The Press. — London, England, 1855-02-17 00:00:00

154 THE LATE CAPTAIN HENRY THOMAS BUTLER, D.A.G.. _ _ THE following letters of condolence have been ad dressed to Lieutenant-General the Hon. Henry E. Butler, the father of this lamented officer : From His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge. Constantinople, Dec. 2, Itis4. Sir,—Having been prevented by press of business and indisposition from writing to you sooner, I feel that an apology is due to you on my part that I have not sooner performed a painful and most melancholy duty. You will easily understand to what i allude. Your gallant and most amiable son was attached to the Ist division during the whole period of our army being in the field. He was there fore under my constant observation. I had many opportu nities of judging of his talents and of his worth. It was therefore with deep grief that I saw him fall at the battle of Inkermann on the sth of last month. He is deeply regretted by all who knew him, and by none more so than by myself : but his death was gallant and I trust not painful. I can easily understand what your feelings must be to hear of his loss after your recent bereavement, when another gallant son also fell in the per formance of his duty and in so distinguished a manner. I shall not therefore further trespass on your moments of sorrow and grief than to inform you of my deep sympathy. —I beg to remain sir, yours very truly, (Signed) GEORGE. _ . _ Lieut.-Gen. the Hon. H. E. Butler. From the General•Commander-in•Chief Lord Hardinge. Horse Guards, Dec. 5, 1854. Sir,—T deferred expressing to you my sincere condolence in the sad loss you have sustained while the affliction was still fresh, but I beg you will now accept the sympathy which is due to the father of two gallant sons who have fallen in the cause of their sovereign and their country. Your son had been placed on the staff of the army in the East solely on account of his acquirements and promise. In his early fate you have the consolation of his having with so many other brave soldiers, who fought and fell at Inkermann, nobly done his duty, a comfort which cannot fail to be in creased by the manner in which Lord Raglan mentions both your sons in his despatch of the 11th of November.— Begging you again to accept my sincere condolence, I have the honour, &c. (Signed) HARDINGE, Lieut.-Gen. the Hon. H. E. Butler. PUBLIC VEHICLES IN CONSTANTINOPLE. THE writer of a letter from Constantinople, which is published in the Times, gives the following account of the system of public conveyance in that capital : It is natural for any man accustomed to English modes of doing business to be confused and harassed by the su perintendence of a department at Constantinople. The famous Golden Horn, which would contain the navies of Europe, has only about two hundred yards of miserable wharf, half of which is on the Stamboul side, and therefore useless to the allies. Except s few dwellings of the Perote aristocracy, the whole city is composed of wooden edifices, sometimes large and rambling abodes of wealthy Turks, more generally mere sheds, and a single night sometimes witnesses the destruction of hundreds of these by fire. Stores and warehouses do not exist beyond the wants of the petty Galata merchants. The only water carriage is by crazy caiques or barges, slowly propelled by three or four Lazes or Armenians. Yet these deficient means of trans port cost large sums. A lighter sufficient to carry a few hundredweight of goods is now paid for at the rate of three hundred piastres, or 21. 10s. per day. Even private persons find the cost of locomotion enormous. A man in London thinks it a great deal if he spends Bs. or 10s. in a day for cabs ; but any one whose business forces him to traverse this capital thinks himself well off if he has not spent such a sum is horses, caiques, and backsheesh. Constantinople, with its suburbs, is the most extended city in the world after London ; nor does it consist, like our own metropolis, of several nuclei of business or pleasure, each of which is a world to its inhabitants. Every one who has work to do must go everywhere at a great loss of money, time, and temper. This is the reason why business is so slowly done. The distances are so great, and the mechanical means of communication so defective, that two or three transactions occupy almost the entire day. Each man spends a great part of his time in going from place to place, so that when a call is made it seldom happens that the person sought after is to be found at home, if he is he is sure to be just going out. As there is no lighting of the streets all business must take place during sunlight, and the time for effective exertion is consequently diminished. The waste of labour is enormous, and yet the population does not thrive. From the Oriental never having risen to the idea of a cart, all burdens are carried on the backs of men or animals. Five or six sturdy porters may be seen staggering under the weight of a moderately-sized barrel, slung at a great mechanical disadvantage to two crossed poles. Timber for houses is carried by strings of miserable donkeys in a manner unsightly and dangerous. The ends of the long beams swing from side to side of the narrow streets, and compel the passing ladies to rush for safety into the nearest shop. Of course, anything like a post for letters is unheard of; any one who wishes a note earned must send his servant, or engage a porter at a cost of 2s. or 3s. Yet, with all these advantages for unskilled labour, the lower classes are in constant want. We see here in full operation the state of things in which neither admi nistrative nor material machinery exists, and the labourer can make his terms without fear of being supplanted by artificial appliances. The result is what every thinking man might expect. Individual pieces of work are highly paid, but this work takes a long time to execute, there is little employment for labour on account of the difficulties which surround every enterprise , n and, owing to deficient cultivation, food is dearer in any country with the same natural advantages. Looking at Constantinople THE PRESS. alone, there is sufficient proof of the necessity of some ex ternal help for the creation of prosperity. With these stationary populations custom is more powerful than com petition, and there is no hope that even the pressure of want will lead to any advance in mechanical invention or material appliances. THE PRESS AND THE WAR. --- TAE Moniteur has published a significant notifica tion, addressed ostensibly to the French journalists and writers of letters from the camp, but doubtless intended by way of admonition chiefly to the English press. The official journal says : It is useful to remind the press, both in France and abroad, of the imperious duties of discretion which the security end interest of our troops impose on their pat riotism and impartiality. For the purpose of gratifying the impatience, otherwise so legitimate, of their readers, the journals publish, on the military operations of the Crimea, information, sometimes correct, but more fre quently false, which is transmitted to them from the theatre of war, or taken from letters written by officers and sol diers to their families. When these recitals are false they mislead public opinion ; and when true are attended with a still more serious inconvenience, that of giving the enemy some idea of the plans and means of attack com bined by the generals-in-chief in their secret councils, and so everything that ought carefully to be kept secret is re vealed. In both cases, this publicity is dangerous and even culpable, and if it cannot be repressed in countries where discussion is free, it will certainly be sufficient to point ont the danger of such indiscretions, to render them henceforth impossible. Every one must, in fact, know that letters written from the camp of Sebastopol on the operations of the siege are not intended for the Russians. To change these confidential letters into articles for jour nals, ib to expose the lives of the heroic besiegers. In a time of war, silence is sometimes a sacred duty for those who every day address the pubic; if journals lose some• thing by this, as tar as their interest goes, they gain con siderably in self-respect. We no longer live in a time when war abroad should necessarily lead to dictatorship at home. The Governments which have accepted the honour and responsibility of a great struggle, entered into for the pur pose of insuring the independence and balance of power in Europe, have not found it necessary to decree laws of public safety. They have relied on the intelligence of public opinion, as well as on the heroism, the patience, and the abnegation of their armies and their fleets; they hens not been deceived on any point, neither will they be disappointed when they request from the press of all coun tries the 'patriotism of discretion. The Prase says of the above article:— We found this exhortation is addressed much more to the foreign than to the French press. The Paris journals do not generally sin_ in the direction of audacity or indis cretion. NAVAL AND TRANSPORT ESTIMATES. THE official estimates for the naval service during the ensuing year have just been published, together with the statements for those portions of the expen diture hitherto comprised in the navy estimates, but now presented in a separate form, under the head of " Transport Service, and Prisoners of War." The navy estimates for the year 1855-56 amount in the whole to 10,716,3381. The amount voted for the present year was originally 8,172,205/. ; but this has been increased by the sum of 1,705,1041., and the net increase for the ensuing twelvemonth is therefore only 299,0291. Comparing the principal items origin ally voted for 1854-5 with those asked for in the present instance, there is an increase of 231,1961. under the head of wages to seamen and marines; of 303,7571. for victualling ; 171,8711. in wages to arti ficers, &c. ; naval stores, 1,088,2411.; and new works, 188,0611. There is a decrease, amounting to 29,0001., under the head of non-effective services. Under the head of wages, it is proposed to main tain in the navy 218 flag-officers and their retinues in commission, forty-two officers superintending dockyards and their retinues, 4,034 commissioned and other officers above the rank of subordinate officers to be employed in the fleet; 887 warrant officers, 38,819 seamen, and 10,000 boys; making in all 54,000 persons for the naval service. The Royal Marines are to consist of seventy-two staff-officers, 403 commissioned officers, and 15,525 non•commis sioned officers and privates. In all, the number of sailors and marines will be 70,000. In the transport service the estimate for next year will amount to 5,181,465/. ; the sum voted last year having been in all 3,582,4741. Of this 10,4331. is for the establishment for superintendence, 5,071,0321. for " Transport Service," and 100,0001. for Russian pri soners. The sum put down for freight of ships on monthly pay is 4,206,6971. The establishment for superintendence at home is to consist of a chairman at a salary of 1,200/. ; two directors, with 1,0001. each ; a secretary at 900/. ; and a number of clerks, the cost being altogether 10,4331. BY ♦ DECREE, dated the 22nd of January, the Em peror Nicholas has conferred the order of the White Eagle on Vice- A.dmiral Nachamoff, commanding the sth division of the fleet. _ . -... COUNT MELCHIOR DE POLIONAC, formerly governor of the Chateau of Fontainebleau, has just died in that town. He was the last surviving brother of Prince Polignac, the celebrated Minister of Charles X. SATURDAY, Sortign an Colonial 3nuitigatte. FRANCE. It is said that when the Emperor leaves Paris to take the command of the army of the Rhine the compliment will be paid to the Empress of appoint. ing her Regent of the empire ; but that Count de Morny will be made President of the Council of Regency, and have the real conduct of Government. The French Court will go into mourning for four days, from the 24th, for his Royal Highness the late Duke of Genoa. In consequence of the Prince's death the Emperor ordered that the ball which was to have been given at the Tuileries on Thursday last should be postponed. The important change in the command of the French army of the Crimea, which has been often talked of before, is now authoritatively announced. That army will be immediately divided into two corps d'armie, the command of one of which will be given to General Pelissier, and the other to General Bosquet. In accordance with the expressed wish of General Canrobert, the Minister of Marine has ordered three companies of marine artillery stationed at the Pineua to be despatched to the Crimea. The funeral of Lady Harriet Elliot took place on Tuesday, and was conducted with the utmost privacy. The only persons present were the Earl of Mint° and the members of the family, Lord Cowley, and Sir Joseph 011iffe, the physician to the embassy. The interment took place in the cemetery of Mont martre. Lurd and Lady Cowley gave their third reception on Monday evening at the embassy. As usual, it. was crowded with the diplomatic corps and the Eng lish society of Paris. GERMANY. The Vienna conferences, according to the latest statements, were to reopen on the '23rd inst. The Intlipendance states that the Emperor of Austria has no wish to be appointed Generalissimo of the anticipated "Federal Army." In that situation he should be subjected to the dictation of the Mili tary Committee of the Diet. The Emperor of Aus tria will command his own army, and accept the alli ance of any German contingent that chooses to rally round the imperial banner. The report of a separate treaty having been con cluded between Prussia and the Western powers is denied by the Berlin journals. The Gazette d'Augsbourg announces that Prussia addressed, on the 2nd inst., a new circular to its agents at foreign Courts, stating the resolution of the Prussian Government to pass, at the decisive mo ment, from the military," war footing " to the state of " mobilisation." The King of Hanover is hastening on military pre parations, and letters from Vienna state that he has empowered Baron de Stockhausen to conclude a separate treaty with Austria. Brunswick and Nassau have also sent declarations on that point of a very satisfactory character for the Austrian Cabinet. DENMARK. The Volkething has resolved itself into a com mittee, to inquire into the abuses committed by the late Ministers, in order to give them an opportunity of explaining their conduct. SARDINIA. The treaty between Sardinia, France, and Great Britain, has been adopted in the Turin Chambers by a majority of forty-one votes. The numbers were -101 for, and 60 against, the measure. A Turin letter of the 7th inst. states : It is not probable that the Sardinian contingent will embark for the seat of war before the middle, or perhaps end, of next month; but General La Marmora, who is to command it, will proceed to Paris and London imme diately after the treaty has been ratified, to take counsel with the military authorities there as to the measures most advisable with regard to its destination, the amount of particular arms, and other minor details. According to the terms of the convention it will amount to 15,000 men. It is supposed there will he 10,000 or 12,000 infantry, from 1,000 to 2,0(10 cavalry, about 600 artillerymen, a company or two of Sappers and Miners, if required, and a strong force of waggon, train, and ambulance corps, which they possess in a very efficient state. Profiting by their own. and our experience with regard to the latter departments, there is not likely to be any lack of carriage for the wounded, provisions, or forage. A recent invention has been adopted in packing cooked provisions, by which means a cart attached to each battalion carries rations for SOO men for three days, an invaluable accessory in cases of protracted reconnoissances. The Mime rifle is now being introduced throughout the service, both land and marine. TURKEY. Accounts from Constantinople, of the sth, state that the 9th division of the French army was under . orders to embark for the Crimea. Its commander, General Brunet, was to leave on the 6th. The Eng lish had engaged workmen to make a railway from Balaklava to Sebastopol. ' A great fire had broken out in the arsenal, and