The Express. — London, England, 1853-10-14 00:00:00

Ehe erortAA. Settotel Eto.we of 'The Kam.," toottantatte tbo &.m, melee's ogtesotte," is pobauttal seers Tuesday and Vnday nista, is tam kr post. Ilerett.,seats Intruded for "Me Espeses." lad= Lorelei paper. most ba at the 0111 s, 10, Ilesverewereet, b, Tau cictotk ea the day of FAWNING. RIOR WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. DST-11WWI& K. tr, .. Alterer.r. Oh. Ssil. Toweaampw N. hi. .. After...we, LONDON, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14. MR. GtAttsroxt's dogmas respecting the Eastern Qaestion. and matters therewith concerned, are of a far more dubious character than his references to Free Trade. The •• Turkish" part of his Manchester speech is unsatisfactory, and we must frankly say not a little Jesuitical. Unfortunately, too, it completely substantiates the thsagneuble surmises which hare been put in circulation respecting the part taken by the Aberdeen or Peelite section of the Cabinet. Mr. Gs ueitoNt must be regarded as speaking the senti ments of Lord A DERIMEM and his friends, as con trasted with those expressed by Lord JOHN RCULLL and Lord PALmsastow. Mr. GLADSTONE commenced by the gratuitous as sumption that the parties in England who have complained of the dilatory and undecided action of the Cabinet in the Husao-Turkish dispute are eager for war. The reverse of this lathe truth. The great objection urged against the temporising policy of the Western diplomatists has been that it gave Russia time to strengthen itself in the unlawfully occupied territory of the SULTAN, and that it promoted the growth of impatience and irritation among the Turks, rendering a hostile collision a thing scarcely to be avoided. In short, those who have been loudest in complaining of Ministerial kicheme have been so in the interest of peace. This Mr. GLAD STONE must have known; but it suited his object for the time to assert the cwitrary,—and he did so. Having thus attempted to prepossess the minds of his hearers against those who dissent from the policy be favours, Mr. GLADSTONE went on to untold that policy cautiously feeling his way, trying the tone of the meeting before he committed himself, as he went on. He explained that the great interest of England in the Eastern question was, by prevent ing the breaking up of the Ottoman Empire, to pre vent the absorption of power by Russia, which would be the first result, and the wars arising out of quar rels about the division of the spoil which would ensue. He held that the simple maintenance of the Ottoman Empire, independent of these con siderations, did not concern England. Had he stopped here no objection would have been raised to what he said; but he went on to declare that the independence and integrity of the Ottoman Empire meant something very different from the independ ence and integrity of England or France, and to talk about the political solecism of the Mahomeclan faith exercising what may be called a despotism, but he would only call • domination, a sovereignty, over twelve millions of our fellow-Christians. These considerations are quite irrelevant to the ques tion. The Ottoman Empire, it is true, hangs more loosely together—or appears to us to hang more loosely together—than England or France, but so does the Austrian Empire, and so, for that matter, does the Russian Empire. Again if it is a political solecism" for twelve millions of Christians to be subject to a Mahomedan Government in Turkey, what is it for millions of Mahomedans to be subject to a Christian Government in British India? When the question is of the main tenance of the independence and integrity of any State against lawless and unprovoked invasion we have nothing to do with the vices or virtues of its internal organisation. There can be only one law of nations for States ; if it is to be varied in each particular case it will cease to be a general, a known, a practically useful law. Of this Mr. GLActroxx, whose intellect is emi nently acute and subtle, is well aware ; in affecting to ignore this principle therefore he must have had some ulterior object. That object is not far to seek ; it lies on the serface. By hinting at the assumed weakness and dilapidation of the Ottoman Empire, he threw cold water on the seal with which his hearers might be disposed to assert its independence and integrity ; by talking about the " political solecism" of Christians subject to a Mahatma= despotism, be excited sentiments inimi cal to the Turks, and leaned the indignation felt against R. Mr. Okanwroza,in short, following in the wake of the 27sses, did his best to let Russia off as easily as possible, and to minimise the sym pathy felt for the Turks. But the people of England will recollect that the right of the nations of Europe to rise in combination against the despotism of KtroLaox was not lessened by the ease with which that conqueror had previously rods roughshod over and trampled in the dirt the weak and vicious Oovernasts of Pope, Emperor, Lags, Eaters, and the whole array of more Walla sovereigns. As for the " despotism," et " domina tion," or " sovereignty" of Mahon:edema over Chris tians, it will be time enough to speak of it when we Ira of the Turks expelling missionaries from their territories, as the Free Church missionaries were best those of Austria—persecuting Protestants es the Orand Duo of TUSCANY has the MADILI and MIS CC/11X011AMIL, or branding all Bible Protestants, — the an as incendiaries, the women as something still more degraded,--as was done by the Pore in es encyclical letter. But Mr. Gunetorin's groundless imputation of a kve for war against all who dissent from his policy,— his sophistical distinction between the independence and integrity of Turkey and the independence and integrity of France or England,--and his uncharitable and untrue insinuation against the tolerance of the Turks, were all only preparatory or prefatory to the development of his grand scheme of European inter national policy. Raving done his best to make Russia appear as little unamiable, and Turkey se odious as possible, Mr. OtAncroxe adverted to the proposal to settle all national disputes by arbitration. Considerable program, he went on to say, had already been made in realising that excellent and humane idea. The Great Powers, he reminded his hearers, have during the lest twenty years interfered with authority to pat an end to local disputes. "It was quits clear that the effusion of human blood had been prevented • • in the main by the intervention of great States, who in the combined affsirs of Europe have a right to say to Europe—with something at any rate like author ity—toaay to particular corners and portions of Europe "You shall not prejudice the general peace, and you shall not set us all by the ears on account of your petty local interests, and to recommend to them arrange ments which upon the whole it has been found for the interest and compatible with the satisfaction of Forties to embrace." We wonder how the originators of the plan of national arbitration will like Mr. GLADBTONIeII realisation of their project, in which the right and power to dictate to all minor States is conveyed to the Five Omit Governments, three of which are despotic, one banging in the wind between the legitimate and the revolutionary basis of authority, and only one the representative of a his and liberalised people. The instances cited by Mr. GLADSTONE to slum the beneficial results of " arbitration," as exerrlsed by his crowned arbiters, are Belgium, Spain, Turkey, and Greece. In the tint place, all these " arbitra lions " were enforced at the _expecte of more or less bloodshed ; but that is not all. In Belgium the arbitnl settlement of the Great Powers, which conjoined Holland and Belgium in a eat and-dog union, was set aside by the latter nation with the assistance of France and Eng land, Mr. GLADSTONE'S party crying out against the proceeding as iniquitous, and seeking to drive Earl GREY from office because he was a party to it. In Spain the Cortes was suppressed by French arms, the absolute powers approving, and England vainly protesting. The interference in Turkish affairs is now the main theme harped upon by those who seek to show that the Ottoman Empire cannot and ought not to be upheld. The gain of I Greece by being transferred from the despotism l of a Turkish Sultan to the despotism of a German King is extremely problematical, and it was purchased by the bloodshed at Nava rino. Mr. GLADSTONE'S illustrations of the working of the arbitral interference of the Great Powers are anything but inviting, and he has omitted every case which he thought told against him. The arbitration of the Great Powers sent Aus trian soldiers to crush Neapolitan liberty in 1822, and to uphold the Absolute King ever since: the result is that tyrannical system against which Mr. GLADSTONE himself has so loudly protested. It sent French troops to re-establish the temporal despotism of the Pori. It sent Russian troops to extinguish the liberties of Hungary. A rude soldiery have been the instruments with which the Great Powers have " recommended " their arrangements; the mar- tyrdom of patriot, on the scaffold, in the ditchA of fortresses, and in the stifling atmosphere of subter ranean dungeons, is what he alleges have rendered thew arrangements " compatible with the satisfac tion of all parties." The language of the Tunes had excited suspicions as to the foreign policy of the Aberdeen section of the cabinet. Mr. GLADSTONE, as mouthpiece of that section, has at last spoken out, and the worst suspicions of the public are strengthened. He and the other Aberdeenians would again make England a ser►ile abettor of the despotic policy of the Continental Monarchs—a disgraceful bondage from which Eng land has been released ever since the death of Lord ABERDEEN'S patron and master, CASTLEREAGU. Such an inglorious recurrence to the shameful policy of the degraded Clierczaaxos and Sri:mount would not ensure peace, for the struggle between peoples and abeolute monarchs is not to be so terminated. And it would outrage every honourable and inde pendent sentiment of Englishmen. LATEST FROM THE CONTINENT. TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, Ocr. 1. A further levy of 80,000 men has been ordered. These troops, with the army corps of Syria and Arabia, are to reinforce the camps at Batonn and on the Black Sea. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, Orr. 10. The fast steamboats of the Imperial Danubian Steam Navigation Company have ceased to pass below 01110T11, but the ordinary passenger boats still run as before. ITALY. ROME, Ocr. 4. The British schooner Candidate we. put under 10 days' quarantine, although she sailed from Liverpool with a clean bill of health nine days before the first cholera case at Newcastle. The authorities now further require the consignees to disembark all the cargo, open the bales, and expose them to the air for ten days in open boats, which they are to hire at their own expense. Upon remonstrance the con signees were told that they might take the Candidate elsewhere. THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY as the exact amount of the Mussulman population, " Allah ! Allah!" exclaimed the minister, patiently stroking his beard, "this fellow is in %gnaw, and has nein trsvelled in our parts." The Russian agents, as before•mentioned, have been come time actively endeavouring to negotiate directly with the Porte, provided with an ample fend of their usual arguments, and setting forth in strong colours the humiliating and contemptible attitude of the allies. On Monday the representatives of the Four Powers had an audience separately with the Sofitan. A vessel laden with warlike stores, !peek, and other mammies, arrived from Alexandria on Monday last. It wu destined for the Egyptian °ones. Ilse Debate states that according to its corre spondence of the 29th ult., the resolution to resist Russia, even should all the Powers abandon Turkey, was taken in the Grand Council by a majority of 160 votes against 3 dissentients. The ambassadors of France, Austria, and Prussia were the first to press oa the Porte the acceptance of the Vienna note ; Lord Stratford de Redeli ff e alleging that he had no instructions. Afterwards his instructions arrived, and then, says the Debate, " he associated himself to the act of his colleagues, and their note was remitted to the Divan. Reschid Pacha then saw the ambassadors, and requested them to notify to the several courts that war was about to be pro claimed immediately. The three ambassadors then proposed to try a last appeal to the Sultan, but Lord Stratford declined to be a party to the act. The Portafollio Maltese states, from Constantino ple of the 25th ult., that the Sardinian ambassador there, Baron Tecco, has delivered a report to the Turkish Minister of War, written by Capt. Govane, of the staff of the Piedmontese army, who had on invitation, inspected the Turkish fortresses along the Danube. The report is stated to be generally fa vourable to Omer Pacha's measures. The Corriere Mercantile of Genoa of the Bth quotes au article from the Gazette del Popolo, positively stating that the Hungarian General Klapka, who is noted for his defence of the fortress of Comorn, has been appointed by the Porte commander-in-chief of all the fortresses of the Ottoman Empire. We have no confirmation of this intelligence from any other quarter. The Petrie, alluding to a statement in an English journal, that Persia had declared against Turkey, and that a Persian army had arrived on the frontiers of Armenia, says the assertion is unfounded, and that a letter from Erzeroum, the principal town of the province, dated the 18th, announces on the contrary that the court of Teheran, vigorously supported by the English charge d'affaires, had rejected the Russian propositions. The eame letter also says that Persia had not yet made any military demonstration 1 whatever. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. The statement that Prince Meachikoff is to su perintend the government of the Principalities rests only upon an on die from Bucharest published in the Breslau Gazelle. The announcement that Marshal Paskiewitch is to ammo the command of the occu pying army is at present traceable to no better authority. A private letter from Constantinople states that the Uhmas had offered to place 200,000,000 piastres at the Sultan's disposal. His Majesty, in making the declaration of war, requested the ambassadors to assure their rappee tire sovereigns that his wish was to settle his diffieenoes with the Emperor of Russia amicably ; but be added that his monitors had cap tured Constantinople with sword in hand, and that if fate ordained that it should fall to another master the Turks would quit the country sword in hand, or die ss soldiers for their national faith. A correspondence from Jamey of the 96th, quoted by the Paris Patrie, announces thel the reigning prince of Moldavia laviag wising te feign in con sequence of the dillealtin 1 lanades, gravely augmented by the eta demise he money, Prince Gortahakelf had ehiseld Se hie retirement. The Patois also aqs that prima lanes of the Ist state that Resebid Pasha was going idasealf to Prince Ontsehakcif to Mhem him of the determi nation of the Peete,a si er e a ct Ulm whisk seems very unlikely to be ce One of our own consommlects writes : CONSTANTINOPLE, Su?. 79. After the BOLSI, which, as you are aware, was held at the Seraglio on Satur day, 24th inst., the Grand National Council, consisting of ministers and At-ministers, naval and military authorities, the Sheik Islam, the corps of UMmahs, and others, was convoked on the 26th inst., and sat for two days in anxious deliberation. The Triton, I may mention, arrived here in the nick of time with despatches for our embassy, at 11 p.m., after the first day's debate. Lord Radcliffe early next morning had an interview with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and made, it is understood, some important communications. The vote of the Council was such as you may have anticipated from all my latest communications, and after a long and laborious discussion, in the utter impossi bility of making any farthercoocessions to Russia was decided on. Rescind Pacha made an eloquent speech, which lasted three or four hours, and was followed by Mehemet Muterdjim, the Sneakier, the Scheik ul Islam, and several other influential members of the Divan. The only dissenting member of the assembly was Namik Pacha, who proposed, it in understood, to accept the project without modification. The vote of the Council has produced a reconcilia tion between all parties, and the utmost harmony prevails at the present moment in the Sultan's cabinet. Popular excitement, which threatened, as before mentioned, some serious disturbances and even the overthrow of the government, has been completely appeased—all seem animated with one spirit and one dogged resolution to defend to the last the national honour. Hence, you perceive we are here as unsettled as ever, and war, I fear, is inevitable, unless, indeed, the mediating powers decide on adopting, at the eleventh hour, far other means than those hitherto employed —and which are a general object of ridicule and con tempt—to arrest the imperial aggressor in his ini quitous campaign. The upshot, depend upon it, with all its awful and incalculable consequences, will be the very reverse of what has been nucl e i. pated. The Sandjiac-cherif will soon wave is front of the whole population of Islam, in courage and numbers far different from the representations of your well-known London contemporary. His " non-intervention " effort in favour of his Ine employers was being expounded by an interpreter the other day to a Turkish functionary, when I happened to enter; and on owning to the item "three snillioas" FRANCE. PARIS, WEDNESDAY ETZEINO. In the following important paragraphs from the Constitutionnel you will find, besides other interest ing intelligence, tho fullest confirmation of the news I transm►tted to you yesterday from a private source: " We receive this evening, by way of Vienna, the following letter from onr Constantinople correspon dent: " CONSTANTINOPLE, SEPT. 29. "As might easily have been foreseen, the extraor dinary council which met on Sunday, the 25th, and continued its sittings to Monday, resolved unani mously that Turkey could not accede to any of the demands addressed to her—that is to say, she could not cancel her own modifications and accept purely and simply the Vienna note. This declaration was tantamount to a declaration of war, subject to the Sultan's approbation. This approbation has been impatiently expected for the last three days, and people were beginning to make all sorts of comments upon the delay, when just now the Imperial Asti was communicated to the Porte. Thus, then ' all is decided. War is now resolved upon, and all that remains is to proclaim the commencement of hostili ties. This will be done in three or four days, by the publication of a manifesto, which Reschid Pacha has been commissioned to draw up. "We publish this letter as we receive it, without changing a single word. " The despatches brought by . the Fury for the English government arrived at Pans yesterday. His Excellency Lord Cowley immediately forwarded them to London. The news which they contain are shortly these :—The Divan on the let October transmitted to Omer Pacha the order to summon Prince Gortschakoff to evacuate the Danubian Principalities, in default of which hostilities were to be declared between Russia and Turkey. Neverthe less, Omer Pacha, who is in an excellent strategical situation, will not make any movement to cross the Danube, and will await the Russian army in his pre sent position. On the same day, the Ist inst., the Divan regularly made an appeal for the moral, and, if necessary, material support of France and Eng land ; and officially demanded the presence at Constantinople of the united fleet from Besika Bay. This demand of the Sultan coincides with the decision taken in common by the governments of France and England as regards the co-operation of the Beet. We believe, in fact, that on the 27th September last orders simultaneously left London and Paris for Admirals Dundee and Hamelin to conduct the vessels under their orders to Constantinople. By this time this movement must have been executed." Owing to the warlike tenor of the news of the day, the Three per Cents. opened with a fall of 70c. from yesterday, at the low price of 72.20. This quotation induced several speculators for the fall to buy in to realise profits, and later in the day the slight reaction thus occasioned was stimulated by the reported denial that the movement of six English regiments from Dublin was in any way connected with the Eastern question, and by accounts from Vienna that Me • nes continued to rise. The Emperor and left Bt. Cloud to-day to spend a fortnight at Compiegne. They came through Paris to the Northern Railway station, passing along the Boulevard des Italiens in an open carriage at a quarter-past two. The station was decorated for the maiden. After their Majesties had entered the state carriage, and before the signal for the depar ture of the train was given, the Emperor conversed for some moments with Baron James de Rothschild, and invited him to pass a week at Compiegne. Strict order, have been given against the erection of trium phal arches at Compiegne, and it has been intimated that no deputations will be revived, and no speeches made, their Majesties wishing to make their entry into the town as privately as possible. Flags, how ever, will be hung from the windows, and it is ex ' petted that curiosity to see the Emperor and Ent rees will attract a large assemblage of the neigh bouring peasantry, The Emperor yesterday gave private audiences to General Baron de Fagel, the Dutch minister, who presented an autograph letter from his sovereign ; to Baron do Wendland, the Bavarian minister, who delivered on the part of his Bavarian Majesty the insignia of his Royal Order of St. Hubert, with • letter testifying his personal sentiments of esteem towards his Imperial Majesty; and to Baron de Chancy, who delivered his letters of credence as resi dent minister at Paris of the Grand Duke of Hesse. PARIS, TMUILIID&T EVININO. We are now expecting Eastern news from Lon don, where fuller accounts of the intelligence brought by the Fury than we are yet in possession of will probably transpire. In the meanwhile the follow ing salient facts have reached Paris. Prince Menchikoff is appointed governor, or rather viceroy of the Princi palities, the Hospoclas being deposed ; Prince Peaks witsch, a favourite fighting general, has been appoined to supersede (lortachakoff; vast preparations are mak ing for the reception of additional Russian troops; all Russian functionaries in Turkey are preparing to leave; the Porte has ordered a fresh levy of 150,000; and the Emperor of Russia is said to be in a towering passion. Strange to say, many people still cling fondly to the hope that the Conference of Vienna will yet hit upon a plan" to arrange everything ably. The Bourse was very confident; the 'l7inf e. es for account only fell 5c., and for money they rose sc. Almost all the railways improved. At the Bourse to-day, at five minutes before the close of business (3 o'clock), the price of Consols was placarded for the first time. This being an event in the financial history of the two countries, I send you a copy of the telegraphic despatch : . - " lindic de la Cic. dee agens de change. Bonne, Paris. Louden, Jeudi. 91.4. " Parvenue a 2.40. "GEORGE WEBB. " Expedia I 2.4.3." fG, OCTOBER 14, 1853. It is satisfactory to find that a measure so lenity called fee se a protection to the public against ;also reports is at length taken, and doubtless this first experiment will be improved upon. To-day it was generally observed that the official placard was worse than useless. The usual contradictory reports about the price of Consols had been flying about all the mottling. The despatch cominf at the last moment, t.nd omitting the essential pattualar of the hour at which it was sent from Co baill was of course no guide for the concluding operations here. The figures, al though not properly written, were generally under stood to mean 911, but many people cried out that it was a mistake for 911, and to make the confusion worse confounded, somebody had written in pencil under the despatch, before it was put under its pro tecting glass, 911. Thus, in spite of the telegraph, we must wait for the evening papers to-morrow be fore we can know with any certainty the price of Consols. _ Yesterday the translation of the relics of St. Theodosia (n Amiennoise saint), was celebrated with great pomp at Amiens. A report was current that the Empress was to be present, pursuant to a pro mise given to the archbishop. Her Majesty, how ever, did not attend. There was a vast assemblage of the faithful. No less than twenty-seven arch bishops and bishops, French and foreign, were pre sent, besides three cardinals, of whom Cardinal Wiseman was one. One of the few, if not the only one, of the working men's societies not dissolved after Dec. 2 was the so ciety of working hat makers, which was allowed to go on upon the representation that the members were wholly free from the leaven of politics. The police, however, now report that they have become very " turbulent." Fifteen of them were arrested a few days since, and the society will now probably share the fate of its predecessors. HOLLAND. The Minister of Public Worship, in Holland, has informed the royal commissioners of the provinces that the Dutch government has received an official communication from the Pope. That communication announces the establishment by his Holiness, in the kingdom of the Netherlands, of an archbishop and four bishop., and the nomination of high ecclesiastics to fill them. In conformity with the new law rela tive to religious liberty, the commissioners can, in consequence, communicate officially with these digni taries, provided their family names be joined to their ecclesiastical titles. GERMANY. VIENNA, Oct. 9. The denial by the government of the report that the Sultan had declared war confuses the notions of this public not a little. The telegraphic accounts received on Friday from Semlin by re spectable houses, although brief, were so explicit and categorical, that the most experienced politicians in cline to think that the denial of the government at taches itself to some unimportant point of form, and that if war has not been declared in the diplomatic sense, some equivalent act has been done at Constantinople. It is a question whether any regu lar declaration of war could be fairly demanded of Turkey u a preliminary to hostilities. Every sove reign power has naturally the right of self-defence by arms, and the grounds of hostilities which it is the object of &declaration of war to set forth are pal pable when arms are directed against an invader. It is therefore perfectly conceivable that war may take place without the intervention of such a form, and perhaps this is the key to the enigma now puzzling the good Viennese. The Olmutz propositions have soon become effete. The negotiations, however, still go on, and Count Buol, M. de Bourquensy, and the Earl of Westmore land have frequent meetings. It is maintained by the organs of the government that although the courts of London and Paris have not thought proper to accept the declaration which the Czar was willing to see placed by the side of the Vienna note, yet the concessions which he made at Olmutz relative to the sense of that document are so important as to supply a basis for further diplomatic action. I believe that the public men of Austria are nervously anxious for a speedy settlement of the question, and will do all in their power to bring it speedily to a peaceful issue. The Lloyd was seized to-day. PRUSSIA. A letter from Berlin of the Bth mays :—" Up to this time the Emperor Nicholas has remained exclusively in the circle of the royal family. His MAjesty did not come to Berlin to-day ;he reviewed the garrison at Potsdam, and expressed a desire that no fête or rejoicing should take place in honour of his visit. At one o'clock this morning Baron de Manteuffel, pre sident of the council, had a private audience of the Czar, by whom he was received with the greatest distinction t the conference, however, did not last long. To-morrow the Emperor will be present with all - his suite, among whom are Generals Adlerberg and Orloff, at the celebration of Divine service in the Russian chapel, near Potsdam, and in the evening his Majesty will leave. He does not proceed to Warsaw but direct to St. Petersburg, via Konigs berg. It is rumoured in well-informed circles that the Emperor will not remain long at St. Petersburg, but will proceed from that capital to the theatre of events." The German papers publish the following note, dated Innspruck, Oct. 7 :—" The news is confirmed that four emissaries of Massini have been arrested. They betrayed themselves by their conduct. When a gendarme demanded their parporta, one of them drew out a pistol from his poc et. There were found on them English passports, proclamations, and letters which compromise many persons in Southern Tyrol. They also had 40,000 florins. A fifth emissary escaped" ITALY. NAPLES, Ocr. 4. The despotism of the Neapolitan government is as stupid as it is cruel. Corn is dear, and the poor are crying out for food. What is to be done ? Arrest the corn dealers, say the King's advisers! Where upon a few days since the corn merchants found themselves one morning suddenly called away from the exchange to be locked up in the police office. The corn trade in Italy is like thecorn trade all over the world when you close the ports and make the population of a country depend for its food on half a dozen banking houses and a few rich speculators. To remedy this evil in Naples, the government has decreed free trade in grain, bat at a time when all the markets of Europe are quoting advanced prices. The result is very little corn comes to Naples, or any other Italian ports, which enables dealers to hold oat, for which they are arrested. But as this pro ceeding failed, they were all let out again, and bread still continues to grow dearer. There is only one means left for supplying the poor with cheaper food, and that is by the government becoming buyers in foreign markets, and bearing the loos of underselling at home ; such a measure is now in contem plation. I hear from all parts of despotic Italy that the coming winter will see much distress and even famine in some places. In Tuscany, Rome, and the Two Siciliea, the resources of the country are eaten up by the large standing armies which support the corrupt governments. Trade is dull, and there never were so few English ships in the Italian ports as at the present moment. I have before referred to the increasing steam trade of the Mediterranean, which is rapidly super seding sailing vessels. The Peninsular and Oriental Company has just put on two steamers between Mar seilles and Malta, which are sure to succeed if the extravagantly high port dues do Aot interfere with the desire on the part of the company to cheapen the most expensive bit of steam travelling in the world. The Neapolitan Board of Health has published the new quarantine arrangements. England and Hol land are to observe ten days ; passengers performing that period in the lazzaretto. Vessels coming from France are placed under seven days' " observation." These arrangements will very much affect trade and travelling. Those who propose visiting Southern Italy this winter had better do so by land. All the Italian ports will have imposed quarantine before this letter reaches England. No one in Italy waited for the meeting of the Em perors of Russia and Austria to learn that their policy was one and the same. But new projects have grown out of that event. When Russia has played out her game in the East, and Lord Aberdeen has completed the degradation of England, Austria is to attach Tuscany to her empire, so says the despotic party here. No doubt we shall " protest," and may be send a fleet to Leghorn ; but as all the world be lieves we are afraid to fight, our navy has no more effect on our enemies than the painted monsters of Chinese invention have on civilised man. Neapolitan Fives, 109!; exchange on London, 532. PIEDMONT. The Opinion* of Turin, of the 9th, has a long article on the arrests of refugees lately made in Pied mont. A plan had been concocted at Sarzana, under the inspiration, the Opiniune says, of Mazzini, for the invasion of the neighbouring states, and this plan the Piedmontese government discovered in time to prevent its execution. The papers seized during the late arrests are said to furnish ample proof of an in tended attempt upon Piedmont. AUSTRIAN ITALY. The Parlamento of Turin quotes a letter from Milan of the 3th, announcing that all furloughs have been suspended in the Austrian army of Italy. The Milan correspondent of the Opinione states that a great many arrests have just been made in Austrian Italy, especially in the Venetian provinces. A considerable number of prisoners have been taken to Verona. All soldiers en conge have been recalled under their colours. THE WEST INDIA MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, FRIDAY MORNING. The La Plata has just arrived here. Her dates are Chagres, September 23; Jamaica, 26th; Trini dad and Demerara, 23th ; St. Thomas, 30th. A treaty of peace, with a boundary line, is just completed between Yucatan and the Indians, through the mediation of the British consul at Honduras. 1 At Belize a Spaniard has been executed fur the murder of Colonel Henderson. All parties at Ja maica are anxiously expecting the new governor, m and are inclined to give hi a fair trial. Four cases of cholera occurred at Kingston just before the packet left. A few cases of yellow fever still occurred in all the islands; Trinidad at present suffers most, but it is abating there. Tortola is quiet. Sixty-one of the ringleaders in the late riots are in custody. At Demerara business is dull. Shipping abundant freights low. The appearance of the home market and the abundance of tonnage has caused a demand for all kinds of produce, which is now selling at high rates. POSTAGE REFORM IN VAN DIEMEN'S LA\'D• The following is an extract from a letter received from Sir William Denison, the governor of Van Diemen's Land, by the secretary of the Colonial and International Postage Association : " The association has been anticipated in this colony, in asmuch as a bill is now being prepsred for the purpose of being laid before the Legislative Council at its next sitting, and which the g ent proposes to discontinue the charge for postage on all letters received from other coun tries, and to require the payment of one penny, or two pence as the council may decide, icstead of four-pence as charged at present, upon letters forwarded from Van Die men's Land to places beyond the seu." Vbe Court. BALMORAL, Om 12. Her Majesty walked out yesterday morning, at tended by the Viscountess Canning, and in the afternoon drove with the Princess Helena. Prince Albert went out deer stalking. Sir Charles Wood left town yesterday for his seat, Hick. leton.hall, Yorkshire. The Right Hon. Sidaey Herbert left town for Ireland yesterday. (BY ZLICTIOC TELEORAPH.) EDINBURGH, THURSDAY. The Queen and royal family arrived at Holyrood at 6.40 p.m., from Balmoral. THE FUNERAL CAR OF THE LATE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. -4-- The exhibition of the magnificent funeral car of the late Duke of Wellington, with its heraldic achieve meats, military trophies, Mc., is now open to the public at Marlborough House, Pall-mall. The car is placed under an elegant marquee, erected by B. Edgington, of Duke street, London-bridge, in a temporary building, and the interior is hung with scetcheons of black velvet, showing the various orders of the late warrior. At the head of the ear are placed effigies of the three shaft horses abreut, which render the spectacle more complete. The public are admitted without tickets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and with tickets on Tuesdays and Fridays. THE REGISTRATIONS. MIDDLESEX. Yesterday, Mr. Lancelot Shadwell continued the revision of the list of voters for the metropolitan county, at the King's Head, Enfield. The day's revision included the districts of Edmonton, Enfield, File= Barnet, Hadley, South Mims, and Tottenham. _ _ . - In the parish of Friers Barnet, Mr. Jones objected to flue claims made by members of a Freehold Land Society. The claimants not appearing, and Mr. James, the Liberal agent, not having been famished with then instruc tions to oppose the objection, the court decided that the claims were not proved, and they were accordingly disal lowed. The other caws were devoid of interest. Ws; - ware will ;it tiiii -- d - a - y -- at --- tie Chasid's Arms, Edgware. DRAMA. - - - -* - ADELPHI. The Discarded Soot (which continua, and will &subtler continue a lug time, to draw great houses) was Mowed last night by a little farce' called Holt Charges; Bus to Cooke Bilos ; an attempt to extracts little mamement from the c lam our which the Times has con trived to raise about the extortions of English hotel- Wows. The subject is treated exactly as the title give meson to expect. A traveller of dashing exterior arrives at a Brighton hotel, and makes it known to the audience that he intends to practise upon the dread of being shown up in the Tints, supposed to be prevalent among the inn t:Wraternity at present. Accordingly he orders a dinner with expensive wines and then contrives Misering the bosh of a letter, addr essed to Blinn, Br., to be sem, to make the people believe that he is the "Wan" they are all afraid of; and he frightens them flurther by being overheard reading from his tablets me moranda for a letter to the Times. Terrified out of his wits, the landlord endeavours to gala the stranger's good report, by making • bill of exemplary modera tion. Dinner is served with most obsequious attendance, and • perfect illumination of wax-lights; sad the erne is enlivened by the waiters 'matching away the dishes, trying to carry off full bottles of wine, and other jokes of a practical kind. The gentleman calls for his bill, which is brought—eighteenpence for dinner, two shillings for a bottle of claret, and so on—no wax-lights, attendance, or anything of the sort. The traveller expresses astonish ment bat is demurely informed that such are the regular Muir of the hove. He pays his six shillings ter his splendid entertainment, and goes away. Presently an irri table old gentleman and an old lady make their appearance, one after the other, in a great rage at the extravagant bills presented to them. Their complaints are treated with inso lence; but in the midst of the altercation, the bug bear " Biffin " suddenly re-appears, inquiring what is the matter, to the dismay of the landlord and his myrmidons • when it appears that the supposed Hifila is • Captain Something, the old lady's nephew. He reads the landlord a grave lettere on the duty, as well as pod policy of moderate charges, which concludes the piece and serves as a moral. Some variety is attempted by the introduction of a dismal, sentimental, head-waiter, who ls frantically jealous of the freo and easy attentions bestowed on his fiance', the chambermaid, by the military stranger. The piece, it err is written by Mr. Selby, who phi-- seems, r laaYed the principal part. It is not neuly so good u some of that gentleman's former productions. Its literary pretensions, Indeed, are of the lowest kind ; but it will answer its pur pose of filling up an hour, and raising a little laughter for • few nights, or, perhaps, a few week.. INQUEST ON A LIEUTENANT, R.N.—The circum- cumetances attending the death of Lieutenant James Elwin, H committed to prison in default of finding sureties to keep the peace towards police -sergeant Back, were investi gated oa the 4th inst., in the apartments of the governor of the borough prison, Dover, before Mr. G. T. - Thompson, coroner of the borough. The jury having been sworn, and Mr. Bennett Judge appointed as foreman, the coroner observed that through the death occurring in prison the inquiry was rendered necessary by l►w, that it ralaht be ascertained whether death bad been accelerated by any neglect on the part of the goal officials, and whether any attention had been paid to the deceased The jury were perfectly satis fied with the evidence adduced, and returned a verdict of " Death from natural causes." Deceased was said to be 59 years of age. Two of his brothers were present at the inquest.—Konlie/t Casette. PEACE CONFERENCE AT EDINBURGII. The Conference of the Friends of Peace met in the Music Hall, Edinburgh, on AVedaes.lay. There er.ii a very numerous attendance both of members and the large hull being nearly tilled in the mornim% and entirely filled in the evening. Among the gentlemen on the platform were—Diehard Cobden, Esq., M.P.; John Bright, Esq., MP.; ('hurls. Cowan, Esq , M.P.; George Hadfield, Esq., m.p, ; Charles Hindley, Esq., M.P.; J. B. Smith, L'•q .1.P.; L em Bell, Esq., M.P.; Edward Alkali, Ewl. , ALP.; Lawrence Heyworth, Esq., M.P. ; Joseph Crook. E.q , 31. p; Thomas Biggs, Esq., M.P.; Joseph Sturge, Esq thir mingham; Samuel Bowby, Esq., Gloucester; the Le m John Burnet, London; Butritt, El. ; is m D r. Guthrie, Edinburgh; Rev. Dr. John Brown, Edinburgh, &e., &e. Letters of apology for absence were read from Mr. Joseph Hume, M.l'., Sir David Brewster, the Rev. J. James, Birmingham; Mr. Jos. Brothertua, M.P.; Tho s . Barnes, Esq., M.P.; Dishy Seymour, E.q., M.P.; J. Silk Buckingham, Esq.; James Kershaw, Esq., M.P.; it d u Cormenin, Paris; M. Auguste Vissehere, Brussels; De, Varrentrap, Frankfurt, &c. The following is the letter from Mr. Hume; •' Burnley Hall, Norfolk, Sept. 26. Sir,—l am this day favoured with your letter of August last, a circular from the committee in Eslsuburgh, tv pro mote a meeting to be held on the I2th of th:tober ensuing of the Friends of Peace. It will not be in my power to at tend the meeting as requested ; but I am more convinced by what has occurred in Europe during the last twelve months, that the course suggested by the lute Conferences is the proper course to be followed by Sovereigns of States to avoid war, and it ought to be persevered in. 1 would not say that all international disputes can be amicably ad. justed by arbitration, but en attempt amnia is, every case be made, and experience teaches us th..l in many eases seek attempts have been eminently successful. If my speech to the Earl of Aberdeen, at the lout meeting u , Downing street, be referred to, it will be seen that we ask the cabinets and kings in Europe to do with national disputes and ensue whet every p es . dent man does in any dispute he may be involved to ; and the Earl of Aberdeen admitted th..t ♦iew of mine to he reasonable, and he admitted the benefit that may be d e . rived from having a previous declaration from kings aid cabinets to that purpose. That is all that can be done, and all we ask. If the substitution of arbitration could be adopted generally in Europe, the reduction of the present enormous military and naval establishment. would follow. If it bo for one moment considered thst the industry and finances of Europe are burdened with the payment of sear two millions of unproductive men, who /night be employed in productive industry, it must follow that the interest and welfare of every country would be promoted by the re. trencbment and economy that would follow the adoption of arbitration. Where there are persons who will not allow that wars ore against Scripture, it stems of importance to teat your proposition on the great social and economical benefits that each nation would derive from the reduc tion of the present large military establishments. It I were present I should take that course of argument, and I en. tertain some hopes that the frequent discussions on the sub ject mast be attended with benefit to the cause of peace. I hope the proceedings at the conference may be such as to include all the enemies to war into the advocacy of that reasonable proposition. • " I retrain your obedient servant, Josern Hume. " l'.S. If I were to point out the danger to England from the maintenance and support of such enormous military and naval establishments, I hove only to bring the sum expended thereon in comparison with the very limited expenses incurred by the United States of America for their establishments, and to ask what must ere long be the effects upon our manufacturing establishments'? How will Great Britain be able to produce as cheap as the United States, when the taxation is four or five times greater than in the United State' ? Industry pays the taxes, iicd the cheapest article will find and will keep the market. " J. 11." The LORD PROVOST of Edinburgh, who was called on to preside, briefly explained the objects of the Peace So ciety and of the present conference. Mr. Iticii.tuos then gave a restum: of the proceedings of the society since the conference met at Manchester in is. nuary lut. Professor M'MICHAEL (United Presbyterian Gaud; Dunfermline), then moved the first resolution That ft is the special and solemn duty of all ministers of religion, parents, instructors of youth, and conductors of the public press to employ their great influence in tho diffusion of pacific principles and sentiments, and in eradicating from the minds of men those hereditary animosities rad political and commercial jealousies which have so often been the causes of disastrous wars." Mr. M tau, M.P., seconded the resolution. He referred to the negotiations which had taken place on the subject of the Eastern question between the great powers,and observed that these were the circumstances under which the Peace Conference had met. Now, he would ask of what earthly interest was the whole quarrel to this country ? lie debied that there was any large principle interesting to humanity in the integrity and independence of the 1 urkish empire, or in which the progress of society was in the slightest de gree concerned. Mr. COBDEN said—Perhaps it was proper that our es teemed chairman and the geatlemen who have preceded me should enter into a few explanations as to the peculiar tenets of this Conference, deeming it necessary that we should not be misunderstood at a moment when they con ceived that this movement was encountering peculiar oppo sition. Well, lam glad they did so. Though Ido not in tend myself to assume the tone of the defensive on this oc casion, it is well that our friends have explained what are the peculiar objects and what are the doctrines of this asso ciation. My experience in past movements of a public kind teaches me this: It is very difficult when you have got hold of a good cause to bring your opponents to a fair and candid discuuion of what you really mean. It is a great deal euier to misrepresent than to meet you wften you happen to be right. (Hear, hear.) Anil therefore, instead of meeting us such as we are, and opposing our objects such as we represent them to he, when we hold meetings like this, the enemy raises the cry, ' Oh, they are a set of fanatics, who, if Cie enemy was at cur gates, would cry ' Peace, peace.' (Hear, hear.) They are a set of people who want us immediately to dis band our soldiers sod sailors, and to invite the invasion of a foreign foe. These people would lay us prostrate at the feet of the first horde of brigands who chose to land on our shores." Now, I wish to make my profession of faith most distinctly with regard to this, very shortly. I don't believe that there is anybody coming to attack us at all. (Cheers.) I h►ve never heard or read in modern history of anybody that meditated an attack on our shores (Renewed cheers.) I will hardly except even Napoleon the Great; because he came and took a look at us, and then turned away to a more inviting foe. (Cheers and laughter.) But what my reading and experience has taught me is this, that the 'danger which Englishmen have to apprehend arises from that peculiarity in their temperament—that idio syncrasy of their nature—for nations have their idiosyo- crazies as well as individuals—which leads them con. stantly to go and seek for grounds of quarrel and objects of hostility in the remotest parts of the glohe—(cries of " hear, hear," and cheers)--and I h►ve seen that in past times England has at times been successively fighting the battles of almost every nation on the globe ; but I have seen that, whether the objects of their intetvention in remote quarrels have been to advance the principles of civil and religious liberty, or, as I have sometimes heard, to promote free commercial intercourse—l have seen that our objects have steadily eluded our grasp, and that the only result—almost the only practical result—of this chariot teristic of our country is this, that we have loaded ourselves with an amount of debt greater than that of all the other nations besidea—(hear, hear)—and that we are mistrusted, and not liked, by almost eery nation in Christendom, (Applause.) Nor do I see that the spirit cf late times has been very much changed for the better, for, if we cannot be per-uaded to go and attack somebody else, then it seems to be equally easy to persuade us that somebody else it coming to attack us. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) Now. I beg most emphatically to be understood, that when I attend these peace meetings, it is not that I wish the we should bow down the neck to invite the invader. Nobody intends—nobody wishes—to invade us. (Hear, hear.) The quarrels you have had, the w►rs you have had, and the debt you have incurred, have been of your own seeking; and what I want now is—and it was never more necessary than it is at this moment—what I want, if I can, is to put . . _ a check, however 'eeble, to the tendency which a large por tion of the people of this country have, who seem to me to be working to erect into a maxim for public opinion that what we hitherto found only appertained to princes and despots—our people seem to learn nothing, and forget nothing. (Ilear, hear.) When I speak of our people, mind, I am not going to draw down upon myself the taunts and rebuke that would place me in this disadeantageou