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

1066 At a meeting on the 2nd inst., at Vienna, of the shareholders of the Bank of Austria, it was announced that the metallic reserve amounted to 44,661,000 florins. The debt of the state to the Bank is 161,704,000 florins, of which 150,000 florins are for purpose of withdrawing paper from circulation. The metallic reserve, as compared with last year, has in creased 233,000 florins, and the amount of notes in circulation has increased 13,181,000 florins. SWEDEN. The three Parliamentary Chambers have finally voted the credit of 2,500,000 dollars demanded by the King on account of the fund for maintaining the neutrality of Sweden with respect to the present war. The Swedish Government has given orders for the casting of fifty-one light pieces, and fifteen common 7-inch bomb-cannons, with chamber-loading and iron carriages, as also one hundred projectiles for each. It has also commanded the casting of forty-one common 7-inch bomb•cannons, with iron carriages, together with one hundred projectiles for each. The whole to be ready by next spring, or sooner if possible. A letter from Stockholm of the 20th ult. says 44 The vice-consul of England at Wisby has received orders from his Government to form in that port a depot of 10,000 tons of coals for the British navy." SPAIN. The preparatory meeting of the new Cortes took place on the 6th without any new incident. Madrid was perfectly tranquil. Her Majesty opened the session in person. The following royal speech was delivered on that occasion : Gentlemen,—l come to•day with greater pleasure than ever to open the Cortes of the nation, which places me in the midst of the chosen deputies of the people. If, on the 25th of July, I recognised all the truth which I have confided without reserve to its nobleness and its patriotism, it is just that, on this solemn occasion, I should seize the opportunity to thank it for its admirable behaviour, as well as all those who have used their efforts to strengthen the new era of happiness and prosperity which was then inaugurated for our country. I have remained faithful to what I promised on that day before God and the world; I have respected, as I shall ever continue to respect, the liberty and the rights of the nation. I have taken all pains and have shown my deter• mination to develop its resources, and to realise its just aspirations. In ordaining and decreeing the fundamental law which hallows those rights and guarantees those in terests, you, the esteemed representatives of the country, with your hands on your hearts and your eyes fixed on your consciences, will come to close the abyss of strife and discord ; your resolution'will be a decision worthy of your nobleness, worthy of being accepted by your constituents, and worthy of being blessed and applauded by posterity. Time can never efface the memory of recent events ; but, if it be true that the heart beats and tears fill the eyes at the memory of misfortune, let us derive thence an example and a lesson for that new political life which is opening before you. Perhaps we have all been deceived; for the future let all use every effort to succeed. Such is my full and perfect confidence that your patriotism and your endeavours will be as great and as fruitful as the need of our beloved Spain demands; and, since its destinies have so often asto nished Europe, make Europe admire you once more when it beholds the edifying picture of a Queen who, without hesitation, has thrown herself into the arms of her people, and of a people which, while asserting its liberties, responds to the decisions of its Queen, and shows itself the bravest, the noblest, and most chivalrous nation in the world. The budget, it is stated, will be presented to the Cortes by her Majesty in person. Amongst the savings to be effected are the suppression of the Royal Horse Guards, leaving only the halberdiers as a guard for the Queen ; the reduction of the Queen's civil list from 34,000,000 to 28,000,000 reals ; of those of the King, the Princess of the Asturias, and the Infante Don Francisco de Paula to 500 , 000 reals each, and that of the Duchess de Montpensier to 1,000,000 reals; and, finally, the suppression of the allowances to the Queen-Mother and the other mem bers of the royal family. It is also proposed to re duce the budget of the royal household from 47,000,000 to 31,500,000 reals. M. Olozaga, Minister of Spain at the French Court, left Paris on Wednesday for Madrid,.by orders from his Government. It is believed that he will take an active part in the early sittings of the Con stituent Cortes, where his Parliamentary experience will secure for him a prominent position. He retains his appointment at Paris. TURKEY. Several French and English officers who distin guished themselves at Alma will receive the decora tion of the Medjidie, and for the soldiers the Sultan has ordered a medal to be struck, on which the flags of France, England, and Turkey are to be displayed together. Admiral Hamelin's flag ship Ville de Paris and her Majesty's ship Albion arrived at Constantinople on the 25th ult. to repair. The Egyptian troops had arrived from Alexandria. Omer I'acha is ordered to send a reinforcement of 20,000 to the Crimea. A good deal of intriguing is said to be going on against the Pea& Intriguing THE PRESS. against each other is the daily pastime of the great men in Turkey. RUSSIA. A letter from Odessa of Oct. 25, in the Lloyd of Vienna, says :—" Since the residence of the Grand Dukes at Kischenetl; a daily communication is estab lished between that town and Sebastopol, by way of Odessa. The departure of Russian reinforcements for the Crimea is continued without interruption. This day a convoy of 2,000 carts has left with a bri gade of infantry." The Hamburg correspondent of the Independanee Beige writes as follows on the 3rd inst..—" Letters from St. Petersburg of the 28th of October give additional confirmation to the statement that warlike preparations on a vast scale are being made over the whole surface of the Russian empire. In the great centres of action thousands of workmen are conti nually occupied in manufacturing military equip ments. It is, therefore, generally considered that the war has only just begun, and must continue for a long time. At this very moment the military estab lishment at Petrasowodsk is, by order of the Russian Government, casting a considerable number of guns of a ' long range.' These are constructed upon the very latest principles, and will be finished as soon as possible, in order to be of use for the new ex terior fortifications of the port of Cronstadt. The movement in the various arsenals of this warlike establishment is very active. Numerous workmen divided into separate gangs are constantly employed in the repairs and proper arrangement of the forti fications." The Invalide Russe and Journal de St. Petersbourg are publishing angry and abusive articles, designed to inflame the apathetic population. In one of the most recent of these it is said, "It is insanity to think of breaking Russia's power ; utterly vain to oppose her future progress. Her material and moral force is undervalued, as France and England will find to their astonishment. The present war is a ' war of principles ,' and an obstinate one to boot ; and those are greatly in error who consider this to be an idle menace." The Invalide Russe, of the 26th ult., contains the following proclamation of the Emperor to the army at Sebastopol : His Majesty the Emperor having received the report of the Aide-de-Camp General Prince Menschikoff, testifying to the resolute courage, the exemplary firmness, and laud able abnegation which the army and navy forming the garrison of Sebastopol displayed during the bombardment of the town by the Anglo-French on the 17th and 18th, ex presses his sincere gratitude to the said forces, from the general down to the simple soldier, for the great warlike exploits by which they have completely justified the con fidence of his Majesty. The Emperor takes pleasure in believing that they will not cease to distinguish themselves by their bravery, and by all the qualities which distinguish the veritable children of Russia. UNITED STATES. The Baltic steamer has brought New York dates to the 28th ult. The Government of the United States at Washing ton and the Cabinet of Santa Anna have laid the basis of a new treaty, which is at the present moment in process of negotiation. This treaty will be entirely of a commercial nature. Preparations are being made to render the St. Lawrence navigable for heavy vessels both ways, from Lake Ontario to the Gulf. The Oregon Times, of Sept. 22, gives details of a horrid massacre of white men, women, and children, attacked on their way, which lay near an encamp ment of Snake Indians. Jose Antonio Santos Castaneda, who betrayed Lopez, the filibuster, was playing at billiards in one of the most public places in Havannah on the even ing of Oct. 12, three hundred persons being present, when he was shot in the back of the head by some person unknown, and killed on the spot. All attempts to discover the perpetrator of the deed have hitherto been fruitless. An official funeral was given to the murdered man, which led to some serious dis turbances in Havannah. CANADA. The second reading of the Clergy Reserves Bill was carried on the 25th ult. by a majority of ninety three to fifteen. Sir Cusack Roney, the Hon. Francis Hincks, the Hon. John Ross, Sir Allan M ' Nab, and Mr. Logan, geological survey or to the province, have been nomi nated a commission to secure a proper representation of the products of Canada at the Paris Exhibition, and it is stated that the Canadian Legislature will vote 10,0001. for the purpose. THE Emancipation of Brussels states :—" Mr James Wilson, a member of the English Government• has passed through Belgium, on his way to Paris, to concert measures with the French Ministers to pre vent the transit of Russian produce through Prussia. This important fact, which we think we may guarantee appears to prove that the entente between Prussia and the allies on the Eastern question is far from establishedi" SATURDAY, tiotut nab lastion. Thursday last, being the birthday of the Prince of Waies, was celebrated at Windsor and in London in the usual manner. In the morning the troops form ing the garrison of Windsor paraded in tae Home park, her Majesty, accompanied by Prince Albert and the Prim. of Wales, looking on from the East. terrace. The military parade closed with a feu de joie. On Saturday last the Queen and Prince Consort came by railway to London, and paid a visit to the Duchess of Gloucester. _ _ The christening of the infant daughter of Lieute nant• Colonel the Hon. Alexander and Mrs. Gordon took place in the private chapel of the castle on Tuesday, her Majesty and his ltoyai Highness Prince Albert standing as sponsors. The Dean of Windsor performed the ceremony. Baron de Hochschild had an audience of her Ma jesty on Monday evening, to deliver his;, credentials as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten tiary from the Court of Sweden. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday (Friday) at the Foreign-office. A messenger arrived at the Foreign-office, Downing street, on Sunday afternoon, from Calais, with despatches for the Earl of Clarendon and also for the Admiralty and the Ordnance Department. The Chancellor of the Exchequer has acknowledged the receipt of six Mexican Bonds, each for WM, " in further payment of a debt long due to the nation." Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston will leave town on Monday next for Paris, whence they will proceed to St. Cloud, on a visit of a few days to the Emperor and Empress of the French. The Baron de Geer, who for a long period has filled the office of Secretary of the Swedish Legation at the Court of St. James's, is about to leave London for the Hague, having been appointed, provisionally, Chargé d'Affaires at the Court of the Netherlands. The baron will be succeeded as Secretary of Legation in this country by Baron de Wrede, whose arrival from Sweden is shortly expected. Baron Brunow, who has been residing at Darm stadt, has been suddenly recalled to St. Petersburg. THE LORD MAYOR'S BANQUET. Os Thursday last, being Lord Mayor's Day, Mr. Moon was inaugurated into office for the ensuing year with all, or nearly all, the traditional pomp and pageantry which have so long been lavished upon the great civic anniversary ceremonial. During the day there were the customary street processions and water " promenades." His lordship was presented to the judges in Westminster-hall, and, on receiving the usual compliments upon his accession, invited the learned occupants of the bench to partake of his hos pitalities in the evening. On returning the pro cession was joined, as usual, by the carriages of many of her Majesty's present Ministers, who themselves appeared in due time, when the performances of the day reached their acme, and the company mustered 1,000 strong at the banquet in the Guildhall. After dinner the speechmaking ran its prescribed course, controversial politics being, as usual, tabooed, and nothing said by any one on any side which was not perfectly complimentary to everybody—except, haps, to the Emperor of Russia. Viscount HARDINGE replied to the toast of the " United Armies and Navies of France, Turkey, and England." He appealed to the company to approve his statement that the "army had not degenerated;' declared that the French troops bad shown the valour and bravery for which they had always been distin guished ; and that Lord Raglan possessed great military qualities. He rejoiced to add that the best feeling subsisted between the English and French armies, founded upon mutual respect. Lord Har dinge afterwards acknowledged the services per formed by the English and French sailors. Of the third copartner, in the toast of the Turkish army and navy, his lordship is not reported to have said anything. Count WstwEsKr responded in French to the health of the Foreign Ministers. He hoped that the Lord Mayor's year of office would end under more auspicious circumstances, as regarded the peace of the world, than it began, and proceeded to remark upon le grand fait qui domine notre epoque, the union of the two peoples which march at the head of civilisation, the French and English. Alma and Bomarsund, he said, were but preludes of what this alliance could and would accomplish. A legal toast having been drunk and acknowledged by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Mayor proposed the health of the Prime Minister, remarking that "to administer the affairs of the country ut this moment was no trilling task. They had to keep the trade of the country going, and at the same tame to provide the necessary means for that difficult, but just and holy, war, which they were bound to carry on." The Earl of ABERDEEN, who was cheered as he rose, thanked the assembly for their cordial receptue