glad glance over leagues of rock, heather, and forest, where the red deer stray ; or she is enjoying the humours of a rural cattle fair ; or she looks on, half proud, half amused, while her husband and children Tie with the sturdy peasantry in their exertions to extinguish an accidental fire. All these simple excitements she can enjoy, and forget for the time that there are such things as Eastern questions, Burmese wars, Sanitary Commis sions, 00111 AX cams, or Ecclesiastical Controversies, and all the bores of audience-giving, from foreign crowned heads down to Aldermen. She can thus forget herself, for she knows that there is not one disloyal subject in her British Islands, and that the =saline of government will work on while she slumbers. In her cue, at least, it is not true that " uneasy lies the head that wears& crown." These are the fruits of recognising the rights of a people ; of accepting the responsibilities of a crown along with iu power and pre-eminence; of leaving the aggregate citizens of a nation to act for them selves, where the interference of a central or arbitral authority is not needed. When the Sovereign, when a succession of Sovereigns, have done this rival ambitions wrestle in front of the throne with out unsettling its repose, and rival interests wage their spiteful wars without including it in their ran corous feelings. The perfect majesty of repose is gained by simply abstaining from interference where interference it unneeded. It was not the wisdom of ancestral kings that made the gainful sterifice. The Kings of England clung as wilfully to the visionary power of absolute rule, and endured as anxious days and miserable nights to retain it, as any of tho living despots of the Continent. And political history is but " the everlasting to be that bath been." Absolute mo narchs will continue to make themselves and others miserable—to goad men to madness by oppression, then tremble before the -wrath they have kindled, and listen with the ears of a thousand spies for the ru.hiag sound of the rising flame--until the people, with more or less gentle hand, curb their insane licence. FELS ST MILITIA 01110.136.—Yesterday a return procured by Sir De Lacy Evans was printed, relative to fees charged on the isonmisainn of deputy lieutenants aol whin oaken of Militia in England and Wales. It appears that in Miaillweez the d-pasty lieutenants pay a fee of ton rid likte ; colonels of Militia pay_ 91. 2 . lieut.-vslocels 71. 194.; ri. jor.. 61. 18e.; septains, 61. 17s. ; lieutenaate. 41. 16a.; ensigns and second lieutenants. 31. las.; and eargeons and auietnitsurgeons,6L 17s. aad 41.16 .. The fees Sr. not so large is ethos antatise. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. Our Paris advice' state that, according to the latest and bci-t accredited version of the news ie cei‘ed there from Constantinople, war was not formally declared on the 27th ult. At the some time the vote l of the Grand Council, the temper of the people, and the apparent impossibility of devising any pacific jexpedient for escaping from the situation, stewed to render such a declaration inevitable. As we stated ycsterday, the vote of the Grand Council was not float and conclusive, but would be subject to the judgment of the Sultan and his more intimate and responsible advisers. At the same thus the expressed opinion of the members of that distinguished body gives an immense increase of power to the active and energetic men who lead the war party in the cabinet. The sovereigns of ltussia, Austria, and Prussia would receive intelligence of the Grand Council's vote at Warsaw. The circumstance is not favour able. The interests of Prussia are clearer to her chief minister than to her king, who we may be sure would be gently pressed by his imperial brother-in law to enter a coalition as disadvantageous to his country as to Europe. The three monarchs have left their civil advisers behind them, and are in the heart of a Russian kingdom, in the midst of a popu lation of soldiers, and surrounded by all that can feed military pride. Together the sovereigns may not have the courage to be so prudent as each would have been at home. A few days may show. We yesterday published a delayed letter from our own correspondent at Constantinople, of Sept. 19 ; we have now letters from the Ottoman capital of three days later date. CONSTANTINOPLE, Sari. 22. It appears that the Porte has known for several days the resolution of the Czar respecting Reschid Pacha's amendments, a courier having brought a tele graphic despatch from Belgrade for the Austrian inter nuncio as long as five days ago. By alleging that they had received no dispatch, and were not acquainted with the terms of that received by M. de Bruck, both of which assertions were quite true, Ministers allayed to a certain extent the rising excitement, and kept the public in doubt. However, yesterday despatches addressed to the ambessadora of France and England arrived here, and confirmed the refusal of the Czar. In the course of the same morning frequent inter views took place between the various ambaasadois of the Powers and the Minister of Foreign Affairs; and in the evening an extraordinary council was held, under the presidency of the Grand Vizier. At pre sent nothing has transpired respecting the form and this terms of the answer from St. Petersburg, but it appears certain that it is negative. the ministers of the Sultan are fully aware of the gravity of the situation, and amongst the public rumours of war have acquired a double intensity. New levies to take place throughout the empire are spoken of, and a census of the male population of the capital is in hand. A general agitation is apparent, which the attitude of the Ulemas is not calculated to abate. They meet frequently, and their addresses to the people are of the most bellicose character. A new demonstration is talked of, to be supported by seven or eight hundred of their body. Thus you will perceive that the situation becomes every day more threatening, and the general opinion is that we are upon the eve of some great crisis. There are thOse who think that this may be averted by a modification of the ministry, but I fear it is too late for this remedy. The Turks are for war, and any cabinet which should seek to turn them from it would in my opinion fall. The government will be found to act banyreg malgre in this conviction, and we expect from one hour to another to see it take an energetic resolution. The intelligence from the armies is still excellent. From information on which I can rely, that of Asia numbers not less than 70,000 men, and probably is near 80,000. Their equipment and commissariat are good, and they are animated with the best spirit. The French steam-frigate the Gomer, carrying the flag of Rear-Admiral le Barbier de Tinan, has just came from Therapia, where it has been lying at anchor for several days. M. le Barbier do Tinan will inspect the French vessels here, and return to Therapia. The Paris Putrie of Thursday evening says A private correspondence from Vienna of the 30th (in , the evening) says that news had been received from Constantinople. It was confidently said that M. de Bruck had had a conference with the most influen tial members of the Divan, but that it had led to no result and no change in the resolutions of the Porte." _ There is not the least doubt that the Assemblele Nationale was right in stating - that it was in his military capacity that Lord Westmoreland went to Olmutz, when the French and Prussian ambassa dors, his colleagues in the Vienna conferences, re mained in the Austrian capital. The Vienna Gazette publishes a list of all the "military guests present at Olmutz, and gives the name of Lord Westmoreland a place by the side of that of Count Guyon, the French military repre sentative of his sovereign, and Major Ismael Handi present on behalf of the Sultan. A letter from Vienna, of the 30th ult., in the Cologne Gazette, says :—" Lord Westmoreland, the Eomish Ambas sador at this court, who proceeded to Olmutz not as a diplomatist but as a general officer, was not present at the conferences which took plats between Count de Buol Schauenstein, Count de Hes selrode, and Baron de Meyendorff. He was not even received at a private audience with the Czar, but appeared befoul his Majesty with the other generals. The Cur received him coldly and merely said : ' I am delighted.' The French General de Goon was honoured with a longer conversation, as the Emperor said to him, I regret much not to see in person your Emperor, and not to be able to say to all Europe, how muc h I love and esteem him. I invite you to follow me to Warsaw to be present at the manoeuvres of my troops.' The Count de Ooyon at once seat a telegraphic despatch to Paris, and in a few hours the authorisation to follow the Czar arrived. The mar riage of the Emperor of Austria is fixed for the 24th of April next." THE STATE OF NEGOTIATIONS. On Tuesday we published in a telegraphic mes sage the semi-official announcement of the Austrian government respecting the result of the conference at Olmutz. The following is the text of the article in the Oesterreichische Correspondenz : The camp at Olmuts has attracted to itself the attention of the whole of Europe, partly by the di►play of great military pomp, but Mill more fr.an the general and natural presumption which has arisen that the visit of the august sUy of our Emperor, accompanied by his most influential eounsellers, ovoid lead to a settlement of the Eastern question. . . . . as will as Austria and l'rus,ia have solemnly declared so al %ant: ; bit the WI sew of willing pa* is NSA to urs() but A tervoar it, mid Ow best node of proving it is to especelriatios. and not to invade the territory of as allied power in time of profonsd peace and without reason. . _ The An.,nMke Nahum%le is surprised that we have spoken so pleitay of the impossibility of a coalition against France. As a great deal has been said about a pretended coalition of the three northern powers, and u we know who are the inspirers of this authority, we cannot too straggly repeat our convictios. No league, no coalition is possible against France; because to-day she represents in the world the principle of order and civilisation. . _ As to Austria and Prussia, their sound Knee of their own interests permits us to affirm that they will not enter into league with Russia to aid her to violate treaties to their prejudice, and to continue her invasions with pacific words on her lips. _ _ _ This, it will be remarked, is the strongest language yet employed in a government journal in reference to the Czar. FRANCE. PARIS, TtERDAY ETINING. I have to-day to communicate intelligence of great importance. The Patrie last night did not appear till nearly eight o'clock. Under the head of " Der nieres Nouvelles," it contained the following article : The Assemble. anaouncee that the Conference of Vienna is re-established, and that Me thread of negotiations, a moment abandoned, has been resumed, and that a happy and more prompt solution than could have been hoped fur on Saturday is probable. It adds that all Me rwitolwa of an offensive and defensive coalition between tM three Powers of the North are false. Looking at the absolute tons and almost character given to its affirmatione, it would appear that the Assembke has before it information which enables it to completely tranquillise the public mind on the issue of the Eastern question, wilier, for more than six months, has kept Europe in suspense. tail this journal shall have proved the contrary, we shall have masse to believe that it knows neither more nor less of the state of affairs than what has been said and repeated for some timo put by every other political journal. The Conference of Vienna did not require to be re-established, for the thread of the negotiations has never been abandoned. The Conference has had to solve difficulties of different kinds; it has attacked them one after the other. The first consisted in the wording of the origins! cote ; the second in the modifications made by the Divan, and the third in the interpretation which Russia declared that she gave to the note, and changed the spirit and the object of it. Diplomacy now redoubles its efforts to unravel the state of affairs pacifically. We hope that it may succeed, but it must make haste, for the force of circum stances may lead to such a complication that it would no longer be possible to overcome it. As to the idea of the Assemble, of a coalition of the three northern powers, it has never seriously existed in the mind of any one. Austria and Prussia know their own interests, and are jealous of their preponderance. No more than France and England, can they regard with a favourable eye the encroachments of Russia in the East. We have no fear of this pretended coalition of the northern powers. If ever there be a coalition, certainly it will not be against France. This article, I have reason to know, has all the authority of a communique. It was substituted for another, worded in much stronger language, and be. braying more of the intentions of the French govern ment than was thought convenient. Twelve hun dred copies of the original edition had been struck off, when an order came to prevent the issue. The copies were destroyed, the types broken up, and strict injunctions were given that not a single slip of the prohibited article should see the light. _ _ There has ►een very great excitement throughout the day, and all kinds of alarming reports are is cir culation. I believe the following account of what has really taken place is, as far as it goes, correct. The ,Assettablie had some reason for saying that fresh negotiations might be opened with a chance of success. M. de Hubner had received from his go vernment a despatch announcing that the Emperor of Austria had obtained from the Emperor Nicholas a promise to consent to some modification of the terms of M. de Nesselrode's note relative to the in terpretation of the note of Vienna. M. de Hubner (of this fact I am enabled to assure you positively) communicated this despatch to the French government, but the French government merely replied that it would forward a copy to Lon don, observing at the same time that the proposition came rather late. There was indeed reasop for this latter remark. This very day official intelligence has been received from Constantinople announcing that on the 25th of September M. de Bruck, the Austrian minister, had wholly failed in his efforts to cause the Vienna note to be accepted by the Porte. On the 26th there was to be a council of the Divan, to consider what course to take. A telegraphic de spatch, dated the 27th, has now been received, stating that the Divan had voted a declaration of war against Russia. This revolution of the Divan, however, required, before it could become definitive, to be rati fied by the Sultan, who would previously consult the Scheick-ul-islam. While things were in this state at Constantinople very serious events were passing in London. The English Ministry despatched a note to Russia proposing a sort of ultimatum. I am not in a position to state with certainty whether France joined in the precise terms of this ultimatum, but this I know, that within the last few days immense efforts have been made to prevent France from fol lowing in the wake of the energetic attitude at length assumed by the English ministry, and that those efforts have failed. The Awn&Me Nationale has to-day received a private warning that its polemics in favour of Rus sia will no longer be tolerated. _ _ There has been much agitation on the Bourse, and a very heavy fall. The Threes fell lfr. 30c . —to 73fr. 90c. Many of the railways dropped 15fr. and 20fr. Among the flying rumours which added to the public anxiety was one that the English parliament had been hastily summoned, and that General Canro beet was to go to the east at the head of an army of 30,000 men. A letter from Gibraltar states, that a steam cor vette, detached from Admiral Corry's squadron, had anchored in the port. The Academy of Sciences did not hold its usual sitting yesterday, in consequence of the death of M. Arago, its perpetual secretary. The journals of all shades of polities, in recording the event, say that France has lost one of her greatest scientific men. M. Arago was born on the 26th of February, 1786, at Estagel, near Perpignan, and was consequently in his 68th year when he died. Persons desirous of attending his funeral are to assemble at the Obser vatory at eleven to-morrow morning. From all I hear the assemblage is likely to be immense. Be yond all question, the motive of the greater part of those attending ill be to make a republican demon stration ; but as there is no chance of any disorder, the government, it is said, will not incur the odium of interfering with the funeral of a man whose memory, apart from his political character, has such universal claims to respect. The Morn tsar contains a decree enacting that up to 31st December, 1853, corn and flour, rice, pota toes, and pulse may be conveyed between France and Algeria by foreign vessels. The decree has been issued on a report from the Minister of War, in which it is statel that by law French vessels alone can be employed to effect conveyances between France and Algeria; but that, in consequence of the want of French vessels at this moment, caused in a great degree by their being sent to the North Sea and other corn-producing countries, it is desirable that foreign vessels should be employed. The re port adds, that the measure will be beneficial to Al gerian agriculture, and will increase the supply of corn in the French market. I am assured that the Moniker will shortly be published in the evening instead of the morning. The Patric announces that the Emperor and Empress will go to Compiegne on the Bth, and remain ten days. They will afterwards, it is said, pass some time at Fontainebleau. The provincial journals give deplorable accounts of the state of the vintage in the Burgundy districts. It has commenced in most of the communes of the Maconnais, where although here and there the crop of some vineyards may be pretty fair, the general result is so unsatisfactory that many growers put their grapes together in order to have but one press ing. In many of the communes round Lyons the whole crop has been lost, but in the immediate neighbourhood of that city the crop will produce about a third of that of ordinary years. In the western and southern parts of the department the quantity will be a fair average return. In the com munes of the canton of Villefrinche the majority of the owners of vineyards have abandoned the crops to the pickers, who will even scarcely derive wine enough to repay them for their trouble, and the wine Without being in a position to give any detailed ac-' count of what has passed in the conferences at Olmuts, we nevertheless believe that we may con fidently state that the negotiations which have taken place have furnished to Russia the occasion not only of manifesting its wish to maintain the peace of Europe. but even to offer to the Sublime Porte an expedient, by the aid of which the difference can be removed without any derogation from the dignity and the independence of Turkey. We may add that every precaution calculated to diajcl the fears of that power, relative to the prejudice which might result to it from the present intentions of the !Wigton cabinet, have been observed. Of Aussie it must be said that its cabinet has testified its deference for the opinions and wishes of the other great powers, and in return it cannot fail to find similar disposi tions manifested by them. Tim Ottoman government, on its part, will doubtless consider how dangerous it would be to allow itself to be carried away by an excitement altoge ther con rary to the dictates of a prudent policy, and which are opposed to the wishes aad sentiments of the entire ' 1 Christian world. The following is the latest French governmental publication on the same subject. The Patric reply ing to the rejoinder of the .4eeemblele Nationale says: The Assembke Nationale responds to the article which we published yesterday, combatting its allegations. Leav ing aside the qucstion of words into which it would fain leads us we will :peak directly t the farts. Yes, we say, it is true that diplomacy redoubles its efforts to attain to a pacific 1.)lutilo, and we hope that 4 will succeed ; but.it is plainly iltaionstreted that the last secret note from St. Petersburgh, which was not framed without long and la borious deilberatiein, has unsett►ed all end thrown the situation back again to its primitive starting point. The AurnsUis Nationale tells us that all the powers de_ s'.re peso; we believe it, and we know that Russia THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVEtSING, OCTOBER 6, 1853. will be at amatory worst quality. At Sancerre, near Borges,-the crops have also completely tailed. WEDNESDAY EVENING. I have just returned from M.krago's funeral. The Moniesur this morning containtd the following an- Science has just lost one of its most glorious representa tives. 'the illustrious F. Arago died at the Observatory on Sunday, Oct. 2, at six in the evening, after • long ill ness. M. Arago was olio of those rare intelligences which combine the double:talent of enriching science by their labours, while they diffuse it by the lucidity ofibeir lemmas and writings. The Emperor, who knows how to honour all the national glories, has desired to prove bow much he feels the loss sustained by France and the learned world in the person of the great astronomer. His Majesty has ordered Marshal Valliant, Grand Marshal of the Palace, and the Minister of Marine (now exercising, ad interim, the tune- 1 tions of Minister of Public Instruction) to attend the funeral in imperial carriages. The funeral cortege will quit the 1 residence of the deceased at noon, by the Place de l'Observatoire, the Rues de l'Est, du Val•de Grace, de Saint-Jacques, to the church of Saint-Jacquee du-liaut-Pas, where the funeral service will be performed. On leaving the church, the cortege will proceed to the Eastern Cemetery (Pere la Chaise) by the Rues Saint Jaques, Souffi.t, the Place du Pantheon, the Rues Cloth, •Des Foams, Saint Victor, and Saint Bernard, the Quay Saint Bernard, the Bridge of Austerlitz, the Place Maass, the Boulevard Contresearpe, the Place de la Simile, and the Rue de la Roquette. This official announcement wu a striking contra diction to the reports circulating last night that the body would not be allowed to pass through Paris, but would be buried privately in the Ceme tery of Mont Parnasse. The above itinerary lies through the most thickly popnlatedpartsof the capital. It may be safely said that there wu not more than ono in ten present of those who would have attended had the weather been fine. Still, in front of the Observatory, when the hearse left, there was a very large assemblage, perhaps 10,000 people besides the military. M. Arago having been a grand officer of the Legion of Honour, was buried with military honours. The coffin was escorted by about three regiments of horse and foot, commanded by two generals of brigade. The interesting point in a political view was the expected demonstration of taking off hats while marching past the column of July. This was so lemnly done, with very few exceptions, by the per eons who formed part of the procession. No attempt was made to repress this manifestation. I saw several military officers observe the movement with much I interest, and one old colonel at the head of his regi ment smiled. I was not able to get into the ceme- 1 tery. Very few, indeed, were allowed to enter. I hear that four speeches were made, but no political allusion was contained in any one of them. The Petrie says it is assured that accounts that have reached Paris do not confirm the news given by the Globe and Mowing Chronicle of the Sultan having made a declaration of war. To-day the bourse has again suffered severe depres sion. 'l6e Threes closed at a further fall of nearly 1; per cent., making a fall of about 2 1 per cent. iu two days, while the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. declined materially, though in a leas degree. Closing prices:—Three per Cent. Rentes, 72.70; Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 99.9 b; Bank shares, 2,795. BELGIUM. BRUSSELS, Ocr. 4. No credence is attached, in the political circles of this capital, to the statement of the Assembles .M - tionale of Paris, that England, France, Austria, and Prussia, had resolved to re-open the conference of Vienna, and that a prompt solution of the Eastern question may be looked for. A similar statement appears is some Austrian journals devoted to Russia, and it is no secret that the assertion of the above Paris print originated in the salon of a celebrated Russian Princess in that capital. It is well known, too, that the French government are becoming every day more and more impatient for a settlement of the vezala (patio, and that they insist on the necessity of giving—what the Porte formally demands—a guarantee that the Ottoman territory shall not be again invaded, on any pretext having reference to the religions rights of the Greek subjects of the Sultan. It is understood that England and Franco have now virtually abandoned the so-called " pro posals," considering them inadmissible after the interpretation given to them by the Russian govern ment. At the same time those two Powers have expressed the opinion that, if slightly modified, those " proposals" might be made acceptable on the part of the Porte, particularly if it received from the four mediating powers the guarantee above referred to. It is asserted, too, that the Emperor Nicholas him self has devised a plan for the satisfaction of all parties : such plan to be, through the medium of Austria, transmitted to Constantinople. The more protracted the negociations the more pleased will be the Czar. HOLLAND. AMSTERDAM, Ocronza 4. Under the influence of the political intelligence a general fall of prices has taken place at this bourse. Dutch stocks have fallen 1 per cent.; Mexican, 1 per cent.; Austrian, 11 per cent.; and Peruvian 2 per cent. Closing prices:—Dutch Four per Cents., 93 ; ditto Two-and-a-Half per Cents., 611; Spanish De ferred Three per Cents., 21 5-16; the Coupons, 51 ; Austrian Five per Cent. Metallics, 781 : Granada Deferred, 8 13-16; Peruvian New, 701 ; Mexican New, 221; Portuguese New, 38 5-16; Granada Active, 201; American Bank shares, 4 ; Exchange on London, 11.821, short. SPAIN. The Madrid Gazette, of the 29th ult., contains four royal decrees—one dividing the country into divi sions for public works ; another reforming the orga nisation of the body of civil engineers ; the third regulating fairs and markets; and the fourth making changes in the personnel of the judicial body. Queen Isabella had been ill for two days with a sore throat, and had had to be bled. But her Majesty had completely recovered, and proposed to go to the Church of Atocha, accompanied by the King, to thank God for her happy entranoe into the seventh month of her pregnancy. M. de Egana, ex-Minister of the Interior, had refused to accept the post of President of the Commission of Credits in Arrear offered to him by the government. A new postal treaty between England and Spain was about to be concluded. General Lara had been confirmed in the Captaincy-General of Madrid. A Cabinet Council was to be held, for the purpose of fixing, as was generally supposed, the day of the re-opening of the Cortes. GERMANY. AUSTRIA. A letter from Frankfort says :—" The project of the new Austrian loan has been communicated to the house of Rothschild. The period of the publication of the programme is not yet fixed. The project is based on a lottery, the last drawing of which will take place in 1903." A letter from Lemberg, in the Post Ampt Gazette of Frankfort, says The Archduke Ferdinand-Maxi milian, brother of the Emperor, has just been named Governor-General of the Polish provinces, of the kingdoms of Gallicia and Lodomeria, of the grand duchy of Cracow, and of the duchy of Bukowina. He is to arrive here before the end of the year, to assume the superior administration of these provinces. Count Goluhowski is to retain his functions of civil governor of Gallicia." Negotiations have been entered into between Aus tria and Russia for a postal treaty. PRI SSIA. A letter from Berlin of the let states that the Bank of that city has raised its rate of discount to 5 per cent. FATAL AOCIDENT TO A RAILWAY PORTER.—An inquest wu held at Manchester on Tuesday, before Mr. Herford, the coroner for that city, on the body of George North, of 63, Bradford-road. The deceased was a porter in the service of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, and on the previous day was engaged in coupling together two waggons, which were being drawn on to One of the branch lines out of the warehouses at the Oldham. road goods station. When the first waggon reached the turn-table it ran against the scotch, which caused it to re cede, and deceased going between the waggons to apply the break, was caught end crushed between the buffers. He was taken to the Royal Infirmary, where he died the same afternoon . lie was 42 years of age, and has left a wife and six children. Tie jury found a verdict of "Acci dental death." Vie Court. BALMORAL, Ocr. 4. Her Majesty went out walking yesterday morning, attended by the Viscuun•ess Canning. In the afternoon Her Msjesty, with the Prinetss Helens and Prince Albert, drove in the open carriage. Sumo et the younger members of Mr. Farquharson's family came from Invereauld, to pass the afternoon with the Prinees and Princesses. The dinner party yesterday included the Ducheestif Kent, Lady Augusta Brute, and the Hun. Mrs. Gordon. The Marquis of Lansdowne arrived in town on Tuesday night from the continent. The Lord Chief Justice of England has arrived at Stra theden-house, from his seat in Ruzburghshire. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN.—We have been in formed that her Majesty the Queen has, with her characte ristic liberality, presented to that old and valuable society, the Royal National Ins•itution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, 1001 ,in aid of its diminished funds. The season of the ye&.r is fast approaching when our shores will be strewed with wrecks and the corpses of our mariners ; we therefore trust that the public, following the liberal example set to them by their beloved Sovereign, will come forward with their contributions to assist to lessen, by every human appliance, the frightful amount of loss of life from shipwrecks (on au average between 700 and SJO lives thus perish) which annually takes place on our iron-bound coasts. LITERARY PENSIONS.—The Queen, on the recom mendation of the Premier, has just granted a pension of 1001. to Sir Francis Head, and of 1001. to the widow of the late Mr. Moir (Delta). HOTELS-ENGLISH AND FOREIGN. TO THE EDITOR OP THE EXPRESS. SIR,—It would appear from the rejection of the following communication which I humbly submitted to the consideration of the editor of the Times, that even the slightest defence of one solitary English hotel is not deemed worthy of admisrion to its columns. It may be that I have put the case feebly, tl.ough I hope not unfairly. You will be a better judge than I can be.—l hays the honour to be your obedient servant, C. E. " TO THE EDITOR OP TRH TIMIS. Sir,—May I trust that if you have space to spare, your sense of justice to all parties will secure the favour of the insertion of the few remarks lam about to make. lam no apologist for high charges or extortion, indeed being, myself, one of the travelling and consuming public, I am a strictly impartial witness. Much of what your various correspon dents, and of what you yourself have stated with regard to English hotels is true in the main. Having just returned, how ever, from the Continent I think that the lair thing is to place before the public the comparative charges, and to show that at kast in one English hotel, the balance is, if any, on the side of my own country versus the Continent. Af your readers know, of course, the relative value of shillings and francs I need not reduce the one to the other. I take the case of a single gentleman without a servant, but the having one merely makes the difference of a franc for his bed in the one country and a shilling in the other. Boulogne. Folkestone. H. de BMns. Pavilion lintel. f. e. P. d. Bedroom Dinner (alone) Wine (Bourdeaux) a whole (Table d'Hote, and bottle, no half bottles given, excellent.) which is a great mistake.) .. 3 0 Half a wax candle . eharge. Coffee Breakfast Service 14 75 I may here observe that the above English hotel pos sesses the advantage of a reading-room sad newspapers gratis. I will now take a comparative ♦iew of some other hotels on the Continent. Paris. Vevey. H. bleurice. 11. des 3 Couronnes. f. c. f. c Bed room Dinner (done) (Table d'hote) Half-bottle of Bonrcloiaz .... 3 0 Wax lights 1 0 Coffee Breakfast 12 0 Service 14 0 17 2$ _ At both the above hotels there are reading-rooms and newspapers gratis. The charges at the Eva de Geneve, at Geneva ; at the Faucon, at Berne ; at the Zahringuen, at Freyburg ; at the Bellevue, at Than ; and at the Trot Rois, at Basle, are, mote or lest, precisely the same as those at M. Monnet's hotel, at Vevey, and at Basle there is a reading-room, with newspapers. All the above hotels are excellent. The chief accusation preferred against the English hotel-keeper is, that he charges exorbi tantly for wax lights. In many cases he does so, but this is not a charge peculiar to our own country. I never yet entered an hotel on the continent, excepting at Blulogne, and there it is a mere bedroom candle after all without being charged a franc for wax lights. Then, again year coy espondents complain of having to pay for sitting moms. Why they are always paid for, and very highly paid for, too, on the Continent. The great discomfort of lflaglish hotels is one of long standing, and resulting from the habits of the people. We are not, certainly, so far as the other sex is concerned, a coffee-room people, and the old hotels are constructed accordingly. Again, as to the bedrooms, John Bull has a decided aversion to a divorce a tohro, and consequently, being bigoted to his favourite four-post bed, the space will not admit of his apartment possessing those attributes of a salon, which Mr. and Mrs. Huggermugger find so very convenient on the continent. The single man may, perhaps, complain of the want of this adaptation to his comforts, but the married couple must pay for a sitting-room, or sit in the coffee-room. I say nothing of the viands, for although the meat in England is excel lent, the wine, in most English hotels, is execrable, and the coffee worse, and for the latter there is no excuse. I am, Si?, &a, C. E. - - THE TELEGRAPH AS A POLICE AGENT. The electric telegraph has been deservedly spoken of as a wonderful instrument in aiding the police to appre hend offenders against the law, but the public very often misapply it from an over-estimate of the powers possessed by the officers of Justice in such cues. If a man hu been robbed or swindled, and finds out the fact at the eleventh hour, tracing the thief by railway, or gig, or some other conveyance, he rushes off to the telegraph-offiee, and transmits a message to Manchester or Liverpool, or what other place the party has made for, directing the chief officer of police to take hits into custody on his arrival. Now it should be known that the police cannot act upon such instructions, It is not enough for Mr. Jones, of Birmingham or Oldham, to telegraph to Manchester, and say to the chief officer— .. Apprehend Mr. Smith immediately he enters your town as a swindler." Police officers are as liable to actions for false imprisonment, or the consequences for mistakes, as other persons, and it will not do to take the word of Mr. Jones, or Mr. Anybody, a; to what amounts to swindling or what is felony : they must have the authority of menon whose practical or legal knowledge they can place more reliance. The best way fur the Juneau to act in such cases is, to go to the chief officer of their own town, and get him to transmit the message in his own name. For want of this precaution the police in many parts of the country have been unable to apprehend serious offenders. RE UNION DES ARTS. —The soirees of this institu tion commenced for the season, at 76, Marley-street, last night, when the members and subscribers assembled to en joy the intellectual entertainment provided by the directors. A delightful evening was afforded by the excellent perform ance of some vocal and instrumental music, by Miss E les, and Madame and Signor Ferrari ; Mrs. M. Thompson ate Miss Kate Leder), as pianiste, Mr. Goffrie (violin), an M. Payne (violoncello). There were also some interesting pic tures and drawings, and other works of art exhibited ; and the arrangements were altogether of an elegant and attrac tive character. SERIOUS CIURGE.—A report has been generally circulated at Woolwich that a woman residing there had been murdered by a marine. The report, on inquiry, was ascertained to be not wholly without foundation; but, although a horrid deed has been perpetrated, at present it has not been attended with a fatal result. A female, of the name of Susan Francis, widow, aged 29 years, living at Green-hill, Woolwich, had been out drinking till two o'clock on Monday morning, with a marine, when, from some cause, high words ensued between them, which at present is not ezplaiLed by the unfortuurte woman, when he seized her round the neck, and deliberately drew a knife across her throat, indicting a frightful gash, by which the windpipe and carotid artery were laid bare, but not divided. Having perpetrated this act, he ran away. The woman being the worse for liquor, (lid not at the moment feel it, and staggered home, her clothes being drenched in blood, when her wound was dressed, and she was conveyed to King's College Hospital. The name of the marine is un known to the woman, although she has been in the habit of seeing him on several occasions.—Maidstone Journal. A CHURCH GOING TO RUIN. Yesterday, a meeting of the parihionerr of St, Luke's, Old-street, residing. in the ecclesiastical division of St. WirnatiJs, was held in the Vestry Room of the church, and which was convened by Mr. W. 11. Dobson, the incum bent's cliurchsrart:en, for the purpose of consider mg financial position of the Church." Mr. Donsus, having been appointed to the chair, stated that his liabilities amounted to war. At Easter last, the receipts for the quarter amounted to 31/. 17e. Bd., sod the disbursements to 32/. 7s. But there were liabilities left by his pr,decessors, amounting to 491. 12s. On Easter Tues day no gentleman on the part of the parishioners would allow himself to be proposed as churchwarden. Application was made to the Vestry of St. Luke for assistance, whirls was refused. As a last resource, the Bishop was waited upon, at London Howe, when he advised hits and the Rev. Mr. Adolphus, the cur de, to call the present vestry, in order to ascertain the opinions of the inhabitants, and to re port to him the result. It was for the vestry to determine what course they would pursue. Mr. Iltnns observed that there was not a church in the metropolis which was more spacious than that of St. Bar nabas, which contained above 2,400 seats, and there were not more than 200 who now attended. • The CHAIRMtN, in answer to a question, stated that since January he had received 29/..55. Id., in the shape of pew rent. Mr. TVOWELL remarked, that when the prsent incum bent came, the church was in a very Nourishing condition, and that after paying expenses for the last three months, there was a surplus in hand. The incumbent get the eccle siastical comraissioners to endow the living, on condition that he gave up the pew•rent. Mr. Iloorme, churchwarden of the parish, remarked that the late incumbent received 400/. a year out of the pew•rent, and from the same source there was nearly 100/. to pay expenses. The late minister established schools, which contained above 1,000 children, who were superin tended by 60 voluntary teachers. There was also a Dis trict Missionary, and a Scripture Reader Society, which were always well supported, but they had all gone to decay. Mr. Rook remarked that the Missionary Society contri buted more largely to the parent intlitution than any other in the metropolis. Almve 2,0001. was advauced. _ _ _ The Bev. Mr. Anohruifs said that he had used his ex- ertions to restore the schools, and that there was now a paid master and mistress. The incumbent had since May advanced a sum of money towards the support of than, and 10 guineas had been received from the Governor of St. Bartholomew's Hospital for the same object. Mr. HOOPER remarked that they had had the services of some very good curates, but that the incumbent had always found occasion to cite them before the bishop. lle believed that there was now a difference between the incumbent and the curate. Ile knew that the incumbent had preached four times in the course of two years and a half. (Hear.) Several p►rishioners having addressed the chair, Mr. GIMATLY moved, and Mr. Toga ELL bteoadtd, the following resolution: "That this meeting deeply dei , lores the present financial position of the Church of St. Barnabas, and they cannot withhold recording the expression of their opinion that, under present circumstances, there is little hope of amelioration." The Rev. Mr. ADOLPHU3 urged upon the meeting net to press the resolution, but it was kirted to unanimously. The churchwarden stated that he would pIACC it in the hinds of the bishop of London. Mr. HOOPER next moved, and Mr. GALT: seconded, the second resolution, which was as follows: " That there were various excellent institutions which were in a most flourish ing pnsition when the present incumbent entered upon his incumbency ; that there was a large same!, containing nearly 1,400 children, with GO teachers; that there was a missionary society, which paid 2,000/. to the parent society, and a district Bible visiting society, which are evidences that there is no want of support fur th..sc objects, and they deplore that nearly all these institutions are almost obsolete." This was unanimously adopted, and thanks were voted to the chairman. THE TURKISH QUEST/O.V. LEICESTER, Tuea,.ty NIGHT. A public meeting, " for the purpose of conveying to government the sentiments of the ptup:e of thi. borough on the necessity of prompt, energ, tie, and deeibive actio n at the present important crisis of the Eastern question." wu convened by tho Mayor, Mr. John Manning, on the requi sition of 166 inhabitants, this evening. The meeting wa s held in the New Hall, and was attended by nearly a thou sand persons, of various political opinions. The 1111,XvIi. presided. Dr. NUDLE moved, " That in the opinion of this meeting, the invasion of the Danubian principalities, and the con. tinned occupation of those provinces by the army of the Emperor of Russia, is an unprincipled act of aggression, contrary to the law of nations, and calling for the most decisive interference en the part of the English people." Mr. WM. HARDY seconded the motion, and it was car tied unanimously. Mr. J. F. Rohm:cos moved, " That the integrity of the Turkish empire being guaranteed by the most solemn treaties, to which Great Britain has been a party, it is the plain duty of the English government to foal its engage ments to the utmost, by preserving her territory inviolate, and by maintaining the Sultan in the full possession of his rights man independent sovereign." Captain Halms seconded the motion in an eloquent speech, in which he assured the meeting that having vi sited Turkey snore than once, he was able to pronounce the Turks amongst the most enlightened of European nations, if enlightenment meant high moral principle. (near.) The motion wu then adopted unanimously. The Rev. J. P. MURRELL (baptist) moved "That a me. morial embodying the above resolutions be laid before Lord Clarendon, Secretary of State for Foreign Atfsirs, and that the members for the borough be respectfully requested to undertake its presentation." Carried unanimously. The announcement of the Globe of this evening, that the Sultan had declared war, was then read to the meeting, and was received with rapturous applause. The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the Mayor. FATAL FIGHT IN NEW SMITHFIELD MARKET. On Monday evening two men, named George Hughe► and Peter Legate, who were employed in preparing materials for the surface of the new market in Copenhagen fields, had a quarrel about some coals wkich Hughes was wheeling in a barrow. Hughes became much exasperated, and challenged Legate to fight. Legate at first declined, but Hughes persisting, some blows were exchanged. In the second round Hughes fell, and was nut able to rise. He was taken by some excavators into the tap of the City of London tavern, Maiden-lane, where he shortly afterwards died. Deceased was a powerful man, 40 years of age. Yesterday Mr. Brent held an inquest on the body, and the proceedings ended in a verdict of manslaughter against Legate. The jury appended the following remark to their verdict before they separated :—" The jury hope that the commissioners of police will station a certain number of police constables on the ground upon which works for the erection of a new cattle market at Islington are now pro ceeding, as they believe that such • measure would be highly instrumental in preventing future fatal occurrences such as that which has called the jury together, and it is absolutely necessary when from 1,000 to 1,500 workmen, most of whom are strangers in the neighbourhood, are collected together on the site of the projected cattle market." BEYOND A Jose.—On Saturday night an affair of a very unpleasant nature, implicating two respectable farmers, occurred at Crowle, near this city. It seems that Mr. Francis liolyoake and Mr. Charles 'Lloyd, who had been out shooting during the day, wer, drinking to ether at the Fox Inn, with an elderly person, named. Thomas I Price, formerly a publican, residing in this city, bat now living "retired ," as we are informed. A little "cha ffi ng ' was indulged in, at the expense of Price, who was pretty considerably " riled" thereby (as the Am, cicalas say). The midnight hour having arrived, Price was fetched home by his wife, and the other two left soon after. It should be mentioned that all three were much intoxicated. Fries had just entered his cottage, when a gun was fired, the shots from which broke four or five pane: , of glass in the window. He went outside, a distance of about a hundred yards, to see who it was that fired, when lie heard another discharge ; on which he again went into his cottage, and fetched out hie gun, which was loaded, but had no cap on. IL sllonted to the parties, and directly afterwards was shot down. On examination it was found that several shots bad penetrated his arm, and that one bad struck him Just beneath the right ear. Lloyd was apprehended on Waxer day, and Holyoake surrendered himself yesterday. lltel have been severally taken before Mr. S:debottom, at the county magistrate's office, and remanded until to-morrow morning (Saturday).— Worcester Journal.