The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-19 00:00:00

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1855, As the last ray of hope from Kars vanishes the thoughts suggested by its surrender acquire definiteness. We read of 16,000 of the bravest of the brave becoming prisoners of war, and with Generals who, had the curse of aristocratic eti quette allowed of their being the Commanders-in- Chief in the Crimea, would, long ere now, have captured or exterminated the whole host of Rus sians there. General WILLIAMS does not belong to the Guards, and it were therefore better that feather-bed Generals should routine away time, life, money, everything in the Crimea, than that the pets of the QUEEN'S Consort should not keep on the crest of the wave. Not that Gene ral 'WILLIAMS adequately supported was not just the want of Kars ; but similar men are also just the want of the Crimea. The public may rest assured that, till the favourites of his Royal Highness and the whole army are placed on a level—till true merit, and that alone, is entrusted with the highest and most responsible commands, we shall have nothing but commonplace general ship, guiding the unsurpassed bravery of our pri vate soldiers, to the end of the story. There is not a single deed of any one of our commanders before Sebastopol which can compare with what WILLIAMS did for the defence of Kars. Not to the Guards will history gi ve the palm of E ng li s h generalship in this war. The English heroes of Kars, we may add those of Silistria, will compare with the stately Crimean generals, much as NAPO LEON and his Marshals with the regular-going old German fogies, who always enjoyed the consola tion that they had at least fought by rule, and been beaten against all precedent. _ In one respect the Russian triumph falls short enough of our triumph at Sebastopol. It was not a triumph of soldiers' weapons. All the glory of battle belongs to the prisoners ; to their captors the humbler honour of their food holding out longer. On the other hand the comparison is altogether in favour of the Russians if it is the generals who are compared. The former have captured a whole garrison, the remnant, indeed, of an army ; our commanders let the garrison of Sebastopol quietly escape. We seem to have 310 notion of catching large numbers alive, unless we get them into an island, as at Bomarsund, or i n to an isthmus we could almost shoot across, as at Kinhourn. We must cpnfess we never tho roughly comprehended how it was that the bridge across the harbour of Sebast opol was suffer e d t o be built so quietly, and to remain till the end of the business. Regarded only as a means of con veyance for the enemy, it ought to have b een destroyed ; it is singular that a mortar or two Placed in lino with it, and therefore certain to drop a bomb somewhere on it, were not made to bear upon it with certainty by day, and by Tho night too. idea, however, does not seem to have occurred to the generals of catching their enemies in the trap provided by nature. If the accounts be true the Russians have now taken four or five times more prisoners than we have even tried for Some of our contemporaries have said "Cron stadt for Sebastopol." very good—but why not, a?so, have a more exa c t counterpart ? Why not compel the whole Russian Army in the C r i mea t o lay down their arms? " Our Special Correspon dent " himself now writes that w ith the whole seaboard at our command we can take the Rug. signs anywhere in reverse, and cut off the com munications of the Russian army with the South of Russia.. To thin pia, which wo hoisted MADAME JENNY GOLDSCHAIDT-LINO. EXETER-HALL, THURSDAY EVENI7G, December 27. Mr. MITCHELL respectfully announces that 'HXdn's Oratorio of THE CREATION will be repeated on Thursday, Dm. 27, in wh ich Madame Goldschmidt will sing the principal opran • The Chorus Chorus and Orchestra will consist of mere thaw oo performers. commence M. Benedict. Doors open at Seven, co mmence at Eight o'clock. Prices of admission.—Seats in the Area , Sev. Shillings ; West Gallery and Body of the Hall, Ten Shillings and .;ixpence ; Reserved and Numbered Seats, 1/. ls. Correct Books of the Oratorio will be given wth the Tickets. Tickets and full particulars may be obtain at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street. i Due notice will be given of the lirst 3fiscellifieous Concert. R. W. S. WOODIN'S °LI.) of ODDITIES, illustrated by 50 instantaneous l'•etamorphoses of Voice, Character, and Costume, and a moving lanorama of the beautiful Lakes of Westmoreland and Cumberlane every evening, at 8. A representation of the celebrated tragedin - ne, Mlle. Rachel, as Camille in Les lloraces, with other new feattu have been added to the above entertainment. During the Oxistmas Holidays Mr. W. S. Woodin will give two morning red , nuances only—Saturday, Dec. 29, and Saturday, Jan. 8.—Po1r:7,1111c-hall, King William-street, Charing-cross. THEATRE 2 4 HAYMARKET. Under the M .4; ,meat of Mr. Buckstone. Ain EVENING, Will be performed T BUSY BODY. Characters b y Messrs. Howe, Chlppenda e, 3 ars, W, Farren, and BuckstOne ; Misses Reynolds and E. Cha , After which, the SI .th Dancers. Followed by THE rTLE TREASURE. After which, a BALLET, by the Spanish Dancers. To conclude with A DAUGHTER TO MARRY. ACYAL PaiNCE:SNS rtIEA.TitE, OXFOR,D-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Camas Haut. THIS EVENING Will be performed HOW STOUT YOU'RE GETTING: After which, KING HENRY THE EIGFI Queen Katha rine. Mrs. C. Kean; Cardinal Wolsey, Mrs. C. Kean. To conclude with A GAME OF ROMPS. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPH/. Proprietor, Mr. R. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. THIS EVENING, Will be performed T tRTUFFE. Principal characters by 3icssrs. R. Webster, C. Selby, Moreland, Garden; Mrs. Keeley. Miss M. Keeley, and Mme. Celeste. After which, A. MOVING TALE. To conclude with the comedy of FOREIGN AFFAIRS. ROYAL OLYAIPIC, I THEATRE. THIS EVENING, Will be perfonned STILL WATERS DEEP. fol!owed by .£", REWARD. To conclude with CATCHING A 31EMIAID. LOYAL LYCEUM E A.TUE. Lessee, Mr. J. H. An.leraon, 13, Norfolk-street, Strand. LAST FEW DAYS. Incremed Attractions, and success In equal ratio ? TaIS, AND EVERY EVENING, at Eight o'Clock, Will M. presented, with entirely Necv and Magnificent Appoint ments, MAGIC and Mr irEar, in twelve acts, arranged in two parts, by Professor Anderson. After which, the startling illustrat!ons of Spirit-Rapping. 11A.LF- A.N-tIOUft IYI Till; •Si'lltUr 4, being tile most surprising and iatereiting eeri.e.:3 of experiments over given wlthla the walls of any theatre. T:cv:val, in an iraDrovel form, of the aitourklino; navalty which tvtleaLoadon 10 yeari ago, the GRE:VI! (ICTV TRICK Prices or ad.nission:—Private 83X03, 11. 113. 61. 4111 li. Is. ; Orchestra Stalls, 45.; Dre , ls Boxes, 35.; Upper roxei, 24.; Pit, is ; Gallery, 6(.1. Na Hatf-price. Box-WT. O A open from 11 to 5 daily. Grand gaming Performance on Saturday Next at rffo o'Clock. Doors open at half-past One. ASTLEY'3 ROYA.f. AMrUfriI&A.TRIC. Lessee and Mancer, Mr. Wm. C•aoke. Immense SMCCii of Rockwood ! This soirlted and exciting liivoirome (with Tarpin's Ride to Yorio embraces the principal events of Ainsworth's Roolzwood. TETA EVENING, Tha sue 'essful Equidralne cilled TURPIN'S RIDE to YOIU ; or; the Heir of Rookwood. After wh!eli the Varied Equestrian AC rt; in the CIRCLE. To enrrAhtle with UNE FOI.IE POUR RIRE; or, Mirth-liloving Ent-rt aininent, . _ Immense preparations are malilaz for the Christmas Comic Pan to.nime. written by Mr. Nelson Lee, tilled Harlequin ant St George and the Dragon, or the Seven Champions of Christendom. it.is-ollee open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Mc. W. Cookr. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Ting Dir—Morn. 12 min. aft. 10—Evening 45 min. aft.lo To- fomtcs - v—Morn,lB min.aft. 11—Evening 47 min. aft..ll THE WEATHER—SUN OFFICE, Dec, 19. THERIIOSIETER, IN THE SHADS. 41 highest since noon yesterday. 28 -lowest this morning and during the night. 33 --this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30.33. WI - NT S.S.E.—Light, with fine, frosty, clear, sunshiny weather. The thermometer was 4 degrees below freezing in Lon don this morning, and perhaps some 8 degrees in the country. Last night was the coldest this season. /79 1 .0 , §: Mt THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY .EVENING, DECEMBER 19, 1655: on so strenuously immediately on the fall of South Sebastopol, it must come at last. We well know the objections made to it hitherto. We believe that some of our tried Indian Commanders would have readily overcome all the alleged difficulties. The result, however, we think, will be that we shall have to follow the example of the Russians, to sink, as it were, our railroad, and all not port able in our present positions, to retain, perhaps, Kamiesh only, and to transport our army bodily to the northern side of the enemy, eitherby the east or west coast. There are advantages and disadvan tages peculiar to either side; of these the Generals can judge. With our naval means, however, and two such ports as the English and French possess, the embarkation of 50,000 troops and their materiel, and the return and embarkation of the rest, would be an easy task. A decided General would have done this in September. It cannot probably now be done till the spring, but done then we believe it will be. The opinion for which Koss= was censured at first bids fair to become the universal one, that an attack on the north of Sebastopol and a march on Simpheropol wan the right generalship after the battle of Alma for the Allies. It will in all probability be the course taken at last. The sooner the better. But what will be the effect of the surrender of Kars on the Vienna peace projects. If Russia were prudent, and believed that Lord PALMERSTON was, or was allowed to be, earnest in the War, she would gladly clutch at the terms now talked of. Even we will acknowledge them to be humiliating, but not half so much so as what she must accept next winter, or any subsequent winter. She would make peace, too, with one success at least after a series of reverses. Most decided►y, how ever, do we hope that she will verify the old adage, Quern Deus vult perdere, prius dementat. She has indeed been mad already, better that she keep so a little longer. We wish her to fight on. Her arrogance and her territory must be dimi nished together. That would be done but im perfectly now. England—and surely France is not in this behind England—demands that the Allied Statesmen and Generals shall atone for Kars. It must be done. PALMERSTON and NAPO LEON cannot afford to hand down to posterity the record of a two-years' War, terminated by the PEACE OF KARS ! The peace of Warsaw is the only possible lasting and European peace. May Russia hold on till Austria and the COEURGS cannot avert such a result of this great struggle. "MERCATOR," "a high financial authority," as we are infermed by the brilliant organ, is again in the field. He " has taken the trouble to state , a few simple truths on the currency," and the " argurnentum ad verecundiain" is strongly pressed that we should withdraw all objections against the theories and platitudes of a man of such extraordinary intelligence and influence. It is scarcely necessary to maintain an incognito already virtually cast aside. For " MERCATOP„" read L')rd OVERSTONE, better known as M r . JONES LOYD, the real author of the Bank Charter Act of 1844. That the Noble Lord '.should still support his " hobby" is by no mea ns surprising. You can seldom find a man whr, has staked his political reputation on any principle willing to confess his mistake and. 'ihe fallacy of the argu ments which he had, previously urged, or even to admit of "an ezeeption," although its neces sity may be perceptible even to the majority of his own party. N4 - :r will the faculty of " perception" be strengthened by the fact that the interests and the prejudices of the party go hand in hand, and that he is increasing his wealth while supporting his former views to the utmost possible limit. The public manifestation, however, proves that the all-important topic is now under serious dis cussion ; that the position assumed by the ultra bullionists is now seriously imperilled. It is almost superfluous to repeat the hackneyed quota tion, " Nec Deus intersit, nisi nod is," tint. ; but we may easily conceive that Lord OVERSTONE would not come forward twice within the same month unless deeply impressed by the magnitude of the emergency, and that the principle of the Act of 1844, of which he is at least the puta tive parent, was subjected to serious controversy. It is possible that the sleeping Lion has been aroused into activity by the too candid admission of his organ, on the 26th October, that " sup posing the circulation to be required solely for internal commerce, no necessity could exist for gold being held against any portion of it," he may be pressed by public opinion clearly and une quivocally expressed. Whatever may be the cause that has brought him into the arena is of but little importance. That he has deemed it expedient to make the effort is highly encouraging to Financial Reformers, and shows that they have only to exhibit the energy and determination which the import ance of the subject so imperatively demands, to insure at least a very great prospect of success, and the certainty that they will have merited it. "MERCATOR" says that "the trade or commerce of a country are carried on, not by means of its paper money or its circulation, but by means of its capital." That is the word on which he rings the ' changes, and founds his most glaring fallacies. He has, however, manifestly mistaken the nature of the " capital" so urgently required ! The only " capital" which he recognises is bullion —gold, silver, or copper—in the shape of pounds, shil lings, or pence. But as we have repeatedly pointed out, bullion forms but a very small pro portion of the real capital of a country. That " capital" consists in the results of accumulated labour in any form, in the national capabilities of the country, and better than all in the thews and sinews of the people—the creators and producers of national wealth. The actual " capital" is then nearly ono hundredfold that to which " M EROI . TOE" and his disciples would endeavour to restrict it ; and it is seriously depreciated by the u n d ue weight and influence accorded to a comparatively small portion thereof. "Let nothing be done without gold," say the bullionists, and had that demand been invariably complied with the coun try could never have risen to its present e levated position in the scale of nations. It wa s sole ly because the fetters and restrictions were shaken off, and a better, although by no means the best and most suitable, represen tative of value adopted that we were formerly enabled to weather the storm, and we must adopt similar means if we hope to achieve equally felicitous results on the present occasion. Be it remembered that the whole question re lates not to real capital, but merely to its measure and representative, and it would almost be as reasonable to require that the use of the precious metals should be abolished, and that the nation should realty go back to a state of barter, respect ing which " MERCATOR." prattles so pleasingly, as that we should be restricted within the narrow li m it s which he would assign for our enterprises. ZIA if the bullionists so strongly rely on " MERCATOR" as their "Oliver," we can also pro duce a Boland in Mr. J. C. SALT, whose admir able and convincing letter we publish for the second time, and which should be stereotyped for the use of Financial Reformers. Mr. SALT has in deed taken a bold and a philosophical view of the gaestiou. $e proves the utter folly a am we: dery " Cades" of those whose 1 'ay in attempting "to fix the price of gold" is s;arcely less ridicu lous than that of their great prototype in regu lating the price of beer. He bas taken the really practical view of the case, show ing that the im putation of " quackery" cannot; be extended to the Currency Reformers, but the a it is fairly attri butable to their opponents, who sustain the arti ficial restrictions now in operation, and thereby occasion the most serious in jury to the best interests of the nation. " The Currency Free-traders" protest againsit these impolitic restraints. There is not a single argument that told with crushing force a gainst the " bread tax" that is not equally applicable to the monetary code. All that is required is t' he removal of these impediments to national industry ; so that every person whose only capital is his labour, shall have fair play, a clear stage, and no favour. The people will endorse this demand. That they may learn the real state of the important question we shall again and again repeat Mr. SALT'S letter, as con taining a valuable and most instructive lesson. In the annals of human folly there is nothing more remarkable than the facility with which the dupe has suffered himself to be victimised again and again by the arts of the charlatan. It seems as if credulity grew by what it fed on, and to cheat a man once was to insure an increase of his devotion as a victim. In. the interests of truth and justice it is, however, also to be remarked that this prostration of common sense has not unfre quently come to a determination before the victim has ceased to be worth duping. Inflated with the arrogance not unfrequently attendant on a career of uninterrupted success, the charlatan has come at last to regard his victim with undeserved contempt, and has so incautiously protruded the cloven foot that further imposture has become impossible, and his prey has burst his bonds and brought his victimiser to book.. Austria, that prince of cht,alatans, it would ap pear, has been guilty of such an indiscretion ; and having gulled two great nations as probably no two nations were ever gulled before, her cloven foot seems to hrve Y,een detected at last. Making her entry on the scene with the worst of charac ters—histe.rically a coward and a knave, and within the memory of our youth steeped in per fidy and innocen+, blood, she nevertheless was permitted to sLare in the councils of the Allies because of h:r pretences to friendship and her plausible i t tromises of assistance. What friendship she has actually shown, what assistance she has renderer% what she has done for us up to the pre sent time, will be found written hereafter in let ter:, of burning indignation on the pages of our national history. It will there be recorded that from, the first she succeeded in paralysing the eff , Jrts of the Allies, that she lent the most effi r.,ient aid in the safest possible way to their enemy, took possession of a long-coveted prize under the cover of a friendly occupation, bamboozled the statesmen of France and England beyond all pa rdlel, and profited, in every conceivable way, by their credulity, until at last grown audacious by uninterrupted success she underrated their penetration and suffered it to become apparent, even to them, that while relying on her as a friend they had been confiding the dearest in terests of their respective countries to a crafty and inveterate foe. Yes, thank HEAVEN for it, the eyes of the Go vernments of France and England are at last opened, and they see how egregiously they have been duped. The mission of Count ESTHRILLZY to St. Petersburg was impudent enough, seeing what has hitherto come of Austrian interference ; but that mission, accompanied by an offer of an armed intervention in ease of failure ; provided the Principalities were handed over to the tender mercies of an Austrian Prince, and a reduc tion of the Austrian army, was too muck for the most obtuse ; and the result is, the English Ambassador at Vienna has received instructions to demand what the motives are that have induced the Austrian Government to resolve on taking the latter step. You cannot well press a knave too close home, nor hold him with too firm a grasp, and it is to be hoped that, having now assumed a resolute atti tude, our Government will bring Austria effec tually to book. For us or against us must now be the question, and that in the most imperative of moods, for she can be only the one or the other. If her reply be " For you," her deeds must be made to correspond with her words ; if " Against you," the better for Europe and the world. We shall have nations for our allies instead of despots as affected friends or neutrals, and the cause of civilisation will be advanced a century or more. In the meantime, or should such peremptory dealing not be resorted to, it is satisfactory to feel assured that Austria will no longer impede the progress of the War, and that scheme as she likes the steps of Nemesis will daily approach nearer to Russia. Already enfeebled by conscription, by expenditure, and the sword, a terrible year of retribution awaits that infatuated Power. Never in the history of the world was such an overpowering force convened against the aggressor as, we are persuaded, will be concen trated by the Allies against Russia in the ensuing campaign. All the motives that can stimulate honest rulers and brave men to resolute action are to be found in full force on our side, and they will be found to have evoked a corresponding might. The gun-boats of France and England, in unexampled numbers, will in due time be found before Cronstadt, Sweaborg, and Helsingfors, of which they are likely to give a good account, and from the ruins o{ St. Petersburg the nations of the world will be taught the lesson that there is a period to forbearance, and that humanity and right are strong enough yet to put down aggression and wrong. Hungary and Poland will prick up their ears to listen to that, and there may be a future for them. ma o ll a a sa S tu o r th y am h p s t t o n n e . arly in Yarmouth Roads, wind im mense new United States mail steamer Fulton, of ins .. at Sou is expected with the next American The telegraphic service a ho th u o n u d s . an A d sa g i r l ea o t f s p h ( ! r p t s to w n er o e f from the rigour of the temperature, them were colliers ' tached itself to the wires h in ballast, b( in Belgians suffered last week sund for Sunderland. the snow which at tached arrive at BrusselastaaeotvinifrOgi'srreintarthdeedafttherencoooanimounnlyi- T e he in the morning. cations. The quotation's Friday a more confident feeling with the Paris Bourn ', which P reached ari sye stthereyesterday aoyn described and a consequent tendency PARIS MONEY MARKET. mercantile adrices from weekly reviews produce markets regard to the money market, to firmness in the rate of exchange, theTe a Amsterdam PßljueE l‘ a l n A t il l K il, T e s t Rotterdam d T a h m e from state that business continued inactive at a decline in pi ices. Few transactions had taken P l ace in sugar or coffee, but lower quotations were current for nearly all descriptions. Rice had been fairly supported, althoueh sales had latterly increased. In tea and other articles there was no important charge. THE NEW RUSSIAN LOAN.—The Vienna advices con firm the terms upon which the new Russian loan has been issued at Berlin with the virtual complicity of the Prussian Government. The price at which it is pub licly offered is 86, but it is asserted that to the con tractors, so far as they may have engaged in any actual liability, it is 82, leaving a large margin to the various agents who may interest themselves in getting it off. At 82 the interest of 5 per cent. would be about 61. f3q. per cent. ; but a material feature among the inducements to purchasers is the short period stipulated for the re demption of the principal. "The calculation," it is sail, "is th st under the arrangements specified the re payment at par will be effected in an average period of nine years, and the equivalent of a bonus of 2 per cont. per salaam is thus granted. ", COURT CIRCULAR. OSBORNE, DEO. 18. The Marchioness of Ely has succeeded Lady Mac donald as Lady in Waiting to her Majesty. A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at the Foreign Office. The Ministers present were Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lans downe, Earl Granville, the Earl of Harrowby, Sir G. Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, Lord Panmure, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon. M. T. Baines, and the Duke of Argyll. The Council sat two hours and a half. Colonel SThine, V.P.R.S., Treasurer of the British Association, Mr. Jelin P. Gassiot, F.R.S., Chairman of the Kew Commiaee, and Mr. John Welsh, of Kew Observatory, a deputation from the British Association, had an interview with the Right Hon. Sir Benjamin Hall yesterday at the office of Public Works, in White hall-place, on the matter of the Observatory at Kew. A deputation from the City, respecting Smithfield market, had an interview with the Chancellor of the ExcheAuer yesterday, at his official residence in Down ing -street. The deputation consisted of Mr. H. L. Tr.ylor (chairman), Mr. Deputy Hicks, Mr. Deputy Obbard, Mr. de Jersey, Mr. Perkins, the City Remem brancer, and the City Architect. A. deputation from the parish of All Saints, Poplar, consisting of the Rev. T. T. Bazely (Rector), Mr. H. W. Hill (Overseer), Messrs. Edward Coleman, John Cart€r, and Samuel K. Ellison (Vestrymen), and Mr. Charles C. Ceely (Vestry Clerk), transacted business yesterday at the Home Office. Tho deputation was introduced by Lord Robert Grosvenor, M.P., and Mr. Charles S. Butler, M.P. _ _ _ The 'Marquis of Lansdowne has arrived in town from a visit to Lord Ashburton, at the Grange. A deputation from the parish of S t. M ary ' s, Batter sea, respecting a memorial addressed to Sir Benjamin lia'l, for a pier by the New Bridge, in Battersea-park, had an interview with the Right Han. Baronet yester day at the office of Public Works. The deputation con sisted of the Rev. J. S. Jenkinson (Vicar of Battersea), Mr. W. H. Wilson (Churchwarden), Mr. G. Chadwin (Vestry Clerk), and Mr. W. Womb. Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial office from the Governors of the West India Islands. ACT OF EXCOMMUNICATION AT COBLENTZ. We find in the Journal do Frankfort some curious details relative to an "excommunication" which has just been pronounced at Cohlentz. The narra tive is as follows : COBLENTZ, Dec. 12.—0 n Sunday we were witnesses of a ceremony which has not been performed for centu ries, viz.—.an excommunication—tho subject being M. Sonntag, a merchant at Coblentz, who was divorced from his first wife, and eight years ago was married by the civil authorities only to his present one. Last summer M. Sonntag was commanded by, the clergy to separate from his wife, and not obeying their decree he was on Sunday excommunicated. Dean Kramentz, after preaching a sermon against the civil marriage, put on some other sacerdotal garments, and, accompanied by two clergymen bearing wax tapers, read, standing in the middle of the church, the sentence of excommunication against M. Sonntag and his lady. He then extinguished the tapers, saying that the indi viduals named were not worthy to see the day of the Lord, and throwing the candlesticks to the ground, breaking them to pieces, exclaimed, "Let the bells sound the funeral knell l " We immediately heard the sound of bells and the chants for the dead. The Dean, in conclusion, proclaimed that no one who eoever was to hold relations with the excommunicated, to salute them, Ste. This prohibition has not had much effect, for their limise has been filled ever since with visitors, and at night they have been serenaded. This evening Mr. J. X. Blackwell will lecture at the Society of Arts on " The Preserit Position of the Iron Industry of Great Britain with reference to that of other countries." Joseph Glynn, Esq., F.R.S., will preside. The Rev. Michael Angelo Atkinson, M.A., has been instituted to the rectory of Fakenham, in Norfolk, on the presentation of the Master, Fellows, and Scholars of Trinity College, Cambridge. THE CHINCHA ISLANDS.—Accounts from the Chinchtt Islands announce that Pisco has been made a pert of entry. This will effect a considerable saving of time — say one month—in the voyage of vessels loading guano. There is now no necessity for them to proceed to Callao for license and for clearing papers.---,shipping Gazette. TiH BARONESS ROTHSCHILD.—The children of Baron L. Rothschild's tenantry and labourers, together with a number of boys and girls from the Brentford British Schools, were entertained on Monday, at Gunnersbury, by the Baroness. About 400 children sat down to dinner, and were afterwards presented with numerous articles of clothing, as well as work boxes, writing desks, pencil cases, books, toys, &c. The mothers, with infants in large numbers, were then supplied with tea and cake ad libitum, after which they received supplies of flannel, shoes, packages of tea and sugar, and sundry other com forts, proper to mothers of families. ACCOUNTS OF MUNICIPAL BOROUGHS.—Yesterday was issued an abstract of the accounts of boroughs in Eng land and Waies for the year ended 31st August, 1854. The total receipts for England amounted to 1,572,7111. 15s. 91(1., viz., 121,1291. 12s. Old. balance in treasurers' hands ; 310,1581.75. 110. borough rates, and 1,141,4231. 15s. 9id. other receipts. The total expenditure amounted to 1,605,006/. 163. 3d., viz , 24,8351. is. 44d. due to treasurers, and 1,480,1741. 14s. 100. actually expended. For Wales the total receipts were 17,8981., and the ex penditure 17,2231. 14 s . 74d. F or E n gland and Wales together the total receipts were 1,590,6091. 15s. 94d., and the expenditure 1,522,2301. 103. 104 d. DEATH OF DR. W. F. CHAMBERS, LATE PHYSICIAN TO THE QUEEN.--We regret to announce the death of this eminent member of the medical profession, which took place at his residence, Hordle House, near Lymington, Hants, on the 16th inst. Dr. Chambers was born in India, in the year 1786, and was the eldest son of Wm. Chambers Esq., a gentleman in the civil service of the East India ompany. The deceased came to Eng land when very young, and received his education at Westminster and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained high honours. On leaving Cambridge he came to London, and entered at the Windmill-street School of Medicine, and in due time was admitted a licentiate in medicine. Dr. Chambers was for many years one of the physicians of St. George's Hospital, and had, up to the time of his retirement, in 1848, one of the most lucrative practices in the metropolis. THE WEATHER IN THE BALTIC.—MEMEL, Dec. 14. Weather fine ; wind easterly. The Haff is covered with thin ice, and no vessels can move without steam power. Several will be towed out this afternoon. Hamburg, Dec. 15.—The river is now frozen over as far down as this harbour; lower down there is much and heavy floating ice : weather variable, mild, much snow, and some frost ; temperature last night 5 deg. of frost, with wind at S.S.W. Bremen, Dec. 14.—The ice in the Weser has come to a stand ; weather much milder ; wind W., with snow. QUESTIONS FOR THE \VEST-END OF LONDON.—Why in your families do you see such pallid faces 1 Why even in your healthiest districts is the rose of health unknown ? Why do you rarely behold in your town-nursed children that gushing overflow of life, so beautiful to notice in the innocent, healthy, happy young? I address myself to anxious and judicious parents. You have taken care that your children should constantly obey the laws of exercise and diet ; you have clothed them judiciously ; you have thought on the importance of cleanliness; you have sent tbem early to rest, have taught them to rise early, have ventilated their dormitories and school rooms, and in every way studied their health and happiness. Then, why are they so pale? why t o cagily affected by morbific influence , ? why so liable to headaches, stomach-pains, and other causes of unhappiness ? Look for your answer to the atmosphere. Look to the various plague-spots of the metropolis. Look to the neighbourhood inhabited by your poor. Think that God is just, as well as wise and loving ; and will not have his poor the only sufferers, but bids his laws to spread the poisons generated in vile districts, even into parks and palaces. Look then to your atmosphere for the cause of pallid faces. Think of the foggy vapours constantly arising from this vast ill-drained cesspool d area. Think that every particle of floating moisture is capable of holding in suspension many times it own volume of gaseous poison, and see the cause of paleness and general debility in the forced infringement of the law of respiration.—Hopley's Lectures on Respiration. EXTENSIVE FIRE.—One of the most serious confla grations that has occurred in Bristol for many years took place yesterday morning. Shortly before 1 o'clock Mr. Warry, silversmith and jeweller, of St. Augustine's parade, was awoke by a smell of burning in his house, and on getting out of bed he found that a fire had broken out in the lower part of the premises. The flames spread with such rapidity that the escape of Mr. Warry and his housekeeper (the only inmates of the house) was for some time doubtful. At last a dragpole belonging to the Humane Society was procured, and, being raised to the bedroom, Mr. Warry made his way in safety down it to the street. The housekeeper, Mary Brown, was not so fortunate, as, either from fright or some other cause, she let go her grasp of the pole and fell to the ground, fracturing both her legs. By 4 o'clock the flames were subdued, but not until the houses of Messrs. Warry and Jones had been burnt to the ground, and the valuable stocks which they each contained either totally destroyed or considerably damaged. A quantity of gold guard chains, bracelets, lockets, brooches, &a., have been re covered by the police from the salvage, which is still under search. The premises occupied by Mr. Warry were insured in the Imperial, and the stock in the Nor wich Union for 8001., which is stated to be about one third of its value. The house and stock of Mr. Jones are covered by an insurance in the Imperial, and those of Mr. Linter by a policy with the Protestant Dissent ers' office. FRAUD BY A POLICE SUPERINTENDENT.—Mr. James Buglass, the late superintendent of police at South Shields, was brought up on remand on Monday before the county magistrates of that town, charged with de frauding his late employers, the 'Watch Committee of the corporation, to a considerable extent. He had been in trusted to receive the fines and fees doe to the Town Council from persons fined under the by-laws, and had kept a book which he was called upon to produce monthly, accounting for those fines ; but it seems that the "drunk and disorderlies" of that town often take second thoughts often being committed to the "regions below," and pay the fines and fees inflicted upon them rather than go to gaol. A. number of those persons Buglass had reported as "committed," whereas they had paid the fines and costs, which he had appropriated to his own lige ' and his defalcations are serious. The court was crowded all Friday and to-day while a number of charges were preferred against him, the disclosures creating no small amount of sensation among a somewhat turbulent audience. Some of the charges against the defendant were of an extraordinary character. A drunken cobbler had created a row in the police court, and had been put in durance by order of the magistrates. When sober he was discharged, and a summons had been isssued against him, to which he had not answered. He stated in evi dence on Friday that he was apprehended on a warrant afterwards ; but instead of being brought up before a magistrate, Mr. Buglass sat in judgment upon him, and told him that if he did not pay 14s. 6d. he must be sent to Durham Gaol for 21 days. He was removed to Durham Gaol, where he was confined five days ; his friends then paid 17s. 6d. to Buglass, and he was re leased. No portion of this money, nor a farthing of money in 26 cases selected by the Watch Committee, had ever been paid them by Buglass. Apart from the defalcations of Buglass, some very unsatisfactory fea tures, which do not put the administration of justice by our local magistrates in a favourable light, came out during the inquiry ; in all the cases that came under consideration the proportion of court fees and costs was as 9s. to ss. fine ; and it further appeared that for every case that a policeman brought before the magistrates he received is. out of the costs of the suit as a sort of "head money "—a very great inducement to this class of persons to manufacture trumpery cases, and encou rage small offences among the lower and disorderly por tion of the seafaring population. Buglass was sent for trial at the Durham Quarter Sessions. THE QuonN HUNT. —By the death of Sir Richard Sutton, Bart., the large and well-known hunting estab lishment at Quorn, Leicestershire, has been broken up, and the fine stud of horses, picked packs of hounds, &c., have been brought to the hammer. The sale, which tJek place at Quorn on Thursday and Friday last, was at tended by some 2,000 persons, including a numerous proportion of noblemen and gentlemen, masters of hounds, huntsmen, dealers, &c. The horses, which oc cupied their usual stalls in the stables, with the names inscribed over each, were inspected by many of the cora -1 pany previous to the s a l e . Th ey were i n a d m i ra bl e con -1 dition , the hunting season having barely commenced at the time of Sir Richard Sutton's death. Several of them were up to almost any weight ; but the majority were calculated to carry about 12st riders, and none of them were of large proportions. The bidding for the horses was extremely spirited. Somerby, whose reputation for jumping made him eagerly looked for, fetched 360 gns., the purchaser being Mr. Murray, of Manchester, and it was understood that he is to go to the Cheshire county. Sha.nkton was bought by Lord Euston for 360 guineas ; Freemason by Mr. R. Sutton, for 340 guineas; Freney, by Mr. Sutton, for 340 guineas • K egw ortb, by Sir T. Whichc o t e , f or 320 gu i neas ; M a lakhoff, by Col. Hood (for Prince Albert), for 310 guineas ; HarkawaY, Newmarket, and Bagenal Daiy, by Mr. R. Sutton, for 300 guineas each ; Knight of Gwyune, by Mr.R.Sutton, for 220 guineas; Rleket, by Mr. Rousen, for 210 guineas ; Wanderer, by Lord Wilton, for 75 guineas ; Admiral, by Colonel Hood (for Prince Albert), for 120 guineas ; Talbot, by Mr. Bass, for 100 guineas. The total sum realised for the 32 horses sold on the first day was 5,812 guineas ; 13 made an average of 294 guineas. On Friday six horses that had been used in cub-hunting fetched 460 guineas ; three hacks, 242 guineas ; three ponies, 100 guineas ; and the rest of the horses, &c., 3931. The saddles and clothing brought 216 guineas, and the hound-van 16 guineas. The hounds which were sold on the first day generally averaged 23 to 231 inches, the blood being a combination of the Rutland, Bentinck, Yarborough, Saudbeck, Drake, Beaufort, Sykes, and Fitzhardinge kennels. The 14 lots, five couples each, produced 1,806 guineas, the purchasers being the Earl of Stamford, lot 1, 59 guiue ss ; Mr. Drak e , lot 2, 52 guineas ; Mr. Morrell, lot 3. 210 guineas ; Mr. R. Sutton, lot 4, 200 guineas ; the Earl of Stamford, lot 5, 61 guineas ; the Earl of Stamford, lot 6, 46 guineas ; Mr. R. Sutton, lot 7, 100 guineas ; Mr. Mainwaring, lot 8, 170 guineas ; Mr. Collier, lot 9, 30 guineas ; Mr. Mainwaring, lot 10, 130 guineas ; Mr. R. Suttee, lot 11, 360 guineas ; the Earl of Stamford, lot 12, 74 guir,eas ; Mr. R. Sutton, lot 13, 260 guineas ; Mr. Collier, jut 14, 105 guineas. This sale was the most important of its kind thait bAa talseu place fir many pare past. GREAT RAILWAY IN AUSTRIA. The Oesterralsclie Zeitung says :—" The projected Raab-Semli❑ Railroad is one of the greatest `industrial' enterprises that has ever been undertaken in Austria. The railway, which will be about 300 E❑glish miles in length, will pass through the most fertile parts of Hun gary. The projected line will go by Szony Kis-Ber, Mor, Stuhlweissenburg, Kalosz, Simontornya—where a bridge will be thrown across the Sio—Szoles, Mohacs, Essegg►, and Mitrovicze to Semlin. Few difficulties will present themselves in the construction, as there will be neither tunnels to build nor dams to make. Some bogs will, however, have to be filled up, and a long bridge to be built across the Drave at Essegg. The rough es timate is, that the German mile (somewhat less than five English) will cost 500,0000., and consequently the whole line 20,000,0001 Almost all the land through which the railway is to pass belongs to the founders cf the company, so that the cost of the terrain will not be great. Estates belonging to Prince, Prince Esterhazy, Count Zichy, and Count Lam berg, which have an area of 400,000 acres of land, either cultivated or capable of cultivation, lie close to the pro jected line, so it is probable those nobles wil► join the company. The originators of the plan are the Counts John Waldstein, George Apponyi, Charles Apponyi, and George Caroly. The first operation of the Austrian Commercial Bank will be to purchase the Italian rail. roads, in company with certain English, French, and Italian hoases. M. Pereira greatly desired to have the railroads in question for the Credit Mobilier, but when he last called on Baron Bruck the latter plainly told him that the parties who established the new Austrian Com mercial Bank would also have the Italian railways. Up to yesterday evening 16,469 parsons had applied fur 3,07 7, 059 shares in the new institution. AO that the nomi nal amount subscribed is 415 ,411,8000. The railroad from Preran (Northern line) to Troppau and Bielitz is finished, and will be opened on the 17th of this month." Report speaks of a return visit on the part of the Emperor of the French to Turin in the course of the spring. The Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University has given notice that Prince Albert's gold medal for the en couragement of English poetry will be given this year to such resident undergraduate as shall compose the best poem on "Luther at the Diet of Worms." His Excellency M. Due, Norwegian Minister of State at Stockholm, has arrived in London from Paris. Baron de Brunow, Dlinister of Russia to the Germanic Diet, has hired for four years the residence of the late Baron Charles de Rothschild at Frankfort. The HatPilton is expected in town, in a few days, from Brodick Castle, on his way to Nice, to meet the Duchess and family. The Countess Helene Kielmansegge has loft the resi dence of the Hanoverian Legation, on a visit to the Earl and Countess Howe, at Gopsal. Viscountess Palmerston will have a " reception" this evening. To-morrow, or at latest on Friday, the noble Premier and her ladyship will leave town for Broadlaude for the Christmas recess. Viscount Balgonie, we regret to learn, continues very ill. The latest accounts are rather more favourabl e . The Lady Margaret De Burgh, eldest unmarri e d daughter of the Marquis and Ma r chioness of Clanricarde, is about to form a matrimonial alliance with Mr. Went worth B. Beaumont, Au., of Bywell H a ll, Northum berland. ASTLEY'S A MPHITA EATRE.—This even i ng Md lle. Cle mentine Soupier,who will make h er l ast appearance this season, takes her benefit at this theatre. The per formances will he under the patrocage of his Excellency the Turkish Minister. The curacy of Coley, near Halifax, conferring a title at the Bishop of Ripon's Lent ordination, has become vacant. It is worth 801. a year, and is in the gift of the Rev. W, H. Mason, M.A. On the 12th inst., Sir Hamilton Seymour was received in special audience by the Emperor of Austria and after wards had long interviews with Baron de Bourqueecy and the Ottoman Ambassador. In the evening a grand banquet in honour of the new Ambassador was given by Prince Paul Easterhazy, Count Buol being amongst the guests. TESTIMONIAL PROM A FOREIGN GOYERN3IENT TO A BRITISH MERCHANT CAPTAIN.—The Government of the United States recently forwarded to this country to the Earl of Clarendon a silver speaking trumpet, for presen tation to Captain Bosdet, of the British barque Helen, in acknowledgment of his services in rescuing the master and crew of the American chip Pilgrim. REPRESENTATION OF LINCOLN.—There seems to be every probability that there will be a strong contest for the borough of Lincoln, which has become vacant by the death of Col. Sibthorpe. Sir Montague Colmeley, Bart., who unsuccessfully contested the Northern Division of the county at the last general election, is spoken of as a candidate. At the last election for the borough the numbers stood as follows :—Col. Sibthorp, 840 ; Mr. G. F. Heneage, 661 ; Mr. Charles Seeley, 478. A skating society, composed of young people of both sexes, belonging to the first families, has been formed at Madrid. The fair members of this society have adopted a very picturesque costume for the occasion, cmsistiug of a Polish pelisse, trimmed with a rich braid ; a short kerseymere petticoat, plaid t r owsers, small beaver hat, with a plume of feathers, a n d c oloured m or o cc o boots. The Invalide Ilusse, of Dec. 9, contains the following "On the 14th of last mon th hi s A ugus t Hi g h n ess the Grand Duke Nicolas Nicolaievitch receiving the blessing, of his mother, her Maj es ty th e E m p ress Al exan dra Foo dorovna ; and the cons en t o f th e E m p eror t o his mar riage with hor Highness the Princess Alexa.ndeiad'Olden bourg, eldest daughter of Prince Pierre d'Oldenbourg. An event so fortunate as this marriage, based upon mu tual inclination, cannot fail to soften the gr i e f o f the Imperial family for the cruel loss to which, together with the whole empire, it was compelled to submit at the be ginning of the present year." MELANCHOLY SUlClDE.—Yesterday, Mr. Waaley re ceived information of the following determined suicide, committed by a female named Wadley, who was living with her husband in the Polygon, Clarendon-square , and who precipitated herself the previous day from the window of the second floor front room, which she occu pied. She was seen to get out, and, in her fall, to come against the balcony of the first floor, when she turned over and dropped in the street. • She was promptly as sisted, and was found to have received some serious in jury to the hia,in, as she was in a state of insensibility. She was at once conveyed to the University College Hospital, w h ere she was immediately attended to by some of the medical officers of the institution. The un fortunate womae died soon after her admission. She is stated to bare shown, since her confinement a short time ago, occasional indications of a deranged intellect. She had only been temporarily left by the person attending her, when she took the opportunity of committing the I slob '44 touitiaated ber la% _ _ LATEST NEWS, TREATY BETWEEN SWEDEN AND THE WESTERN POWERS. STOCKHOLM, DEC. 18. The King has ratified a treaty with England and France. The two Allied Powers guarantee the territo- rial integrity of Sweden, and the latter engages not to alienate any part of its territory to Russia. The high contracting parties engage to conirau- nicate, mutually and reciprocally, all propositions coming from Russia. BERLIN, DEC. 18. It is stated that the English Government has demanded from the Court of Vienna an explana tion of the motives which have induced it to re duce the Austrian army. The organisation of the militia will be extended in the spring to the Polish provinces. MARSEILLES, DEC. 19, 8.45 A.M. The Jourdain has arrived with advices from Constantinople of the 10th, and from the Crimea of the Bth instant. Despatches leave at 9 a.m. Our Constantinople correspondent, writing on the 10th, says that advices from Erzeroum, of the 27th November, had announced that Kars was to capitulate on the 28th of November. General Mouravieff had sent a portion of his army against Omor Pacha. THE NEW RUSSIAN LOAN. The Journal de St. Petersbourg publishes the following Imperial ukase relative to the new Russian loan. It is addressed to the Minister of Finances : "To provide for the extraordinary expenses which actual circumstances impose upon the trea sury of the Empire, we have authorised you, con formably to your proposition, to conclude, through the medium of the commercial house of our banker, Councillor Baron Stieglitz, of St. Peters burg, a loan of 50 millions of silver roubles, on the conditions confirmed by us, and we order you consequently to make the following arrange ments : " 1. This loan is to be inscribed on the ledger (grand-livre) of the public debt of Russia as the sixth loan at 5 per cent. " 2. For this loan notes shall be issued of the Imperial Commission of the Sinking Fund (in scriptions) to the bearer ; each note to be for 500 silver roubles. "3. This scrip will bear an annual interest of 5 per cent., dating from the Ist October of the present year. To each note 20 coupons will be attached, on the presentation of which the inte rest due will be paid to the corresponding time. "4. The payment of this interest will be made for each half-year due, from the Ist April to the Ist June, and from the Ist October to the Ist December, and there will be paid for each coupon at St. Petersburg, by the Commission of the Sinking Fund, 12 roubles 50 copecs silver, or else through the medium of the bankers, Stieglitz and Co., 23 florins 60 cents. of the Netherlands, or 26 marks 10 schelings 11 pfennings of the Hamburg Bank. " 5. On the expiration of the first 10 years of the loan, new coupons will be issued for the scrip then in circulation. " G. The sinking (ainortissement) of this loan will commence in 1858, and for this object a special fund will be assigned, totally distinct from the other loans, and which will form each year two per cent. of the nominal capital of the loan. This sinking-fund, which will increase from the interests become disposable by the redemption of scrip, will bo employed to buy up the scrip at the current rate (au tours) as long as it does not rise above its nominal value, that is to say, above par. After 20 years, namely, dating from 11875, the Government reserves to itself the right of paying the scrip of this loan, which may then be in cir culation, at the rate of its nominal value. [The original is signed by the proper hand of his Majesty the Emperor.] " ALEXANDER. " St. Petersburg, Nov. 26, 1855. " Translation approved, "NESSELRODE, Chancellor of the Empire." FRANCE. On the 29th of this month, the 20th, 39th, 50th, and 97th of the line, together with a division of the Imperial Guards, will make their triumphal entry into Paris. These regiments have lately re turned from the Crimea, where they have added fresh glory to their colours by being present at all the principal engagements, from Alma to the storming of Sebastopol. The troops will enter Paris by the Place de la Bastille, and pass along towards the Rue de Rivoli, to the Place du Carrousel, when a defile will take place. His Majesty will head the troops on their entrance into the city, and her Majesty the Em press will be present at the defile. The whole of the National Guard will be called out, and line the route by which the heroes of the Crimea will pass. The city of Paris is about to contract a new loan of 50 millions. AUSTRIA. VIENNA, DEC. 16. The conduct of the Governor of the National Bank, of which mention was made yesterday, was so generally and loudly reprobated, that the func tion ary in question has considered it advisable to make the following apology to the public in the Wiener Zeitung of this morning : "As is known the National Bank undertook to re ceive the subscriptions for shares in the Imperial Royal Privileged Austrian Cisdit Institution for Commerce and Trade. In order that this might be done without interruption to the usual business of the Bank, previous arrangements were necessary, and some days before the 10th of December, on which date the public subscrip tions were to commence, well known tradespeople and firms were permitted to make their subscriptions and deposits. " In consequence of this arrangement, all classes of people were able to share freely in the subscription on the 10th of December and following days. The crowd of applicants for shares was extremely great, and sur passed all expectations. A proper feeling for peace and order was exhibited by the people, and the police and military force displayed judgment, firmness and calm ness. Although thousands of persons were waiting in the streets, there was neither disorder nor improper behaviour. In order, however, to be able to receive the subscriptions of those larger houses whi c h h ad b een put off until the last day, in order that th ey m i ght be able to transact their business with more comfort to themselves, it was by higher orders made known, by means of a posted placard, that the subscription, which had during five days been open to all classes of people, would be closed on Saturday, the 15th December. "The results of the subscription are beyond all exiL'c tation, and they clearl) show that the object of the founders of the institution, which was that all classes of people should participate in it, has been completely at tained. From the beginning of the public subscription to its close on Saturday, at 6 o'clock, a sum of about 644,666,000f1. was subscribed by 25,076 persons. "JOSEPH PIPITZ, Governor of the Bank. " Vienna, December 15, 1855. inatists there. It is related that as General Can robert one evening returned somewhat earlier than usual to his apartments in the Hotel d'Angle terre he found a strange man standing at his secre taire, which had been broken open, or opened with a false key, and so busily occupied in examin ing his papers that be did not observe the General's entrance. In high indignation the latter is repre sented to have seized a candlestick, or, as others say, some sharp cutting object, and to have flung it at his head. The stranger, turning round, re ceived a severe wound in the head, in the neigh bourhood of the eye, or, as others say, had his eye knocked out. That is the story ; the fact is, that that same evening a valet dc place was conveyed from the Hotel d'Augleterre to the hospital, where he seems to be under some danger of losing his eye from a hurt he has received. The Invalide of the Bth inst., announces officially that the betrothal of th e Grand Duke Nicholas with the Princess Alexandra took place on Nov. 26. "This joyful match of affection," says the Invalide, " will serve to diminish the grief at the loss which the Imperial family and the whole empire sustained in the beginning of the year." On the 4th inst. the Dowager Queen of the Netherlands, Anna Paulowna, sister of the late Emperor and aunt of the present, had a solemn reception of all the high dignitaries of State, both civil and military, together with their ladies, in her apartments in the Winter Palace. The Persian Ambassador, Seif-ul-Mjulk-Miri- Pindisch-Abbas-Kuli-Khan, was at the date of the last advices from St. Petersburg looked for anxiously there ; he had arrived at Moscow on the 30th of November. A private letter from Moscow at the end of No vember speaks of the confidence of the petty trades men in the Russian paper currency being much shaken; that cases frequently occur now, more par ticularly in Moscow, Nichni, Astrakhan, &c., of their refusing to take it, while, on the other hand, they keep back and hide their silver money. Sil ver continues to rise there in price, a great deal of it being smuggled out of the country, then melted down, and brought back at an advance. The " patriotic contributions" to the war fund are made for the most part in kind, consisting of ma nufactured goods, produce of the soil, pictures of saints, the paper money issued byvarious monetary institutions or their coupons, so that the Treasury itself is not much the richer for them. An ukase of November 30 exempts the Jews of Bessarabia from the approaching conscription inci dentally to the exemption pronounced in favour of the governments of Poltava, Tchernigov, Char kow, Ekaterinoslav, Cherson, and Taurida, as the ukase says, " on account of the great sacrifices and exertions which the present state of war has already imposed upon them." THE PRINCIPALITIES. The Augsburg Gazette announces that the entire army of the Austrian monarchy, the corps occupy ing Moldo-Wallachia alone excepted, is to be re duced to a peace footing, as the 4th army corps standing in Gallicia has already been. Tile next corps for reduction is that commanded by the Arch duke Albert, stationed in Hungary and Transyl vania. The diminution is effected not only by granting leave to a large number of individual soldiers, but by the disbanding of certain batta lions. The civil corps attached to the army, rein forced when, this time last year, its eventual ac tivity was contemplated, are also reduced to their former footing. A letter from Bucharest, in the German Journal of Frankfort, says :—" In virtue of an edict, published on the Ist, all corn which shall not have been shipped within two months from that date, will be liable to an export duty of 16 piastres the 100 kilos. for wheat and rye, 8 piastres for maize, and 5 piastres for barley and oats (the piastre is about 5 sous). Another edict shows that the relations between the inhabitants and the Austrian troops are not very friendly, as after reminding the authorities of the regulations of the 28th Dec., 1854, relative to military quarters, the Minister of the Interior adds :—' We have heard with regret that even persons in easy cir cumstances have refused to furnish soldiers with fire and candle, and wilfully destroy their stables in order that they shall not be compelled to accom modate the troops.' In order to put an end to this state of things, it is stated that every soldier has a right to a clean bed with bolster and blanket, to fire and candle in common with the inhabitants of the house, and to a light and straw in the stable. It is enjoined on all the authorities to see that these prescriptions are all properly carried into execution." ASIATIC TURKEY. The Breslau Gazette publishes a letter from St. Petersburg, containing extracts from the Caucase and the Tifliser Blatte , both published at Tifli s , re lative to the siege of kars. The writer says that early in November the blockaded garrison volun tarily surrendered 15 Russian prisoners and one officer, obviously for the purpose of diminishing the number of mouths to be fed, although at the risk of exposing the extremity of the condition. He then praises the happy audacity of General Susslow's advance upon the Droen Dagb, which so " imposed " on the Turkish commander, Yelp Pacha, that he abandoned the hope of relieving the garrison. It would have been, he says, very easy to relieve Kars soon after the 29th of September, but the attempt was deferred until Mouravieff had had time to recruit his army. The St. Petersburg correspondent, who necessarily writes in ignorance of the fall of Kars, concludes thus : Should Kars, however, be compelled to sur render, the enterp r i se o f Omer Pacha will have fallen to the ground. General Mouravieff will not have earned any great renown, but the moral effect on the Turkish army and its foreign officers, so helplessly abandoned by the authorities at Con stantinople, will be immense. That army, how. ever, may take to itself credit for having held the Russian army of Asia in check until a season when it must suspend the further prosecution of its plans. A Piedmontese, writing from the camp, says that the allied generals were certainly in error if they supposed the enemy had only one road of communication with Perekop ; there are three— the main and central communication, one skirting the Putrid sea, and one by way of Tchongar. The writer concludes that the enemy can hold his ground. The condition of the Italian army is very favourably reported. He says—" La salute dei nostri soldati continua ad essere soddisfacente." General La Marmora, was very popular, and de voted himself to ameliorating the condition of his army in every way. THE AFRICAN MAILS. PLYMOUTH, TUESDAY NIGHT. The African mail steam-ship Candace, Captain llawkesley, arrived here this afternoon. She brings the usual mails and a full cargo, consisting of 2,000 ounces of gold dust, 90 bags of ground nuts, 30 bags of gum copal, 300 boxes of sugar, 150 boxes of cochineal, 2UO bales of beeswax, 500 bales of opium, and 15 passengers, among whom are Captain E. Davies, Lieutenant Maunsell, R.N., Lieutenant Hill, third West India Regiment, Rev. Mr. Pawley, and eight seamen belonging to the barque Sophia, of London, condemned at Sierra Leone. The Company's steam-ship Ethiope arrived at Liberia Nov. 18, all well. The Candace has brought no news. The colony was healthy, but trade dull. Mr. Tayfor, chief engineer of the Candace, lost his life by that ship coming in contact with her Majesty's ship Ferret, at Sierra Leone. The Candace has experienced very heavy weather during her homeward voyage. The Euryalus and "Vulture steam,-ships both ar rived to-day direct from the Baltic. ALLEGED STARVATION OF FOUR CHlLDREN.—Yester day morning the parochial authorities of St. Matthew, Bethnal-green, were informed of the deaths of four chil dren, the offspring of Jane Hiller, a widow, residing at No. 20, George-street, Hope Town, Bethnal-green. It appears that one of the children, a little girl named Amelia, aged 4 years, died on Saturday week, the Bth instant ; and a boy, named Frederick, aged 18 months, expired on the following morning. The poor woman, finding that her means were so small, and that others of her family were dying, kept the dead bodies covered over iu the corner of the room , to await the deceas e of another child, which took place on Friday morni ng l as t. A fourth child likewise exp i red at an early h our on Mon day morning last. The family it seems lived in a wr e tch e d place, badly drained and ventilated. The news of the death of the four children having spread throughout the RUSSIA. district, a crowd collected in front of the house, and various vague rumours were circulated, to the effect that BERLIN, Dec. IG.—There is talk here of a cir- the four children had been starved to death and grossly cular note having been addressed by Count Nes- neglected. The appearance of the deceased is indeed most selrode to the representatives of Russia at the wretched, their bAies being literally a heap of bones ; different Courts that have made representations to but wh"ther their condition has arisen from disease or Russia on the subject of price. The contents of starvation is at present a question for the medical gen will give evi lence at the coroner's inquest. this circular, as represented by those who pretend tlernenrk who to know all about it, resemble so much the views put forward by the representatives of Russia at the , on Saturday, appeared before the Tribunal of Correctional. Police, to complain that M. Jallabert, decide ' Vienna Conferences that, if true, the "the powers offensive of the Theatre, had libelled her, b l y comparing her that be" in Russia still look upon her position as ! 3 : 1 11 d t i h v a e t t s e u rm ch s a to st a I N e u o r f en c lb it l e r m dol , . as n T o h t e al T lo r , i x b a u b n l a e l unchanged for the worse since then, or else that nothing is to be got out of her by diplomatic and as it ap;:eared to y have been dictated by personal means. . animo.ity, it condemned Jallahert to pay 500 f. tine at.d. In Cope haven there is a story afl , oat,aff4rding 2,010 t. daaittge,,, also to to :ell, the toot of Lh. jtt , l;Ttrient : : . Ralph; and pi qa , A „L ui,porixahLies kw' those Whu in his paper, and Lo paj tau expenses of inserting it is know some little of Russian ways to indulge in three other papers of Paris, to be chop= by the cowl very wgavouatio eutipicioal of th e Rump wo o . p l e i lleut . - - . p)1 th, 044