The Express. — London, England, 1853-01-12 00:00:00

City 0)4%700. TO CORRESPONI.ENT3. & 4 reoul Eatka 7.be ELypemr,' t :11:•111:17 'ha ramp eve:sires ,;.•• iTrij Tutortay •c. 4 I Luby ..go% . 116.4 A it 'watt Aier.di.l !at "'no Y.s raising rtp.r, 2:V14 es at the t • bit, 14. Bt TWA.UN... 3; IW4 U. Us A pitassa NIGH WAILS AT I UN DON EKIDGE. Twto DAT-110rallf. 4Ss.. .Afternoaa. 41. U. %Lilacs. 46. Slim. LONDON, WEDNESDAY, J.1. 1 17:4/2Y 12. BLFORE one Turkish question has been well dis posed of, we find another taking prominent place in the discassions of Europe—the war of the loan still vexes the Mune, when, lo ! up comes the small WU of Montenegro, to worry the diplomatists and occupy the journals. From the heat outbreak of this quarrel we have reported all the obtainable facts upon the subject, but it now becomes needful tor us to append a word of comment, for a contemporary yesterday plactil before the English public a 'state ment calculated to give the Austrian and Russian view of this for..ign struggle—leaving the other and —as many will think—the best halt of the matter carefully out of sight. To tell Cho history of the Montenegro strife as it is told in Vienna—and there leave it—is to lean to the bide of despotism, and give weight to that party who desire to disturb the inte grity, and to shako still further the independence of Turkey. It is asserted by tho Tinos that the SULTAN has "no rights in Montenegro at all." A reference to the Treaty of Sistow, signed on the 4th of August, 1791, by England as a mediator between Austria and the l'orto, shows one grouud upon which the SLLT.tN bases his claims to dominion over the Mon tenegrin chief now waging war against him. It is true that Montenegro was no party to this treaty; but Montenegrin independence has never been ackuowleclged, and if it has really ex isted, de/into, it has been very similar in character to the independence of the Highlanda, when the Romans held tho rest of 131 itaiu. Other pouers have always acknowledged Moutenegro as belonging to Turkey. So far as the truth seems at present discoverable, it may be stated thus—that since 1791 the Porte.bas possessed an adinitted, though in fact only nominal, sovereignty over the native tribes of Montenegro. These mountaineers have always been a warlike race, and, such is the character of the country in which they dwell, that the SULTAN has never been able to levy any kind of tax upon them so long as they remained in their native fastnesses, contenting himself with subjecting them to the usual impost paid by the rajahs, when any individuals of the tribe visited, or settled in, Constantinople. 'file Montenegrin ruler may be likened to an Albanian Ron BOY, living amongst mountains where he and his men are invincible ; the mountains, ;however, being very barren, and the people, consequently, very poor. Many a foray into a neigh bouring country has enriched the Yladika at the cost of the neighbourhood. In fact, the Montenegrins have for generations been half shepherds, half free booters, as Sir GARDINER WILKINSON and other I travellers bear witness. Though regarded as sub-1 jests of the SULTAN, they have always entertained! the most deadly hatred to the Turks. Sir Gaanix ea' 11":LICISSON explains, in his book about these people, I how fiercely their hatred to the Moslems has always burned, ana tells, moreover, how it has for genera tions been certain death for any Turk on any pretence whatever to cross the Montenegrin fron tier. When a Moslem came within the boundary of Vl.ulika's rule, off at once went the intruder's head. The skull of a Turkish Pacha of Albania is described as nailed for years on a gibbet at Tsetiuje, in token of Montenegrin ability to carry out their avowed hatred to those who claim sovereignty over them, ant dares to pass over their border. Such were the feelings existing between the Albanian mountaineers and the Turks to whom treaties, had allotted soy ereignty over them, when DANIEL, the present ruler of Montenegro, came into power by the death of his uncle and predecessor. It must be remembered that the Montenegrins arc followers of the Greek Church—deriving thus from their belief ' an additional reason for bating the Mussulmen. The temporal Prince of Montenegro combines in his own person the spiritual as well as temporal chieftain ship of his territory—being in other words the Bishop as well as the Prince over his subjects—and the CZAR in the same manner being practically chief of the Greek Church as well as Emperor of Russia—Rua sian influence is more acceptable in Montenegro than that of the Porte. Indeed the Montenegrin chiefs, in their spiritual half, have been Bishops of the Spiritual Establishment of which the Emperor Ivitcnohari is the Pope. Soon after the accession of the present Montenegrin Prince DxNIEL to power, he went to St. Petersbargh, if not to pay spiritual homage to the Head of the Greek Church, at least to receive from his spi ritual superior that sanction which the head of a church is able to confer upon a man entitled to the rank of Bishop in the same communion. In that Land which forbids newspapers, and where every body is knouted who ventures to talk politics, it is impossible to say how far the fraternisation of the wealthy Emperor of all the Russiss was extended towards the poverty-stricken but brave, warlike, and discontented vassal of the Ottoman Porte. Certain it is that no sooner had Prince DANIEL returned some six months ago from the luxurious capital of tho Cz.ut to his barren native mountains on the Adriatic, than he began a system of attack upon those very Turks whose aggressions he, and his tribe, had before been content to with stand. Whether he obtained money or arms, or any solid rountonance for this, his new mode of pro cedure, does not yet appear. Whether he fancied, like other powers and princes, that the Turkish Empire is breaking up, and that now was his time to push his territorial border across the land extending between his own mountain fastnesses and the shores of the neighbouring Adriatic, is not yet discoverable. Certain it is that he and his countrymen are brave mountaineers —that they are practically free—that though treaties have declared them to be subjects of the Porte, they have themselves only admitted their subjection when settling within other portions of the Turkish dominions. Most true, also, is it that the Montene grins are kept in a savage state of semi-barbarism and of half starvation in their barren mountains for want of some level land like the valley of Scutari with its port on the neighbouring sea. Certain it is that on his return from St. Petersburgh, I) %Nish dressed himself like a Russian, moved his forces in the direction of the sea, and took by surprise the Turkish fortress of Zablink ; from which, however, he has since seen lit to withdraw. Thus stands the strife at present. Prince DANIEL may be and doubtless is a patriot anxious only to aggrandise the people he rules, but whether he is not also a cat's-paw of the CzAn has yet to be seen. When he commenced hostile opera tions, Russia offered the Porte her services as mediator—just as Russia offered the same disinte rested help in the affair of the Turkish loan. Russia is determined to have a finger in every Turkish pie. The more Tialsey is embroiled, the sooner comes the day of her national dissolution— the more Russia is mixed up with her affairs, the greater the claim for a largo dividend, if Turkey should ever pass into utter bankruptcy and dismem berment. Great was the outcry amongst the Turks when Lord MALMESDURY abetted the arrangement by which the successors of Ring Onto, of Greece, are bound to attach themselves to the Church which has the Emperor of RUeSIA for its chief. That act was looked upon as a concession of new power to the Cz tit. So also when another body of Greek church men, the Montenegrins, show themselves in revolt more distinctly than before, and Russia proffers her mediation, the Turks are indignant. Tho imme diate conscioiences of this war are doubtful. If supplied with arms and ammunition, the Montene grins Amy possibly hold their own, despite all the forces the Porte has sent against them. What they wish for ' s the concession of an extended territory, with a port on of coast, and independent national existence; but the probabilities are all against any such result. If they could escape from the Otto man rule, it would only be to fall under that of Russia. Many will think,—better to be Rob goys under the SULTAN than serfs under the Char. Is the Ministetial re-clestions, the brunt of oppo sition has been almost exclusively berme by the Peelites. The opposition to Admiral BERKELEY and the ATIORNEI-GENEKAL arose from the spleen of individuals or local coteries; but the opposition to Mr. GLADiTONE, Lord DRUSILANRIG, end Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT bears the character of organised party rancour. Nor is the source of this opposition far to seek. Lord DRUSILANRIG, when addressing the Nithsdale farmers at Dumfries, on Wednes day last, laid it bare to public view. '6 Ile would ask," said his lordship, 4' when they had first heard of this opposition ? [A voice from the crowd, Last Saturday.'] Well, on Thurs day last he was in London ; ho called in at the Carlton Ciub—they all knew he supposed what that was—it was a piece where Tory elections were managed under tue superintendence of Major BLUES ror.D. They had heard of Mr. nun., and others like him. It was a place where a rod in pickle was kept for naughty boys who would not support men like Lord DERRY. When he went in, he met there a Dumfriesshire gentleman. He would make no secret of the matter, but give his name. It was Mr. BVTLER JOIINSToNE. Mr. JOHNsTONE was a good friend of his :he said, Come here, DRCIII.AN RIG, I want to talk with you. Do you expect to be opposed in Dumfriesshire ?' He (Lord Dm; aILaN- Rte) said he did not think so; he did not see any reason why he should be opposed now. ' Well; said Mr. JOUNSToNE, I can tell you, you will be opposed. It was all talked over here last night ; several names were mentioned, but it was not settled who the man was to be.' He (Lord DRT:St- LANRIG) could have mentioned all their names, but he thought it better not to do so. So then the inde pendence of the county was to be kept up by the Carlton Club." The story of the opposition in Dumfriesshire is the story of the opposition in Wiltshire and the University of Oxford. It is no local independent opposition ; it is not even the opposition of the Der byite (much less of the Conservative) party; it is 'simply and solely the opposition of W. B. and his organised allies and agents in the Carlton and else where. It is a continuance of the splenetic attack upon Mr. GLADsToNE and Lord Maws in the Carlton Club; an attempt to give the Pcelites who voted against the DEr.ev Budget as much annoyance as possible, since there is no prospect of being able to realise the humane suggestion of strapping them up to as many gibbets in Pall-mall. 'I he despondency of the DERBY-DISRAELI party is placed in a strorg light by this fact. All of its members who have any character to lose have re signed themselves, for the time at least, to inaction. Only the electioneering agency bestirs itself, and that to revenge itself upon quondam friends, to whom it attributes the melancholy fact that " (and a much blacker than Othelle's) occu pation's gone." These worthies find it hopeless to hoist the DERBY flag. Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, their candidate in Humfriesshire, declares that he does not intend to ofqe:se Lord ABERDEEN ; Mr. BAILLIE COCHRANE, their ally at Southampton, repudiates Mr. DtenALLl's Budget. W. B. and his colleagues are noways particular in their choice of candidates. The proverb says any stick will do to beat a dog with; and any stick that comes to their hand they use against these odious Peelites. In Dumfriesshire it is a great ornitho logist, who has not, it is true, much distinguished himself by his writings, but who is allowed to be ono of the handiest staffers of birds in the Idngdotn. In Wiltshire it is that last survivor GI " the Fancy " GRA.NTLEY BERKELEY, of °punch-in-the-head" celebrity; at Oxford, it is a gentleman who is alleged to resemble Sir Toby 'Belch, in having " a most weak pia mister." One and all of these notables take the field under false pretences. GRANTLEY BERKELEY has the effron tery to invite the Wiltshire farmers to rally round the standard of Protection, as if it 'acre anywhere to be found. The anonymous committee, who act for Mr. PERCEVAL, declaim against Mr. GLADSTONE'S itomanising tendencies, and are supported by the vote of Mr. BENNETT, of Frome (formerly of St. Bar nabas). Sir Wat. JARDINE, too, is horrified by the lax Protestantism of the Peelites, although when Lord DRUKLANRIG, about the time when the Eccle siastical Titles Bill was introduced, called a meeting of the county of Dumfries to protest against Romanist encroachment, both Sir W. JARDINE, and his bottle-holder, Mr. IAcALDINE PENNINO, re fused to countenance the movement. Verily, Derby-Dieraelism is on its last legs. While the moody chief sits brooding over the thought, "The Thanes fly from me, his jaunty and delrotiaair colleague is meditating what " combi nation " he shall try next—what party he shall attempt to tack himself on to. And the poor snakes, W. B. and Co., already half-frozen in " the winter of their discontent," arc wriggling about, vainly attempting to bite. It only remains to offer a remark upon the strange Lamination which the Carlton Club appears to possess for the Peelites. All the uncivil treatment they there experience cannot prevent Mr. GeADsToNE, Lord DRUMLANRIO, and others of their party, from sneak ing into it on all occasions. Ono could fancy they liked it the better for the contumelies they arc there subjected to. They resemble a bevy of Feria, whom there is no driving from the gates of Paradise. They are like broken-spirited lovers, who doat the more on some haughty mistress the worse she uses them. It is no doubt hard to be driven from an old-accustomed house of call. We remember a tradition of our boyhood illustrative of this. In a Scotch royal burgh there was a tavern in a poor alley, much frequented even by the wealthier class of residents. One good lady was much annoyed by this low taste in her husband, who spent two or three hours every evening in "Moss. PATEN'S." One day she ventured on a voyage of dis coverv,and insisted upon examining theroom in which her liege lord and his cronies " picked the sweet of the night." It was a mean little apartment, with a sanded floor, some cumbrous chairs, and a dark un seemly table, richly garnished with spittoons. She was at the trouble of having a fac-simile fitted up in her own house—as Sir JosErU PAXTON is fitting up a fac-simileof SENACIIERIB's palace in the Crystal Palace. She prevailed upon her husband to bring his friends thither instead of going to " Mom, PATEN'S." For two evenings they tried it ; but it was " slow work," not the genuine article, and on the third they stole away again to the old accustomed hostelry in the Boat Vennel. Even so is it with the Peelites and the Carlton Club. But "MOLL PATEN'S" was a quiet, well-ordered house ; there were never any brawls there that required the interference of the police. As much can scarcely be said of late in be half of the Carlton. HUMBOLDT ON ENGLISH AMBASSADORS. lIIIIIIIIIIIM THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 12, 1853. FRANCE. PARIS, Xemnsy Emirate. A general meeting of the National Discount' "Comptoir " of Paris is convoked for the 22nd, to consider a proposition for increasing the capital of the company by the sum of ten millions. The result is looked forward to with considerable anxiety by the weak holders of Credit 31obilltr shares, who can not resign themselves to the idea of parting with I their securities at the present comparatively speak ling depressed price, and yet are wholly unable to pay the coming calls. It is expected that the cffinidoir will make advances upon these securities, and so enable the allottecs who thought themselves such great capitalists a few weeks since, when their shares were ut some 200 per cent. pre mium, to wait patiently upon fortune for some time longer. It is clear, however, that, under present circumstances, the greater the facilities of credit the greater will be the amount of unsound speculation. The Bank of France has for some time past been in the habit of lending money upon the deposit of railway shares to the extent of 61 per cent. upon their carve:it value, and an enormous business has been dote upon that foot tug. But the money so borrowed has in but few in stances been employed in legitimate commercial ope rations. The almost universal coarse has been this. The borrowers run to the Bourse, buy more shares, many of them subject to calls, go back to the Bank to borrow more money, then buy- more shams, and so on in a continuous circle. Hitherto shares have maintained their price better than the "rentes," but whenever a considerable fall occurs the Bank must of necessity throw an immense mass of them upon the market to be sold for what they will fetch, and then —the consequences may be easily anticipated. A journal of Troyes publishes a copy of a despatch from the Minister of the Interior to the Prefect of the department of the Aube, announcing that there is no truth in the reports that have been current that con siderable changes are about to be made in the ,".r -sonnet of the prefectures. The Univers publishes a long article upon what it calls " 'The Great Protestant Conspiracy organised in Europe, and especially in Italy, by and under the protection of England." The C'onstilithon d'Auxerrc, professing to speak from good information, says that the twenty-four bishoprics suppressed in France by the Concordat of 1801, arc about to bu re-established, and that one of the first steps t..ken in that direction will bo the creation of a Bishop of Auxerre. A letter from Com piegne in the Journal de l'Oise asserts that the Pope will certainly come to Paris to crown the Emperor, and that, moreover, ho will pass some time in France and reside in the palace of Compiegne. M. Gari baldi, the Pope's nuncio, is said to have received in telligence that the canons of St. John of Lateran at Rome have voted an address, praying his Ma jesty Napoleon 111. to accept the title of First Canon of their venerable church—the " head and the mother of all the churches." The Bishop of Nancy, accompanied by M. Helene, his Vicar-General, has arrived in Paris to assume his functions as almoner to the Emperor. The Bishop of Cabon left Homo on the 27th, and has returned to his diocese. The Order of Lazarist Priests, founded by Saint Vincent de Paul, and which was authorised to exist in France, by a decree of the 27th May, 1804, have taken possession of the church and priest's residence of Beauchamps, in the arrondissement of Montargis. In addition to taking care of the parish, they propose to preach in the churches, and assist the cures in the districts. It is reported that the Abbe Lacordairo, accom panied by several ecclesiastics and laic', is about to make a pilgrimage to Palestine, to visit the holy P laces. An edifying controversy, but one certainly not upon the order of the day, is now going on between the Assembl4c and the Gaulle de France. The latter journal contends that those who have been working so hard to effect a " fusion" between the Count de Chambord and the Orleans branch of the Bourbons might have saved themselves the trouble, because in case of the death, without issue, of the Count de Chambord, the rightful heir to Louis XIV. would not be the Count de Paris, but the infant son of the Duke of Parma, whom it styles the Duke de Chartres. The Marquis Nicelai and M. Cullier-Perron, coun cillors-general of the Sarthe, have resigned. The municipal council of Galilee (Tam) has been dis solved, iu consequence of the snail number of its members that attended the ceremony of proclaiming the empire. The municipal council of Cestree, in the ' same department, is about to be dissolved for a simi lar reason. Workmen are employed in fitting up the Pavilion Martian for the Princess Mathildt, the Palais Royal for Prince Jerome, and the Elysee for Prince Murat. The French government has just established at Mons a consulship, necessitated Sy the commercial relations existing between Franco and Hainault. M. Tercelin-longot has been appointed to the office. The Journal pour Hire has just fallen a victim to a prosecution which is no laughing matter. This paper, relyiug upon an exemption in favour of non political periodicals contained in the decree of Feb. 17, 1852, has hitherto been published without a stamp. In September last the sump-office seized 8,536 copies of the paper, and seed M. Philippon, the proprietor, for a tine of 55f. for each number, in addition to tho price of the stamp. The tribunal of the first instance has decided that the evident per sonal allusions of some of the caricatures in the Journal pour Hire stamp it with a political charac ter, and M. Pltilippou is decreed to pay the enormous sum of 470,000 f. The returus just published of the production and consumption of beetroot sugar from the commence ment of the season to the end of November, 1852, show a great glut in the market. The quantity manufactured has increased from 19 millions of kilo grammes to 36 millions, being an augmentation of 17 millions. If to this be added the quantity on hand at the commencement of the season, the total comes up to 45 millions. The sale and consumption has only been 16 millions, leaving a quantity of 29 mil lions on hand at the end of November, or four mil lions more than at the corresponding period of the previous year. The ironworks of Bourges, erected at a cost of more than 1,000 ; 000f., were a few days ago sold by auction, by order of the Civil Tribunal of that city, for 210,000 fr. It was said that the purchasers were Messrs. Gouia and Co., the bankers. It may be remembered that some proceedings took place a few months back before the Tribunal of Beauvais in consequence of M. Ruze, lessee for a cer tain number of years of the right of sporting in a portion of the forest of Compiegne, having declined to refrain, by himself and servants, from exorcising the right, notwithstanding Southall Consults had conferred the privilege of sporting in that and other forests exclusively on the Emperor. The technical form in which the matter presented itself was as to whether M. Ease should be allowed to appear, in virtue of his lease, to answer a complaint which had been made against his keepers for having, in spite of an official intimation that he was to consider the lease at an end, shot game in the forest. Although his retension was opposed by the Administration of the Forests, judgment was given in his favour, and a day was fixed for going into the merits of the case. This decision was appealed against by the Forest authorities, and on Saturday the appeal was argued at great length before the Court of Cessation. The arguments were entirely of a technical character. Eventually the court, on grounds exclusively tech nical, quashed the judgment of the Tribunal of Beau vale, and ordered the case to be referred to the Impe rial Court of Amiens. Measures ha - ,e been taken by the authorities to put down tho paid claques in the theatres. "It will, however, be difficult, if not impossible," says the Recto der. TAi atre, "to make this reform as com plete and absolute as could be desired. 'the police cannot always distinguish between spontaneous and hired applauders. But it has expressly interdicted any admissions before the opening of the doors, so as to ye the house perfectly empty when the public enters. Henceforth the claqueurs, deprived of their private entrance, will he subjested to the common lot, and this measure will certainly embarrass them in the exercise of their industry." At the Bourse to-day business was done in the Three per Cents. at 80f. 90c., and closed for the ac count at 80f. 50e. ; Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 1051: tifle.; for account, 105 f. 50e. Bank Shares. '2,845. In railway shares : Orleans, New, 1,025 f. : Paris and ltouen, 1,002 E ; Strasburg, and Bale, :305f. ; North ern, b7of.; Paris and Strasburg, 010 f. i Paris and TO TIM EDITOR OP TDB DAILY NEWS. Stii,—The following quotation coincides so accu rately with your very just remarks on our represen tatives at foreign courts, that perhaps it may not be unacceptable to your readers. Coleridge says, Baron von Humboldt, brother of the great tra seller, paid me the followin. compliment at Rome : I confess, Mr . Coleridge, I liad my suspicions that you were here in a political capacity of some sort or other ; but, upon reflection, I acquit you. For in Germany and, I believe, elsewhere on the continent, lit is generally understood that the English govern ment, in order to divert the envy and jealousy of the world at the power, wealth, and ingenuity of your nation, makes a point, as a ruse de grterre, of sending out none but fools of gentlemanly birth and con nexions as diplomatists to the courts abroad. An exception is, perhaps, sometimes made for a clever fellow, if sufficiently libertine and unprincipled.' Is the ease much altered now, do you know ?" I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Z. Y. .‘I,3IIRALTY AGENT,.—The staff of naval lieute nant. acting as Admiralty agents at the Southampton packet station is to he immediately increased by eleven additional ones, in consequence of the new mail contract with the Peninsular and Oriental Company now about to commence, and by which a double mail communication monthly, instead of a sii.gle one, is to be effected with India and China, and by which also the mail communica tion is to be extended to Australia from Southampton. FATAL ACCIDICNT. —On Sunday six fishermen, named Thomas Lauder, John Aitcheson, William Martin, John Cowc, William Spouse, and Alexander Anderson, were drowilcd off Burnmouth. They had been fishing, and having left their lines, were returning to the harbour, when the bout was caught by loose water breakers and cap sired ; and though another boat was following elise ho hind, not one of the unfortunate men was seen agaiu. Tbey were all married except Cowc, ant "cruel of thou hare lett large families,—Scotsman. I,yons, 910 f. ; Lyons and Mediterranean, 7601. ; Montereau and Troyes, 3001 ; St. Dizier and Gray, 6351.; Caen and Cherbourg, 640 f. ; Southern, 605 f. ; Dijon and Besancon, 540 f. ; Dieppe . and Fecamp, 835 f. ; Rouen and Havre, 5201. ; Paris and Sceaux, 150 f. ; Bordeaux and Teste, 2001. ; Central of Switzerland, 5201. PARIS, Tricsnav AFTERNOON. The Marquis de Valdegamas, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the Queen of Spain, had an audience of the Emperor yesterday, and deli vered letters announcing the delivery of the Duchess of Montpensier of a princess. Baron do Seebach, en voy extraordinary and minister plenipotentary of the King of Saxony ; Mr. W. Rives, the American mi nister; and M. Rumpff, resident minister of the Haase Towns, also had audiences of his Majesty to present their new letters of credence. Baron de Seebach of the same time delivered to his Majesty the grand cordon of the Royal Order of Saxony. Count de Loewenhielm, the Swedish minister, had an audience to present letters to the Emperor, an nouncing the birth of a son of the Prince Royal of Sweden and Norway, who has been christened by the names of Charles Oscar William Frederic. The Moniteur publishes a decree of the Emperor, giving the title of imperial to the Hotel des In valides, the Polytechnic School, the Special Military School, the Military Prytani:e (formerly the military college of La Flilche), School of Cavalry, School of Application of tho Staff, School of Application of Artillery and Engineers, and Military Schools of Medicine and Pharmacy. The other establishments of the artillery and engineers, such as the central depot, arsenal, waggon-trains, & c., will take the ge neral titles of imperial establishments. The last prices of the Austrian Five per Cent. Metalliques aro 95:1, a ; and of theyour.and-a-Half per Cents., 85!, Prussian Voluntary Loan, 102 ; the National Debt, 94i • and Dutch Four per Cents., 96 1, I. Hallway stock is suffering considerable agitation from a very general apprehension that the govern ment has itin contemplation to take under its protec tion the various French lines, with a perpetual gua rantee of a minimum rate of interest. A large quantity of the new coinage of the Empire has been thrown into circulation at the banks and changes. While the tasteful execution of the various coins is generally much admired, it is objected that their intrinsic value is far below that of the corres ponding . pieces of any coinage since the former Na poleon's in 1808. The Prussian and Austrian Ambassadors presented their credentials to the Emperor. Our submarine despatch states that the steam-boat which usually leaves Calais for Dover at 3.30 p.m., with the passengers by the morning express train from Paris, was unable to attempt the passage, in consequence of the violence of the gale which prevailed in the Channel. SPAIN. AUSTRIA. The state of siege has not been repealed at Vienna, as was expected on New Year's-day. It is doubtful whether there is any intention at all of formally abrogating the supremacy of military jurisdiction in the Austrian capital, though, in fact, tho military authorities have transferred the major part of their judicial and police functions to the civil officials. Dr. Scherer, Secretary of the Lloyd Company at 'Trieste, has resigned his post and been indicted tbr transmit ting offensive articles on Austrian affairs to the Cologne Gazette, and for obnoxious remarks in his private correspondence. Ifni letters had been opened by the Austrian post-office at the instigation of the police. While tho north of Germany is enjoying quite spring weather, in Austria and Hungary the "%Yeas, Gran, and Snjo are frozen over, and in the Thciss blocks of ice arc floating. The new government has published its expected law on the press, which is to come into operation at once, but subject to future revision by the Cortes. Offences imputed to the press are withdrawn frcm the cognisance of juries; nothing printed may be pub lished before the deposit of copies with the governor of the place or the fiscal of the press ; the governor or elcade, in towns where there is no go vernor, may suspend the publication in the exer cise of his authority, if ho deem it likely to endanger public tranquillity. In such a case the governor must proceed at once to bring the peccant mat ter before a tribunal for judgment, but the conductor of the publication may escape such trial by applying to the government, and abandoning the incriminated production. Journals, pamphlets, and books, in which the sovereign, the royal family, religion or its ministers, are attacked, may be seized by the authorities, without the obliga tion of subsequent indictment, as also may printed publications of any kind, in which the facts of pri vate life are inserted without the permission of the parties interested, although no calumny nor injury may be alleged. Editors of journals must be 23 years of age, have lived and kept house a year in the lo cality where they publish, be in the enjoyment of political and civil rights, pay annually 1,000 reels direct taxes in Madrid, 800 at Barcelona, Cadiz, Corognc, Grenada, Malaga, Seville, Saragossa, or Valence ; and 300 in smaller towns. The courts for the trial of offences against this law will be formed of magistrates of premier instance. Fines cannot exceed 000, nor be less than 1,000 resits. The Minister of the Interior has issued a circular to the governors of provinces, in which he states that the government is resolved to give the nation the liberty of examining the constitutional changes which the last ministry proposed. There are only two points on which all discussion is interdicted,—mon archy, with its symbol, the incontestible legitimacy of the throne of Queen Isabella IL, and the repre sentative principle, that is to say, the right of the nation to intervene in the affairs of the government in the manner indicated by the laws. No attack on these principles, direct or indirect, will the govern ment allow, but respecting their development and practical application, it is the duty and intention of the government to permit discussion. The Grand Council of Zurich granted, on the 7th, a concession for a railway from fikhaffhausen to Winterthur, where it is to join the Zurich and Ito manthorn line. ITALY. The Society of Political Economy lately formed at Turin held its first sitting on the 7th. Count Camillo Cavour, Minister of Finance, and president of the new society, opened the sitting with an inaugural speech, in which, after descanting on the importance of the science which they had united to advance, he showed the advantages which must accrue to Pied mont from the application of its principles. GERMANY. PRUSSIA. BERLIN, JAN. 6. In the first chamber, yesterday, the presentation of a petition gave rise to an animated debate on the poor-laws. Members of the agricultural party de clared it as their fixed opinion that alms are the pro lific seeds of pauperism, and that legislative provision for the destitute is practically the greatest cruelty to wards the poorest classes, because it weakens self reliance, prudence, and energetic labour, which alone can secure from destitution. They demanded, not an amendment, but an abolition of poor-laws, because the poor-box, while regarded by the lower classes as a refuge, is, in fact, a pitfal. There is truth in this. The qualification for a parish pen sion is, want of all means, and inability to earn a livelihood. This qualification is acquired by neglecting to save, and letting the last spark of in dustrious energy sink. Considering, therefore, the tendency of uncultivated minds, familiar with squalid existence, to sink into inertness, what is more natural than that for every pittance which the most charitable liberality can proffer ten candidates shall qualify themselves ? There could not be a mo ment's hesitation in passing a law that no poor per son shall be allowed to starve, if such law could possibly fulfil its aim. But since it is demonstrable that such aim cannot be effected by any human means, it is far more humane not to hold out to the poor a deceptive notion that they are legally secured from starvation, and, by such delusion, lure them by shoals into a path of improvidence, which can end only in the extreme of misery. It will, of course, be difficult to bring people to recognise and act on this principle; and the more so, because the poor law administration forms the chief business of muni cipal officials, who, particularly in Berlin, aro en deavouring to make a job of it, by substituting paid inspectors for the voluntary commissioners hitherto employed. Nevertheless. it is well that the matter has been taken in hand in a proper spirit. The Chamber moved that the ministry be requested to bring in a poor-bill this session, when the debate will not fail to excite public interest, and enlighten popular notions. The Queen of Hanover, who has been ill for some time, is sufficiently recovered to drive out, but is still so poorly, that all court ceremonies on New Year's ordination, having misbehaved, in order to gp. Day were put off. The Duke of Augustenburg h as nished, and so esca p e from their ship to the diggi ng ,, definitively sold his estates in Schleswig and The steamer's crew were therefore compelled to dis. Holstein for half a million sterling. The Grand charge the coal from the receiving ship, and stow it ; Duke of Oldenburg has steadfastly refused to accede and as the Australian was short-handed it was bat to the treaty for regulating the succession in Den- slow work. Shore labour could not be procured, g a d mark and the Duchies. In spite of earnest persua- the progress of the coaling was stopped for t wo d ays sion on the part of Russian diplomatists , he decla res b y a g ale fr o m the N.. Under , these circum s t ance; that though he has no means of asserting his pro - the Australian lett hang Georg!: ti Sound with a then epective rights, he will not voluntarily renounce supply of coal, and after rounding Cape Lee w i n , and them. The Danish ambassador has consequent l y ex p eriencin g head winds for some days , she lot, the been recalled from the Grand Ducal court. wind alto g ether, and exper ienced a long suceNsion of calm weather, which, coupled with the short supply of coal, and the prevalence of foul wi n s, after leaving Albany, completely broke down the voyage. The south-east trades generally blow with great regularity and considerable force between Australia and Africa, within a few degrees of tha tropics, but on this occaion they altogeth er failed, and a long succession of calms so far exhausted the stock of coal, that after proceeding northwards nearly to the latitude of Mauritius in search of the trade winds, it was considered advisable to bear up for that island for a supply of fuel. The eonneetiug rod of one of the engines having broken, this step was unavoid. able. " The Australian arrived at Mauritius on the 11th and sailed on the 13th November ; arrived at t h; Cape 26th November, sailed Ist December. The sensation created at these ports by the antral of a ship so richly freighted was very great, and the display of samples of gold and specimen nuggets by the passengers inereased the excitement. 44 At Albany the few available labourers were ae engrossed in fishing, oystering, and other trivial par. suits, productive of lavish remuneration from the passengers, that no assistance in coaling could be procured at any price. Cab hire, boat fares, and hotel charges rose wherever the vessel touched, and the most extravagant reports as to the wealth of those on board led to a rise in price of every article that was asked for. " The Australian is command.:l by Captain Hosea son, R.N. ller mails are in charge of Capt. E. Bar nard; they arc very numerous, and were landed at Plymouth at noon on Tuesday, about half an hour after her arrival in the Sound. Amongst the largo number of passengers who came home in the Austra lian are many fortunate gold diggers." MON TEN EGRO. Letters from Vienna bring intelligence of Monte negro, received by telegraph from Cattaro. They announce that the Montenegrins have voluntarily abandoned the fortress of Zabljak, after first demo lishing its ramparts. This step was taken, it is said, by advice of the Russian conghl at Ragusa. The Turks have not entered the place, fearing lest it should prove to be mined. Omer Pacha had issued a fiery proclamation to his troops, and was immediately to commence the :cam- Deign. The Pacha of Scutari had also again taken the field. The Austrian General Keller ♦on Kollenstein ar rived at Trieste on the ,ith, and immediately left for Cattaro. In the treaty of Sistow, made Aug. 4, 1791, be tween the Emperor of Austria and the Ottoman Porte, signed by Sir Robert Keith Murray, on behalf of Great Britain, one of the mediating powers, it is expressly stipulated that there shall be a complete amnesty of the hostilities, violences, and injuries committed in the course of the war by the sub cots' and vassals of either power who have espoused the cause of the other, " and especially the inhabitants, whatever their condition, of -1/onivtiegro, Bosnia, Servia, Wallachia, and Moldavia, who, in virtue of this amnesty, may re-enter in the enjoyment of their former possessions and rights without being dis quieted, molested, or punished for having declared against their own sovereign, or for having done homage at the Imperial (Austrian) court." PERSIA. A letter from Teheran, in the Augsburg states that the sentence of death passed on the brother of the Shah of Persia, for having been con cerned in the conspiracy of Teheran, has, on the in tercession of the Ambassador of England, been com muted into exile. AUSTRALIA THE CAPE MAILS. ARRIVAL OF THE AUSTRALIAN. This line and richly freighted vessel, so long and anxiously expected, arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday forenoon at about 11 o'clock. The Australian left Adelaide, Oct. 5; St. George's Sound, Oct. 19; Cape of Good Hope, Nov. 30; arrived at Plymouth, Jan. 11. Sho brings 24 pas sengers, and 222,293 ounces of gold from Australia. The Calcutta arrived at the Cape, Nov. 23. The following interesting account of her departure from Australia and voyage home, is from the pen of a correspondent, who came home a passenger in the Australian : " The Royal Australian Mail steamer Australian arrived at Plymouth on Tuesday, January 11. She has made a long passage from Australia, and has been much delayed by the want of hands during the voyage. Her departure from Sydney was retarded from this cause from the 13th to the 20th September. Sho was started from Sydney by means of a party of volunteers from the crew of her Majesty's ship Fantome, who were placed on board of her to enable her to get away, all her outward crew having ab sconded. _ _ _ _ . . " On the 23rd Sept. she reached Melbourne, having steamed from Sydney against strong head winds, in 55 hours. Sho was delayed hero by the shipment of a large quantity of gold; about 1,30,000 oz. having been put on board. A much larger quantity was ready for shipment, but the rules of the Insurance Companies limiting risks in one bottom, prevented the shipment of the further quantities that were awaiting the vesseL It is understood that arrange meats will be completed with the underwriters in I England, which will prevent disappointment from this cause in future. A detachment of police was stationed at the gangway of the ship during her stay at Melbourne, and the constables were relieved so as to keep watch day and night to prevent desertion. In this way the ship was pro tected from further loss of hands at Melbourne, and no desertion took place during her stay there. From Melbourne she sailed on 2Sth September, reaching Adelaide on Ist October, having experienced heavy westerly gales all the way. These winds prevail along the Australian coast during the greater part of the year. At Adelaide she received a further shipment of about seventf ai rusand ounces of gold bars and gold dust. A e portion of the gold skipped here consisted of ingots assayed at the Adelaide bullion office. These ingots are assayed, their weight in pure gold is stamped upon them, end their standard fineness is also stamped upon each ingot, in carats and Errains; the value of the gold at the standard price of 31. 178. 9d. per oz., can thus be accurately ascertained. A further quantity of gold would also have been shipped at Adelaide, but for the interposition of the same difficulty . in reference to the insurance which was experienced in Melbourne. The total quantity of gold onboard the ship in freight, is about 230,000 ounces, which, exclusive of large quantities suspected to be in possession of passengers, gives a total value of about one million sterling. It is expected that the Sydney—the next boat due from Australia—will bring a much larger sum. Among the many splendid specimens of gold on board this ship, the finest is a magnificent mass of pure ore, weighing 310 oz., christened in the colony the "Royal Victoria Nugget of Australia," which has been for warded by gentlemen in Victoria, under charge of the Admiralty agent, as a present to her Majesty the Queen. " This splendid specimen of virgin gold was found at the Bcudigo diggings in the beginning of Sep tember, and was forwarded to Melbourne for sale by a person who is said to have purchased it of the lucky finder for 1,1001. It was advertised for sale by auction, but, before the day of sale, was sold privately to a gen tleman connected with the local government for the sum of 1,5001. " At Adelaide, a detachment of police kept watch night and day, to prevent desertion, and on the 4th of October, the vessel sailed for Albany, King George's Sound. She arrived hero in seven days, having had a continuation of westerly gales all the way, with a heavy head swell. At Albany, a most annoying detention of seven days and a half took place, and the delay thus caused, and the further loss of time arising from the insufficient supply of coals at this port completely destroyed the prospects of the voyage, and led to the protraction of the pas sage to the length which it subsequently reached. ' " There were upwards of 1,000 tons of coal belong ing to the company at this port, one-half being on board a ship in the harbour, and the other half in a depot on shore ; but notwithstanding this ample supply was on the spot, it was difficult to coal the steamer. " Tho wholo of the crew of the receiving ship, who should hare been engaged in coaling the steamer, mote :n prison ha aisub. THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. The Austral:an brings news from the Cape of Good Hope ten days later than that received by Me previous arrivals. There is, however, little news in addition to that brought IT the Harbinger. The following extracts from the Squat African A dr, disci-, of Nov. JO and 27, contain all the items of inform. ation possessed of any interest : The governor is on he way to the sovereignty, with some 4,000 Men uf all arms, for the purpose of " adrainst,ring justice and right equally to all." Nu events of the slightest moment have occurred in the interval on the borders or is Karlisria. Me Court. WIN 5011, JAN. 11. The fallowing had the honour of dining with her Majesty yesterday :—The Duchess of Kent, the Prince of Leiningen, the Princess Adelaide of Hohenlohe, the Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, the Baroness de Spetb, the Honourable Mrs. Grey and Miss Bulled, the night lion. Edward Cardwell, cad Mr. Gibbs. , Her Majesty's private band attended in the castle in the evening, and played the following music : ustrture, " Id Genuserizin" Lindpaintren Coro, "11 frociato" Andante, Ali:matte, Trio, finale Sai:oni.i, "Jupitet" Montt. Finale, "Oberon" Prince Albert, accompanied by the Prince of Lciniagea and the Right Hon. Edward Cardwell, went out shooting this forenoon, attended by Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps and Lieut.-Colonel F. 11. Seymour. Tho Right Hon. Edward Cardwell arrived yesterday on a visit, .Jul left the Castle to-day for London. Colonel Godfrey, Mr. Gillespie, and Mr. Ilsberts had interviews yestei thy with the Luke of Newcastle at the Colonial Oftiee. The Earl of Aberdeen's dinner party on Monday incluled the Belgian, Russian, Turkish, and Austrian ministm, Lord John Russell, the E.lld of Clarendon, ViiPOUllt Pal merston, Sir James Graham, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Right .Hononrable E. Cardwell returned to WI yesterday ufternoon Irons Windsor Castle. LAST RIGHT'S CArETTE.) BOARD OF GREEN CLOTH, JAN. 4.—The Queen has been pleased to appoint the Must Noble Henry Charles, Duke of Norfolk, K.G., to be Lord Steward of her Mt. jesty's Household, in the room of the Most Noble James, Duke of Montrose, K.T., resigned; also been pleased to appoint the Right Hon. George Augustus Constantine Phipps (commonly called the Earl of Mulgrave) to ba Treasurer of her Majesty's Household, in the room of the Right Hon. Claud Hamilton (commonly called Lord Claud Hamilton), resigned; also been pleased to appoint the Hon. Archibald William Douglas (commonly called Viscount Drumlanrig) to be Comptroller of her Majesty's Household, in the room of the Right Hon. George Cecil Weld Forester, resigned. WIIITLIIALL,JAN.IO.—The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under tho Great Seal of the United Kingdom, appointing the Right lion. Sir George James Turner, Knt., to be a ,Judge of the Court of Ap peal in Chancery, in the room of the Right Hon. Robert Monsey, Lord Cranworth, resigned; also been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, granting the office of a Vice-Chan cellor unto Sir William Page Wood, Knt., iu the room of the Right Hon. Sir George James Turner, Kat., m aga...ed. FOREIGN -OFFICE, JAN. 11.—It is hereby notified that the Right Hon. Lord John Russell, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Attain, has re ceived from Colonel Hugh Itese, her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Constantinople, a despatch, bearing date the 17th of December last, inclosing an official note, dated the 15th of December last, addressed to him by Fund Effendi, the Ottoman Minister for Foreign Affairs, announcing the establishment of the blockade of the coasts which extend from Dulcigno to the extreme Turkish frontier, by the naval forces of his Imperial Majesty, the Sultan, for the purpose of preventing munitions of war or provisions frost being landed upon the said coasts. CROWN-OFFICE.—INIEMDERS RETURNED TO SERVE , IN THIS I'RECENT PARLIAMENT. JAN. 8. Borough of Marlborough : The Right lion. Ernest Augustus Charles Brudenell Bruce, commonly called Lord Ernest Bruce, Vice-Chamberlain of her Majesty's Household.—Boroasth 1 of Leeds : The Right Hon. Matthew Talbot Baines, of No. 13, Queen-square, In the city of Westminster, President of the Poor-law Board.—Borough of Halifax The Right . lion. Sir Charles Wood, Bart., President of the Board of Control for the Affairs of India.—Borough of Scarborough: 'the Right lion. George Augustus Constantine Phipps, L commonly called Earl of Mulgrave, of Mulgravc Castle, in the county 0 York, Treasurer of Her Majesty's Household. —Borough of Tiverton: Henry John Temple, Viscount Palmerston, of Woodlands, in the county of Hants, one of her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State.—Let. ls . Town of Southampton: Sir Alexander James Edmund Cockburn, of liertford-street, May-fair, in the county of Middlesex, Knt., her Majesty's Attorney-Ciencral. NEW DEPUTY LIEUTENANTS. Dunn.tx. Henry Lipscombe, Esq., and NVilliatn Lamb, Esq, STAITORD3IIIItE. William Mott, Esq., John Newton Lane, Esq., Qua Wil• limn Arden, Esq. THE MILITIA. The following commissions have been signed : The Hen. Edward Richard Littleton, to be colonel, in tbl King's Own Second Regiment of Staffordshire Militia. The Hon. limy-William-George Paget, comrade/ called Lord Paget, to be lieutenant-colonel, in ditto. Richard Hyatt, Esq., late captain in her Majesty's aid Regiment of Foot, to be major, an ditto. Francis Blake, Eeq., late captain in her Majesty , 7l Regiment of Dragoon Guards, to be major, in ditto. Benjamin Miller, Esq.. to be surgeon, in ditto. Cecil Aneon Harries, Esq., to be first lieutenant, 1.16 • the Royal P•mbroke Rifle Corps. James James, Esq., to be second lieutenant. in ditto. BILLINGSGATR INPRoVItIIENTS.—The street front. age of the new Billingsgate market is proceeding rapiall towards completion, and when tho whole is finished Inig present a handsome appearance, and remarkably different to the ugly and shattered shed-like look of the former pin' mins of this renowned fish market. TfIE Oe'F.AN PENNY PusrtcE.—A public meet' ing was held at Ike's Hotel, Dirminghatn, on Mondry evening, at which the Mayor presided, when Twin:jag were paswd unanimously in favour of the proposed Oats Penny Postage. Mr. Oahu Burritt the p r incipal speaker. A Ucicu PassAGE.--Ttiessrit. Gibbs, Bright, and Co., the owners of the Eagle, are about to present Captain Boyce, the commander, with a handsome tiller saw , appropriately inscribed, in commemoration of his b r inging the vessel from Melbourne to London in the sho rtest titan the voyage has yet been accomplished, namely, 76 darn'"' Liocrpeel Courier. DEMERARA RAILWAY. Return of traffic for November last, 6211. 17s. 44.; gosh rtral l ,... 6s. 91.; total, 1,2931. 4s. Id. Corresponding year, 1,1701. 12s. 6d.