The Press. — London, England, 1855-10-06 00:00:00

948 THE BALTIC FLEET. (Fran our Own Correspondent.) NARGEN, Sept. 25. ♦u sorry to have to begin thi:3 note by telling you that two of our line-of-battle ships have been on shore, and are very much injured. The first was the Hogue, who got on a rock near Barosund. She has by great exertions been got off, and now lays at anchor there. She makes a little water even now, and probably when she gets into a seaway will leak to an alarming extent. The Hastings started from here for England, and was working down the Gulf with a westerly wind, when she struck on a rock unmarked in the chart. She had five fathoms of water under her stern and as far forward as her forechains. Great anxiety was felt regarding her, as a strong westerly wind, with a heavy swell, set in, and she bumped heavily. Edinburgh, Driver, Bulldog, and Magicienne went to her assistance. A collier brig was got alongside, and her guns got into her. All her coals were taken out, water started, shot and shell removed, in fact nearly five hundred tons-weight was got out of her, still she would not move. At last, by a violent tug of the steamers made fast to her, she slipped off into deep water, to the great delight of all hands, who had almost made up their minds that the old ship would leave her bows on the rocks. She was brought back to this place, and on examination, strange to say, her bottom was found to be much less damaged than was antici pated. About fifty feet of false keel and a large amount of copper were off, but further than that she does not appear to have suffered. Great activity was shown in getting her ready for sea again; and today she has started with a fair wind homeward bound. It is to be hoped that the Hogue will get off as well: when she comes to face the sea will be the critical moment. The bad season in the Gulf of Finland is com mencing : currents, fogs, and changeable fresh winds are becoming prevalent. And it is necessary to use great caution in allowing vessels to cruise about, particularly the old blocks, who do not shine as sea boats, principally, I think, on account of the error• mously heavy guns they mount. A whole guard (an outpost consisting of twenty men and a corporal) deserted some days since from the enemy near Sweaborg, and arrived on board the Amphion at this place yesterday. The sentry abso lutely brought his musket with him. They say that the discontent in the Russian army in Finland is very great, and that many thousands would desert if they bad a good opportunity. At Hango some of our officers have nearly again been severely punished for their temerity. Being out shooting, they had just discharged their guns, when a volley of Minis balls whistled from an island within two hundred yards of them, to which some troops had waded. They (our officers) made a rapid retreat, and on their arrival on board the Blenheim, Captain Hall despatched a gun-boat to throw grape into the island. But the Russians were not so easily caught, for they had made off before she was in range of them. One can only hope that next year we may have 'more employment found for us than risking our lives out shooting among the islands. This remark cannot, however, fairly be applied to our little squadron at Hango, where Captain Hail, in the Blenheim, with two or three gun-boats, has been harassing the enemy most effectively. He declares he will revenge us on the troops quartered in that neighbourhood, who we understand have not been moved since the massacre of the Cossack's boat's crew. All store-ships mortar-vessels, and several small vessels are alre ady gone, and the campaign is de cidedly at an end, excepting little affairs such as I have referred to. Pray bear in mind in your judg ments of our commanders that this is not a naval war. I do not acquit them of all blame; but, "if you are strong, be merciful," for many a poor fellow up here, who is not in any way answerable for, or had anything to do with, the plan of operations, feels hurt that his humble services should be severely and unkindly criticised. To obey orders is the first idea of a naval or military man ; and it i% well known what the Baltic fleet have felt at being out of the really grand operations of this glorious war. How ever, say what people may, we need not blush to ,meet our brother officers of the Black Sea, for, at all events, we have done as much as they have; nor do I think that either here or there more could have been done by the wooden walls of Old England, except that here, had we been better supported, we might have carried on the destructive system of war we commenced at Sweaborg with greater effect. The body of poor young Storey, who was supposed to have been killed by the explosion of a rocket in the Magicienue and Arrcgant boats, has been found by the Russians. It appears he was shot through ' l4O TbiCh Mist hate occarTesi about the 841110 lortign eLorrgspnatatt. FRANKFORT, October L Apres avoir en connaisance tie la chute de Sevastopol, le tour de Berlin seat atiresse aux Guuveniements de France et d'Angleterre pour demander i ces puissances Si le moment ne leur paraissait pas opportun pour reprendre lee negociations tie pais. tine reponse negative a ete immediatement expediee par le telegraphe de Paris it This affords a key, or rather explains openly, the particular policy of the Court of Berlin,—thereby meaning the " parti de la Croix." It must be re membered that the King of Prussia does not dictate to the " parti de la Croix," but that he is altogether in their hands, and was confided to their express guardianship by the late Emperor Nicholas. When the King wanted a large sum to be voted by the Chamber for military purposes, General Bonin, at that time Minister of War, would have altogether failed to procure it had he not appealed to popular feeling and acknowledged the justice of certain popular demands. Pleased with the Ministerial admission, the Chamber voted, unexpectedly, the required amount. It is correct to say " unexpectedly," since the " parti de la Croix " despaired of obtaining the financial acceptance. A service of this nature induced General Bonin to anticipate an expression of royal gratitude, and, accor ding to the usual course of a grateful sense for Ministerial success in attain. ing a difficult object, the expectation was not immo derate. The general was nevertheless painfully surprised in being loaded with reproaches instead of thanks for having officially expressed liberal opinions. "But, sire, had I acted otherwise, the Chambers would have refused the grant." "True," replied the King, "but you know "—and the sentence was not completed. The general continued in office some time longer, with every mark of royal favour. One morning he received even more than the usual demonstrations of kindness, and on parting the King shed tears, and embraced him after the continental fashion. The tears of a king are ever equivocal. General Bonin, on his return home, found that he was dismissed from the Ministry of War, and that General de Waldersee, of the " parti de la Croix," reigned in his stead. The German party that in Russia contends with the Muscovite counts on the submission of Prussia as its right ;—iu fact, it may be said that a Pi usso- Russian cainarilla would reign at St. Petersburg, and a Russo-Prussian at Berlin. The end and aim of both are to subdue Germany and to make it secondary and accessory to Russian dominion. According to the Muscovites, the ascendancy of Russia is to be gained by the re-establishment of a Byzantine em pire, and the legitimate alliance to affect it would be with Danubian Austria. The Prusso-Russian, with the same intent, wOrdd convert the Baltic into a Russian lake, by enslaving Germany and weakening, by contrivance or by force, the Scandinavian king doms. To both of these policies for the exclusive aggrandisement of Russia, the party of Prussia proper or of the Prince is opposed. An alliance with Protestant England is deemed to be the surest safeguardfor Prussian independence ; and Prussian independence will lead imperatively to that of Germany, in the teeth of the Russianised princes of the Confederation. _ _ J. E. L. Sims, September 28. THE Jesuits are now leagued with Mazzini and the King of Naples. Strange as this alliance may appear, it is one that has been anticipated by those who have paid attention to the progress of events in this country. For some time the influence of the Repub• lican bravo has been on the wane, and his agents have found no sympathy among the more educated of the middle classes, upon whose support they for merly relied with security. The Jesuit confessors have become sensible of this change, and, at the dictation of Austria, have appropriated the Mazzi nians fer their especial use against the moderate constitutional party now dominant throughout Italy. Vienna is the focus of this great Jesuit league—it is there that the councils are held for the subjugation of the peninsula, and it is on this account that the Aunrian journals are loud in tha ?raise of yrwre SATURDAY, and the I:mperor Napoleon, and decry England. The French are popular everywhere in Italy. Eugere Beauhamois the Princess Elise, and Mur a t, from their amiability and good conduct in a public Bente, have left reminiscences that are lively even at this hour, and one word of encouragement from France would revolutionise the entire country. It becomes, therefore, of vital importance that Austria should conciliate the Emperor Napoleon, in order, if pos. Bible, to prevent his interference in favour of Italian Constitutionalism whenever the rising takes place, which is inevitable. The Jesuit junta of Vienna re present to him the fidelity of the Jesuits in France to the imperial cause, that their opposition would Le fatal to his dynasty, and that he owes the preserva tion of his life to the care with which they watch over the conspirators against his person, and risk in curring the Divine wrath by betraying the secrets of the confessional to his Minister of Pollee. In retuin for this affectionate regard, they claim imperial pro tection for the Holy Father and the Church of Rome, which are imperilled by the constitutional aspirations of a self regenerating Italy—they recal to his retol lection that the presidential expedition to Rome in favour of the Pope secured him the grateful adhesion of the Jesuits and the "tiara pretre," and smoothed the way to the imperial diadem—and they pray him not to undo what he so nobly performed. This is the substance of the message conveyed to the Emperor Napoleon by M. De Prokersch Osten, who is now at Paris. The principal obstruction to this Jesuit con. spiracy, planned by Austria to subjugate Italy, is held by the plotters themselves to consist in the Protestant party in England. One of the secretaries to the archbishop of this place said that Lord John Russell when at Vienna had expressed opinions re garding Italy and the Pope which were highly satis factory to the Jesuit party. At Naples matters are getting worse. The dis missal of Mazza, Minister of Police, caused a lazza roni jubilee. Many of those, however, who openly showed their satisfaction by word and deed have been imprisoned for sedition. Prince Ischitella, Minister of War, informed the King at a special audience that unless Mazza was removed he could not answer for the regiments stationed at Naples remaining quiet, and the First Chamberlain, the Duke de San Cesano, corroborated the state of disaffection and joined in the intreaty. In reply, the King heaped upon them every insult that the lowest terms of the notoriously profuse vocabulary of the lazzaroni could convey, dismissed them from their offices, and told them that they merited ejection from the palace by " calci net sedere." This royal language speaks for and befiti the man. The letter of Prince Murat, which has been designated as imprudent, has nevertheless had the effect intended, and renders the state of affairs still more difficult. It is related that when Bombe was apprised of its publication he burst into a violent passion, unlocked the cabinet where the head of Murat is kept in a glass jar of pickle, and bestowed many a hearty curse on "Re Gioacchino" and his " maledetto figlio." This brute brings all kingly office into contempt, and places an additional weapin in the hands of the Republican. M. T. A. lortign an golonial (itttiligtute. FRANCE. The French papers throughout the week have been entirely absorbed with discussions 941 d speculations upon the probable and possible movements of the allied generals. The Constitutionna takes the most favora ble view of affairs, and declares its opinion that the most energetic measures will be adopted, and no time be allowed the Russians. The fate of the Crimea the Constitutionnel con siders sealed, despite any efforts of the Russians : The Crimea is lost fur Russia. The resistance of the Russian army may retard but it cannot prevent the cop, quest of it. From the day when the allied army entered Sebastopol, that conquest has become only a question of time. The fall of Sebastopol will have another result equally immediate. it will render disposable the admira ble fleet which France and England have in the Black Sea. That feet certainly will not remain inactive. It may act against the Isthmus of Perekop as well as iu the Sea of Azoff; it may, in short, now that there does not remain a single Russian vessel of war in the port of Se bastopol, complete the destruction of all the establish ments which Russia possesses on those shores, only a short time since the witnesses of her power and of her pride, and now the scene of her ruin and humiliation. We cannot say whether peace will be at the end of these triumphs of the West and of those disasters of Russia. But what we well know is that one campaign in the Crimea and one year's war will have sufficed for the liberty and civilisation of Europe to have nothing more to fear froW the despotism and the ambition of the Czars. The Pays, alluding to a remark of the German papers, that the allies should define the basis of the war, denies that it is possible to do so, and reasons that although the Western powers have in the last two years made the most generous efforts to localiso the struggle, yet their will persevere ill the pai4 01 M,M -..-a,.-...-.IL THE PRESS. time that the accident happened. The enemy sent off a flag of truce from Wiborg to state this fact, and to say also that the poor boy had been buried with military honours. The Governor of Hogland, who had gone to Wiborg, imagining himself perfectly safe, has been put into prison, and I fear, from the terms he has been on with the English, charges will be easily found against him.