The Press. — London, England, 1855-09-01 00:00:00

ortign 6orrzsprinttutt. FRANKFORT, August 28. ALTHOUGH the utter annihilation of Sweaborg and its fortresses from a distance of 2,500 yards—a result barely possible to be effected at 800—was pompously and circumstantially proclaimed by the Palmerston organs, yet subsequent despatches have not verified the event. The victory of the allies, however, at Tschernaya, and the loss of the Russians, have been even more important than was at first supposed. In Sebastopol the situation of the enemy is daily be coming more unpleasant. A letter from a Russian officer, bearing the date of July 27, says:— Si Von pouvait purger la Crimes de la presence des en nemis, et les chasser d'ici au plus vice, et transporter la guerre quelque part en Autriche, que nous serious heureux. The anxiety to be rid of the siege, and the eagerness to have a slap at Austria, by way of hastening her ex tinction, bears a plain meaning. " Out of the fulness of the heart the mouth speaketh." The Russian officer does not evince much foresight in the wish to do battle with Austria hand to hand. In that case she would be assuredly assisted by France, and her estate be preserved ; whereas, by being permitted to follow out her present plan, the empire will crumble away piecemeal. without public injury, and without aid or effort. Not much consolation for any party can be gathered from the following account : On nous promet pour demain un surcroit de bombarde ment qua durera six on Sept jours. Ayres viendra l'assaut, qui sera, comme de raison, repousse, et puis recotnnien oera de nouveau le siege, et pills le bombaidement, et puis l'assaut, et pins l'hiver, et puis le priptemps, &c., &c. Cela n'aura pas de fin, a moins que la Exance ne pend son gre din d'Empereur. But the " grodin" gets stronger and stronger, and is deservedly gaining in the estimation of the conti nental powers from his firmness, honesty, and decision. " Avec lui on ne badine pas." Would that the same might be said of the English Ministry ! The tilinisterial fever is intermittent—its irritation proceeds entirely from a disorganised intetior ; and the war is a remedial measure only,—" autrement nous ne pourrions nous debarasser de to malheureux Disraeli.' In fact, the dread of Disraeli stands in lieu of patriotism, and is worked out under compul sion. The Gazette Autrichienne, the organ of Count Buol and "le petit Jean," in its newborn and righteous indignation against England, accuses its Rimer allies of conspiring to destroy Turkey. These are the words of diplomatic indictment : Je vous ai annonce que l'occupation permanents de la Turquie sera la base des operations futures des puissances allies contre la Itussie, des que l'expedition de Crimee aura abouti it un resultat satisfaisant. Yarns, Gallipoli, et les Dardanelles seront transformer en trois grandee places d'armes, et ()wipes par des forts corps d'artuees allies, prets it se porter dans toutes lea directions. And then, painfully sore at the advancing influence of Prussia throughout Germany, and in haughty displeasure at the Diet of Frankfort, it ejects its venom in hissing wrath : Si la Prusse, au moment ou la guerre seoit aux frontieres de l'Allemagne, et qua la nentralite est devenue impossible, refusait de subordonuer aux veritables interets de I'Alle mague ou sea sympathies personelles pour la !tussle, tons les ports Prussiens seront inevitablement blocues. Tel est le sens funnel d'une declaration que le Comte Walewski a fait au Miniatre de Prusse alum qua Bette puissance n'eut point plus tard le droit do faire aux Cabinets Allies le re proche de perfidie. And in reproachful tone for its Frankfort discom fiture—that is, for the triumph of M. de Bismarck and the paid agents of Russia over M. Osten- Prokersch—it adds . L'intervention de l'Allemagne nnie aurait ete aasez puis sante pour awener les parties belligerents a se prefer a tine transaction. Que oeux qui par des interets personnels et particuliers out provoque la scission de l'Alicinagne, por tent le poids de Is responsibilite qu'ila ont assuwee. This is a direct attack of Prussia in unqualified term g. Le Nord, after exulting over the fallen state of the house of Hapsburg and Lorraine, joins in vilipending the hypocrisies of England and France : Cora me on voit ce n'est point a des nouvelles confe rences de pais grte l'on se prepafe, et c'est Bien decideinent une eftroyante question de gloire, de venire niilitaire qni vase debattre. De l'independance de la Tnrquie it nen est plus question—on lui impose des garnisons pernisnentes de deux armees, et les gnindes phrases sur la liberte du croissant sont allies rejoindro les vieilles luues. This savours little of the song of triumph. It is impossibie not to appreciate the endeavour of an honest enemy to make the evidence of his failure less glaring, and to cheer and encourage the national spirit to the last. The local distresses of Russia are in alarming increase ; nor is it in the power of the Executive to prevent the knowledge of the disastrous facts from escaping, in spite of the efforts to restrain them within the prison -house where they had been THE PRESS. vainly condemned to silence. In the several com munications betwixt the Prince of Prussia and the Empress Mother at St. Petersburg, the latter dwelt long and sadly on the prospective ruin of the country, and the details of grievance have been well reported in the Judenstrasse of this place. The usual pro ductions of linseed, corn, and oil in the south have been incapable of exportation, from the loss of the ports in the Sea of Azoff and the Euxine. Corn continues to be sent through Austria, but in smaller quantities than usual, since the supply has failed chiefly from the farm labourers having been taken for the army ; and for this evil there is no remedy. By the blockade and possession of the inland seas, the major part of the agricultural produce remains rotting on hand—the value becomes trifling, and is sometimes lost altogether. In proportion, also, as prices fall the taxes multiply, and the contributions miscalled voluntary are forced upon the proprietors and occupiers of the land, without pity as without discretion. Utter ruin is thus inevitable. Again, the recruiting system bears upon the landlord with a severity sufficient to shiver him, without other auxiliary of disaster. Seven in every thousand serfs are drafted for the army, and, to provide for the chances of rejection, twenty one are summoned to appear before the enlisting tribunal. These several bands of husbandmen are subtracted from the culti vation of the land, without any allowance being made for the loss of time that, by the delays of care less and corrupt officials, frequently extends to a period of several weeks. Then comes the claim upon farm waggons and farm bestial, and the tax payer is charged not only with the cattle impost, but is compelled to supply the fodder for his distrained pro perty, and for a separate and distinct commissariat demand likewise. A portion of the remaining cattle is seized for governmental use., and paid for in paper roubles—the most fallacious of accommodation paper, and which can be rendered worthless by a ukase of a single lino. To a system so replete with the elements of political and social destruction there cannot be added a single evil in which the war catalogue is deficient or exempt in its operation. And well did the Prince of Prussia demonstrate to his Empress sister the impossibility of a nation, extensive soever it be in dominion, being able to cope against antagonists who have the power to close its ports and to compel its inhabitants to consume and to waste the principal of their wealth. Were Russia commercial solely, ehe might be crumpled up like a protested bill ; but it is because that great country of Russia is great in cereal riches, great in agricultural population, and great by the support of the landowners, that she is enabled to make head with such force and for so long a period against the allies, with closed ports, and trusting to the true and never-failing resources of national and natural opulence. J. E. L. SIENA, August 25. THE political fermentation of Italy is extending through the very means adopted for repression. Is it not always thus? No crown can long exist un supported by law—no beneficial law can be framed without the consent of governor and governed ; and the compact ratified by mutual consent forms a constitution. A sword rule—" le droit du plus fort " —is stable only so long as the weapon be sharp ; when blunted or broken the rule becomes dissolved in anarchy, the simply brutal being destitute of a con stitutional moral for self-preservation. It appears by the Journal de St. Petersbourg that a Russian general has been removed from his post to be invested with the command of the Neapolitan troops, who are utterly deficient in the requisite com modity of rule. And, as the royal troops and mer cenaries that he is about to take charge of cannot be trusted, or are not made of stuff proper for military service, a French detachment is to be sent to Naples to occupy the country and to protect the person of "il Re assoluto." Upon the first consideration of this singular arrangement, the anomaly is forcibly evident of a Russian general being placed in associa tion with a French corps d'armie, but a stricter exam ination will make clear the wise policy of France to secure a footing in Southern Italy to prevent the in terference of Austria. The King earnestly desired that the protection of his kingdom should be placed in Austrian hands; but Austrian soldiers again oc cupying Naples as in 1820.1 2.3-4, would have driven Italy into open rebellion from north to south, and would have been a direct affront to Sardinia, now fighting side by side with France and England. The victory of the Tschernaya, in which the Sardi nians distinguished themselves, has had the most exhilarating effect throughout Italy. It has proved that Italians, well led, and in a good cause, are made of materials capable of meeting the most hardy arid bravest of European troops. Neither are the Tus cans to be less valued—which was proved in the Rus sian campaign of Napoleon—and the Austrians could have no chance in Mall with the population against SATURBAr s them, and which would be befriended by England and France. The war is beginning to be one of opinion, and this public opinion is everywhere ex pressed against Lord Palmerston. His ability is not doubted—but his faith is more than suspected, for it has been heretofore tested and found wanting. Not less has the declaration of Lord John Russell against the nationalities given serious offence ; and the Con stitutionalists are sensible that they have nothing to hope either from the one or from the other. They have learnt that the policy of the Whig and Whig- Radical Cabinets is ono essentially selfish—that the animosity between the respective leaders, Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell, is exclusively at tributable to personal motives, without either of them caring for anything beyond personal and party exaltation. This is a sorry truism, admitted on all hands and in all countries; and the impression must be carefully fostered, in order to be used in defence of the honour and reputation of England. Several of the dispersed bands of Garibaldi are making their appearance in the Roman Apennines, and these are in communication with others in strict league with Mazzini. In the Neapolitan States, on the contrary, the banditti are the only persons on whom the King can rely, and they are strongly opposed to Mazzini. This extraordinary combination, wherein the Republicans and Mazzini are opposed to the brigands and the King of Naples, makes any uprising in favour of constitu tionalism impossible without foreign intervention. The Neapolitan soldiery, now in bandit confedera• tion, waylay and plunder travellers in the King's name and at the Feint of royal bayonets. Even the nobles of the country are not safe from their depre dations, and can gain little redress, from the diffi culty of identifying the marauders, who are exchanged from regiment to regiment. Where the victims are English, and, above all, English ladies, alone and unbefriended, the robbtr.soldiers are almost deemed worthy of especial decoration ; and this maltreat ment and robbery of English ladies by soldiers in uniform is a literal fact, ann lately occurred in broad day and on a public road. is Lord Palmerston dis posed to overlook this outrage, and to confine him self to the puerility of Whig remonstrance? The Whigs were ever unpalatable to the fair sex: to this distaste, however, the Premier of England was always held to be an honourable exception. M. T. A. c fortign And &taint Linttitigente. FRANCE. The Emperor and Prince Napoleon returned to Paris on Tuesday afternoon, from accompanying Queen Victoria to Boulogne. The King of Sardinia is expected to arrive in Paris in a day or two. The Kings of Bavaria and Wurtem burg arc also expected in the .Frenth capital. The oldium, which last year committed such great ravages in the vineyards of the department of the Jura, ha; scarcely been noticed this year, owing, it is said, to the great heat of the summer. All the vine yards in that part of France are represented as being in a most procaising state. AUSTRIA. The report has been confirmed that M. Bruck, Financial Minister of Austria, is about to propose d new loan of 200 millions of florins, intended to re pay the Bank of Vienna the advances which that in stitution has male to the State. SWEDEN. Archbishop Holmstrom, Primate of the Swedish Lutheran Church, and the most important ecclesi astical dignitary of the kingdom, died on Monday, the 27th ult., at Upsala. ITALY. A Muratist proclamation is said to be extensively circulating in Sicily. It is added that one phrase used in it, by Prince Murat is, "The hour is come for the people to rise. I will not impose myself upon them, but I declare myself ready to answer their call." The French general in Rome having given per mission, according to instructions received from the Minister of War, to the troops under his command to volunteer for service in the Crimea, so many men stepped out of the ranks, on the invitation of their several commanding officers, that the chie; difficulty wai which to select, the number of volunteers to be accepted being limited to fifteen men per company. About 500 men thus chosen left Rome for the seat of war some days since, and their places will be tilled up by recruits from France. SPAIN. Some more members of the band of the brothers Ilierros have been arrested in the province of Burgos. The insurgents of Catalonia are closely pursued, and do not increase in number. The Madrid Gazette publishes a royal ordinance relative to the creation of anew junta fur the Spanish possessions beyond sea. 4 1$a