The Express. — London, England, 1853-11-19 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 19, 1853. 'Zite erortAiL TO CORRESPONDENTS. • Socand .4 .• The ' , Awe..." eeetelaing the SAW evealaire "Uasette, - a plabLaba.l eTity Tuesday mid ' , ride, sip; u. ume kr pest. _ _ isteadad for " Ito Eapraos." Londe. Zymase pow. wag be at übe Ofboe, O. Owrotiortrest, by Two Vont as tN day cd pubboat Hirai WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tim DAT —Manias. at., Ha._ 4b. la. To-mulauw—liurstag. 411. ..... Altera:kw, O. 41s. LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19. • - THE Chronicles of the war oa the Danube promise to possess all the interest which is derived from frequent and sudden changes of fortune. One day we are told that the Turks are in full and triumphant pursuit of the flying Russians; the next, that a lug, body of 1 Irks have recrossed the Danube. Last night's telegraphic despatch from Paris seems to establish the sub.tantial correctness of the latter account. The story of the burning of Bucharest and the retreat of the Russians was anonymous, and not corrobo rated by later despatches. We were left to test its veracity by internal evidence ; and though—so plausibly was it concocted that it stood this test pretty well still we were haunted by cgs, suggested by the proved infi delity of the Vienna telegraph. The report that the Turks had recrossed the Danube at Olte aitrai was on the contrary conveyed by a multiplicity of successive despatches. It is true that all except two of thee. were unaathenticated by the names of the authors; all the rest being mere unofticial echoes of these two. The narratives so far authenticated the despatch of the French Consul at Bache rest to his Government, and the despatch said to have been transmitted by Prince 001111CIIAKOEF to Vienna. The French Consul merely reported what he had been told by the Russian authoritiee— istintamig at the same time considerable scep ticism as to its strict accuracy. In fact, there fore, we had, op to a late hour last night, only one substantial report that transmitted by Prince Ooarsuu.utiorr to Vienna, and also told by Prince OoaTso It KOV, or his staff to the French Consul at Bucharest. Them were some facts in the report of the French consul which threw a shade of suspicion on the exaggerated statement of the Russian Com mander-in-Chief, and that statement was moreover irreconcilable with facts previously received from Bucharest, and still uncontradicted. Last night's despatch from Paris appears to furnish a clue to the wave:ling of these contradictions, and to the reel state of affairs. Prince GOILTICIIAKOFT—or the despatch attributed to him—broadly asserts that " the Turks hav e quitted all their positions on the left bank of the Danube, except Kalafat, without battle, simply on account of the concentration and development of the Russian forces." The boast that the Turks had retreated without striking a blow, was contradicted by the accounts, previously received from Russian army surgeons at Bucharest, of the soldiers under their care suffering from gunshot, sabre, and bayonet wounds. It was also rendered to the last degree incredible by the incidental allusion of the French Consul to the fact that as he was sending it off, a continuous cannonade was heard in the direction of the Danube; as also by his mention of frequent com bats at Giurgevo, which he could only have learned from the Russians themselves. And now comes the Parisian despatch to clear up the con tradiction. The Turks, prevented by the heavy and continuous rains which had set in from prosecuting their contemplated advance upon Bucharest, have withdrawn for the time to the healthy bank of the river, " in the most perfect order, and without being disturbed by the enemy," as it is expressed in last night's message from Paris—words nearly synonymous with those used in the French Consul's despatch. The French Consul intimates his belief that the number of Russian troops said to be assembled in 'font of Oltenitsa was exaggerated. All who take any interest in the reputation of Prince GOITKRAKOTP ought to hope that this is the case : for, to allow the Turks to recross a broad, rapid, and swollen river, in face of a superior force, without inflicting any loss upon them, would for ever ruin his reputation as a general. Prince Gloarsou- KOFF'S assertion that the Turks had evacuated all their positions on the left bank, with the exception of Kaiafat, is an unmeaning rhodomontade. It was only at Ks.lafat and at Giurgevo and Oltenitza (the two last being parts of the game movement) that the Twits seriously intended to cross. The throwing of troops across at other points was merely meant to distract and bewilder the enemy. At Kaislet the Osmanli have made good their position, and indeed they appear to powers the whole of Lesser Walla chia. The operation at Oltenitsa and Giurgevo has been interrupted by the rains, but not until the Turks had made theßnwdans recoil from before them, and the withdrawalof one portion of their force has been effected with the Karabin army looking on and not daring to interrupt or annoy it. The Turks have exchanged an unhealthy for a healthy position : they have lost no ground—nay, they appear still to retain the island in front of Giurgevo : they have defeated the Russians in several combats, and only wait the return of good weather to resume their attack. The e delay at Oltenitra will not decide the struggle. The Ottoman Empire is only beginning to put forth its innate strength and resources. The dislocation effected by the reforms of Sultan Man rovu while in progress, and the loss of the fleet at Navarino, impeded for some years the efforts of Turkey to avail itself of its real strength. The consciousness of this begot a temporary depression of spirits, and a disposition to rely too much upon allies and too little upon itself. There are traces of the continuance of this mood so late as the first lies( ninon' honk. But Turkey has now been fairly raised. Both the Government and the people are bestirring themselves in earnest; and, like vale tudinarians forted to make an exertion, they are equally pleased and delighted to discover how much they have been under-estimating their own power. Their first successes have inspired them w i t h se ir. oo sfidenee ; and a few checks or re vers“ will only stimulate them to redoubled exertions. There is something so dreadful about war when closely looked into that men are always driven to wish it soon over. The pangs of soldiers on the battle-field and in hospitals, the sufferings en tailed upon the whole population of the countries which are the scene of war, the demoralisation of thousands,—all these things are terrible. And yet, like all physical evils, war produces its moral benefits. It teaches nations which have become remiss and spat& tic to rely upon their own exertions ; it com pels Governments to rouse themselves to forethought and action ; it inspirer a people with an intense sense of their common nationality. It would' almost appear from the recent history of Turkey that some such terrible visitation was required to regenerate the State. At present it seems beyond doubt that the Turkish state is sus ceptible of being so regenerated, and is being re generated. If it be so, perhaps the best thing that could happen to Turkey would be that occasional reverses might prevent it from obtaining too easy a victory ; that the struggle in which it is involved may be sidllcieutly long and arduous to elicit fully and confirm the high qualities it is bringing into play. And even with the co-operation of France and England (and it must be wished that more prompt and efficient signs of that co-operation would show themselves'), the struggle will be sufficiently arduous. The might of ltusaia has indeed been grossly exaggerated, but still a contest with that country is not exactly child's play. The movements of the Russian forces, however, as reported, though they prove the necessity of energy and watchfulness on the part of their antagonists, are not of a nature to inspire deadly alarm. The forced marches by which reinforcements are said to be advancing to Prince GORTSCRAKOFF from Bessa rabia and Moldavia, show his sense that they are needed, rather than that they will prove sufficient. And the military musters around Moscow and St. Petersburg, however imposing they may look on paper, will find it hard work to struggle through the marshes and across the steppes of Russia or the Danube in the winter, to say nothing of the num bers that must be retained to keep Poland and Fin land quiet, and be despatched to strengthen the Iron tier armies towards the Caucasus and Khiva. Fort a moral people, we tolerate in this country certain open displays of vice with remarkable equa nimity. Foreigners, who seldom come among us without strong prejudgments of our prudery, are astonished at this sort of laxity; for it is their wont, at home, to hide behind a decent veil immoralities, the existence of which we advertise in the face of day. And it happens unfortunately that, in London, the open markets of shame are held precisely where foreigners most do congregate; in Regent-street and in the ullawliate neighbourhoods of Golden and Lei cester-squares, at the West End of London ; and near the Docks in the Eastern district. It is next to im possible for a reputable citizen to pass through certain thoroughfares in these localities after dark, without being subject to annoyances of a character much more gross than he is likely to be openly sub. jected to in any other city in Europe. " The leer of invitation" shot askance and in dread of detection from the sunken eyes of a fallen grisetle, or an un employed seamstress, passes unnoticed by all—except the confirmed debauchee—who saunters through the Boulevards of Paris, or the public gardens of Berlin or Vienna; but whoever ventures, between sunset and midnight, and even after that time, into the places we have named, will bepersonally addressed by women to whom infamy is no Ins a profession than a mis fortune, in a manner that is not a little disgraceful to those to whom the guardianship of the streets is , committed. The police laws, thoroughly and judi ciously administered, are powerful enough to modify, if not to cure the evil. Why, then. does the nuisance still continue? This question has been answered in the Vestry of Bt. James's, by a charge against the police employed in that parish, of a nature too grave to be evaded or allowed to drop. Its asserted that the police are bribed ; that they levy black mail upon the wretched women whom it is their duty to keep within the bounds of public decency, and also upon publicans, whose houses they ought to see closed at proper hours. Bribery is the most serious accusation that it is possible to make against a public officer, except one, and that one was also shadowed forth at the meeting of St. James's vestry, which we reported in yesterday's Express. It was further charged directly against one of the force, and indirectly against two of his comrades, that the first being detected in receiving a bribe, they all had not flinched from screening the act by untrue eel. donee. This strong bill of indictment was founded on circumstances with which some of our readers are already, perhaps, familiar. It appears that the Paving Board of St. James's, being powerless to abate the improprieties we have already mentioned, and receiving no assistance towards that object from the polite, determined to set a watch upon the conduct of the constables. They therefore employed a man, described as a person of respectable standing and sound moral character, to take an account of the number of loose women (or women presumed to be bad characters) who frequented given places. This person sallied forth one evening last week, note-book in hand, chalking out a " beat" for himself, which extended for that night through the thickest resort of the women of whom he had been appointed statist. Having completed his enumerations, he retired to a convenient spot to note it in his book. He was in this act, under a lamp in Sherrard-street, when his attention was attracted to the opposite pavement by the circumstance of a policeman having a confidential interview with a young French woman,who ended the dialogue by open. ing her purse and presenting the officer with money. Having been previously employed by the Paving Board to take a note of the number of public-houses open at unlawful hours by the connivance of the police, he was well known to them. The constable, it is evident, remarked him when it was too late. The result was that, when the man had reached the top of the stnet, two offioers remarking that " he was quite drunk enough for them," kicked up his heels and dragged him violently to the Station-haws, where the Inspector locked him up all night on the charge of being drunk. Before the Magistrate the next morning the three officers swore that the man was drunk ; and neither he, nor several vestrymen who appeared in his favour, could prove that he was sober. He was, therefore, con victed, and the police triumphed. A deputation of vestrymen afterwards waited upon Lard PALMERSTON to coMplain of the decision ; but the Home Secretary declared that the magistrate had done his duty. No doubt, Mr. Bu4cux, of Marlborough-street Po lice-court, had done his duty. Three men came before him and swore that the defendant was drunk. With- lion that he was not, conviction—with rigid determina tion on the part of the Magistrate to take a stringent view of his duty, and to be on the safe side—was inevitable. But we question whether a judge, with a nice sense of his position as the arbitrator and ap peal between the public and the police, would not have paused a little upon the extremely suspicious circumstances out of which the charge took rise, and have adjourned the case for further evidence. Cer tainly, such a judge would not have committed him self, as Mr. BINGHAM is said to have done, to the statement that, had ix civilians been brought to swear that the defendant was sober, he should have preferred the three oaths of the three policemen and have still convicted the defendant. This collateral point in the case requires, we think, dis cussion, as lying at the root of the whole matter. No one who has attended criminal courts of justice but must have seen that discrimination is coma sary in receiving and sifting professional evidence, even when delivered by highly-educated professional men, however pure their motives, and however un spotted their love of truth ; and that even more cau tion is called for in dealing with the sworn statements of less educated officials. Without desiring to impute the faintest shade of moral obliquity to a large, effi cient, and useful class of public servants, we must entirely dissent from the doctrine attributed to Mr. litsatism as to the relative value of the oath of a policeman against that of a civilian. We presume that the force as a body are not exempt from such influences as have weight with other mortals. One powerful influence which presses upon the mind of an ordinary witness in taking an oath is the novelty of the act. Few persons in ' private life have been called upon to nuke frequently I a solemn abjuration in public—very few have been obliged to do so more than once ; consequently an oath is seldom sworn in open court by a civilian without an emotion arising out of the so lemnity and novelty of the occasion. But with a policeman the case is far otherwise. For him to take oaths is as much a part of his duty as to walk his best. His calling makes him a frequent witness ; and swearing comes into the business and routine of that part of his calling. He is accustomed to appear in public, and to answer questions in pub lic, and to kiss the New Testament in public ; conse quently the performance of the short, but most solemn and responsible, ceremony, seldom occasions emotion in him. This being the case, we differ entirely from Mr. BINGHAM'S dictum. We think that a civilian's oath is at least quite as good as the oath of a policeman. Applying these observations to the case in point, we must say that, considering the broad and patent fact of the debasement that is nightly paraded in our streets in spite of the police;—considering that the charge made by members of the St. James's Vestry has not been disproved, namely, that it does exist in virtue of bribery ;—and considering that no satisfactory disproof has been brought forward of the flagrant act in which the policeman was said to have been caught in Sherrard-street; we are strongly of opinion that the case upon which we found these remarks ought to be thoroughly sifted. Even if the policemen swore truly (and, on the other hand, no direct legal evidence hu been adduced to rebut their evidence), we must not fall into the logical trap set by the policeman, that because the agent of the Paving Board was drank, he, his accuser, did not receive the money from Use young French lady; and if he did receive money from the young French lady, we are slightly helped to the same reason as that adduced by the St. James's Paving Board, as to why so many disreputable young ladies, British as well as foreign, are allowed to pollute tke West-end thoroughfares. Other equally serious accusations against the police have been concentrated into three short sentences by Mr. NICHOLL, a licensing magistrate. His words are:—" Licenses were often withdrawn on police tes timony, but as often restored on appeal, the police giving evidence on that occasion totally at variance with their original testimony; no doubt they had received good reason in the meantime for altering their evidence." Bearing these further statements in mind, no one will deny that a strong case has been made out for an investigation into the conduct of the police. So grave are the charges brought against them in St. James's parish, that the Vestry, as accusers, are bound to prove their case: while, for the honour and credit of the Force, the Commissioners ought not to al low such charges, made on such respectable authority, topass unnoticed. The acknowledged general efficiency of the Force is, moreover, an argument is favour of inquiry. The credit which it has obtained for temper, seal, and discipline, in the performance of extremely difficult and harassing duties, ought to make the whole body the more jealous of the accusations against individuals which may tend, if not disproved, to tarnish the high character which the Metropolitan Constables now enjoy. THE STRIKES. THE PRESTON MEMORIAL. (ram 001 SPECIAL CO/LIMSPONDENT.) PRESTON, FRIDAY. The memorial of the power-loom weavers to Lord Palmerston is a peculiar feature in the history of the great strike. Surely this must be looked upon as a step rather more damaging to the men than other wise. They have in a measure abandoned their posi tion. There is no denying that the document is well drawn up—that the language is forcible, and at the same time temperate; but if the po sition that the men had taken was at all tenable, what was the necessity for the appeal at all ? The men on strike, if they mesa any thing, mean this: our labour is necessary for the pro- duction of the goods by which the masters obtain wealth, we claim a certain share of the produce for ourselves—this share we will fix at ten per cent. more than we have heretofore received—the masters must come to our terms or we defy them. The mas ters have accepted the challenge. War is declared. Each party is sure of ultimate success. The men, in the person of their leader, boast that they shall be able, even with their present resources, to keep up the war beyond Christ mas. Upon this wasteful contest we look with all the interest which we bestow upon a pitched battle.' What is the meaning of one of the combatants des patching a message to a neutral power, begging for mediation ? What has Lord Palmerston to do with a mere question of bargain—a matter between those who buy and those who sell ? Preston operatives may be heard singing in all the neighbouring towns and villages, We'll sever be mutant Till we get the ten per rent." A wise resolution doubtless, could they only carry it out. But if they can, what do they want with mediation ? The manufacturers might sing a song to the same tune, but who would care to listen to them, unless it wu supposed they had some means of getting the object of their desires? Beg gars are said to entertain longings for im possible coaches and four, but they are not wont to bother the world with long-winded descriptions of their aspirations. The only interest that the people of England could or would take in the dispute between masters and men, would arias from the fact of its being a moot point whether the muter. or the men were right. The men assert that their labour is worth more in the market to prove the negative propoiri- I than the manufacturers choose to pay for it. dare the men to the proof. The men took upon themselves the onus of proof when they struck. It is rather late in the day for them to oall in mediation. Mediation, if it ever can be obtained in the case of a dispute between the buyers and sellers of labour, should be employed to pre vent a strike. Difficult as the task may be to devise a good means of mediation between masters and men, we need not despair of seeing it overcome at some future time. Nevertheless, it is useless to suppose mediation will be et any avail when the sword is drawn and the scabbard flung away. The party who calls out for mediation then, is the party who is in tho wrong. The statement of the men contained in the memo rial to Lord Palmerston is, on the whole, well drawn up. It is, however, to be remembered that every essential assertion in that statement has been replied to by the masters. In my former letters from Preston to the Express a fortnight back, and which con tained statements taken from the mouths of each of the parties, put down as far as possible in the very words in which they were given, the terms are con tained in which each separate allegation of the men were met by the masters. The memorial to Lord Palmerston states, that upon the expression of a simple opinion to the masters to the effect that it was but just that as they had suffered in conse quence of the depressed state of trade, they should be allowed to participate in the benefits of a flour ishing state of trade, they were repulsed, and that "up to this time they had no thought of combina tion or union." The masters meet the assertion that the men had not participated in the commercial prosperity of the year, with positive denial. They assert that the men had received an increase quite equivalent to 10 per cent.: that in some mills the rise in certain descriptions of work was equivalent to 15 per cent. They assert also that the men conceal the fact, that there has been a constant endeavour throughout the year on the part of the operatives to equalise wages in all the mills, and that this, in spite of its manifest in justice, has been attended with partial success. The injustice in this case is evident from the considera tion that the power of the various mills varies with the capabilities of the machinery. The men can perform much more work with a new improved ma chine than with an old one. The masters very properly claim for themselves a part at least of the additional proceeds derived from the capital which they have sunk in the new instruments of production. If the men work more at the new machines, they profess to be willing to take this into consideration, and increase their wages. The conse quence of this is, that the advocates for equalisa.l tion" demand of the employers of the old machines an increase of wages equal to that given by the pos sessors of the new. When this is done, then comes the demand for the 10 per cent. If the question is to be argued, or if—which is very doubtful—it could be argued with respect to the abstract principle of justice in the case, the mas ters in the present instance appear to possess some right to a verdict. But the world does not settle questions of bargain by an appeal to first principles of right and wrong. The price which we pay the Peruvian Government for guano is, when compared with the cost at which the guano is procured, enormous. If an equally extensive supply could be found elsewhere to-morrow, prices would fall 30 per cent. But the cost of getting the guano, it is well known, has nothing to do with the matter. We pay as much for it as it is worth to us, and no more. If Peru asked more than we thought it worth, we should not buy it. If they asked less, we should not be very grateful. The labour of the workmen is not worth to the manufac turers what is asked for it. All the mediation in the world will fail in making them consent to an unprofitable bargain. The only justification of the strike would be founded upon the tact that the ma nufacturers were not paying as much for labour as the state of the labour market warranted the la bourers in asking. The only use of the strike was to discover whether this was really the fact. This, it appears to us, has been settled. The masters profess themselves determined not to yield, and the men call out for mediation. It may be hoped that Lord Palmerston's reply to the memorial—(if he makes one at all)—will be as judi cious as the replies he has made to others of a diffe rent nature, and that, although his mediation can be of no possible service, his advice may—if he stands firmly to sound principles, and speaks out. FRANCE. - PARIS, FRIDAT EVININO. The following highly important intelligence from Constantinople has been brought by the Mentor, whose mails have arrived in Paris to-day. The Con stantinople Journal of the 4th, publishes the fol lowing : " NOTICE. " CHANCERY OF THE FRENCH EMBASSY AT THE OTTOMAN PORTE. " Oa Saturday, Nov. 12, 1833, at 11 o'clock in the morning, an adjudication upon sealed tenders will be made at the Chancery of the French Embassy, for a contract to furnish provi sion■ to French ships of war from Constan tinople to Odessa on the European coast, and as far as Trebizonde on the coast of Asia, from and after Nov. 16, 1833, during the whole period of the sojourn of the Mediterranean squadron in the Bos phorus and in the Black Sea. The colder des charges is deposited at the Chancery of the embaasy, where tenders will only be received up to Thursday at noon, Nov. 10. " Constantinople, Nov. 3, 1833." This appears to prove that the governments of France and England really contemplate affording an efficacious support to Turkey, and are prepared at once to take that step which the Czar threatens to consider as tantamount to a declaration of war against himself, namely, to penetrate into the Black Sea. These letters speak of French and English troops being daily expected at Constantinople. Mehemed-1 Rouschdi-Ptacha, General of the Guards, is appointed to command the army of reserve at Adrianople, and it was said he was only waiting to set out for the arrival of General Bosquet with a detachment of French officers from Algeria, who were to accompany him. I have heard it confidently stated in Paris to-day that General Bonnet and these officers had actually arrived, but I think the news doubtful, and have reason to think that the general in question, who I know was displaced from command some time ago, is not sufficiently in favour to receive a mission of this high importance. The same correspondence says that a confidential communication made to the Porte by M. de Bruck had become known, and had made a great sensation. The Austrian internuncio had warned the Porte, apparently in its own interest, that Gene ral Gortachakoffs plan was to draw Omer Pacha on to the plain of Great Wallachia, to give him battle with the third and fourth corps of the army, and them to cut off his retreat with the fifth seeps, that of Osten-Sacken, which it was thought at Constantinople was already in Bessarabia, although we ■ow know that it only crossed the Pruth at the beginning of this month. M. de Brack's kind communication was only looked upon at Constantinople as an artifice to delay hostilities. I am assured that despatches received here to-day by Rothschild and several other bankers, and consi dered authentic, speak of a serious defeat having been sustained by the Turks, and state positively that Omer Pacha his retreated, and re-crossed the Da nube. I am bound to state that the story is extensively credited, and that in quarters not generally credu lous. I may observe, that should it be true that Omer Pacha has made a retrograde movement, it by no means follows that he has lost a battle. Indeed, assuming the accuracy of the telegraphic despatch published in London on Wednesday, it appears im possible that any Russian army could have been concentrated within the last few days in sufficient force to gain any decided advantage over him. Now with regard to that despatch, it is a very remarkable thing that the Moniteur reproduces it this morning without comment, which it would hardly have done had the French government been in possession of any news of a contrary tendency. From all that is known of the position of the contending forces, it seems pro bable that the Turks may have gained the important victory reported. But it is evident that Omer ruche's plans were likely to be radically changed when he heard of the passage of the l'ruth by Gen. Osten-Sackon at the head of an army of 50,000 men. It is impossible at this distance to conjecture what circumstances may Imre prevented him from pursuing the advantage pined over the Russians at or near Bucharest. But it may be useful to bear in mind that the campaign hitherto has been favoured by exceptional weather. It has all along been taken for granted that when the winter fairly set in it would be impossible to carry on military operations in the Principalities. The great change in the weather which took place in these latitudes about ten days since renders it highly probable that on the theatre of war a corresponding change may have occurred about the same time. In corroboration of this view, I learn that intelligence has reached Paris that the waters of the Danube were rising. Nothing therefore, is more likely, than that Omer I'achs, finding it not practicable to pursue the Russians towards Cronstadt, and aware of the advance of Osten-Sacken, suddenly bethought him that the swelling of the Danube might cut oft his retreat in case of a reverse, and resolved to withdraw his army to the forts on the right side of the river, content with having gained u splendid advantage in a first campaign. Should this supposition be approximatively correct, it may turn out that Osten-Sacken, after wearying his army by forced marches, may find in Wallachia no enemy to fight with but the marsh fever and Omer I'acha in possession of the strong fortresses and healthy heights of the right bank of the Danube, may defy the enemy to make any further advance daring the whole winter. . . At the opening of the Bourse to-day, the Itente was very arm, and some important purchases pro duced a rise of 20c. The rumour of a check ex perienced by Omer Pacha's army, however, led to the belief that the war was likely to be prolonged, and business won became extremely heavy. The uneasiness shown by the Bunk of France at the scarcity of silver coin a'so contributed to depress prices. The Three per Cents. closed at 73fr. 35c., being a fall of 15c. from yester day. With the exception of Lyons and Mediterra nean, which rose 2fr. 50c., the railways were all lower. The Turkish Ambassador hsa just made a fresh purchase of 40,000 Chasseurs de Vincennes rifles for the account of his government. SEVEN O'CLOCK. The Patric, which is very late this evening, has the following :—" The last news from the theatre of war are highly important. For several days a vigorous march of the Turks from Oltenitza to Bucharest was expected, and the report bad even been spread that the Turkish army had occupied that town. It ap pears that the torrents of rain which have fallen since the battle of Oltenitza have been fatal to the march of the Turks. Impeded by the inundations which, by soaking the ground, rendered the move ments of the artillery impossible, they lost precious time. The Russians were thus enabled to concen trate the greatest pact of their forces near Bacharest, and the expedition of the Turks against that plate failed. General Gortschakoff had time to col lect from 45,000 to 50,000 men for the defence of that important strategic point. In this situation the Turks resolved to arrest their onward movement. After having destroyed the quarantine building and the works at Oltenitza, they succeeded in crossing the Danube in the greatest order, and without being molested by the enemy." RUSSIA AND TURKEY. Respecting the capture of Schefkatil, Nicholas Krapowsky, Nicolai, or Cheykedy, all of which names are given to one and the same place, a correspondent writing from Constantinople, says: —" 1,000 Russians were killed, and 80 made prisoners, among whom is a member of the family of Gonrief. Seeing themselves forced in their fortress, the Russians, in leaving it, set fire to the fine new barracks, which were completely de stroyed in spite of the efforts of the Turks to extin guish the flames. The fortress was defended by 3,000 men. The Turks found 2,000 carbines, made on the model of those used by the Chasseurs of Vincennes, all bearing the mark of the double-headed Russian eagle, and the mark of a manufacturer at Liege. Three pieces of cannon were also taken. The combat wasvery sanguinary. A battalion of t he Turkish guard particularly distinguished itself. Five prisoners—a captain and four soldiers—have been seat here; the remainder will be detained at Carakissar." A private letter from Vienna, of the 14th, says the Patrie, affirms positively that Chintz and Ibraila had been attacked by the Turks. A letter from Jassy, of the 6th, announces that the Russians were sending their sick and wounded to Kircheneau, in Bessarabia. The number of sick was increasing every day, and the hospitals in Wallachia and Moldavia were quite inadequate to receive them. Intelligence has been received in Vienna that by way of reprisals for the conduct of Prince Gort schakoff in Moldavia and Wallachia, the Pacha of Belgrade has forced the Hospodar to dismiss all the Russians who were in Servia. The Turkish com mander of the fortress is said to have hinted to the Russian consul that if he did not leave he would be dismissed by force. A despatch from Vienna announces the passage of the Pruth by the Russian General Osten Sacken, with an army of 50,000 men. All our advices, as well as the experience of the present war, render it improbable that anything like this number of men has crossed the frontier. Abdi Pacha, who commands the army of Asia, has entered the Imeretia, after having passed through I Erseroum and Bars, and has been received by the mountaineers with every demonstration of joy. A general attack was about to be made on the Russian line, which, being of great extent, is vulnerable on several points. A letter from Constantinople of the 3rd states that a Russian vessel of war, which had run on shore on the coast of Eregri, on the Asiatic side of the Black Sea, was seen in that position by a Tu•kish cruiser, and called on to surrender. On the commander re fusing, she was boarded by the Turks, and taken possession of with the crew. The Independance Beige says, on the authority of correspondence from Constantinople of Nov. 3, that it was proposed by the Ambassadors that only a small part of the fleets should come to Constanti nople, the main body remaining in the Sea of Marmora. Admirals Hamelin and I)undas objected to have their forces thus cut in two, and " in spite of the opposition of Lord Stratford do Radcliffe," all the ships were ultimately sent for. A letter from St. Petersburg of the Bth states that all the troops in the vicinity of the capital have been ordered to keep themselves in readiness to march at a moment's notice. Oa the 3rd the Emperor re• viewed the regiments of the Imperial Guard, 18 battalions of infantry, 20 squadrons of cavalry, and six batteries of artillery. It is stated anew that the French government had declared to that of Austria , that if it gave refuge to Russian soldiers flying from the Torks, in the event of the success of the latter, and did not disarm them immediately, the French government would regard such conduct as equivalent to a declaration of war. But whether such an intimation has ur has not been made, any harbour given by Austria to Russian armed forces would of course be a departure from that neutrality to which the Vienna cabinet had pledged itself - It was yesterday announced with some prominence by a contemporary, that Berri* refuses to admit the entrance of Turkish troops. It must have been for gotten that &reit, unlike the two Principalities north of the Danube, is permanently occupied by Turkish forces, and accounts from Belgrade of the 4th state that, with the full consent of the Prince Alexander, the garrison of Belgrade was about to receive a reinforcement. The Servians are naturally disposed to make the most of the present crisis to ad vance the cause of their own independence, but their leaders at present fully understand that their chief danger does not lie on the side of Turkey. The Berlin correspondent of the Cologne Gazette, on the 15th instant, says:—While the Czar asserts that no more negotiations can take place until the 'furks are on the other aide of the Danube, and the Sultan will hear of none until the Russians have crossed the Pruth, Russia is making new, and it may almost be said furtive attempts at negotiation. The ' semi-official OM Cor. confirms the reports which arrive from other quarters, that Russia has com missioned Count Buol and M. Bruck to use all their iullutnce to induce the Porte to enter into direct nego tiations with the cabinet of St. Petereburg. The game of the Czar is plain. lie would take advan tage of the trying moment when the pretentious allies of Turkey have left her most scaudalously in the lurch to play the magnanimous and to draw Turkey into the sole power of Russia by a t-eitty like that of 1633. GERMANY. • - VIENNA, FRIDAY. The Out. CorreBpondenz announces that the Turks blew up the defensive works at Oltenitza on the 13th, and crossed over to the south bank of the Danube. No battle is mentioned. It is known that the Turks still hold the islands opposite Oltenitza and Giurgewo. The same journal announces that the government is organising an army of observation in the south of Hungary, and near the Turkish frontier. This mea• sure, however, is only taken for the security of the Imperial territory, and in the interest of Austrian neutrality. The bourse yesterday showed a tendency to recover from the recent depression, and to day prices are advancing. Closing rates yesterday :—Austrian Five per Cent. Nletallics, 921; Exchange on London, 11.16; Bank Shares, 1,309. SWITZERLAND. GENEVA. Nov. 13 The elections for the Council of Sue have taken place. The democratic socialists j3ined with the old conservative party, and the radical government', of which Mr. James Fazy is the chief member, has O m defeated by a small majority. SPAIN. The publisher of the Diori•, Eva n9l has been CO2- demned to two months' imprisonment, and a fine of 500 rests, for an article against the ministerial mea. sures relative to railroads. ITALY. M. Boacompagni, who has just given up his place in the Piedmontese cabinet to M. ltaiazzi, has been elected to the Presidency of the Chamber of Deputies. The two gentlemen have thus exchanged places. THE WEST INDIES. --- ~ ,_. Tue session of the Jamaica I.egislaturc was upeLed ou the 18th. An uttusu,l degree of anxiety was manifested by the community to witness the opening of a session, which, it was supposed, would be fraught with memorable consequences. The trains that run between Kingston and Spanish Town were unusually long, and well tilled. The bustle and excitement that prevailed in the capital were very great. Sir Henry Barkly's speech was of great length. The governor commenced by alluding to :—...mtwances under which he came among them, and expressed a hope that the communications which he was authorised by her Majesty's government to lay before them might lead to the immediate termi nation of the lamentable dissensions which had pre vailed with such baleful effects. His Excellen c y' s reference to the state of partie s w as of a most cou ciliatory character. The legislature had been in session since th . . 2 Nit inst., and preliminary steps had been taken for the introduction of the import duty and other revenue bills; but the bills had to be laid before the house, and the opinion of members ascertained on thtir political bearing. Business matters, in the expectation of legislative changes, were almost stationary. Some speculative feeling was manifested towards flour and brandy. bat the inquiry for the latter had ceased, as a good deal of hesitation had resulted from the apprehended in tention of the House of Assembly to appoint a com mittee, to inquire into the practicability of imposing an excise duty on all spirits which had been imported since the lapse of the import duties. Speculators, therefore, notwithstanding that there was no certainty of the measure being carried, had ceased to operate, but prices had not in any way decliued. The advanced pretensions of holders had once more reduced the inquiry for flour to the ordinary limit. Prices for almost every article of imported goods had advanced, and in some instances scarcity rates were demanded. Produce generally was quiet. There had been, how- ever, some Inquiry for rum fur home consumption, and holders ware firm at higher prices ; still the business transacted had been of only moderate im portance. Sugar, on the other hand, had declined in value—especially the finer qualities. Of coffee and pimento the receipts were still on a very limited scale. The autumnal rains were falling very par tially. Tonnage scarce, but there was no great quantity of produce remaining for shipment. Exchanges.—On London. Colonial and Jamaica Banks : 90 days, I per cent. prem. ; 60 days, 18 per cent. prem. ; 30 days, 2 per cent. prem. At Georgetown, Demerara, fever had broken oat in a malignant form, but confined its ravages to new arrivals, the shipping, and the indifferently seasoned. Commander Dupuoy, of the Marceau French steam ship-of-war, had fallen a victim. The Governor had addressed the Board of Health on the subject. The sultry weather had broken up, and the population was greatly relieved by a supply of water, while the rain had done no harm to the estates. The weather at Antigua was all that could be de sired for agricultural purposes. Experienced planters state that they cannot recollect a season so favourable to the growth of canes. There was scarcely a day without rain, and the heat of the atmosphere was oppressive. AUSTRALIAN AGRICULTURAL COMPANY. A special general court of the proprietors of this company was held yesterday, at their offices, No. 5, Can non-street, City, to elect a governor in the room of the late governor, John Studholtne Brownrigg, Esq., deceased. J. If. RAVENSTIAW, Esq., the deputy governor, presided; ' and after reading a minute of the board, acknowledging the great ability the late governor brought to b ear u p on t h e management of the company, the important services he bad rendered to it during the twelve years he filled the office, and expressing their deep regret at his loss, and their con dolence with hie family on the bereavement they had sus tained—stated that he had been solicited by his colleagues in the direction to allow himself to be proposed to till the vacant office; and, without pretending to the possession of talents equal to those of their late governor, he had felt it his duty to acquiesce in what appeared to be an unani mous wish. If he were elected, it would be ne cessary to appoint a new deputy governor and a member of the board. His friend, C. Dasbwood Brace, Esq., would be proposed for that office. The vacancy in the direction it was proposed to fill up by appoint ing Dudley Cootie Marjoribanke, Esq., M.l'., at present one of their auuiton, and who besides great business talents held an interest in the company to the extent of some 30,0001. ; and it was further proposed that Lieut.-Colonel Brownrigg, the son of their late governor, who possessed very high business qualifications, should succeed Mr. Marjoribanks in the office of auditor. A resolution appointing the deputy-governor to the vacant office of governor was then proposed, and carried unanimously. Mr. Bruce was also unanimously elected deputy-governor, Mr. Marjoribanks to the vacant seat in the direction, and Lieut. Colonel Brownrigg to the auditor 'ship. AUSTRALL4N ROYAL MAIL STEAM PACKET COMPANY. - I, 0 tre. place a ao y t at the hearingt h he e o ridj u o t. ih n oe r n iae d result Tavern,o mating f tßhis o f ehbol gl this ties. sagreedtittcompany fo ooar took Yesterday Monday last, respecting the election of directors. Mr. Fart% occupied the chair, and stated that the tint question proposed to the shareholders when they were called upon to vote was whether or not they approved of the resole tion moved by Mr. Ambrose Moore—to the effect that a committee of shareholders be appointed to prepare a list of directors ; that the meeting be adjourned for three weeks, in order that time might be allowed for the purpose; that any shareholder willing to serve should send in his name on or before the 26th inst. ; and that the list be prepared site days before the day of election. The result was—for the resolution, 6,302 ; against it, 14,050. Consequently the motion was negatived. The neat question put was whether or not the shareholders would vote for the 7 directors men tioned—viz., Messrs. East, Kennedy, Molina, Shepherd, Jackson, Davis, and Tootle—the name of each gentleman being stated separately. The result was—for Mr. East's election, 15,260; against it, 3,142; fur Mr. Ken nedy, 13,940; against, 4,350; for Mr. Melina, 15,160; against, 3,232; for Mr. Shepherd, 13,820—against, 4,5.52; for Mr. Jackson, 14,690—against, 3,232; for Mr. Davis, 13,810—against, 4 , ai2 ; for Mr. Tootle, 15,125—against, 3,132. Upon these fi gures he (the chairman) bad to an nounce that the views entertained at the last meeting were confirmed, and that the seven gentlemen in question wire duly elected directors of the company. A long ar.d irregular discussion then took place respect ing the proceedings under which the directors had been elected, Mr. Moore expressing an opinion that those pro ceedings were ill. gal. lie moreover objected that he did not see amongst toe gentlemen elected persons who were qualified to conduct the affairs of a company like the present. Nor did he approve of the manner in which the direction had been got together. There was no design, as it were, on the "art of the di rectors to form themselves into a board for all the purposes of the company, but simply with a view to making new arrangements for the future manage ment of the undertaking. lie, however, would throw no obstacle in the way of the directors ; bat was perfectly willing to give them an opportunity of provirg to the share holders that they were deserving of their confidence. The discussion resulted in the adoption of a resolution (pro posed by Mr. Whitmore, and seconded by Mr. Sparks) to the effect that the meeting be adjourned, and that another meeting he held on the 21st ebruary neat, or at any earlier date the directors might think fit, for the purpcse of enabling the directors to make a report to the shareholders as to their put proceedings and their future intended policy. The meeting adjourned accordingly. LOIRE MINING CONIPANY.—II is currently re - ported that the Loire Mining Compare is about to be dis solved. This decision excites considerable surprise among the shareholders, who were lulled into a state of complete security by the gracious reception et the Emperor, at the time when the amalgamation with the Orand Courbe was to question. at I La Co