The Sun. — London, England, 1856-02-14 00:00:00

GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. NOTICE of ALTERATIONS of TRAINS, from the 15th February, until Turther notice. ' • ' ✓ The Parlptmentary Trains now leaving King's-cross for the North at 6.30 and 7.30 a.m, will be discontinued, and in their stead a Train will be despatched at 7 a.m , calling at the same Stations. The Train leaving Peter!)Oronghat 1.15 p.m. for London will be discontinued. _ For further changes see the altered Time Tables of the Compan; dated irom the 15th instant. By Order SE YI I IOI3R CLIRKE, Gerieral Manager. Vng's Cros3 Station, Feb. 14, 1856. CLERICAL, MEDICAL, and GENERAL LIFE ASIURANCE SOCIETY. The ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of PROPRIETORS will be hell at the Office of the Society, on THURSDAY, the Sixth day of March next, at 1 o'clock precisely, at which meeting Six Direc tors will be elected. Any vroprietor desirous of proposing a candidate for the office of director, must send the name of such candidate to the secretary, at least fourteen days before the day of meeting. The ballot will commence at Eleven and close at Two o'clock. An election of an Auditor (on the part of the Assured) will also take place on WEDNESDAY, the sth day of March, between the hours of Eleven and Two o'clock. BONUS. The Sixth Division of Profits will ba made in January, 18 5 7 Those who complete Policies before the end of June next will par ticipate. GEORGE H. PINTIC&RD, Resident Secretary. 99, Gre9t Rassell-street, Bloomsbury, London, 11th Feb., 1856. THE. TRE ROYAL, COVENT-GARDEN. Lessee. Mr. J. 11. Anderson. TUFA EVENING ROB 110 Y. Principal character by Professor Anderson. To conclude , with thegorgeons Pantomime of YE BELLE ALLIANCE. own, Mr. Flexmore ; Fantaloon. Mr. Barnes: Harle,quln, Mr. C Brown ; and Columbine, Miss E. Horne. TELEATRE ROYAL, I)RURY.LAFE. Lesgee, Mr. E. T. Sallth. THIS EVESI).7G, THE GREAT GUN TRICK. After which, EIF.Y DIDDLE DIDDLE; or, frarlequin King Nonsense and the Seven Ages of Man. TTIEATRE ROYAL, Fr itYMIRKET * 17n ler the Management of Mr. P.uckatone. THIS EVENING, THE BE AUX! SrILA.T.iGE If. Followed by ONLY A HALFPENNY. After which the Nem Comic Christmas Pantomime, entitled THE BUTTERFLY'i BALL AND VIE GRA.4SHOPPER'S FE &ST ; or, Harlequin and the Genius of the Spring. ROYAL PRINT:JEWS MPIATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. ESAILLis SNAIL, TFII, EVENING. The comedy of EVERY ONE HAS HIS FAULT. After which, ARGEQUIN AND THE M:liD AND THE MAGPIE ; or, the . . Fairy Paradisa and Hanky Panky, the Enchanter. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Hullne ; Pantaloon, Mr Pitilo ; and Columbine, Miss Caroline Adams. TEIZATRF: ROYAL ADELPHL Peoprlotor, Mr. B. Webstar.—Directress, 31acIanie Celeste. TILTS EVENING. THE BOOTS OF THE HOLLY TREE INN. A fter BETSY BAKER. To f Mowed by TII AT BLESSED BABY. To conclude.with ACK AND THE BE k.N - STALK ; or, harlequin and Mother Goose at Goo* Alain. n which Meorg. .T. BEATA, P. Bedford, Madame Celeste, MiJi Wyndham, and Nils* Arden will ap?ear. RDYAL OfX‘IPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Alfred Wigan. TILS EV MING, STAY AT HOME. • After which will be produced a New and &ably-moral, though e tcessively old, Melodramatic Fairy Extravaganza, entitled THE C PRENt e 3ESS; o*, the Three Glass Distaffs. In which Messrs. Emery, F. Roblon, H. Cooper, Miss Marston, and Ails llaikell will appear. ROYAL SURREY TIIFATRE. Lessees, Messrs. Shepherd iuld Creswic.k. THIS EVENING THE. SHADOWS- OF CRIME. To conclude with A PRUZCIF, OF PEAR L; or, Harlequin and Jane Shore. TOTAL STRAND THEATRE. Under the direction of Mr: Pam.. THH EVENING. THE It 9.11 ANTIC WIDOW. Folio% ea by THE PRIAONER OF ROC HELIE; or, Inns and Oats. After which, PEACE AT ANY PRICE. To conclude with BLUE JACKETS. A.WrLEY'S ROYAL AMPIIITHEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. Win. Cooke. TIIII EVENING, ROOKWOOD: or. TURPIN'3 I:IDE to YORK. The last week of that popular Spectacle. After which the SCENES In the CIRCLE and the performance of the Sagacious and Stupendous Elenhants, ene of which ascends from the centre of the stage to an elevation high above the stage, on a narrow ridge not the width of his foot ! To conclude with a grand Equestrian Comic Pantomime called TIARLEQUIN AND ST. GEORGE AND TILE DRAGON; or, the Seven Champions of - Christendom. Rex-office open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. Equestrian Director, Kr. w. Cooke. Jun. EM MA iTANLEY'S SEVEN AGE 3 OF WOMAN, Every Evening' at Fs, and on Saturdays at 3. ?ronounced by the unle'rno.l3 vote of the brass. and by nightly increasing audiences, to be the Greatest Artistical Triumph of the day. SAINT MARTI.N'S lIALL, Long-acre. Area, Is. Reserved Chairs, 2s. 6d. HIGH WATER. AT LONDON BRIDGE. THIS DAY—lforn. 33 min. aft. 7—Evening 7 min. aft. 8 Tn-NfoRRO iv—Morn. 47 min. aft. B—Evening 29 min. aft. 9 'CITE WEATHEII-SUN* OFFICE, FEB 14. THERIIOIIETER, IN THE SHADE. 55 highest sinca noon yestarday. 50 --lamest this morning and during the night. 52—thl8 dAy at unon. BAROMETER, 29'85. WIND, S. W.—Fresb, with showers of rain and sunshine. It has rained for about tiller) days, more or less, but now promises to be fine. (6- , o ,` -f •Z L ;'--L , ti. , — , "74; s „, J*o LONDON, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1856. Consols rise. Austria continues to disarm on the Russian frontier, withdrawing pontoons and siege trains, and selling cavalry horses. • Prince CONSTANTINE has added his vote for peace. The Northern Bee, the . Court.journal of Russia, pre mises tenfold wealth to her in five years' time, through pace and new railroads. 1-4Nord p roves, biographically, that the plenipotentiaries of Russia are the men to make peace. The ilfo niteur and M. BILLATJLT set the Senate of France to the long and pacific task of studying the annual volumes of reports from the provinces as the basis of suggestions for works of public utility. The English Cabinet keeps our Parliament to its work, giving them valuable measures at once, and so pressing them on that it will be hard to interpolate a war debate of any importance. From Vienna, lastly, we are told that Russia is far mote ex hausted tha n ia-,go ne rally supposed, And that after a third campaign the Allies would certainly have made very different conditions' of peace. Surely the political atmosphere i s rosy with the coming peace. One little cloud is visible in the Baltic offing—the unwillingness o f corn merchants to insert in agreements ;for a Spring delivery of corn a proviso cancelling the agreement should the War be renewed. • Far more Pree. na pt however, with uncertai n ty (i is the ineradicable knavery of the nation we have to do with. Russia is a nation of TALLETRANDS in posse, and is served by a staff of diplomatic TA.LLEYILA.Nng in we. Distressed as w e belie ve her to bo, her cunning, as at Vienna last year, ma y (Ivommch itself. She may expect to gain more th 3:ia even her " magnanimous " opponents will concede ; and, intending only to overreach, she may be forced again into the fight. We do not think this likely, but we are confident it is quite possi ble. Two facts are unquestionable— one, that she is vigorously strengthening her Baltic and Polish defences, notwithstanding the w itio xae r a l of the Austrian troops from that quar ter ; anotl ter, that she has so availed herself of the open we al ) er in the Baltic that already at Libau import & bel ;in to be a drug, and that a blockade to THE SUN, LONDON; THURSDAY EVENING FEBRUARY 14, -1856 prevent the introduction of " contraband of war has become nearly useless through the quantities introduced ! The reader will ask, perhaps, with surprise, where are our cruisers ? We must re fer him to Sir Csas. Wool) for an answer, who will perhaps remind him of the loss of the Poly phemus, and tell him that the Royal Navy is not to venture for the honours or necessities of war, where the merchant navy sails fearlessly for sordid gain. It may be, therefore, that Sweaborg, having been made doubly strong now they have learned its weak points—saltpetre, sulphur, and American firearms having been largely disembogued from traders who feared not a Baltic winter, and Po land having been strengthened in the military sense, Russia may become hard at a bargain, and too hard for Lord CLARENDON. Add to all this the supplies she will certainly obtain should she get more than a three weeks' armistice, or even that, from the Allies. We have no doubt that her secret agents are already making pur chases of supplies, and perhaps loading ships with them, ready to sail for her ports the day the armis tice begins. Why does not Mr. ROEBUCK or Lord LYNDHURST move an address to her MAJESTY on the duration and necessary commercial restrictions of an armistice ? Even Mr. BRIGHT ought to do it. Nothing will so much endanger a resumption of hostilities as a long and unrestricted armistice ; or, if the negotiations result in peace, nothing will so mar its turns as feeding our enemy. MOURAVIEFF might as well have sent a convoy with provisions for Kars, as we give to Russia a long and unfettered armistice. Our Negotiators must remember that this way will, even if they do their very best, furnish but a very discreditable chapter in English history. The English will figure in it as hewers id wood and drawers of water to the conquerors of the Malakhoff. It will be recorded that the sheer incompetency and indolence of aristocratic officers destroyed .one-third of the men, and almost all the horses, while an able railway contractor alone saved them from destruction. It will be told that the War-office garnished the returned incapables with honours and promoted them in the service, to huddle up the fatal blunders ; and that the campaign closed by starving to capitulation the General and garrison who had immortalised themselves at Kars. We cannot wish to pen an indictment against our country's fame, but we cannot refuse to foresee the inevitable verdict of posterity—and that will be that the War was ignobly shrunk from, perfunctorily carried on, the enemy spared, our own troops sacrificed, and the odious Austria alone rewarded—that even our navy, with the exception of the first attack on Sebastopol, ventured next to nothing ! Nothing but a peace better managed than the War can save the Administrators of these three years from the contempt of posterity. Above all, posterity will condemn our governors for paltry, peddling counsels when a great issue lay before them. How ashamed are we now of the men who tolerated the amalgamation of Poland in 1831, and the invasion of Hungary in 1849. We blush for such miserable successors to a CROMWELL and his MILT3N, whose letters alone could make continental despots let go the op pressed. We have now had before us an opportunity to restore Poland to nationality and Germany to freedom. We shall leave the former still ab sorbed, the latter still enslaved. Even the Northern Bee says—" Spend twenty or thirty mil lions on railways, and thus prepare to move our troops in five years more in any direction 1" The most commercial Of Russian. journals still points to future war. Conquest is the only and barba rous idea of the Russian Court. It wants to ex tend its Asiatic despotism and slavery to free countries, not to teach its own people to be free. The despots just now help one another. Th,y will do so till the grand stzuggle in which one or two shall eat up all the lesser ones, and all to end, possibly, in a grand attempt at European empire. The negotiators who are now engaged in squaring among themselves a despot peace are bequeathing this legacy to possibly a near po sterity. The Russians have really behaved very badly o our naval men both in the Baltic and the Black Sea. The gallant fellows set out flushed with the expectation of bringing the enemy's fleets in these seas to action, and towing what was left of them home ; instead of which, to their grievous disap pointment, they were compelled to play the part of gaolers—the enemy, as from malice afore thought, declining to contribute to any such illus tration of British valour and enterprise ; nay, going so far in the Black Sea as to read them the most remarkable lesson of practical bathos pro bably ever administered, by deliberately sinking her own ships before their very eyes ! Under such circumstances, nothing was left them by way of alternative but to sweep the Russian coasts, take a turn at bombarding, and lend what aid they could to the land forces of the Allies. It certainly was too bad ; and we can therefore heartily sympathise with such men as Admiral LYONS in their disappointment. The nation, however, is hardly less indebted to them than it would have been if they had met with better for tune ; for, though defeated by no fault of theirs in their chief aim, they did all they were permitted to do, ig not all that re mained for them, and did it well, demonstrating, beyond dispute, what the fate of the enemy's fleets would havo been had they come out and hazarded an engagement. Entertaining these views, we have much pleasure in drawing attention -t.o the report, which will be found else where, of the Grand Banquet given yesterday, in the Mansion-house, to - "' Admiral Sir EDMUND LYONS, the present commander of our Black Sea Fleet. The Lord Mayor, it will be seen, did his best to make the gallant admiral amends, waxing positively eloquent in his description of the dis tinguished serviees of his guest, since the commencement of the War, and of what might be expected from him should it be continued. Elo quent, however, as he was, and warm as were his eulogiums, he by no means over stepped the modesty of truth, and but few will be found indisposed to agree with him in thinking the gallant admiral de serving of the honours of citizenship, or to entertain the hope to which his Lordship gave ex for many y ears pression, th at Sir EDMUND " may be preserved to serve his country in that capa city for which be is so well fitted." It is not every admiral who has given proof of equal capa city and daring. The speech of the evening was well worthy of the occasion, being mod es t, h earty, and goneroL:s —just the sort of speech, indeed, that might have been expected from such an Admiral. Disfigured by no braggadocio, it affords convincing testimony to his anxiety for his country's welfare, and for the due appreciation of the claims of others. The gallant Admiral has a good word for Admiral DUNDAS in the Baltic, and suffers his verynatural pleasure at the present efficiency of her MAJESTY'S fleet to be damped by the reflection that it should not have had, nor be likelyto h ave, the opportunity of meeting the enemy face to face. "It is very and who, r ea di ng his sad, indeed," he says ; speach; will be- disposed to say it is not, Very sad, indeed ! our ships " being as near pErzfection" as csn well be imagined," their " captains and officers equal to any who ever adorned the British Navy in its brightest day," well manned in point of numbers, and manned by volunteers ! He is and may be proud of that. The mercantile marine, too—at least that portion employed in the war—comes in for a share of his well-merited praise. "It reflects," he tells us, " the highest credit on the country," and he cannot but express his admiration of those beautiful transports which were commanded by men of such zeal, ability, and gentlemanly bearing, "of whose services to the country the proofs are endless." Those he has given warrant the omission of others, being, as the reader will perceive, highly satis factory. It is the Naval Brigade, however, that elicits his warmest approval. "It behaved nobly—most nobly ; and he doubly if the annals of chivalry record anything finer than the conduct of Captain PEEL and his two gallant aides-de-camp, when they were wounded in leading the scaling party at the Redan." Gratifying, doubtless, to the individuals, but certainly deserved. Almost, nay, quite as warm is his tribute of gratitude and admiration to Miss NIGHTINGALE, the speech alto gether leaving the unintended impression, not only that "our soldiers and sailors will always be ready to serve their country," but that they have only to be led by such commanders as Sir ED MUND LYONS to serve it effectively. PUNCH. Our facetious contemporary is even better .than usual (and that is no ordinary praise) this week. The cartoon, in reference to the recent proceedings n the Upper House, of " bonnetting the new boy P'srke," is inimitable. The neophyte appears with his coronet beaten down over his forehead, unable to see .anything, while four of the old boys are busily engaged in tormenting him. Amongst them we recognioe Lords Campbell, Derby, Lyndhurst, and Broughao, who is rushing forward in order to have his full share in the mischief. The lovers of fun will ha ,7e a treat in the present number. A Cabinet Cotencil was held yesterday afternoon at the Foreign-offiee, Downing-street. The Ministers pre sent were :—Viscoeent Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Marquis of Lanedowne, the Earl of Harrowby, Sir Georges Grey, the Earl of Clarendon, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, the Right. Hon. R. Vernon Smith, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the Right Hon, M. T. Bainee, and the Duke of Argyll. The council sat two hours and a half. The Duchess of Sutherland has arrived at Stafford House from Trentham, where the Duke and the younger branches of their Graces' family are still staying. The Earl of Chesterfield has left the St. George's Hotel for Bretby Park, near Burton-on-Trent. Lord and Lady Huntingfield have left the St. George's Hotel for their seat, Reveningharn Hall, Suffolk. Sir Fitzroy Kelly entertained at dinner, on Tuesday evening, at his mansion in Piccadilly, his Excellency the Turkish Ambassador and Madame Musurus, the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress, the Duke of Wellington, the Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury, the Earl of Stradbroke, Lord and Lady William Powlett, Vice- Admiral Sir Edmund Lyons, Lord Stanley, M.P., Lord Brougham, Lord Campbell and Lady Stratheden, the Bishop of Exeter and Miss Philpotts, Sir Robert Peel, Mr. Warren, M.P., &c. Sir Charles Tempest, Captain Cracroft and Mre. croft, and Mr. and Mrs. Stansfield, are among the latest arrivals at the St. George's Hotel. Mre, Moore, and her sister, Miss Goodden, have re turned to Moore Hill, Tallow, county Waterford, from the South of France. - Mr. Drury, and Mr. and Mrs. Watson, have arrived at the Queen's Hotel, Upper Norwood. Lord Adolphus Fitzclarenee is gradually regaining strength,and has been able during the last few days to t ►ke o. caQional carriage drives. Prince Czartoryski and General Caunt Zamoyski had a i audience of the Emperor Napoleon the day before yesterday to take leave. The General is about to pro ceed to Constantinople to place himself at the head of tb• regiments of Polish Cossacks. - FAILURE OF SCOTT RUSSELL AND CO.—lt results from the disclosures made at the meeting of Messrs. Scott Russell and Co.'s creditors yesterday that there is a tolerable certainty of their obtaining a dividend of 10s. in the pound, and a possibility that, when the affairs of the estate shall be wound up, it may reach 153. in the pound. PURCHASE OF EIGHT OF THE SCREW COMPANY'S SHIPS EY A FRENCH CO3LPANY.—With reference to a paragraph to the above effect, which originated with a morning contemporary, and has gone the round of the press, the statement is extremely premature. We learn from good authority that a letter has been received from the secre tary of the company, giving a direct denial to such a circumstance. ELECTION OF A ,COMMON COUNCILMAN, IN THE ROOM OF THE LATH DEPUTY BERFORD.—Yesterday a ward mote, presided over by Sir James Duke, Bart, M.P., was held at the Sessions-house, in the Old Bailey, "for the purpose of electing a Common Councilman, for the remainder of the year 18E6, in the room and stead of Joshua Bedford, Esq., deceased." The son of the de ceased gentleman, Mr. William Bedford, was unani mously elected. BROKERS.—A Court of Aldermen wee held yester day, at which the following resolution was referred to the Committee of General Purposes of the Court, to be carried into effect :—" That it be recommended to the Court of Aldermen to adopt such measures as they may deem expedient for removing from the office of sworn brokers all brokers who refuse to pay their rents, and also all brokers whose rents are more than one year in arrear." CHRIST'S HOSPITAL.— Alderman Farebrother, at the Court of Aldermen held yesterday, requested the at tendauce a his brethren at Christ's Hospital on Mon day eext, when a special court would be held for the purpose of considering a motion to rescind a resolu Lion in direct opposition to the rights and privileges of the citizens of London. There will, we understand, be a motion for the exclusion of the members of the nrfr.re? THE NEW SERGEANTS.—The ceremony of swearing in the tome sergeaucs who have been recently called to the degree of the coif—viz., Mr. Sergeant Pigott, of the Ox ford Circuit ' • Mr. Sergeant Hayes, of th e M i dl an d Cir cuit ; and Mr. Sergeant Wells, of the Norfolk Circuit-- took place b e f ore th e L or d Chancellor in his lordship's private room, at Westminster, on Tuesday afternoon. At the appointed hour the three learned sergeants, ac companied by their respective " colts," as the members of the bar officiating on this occasion are somewhat fan tastically designated—viz , Mr. Kytfin Lenthall, on be half of Mr. Sergeant Pigott ; Mr. Pitt Manson, on the part of Mr. Sergeant Hayes ; and Mr. Granville S ener set, for Mr. Sergeant Wells—were received by his lord ship, and the oaths usual on taking the ceif duly ad ministered. The time-honoured custom of presenting the Lord Chancellor with gold rings of the date of the 13th century, by each " colt," in order of seniority, and a brief address from the Lord Chancellor terminated the prooeedings. MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF A LICENSED VICTUALLER.-- Yesterday some degree of agitation was caused in Old Ford, Bow, in consequence of the discovery of the body of Mr. George Howard (a retired 'licensed victualler of No. 33, Banner-street, St. Luke's, Old-street), fhatieo in the water of is George Duckett's canal, which passes along the eastern boundary of Victoria-park. The case is involved in considerable mystery, as the de ceased had been missing upwards of three weeks from his residence. On the body were found two severe wounds on the head. There was also a bruise on the chest and various abrasions, of the skin from violence, but how caused remains a mystery. The pockets of the deceasea had been ransacked, and only a little handker chief and a card of his address were found upon him, although it is alleged that he had money and other pro perty about him when he left home. The cause of death, and a full investigation into the mysterious case, will be gone into before Mr. W. Baker, the coroner for East Middlesex. The deceased had been many years a licensed victualler, and had been leading a retired life. NEW METHOD OF LOWERING AND DISENGAGING BOATS FROM SHIPS.—On Monday, a new method of lowering ships' boats was successfully tried on board of Messrs. Ja; Baines and Co.'s ship, the Commodore Perry, at present lying in the Mersey, bound for Syd ney. This method, the invention of Mr. Clifford, may be thus described :—The unlashing, lowering, and disengaging are done by one man only in the boat, whose simple weight, irrespective of any additional assistance whatever, is made to hold in equilibrium the weight or descending momentum of the boat with its entire crew, which he has thus the power to check or control at will. Each separate operation is the natural consequence of one act—slacking off a rope ; and they are also necessary sequents, one of the other. The means of reducing the weight of the boat to that of the man lowering, is made the means for preventing the boat canting in its descent, and the passage of the ropes by which the boat descends, through a block of an en tirely novel character and action, accomplishes this end. The entire process is as follows :—One man in the boat unhitches a rope from a cleet (on the boat's seat), over which he slackens it off. The boat descends levelly, both laterally and longitudinally, frees it self from the gripes, by which it was firmly lashed to the ship's side (if there is not time to unfasten them), and letting go the rope disengages the boat from the ship. The lowering may be effected as well from one as two davits, or from a yard or spar, and with any degree of velocity, which can be checked at any part of its descent, and with the vessel going at any speed. A hol low rotatory plug fixed at the bettetTh of the boat allows the free ingress or egress of water, which a half turn stop s ; th e pl ug is con sequen tly never out of its place. Th e exper i men t s yester d ay wer e repeated three times in success i on, to t h e ent i re sa tisfaction of nu merous cr i t i cal spectators, including Admiral Free mantle, Captai n S c h om b erg , R.N., Captain Newlands, Mr. T. M. M ackay, Mr. James Baines, an d o th er eat cal and commercial itentlemen.--Xancheakr GiY4raiano CIVIL SE* I 7C.E.ESTIM ATES. Yesterday the estimates of the Revenue Departments for the year 1856.57 were issued. The salaries and ex penses of the Customs are estimated at 840,0011., as compared with 835,1821., showing an increase of 4,8191. The cost of the coast guard is set down at 486,0281. ; last year it was 483,238/. ; making the increase 2,7901. The salaries and expenses of the Inland Revenue are estimated at 1,459,2071. as compared with 1,365,950/, in 1855, showing an increase of 93,2571. The Revenue Police of Ireland will cost this year 63,0251., as against 62,7201., the increase being 3051. The salaries and ex penses of the Post-office are estimated at 1,740,4831. as compared with 1,638,8611. in 1855, showing an increase of 101,6221. The total estimate exhibits an increase of 202,793/.; the estimate last year having been 4,385,951/., while this year it is 4,588,744 L To these items must be added the superannuation allowances to obtain the total charge of each department. The superannuations of the Customs amount to 241,501/., making the total charge of collection for theyear 1,567,5301. The Inland Revenue figures for superannuations at 219,9581., snaking the total charge 1,742,190/. ; and the superannuations of the Post-office are put down at 32,7241., making the total charge of that department amount to 1,773,207/. The superannuations of all the departments together amount to 494,183/. for the year, and the total charge of the whole civil service to 5,082,927/, AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS OF IRELAND. Yesterday returns were issued of the live stock in Ireland in the year 1855, and of the extent of land in statute acres under crops for each county and province. The total value of the live stock in Ireland in each of the years 1852, 1853, 1854, and 1855, calculated accord in," to the rates assumed by the census commissioners of 1841, viz., for horses, Si. each ; cattle, 61. 101. ; sheep, 225. ; and pigs, 255. each, shows an increase in value from 1852 to 1855, in horses, of 243,5841. ; cattle, 3,000,0691. ; sheep, 1,082,981/. ; pigs, 126,957/. ; mak ing a total increase of 4,453,5911. The increase in num bers in 1853 over 1852 was—in horses, 30,448 ; cattle, 461,549 ; sheep, 984,528 ; pigs, 101,566. The total increase in the extent c.f land under crops in 1855 over 1854, is 112,382 statute acres. In 1855 there were of acres under wheat crop in Ireland, 445,509, being an increase over the previous year of 34,225 acres; of oat; 2,117,955, being an increase of 72,657; of barley, !sere, rye, &c., 267,565, being a decrease of 19,589 ; po tatoes, 981,429, being a decrease of 8,131 ; turnips, 366,497, being an increase of 37,327; other green crop•, 95,094, being a decrease of 3,683. The total number of acres under cereal crops was in 1855, 2,831,029 ; in 1854, 2,743,736, showing an increase last year of 87,293 acres ; of green crops there were 1,417,607 acres in 1854, and 1,443,120 in 1855, being an increase last year of 25,513 acres. In meadow and clover there was an increase of 53,873 acres, but in flax a decrease of 54,297. LONDON JOINT-STOCK BANKS. The half -yearly meetings of the several joint-stock banks in London being now complete 1, the subjoined table has been made up, exhibiting their relative capitals and extent of transactions, as well as the respective periods at which they were opened. The growth of busines4 indicated by these returns continues to be re markable, the aggregate deposits held still showing an increase, notwithstanding the contraction of the currency and the competition during the last few months of the City Bank and the Bank of London : r Rate Halfividend Banks. I Pall-up Guarantee uer n-year D — Capital.eposits. „ and. just ended. £ £ £ G per cent. ner an unto and bonus LotnionSfWest- of 5 per cent. m for akba h g al d f l:tli e b a u r - , minster,esta -1,000,000 8,744,0% 144,169 bibbed 1834,1 6 branches . tion at rate of L 16 per cent, per annum. 12% per cent per annum, and bo. London Joint- nus of 14a. 3d. Stock, estab. 600,000 6,241,594 160,853 i per share, hein , z 1836, branch equivalent to 1 { per cent. per au annum. Union of Lend., estab. 1939 600,000 8,363,460 """ 20 per cent. per 3 branches ---• annum. 110 per cent per an. num, and bonus Ludon& of 5 per cent, for estab. 1839 487,805 4,413,359 100,000 I half year, being 57 branches< equivalent to 15 . , per cent. per an , z , Commercial, num. r estab. 1840— 300,000 1,317,551 „ „ x, 10 per cent, per I branch.... annum. 6 Royal British, per cent. per estab. 1849 I 150,000 983.052 16,33'2 annum, leaving 6 branches.. £2,341 to be car tied forward. The C,ty Bank and the Bank of London have not yet held any meetings. •In the case of the Union and the Cammercial Banks the meetings are not half-yearly, but annual, and the above figures are therefore those which were submitted in July last. BUENOS AY BEAN BONDHOLDERS. The despatches received from Buenos Ayres convey no novelty of consequence, The contention of party seems to have been proceeding much the same as usual, and with as little effect or result. Some of the anta gonistic spirits of the day were disposed to espouse the cause of Urquisa, while there were others who professed to be in favour of the recall of Rams. The respective disputants are described as being weak and contemptible, while the Ministry are scarcely less so. The bondholders will be gratified to learn that Mr. Parish was still con tinuing his urgent remonstrances under the instructions of the Esrl of Clarendon, but in a tone very different from that which he had previously used, and inti mating that they were the last he should conde scend to make. Senor Alsina, in reply, refers to the doubling of the remittance for the payment of divi dend,, and grandiloquent promises are made that the "land question "—the lands being mortgaged to the boldholders under the original bonds—shall be recon sidered, and arrangements made and positively carrit d out accordingly. This case of neglected claims is now one of about 33 years' duration, and therefore, should Lord Clarendon eventually make his authority felt by coercive means, the men in po wer a t B uenos A yres will have but themselves to thank for their gross non observance of public engagements. Whilst the unfortunate Buenos Ayrean bondholders are vainly petitioning for the redress of their just grievances, and can obtain no more than a small increase of the meanest dribbles, Mr. Thornton, the English Consul at Monte Video, has effected something more valuable as regards the Anglo-Monte Videan debt. It seems that 6 per cent, per annum will in future be paid to the ill-used creditors ; and that a sinking fund of 2 per cent. will be appropriated to its liquidation. This debt was originally very small, but, like that of Buenos Ayres, bas been largely increased by the accumulation of arrears. It may be hoped that such an example, so near at hand, will not be lost upon the defaulters at Buenos Ayres.—Mornin g _ Post. IRON SHIPBUILDING "ON THE TYNE.—Iron shipbuild ing ie making rapid progress on the Tyne and other rivers in the north of England, and promises in a few years to produce quite a revolution in the carrying trade of the country. During the past year Messrs. Palmer Brothers, of Jarrow, have launched 18 iron steam-ships, most of then of large tonnage ; Mr. Marshall; of South Shields, 15 iron vessels ; and other firms proportionate numbers. Messrs. Palmer are bow finishing a large vessel for the St. Petersburg Company, and three other vessels for foreign trades—one for Constantinople. They have likewise a vessel in frame for the London and French uoods trade, and another steamship intended for the Hamburg trade. .This firm have also a considerable number of workmen employed day and night, under a shed, building a powerful 2,000 tons floating battery for the Government. Two other vessels of the same dimen sions and description are building, one on the Thames and the other Oa the Clyde, for, the Government. Mr. Marshall is finishing a large steam-ship of 1,400 tons for a Liverpool house, is also building a 1,000 tons steamer for a Greek house, and has a number of smaller vessel, of the same materials in hand. Messrs. T. and W. Smith, of St. Peter's, besides building four timber gun-boats for the Government, are busy with iron steam-ships for com mercial firms; and Messrs. Mitchell, Mr. Vernon, and other shipbuilders are likewise employed in the trade. A handsome steatn-ship, intended to trade between Syria and En gland, was launched from West Hartlepool last week for Mr. Spertalli, a London merchant ; and an iron screw collier, and a large steam-ship for the West Hartlepool and Hamburg trade, were likewise launched at Stockton. There are nearly 40 sail of iron screw col liers engaged at the present time in the transport service alone. In the event of a speedy peace thesudden influx of these vessels into the coal trade for London, Ham burg, and other markets, will subject sailing vessels t o a comp e ti t i on not heretofore experienced. ADULTERATION OF FLOUR.—A. charge of adulterating wheat flour with alum was preferred at the Wakefield Court-house, on Monday last, against Mr. Abraham Ginn, who carries on the business of maltster and flour dealer on a large scale at that town. It appears that on the 31st ultimo the Mayor of Wakefield (Mr. J. Holds worth) caused printed notices to be posted on the walls of the town, cautioning persons - against adulterating flour. Ginn Lad been suspected of this practice by the police for some time past, and early on Friday morning a constable named Slack observed a waggon loaded with flour near Ginn'e warehouse, which led to a search warrant being obtained from the magistrates. A large quantity of wheat and flour was found on the premises, and 84 Racks of the latter were seized. The contents were tested with litmus paper. In 57 of the sacks alum was found mixed with the flour, and in 17 of them it was present in highly deleterious proportions. After, a lengthened hearing the magistrates ordered the 17 bags to be forfeited, and inflicted a penalty of 101., the condemned flour to be sold for cattle and the proceeds to be applied in equal proportions to the Wakefield Soup Kitchen, the Wakefield Dispensary, and the Clayton Hospital. They also ordered the other 40 bags to be detained for a fortnight for further analysis of the contents, previous to its dis posal, but in the meantime inflicted a penalty of Si. on the defendant ; 27 out of the 84 bags seized were ad• judged to be restored to the defendant. The Mayor strongly animadverted upon the culpability of persons selling adulterated articles of food, and expressed his hope ,that the present case would act as a caution to dealers generally. The court was crowdEd to exeess during the hearing of the ease. The proceedings were taken under the 6th and 7th of William IV., c. 37, e. 9 and 12, TilE CREW OF THE POLYPIIENTIS. , r-- We have received frotu the Admiralty the following ;he crew of the Polyphemus, nd : corrected nominal list of t now on their Way to Engla! Mr. Warrington, paymaster Mr. Tracey, midshipman Mr. Burnett, master-assist. Mr. Morris, engineer Mr. Chambers, engineer Mr. Jones, engineer H. Harrison, bombardier J. Case, gunner H. Torrington, drummer J. Bevistock, private J. Vincent, private John Byrnes, private Geo. Arthur, gunner John Well, A.B. Wm. Davis, boy, 2d Wm. Martin, boy, 2d John Crosby, boy, 24 Chas. Foster, boy, 2d Chas. Cook, boy, 2d Benj. Green, boy, 2d Henry Stephens, boy, let John Healey, boy, Ist Chas. Praguell, boy, Ist John Holdbury, boy, Ist Charles Ryon, boy, Ist John Marks, stoker John Barnes, stoker Wm. Martin, stoker Wm. Francis, stoker John Donahen, stoker Wm. Coombs, stoker Chas. Wilson, stoker Edward Aveny, stoker Thos. Elderton, stoker Wm. Gammon, A.B. P. Roach, ordinary Thoa. Walker, sailor Edward Luke, cook Total—G of Thos. Biddlesomb, carpenter .Tno. Dutton, carpenter Jno. Hunt, stoker Sam. Carter, stoker Robt. Harris, Captain M. T. Thos Kirby, ropomaker Thos. Tiverton, Captain F.T. .Tno. Etherage, ordinary Jas. Robinson, A.B. Wm. James, s. cook H. Reynard, cap. cox. .T. Chisholm, ord J. Moore, ord J. Bragg, boy E. Cagey, boy R. Hance, ord J. Faundell, Cap. A. G. M. Cunningham, stoker T. Harbart, stoker J. Russ, stoker R. Smith, steward E. Goodwin, private J. Causidy, musician C. Balls, steward R. Tiviney, serjeant J. Barnett, private T. Bassett, private H. Salter, private P. Jennings, private T. Jones, private D. Newman, private J. Cook, private E. Hayward, private J. Fawkes, private J. Wheeler, private J. Askel, A. 111 . G. Riley, ord Leers, 71 men. D DEAD. Samuel Pearse, boy, lst I John Reynolds,CaptninA.G. Total-3 men. Noto.—Another body not identified. FOLTS Thomas Maunder, boat - awain's mato ON THEIR WAY HOME. John Tootle, private I 'SVui. Ford, private. LEFT WITH CAPTAIN WARREN. Geo. Everest, surgeon Ed ward Malone, sick boy Mr. "Wood, engineer ICharles Howes, stoker Mr. Hay, clerk I James Cooper, A.B. Mr. Parsons, gunner I Josh. Woodford, marine Mr. Lellan, capt. stew. 1 Wm. Puttick, boy Pat. Keith, ord. I Wm. Mitchell, boy Total-4 officers, 8 men. MISSING. Mr. Herbert, Master Giles Wilkes, B. Mate Sam. Fletcher, C.F.C. Hy. Forbes, C.F.C. Wm. Jordan, ord. Jas. Hardy, ord. Jas.,Jenkins, A.B. Step. Longhurat, boy, Ist Win. Martin, boy, lst Alex. Sutherland, ord. Jas. Robinson, boy, Ist. M'Lacklan, C. M. T. Jno. Ford, boy. let Chas. Persey, A.B. Geo. Briggs, ord. Jas. 0. Connor, ord. Ely. Dowling, carpenter Thos. Johnston, blacksmith Axford, cooper gdwd. Scantlebury, sail maker Jno. Richards, boy, Ist Ifficer, 20 men, Total-1 of THE LOSS OF THE POLYPHEMUS. PORTSMOUTH, Feb. 12.—This afternoon 8 officers and 66 men of her Majesty's paddle-sloop Polyphemus, 6 guns, Commander Warren, lost on the north-west coast of Jutland on the 29th of January, arrived at this port, by rail, to await their trial by court-martial, with the remainder of the officers and crew. The fol lowing are the officers that have arrived to day :—Lieut. Frederick Pyne (first lieutenant); Lieut. England ; Mr. H. W. T. Warrington, paymaster'; Mr. Stiacey, mid shipman ; Mr. Burnett, Master's assistant ; and Messrs. Morris, Jones, and Chambers, engineers. Commander Warren awaits for orders from the Admiralty as to his future movements, and in order to secure any portion of the ship, or her engines, or other stores if possible. It appears that the officers and crew of the ship bad to moll the coast of Jutland from the wreck by mes: ns of the rnast,?, which were cat away, all the boats being either swamped when lowered, stove in, or separated from the ship. The fog was very heavy and thick, and a strong current added in getting the ship on a sandbank, south of Hansholmen Light. Although only about a quarter of a mile from the shore, no land could be seen. Mr. Herbert, in one of the paddle-box boats, with 10 men had left the ship for the purpose of laying out an anchor to warp the vessel off by, and having suc ceeded in this duty, on returning, the boat was swamped, and all hands were lost. The second gig and the cut ters endeavoured to reach the shore to get aid, but the surf was too great to allow them to land, and they pulled out to a vessel in the offing, about (apparently) seven miles off. On reaching the shore the officers and men were very hospitably treated by the natives, mostly fishermen, who placed their huts at the service of the shipwrecked marines, supplying them with fled, or anything else they were in need of. From Misted, the nearest town to where the wreck took place, the officers and men who have come here to-day travelled to Flensburg in country cart-, each farmer being required by the authorities to supply a certain number. These vehicles being open, the cold was found very severe. From Flensburg they went by rail to Hamburg, and from thence to London, by the steamer Trident, arriving at St. Ka. therine's Dock Wharf at 9 o'clock last night. They ar rived here this afternoon at five o'clock, and were at once placed on board the Victory, flag-ship, panding the court martial. The bodies of four of the drowned bad been washed on shore prior to Lieutenant L'yne leaving the coast. It is only fair to state that all the officers speak in the highest terms of the coolness and judgment displayed by Commander Warr3n under the trying circumstances of the wreck. It is, however, stated that had the wreck taken place at night, instead of by day, all hands must have been lost. LLOYD'S SHIPPING.--(This Day. LONDON, Feb. 14.—Wind this day at noon. S. ; fresh breeze and squally at times, with alternate rain and sunshine. PORTSMOUTH, Feb. 13.—Wind S.W.—Arrived—Here fordshire, Eliza (tpt.), and H.M.S. Algiers, from Malta. FOWEY, Feb. 13.—Arrived.—Amelia Primeira, from Paraiba, very leaky, &c. NEWPORT, Feb. 13.—Wind W., strong.—Sailed—St. Briers, for Rio Janeiro. COWES, Feb. 13.—Wind S.S.W.—Arrived —Atlantic and Argentina, from Rio Janeiro. CARDIFF, Feb. 12.—Wind S.—Sailed—Kensington, for Singapore ; Tsar and Addison Grant, New Orleans. The Wolfe, hence to Milo, put in yesterday, leaky, has been docked for repairs. LLANELLI, Feb. 12.—The Polonaise, from Brest to Swansea, came ashore this morning, on Longharne Sands, and will probably become a wreck ; crew saved. PILL, !Feb. 13.—Wind S.W., strong.--Arrived—Che valier, from Cardiff, for Havana. SWANSEA, Fob. 13.—Wind S.E.-- Arrived—lndustri ous, from Riva da Sella. QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 12.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived— Clarinda, from Callao. (P/C$ ELEOTRIO TELEGRAPH.) SOUTHAMPTON, Thursday lifoi ain. Ai ri yeti—Despatch, steamer, from Jersey ; Ar g yll, steamer, Carontan. Sailed—Wouder, steamer, for Jersey; Atlantic, steamer, Havre. LIVERPOOL, Thursday Morning, Wind W.S.W. Arrived—Milan, st3amer, from Marseilles; Daring and Florist, St. Michael's. Sailed—Mary Hardy, for Barbadoes. Off—Cambria (s), from Havre. The Enniskillen (s s), hence to Londondorry, struck ou Kirk Manghold-head, Isle of Man, on the Ilth of February. Was got oil', with fozo hold full of water, and taken into Ramsey. QTJEENSTOWN, Feb. 12, Wind S.W. Arrived—Arrived—Lady Cecilia, from Alexandria ; Clarinda, Callao. BT SUBMARINE AND BRITISH TELEGRAPH.) GRAVESEND Thurs Wind S.W. ; tide, three hours' , ebb, fine d . ay, 10.3 a.m. Arrived—Eliza, from Alexandria ; Berkshire, Pondi cherry. Sailed—Edwin, Fox, for St. Philip ; Oriental, Rangoon. Wind S. ; DEAL, Thursd a y, 9.10 a . m. fresh. Passed --Mary Bayley, from Leghorn, for London ; Alice Latnbton, screw-steamer, (99 transport), Black Sea, Loudon ; Imperial, screw-steamer, (188 transport), Black Sea, London. Sailed —London Packet, for London. The City Bank have notified the issue of' 1,500 new shares of 100/. each to their proprietary, at 8/. premium, the rate of allotment being one new share to every two old shares. the amount realised by the premium will be applied4to the commencement of a guarantee fund. The aeylon Government Gazette of the 29th of Decem ber notifies that the Government issue of notes has been withdrawn frorn - the Ist ult., and that the notes of the Oriental Bank Corporation are made receivable at all the Government Cutcherries in their stead. Notwithstanding the animation in the Consol market there was a general relapse yesterday afternoon in the premiums on the shares of the new banking companies. This will be regarded with satisfaction by all persons in terested in the respectability of English enterprises, since it may check the flood of imitative projects which are understood to be ready to be poured upon the public. HOTEL AND TAVERN-KEEPERS' INSTITUTION. --The third annual ball in, aid..of the funds of this excellent institution, established for the purpose of affording relief to its aged and necessitous members, is announced to take place at Willis's Rooms, St. James's, on Tuesd a y next, the 19th instant. When we consider the vast benefits that have already been conferred by this young but flourishing institution, we cannot but congratulate the csimnittee upon their great success. We sincerely hope that the assembly on Tuesday next will outrival all its predecessors, .and thereby largely benefit the funds of this benevolent and charitable institution. LORD MAYOR'S TnumPATER. -- Yesterday, at a Court of Aldermen, it was announced that the Lord Mayor's trumpeter was dead, and a question arose as to the ap pointment of a successor. Alderman Wiro submitted a motion to the effect that the office was unnecessary. Alderman Outer said he looked upon the office as one which made-the civic procession more conspicuously and noisily ridiculous. (Laughter.) Alderman Farebrother having remarked that, insignificant as was the offi ce , i t might be advisable not to throw it up without due cor sideration, it was resolved that the situation should not be filled up for the present. LATEST NEWS. MARSEILLES, WEDNESDAY. The Messageries packet the Vatican brings news from Constantinople of the sth. Kebresh Mehemed Pacha has been appointed Grand Vizier ad interim during the absence of Ali Pacha. The Sultan honoured the fancy balls of Lord de Red ell& and of M. de Thouveuel with his presence. The Presse d'Orient announces that the Tysiphone has left with Russian prisoners for Odessa, then to be exchanged against Allied prisoners. The news from the Crimea, which is to the 31st January, announces that the Allies have under mined Fort St. Nicholas. The Allies had blown up the List of the docks at Sebastopol. Five English regiments are preparing to return to England. 3,000 infantry, with two batteries of artillery, have been sent to Kertch. The Egyptians have left Eupatoria for Varna. Accounts from Varna up to the 30th January state that a fire had broken out there, but had been extinguished by the French troops. General Coronini had returned to Bucharest. The thaw had commenced in the Danube, and the breaking up of the ice was shortly expected. Nows from Kinbourn state that the thaw had begun, that reinforcements had arrived, and that all was quiet. News from Athens states that the Order of the Saviour had been conferred on the French Rear- Admiral Jacquinot. TRIESTE, FEB. 12. Accounts have been received here from Con- stantinople to the 4th, which announce that the Ottoman Government has added 2,000 men to the Anglo-Turkish Contingent. According to letters from Trebizond of the 9th ult., the English were seeking on the coast for a point where 25,000 men could be landed. There are 1,000 French in camp at Maslak, and two English battalions, with a small cavalry de tachment, at Pera and Scutari. The Russians have evacuated part of Turkish Armenia and retired to Erivan. FRANCE. PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING. The Moniteur, and other continental journals of yesterday, have come to hand. Tho official French journal has a decree, conferring the military medal on 39 soldiers and seamen. A. letter from Copenhagen, of the Gth, antici pates that it will be a fortnight or more before the Court appointed to examine the charges against M. Scheele, the Minister for Holstein, will close its inquiry. The liebats has a money article on the recent report of ithe Bank of France. It is as buoyant and anticipative as might be expected. It tells us, "So soon as that glorious peace, on which France now reckons, shall be signed, so soon as the living strength of French society,a moment diverted to war, shall return en masse to the fruitful fields of labour, one of the fi rs t pro bl ems which will be presented by the force of events will be that of an extension of our institutions of credit in general,and especially of the Bank of France. The Bank must be prepared for this ; for what is this, after all, but an increase of her influence, and an iuoreaso of her profits ?" - The commission of which M. Stourm, Councillor of State, is president, appointed by Government to consider the propositions for the establishment of transatlantic lines of packets, has drawn up a series of questions to be answered by the companies. It will be a work of some time to prepare the answers, and it is not expected that any decision can be come to for the next three months. It has been intimated that the following rates of speed will be stipulated for as a mini►num :—For the New York line, 111 knots an hour; for the Brazils, ; and for the French Antilles, 101. BOURSE, Feb. 13.—The following were the clos ing quotations : Cash. fr. 4. End of Month. 4i per Cents 96 --f. --c. 3 per Cents 73 5 73 i7O New Loan 74 Bank Shares .... 3,475 Roman Credit Mobilier 1,570 Austrian Belgian Fiveg 97 Spanish Threes Piedmoutese (5) B9 Home Debt ...... ... RAILWAYS-NOB C 4.811. fr. c. fr. a. Orleans ...... ... ......1,257 50 Western B5O Northern Lyons ..,.., 1,222 50 New Ditto B2O Mediterranean 1,380 Grand Central 640 Lyons Geneva 740 Testo Cotta 742 50 Austrian Com. ...... 885 order to prevent any chapee of collision, •while waiting for a regu l ar armist i ce. The news of the acceptance by Russia has disagreeably surprised tie tradesuien at Kamiesh, who will scarcely have time to get rid of their merchandise. It is, hew' ever, said that a part of the supplies will be re moved to Batoum on account of the English: Troops continue to assemble at Trebizond, and reinforce' ments are being regularly. sent off to Erzeroutn. Omer. Pacha displays great activity in reorganising the Turkish army of Asia, and is renewing rela tions with the mountaineers. Sugdidi, the reel . deuce of the Princess Dadian, in Mingrelia, ba g just been totally d es t royed by fire. The Russians and the Turks accuse each other of having been the cause of the conflagration." The following are the terms in which the vii" nutes of the Germanic Diet speak of the late pre" sentation by Austria of the documents concerning the peace propositions :—" In the sitting o f the Diet on the 7th, Austria presented to the Assent' bly the protocol of accept ance, which was sign,'" at Vienna on the Ist, and a statement of the negs; tiations which preceded it. These documents WI follow the usual course of affairs." RUSSIA. A letter from St. Petersburg of the 3d, in the Constitittionnel, says : "The Invalide Busse, in its number of the Ist, published letters of thanks add resse d t o G eneral Kornantoff, the hettman of the Cossacks, by the Emperor, and the Empresses Fedorowna and Maria, on the occasion of the congratulations sent to their Imperial Majesties, by the Cossacks of the Don, on New-Year's- day. These rescripts are repeated every year, and I therefore abstain from sending you the text of them. General Gortschakoff in his turn has become one of the familiars of the Grand Duke Constantine. lam assured that it is owing to the influence of the Crimean generalissimo that such a change has been produced in a few days in the ideas of the young Grand Duke. Gener a l Gortschakoff has pointed out to him so clearly the dangers of the present war that the brother of the Emperor in the end saw that he had been hitherto pursuing a wrong course. It is said that he is now more in favour of peace than even the Czar him self. A medal of honour is about to be distributed to the sisters of charity who, during the siege of Sebastopol, gave proofs of such courage and huma. nity. These excellent women, whose devotedness and abnegation were displayed in such an extraor dinary manner, well merit this distinction. Ge neral Gortschakoff related to the two Empresses and to the Grand Duchesses the admirable con duct of these ladies, and urged the Government to send them a striking mark of its satisfac tion. The Emperor, in consequence, decided that a commemorative medal should be awarded to each of them ; and the Empress and the Grand Duchess Helen addressed autograph letters to the superior of the sisterhood. .Adjutant-General Bei bikoff, ex-Ministor of the Interior, has just re signed his rank in the army and retired to his estates. An Imperial ukase has been published, stating that the time passed by soldiers of the army of the South in hospital shall be counted in their Period of active service. Th e C hancellor of the Empire has addressed another manifesto to the Russian plenipotentiary at Vienna on the occasion of the signature of the preliminaries of peace, which, as we learn by telegraph, took place on the Ist in the capital of Austria. This document, like those of the 23d Dec. and sth Jan., bears the stamp of the pacific feelings of the Russian Go vernment. As far as regards Art. 5, it declares that Russia cannot concede more than the rec tification of the frontiers of Bessarabia. As this is all that the WeStern Powers demand, it is pro bable that no difficulty will arise on that point." Another letter from St. Petersburg of the same date says :—" The regiment of light dragoons of Prince Paskiewitch is to retain his name, but the other regiments which also bear his name are to take their previous denomination. The son of the Prince has been nominated Adjutant-General of the Emperor. The Emperor has ordered that, in consequence of the bravery displayed by General Khrouleff at Sebastopol, his name shall be inscribed With those of other generals in letters of gold on a marble tablet, which is to be placed in the military school in which ho studied. According to pri vate letters from Sinipheropol to the 24th ult., the lire of the batteries on the north of Sebastopol was very vigorous. These letters express great astonishment at the rapid construction of the new French WWII of Kamiesh. Formerly th e s it e occupied by the town was a public promenade, known by the name of Novaia Zomba (Newfound land)." AUSTRIA. A letter from Vienna of the 9th, in the Post Ampt Gazette, says :—" W e l earn that immedi ately after tho news of peace reached the Crimea, several of the advanced posts were removed, in SPAIN. The Madrid journals of the Bth have arrived. The Minister of Justice had addressed a circular to the archbishops and bishops of the kingdoeh holding out to them a hope of an early arrangemePt of the differences between Spain and the Holy See. The Gazette says that, two days before, th e autho rities had taken some preeautions ' noti that the)" were particularly call e d f or , b u t to tranquillise the persons who feared that order might be disturbed' The new Minister of Finance was certainly de' termined, it was said, to propose the conversio n of the floating debt, but not to make it core' pulsory ; also to take measures for making up th e deficit iu the budget ; he had, besides, made kilos° that he is favourable to a liberal reform of the tariffs. The Cortes had rejected, by 77 votes to 50, a motion for giving the right of voting curets° and holders of ecclesiastical benefices. The state' meat that the French Credit Mobilier and grand railway companies intended to establish a French newspaper at Madrid tg - support their interest 11 contradicted. The Uomereio of Cadiz announce° the discovery of very abundant veins of coral in the district of San Lucar de Barroneda. A letter from Warsaw, in the Boersenhalle of Hamburg, says :—" After the funeral service, th e body of Prince Paskiewit c h w ill b e c o nve ys " agreeably to the request of the deceased, to tb• village of Iwanowka, near the fortress. of Ivor: gorod, where it will he interred on his estate. M a compliment to the ukase of the 12th Febrroul. last concerning the amnesty, four years of thor punishment have been remitted to such persons 0 had been condemned to 8 and 12 years' hard labour in a fortress." • A brilliant ball was given at the Hague on tbe Bth, by Prince Frederick of HoHail Their Majesties, the Prince and Princess Henry, th e Duke of Saxe Weimar, and the diplomatic bo ll were present. Baron Tecco, the Piedmontese ambassador to tb • Sublime Porte, arrived at Turin on the 10th, o il a short absence from his post. The Grand Duke of Tuscany has accepted th: resignation of P r i nce A n d rea C ors i u i as MinistiA of Foreign Aff a i rs , an d-h as prov i s i onally entrus te d M. Baldasseroni with his duties. The Opittione of Turin, 'quotes two letters-- 011. from Parma ' and another from V erona — an nou?' ing that the Emperor of Austria is about to - Pr press all proceedings against persons implicated political offences committed within the period ° f 1848 and 1851. THE UNITED STATES. LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY. The United States mail steam-ship Baltic, CaP t ' James Comstock, arrived this aft er n oon from New York, with advi ces tothe 2d instant, 83 passengeof and 35,000 dollars in specie. The United States mail steam-ship Union, fil l Havre and Southampt on ,.p n t i n t o Halifax on the 1 Ist instant, short of co a l s . Sh e h a d b een o ut days. The news of the acceptance of the p eace prOPCP . sitions by Russia was known in New York by tele' graph front Halifax. The opinions expressed by the United States press are generally doubtful, as re gards the result of Russia's acceptance. There was still no Speasker elected. In the House of Representatives on Vrednesdeit Mr. Clingtnan brought forward his resolution 0 adopt the plurality rule in the election of Speaker' An intense excitement prevailed throughout the Chamber, as it was -regarded as certain that the proposition would command a majority of .the votes, and thereby e na bl e th e h ouse to orgelllr Upon taking the question, howev er , it resulted _w the rejecti on o f th e ' reso l ut i on. It i s e vident, therefore, that Mr. Banks must be withdrawn before the house can organise. In the United States Senate, on Thursday, Mr . Seward delivered hi s speech upon the Central American question ; General Wilson will als o speak upon Central American affairs ; ho i9l' favour of abrogati ng th e Cl ayton - Bulwer tree*, and the imm e di a t e recogn i t i on and colonisat i on 01 Nicaragua. The proceedings of the House of Representative ° justify the opinion that the struggle for the Speakership i s rapidly drawing to a close. Tip plurality rule was again offered and again rejected • The vote stood 108 for to 110 against. A motion declaring Mr. Banks Speaker was promptly neg i ll i ; tined - 103 agai ns t 115. M r. Aiken, of Sou L,' Carolina, was then p ro p ose d, an d he receive d 10 3 votes against 110. A rencontre took place in the streets of Wash' ington, between Horace Greeley . and Mr. Rusty Member of the House, from Arkansas. Mr. was impelled by certain offensive personal remark published in the Tribune. COMMERCIAL. NEW YORK, Feb. 2.—The cotton market was 63r ; cited yest e rd a y, a ft er the receipt of the foreign news,lll the sale s reac h e d a b ou t 3 ,0 0 0 b ales, part of which 1" _, " in transitu. The pri ces c l ose d a t an a d vance o f abou t gc. per lb. Flour, was depressed, and the market ungui" tied. Wheat was quiet, and quotations nominal. Core heavy. Freights were unchanged, while engagemeut i were moderate. There has been a fair business in sterling for 00 step.mer to-morrow, and in consequence of the delay of Southern mails the supply of dutside bills was limited- The leading bankers accordingly put up their rates to 8i to 8i per cent. with but small sales above; cent. The bulk Of the business was dens at Si f org o° signatures. THE PENINSULAR MAILS SOUTHAMPTON WEDNESDAY. The Penins u l ar an d Oriental Company's steam' ship Madrid, Captain George Bradshaw, with tho usual Peninsular mails, iti charge of l A ieut. Brydgess R.N., Admiralty Agent, arrived this afternoon. During the homeward voyage, the Madrid expo' rienced variable light winds, and strong S.W. winds, with hazy weather. She left Gibraltar, Feb. sth ; Cadiz, 6th ; Lis bon, 9th ; Oporto, 10th ; Vigo, 10th. The Madrid brought 19 passengers and 14 dis tressed seamen ; and her freight consisted of 8 packages of specie, value 3,0831. ; 140 boxes of eggs, 12 casks of wine, 3811 chests of oranges, 5 cases of marble, 30.4 boxes of tangerines, and 10 packages of sundries. Her Majesty's ships Urgent and Algiers were at Gibraltar • at Cadiz, the French G overnmen t wa r steamer Durance, bound to the Crimea with artil lery and ammunition ' • at Lisbon, h er M a j esty 's steamer St. George, and English m erc h ant steamer Milan ; at Oporto, Rattler, steamer, for Liverpool, waited four days to cross the bar ; Douro, steamer, for Liverpool ; Vesta, steamer, for London ; and Queen and Butjadingen, steamers, for South ampton. _ Ships observed on the 'voyage :—Feb. 7, brig Silistria, steering to N or th war d ; 9th, screw steamer Cleator, bound to Lisbon ; 11th, Peninsu lar and Oriental steam-ship Tagus, lat. 44 37 N., long. 8 21 W., hull down to westward ; 12th, brig Silistria, lat. 48 46 N., long. 5 27 W. TILE PROPOSED ARMISTICE. It is a good deal doubted in the City whether the all ies s h ould conclude an armistice with Russia in anticipation of a peace, because, although the Russian army is at home, it is in want of every thing, while the allies, who are far from their Fe sources, want nothing ; and-, during an armistice Russia would recruit her means in proportion as the allies would be exhausting theirs. It is argued that this ought not to be allowed, so as to give the aggressive power a ren ewe d o pp o rtunity of bring ing her diplomatic treachery. to bear upon the question at issue, to the detriment of the allies. HEALTH of Mn. Jolax 13araHr.—General surprise has been expressed, and great disappointment felt, at the non-appearance of Mr. John Fright's name in the public journals since the re-assembling of Parliament. The reason, we regret to say, is that the hon. gentleman has been suffering somewhat severely from bronchitis. He is now, however, in a fair way of recovery, and may be expected before many days have elapsed to make himself once more heard in the House of Com moos. —Monitiny Ativirtimp. a ..^~'~-ya ~'k op 1 S