The Sun. — London, England, 1865-06-15 00:00:00

The Funeral of the Czarewich. (From the Times' Correspondent.) BERLIN, June 11. On the 17th of April, at 4 o'clock in the after noon, the Russian frigate Alexander Nevski left the roadstead of Villafranca. The Imperial flag was displayed on the mizentop, and in the chief cabin lay the earthly remains of the young Czarewich of All the Russias. One Admiral, three Generals, two Privy Councillors, and M. Ohm, the private secre tary of the deceased Prince, attended upon the cata falque. His Russian Majesty's ships Vitjas and Almas (Warrior and Diamond) escorted the floating hearse on its melancholy voyage home, the French steamer Montebello and the English ironclad Invin cible accompanying the Russian squadron for seve ral hours, and bringing back the latest news from his son to the afflicted Czar. After a four days s tay at Gibraltar, where the Oleg frigate joined, Lis bon was reached on May 10. The coast batteries, the Portuguese fleet, the English ironclad Defence, and _ . the American ships Niagara, Sacramento, and Kear- sage saluted the funeral squadron on entering the Tagus and making for the port. An hour after their arrival Don Augusto, the brother of the King, made his appearance on board the Alexander Nevski, and attended the performance of holy mass by the ortho dox clergy. On May 11 Admiral Lessowski and Generals Annenkoff, Sturler, and Richter, together with many other officers of the convoy were presented to the King. On the 13th the squadron weighed anchor, and set out again, accompanied by the De fence, the Niagara, and two Portuguese schooners. Of the foreign convoy the Defence and Niagara re mained with them as far as Plymouth, where the combined Russo-English-American squadron cast anchor on the 17th. On the 19th the four Russian vessels, with the Niagara and the English frigate Liverpool, stood out to sea, and continued their voyage to Christiansand and the Belt. Before making the former place the foreign ships, however, passed with their Russian consorts, which, having doubled the Skaw, were met on the 26th by his Danish Majesty's yacht Grip, with the Royal Mas ter of Ceremonies on board. The day after the King and Crown Prince of Denmark paid a visit to the Alexander Nevski off Nyborg, and were present at one of the regular celebrations of the Panichides, or funeral mass, which had been going on twice a day ever since the departure of the Imperial squadron from Italy. Father Pachomi, a monk of the Order and convent of St. Sergins, had been specially attached to the convoy for this ecclesiastical pur pose. The Crown Prince of Denmark sailed with the squadron as far as Alsen, where the Prussian frigate Victoria took its place in the international guard of honour which had seen the deceased Prince from Italy to the Russian seas. A fresh supply of coals was taken in from some Imperial transports, and the ships set out again for the last stage of their long and ceremonial passage to the north. Off Hochland the Victoria left, the Russian frigate Smeloi (the Bold) joining the squadron immediately after with despatches. On the 2d of June, at four o'clock in the afternoon, the thunder of a hundred batteries, the ringing of the bells, and the chanting of the priests, as they proceeded to the pier, an nounced to the expectant inhabitants of Cronstadt that the late Grand Duke and heir had returned to his native shores. The Emperor, with all the Russian and many foreign Princes, had gone to meet the funeral squad ron at the London buoy, outside the harbour. When the Alexander Nevski entered port, his Majesty was standing by the side of the sarcophagus which con tained the earthly remains of his son. For the last two hours the batteries had been firing minute guns. The 18 men-of-war in port had been drawn up in line of battle, to receivethe living and the dead with the ceremony due to their rank ; but the wind being too high, and the weather not allowing them to keep their allotted stations for any length of time, this part of the programme had to be relinquished. No sooner was the Alexander Nevski anchored in the inner basin of the port, than the Cronstadt orthodox clergy, coining on board with singers and ministrants, celebrated the Panichides again in the presence of the Emperor, the Princes and the dignitaries of the realm. The Emperor then thanked Capt. Fedorovski, the commander of the ship, and the entire convoy, for the sad and im portant service they had rendered him, and, with the Princes, returned to St. Petersburg on board his own yacht Strela (Arrow). In the evening the Alexander Nevski was towed to the merchants' har bour. There it lay, decorated with crape and re sounding with.the plaintive, monotonous songs of the Oriental Church, a floating tomb. in the midst of the waters. The public, who continued pouring in from St. Petersburg, were admitted to it at all hours of the day. On the 6th of June, at an early hour in the morn ing, his Majesty arrived with the Imperial family from Zarskoe Selo (" Kingston") at St. Petersburg, and at half-past 9 embarked with the Crown Prince of Denmark, Prince Albert of Prussia, and the male members of his house for Cronstadt. Meanwhile, in the capital, the troops, consisting of no less than 33 battalions of infantry, 38 squadrons of cavalry, and 21 batteries, took up their several stations along the line of route assigned for the procession ; the wealthy hurried to the platforms erected in several parts of the town, and accommodating, it is said, no less than 10,000 persons, and the million crowded the streets, thronged in the squares, and a heaving sea of human units filled every inch of ground from the Imperial pier to the Cathedral of St. Peter and Paul. All houses were decorated with crape, all shops shut, all windows occupied by sympathizing and curious spectators. The ships in the river lowered flags and crossed yards, the guns wereheard booming from afar, and the louder they thundered, the nearer they approached, the deeper became the silence of the assembled multitude. A little after one the Alexandria, with the Empe ror, the Imperial suite, and the sarcophagus on board, entered the Neva. The thousand bells of St. Petersburg tolled, seconded by minute guns, and drowned every now and then by the fire of the citadel. Another hour, and the Imperial yacht lay alongside the English quay. The funeral car, and with it the entire procession, had been wait ing on the quay and in the neighbouring streets for several hours ; and when the Emperor with the Russian and foreign Princes had lifted up the coffin and borne it ashore and placed it on the car, the cortege moved on at once, and the ceremony of the day began, not, however, before the coffin had been sprinkled with holy water and a short prayer offered up by the Metropolitan Bishop and his clergy. The troops presented arms, and the bands, striking up a jubilant strain, gradually fell into the muffled sounds and solemn melody of a funeral march. The order of procession may be thus generally described :—A squadron of the Ataman Regiment of Cossacks marched in front. They carried the Pernatsh or golden mace, the buntshug, or horse tailed standard, and the blue flag with the Russian cross, surrounded by 16 stars, which are the insignia of their commander-in-chief. Then followed a master of ceremonies on horseback ; a company of the Seraenoff regiments of the Guard ; an equerry on horseb ac k ; t h e l acqueys an d va l e t s o f th e Grand Duke walking three abreast ; the officers of the Grand Ducal household ; the horse of the deceased Grand Duke, with the velvet housing of his Ataman regiment of Cossacks: his escutcheon, borne aloft by a major -general, assisted by two colonels ; the grand escutcheon of the realm, carried by a lieutenant-general, supported by two major-generals ; a deputation of the University of Helsingfors, whose chancellor the Czarewitch wa s ; a deputation of Cossacks ; the equerries and officers of the Imperial studs ; the generals, two abreast ; the Secretaries of State, senators, ministers, and members of the Grand Council of the realm, three abreast : a squadron of the Grodno regiment of Hussars ; the Imperial flag, carried by a vice-admiral, assisted by two post-captains ; the 25 foreign orders of knighthood conferred upon the deceased during his lifetime, borne by Actual Coun cillors assisted by Councillors of State ; the Russian orders of Anne, St. Andrew, St. Alexander, and of the White Eagle, borne by Privy Councillors, assisted by Actual Councillors of State; a company of the Preobrashenski Foot Guards ; the cathedral clergy and singers of the churches of the Holy Mother of God of Kasan, of St. Isaac, of the Court Church, &c. ; the Metropolitan Bishop, with the archdeacons carrying aloft the holy flags and the candelabra ; the father confessor of the deceased Prince, with the image of his patron saint ; the corpse, covered with a black velvet pall, adorned with silver escutcheons, upon a fuaeral car, drawn by eight horses and decorated with eight golden pillars, trophies and heraldic achievements. Four major-generals and four adjutants-general of his Imperial Majesty acted as pall-bearers. The car was driven by the coachman of the deceased Prince, who will never drive again, but receive a pension and renounce the exercise of his calling for the re maining days of his life. On both sides of the car marched deputations from the various Russian and foreign regiments of which the Grand Duke had held command. Prussians, Austrians, Cossacks, Dragoons, and Uhlans were here seen walking side by side, flanked by generals and mixed with pages bearing torches, and singers chanting hymns. Then appeared the Emperor on horseback, attended by the Minister of War and the Minister of the Im perial House, the adjutants-general du jour, the adjutants and aides-de-camp. To the Emperor the Grand Dukes, and foreign princes, with their suites, succeeded. Then followed Count Stroganoff, the military governor of the Grand Duke in his younger years, with the other Adjutants-General of the Emperor ; the Court Grenadiers with their flag; the Grand Duchess Mary with the youngest children of the Emperor, in a mourning carriage drawn by eight horses ; the other Grand Duchesses in mourn ing carriages drawn by six horses, and escorted by their equerries, pages, and grooms ; the ladies of the Court, in mourning carriages, drawn by four horses ; and the gold sticks, silver sticks, chamber lains, and grand officers of the Court, walking two abreast. A company of the Ismaikff Guards, and his Majesty's own escort, consisting of the Georgian nobility squadron, the Circassian horse,theLesghian horse, and Cossack artillery, brought up the rear. The procession halted in front of St. Isaac's Ca thedral, where prayers were offered up, and the people, as well as the soldiers, uncovered their heads on seeing the bishops emerge from the church. The car arrived at the entrance of the fortress church of St. Peter and Paul at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and without further ceremony was deposited in a cata falque, and left in charge of a mixed guard of gene rals and priests. At 8 o'clock in the evening the Emperor and the members of the Imperial family attended the Pani chides in the church. Two hours later the bereaved mother, supported by the Emperor, came to weep and pray at the coffin of her son. War in South America. PARANA RIVER, April 26. Passing events in this part of the world are oi such a nature as to make one believe that the Vir• gilian stave of " Arma virumque cano" might be chanted here :in perpetuity, for no sooner has the civil war in the Uruguayan Republic been put a stop to by the success of Flores, aided by the Bra zilians, than the battle trumpet is sounded in the upper part of our river. _ . - - Gen. Lopez, the President in name, but in reality the Emperor and Dictator of Paraguay, has invaded the Brazilian territory in his neighbourhood, taken possession of Coimbra, Albuquerque, Curamba, San Lorenzo, Dorados, Miranda, andVivac, andfinished these achievements by laying hold of the diamond mine territory of Matto Grasso. On the 13th of last month an extraordinary ses sion of senators and deputies was summoned at Asuncion, the capital of Paraguay, to hear the Pre sident's address. This message, which is a compo sition of very chaste and dignified style, although regarded by many persons as somewhat tinctured with special pleading, sets forth the recent sanguin ary events in the Uruguay and violation of equili brium in the River Plate as causes of rupture with Brazil and coolness with the Argentine Republic. It charges Brazil with having violated the treaty of 1850, for the maintenance of nationalities in this part of South America, by allying itself with the rebel band of Flores. It alludes to the Paraguayan Government having offered to join with the Argen tine in mediating between Brazil and Uruguay, at the same time complaining that the Brazilians still carried on the war without condescending to take notice of the offer made by President Lopez. This, of course, as the message says, outraged the national honour and dignity, as well as compromised the security and integrity of the Paraguayan republic. It further states that the territory of Matto Grosso, of which Lopez has now taken possession, had been usurped by Brazil, although belonging to Paraguay by virtue of discovery, possession, and treaties, and that an additional justification for taking it, if such were needed,existed in the fact of Brazil having col lected these great military resources to prepare new inroads on Paraguay. Another point, which is touched upon with much apparent sensitiveness in the message, is that the Paraguayan Government, foreseeing that a conflict with Brazil might take place on the eastern frontier of the former country, solicited permission from th e Argentine Cabinet to cross the territory of Corrien tes when events might so oblige. The Argentine Government, however, not only refuses this permis sion (while granting a free permission by river to the Brazilian squadron, bound for Paraguay), but protests against the Paraguayan crossing the terri tory of Missiones, which is behind Corrientes, and over which Lopez proposed to pass in order to invade Brazil on its own soil. In two days after thismessage had been delivered the Paraguayan Senate conferred on President Lopez the dignity of a field marshal. The salary proposed to be attached to the post—viz., 60,000 silver dollars per annum—he peremptorily refused, but accepted a sword of honour, and agreed to the proposal made by Senator Riveros, that he should lead the army in person. Meanwhile everyplace up and down the river was alive with rumours andconjectures. It was said that Lopez could raise an army of 60,000 men ; that he had been for many years amassing the most exten sive and most perfect collection of European arma ments ; that the fort of Humayita (which must be passed on ascending the Paraguay river to arrive at Asuncion) was furnished with 120 guns of large calibre, many of thembeingLancasters, and manned by 8,000 troops; that the river at the southern side of Hamayita was spiked after the Chinese fashion, so as to obstruct the ascent of the Brazilian squa dron that Lopez, despite the objections raised by the Argentine Government, had determined to cross over Corrientes or Missiones into Brazil. The truth of some of these opinions has been al- ready realized. Exactly a month had passed away after the reading of the before-mentioned message —i.e., on the 13th of the present month—when a fleet of five Paraguayan war steamers came down from Asuncion, and captured the Argentine war steamer 25th de Mayo, as well as the Government hulk Gualeguaya, both of which were at anchor in the harbour of Corrientes. The attack was so sud den and unexpected, having been made at a quar ter past 7 o'clock in the morning, that no prepara tions could be adopted for defence against such an unequal force, and the 25th de Mayo was taken. Some of the Argentine newspapers describe the cap ture of this ship as having been effected by treachery, and that 30 of its crew were killed in cold blood. This may be set down as an account to be taken cum grano sails. Coincident with the arrival of the war steamers, the city being perfectly prepared for such an inva sion,was occupied by 5,000 Paraguyan infantry and a like number of cavalry. These troops had come overland from Paraguay. The Argentine Governor Senor Lagrana, at once issued two decrees, —the first ordering that all Argentines of Corrientes, from the age of 17 to GO, should present themselves on horseback at the general encampment ; and the second declaring every man to be a traitor to his country who would, in the slightest degree, give 1 assistance to the Provisional Government set up by the invaders in the province of Corrientes. The steamer which brought down this intelligence carried likewise 20,000 1ikis men, einformation of Lopez being at the advancing down the bank of the Parana, simultaneously with the advance of his fleet. But this last piece of news seems to me to need confirmation. On the very day succeeding the arrival at Buenos Ayres of a despatch from Governor Lagrana, of the province of Corrientes, President Mitre issued the following : PROCLAMATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC TO HIS FELLOW COUNTRYMEN. " Fellow countrymen,—At a time of perfect peace, and in violation of the faith of nations, the Government of Paraguay has declared war against us by invading our territory with an armed band, treacherously seizing two steamers of the Argentine squadron and firing on our de- fenceless people. " The gauntlet having been thrown down to us without our seeking it, even after we had done as much as pro priety would permit to avoid the strife by preserving that neutrality which has been the rule of our politics, we shall now answer war with war ; and we shall do this with all the energy and power which is befitting the glorious ante- -- - cedents of the Argentine nation, now so grievously wounded in its honour and attacked in its stability. " Fellow citizens ! Relying opportunely on the manliness of the Argentine people, and on your invincible decision, the country has until now strictly kept itself in peace, faith fully preserving its neutrality, because it was certain that when the moment of danger arrived all, without exception, would come forward to occupy their posts round the na tional banner, resolved to comply with their sacred duties. " Argentines ! The moment has arrived. In the name of the country and by the authority of the law I call upon you to take your places as citizens and soldiers of a free State whose banner has been always accompanied by justice and victory. _ "Fellow countrymen, I can safely assure you of victory, because I feel a confidence in the powerful elements that the nation can raise up, under the help of Providence, with your courage and patriotism. "After this noble effort peace will be more solid, more glorious, and more productive, and you will be able to con tinue with greater energy the work of progress in which you have been interrupted by an aggression as barbarous as it is traitorous. "For my part, it is unnecessary to tell you that I shall discharge the important duties which the country and tho Constitution in these circumstances impose upon me, and trusting in that Heaven which protects the justice of our cause, as well as in your generous patriotism, I shall not rest until I restore to you the peace which has been trea cherously torn from you—until I see vindicated as is befit ting the honour of the Argentine nation.—Your fellow countryman and friend, " Buenos Ayres, April 16." "lirrnE. Besides the foregoing, President Mitre and his Cabinet have proclaimed the Republic in a state of siege, in conformity with the 86th article of the Con stitution. They have likewise called out the National Guard over the whole Republic—ordering the Mi nister of War to see that each province furnishes its contingent. Another decree is published, simul taneously with the preceding, which enjoins imme diate enrolment in the province of Buenos Ayres of eight battalions of the National Guard Infantry, with 500 stand of arms to each battalion. Of these, four battalions are to be for defence in the country districts, and four in the city. Following this is another notification by the President and Minister of War, declaring the National Army of cavalry and infantry belonging to Buenos Ayres province to be at once officially organised. Concurrent with the pub lication of these documents the Minister of Finance has handed over to the War Department the sum of 10,000,000 paper dollars (130 of these may be con sidered as equal to a pound sterling) for the purpose of carrying on the campaign. The National Government has therefore not lost a moment in setting forward active preparations for a war that has been forced on it—not by civil or social disunion within its boundaries, but by what every impartial person considers the unjustifiable aggres sion of a neighbouring State. While I an. writing this letter there •is a fleet of 10 Brazilian war steamers, with 2000 men on board, on their way up this river to Paraguay. In a few days the Brazilian admiral, with five steamers more and an additional 1,000 men, is expected to follow, unless, indeed, the new alliance of Brazilians and Argentines should change the programme. From the fact of Lopez being on his way down the river to meet his enemies, I have no doubt we shall soon hear of a brush. To explain the 1 ationale of South American poli tics is as much out of my own power as it has been of every person with whom I have conversed during my some years' residence in this part of the world. Speculation and prophecy on political matters are as rife here as they are with you in England, if not more so ; and, although I do not pretend to be an expert in either, I shall give you a few items that are freely discussed among us. Some predict that the joined forces of Brazilians and Argentines will soon " whip" Lopez and the Paraguayans, as foreshadowed in General Mitre's proclamation, while others surmise it as extremely probable that Lopez would not have attempted a de scent into Argentine territory unless he had an under standing with General Urquiza, Governor of Entre Rios, and former President of the Argentine Repub lic. A few wiseacres who assume to be in the confi dence of the Argentine Cabinet aver that a very pal pable difference of opinion existed between Mitre and Urquiza on the subject of the recent war in Uruguay, and this, too, while Urquiza professes before all the world to give his loyalty to the Argentines. The geographical fact of Uruguay, Entre Rios, Cor rientes, and Paraguay being on the same side of our river might lead to an inference that the leaguing of all these—should such a thing come to pass—may result in very serious damage to the opposite side of the Argentine Republic. For reasons which I do not at present deem ex pedient to record, although disclaiming any status among the soothsayers of whom I have just written, I am afraid that this war will not terminate as speedily or as satisfactorily as General Mitre in his proclamation anticipates ; but, the present scene of martial operations being at a distant corner of this vast Republic, they are not likely to interfere materially with the progress of the Centro-Argentine Railway or the Etcheguray colonisation scheme in Cordoba. When the civil war between the Argen tine National Government, under General Urquiza, and the Buenos Ayreans, under Mitre (which ex isted from 1858 to the end of 1861), was at its fullest height, the colonies of foreigners at Baradero, San Jose, Esperanza, San Carlos, and San Geronimo were never more peaceable, prosperous, and flourish ing than in these troublesome times. It would be wrong, however, to infer that trade and commerce do not suffer enormously from the wars that seem as if they were indigenous to South America. The export and import returns supplied by the Custom house iu all the Argentine Republic prove how ma terially the blessings of peace augment the revenue. Of this we find a very striking example in an extract which I subjoin from a recent number of our Eng lish newspaper, the Buenos Ayres Standard:— " From 1861 to 1864 there was a steady annual increase of about 20 per cent., or 731 per cent. difference between the first and last-mentioned years which would show that we double our commerce in four years. The import and export duties average 15 per cent. ad valorem, and the fol lowing returns are given in Buenos Ayrean paper-money, of which $l3O may be taken as par value of the pound sterling :-1861, $90,863,878 ; 1862, $118,019,302 ; 1863, $136,935,392 ; 1864, $156,004,853. It will be observed that the greatest increase was in 1862, being the first year of peace after the battle of Pavon (September 17, 1861) ; but the flattering change was not a mere temporary re action, as we see it well maintained up to the present. Some idea of the wealth of the country may be formed when we see the Customs' revenue of Buenos Ayres alone for last year amount to £1,200,037 sterling, about equivalent to £1 per head of the population of the Republic. Although the Customs' report for 1864 is not yet published, we may con clude from the aboverevenue returns for the same year that the total value of imported and exported goods exceeds eight millions sterling, their relative proportion being—im ports, five ; exports, three. France, England, and Belgium make up more than half of our trade, England being first in imports, Belgium in exports, but France exceeding either in the aggregate. Our exports are gradually resolving them selves into ono item of wool and sheepskins, which now re present 60 per cent. of the total." APRIL 28. The Argentine National Government is following up the acts emanating from its Cabinet by sending to the seat of war the steamersPavon, Buenos Ayres, and Pampero, in convoy of a number of small ships, having about 1,000 men on board. But of what use can these be, even with the ten steamers, and, 2,000 Brazilian troops, against the force of Lopez. General Urquiza has declared his concordance with the Argentine National Governmenl, and has announced that he is collecting all the troops of his province to aid them. This step has caused much satisfaction to those parties who up to the present having been in doubt of his policy. Another event has given great pleasure to all people who know the necessity of immediate action on the part of the Argentines in this war. As soon as the news had arrived in Buenos Ayres, noisy crowds, with bands of music, paraded the city, and one of these groups came to General Mitre's house. rHE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE 15, 1865. Their shouts of "Muera Paraguay" and " Viva la RepublicaArgentina " were, of course, tremendous. But the General advanced to the door, and, waving his hand for silence, thus addressefl them : "Fellow Citizens,—l do not like such noisy demonstra- tions. I prefer working to talking or shouting. Go to your homes, get ready to bo mustered in the barracks within 24 hours, on march in 15 days, and within the walls of Asun cion in three months." Besides the troops and the impregnable fort of Humayita already mentioned, the Paraguayans have a fleet of 21 steamers, besides three brigs of war, and a number of flat boats, carrying one Armstrong 80- pounder each. Of these ten have been built at Asuncion, some have been recently purchased, and others lately _captured from the Brazilians and Argentines. Of the Paraguayan army I take the following account from the Buenos Ayres Standard : "At a rough estimate the land forces may be set down at 60,000—veteran troops, 18,000; militia on active service, 22,000 ; reserve, 20,000, They are distributed in the fol lowing order :—infantry, 45,000; cavalry, 10,000; artillery, 5,000 ; and compose four corps d'armde—army of the North, in Matto-grosso 8,000 mon ; grand army to invade Corri entes and Rio Grande, 26,000 ; 3d corps at Cerra Leon, 12,000; frontier garrisons, 14,000. The Ist is commanded by Colonel Barrios, brother-in-law to Lopez, the 2d by General Robles (the only brigadier in Paraguay), the 3d under the immediate command of President Lopez, and the 4th under various commanders in different places. The estimates of artillery are dubious and contradictory, from 300 to 500 field-pieces and battery guns; the chief officer is Colonel W inter, who served under General Guyon in the Hungarian campaign. We understand there are no English officers in the service, except Surgeon-general Stewart and his corps of army doctors. There are about 30 Englishmen employed in the arsenal of Asuncion." Naval and Military Intelligence. VALETTA, June 6.—A mail.has been unexpectedly made up for France and England by the steamer Prods, which leaves this afternoon for Marseilles. This affords the opportunity of announcing the de parture of her Majesty's storeship Supply, Staff- Commander C. Bawden, on the Ist inst., for Gib raltar and London, and of her Majesty's corvette Cossack, 20, Capt. Saulez, on the 2d, for the coast of Syria. The latter ship will call at Alexandria to pick up some provisions, which were sent there for the use of her Majesty's despatch vessel Caradoc, Lieut.-Commander E. H. Wilkinson, the movements of which have since been changed. The Caradoc left last night for Constantinople. The English schooner yacht Fair Rosamond, Mr. F. P. D. Radcliffe, pro- prietor, left on the 31st May for Sicily and Mar seilles. The Sybil left port the same day with Mr H. Kennard, and the Misses Kennard, for Tunis Algiers, and England. The Destiny, with Mr. C J. Kennard and family, left on the 3d for Constan. tinople. The following English schooner yachts have arrived :—The Zoe, with Sir Bruce and Lady Chi chester, on the Ist inst., from Smyrna ; the Pilgrim, with Mr. A. E. Hope and the Rev. D. M'Owen, on the 2d, from Syracuse ; and the Lizzie, on the same day, from Corfu. The Malta limes of the Ist inst. says :—" We understand that Sir Robert Smart has obtained, the sanction of the Admiralty to allow the half-pay of invalided men of the fleet to be con tinued to their families until they arrive home, in stead of, as heretofore, stopping it immediately on their being invalided, which, it is hardly necessary to say, often caused great inconvenience and even positive misery to their families. These men are also, with time-expired men, when waiting for a passage home, to be allowed to receive a portion of their pay monthly, which will admit of their solacing their .weary waiting for the day when they are to be homeward-bound by purchasing fruits and other small creature comforts, which, while they received none of their pay until their arrival at home, they were unable to do while hang ing on here." Her Majesty's screw steam corvette Scout, 21 guns, 1,560 tons, 400 horse power, Capt. J. A. P. Price, left Sheerness harbour at 10 30 a.m. on Sa turday morning last, under under the charge of Commander A. Barrow, of the Steam Reserve, for the final trial of her engines at the measured mile off Maplin Sands, previous to her departure for the Pacific. On that station she will relieve the Tri bune, 23, screw steam frigate, Capt. Lord Gifford, which is ordered home. The Scout left the harbour under steam with topgallant across and looking in good trim, being in every respect ready for sea, with four months' provisions and 12 months' stores on board. The mean speed attained after six runs at the measured mile with full-boiler power was 10.875 knots per hour, and at half-boiler power 8.825 knots. The force of wind from two to three. The ship was also tried at the circle ; with helm hard to port at full-power the half circle was completed in 2m 40s ; hard to starboard in 2m 555. The com plete circle at full-power was completed in 4m 48s, half-boiler power 5m 265, the diameter of circles being about 345 yards. There was a pressure of steam at full-power of 181 b, and at half-power of 171 b ; vacuum, 25k. The trial was considered most satisfactory, and the vessel was anchored at the little Nore, and is waiting final orders. The iron frigate Black Prince, 40, screw, Capt. Lord F. W. Kerr, arrived and anchored at Spithead on Saturday from the westward. She requires new funnels, and, as her defects are somewhat large, she may be very shortly paid out of commission and placed under a course of thorough repair, similar to that now being given to her sister ship, the Warrior. Her Majesty's ships now lying at Spithead, in addition to the Black Prince, consist of the Liverpool, 35, screw wooden frigate, Capt. R. Lambert; the Terrible, 20, paddle woodenfrigate, Capt. G. Napier; the Research, sloop, Capt. Arthur s S ecl overeign, 5, iron-cased turret-ship, Capt. A. C. Key, C. 8., pro tem; and the iron screw troopship Orontes, Capt. H. W. Hire. e l; g u e rs ar t ch ; ' the ' The hired sailing transport, Albert Victor, Com mander Clarke, arrived at Spithead on Tuesday morning from Calcutta, with the left wing of the 71st Highland Light Infantry on board, under the command of Major Gore, and soon after arrival re ceived orders to sail again for Gravesend to disem bark her troops. In addition to the 71st, she has also brought home 14 time-expired men of the 94th Regiment, and a few other military supernumeraries. The left wing of the 71st proceed from Gravesend to Leith to join headquarters. The latter recently arrived from India in the hired screw transport Mauritius. The Albert Victor sailed from Calcutta on the 17th of February, and called in at St. Helena on the 25th of April. She sailed from Spithead on Tuesday at 4.p.m., with a slight southerly wind. The hired sailing transport Donald M'Kay, 2,600 tons, Commander R. Richards, belonging to Messrs. James Baines and Co., arrived at Spithead yesterday morning with troops, from Kurrachee, having sailed thence on the sth of March. Very light and baffling winds were experienced throughout the voyage home. The officers and troops on board comprise Major Miller and Lieuts. Busfield and Borthwick, of the 79th Regiment; Lieut. Rudall, 24th Regiment ; Lieut. Wilmer, 90th Regiment ; Lieut. Holley, 101st; Assist.-Surg. Ironsides, R.A. ; 177 invalided soldiers, 316 time-expired do., 25 women, and 39 children from various regiments. Six soldiers and 3 children died during the voyage. The Donald M'Kay was towed into Portsmouth harbour yester day afternoon from Spithead and berthed alongside the transport jetty of the dockyard, where the troops will be disembarked this morning, and the invalids sent to the Royal Victoria Hospital at Netley, and the time-expired men to the depots of their respective regiments. The ship excited much attention yesterday on arrival alongside the dockyard by her unusual size for a merchant ship, spacious between decks, and admirable accommodation as a troop-carrying ship. The officers who came home in her with the troops spoke warmly in praise of the ship in these respects and also of the attention paid to their wants and those of the troops during the voyage, by Commander Richards and his officers. The paddlewheel steam sloop Medea, 6, Com mander D'Arcy S. Preston, from Bermuda May 18, arrived in Plymouth Sound on Monday morning. She brings home the following invalided officers— viz., Capt. Henry, R.N., her Majesty's ship Gala tea ; Lieut. Godfrey, 2d Queen's ; Dr. Hastings, of the Liffey ; Mr. Savage, midshipman, of the Py lades ; and Mr. Boyling, gunner, of the Galatea, with 24 naval and military invalids, 52 marines of the Bermuda Dockyard Battalion, 5 women, 7 children, and 9 prisoners. Dr. James M. E. Wal lace, surgeon, of the Medea, died on the 15th of May on the passage from Halifax to Bermuda. The Medea was commissioned at Portsmouth in Sep tember, 1861, by Commander Preston, and has been employed on the North American and West India Station. She called at Plymouth to land the inva lids, and it was expected that she would leave in the afternoon for Portsmouth, where her crew will be paid off, and she will be put out of commission. The Medea left at Bermuda the Terror, Niger, and Liffey, the latter ship had just arrived from Colon. Vice-Admiral Sir James Hope, K.C.8., was ex pected at Bermuda about the middle of June, en route for Halifax. The Pylades was at Halifax and the Bulldog at Vera Cruz. The iron paddlewheel steam vsssel Antelope, 3, Master-COmmanding Alfred Thomas, which arrived at Plymouth on Sunday evening, brought 29 inva lids and 22 supernumeraries from the West Coast of Africa, including Mr. Lawton, engineer, her Majesty's ship Sparrow ; Mr. Smart, assist.- engineer, Snipe; and Mr. Sedgwick, assist. -engineer, Pioneer. The invalids are in charge of Dr. Mullan, Vindictive. She left Jalla Coffee April 7th ; Ascen sion, April 29th; St. Vincent, May 18; and Madeira, June Ist. Lieut. Allingham, who commissioned the Antelope at Woolwich in 1861, died at sea on the 11th May; he had been employed nearly nine years on the West Coast of Africa. The Antelope left at Ascension the Lee, Griffon (homeward bound), and Wye, bound for Sierra Leone ; at St. Vincent, the Zedra ; and at Madeira an Italian frigate, 53 days from Rio de Janeiro. The Armstrong and Whitworth Committee, of which Major Dyer, Royal Artillery, Assistant-In spector of Ordnance in the Royal Arsenal, is secre tary, completed their lengthened and fatiguing trials on Saturday last at the Woolwich butt. The two competitive 70-pounder guns fired on that day the last course, terminating the appointed 3,000 rounds each, with charges of 101 b. of powder and service shots, and are both without blemish. They were on Monday shipped for transmission again to Shoebury ness, where they will be fired at an elevation of six degrees to try if the accuracy of the guns has been affected by the severe course of trial which they have undergone. It was stated on Monday at Woolwich that Mr, Parson's system of strengthening the old cast iron guns, by the insertion of a homogeneous metal tube, has received the sanction of Government, and that some of the waste guns will shortly be handed over to him for that purpose. Mr. Parson's system is somewhat similar to that of Major Palliser's, which has been attempted for some time past with partial success at Woolwich. Mr. Parson's method, of which a most successful trial was recently made in the pre sence of the Emperor of the French, as detailed in The Sun of the 6th inst., consists of boring out the breech end of the gun, and fitting in a tube which is secured in its place by the breech-plug. In the 68- pounder cast iron gun the lining tube is made up of an inner tube, surrounded by hoops, shrunk, forced, or screwed on, and then turned to the proper size. The lining tube has a breech-plug of its own, which is for the purpose of preventing the explosive gases getting between the end of the lining tube and the breech screw, and by acting on its larger area endangering its security. The cost of the appropriation of the old guns on this principle, it is stated, will be very small, and the consequent sav ing to the country in being enabled to use up the enormous stock at present utterly useless will be immense. The following appointments have been made at the Ad miralty :—Capt. Matthew Connolly to the Fisgard, addi tional, for service in the Pallas ; Commander Wm. Jardine to the Constance ; George H. Allen, master, to the Hima laya; Lieut. Arthur R. Blane to be Lieut.-Commander of the Psyche, vice Sterne, promoted ; Lieut. Geo. F. Lyon, Lieut. William Parsons, and Lieut. Richard P. Pardon, to the Constance, commissioned ; Lieut. Robert S. Hunt, Lieut. Hon. E. L. V. Mostyn, and Lieut. C. Walker to the Octavia, commissioned ; Lieut. Ralph L. Turton, Lieut. Samuel Pulley, and Lieut. G. A. W.Birch to the Arethusa, commissioned; Sub-Lieuts. Arthur F. Gresley and Mal colm M'Neile to the Constance ; Sub.. Lieut. Wm. S. Lee to the Arethusa; Sub-Lieut. Harry F. H. Hallett to the Octavia ; Wm. F. E. Freeland, Ferdinand Beauclerk, Amyard Heggard, and A. D. Fanshawe, midshipman to the Constance ; Leonard Ensor and Edward A. W. West, midshipmen, to the Arethusa ; Geo. H. R. Willis, James E. Russell, Fred. A. Moysey, and Edward A. Fryer, midship men, to the Octavio. ; the Rev. A. Buckley, chaplain and naval instructor, to the Scout, commissioned ; James R. Anderson, surg. to the Fisgard, for Greenwich Hospital ; Benjamin Browning, surg., additional to the Canopus ; J. W. Dobbin, surg., additional, to the Victory ; P.: M. Roe, surg., additional, to the Black Prince ; Robt. Humphreys, surg., additional, to the Medusa; Alan Colins, surg., addi tional, to the Edgar; H. P. Shanks, paymaster, additional, to the Fisgard ; G. V. Wright, assist.-surg., to the Arethusa; Henry N. M. Sedgwick, assist.-surg., to the Octavia; Matthew Trevan, assist.-surg., to the Constance ; Josiah F. Kynspy, assist.-surg., to the Orontes ; Cornthwaite H. Rason, assist.-surg., to the Prince Consort; Francis H. Browne, assist.-surg., to the Achilles ; Hugh B. Edwards, assist.-paymaster, to the Gladiator ; James N. Robinson, assist: paymaster in charge, to the Medusa ; John F. Rule, assist.-paymaster, to the Britannia; John London, chief engineer, to the Black Prince, vice Tucker, promoted ; Andrea Douglas, chief engineer, additional, to the Indus, for service in the James Watt, vice London ; Ossian L. Carlisle appointed chief engineer,:additional,:to the Cumber land, for charge of engineers of the Orestes, on that ship being paid off ; James Bowles, clerk, to the Hastings ; G. F. M. Kent, clerk-supernumerary, to the Fisgard ; Capt. Reginald J. J. Macdonald to the Arethusa, Capt. Edward K. Barnard to the Constance, Lieut. Edward Pilkington to the Constance, Lieut. Joshua Cole to the Arethusa, Lieut. William H. Hall to the Octavia, Malcolm de S. Edye, mid shipman, to the Constance ; Seaton Wade, surgeon, to the Asia; Wm. R. Fabian, chief engineer, to the Arethusa; Robert C. Reynolds, chief engineer, to the Octavia; Joseph H. Ellis, chief engineer, to the Constance ; John Lowrie, engineer, to the Arethusa; James Jones, engineer, to the Octavia; Hugh Duncan, engineer, to the Constance; Robt. Crosthwaite, to the Asia, for the Fancy, vice Jones ; James C. Saunders, to the Indus, for the Gannet, vice Duncan ; Arthur Shanks and Geo. M'Leod, first-class assist.-engi neers, to the Octavia; Chas. D. Thomas and Chas. M. John son, first-class assist-engineerS, to the Arethusa; Laurence Steele and Joseph Sharpe (B), first-class assist.-engineers, to the Constance; J. Copplestone, second-class assist-engi neer, to the Constance; C. F. Halford, second-class assist.- engineer, to the Arethusa; Henry Scott, acting second class assist.-engineer to the Octavia; Albert J. B. New man, acting second-class assist-engineer, to the Asia, for the Echo, vice Shanks ; Lieut. R. H. Swinton to be lieut. and commander of the Skylark, his appointment to the Charon having been cancelled ; Lieut. J. D. V. Butler, to the Octavia ; W. B. Goldsmith, master, to the Himalaya ; E. M. S. Claremont, midshipman, to the Arethusa; G. L. Atkinson, midshipman, to the Octavia ; W. Horn, second master, to the Skylark ; J. L. Whitney, assist.-surg., to the Impregnable ; Frank E. Croome, assist.-clerk, to the Fisgard, as supernumerary ; W. Ironmonger, engineer, to the Skylark ; and T. M. Thompson, first-class assist.-en gineer, to the Skylark ; Capt. Charles F. Hillyar, to the Octavia, commissioned; Lieut. Hilary M. Cane, Lieut. George T. G. Purcell, Lieut. Charles S. Cardale, Lieut. George Edward Price, and Lieut. Charles R. Harris, to the Excellent ; John Thompson, master (additional), to the Asia, for service in the Enchantress ; and Lewis T. Jones, midshipman, to the Constance. ENGLISH AND ARAB HORSES. —A Cairo letter contains an interesting account of a match between Prince Halim and an English gentleman named Ross to test the powers of endurance of English and Arab horses. The Prince chose a white stallion named Alsissa, brought from Syria about two years ago, and which he rode him self, while Mr. Ross selected a five-year-old mare named Beechnut, exported from England seven months back, and ridden by a Mr. Thomson. The conditions wore that the two horses should hunt the gazelle in the desert during a period of seven days, and if one of them gave in the survivor should be the winner, unless they both died on the same day, in which case the owner of the English horse should receive the stakes. The match was for £l,OOO laid by Prince Halim against Mr. Ross's £lOO, or odds of ten to one. The hunt commenced in the desert at two hours' ride from Cairo, at half-past five on the morn ing appointed; the two horses proceeded at a walk for five hours, at the end of which time Beechnut began to mani fest some uneasiness. At eleven a gazelle was started, and brought down after a gallop of• about five minutes. Half an hour later the Prince and Mr. Thompson turned about to return to their encampment, the English mare some times walking and sometimes trotting, when, after pro ceeding for an hour and a half, Beechnut began to waver, and Mr. Thompson, seeing that she was about to fall, alighted ; the mare advanced a few steps further, and then fell to the ground, utterly exhausted. After remaining for twenty minutes beside Beechnut, the Prince and Mr. Thompson left to obtain assistance at the camp, the mare being still alive at their departure. Five hours later an English veterinary surgeon, accompanied by a dromedary bearing water, arrived at the spot where she had fallen, when she was found to be dead, while vultures were already attacking the body. An examination of the mare by the surgeon showed that she had died from fatigue, as the whole body was contracted from a difficulty of respi ration. Prince Halim's horse Alsissa, in the meantime, showed no signs of exhaustion, and continued to hunt during the three following days. The weight carried by Beechnut was list 31b, and that by Alsissa 12st 41b.— Galigrtani. SPIRIT OP THE PUBLIC JOURNALS• ---o- TIMES.—The only thing certain about the coming election is that very few constituencies will remain . _ _ undisturbed. Although no great political change is impending, and hardly any new pledges are being exacted, it is probable that the next House of Com- mons Will differ materially from its predecessor. Many old members are retiring, many others are likely to be turned out, and not a few are endeav- ourin g to exchange their present seats for others. In almost every county and borough from which we have received intelligence a contest is expected, in many there is a " split" in the Liberal or Conserva tive interest, and in several one of the sitting mem bers has announced his intention of seeking election elsewhere. These facts betoken an unusually keen competition for Parliamentary honours, a competi tion not arising from a peculiar activity of party spirit, but rather from what may be called a glut in the raw material of representatives. Never, perhaps, in times so quiet has a dissolution been anticipated with so much eagerness. In some counties, indeed, the old difficulty of finding a country gentleman of adequate capacity willing to bear the cost of a con- test and to live In London for half the year is still the subject of complaint. Some boroughs, too, have the reputation of being so rapacious or capricious that no one but a rich adventurer can be got to stand for them. But theme are rare exceptions. In most instances the supply of candidates greatly exceeds the demand, as Mr. Brand must know by this time, and popular constituencies can afford to give them selves the airs of a coy young lady. Knowing elec tion agents criticise the physical, mental, and moral qualifications of applicants with the eye of a pur chaser, and no one who does not unite a long purse and a plausible manner with local interest has much chance of being accepted. A " strong" candidate is one who possesses these virtues in perfection, and if he can make a dashing speech so muchthe better ; a " weak" candidate is one who stands on political capacity alone, and is not good for more than a cer tain number of hundred pounds. It does not surprise us, therefore, that merchants and " City men" should be among the most prominent of the new aspirants. Commercial pursuits have of late absorbed a much larger proportion of young men of good socialposition and high education than was formerly the case. Money is made rapidly in business, and long before the rising barrister has earned enough to justify his looking to Parliament, his old schoolfellow in the bank or counting-house is receiving deputations and making his choice between fame and superfluous wealth. So far as we can foresee, this class will form an increasing element in future Parliaments, for no extension of the franchise, however unfavour- able to the influence of rank or ability, can deprive the moneyed man of his advantage. A more inte resting and novel feature of this election is the pre sence of several ex-coloniits among the candidates. Lieut.-Col. Torrens, for instance, the author of the Torrens system of conveyancing, and a great autho rity on Australian matters, is standing for the borough of Cambridge. Mr. Gorst, whose work on the New Zealand war has materially contributed to modify public opinion in this country, has been brought forward at Hastings, and other names will readily occur to our readers. .We cannot doubt that gentlemen thus qualified would be a valuable acces sion to the Imperial Legislature. Not only are the interests of our colonies bound up in a thousand ways with our own, but colonial experience may often throw light on questions of home policy. If we did not borrow the idea of the registration of title to land from Australia, it was there that it was first shown to work beneficially, and in the late de bate on Mr. Baines's Bill illustrations were drawn on both sides from the operation of the Australian franchise. We observe • that Mr. Clements, a medical candidate for Shrewsbury, rests his claims on somewhat analogous grounds. He urges, with some reason, that every profession but his own is duly represented in the House of Commons, whereas only one member of Parliament is a doctor. If some medical men had been in Par liament, he continues, we should not have seen such ignorant and useless legislation on the im portant subject of the public health. Perhaps the practical exclusion of physicians and surgeons may be justified sufficiently by the nature of their engagements; certainly it is not due to any jealousy on the part of their patients. If Sir Charles Locock and Mr. Clements shall find their way into the House of Commons, they may do good service in the discussion of sanitary measures, but they must first approve themselves as politicians to the electors of the Isle of Wight and Shrewsbury. There is great force, however, in the remark so often made, that very few young men of high promise have as yet shown themselves in the lists. It is not only to the political apathy of the country, but to the gene ral mediocrity of new candidates, that we attribute the want of individuality and original views in the current of election addresses. Where are all the political geniusei from our two 'Universities, the heroes of the Schools and Triposes, the oracles of the Union, the flower of our Academical youth ? Mr. Thackeray describes in an amusing passage the Parliamentary aspirations of Cambridge undergra duates in the good old days before the Reform Bill. There was a tradition among them " that the great leaders of the Opposition and Government had their eyes on the University Debating Club, and that if a man distinguished himself there he ran some chance of being returned to Parliament as a great noble man's nominee. So Jones, of John's, or Thomson, of Trinity, would rise in their might, and, draping themselves in their gowns, rally round the mon archy, or hurl defiance at priests and kings, with the majesty of Pitt or the fire of Mirabeau, fancying all the while that the great nobleman's emissary was listening to the debate from the back benches, where he was sitting with the family seat in his pocket." Has the passion for senatorial distinction died out among the successors of these youthful orators, or has the extinction of rotten boroughs made them despair of success, or is the elite of the Universities no longer derived from the' same favoured class in society ? We believe the last explanation to be the true one. Whatever be the 'reason, and however brilliant the exceptions, the highest honours at Oxford and Cambridge are generally carried off by the sons of professional men, who have their way to make in the world, and are compelled to stifle this kind of ambition. Mr. Thackeray's Jones and Thomson must have been even less prudent, as well as more sanguine, than most of their age, if they set their heart on Parliament without having the means or leisure for Parliamentary life. It must be presumed that they were the eldest of peers or large proprietors, and it is because youths of this type, combining pecuniary independence with great natural gifts, are very scarce now-a-days, that few election addresses are issued by senior wranglers or double first-class men. No one acquainted with the present state of the Universities will. be disposed to charge them with any intellectual degeneracy. There is plenty of ability among the students, bat the noblemen and gentlemen commoners do not contribute so large a share of it as before ; the cleverest men are seldom the richest, and the richest men are seldom the cleverest. Hence the absence of the great Univer sity reputations among the novi homines in our list of competitors. There will be " fresh blood" in the new Parliament, but not much, we fear, of that quality which makes great statesman. It may be unavoidable, but we cannot help regretting it, and it is a point which constituencies might do well- to consider. Mr. Gladstone's plea for his own son at Chester was a good word for all young candidates of merit, and merit may surely be discerned by local committees as well as by individual patrons. POST.—The defeat which Russia has just sus tained in Central Asia is not only serious in itself ) but is likely to be followed by important conse quences. According to the intelligence which has reached us, one hundred acid fifty thousand men had been mustered for the defence or Tachkend, the place which the Russians have been so long in tent upon seizing, and in the recent attempt upon which they have met with so signal a reverse. A defeat of this kind must necessarily be attended with a great loss of prestige. The populations whose interest or supposed interest has made them friendly to Russia will lose confidence in her, while her enemies will take heart at her overthrow. It is stated that the Khan of Bokhara has sent a sum of money for the service of the Khokanese, and has stationed a large army of observation under his personal command on . the frontier, in the neighbourhood of Samarcand. Russia had been enabled to purchase the friend ship of some of the neighbouring popula tions, who, impressed with an idea of her power, seem to have thought she would be a useful protec tor or ally; but, after what has just happened, their feelings towards the would-be conqueror of Central Asia will no doubt undergo considerable modifica tion. It will be convenient before entering into a more ample discussion of the late events to sketch a brief outline of the object which Russia appears to have had in view in making an attempt in which her arms have so signally miscarried. Tachkend is a place which constitutes a strategic point of great importance to a Power with the designs which Russia has long been so energetically prosecuting. It forms alike the key to the Khanat of Khokan and theKha nat of Bokhara, and if once in the possession of Russia would place both almost at her mercy. No inconsiderable diplomatic strategy was requisite to pave the way for the military enterprise which was entrusted to General Endokimoff, who, with a force of some fifty thousand men, besides cavalry and artillery, under his orders, was commissioned to ob tain possession of the important strategic point in question. The Kaissaks, an important tribe belong ing to the Khanat of Khokan, had been gained over by the Russians. This rude population has been to a great extent Russianised by the assiduous policy of the Czars ; and it has besides a strong materi al interest in the. friendship of so powerful a State. The Kaissaks are rich in cattle, and believed that the protection, or at all events the amity, of the Russsians is i of great advantage to them. Tha nks to their alliance with these populations, the Russian s under General Endokimoff were able to traverse large extent of country, and even to obtain posses sion of some important places without striking 3 blow. On the side of Lake Aral, for instance, th e y got possession of Akmedjid, a place of great strategic importance at the mouth of the Sir-Daria, without any trouble at all. This fortress they claimed as having been sold to them by the ex-Khan of Khokan , who is at present an exile in Bokhara. On the side of Turkestan, a march of 21 days brought the Russ ians without meeting any opposition, to a point wi t h in three or four days march from their objective polli t ,; the fortress of Tachkend. But here, what hau resembled a triumphant progress, thanks to th e friendly tribe of the Russianised Kaissaks, was d, es : tined to terminate in disaster and retreat. The tilted town of Tchimkett, otherwise known Toumkat, is the key to Tachkend, as this is to tne Khanats of Bokhara and Khokan, and Gen. Endc kimoff appears to have expected that he should be allowed to march into the place with as much fani ( . ii Ity as he had marched through the country ar °ll l l ,, ; but he was labouring under a delusion, fo r 1 1 - • found the Regent of Khokan, the .Emir Mera Khanli, posted in the neighbourhood with a fore which was so strong as to render any attempt te capture the place impracticable. The town was in an efficient state of defence, and the Russian ge,ne ral, finding that an assault was out of the question, determined to attack the army of the Regent. desperate battle ensued, which ended in the Ens, sians being defeated and driven away. Gen. En,,c lo ,i . kimoff was compelled to fall back to a place c all ' Hodja Ahmed, and his retreat was so precipitate a$ to resemble a flight. The Russians appear to ha l lost 4,000 men, and the Khokanese only a fourth et that number. Considering the numerical force, the Russian army, which is described as consistng of 50,000 men, exclusive of cavalry and artillery, this is ave serious reverse. It was no mere skir mish unde disadvantageous circumstances. On g ie contrary, the Russians seem to have had everyth ing in their favour. They had the advantage of the friendship of the populations through whose coun t " they had marched, and they had a numerous, appointed army. The Khokanese force, which ic,a s able to defeat that army and compel it to r e ts ,. ° with a celerity approaching to a precipitate must not only have been very large but very ably commanded. Indeed, as we have said, it aPPeI that the Regent of Khokan, the Emir Mera Khanli, has at his disposal no less than 150,000 a: cellent troops, while the Khan of Bokhara, virlic.s°o country is equally threatened by the aggre i s sl : o Be fore army of Russia, is also at the head of b army of observation on the frontier. ,-"b o Tachkend can be occupied, Tchimkett runs!' in i taken ; and, as we have seen, this fortress 15 3 an excellent state of defence. The s p rit of the inhabitants is now thoroughly 011 1 , 8 , e • c ii and there are 150,000 good troops 1 " 1 ,,,r must be reckoned with by the Russians before tn'i can attempt to take the town. From the fact the Khan of Bokhara having not only set hisr in _ motion, but having also sent a sum of moneY,,,,t the use of the Khokanese, it is to be inferred l'; 11 ` 0 to of there is a thorough understanding not only a s designs of Russia, but as to the necessary tnea n ! i i i t defence. The Kaissaks, who appear to have thonen4 it their interest to ally themselves with the R 11551 3,; will now cease to have faith in them. Rude pereil lations of this sort are vividly impressed by . 6 ff . events as the defeat sustained by Gen. Endoklnivii Such a defeat, involving the loss of 4 , 000 men, wer not in itself be of much consequence to a In; which counts its soldiers by the hundred thous but if the populations of Central Asia are, as theyco well may be, suddenly roused to combined resistan,ts or converted from respectful friends or depentich into contemptuous enemies, all the work wmo Russia has been so laboriously prosecuting fer hap past will have to be begun over again, or pe l lq d even abandoned altogether. Even if sueees s l attended the scheme with the execution of w.„' l " , 1 ,,,0 General Endokimoff was entrusted, it w ould been but a barren conquest. If Tchimkett Tachkend had fallen without a blow, the se a do tion of those places, though it might have n' oi o Russia more dangerous to her neighbours, Iv oru certainly not have made her stronger or richell,,so more respected among the nations. A Power wuoot hand is against so many races of men m ust ,„ ° ies , upon having to deal with a multitude of ene rac , That Russia will profit by the lesson which o°, o ll feat and the circumstances attending it are 0 ° 00 1 adapted to teach is not very probable. The . 1 % of which history is ever pressing upon the attentio the powerful and aggressive is proverbially l'ara heeded. To consolidate the 'power of the C i a t over such races and such regions as she aill i , s b e t brirging within her dominion seems altoge' net Utopian. The best part of a century h as .6. sufficed to reconcile the Poles to the political sJ o , tem into which they have been coerced. Th e . qieg graphical position of Circassia presented facilijo for dealing with its inhabitants which do ist.ete"is. in the case of other populations which Russia . Is th e tent upon subjugating. If she would give, c' ve - r tv the work of aggression, and direct her energ ies reconciliation of the races who strain at the p eke she has imposed upon them, it would be better well for herself as for the world. COUNTRY MARKETS --- HULL.—T UESDAY. . sole at At to-day's market only a moderate supplY of reac tilY was shown, for which previous currencies lON 61° 11 realised. In barley quotations remain as before. r t1:1,, business was done in oats, the prices being in faoun/e(l°'' buyer. Beans in moderate request, and peas slowly at at about former figures.42°' 4 0 5 to no , English old white wheat, 43s to 47s ; old red,: ‘ ,, t .4 ,A4 Barley, chevalier, 32s to 335. Oats, Russian,. -4 °- Beans, new Engish, 41s to 425. Peas, English:l9 to 36s 6d ; grinding, 35s to 35s 6d per 3 stone. SALISBURY.—TITESDAY. lectie At this market to-day the forthcoming g eneral e c OP; monopolized more attentionthan business, the 01 0° , l e o l . didates for the representation of South Wilts being. r vote' with their agents canvassing the farmers for thea /roll The following are the quotations :—Wheat 5, 4 g v- 5 36s to 435; barley, 26s to 30s ; oats, 21s to 30 $ ; be-ilfroolaa to 465; and peas, 34s to 48s per qr. Winter tare Otto, to lie per bushel ; Best bread, 10d ; household per 81b loaf. other MARKET HARBOROUGH.—TvEspO; per 46 to —p stone. Bar New whit e ley, fine, wheat, 3 5 40 s s to 45s ; new kinds, 2 red, 6 s to A 37s 13,,tsper ; av ," 5, o' Oats, new, 21kto 23s ; old, 25s to 28s per qr. '- 40s to 425; new, 34s to 38s per qr. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.—TnEsnO• English wheat in limited demand at SaturclitY'sllllo4 Foreign neglected, and slower to sell. Oats fop/. unaltered. LYNN.—TUESDAY. m New wheat, 45s to 47s ; new red, 40 s to 429 ; old 42s to 43s ; old red, 38s to 41s per 36 stone. 2 63 0 0) 4 maltingo2B to 345; secondary, 30s; ordinal" -, we , per qr. Oats , 20s to 22s per 24 stone. Beans' to 38s ; small, 36s to 40s per 38 stone. COAL MARKET. to th ^ler A the market. 'rice per ton at the close co, 1 1 0 s. d. .... ' 16 Hartlepool Walls End Haswell l7 6 Kelloe ..r . :.; ''''' .... `6 v East Hartlepool Carway and Duffryn Covvpen H ar tley ." ll 9 Malting 22 0 Tanfteld Moor .... .'' 1. 6 ' 1 9 Heugh Hall l6 9 South Keno ''''' „. 1 5 Hetton l7 6 Holywell Main"„,''' ... Walker Primrose l3 0 Walls End 1 3 Yr °- West Hartley Ships at market, 4a; sold, !!........... ........ Birth& - 1 . plO O , BAERMAN.—On the 14th inst.,. at 46 Grosce ti n q - a °c' the Lady Arabella Bannerraani preniaturelYt - stillborn. liivic eP • • BOOTH.—On the 9th inst.; at Grosvenor 110 1156, ,hte r ' ;„ D ham, the wife of George Booth, Esq., of a do- 1, 0, re ,, 1 -1 ' u li NN eo ro.—On the 14th inst., at 2, Warwieli-ee s. Dunnin&, of a son. cbqcilli; Marriages FnAsEit—WAßD.—On the 10th inst., arSt. ri;: cl i a rs ls t ei Knightsbridge, James Keith Fraser, ette - do 4 ' l3to ' Guards, A.D.C., to Amelia Alice Julia, ela c l t ng P ri of the Hon. Dudley Ward, and niece t ° ''- el" Dudley. k Clio r e ctt HINTON—BASTOW.—On the 13th i t at 01 1 , 145 ,"8,(1 -5tr roo Streatham, John T. Hinton, E ns ,"of Old Pr" - Croo c o it/. 1 , and l Canterbury Villas, Thsclot:ntou-heun't4shitotli Hermitageen,yLooudnagee,ststdraeuatghhatienr. of Tho ma s ,- - ,r so 11. BOWYER.—On Singsl9 t h Bowyer, Lieu th t. eol BELCBER.—On the 13th oe+ 3 jle BOOKER.—On the 12th inst at his residence? , near Liverpool, Josiah Booker, d 7 1 . vitillA FDieuebs.at Dragoona h a t teßor outtadrsdtsp Secunderabad': Esq., age iar Belcher, of Rochester-road, Camden -town. ife d, J3r ° BAILY.—On the 13th inst, at the Berkshire .0 Camberwell, Mr. Thomas Bally, aged 78. an iila' CRANBORNE.—On the 14th inst., suddenly, af ter i i of a few hours, Viscount Craborne, a ged 4 5 . v oir s° ' FEWSON.—On the 12th inst., at Withernseal Jolly. ce4' aged 52. lIARDCASTLE.—On the 14th inst., at Writtle, Esse-, Vit7olicl4erl. the beloved wife of J. A. Hardcastle, Esq,.3lJ4 GO PRIEST.—On the 13th inst., at his residenc,e, 78, street, Norwich, Ric hard Priest, Esq., aged 6 9 . welliair SEARLE.—On the 15th inst., at his residence, 1- 1, , i e' 8.1. ton-road, Stoke Newington, James Searle, ag London : Printed ed by WILLI.kg Ow,,f-14110ee tu sti 19111 0; ' P SVN of No. 112, Strand , Plinter, at Taz c Strand, in the Precinct of the Sa:.)Y, in the Bliddleaex.—Tiauraday, June 15, 1805. t A Connec incoi C aPitat to be and j 23rd Inter ann Paid. up 4101 int WILL] 'lel c fl '' 4 ,Nrfor -oiorto T ~iess~ kessr kessr:: 2 • °PI 3, I, 11 , 1 s.'',V A T er o ti Goa t t' tl o lo ti t p h er . do o ,l)ay 4(4111 Fo lll T o 1 ,, ,, ti Fi, a G er Lo t t J 1 RQ Q ,.I I(I ( n uz Aladt3 c o if r l it ° ft 14 ,1 ) °IA ,