The Press. — London, England, 1857-06-27 00:00:00

JUNE 27, 1857. jortign an tOIQRiR! 3nittlignut. FRANCE. The elections have resulted in the general return of the Government candidates. The Moniteur an nounces that out of 227 provincial returns known there are found only four Opposition candidates— Henon (Rhone), Gust. Cure (Gironde), Migeon and Paul Rambourg (Alliers). In Paris, out of ten members the Government has triumphed in fi ve electoral districts ; Opposition candidates are returned for two, MM. Carnot and Goudchaux ; while three remain to be again contested. Five deputies of the late Chamber, who were generally on the Opposition side —namely, M. de Montalembert, the Duke D'Uzes, M. de Civrac, M. Charlier, and M. Desmalles —have lost their seats. The Democratic Opposition had, in fact, 115 candidates in 58 departments, of whom 111 have been beaten. From the want of an absolute majority, three new elections will have to take place in Paris—namely, in the 3rd, 4th, and 7th arrondissements. The Democratic candidate, M. Gamier Pages, will not present himself at the second trial; he will allow those who voted for him to vote for his rival, M. 011ivier, against the Government candidate, in the 4th arrondissement. The Moniteurof Saturday contains the following : The Plenipotentiaries of Austria, France, England, Prus sia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, met yesterday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, for the purpose of signing the treaty for the frontier settlement in Bessarabia, and for regulating the question of the Isle of Serpents and of the delta of the Danube. The Moniteur confirms the fact that a treaty of commerce was signed between France and Russia on the 14th of the present month. The Emperor left Paris at ten o'clock on Thursday morning for Plombieres, by way of Chalons, at which place he arrived at 1 25 p.m. The Emperor is accompanied to Plombieres by M. Mocquard, his pri• vete secretary, General Fleury, aide-de•oamp, and M. de Latour d'Auvergne. His Majesty intends to pass forty days at that place, and as far as possible to free himself from the care of business. His Majesty has the intention of remaining there until the end of July, when he will join the Empress at Biarritz. It is then highly probable that their Majesties will embark for Osborne-house, on a visit to the Queen and Prince Albert. The Empress will very shortly leave for Biarritz. Count de Morny, who represented the Emperor Napoleon at the coronation of the Czar at Moscow, and who had remained ever since in St. Petersburg, in the character of Ambassador Extraordinary, has arrived in Berlin on his way to Paris. He will, how ever, probably pay his respects to the Russian Court congregated around the Empress Dowager, at Wild bad, previously to returning to the French capital. Count de Kisseleff has left Paris for Kissengen, where he will pass some time. He is accompanied by M. de Grote, secretary to the embassy. AUSTRIA. The centenary festival of the military order of Maria Theresa was kept on the 18th of June with great state and magnificent rejoicings—a review, a grand banquet, and a superb display of fireworks. Of the English officers wearing the cross, and pre. sent in Vienna, a correspondent writes : Lord Seaton has produced a very favourable impression on the Austrian officers, but the free and easy manners of the gallant admiral are not exactly to their taste. Every officer who passed Sir Fairfax Moresby in the street saluted him, but the unceremonious sailor either altogether neglected to return the salute, or did so by a patronising kind of movement of his hand. The indignant warriors were at first inclined to take offence, but they recollected that the admiral wore the cross of their cherished military order, and consequently did not let him remark that they considered him uncourteous. "We learn tbat the Emperor Francis Joseph," says a letter from Vienna, in the *man Journal of Frankfort, " will proceed to Toplitz at the com mencement of July, to visit the King of Prussia, with whom he will remain two or three days. Count Buol and Baron Manteuffel will accompany their sove reigns, and important political questigna„wil,l 44 all probability be discussed." „ Ti „ ii N hum ft NEUFCHATEL. The official journal, or Staatsanzeiger of Berlin, publishes the text of the Neufchatel treaty, preceded by a royal proclamation, in which " We, Frederick William, by the grace of God• King of Prussia, Prince of Neutchatel, Count of Valengin, Sze.," signify that " having had occasion to convince ourselves that the abnormal state in which our principality of Neufchatel existed was incompatible with the welfare of that country, and yielding to the requests of the great powers, we have been willing to make a sacri fice of our personal desires for the sake of peace ; we have renounced our sovereign rights over the prin cipality of Neufchatel, and we release from their feudal obligations the tenants of the leniships of Gorgier, Vauwareus, awl Travers," PRESS. Their Imperial Majesties the Emperor and Ent press embarked at St. Petersburg on the 24th for Kiel. The Grand Duke Constantine reached St. Peters burg on the 15th, on his return from his tour in Western Europe. He will assume the direction of the Government during the absence from the capital of the Emperor Alexander. Prince Ferdinand of Danmark will be at Kiel to receive their Imperial Majesties. EGYPT, PERSIA, AND THE EAST. In Persia, the Minister of the Shah has caused the Affghan Prince of Herat, who had been taken prisoner, to be decapitated. He also wished to exe cute the brother-in-law of the Shah, who was accused of holding a correspondence with the English Minister during the war ; but the French Ambassador succeeded in obtaining a commutation of the sen tence, by pointing out that these condemnations were a violation of the stipulations of the treaty. His Imperial Majesty the Sultan set out from Constantinople on the 21st inst., for Ismid, in the steam-frigate Saiki-chadi. Elia Imperial Majesty will return in the course of a couple of days. The Grand Vizier, the Minister of Marine, and the Seras kier accompanied his Majesty. The Viceroy of Egypt had also embarked at Alezand►ia for a sea cruise,, and it was thought not improbable that the Sultan and Viceroy would meet. The Circassians are reported to have repulsed an attack on the banks of the Chabacha. A thousand Russians were killed. SPAIN AND MEXICO. The Epoca states that, in consequence of intelli gence relative to the Spanish question which had reached Cuba. General. Concha bad ordered the departure for Vera Cruz of part of the Spanish squa dron ; and accordingly two steamers, Colon and Isabel IL, had sailed on the 13th. The hopes of a pacific arrangement diminish every day. In Cuba, it was feared that the United States would excite Mexico to hostilities against Spain. The reports at Madrid of a modification of the Ministry are premature. The resignation of his post at Cuba by General Concha is thought to be not an improbable result of recent instructions despatched to him from Madrid. AMERICA. The usual mails bring no political intelligence of importance. Colonel Cummings has received the appointment of Governor of Utah. The territory of Utah was perfectly quiet. Mr. Jefferson Davis is said to be full of the acqui sition of Cuba. He recently arrived at Vicksburg, and had a grand reception, and made a speech about Cuba and the efforts made by the Pierce Adminis tration to get possession of that island. According to Senator Davis, Mr. Buchanan is even more deeply pledged to acquire Cuba than was President Pierce. General Walker delivered a loug speech, expla natory of his course in Nicaragua, to a large assembly of citizens in New Orleans, on the evening of the 30th ult. It is stated from Washington that Gen. Walker is expected to visit the capital and defend his conduct in Nicaragua. Dates from Vera Cruz to May 21 state that the country is aroused by the Spanish invasion, and extensive preparations are making to repel the enemy's force : 25,000 men have been organised to meet the Spanish troops. AP, HONG KONG. DOCUMENT relating to Hong Kong has lately been printed, which possesses consider- able interest, as it describes the exact position and prospects attained by the colony shortly before the breaking out of the war. It consists of a despatch from Sir John Bowling, inclosing a copy of the last annual report made to him by the Colonial Secretary on the progress of the island. It appears that the place has benefited not only by the increase of the Chinese trade during the past few years, but by the effects of the rebellion in promoting emigration from Canton. A consequent improvement was observable in the character of the Chinese population, and many of the natives growing in wealth had also grown in respectability. The increasing disposition to settle on the island was manifested especially among the better class of traders, and the general tendency to prosperity was further stimulated by many of the chief commercial houses in China, both British and American, having lately made Hong Kong their cen tral point of establishment. "The development of steam navigation," it is said, " the rapid extension of trading relations with Australia and California, the increase of trade on the coasts of China, the open ing of Siam, and the security which the flag of Great Britain offers against piratical attacks, are among the causes which have led to these results." The population, which in 1848 was only 23,998, 11910 i atcd pt the beginhipg of 85(:3 to 72 1 ti07, Owing 625 to the happy fact of the absence of any Custom house there are no means of furnishing statistical details of the imports and exports, but the signs of an active and rapidly increasing trade were every where visible, and were corroborated by the rate of interest being as high as thirty-six per cent. per annum, although the latter circumstance is partly to be attributed to the comparatively needy ccndition of the small Chinese traders. The Government house had just been completed at a cost of 15,318/., and many other public improvements were in progress. Although the existing gaol buildings are pronounced totally inadequate, it was only because larcenies and petty offences had increased with the influx of population, crime of the most serious kind being rare. The impression as to the unhealthiness of the colony seems to be disappearing, and notwithstanding the large increase in the number of inhabitants the year 1855 in the town of Victoria was found very favourable for foreigners. The Chinese consider the place not more inimical to health than the towns on the mainland. THE PERSIAN EXPEDITION. LETTERS from the camp at Mohammerah to the 9th May state that the health of the troops still con tinues satisfactory, and that preparations for the return of the forces to Busbire and India were being rapidly carried out. The 78th Highlanders and the Native Light Battalion, with one troop and two com panies of European artillery, are to be despatched forthwith to India, and the embarkation has com menced already. The 23rd and 26th Native Infantry and a company of Madras Sappprs are to go to Bushire, whence her Maje3ty's 64th and the 2nd Europeans will be sent—the former to I3elgaum, and the latter to Kurrachee. Two ships of war will be left here to maintain the occupation until the terms of the treaty have been fulfilled. General Jacob will be in command at Bushire, which place, as also the island of Karrack, will remain in our safe keeping until the Persians have evacuated Herat, and made the stipulated apologies to the British mission. Sir James Outram and General Lugard had met with one of the narrowest escapes possible from a cruel death. They were proceeding up in the Ferose steamer, with a troop ship in tow, from Bushire to At about midnight of the Bth the Ferote grounded on a sandbank to the east of the mouth of the Shatt-al-Arab, and the Rnjah of Cochin troopship, which she had in tow, drawing less wa►er, ran into her stern, smashing the cutter, and coming with such force against the roundhouse that it fell in with one tremendous crash. Sir James, General Lugard, and the Rev. Mr. Badger were asleep inside, and it was a miracle of Providence that all three were not crushed to death. The furniture in the room served to prevent the heavy roof, on which two immense hawsers were coiled, from coming in direct contact with the deck, and left just sufficient room to allow of the gentlemen being extricated without receiving much damage beyond • few bruises. Those who inspected the ruins next morning, and saw where the heavy beams lay, expressed their astonishment that even one escaped instantareons death. The Ferose received more damage by this untoward accident than by the shot of the enemy at the capture of Mohammerah. THE EAST INDIA COMPANY. AT the quarterly general court, held on the 17th inst., the CHAIRMAN (Mr. D. R. Mangles), in reply to a question from Dr. Beattie, said that the Indian Government had not furnished any report as to the cause of the recent mutiny among a portion of the native Indian army. No doubt an investiga tion would be instituted and means taken to ascer tain the real cause of the disorganisation that had taken place. A discussion then took place with regard to the opium traffic, and Mr. LEWIN moved the following resolution ----- That the manufacture and sale of opium by the East India Company are in violation of the law which forbids them, with certain specified exceptions, pursuing the avocation of shopkeepers and petty dealers, and are it their consequences injurious to the national character. The motion was seconded by Mr. JONES. Mr. MACKENZIE said the whole question in regarl to the trade in opium would be decided by the motion of Lord Shaftesbury, for referring th 3 matter, as to the legality or illegality of the trade, tD the law officers of the Crown. He believed it wont' be for the interest of India if the Company s monopoly were abolished and the growth of opium thrown open, and an export duty imposed. The CHAIRMAN Said it was quite obvious that the Indian Government could not put an end to the trade in opium, and that if it were thrown opea, instead of one Chest going to China 10,000 chests would be imported into that country. The nicri sacra fames would frustrate all Custom-house regulations, and China would be inundated with opium. After some further discussion tha raotjou was Int and negatived, 1