The Express. — London, England, 1853-11-29 00:00:00

erlPrEg3. TO COILRESPONDKNTIF. &See•xt.i • fee r.spre.." testan..te :ae seam :tr." t• ihed every issesay sal Er.d.y Webs. Is ems /or pe.t. layert”.10010. intended ler " Tie Ramos." Las.loo rei•Al mom t. It. 0i1... 10, 11••••ri00Irest, by TOO tt*.:..ht ea :be day 01 pub:Wailes. 111011 WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE . Tau DAT--MurOle ff , OA. Ms Atie OL Toamorm—liormag, lb. Jr... rftce r r un rn . 14'31: LONDON, TUESDAY, NOrE.VBER 2:P. WwlLar rumour is busily circulating reports detrimental to Turkish prospects—saying one day that Russia has crossed the Danube, and on the next that Austria and Prussia have withdrawn their Am bassadors from Constantinople—the Tur ks themselves seem to be holding their own both courageously and Successfully. They are still in force on the spot where they tint crossed the Danube opposite Widdin, and whatever the friends of Russia may say to the contrary, it is certain that the Wallachians are full of sympathy fur their Moslem fellow-subjects, and lull of hatred to the Russians. This is com pletely shown by the fact of Prince GORTSCUAKOIF having declared Wallachia in a state of siege. It is not necessary to put a friendly people under martial law, and the leader of the CZAEI'i army admits that the feeling of the Principality is against him when he substitutes the law of musket and bayonet Lee the law of the land. The latest step he is said to have taken is not likely to reader the unhappy peo ple he coerces more fond of his rule. He has ordered ont the Wallachian militia, and has brigaded them with his Cossack hordes, intending to use them against their own countrymen should any " sympa thising" sign be shown, and in any case to make than fight against the Turks. Em bodied originally for occasional service is na tional defentsfs, these Wallachian militiamen are now sompelled into regular military service on behalf of an invader. Their arms are turned thus against themselves—and a force established to maintain Wallachian independence is used as an additional instrument of NVallachian subjugation. All such extreme measures tend only to reaction, which— when the moment for it arrives—is sure to appear. That events will hasten that time, is most probable, for whilst Ott ax PACIIA is quite able to hold his posi tion in Wallachia the Russians seem to be losing theirs in Asia. More than one account goes to con. firm the statement that a force of about 6,000 of the (,%tit's troops have been repulsed near the town of Nicolai, at a time when some ships of war engaged in carrying Russian soldiers met with a disaster near the same spot. The next good news may tell of more Muscovite checks afloat, for a second Turkish naval division has entered the Black Bea, and there can be no doubt of the superiority of the gunnery of the Osmanli when compared with that of his northern foe. Indeed, if diplomacy is not used to give (under false pretences) the Russians time for recruiting their forces, and if England and France will but act with promptitude, we may soon see a sudden termination put to this Rossini aggression in the East, and a thriving state of peace substituted fur a wasteful and miserable war. But a telegraphic rumour declares that the Austrian sad Prussian Ambassadors have been withdrawn front Constantinople. If this could be believed, we might reasonably suppose that Russia had gained an open and unmistakeable mastery in the Cabinets of Berlin and of Vienna, and that King and Emperor had both decided upon an undisguised al liance with the CUR. Austria, as all the world know., dare nut ity in the fare of St. Peter.- burg. Having borrowed Cossacks to coerce Hungrily, she dare not go into open opposition to NICUULAS. But though thus in political leading-strings, it is so raaoifest ly her true policy not to allow Russia to grow stronger, that nothing short of lunacy could induce FRANCIS JOSEPH to eolist avowedly and willingly under the Muscovite banner to secure more dominion to Nteitio.ss. Hence one source of the strung doubt with which this last telegraphic statement must be received. Nor is the rumour less open to suspicion an other grounds. For Prussia to call home M. Vittneeßßl'CK would be even more absurd. If Aus tria commits herself to the CZAR, Prussia is not bound to follow on the same foolish path. Indeed, Prussian interests would be served by a false step on the part of Austria; and in proportion to the likelihood of such a step on the part of her neighbour, in like proportion is her own need for care. In the event of any real in volvement of France against Russia, if Prussia sided with the Autocrat, Louts NAPOLEON would have the door open for his passage to the Rhine whenever he pleased, and in any such contingency how could Eng land frame objections ? If Prussia is a renegade to the faith of civilisation she must take the consequences. The real interests of the civilised Western States of Europe are as one. Their only safe policy is to promote internal progress—to improve their people, to extend their commerce, to ameliorate their laws, and to render the intenhange of products of thought one amongst another more and more free. Their fo reign policy is to make common cause against the un mitigated despotisms of Russia and Austria, and to keep those despotisms at arm's length until the populations that languish under the CZAR and the Ziarestoa have, in spite of the tyranny oppressing them, gleaned enough of civilisation to make them strive for improved governments. The sympathies of • free people will always be with other nations struggling to be free; the arms of a free nation should always be ready to prevent barbarous hordes from swamping that which has outgrown barbarism. Hence Prussia, as a really cultivated nation, should naturally be found on the side of England and France—and in the present case of Turkey also—as against Russia and its output Austria. More than ore sign, however, indicates that King Fatoutte• WILLIAM is unequal to the comprehension of the true requirements of hie country and time; and stranger things under his rule may prove true than that the Prussian Ambassador has really been recalled flora Constantinople. At present, however, we will not believe that any such step has been taken. The Prus sian Chambers were opened yesterday by a . speech read by the President of the Ministry, in which it was said : " l'hut their deliberations cora " menced at a period of great anxiety as regarded ex. " ternal affairs,and at a time when the peace 01 Europe et might be disturbed by complications in 'he East. The government nei•her could nor would conceal " the fact that this aoxic-ty was founded on facts, but "still it was prepared to look with confidence on the " future. Prussia, suppoi tell by her own strength, and fully conscious of her own power, would continue, as " heretofore, her efforts in every direction to maintain " peace. and would hold in the cause of peace and " moderation an independent and impartial tone " throughout the whole of this difficult question." It the K ing will do what is here promised—will "bold in the cruse of peace and moderation an indepen dent and impartial tone' . in the Eastern Q 'claim), he may come well through a difficulty, otherwise• almost ay full of clanger to him as to Austri h. But to be independent and imp 1014 is not to lean towards Roues. 01\1.4 are ktilt rising is price. Next in universal importance to food, and its price, in England, Imes fuel and its cost; and as there are already THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 29, 1853 THE STRIKES. (FROM A SPICIAL CORRRSPOIDRNT .) PRESTON, Dionuor. All those symptoms which were visible in the dis ordered state of the town, are becoming fearfully ex -1 aggerated. There is no diminution in the army, 23,000 strong, which is vainly endeavouring to blockade the capitalists. There is no variation in the looks of the dogged waiters on Providence who stand' at every corner. They are perhaps a little more haggard, a little more sullen, but they appear to have no more hope than before, and to wait with the same confidence the possibility of something turning up. Taking the number of those who ought to be engaged in the mills, but who are now on strike, to be 23,000, and the population of Preston in round numbers to be 70,000, it will ap pear at once how large a proportion of the inhabi tants are idle. The reader may form some idea of the appearance of the town, by figuring to himself the altered aspect that London would present were a similar proportion of the metropolitan population to cease working, and loiter about the streets with their hands in their pockets. We should then see the extraordinary spectacle of nearly a million of idlers. Some idea of the enormous loss which the country sustains by the proceedings which the men have adopted may be formed k by a consideration of a few of the statistics of the strike of 1836. In the October of that year the men turned out. The whole num• bee of 8,500 hands, employed in 42 mills, stuldetly ceased producing either for themselves or their masters. The fixed capital sunk in the build ings and machinery was estimated at 550,0001. The working capital was valued at 250,0001. Shortly after the commencement of the strike the masters in vain made an attempt at a compromise by offering 10 per cent. addition to the present rates of wages. This was refused, and the consequence was that in December the distress was described as "universal and intense." On the 9th of January some of the men came to terms, and on the sth of February the mills were all at work. The estimated loss in wages to the hands in the mills was 52,8131. The hand loom weavers lost 9,5001. ; and the clerks, waggoners, and others suffered to the amount of 8,0001. The total loss to the working classes would thus be 70,0131. From this, however, must be deducted the wages earned by a few of the mills between January 9 and February 5, the amount raised by appeals to private and public charity and poor law relief, and the allowance made by the Trades Unions. This makes a total deduction of 12,803, leaving the net loss to the men of 57,2101. The loss to the masters of interest on their fixed and floating capital is put down at 45,0001., while that of the shopkeepers is estimated at 4,9861. The aggregate loss to the town was thus 107,1961. But the money estimate of the damage done is not all. The best workmen left the town. Numbers of those who remained acquired habits of idleness that could never be shaken off. The demoralisation amongst the females was incredible. The tone of the working class in general was lowered. Fearful as these statistics are, the history of the 1 1 present strike, should it ever be written, will present results still more fatal. There are no available data for estimating the value of the capital now invested in the mills at Preston, but that it must have been greatly augmented since 1836 is evident from the fact that it employs three times u many labourers as were at work in 1836. When we remember, too, that day by day new inventions are taking place in the machinery, and each novelty generally infers a rise of price, there will be little difficulty in coming to the conclusion that the loss sustained by the capitalists is augmented in a ratio quite equal to that which measures the loss sustained by the men- It is to be wished the misguided men or their leaders would, instead of indulging in vain hopes of victory, give one shadow of a reason to show that the effects of the present strike will be more in their favour than those of the last. The only argument that we have yet heard urged is, that they are better organised, and that they have discovered a new system of tactics. They say that they can unite the whole body of labourers throughout the kingdom to support the refractory workmen of one town, and that by this means they have it in their power to keep up the war longer than the masters. Allowing this to be true, is it quite certain that if the masters are beaten the men will be better off? What if they beat the masters so completely, that the latter are ruined ? Will the men find their account in that ? What if, when they themselves are tired of the contest, or are asked to name their own terms by some of the masters, it should be found that the capital of the latter is so much diminished that they must contract their operations? What if it should be found that only a few of the masters have sur vived the process, and that the capital of the rest has dwindled away to nothing, or has been removed to other trades? How will the men rejoice in a victory in which their ruin is more certain than in a defeat ? The conduct of the men at the present time is imitated from that of the sagacious carpenter in Hogarth's picture, who is represented sitting at the extremity of a sign -board, and sawing through the limb which supports him. Every step in the process of victory must inflict evil on the men themselves. They are senselessly rejoicing at the progress of the fire that is burning their own house down. The more capital they de stroy, the lees will be distributed amongst them in the shape of wages, whenever work is resumed. No a Labour Parliament" will be able to cause an addi tion to the wages fund, and no improvement can cake Once in the condition of the labourer until this is accomplished. This is arguing upon the supposition that the men can by an extension of their organisa tion throughout the empire, succeed in bringing the muters to terms. But there are many reasons against this supposition. In the first place it is quite competent to the masters themselves to form Associations. They have done this in many instances, and with success. In the next place, it is quite certain that a great number of the masters are independent of the profits of the capital they invest in mills, and will be able to hold out for an indefinite period. But there are a number who are not independent, and who will he forced to withdraw their capital if they are able, and invest it in other ways. The ruin or withdrawal of these capitalists will only strengthen the hands of those who remain, and the men, when they come to work, will find that there is no more employment for the whole of their number. There can be little doubt that the competition between themselves, in consequence of the diminished supply of work, will lower the rate of wages, aud that they wilt hod themselves worse off than before. Greater evils remain behind. It has been the policy of the men at Preston to remain tranquil in older that no excuse may be afforded for the inter ference of the military or police. Up to the present time they have strictly abided by this policy. But there are symptoms that they are becoming weary ut this. Preston, it is true, is tranquil, but it is Asserted that the men who mobbed the Preston masters at Blackburn had followed the masters from that town. The report, if true, adds to the seriousness of the complication. Those who will leave home to commit •iolence are not likely to remain quiet for mach longer in their own town. If riots take place the end of the strike will be even worse than we sytnptoms of our having a severe winter, the Great Coal Qu”stion has become everybody's question. What, then, is its present slats? A week spi the best cones were sold in the Pool for 231. a ton, , whilst at the corresponding period of 1832 theirice there was only Pts. a ton. Here, then, we haws ; rise is the wholesale London market of 7s. a ton; and that not caused, on these two particular days, by any diminution of supply—for on the 21st of Nov., 1833, there were 122 ships at market, against 77 on the 22nd of November, 1832. The supply of seaborne i coal is consequently at least quite as great, probably on the whole much greater, in the November of 1853 than it was in the November, 1832 ; and, as prices are still rising, it would appear to follow that, in 1 spite of the dearness of everything else, the demand of London fur coal, and the ability of its inhabitants to consume fuel, are increasing. In this inference there is at all events some consolation. Under a restrictive commercial system, with prices generally at their present figures, consumption would have fearfully declined; whereas, under the influence of commercial freedom, consumption is fully main tained, notwithstanding coals are 325. a ton retail price; and fine wheat was sold in Mark-lane yesterday at 80s. a quarter. A rise in twelve months of 7s. a ton in the retail price of coals would involve, assuming none but the best coals to be used, an increased outlay by London at the rate of 873,0001. a year on seaborne fuel alone. But there is in London at present a remarkable pe culiarity in the Coal Trade, for, whilst the wholesale price of the best " Lambtou'a" is marked at 23e. a ton in the Billingsgate Coal Exchange, railways pro fess to deliver the same article to consumers at their own doors for 265. ed. a ton ; that being ss. 6d. or 6*. a ton cheaper than coal merchants who purchase on the Exchange can deliver at. There are then two prices for the same commodity in Lon don ; and these two prices have again this peculiarity of their own, that the railways which sell at the lower price could, it is obvious, obtain nearly the same average as the ordinsry coal trade are obliged, selling only seaborne coal, to ask. Under such circum stances, were the ability of railways to supply the London market equal either to their inclination or to the public demand on them, prices generally, it is clear, would fall to the railway level. But there is the pinch of the whole question. London requires 3,000,000 tons of coal an nually ; whilst as yet railways can only furnish it with 500,000 tons. The great balance of 2,500,000 must consequently be seaborne, and the difference of price between the same qualities of coal, seaborne and railway, is accounted for by the high value of freights. At present railway transport to London is cheaper than sea transport ; only the means of railway transport are much more limited than the means of sea transport. There seems, how ever, to be a downward tendency to some extent in coal freights; they have ruled as high as thirteen shillings for the northern ports, but are now some what lower. Nevertheless, with a long winter in prospect, there is an opinion very generally entertained that they will not fall below an average of 10s. This opinion is based on the grounds that no considerable number of vessels from the Baltic trade have, as yet, gone into the coal trade ; no building of ships for it on a large scale is in progress, though some few screw colliers have been ordered for delivery at long dates; there is an uneasy state of feeling amongst the seamen in the coal ports, which checks enterprise amongst shipowners; and it is quite possible that wintry storms may this year again still further di minish the coal fleet. For these and other reasons it is doubted whether freights will tall to an extent that will materially benefit the consumer ; and even if they do fall, the unusual scarcity of coal in every southern port will create a eorepetition for shipping that will be unfavourably felt in London. itailways, of course, will bring every ton of coal far us that they can carry, and, that they may con tinue to be able to sell coal cheap in London, they will charge heavily for fuel at all those inland points where they have no rivalry with water carriage. But all that they can accomplish for London is not likely to lower the general price of fuel t, any great extent. What, then, can be done to cheapen coals? A great deal might be effected in the north, but, unhappily, by labourers only. The wages of both colliers and seamen have been greatly raised, but increased rates of wages are not accompanied by increased production ; irdeed in many cases higher rates of labour have only led to less work. Were it possible to persuade the Durham pitmen to earn more money by working harder than they now do—saving their spare cash for " a rainy day "—the effect of their greater in dustry might be to lower very considerably the price of fuel in London. We say that such might be the effect ; not, however, without corresponding exer tions on the part of the searaen. Tide after tide, day after day, is lost in the coal ports, by the apathy and indifference of sailors ;—and by this loss, the means of sea transport is for all practical purposes pro portionally diminished. Thus between the colliers and the seamen the supply of this metropolis with fuel is limited and restricted; prices are rising, and the " fuel prospects" of the working classes are be coming serious. Combination on the part of the coal owner, there is none. What with high wages and high freights, and high prices of every commodity they use in producing coal, the coal-owner has smaller participation in tl.e greatly increased cost of fuel than any other party to its production. To blame them for the present state of things is simply to display a want of knowledge of the facts or great prejudice, for no part of the public would profit more by labour increasing the supply, or by augmented means of transport reducing the freight of coals, than the coal•owners. The Government, too, might do something to lower the price of seaborne coal, by suspending the laws which restrict the coasting trade to vessels of English build and register. In a great emergency like this, when people of all classes and degrees are, at the very commencement of a winter, suffering in their pockets from the high price of fuel, caused by a dimi nution in the number of ships engaged in the coasting trade, it is the duty of the Go vernment, not to wait until it is moved to act, but itself to !!ct promptly on behalf of the public. It is indeed quite possible that on legally opening the coasting trade to foreigners we might be disappointed as to the number of ships they would send into that trade; but every foreign vessel entering it would be &gnat advantage to the country, suffering as it is just now from want of means of transport. We cheapen the cost of commodities to our colonies by throwing their coasts open to foreign vessels, why sletull we artificially keep up the price of coals to otmelvca by shutting foreign ships out of our coasting trade? This part of the , Great Coal Question at 1. apt is one that will attract parliamentary attention. E DEATH itONt COLD AND EXPwstIX .—Yesterday Mr. Carter held an inquest on the body of Fiume' Farquharson, aged 73. The deceased, who was the widow of a gentlennui formerly the owner of immecse estates in t h e w e ,i was an inmate of the Lambeth Work house. On Thursday she left the house with the other aged pauper. who are allowed a monthly holiday, and did not .rturn, hut early the next morning tier body was found bleu to the Loughborough-road. Iler clothing was wet threugh and the night had been exceedingly cold. In the course of the inquiry it a! p. asst that it is not the practice to allow elderly persons anything to eat while out on their holid .y ; hut that if Du y hove no friends they must come heck to obtain food, sad in 'hot case they are not allowed to go nut again the same day. This was condemned by several of the jurors ; bat a simple verdict of " Died from cold and exposure" was ultimately agreed to. have anticipated. Blood will very probab'y be shed. Tumult will be quelled by force of arms, and work will be resumed under worse condition. than ever. The delegates will be responsible for these evils. Many of them are shrewd men, and must see by this time that this is not a legitimate strike. Had it been legitimate—that is to say, had labour been so valuable as they assert,—the masters would long ere this have raised the price of labour by competing for labourers. But this has not hap pened, and will not happen ; because, just now, on account of the pressure in the cotton trade, labour is in excess. If the delegates would honestly confess what time has so effectually proved, and leave the men at once to make their own bargain, it is not yet too late to make amends for the evil they have done, and prove to the world that they are not actuated by those selfish motives which are so generally imputed to them. LATEST FROM ABROAD. OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN Yesterday (Monday) morning, the Prussian Chambers were opened by Baron Manteuffel, Minis ter President. The speech referred almost entirely to matters of merely domestic interest, but at its conclusion it was said that " Their deliberations com menced at a period of great anxiety as regarded ex ternal affairs, and at a time when the peace of Europe might be disturbed by complications in the East. The government neither could nor would conceal the fact that this anxiety was founded on facts, but still it was prepared to look with confidence on the future. Prussia, supported by her own strength, and fully conscious of her own power, would continue, as here tofore, her efforts in every direction to maintain peace, and would hold in the cause of peace and moderation an independent and impartial tone throughout the whole of this difficult question. Providence bad placed in Prussia a King at the head of an united, valiant, and patriotic people, and the govern ment, on every occasion on which it might be called on to act, would be solely guided by the true inte rests of the nation, which were inseparable from those of the crown." RUSSIA AND TURKEY. Prince Gortechakoff has seized and imprisoned the Boyar Kostakar Grazean, the head of one of the noblest families in Wallachia, with three of his friends. The Auysburg Gazette has intelligence from Poland of the approaching recall of MM. Kisseleff and Brunnow, Russian Ministers at Paris and London• Bodies of troops are continually leaving Poland for the south. Letters from Constantinople, of Nov. 16, state that Dost Mahomed has announced to the Shah of Persia his intention of making war against the Russians, and marching against them through the territories of the Shah. General Baraguay d'Hilliers had made his first official appearance at the divan. Letters from Vienna, under date of 28th instant, state that the rumours which have lately been in circulation, of the crossing of the Danube by the Russians, are erroneous. The Turks are slid in force at Kalafat. PARIS, TtEADAY. Prices at the Bourse have declined to day : the Three per Cents. fell 00c., and the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. 20c. Closing prices : Four-and•a-Half per Cent. Rentes, 99.90. Three per Cents., 74.30. SPAIN. The Senate elected, ou the 21st, its four secreta ries, three of whom were returned by the opposition. Lord Howden has left Paris for Madrid, to rebume his functions as ambassador at that court. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. CONSTAN fINOPLE, Not•. 11. In my last I mentioned the appointment of Fuad Effendi as political commissioner at the camp of Omer Pacha. His duties were not very clearly de fined in the title of his office, but it is now said that a part of his mission is to carry to Omer Pacha orders to suspend hostilities and to explain the reasons of this measure. You will remember that it was Fead Effendi who acted as Imperial Ottoman commissioner in the Principalities dunog the last occupation, and that he negotiated the arrangement of 1848 with General Kotzebue, the Russian diplomatist. Is it not remarkable that at the moment of Fuad Effendi's departure, we learn that this same General Kotzebue is at Prince Gortschakors head-quarters ? Is it impossible that these two personages may by some chance meet somewhere and concert such a compromise as must sooner or later end this strife ? Fuad Effendi, it is true, was dismissed in the spring at the express demand of the Czar, by the mouth of Menchikoff, but Russia would not refuse any conces sion by Turkey, merely because it was offered by a distasteful agent. Lord Stratford de Radcliffe is still indefatigable in his endeavours to bring about an arrangement of the present difficulty, before the war grows more desperate and its theatre is extended. The difficulties are immense, and seem insuperable, looking exter nally at the quarrel ; yet I believe that there is still a most sincere desire on the part of the Ottoman government to accept any arrangement which would leave to Turkey the rights of a sovereign state, and the liberty of developing herself internally according to the necessities of the times. The combined squadrons lie at anchor at Beycos, and a noble figure they make. The Turkish naval division, under our countryman, Muchever Pacha, is cruising in the Black Sea. Reports arrive of colli sions which have taken place with Russian ships of war, which are known to be out at sea. The govern ment publishes nothing on the subject, but it is not to be supposed that the ships have left the Bosphorus for nothing at all. Notwithstanding the general joy with which the accounts of vieories from the armies of Asia and the Danube have been received, the greatest calm prevails among the population. VIENNA, Nov. 23. Letters from Bucharest inform us that the native soldiery of Wallachia have been definitively incor porated with the Russian army to fight against their own sovereign. This is the act of the pharisaical Nicholas, who, after the conquest of Hungary, when the Hussar regiments of that country were re-or ganised, refused to allow a regiment to retain his name because it had fought against Austria, and re quested the young Emperor to give him another regiment. fbe government has received and published the following telegraphic despatch: BUCHAREST, Nov. 21. General Dannenherg hat informed Prince Gortsebakoff that the Turks have not only quitted Oltenitze, but also the islands in the neighbourhood, awl retired to Turtukai. As the vamp at Turtuksi, which was composed of 20,000 men, has been almost forsaken during the last tire days, General Dinnenberg will quit Budeschti to-morrow, leaving behind him eight infantry companies, eight guns, sad 300 Cossacks. With the exception of unimportant skirmishes, hostilities Lave ceased along the whole Moldo-Wallechian line. The doe before yesterday, the Wallachian artillery, consisting of eight stuns and the men working them, received orders to , man li to Braila, and to place themselves under the cm , mend of the (Russian) General Engelhardt. The ether W..llachian troops, us well cavalry as infantry, also expect to reee,se marching orders. The frontier-guard is in activity, .sad has already iissisted the Russians in warding off several sudden attacks. Letters have been received both in London and Vienna from C.mstantinople of the 14th, in which it is alleged that three British war steamers entered the Black Sea on the 13th. One correspondent thus specifies the ships:—The Niger, 14 guns, Captain Heath; the Wasp, Captain Lord John Hay ; and the Samson, steam-frigate, 28 guns. Three French steamers, it is said, have likewise left for the same destination ; and some British and French line ot battle ships are to follow. In opposition to this state ment, other letters of the same date maintain that no vessels of either of the cauibined squadron had left • the Bosphorus. The Journal de Onatantinolde, of the 14th, gives the following details of the affair at Oltenitza, as ga thered from the corrected translations of the des patches of the Turkish commanders:— It was stated that at that place 12,000 of the Imperial troops combated 30,000 Russians; that the Imperialists had, beture the action, received reinforcements, end that the battle lasted from ter past twelve to seven o'clock. In translating the Turkish bulletin into French, batta lions were mistaken for regiments. When the action commenced, the Imperial troupe consisted of three hot ted:eta, and not of three regiments, and during the avian Omer Pacha sent a fourth battalion to Minim. Instead, then, of 12,000 men, the Imperial troops only amounted to a little more than 3,000 ; and they, in four hours, not in seven, routed the Russian army, with the aid of the artillery of the Quarantine of Oltenitza, of the isle on the Danube, and of the fort of Tortokai. In four hours this artillery fired 1,500 balls. The following is a list of the forces which gained the victory of the 4th : —At the begianiog of the action, three battalions of regu lar troops of 800 men each; dating the action an ad ditional battalion of regulars ; two companies of the Im perial Guard of Sd men each ; two companies of carabineers (like those of Vincennes) of 100 men each ; a battery of 6 pieces; a company of toot artillery: 10 pieces in battery on the island ; and tautly, 22 large pieces in the fort of Torto kai. Altogether there were 3,700 men end 38 pieces of artillery, against 25,000 or 30,1100 Russian. and 32 pieces of artiliery. The Imperial troops were entrenched near the Quarantine of Olteuitsa; and they only lost, in consequence of their good position, two sergeants, a corporal, and 11 soldiers ; they had 76 wounded. Amongst the wounded is Ahmed Pacha, who commanded at the Quarantine. Although he received in the left hand a serious wound, he did cot cease to combat so long os the action lasted. Arab Pacha, who commanded at the battery of Oltenitzt, pointed himself the gun which killed a Russian general, whose name is not yet known. Tile success of this battle, iu which the Imperial troops lost so few men, whilst the loss of the Russians was several thousands, was owing in great part to the Turkish artillery, and especially to the large pieces of the tort or Turtokai ; the latter made such frightful ravages in the Russian army that the chiefs, in order to oblige their soldiers to march, killed, it is said,',a dozen men with their own swords. Lord Worsley, Captains Bathurst and Herbert Wilson, and Lieutenants Buckley, two brothers, all officers of the Guards of the Queen of England, and General Prim, were at Tortokai with Omer radio, and when the battle was over, they warmly embraced hint, end cordially con;ratulated him on the results of the glorious day. SERVIA. We have several letters from :his principality to the 18th instant. Nothing is to be learnt from them respecting the hostilities which rage so near to Bel grade, but the particulars relating to Servian affairs which they contain are of unusual interest. The expulsion of the Russian consul-general was the universal topic of discussion. 'I he agents of the European governments at semi-sovereign states like Servia and Egypt, do not take a regular diplomatic title out of deference to the sovereign power, but in fact they are accustomed to claim and receive all the consideration which is usually conceded to members of the coy, diplomatique in independent states. M. Muchin had only been in Servia three weeks, when the difficulty which ended in his expulsion arose. He had visited Prince Alexander, and had received the visit of the Servian minister in return, but he had not been recognised by the consuls of France and England, who, judging according to the law and usage which regulate matters, declared that in de fault of the herat or exequatur of the sovereign Porte, M. Machin was a consul but in name. It is no secret that when the Czar and the Sultan were nominally at peace, the agents of Russia were fomenting discords between Servia and the Porte, and endeavouring to draw over the people of Servia from their Prince and his sovereign to the side of their master. It was, therefore, altogether out of the question to allow a Russian agent to establish direct relations with one of the feudatories of the Porte, and carry on his machinations under the eye of the Turkish Pacha who keeps the citadel of Belgrade ; and accordingly Izzet Pacha roundly told the Prince of Servia that he must expel M. Machin, and that without delay. That this requisition was complied with our readers already know. The excitement prevailing at Belgrade, as well as in the interior of Servia, is described as very great. The first and last object of the Prince and his leading councillors is to maintain the neutrality of the province. By treaty Servia is bound to aid the Porte in its present struggle, but it is not by any means likely that the Sultan will demand this , assistance. The Servians are fellow-believers with the Czar. Their church, however, is totally inde pendent of the jurisdiction of Russian spiritual au thority, the Archbishop of Belgrade, the metropo litan of Servia, exercising full power throughout the principality. At the same time religious I affinities are strong enough to restrain the Servians from taking up arms against Rus sia. Against Itabsia they will plead duty to the Sultan, against the Sultan the Servian government will all( ge the impossibility of inducing the people to fight against the protecting power. There are many reasons why the Prince and people of Servia should embrace the cause of the Porte at the present juncture. It was the Sultan who stood by Alexander Georgewitch, the actual Prince, when in 1843 his nomination was condemned by the Czar Nicholas and Lord Aberdeen. That youth, as Lord Aberdeen called him (he was only torty-five years of age), has seen the Porte offend its faithful Maho metan Bosniacks, and provoke an insurrection only to be put down by the skill and conduct of Omer Pacha, in its determination that this Christian prin cipality should flourish in the full enjoyment of its rights and franchises. It was only in the spring of this present year that the Servian Prince received from the Russian consul general a peremptory summons to dismiss from his councils a wise and popular, but too independent minister, M. Garaschnin, President of the Adminis trative Council. The summons was obeyed, and it was followed by renewed demands for the dismissal of ministers. Bat the people and senate came to the help of the Prince. The latter voted a resolu tion continuing to M. Garaschnin his salary, although he had resigned office, and presented to Prince Alex ander an address in which it declared that the removal of the minister had caused it the greatest pain, and then said: "The National Council sees with great regret that the Russian government, not content with the great sacrifice which Servia has just made, has put forward claims which tend to violate the constitution, and necessarily cause a most powerful impression in the national mind. The National Council approaches your Highness with the assur ance that, in common with your Highness and with the whole Servian nation, it acknowledges the neces sity of defending the constitution; that it shares the enthusiasm of your Highness for the interests of the fatherland, and is ready with all its forces to assist your Highness, in word and deed, in whatever you may fled it good to undertake for the defence of the national rights." Such was the language which the Serviau senate felt itself called to hold in relation to Russian pre tensions no later than March last. It cannot, there fore, be said that the Porte and the Principality have not a common interest in resisting the aggressive advances of the Czar. FRANCE. PARIS, Tua,DAN . Evr.Niso. The letters brought by the Egypt us contain few facts of interest beyond those contained in the letter of your own correspondent. It was reported that Baron Prokeech would succeed M. de Bruck as inter nuncio at Constantinople. There is no trace of any confirmation of the rumours of an armistice which have been lately circulated so profusely, and judging from the language of the Constantinople journals, Fund Effendi's mission to Omer Pacha's camp is any thing but a peaceful one. It is said in a Berlin journal that couriers are now constantly passing between Paris and St. Petersburg, and the French government has lately stationed two additional messengers at the terminus of the Konigs berg Railway. A telegraphic despatch from Poitiers states that the four emptoye% of the Orleans line tried for having by their negligence occasioned the late catastrophe have been found guilty. Baron de Creveeoeur is sentenced to a year's imprisonment and I,ollofr. tine, NI. de Sassenay to two years' imprisonment and 1,500 fr. M. Laudrh to one year and :ioofr. tine; and M. Leroy to six months imprisonment and 300 fr. fine. M. Dideon, the manager, is declared civilly respon sible. A new work by M. F.tnile de Girdrdin, entitled "Solutions of the Easton Question." will appear to-morrow. The complexion of the Bourse is totally altered to-day. The decline in Consols and the news of the Emperor of Russia having withdrawn his tanner from the Bank of England produced a depre ss i n g effect. The " recall "of the I'm Alan and A ustrisi ambassadors from Constantinople was thought in some quarters equivalent to a diplomatic ruptu re , but there does not seem to be any good ground fur this construction. It was reported that a treaty of alliance offensive and defensive between France and England had been signed in London on Saturd ay , Various other vague reports of a disquieting kind were in circulation. The Threes declined to ;Ur. 2hc., being a fall of 70c. from Saturday ; and the railways, with scarcely any exception, felt considerably, the fall in many instances being 10, 12, and 13fr, AUSTRALIA. -- 4-- - LIVERPOOL, NIONbAV. The clipper-ship Indian Queen, Captain Mills, one of the Black Ball line of ships between this port and Australia, arrived here this morning, with ad. vices from Melbourne, &c., to the 30th August. She brought 60 passengers and 38,992 oz. of gold duet on freight, besides a large quantity in the hands of passengers. She sailed from Port Phillip Heads at 1 p.m. on August 30, passed Swan Island Augu s t 31, New Zealand September 15, Cape Horu October 6, and crossed the Equator November 1. She left this port . for Melbourne on the 17th May ; and ha s thus made the outward and home passage in 6 months, 11 days, including a detention of 23 days in port. She made 330 miles per day for several days off Cape Horn. Her greatest day's running during the outward trip was 311 miles, and coming home she made 335 miles in one day. The passengers speak in the highest terms of the kind and courteous treatment they have received from the captain and crew during the voyage. Gold continued immovable in value, notwithstand• ing the considerable fluctuation in the extent of the supply, the last price quoted being 31. 17s. 6d. Two persons said to have been concerned in the robbery of a gold escort, have been arrested, and lodged in gaol in Portland. Two government escorts had arrived at Melbourne on the 30th—one from M'lvor and Goulburn, with 1,408 oz., and one from Castlemaine, with 3;),;i t io ounces. Great dissatisfaction had been manifested by the " diggers," owing to having to obtain a license to dig gold. Several meetings had been held for the purpose of obtaining a reduction from 30s. to lo s . p er month. The executive had despatched some soldiers for the purpose of suppressing an attempted rescue of diggers, who had avowed their intention of not paying the September license. An almost universal feeling was prevalent in the colony that the present Governor (Sir Wm. Deni son ) was quite incapable for performing satisfactorily the duties of his office, and hopes were entertained that he would be superseded, and x man of energy and decision appointed in his place. The Cleopatra steamer was to sail for this port on the let September. On the lt4th August a congratulatory add ress was presented to Mrs. Mitchel, wife of the Irish exile. on the occasion of his successful escape. There was little or no change in monetary matters beyond the extension of the demand for drafts on London. Exchange on London was quoted at par for 30 days' bills, or per cent. discount for every additional 30 days. Owing to the stagnation of business, several failures had taken place, and the winter season setting in, the commercial communication with the diggings was prevented. The flour trade at Melbourne was improving, ad. ditional firmness having been evinced in the colonial imports of that article. Tea, coffee, and sugar maintain previous rates, except British loaf sugar, which is decided:y lower. English bacon and hams have also se riously declined. Manufactured tobacco declined 2d. per pound, and timber is 10 to 20 per cent. lower. Shipping.—Arrived: Caton, from Glasgow, at Port Philip Heads, Aug. 24 (leaky, and with part of cargo thrown overboard); Mary Goddard, from hence, and Caroline, from London, at Melbourne; Adele, from London, at Portland; Confucius. from London, at Geelong. An American correspondent writes as follows: Melbourne is a perfcct phenomenon —an immense mass of wealth, surrounded by the must primitive p.ases of ciety. It is generally believed that on account of its geo graphical situstim lad growing importance—fir surpassing Sydney—the chief government Australia will be reatived hither from thence. The Raid mines still hold out in wonderful abundance. but the winter has much impeded the ..q.Lratious of the miners. The winter season opened with ti., doeovery of the Mac Ivor diggings. This has been sum eded by the discovery of the Guisiburne mince, in the adjacent neighbour hood. The old mines continue to yield well ; 44,195 ounces have been brought down during the past week, of which Mount Alexander and Bendigo contributed 32,000 oz. A rumour reached the city two days since that another eaten sive gold field had been discovered. From the great num ber of miners spread over the country, and the approaching spiting weather, it is expected that some extraordinary de velopments will take place. The total amount of gold exported from the colony of Vic:oria alone is .57 tons 7 cwt. 3 qrs. Illbs., amounting in value to 5,165,3701. The ave rage number of persons who have arrived every week in Melbourne during the winter has been 2,000, which will be much exceeded as the spring approaches. Indeed there is a large immigration here from San Francisco. The markets for ail kinds of merchandise—with but very few exceptions, such as building materah—are much de pressed, and sales are being made at auction at a great sacrifice. The large shipments, the bad state of the roads to the diggings, and the want of store room, are the causes of this. There are whispers that two leading houses here are knocked up. The flour market especially has been sorely depressed, and the loss of the shippers must be consider able, as that article has been selling at a positive loss. la many instances large quantities have been reshipped to Liverpool for sale, to avoid the enormous expenses of lighterage and storage. For the past fortnight, however, a slight revival has taken place, and best flour tow sells at 301., and inferior at 281. per ton. A grand mistake oar merchants commit by sending here very inferior flour, which will hardly sell at any price. A large meeting of influential merchants was held here a few days since, for the purpose of petitioning the locaigo vernment for a grant of money for the carrying out of an ocean penny postage, and making Melbourne the central port for the arrival and departure of monthly mails to all parts of she world. This scheme is an admirable one, and will no doubt be very shortly adopted. The immense wealth and traffic in Melbourne demand it. A great cause of disaffection is the license fee at 30s. per month which is imposed upon the diggers. Within the past few days large meetings of the diggers have been held a Melbourne and at the diggings, and resolutions of the most forcible character have been passed, and passive and armed resistance has been determined upon. A deputation from the diggers had an interview with the Governor, when he told them that he was prepare .I " to do his auty," and would enforce the law by an armed force. The diggers are not represented in the legislative councils, and consequently they have no triends, but they are determined to have the franchise. The legislative council commences its sittings on the ; , titl. inst., when they will proceed to frame a constitution for this colony—it a supposed on the Canadian model. DARING HIGHWAY ROBBERY OF A CLERGYMAN. —As the 11ev. Mr. Morgan, curate of Aberavon and Bag lan, Glamerganshire, was returning home on Thursday evening, about 8 o'clock, alone, and on foot, when about half way between Baglan and Abeiavon, a distance of less than two miles, he was suddenly attacked by two men, one of whom grasped him firmly by the neck and placed his hand so tightly on his mouth as entirely to prevent hi, uttering a cry ; his confederate at the same time searched his po.kets. and succeeded in finding a pocketbook con taining 191. 18s. As soon as he found ahe exclaimed, All right, Dick, here it is.'• They then ran off with their booty, and no traces have yet been heard of them. From their accent Mr. Morgan thought they were Irishmen. Thep were dressed like navvies," and were probably em- ployed at the Brittonferry Docks or the neighbour.eg works. Mr. Morgan had two 51. notes in another pocket, which was not rifled. He had only a few hours before re• ceived his quarter's stipend, which was the reason of hie ing so much money upon his person. SCOTCH AGRICULTURE.—With the exception of occasional showers, the weather continues highly favourable for wheat sowing. From the disappointment experienced last season as to the restricted breadth under wheat, using to the continued rains of autumn and winter, farmers have been more than usually active since the weather clearet up. Never has the land been in better condition for receiving the seed than at present, and already about the average breadth has been got in, and which is more important, in a manner the most satisfactory. The mild weather has kept the turnip crop growing vigorously, and they have been bulbing well for some weeks. The consumption has been for some time overtaking the supplies, fat stock is going rapidly out of the hands of the feeders. In the Lothians at least, the potato crop is keeping well in the nits, and high prices are still obtained for these sent to the English mar kets-61. ss. per ton for the best qualities. The corn trope are thrashing out well. more particularly barley and oats. — Seamen.