The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-12 00:00:00

38 THE INDEX AND TITLEPAtiE TO THE THIED VOLUME OF " THE PRESS " are published as s Supplement (gratis) with This Da3's Number. TO CORRESPONDENTS. It 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 hide pendent of the merits of the communication. We cannot undertake to return communications of which we do not avail ourselves. Ccumnpaications should always be legibly written, and on one side of the paper only. If lout 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 lie good faith. Advertisements sent from the country must be accompanied by a remittance or a reference for payment in town. FOR Ebt girtos: (STAMPED.) Per Annum .. .. ll 6 0 :: 613 0 .. 0 6 6 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 &reference or remittance. Money Orders to be made payable to Mr. ALFRED IVE, 110, Strand. London. I;di3x .:1 rxxig. LONDON, SATURDAY, JAN. 12, 1856. POSTSCRIPT. The Moniteur of yesterday has the following it :- A Council of War met to-day at the Tuileries. The Emperor presided. The Council is composed of the Em peror, the Prince Jerome Napoleon, the Duke of Cam bridge, Prince Napoleon, Lord Cowley, Sir Edmund Lyons, Admiral Dundas, Sir Richard Airey, Sir Harry Jones, General La Marniora, Marshal Valliant, Count \Valewski, General Canmbert, General Bosquet, General Niel, General Martinquey, Admiral Hamelin, Admiral Jarier de la Graviere, and Admiral Penaud. The Council is not commissioned to arrange the plan of the approaching campaign, nor to deliberate on the politi cal considerations which might cause one plan to be pre ferred to another. Its object is to enlighten the allied Governments as to the various military combinations which can be adopted, to !brew all eventualities, and to determine their exigencies. Farmed for the greater part of experienced generals, who have almost all taken a glorious part in the operations accomplished in the East and in the Baltic, the Council of War can only give advice, which will have been deeply weighed, and furnish pro posals, eminently useful for the best employment of the land and sea forces which the Western powers are pre paring. A despatch from Berlin, Jan. 10, says : _ Count Nesselrode has declared confidentially to M. de Seetach that, in his opinion, Russia made, in the circular of the 22nd of December, the last concessions that she ought to make. The following telegraphic despatch is from the same place with the same date, and communicates an exactly opposite Russian declaration : According to the Gazelle de Konigsburg, Russia has de clined the mediation of Austria, and accepts that of Saxony. It is stated from Vienna that Count Nesselrode has de clared that the propositions of the 22nd December pre sented no absolute character, and that Russia admitted modifications. Baron Sternheild, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, has despatched a circular to the various Swedish Embassies upon the subject of the late treaty concluded between Sweden end the Western powers. The Swedish Minister asserts that the struggle between Russia and the Western powers gaining in extent, threatened at length to approach the shores of Sweden, and the Kiag, carefully weigh ing the political circumstances, resolved with wise foresight to apply the lessons of the past to the future interests of his kingdom : France and England having proposed to his Majesty a defensive treaty of alliance, destined to assure the integrity of the united kingdoms, the King felt that it was his duty eagerly to accept a guarantee, the utility of which is as patent as it is incontestable. No one can say what eventual contingencies are not hidden in the womb of the future, and in such difficult circumstances as the present it is the duty of every Sovereign to look after the maintenance of the independence, and to assure the welthre of the nations intrusted to his cart by Providence. 'the terms of the treaty, concludes Baron Stern heild, are too precise to admit of misinterpretation. The alliance concluded "is a defensive one." it Till Fittsg. will depend upon Envois to prevent its application, for out declaration of neutrality still subsists and will continue to be alliered to. The circular is dated the 18th December. The Tay, with the Brazil and River Plate mails, arrived yesterday at Southampton. Her dates are —Buenos Ayres, Dec. 2; Monte Video, Dec. 5; Rio, Dec. 15; Pernambuco, Dec. '2l ; St. Vincent, Dec. q 9; Lisbon, Jan. 7. At Rio an average amount of business was trans acted; money market light, and a material advance in exchange. The only new feature in the revolution at Monte Video was, that Generals Flores and Oribe have mutually agreed to uphold Bustarnente and his Government. It is believed Oribe will be chosen in the coming election. The Tay brings home bills to the amount of nearly 700,000/. on London and Liverpool. Despatches from Rear-Admiral Sir James Sterling, received at the Admiralty on Thursday, contain full details of the attack upon pirates at Samchou, near Hong-Bong, by H.M.S. Rattler, and of similar operations in the Gull of Leotung, by H.M. sloop Bittern. The operations in both cases, carried out with the utmost gallantry and coolness, appear to have been signally successful, large fleets of piratical junks having been completely destroyed or captured, and the pirates dispersed or killed. The Admiralty, in consideration of their success on these two occasions, have promoted Commanders Vansittart and fellowes to the rank of captain, and Lieutenant Brooker to the rank of commander; at the same time favorably noticing the gallant conduct of Mr. Brownadon, the paymaster of the Rattler. RETURN OF. THE HUDSON'S BAY COM PANY'S EXPEDITION IN SEARCH OF FRANKLIN. THE return of the Hudson's Bay Company's Arctic expedition, which left their station, Fort Resolution, a port on the Great Slave Lake, on the 22nd of June last, brings corroboration of Dr. Rae's pre vious report that a party of whites travelling from the northward towards the Arctic coast had been seen by the Esquimaux ; that they made the land near the north of Back's Great Fisher River, and there perished from starvation. Upon the reception of Dr. Rae's intelligence in the summer of 1851, the Government, through Sir James Simpson, inti mated its desire that a new expedition, the or ganisation and management being left entirely in the hands of the Hudson's Bay Company's officers, should at once proceed to follow out Dr. Rae's track up the Fish River to Montreal Island and the Arctic Sea. Under the active superintendence of Sir James Simpson, the party was soon organised, consisting of two officers and fourteen men, and leaving Fort Resolution on the 22nd of June last in three canoes, achieved the passage of the Great Fish River in safety ; and, reaching the mouth of the river on the 30th of July, skirted its eastern shore as far as Point Beaufort, and from thence crossed over to Montreal Island and Point Pechell, where they devoted the first ten days of August to the most minute search of the island and careful examination of the opposite western coast. Having collected all possible information from the Esquimaux, and undoubted proof in support of Dr. Rae's statements, the expedition set out on its return, and reached Fort Resolution in safety on the 16th of September. The results of the expedition Mr. Anderson, the chief factor in charge r details in few words. The second party of Esquimaux was met on the 30th of July at the Rapids, below Lake Franklin : Here (writes Mr. Anderson) in their tents were found various articles belonging to a boat, such as tent-poles and kayack paddies made out of ash oars, pieces of mahogany, elm, oak and pine ; also copper and sheet iron boilers, tin soup tureens, pieces of instruments, a letter-nip with the date 1843, a broken handsaw, chisels, Stc. Only one man was at the lodges, but the women, who were very intelli gent, made us understand by words and signs that these articles came from a boat, and the white men belonging to it had died of starvation. We, of course, by showing them books and written papers, endeavoured to ascertain if they possessed any papers, offering to give them plenty of the goods we had with us for them ; but, though they evidently understood us, they said they had none. They did not scruple to show us all their hidden treasures. Upon examining Montreal Island : On a high ridge of rocks at the southeast point of the island a number of Esquimau: caches were found, and, besides seal oil, various articles were found belonging to a boat or ship ; such as chain hooks, chisels, blacksmith's shovel and cold chisel, tin oval boiler, a bar of unwrought iron about three feet long, one and a half inch broad, and a quarter of an inch thick; small pieces of rope, bunting, and a number of sticks strung together, on one of which was cut " Mr. Stanley" (surgeon of Erebus). A little lower down was a large quantity of chips, shavings, and ends of planks of pine, elm, ash, oak, and mahogany, evidently sawed by unskilful hands; every chip was turned over, and on one of them was found the word " Terror " carved. It was evident that this was the spot where the boat had been cut tit by the Esrimatd. rot even aWO SAtuAtat of paper could be discovered, and though rewards were offered, and the most minute search made over the whole island, not a vestige of the remains of our unfortunate countrymen could be discovered. At Point Ogle, opposite Maconochie's Island, a pie( 8 of striped cotton and ' , time cost-line were found, but no other vestige of the missing party : It may seem strange (writes Mr. Anderson in conclusion) that the remains of so large a party could not be disci.. vered. It is my opinion that a party in a starving condition would have chosen a low spot, where they could haul their boat up and have had some shelter; and that, if they perished there, their bones have been long since covered by sand or gravel forced up by the ice. Any books ( r papers left open would be destroyed by the perpetual win a and rain in this quarter in a very short space of time. No party could winter tn this coast. In the first place theta is not enough fuel ; and, secondly, no deer pus. About a hundred deer, mostly bucks, were seen on Adelaide Penin sula on our way to Point Ogle, but not one on our way bark; Their tracks were all seen going to the south. On the eastern coast only five deer were seen. It would also be a matter of immense difficulty to get sufficient supplies down Fish River for even a small party. From an account in the St. Phil's Times, the Esquimaux appear to have reached the Wand just as the last man of Franklin's party died : The Esquimaux stated that they reached the spot just in time to see the last man die of hunger, who was leaning against some object when d'scovered. He was too far gone to be saved. The wolves were very thick there, and no traces of the bones of the men could be seen, supposed to have been eaten by the wolves. The Esquimau' state that it is four years ago since the crew perished. It was on the coast opposite Montreal Island. Their bones lie buried in the sand within an extent of twelve miles. This is the fifth winter since they perished, and the drifting sands of that barren region, being in lat. 138 deg. north, have piled in successive layers on the bones of those noble and ill-fated men. Mr. Stewart describes the region as dreary in the extreme—not a blade of grass, nor a stick of timber, met the eye. No game of any kind could be found. The Esquimaux, from whom their information was obtained by signs, pressed their fingers into their cheeks, and placing their hands on their stomachs, endea vonred to indicate the manner of their horrible death. They were charged with killing them, but merely an swered with their sighs. The Esquimaux flu they reported that Indians far to the north of them, who had seen and visited the ships of Franklin's party, stated that they had both been crushed between the icebergs. It would appear now almost certain that the two ships, Erebus and Terror, were lost in the ice, and that, at least, a portion of time crews of the expedi tion had with difficulty reached Montreal Island some time in 1850, and there perished miserably from starvation. elution nttilifont.e. CARLOW.—Mr. Sadleir, it is announced in the Sen tinel, has no intention of again presenting himself for this borough, and, as an active canvass is reported to be going on at present, the announcement of the county paper would in some degree seem borne of t by electoral facts. Mi. H. G. Gridley of London, and Mr. Thaddeus O'Shea of Carlow, are the two candidates in the field. vM HEREFORD.—Mr. Evans, of Sufton, has consented to be put in nomination for the vacancy caused by the bankruptcy of Sir R. Price. OXFORD UNIVERSITY.—The report that Sir Brooke Brydges, Bart., will oppose Mr. Gladstone at the next election, is denied by the Kentish Courier. RocHEsrEn.—The contest between Mr. Bodkin, the Conservative, and Mr. Martin. the Liberal, can didate, promises to be severe. Both candidates time expressed themselves in favour of a vigorous prose cution of the war. T.krdWOßTH.—Captain Townshend's accession to the peerage leaves a vacancy in the representation . Lord Raynham, the late member's eldest son, has been solicited by the electors to allow himself to be put in nomination. ARMAGR.—Mr. Close, of Drumbanagher, is named as a candidate for the county when a dissolution occurs. WEST RIDING.—Mr. E. B. Denison, in reply to a question from a constituent, states that be has not been informed that " any strong feeling has been expressed in different parts of the West Riding to have an entire change in the representation in the event of a dissolution of the present Parliament ;" nor that be had ever expressed to any person Isla intention to retire at the end of the Parliament into private life. THE EARL OF DERBY, at the late rent day dinner given to his numerous tenantry, iu returning thanks for his health, is reported to have assured hie, tenants that, although farming produce might realiFB the highest price, if they improved their farms, they might rely upon it, whether they had leases or no leases, they should reap the benefit of their im provements, as they would never be disturbed by him.