The Press. — London, England, 1858-11-20 00:00:00

1.124 nary attractions; and it is now practically for us to decide whether we will turn those attractions to our advantage or leave the prize to our neigh bours. Looked at as a mere commercial specula tion, the prospect is not unpromising. The amount of traffic and commerce not unreasonably anticipated would probably exceed all that England has yet seen, for there is no definable limit to the productive powers of the adjoining countries, provided capital and skill were there to make the most of them. The chief products now are grain, which might be imported to Europe to any extent; and cotton, largely culti vated, which has not unfrequently been left there as refuse, for want of means of transport. Wool, copper, sugar, indigo, saltpetre, dyes, and other products are the ordinary exports of Mesopo tamia, most of which find their way into Russia through Trebizond, whence also the natives receive the bulk of their supplies. But if greater facilities for commerce were established, why should not their wants be met by Man chester, Sheffield, and Birmingham ? Can we be justified in neglecting these vast sources of trade, and the obvious opening for colonizr' ion which are here awaiting our enterprize Moreover, few political projects could be of more importance to England at this moment, and, indeed, for all time, than those which this route would completely accomplish. In the first place, the consolidation and the commercial and political resuscitation of the Turkish empire would be greatly promoted. We have lavishly devoted life and money ostensibly for this purpose, but with not the least benefit to ourselves and without materially strengthening the dominion of the Porte. But this line would secure the permanent defence of her frontier against Russia and Persia. It is, indeed, impossible to overstate the bene ficial changes in European countries to which the completion of this design appears to be the certain index. Combined with telegraphic wires, it would be of essential value to us now. The means of rapid and safe transmission of mails and pas sengers, of troops and stores, are what we are now craving ; and the longer we live the more we shall feel that distance is difficulty and delay danger in the treatment and dominion of our Eastern possessions. ROMAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY. TO THE EDITOR OF " THE PRESS." Sir,—A paragraph extracted from the London Record has gone the round of the papers, and has created excessive consternation. It states that Mr. Walpole intends to recommend the giving of a charter to the Roman Catholic University. You will perceive that such a procedure would be attended with most disastrous consequences to the cause of Pro testant and enlightened education in Ireland, and would increase still further the influence of the Roman priesthood. Besides, the chant ring of so puny and unsuccessful an institution would be to make univer-ity education quite ridiculous. Let me assure you that I express the sentiments of the educated classes in Ireland when I say they anxiously await a contradiction of this absurd report in the next impression of your powerful journal.—l am, Sir, &c., LL.D. Dublin, Nov. 17, 1858. [We state confidetiCy that there is not the slightest foundation for the report which our correspondent states has been current, " that Mr. Walpole has it in contemplatio:i to recommend the grant of a charter to the Roman Catholic university."] THE LATE Mn. ATTWOOD.—In consequence of a letter received from a member of the late Mr. Attwood's family, we have made a closer investigation into the accuracy of the statement which appeared in our number of the oth• inst., with regard to the treatment of that gentleman by the population of Birmingham. That statement, referring to facts an tecedent to the experience of most of the present gene. ration, was furnished to us from a source which we could not doubt. We are glad now to be able to state, upon the authority of a near relative of that geitleman, that, in whatever degree recovered from the violence of the opinions which Mr. Attwood at one time represented, his fellow townsmen never forgot his private virtues or his public spirit so far as to avenge upon him by insults failings in which they had so largely participated. THE PRESS, NoirmEß 20, 1858 preiga dorrtsponbcnrt. PARIS, Thursday. SOME alarm has been occasioned in Governmental circles by the receipt of news that several tribes of Arabs in the province of Constantine in Algeria have risen in insurrection against the local authorities. It is true that, so far as is known, these authorities are Arabs like themselves, and that the cause of the rising is resistance to some petty tyranny. But the odour of gunpowder has such strange effect on Arabs that the firing of a single musket against the French, or the native friends of the French, may have conse quences none can foresee—especially at this juncture, in which the Arab Mussulmans, like their fellow religionists of Turkey and Asia and Morocco, are animated by deadly hatred to Christians. A most important measure has this day been decreed by the Emperor; it is that between 160 and 170 of the largest towns of France shall, through their bakers or muncipalities, or both, or at least with all possible despatch, lay in and keep up reserves of grain and flour sufficient to last their population for three months. The object oc his Majesty is of course to be prepared against the eventuality of scarcity, and so avoid a sudden rise in prices, which, as seen at the beginning of the last scarcity, causes dreadful inconvenience to the whole population, and even endangers the public peace. But the wisdom of the measure is denied by many persons, and as we have nothing of the kind in England I apprehend that it may be likely t create inconveniences as serious as that against which it is intended to provide. At all events it will create a sudden demand for an enormous quantity of grain and flour, the calculation being that each individual in three months consumes between 90 and 100 lbs.; and to pay for this flour and grain a large amount of money will be needed— say between 2,000,0001. and 3,000,0001. sterling. The Montalembert trial, which was to have come on yesterday, has been postponed for a week, owing to the absence from Paris of M. BErryer, the defen dant's advocate. Prudent people fear that it will produce mischief to both parties, inasmuch as (as I said in my last) the Government cannot send such a distinguished man as Count de Montalembert to gaol without incurring obloquy ; and the Count can not go to gaol without sinking to the level of those ridiculous estaminet political martyrs at whom every body laughs. But, as Lamartine said, when he reck lessly flung France into the Republic, ales jacta est ; and we shall see the result. The Government, in order to prevent as much as possible the excitement the trial is calculated to occasion, has decided that no one shall be allowed to take a report of the pro ceedings except one special shorthand-writer ; so that not only French but even foreign journals will only be able to give the account of them which the Go vernment may choose. It has been reported that the Bishops of Orleans and La Rochelle, M. Guizot, the Duke de Broglie, Prince A. de Broglie, M. 'Tiers, M. Villemain, Count Roger, and, in fact, all the great men of the various political parties hostile to the Government of the Emperor, intend to be pre sent, in order to make a grand anti-Imperial demon stration ; but I should think that these distinguished personages will not consider anything of the kind consistent either with dignity or prudence. Lords Palmerston and Clarendon are at Corn pie,,ene on a visit to the Emperor of the French. Political wiseacres here say that the two ex-Ministers have come to intrigue with the Emperor for the overthrow of the Derby Cabinet : this, however, cannot be true, inasmuch as no two men who have had the honour to sit in the councils of England can be so silly as to suppose that any intriguing with a foreign sovereign can possibly upset an English Ministry, nor would any English statesmen be so base as to do such a thing if they could. Be assured that the visit is of no political importance. I have even beard it said in political circles that, so far from being animated with hostile intentions to Lord Derby's Administration, Lord Palmerston has repre sented, or means to represent, to his Majesty, that it is highly desirable for the sake of France and of England that that Administration should stand for a long time to come, inasmuch as, from the state of dissolution into which the Whig party has fallen, it is impossible that it could form a Cabinet without amalgamating with the Manchester and the Roebuck Radicals, and that the absurd notions those men entertain on foreign politics —some being all for peace, others all for war—would assuredly produce grave complications. . _ _ O the horrible weather we have had ! Rain, heavy, down•pouring, incessant from morning tili night, and all night long, from Sunday last up to noon this day, when the clouds broke here and there and alloxed a little blue sky to be seen. In such weather as this Paris is as dark and dismal as the realms of Pluto; with the disadvantage which those realms knew not, of being knee deep in mud from hideous macadam. At Compiegne, I am told, the weather has been as had as here, and in consequence there has been neither hunting nor shooting nor out door days of any kind. In place of thes e , h owever, there have been theatrical performances, and dances, and billiard-playing, and fun and frolic of various kinds. Never, I am assured, was the Imperial circle gayer than it is now; never was the Emperor in better health, or more joyous ; never was the Empress so lighthearted ; and never were courtiers so content with the present and so hopeful of the future. The newspapers, I see, state that the Bishop of Nancy, Almoner of the Emperor, has had to issue a circular complaining of the immense number of peti• tions for pecuniary relief addressed to his Majesty, especially from the prelate's own diocese. In the early part of the Empire the quantities of begging appeals that poured in from all parts of the country were truly prodigious, and they have gone on increasing since. Then the Emperor and the Empress gave away upwards of 3,0001. a month in petty dona tions; the precise amount their Majesties give now per month I know not, but it is doubtless vastly greater than it was. In addition to what the Bishop of Nancy distributes, there is in the Imperial house hold a special department for receiving petitions, inquiring about the petitioners, and conveying relief to those considered deserving ; and though this department consists of numerous officers, assisted by a large staff of clerks and inferior functionaries, it is with difficulty that it can get through the work that presses on it. The truth is, that the French are a begging people, and see nothing undignified in beg ging. Not only do the poor and lowly supplicate for donations, but high dignitaries and men of station in society are not ashamed to solicit the Imperial gene. rosity to relieve them from embarrassment, help them to portion a daughter, or make some profitable spear. lation ; and the Emperor, being lavish to a fault, allows them to extract from his purse sums which, in the aggregate, are enormous. fortipt anblenial jittelligntr. FRANCE. RELATIONS WITH AUSTRIA. The report which has been long current of a cool- ness between France and Austria has been confirmed by a statement that Austrian subjects who fought under Napoleon I. in the army of Italy have been prohibited from wearing the St. Helena medal given by the French Government to all the survivors of the grande armee. The Patrie states that the coinuiihsion appointed by Prince Napoleon to examine into the French immigration scheme will not, as reported, go to Africa to perform their task, but will confine their researches to the examination of such documents as may throw light on the subject. They will then hand in their report. The number of commissioners will be ten, and not three, as at first intended. THE MOLDAVIAN ELECTIONS. The French Government has ordered its consuls in Moldavia and Wallachia to observe a strict neutrality in the ensuing elections of Hospodars. SPAIN. THE ELECTIONS. The Madrid journals announce that the elections had given a great majority of members for the Go• vernment. THE RIFF PIRATES. The Correapondencia Autografia says that the pirates of the Riff, tearing the threatened punishment for their cruelties, had sent to the Spanish authori ties at Melilla to promise not to commit any more aggressions on the Spanish possessions in theirneigh• bourhood. PRUSSIA. THE PRINCE REGENT AND 1115 SON. A letter from Berlin says that in a Cabinet Council of the new Ministry, under the Prince Regent's pre• sidency, young Prince Frederick William was intro. duced to his father's political friends, and declares himself in a way which leaves no doubt that he too joins in the Liberal policy of his father. INDIA. INDIA-HOUSE TELEGRAM. THE following telegram, bearing date October 25, has been received by the Under•Secratary of State, India-bones, from G. F. Edmonstone, Esq., Secretarl to the Government of India with the Governor General : SHAD, Oct 16. DUDE. The following events have occurred in Oude since the date of my last message on the 4th of October : The rebels had advanced on Sundella with 12,000 men . and 12 guns. Captain Dawson entered a fortified inclosure with 1,400 police infantry, sead'ag back his 500 cavalry to Malleeabad. On the 10th of October the rebels were driven out of Sundella, losing one gun and 100 men killed. On the Bth s