The Express. — London, England, 1853-12-08 00:00:00

erprefhos. TO CORRESPONDENTS. APe on.] t- •• The Ever...," eoLtivtataie U.. IMMO IVPlllialee .r. I. published every Turtle, end Frtd,..y atilt; in tine Mr p... . Ad.. to, 1... fee "The Yotpeeen,* Las.lon Eeesise paper. dreg k .t ti.e lamp, 10, IleuhaidAtreet, er o'cleek ea lA. da) ul pulikatiue. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tut. OAT —Muruttg. :tt. 54a Aftersgme, {k• 10m• To•soita•w sin, Ili. Aftersser. I. LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8. MANN' days ago we announced that preliminary negotiations were in pregress, with a view to bring about a Congress of the four Powers, for the settlement of the Eastern question, to which the belligerent powers were to be invited to send representatives, making altogether a Conference of Six. -The Times has at lust discovered that our information wascorrect; but, as if w ishing to make up for the lateness of its intelligence by the positiveness of its assertions, it yesterday Affirmed, in its first edition, that the definite concert of the Four Great Powers had been at length e►tablished, and the Eastern contest thus de prived of the principal dangers attending its prokngation. In a second edition of the Times this positive averment of our contemporary was contradicted in the form of a telegraphic despatch from Vienna to the effect that the report of an alliance between the Four Powers is groundless; that a draft of a colleens° note has indeed been prepared, but no pledges given to enforce its accept ance. In fact the feelers put out a fortnight ago, with a view to bring about co-operation among the Four Powers,havc as yet produced no sufficient results. It is an illustration of the extreme sensitiveness of the Stock Exchange to the moat worthless rumours that the positive averment in the first edition of the Times, notwithstanding the innumerable erroneous statements put forth by that journal regarding East ern affairs, seat the funds up in the morning, only however to see them brought down again by the recan tation in the Times second edition. The credit given to the story of a definite concert among the Four Powers, and the hopes built upon it, aro the more unaccountable, as anyone who looks to the different position and irreconcilable aims of Austria and Ptussia on the one hand, and England and France on the other, and to the difficult and delicate ques tions with which a Congress would have to deal, ought to have seen how improbable it was that the deliberations of a Congress, even supposing it brought about, could lead to any prompt results. Of the two indispensable pre-requisites to a termination of hosti lities between Turkey and Russia, the first, the imme diate evacuation of the Danubian Principali ties by the invading force, is comparatively simple, and perhaps likely to be acquiesced io. The second, however, the abandonment by Russia of its imperti nent claims to interfere in the domestic concerns of the Ottoman Empire, based upon strained construc tions of various clauses in various treaties, all left perft ctly vague and susceptible of more or less ex tensive interpretations as occasion might serve. would be sure to give rise to protracted and weari some cavils and discussion. These two first questions chiefly concern the belligerents alone ; but • satis factory settlement of the Eastern question must of necessity embrace provisoes which afford se curity against the renewal of such em b•rrsssments to the other powers of Eu rope as those in which they are now involved. There is, for example, the question which we pointed out as requiring settlement, the mo ment that the news of the commencement of hosti- lities on the Danube showed that the old treaty regu lations with regard to those eastern regions of Europe had been blown to the four winds of Heaven—the question regarding the access of ships of war to tho Black Sea. Hitherto the right had been conceded to the Porte to prevent the passage of foreign ships of war through the Dardanelles, Sea of Marmora, ani Bosphorus. The effect of this arrangement hitherto has been to convert the Black Sea into • Russian lake. The great and growing commerce of France, England, and the United States, to say nothing of minor powers, is irre concilable with the continuance of such a state of affairs. Wherever salt water bears the merchant ships of a nation, that nation has • right to send its ships of war to protect them. All nations trading on the high seas are entitled to claim as free access and egress to and from the Black Sea for their ships of war as to the Baltic or Medi terranean. Rightly considered, the interest of the Ottoman Government in the opening of the Darda nelles and Bosphorus is SI great as that of any other Government; the balance of power at sea is more certain and stable where the ships of war of all na tions are cruising than where those of only two are to be met with. The Porte may perhaps be startled at the idea of allowing foreign ships of war to pass and repass at will so near to its metropolis, but Denmark has for centuries tolerated the like with out feeling its dignity or security impaired. But though it is demonstrable that the Porte would be benefited, and would sustain no diminu tion of its real dignity by the opening of the Darda nelles and &spheres to foreign ships of war, the novelty of the proposal might at first give it pause; and at the present crisis, England and France, upon whom would necessarily devolve the urging of this innovation, might feel a delicacy in urging the point upon an ally so deeply interested in retaining their good will : it might look like making an ungenerous ass of the Porte's obligations to them. A multitude of other questions might be pointed out, the settlement of all of which is indispensable to a permanent tranquillisation of the East of Europe. The free navigation of the Danube is one. And those irritating discussion. which Russian ignorance or contempt of the conventional decen cies, as well as the equity of international inter course, raises by such acts as trampling on the regular forms of English law at Portsmouth, and by the unwarrantable arrest of an English Government messenger in Wallachia, threaten to be productive of a whole crop of additional difficulties. Enough has been said to show that a Congress, even supposing all its members to be animated by a sincere desire to promote an equitable and perma nent settlement of the Eastern question, would find it all but impossible to carry its good intentions into effect.: certainly impossible to do it off hand. But what guarantee have we that such wouid be the honest aim of all the Four Powers whose re presentatives it has been proposed to assemble ? What man of common sense could for a moment expect Austria to play a fair, manly, rod independent part in balancing the claims of Russia and Turkey ? The truth is, that this idea of a Cmgress has been most eagerly grasped at and zealously advocated by those partisans of Russia who, seeing it likely to be worsted in the collision it has provoked, are seeking to " let it down" as easily as possible—to save it from the legitimate consequcticts of its own unpro yoked and lawless aggreesioe. The Turks have hitherto had the better of the Russians and are likely —at all event, in Asia—to maintain it, if France and England are steady io their determination to ace justice done to Turkey; therefore, every nerve - nuat be strained by the CZAR'S friends to save Semi* from the penalties of its crime. Upon this thew the Times—we Wan this joeseel merely ea a sample of the toue adopted by all its collaborate/ins—l has been harping day after day for nearly a week past. It has been pathetically urging that Russia, in the event of peace, ought to be loft exactly in Oulu quo as regards its ten itorial usurpations. It has resorted to its old cant about the impassibility of maintaining the Turkish empire in its present ex tent and form; it has been misrepresenting the motives of all who urge the necessity of making Russia feel the consequences of its crimes in order to deter it from repeating them ; and accordingly the Times (and other Russian partisans) grasps eagerly at the projected Congress, confident that, if Austria be a party to it, the terms of peace will be favourable to Russia, and hoping that the Four Powers may be induced to combine to coerce the SULTA.V into the adoption of such term& The project of a Congress is, in short, a trap laid for England and France, into which, if they fall, they wilt find themselves made accomplices in an un worthy conspiracy to rob the Turkish Government of the laurels and advantages which its courage and magnanimity are gaining, and to allow Russia to retire from the field uocrippled, to plot at leisure new schemes for disturbing the peace and endan gering the liberties of Europe. FREE TRADE in bread seems to involve amongst Englishmen a sort of certainty that free trade in beer will some of these days follow. Next session " that great subject—Beer" is sure to be debated. The evidence taken before Mr. VILLIERS'S com mittee cannot be put out of sight, and already the Licensing System seems tottering to its fall. It can never be sufficiently remembered that magis terial power over the victualling trade was origin ally established for police purposes exclusively. Prior to the reign of EDWARD VI. ale or tippling houses, and houses of public refreshment, were opened at the pleasure of any person who thought fit to invest his property or occupy his labour in that manner. During the temporary social disorganisa tion which necessarily followed the Reformation, great evils no doubt issued from these houses ; and they became deeper stay offensive to the spirit of Puritanism, which meddled a good deal with all social questions, and sometimes very mischievously, In this way the Licensing System, as we hays it, was first introduced; but with a view only, we repeat, to securing moral responsibility and good character in ale-house and tavern-keepers. Inoffensive as any dis regard of sound principles of legislation may at first appear, such infraction soon produces evils of its own greater than those it was intended tocnre. A monopoly did not mitigate the ♦ice of tippling, and the whole course of legislation daring the time of the STUARTS and in the earlier Hanoverian days shows that as a substitute for a good police system the Licensing Acts were wholly inefficacious. As time grew on, in the days of GEORGE 111. these Acts became one of the greatest nuisances in the kingdom, as sources of peculation, favouritism, mono-' , poly, and oppression. So bad did they become, Nut in 1817 the whole subject of their operation was inquired into by a Committee of the House of Commons; and, despite the rampant Toryism of that terrible period—our real dark age—the system was utterly condemned. First of all, the Committee de scribed how is towns the beadles of parishes lived on the extortions they were able to levy under the Licensing System—how the high constables of county districts sold to publicans their favour and recommen- dation—and hoiv the magistrates themselves flou rished on their own authority. And then the report went on to describe in very forcible terms the inte rests which brewers had established under the law : Your Committee observe that a practice seems to have gradually grown up, and to have increased to a great extent within these few years, for brewers to become the owners, purchasen, and equitable mortgagees of leases of public houses ; nearly the half of the victualling houses of the metropolis are held in this manner, and your Committee Mink Mat, wider Me cmfined and restricted power which the public at large possess of employing their capital in this trade, this aystens is eery prejudicial to Me interests of the community at taro. Pretty well this for the year 1817; yet in 1833 the system and its ill consequences still exist. Five and-thirty years have not lessened, but greatly in (tressed, the power of brewers over public-houses, and what was then prejudicial to the interests of the community is far more hurtful now. Just listen, too, to the practical effect of the monopoly in beer, as described in 1817 : The consequence of this monopoly is, that the beer is of as inferior dmcription—that the poor and middling classes complain heavily of the badness of the commodity they are compelled to drink, and are driven to the nee of spirits. The description is quite as applicable to 1883 as it was to 1817, and on " the influence which brewers had with the magistracy" in 1817 the Committee re mark : A certain and clear prison facie case is made oat, and strong presumptive proof offered, which has satisfied your committee that in different divisions of the metropolis a nil's, to say the least of it, is felt in favour of particular in. tercets. Mr. liaabury has stated that his house employs Mr. Thompson, one of the clerks of the Licensing Justices, as spat for the purpose of forwarding their views with regard to licensee. The lasts firm also retained in the same meaner the services of Mr. Lush, a clerk in the polies. oats, Wonhipotrest ; your committee cannot help ob serving that the principle of these reteations is obvious. Mr. Thorapsoo is to stand their friend when a new license is to be granted ; Mr. Lush is to lend them his aid when isformations were laid against them already licensed. More outward decency may perhaps be observed in 1833; but the Bluebook of last session contains ample evidence that the spirit of 1817 survives in this respect also. in the Licensing System of 1853. Notwithstanding opposition so powerful that the Government insisted on the Legislature passing the new law before it would propose the abolition of the beer duty,— the beer trade was partially opened in 1830. But the Monopoly of Licensed Vic tuallers was still preserved; and the monopolists, of course, at once raised the mail cry of Morality, and were thus replied to by Lord BROUGHAM in 1831 : One of the evils which existed at present was the distinc tion between the old ale-houves and the new beer-shops. In the one a man might have either his glass of beer or his glass of gin, or he might have his beer first and hie gin afterwards, and this last was what people generally preferred. He spoke practically on the subject. He meant that he spoke from the result of his observa tion, and this led him to remark that the iowsr class of persons generally preferred commencing with the heavier and weaker liquor, and cueing the evening's vxzess, as he would all it, or the evening's esjoyment, as they would style it, with the lighter and stronger and more noxious beverage. But he deaied that if you doubled the number of houses of entertair sent you a ould double the number of drinkers. For the numbs r of , croons who required the simple and Mime. et refreshment of a glass of beer or wholesome ale would not he increased, and the only danger which could arise would be in the cam of their having free access to the stimulant of ardent spirits. Thn system under which lieented vi tote Ling houses were conducted was the worst of all possible systems ; which no change of tenancy could improve. If su angel were the owner, instead of the sign, of such a house, no reform could take place in it. And the magistrates who ileenped them were known by the title of Brewer,' Haat, or Joe'i,ca of the Pewter Pot. St,:h 14.1 d the account Lord Chancellor BaotcrtAm gave, two-and•twenty years ago, of the system. The legislative changes between 1817 and 1831 did indeed pat a stop to minor peculation. and extortions on the part f 'aura% and high constables; but the monopoly continued, with all its greater vices, as powerful as ever. The monopolists, however, struggled hard for a repeal of the law of 1830, and thus their united ileligates, in a zeport fluted July 4, 1838, mourned over the decadence of a trade still superabundantly protected Whilst taking a cursory review of what has been done in the present session, our thoughts naturally turn from the present pesition of the licensed sr:Moeller to those by gone times when his vocation was one of acknowledged respectability, yielding to the worthy host a comparative degree of ease and comfort, and to the stranger a home of cheerful repose and hospitality. We contemplate with regret what it was, and what it is. The transition, short, rapid, and severe, presents another of the many melancholy results produced by the p►eralltag reg.t for experimental improvement. The publicans are not the only class who I liatie to regret the licentious scope pan to free trade theories ; few, however, have suffered more intensely wr its follies ; but it must be admitted that none have submitted more tamely to the Wanes resulting from the rash application of its crude but destructive doctrines. The experiment of the New Beer Act, to ,chic/ the publican has fallen a victim, was one in which the public bad much at stake. The superior and ►omely accommodation of the English tavern has often been adverted to in the journals of continental travellers; and the absence of its comfort formed a theme of bitter cons- The compliment thus accorded was one of which • nation :night be proud. It was certainly one worth our duty to deserve ; but the public and the publican remained alike iodiffsrent until the operation of the new and im proved Tom and Jerry system, which has rendered the public-house such a precarious tonne of subsistence as to withdraw all theme inducements which formerly prompted the investment of capital, and caused the holders of public- houses to entertain • laudable anxiety to promote the com fort of all dames of society. And therefore by tiis report did the delegates of tie ruined and destroyed licensed victuallers throw themselves in 1838 on the charity of the " brewers and spirit dealers, who hare a much greater interest in the s'rugyle than even the publicans themselves." Now we invite the attention of Mr. Alderman WIRE to this wail of his clients—perhaps he himself prepared the melancholy strain—in 1838, and ask him how he reconciles the picture it contains of havoc and devastation, with the prosperity and pro perty which he now again proclaims to be at stake ? In 1830, according to the delegates, the trade was ruined; in 1853, according to Mr. WIRE, it was never before so prosperous. Every license is worth 1,0001., and the capital invested exceeds 22,000,0001. The character, too, of the Licensed Victuallers has greatly improved in the interval; they are no longer what they were, says Mr. Wiaa, in 1838; they are now as respecta-1 ble, u intelligent, and as well conducted a class as any in the kingdom. And why, Mr. Alderman, all this improvement in their pecuniary, their intel lectual, and their moral condition ? Can't you tell ? Don't you see that it has been caused by the partial pressure of an open beer trade—by the necessities of competition—by the benefit of rivalry ? Throw open the trade then entirely, and at the expiration of other three-and-twenty years other Aldermen will have a still more surprising tale of greater improve ment to tell. And now let us pat to the proof Mr. WIRE'S other assertion, that the only banefit the public has reaped by the new Beer Law is a reduction in the price of beer to the extent of the duty which was abolished in 1830. The worthy Alderman is just as wrong in this as he is in most of hie other statements. Pre viously to the alteration the brewers' price of porter in London was 435. a barrel. The duty remitted was 9e. a barrel, and the brewers at once added to this fiscal, a trade reduction of 31. a barrel ; so that the wholesale price being lowered to 335. a barrel, the retail price of porter fell Id. a pot. But the opening of the Beer Trade, by the law of 1830, enabled brewers who were previously compelled to confine themselves to the ale trade—having now procured consumers—to enter the porter trade, and they, under the influence of competition, supplied beer, houses with porter at 30s. a barrel. And thus the public has not only reaped the advantage of the re duction made by the large brewers, but that also made by their lesser and newer rivals, and now, ow ing to competition between the publicans and the beer seller, porter, which before the enactment of the law of 1830 had always been sold, if fetched by the buyer, at sd. a pot, is sold at 3d.; that being a re duction of Id. a pot more than was effected by the remission of the duty and the reduction made by the large brewers. But the reply to Alderman WIRE does not rest even here, or at 2d. a pot on porter. Previously to 1830, Licensed Victuallers were prevented by the large brewers from selling any but the most expen sive ales, spy at Bd. a pot; whereas since 1830, capi tal ale has been retailed at 4d. a pot These, surely, are large results from the partial opening of the Beer Trade in 1830, and ought to encourage the Legislature in now taking, after the lapse of three and twenty years, the next step, and that is, complete freedom in the Victualling Trade. THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 8, 1853. LATEST FROM ABROAD. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. VIENNA, Die 6. The Turks had maintained their position at Turns, on the left bank of the Danube, to the 2nd instant. A largo Turkish force had assembled at Nicopolis on the cppiAiti, Iseult* The Russian troops lately in Little Wallachia have retired before Ismail Fiche's aoet recent de monstration. General Fischbach, who cammanded at Krajowa, has been ordered to unite his forces with those of General Dannenberg at Bucharest. The Turks continue to pass to and fro between Rustschuk and Mkoan, and to menace Giurgevo. The Scamander, which reached Marseilles on Tues. day, brought intelligence from Constantinople con firming the accounts previously received of the Turkish successes is Asia• The Russians had been repulsed at Sahilz, after three sanguinary engage ments. The fortress of Safi's, and that of Akerka, were takeu by assault by Selim Pacha. Cheftakil (St. Nicholas) had again been unsuccessfully at tacked by the Russians on the 17th, as were also the entrenched positions of Abdi and Bajazet. VW Court. OSBORNE, Due. 7. The Queen and Prince and Duchess of Brabant rode os horseback yesterday. The Royal children took their usual exercise. The Earl of Clarendon and Count Lavradio returned to London. A deputation of the Metropolitan Constnisaionen of Sewers had an interview with Viscount Palmerston yester day at the Home-office. The deputation coxsisted of Mr. R Jebb, chairman; Bir J. F. Burgoyne, Lieut.-Colonel Dawson, Mr. Baker, Mr. G. Spenser Smith, and Mr. Red head, eomenissionen; Mr. Woolrych, secretary; and Sir William Cuhitt, consulting engineer. A deputation on the subject of the juxtaposition of the scientific societies of the metropolis had an interview with the Earl of Aberdeen yesterday, at his official residence in Downing-street. The deputation consisted of Colonel Sabine, V.P.C. Treas. RS., Mr. Thomas Bell, President Lioswan Society, Mr. Thomas Graham, V.P. Chemical Society, Bir Robert H. Inglis, Bart., P.R.S., and Mr. W. R Grove, F.A.S. A deputation respecting the interments in Hackney churchyard had an interview, yesterday, with Viscount Palmerston, at the Home-office. The deputation from Hackney consisted of the Rev. Thomas Oliver Goodcbild, the rector of Hsekney ; the Rev. Thomas Davis Lomb, rector of West Hackney; Mr. William Holloway; Messrs John Barber and William George Cole, churchwardens of Hackney, Mr. George Greenwood ono Mr. Charles Green, accompanied by Mr. Charles Horton Pulley, the vestry clerk. --- A deputation of the Board of Guardians of the parish of Camberwell, Suney, on the subject of the sewers and sani tary measures, consisting of Mr. John Owen Hart, chair man, Mr. Mitchell Greenaway, vice-chairman, Messrs. Andrew Beattie, Ferdinand Richard Camroux, John Deacon. William Henry I'Anson, Alexander Lodwick Ir vine, Samuel Straker, Frederick C. L. Stahlschmidi, George Webster, M.D., and Thomas W. Phial, had an in terview with Viscount Palmerston yesterday. The Bishop of London and Archdeacon Sinclair had an iaterviLw yesterday with Viscount Palmerston. The Rev. Nathaniel Arthur Garland, 8.A., was ratetday collated to the Rectory of Deal, in the county of Kent and diocese of Canterbury, vacant by the death of the Rev. Archibald Hamilton Duthie. The Emperor has ordered a gold medal of honour clam to be given to Captain Rennie, of the Zenobia atemer, belonging to the Heat Judie Company, fur taking in tow and taring the French brig Sylphe, of ltordeaux. RE(4..NT'S CANAL COMPANY. The half-yearly general meeting of proprietors in this undert..king wee held yesterday at the °fliers of the company, City-road, the Most .Noble the Marquis of Sa:ishury in the chair. The report stated that the traffic of the canal in the half-year ending the 30th of September last amount d to 680,269 tons, the gross tolls charged being 23.7911. 11.4. 6.1., and the net profit 12,2441. 19s. 14., milking, with the balance of 13s. 3d. remaining from tae last account, an 'mania of 12,370 f. 12s. 44 , which was sufficient for a dividend of 9s. per share, and would leave a surplus of 2121. 10v. 4,1. E towards the next half year's dividend. Ihe cominit.ee also • reported that the important junction with the river Lee was now so neat perfected that the uxv , gation would be opened before the meeting was held, and that the Brs•nt reservoir lied been completed. and would bola 10,000 lucks otwater. A lengthened discussion to,k place with refe i dime to the desirability of expending 50,0001. upon the purchase of warehouses and land to &Winne tee traffic on the canal, 10,0001. to be taken treat the reserve, and 40,0001. to be borrowed for five years et 41 per cent. interest, and ultimately a resalutien to that elliet was carried ticani atonal,. A dividend of 9s. per share fur the half-pear was then declared,. sad after &eels of thanks to the n o bl e =ar sine for peeridurg, the we*, separated. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. The Austrian government having learned that it had been publicly announced in London, with a semblance of authority, that the Four Powers had made a kind of alliance favourable to Turkey, has lost not a moment in setting itself right with Russia. It has caused to be published at Vienna that only a collective note bad been drawn up, and that no mutual pledge had been given to enforce its acceptance. Probably this is quite as much as anybody in England believed. Oar correspondent writes : CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 21. On Saturday last, 19th inst., M. Baraguay d'Hil hers had his audience at the imperial palace, Tcherag han, to deliver his credentials. After the usual preliminary ceremonial, his Excellency was intro duced into the presence chamber, and addressed the Sultan in a tr,teech, of which the following is a verbatim translation : a I feel the highest satisfaction in having been chosen as representative of my sovereign at the pre sent juncture, to express his sentiments of friendship and regard to your imperial Majesty, under existing difficulties. France is the old, sincere, and, perhaps, the most disinterested ally of the Porte. France is not anxious for war—and ever faithful to the spirit of her mission, as proclaimed by the Emperor Napo leon himself, she desires, if possible, peace—but peace lasting and loyal, and on terms honourable to herself and her allies. To this end, the Emperor, my august master, in concert with his powerful ally the Queen of Great Britain, has sent his fleet to the Levant. Confiding still in the reiterated assurances of the cabinet of St. Petersburg, he trusts that there may yet be means of adjusting this difference—and that the integrity of the Ottoman territory having been once clearly established, the present events will only tend to consolidate its independence, so valuable to the peace of the world. To this end, your Majesty may rest assured, that the Emperor Napoleon, who comprehends so well the opinions, the necessities, and dignity of the French nation, will lend his aid to the last—and I stand here, I trust, the firm and faithful interpreter of his sentiments. I avai► myself, moreover, of this opportunity to ex press to your imperial Majesty my ardent desire of contributing, with all my efforts, to the preservation of those ancient traditional relations a hick have ever subsisted between my government and the Sublime Porte, and I lay at your Majesty's feet the homage of my profound respect." This brief harangue of the veteran soldier made a deep impression on tho young Sultan, who replied most graciously in the following terms : " I feel most grateful for the co-operation of France, and her endeavours to adjust the difference which has unfortunately arisen between my own and the Rus sian government. It desires, however, that it be clearly understood that the Sublime Porte, in com mon with all other powers, has been naturally averse to war, and has left throughout the whole course of these transactions no expedient untried to avert that calamity. But at the present moment, a respect for the national honour and dignity requires that my government should decline all further attempts at negotiations, until such time as Russia shall have renounced her pretensions, and evacuated the Prin cipalities, an integral portion of the Ottoman ter ritory." This language, full of truth, moderation, and deci sion from a young sovereign, who, it is well known, has been uniformly averse to any declaration calcu lated to interfere with his liberty of action, proves beyond all question the fixed determination to resist aggression, and at the same time the perfect ac cord existing between the Sultan and his administra tion. On the occasion of his audience General Baraguay d'hilliers introduced to the Sultan Vioe-Admiral Hamelin with Jacquinot and de Tinan, u well as their aides-de-campand principal alum. The Sultan expressed to them also his gratitude for the efforts of France in the present difficulty, and how mach satisfaction he felt on seeing her splendid fleet moored in the Bosphorus. After the audience, the French Ambassador de 'pitched per Ajaccio steamer, a secretary, M. de Ber themy, with a letter for Lord Redcliffe, who is still at Therapia. Monsieur and Madame De la Cour, with Messieurs Bersolle and Magnan, started per Solon, on Saturday last. On taking leave of M. Baragusy d'Hilliers, the general observed, Aka facia eat ; to which M. De la Cour replied, " Veus la ransasserez, mon general." Intelligence from the Turkish ministers in London and Vienna announces an intention of convoking a congress to examine the points respecting the "reli gious immunities" on the surface of this interminable question. The ministry, however, has declared that any such project cannot be entertained for an instant by the Sultan and his government. Despatches from Abdi Pecha, commanding the army of Anato:ia, reached this on the 18th inst., and state that the Russians in the direction of Bsyazid and Erdehan attempted to cross the frontier, but were also repulsed in au action of some hours, and with considerable loss. The Seraskier also received despatches from Tei aoullah Pacha, governor of Tchildir, that the Rus sians had been defeated by the Turkish troops in the neighbourhood of Akieka. The fact is undeniable. The Turks have proved themselves in Alit and bravery superior to the Russians in every encounter hitherto, unless we must make an exception of lassactchi, where their flotilla, you are aware, passed on and destroyed a small impromptu battery, and even then 1 at the loss of the commander and 50 men. Several English officers, spectators of the battle, I have arrived with trophies iu the shape of medals, arms, and different accoutrements from the field of Oltenitza. Mehemet Pacha, ex-Seraskier, is about to proceed in a few days, with a view of inspecting the camps in Anatolia. His sobriquet of " Muterdjim derives, you are aware, from the circumstance of his having translated the French military code, which has con tributed greatly to the present organisation of the Turkish army. He is unquestionably one of the best men 1 have met in Turkey, at he same time a most distinguished officer. A singular incident happened at Varna on the 2nd inst. A Russian frigate, without her colours, entered the port of Varna, and after having remained three or four hours without I.t or observation on the part of the governor, quietly departed, and was taken in tow by two steamers in the offing. This circumstance has led to the dismissal Of Abdullah Paella, who has arrived at Consoantinople. It is to he hoped he is no relative of the notorious Yussuf Pacha, mho traitorously sur rendered fur a c mate equivaleut that fortress during the last war. Be that as it may, his successor, Hussein Puha, is a man of energy and courage, full of ardour for the national cause. Dr. Castro, who has to examine the redifs previous to their proceediug to cue camps, informs me that ho is every day subject to serious altercations. and even exposed to abuse, from these men whom, as in duty bound, he may kayo pronounced unfit for active service. They protest that " he rats dirt," un derstands nothing of his business; that they are per fectly sound wind and limb, and all ready for the campaign. There is a qumtion which has agitated the Ministry and ambasadora for several days relative to the ex pediency of sending out the fleets in search of the Russian division blockading, as yon are aware, the coast between Sinope and Trebizonde. lam unable to state to-day what resolution has been adopted on this subject, but we are all in hopes that the old French general will soon set thinFs a-going, and that without delay. He is, if lam rightly informed, ac tive,indefatigable, up every morning at five o'clock, his young gentlemen and staff all yawning, nodding, and still hard at work at a most uncanonical hour. Camp discipline, it appears, nod martial law have been proclaimed at the French Palace. A valued correspondent at Constantinople, writing on the 21st of November, me : " War continues, and the tr►umph of the Turkish arms, both in Europe and Asia, continue also. Still pacific negotiations are spoken of, and General Ila raguay d'Hilliers talks openly of the earnest desire for peace on the part of France, btft, be adds, it mast be peace now upon a basis acceptable to Turkey. I have it from official quarters that Tur key has not less than 400,000 men under arms. I heard the enumeration of them in detail, and there daily arrive reinforcements far exceeding her wants. " Decidedly Tarkey is not the decaying corpse men held her for. It will yet be seen that she can put forward as much vitality for peaceful institu: dons and commercial ameliorations, as for the sup port of all the evils and expenses of an unjust war —a war which she could not refuse without the crime of denationalising herself. "She has given evidence of her resources, her patriotism, and her wealth. When she comes forth from this trial, as she will come forth, saved, Europe will not despise her alliance nor her friend ship, and European capitalists will not be slow to avail themselves of so new and useful an opening." The Wanderer contains a letter from Constanti nople of the 21st ult., which declares that the Greek patriarch had requested the Sultan to allow him to accompany his Majesty to Adrianople., to give a proof to the world that the Greek church preterred the pa tronage of the Sultan to that of the Czar. Th; Malta Times, in announcing Sir Edmund Lyons's arrival on board the Terrible, affirms that he will supersede Admiral Dundas in the command of the fleet, the latter being appointed First Lord of the Admiralty. We read in the Constilutionnel: Letters have been received from Constantinople tiii Trieste to the 21st ult. The following is a summary sent us by our correspondent of the third bulletin of the Turkish armies: " Some regiments of Cossacks and Wallachian Dua lism showed themselves on the 4th ult. in some villages in the neighbourhood of Kalafat for the purpose of pillage. As soon as Ismail l'acha was informed of their presence he sallied out at the head of a body of regular troops to setack them. At his approach the Russians took to flight, without attempting any resistance, and were followed to some dis tance. Ismail Pacha then placed garrisons is: the different villages and returned to Kalafat. On the 12th a serious engagement took place. The Turkish irregular troops, commanded by Giafer Bey, occupied the small island of Mokan Oglon, at stout an hour's march from Routechouk, and were engaged in fortifying it when eight battalions of infantry, two regiments of cavalry, and a bat tery of twenty pieces of field artillery. forming part of the Russian army at Giurgevo, took up a position op posite the island on the left bank of the Danube, and opened a heavy fire of artillery and musketry on the Turks, during which a number of troops embarked in gun-boats, and endeavoured to effect a landing on the island. This attack was, however, vigorously repulsed, and the Russians were obliged to retreat after losing a great number of men. From Asia, Abdi Pticha writes that the Turkish troops, having met the Russisos who had crossed the frontier in the neighbourhood of Bayazid, a battle took place, in which the Russians we re defeated, and compelled to retreat. Another affair took place some days after, at a distance of two jor three hours's march from the fortress of Akiska. The numbers were about equal on both sides, but the Ottoman troops obtained the victory, mid the Russians fled in disorder, after having experienced considerable loss. " The Turkish division, which had gone to cruise in the Black Sea, returned en the 19th to the Bosphorus, and resumed its position before Buyukdete." The Journal des Debuts says: Accounts from Constantinople to the 21st have arrived. They represent that it is entirely false that, as asserted by the German journals, Kalafat bad been evacuated, and that the Turks were beaten in a cattle on the road to Crajowa. Ismail Pacha had not marched on Cr•jowa, and fur the moment had received no orders to do so. fhe object which the Turkish general proposed to himself in taking posse. sion of Kalafat was solely to cut off from the Russians the road to Servia, and to protect that province from the attack with which the Keenan general had menaced it. By the occupation of Kalafat the route to Servia was rendered im possible to the Russians, and the reserve of 40,000 men which Turkey had been obliged to assemble at Soda in order to protect Berrie, if necessary, could be disposed of. Several English officers who were at the affair of Oltenitza oft the 4th, and amongst them Lord Woreley, and Captains Wilsons and Bathurst, had returned to Constantinople. They declared that they were surprised at the vigour which the Turkish troops displayed, gni that experienced troops, French or English, would not have been able to conduct themselves with more courage or sangfroid. These officers expressed en opinion not very favourable to the Russian troops, such as they were at that moment. Despatches from the governor of Routachouk had been received, announcing that several thousand irregular troops, under the orders of Matte Bey, had taken possession of an island situated just below the fortress of Routachouk, designated the island of Mokan Onglon. On 12th November, whilst they were occupied in constructing some fortifica!ions, seven or eight battalions of Russian infantry, with more than 20 pieces of artillery, and two regiments of cavalry, belonging to the division of Olurgevo, ganged themselves in line of battle on the left beak opposite the island, and after a sustained fire of artillery and musketry, attempted by means of • esnsiderable number of boats to effect a descent in the island, and dislodge the Turks. The Russians were repulsed with loss, and obliged to retire to the kit bank, whence they continued to nightfall a sustained fire against the island, which, nevertheless, remained in pos session of the Turkish troops. The report adds that the le-s of the Russians in killed and wounded was consider able; whilst that of the Turks only amounted to three killed and some few wounded. From the side of Asia, the intelligence is also favourable. According to despatches from Abdi Paella, an action took place not far from Bayazid between the Russian troops, who had passed the Turkish frontier, and were marching on that town, and a body of Turkish troops sent out to rrrrr ttheir progress. After a cons het of length, the Russians were forced to withdraw in con fusion, leaving a considerable number of dead on the field of battle. The other details of this action could not be known until the next d. spatches arrived. Despatches ban the governor of Tchilder, in Armenia, announced that the Turkish troops had fallen in with a Russian corps, at about two hours' distance from the RlP4il\ll fortress of Ackiska, and after • sharp combat, had esmpletely worsted the Russians, and forced them to withdraw in du -rder. Lord Stratford de Radcliffe was still endeavouring to in duce the Ports to adopt the note of which mention was lately made in preceding despatches. The negative reply given to him had not, it was reported, discouraged him, and he was still continuing his efforts to bring about an and. eable The Porte has declared that no a arrangement. .. tiation could be entered into unless the Principalities wire first evacuated, and that though it bad formerly, in a spirit of conciliation, offered terms similar to those now expressed in the note in question, yet as the menacing attitude of Russia had forced Turkey to place herself on a war footing at an enormous sacrifice, it did not consider itself bound by its preceding offers. Sorry Paeha, appointed to the com mand of the irregular troops of Entrai', embarked on the 19th November in the Austrian post-ofiLie packet for Tre birmil. Letters had been received from the Spanish Ge neral Prim, dated from the head-quarters of Omer Pacha, announcing his intention to return to Constantinople al most immediately, in order to get rid of a slow fever which bad seized him in the low grounds of the Danube. He in tended remaining there during the winter season, when hostilities would of necessity he suspended. The most pro found tranquillity continued to prevail at Constantinople. The Russian military paper called the Ittralith, says that in the desperate encounter between the Wladimir war steamer and the Egyptian steam sloop, the captain of the latter was killed. The Russian lieutenant Gelezenoff also fell. Accounts from the Danube state that between the 14th and 24th of November above 400 of the Russian soldiers wounded at Oltenitza died in hospital. This number does not include fifteen officers and three colonels. who have died in the same period of wounds received at the same place. The sanitary conuition of the Russian army anything but satisfactory. The Monastery of Cotro cheney, the late summer residence of Prince Stirbey, the ancieut Consulate of France, and several other private buildings, have been converted into hospitals. A letter from the Polish frontier, dated December 1, contains the following :--At the commencement of winter in every year a general seizure of men re quired fur military service takes place throughout Russian Poland; and, under the name of the Brinks is universally dreaded. The day on which it takes place is one of horror and woe throughout the land. Seldom, indeed, does the unhappy conscript ever see his home again. In the course of last week, that is to say, on the night of the 23.4 th of November, a Branka of this kind was executed throughout Rus sian Poland. The villaes and hamlets which at other times have been milled On to supply one or two ince, hale this time had to furnish6lclu, d t and this as a general rule. The Branka is estimated at 50,000 men. The Cologne fin:dle contains the following tele.. graphic despatch :—" The coati ri rice of reprisenta ayes of the Four I'owers here mill to-morrow send to Constantinople a new pr jeer of arrangerutut. The negotiations fur peace will be continued accord ing to this proposal, although hoqilities b"„ t y t have been suspended." Advice, from Constantinople of the 24th Novem ber, in the Ust Deutsche I'ost, state :—" England desires a three months armistice. Lord Redeliffs had a five hours' audience with the Sultan, with a view to obtain the consent whieh the Ministers had refused. M. de Bruck had presented a memorandum pointing out . the necessity of peace. An extraordi nary C mind of Mini-stens was convened in conse queuce." General Innzoff, provisionally administering the government of Moldavia, was acting there in a most arbitrary manner. He has just completed an inspe c . tion of the public and private establishments. When he visited the Jews Ho-pital, he received its three tors very badly. The banker Kahane having ventured to remind him that he and several others were Aus trian subjects, the general answered roughly, "Well, then, if you are Austrians, be off to Lemberg:"r s „ a Israelite, a subject of Russia, he said, " If ails of you stir, I will take you by your beards." Upon this the Austrian subjects invoked the protection of their consul-general, Baron Von Testa. General Cruzoff, on his part, hue demanded that the banker KahanF should be conducted to the fronti er by gensdarmes. Baron Von Testa has, however, obtained for him some satisfaction for this injury, by declaring that he was ready to go himself; although he had not re ceived any orders to that effect from his government. The Moldavian postmasters have received orders not to furnish post-horses to any persons but Russian couriers. The Porte having declined to receive any compen sation for the repairs of the Friedland —repairs which cost 300,000fr.—General fla-aguay &Whets made a present to the Sultan of 2,300 Vincennes rake. It is positively stated," says the Potpie," that in consequence of a report made on the subject of the last survey of the mouths of the Danube, the most urgent works are about to be immediately executed in order to clear the passage of the Salina." The last accounts received from the Danubian pm. vinces state that General Uruzoff, who commands in Moldavia, and who has been the object of an ener getic remonstrance on the part of the foreign consuls and agents, has just been recalled by Prince Gorts• chakoff, and appotnted to another service. FRANCE. - - PARIS, WIDNE , DAY E% ENING. The inanuratime of Marshal Ney' s s t a t ue on t h e spot where he was executed on this day thirty-eight years ago took place this morning. The approaches to the avenue of the Observatory, where the statue is placed, were occupied with troops tram an early hour. M. Itudde's work of art is in bronze, of colossal size, and represents the Marshal in the attitude of com. mend, with a drawn sword in his hand. The pe destal, of white marble, is raised upon a granite pillar, on which the titles and achieve ments of the great soldier are recorded. By twelve o'clock the personages and deputations in , vi!ed to the ceremony began to take their places in the tribunes provided for them. The Prince de .Moskowu and his brother, the Duke d'Elchingen, received the guests. The Emperor was not present, but Prince Napoleon Bonaparte attended. Among the company were Marshals Valliant, St. Arnaud, Maven, and de Castellaue, several of the ministers, a great number of senators, councillors of state, depu ties, and functionaries, all in full uniform. There were deputations from all the regiments in which Ney had served, or had been commanded by him. One of his old companions in arms, General Brunet- Denon, attracted much attention. But amidst all the glitter of uniforms and embroidered coat:, there was observed a little plain man iu black, whose pre sence was at least one of the moat interesting facts of this remarkable day. This man was M. Dupin, who, as coune 1 fur Marshal Ney before the House of Peers, attempted in vain, conjointly with M. Berryer, to save that noble life. As soon as Prince Napoleon arrived, the Archbishop of Paris, at the head of his clergy, advanced to the front of the statue. The veil was then removed while the eannon announced the event. A short religious service was performed, and then M. Achille Fould, Minister of State, read the legislative enact ments, in pursuance of which the statue was erected. Marshal St. Arnaud, the Minister at War, then made a long speech, describing the military career of Marshal Ney. A part of this speech provoked some audible hisses in the crowd. The word " rehabilita tion " frequently repeated, appeared not to be ap proved of, and when Marshal St. Arnaud, [aiding to certain passages in Ney's life, spoke of his " errors" and " weaknesses," dissatisfaction was very distinctly perceptible. But when, in conclusion, h e said Ney was one of those immense men to be judged of by their services, and not by their faults, and characterized the ceremony of to-day ai a "great national reparation," there was tremendous cheering. When Marshal St. Arnaud retired to his seat, M. Dupin advanced. In a most eloquent speech, which will hereafter become an historical document of no ordinary interest, he declared that in his soul and conscience the judgment of death upon Marshal Ney was illegal, irregular, iniquitous, sod an act of political vengeance. It was illegal, because given in defiance of the capitulation sigued under the walls of Paris; irregular, because the de fence was not free, and because such a pressure was put upon the judges that they were forced to stop the advocates when they were approaching the most important part of the defence. Ney was a holocaust offered up to the vengeance of the foreigner and in ternal reaction. He was the tricoloured flag sacri ficed to the white. " Let parties remember," he said, looking up to the statue, " that certain men that they kill rise again in the attitude of command." After this speech the troops present filed past the statue, and a deputation from Sarrelouis —of which little town, Ney, the son of a poor cooper. was a native—placed some immortelles at the foot. The deputation then proceeded to the residence of Marshal Ney's widow to present an address. It is reported that a draft of M. Depin's speech was submitted to the Emperor, and that he struck out a very violcut attack upon the Restoration. There are various versions of the Sultan's speech to General Baraguay d'Hilliers, none of which can be I entirely depended on in regard to verbal accuracy. In the general sense they do not materially, differ bat, according to some reports, Abdul Medjid used language even more pointed than that reported by your own correspondent and the Trieste Ga:itte. I have seen one translation containing these words:— " I will not refuse to entertain any attempt to effect an honourable compromise, so mot as the Princi palities shall hare been completely evacuated by the Russians." This would clearly show that the Sultan declines to treat until the Russian army I leaves the provinces, whereas the other versions of his speech are open to the construction that he might accept an arrangement of which the evacuation should form an integral part. These discrepanc.es are easily accounted for. The Sultan, according to custom, delivered his speech in the Turkish language. It was immediately translated into French by toe Minister for Foreign Miele& The translations that have yet reached us can ouly be those reported ly bpi:enders, or attaches to General Baraguay d Hillier's embassy. The Journal de Constantano);:e, which will contain an official report of the speech, has not yet arrived. All the correspondence from Constantinople continues to be exceedingly warlike. Admiral Hainclio, after inspecting hie that, issu,d an order of the day, in which it is said, " Let every man be ready for action at the first signal." Count Walewski has left Paris for London, tar nished with his fresh instructions. The misunderstanding between France and Naples is on the point of being arranged. King Firditiord has dismissed two quarantine officials who prevented the French officers from landing. M. de Meupas ha, arrived at Naples from Rome. It is stated in a private letter that the Neapolitan army is about to `‘r augmented by 12,000 men. there has been a great rise at the Bourse to-do'•. The threes (on which the' half- y early dividend cf :fr. 70e. was this dal struck) rose lfr. 10e. for cash, avid 70c. for time. I'he railways were exceedimo animated, and although the last quotations went