The Express. — London, England, 1853-12-13 00:00:00

Elie OraWCISIL TO CORRESPONDENTS. • Ineend E. 4 , 1 •• hm 1. -1pir , ...' . ..11111111111 the nue evening's i.ut,hstlekt seer) Ineelny and Ynday 'ugh; a Lune tor post 11'emanative In.eretett fee " T'he Koper," Lemke, Yenta, part. nut be tt the .ellee, 10, Boueetio-otteet, b) Two o'cloolt os the day of pubiteatke. HIGH WATIR AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tin. u..— Naming. Q. 38n. Afternoon. On. 54 ".• 70-nossow—lluesing. 14 11. Afternoon, LOXDON, TUESD.4I; DECEMBER 13. IN one part of NAPOLEON . 4 strategy the Russians have proved themselves apt pupils—the art of making bulletins , . The increase transmitted from Odessa to Vienna, announcing an advantage gained by the Russians over the Turks at sea, is an apt illustration of this. " The destruction of twelve Turkish vessels by six Russian Olins of the line in the roads of Sloops, the Russians having to contend against a violent fire from land batteries in addition to the fire of the Turkish ships," has a most imposing sound. But leaving for the present unquestioned the averments of the Russians that they have gained • naval victory, there are known facts which place it out of doubt that their account of it is ex aggerated—that they have been idealising their own heroism by representing themselves as triumphing over obstacles which did not ex ist. In the first place, it is certain that the great force of the Turkish navy is within the Bosphorus. The only Turkish ships of war known with certainty to be in the Black Sea—at lout in the direction of Sinope, where the battle is said to have been fought,--are • squadron of seven frigates, two corvettes, and a steamer or two, despatched as eoevoy to the transport ships conveying reinforce. smote to Batoun. In the second place, Sinope (or Binoub), the birth-place of Dioczzas,—who. had he lived in oar day, might have found a rich field fur the exercise of his peculiar vein in the Russian brag. pdocio,—is a docayed port of no great strength. Trade has deserted it in favour of Trebizood, which is more favourably situated for intercourse with the interior. Binope has an arsenal, we believe, but a secondary one, to which no great attention has been paid by the Turkish government; and the coast defences, of little importance in themselves, had until the com mencement of the present hostilities been neglected. Admitting, then, that six Russian ships of the line may have fallen upon the Turkish transports and convoy in the roads of Sinope, it is clear that the superiority in guns and men was greatly on the side of the Russians ; and that the Turks could derive but slender aid from the batteries on shore. That an engagement has really taken place off Sinope is extremely probable. The distance from the mouth of the Bosphorus to Batoun is about six hundred sea miles, Sinope being situated about half-way. Sebas topol, the principal station of the Russian Black Sea navy, is only about two hundred sea miles distant from Sinope—a little to the west of north. The Russians profess to have blockaded the coast from Sukum Kaleh to Trebizond— that ,is, their ships have been hovering off the coast. It is, therefore, easily to be believed that they have kept a considerable naval force off the portion of the Asiatic coast nearest their great naval station, to intercept straggling Turkish vessels, or such squadrons as they could master. All circumstances considered, it is difficult to acqait the Turkish authorities of considerable rashness in having sent their reinforcements to Batoun—seeing bow im- portent it was to keep up the ascendancy obtained by the Turkish arms in that quarter—so weakly guarded—when a course of no lees than six hundred milts had to be run, and when the principal station of the Russian navy was only two hundred to the north of this course, about midway. It will there fore probably be found, when the exact facts of the rencontre are ascertained, that the Turks have lost at the utmost the war-ships composing their con voy and a few of the transports, eight of which are said by the version of the story accredited at the Turkish Embassy in Paris to have escaped. If such be the case, it will be a smart rap over the knuckles to the Ottomans, but by no means an irreparable lose. On the contrary, it may prove to them a use ful lesson to be more cautious in future in the mat ter of transports and convoys. In war an alterna tion of success and mishap is always to be looked for. The nation that cannot bear up under tempo rary reverses is incapable of waging war with suc cess. Now, the whole tenor of Turkish history goes to prove that if the Osmanli is marked by one characteristic more than another it is that of a dogged, pertinacious power of fighting under adverse circumstances. Even had the losses on the Black Sea fallen entirely to the lot of the Turks, there tan be little doubt that they would only have spurred them on to redoubled exertions. But the Russians also have had their share. In their unsuccessful sea attack on Fort Shefkatil, a steamer with 1,300 troops on board was stranded, and the whole of the men either drowned or made prisoners by the Turks. They have also encountered other misadventures which, when a balsam is fairly struck, will probably bring the losses sawed by Turks and Russians on the Black Sea sines the oonsmeseetnent of hostilities somewhat near to an equality. So much for the relative positions of Russia and Turkey, on the assumption that the news of a naval victory gained by the former Power, transmitted to Odessa, shall ultimately prove to be founded on fact. But on this same assumption, what figure do the fleets of England and France cut ? Were they sent up the Dardanelles and the Sea of Marmora into the Bosphorus to look idly on while the squadrons of their any were being beaten by a superior force of the enemy? England and France have told the SULTAN that his cues is just ; they have promised to aid him in the assertion of his rights; and yet, though they have • combined force on the spot, more than amply sufficient to keep the Russian navy in cheek, they allow the Power whom, u schoolboys, they have " egged um" to try the fortune of war to be thus roughly handled. The relation of France and England to Turkey is' quite different from that of Austria and Prussia. The two latter Powers may, with some show of force, pretend to play the part of impartial, indepen dent arbiters ; but England aid France have com mitted themselves by promises of aid to Turkey. Let us, however, for the sake of argument, concede for a moment that the whole of the Four Powers are in a condition to act as a court of equity, and adjudge on the matters in dispute between Turkey and Russia— what is the first duty of a court undertaking mach a task ? Assuredly to adopt measures which shall insure both parties against being placed in a worse position in consequence of the delay occasioned by its preliminary inquiries. Have the Four Powers dealt thus with Turkey? On the contrary, as we demonstrated yesterday, their delays arc enabling Russia to entrench itself permanently in the Danu bian Principalities; and the progress of events on the Black Sea shows that the paralysing and be numbing influence of their interference is equally prejudicial to the cause of Turkey in the remoter regions of Asia. France and England are acting towards Turkey like the big bullies of some school who, after spiriting up one of the little 11...”` . _ * w • , • •• ••• pro m ises goys to stand up • THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 13, 1853. LATEST FROM ABROAD. TILE OVERLAND MAIL. The following despatch has been received rta Vienne. The following has reached Trieste : BOMBAY, Nov. 14. At Rangoon, 100 convicts mutinied. Most of them were cut down. Great excitement prevailed at Whanspoa, in con sequence of the death of a Chinese female in prison. The Americans protected the English Consul. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. VIENNA, Etc. 11. General Badberg, the Russian Commissioner for the two Principalities, arrived at Jassy, on the 30th November. On the 3rd inst. General Osten-Sacken had not reached the Pruth. Prince Alexander of Sepia had left Belgrade for Krajugewatz, the capital of the country. CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 29. 'fhe Turkish passenger steamer, Medari Tidjaret, which was captured by Russian cruisers in the Black Sea several &ye ago, came into the Bosphorus on the 26th, and caused great astonishment. The ves sel was taken before the expiration of the delay granted on both sides for placing merchant ships out of clinger. As there were several Russian merchant men at Constantinople when the Medari Tidjaret was captured, the Russians were unusually scrupu lous in dealing with her. Lord Stratford de Redcliffe has removed from Therapia to Pera to be nearer the French Am bassador. The merchants of all nations at Constantinople are signing an address to the Sultan, expressing their best wishes for his cause. A column of the new legion of Turkish Cossacks has arrived at Constantinople, 8,000 volunteer Scodriens have been organised in Albania, and a now corps of 10,000 Kinds has been formed by the sheiks of their country. PIEDMONT. TURIN, SATUADVI. The character of the new Chamber of Deputies is now fixed, the returns from nearly all the con stituencies being known. Of 115 elections, 81 are favourable to the ministry, 23 members belong to the ultra-liberal opposition, and 11 only to the priestly 1511 obscurantist party. It is expezted that Count Cavour will reckon two-thirds of the Chamber among his supporters. AUSTRIAN ITALY. GENOA, Dac. 7. A very severe military inspection has just been carried out in Austrian Italy, not only along the line of the Adige, and in the fortresses of Pescheira, Garda, and Mantua, but in Venice and on the coast. The works in the arsenals, ordinarily suspended at this season of the year, are continued, and each day materials and munition of all kinds arrive. DENMARK. COPENHAGEN, Dn. 7. The sittings of the Folksthing have been •iolent and personal. The Minister Oersted, conceiving himself insulted by a deputy, required the Speaker to call the latter to order ; the Speaker refused, and Oersted left the chamber in a great rage. He has since absented himself from the sittings, and the most exciting rumours are iu circulation. SPAIN. AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.) A despatch was received in Paris this day, dated Madrid, Dec. 10, which states that the debate on the Railway question has terminated in a majority of 38 for the opposition. The sittings of the Cortes have been suspended sine dic by a Royal decree. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. The intelligence published yesterday in the Daily News of a naval loss sustained by the Turks in the Black Sea, is corroborated by subsequent despatches and by its adoption in the French Moniteur. The facts, however, have been exaggerated, as was natural, by the organs of Russia. The admiral of the Turkish fleet has not been taken. Osman Pasha, who commanded the flotilla, was not admiral of the fleet, but feriki bahrie, or Vice-Admiral, of which the Turkish navy has several. Nor were twelve ships of the im penal navy destroyed or taken. Three of them were transports, seven were frigate', two corvettes, and one was a steamer. The loss may be a serious one for the Ottomans, considering the service for which they have now to rely upon their sea forces, but we have yet to be told what are the losses on the other side. Considering the resistance made by the Turks, we can hardly suppose that the Russians came off without considerable damage. The contest lasted, we are told, an hour. By sea, then, the Turks have proved that they have good stuff in them, having so determinedly withstood a greatly superior force. Tho Russian vessels were all ships of the line, those of Turkey all small ones. In the present brush Turkey has hid the worst of it, but she will show a bold face in the same waters yet. Before the loss of the vessels just mentioned, her fleet was thus composed :-2 three-deckers, of 130 guns ; 4 two-deckers, of 80 guns ; 10 frigates, of from 40 to 61 guns • 6 corvettes, of from 22 to 26 guns ; 14 brigs, wit h from 12 to 20 guns; 16 cutters, ' &c., of from 4 to 12 guns; and 6 steam frigates,, besides gun-boats. The port of Sinope, where the action occurred, is situated in the small gulf or bay of Sinope,' which is formed by the projection of a head land on the coast of Anatolia, midway be- I twean Constantinople and Batoum, which are the extreme points of the southern coast of the Black Sea. Sinope is about 300 miles from Constan tinople, and as many from Batoum, whilst it is about 200 miles south-east of Sebastopol, the great Russian naval station in the Crimea. Sinope would, there fore, form an excellent port of refuge for Turkish ships en their way with succours for the Asiatic army or for the Circassian', whilst it is also a good station for a squadron whose duty it would be to intercept Russian reinforcements on their way from Sebastopol to the srmy of Prince Worenr.off. The Independence Beige, which may be taken as a sufficient authority on matters of Austrian policy, states that it learns from a good source that alread7 • diminished importance is attached to the propost tions sent from Vienna to Constantinople, and less confidence is felt in their efficacy as a means of ar ranging the eastern difficulty. The powers, it learns, have not sent a collective note, but four identical notes: thus the solidarity between the two govern: ments is moral rather than formal. What is more important, "the most complete liberty and inde pendence of action is reserved to each power in the event of the rejection of the propositions, whether by Russia or Turkey." The assertion that Russia had signified its readiness to send • plenipotentiary to a congress, is denounced us premature. It was remarked with some surprise in Paris, on Saturday, that the Sleek, which has been often so well informed, and has certainly taken such a leading part on the Eastern Tuition, produced the article in the Moniker without a word of comment. On Sunday the same journal said it would continue to abstain from discussion until "further orders." The natural inference is that, either on account of the necessity of bolstering up the Bourse with a view to a loan, or from some other motive, the French govern ment has intimated to the journals that the sanguine hopes expressed by the Moniteur may not for the pre sent be questioned with impunity. The Sict le, how ever, calls attention to the following paragraph from the Press of Vienna of the 7th, which has an important bearing upon the new protocol:— " The new impulsion given to the negotiations con cerning the Turco-Russian affair proceeded from the English cabinet, which inquired of Austria whether she was disposed to present a new project of media ' tion. The Austrian government replied affirma tively, but left to the English cabinet the task of drawing up the plan. On December 1, a draft note, prepared in London, arrived here. Its object was to incline the Porte to make peace, and to conclude a preliminary armistice. In this note it was formally declared to the Porte that the Emperor Nicholas had informed the cabinet of Vienna that he would not refuse to consider propositions coming directly from Turkey. On the 2nd, Lord Westmoreland had a conference with Count Buol de Schauenstein on this new scheme. On the 3rd the ambassadors of France, England, and Prussia held a meeting on the subject at the ministry for foreign affairs. This conference, however, led to no conclusion, the Prussian ambas sador alleging that he was without instructions. On Dec. 4 the ambassador sent for instructions by tele graph, and received an answer on the sth. That same night instructions, accompanied by a copy of a note, were forwarded to the Austrian internuncio at Con stantinople. This note is not ' collective,' but it contains an identical declaration from each of the powers signing it. On the 6th a copy of the note was despatched to the Divan." Our correspondent writes from the frontiers of Wallachia :—" I may mention one fact, which may not have come to your knowledge, and which yon can use in any form you please. A young man named Philipeser, the son of a Wallachian bayard, who was educated in Paris, and displayed great talent and promise, became involved in the troubles of '4B, and was exiled. He solicited en amnesty, and was permitted by the Russians to return a short time ago. A fortnight since, while residing peace ably un his father's estate, he was seized by a party of soldiers, and by an order of the Russian general received 25 blows of the stick, which left him half dead. Nothing is known as to the cause of the out rage, but it is supposed to have been some expression of opinion in a letter written to a friend in Paris, and which was opened in the post-office. It is thus they endeavour to reconcile the inhabitants to their rule." The Wanderer of Vienna has the following :—The great inundations were the cause of Omar Pacha's withdrawal from the right bank of the river. Ismail Pacha's corps at Kalafat has been reinforced. The fifth army corps has been obliged to send more rein forcements to the Caucasus. A rumour circulates here that Prince Paskewitach is somewhat in disgrace, because he declined to take the command of the army near the Danube. The Prince also declared that he could not permit the first and second army corps to leave Poland until other troops had come to supply their places. The Emperor was indignant that, after such a long administration, his deputy had nut been able to eradicate the revolutionary ideas in Poland. Of course no guarantee can be given for the correctness of this. From the seat of war in Asia we learn that the Turks are received with open arms in those districts which they have wrested from the Russians. FRANCE. -+- PARIS, MONDLT EVZNING. It will be observed that the Moniteur does not adopt the expression of the private telegraphic des patches, " a great naval victory." In other respects, however, the version of the affair given by the official journal is more serious than either of the others, be cause it would appear that the Russian fleet forced an entrance into the Sinope roads, and destroyed the Turkish ships in harbour. Still, the whole story rests upon the veracity of Prince Menchikoff 'a aide-de-camp, who brought the account from Odessa to Vienna. The French government guarantees nothing beyond the fact that it has re ceived the Russian report from its own agent at the latter place. When we remember that despatches from Vienna have successively announced the burn ing of Bucharest by the Turks, the evacuation of Kalafat by Omor Pacha's forma, the arrival of Osten- Sacken at Jassy on the 12th of November, while he I had not then crossed the Pruth, and an infinity of ! other false reports, all emanating from Russian sources, the entire accuracy of the present news must still be considered open to legitimate doubts. At all event s , I the Russian navy is not entitled to triumph in the fact of havingdestroyedseven frigates with six sail-of-the line. The reputation of the French Admiral Sercy rests entirely upon his having on one occasion suc cessfully resisted three English line-of-battle ships with six frigates. The harbour of Sinope is not strongly fortified. Formerly it was the principal naval establishment of Turkey, but of late the arsenal has been transferred to Constantinople, and a single battery on the little fort of Boze-Tips con stituted the whole defence of the port. The Turkish ships are supposed to have run in there for refuge from bad weather, and certainly did not suppose themselves in a position to resist the attack of a supe rior • fle et It is calculated that the Russians had 630 gunsin play against 100 on the Turkish side. This evening's Presse affirms, on the authority of private correspondence, that the victory cost the Rus sians dear, they having lost two ships-of-the-line, three frigates, and two steamers. According to the same accounts their forces, besides the six sail-of-the line mentioned in the Moniteur, consisted of twelve frigates, a brig, and five steamers. I notice in the Independaace Beige a despatch from Vienna dated Saturday, which speaks of " se veral" instead of "all" of the Turkish ships having been destroyed. Oman, said to have been taken prisoner, was for a long time in France. He was then but a captain in the navy, but has lately been raised to the rank of Captana Pacba—a grade an swering to that of rear-admiraL According to the Moniteur, the name of the victo rious Russian Admiral is Nachimoft; and not llachi eueff, as stated in one of the private despatches. Letters to the Freese arrived this morning from Constantinople, by way of Trieste, dated Nov. 28, state that the entreaties of Lord de Bedell& had at length prevailed upon the Diva°, not purely and simply to reject the newplans of conciliation. Thus de termination was come to at an extraordinary meeting of the Grand Council held on the 27th. The Turks were much dissatisfied with this decision, apprehend ing that the presence of the combined squadrons in the Bosphorus would render the advice of their allies practically o bligatory upon them. Omer Pacha had taken up his winter quarters. Nevertheless, rumours of a great battle fought near Krajowa were in circu lation. At first the victory was given to the Turks, then to the Russians, and finally it was admittbd that nothing whatever was known of this pretended en gagement, even at the Seraskeriat. PARIS, SCNDAY EVIII/NO. The Emperor was expected yesterday to be pre sent at the opening of the splendid new street lately pierced in a straight line, nearly a mile in length, from the Boulevard St. Denis to the Strasburg rail way station, and very inaccurately styled the Bon levart de Strasbourg. A handsome triumphal arch, hung with velvet, flanked with flags, and surmounted by a golden eagle, was erected at the entrance, with the inscription, ".1 rEmpertur Napoleon 111. , le Ve. Arrondissement Hommage de Reconnaissance." The Prefect of the Seine, the authorities of the arron dissement, and a large cr3wd of people, werewaiting till a late hour when it was announced that the Emperor was " prevenied" from attending. It seems scarcely to be known whether the inauguration is considered to have taken place or not. The decorations are still there, and some of the papers give out that perhaps I his Majesty will attend to-day or Monday. He was I not, however, there to-day, and I suspect the inha i bitants of the bth arrondissement will be altogether disappointed. The Mondry gives an account of some further fighting in Algeria. After the last affair at Brazia on. the 26th of October, in which Captain Lacretelle gained an advantage al ready reported, the Damian malcontents offered to submit, but asked for a delay of ten days. General de Luzy, commanding the Oran division, being of opinion that their applica tion wu merely a device to gain time, ordered two tt go oms " of 400 horse each, supported by 140 Spahis, to follow them up without remission. Coin- mandant de France and Captain Lacretelle I with the above troops (almost all natives) attacked their camp on November 20. They found a number of tribes occupying about 500 tents, and commanded by two celebrated chiefs, the Marabout iSidi-Chiqr-ben-Taieb and El-Gourari. The French forces attacked the camp, and after a serious resist ance put the enemy to flight. The Arabs left 70 or 80 dead upon the field, and abandoned 20,0110 sheep and 800 camels. On the French side there were 14 killed, and about the same number wounded. Further offers of submission had been made by the routed ' Arabs, and the French general was considering whether they were sincere. In the night of the 7th the telegraphic wires be tween Calais and Boulogne were cut by some mis creant, who has not yet been discovered. It is reported that government has convoked a general meeting of the directors and principal engi peers of all the railways in France, to concert mea sures of public safety. This railway congress is expected to assemble towards the end of this month. There has been an extraordinary fog at Lyons and in the neighbourhood. In the city carriages were brought to a stand still, and people lost their way as completely as they might have done in Thames street. On the Bth the navigation of the Saone was reported to be entirely suspended. The mail from Paris was sent by land, and made very slow progress, owing to the fog. BRUTAL TREATMENT OF A BRITISH SUB JECT IN THE PAPAL STATES. ROME, Dn. 4. I mentioned in a preceding letter that a British subject, a native of Gibraltar, named Testaferrata Desain, had been arrested in the month of September last at Arezzo, by the Tuscan authorities, and sub sequently handed over to those of the Papal States, for no offence whatever. Having obtained the par ticulars of his two months imprisonment and suffer ings from Mr. Desain himself, in an interview with him since his release, I am enabled to give you a correct statement of the unprovoked and unjustifiable treatment to which he has been subjected. Mr. Antonio Testaferrata Detain, aged 5 , native of Gibraltar, left Cadiz for Malta, with a passport, signed by the British consul-general, and dated December 22, 1851, whence, after three months' stay, he repaired to Constantinople. There M. Lucy, a French merchant, entrusted him with eight Arab mares, to take to France and consign to the government agents at Marseilles, which he did at the end of September, 1852, arriving by the steamer Nilus, with his passport en n'gle, duly signed by the French and English ministers, and leaving again for Piedmont with the signature of the British consul at Marseilles. Towards the end of July last, his pass. port having been duly eise'd by the police authori ties and the British minister at Turin, he left Genoa for Tuscany, remaining a fortnight at La Spezia, where the Tuscan consul signed his passport for Leghorn by land. After a short stay at Leghorn, Mr. Desain proceeded to Florence, whence, after three weeks, he proposed entering the Austrian do minions, and obtained the signatures of the Austrian and British ministers, but subsequently, as his ill destiny would have it, he changed his intention, and got his passport signed for Rome by the police and the l'apal Nuncio, on the 29th of August. On the 19th of the following month he arrived at Arezzo, and proposing to stay a few days showed his papers and gave his name to the innkeeper. Oa the 21st of September, at midnight, he was not a little surprised at being roused from his bed by a brigadier and band of gendarmes, who took hint to prison without alleging any motive, in spite of all his remonstrances and entreaties to speak with a magistrate. The gendarmes brutally presented him to the gaoler, saying, " There's the magistrate you are to speak with." Mr. Dcsain's passport was restored to him by the gaoler on his leaving Arezzo in charge of the gendarmes for the l'apal frontier, where he arrived, halting three days in the prison of Santo Sepolcro, at the end of the month. The Roman police authorities at the frontier town of Citta di Castello took away his pass port and papers again, saying that the former must be forwarded to Rome. After three days he was sent on to Perugia, where he was con- I fined for seventeen days with the worst sort of offenders, fed on galley slaves' fare, and manacled during the journey thither, which was performed upon a cart, escorted by gendarmes on horseback. All his inquiries as to the reason of his imprison meat, and his requests to speak with some of the local authorities, were treated with contempt, and it was only during the journeys from prison to prison that he was able to bribe some passer-by to put a letter into the post informing the British agents in Rome of his miserable condition. He speaks with horror of the frightful state of his dismal prison halt ing-places between Perugia and Rome, especially that of Foligno, the filth, vermin, and contaminated air having a very bad effect upon his health, and the jolting of the springless carts a by no means consola tory effect upon his person. Whilst travelling, he was handcuffed and chained to the other malefactors on the cart, but when replaced in prison his fetters were removed. This mode of conveyance at foot pace, and only on stated days of the week, was so tedious that poor Mr. Desain only arrived at )tome on Nov. 17, when, after being deprived of his beard and moustaches by the prison barber, he was thrust into the common ward of the Termini gaol with 63 malefactors of every description. Here, however, the energetic inter ference of the British representative, Mr. Lyons, ►egan to show itself. Without entering into the exact steps followed by him and the British consular agent, Mr. Freeborn, to obtain the prisoner's release, it will suffice to say that Mr. Desain was brought to the consular office two or three days after, and for mally placed under British protection, and he now awaits the result of negotiations pending oa his be half, and the restitution of hie regular British pass port, which the police authorities appear by no means ready to hand out, as it forms the chief piece of acen sation against them. Meanwhile Mr. Desain has missed the engagement for which he was coming to IRome, which was to accompany aSpanish gentleman, I M. R. Basques, to Constantinople, to purchase Arab horses for a speculation. The recently arrested liberals of the fusionist party are kept in the strictest confinement, and are, as it I were, out of the world, none of their friends or relations being allowed to hold communication with them, or even to know what is became of them. of protection, look on with their hands in their pockets whilst their pror ! ,,' receives a sound drub biog. Such conduct on the part of our rulers is u de grading to the reputation as it is detrimental to the interests of England. Lord ABERDEEN is enacting the part of Le Noir Fainalie in the " gentle passage of arms " now in progress in the East. And, what is worse, there is little ground for hope that he will bestir himself to any purpose, even at the last moment. Lord ABERDEEN—the anecdote rests upon good authority—is said to have de clared, that, having once witnessed forty thousand dead and wounded men exposed on a battle-field, he shrinks from the awful responsibility of being a party to any warlike operations. Such a sentiment is nowise discreditable to Lord ABER DEEN'S heart; but if commemorative imagination so unnerve him, he ought to feel that it is his duty, when warlike operations become inevitable, to retire from the helm of affairs which he has no longer the self-possession to guide. His sentimental declaration is like that of a surgeon, who should say that having once witnessed the agony of a patient under a painful operation he never could bring himself to perform it• Wnild this be any apology for his omitting the operation when it became the only means of saving the life of his patient? The war now raging in the East has not been begun by the SULTAN—has not been incurred by any misconduct on his part. But being assailed be can only be relieved by war encounter ing war. If Lord ABERDEEN'S delicate nerves unfit him for this task, let him throw up his office and allow men to undertake it of less susceptible but in reality more humane temperaments. Vio Court. OSBORNE, Dcc. 12. The Queen and Prince, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, and Primerss Alice, attended by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, went to Whippingbam Parish Chunk yesterday morning, where the service was per forated by the Rev. G. Prothero. The Duke and Duchess of &shwa, Wooded by Count and Countess do Laanoy, embarked at Cowes this morning at 11 o'clock, in the royal yacht Fairy, and crossed over to Portsmouth, cm their return to Brussels. A special train was in readiness to convey their Royal Highness's to Dover. Her Majesty and Prince Albert drove down to Hui Trinity-wharf, and took leave of the Duke and Duchess on board the royal yacht. Viscount Harding' returned to London this morning. Mr. Alexander Georg* Gray sad Mr. John R. Fenwick had an interview with Viseeant Palmerston yes'erlay, at the Home office. relative to an inquiry into the state of the Corporation of Newwtle•upon-Tyne. Despatches from the Governor of South Australia were received yesterday et the Colonial-office. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council eat yester day, and concluded the hearing of an appeal from the Prerogative Court, " Dowley o Palmer sad Biggs." The Lords present were the Chief Jutties of the Court of Oilmen Pleas, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Cornwall, the Judge of the Admiralty Court, end Sir E. Ryan. Ponsmotrrit, DEc.l2. Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Unbent cams over to this port to-day from their visit to her Majesty at the Isle of Wight en rank to Dover on their return to Brussels. The Fairy, screw tender to the royal yacht Victoria and Albert, Master-Commanding Welsh, went over to Osborne yesterday to be in readiness to bring their Royal Highnesses across this morning. They left Osborne at 11 o'clock, and arrived in harbour at a few minutes past 12, Captain the Hon. Joseph Denman and Captain Crispin accompanying them over. On disembarking at the new landing•plsce in the dockyards their Royal 11;ghnesses were received there by the Commander-in-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane, K.C.8., whose carriage was in waiting at their service. The duke and duchess immediately proceeded in it to the railway terminus, and left at 12.31 o'clock per special train for Dover via the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. M. Van de Weyer, the Belgian Minister, crossed over in the Fairy from Osborne (where he had arrived on Saturday on a riot to her Majesty) with their royal highnesses, and left with them for Daver. Tile BIRMINGHAM CATTLE SITOW.—A correspon dent says :—tt The choice pen of three pigs of his Royal Highness Prises Albert (No. 281), which obtained the gold medal at the Smithfield Club Show, have been sent for exhiNition to Birmingham by the Prince , haring been sold to Mr. Wall with those conditions. Prince Albert is also to exhibit at this show a fine Ilerrfurd Ox and two pens of Brunah Pootra fowls. There were several pens of this beautiful new species of fowls at the Surrey Zoological Garden Poultry Show last week, the prise for which was obtained by Mrs. George Cannon, Great Marlow, Bucks." It is stated that a distinguished functionary at headquarters is about to retire from his post, consequent upon his refusing kave of absence to certain officers, and the Chief granting it notwithstanding. On Saturday last, the Rev. Henry Edward Browne Ffolkes, M.A. ' was instituted to the Rectory of 'Williston, in Norfolk, on the presentation of Sir William John Henry Browse Ffolkes, of Hillington Hall, Bart. The Rectory of Aldford, in the county of Chester, is now vacant by the death of the Bey. F. Brandt ; the Mar tinis of Westminster is patron, and the value is 3301., with • house. THE MISSING MEMBER FOUND AT LAST. -.- At the last general election, the Hon. Charles Fitrwilliam was returned member for Mellott, a borough in which the Fitswilliam interest has away' prevailed, and where differences of political opinions and oontests are en. known to the nominal coastitueacy. At the time of hi, election, the young gentleman so returned was in America, but his return, in time to take his seat at the opening of the prercat parliament, was anneeseed. The session opened, bat no Mr. C. Fitawilliaas appeared to take the oaths and his seat; time rolled on, and he came not ; and the session closed without him. Nor :mkt any intelligence be ob tained of the missing member; he had gone to hunt bears oe the Rocky Mountain,; bet further, it was reported, his family were unacquainted with his movements ; and, at last, they become seriously alarmed. Recent letters from the United St►tes, however, being intelligence of his safety; the hoe. member of %thee having reached Fort Laramie, in a best skin, on his return kern California. Whether he intends coming back to Ragland is sot stated. THE LAST CHRISTMAS CATTLE MARKET IN SMITHFIELD. -..-- Yesterday was the great day of the year at Smith &ld, and, as was anticipated, the supply of tattle for Christmas consumption was extremely large, in comparison with previous years. The beneficial operation of compe tition between the breeders of Devour, Herefords, and short- horns was very apparent. The Devons were decidedly superior to those brought forward in 1152. When it is stated that there were collected, almost in one spot, 1,300 or 1,4000 beasts of this breed, chiefly from the westward, all nearly of the same weight and colour, each missal worth, ea the average, fully 301., It will at mice be perceived that the show was, indeed, well worthy of • close inspection. The Herefords, which were coatribated largely from differ ent localities, kept up the long-established character of the breed surprisingly. In the Baker-street exhibition, last week, this particular breed showed a slight falling off ; hut, yesterday, it exceeded all former markets to an im portant extent. Net • few of the Herefords shown were estimated to weigh from 200 to 230 stones a weight that would have done credit to the show-yard. Of short horns, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northampton shire, Norfolk, sad ether quarters, showed specimens of the breed which excited the admiration and wonder of tie visitors, however practical might have been their judgment and experience. In addition to the breeds above-men tioned, there was an average supply of Pembrokeshire ru m", Sussex oxen, and Irish este, which attracted great attention. The show of Scots was, collectively, the finest ever witnessed in this market. The stock, both beasts and sheep, come to hand free from lamene.s, notwithstanding the enormous weight and bulk of most of the animals. it is calculated that fully two-thirds of the stock brought for- ward were by railway conveyance. The arrangements on the part of the City authorities for the reception of the stock were as complete as space would admit; but this is the last time—after 2 • i 1 visits— that we shall have to report the bottling of the great market in Smithfield. Of course, the influx of visiton from different parts of England, as well as from the Continent, was large. During the day the number increased to a most inconvenient extent. Tho Smithfield invite:report will be found in another column. CSLEDONIAN RAILWAY.— A station-master and guard on this lino bays been tined, the one in 164., and the other in 21. 7.. s for taking t w o P'""g cr3 in cusind7 who protested spinet as undue Aiiin; of a carriage With pa.sengers beyond the avunbts allowe I by the cCnlkiiars regulations. MORTALITY ON BOARD EMIGRANT SHIPS. The New York Herald publishes some facts and consideration respecting the great mortality on board emi grant ships, a subject on which we lately published some stirtlieg figures from the New York Tribune. The Herald says that the disease among the passengers is much more violent on the European side of the Atlantic, the cases becoming milder as the ship approaches the American coast. Many of the shipowners had transmitted orders to their captains to take no more steerage passengers until there is some alteration in the dtaeue. It is said (writes the Herald) that the British law, which compels vessels to carry food for their passengers, and to deal it out to them, has had a bad effect. The strong overcome the weak, and obtain an undue allowance of food, while the latter are either deprived of their full share or cut off, in some instances, altogether. Amidst such a number it is found impossible to c )ok for them, especially in stormy weather. From the same cause it is found impossible to bestow the necessary medical attention and nursing on the sick. They often appear iadisposed to care for themselves, and still less inclined to lend a helping hand to their suffering companions. They crond on ship board unprovided with food and destitute of clothing, hence, in bad weather, they sufra. front wet, cold, and the want of properly end timely cookel food, and other com forts necessary to preserve health. The following ships are those on which the greatest mor tality had occurred : the George Hurlbet, at New York, from Havre, with the loss of 75 passengers out of 615. The packe4ship New World, from Liverpool, lost 75, out of 754 passengers, from cholera. The Cornelia, also from Liverpool, lost 13 passengers out of 466. The Marathon, from Liverpool, lost 64 out of 522. The Silas Greenman, from Liverpool, lost 27, and the first mate, out of 351 pas sengers. The Rochambeau, from Liverpool, reported 11 deaths. The Powhattan had arrived from Antwerp, with the loss of 13 passenger;. The get atrat mortality had pre ' wailed among women and infants, and the next largest pro portion of deaths had bei.n amongst young men. TILE PRESTON STRIKE. PRE , CON, Mmen.ta•. Although this is what is termed the " little week," the amount placed at the disposal of the weavers' com- mittee is 2,2501. This would enable ti.em to increase their payments from 4s. to 5.. per head, but in arricipation of Christmas week, it has been deemed expedient to adhere to the former sum. From the reports of the deligates at their meeting yesterday, it appeared that the iund reserved for Christmas week already amounted in the aggregate to 1,01101., Blackburn alone havin 2171. in hand. At noon to-day, the usual weekly meeting was held in the Orchard, and was uunicrously at:enilsd. AUSTRALIA. --.- Yesterday we published a summary of the intel ligence received from the gold colonies and the Cape by the Victoria. Our tiles and biters supply the fuller statement subjoined. From all the colonies the intelligence is genera:ly of a most encouraging character. In Victoria the daily yield of gold is estimated at fifty thousand pounds. Gold to the value of five million nine hundred and fifty five pounds had already been shipped from that province this year. The population was still increasing. I n t h e third week in September 375 persons arrived at Melbourne, and only 274 left. The number of inhabitants in the district is now 250,000. There was much ',con fusion, and some disappointment, but the colony was rapidly rising. At Sydney the rural and pastoral districts to the north were very proseerous, and high prices were given for stations. '1 he city is free from robberies, and handsome buildings are rising in all directions. The Paramatta Railway is making slow progress, in consequence of a deficiency of labour. The market price for gold at Melbourne is V. 17s. —rising. Wonderful discoveries are making at the new Ballarat diggings. Three men in six days are said to have raised 1921 b. weight of gold. The licence fee has been commuted from 11. 10s. per month to 21. for the remainder of the year -90 to 110 days. The diggings are healthy, and the diggers are adopting a more scientific mode than formerly ; they sink a shaft, from 6 to 12 feet diameter, to a depth of from 20 to 100 feet, and from the base work radiating tunnels, which are connected at the outer ends by a circular tunnel. All the produce is sent up the shaft. Excepting one at Sydney, all the gold companies, especially the Peel River, are unsuccessful, in conse quence of the heavy expenses. Three vessels had ascended the Murray, 1,200 miles from sea. The navigation proved safe, the depth of water varying for tlimense distances from 114 to 36 feet. The river is reported to be navigable much further than the Darling, one of its tributaries, for some 300 or 400 miles. The markets for all sOrts of articles fluctuated, bat the averages are evidently highly remunerative to the importers. The Victoria, considering that she has called at all the Australian ports, and come round the Cape of Good Hope, has made the best homeward passage of any steamer yet. She has beat the Oriental Corn_ parry's steamer considerably, because, although the Shanghai left Australia for Ceylon three days later than the Victoria, the mails of the former will not be delivered for a week from this period. The Strat ford, the first sailing vessel employed to convey the mails to Australia, and which was despatched on the 4th of June last, reached Melbourne on the 20th of September: thus, inbtead of conveying the mails out in about 70 days, as was expected, she took 10s days. Previous to the arrival of the Shanghai, on the 11th of September, no mail had been received at Australia for two months. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Adelaide letters of the 27th give a good accoant of the colony. A greater breadth of land has been put under crop this year than in any former one, and the season has in all respects been most propitious. The clip of wool, too, will exceed that of all former years. Greater attention has been paid to the sheep, and tho season has been most thvourable for washing, which is just now commencing. There will probably be a large addition to the export this year, too, from the opening up of the Murray, by which some thou sands of bales, which have hitherto passed through Victoria or Sydney, will be shipped at I'ort Adelaide. The only drawbrack to agricultural and pastoral pursuits is the scarcity of labour, and its consequent high price. For shearing flocktnasters have been freely offering 1/. per hundred, but tho price de manded has been 11. lOs. Four and t wenty shillings will probably rule. Public works are to be commenced on a large scale, and 136,000/. has been voted for that purpose. The sale of government land is going on rapidly. From the Ist of January to the 30th of Juno the quantity sold was 103,175 acres, and the amount realised 142,05.1/. Since then the quantity sold by private contract was as follows :-15,211 acres sold for 24,•i391. 10s. By public auction there has also been sold during the same three months 33,000 acres, which fetched 49,573/. At the same rate of proceed ing the land sales of the year will not fall tar short of 300,0001. The chances are that they will be rather over than under that sum. The Colonial Secretary had hid on the table of the council returns of tl.c quantity of gold brought into the colony per escort from Mount Alexander or otherwise, and passed through the Adelaide Amay office, from the 10:h of Feb., 18.2, to the 31st of Aug., 1853. The Assay - office receive d and returned to the depositors, from the 10th of February, 1832, to the date of final delivery, 430,819 oz. 13 dwts. 19 grs. of gold, of standard fineness-which, at 71s. per ounce, was equivalent in value to 1,329,4091. 17s. 10d. This quantity of gold dust seemed to have been brought to the colony chiefly by the escort from Mount Alexander, which fr an its commencement is March, 1832, to the Ist of September, 1833, inclu sive, brought in all, in fourteen journeys, 297,639 oz. ltl dwts.-which, valued at 71s. per ounce, would amount to 1,036,6911. 4s. Gd. The import of gold by sea from Melbourne, during the same period, was 29,111 ounces-which, valued at 71s. per ounce, would make 102,3101. The total of these two sums was 1,139,0011. 4s. Gd. Of this large sum received for gold, 280,607/. had been invested in Crown Lands from the beginning of 1832 to the end of August, 1833. Owing to its high price in Melbourne, the quantity received has been gradually diminished, but it is still considerable, and is likely to continue so. The estimated quantity for this year is 88,000 ounces, and for next year from 70,000 to 80,000 ounces. A circular of the 27th says :-Trade has been steadily improving during the last fortnight, and , recent advice' from the neighbouring colonies have caused increased firmness. Stocks are not generally heavy, boots, shoes, and draperies, are perhaps ex ceptions, though many articles in the latter business are much wanted, especially for the country stores. The mill prices of grain and flour are : fine flour, 281. per ton ; second ditto, 26/. ; bran and pollard, Se. 94. per bushel; wheat, 9s. Gd. to 10s. ditto. Bread is 7d. the 2-lb. loaf ; flour, 4ld. per lb. Butter, fresh, per lb., ls. 4d.; Cheese, Is. 2d. to is. 6d. ; pork, Is.; fowls, per pair, 65.; ducks, 9s. ditto. Po tatoes, 3d. per lb.; cabbages, 3d. to 6d. each. At Adelaide, blacksmiths were making per diem, 141. to ' 155.; carpenters, 12s. to 145.; cabinetmakers, 12s. to 135.; coopers, 10s. to 125.; day labourers, Gs. to Bs.; engineers, 12s. to 205.; masons, 12s. to 14e.; miners, 6s. to Bs. ; painters and glaziers, Bs. to 10s.; shoemakers, 10s. to 12a. NEW SOUTH WALES. Letters from Sydney are of the 16th September. The accounts from the diggings are full of complaints of loss and damage by rain and floods, of impassable roads, dear provisions, and the non-arrival of mails ; but affairs were beginning to improve, the winter was passing away, and the commencement of the spring migration to the diggings was already visible. Business had slightly revived, and there will, no doubt, be a more marked improvement as soon as the roads of the interior are again open. The Legislative Council of Victoria had been opened on the 39th of August. The speech of the Governor, Mr. Latrobe, contained an unexpected announcement that it was the intention of the go vernment to abolish the gold-license fee. The decision must have been suddenly taken, since, in his reply to the diggers' &potation and memorial, and his despatches to the Governor of New South Wales, the continued collection of the fee had been insisted on. In the meantime, however, the attitude of the miners had become more threatening, and it had been found necessary to send the military force in Melbourne to the gold fields. Up to the depar ture of the mail there had been no intelligence of any collision. For the next three months a fee of 2!. to be collected; at the expiration of that period, the act will have been passed abolishing the tee i altogether, r reducing it to a nominal sum for the purpose of regigtration. This sudden change of policy on the pert of the government of Victoria would render it impossible to maintain the license fee on the fields of the province of New South Wales. On the 23th of August the first stone of the new exchange in Bridge-street was laid, with the usual ceremonies, by Sir C. Fitzroy, the Governor-General. The Iva:4 read that pro of 34 to post pont Utt th WAS belt m a j e sty of the ( and int 4 priaciph pe at framed o f the declare sad mill tiuuth a consul bitauts feet con perial p councils pra y he sure t ha her Niq that sun sure the The pet l ug , the hours. The colony ( Argus c The in come see flatteries not fulfil informat are DOW I aiderable fair trial the emu its reput Ballarat, ranked a diggers of gold,' line too which, f jewelh the cutt, In the the priv and fat'll due to e GOLD Bendiga Dl'lvor Private Ballarat Ovens 6uulbui The s in the p entering of the ci are so fa have pr article, From Cmitoml colony, parativ( of gold WOOL Melb, Get lc Port Portl, The 76,105. Hut i readers warned supply The val the gee watches frequer gold dii scarcer portion pricera the an high .. ; with it awgeab der; a devasta A c; will aft Pith t wool; afford thrum The tranrcli thing tcellug are uni mem o earth d quentl; ninpros credit l.tte•.l Las be