The Press. — London, England, 1857-01-24 00:00:00

80 question protects the interest, the dignity, and the honour of Switzerland. Dr. Kern left Bbrne for Paris on the 21st. The Prussian Government has signified its willing ness to permit a conference of the representatives of .he great powers on the Neufchatel question ; but it is believed to be quite possible for diplomacy to settle the difficulty without convening a formal con ference. Nothing at least is decided with regard to a conference. If one takes place it will probably be held in London. The German journals advocate a conference, or else direct negotiation, between Switzerland and Prussia. The Zeit says that "since the previous demand of Prussia has been acceded to there is now nothing to prevent the opening of negotiations for the ulterior settlement of the question. Prussia will enter into them with moderation." The Elberfeld Gazette announces an approaching publication of the Prussian Cabinet relative to the whole affair of Neufchatel. Le Nord, of Wednesday, concludes an able article upon the settlement, with the remark that Switzer land, by her praiseworthy conduct, will " without doubt gain the independence of Neufchatel, which Prussia would certainly have refused to revolution ary interests and passions, but which, now having obtained all the satisfaction she asked, she will, with out much resistance, grant, at the solicitation of the towers, and in the general interest of European brier." Baron Manteuffel stated to the Chambers at Berlin on the 20th that the release of the Neufchatel prisoners was unconditional—(so far as Prussia is concerned). "It will, therefore, lie possible," he added, " now to settle the future position of Neuf ehatel at a European Congress." j RUSSIA. Letters from the Capsian Sea state that on De dember 28th a division of the Russian fleet attacked the Starpa pirates, destroyed their boats, and pursued them to their hiding-places. The robbers who escaped tired towards the Gourgan. & Paris correspondent of the Nord of Brussels state: that " despatches have been received which confirms the intelligence of the occupation of Ast:a biui, in Persia, by the Russians, and the march of %tie of their brigades on Tabriz." This statement re%uires confirmation. Gqteral Chruleff, who commands the Russian corps-Parmee on the extreme frontier, near Persia, `teas summoned to St. Petersburg to receive verbal ivicructions for the eventuality of his corps-d'armee being required as an auxiliary by the Shah of Persia. The intelliget..a of the British attack upon Canton bad produced some cfroot at St. Petersburg. It is regarded there es a preliminary step to the conquest of the Island of Chusan. Prince Michel Galitzine has been appointed Rus sian Minister at Madrid. The secretaries are M. Kaloczyn, Count SAcken, and Count Blondoff. The question of British Consuls in the Black Sea orts, soys a letter from St. Petersburg in the Mats, as been raised by the English Government, which emends, on the Treaty of Paris, that English Consuls be established in the ports of the Black Sea:-- The Cabinet of St. Petersburg has declared that Russia is ready to fulfil all her engsgt-menta the moment England fulfils hers. When the English fleet has quitted the inte rior waters of Turkey no obstacles will be raised to the installation of the consuls. SPAIN. CONVOCATION OF THE CORTES. _ _ The Gazette of the 17th publishes a royal decree convoking the Cortes for the Ist of May. The elections will take place in conformity with the law of the 18th of March, 1816. The Government will allow a reasonable degree of liberty in the approaching elections. The projet de loi, relating to the works at the Puerta del Sol, will be submitted to the Cortes. The prosecution of General Prim, for the publica tion of his recent lettLr, has been decided upon by the Government. A Court of Generals is to be famed for his trial. A general sense of insecurity prevails in the capital. Seditious proclamations are daily posted up, the army is to a oertain intent dissatisfied, and Narvaez has lost influence at the Court, The reports cf dis sensions among the Ministers has called forth a declaration in the Gazette to the effect that the most perfect understanding prevails among the various /nem bet s of the Government. ITALY. A remarkable letter from Naples, in Le Nord of the 22nd, gives a :amentable description of the state of public feeling in Naples. Commerce is at a standstill ; the city is empty of strangers; and elon, fear, and distrust weigh down the country. The 'enthusiasm in favour of the King, evoked by the silure of the villainous attempt of Melano, is already replaced by bitter discontent and disap pointment at the evident disinclination of the Govern ment to initiate those reforms desired by all 'classes. ." This atate of Weirs," says Ide Nord correspondept, THE PRESS: " is net reassuring, and the true friends of the Govern ment regret to see it so badly counselled. In con clusion," continues the writer, " although the symp toms may be, perhaps, more alarming than in 1848, I do not believe in the possibility of a revolution." Arrests were daily taking place. In Piedmont a discussion took place in the Cham ber of Deputies on the 15th on the foreign policy of the Government. It was opened by M. Brofferio, who asked what bad been the results of the war from which so much was expected for "the nationa lities," and for Italy in particular. What had become of all the seductive promises? Count Cavour, in reply, maintained that the moral position of Italy was improved, and that in the Congress of Paris ' seeds were sown which time would only develop. The diplomatic negotiations on the state of Italy had not yet terminated. lie protested against such acts as those at Naples : I repudiate them emphatically, and I protest against them in the interest of Italy. Such acts do not belong to the Italian patty, but to wretched and mistaken men, who deserve our pity. They ought to be stigmatised and con. demned by whoever has the honour and the future of Italy at heart. After a reply from N. Brofferio, who renewed his complaints, the sitting terminated. The Grand Duke Michael of Russia arrived at Nice on the 13th. King 'Victor Emmanuel, attended by Count Cavour, was to arrive on the 22nd. A letter from Parma of the Bth, in the Risorgi mcnto of Turin, announces that the Austrians are to quit the duchy in February. The fume's of Pia cenza will continue to be occupied by the Austrians. TURKEY AND THE EAST. A despatch from Marseilles states that the Levant packet had arrived there, bringing news that Mr. Layard has obtained the concession of the direct railway between the Gulf of Saros and the Danube, passing by Adrianople, avoiding the circuit of the Straits, and having a branch on Constantinople. One-third of the shares are reserved for France. Accounts from Persia announce that M. Gobineau, the French Envoy, has been solemnly received at Teheran. The Journal de Constantinople says that Dost Mohammed will remain neutral in the Anglo• Persian conflict. The Lloyd's steamer Asia, on her way from Trieste to Constantincplo, was lost, on the 12th instant, off Valona, on the coast of Albania. The passengers, mailbags, and remittances were saved. AMERICA. Intelligence from tbo United States up to the 7th inst. is without any political interest. On the Ist of January all the persons connected with the diplomatic corps, in full dress, together with the member.' of the Cabinet, paid their respects to the new President of the United States. In the Senate, on the Bth of Jannary, Mr. Boyce gave notice of an amendment on the new Tariff Bill. The amendment provides that all articles now subject to twenty per cent duty shall continue to pay that rate, and that tea and coffee shall be included in the same schedule. The executions of several negroes had taken place in the slave States. The incipient insurrections in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia, had been effec tually put down. Mr. Benjamin Mcran has been appointed by President Pierce Assistant Secretary of the American Legation at London. Mr. Moran was private secretary to Mr. Buchanan when that gen tleman was American Minister to this Court; for the last four months of Mr. Buchanan's stay Mr. Moran was Secretary of Legation pro tem pore, and for the last eight months he has been Vice- Consul of the United States at London. taurt totO lastlion. Her Majesty the Queen remains at Windsor. His Royal Highness the Count de Flanders, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess de Nemours, his Serene Highness Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar, and the Earl and Countess of Derby, (tc., have visited her Majesty during the week, and were present at a theatrical performance at St. George's-hall on Thursday. Viscount Palmerston arrived in town on Monday. The Earl of Aberdeen has been on a visit to Sir James Graham at Netherby. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., and Mrs. Gladstone have left town from visiting Lord and Lady I..,•ttelton to visit the Right Hon. Sidney and Mrs, Herbert at Wilton-house, near Salisbury. The Princes of Oude had au interview with the Court of Directors at the India-house this week, and afterwards entertained those gentlemen at lunch at Harley house. The Earl of Ellesmere is still confined to bridge water-house in very imperfect health, SATURDAY, The marriage of the Countess Helene Kleiman segge, daughter of his Excellency the Hanoverian Minister, and the Lord Arthur Hay, second son of the Marquis of Tweeddale, it is announced, will be solemnised early in February. Field-Marshal Viscount Combermere Is prevented, by an attack of influenza, from attending the inves, titure of the Bath, to be held at Windsor this day, as senior knight. His lordship will arrive in London next week to be present at the Earl of Derlly's dinner on the 2nd of February. Lord John Russell has left Florence for England. The Right Hon. B. Disraeli has arrived at Gros venor-gate from Paris. Volitttai. A CABINET COUNCIL was held on Wednesday after noon at the official residence of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing street. Present—Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Lahouchere, Lord Panmure, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon. M. T. Baines, and the Duke of Argyll. A SECOND CABINET COUNCIL was held at Lord Palmerston's official residence yesterday afternoon. TUE USUAL PARLIAMETART CIRCULAR has been forwarded by Lord Palmerston to each of the Liberal members. THE KING or DENUABK has conferred the honour of Knight Commander of the Order of the Danne brog on Mr. William Marshall, of the firm of Max well, Marshall, and Co., Leith, in acknowledgment of his services as Consul General for Scotland. THE INCOME TAX in the year ended March last produced 15,159,4581., against 10,922,2671. The "poundage" on taxes in the year ended March was 281,2111., which was an increase of 68,151/. on the preceding year arising from the income tax. MR. G. H. BUTT, M.P., has addressed a letter in reply to the Mayor of Weymouth with respect to certain resolutions lately passed at a public meeting against the continuance of the increased incoma tax. Mr. Butt states that the literal meaning of the con tinuance clause in the act of 1854 was that the tax should cease on the sth of April after the ratification of peace, but by the change of terms in the continuance clause of the act of '55 the tax, as it stands, should continue till April, 1858. He thinks, however, it would be " a breach of good faith, and contrary to the understanding of the country," to continue the in creased tax beyond the sth of April next. A COMMITTEE OF LAYMEN, consisting of Sir John Pakimy,ton, M.P., the Marquis of Blandford, M.P., Lord John Manners, M.P., Sir Sufford Northcote, NI.P., Mr. J. Napier, M.P., Mr. Adderley, M.P., Lord Robert Cecil, M.P., Sir Brook Bridges, Bart., Mr. Smith Child, M.P., Mr. C. Colquhoun, Mr. G. A. Hamilton, M.P. Mr. Henry Hoare, the banker, Mr. N. Kendall, M.P., Mr. R. B. Seely, Mr. Spooner, M.P., and others, has been formed for the settlement of the church-rate question in the ensuing session. In an address they have issued they say : This will render it necessary for every exertion to be made to prevent Parliament legislating on the subject without full knowledge of the opinions and wishes of the people. The committee trust that Churchmen will enable them to act with vigour and efficiency in resisting any pro posal to despoil the Church of one of her most ancient sources of income. THE ROYAL PALACF.S AND PUIILIC BUILDINGS cost for repairs in the year ended March 170,7801. THE MANCHESTER EDUCATION PARTY met this week, and the heads of a new Educational Act of Parliament were submitted to Sir John Pakington, who was present. The proposed bill was ordered to be drafted, and the meeting passed a resolution requesting Sir John Pakington and Mr. Cobden to introduce it into the Commons. Several modifica tions were made, and the hope was expressed that the scheme embraced in the " heads " only required full exposition to secure very general and cordial public support. It is intended to hold a public) meeting ou an early day in the Free •trade Hall, when the character and merits of the particular scheme iu view will be fully expounded. THE HARBOURS OF REFUGE expenses to the coun try, 6:c., in the year ended March was 188.93 V. THE PRESENT PERSIAN AND CIIINESE WARS were discussed at a public meetings at Birmingham, held in the Music-hall, on Monday night. A letter was read from Lord Lyttelton excusing his personal attendance on the plea of the session being close at hand, when Government explanations would be given. Mr. Alderman Baldwin took the chair, and among those present were.—Mr. Joseph Sturge, Mr. W. Morgan, Mr. J. S. Wright, Mr. J. Partridge, 31r, F. Wells, the Rev. C. Vence, the Rev. A. O'Neill, Mr. C. Sturge, Mr. J. Betts, and many influential pomp% M. W, Morgap, Wllp moved the JIM