The Press. — London, England, 1855-12-08 00:00:00

1170 TO CORRESPONDENTS. t is impossible to acknowledge the mass of letters we receive Their insertion is often delayed, owing to a press of matter and when omitted, it is frequently from reasons quite inde pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Cernrnunications should always be legibly written, 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 name 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 OP SUBSCRIPTION FOR Etc Vrers: (STAMPED.) Per Annum .. Half-Yearly .. Quarterly £1 6 0 0 13 0 0 6 8 Payable in advance. Subscribers are requested to send their Orders through their News Agent; if direct to the Office, accompanied by a remit tance. Advertisements also must have sreference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to /dr. ALrnsn lvs, 110, Strand. Loudon. 4artigg+ LONDON, SATURDAY. DEC. 8, 1855. POSTSCRIPT. LIEUTENANT GENESTE has sent in a report to the Admiralty containing a full account of the deplorable ' affair at Hango. The document is uncommonly well written, and, if the young officer's version is to be trusted, thoroughly overthrows all the excuses which have lately been made for the Russians. He left his ship with the flag of truce conspicuously dis played on the bow of the boat, with only such arms as it is the invariable custom to carry on such occa sions, and these unloaded, anti also entirely concealed under the prisoners' baggage. No answer was made to his signal, and he had, therefore, " every reason to " suppose that there was no armed force on the spot, " and acted in strict accordance with the laws of war "in advancing to the shore." On landing, Lieute nant GENESTE and Mr. SULLIVAN ; with a small patty of the crew, proceeded tuwards the telegraph-station on the top of an adjoining hill, and it was while they were advancing along the road which led to it that they were suddenly assailed by a heavy fire from between 150 and 200 Russian soldiers, who sprang up from behind some neighbouring rocks. It was in vain that Lieutenant GENESTE pointed to his flag of truce. The Russians seemed puzzled for a moment, but immediately resumed their fire. On addressing himself in French to the officer at their head, the only answer he got was—" Se ne parle pas Francais," spoken with a very good accent. An elderly officer at length appeared, who saved Mr. GENESTE from the bayonets of his soldiers, and he, together with Mr. SULLIVAN, were thrown into a cart with their arms tied behind them, and carried off to Eckness, about twenty-five miles from the spot. When General MoLI,AR, the General of the district, arrived, he seemed very much annoyed at what had occurred, and placed the young military officer under arrest the same evening, in which he was kept " till General " Islowai received orders from the higher authorities " for his release." Such is the outline of this melan• choly story. A good deal turns upon the expression so frequently recurring in Mr. GENESTE'S report, ' the laws of war," and whether it is an established rule that if no answer is returned to the signal of a flag of truce the bearer is entitled to proceed on his course with impunity. We should like to see this point a little more cleared up; but at all events it is certain that the Russians behaved with uncommon barbarity in continuing their fire when they found that no resistance was made. This is a matter which the laws of war do not affect; it is a simple question of ordinary generosity and fair play, in which our enemies do seem to have been woefully deficient. (From a Correspondent). PARIS, Thursday: The rumours of peace negotiations obtain daily considerable " consistence." It is n)t at the Bourse only that the " Bruit "is believed. But one feeling pervades all classes, and that is, an absolute thirst for peace. There never was a moment when the Em peror's popularity had reached such a cliuisix as a; present. Even the ()demist and Legitethist THE PRESS. (the'female portion of whioh, headed by an English lady of distinction, are called sans Jussons as a pen. dant to the sans cullottes of olden times) are in some measure pacified. The ouvriers and com mercial classes talk with confident belief that their Emperor will make peace. Yesterday I saw an officer of the Imperial Guard, lately returned from the East, and he says that there is even among the French army an ardent desire to return to France, or rather to close a warfare where there are so many hardships and so little glory to be obtained. It is generally believed that the option of peace or war rests entirely with the Emperor Alexander; or rather with the Muscovite party, headed by the Grand Duke Constantine. No news from Asia, except that the sufferings of the besieged in Kars are terrible, and lead to a fear that the place cannot hold out long. The King of Sardinia is expected to pass through here en route to Brussels. Buis has been teeming with anecdotes of his Majesty's eccentricities and " gallanteries." The weather is becoming intensely cold, and snow has fallen in some parts of France. The Empress continues in excellent health, and may be seen on the coldest days driving in an open caleche in the Bois de Boulogne. The Imperial accouchement is to take place in March. What a coincidence if it were to come off on the 20th of that month Despaches from Vienna, dated Thursday evening, announce the arrival of Sir Hamilton Seymour in that city. The Odessa Imperial Commercial Bank has sus pended cash payments. The people of Odessa, it is stated, displayed much ill feeling on the subject. The King of Sardinia arrived safely at Boulogne on Thursday morning, an(l left at LSO p.m. for the Chateau de Compeigne. His Majesty, it is believed, will not return to Paris with the Emperor to dey. The Duke of Newcastle has arrived at Paris from the Crimea. RETURN OF THE BALTIC FLEET. A despatrh from Nyborg, dated Thursday, states that the united squadrons, with Admiral Duddas, and eleven ships of the line, have just passed the Belt northwards. A meeting of the shareholders of the Eastern Counties Railway took place yesterday, at the London Tavern. Manifestations of temper to a considerable extent took place; and, after a most stormy debate, a resolution continuing the Committee of Investigation was agreed to, and the meeting separated. ptlanb. Archbishop Cullen has lately addressed a " Pasto ral " to his flock. He ascribes all our successes in the war to the late definition of the Immaculate Conception, and beholds only in the fall of Sebasto • pol the humbling of the proud supporter of schism in the North : And if we look beyond the limits of our own country, do we not find that since the definition of the Immaculate Conception much has been done that cannot fail to excite the hopes and console the heart of every true Christian? Within this short period we have seen how the proud sup porter of schism in the North—the prince who, in our days, renewed the tyranny of an Elizabeth or a Crom well, and enacted against his Catholic subjects laws as cruel as the penal laws under which our farefathers suf fered such dire persecutions—we have seen how he has been humbled, his finest provinces laid waste, his armies destroyed ; and how Catholic soldiers, placed by their Sovereign under the special protection of the Mother of God, planted their banners on the lofty towers of his proudest stronghold. The Austrian Concordat is rejoiced over, and the bible-burning at Kingstown indirectly glanced at : Imitate the example of the faithful of Ephesus, who, moved by the preaching of Si Paul, and confessing their sins," brought together their books and burnt them before all," though the value of such works amounted to the vast sum of 50,000 pieces of silver ( Acts xix 19). Let us add, that some of the most illustrious among the Christian Roman emperors were so convinced of the danger of bad works that they enacted laws prescribing them to be burned. It is not necessary for us to say more at present. 'l'he commission of Oyer and Termainer was opened at Dublin nn Wednesday morning at eleven with the usual formalities by Mr, Justice Crampton and Baron Trecne. The case of bible burning having been re mitted for trial at this commission, Mr. Justice Crampton, as soon as the juries were sworn, proceded to address the county grand jury. His lordship, alluding to the principal charge about to be brought before them, proceeded to quote the judgments on previous aim.} cases, and to lay down the principle thai as the Holy Scriptures were the basis sad foun- SATURDAY, dation of the common law, any offence against them was a misdemeanour at common law• and punishable by fine and imprisonment : It will happen, no doubt, gentlemen of the jury, (con. tinued the learned judge) that ignorant or bigoted persons, or those whom I may call trading patriots, may, in this respect, make distinctions between the authorised version of the Bible and that sanctioned by the heads of the Roman Catholic Church, and while they profess to venerate the one, hold up the other to public scorn and contempt. But suoh distinctions, allow me to say, are as weak as they are wicked. Errors there are in, perhaps, every transla• tion; for what is there with which the hand of man is mimgled that is free from the taint of human infirmity? Critics and theologians, no doubt, of difieaent schools may contend for the superior fidelity of their own translations, whilst they detect and expose the errors of other versions ; but every honest and well-informed Chrtstisn must know that the diffierent versions of the Bible, differing as they do in minor and less important matters, are all still the Word of God. The learned judge then concluded his ieharge by indicating the points to be considered by the grand jury. The jury then retired, and shortly before three p.m. returned into court, presenting true bills against the Rev. Vladimir Petcherine and John Hamilton, charged with bible burning. On being arraigned in the usual manner, the traversers pleaded " Not Guilty." After a brief dispute, the trial was finally fixed for Frdiay (yesterday) morning at ten o'clock. Clution alinttilignut. ARMAGH.—The election commenced on Monday, and by Wednesday evening Mr. Bond had obtained a majority of 32 over Mr. Mackenzie, the numbers being 181 to 149. At half-past four p.m. Mr. Bond had obtained a further majority of five, the numbers being—Mr. Bond, 186 ; Mr. Miller, 149—Majority for Bond 37. MEATH.—The High Sheriff has appointed Monday next for holding the election. The contest lies between Mr. Meredith and Mr. M'Evoy. The direct interference of Dr. Cantwell in favour of the latter, has excited a great deal offence among the Roman Catholic electors, and a split in that body had re sulted, the leading party supporting Mr. Meredyth. gxtittnts alt effnuts. A VIOLENT Exmotnott in Woolwich Arsenal, oc curred on Monday morning, just before noon. In a moment it was perceived that the rocket•shed had• blown up, and the whole of the fire-brigade of the establishment were at once directed to the spot *o suppress the fire. The explosion originated from a very simple, one of the workmen engaged in paintit g the rockets incautiously used a gimlet to clear out the little holes at the cap of the tube, in working tl e gimlet round the iron got heated, and exploded the rocket which ignited several more, and in a momet.t blew up the whole shed. Seven of the men were seriously burnt and otherwise injured, two died the same evening and a third is not expected to survive. MR. LARDNER, assistant librarian to the British Museum, committed suicide under singular circum stances last week. It appears that the deceased was of a highly irritable temperament, and having with his brougham run over a man, en route to the museum on Tuesday week, b - came so exited that medical advice was sent for. Having returned to his house in Cornwall .villas, the unfortunate gentlemen was confined to his room, and placed under the im mediate care of a domestic. However, he suddenly ordered the servant to quit the room, he suddenly arose and flung himself out of the window, receiving such frightful injnries that he died shortly afterwards. An inquest was held on Saturday last, and the jury returned a verdict of insanity. FROM THE LONDON GAZETTE. Tveaday, Dec. 4. BANKRUPTCY ANNULLED.—WILLIAM BAGLEY, Fulham. fields and Dawley-wall, Middlesex, market•gardener and fruiterer BANKRUPTS.—THOMAS AncHnurr,.oakley-square, Chelsea. builder—H ENßY DALLIMORE, Newport, Isle of Wight, grocer and dealer in prOViII,ORB—EDWARD 013E11, North-street, Brigh ton, ironmonger, Human, and blEZIer —.l ()NATHAN SAWYER, Mary Ann-place, Crisp-street. East India-road, Middlesex, builder and beer-shop keeper—Wmu %Id FratneNn Cf, Ber ners-street, Oxford-street. Middlesex, tailor—JOHN W/NTERROV TOM, Keraley, Lancaster, provision dealer and brickmaker--Auc! DEAN and ADAM DEAN, Bolton, Lancaster, millwrights , and ironfounders —JANE HARTLEY, Middle ton, Lancaster, joiner, builder, add licensed victualler—THOMAS KIRKHAM, Albert-mill Livesey, Blackburn, spinner and inanutieturer—Jiiiim Ktl IMAM Bank Top-terrace. Blackburn, cotton manufacturer. SCOTCH SEQUESTRATIONS.—Groaoe ORMISTON, house, Jock's-lodge, near Edinburgh, jobber, contractor, carter, and road contractor—WlLLlAM Hato (deceased), 0, West Regent street, Glasgots, writer had procurator-fiscal of the Burgh of Glasgow.