The Sun. — London, England, 1855-12-25 00:00:00

Wr AME JENNY GOLDSCHMIDT-LIND. I_ EXETER-HALL. —On THURSDAY EVENING next, December 27, 1855, Haydn's Oratorio of THE CREATION will be repeated. Principal Singers—Madame Goldschnaidt, Mr. Locket', and Mr. Lawler. Handel's Oratorio of THE MESSIAH will be produced on MON DAY Evening, Dec. 31, in which Madame Ooldschmldt will sing the principal oprano part. The Chorus and Orehestra will consist of more than GOO performers. Conductor, M. Benedict. Prices of admission. Stalls (Numbered and Reserved), One Guinea ; Uunreserved Seats (Body of the Hall), 10s. 6d. ; lery, 10s. 6d.; Area (under West Gallery), 75. W e st Gal- Doors open at Seven, to commence at Eigh t o'clock precisely. Correct Books of the Oratorios are given with the Tickets. Application for Tickets to be made at Mr. Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street. Due no ice will be given of the first Miscellaneous Concert. DR. KAHN'S CELEBRATED ANATOMICAL MUSEUM (the rarity and completeness of whose contents have alrea d y acquired for it an European reputatien, and obtained the warm commendations of the press, in this and other countries) is now open daily. A New Series of original Sped mens and Models, embracing some most important and curious features. illustrative of the wonders and secrets of the human struc ture. has just been added to the collection, which now stands wholly unrivalled in the werld. Medical practitioners and students, and the public at large, aro invited to visit the Museum, where Lectures are delivered during the day; and a new and peculiarly interesting one is delivered by Dr. Kahn. at half-past eight o'clock every even ing, on the Reproductive Functions he Man. Admission, One Shilling. ust .- Published, price One Shilling, Free by Post (Gratis to Visitors to the Museum), a New Edition of Dr. Kahn's Treatise, " THE SHOALS and QUICKSANDS of YOU fit," an Essay, spechlly intended to avert dancers to which the young and susceptible are peculiarly liable, and to arrest the progress of evil. TIIEATRE ROYAL, ILtYMARKET. under the Management of Mr. Buckstone. On WEDNESDAY NEXT will he performed THE LADY OF LYONS. Claude Melnotte, Mr. Howe; Colonel Damas, Mr. Chippendale; Beamant, Mr. W. Farren ; Pauline Deschappelles, Miss Reynolds. Atter which a New Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST ; or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. 40TAL rRINCESS'A TEIEATaE, OXFORD-STREET. puler thel Management of Mr. CuAnts, ICNAw. On WEDNESDAY NEXT will be presented THE HEIR-AT-LAW. After which will be produced a New Grand Christmas Panto mime, entit:ed. HARLEQUIN AND THF. 'MAID AND THE MAGP;E ; or, the Fairy Paradisa an 4 Hanky Panky, the Enchanter. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack Clown, Mr. Milne ; Pantaloon, Mr Paula; and Colum' Ins, Miss Ilicebe Beale. RIYAL OC,YIINC THEATRE. Lessee and Manaaer, Mr. Alfred Wigan. On WEDNESDAY NEXT will be performed • TIIE JENLOIJiI WIFE. Characters by Messrs A. Wig in, G. Vining, Emery, Leslie, Dan vers. Mrs. Stirling, and Miss Marston. After which will be produced a New and doubly-moral, thaugh cacclsively old, Melodramatic Fa' ry Extravaganza, entitled 'r!TE DISCREET PRINCESS; o - , the Three Glass Distaff':. I n ,h clt meiiors. Emery, F. Rohm, H. Cooper, Miss Marston, and Miss Masker. will appear. TITY.ATRE ROYAL ADELPTP. Proprietor. Nr,.. R. webster.—D:rectress. IflAaros retests. On WEDNI. , DAY NEXT will be performed MOTEIF.R AND CHILD ARE DOING WELL. Afer which ROW'S YOUR UNCLE ? Te con.lnde with a Graa4 Coalition of Burlesque and Pantomime, to he called JACK AND TGE BE 11 STALK; or, Harlequin and Mother Goo'e at home Again. in wh:ch Mer:sv. Blapd, P. Bedford, Madame Celeste, Miss Wyndham, and Miss E. Ardea will ap)ear. ROYAL SURREY THEATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd and Creswick, On WEDNESDAY NEXT will be presented TIIE FLOWER GIRL. To conclude with A PRINCE OF PEARLS ; cr, Harlequin and Jane Shore. i‘OTAL ATIZAND TREATRE. Under the direction of Mr. Payne. On WEDNESDAY NEX will be presented NOEMIE ; or, '►he Foster Sister. After which, IT BUNS IN TIII FAMILY. HARLEQUIN BLACK-EYED SUE; cr, All in the Downs and Davy Jones's Locker. ASTLEY9 ROW, AMP:ITT/MAME. Lesaee aMManner, Mr. Wm. Cooke. On Poxing Night (first time), an tinhearil-of novelty !—an Epics tri An Comic Pantomime. called Harlequin and St George aad the , Dragon. or the Seven Champions of Christendom ; introducing 100 !UAW,. ponies, and other quadrupedal artistes. The animals trained and the equestrian effects invented and arraaged by Mr. William Cooke. ------ itox.oMee open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W West. Equestrian Director, Kr. W. Cooke. !tin. HIGH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE. Ti'i DAY—Morn. 57 min. aft. 2—Evening 19 min. aft. 3 To-Nloattow—Horn.33 min. aft. 3 —Evening 57 min. aft. 3 THE WEA.TFIEft—SUN OFFICE, Dec. 25. TLIERIIOIIETER, IN TLIE &LADE. 50 - highest sinco noon yesterday. 41 —tlwest this morning and during the night. 4) —this day at noon. BAROMETER; 99 . 63. WlND.—Southerly. Light, with dull weather and occa sional sunshine. There was heavy rain in the night. a ft.;> 4. . - ;r 4 4 • .(1 ) , §AA3I, ' •-• " LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1855 , A remarkable pamphlet* bearing upon the ar of war has recently been translated from the on ginal French of the Russian Major-General OKOU NEFF, by two ingenious and intelligent officers in our national service—Captain W. H. WEAVER and Lieutenant E. M. JONES, of her Majesty's 86th Regiment. The production is altogether so curious of its kind, so important at the present juncture, and so strikingly illustrative of the mili tary tactics of the enemy, that we would here direct attention to the brochure as a work small, no doubt, in its dimensions, but really enormous, to our thinking, in its significance. Although this treatise made its appearance several years since, it may still, we believe, be confidently accepted as an argument affording us, so to speak, the key to the whole of the Russian military organisation. In testimony of which, it should be borne i n re membrance that the author, himself a soldier of considerable distinction, takes rank among the favourite lieutenants of perhaps the greatest Mus covite Captain now living, the veteran . Field- Marshal Prince PASKIEWITC II . It is to 11.18 High ness the Prince of Warsaw that the little volume is pointedly and eulogistically inscribed. It asserts, its claim, moreover, to be regarded as the expo nent of the peculiar system inaugurated by that daring and fortunate commander, as far back as the year 1831, upon the occasion of the memora ble storming of the great fortified city, famous still in the pages of history as the capital of what once was Poland. It sets forth with the almost axiomatic enunciation of the very important truth that the most common, if not the only, " plan of attack" adopted in modern pitched battles, has been that directed against a FLANK ! It insists subsequently upon the almost invariable ineffeo tiveness of this same cautious and customary sy tem, proclaiming the immensely superior ad van tago on the other hand of the daring scheme by which th e CENTRE of a hostile army i s b ro k en , it s two wings there b y becomin g completely separated. It is of course indisputable that, whenever a centre is thus broken, an enemy s forces are in consequence irretrievably routed, whereas in spite f the most consummate dexterity in the conduct o f an out flanking movement, the victor almost inevitably finds the vanquished legions escaping from his grasp by their orderly withdrawal betimes through the mere terror of an impending catastrophe. The reason for all which is, of course, sufficiently obvious—the foe is opportunely warned directly lie perceives one. of his flanks to have been turned, while the rupture of the centre of his line leaves him no opportunity whatever for the chance of a timely extrication. Wherefore the deduction from all this is in its turn no less clearly mani fJst—that an attack directed against a flank, th )tigh it m ay be more easy in its accomplishment, -4. "On the Use of artillery in th e Fi eld with a v i ew to CerLain Improvements in the system of Modern Tactics. Tranglated from the Fi•ench of the Russian Major-General N. Okonnett" By Captain W. H. Weaver and Licit. E. M. Jones, U.M. 86th Regunent.• 12 D 20 .1 PP, 52. Lou don ; W. Clowes and Sons. 1555. THE SUN, LONDON; TUESDAY EV_ENING DECEM BER 25 1855. inconvertible, can alleviate it ! On the other hand, we assert that there is an ample supply of real capital, and that all that is required is a suffi- cient measure and representative of value, a circu- ating medium adequate to the wants and exigen- cies of the nation ; and that, for any practical purpose, it is no more required that the currency should exclusively consist of the precious metals than that the yard with which the draper meavures his cloth, or the weights by which the grocer or farmer weighs his tea or sugar or corn should be made of sterling gold or silver ! Here then a direct and tangible issue is joined, and we confi dently await the verdict of public opinion thereon. For what is capital ? Does it consist solely of money, without any allowance being made for money's worth ? If nothing but gold and silver can be taken into account, then may the man pos sessed of rich and fertile lands, of convenient and gorgeously-furnished mansions, of flocks and herds, or of warehouses filled to overflowing with costly merchandise, be nothing better thin a mere beggar. All his noble possessions may be rendered of no value for the lack of a few metallic counters, white or yellow, Capital really consists of accumulated labour in any form useful or convenient to the community, 41,nd also of the natural gifts of PRO. VIDENCE. Gold which requires a certain amount of labour to extract it from the mines in which it lay concealed is but one—and, perhaps, the least valuable form of that capital. It is chiefly sought because, by general consent, it has been adopted as Arne of the means by which other really valuable, property can be exchanged with facility. It is, as we have stated, merely the measure and representative of real property, or true " Ca.piltal," and not real property or " Capital" itnelf, or, et best, but one form there of—and there is no more reason why we should not substitubo a more philosophical and conve nient "representative" than there was at the time of the adoption of gold in place of cattle, as the great medium of exchange, that the old prin ciple of barter should be steadfastly maintained. The Incon le and Property Tax affords a toler ably fair aril erion on which to extricate the actual " Capital" o 1 the country. We can calculate the value of the lands and houses, and the various forms of national wealth or capital, producing in come or the moans of livelihood. We can also guess at the amount of wealth not indicated by these returnn. The innumerable flocks and herds —the horsey, corn, and furniture, implements of husbandry, works of art, and the various goods and chattlesa comprised under the term " mer chandise." These are the items of actual wealth, and, if they had departed from the country, we should be poor indeed. But so long as we re tain them, so long as we have possession of things bestowing elt the owners the necessaries, comforts, or luxuries of life, we shall be rich, although there were tot a single ounce of gold remaining in the count ry, or in the world. The true " capital" of the nation has been variously eltimated at from flee to eight thousand millions of pounds sterling. Taking even the lowest calculation that has been offered by any trust worthy witness, why should the withdrawal of some eight or ten millions create such wide-spread distress an& suffering when it bears no greater proportion i o the general stock than from one sixth or one-fifth per cent., or some 3s. 4d. or 4s. out of every 1001. ? The man who had 1,0001. in his pocket would think it ridiculous to be re quired to reduce his expenditure, or to submit to serious privations because he had the amount di minished by some 30s. or 21. Why should the nation act differently, or mourn for the departure of some yellow counters, while its real wealth is not only untouched, but is daily increasing in value. With five thousand millions of property, and the thews and sinews of thirty millions of people, seven millions five hundred thousand whereof may be assumed to be adult males, and an equal number of adult females, we are rich indeed, despite the want of gold. We require but a convenient form of currency, or circulating medium, to develope the capabilities and display the almost miraculous elasticity of our natural resources ; and that can only be found in the em ployment of really national notes of convenient denominations, the nature whereof we have re peatedly indicated, and which will pass freely from hand. to hand, inasmuch as they will possess "a purchasing power," and every person will know that with these he can command an amount of the necessaries, comforts, or luxuries of life pro portioned to their nominal value. We again in sert the three admirable letters of Mr. SALT on `his subject. The determination of the President of the United States not to send a representative to the diplomatic conference now being held at Copen hagen, on the subject of the Sound Dues, is pre cisely what we looked for. To have sent one would have been an act of self-stultification which would have very muoh surprised us. The question is not a question of degree, but of right. Has the Danish Government any valid right to levy these dues, or has it not ? All that can be said to establish such a right has already been ad vanced, and the verdict of the American Govern ment has bees in the ntgative. Denmark has no such right, and being of that opinion the Ameri can Government could not entertain the question of compensation for a moment, since, if there is to be compensation, America herself, and not Don mark, is entitled to it. Mr. MARCY, in his despatch, puts the entire affair in a very able and lucid manner. He argues that there is just as much reason for collecting these dues at the entrance to the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, or tho mouths of great navigable rivers as the Baltic (and that is none at all) ; and such being the case, no claim of prescription can be of any weight what America ought to pay. America will not object to pay, and so far as com pensation for building and maintaining light houses, providing pilots, ttc., are concerned, is willing to pay her due proportion. All beyond this is unwarrantable exaction, and, being so, can no longer be submitted to. a e e a e r s of can it Decidedly the United States have the best of the arg umen t, an d th e position. No number of y consecrate levying g a ofwrong, a).oavayndtaz or any taxthevery whatever, on vessels passing along the shores of Denmark is a flagrant one, and more especially to America. The Danish Government, the reader may be aware, not only relies on the title o f pre scription, but also on that policy , ' l•cy, of • iand points out political reasons why the tax should be levied. Unfortunately for Denmark, A • mama not only cannot benefit by this questionable policy, but has a decided aversion to it—in point of faot, is pledged not to lend it any countenance whatever. What the upshot will be, we cannot say. It is, perhaps, unfortunate, that the affair has been brought to a crisis at the present time, but it nevertheleas must be dealt with. America will not pay any more after the termination of the Treaty, and in that case how can Denmark enforce it from any other Power ? The posi tion is not pleasant, but America is right, and we ought to follow the latter's example. If 1 there be any State reasons why Denmark should receive eleemosynary aid, let them have their full weight and due consideration, but in any case let our commerce generally be freed from so piratical an impost. All the experience it can receive will fall short of the wants and necessities of the world. is far less effectual in its consequences. The breaking of the centre while it is the result of a plan of attack the most audacious in its design is the most decisive means for the gaining of a great victory, and not only the most decisive, but the most glorious, the most heroic, he most chivalrous. It was the favou• rite thunderbolt burled by the giant hands of the greatest Captains of modern times both by sea and land. It was the cause of the crushing triumph of Trafalgar. It was the secret of the total rout of two imperial armies on the plains of Austerlitz. NELSON knew the overwhelming sequence of his boldly breaking the line of the allied fleets when he bore down upon them with that immortal signal from the Victory, " England expects every man will do his duty." NAPOLEON foresaw with the prescient eye of Genius the deathless laurels which were to be reaped upon ;he heights of Pratzen on the morning of that ever-memorable anniversary of his coronation, when he struck down with one tremendous blow the associated banners of the CZAR and the KAISER. It is after the enforcement of these indisputable facts, facts demonstrative of the inefficiency of any plan of attack directed against a flank as com pared with another daringly hurled against an enemy's centre, that General OKOUNEFF succinctly and explicitly indicates (page 25) as the sub- jeet matter of his little treatise, his projec for the crowning employment of the Artillery as the grandest and the most terrible, in fact the wholly irresistible and overwhelming, arm of war, when wielded, as it should in truth be wielded, in all future military operations. His argument, in deed, reduced to so many words, has been thus sententiously expressed—the employment of the artillery " to shatter the enemy's battalions, and io thoroughly prepare the way for the action of the other arms as to enable them to break through the centre of the hostile line of battle, and, by destroying the tactical connection between the parts of his army, expose him to a complete de feat." Q. E. D. Such is the glorious turning point in the deadly art of war reserved by a Rus sian general as the post of honour to be henceforth held by the Artillery. Fas est ab hosts Here in truth are many "words to the wise" — words which prudence tells us should not be allowed to scatter to the winds of heaven. General OKOUNEFF avows, chap. ii., p. 22, " I think I can foresee the day when the whole conduct of a battle will be bared on the action of the Artil lery." We go further than this—we believe the day will ultimately arrive when victory will rest almost exclusively upon the proper 1130 not so much of cannon balls and bombshells as of a peculiar and awful species of projectiles. Projectiles, the nature of which has been dimly, but even now dismally, indicated in the present war by the stink pots of the Russians, and our own destructive asphyxiating shells, missiles reeking with poison and detonating with blindness, and death, and hideous mutilation. Ultimately, we believe that war will be in a manner almost exclusively carried on by means of projectiles, compared with which. even missiles of this ghastly character will appear is harmless as the sugar-plums showered down upon the revellers in an Italian carnival. Victory, that is to say, coming to us then as the sequel of the Kakodyles and the Cyanides ! It is not extra vagant, in other words, to imagine the centre of an enemy's line of battle irretrievably shattered by the explosion of certain terrific bombshells, laden with combustibles more terrible than the Greek Fire, and with poisons more deadly than the exhalations of the Upas Tree. Bombshells, for example, scattering around them upon the doomed foe in their vicinity, that dreadful com pound formed by the union of arsenic and the radical metbyle—chemically known as Kakodyle —a volatile substance so inflammable that it takes fire instantaneously upon its expo sure to the atmosphere, and so deatrubtive that, as it flames up, the arsenic contained in it, combining with the oxygen in the air, forms itself into impalpable white arsenic, diffused upon the breeze, and carrying murder with it in every respiration ! Bombshells bursting with that fear ful liquid formed by the blending of white arsenic and acetate of potash, a liquid commonly desig nated the Liquor of Cadet, but chemically known by the name of Alkarsin ! Bombshells, again, discharging as they explode the foetid vapour termed by chemists the Cyanide of Kakodyle, a vapour which, upon its contact with the air, becomes immediately decomposed, part of it uniting .with the oxygen to form white arsenic, and part uniting with the hydrogen, to form prussic acid—the two deadliest poisons with which science has yet made us acquainted ! That such missiles are not by any means purely imaginary has already been plainly enough indi cated. A little more than a year from the pre sent time it was formally announced, indeed, that " The Committee of Ordnance have had their at tention drawn to a new projectile-s--a shell charged with a liquid which, when released by the con cussion of the ball, becomes a sheet of liquid fire, consuming all within its influence, the smoke emitted also destroying human life." A descrip tion accurately corresponding with the known properties of the Cyanides and the Kakodyles. Besides all which, other missiles might be yet more readily laden with the insupportable stench produced by such horrid substances as the oil of garlic or as Mercaptan. General Oxon/cave, it is here therefore almost unnecessary to add, appears to us to be anything but rash in attaching such supreme importance to the future reserved for the Artillery. So stupendous in its importance we believe that future to be, tkat upon the rapid and deadly development of Artillery under the guid ance of our Chemical Philosophers, we mainly rest our hope that War may be ultimately rendered so destructive as to become altogether impracticable. Let us articulate this Hope all the more earnestly upcn this holiest day in the Christian Calendar, • upon this divine and glorious festival of Christ i mas—sanguine that Science may thus in the end prove herself in very deed the awful Handmaid of Religion. s- " MERCATOR" has based his arguments in sup port of the Bank Charter Act of 1844 on the alleged fact that it is not a currency, but capital, that is deficient, and from thence he aims at the conclusion that no issue of Bank Notes of any denominations could possibly remove the evil which has occasioned such serious injury to the industrial population of the country. The Times follows in the same strain, and utters loud jere miads on the deplorable "poverty" of the nation. The existence of general distress is admitted on every side. On that subject bullionist and anti bullionist currency quacks, and currency reform ers, fully and completely agree. It is the com mon starting point—the axiom that requires no proof. The mere fact that the minimum rate of discount at the Bank of England is 7 per cent. for tw y bills having more than GO d a y s t o r u n, and i t h e co nsequent limitation of credit, and difficulty of converting the most unquestionable securities into money, establish the accuracy of the p a i n ful asser ti on beyond the possibility of doubt or con troversy. Bet this admitted distress arises from poverty, say MERCATOR and the Times, and no sane of a paper currency ) whether convertible or MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, Two o'CLocK. The Stock Exchange, Bank of England, and other large public establishments being closed, as usual on Christmas Day, no business has been transacted. DEATH OF COUNT VALERIAN KRA.SINSKI. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SIR, —The Polish Emigration has just sustained an irreparable loss by the death of Count Valerian Krasin ski, who was no less distinguished as an English writer than as a Polish patriot ; and I therefore venture to hope that it will not be deemed an intrusion if I solicit a place in your columns for the subjoined sketch of his life and activity.—l am, sir, your obedient serranf, C. SZULCZEWSKI. 10, Duke-street, St. James's, Dec. 24. MEMOIR OF COUNT VALERIAN KRASINSKI. Count Valerian Krasinski, one of the most distin guished members of the Polish Emigration, who died in Edinburgh on the morning of the 22d inst., was a native of the ancient Polish provinca of White Russia, and issued from an old and illustrious family, the branch to which he Lelonged having at an early period em braced the Protestant faith, of which the late count also was a most fervent adherent. Being endowed with great natural abilities, which were further developed by a superior classical education, Count Valerian Krasinski soon attained to an eminent position in his native coun try, and at once put forward that energy of action which characterised him through life. Having been appointed chief of the department of the Ministry of Public Instruc tion in the kingdom of Poland, charged with the affairs of the various dissenting religious denominations, he zealously endeavoured to further true enlightenment among them ; and among other exertions for this end, he promoted with indefatigable energy the establishment of a college at Warsaw for the education of Jewish I Rabbis, an institution from which have Eince issued many learned and distinguished individuals. Wishing to promote enlightenment in his country by the diffusion of valuable scientific and other works at a cheap rate, Count ValerianKrasinski wag also the first to introduce stereotype printing in Poland, and in this instance the benefits bestowed upon the community considerably im- paired his own fortune, without, however, in any way abating his zeal for the public good. On the breaking out cf the Polish Insurrection in 1830 Count Valerian Krasinski, whose patriotic sentiments were fully appreciated by his countrymen, was sent by the than chief of the national government, Prince Adam Czartoryski, to England, as a member of the diplomatic mission despatched from Poland to this country, and he continued here in this capacity until the fatal catastro phe of 1831, when he, with so many others, became a penniless exile from his country, for which, however, up to the day of his death, he never c eased to labour. De prived of every other means of subsistence, he thence forward devoted himself exclusively to those literary pursuits which had ever been his greatest pleasure, and which now proved his greatest solace ; and though still making every effort subservient to the cause of his coun try, he soon worked out for himself a distinguished place among the literati of this country, int he language of which he wrote. His first venture in the English language was the translation of a Polish novel, "Sigistnund Augustus; or Poland in the Sixteenth Century," which, having met with a very favourable reception from the British public, was followed by an original work of greater pretensions. This was the "History of the Reformation in Poland," which at once established Count Krasinski's reputation as one of the most eminent historical writers of the day, and which having subsequently been translated into German and French acquired for him European re nown, and won for him flattering notice from the most distinguished men of letters in all countries, as well as from crowned heads, among whom was the late King of Prussia, who bestowed upon him the gold medal for lite rary merit, and did not fear to express to a Polish re fugee, in a letter with his autograph signature, his ad miration of a work which is not more distinguished for deep historic research and conscientious sifting of the truth than it is remarkable for its patriotic sentiments, and for the boldness with which the rights and the lode pendence of Poland are asserted. But although growing thus rapidly rich in honours, Count Krasinki's literary labours failed to secure for him anything like compe tence, yet, though often subjected to great privations, he ever resolutely rejected the most brilliant offers made to him by Russia, and even declined the more flattering and honourable overtures made to him by the King of Prussia, preferring a life of honest, though not painless, independence in a free country to the golden chains of the destroyer of his native land, or even the service of a monarch whose country has borne an unenviable part in the history of that destruction. The next historical work that issued from the pen of the deceased nobleman, after an interval of several years, during which he was a con stant contributor to the perinclicAl literature of this coun try, was the "Sketch of the Religious History of the Scla- Tonic Nations," a work of rare merit, and which, among the learned divines of :Scotland more especially, met with due appreciation. However, the stirring time which com menced in 1843, and which strengthened the hope of the eventual restoration of their country,whichhad ever been kept alive in the hearts of the Polish exiles, made the count exchange for a time the pen of the historian for that of the political pamphleteer, and the result was a series of pamplets on the Polish and Russian question, such as Panslavism and Germanism ; Russia and Europe; Russia, Poland, and Europe ; Opinions of Napoleon the First regarding Poland. The last three of these bear upon the subject of the present war, and all give evi dence of remarkable political sagacity, and of a pre science rare even among routine diplomatists. However, it is, alas ! but too probable that it was the excitement of mind kept up by constant occupation with subjects so near his heart, and with hopes to realise which was the sole object of his life, that undermined a frame ever very delicate ; and one of the worthiest and most distinguished of the last Polish exiles was thus cut off in the very dawn of a possible new and happier future for his country. His very last days were employed in correcting the proofs of a pamphlet entitled "The Polish Question," but which he has not lived to see published, and a " History of Poland," which he had commenced pub lishing in monthly numbers, also remains unfinished. On subjects not connected with his own country, Count Krasinaki has contributed to English literature a trans lation of Calvin's " Treatise on Relics," and several small works on religious subjects, which, though published anonymously, had a very extensive circulation. His high intellectual qualities, his wonderful store of historic knowledge, and his extraordinary memory, to gether with the integrity of his character, the nobility of his sentiments, the gentleness of his disposition, and the courtesy and elegance of his manners, rendered Count Valerian Krasinski ever a welcome guest in all the most refined circles of London, where he spent the first 20 years of his exile, and of Edinburgh, where the last five were passed ; and his death will be wept by some of tho most distinguished individuals, both as to rank and talent, in this and in other countries, who counted him among their most valued friends. Most of all, however, his loss will be felt by the Polish Emigra tion, and the more so as following so immediately after that of M. Adam Mickiewicz, the celebrated Polish poet, who died a few weeks ago at Constantinople, whither he had been sent by the French Government on a very important and delicate mission. A very short time before his death Count Valerian Krasinski received a letter from the illustrious - chief of the Polish Emigra tion, Prince Adam Czartoryski, expressing his thanks and satisfaction at the great and important services which the late count did not cease to render to the cause of his country. igs soss PRIVATE AND JOINT-STOCK BANKS. The Bankers' Magazine furnishes the returns of circu lation of the private and joint-stock banks in England and Wales for the four weeks ending the 24th of Nov., 1855, and gives the following as thQ average weekly cir• culation of those banks during the past month, viz.:— Private banks Joint-stock banks Average weekly circulation £7,102,413 On comparing the above with the returns for the pre ceding month, ending the 27th of Oct. last, it shows— A decrease in the circulation of the private banks of A decrease in the circulation tof the joint-stock banks of . £92,007 39,035 Decrease on the month And, as compared with the return for the correspond ing period of last year —viz., Nov. 25, 1854, it shows— An increase in the circulation of the private banks of A decrease in the circulation of the joint-stock banks of £35,747 14,395 Increase on the year i;21,352 On comparing the above with the amounts of the fixed issues, the fallowing appears to be the comparative state of the circulation : The private banks are below their fixed issues £618,R08 The joint-stock banks are below their fixed issues 195,640 Total below their fixed issues ...... .. £814,448 The Cornish woman who walked, in 1851, from Pen zance to London to see the Exhibition, died a fortnight ago,_ aged 88. DEATH OF REAR-ADMIRAL F. J. THOMAS.—We have to record the demise of Rear-Admiral Frederick Jen nings Thomas, who expired on Wednesday last, at his residence, near Southampton, at an advanced age. The gallant veteran entered the navy at an early age, and was midshipman on board the Prince of Wales in Cal der's action, and served under the immortal Nelson, being lieutenant (acting) of the Spartiate at Trafalgar. In 181142 he was second in command of the Cadiz flo tilla, and was at the storming of twelve batteries, at the spiking or capture of several hundred pieces of ordnance, and capturo and destruction c f 150 sail of vessels. The deceased had received the silver naval medal and one clasp for his distinguished services afloat. His commis sions bore date as follows :—Lieutenant, 14th February, 1805 ; commander, 4th March, 1811 ; captain, Bth De cember, 1813 ; all'i rear-admiral (retired), let October, i 1846. LATEST NEWS. DRESDEN, DEC. 24. Baron Seebach, the Saxon envoy at the French Court, arrived here yesterday from Paris. After receiving instructions here he has proceeded on his way to St. Petersburg. His mission is connected with the negotiations for peace. ST. PETERSBURG, DEC. 23. General Mouravieff, in ordering the garrison of Kars to file off before him, dispensed with the English taking part in that movement. Omer Pacha, on hearing that Prince Bagration had re ceived reinforcements, hastily re-crossed the In gour, and fell back on Soukhum Kale. BERLIN, DEC. 24. Our latest accounts from the Russian capital are not favourable to the success of the attempts at negotiation. It is hoped the representations that will be made by M. de Fonton of the feeling of the Ger man Courts will modify the present feeling of the Czar's Cabinet. It is considered that th© treaty with Sweden would not have been published if much was ex- petted from the propositions of which Count Esterhazy is the bearer. The publication of it at the present time will but exasperate Russia. We learn from Vienna that a portion of the Sardinian Contingent is expected to join the French army destined to act on the Baltic coasts next spring. The main body of the English army, it is re ported there, is to co-operate with Omer Pacha to drive the Russians out of Georgia. FRANCE. PARIS, MONDAY EVENING. The accouchement of the Empress is expected to take place between the 15th and the 25th of March. This is authentic. Her Majesty's health is excellent. Their Majesties yesterday received the following persons :—The Countess de Piper, wifo of Count de Piper, Secretary of the Swedish Legation, and M. do Stadingk, an attach 6 to that legation ; M. Due, Minister of State of Norway ; the Chevalier and Mine. Letterstedt ; Mme. Crowley ; M. de Munck, Secretary of the Order of the Nobles ; and Mg. Grontvedt, Petre, Baron Akerhjelm and M. de Yorsell, Swedish officers, all of whom were pre sented by Count de Lo3wenhielm, the Swedish Minister ; Mr. Jennings Wise, Secretary of the American Legation ; Mr. Benham and Mrs. Macrae, presented by Mr. Mason, the American Minister. Preparations for the military solemnity of Satur day have already been commenced. At the en trance of the Boulevard, at the Bastile, a triumphal arch is being erected, and others are to be con structed on the line of march. Trophies, flag staffs, and wreaths of foliage are besides to be placed at intervals. In the evening, it is said, there will be a general illumination. It is further stated that each soldier of the army of Paris will receive extra pay on Saturday, in order to be able to treat a comrade amongst the new arrivals. The Archbishop of Paris has ordered the cue of every parish in his diocese to open a depot for the reception of old clothes, damaged or worn-out fur niture, and broken victuals for the use of the poor. The Presse says, in its weekly commercial re view The fears which have been entertained of the results of the measures taken by the Bank of France within the last two months are gradually disappearing. Trade is far from active, but so much caution has been exercised that the aggre gate of bills payable at the end of December will not be formidable. Early this morning a rapid thaw set in. The streets are muddy, and there is a soft southern breeze. The thermometer, which only twenty-four hours since was 11 degrees below zero, was at noon to-day 3 degrees above. There is a great deal of illness consequent upon these violent oscillations of temperature. BOURSE, Dec. 24.—The following are the last quotations : Cash. tY. e. End of Month. 4i per Cents 9l 50 —f. --e. 3 per Cents 64 55 64 45 New Loan 65 50 Bank Shares 3220 Roman Credit Mobilier 1350 Austrian Belgian Fives 9t. Spanish Threes 4O Piedmontese B7 Home Debt 3li RAILWAYS-YOB CASH. fr. e. C °Acme .... ...... ..... 1130 Western 757 50 Northern Lyons ..... 1140 New Ditto 750 Mediterranean 1262 50 Grand Central 587 50 L v ona Geneva 7OO Taste ____. Cetto 697 50 Austrian Com. 730 Esterhazy who is ambassador from the Court of Vienna at St. Petersburg. The Prussian govern ment will use its influence with the Czar in suppor of the propositions. The Independance Beige asserts that Prussia consents to support these propositions, and the journal in question considers the fact as the most significant sign in favour of the probabilities of peace which has yet occurred. Le .Nord disbelieves the story. RUSSIA. A letter from Odessa, of the 6th, says the Em peror has lately addressed the following decree to the Cossacks of the Don :—" To our faithful army of the Cossacks of the Don !—Considering the dis tinguished services of the regiments Nos. 1 and 2 in the Caucasus and on the banks of the Danube, and in order to prove our satisfaction at the readi ness with which every individual of that army took up arms, we bestow on each of those regiments a standard. In sending them the accompanying flags we order that, after they have been consecrated, they may be used in conformity with the fidelity, the courage, and the zeal which only belo ng to Russian troops.—ALPIXANDER.'' POLAND. Accounts from Warsaw, of the 16th inst., state that several changes had taken place among the military commanders in Poland. General G ulden stubbe, who lately commanded the depot batta lions of the Guard, had arrived at Warsaw and assumed the command of the first division of the Guard. The new chief of the first division of in fantry, quartered at Lublin, General Kuscheleff, had also arrived there. This division, together with the regiments of the Guard and a few bri gades of reserve, constituting what is called the western army, forms the garrison of Poland. That army is to be shortly reinforced by 10,000 men of the Jaroslaff Militia, who are to bo can toned in several towns left without garrisons. There is, besides, the army of the centre, com manded by General Paniutin, who has his head quarters at Kieff. This army, independently of the cavalry, is only composed of troops of reserve and Militia, which are to be drilled during the winter. Those two armies, the Guard not included, do not present a large effective force. They are probably intended to cover Bessarabia as an army of reserve. AU STRIA. A letter from Vienna of the 20th, in the Post Gazette of Frankfort, says :—" It is known that the third point has received a new interpretation, that is to say, that in place of the propositions pre viously drawn up, the neutralisation of the Black Sea has been admitted. The Western Powers p u t forward this interpretation some mouths ago ; and if Austria did not immediately adopt it, it was be cause Sebastopol was not taken, and because it was not to be expected that Russia would accept condi tions which, so to speak, would oblige her to de stroy her fleet and raze her fortresses. The capture of Sebastopol has removed the obstacle to an un derstanding on the third point. Count Buol has not disguised from Prince Gortschakoff that the best thing Russia has to do is to accedo to what is now proposed. The great p owe rs consider the third point as the condition sine. qua non of peace, and Russia can accept it without injury to her political and military position. It thus appears, then, that it is once more on Russia that the decision of peace or war depends." A letter from Vienna of the 18th, in the Augs burg Gazette, says :—" The interchange of de spatches between Vienna and Paris is at present exceedingly animated. This day Count Choty, attache of embassy, left this city with despatches for the French capital." The same letter adds : " Colonel Tarr, the Austrian deserter, has been transferred here, and is now in the military prison. It is not thought that ho will be detain ed long in custody." PRUSSIA. BERLIN, Dec. 22.—The pacific propositions of Austria have been communicated to the Prussian government by Prince Esterhazy, Austrian mi n i s . ter to the Court of i3erlia--a relation of the Count COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, DECEMBER 24. The Queen, with the Princesses Helena and Louisa, walked in the elopes this morning. Prince Albert, accompanied by Prince Ernest of Leiningen, went out shooting. Rear Admiral the Hon. R. S. Dundas left the Castle in the forenoon. Despatches from the Governor of Canada were re ceived yesterday at the Colonial-office. Despatches were sent la3t evening from the Colonial office to the Governors of the Colonies on the West Coast of Africa. CHARLES DICKENS AT SHEFFIELD. On Saturday evening Mr. Dickens read his " Christ• I teas Carol" to a crowded audience in the lecture hall of the Sheffield Mechanics' Institution, in behalf of the funds of the institute. At the conclusion of the reading, and after a demonstration of applause had subsided, The MAYOR (W. Fawcett, Esq.) rose and said—Mr. Dickens, ladies, and gentlemen, I am charged by a few gentlemen in Sheffield with a very pleasing duty, and that is to present to Mr. Dickens on this occasion a very handsome table service of cutlery, a pair of razors, and a pair of fish carvers, It 'am thought there ought to be some} substantial manifestation of gratitude to Mr. Dick ens for his great kindness in coming to Sheffield on this occasion. (Cheers.) I have enjoyed this evening's treat as much as any of you, and though I have frequently read Mr. Dickens's works with great relish and delight, yet from this time there will ever be associated in my mind the name of Charles Dickens and the Christmas of 1855. (Cheers.) Mr. Dickens knows as well as we know that our town is both black and smoky ; but at the same time we make articles that are both bright and sharp—(cheers and laughter)—and I think he will find that the articles now presented to him are not only bright and sharp, but that they are good, and will serve for a great number of years. I hope he will live to wear them out. (Cheers.) If he does so, and his faculties are continued unto him, which I hope may be the case— (cheers)—l ant sure that not only we, but those who come after us, will have cause to rejoice greatly in his continued being. (Cheers.) Mr. Dickens has contri buted greatly to the encouragement of benevolence and kindly feeling ; and I trust he will continue to write works of such a character as will tend to the moral and intellectual good of the nation generally. (Cheers.) I have much pleasure, sir, in presenting to you this cut lery in the name of the people of Sheffield, aid hope it will prove extremely useful aad acceptable. (Loud and continued cheering.) THE WEAVHER AND THE PARES. Notwithstanding that the ice in the different Royal parks was covered with water yesterday to the extent of five or six inehei, some hundreds of persons ventured upon it, and had it not been for the efforts of the ice men of the Royal Humane Society, under Mr. Superin tendent Williams, unquestionably a great loss of life would have taken place. The icemen had to use their hand lines and actually beat the people off. The thermometer at the Royal Humane Society's Receiving-house in Hyde park showed yesterday maxi• mum 47 deg., and minimum 24 (leg. The wind was south-west, and the barometer was 29 deg.-72 deg. In the morning it rained, and at seven o'clock fait evening it commenced raining again with increased severity. The Marquis of Anglesey has left the St. George's Hotel for Beaudesert. The Marquis of Bath has left the St. George's Hotel for Longkat, near Warminster. _ _ The Earl and Countess of Malmesbury, and other an:lilies of rank, are placed in mourn ing by the death of Lady Catherine Bell, wife of Major-General Bell, and eldest daughter of the first Earl of Malmesbury. The Marchioness Dowager of Londonderry has given 501. towards the restoration of Seaham Congregational Chapel, which was blown down in one of the late gales of wind. Lady Hamilton Seymour has been presented to the Empress of Austria. lt, is said that a move is being made in the West Rid ing in favour of the Right Hon. Mr. T. Brines, member for Leeds, ac the Liberal Candidate ; and Henry Edward., Esq., of Ryo Nest, late M.P. for Halifax, as the Conser vative candidate, at the next election. Denmark, it is expected, will very shortly sign a treaty similar to that of Sweden. The news of the ratification of the Swedish treaty, we hear from Germany. has produced a great sensation, and especially at Berlin. The Tuscan Government is about to use the utmost rigour to prevent any Tuscan from joining the Anglo- Italian Legion. The Austrian Government has sug gested that this carp may one day be dangerous to Acs euueTblds'inticnrenrigiaPb..levOptEToeAhTiaesur concordat g s Italy. i e n v g ery Tuscanysimilara probabilitynt o d t t h h taf e tt h T i ae w t e o vi Sicilies to e a s t i i g ca n n ed su b c y . IN PARIS.—At midnight on Friday azCd zero, On ge a reh i s i tc Chev alier's se Saturdayl tohcekr o'clock, a l o c e i tleirt morning, nd a ger degrees re at te 9 6 s i;x2 o'clock, l t ao h te dkne,ogo9rne degrees sg b .r e ie l oe o st w h; n b Ie i n ow APTOTNTMENTS. — Mr. Bouverie Alleyne is ea secretary provos of appointed pGp marshalro e i n n t a o ef d da. colonial o I Grenada. l‘ n l ia r 1 Henry appoi n tment harp colonial is ap point Mr. Albert Allem is appointed colonial secretary at Tobago. Mr. Charles Berkeley is treasurer at Tobago.—Observer. SACRED HARMONIC SOCIETY, EXETER-HALL.—lia,ydn's " Creation" is announced for Friday the 4th of January, when Mr. Sims Reeves makes his first appearance in London this season—Madame Clara Novelle sustaining the principal soprano. SEASONABLE BENEVOLITCH.—A few days since one hundred pounds was paid to Messrs. Hallett's, the bankers, on account of the building fund of the Western Dispensary, Tothill-street, Westminster, by a gentleman leaving the initials of A. G. A similar sum was given in the year 1851, under the same circumstances, and doubtless by the same beneficent person. A switchwan and a station-master, whose negligence occasioned the terrible accident which took place on the Versailles Railway (left bank) on the 9th of November last, have been sentenced to the unusually severe but well-merited punishment of five years' imprisonment, besides fines of 500 fran cs. SEBASTOPOL DOCKS.—A letter from Kamiesch, in the Gazette du Midi, says The docks of Sebastopol are to be blown up on the 9th. The destruction of these great works will be the signal for a war without mercy. It seems to me,' said a general, that in blowing up the docks w o shall blow up the headquarters of nego tiations."' MAILS TO SWEDEN. —GENERAL POST .OFFICE ' Dec., 1855.—Information having been received that the steamer London, conveying mails between London and Gothenburg, under a contract with the Swedish Govern ment, has ceased running for the winter, no more mails for Sweden can be forwarded by that vessel until the re opening of the navigation next spring, of which due no tice will be given.—ROWLAND HILL, Secretary. MME. GOLDSGIIMIDT LXND.—It is stated that Mr. Mitchell gives Mine. Goldschmidt Lind the enormous Rum of 5001. sterling for each concert in which she sink in the series of concerts he is now giving in London The money seems immense, but the receipts are propor. tionably great. Mine. Goldschmidt is also likely to sing in the English provinces, under an arrangement with Mr. Mitchell.—Galignani. MUSIC AT RUGBY SCIIOOL.—The annual Christmas concert, at the breaking up of the school, was given on Tuesday evening last by the members of the School Cho ral Society, under the able conduct of Mr. Walker, and passed off with more than usual eclat. A new and agree able feature in this concert was the presence among the singers of several old Rugbeians, who were glad of the opportunity thus afforded them of displaying their warm interest in and sympathy with the musical talent of the present generation. The concert was well attended by a numerous and enthusiastic audience, among whom were a large number of old Rugbeians arid of the neigh bouring nobility and gentry. The pregramme was varied selection from some of the best composers,includ.- iog choruses from Handel's Alexander's Feast , a n d Acts and Galatea, Mendelssohn's partsongs, and other lighter pieces. The great school was elegantly and appropri ately decorated for the occasion with the wreaths of ever green, &c., usual at the present season. Fri- FIRE AT A RAILWAY GOODS WAREHOUS E.-0a day morning, about two o'clock, a fire was disnoverel in the extensive goods warehouse of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company, at Nova Scotia, Black burn. By half-past six o'clock the fire was got conside rably under, but up to five o'clock in the afternoon por tions of the contents of the warehouse continued to smoulder, and the hose was kept in constant requisition. During the progress of the fire portions of the roof fell in from time to time, until there was nothing left stand ing but the four stone and brick walls, and a small por tion of the roof at the south-east end of the building. The warehouse is about 200 feet in length, and 50 fhe eet in width. At the time of the outbreak of t he fire, tre were known to be in the warehouse about 1,2001. worth of cotton, belonging to Messrs. Pilkington , Morrerou, Constantine, and others, of Blackburn. Moors. Harri son and Son, machinists, of Blackburn, had an exten sive order for machinery, which they bad deposited in the building, a portion only of which was sent off on Friday. It is estimated that they have sustained a loss of 1,0001., which, however, is partly covered by a float ing policy for 7001. The damage done to the building is estimated at about 3,400/. There were also 1,000 loads of potatoes in the warehouse, the value of which is 5001., independent of a large number of loads of carrots and agricultural and miscellaneous produce genera lly. The total loss cannot at present be ascertained , b ut it is esti mated at from 10,0001. to 12,0001. It is at present a moot question whether the railway company are respon sible for the lose. It is believed that they are not, and the loss will therefore fall upon the individuals whose property has been sacrificed. Should the loss fall upon the railway company, it will be a severe one for them, as they are not insured. The cause of the fire is problematical,—Moncloger Br-amino.. THE FALL OF KARS. On this topic the Cologne Gazette remarks : "Undoubtedly the most important result of this event will be the exaltation of popular opinion in Russia, where the masses can hardly be said to be in favour of peace. But for this, however highly we may estimate Mouravieff, we are forced to ad mit that the general state of the war is only slightly affected by the fall of Kars, a fact that is conceded even by the New Prussian Gazette. Kars may be called the key to Asia Minor ; the lock, however, is very rusty... The natural obstacles presented by the country itself, through its want of roads and its long vacant tracts, are so great that Prince Paskiewitch, when he had taken Kars, and even Erzeroum, in 1828, hardly dared to •proceed more than a few days' marches in advance. General Mouravieff is much too weak to advance further in this inclement sea son ; especially now that Omer Pacha is actually before Kutais. What we cannot understand is, not why the Turks have done so little for the relief of Kars, but why the English, if we except a few spirited officers, have sent no aid to the distressed fortress. The Turkish auxiliary troops. formed by them into a contingent were ready to take the tield in April last. The hitch in the army, the petty jealousy of the officers in that army against the Indian officers and the auxiliary troops, this has been part of the reason. It is possible that the French do not evince the same ardour as the Eng lish do for undertaking operations in Asia, for otherwise we find it hard to comprehend why the allies do not mete out their blows in that quarter, where Russia is least able to parry them, and where they would bo moat deeply felt. To drive back the Russians through the defiles of the Caucasus would be tantamount to barring them out of Asia.' THE PRINCIPALITIES. A letter from Moldavia, of the 10th of December, states that the Hospodar Gregory Ghika has pro claimed the entire abolition of serfdom in his Prin cipality. This important act was carried into execution on November 28. SPAIN. MADRID, Dec. 22.—The interpellations which were to have been addressed to the Government by the democrats have been postponed in coru3e quence of the indisposition of Marshal O'Donnell. The Government is keeping a very watchful eye on the movements of the Carlists. The reform of th tariffs is being rapidly proceeded with. The report which has been current of the discovery of forged coupons of the public debt is unfounded. THE SOUND DUES . A letter from Copenhagen of the 16th says a— "M. Bluhme, director of the toll-house of the Sound, has been here for some days, to open the conferences relative to the tolls. In addition to M. Tengoborski, another Russian functionary has arrived to attend the conferences, M. Tunkel, and he is said to have received a special mission. The only country besides Russia which is thus far re presented in the conferences is Sweden, and she has sent Baron Gillen Stjerno. We are assured that different German States, and particularly Hanover, have given notice that they will not cause them selves to be represented at the conferences." The Stock Exchange Gazatt of Berlin of the 20th says :—" The Danish Government has addressed to several States which it did not at first invite— for example, the free towns of Hamburg and Bre men—a request to send representatives to the con ferences. In a now circular which it has issued on the subject, the Danish Government has divided the interested States into groups, according to their geographical position, the amount of Sound dues they pay, and the manner in which the dues are levied from them—that is to say, whether by treaty or by custom. It is by these categories that the indemnity for the abolition of the tolls will have to be paid ; but the system is very compli cated, and calculated to lead to numerous discus sions." A letter from Warsaw of the 17th, in the Cologne Gazette, states that the improvement in Prince Paskie witch continues, and that he is each day able to devote a greater length of time to official business. We have mentioned that an amnesty has been accorded to different categories of political offenders in Poland ; but it is necessary to state that it does not extend in any way to the Polish refugees in foreign countries.—G atignani. The budget of Prussia for 1856, which has just been submitted to the Chambers, estimates the re ceipts at 118,864,071 thalers, the ordinary expenses at 113,308,218 thalers, and the extraordinary at 5,555,853 thalers. The communal bill which the Prussian Govern ment has just presented to the Chambers proposes that mayors and other municipal functionaries shall be elected for life instead of for six or twelve years as heretofore. Letters from Cattaro (Montenegro), in the Piemonte of Turin, state that Prince Danilo has returned to Cettigne after a long absence, and that he has expressed au intention of indemnifying the Turks for the losses sustained by them during the late inroad of his subjects. He has, according to these letters, just rendered himself extremely un popular by a decree, in which he lays s tax on ex portation, and another on importation, a thing never heard of before in Montenegro. The exas peration caused by this innovation is said to be such that a large number of the population have threatened to emigrate to the Turkish territory. TIIE DANI: 1 11 SOUND DUES. (From the Bankers' Circular.) There has been for some time rather an angry feeling expressed in several of the American journals relative to the custcm of charging certain dues upon the passing of ships through the Sound into the Baltic in proportion to their tonnage. By the principal European States these charges have been long acknowledged and paid as a demand justly due to the Danish Government ; for which it has bound itself to render all the necessary as sistance to the marine of every foreign nation naviga ting those waters ; and also to be at the cost of light houses, pilotage, and such aid as is required by mer chant vessels passing through these shallow and danger ous seas. We need scarcely remark that these dues have been long acknowledged as a part and portion of the Danish revenues ; and from the certainty with which they have been regarded, they have been made a portion of the securities upon which Denmark has raised loans in this country ; and as a debtor to foreign nations, Denmark has maintained her credit with the utmost punctuality, although her finances were greatly disor ganised during the revolution of the Dusky of Schleswig- Holstein. We can, therefore, well understand why she should adhere with some degree of tenacity to the pre servation of rights upon which her national interests so much depend. These dues have been collected for cen turies ; and originated in an agreement between one of the Kings of Denmark and the Hanse Towns ; but for more than two centuries they were arbitrary in the amount, being subject entirely to the will of the Danish monarchs. It was not till 1659 that a union was entered into by the English, French, and the Dutch, to compel the Danish Government to fix the dues at permanent and moderate rates, when they were arranged by treaty. These dues were formerly claimed as a part of the re. venues of Sweden as well as Denmark ; but at the peace of Freidriohsburg, in 1720, Sweden ceded her right of receiving the dues to Denmark, with the sovereignty of Schleswig-Holstein ; and from that period she has en joyed the undisputed right to demand them upon ships passirg the waters of the Sound. It will be seen, however, by an official document from the American Foreign Minister that the right to levy these dues is disputed by the United States Government. The Danish Government has invited a Congress of re presentatives from several States in order to adjust these dues, by a process of capitalisation. America, on her part, refuses to recognise this congress ; as it would be tantamount to an admission that Denmark possesses the legitimate right to control the passage through these waters. There cannot be a doubt that by the common consent of nations Denmark has had conceded to her certain even after claims based upon the performance of certain specific' duties, and that she has a just right to de mand them; psa h rough but when she asserts her right to refus e the waters of the Sound to a foreign shit), having paid these dues, she is taking too high a position, unless armed with sufficient power to maintain it against foreign nations. The question, th ere fore, of renderin these charges g perpetual must be dissociated entirely from the right to control the navigation of the Sound and Belts ; but from navigating those waters,t heg eneirtaellayn scarcelydmi t be doubted th a t A mer i ca wouldd difficulty of unite with other commercial nations in paying Iser fair proportion towards any outlay for the security of her mercantile marine. THE CONDEMNED ABRAHAM BAKER.—The execution of Abraham Baker fur the murder of his fellow•servant, Naomi Kingswell, at Southampton, is fixed to take place at Winchester on the sth of next month. A. WOMAN BURNT TO DEATlL—Yesterday morning, a female of the name of Mrs. Jane Inpur, aged 40 years, expired in the accident ward of St. Thomas's Hospital, from the effects of severe injuries received through her clothes accidentally catching fire. 111. Thalberg has left Rio for Buenos Ayres, where big performances have been attended with their usual bril liant success, and the attentions lavished upon the great pianist are equal to any that could be paid to the highest envoy from any foreign etato, rEADE 1 ..►-.._.__.._.. POST•OFFI Some time a g all-street, Li !: 1 43 iron hi id ;atiatna Railw 1115 girders we gathorn, 445 : l th ; but as E 'tten this cot 1 1a worthy ( of a short tii llnake know destination hundre , '"I thus rea 'tlayaquil, an , °4 1 . 6 1,y be dip 'ilea on the sa gain, before "to can hay the cost of I compared t dvantage of c tough i how( ' 4 ' rapd inte t !le mercantile itlrable that, acts, private t tity of the Is Will do no via t ee n Engl 'elaendencies, With the extr harked their C ta Panama Yestl parish i making went, r hie Ma, the tra' parish; preside levied liame act it made mute there but i act. been FAI tithe the i whir; wan end yea five was the vol thi foi re , P' gi. of