The Press. — London, England, 1854-07-08 00:00:00

!' 6N THE WEEK. THE foreign intelligence of the week is not decisive. No great move ment has taken place, but the din of preparation has gone on unceasingly. The reply of the Czar to the urgent representations of Austria and Prussia—a reply on which the great question of peace or war ma terially depended—has been received at Vienna and Berlin. Prince GORTSCHAKOFF arrived at the former capital on the sth, and Colonel MANTEL/FEEL at the latter on the oth July. Both are believed to bear autograph letters from the Czar to their respective Sovereigns, but the exact nature of their contents is not known. It is believed, how ever, that these letters, while conciliatory in tone, are decisive in substance. The Emperor Nicaotss is willing to treat for peace, and to evacuate the principalities. He will leave the Danube free, but insists on holding some strong position in Moldavia as a guarantee until terms are settled, or until the allies evacuate Turkey. Some new light has been thrown on diplomatic movements by the publication of the convention between Austria and Turkey, and also of the " additional article " to the treaty between Austria and Prussia of April 20 The convention is chiefly remarkable for ex pressions favourable to the maintenance of the status quo ante, as it is stated that the existence of the Ottoman empire in its limites actuelles is necessary to the equilibrium of the States of Europe. The Emperor of Annals. engages himself " to exhaust all means of negotiation " to obtain the evacuation of the principalities, and if necessary to employ arms for that purpose ; but his engagement with Turkey goes no farther than to occupy the principalities until peace is concluded, and to enter into no arrangement with Russia which shall not have for starting-point the sovereign rights of the Sultan and the integrity of his empire. The " additional article " regards the declarations then recently made at Berlin by the Court of St. Petersburg as au " important element of pacification, and declares that the Courts of " Austria and Prussia are united in the desire to avoid, if possible, " every participation in the war which has broken out between Russia " on the one hand, and Turkey, France, and Great Britain on the " other, and at the same time to contribute to the restoration of " general peace." On the face of these documents Austria manifests great reluctance to come into collision with Russia, but her forces are on the point of entering the principalities, and a short time must decide whether their entrance will be opposed by Russian arms. To this point Austrian diplomacy has gained great advantages. The convention establishes a kind of protectorate over Turkey without a blow being struck. The Austrian troops rest on the frontiers of the principalities, waiting the word to advance. The lying telegraph reported this week that the advance had been made, but the report was unfounded ;—the Russian armies] are so disposed as, if the word be given, to dispute their passage. The order of the day of General IlEss (June 25) speaks of the armies " stationed near the frontier," and of " the ancient and inexhaustible spirit which has always animated the Austrian army." The clang of arms resounds through it — courage and glory are magnified—though the word " wait" is carefully avoided. The new dispositions of the Russian armies are not known, but an entire change of plan seems to have been decided on. That plan, it appears probable, will now be to occupy strong positions and act on the defensive. The Danube is now free ; Russia has lost—a great loss—all hold on that magnificent watercourse ; and the line of the Beth may now probably form the base of future operations. The French and English allied army in the East continues to receive reinforcements. Five divisions of the French army have already left for Turkey; eleven transports, with artillery, have sailed from Mar seilles for the Black Sea since our last ; and other reinforcements are in preparation. Another more important fact is the nomina tion of General BARAOUAY D'HILLIERS to the command of a division destined for the Baltic. He was to leave with his force yester day, England providing the necessary transports. More troops are in course of departure from our shores. The St. Vincent, 101, and the Royal William, 120, are increasing the number of our active ships ; and the Himalaya has been hired for transportt at a cost of nine thousand pounds. The destination of the allied force at Varna, now an army of 50,000 men, in the finest condition, still remains a secret, though little doubt can exist that it is intended for the Crimea. The division of General BOSQUET has left Adrianople for Schumla, probably to effect a junction with the Varna force. The Russian armies are re ported to be much discouraged. General Sea ILDERS has expired from his wounds ; General SOLTIKOFF has died at Kalaraseh ; and PASKIEWITSCH is still an invalid. The telegraph reports that in Asia the Russian general, ANDRONIKOFF, has been completely defeated by SELIM PACHA, with the loss of thirteen guns, several stand of colours, and the *satirist of three camps. A better-authenticated item of Turkish success is the defeat of the Greek insurgents under HAINI PETROB. The Turks are said to have sent in six hundred heads to Larissa. Surely the in fluence of the allies might be employed to stop this barbarous practice of mutilating the dead. No further operations seem to have been undertaken by our fleet in the Black Sea; but seven Russian steamers left the shelter of their batteries at Sebastopol to engage three of our cruisers. The Furious appears to have sustained some damage by their fire. In the Baltic, Sir CHARLES, with his ships, has arrived before Cronstadt. The finest fleet ever ranged under one commander is now almost within gunshot of the fortresses defending the approach to the Russian capital. Under date of Dantzic, July 0, we hear that the fleet had anchored twenty miles from Cronstadt, and a police announce meat. in St. Petersburg states that every preparation had been made to meet the enemy should they venture on an attack. THE P RESS. SATURDAY, While waiting in suspense for the event, the bombardment of Bomarsund, the capital of the. Aland islands, furnishes some presump• tion that wooden may be more than a match for stone walls. The Hecla, under the command of Captain HALL, with the Valorous and Win—all paddle-steamers—opened fire against the fort at Bomarsund, mounting eighty guns, with other defences. Our ships, moving in a circle, delivered their fire with great precision and effect, the enemy's fire usually falling short. After six or seven hours' firing the batteries were silenced and the works set in flames. Three or four of our men were slightly wounded, but none killed. A midshipman in the Hecla caught up a burning shell which fell on the deck and threw it in the sea. We are glad to see that his gallantry has been rewarded with prompt promotion. The Russian account of the disastrous affair at Gamla Carleby boasts, with some reason, of the advantage gained. The officers and men taken prisoners are at Helsingfors, and well treated. A rich prize has narrowly escaped our cruisers. The Cezarouitz, with a rich cargo of furs from China, valued at a quarter of a million sterling, sailed from St. Helena early in June. She was looked out for by our cruisers in the Baltic, but managed to escape them and to get safely into Cuxhaven. The parliamentary proceedings of the week are still marked by Ministerial failure. The Testamentary Bill is added to the list of measures withdrawn. Foreigners are beginning to ridicule the con stitutional system which produces only such abortive results. Sir WILLIAM MOLESWORTH has delivered himself of a long lecture (which he has been preparing during the whole session) on " free ships, free goods." According to M'CULLOCH, the foreign trade of Russia was chiefly carried on by English merchants, and, as that direct trade is now at an end, Russian produce is shipped from German ports, and German merchants enjoy the advantages which our traders once pos • sessed. Our regulations but slightly affect Russia, while they severely injure our own merchants and confer a positive advantage on German commerce. Sir WILLIAM was too cramful of GROTIUB and BYNKER SHOCK, and HI UNECCIUB and KLUBER, and HAUTEFEUILLE, to bestow notice on this practical part of the question. Through the accident of the two-minute glass at the SPEAKER'S hand being quickly turned on Monday, Ministers escaped defeat on the Maynooth grant. The great amendment the Oxford bill received in the Commons will, as we anti cipated last week, secure its adoption by the Peers. What now becomes of the PRESIDENT of the COUNCIL'S pretence that the abolition of the matriculation oath was to be resisted, as it might endanger the success of the bill ? Lord DERBY pleasantly exposed the Pythagorean processes to which the bill has been subjected since its first intro duction. The insurrection in Spain has taken no one by surprise. The dissoluteness of the Court was notorious, and military malcon tents have taken advantage of the mid dissatisfaction. It does not yet appear that the people haVrtaken much part in the movement either way. The insurgents, headed by O'IIoNNELL, discuss the abdication of the Queen, and the establishment of a regency during the minority of her daughter. Bad as the existing system may be, the public are not like declare warmly for so perilous a change. 'Very different reports ared from the head-quarters of the Court and the insurgents. The Queen has displayed some energy in haranguing the troops. General NARVAEZ and General SERANO have not yet declared themselves, and the insurrection seems to languish. The accounts from America warn us to expect another filibustering expedition against Cuba. In the southern States men embark capital in these piratical expeditions as in other countries men take tickets in lotteries. Another item of intelligence is more favourable. Notwith standing Sir R. MURCHISON'S prediction of speedy exhaustion, the gold. mines in California are becoming more productive, and fortunes were often made in a single week. Ireland supplies some other items this week than the seditious harangues of Romish factions. A gentleman—as he must be accounted by station—attempted, with the aid of a gang of armed ruffians, to carry off a lady—an heiress of course—as she was leaving church. The time has gone by for such daring attempts. The people pelted him off with stones first, and in the end he was overtaken by the police, and safely lodged in his proper station—a gaol. The escapade of Mr. O'FLAHERTY is more in accordance with the times. The Sydenham Palace appears to be prospering. The shilling days yield most money to the treasury. On an average about 14,000 persons pay daily ; and, with increased accommodation and a more liberal system of management, these numbers would probably be augm euted. NEWS FROM THE SEAT OF WAR. H.M. Screw—, in the Doldrums, off Downing-street, July 7, 1854. MY DEAR —,—You will be doubtless impatient for another letter from me, and anxious to know how the great Russo-British war goes on in these latitudes. Badly enough, lam sorry to say. That old tub, the Premier, got into sad trouble a few days sin ce. She was no wretchedly handled as to get into a position where the Lynd hurst raked her terribly fore and aft ; the Derby threw heavy metal into her starboard bow , and the Clarendon under her lee poured a nasty broadside right into her quarter—to say nothing of several minor assailants. Captain Gordon, however, fired guns briskly on all sides—to be sure they were chiefly blank cartridge — and then cleverly escaped in the smoke. His hull, they say, was much d,►maged notwithstanding, and he may likely have to lay up for repairs.