The Press. — London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

488 men, and consequently the loss to the landed pro prietors will amount to twenty-two millions of silver rubles. The Augsburg Gazette of the 20th says :—Several Frenchmen, who have passed through Berlin, having been obliged to leave St. Petersburg, state that a perfect paralysis is seizing trade and commerce in that city, rendered more grievous by the enormous price of provisions. Many bankruptcies are immi nent. Paper money had fallen considerably below its nominal value, and gold was eagerly sought fcr. Economy in every branch of the national expendi• ture was being attempted. Thus, the building of the Church of Isaac was suspended—a most ominous and momentous matter in Russia. The patriotism of the wealthy inhabitants was perpetually racked by the crying wits of private misery and distress. The bullion in the treasury was removed to Moscow. Mr. F. Bucknall, a member of a Bristol merchant firm, has lately returned from St. Petersburg, after a residence of five years. He reports that in the more intelligent circles the possibility of an attack by the combined forces on the capital itself is seriously en tertained. Amongst the masses of the city a super stitious confidence in the successful issue of the war generally prevails, founded on the belief that the war is a religious one, and that God being with the Emperor he must prevail. The Czar himself does not appear to be so well at ease. It is understood that the commandant of Cronsdadt has informed him that, although of great strength, the fortress is not impregnable. The Emperor is obviously very anxious on the matter, for he goes himself to Cronstadt twice or thrice a week, and all conceivable efforts are being employed to strengthen it as far as possible. Mean while the imperial city is being crowded by troops, which are continually pouring in in large masses. Many of the nobility and leading families are quitting their town residences and retiring into the interior, carrying with them their plate, jewels, and portable property of value ; and the foreign residents were quitting in such numbers that Mr. Bucknall had to wait for six weeks before he could get a place by the conveyance which runs twice a week from St. Peters burg to Tukun. The Russian fleet lying before Cronstadt is stated by the Berlin Zeitung to be in perfect readiness for action, and the whole place swarming with sailors, marines, and land troops. About 10,000 men were quartered in the fortress and various forts, the greatest number that Cronstadt can contain. On the island troops were lodged in tents, and additional works were being constructed at I'anefort, the other forts having been rendered as strong as possible. A private letter from St. Petersburg states that Count Nesselrode has been recently insulted by the people of that capital. On passing through the streets in his carriage he was hissed, hooted, and menaced, and forced to take refuge in the house of a friend. He was accused by the people of being the cause of the war, of not having taken sufficient care to provide against its casualties, and of having shown indifference and negligence. An ultimatum has been sent by the Emperor Nicholas to Persia, and a reply demanded within two months. GREECE. The latest intelligence from Athens states that an ultimatum has been given to the Greek Government by England and France, with four days allowed for a reply. This interval would expire on the 22nd inst. The ultimatum requires the immediate recal of all officers that have joined the insurgents, and the dissolution of the volunteer corps. if no satis factory reply was made to this requisition an imme diate occupation of the Greek territory and blockade of its ports was expected to be established by the joint powers. Another account states that in that contingency the Greek throne will be declared vacant, and a new Government established. A French army corps reached the Pincus in the Euphrates steamer, and landed as early as the 12th inst. More troops, both French and English, were on their way. Bavaria, it is stated, is desirous to place Greece under the guarantee of the great German powers. Prussia, without any actual opposition to this pro ject, refuses to take the initiative in carrying it out. The Paris Moniteur has lately published a number of letters from Greece, describing the atrocities com mitted by the pirates, and bitterly complaining of the part taken by the Greek Government, both in encouraging piracy and the insurrection on the Turkish frontiers. AMERICA. Tne last New York advices are of the 13th inst., received by the mail-steamer Pacific. The Washington Union, Governmentorgan, talks of the blockade of all the Cuban ports, if Spain should not fully satisfy the claims of the United States. Fresh steam-boat disasters are reported to have occurred in the Bay of San Francisco on April 15th, of a terrible character, the steamer Secretary ex ploding shortly after leasing the wharf, with great loss of• life to the passengers. The boat was lite- THE PRESS. rally blown to pieces. Many persons were burled overboard, and their bodies not recovered. Not a fraction of vessel, freight, or cargo was saved. The steam-boat Pennsylvania exploded in the Delaware on the sth, killing nine persons. About sixteen horses also perished by scalding at the same time. The case of Edwin Forrest, the American trage dian, against N. P. Willis, for libel, has been post• poned. Damages were laid at 20,000 dollars. CANADA. The splendid edifice in Colon-street, Quebec, built EIS a church for the Sisters of Charity, and fitted up at an immense expense for the use of Parliament, took fire on the 3rd inst. All efforts at saving the building were useless, and it was almost totally de stroyed. The loss is immense. The fast day was kept in Montreal with much solemnity. Divine service was performed in all the Protestant churches, and a special prayer put up for the success of British arms. Collections were made in seven churches for the benefit of the fami lies of the soldiers and sailors engaged, the amount of donations reaching 3001. INDIA AND CHINA. The overland mail arrived at Trieste on Tuesday, with advices from Calcutta, April 20th; Madras, 24th; Shanghae and Hong-Kong, March 12th; Bombay, 28th of April. The news is unimportant. The Ganges Canal was opened on the Bth of April. The rebel army in China was advancing towards Pekin. The Americans have established friendly relations with the Japanese. Australian letters of March 18, brought by this mail, state that several large masses of gold bad been dug up at Ballarat, and the yield of the gold diggings was increasing. THE AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN TREATY. THE text of the offensive and defensive treaty lately concluded between Austria and Prussia has now obtained publicity, with the exception of the military and secret stipulations which are al luded to in the final article of the convention, and are to take effect under the contingencies there spoken of. By this treaty they profess themselves to be " penetrated with profound regret at the fruit lessness of their efforts to avert the outbreak of war," and recognising the " moral obligations imposed upon them by their having signed the last Vienna protocol," and moreover being " persuaded of the high mission which is allotted to them and to Germany is for the interests of European well-being," resolve to unite in an alliance, offensive and defensive, " during the ex istence of the war that has broken out between Russia on one side, and Turkey, England, and France on the other." The successive articles of this convention set forth : " Art. 1. His Majesty the King of Prussia and his Im perial Apostolical Majesty reciprocally guarantee to each other the possession of their German and non-Ger man territories, so that any attack made upon the territory of the one, no matter whence it may come, shall be re garded as a hostile attack on the territory of the other. " Art. 2. In the same manner the high contracting par ties hold themselves bound to safeguard the interests of Germany from all and every inroad, and regard themselves, consequently, as bound to resist every attack upon any portion of their territory, in case that one of them should, in accord with the author, find itself required to move in defence of German interests. Agreement as to the initia tive of the eventuality just mentioned, as well also as to the extent of assistance to be afforded, shall form the subject of special arrangements, which are to be considered as integral portions of the present treaty. " Art. S. In order to give the necessary weight and strength to the offensive and defensive treaty concluded by them, the two great German powers bind themselves, in case of need, to hold a portion of their military force fully prepared for war, at given epochs and at given points to be determined between them. Special resolutions shall also ensue as regards the time, extent, and mode of employing this military force. " Art. 4. The high contracting parties will invite all German States to adhere to this alliance in such measure as is provided for by Art. 47 of the Vienna concluding acts, so that the legal federal obligations shall receive such extension by adhering States as the present treaty points out. " Art. 5. Neither of the high contracting par ti es will, during the existence of this alliance, conclude any separate treaty whatever with other States which does not fully har monise with the principles of the present treaty." In an additional article it is declared that " Their Majesties have not been able to overlook the con sideration that the indefinite prolongation of the occupa tion of his Highness the Sultan's territory on the Lower Danube by Russian troops will endanger the political, moral, and material interests of the whole German Confederation, as well as of their own States, and this in so much higher degree the further Russia extends her war operations over Turkish territory. The august Courts of Austria and Prussia are united in the wish to avoid, if possible, all par ticipation in the war that has broken out between Russia on the one side, and England, France, and Turkey on the other ; and at the same time to aid in the re-establishment of general peace. They specially consider the explanations recently given by the Court of St. Petersburg at Berlin, SATURDAY, whereby Russia appears to consider the original cause d occupying the principalities as setaside by the concessions now made to, and in many respects carried out in favour of, the Porte's Christian subjects, as a powerful element of pacification, which they could only deeply deplore were they to see it deprived of further practical influence. They therefore hope that the expected replies of the St. Peters burg Cabinet to the Prussian propositions, transmitted to it under date of the Bth inst., will offer the required security for the speedy withdrawal of the Russian troops from the Turkish territory." In the event, however, of this hope being disz appointed, the two powers are to make a further effort to bring about a peace on the , onditions sit forth in a supplemental or, as it is termed, " single" article, as follows : " The Imperial Austrian Legation will, on its pait, address to the Imperial Russian Court propositions having for object to procure from his Majesty the Emperor of Russia the requisite orders forthe suspension of all further advance of his army into the Turkish territory, as well as to obtain from his Majesty complete securities for the speedy evacuation of the Danubian principalities. The Prussian Government will , with reference to its repre. sentations already transmitted to St. Petersburg, again energetically support these propositions. " Should the replies of the Imperial Russian Court, contrary to all hope, be of such kind that they should not afford complete tranquillity as regards the two points afore. mentioned, then will one of the contracting parties, in order to obtain the same, adopt measures, under the stipu. lations of Art. '2 of the offensive and defensive treaty con cluded this day, to the effect that every hostile attack upon the territory of one or both high contracting parties shall be repulsed by the other by all the military force at its disposal." Then comes the point and conclusion of the whole compact, viz. "An offensive action on the part of both would be first occasioned by the incorporation of the principalities, or through an attack or passage of the Balkan on the part of Russia." The treaty is signed by Baron Manteuffel, Baron Hess, and Count Thun, and dated Berlin, April 20, 1854. ANGLO-FRENCH TREATY WITH THE PORTE. A NEW convention between England, France, and Turkey was ratified at Constantinople a few days since, and has been published in extenso by the Moniteur. This treaty adopts and confirms the former compact between the three countries which was published in the PEERS on the 28th ult., and adds a variety of conditions and agreements respecting the details of the armed intervention which England and France have organised for the defence of Turkey. As before, all parties bind themselves "to communi cate reciprocally to each other, without loss of time, every proposition that one of them might receive from the Emperor of Russia, whether directly or in directly, with a view to the cessation of hostilities, of an armistice or peace ; and the Sultan engages, moreover, to conclude no armistice, and to enter into no negotiation with the Emperor of Russia, without the knowledge and consent of the high contracting parties." But the most important clause is that by which the intervening powers engage that as soon as these objects shall be attained " by the conclusion of a treaty of peace " the auxiliary armies shall be with drawn from the Ottoman territory within a period of forty days, or sooner, if possible. Another clause sets forth that property is everywhere to be respected. Respecting the conduct of the war, the convention states :—" It is understood on either side that the general plan of the campaign shall be discussed and agreed on between the commanders-in•chief of the three armies, and that if a considerable part of the allied troops should be in line with the Ottoman troops no operation can be executed against the enemy without having been previously concerted with the commanders of the allied forces. Lastly, due attention shall be paid to every requirement, relative to the wants of the service, addressed by the commanders-in-chief of the auxiliary troops, whether to the Ottoman Government through the medium of their respective embassies, or, in case of urgency, to the local authorities, unless paramount objections, distinctly explained, may prever.t its execution." A COURT MARTIAL was held On Monday on board the V ictory upon the commander and officers of the Jasper, which blew up last week off Beachy Head. Captain Sir T. Maitland, of the Excellent, presided. After hearing evidence the court gave the defendant an honourable acquittal. Sir T. Maitland, on return ing his sword to Commander Crawley, announced their conviction that he " had done his duty as an officer and a gentleman." SEVERAL RUSSIAN DIPLOMATISTS AND NOBLEMEN in the Russian service are connected by marriage with English and German families. Thus the sister of Count Woronzoff is Lady Pembroke; th e youngest daughter of Count Nesselrode is Wife of the Sa xon Ambassador in Paris, Von Scebach ; and the Ba ron ess of Meyendorff, wife of the Russian Ambass ador at Vienna, is the sister of Count Buol Von Schauen stein, the present Prime Minister and confidant of the Emperor of Austria.