The Press. — London, England, 1855-07-21 00:00:00

Jny 21, 1855. THE BALTIC FLEET. (From our Own Correspondent.) OFF CRONsTADT. JULY 3.—This morning we heard, by the arrival of the Lightning, that the Magicienne has destroyed twenty.six vessels of the large description of coasting traders. In all these affairs, the Russian troops Who are distributed along the coast decamp rapidly, not choosing to come within range of grape anci canister from our vessels' broadsides ; so that, when there is no landing indiscreetly attempted, we have it our own way. There is no change in the position otherwise of the squadron to-day. JULY 4.—The Cuckoo arrived this morning from the Gulf of Bothnia, and reports that our block ading squadron there have destroyed thirty thousand tons of shipping of all sorts and sizes. The in habitants in the islands, and on the mainland in the neighbourhood of Uleaborg, deserted their villages on our ships coming in sight, and but little could be procured in the provision line at any price. This is to be accounted for by the poor wretches who, to save themselves from absolute starvation (which would have been their fate, from the coasting trade being stoppod) sold their little stock to provide for their families, and who were barbarously punished for so doing on the allied forces being withdrawn from the Baltic. This last affair—viz., the destruc tion of their vessels—must have been a severe blow to the inhabitants; but it is one of the melancholy effects of war, and I fear, if looked on in a right view, is unavoidable. There has been considerable correspondence carried on lately between the com mander.in-chief of the allied forces and the Minister of War to the Emperor of all the Russias, principally regarding the Hango Head affair, which of course the enemy wishes to repudiate. A flag of truce has always been hoisted, and great ceremony been ob served, on the part of the officers charged with the correspondence, as to keeping at a respectful dis tance from the guns of, on our part the batteries at Cronstadt, on theirs of our ships. Mucti good natured badinage has passed between the English and Russian officers, and they appear to have been very friendly in their manner. Two soldiers, who had been made prisoners at 13otriarsund, and ex changed with English prisoners in the East, were then returned to their country. They did not ap pear to relish the idea of the change they would experience in their diet fiom beef and pudding to sour bread and oil. JULY 6.—The James Watt and her gun-boat returned to-day from her blockading position on the north side of the Gulf. She has dispersed all the encampments of troops that were collected along the coast, and burnt four telegraph-stations, with no loss on our side. On the south the Royal George has been employed in the same manner. Her gun boat got on shore : one gun opened fire upon her, and others were being brought down at an immense rate by horse artillery, when she fortunately was got off—having gained her object, which was to destroy a large telegraph. This evening Much excitement was caused by all the gun-boats being ordered to prepare for immediate service. All the launches and pinnaces were armed with the brass guns, rockets, &c. The captain of the Duke of Wellington was ordered to take comtnand. Every gun-boat weighed immediately alter the signal was made, and, taking a string of these boats in tow, steered in to wards the barrier on the north aide. Everybody was in a state of excitement and expectancy—the Rus sian gun-boats began to move abmit—signals innu merable were made by the block-ships outside the harbour—when, however, the gun. boats, &c., were within two miles of the enemy they were painfully reminded that we warriors of the Baltic fleet are not seriously at war, by the recal being made; and back they all came. JULY 7.—To-day, at four o'clock in the afternoon, two Russian gun-boats, I presume encouraged by our hitherto pacific proceedings up here, came out, and, after dodging about for some time, got into a posi tion which cer',ainly endangered their being cut off by our light vessels. Two of our captains (I won't mention names, as opinions are diverse concerning the result) went on board their gun-boats, and, in spite of the recal being hoisted on board the flag ship (the admiral was away, reconnoitring on the south side), they (our gun.boats) went on at full speed. At last, all hands were certain that shots would be exchanged. The Russians moved but slowly, apparently waiting for us. In a quarter of an hour our vessels were within shot. They turned their heads towards the enemy and tired. There was a universal cheer throughout the fleet, as every thing looked like business; when, to our astonish ment, we saw them turn back, and steam at full speed for the fleet. I shall make no comment. All I hear are expressions of disappointment at the re sult. The Russians steatned quietly into harbour. Had the lieutenants of the gunboats disobeyed THE PRESS. openly the signal (which was enforced by four guns), and then, having taken the responsibility on them selves, not given some account of the enemy, they must have been cashiered. With captains (unfortunately for our service) it is very different. The admirals have been reconnoitring in every direction lately. We hear that Admiral Baynes (without his squadron) is coming here; so I suppose a grand council will be held as to our future proceedings. The weather is most beautiful, though hot, and the crews of the ships are all well, generally speaking. Admiral Seymour has nearly recovered, though he still suffers a good deal from his eyes having been affected by the explosion of the infernal machine. Apropos of machines, they are now a dead letter, though there must be plenty of them close to us. I regret that 1 cannot give you more interesting news. Indeed, we are all heartily nick of this inactivity; and many a man would give a quarterly to exchange to the Black Sea fleet. Several experiments are being made in the long range, some of which are very suc cessful ; but it is better not to expose them as yet. THE NEW FRENCH LOAN. THE plan to be adopted by the French Govern ment for raising the new loan of 30,090,000/. is to be the same as on the last occasion—by a direct appeal to the nation, who will have the option of taking either the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. or the Three per Cents., as follows :—The Four and a- Half per Cent. Rente at 92f. 25c., with interest from the 22nd of March last ; and the Three per Cents. at 65f. 25c., with interest from the 22nd of June. The capital subscribed to be paid as fol lows :—One-tenth at the time of subscribing, and the remainder in monthly instalments, in eighteen equal parts, of which the first shall be due on the 7th of September next. These conditions will give the subscribers various advar t ages, equivalent to 2f. 79c. on the Four-and a-Half per Cents., and of If. 98c. on the Three per Cents. Those who pay up at once will receive a discount equivalent to this profit. These combined advan tages reduce the price of the Four and-a-Half per Cents. to 891. 46c., and that of the Three per Cents. to 631. 27c., and are calculated to give to the sub • scriber a profit of 3f. 29c. on the former, and of 21. C3e. on the latter. In case the amount subscribed should exceed the sum required, the subscriptions of 501. of Rente and below are alone to be exempt from reduction, and all those above 50?. to undergo a proportionate reduction. As in the former loans, the minimum of the subscription will be fixed at 101. of Rente. THE PARIS EXHIBITION. TEE fbreign commissioners of the Paris Universal Exhibition, at their sitting on the 10th inst., under the presidency of Baron James de Rothschild, unani mously passed a resolution that the Exhibition is now complete, that it is in every respect worthy of the hopes which had been conceived of it, and that it presents interesting improvements, the study of which cannot be but useful both to special men and to those who examine in a general manner the development and the progress of the human mind. Special trains are now being organised between London and Paris, to take to the Exhibition the greatest number possible of Englishmen workmen. It is al,o said special trains will go from Berlin, Vienna, and Frankfort, to Paris. The Exhibition is giving a great impetus to trade, not only in the French capital but elsewhere; in tact, many of the large houses of France are unable to complete the extensive orders which have originated from the exposition of their goods in the Palms de l'lndustrie. IN addition to the honorary distinctions bestowed on some of the colonels of the regiments in the Crimea, Lord Hardinge has conferred, in several instances, the more substantial token of a good service pension. Colonels Cameron of the 42nd, Shirley of the SBth, Cobbe of the 4th, O'G. Hely of the 47th, H. Daubeny of the 55th, Hon. A. Spencer of the 44th, and Lord G. Paget of the 4th Dragootis, have come in for 1001. each, as a " reward for dis tinguished service." Ax exclusive concession for a submarine telegraph from the Dardanelles to Alexandria has been granted by the Turkish Government. The communications from India will be accelerat d from five to six days when this and the general system of telegraphs now constructing in European Turkey shall have been completed. Proposals are on foot for extending the project to India by carrying the communication via Suez and Aden to Kurrachee, at the month of the Indus, where it would connect with the lines already in operation, et in course of construction, by the East India Company throughout the various Presidencies. The entire line to India may, it is estimated, be corn pleted in two years. THE probability that Lord Melville, at present Commander of the Forces in Scotland, will go out to to the Crimea to take the command of a division is stated by our contemporary the Scotsman. 685 lortign Commit litittt. Bat'seEts, Wednesday. Le Nord pursues the even tenor of its way, csutiotti, wary, and temperate. From the tone adopted it is perfectly apparent that the object is to conciliate, and from this it may be gathered that the journal repre sents rather the German than the Muscovite policy of Russia. Nothing can be more sternly reproving than are its strictures on Lord John Russell ; and the cen sure so well deserved is severely administered. Put ting the question of antagonism aside, it laments the discreditable lapse of the ex-Minister as injurious to the " bien publique " of nations. They certity him to be " sans bonne foi absolurnent, et, pour le rest., nous n'en parlerons pas. Bien on chassi." They criticise his conduct with Justice Jusques it y a huit jour toute l'Angleterre pensait que Lord John Russell etait des partisans ks plus ardente de la guerre; it s'etait toujoursprononce pour la guerre en termes Lien foruiels, et 11 y a deux moil ll fletrisait au vein du Parlemerit la nietuoire de l'Empereur Nicholas, auquel, it y a deux ans, it prodiguait Its adnlations les plus outries. There is not a paper In England—although TRIC PRESS had distinctly informed the public that the ex-Minister when at Brussels, on his crooked way to Nienna, had more than once insinuated that " le met d'ordre c'est la pair "—but considered the war speech which followed the failure of the conferences to be " de bonne foi"—that is to say, to be as honest as anything coming from that quarter could be. But the disclosures and the confession, the must dis graceful and insane that were ever uttered, went tar beyond the conception of the bitterest enemy of the ex-Minister. Hear Le Nord, for whose Germanic policy Lord John had been insidiously working : Ce roeme Lord John nous disait it y a buit jour., qu'a son depart de Vienne it avast royinion (opinion veil Wail encore Vendredi soir) que la pair outwit Eli conchs. Sur to base des qualre propositions. Mais certainement personae ne s'attendint a attendre hier au soir le negociateur de Vienne venir declarer, /o'4 /a fin l'Arril et au commence• meet du moist de Mai it Etait d'anis qu'on aurait pu aceepler les propositions de pair en question. Mass que devils les Evenements ulterieurs la potirsuite de Id guerre la plus riot,- reuse poured settle nous procurer des conditions acceptable. de pair. Est-ce assez deconsiderer le pouvoir? Et com ment veut-on que l'opinion publique sit confisnce en des hommes qui cbangent d'opinion selon l'interet du moment. " Lord J. Russell a mule sa foi." No exception can be taken at this language; for, in treating of this miserable scandal, Le Nord confines itself to bounds far more moderate than those of the English journals, and it takes its stand upon grand and national grounds. It continues : r. Void on nous en sommes: Lord Aberdeen est impopu !sire, Lord John Russell nest plus estime, et Lord Pal• merston a perdu tout le prestige qui entourait son nom. Lord Derby et M. Disraeli out one conduite besitante; mats c'est clair gulls voudraient bleu que cet minisizes s'en allassent, et qne les places fussent vides. True, but this hesitation proceeds from the pecu liar circumstance of the war, and from a determina tion nut to incur the accusation of being factious at a moment fraught with danger for England. But this hesitation, proceeding from the highest motives, if further prolonged by Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli, would be dainnifying for the cause they uphold, and for the country which tbey love and honour, and of which they themselves are the " dulce decus et tutu men." Is it not palpable that Russia perceives po possible termination of the war unless Lord Derby and Mr. Disraeli are the Ministers? A war, sharp and decisive, would lead to a lasting peace honour able to all. E. R. FRANKFORT, July 17. THE Ministerial misconduct of Lord John Russell, which would well merit the application of a different and less euphonious noun substantive, continues to engage public attention. Neither has the faltering speech of Lord Clarendon in favour of Austria been less severely commented upon. In endeavouring to persuade the Diet to record an approval of the four points as the only basis of peace, and thus to shape it, somewhat modified, as a Germanic ultimatum, Austria would privately engage not to cede the prin cipalities on any other terms. This is a mete repe tition of the understanding betwixt Russia and Aus. tria before the former voluntarily evacuated the principalities—a camarilla complot which wits corn, municated and duly set forth in THE Pitess titior to the Austrian occupation. The members of the German Confederation, prompted by Russia, him already signified their satisfaction at the settlemlynt of the two Ong points, and agree with Russia that