The Press. — London, England, 1856-08-09 00:00:00

758 To CORRESPONDENTS. It Is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive• Their insertion is often delayed owing to a press of matter. said when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde- pendent of the meritsof the communication. We cannot undertake to return communicationsof which we do not avail ourselves. Cemmunications should always belegiblywritten, and on one side of the paper only. If long it increases the difficulty of finding space for them. Whatever is intended for insertion must be authenticated by the uame and address of the writer, not necessarily for publica- tion, but as a guarantee of his good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. TERMS OF IBUBSORLPTION 11011 Cbe Presz: (STAMPED.) Per Annum .. .. Half-Yea' ly .. .. Quarterly . • • . Payable in advance. .. t 1 6 0 .. 0 13 0 .. 0 6 6 Subscribers are requested to send their Orders through their News Agent; if direct to the Office. accompanied by $ remit tance. Advertisements also must have a reference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. AL/RED Iva, 110, Strand London. THE PRESS. The King of Naples, according to a letter in the Augsburg Gazette, is about to adopt a miller policy in the infliction of punishment. Several persons condemned for political crimes, it is said, have even already been pardoned, and others, it is added, are likely, in a short time, to participate in a similar act of mercy. This change on the part of King Ferdi nand is attributed to the influence of the Austrian Government. The Journal de St. Petersbourg announces offi cially the appointment of General Count Kisseleff as Ambassador to France. ID :)U J+ LONDON, SATURDAY, AUGUST 0, 1856. POSTSCRIPT. A despatch from Berlin, August 7, states : Accounts have just bee.i received here that Russia has made some concessions with respect to the occupation of the Island of Serpents, and that the order to the English admiral to proceed with his fleet into the Black Sea has been countermanded. Another despatch, dated Paris, Thursday, says the British squadron has positively received orders to enter the Black Sea. The Governments of France and England are waiting important despatches from St. Petersburg. The Paris correspondent of the Times (second edition) says : The irregularities of Russia in carrying out her part of the treaty of Paris have hitherto attracted in France little of the public attention or of newspaper notice, but I hear that the Government begins to occupy itself concerning them. The Russians maintain, up to the last accounts, their right to the Isle of Serpents. As regards the pro gress of affairs and what has really occurred on the Bess arabian boundary and at Kars, we are rather in the dark. A few days will probably throw more light upon the sub ject. It is certainly to be regretted that the Isle of Ser pents shoule have been, to all appearance, entirely over looked at the Conferences. The importance of its situation might have obtained it a word of mention. Its occupation by Russia will be found, however, quite inconsistent with the spirit of the treaty. Meanwhile, we learn to-day that the British naval forces in the Eastern waters have re ceived orders to rendezvous in the Black Sea. Despatches from Spain to the oth states : Carlist chiefs are at the head of the bands that overrun Catalonia at this moment. Generals Echagues and Garcia have been created Grand Crosses of the Military Orders. General Zapatero, Marchessi, Armero, Macrohon, and Mantillon are raised to the rank of lieutenant generals. General Ros de Olano has resumed the general direction of the infantry. Three incendiaries have been executed at Rio Seco. The intelligence from Spain continues to be of a pacific nature. Marshal Espartet o had an audience of the Queen before leaving Madrid for Lograno. The conditions on which the Saragossian insurgents had submitted to General Dulce were not yet pub. lished, but it was reported that they were of a very mild and lenient character. His Excellency Count Creptovritcb, ci - devant Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Russia to the King of the Belgians, and now ap pointed Ambassador to the Court of St. Jtaries, has arrived at Brussels. Prince Adalbert of Bavaria has arrived in Paris. He travels under the name of Count Andrechs. The Prince is acccmpanicd by four officers and four servants. A letter from Vienna, 3rd, in the Deutschland, says :—" We learn from good authority, that General Count Giulay, who is now here, has been ordered to proceed to Monza, to announce to Field-Marshal Count Radetzky that the Emperor intends to visit tbe Lombardo-Venetian kingdom with the Empress in the course of next month." 1 Count Morny, the French Ambassador to the coronation, arrived at St. Petersbu.g on the sth instant. The Fulton steamer arrived at Southampton yes terday morning en route to Havre. She brings in• telligence from New York to the 26th ult. No poli tical news of moment. HER MAJESTY'S MILITARY COSTITME.—Her Majesty, at several of the late reviews, has, observes the Globe of last night, with her usual gracious consider • ation, exhibited the most anxious desire to pay com pliments to the pride of her brave soldiers by appearing in a most splendid military uniform, the particulars of which will doubtless please our lady readers. The habit is of the finest scarlet cloth, the ornaments on the collar of which are beautifully embroidered in gold and silver, with the device of a Field-Marshal. A brilliant star upon the left breast; across the left shoulder the blue ribbon of the Garter, and a very gorgeous crimson and gold net sash, terminated with gold bullion tassals. The hat is of a remarkably light black felt, with a round clown and of most graceful design, having a very elegant general of plume of white and ted feathers, and a rich cord of crimson and gold thrice round the crown, ending with two handsome gold and crimson bullion tassels. Nothing can exceed the beauty of this costume and its accessories. THE. ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE have issued their third report. The committee regard as desirable the continuance of the Church Estate Corn mission, as a separate commission, for the purpose of sanctioning the enfranchisement effected by ecclesiastical corporations, the consolidation of the Church Building Commission with the Ecclesiastical Commission, after a certain date, and the withdrawal of the Bill for the Better Management of Episcopal and Capitular Estates. The committee have agreed to a long string of resolutions, including certain ones to the effect that the present constitution of the Ecclesiastical Commission be continued with the modification that the second Church Estates Com missioner appointed by the Crown should be paid, and that the payment of his salary be defrayed from the funds of the commission; that the act 14th and I 15th of Victoria, chap. 104, be continued for one year, with a view to its further continuance (with cerain amendments) till the end of the year 1859 ; that it is desirable that landed estates sufficient to afford the clear statutory income of each bishop should be secured to each see, and that the manage ment of such estate should be in the bishop, subject to a periodical inspection by the commissioners, for the maintenance thereof—any difference of opinion to be decided by arbitration ; that power be given to the Estates Committee to inspect the accounts of Chapters, and to control or supervise the administra tion of the capitular funds; that it is expedient to make provision for any surplus revenue in the hands of an ecclesiastical corporation for the spiritual wants of the place in which the tithes, &c., arise ; and that it is desirable in making additional provision for the spiritual wants of populous places to give a pre ference to those in which such additional provision is met by local contributions. The committee report, finally, that several important questions will here after require consideration :-1, the particular mode of assuring the estates and incomes of bishops; 2, a similar question with respect to deans and chapters; 3, the mode of augmenting small livings, and pro viding for the spiritual wants of populous places ; and, 4 the provision for local claims. VISCOUNT CRANLEY, son of the Earl of Onslow, expired at an early hour last Saturday morning, after a lingering illness of a pulmonary character, at Lady Maria i Alford's residence, at Prince's gate, to which his lordship hal only recently been removed. The deceased was only son of the Earl of Onslow, and was born in 1820. He married, a few years since, Lady Amelia Cust, second daughter of the late Earl Brownlow, by his second marriage with Lady Emma Sophia, eldest daughter of the late Earl of Mount Edgecumbe. By his union with that lady he leaves issue two youthful daughters. Several noble families are placed in mourning by this event. THE DUCHESS DOWAGER OF LEEDS died last week at Hornby Castle in her 81st year. Her grace was daughter of the first Marquis of Townsbend, to whom Quebec surrendered after the death of Wolfe. SATURDAY, THE HISTORY OF A CROWN DIAMOND. THE history of the Hoggarty diamond has already been given to the world, but its romance scarcely equals that of one of the world famous Russian Crown diamonds. Two gems of the Imperial Crown are called the " Orloff" and the " Shah." The latter formerly belonged to the Sophis, and was one of two enormous diamonds ornamenting the throne of Nadir Shah, and designated by the Persians "Sun of the Sea " and " Moon of the Mountains." When Nadir was assassinated, his treasures were pillaged and divided among a few of his guards. An Arme nian, named Shafras, resided at that period at Bus sore with his two brothers. One day an Affghru came to him and offered for sale the large diamond, the " Moon of the Mountains," as well as an eme rald, a ruby of fabulous size, a sapphire of the finest water, called by the Persians the "Eye of Allah," and a number of other stones, for the whole of which he asked such a moderate sum that Shafras, sus pecting they had not been honestly come by, ti id the Affghan to call again, as he had not the money in the house. The Affghan, fearing Shafras was going to act with treachery towards him, left Bussora that night and could not again be found, although the three brothers made every search for him. Some years afterwards the brothers Shafras were at Bagdad, and one day in the street the elder brother met the Affghan, who told him that be had just sold all his precious stones for 65,000 piastres and a pair of valuable horses. Shafras bad the residence of the purchaser, who was a Jew, pointed out to him, and going immediately to the house, offered the Jew double the price he had given for the stones. The Jew declined. Shatras went home, consulted his three brothers, and they agreed to murder the Jew that night and rob him of his purchase. That night the Jew was murdered and robbed. The next day the Affghan, after a feast with the brothers, died suddenly. A dispute soon after arose between the brothers as to the division of the spoil, which ter minated in Shafras getting rid of his two brothers by poison, after which he fled to Constantinople, and thence to Holland, where he made known the riches he possessed, and offered them for sale to the different Courts of Europe. Catherine 11. proposed to buy the " Moon of the Mountains" only. Shafras was requested to come to Russia. The terms demanded by Shafras were—letters of nobility, a life annuity of 10,000 roubles, and 500,000 roubles, payable by equal instalments in ten years. Count I'anin, who was then Minister, delayed the settlement of the bargain as long as possible, and in the meantime had the Ar menian led into such extravagances that he fell into debt, and when the Minister found that he had no means of paying what he owed he abruptly broke off the negotiation. Shafras, according to the laws of the ccuntry, could not leave until his debts should be paid, and the Court jeweller prepared to take ad vantage of his embarrassments, and intended that the diamond should fall into his hands for a fourth of its value. Shatras, however, discovered the trap laid for him, and, disposing of some of the less valuable stones, paid his debts, and disappeared. Agents were sent after him, who had even orders to assassinate and rob him, but he escaped them. Ten years after he appeared at Astrachan, and renewed offers were made to him by the Russian Government, hut he refused to enter into any negotiations unless the bargain should be settled at Smyrna. Catherine accepted, and became the possessor of the " Moon" diamond for letters of nobility, 100,000 roubles, and 170,000 paper roubles, making together about two and a half millions of francs. Shafras, not being able to return to his country, where he would have had to give an account of two homicides and two fratricides, fixed himself at Astrachan, where he married, and had seven daughters. At last one of his sons-in-law poisoned him for the sake of possessing his share o the property. The immense fortune which the murderer had acquired (from ten to twelve millions) was then divided, soon spent, and now the grandchildren of Shafras are living at Astrachan in abject misery. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE Tuesdny, August 5. BANKRUPTS.—JOHN JAMES VONDER HEYDE and Crum- TOPHER OCTAYUR VONDER HEYDE, Lower Thames•atreet, City, tobacco manufacturers and merchants—HENßY EDWARD BURNS, cabers Tavern, St. Martin-street, Leicester-square, Middlesex, licensed victualler—Wuziax UNDERWOOD, Frith-sUeet, Soho, tailor— ROBERT JOHNSTON and Jamas JLREAM PRATT, DURUM% square, City, merehants—RlCHAßD THOMPSON JOPLINO, South ampton-buildings, Holborn, Middlesex, bookseller and publisher —JOHN DREATWOOD, Handsworth, Stafford, confectioner and fruiterer—WlLLlAM REAP, Worcester•street. Birmingham, corn and provision dealer—Faaticts JELLEY the Younger, Stamford, Lincoln, brewer and seed merchant—JOHN STOPYORD TAYLOR. Liverpool, apothecary. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—PETER SINCLAIR, Waterloo place, Edinburgh, hotel keeper—Jonx CAMPBELL, Falkirk, writer and insurance agent. Friday, August 8. BANKRUPTS.—WILLIan ROSE, Sydenharo, Kent, ship smith—JOSEPH WALTER DAY Locicwoon, 9, Crown•oourt, Threadneedie•street, stockbroker and dealer In shares--Daviw Tuowas Plymoatb,grocer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATION.—JowI Ksiso HuitTSß, Glasgow, boot and i shoo maker. I