The Express. — London, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

Ent eritreAA. TO COURESPONDIINTS. Meg toldiam N .11be Lapses." artatasai Ul4l we evesises . 8 0eimetto," be 'FAMINE every Tuesday sad !rigs, sight, us tuts aler;temereta trended ler "no ltrpeeet." Leaden Karate; paper. meat he at tee trace, le, dattewledersat, bp Tee Veloak ea the W el palatines.. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. T.lB "T —l ionliat.l. Afters. , " 7h. We. Twasampur—Marslag. few Afternoos. Y. 25.. LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23. AGAIN we find the Vienna telegraph announcing "on authority" the measures adopted by the French and English Govern meu ta ! According to this telegraph, both Governments, as soon as they received intelligence of the disaster at Sinope, despatched instructions to their admirals in the Bosphorus to enter the Black Sea. Ordinary mortals cannot, of course, be expected to understand or appreciate the wisdom which makes great statesmen and great diplomatists do every thing in a different way from the rest of the world., From all that we can learn, the statement we have just stated is substantially true, the very suspicions channel through which it reaches us not withstanding. Unluckily, the circumstance of the Vienna Telegraph's being right on this occasion warrants a fear that there was equal truth in the statement it was lately employed to convey, that the combined fleets would only enter the Black Sea to prevent further hostilities between the belligerents— to prevent the Turks from taking vengeasce for the massacre at Sinope. The French and English Go vernments must, therefore, be aware of the leaky propensities of the Vienna Cabinet, and must conse quently be prepared to see any information they may transmit to it immediately imparted to the public. la other words, any information they may trans mit to Vienna is meant for publication. What useful purpose isaerved by flashing the news along the electric wire to Vienna and back again before it is allowed to reach the journals of London and Paris is one of those mysteries of State which, as aforesaid, ordinary mortals cannot be expected to comprehend. Why, we spin ask, are we to look to Austrian sources for news of what an English Cabinet is doing? Has Lord ABERDEIN to seek Austrian permission before a national fact is made public ? It is se far satisfactory to learn that the com bined fleets have been ordered to enter the Black Sea; it would be more satisfactory still to be assured that they would be usefully and creditably employed while there. On this head it is impossible to feel confident, so long u the statement in the official journal of Vienna, that the fleets are only to be employed to prevent the Turks from retaliating for the aggression at Sinope, remains uncontradicted. It is true that we have reason to believe that the Sinope affair has at last opened the eyes of a majority, even of the English Cabinet, to the real intentions of Russia; and that the Russian embassies, both in Paris and London, are quite in a flutter of preparation, protesting that they are to take flight as soon as intelligence is received that the combined fleets have entered the Black Sea. Such a step on their part would assuredly go far to define the relative position of France and England towards Russia with still .greater cer. tainty—to compel these Powers to act decidedly with their ally Turkey. But even in that case, the melan choly reflection will remain that an immense deal of valuable time has been lost. The progress of the Turkish arms in Asia may have been impeded by the interruption to Turkish convoys, which the presence of the combined fleets in the Black Sea might have prevented. It is true we attach little credit to t h e boastful accounts of a victory on the Caucasian fron tier, to which the Russians have now restricted their claims. Prince ANDRONNIKOFT'S Bobadilisn bul letin contradicts itself. He seeks to make it appear that his troops had stormed an " inaccessible " position, strongly fortified, after wading across a river, the water of which reached to their, armpits, under a strong and well-directed fire of artillery, and driven the enemy from their entrench meets after an obstinate and protracted hand-to-hand combat, with the loss of only forty killed. But he afterwards intimates parenthetically that " the loss of the Cossacks, the artillery and the militia,"—in short, of the main body of the force under his com mand—" has not been ascertained." The Russian general claims to have slain 1,000 Turks and taken 40 peisosen (a curious coincidence that the number of his own men killed sad of the enemy captured should be exactly the same); but he leaves his Emperor in the dark as to the loss of life on his own side by which this advantage has been pined. And it is the only advantage gained by the Russians as a set-off to the otherwise victorious advance of the Turks into the Russian territory, and to the enthusiastic adhesion of the natives to their cause, along more than 150 miles of frontier. AU allowances beige made, the partial check experienced by the Turkish arms near Ach alzic, cannot be regarded as of any importance. It interests us only as an illustration of the bold blasphemy with which Russian piety presumes to play with Omnipotence. The Cara, and his coun cillors, know right well, that even though the exaggerations of Prince ANDRA:CRUMP were literally true, still the balance of success and defeat would preponderate dreadfully against them in the Caucasus. And yet they order their priests to intone hymns of thanks for victory—to celebrate a grand Te Drum. If this be not practical Atheism, and treating the Divinity as an empty name and laughing-stock, it would be hard to say what is. There is, therefore, ne reason to despond as to the condition and prospects of the Turkish armies in Asia r but this is no excuse for the Governments whose irresolution, vacillation, and impediments thrown in the way of the SULTAN'S Ministers, have gone far to deprive those forces of needful supplies, by enabling the Russians to cut off the communica tion between them and Constantinople by sea. The conduct of the Emperor of RUSSIA in seizing upon the Danubian provinces has proved his want of com mon honesty ; his exultation in the mas sacre at Sinope has proved his want of com mon humanity; were it certain that he pro mised the English Cabinet to abstain from any hostile ageressioes on the Turkish territory, except to the north of the Danube, until negotiations were at an end, the attack on the Turkish ships under the guns of the fortress at Sinope, and the burning of the town, would prove him a promise.breaker ; but, as Lord ABERDEEN and the Russian Government are at odds on that point, we shall not insist upon it. Lastly, the profane mockery of thanking Heaven for imaginary victories proves that he fears Gun as little as he regards man. And yet it is unblushingly maintained by some of his creatures in the press,' and insinuated by others, that the cause of Rus sia against Turkey is the cause of Christianity 1 against Infidelity. To support Turkey they al- 1 lege is to support the oppressor of Christians against their protector. Let us leave out of view for a moment the profane mockery in the chuichea of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and look only to the conduct of the two powers to such of their subjects as differ from them in creed. The haughty Moslem, cry the partisans of Russia, will not allow the Christian Rajahs to enter his armies ; be exacts money front them instead. But read the details of the Malian conscription in Poland; let any , unbiassed mind ask itself whether the unhappy THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 23, 1853. LATEST FROM ABROAD. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. -4, - The semi-official Correspondent of Vienna an- nuances that the French and English governments, u soon as they had intelligence of the destruction of a Turkish squadron at Sinope, sent off orders to Admirals Hamelin and Dundee to enter the Black Sea without delay. By the same organ the government had previously intimated the probability of such an event, adding that the ships would enter the Euxine on a peaceful errand. It is also understood that the last intelligence re ceived by the two governments from Constantinople makes it probable that the messenger conveying the orders above mentioned would find that the fleets had already entered the Black Sea. AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE BALTIC. (rams OUR OWN CORRUPO , ODIXT.) LIVERPOOL, FRIDAY MORNING. About 2 • o'clock this morning the United States mail steam-ship, Baltic, arrived in the Mersey with usual mails from the United States and British North America. The Baltic sailed from New York on the 10th instant, and has brought besides the mails about 90 passengers, and above one million dollars in specie on freight. The Royal mail steam-ship, Niagara, from hence arrived at New York on the 10th instant. A Treasury report presented to Congress contains the proposed alterations iri the tariff referred to by the President in his Message. The free list is to be enlarged to such an extent that it will affect the annual revenue to the amount of eight millions of dollar,. All dutiable articles are to be 25 per cent. or 100 per cent. All such articles as are included in the highest duty bearing list and the free list are to be specified. Those not so named are to bear an ad valorem duty, except perhaps the article of iron. Californian dates to the 13th November had been received, end 3,000,000 dollars are reported from that state en route to New York. The United States mail steam ship Humboldt, ye ported per last steamer as ashore near Halifax, will be a total wreck. Business at New York was altogether io a better position. Monetary affairs continued to improve, and business in the money market wu in a more flourishing condition. Stocks showed more steadi- Dela The market for breadstuff' was very unsteady owing to the advice" from England. Prices were inclined to :recede, and very few transactions were effected. Western Canal flour was barely supported at 6 dols. 7,1 c. to 6 dole. 871 c.; Clennessee prime wheat, 1 doL 74c. to 1 dol. 76c. per 60 lb. ; Indian corn, round yellow, 78c. to 80c. per bushel, barely supported. In Cotton there has been a fair amount of business doing at New York, and former quotations were steadily maintained. The following were the rates on the day of the departure of the steamer :—New Orleans and Mobile, mid. fair to fair, 11;e. to 121 e.; Uplands, mid. fair to fair, Ile. to Ilic. The Provision market had exhibited more briskness than of lets, and prices showed greater firmness. Freights were little changed at the departure of the Baltic. The asking rates were—Flour, to Liver pool, 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. per barrel ; grain, Is. to Is. Old.; cotton, 3-16 d. to ld. per lb. Exchange on London was quoted at 1091 to 1091, but with few sales; Paris, 5.121 to 5.15 ; Hamburg, 37 to 371; Bremen, 81 to 811. have lost 24 guns 1,500 wounded, and their camp material, wu fought at Ougousti. What the troth is we are not likely to know before the delivery of letters from Constantinople, and perhaps not by the first mail from thence. Remembering how decidedly the Russians beat the Turks in their bulletins from Oltenitza, we need not be too much concerned at these paper defeats of the Turks, which come from Vienna and St. Petersburg. ' The Journal de St. Petersbettrg of the 13th con tains the following despatch, which may servo to show the movements of Prince Rebutoff immediately before the action on the Ist. " After the battle of Bayandoury General Prince Rebutoff, with twelve avid a half battalions of in fantry, the Prince of Wurtemberg's regiment of dragoons, nine sotniim of Cossacks of the line, and four sotnias of Don Cossacks, with 40 pieces of artillery, passed the Acpatchai on the night et the 25.26 th November (N.S.). The Turks, unwilling to accept combat, withdrew in all haste in the direc tion of Kars. The snow, and the necessity of clear ing the frontier of marauders, have determined Prince Rebutoff to canton his troops for a time on the frontier. This forward movement has had the result of bringing the inhabitants of the Sandjak of Schuragbel to make their submission to Prince Rebutoff, imploring his protection, and promising to result all the attempts of the Kurds and Turks against the Russian territory." The Journal de St. Peterabourg adds :—" In con sequence of this victory, the Czar ordered that those who had admission at court should repair to the winter palace for a general thanksgiving. The ladies appeared in the Russian national dress, and the gen tlemen in grand gala. In all other churches of the capital public prayers of tranksgiving were offered, and the population came in crowds to join the ser vice. The most pious Csar thanked the Lord of Lords fur the success of the victorious Russian arms which triumphed in the sacred combat for the ortho dox faith." _ _ _ The reflections cast upon the French government by a ministerial journal on Tuesday, which in'imated that France had stayed the hand of England when this cabinet would have acted with energy, has been received at Paris with great indignation. The French Emperor and his ministers, it is understood, have had under consideration the propriety of giving the statement an explicit denial. The Emperor de - determined clares that he is and . always has been - . that the part of France in this affair shall be courageous and honourable. We publish further particulars of the circumstances preceding and attending the massacre at Sinope. The sources are still Russian, • fact which, if it exposes the statements to the greatest suspicion, also enhances their value as admissions. The Russian account subjoined is professedly founded upon that rira vote information which Menchikoff's despatch, published yesterday, stated Lieutenant-Colonel Skol koff, a spectator of the action, was to furnish at St. Petersburg. They are thus even of less value as evidence than would be the formal report of Admiral Nakhimoff himself. Such as they are, however, they are published by the Russian government, and we learn that they form the subject of boundless rejoic ings at St. Petersburg. It will be noticed that the number of Russian ships brought into action is carefully concealed. But when it is considered the squadron by which the Turkish ships at Sinope was first discovered was large enough to have for its commander Admiral Nakhimoff, the com mander-in-chief of the Black Sea fleet, before it was reinforced by the three 120-gun shipi and the three steamers from Sebastopol, it will be perceived that the Russian force must have been as superior in numbers as in weight of metal. From other channels of intelligence we learn that the Turkish commander was, in point of courage, worthy of his men. Osman Paella, when taken, was found lying on the deck of his frigate, with leg broken, and his head terribly wounded. Letters from Odessa of the Bth state that the gallant admiral was a prisoner in the arsenal at Sebastopol. The other primmer. lie ou the casemate., and are all wounded or burnt. Since the affair at Sinope, the Russians appear to have fancied that their own ports wore in greater danger of attack, for both at Odessa and Sebastopol land batteries have been provided in great haste, and command the sea for a considera ble distance. Catholics of that country would gladly compound with the head of the Russian Church to be exempted from its terrors on the condition of paying such a nominal tax as the Kharadj has become in Turkey. Nor do the Greek Christiana who have the misfortune to Deserts by birth is the district of St. Petersburg appear to be much more leniently dealt with than the Latin Christians of Poland. The attempt to gloss over the rapacity and ambition of Russia with the varnish of religion only renders them more revolting. The I Government& who, by tampering with a Government so destitute alike of moral and religious feeling, have for a time allowed its evil propensities free play at the expense of the Ottoman Empire, have a heavy wear of obligation to make good to their injured ahy. LL ARRANGEMENTS. THE NEW REFORM BILL. The Cabinet met in Council yesterday in Downing street, at one o'clock, and were engaged in discussion mail half-past six—five hours and • half. Lord Lrnsdowne war not present. It transpired in the coupe of the evening that Sir George Orey had urged the unsatisfactory state of his health as a reason for declining the proffered post of Home Se crettry. This refusal of office rendered it more than ever desirable that Lord Palmerston should be in duce! to re•assume the post he had given up. Amongst the other persons named u eligible occu pants of the vacant Secretaryship were Sir James Graham (who is much better at the Admiralty); Sir Charles Wood (who doubting thinks he knows more about turnpike-law than of Indian administra tion); and Lord Panmure. Of course Lord John Rus sell's services as Home Secretary would be gladly accepted, but he (like Sir George Grey) is understood to have urged a plea of insufficient health as a reason for the non•assnmption of duties additional to those now on his hands. And assuredly the chief parentage of a new Reform Bill is quite enough, both in labour and responsibility, for any one statesman. To pre pare and carry such a measure through parliament may well be regarded as a sufficiently great teak to satisfy the industry and the patriotism of any man. It is said that the question of what the Reform Bill shall really be has nut yet been decided by the Cabinet —the plans before the Government being still in the hands of the Ministerial committee to whom the task of preparing a complete measure has been en trusted. Of course the members of that committee, being also members of the Cabinet, a general know ledge of what the contemplated measure shall in clude is possessed by all. But no complete Bill is ready. The Reform Measure is not yet in that suffi cient state of preparation which is requisite before it can well be laid before the Cabinet collectively for approval. Such being the case, there is yet time for urging upon Lord John Russell and his colleagues any good suggestions in this matter. Vbe Court. -4. WINDSOR, Du. 22. The Queen and Prince, with the Royal children, attended by the Marchioness of Ely, the Hon. Miss Suttee!, Lord Alfred Paget, and Captain the Hon. D. Da Roe, lett Osborne at 10 o'clock this morning, and proieeded to Windsor Castle, arriving there at twenty minutes before two. A guard of honour frets the Zed battalion of the Scots Fusilier Guards, with the band of. the regiment, received her Majesty at the Windsor railway station. Prince Leopold of Saxe Cobourg is expected to arrive to day, en a visit to her Majesty. The Prince will shortly leave England for Lisbon, on a visit of condolence to h i. brather the King Ragout of Portugal, The Earl of Listowel and Mr. Ormsby Gore have arrived as Lord and Groom in Waiting to her Majesty. The Mansatonees of Ely has been succeeded by Vie. countess Jocelyn as Lady in Wasting, for England bad a --bitabay:place: meeting yeitierday at their office in , _ Present: The Archbishop of Canterlaury, the Bishop of London, the Bishop of Oxford, the Earl of Chichester, and J. G. Shaw Lefsm, Rm. Her Majesty's Royal Bounties to a limited number of aged and meritorious poor, in various parishes and districts in the metropolis, were distributed in the past and current week, under the special direction of the Lord Bishop of Oafurd, Lord High Atomicr to the Queen, wisted by the Rev. Dr. Jelf, Sub-Almoner, and Joeeph Hanby, Esq., Secretary and Yeoman of the Almon', in ordinary. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday after noon at the Foreign-office. The Ministers present were the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell. the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir William Molesworth. The Council sat five hours and a half. PORTSMOUTH, Des 22.—Her Majesty, with the mart, left Osborne House, at 10 o'clock this loom*, In the Fairy, royal steam yacht, under the orders of the Hon. Captain Denman, of the Victoria and Albert, and arrived in this harbour at 11 o'clock, en route to Windsor. Her Majesty was received on landing at Clarence-yard by the Coitmeader.ia-Chief, Vice-Admiral Sir Thomu Cochrane, !C.C.S.; the Lieutenant °oversee, Major-General Simpson; Captain Coartney, Superintendent of Clarence-yard ; Lieutenant-Colonel Frau►, of the 35th regiment ; the gag and star oaken of the port and garrison ; Mr. Davies, of Clarence-yard, and • guard of honour from the 35th Regiment, commanded by Major English, with the band of that regiment. The garrison, the Victory flagship, and the Neptune, 130, fired the customary salutes, and the various ship' hoisted mart-head Wears, manned rigging, and cheered her Majesty as eke pored. There was a special train in waiting to convey her Majesty, and which left Clarence yard at 11.15, per South Western Railway, for Beeingenike, where her Majesty would change carriages, proceeding to Windsor thence by the Great Western Railway. A Dublin morning paper states that a conditional order for an attachment, bearing date 15th Dec., has issued against John Sadleir, Esq., M.P., one of the Lords of the Treasury, to compel the payment of the purchase money of the portions of the Gleagall estate bought by him on the 11th Nov. last. 'the amount ig 67,9704, of which 1,0001. has been paid in. It is understood that Mr. Sadleir only made the pur chases in trust, and that his responsibility in the affair is not of a personal character. AT 0113RALTAR. A resident at Gibraltar writes on the 7th inst.: The sontraetor who supplies the army with fresh beef has informed the governor that he has not sufficient forage for the cattle, and that some of them must be killed and salted. No provisions or supplies of any kind can come from Spain, and you can conceive the misery and privation which must be brought upon this community by the none ' smeary act of the governor in removing all quarantines from England. The question of quarantine is a local awe, while England feels that quarantine regulations place pre judicial restrictions upon the freedom of trade, Gibraltar feels the necessity of quarantines in order to keep open her free communication with Spain, consequently no quaran _ _ . _ . . tine on England most seriously affects the people of Gas raker, because it cuts off her trade with Spain, and in theta great and unnecessary suffering upon the poor. The governor ha. greatly complicated the question, and be bas succeeded in making it a national question. His cordon was a most fatal mistake—it was an act which Lea not be defended by our government. It greatly irritated the Spaniards, and forced them to adopt retaliatory mea sures, which will injure the laterals of this place for a long time to come. We are now in a dead lock. The Spaniards will not give way, our governor will not reimpose • five days' quaran , tine from England. We, therefore, remain shut up, with trade suspended, and with the industrial occupations of an entire population at perfect rest. Distress and misery are more widely spreading. We have no hope of relief from Madrid. It is not I kely Spain will change her regulations on account of Gibraltar. Our relief must come from Eng land, and I cannot think that the earnest cries of 16,000 souls will ►ave no influence upon the Secretary of State. am full Of bops that he will at loco recall the governor. THE WAR. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. It instated from Paris that telegraphic intelligence had reached that capital from Constantinople down to the 13th inst. The courier who conveyed the Collective Note and Circular Instructions of the Vienna Conference had arrived, and the Ambassadors of the Four Powers met at once to take these docu ments into consideration. Several German journals mention a rumour at Vienna that Russia has consented to send a plenipo tentiary to the new Conference. The journals in giving this rumour, however, express an opinion that it is not well-founded. Despatches from Erzeroum of the 16th tilt. com municate some particulars which are of interest, although relating to events anterior to the battle of Akalzich, of which the Russian account was pub lished yesterday in the Daily News. According to these despatches Mehemet Pacha, General of the Di vision of Bayazid, had penetrated the Russian terri tory, and occupied several villages situated near the frontier, in the province of Erivan. Anxious to profit by his first successes, he immediately advanced upon the city of Erivan. At his approach the prin cipal persons and authorities advanced to meet him in a body, and delivered the place up to him. The Russians had evacuated it. Mehemet Pacha, think ing it unwise to enter Erivan at once, for fear of stratagem, took up a position in the environs. This event proves the sympathy of the inhabitants for the Turks, and it was considered more than probable that the Russians, having abandoned so important a place, would also evacuate the whole province. An account of the capture of the Turkish steamer, the Medjire-Tedjaret, is given in the St. Petersburg Journal. This account describes the steamer as a transport of 200 Lurie power belonging to the Turk ish government, and it concludes by saying : "As it yielded without striking a blow, and can be imme diately utilised, measures have already been taken for sending it, after the usual quarantine, to Nico laieff, where it will be employed in the service of the port." And this steamer was captured at the mo , ment when a score of Russian merchantmen were in the Bosphorus, and might have been seized with the Freatest facility ; and the Turkish government has just extended the grace allowed to Russian traders. The St. Petersburg journals have announced that the Russian Baltic fleet has been dismantled, and that the crews have been sent to their homes. ID Order to fully understand the bearing of this measure it is useful to mention that the Baltic fleet, which has the best sailors in the Russian navy, were transferred three months since to the Black Bea fleet, and only fresh levied seamen remained at Croustade. It ca ' these men who base been sent to their homes for the winter season, when the fleet of the Baltic cannot move on account of the ice. Letters from St. Petersburg state that the official reports which were yesterday given in the Daily News caused great enthusiasm there. ATe Dean; was sung in the chapel of the palace in the presence of the Emperor and his family and the whole of his Court, the gaup, or the fortress pouring forth a salvo at the sam. time; and by order of the Emperor a Te Delon was perfumed in all the churches of the capital, and the city was illuminated in the evening. Several thousand copies of the reports were sent off to the provinces, with an order for Te Deana throughout the empire; everything, in fact, is dune by the Bus : sian government to keep up the religious enthusiasm for war. A Turkish flag from Akal-Tsiehe was car ried about the city with great delight. Omer Pacha was at Itustchuck on the 10th inst. Despatches from Trieste and Berlin repeat the story of Prince ltebutoff's victory over Abdi Pacha on the let or 2nd inSt., mentioned yesterday in the Daily News ; but, as all the accounts have evidently a common origin, it cannot be said that they confirm it. The action in which the Luke are alleged to FRANCE. PARIS. THURSDA.T EVENING. In the night of the 19th and 20th instant the inha bitants of Lyons were greatly alarmed by a formida ble military demonstration, but far which, it is now stated, barricades would have been up in the city the next morning. The civil and military authorities were, it seems, informed that some of the red repub lican leaders, acting in pursuance of orders from the Itendon refugees, had plotted a general insurrection 'in Lyons. Dec. 2 was the day first fixed upon, but the rising was afterwards postponed till the 20th. The government, by its spies, was kept informed of all the proceedings of the conspirators, and knew the precise spot selected for the commencement of the outbreak, and the whole plan of the movement. Oioups were to have assembled at a point in the northern quarter of the city, whence they were to have marched by separate routes towards the centre. Their junction there effected, it was intended to disarm the sentries, to rush suddenly upon the prefectoral man sion -house, and even, perhaps, Marshal Caetellane's head-quarters, and then, assisted by a portion of the population, who, it was calculated, would join the msurrection, to surprise and take possession of one of the western forts, sound the tocsin, and call the people to arms. Although no doubt was felt that the military force at the disposal of the Marshal would have speedily repressed the emeute, there might have been a great deal of bloodshed, and it was thought better to take preventive measures. Accordingly a part of the garrison was under arms all night; all the small guard-hoses were vacated, while the more important posts were doubled. A strong piquet of cuirassiers was stationed in the square of the gendarmes' barracks. Several sentries were posted, round Louis XlV.'s statue, and the ser gents de ville were armed with muskets, and dis tributed either in vedettes, or as patrols near the quarters where the groups were to assemble. Mar shal Castellane and officers of his staff were fre quently seen gallopping about in all directions. These precautions bad the desired effect. The con spirators, finding themselves discovered, thought it prudent not to turn out, and, according to the latest accounts, Lyons is perfectly quiet. Of course there are arrests in abundance. There can be little doubt that this affur has been brewing for some time, as rumours of an insurrectionary movement in Lyons have been rife in Paris for the last three or four weeks. It was feared in Lyons that a simulta neous attempt of a like kind was to have been made is Paris, but the local government journals state positively that the conspiracy, as well as the mea sures taken to render it abortive, were wholly un connected with anything passing in the metropolis. Although the authorities at Lyons deny that the conspiracy for an insurrection there had any ramifi cations at Paris, I learn that the Lyons letters yesterday were detained and opened in the Post-office, and a good many arrests were made from indications found in them. The severe measures taken against members of secret societies have not had the effect of repressing those associa tions. On the contrary, reports are daily received from very many of the prefects that they multiply exceedingly. The Bourse opened very quietly. The greater part of the disquieting reports of yesterday were generally admitted to be false. The Bente gradually rose 10e. higher than yesterday, but towards half past 1 it suddenly fell to 74fr. 35c., owing to a despatch from London stating that the fleets had entered the Black Sea, leav ing behind them but three vessels to guard Con stantinople. The English funds came -; per cent. lower. There was, however, no panic, and through out the day many of the railways were very well sustained. Shortly before the close it was announced that despatches from Constantinople, two days later than the London news, said nothing of the departure of the fleets. This report immediately produced a rise, and the rents closed at 74tr. being the highest price of the day. Orleans and Rouen rose 121 i. 50c. each, ant Northern, 7fr. 50c. More than half of the lines, however, closed somewhat lower. Strasbourge fell 61r. 23e. This evening's Freese, in a P.S. says : We are this instant assured that despatches from Constantinople of the 12th do not confirm the news of the entry of the fleets into the Black Sea. The Petrie, in its " latest news," says : - • • • • • - - . Admiral Nachimow's report of the affair of Sinope is not only grossly partial but contains numerous palpable er• ron which letters from Constantinople of the 9th permit us to correct. It is not true tkat the Turks bad four frigates of 74 guns, pr that the Turkish admiral bad his flag on one of them. He was on board a 10-gun frigate. It is not true that the Greek epistler of Sinope ass spared. All the houses, without distinction, were burnt, and needlessly, because the town was not armed, and took ne part in the combat. It is moreover certain that after the fight was over the Russians sunk several Turkish •essels that bad no guns, and had taken no part in the action, and that without summoning them to surrender. The Turkish admiral was brutally treated by the Russian sailors, and that when he was wounded and almost in a dying state. ITALY. ROME. Dec. 14. On Sunday evening a brigadier of gendat mes was wrack dead by a blow in the throat, evident'y from the dagger of a powerful and practised assassin. He was &treed in plain clothes at the time, and had been supping in company with two women, well known to artists as the veteran model Monica and her daughter, at an usteria in the neolo Caren:lmre. He got up trom table about seven o'clock, and had thirdly gone a few steps, towards the church of Santa Maria in Via Lata, when he was overtaken by an individual, who tapped him on the shoulder. He at once turned his head, and received his mortal blow on the other side, the position of his neck affording a secure aim to the assassin, who passed on at once and disappeared from the eyes of the terrified females. A picket of soldiers, from the French corps PARTICULARS OF THE COMBAT AT SINOPE. The Invalide Ruse et the 13th inst., publishes the fol- lowing further details of what the Russians call the " victors" gained at Sinope on the 30th ult.: " Vice-Admiral Nakhimeff, craloing along the coast of Anatolia, perceived at some distance a division of Turkish ships of was in the roadstead of Binope. The next day a strong west wind prevented his approach. The war steamer Remittable was, however, sent to Sebastopol, to anuounce that several 'twits of the enemy were in the roads of Sinope. "Oa the receipt of this intelligence three men-of war of 120 guns—La Ville de Paris, Le Grand Due Constantin, and the Tri Sviatitelia—receored orders to proceed, under the flag of Rear-Admiral Novoesdsky, towards Sinop, and to join Vice-Admiral Nakhinioff. In the meanwhile Vice- Admiral Nakhimoff, with three shiprotwar and a brig, profiting by • favourable wind, west to recoinoitre the roads of Sloops, and ascertained the disposition of the enemy's naval division, composed of seven frigates, a sloop of-war, two corvettes, two transports, and two steamboats. These vessels were anchored in the form of a crescent along the coast, so disposed that they could form in line from any point of the wind. On the coast opposite the intervals between the vessels five batteries bad been nta blitheil. On the nigh: of the 15i11-16th of November (0.5.), Rear-Admiral Novossilsky joined the squadron with his naval division. Ou the same day, Vice-Admiral Nakhimoff announced to his squadron, by an order of the day, his intention to attack the enemy in two columns upon the first favourable turn of the wind. The right column was to be commanded by Vice-Admiral Nakhimoff, hoisting has flag on board the Imperatrice Marie, and followed by the Orand Dec Constantine, and the Teheame ; the left i column under the command of Rear-Admiral Novoseilsky, was to he composed of the Ville de Paris, the Tri Sviati telia, and the Roetielaff. On the 18th, between nine and ten in the morning, favoured by a bream from R.N.E., the Admiral signalled orders to the squadron to prepare for combat, and to bear for the roads of Sinop.. The ships of the two columns, with all their studding sails set, ap proached the enemy, who could not be discerned under the distance of half a-mile, on account of the thick fog and the rain. Vise-Admiral Nakhimoff, having got within a dis tance of about 200 =jolts (453 yards) of the two frigates of the enemy, one of which was discovered with the flag of the vice.adnairal, and behind the poop of which was esta blished on the coast a battery of twelve guns, cast anchor. The ship Ville de Paris cast anchor at the same time. The other ships as they arrived occupied the positions which had been appointed them. The Admiral's vessel had scarcely east anchor when the enemy opened upon our ves sels a terrible broadside from all his frigates, supporting it by the fire of his batteries. Their shot made great havoc among our spars, but our ships immediately replied with • continuous and well directed fire. In less than five minutes the Oraud Duc Constantine demolished the battery which was under its fire. The enemy's frigate, anchored near this battery, suffered terribly tram our bombs and shortly blew up. Soon afterwards the Ville de Paris blow up • Turkish frigate. At the end of an hour the well directed broadsides of our ships had very much weakened the fire of the enemy ; and at two o'clock it almost entirely ceased. Three frigates, among which that of-74 guns, bearing the flag of the Turkish Vice-Admiral, were in flames, _and only the masts of two tramping destroyed by our artillery were to be seen. The Turkish put of the town was on fire in two places, and at bell-past two the admiral gave orders to eves* th• combat, at the same time sending an officer to the town to declare to the local Turkish authorities that it • single cannon shot were fired from the town or from the coast the admiral wou.e. burn and raze the town to its foundations. This ',dicer, alter haslet; remained nearly an hour on could nut discover the Turkish authorities, or even a single Turk. All had fled into the ueighbouriog villages. By the admiral's orders, at the commencement of the combat the frigates &oguul uhd }Conlevtcha hsit remained under sail in ttie road., to • rder to cut oil the retreat of any of the enemy's vessels that might seek their safety in Hulot. They joined the squadron at the end of the combat, and acted principally against the corvette and the wrr sloop, which were authored iu the raar of the ItostislotE On the 17th of November (0.8.) General Kormlulf sailed, with the war stemma Odeua, Chessmen and the As soon as the combat had ceased, our sailer!, who had well plied their guns, set themselves to repair the damage caused by the fire of the enemy. The vessels which had most suffered were the Imperatrice Marie, the Tri Sakai tells, the Grand Duke Constantine, and the Itostiliaff. The entire squadron of Vice-Admiral Nakhimoff sailed from the roads of Sinope on the 20th of November. The damaged vessels were towed by the steamers, and on the 22nd the Imperatrice Marie, the Tri Sviatitelia, and the Grand Duke Constantine east anchor in the roads of Sebastopol. Crimie, to jam *s squadron of Vice-Admiral Nal- de garde, on the Piazza Colonna, — t - oolz hhaoff, at Opp. Oa the 18th, • little after round the corpse, until a party of Itomanereti; noon, the eaten of the Odessa, which bore the flag made their appearance, anxious to see a t i} : of General Korsika, man insight of Sinop., and witnessed of their companions it was who had fallen Ircrvcos the commencement of the combat, and all the steamers has. " Morelli, Iforelli," soon informed the hysta i; tuned to get to the roads. In doubling the Cspe of Sinop. that the murdered man was a noted sub•officeri r e connected with the wine-shop, and several p i e —J oe . they signalled the Turkish steam-frigate the Tait; of 20 great favourite with Colonel Nardoni, and an cu ua i belonging to the neighbourhood who were the re guns, which during the battle bad had time to get up her object of detestation with the people. He ery b4; h emi t fro , m en t d h e e a g y e o n u e r r e a d l s d t e e f a ea m t. ;" G d e w a h ers ich l K in o ug rn h i t lo to ff, " : s it Pe h t b h y e ili Od g to cross her line, sad having got within range opened fire; the time, to the number of seventeen, were im re best after a skirmish of above an hour the g I found diately taken off to prison, but it is the generersei that the enemy had the fleetest vessel, and that, notwith- opi nion that the real delinquent is a t lib erty, as the standing his superiority in force, being almost three times alai • 1 with which the stab was inflicted, dividing the that of the Odessa, he did not accept battle, but only thought carotid artery, and the preparatory tap on th e of flight. When the Taif was out of range, General Kor- shoulder given to ensure the proper position, call to the s i m il a r c i r cumstances niloff went to join the squadron of Vice-Admiral Nakhimcff m i n d accompanying the with the Crimie and the Chersonese. These two, assassination of Count Rossi, and reveal the practised hand of a professional sieario. steamers were ordered immediately to tow off the vessels which were under the fire of the land batteries, It is worthy of notice that the defunct bri gs lest the enemy should renew the cannonade in the I dier was the same who killed a b oy i n the night. The Odessa was ordered to bring away the Tiber last year by throwing a stone at his head Dsotiette, of 60 guns, which had suffered least from our whilst he was swimming away to avoid being Sr. fire. On board this frigate were found 100 men, of whom rested. He was tried for this offence, as also were more than 60 were wounded. Her commander and offi- the hospital doctor, surgeon, and notary, who drew cars had abandoned her from the commencement of the up a false account of a pest mortem examination of action, taking with them all the boats, and had sought the boy's body, proving that his death was not to be attributed to the blow of the stone • whereas the safety in a disgraceful flight to the coast. In the evening truth was they never examined the body at all. For the burnig vessels of light t blew up, and their ignited this perjury they were condemned to the galleys, debris fell a upon • Turkish part of the town, to which they but being friends of the government, they ere freely set fire. Towards midnight all that quarter of the town walking the streets of Rome at this moment. It 4 which was in:lusled within the mural enceinte, tell a prey supposed that some of the boy's relatives, incensed at to the flames. The Greek quarter was not burned. On his murderer going unpunished, resolved to tale the the 18th, at daybreak, there only remained in the roads the affair into their own hands by murdering him, but frigate Dami.tte, the sloop-of-war, and the corvette, re- this is a mere supposition. cloyed to the state of mere hulks. An examination of the showed that the injuries Damiet Exchange on London, 486. Roman Consols , Damietta she had sustained had Bank Shares, 261. rendered her not worth carrying away, and she was ord ingly burned.Orden were then given to burn the sloop-of-scar and the corvette. The officers sent to execute this order found en beard the sloop Osman Pacha, commander of the Turkish squadron, wounded in the right leg, the com mander of • frigate, the commander of a corvette, and 80 men, all of whom were made prisoners. In the evening the roads of &nein no longer contained a single Turkish ship. GERMANY. The Minister of Commerce of Prussia, by a circular of the lith, informs the Chambers of Commerce sad the mercantile corporations that " the treaty ot com merce and navigation between the Zollverein and Belgium of the Ist September, 1844, aril the addi tional convention of the same treaty, dated the 16th February, 1852, will cease to have effect at the end of the year; and that the negotiations with Belgium for the conclusion of a new arrangement by conven tion have not yet led to any result." The Austrian budget for 1854 shows a deficit of 45,000,000 florins under the head of ordinary ex penses, while the extraordinary expenses create a deficit of 50,000,000 florins. It is believed that the government has resolved to abandon its railway making schemes, and will leave the matter to public competition. At Freiburg on the 15th the Grand Ducal govern ment ordered a domiciliary visitation at the house of the archiepiscopal chancellor. A number of copies of a seditious brochure were found, of which the chancellor denied all knowledge. EXHIBITIONS. GALLERY OF ILLUSTRATION. The new picture at the:Gallery of Illustration promises to be as great a success as any of its predecessors. The subject chosen is the recently discovered North-West Passage, and the Polar scenery through which our enter- Srising countrymen passed on their way from B e h r i ng ' s traits to the Bay of Mercy, where they remained ice-booed at the receipt of the last advice,. Our preconceived notions of monotonous icebergs, and perpetual snow, would hardly lead us to imagine that the vicinity of the North Pole offered many subjects fur the pencil of the artist, but a visit to the Gallery iu Regent -street will convince the most incredulous, that in skilful hands it affords as effective tableaux as any of the mere favoured regions of the earth. In the present instance, the artist has not sought to paint the voyage of the Invei tigator step by step, but has selected the meat striking in cidents, and painted them with that truth and brilliancy of effect of which the diorama alone is capable. We have, first, a Polar bear hunt. Huge icebergs float around, and on the open water in the centre a boat's crew are engaged with the furious animal. Minis rifles have proved unavail ing, but the omnipotent Coles revolver is brought into play, and Bruin is subdued, and is in a fair way to become edible. Then the picture moves on to a scene still more desolate. The ice is hard as iron; not a drop of water to bo seen, but high perched on piles of ice, • gallant ship is seen, having been forced tip by the " hummocks," and then frozen fast is her perilous position. This, it appears, is a frequent oc currence in Arctic voyages, and the only chance of escape is to blast the surrounding ice with gunpowder —an expe dient that was more than once tried by Captain lil'Clure with success. The aurora borealis is, of course, not fez gotten. A beautiful illustration is given and • ship is seen slowly making its way along the "cifiet by the light of its fitful illumination. After one or two scenes of a similar character, the series concludes with a seasonable picture of comfort. It is the lower deck of the Investigator, as it sp peued on Christmas Day, 1852—the men all enjoying them selves under the auspices of their gallant captain, upon abundance of venison and wild fowl, and magnificent plum puddings of truly national dimensions. This tableau, so suggestive in its character, was • tremendous success, the juvenile portion of the audience applauding with an energy that was truly British and refreshing. An allusion to the late Lieut. Bellot was received with warm sympathy by the company, and the curtain finally fell upon the "North West Passage," amid loud and general cheering. It must be added that the visitors must by no means hurry away when this has happened, as they have still to visit Constantinople and St. Petersburg, and finish with a voyage to Australia in the pleasant compauy of Mr. Stricqucier, who beguiles the passage with • running lecture, which forms one of the best features in the evening's entertainment. BURFORI)'S PANORAMA. _ _ CONSTANTINOPLE. Mr. Burford has prepared a treat for his Christ mu friends, in the production of a fine picture of Constanti nople and the surrounding scenery. At anytime the in trinsic beauty of the subject would make such a picture an object of interest; but at the present moment, when the affairs of the But form a standing head in every news paper, and are the topic of conversation in every circle, there is little doubt but that it will be honoured with crowds of visitors. The spectator is supposed to take his station in the Seraskier's tower, • lofty building that crowns the highest of the seven hills upon which the " Queen of cities is built; and his eye takes in a variety of scenery—urban and rural, land and water, hid and valley—such as can hardly he found in any other part of the work. Close at his feet are huddled, in Eastern dis order, the betietsos, khans, and bazaars, is which tae Turks traffic, lounge, smoke, and drink coffee. Around, 111 every direction, are sprinkled the domes and minarets of the various mosques, amongst which the once Byzantine Church of St. Sophia contests the palm of beauty with the mosque of Sultan Achmet, generally considered to be the chef &mitre of Moslem architecture. Below these, ori ental edifices, forts, palaces, and gaudily painted houses stretch out in every direction, and, mingled it picturesque combination with the planes and cypresses, give the true orient colour to the view. Full justice is done to the Golden- Horn ; and the eager inquirer soon shown the spot in which the English and French fleets lie so list lessly at anchor. The surrounding scenery is also depicted, the perspective extending on one side to beyond the Dardanelles, and on the other, almost to the confines of the Black Sea. Mr. Burford's merits as panoramic artist are now so well established, that to say I this new panorama is worthy of his reputation is *Imo: sufficient criticism. Be has handled a large ant rather perplexing subject with great clearness and fidelity, given the true local colour to every feature in this glowing border land of sivilisation ; and, in the management of perspec tive and aerial distance, has succeeded in imparting a won derful appearance of depth sad reality to the fiat canvas. Altogether the panorama forms an admirable pictorial handbook to the all-important Turkish question ; and may, therefore, be visited with profit, as well as amusement, dur ing the approaching holidays. TIIR POOR LAW BOARD ON THE FUNCTIONS sir GUARDIANS or VIZ Pooa.—The attention of the Poor Law Board having been called to the almost universal practice of boards of guardians directing legal proceedings respecting the removal of the pour, the Poor Law Boma have addressed a communication on the subject to the guardians of the Holborn Union, in which they say : The board must point out to the guardians of the union that having undertaken to conduct appea:s against order of removal on behalf of the several parishes in the maim they have departed from the functions which the law has given to them, and have assumed an authority which they au not legally possess. It rests entirely with the parishes (and not with the guardians of the union) to determine in each case in which the question may arise what legal re ctedings shall or shall not be take it, whether in obtaining orders ot removal, or appealing against them. ROYAL COLLEGE 0 SURGEONS.—The follow* gentlemen having undergone the necessary examinations for the diploma were admitted members of the c+.llege at the meeting of the court of exammers on the' 1.1 instant: — Messrs. Edmund Humphrey Rub, rts, Ucheldre Park, Holyhead; Patrick M'lntyre, Bury St. Edmunds; Henry Collins Merryweather, London ; George Samuel Dyke, Hull ; Ebenezer Hebert Butlir, Woolwich ; Matthew Wilk', Bristol; Frederick S•eveiison, I,iighbogough : and Henry William Graham, E.1.C.5., B. It al. THE PRESTON STRIKE. —THE LONDON TRADES.— List night u numerous meeting of the London Trades Delegates' C.fumittee was held at the Bell Inn, Old Bagel. It was stated that the income for the week was 90/. 4d., and tho expenditure 671. 14.. I 1 leaving a balance. ! 1 ' hand of 231. 51. ' d. The amount expended included job sent to Preston. In addition to this, upwards of 1001. had been received that eight, and the funds generally were is a prosperous state. d .......--• LAI the put the Sec reply u their p quence change Bathur 1852, Comps list. 1 been is reserve thl tb Tr to tb,