The Press. — London, England, 1855-01-20 00:00:00

THE WEEK. THE probabilities of peace have been strengthened this week by the reports which reach us from Vienna. The Emperor is said, in answer to an address from the Bank, to have expressed a hope or belief that peace would be restored ; and we learn from some of the German States that the Austrian Government has signified to them its opinion that the declarations of Russia are now so pacific that it will be unnecessary to proceed with the mobilisation of the military contingent of the German States. In Berlin it is rumoured that Austria, having now secured her main objects, the evacuation of the Principalities by Russia, and the free navigation of the Danube, has not the slightest intention of proceeding to actual hostilities. Cur own letters from Vienna state, that hopes of peace were confidently entertained, though it was foreseen that great obstacles would exist to the conclusion of a treaty, even if negotiations should be opened. The telegraph from Vienna, under date of Thurs day last, reports that the French and English Ministers had received powers from their respective Governments to treat with Russia, and that despatches to that effect were on their way. The Emperor NICHOLAS is said, on his part, to have given Prince GORTSCHAKOFF full powers to treat on any terms short of a diminution of the Russian fleet and the occupation of Russian territory. Making what allowances we may for exaggerated or erroneous reports, it cannot, we think, be doubted that the Austrian Government is really disposed to treat with Russia, and believes, or affects to be lieve, that a pacific negotiation between that Power and the Western States is now practicable. It is hardly credible, indeed, that Austria should so soon have intimated her opinion that the mobilisation of the military contingents of the Germanic States was unnecessary, seeing the immense preparations made by the belligerent Powers for prose cuting the war; but whether she has proceeded thus far or not, it is clear that she considers it unlikely that she will be called on to take part in the struggle. The long and confidential interviews of Prince CTORTESCHABOFF with the Emperor have not been without their effect. Yet, if we look to facts, we can discover no substantial reason for this apparently sudden change in the policy of Austria. The accept. ance by Russia of the four points was known several weeks back, yet the pacific policy of Austria dates only from the commencement of the year, when we were led to expect, from the treaty of the 2nd of De cember, that the defensive and offensive alliance of Austria with the Western Powers would commence. At the very moment when it was confidently supposed that this alliance was to become a reality, and that Austria would really take an active part against Russia, the Austrian Court assumed a different tone, and peace was once more confidently spoken of. We cannot tell how far Austria is now acting in cordial concur rence with France and England. We only know that lately civilities have passed between the Emperor JOSEPH and the Emperor NAPO 'atoll, which lead to a presumption that a perfectly good understand ing subsists between them. At the same time we are assured from France, that the Government of that country is as earnest as ever in the prosecution of the war, and firmly resolved not to treat for peace except on terms which shall materially impair the power of Russia. We must leave time to clear up these seeming contradictions. All that is certain at present is,—that Austria has not, as was anticipated, the slightest intention of co-operating with France and England in the prosecution of the war ; that for the present the war is to be carried on as actively as possible ; and that at Vienna diplomacy is active in inaugurating a negotiation, which no one seems to know whether to regard as a sham or as a reality Thus far Russia has gained her point—Austria remains neutral and Germany quiescent, though the recent inroad of Russian troops into the Dobrudscha shows that Turkish territory is not secure from the attacks of the enemy. From the allied camp at Sebastopol the dates reach to the 10th of January. Up to that time nothing material had occurred ; the French and Eng!ish were still at work in their trenches, and busied with pre parations for the grand bombardment. Sickness in the English camp continued to increase, owing to the severe deprivations of the men, and the incessant labours they had to perform. To the end of the year, not a single one of the houses sent out had been erected in the camp, a quantity of the planks having been used to form a kind of tramway. The sufferings of the men from want of shelter and fuel were frightful ; and instances of carelessness and mismanagement on the part of the home authorities—all but incredible—were constantly brought to light. Thus it was discovered that in one shipment of the wooden houses there had been one slight omission necessary to their erection—no nails had been sent with them. Among the officers Christmas-day seems to have been cheerfully kept, with good home fare and home-remembrances. The spirits of the men are still un daunted, but their effective strength rapidly declines. The drain by sickness and casualties seems to be not less than one hundred a day. In Sebastopol the enemy are unceasing in their preparations for defence, and large reinforcements have, it is said, been sent to Prince MENSCHIKOFF. OMER PACHA has had an interview with the allied com manders to arrange his plans at Eupatoria, and has returned to Varna to see the remainder of his force shipped for the Crimea. It was with great difficulty that he could succeed in inducing his Government to furnish his men with necessaries for action. It appears doubtful whether he will be able to take the field until the approach of spring. iiMow•m. THE PRETS. !SATURDAY, Evidence has unexpectedly come to light to establish the falsity of much of the clamour against Lord RAGLAN. It was said that he neglected the comfort o F his troops, and made no inquiries into their condition and treatment. A " General Order" shows that he had directed a Court of Inquiry to take evidence as to the state of the sick and wounded on board the Avon, that he had carefully gone through the whole case, had dismissed the chief medical officer at Balaklava, Dr. LAWSON, for neglect, and had severely censured the conduct of other medical officials. The Order shows the careful and vigilant supervision of an active commander. We learn, too, in contradiction to the report that he was never seen, that he visited the French camp on the 19th of December, " riding well, not appearing to feel the loss " of the arm he left at Waterloo, entering without ceremony, and " wearing a cap covered with oilskin ;" and also that he is frequently seen in the camp, visiting the outposts, trenches, &c. Everyone is wondering how the 30,000 foreign troops will be raised, for which provision will be made in the army estimates. The experience gained lately in the home-recruiting service shows that any number of men required, and of the best sort too, could be raised, if adequate inducements were held out to the men to enlist. The num ber of recruits raised last year was 35,000; but it was not till the autumn that recruiting became active through the bounty being raised, the standard lowered, the militia being called out, &c. Had proper mea• sures been taken early in the year, 100,000 recruits might, we believe, have been raised without difficulty. The number of men who died in the army during the year was between 7,000 and 8,000. The rumours and reports which have been flying about the town, relative to Sir CHARLES NAPIER and Sir James GRAHAM, are assuming a somewhat definite shape. " I hear you are going to apply for a " court-martial, Sir CHARLES ?" said e. friend of the Gallant Admiral the other day. " Very likely," replied Sit CHARLES. " The trial would be " interesting." " Very likely," replied Sir CHARLES again. " You ought "to have some good things to tell." " Very likely, indeed," repeated the Admiral a third time, and the conversation ended. Sir CHARLES is annoyed at being put upon half-pay, and at finding his reputation rather seriously damaged. No doubt the Gallant Admiral would like to set himself right with the public, and the public would be very glad to hear what he has to say in his defence ; and we have every reason to believe that they will soon hear both sides of the question. The success of the French loan has been a great triumph for the Government. More than four times the sum required was subscribed. This shows both that the people must have made great advances in material prosperity of late years, and that they have unbounded confi dence in the stability of the existing Government. A certain Mr. JOHN BOWRING, LL.D. (which any one may be in Scot land for £ a. d.), was long known about town as a steady supporter of the Whigs, a free-trade " Commissioner of Inquiry" for Sir It. PEEL, and a prosy writer of very middling sonnets. Ministers generally find agents of about their own calibre, and therefore the Whig Foreign Secretary very naturally selected Mr. BOWRING for the honour of knighthood, and the profit of the Governorship of Hong-Kong. Sir JOHN seems to have gone out with very " liberal " views of his own importance, and to have " astonished the natives" not a little. He was responsible to the Queen alone; his influence with her Majesty was—well, n'importe ; we recollect Lord BROUGHAM'S original perform ance of the part too well to admire an imitation. During the last few years the Chinese rebellion has given rise to a question of some deli cacy. The English and American merchants of Shanghai, among other places, are bound by treaty to pay certain customs' dues to the Emperor of CHINA, in return for protection and certain other stipulated privileges. Shanghai was taken by the rebels in September, 1853, and the merchants, who for ten months had to take care of themselves, suf• fered considerably. Meanwhile they deposited funds for the payment of arrears with their respective consuls, together with a statement of their case ; and, on the re-establishment of the Imperial Custom-house, in July, 1854, naturally expected to be released from their liabilities for the duties, when protection had not been, and could not, be, rendered. The natural course was evidently to appeal to the English Govern ment; but not so thought Sir JOHN BOWRING. The merchants were induced to submit a statement of their case to him. He decided against them; their lawyers persisted in advising them that payment was illegal ; and at last it turned out that Sir JOHN is simply an employe of the Foreign-office, and his decision was unceremoniously annulled by orders from home. Sir JOHN, of course, was unconvinced ; the Foreign-office was wrong ; they had better mind what they were about; and some rather undignified letter-writing followed. The matter appears to have been settled at last (so far as Sir JOHN is con cerned) by a smart snubbing administered by Lord CLARENDON to his subordinate. Meanwhile, the American Minister characteristically " improves the opportunity;" assures the Imperial Government that he should be very glad that the American merchants should pay, only " the feeling of the British Government " is against it, it wouldn't bo quite the things, &c., so—the "citizens" will keep their cash; finally, Mr. M'LANE proposes to set out for Pekin, and carry Sir JOHN with him as evidence of the sentiments of the British Government ; and people on the spot say, the chances aro that we shall soon be at logger heads, either with the Emperor if we don't pay the duties, or with the insurgents if we do. For the sum itself is important to the belli gerents—somewhere about half a million. -~