The Press. — London, England, 1854-02-11 00:00:00

FEBRUARY 11, 1854. severe wound in the chest, but his life is not consi dered in danger. Several arrests were made last week at Epernay of persons suspected of belonging to the secret society lately discovered at Reims. GERMANY. Count Orloff 's mission to Vienna is now officially announced to have proved a total failure, and his departure, after being several times postponed, ac tually took place on Wednesday morning. He returns direct to St. Petersburg without visiting Berlin. The terms of the Russian project of which Count Orloff was the bearer are stated to have been as follows :—First, it was proposed that a Turkish ple nipotentiary should be sent either to the head-quarters of the army of occupation or to St. Petersburg, to w treat directly ith Russia, but to be free to see and advise with the Ministers of the four powers. Se condly, the former treaties between Russia and the Porte to be renewed. Thirdly, Turkey to enter into an engagement with respect to political refugees—to the effect, it is supposed, that they should not hence forth be harboured in the Ottoman dominions. And lastly, a declaration from the Porte, couched in similar terms to the Menschikoff ultimatum, with reference to the protection of the Greek Christians. This project was communicated to the Conference by Count Buol, and was at once rejected as totally inadmissible. Prussia is said to have expressed her refusal in very decided terms. The Envoy afterwards offered to give up the pre tension to treat with Turkey alone, but this modified proposition was equally rejected. The English Ambassador was very posi'ive on the subject, in consequence of express instructions from home. By the Ministerial Times, the conditions on which Count Orloff was to express the Emperor's readiness to treat are pronounced arrogant and absurd to the last degree. Baron de Budberg, the Russian Minister to the Court of Berlin, arrived in Vienna on Monday. The Russian Ambassador, Baron de Meyendorff, and his lady gave a very brilliant ball in Vienna on the 3rd, at which the Austrian Court was represented by his Imperial Highness the Archduke Wilhelm. All the members of the Austrian Cabinet, as also the whole corps diplomatique, were present, with the exception, of course, of the Turkish Ambassador. Upwards of six hundred members of the elite of society were invited. Count Orloff was prevented from attending by temporary indisposition. It is reported that a third protocol was signed in Vienna on Friday, Austria and Prussia declaring to adhere to the maintenance of the integrity and inde pendence of Turkey. A congress at Brussels is spoken of as probable. There is no doubt that the Austrian army of obser vation on the Servian frontier is to be increased forthwith. The Oest. Correspondenz, of the 7th, announces that, while Russia and Turkey were fight ing in Great Wallachia, Austria saw no reason for placing a corps on the Turkish frontier; but, now that Lesser Wallachia has become the theatre of war, the Government has resolved to station 25,000 men in the Woywodina for the security of the frontlet. ITALY. last. Reports from Milan of the Ist inst. state that 30,000 Croats were expected in Lombardy. The for tresses were being filled with stores. In its sitting of the 31st ult. the Piedmontese Chamber of Deputies passed the bill for the aboli tion of the lottery, by a majority of 98 votes to 6. SPAIN. The Queen took a drive on the 28th ult. for the first time since her confinement. Her Majesty was in an open carriage, and was accompanied by the King. Another commission of seven professional mem bers had been appointed by the Government to re port definitively on the question whether the pro jected railway from Madrid to Valladolid ought to go by way of Avila or Segovia. GREECE. Athens letters of the 3rd report that an insurrec tion had taken place in the province of Arta and the adjoining districts. The notables have issued a pro clamation. Four hundred insurgents ha v e sworn to die in defence of the cross and of the Greek Church. RUSSIA AND TURKEY.' The rejection of the last Vienna proposition by the Czar is now officially confirmed. The French Government land, doubtless, also that of England) has received the notification that the Em p eror Nicholas does not accept the terms agreed to by the Porte, by the note of Redschid Pacha, dated Dec. 31, and pronounced satisfactory by the Vienna Con ference, as certified in the protocol of Jan. 13. This intelligence has not yet been forma ll y com municated to the members of the Vienna Conference, nor would it be until Count Orloff had reached St. Petersburg on his return from his mission to the Austrian capital. THE PRESS. Letters from St. Petersburg published in the Berlin National Gazette state that the war party was losing ground, and that Count de Nesselrode has resumed his former influence. it is also said that the Czar was about to write an autograph letter to the Queen of England, in which he would endea- your to prove that he had not been the aggressor. An imperial ukase confirms the summoning to arms of all the reserves, as well as the soldiers on furlough. The Russian army amounts at the present mo ment, both in the principalities and in Bessarabia, to a total force of 156,328 men, and 520 cannon, of which 72 are of large calibre. According to General Schilders' report, the army of occupation is in a pitiable condition, the original corps being 35,000 men weaker than when it crossed the Pruth in July According to reports from Orsova of the 26th ult. the left bank of the Danube is flooded at Kalafat, and at Rahova. The country adjacent to the banks is mostly overflowed. The islands near Giurgevo, Oltenitza, and Sirtow, which hitherto formed a basis of operations for the Ottoman troops crossing the river, were quite inundated. The floods rendered the reconnoitring expeditions of the Turks impos sible. On the 21st those Russian regiments which were engaged from the sth to the 15th, and suffered such heavy losses, were withdrawn to Kra.jova, having been relieved by fresh troops. On the 23rd the who!e staff of the Commander-in-Chief arrived at Boleshtie, as a grand reconnoissance was very shortly to take place against Kalafat. On the '2sth the Russian troops still occupied their old position in and about Radovan. Advices from Bucharest of the 31st ult. state that the Russians have completely destroyed the Turkish battery opposite the Ismael Channel. Floating bridges were being constructed at Galatz. On the Turkish side considerable reinforcements were on march from Sophia for Kalafat, where there WAS already assembled an army of 25,000 men, provided with a numerous and excellent train of artillery. Omer Pacha has completely recovered his health. The Patrie states that, having crossed the Danube with 50,000 men, he had divided the Russian army, the right wing of which was at Krajova, the left at Galatz, and the centre at Bucharest. He was only two days' march from the latter town. A change of Ministry is announced to have taken place in Constantinople. The Seraskier and Kapudan Pacha have left the Cabinet. Riza and Achmed Pacha have succeeded them. The new ministers are said to be in favour of a compromise with Russia. Lord Dudley Stuart and Mr. Colquhoun, her Britannic Majesty's political agent in the principali ties of Wallachia and Moldavia, had an interview on the 17th with the Sultan, at his palace of Tcheragan, on the Bosphorus. They were accompanied by Count Pisani, of the British embassy, who under took to [act as interpreter on this occasion. Abdul Medjid honoured them by a most gracious reception, and discoursed for a considerable time with Mr. Colquhoun about the unfortunate state of the pro vinces of his empire actually in the occupation of a Russian army. Lord Dudley Stuart left Constanti nople for England on the 25th, on board the Osiris. A great many arrests have been made in Constan tinople by the Turkish police, owing to a wide-spread conspiracy having been discovered. The two prin cipal persons arrested are Baron Oesler, who was a captain in the Russian service, and once aide-de camp to General Liiders ; and M. Paolo Cassich. The object of this conspiracy was to cause an insur rection among the Greeks, and a great many persons are compromised, some being of high station. The papers found in their houses are highly important ; the full particulars, however, have not yet transpired. The Turk seems gradually accustoming himself to the idea of accepting Christians in his army. The army in Asia is now commanded by a Christian, se conded by two others. This is acquiesced in by the Porte and hailed by the soldiers. In Europe a small Cossack force, officered by Christians, is slowly col lecting at Shumla ; it is even said that Bulgarian Christians are being enlisted. General llaraguay d'Hilliers was to have set out on the 20th c n his tour of military inspection. Military operations in Asia are suspended. The firmans issued by the Sultan with referen to Servia have been read in the presence of the Pachas at Belgrade. THE COMBINED FLEET. The return of the fleets to Beycos on the 22nd occasioned much surprise and consternation in Constantinople. The Porte was quite confounded at the intelligence, and addressed a note on the subject to the representatives of England and France. The ambassadors held a conference in consequence of this communication, and the Samson started for the Black Sea with their reply to the admirals, which was to the following effect " The ambassadors cannot but express their astonish ment at learning the sudden resolution of the admirals, 127 particularly at the present moment, when a Tuikish flotilla is on the point of setting out with stores and am munition for the army of Anatolia. " The orders of the French and English Governments, which arrived here ten days back by the Caton, were for mal and precise as to the protection which the combined fleets ought to accord to the Turkish flag and territory ; and the two admirals are again requested to make them• selves perfectly alive to the peremptory nature of these instructions which have already been communicated to them. " It would seem that the admirals are of opinion that the measures, the execution of which is entrusted to them, may be as well effected whilst the fleets are at Beycoe Bay as if they were at Sinope. In that matter the admirals can only consult their own opinion, and the re sponsibility will remain with them. The ambassadors abstain from all intervention in what relates to matters of nautical interference. The wishes and intentions of their Governments having been duly notified to the two admirals, it is for them to conform to them, and to find means of taking them more clearly into consideration to carry them into execution." According to the latest accounts, the rrason as signed for this return was that the admirals declined the responsibility of navigating with sailing-vessels in the Black Sea during the present most dangerous ason. On the 27th ult. the fleets were still at Beycos, but a semi-official notification was given that they would sail again on the following day. The Vesuvius, Captain I'owell, the Highjtyer, Captain Moore, and the Sidon, Captain Goldsmith, had lately arrived to join the fleet. The squadrons had not been altogether unem ployed. Six ships bad again convoyed a Turkish steamer, with troops, into the Black Sea; and on the 28th another Turkish convoy, intended to carry men and ammunition to Batoum, was to sail under the escort of a part of the Turkish fleet and the French and English frigates. Before the entry of the fleets into the Black Sea the Russian cruisers were constantly in observation upon the Turkish coast. They have since entirely disappeared, and the Turks have complete possession of the Euxine. The Russian fleet was reported to be keeping close at Sebastopol. Mr. Purdie, Queen's messenger, arrived at Con stantinople on the 22nd, in H.M.S. Spitfire, from Malta, bearing despatches from England (9th) for Lord Stratford de Redcliffe. UNITED STATES. - - - New York intelligence to the 25th ult. was received by the Europa, which reached the Mersey on Monday. The merchants' committee, appointed to resolve upon some testimonial to the captains of the Three Bells, Antarctic, and Kilby, for their conduct in the Son Francisco affair, had agreed to present them each with a silver tea set, and 2,500 dols. in money. The first officers of the ships were to have 250 dole., the second officers 200 dole., the third officers 100 dole., and the sailors 50 dole. in cash and a silver medal. The captain of the Lucy Thompson will receive plate of the value of 1,000 dole., the first officer 250 dole. in money, the second officer 100 dole., the petty officers 50 dols., and the sailors 25 dole. each. It is gratifying to notice that the com mittee have not, as is too often the ease, neglected to reward the officers and crews as well as the captains. The subscriptions from all quarters were very liberal. Captain Creighton, of the Three Bells, had, in addition to the handsome testimonial above mentioned, been presented with the freedom of the city of New York. Mr. Forbes Allison, a merchant of New Orleans, and president of the St. Andrew's Society, is reported to have absconded, leaving liabilities to the extent of 40,000 dole. Great excitement had been occasioned in the Congress by the bill for constituting the " territory of Nebraska" a member of the Union. The first bill, introduced by Senator Douglas, had been changed, and that gentleman moved a new bill constituting two territories—Kamsas and Nebraska. This, it is certain, will give rise to violent debates on the ques tions as to whether slavery shall be allowed in one or both of those territories—whether it shall be left fur the people inhabiting them to decide by vote whether they will permit or reject slavery, or whether the said territories shall or shall not be at once declared free for ever. By the Missouri compromise all western states were to be free, north of latitude 30 deg. 30 min. But the southern members declare that Henry Clay's Compromise Act of 1850 altogether overrode the old Missouri compromise, and there upon the issue will be joined both in the Senate and House of Representatives. The Nebraska question will be the most exciting topic of the session. The failure and probable destruction of Walker's freebooting expedition to Lower California are fully confirmed. On the 20th ult. the town of Brandon, Ohio, was destroyed by a tornado. It was but small. At Rochester, on the 21st, a large hotel and about , . forty houses were destroyed by fire—loss, 300,000 -