The Sun. — London, England, 1854-02-13 00:00:00

IEWMARKET RAILWAY.—Notice is Hereby Given, That the nest ORD IN ARY HALF•Y EARLY ENEItAL MEETING of the Shareholders In this Cempany will be held at the London Tavern, Bishopsgate-street, London, on Mon day, the 27th init., at one o'clock p.m. precisely, for the transaction of the Ordinary business of the Company ; and, if necessary, to con sider and authorise the Directors to make further working arrange ments for a limited period with the Eastern Counties Railway. Notice Is Hereby Further Given, That the Register of Transfers will be closed from the 20th to th' 27th instant, both days inclusive. By order, _ ___ G. W. BROWN, Secretary. Company's Offices. 117, Cheapside, 11th Febrnary, 1854. THEATRE ROYAL DRUKY-LANE . Lessee. Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, Fmn. 13, Will be performed MACBETH. Supported by Messrs. G. V. Brooke and Mead; Miss Featherstone, and Mrs. Vickery. To conclude with KING HUMMINGTOP ; or, Harlequin and the Land of Toys. THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMAKKET Under the manuement of Mr. Bnokstone. THIS EVENING, Fan. 13, Will be performed GUY MANNERING. Characters bY Messrs. Elliott Geier, W. Farren, Compton, Rogers, Howe, Clark, CorrL and Cullenford ; Miss Cushman, Miss Jana Harland, and Mrs. L. 6. Buckingham. After which. the Grand CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME, called ILLBLEQUIN AND THE THREE BBilti ; or, Little Silverhatr and the Fairies. Columbine, Miss M. Brown ; Harlequin, M arshal. Marshall; Pantaloon, Mr. W. A. Barnes; Clown, Mr. IL M. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management of Mr. Cnaatia KEAN. THIS EVENING, Fla . 13, Wallbe presented Lord Byron's Tragedy of S A RDANAPALUS sonilderably abridged for stage representation. After which will be presented the new Grand CHRISTMAS PAN tOMIME, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE MILLER AND HIS MEN; or, King Salamander and the Fairy of the Azure Lake. Harlequin, Mr.- Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Hullne ; p an t a l oon , Mr. Paulo ; end columbine, Miss Desborougb. LYCEUM THEATRE. under the management of Madame Vestria. THIS EVENING, Faa. 13, Will be performed A BACHELOR OF ARTS. Characters by mama. Ma thews « F. Matthews, and Baker; Mi ss F. Hughes. _ titter „A l ien, the original Fairy Extravaganza, called ONCE THERE WERE TWO KINGS. Principal cha- UPON A TIME meters by Mr.H.oxby and Madame Panne. To eme g a de with PATTER VERSUS CLATTER. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHI. proprietor, Mr. B. W ebster.—Directress, Madame . Celeste. THIS EVENING, FEB. 13, w i u be presented the highly Popular New Nautical Melo-drama in flee tableaux. with new scenery, the Sea of Ice,new ammo and appointments, called THE THIRST OF GOLD ; or, VIE LOST SHIP AND TILE WILD FLOWER OF MEXICO. Principal characters by Messrs. B. Webster, Keeley, Paul Bedford, Madame Celeste, &c. To be followed by the popular and entirely New Grand Specta cular legendary Christmas piece, in two acts, with new scenery, dresses, machinery, and appointments, called NUAIRE it NIP, or THE SPIRIT BRIDE. Principal characters by Mr. Paul Bedford, Madame Celeste, Mrs. Keeley, Miss Woolgar, &c. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. A Wigan. THIS EVENINci. Faa. 13, Will be performed THE LOVE LOCK. characters by Messrs. A. Wigan, Emery, :eslie, Franks, F. Robson, and White; Miss E. Turner, Miss P. Horton, and Mrs. A. W:gan. allowed by THE WA.NDERINTI MINSTREL. STRAND THEATRE. So e Lessee, Mr. F. W. A.llcroft.—Direetress, MLss Rebecca Isaacs. THIS EVENING, FEN 13, Will be performed THE ROBBER'S •VIFE. To be followed by STATE SECRETS; or, The Irish Ambassador. After which, the new grand Comic Christmas Pantomime entitled IRLEQUIN AND KING YU CC ICK ER ; or, The World of Toys. Clown, by 'he Inimitable Flexmore ; Harlequin, Mr. Bologna ; pantaloon, Mr. Griffiths; Columbine, Miss Cloward. Stalls, 58.; Boxes, 35.; Pit, Is. 6d ; Gallery, 6d.; Private Boxes, Ile. Gd., to be had of Mr. Alleroft, 15, New Bond-street. ksTLEY'S EUitOPICS NATIONAL AMPRITREATRE. Lessee and Manager, sfr. William Cooke. Ectraordinary combination of attraction—The Performing Ele phants, whose wondrous feats and hitherto unheard of incredible performances now share their nightly triumphs with their petite rival LE SINGE SAVANT; or, Nimble Harmozet. He is indeep another wonder, for his tricks and exercises are achieved with such human-like action, that the beholder can readily imagine he Is watching In a mkror the reflective actions of a man. In addition to these" Zoological Stars," the Grand Chinese Spectacle (which has reached its 54th MOO. The inimitable Scenes of the Arena, and the successful and gorgeous Pantomime, forming the most novel and unparalleled entertainment ever offered to the public. TIIIS EVENING, Fee. 13, ai during the week, THE WISE ELEPHANTS OF THE EAST, or FRE NIAGIC GONG, in which , tr. William Cooke's Matchless ecenes of the CIRCLE, and the Grand Comic Pantomime or BILLY BUT CON'S ,TOURNEY TO ISRENTFORD ; or, Harlequin and the LAIL es! Favourite. .11. s-office open from Eleven till lour. Stage Manager, Mr. W. West. tilC4Ff WATHR AT LOND, 'ON BRIDGE. `Bt» Des —Horning 24 min.after 2 I Evening 42 min.aft. 2 Taltoaltow— Morning 1 min.after 3 I Bvening 16 min.e.tt. 3 THE WEATHER.—Sus OFFICB, F. 12. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 44 —highest since noon yesterday. 37—lowest this morning and during the night. 38—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'25. WIND, N. by E.—Light breeze, and fine, sunshiny, (by, cold weather. _ __ FEBRUARY 13. 44—highest since noon yesterday. 3.s—lowest this morning and during the night. 38—this day, at noon. BAROMETER, 30 . 60. WIND, N.E.—Light breeze, and fine, clear, frosty weather. T e3L rriaraliblsEn LONDON, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1854. - - - We have pointed out the vast importance of speedily and definitively appointing the Com mander-in-Chief to the Baltic Fleet. The nomi nation of a popular Admiral would conduce more powerfully to attract the able seamen whose voluntary services We hope to obtain, than almost any other course that could be adopted. "Jack" has an eye to prize money—and still more to fame. His heart is as strongly animated by the love of glory as that of any of his officers. Though his reward may be but a simple medal or a good conduct certificate of having belonged to a ship that had efficiently discharged her duty in an arduousconflict, he will as freely hazard life and limb for the distinction, 'as his leader will for the more ample rewards of his merits, the titles and pension that may be conferred rather as a recog nition of than compensation for his inestimable services. Jack cannot look forward to the alter native of " a peerage or Westminster Abbey !" Should he fall in the hour of victory, the ham mock, and the cold shot, and an unmarked but holy grave in that ocean over which he so often sailed in triumph, is his inevi table doom. Should lie survive, mutilated and disabled, unable any longer to maintain his posi tion in " the battle of life," a snug berth in Greenwich Hospital is the full extent of his am bition, and if he escape scatheless, all he asks is that he may, while " spinning his yarns" with future messmates, be enabled to tell how " he belonged to the saucy Arrogant," or the " gallant Prince Regent," at the time of the defeat of the Russian fleet, and the destruction of the Rus sian arsenals in the Baltic, under " Old CHARLIE," when the peerage was graced with another nobleman bearing the gallant name of NAPIER, and that "he too participated in the capture of Riga, speedily followed by that of St. Petersburgh, just before 'Old NICHOLAS' abdicated.' The opportunity of narrating such tales, the delight of receiving the tribute of admi ration from his audience, would amply compensate for all his toils and perils, and be regarded as worth straining every nerve and exciting every energy to achieve. Seamen would flock to the standard of a commander under whom they hoped to gain such laurels, who, according to their own parlance, "meant fighting, and no mistake." Sir CHARLES NA PIER is such an officer. His name is known far and wide, and his appointment, as it would afford the most auspicious auguries of the triumphant results of the expedition, would bring thousands, aye, tens of thousands, flocking to the standard under which they hoped to share * the honours to be acquired. He is, indeed, t he man for the emergency, possessing every re quisite qualification. We want no carpet knight, no Diplomatist capable of splitting hairs in an argument, or of exhibiting extraordinary caution or discretion," as it may be termed. The " hardest hitter" is required—the man who will face any o Bdd- 1 lay his ship alongside one or more of his opponents , and board them in the smoke, or " sink, burn, and destroy" the enemy (while resisting) wording to the most approved style of naval warfare, as prac tised by officers of the olden time—by NELSON, DUNCAW, HOWE, JERVIS, and a host of worthies wh o se names still remain " ensh r i ne d in the me- ' wellies of their countrymen." - For these matters CHAR LIE NAPIER. is just the very man. Althouali he declared in. Parliament that "h e was getting too old," age has not yet perceptibly abated the fiery ardour of his soul, the tierce determination "to do or di e " when his country calls f or th e exertion. Although in sixty-seventh year, hi s i s still " a 4reen old age," and, like his glorious Cousin, now lost to ye for ever, his enthusiasm is as earnest as that of the most youthful aspirant for glory, eager to seek "the bubble reputation, even at the cannon's mouth." We should not have deemed it necessary to speak thin; of a man whose achievements are so weillEnodwn, and high qualifications so fully esti mated, whose name is " familiar to our ears as househ, word s ," but for the unwarranted and unwansuntable attacks that have appeared in a -~a..: contemporary against Sir CHARLES NAPIER. He is declared to be too old ! while the Earl of DUN DONALD is lauded as the man for the emergency. GOD forbid that we should ever utter a word in depreciation of the gallant " COCHRANE" that we should for a moment be supposed to slight any of the brilliant exploits of which he has been the hero. But when it comes to be a question of age, we cannot forget that the Noble Earl w as born in the year 1775, and that he is consequently in the 79th year of his age, having, as we believe, entered the navy before the birth of Sir CHARLES NAPIER. Twelve years certainly constitute an important difference of age between persons, the youngest of whom only wants three years of the appointed age of man. Under all the circumstances of the case, we believe that Sir CHARLES NAPIER is all but unanimously looked to as the future Commander in-Chief of the Baltic squadron ; and we have no doubt that the Government will yield to the voice of public opinion so freely and unequivocally expressed. But if need be, have DUNDONALD and NAPIER too. One brave man will never hesitate to fight under the command of another, his senior, equally brave and gallant as himself. What, then, may we look for from the appoint ment of such chiefs to the command of a well appointed, and fully-manned, and fully-equipped fleet, where the duration of the war and the in terests of the country alike depend on the vigour and promptitude displayed, in the first instance. Just what we have sketched in the imaginary yarns to be hereafter spun by one of their gallant followers. The defeat of the Russian fleet, and the destruction of the Russian arsenals in the Baltic, the capture of Riga and St. Petersburgh, the landing of a military force on the coast of Livonia and Courland, the uprise of Poland—of long-suffering but indignant Poland—would fol low as a matter of course. Nor would the people of Galicia, nor the gallant and chivalrous Magyars, remain idle or inactive. Every arm would be nerved by the sense of unmerited injury, by vio lated treaties, and irreparable wrongs. What a diversion in favour of the Turkish troops would thus be effected ! Their opponents would find themselves placed between two fires—their supplies cut off. They could no longer think of crossing the Danube, or invading the Turkish dominions, when provided with such ample employment at home. The AUTOCRAT would then, too late, deplore his audacious and insolent aggression. The intentions of Austria or Prussia would be no longer doubtful. They would speedily perceive the necessity of crush ing the general enemy. The abdication of NICHOLAS and the paring of the claws of the Russian Bear would follow as a matter of course. Russia would be stripped of her unjus tifiable acquisitions, and Europe would for ages be preserved from the untoward consequences of her nefarious machinations. Such would be the re sults of a naval victory in the Baltic, and the landing of 100,000 French and English troops on the coast of Courland and Livonia—which, the Russian flag being swept from the ocean, could easily be effected early in the spring, aye, before the Ist of May. Thus, then, we would not only bring the war to a speedy conclusion, but would obtain ample guarantees against its resumption, and we would secure the enjoyment of permanent peace and tranquillity by the prompt display of vigour and resolution when forced into a contest. not tolerate a considerable amount of bribery cut through one of the most densely crowded por tions of the City, and which is rapidly hastening on towards its completion. The changes effected in the West by the alterations consequent upon the building up of the great archi tectural masterpiece of Sir CHARLES BARRY, augur likewise a marvellous variety of results calculated to assure the adornment of some of the most unsightly purlieus hitherto to be found under the very shadow of the Palace of the Legislature in the good city of Westminster. Another pro mise of kindred advantage to our metropolis has lately been whispered about in connection with the proposed New Law Courts somewhere in the vicinity, or within the actual limits, of Lincoln's inn-fields. In connection with this scheme an intelligent pamphlet* (accompanied by an engraved plan of the suggested alterations) —a pamphlet remarkable for the candour and lucidity with which its purpose is argued through out—has very recently made its appearance. Whoever the writer of this brach/11/re may be (and at this moment we possess not the slightest clue to his identity), he comes before us under a nom de plume at once calculated to excite our interest and to propitiate our good will—viz., that of " An Old Law Reformer." It will be found on an exami nation of his argument, illustrated as it is by the chart already incidentally referred to by us in paren theses, that the suggestion therein advanced would fix the site of the proposed New Law Courts in the very centre of Lincoln's-inn-fields--having, of course, every regard at the same time for the sani tary benefit of the surrounding neighbourhood. It will be perceived, moreover, that in connection with the project, is the scarcely less notable design of a new street leading across Wych-street, Vere street, and Duke-street, connecting Little Queen street with the Strand, immediately opposite Somerset House, and opening up between the Strand and Holborn a new and direct line of com munication. Alterations such as these naturally require very serious consideration beforehand — but in many respects they must be at once allowed to be almost as desirable as the removal of Holy well-street, and Middle-row, and similar obstruc tions in the midst of our principal thoroughfares. rather than give the elector absolute power over his vote, and we may be also allowed to rest this' doubt upon another—namely, whether he really deems landlord influence over tenant votes undue influence. 111 the vulgar and brutal forms of intimidation he has no reluctance to punish as becomes a gentleman ; but the intimidation which is as mighty, yet as regular, as noiseless, as invisible, and in the counties as all-pervading, as the pressure of the atmosphere itself—would Lord JouN RUSSELL like to destroy this ? If not, he dares not give the ballot to a single town. No urgency will move him to do it. No reasoning will conquer an aversion which yet may not be uttered. Not even two-thirds of the electors, as Mr. HUME suggests, could gain from the great Whig Lord the local privilege, which would soon inevitably become a national one. We consider it so sure that the ballot, if tested in a few con stituencies, would, by its palpable merits, provoke an irresistible demand for it from all, that we can conceive of no other reason for the dogged refusal of a single trial. A politically free and indepen dent tenantry is the King of Terrors to landlords. To all real reformers, on the other hand, the fear which needs neither look nor hint, is the Doctor HORNBOOK who unobservedly destroys the freedom of more votes than the grim forms of intimidation against which the hero of two Reform Bills pro fesses to legislate. Lord Joinr proposes to attack bribery and " undue influence" by some modifications of the old Parliamentary remedies. The heavy penalties which no one would sue for, and which in the case of the poor elector would bring to the prose cutor but a proverbial return, are to be super seded by the more classic penalty of the loss of civil status ; the bribery candidate is to be in capable of ever attaining the object of his ambition, the bribed elector to lose for life the right of voting, and, in addition, to be posted annually on the Lists of Electors as a disfranchised man. We may suggest to his Lordship that to make the parallel complete the disqualified member ought to be posted also on the doors of the House of Commons. The agent, if we understand aright, is not to be so heavily punished ; he, however, is just the per son who ought to be unsparingly dealt with ; but for him, bribery would be almost impossible, at least to any large extent. These are the chief alterations in the bribery penalties. Lighter ones are provided for treating. That is not to con sign the guilty party for life to political annihi lation. The alterations in the plan for trying election petitions may probably be most of them for the better. The introduction of responsible legal assessors to aid the committees we regard as the most substantial improvement ; it is a step towards that rendering a contested election a matter - of legal investigation before a Judge sitting in public, which would, after all, be the safest and most effectual procedure. On the working of the proposed Grand Jury of fifteen members we can hardly offer an opinion, but hope for little from it. The proposition that when a member is unseated for bribery his opponent should have the seat, if he polled two-thirds of the votes, will, we suppose, after the remarks upon it, be with drawn. It would obviously open the door to the worst species of fraud, and it would often occur that the unsuccessful candidate had bribed as well as the other, or that he had not a real majority of votes. We freely concede that reasonable penalties, and none can be more so than those now proposed, are likely to be far more effective than penalties which it seemed almost malicious to enforce. Moreover, bribery is still a misdemeanour, and liable to be proceeded against as such. Still, but little can be hoped for from the best system of penalties. If too severe, impunity is secured by the general reluctance to inflict an odious punish ment. If moderate, and more likely to be enforced with general approbation, ingenuity will quickly devise " good and safe" schemes defying all detection. We have heard of some which would nonplus Mr. Inspector 13troxgrr him self, even if he knew the general fact of their ex istence. What it is the interest of all the parties to conceal, what would bring punishment upon them all, will never leak out, but must be extorted on the rack. It would, however, be impossible to apply the commissions on bribery to the criminal conviction of individuals. It will not be endured in England that a man should be compelled to criminate himself, if doing so rendered him liable to punishment. The Commissioners are at piesent empowered to indemnify those whose answers convict them. Even a great religious body has lost in the last few years some 70,000 of its members through asserting the right to propose self-criminating interrogatories, under the guise of " brotherly questions." Right or wrong, every Englishman deems it a birthright that he may not be compelled to accuse himself. Lord JOHN'S proposals were viewed in a friendly spirit by all parties, but Mr. M. GIBSON and Mr. BERKELEY did not fail to remind him that the true remedy was to deprive the corrupt and the corrupter of the power to deal securely with each other, and that no conceivable remedy for rural intimidation could be thought of but the Ballot. Preparations for war are actively going on amongst ourselves, both in the military and mari time departments. A similar movement has for some time past been apparent among our Gallic neighbours. The martial enthusiasm manifested during a considerable interval among the Turks, has become still more ardent throughout the masses of the Ottoman population, according to the account conveyed by our latest advices from Constantinople. Looking, moreover, further northwards, we learn that " matters wear a war like and sombre aspect" at St. Petersburg. Yet, in spite of all these incontrovertible facts—Lord ABERDEEN cannot for the life of him see that, even now, war has become inevitable. Even now, when the. Russian Ambassadors have with drawn from their diplomatic positions at the Court of St. James's and at the Court of the Tuileries. Even now, with the truth before us that Sir HAMILTON SEYMOUR and General DE CAS TELBAJAC have been peremptorily recalled from the Russian capital by their respective Governments. Certainly the Prime Minister of England has earned for himself the right of being regarded as among those who illustrate the memorable phrase of Holy Writ, crying " Peace, peace, when there is no peace." According to the view taken by the Premier, there is nothing whatever of importance in the inhuman butchery at Sinope, in the pro longed struggle at Citale, in the double victory achieved by the soldiers of the Sultan at Oltenitza. Neither is there anything out of the ordinary course of pacific occurrences, according to the same sagacious statesman, in the presence of the combined fleets in the Black Sea, no matter whether the direction taken by Admirals DUNDAS and HAMELIN be towards Batoum, or towards Varna, or towards Sebastopol. Negotiations may have passed, diplomatic relations may have been interrupted, the Vienna Conference may have been broken off positively for the last time—emulating in this the penultimate Benefit of Mr. VINCENT CRUMMLES of immortal memory —nevertheless, the Earl of ABERDEEN will still insist upon obdurately believing in the possibility of effecting at the eleventh hour, and at the last gasp, the long-talked-of, but vainly-looked for, pacification. It is altogether a touching instance of credulity—an affecting evidence of the faith still cherished by the venerable under-secretary of M. GuizoT, in the integrity of the Czar NIOTIOLA.S. A faith, remember, which has survived the pas sage of the Pruth, as well as the Mission of MENscHIKOFF—the seizure of Moldavia and Wallachia, as well as the unsuccessful attacks made previously upon' he Turkish position in the neighbourhood of Oltenitza, and in the neighbour hood of Kalafat—the massacre of the inhabitants of Sinope, as well as the sanguinary conflicts which have taken place simultaneously along the banks of the Danube, and along the whole line of the Caucasus. Never was there such official fatuity or ministerial infatuation. Mr. BALL introduced episodically a charge of bribery against Norwich, which met with a just denial. We suppose the lion. Member has not quite lost his soreness from the signal defeat which, as East Anglian champion of Protection, he re ceived from Mr. COBDEN in the old city during one of the great Leaguer's campaigns against agricultural ignorance. We happen to know, however, from some inquiries we had occa sion to make at the time the affair of Colonel DroxsoN's petition was under discussion, that the last election of Messrs. PETO and WARNER was really a pure one. The written compact entered into by the four candidates was honour ably kept, 'and, for the first time probably, a Nor wich election was decided without recourse to bribery, cooping, and every disgraceful resource of party. We have the very best evidence that it was a fair stand-up fight, and it is an example, which ought not to be lost, of the possibility of electoral regeneration in a con stituency which had been schooled in corrup tion by all parties from time immemorial. We only hope the City will be stedfast in its repen tance. We may add, what we believe has not been hitherto noticed, that in Norwich, and, no doubt, elsewhere, the corruption at municipal elections is the source and training-school of that complained of in Parliamentary elections. Occur ring annually, and not being conducted by ballot, they keep bribery live in the intervals of Par liamentary elections. There is no time for the habit to be lost, the consequences are not so likely to be serious to the individuals, and frequently the spirit of party runs as high as in contests for national honours. If Lord JOHN could overcome his fear of any trial of the ballot issuing in the freedom of the counties, it might do much. towards diminishing the habit of bribe taking, if, as we believe has been asked in a me morial from Norwich, municipal elections at least were taken by ballot. * " Where shall the New Law Courts be built ?" By an Old Law Reformer. Bvo., pp. 23. T. F. A. Day. London. 1854. Examining carefully the latest documents ema nating from the British Cabinet, in reference to this Eastern Question, we discover in words of undeniable explicitness, that the hope of peace, spoken of by the Earl of ABERDEEN, on Friday evening, in the House of Lords, is literally alto gether chimerical. It would be absurd to dream, for a single instant, of a pacification being practicable under existing circumstances. Lord CLARENDON has entirely set the matter at rest by his Note in reply to the inquiries ad dressed to him by the Russian Ambassador in the name of his Government. Not only has the un welcome truth been distinctly asserted in that manly and outspoken avowal as to the real nature of the intentions actuating England and France, at the present juncture, in sending their maritime armaments into the Black Sea for the defence of Turkey, and especially (to this end) for the pre servation of the Ottoman coasts from any other attack like that which has reduced Sinope to a heap of ashes—but the Foreign Secretary of her Britannic MAJESTY has announced the course which must henceforth be pursued in the matter by her MAJESTY'S Government, more boldly and more distinctly still, through the despatch addressed simultaneously to Sir HAMIL TON SEYMOUR, and communicated by that Minis ter forthwith to Count NESSELRODE. Throughout these documents, it is plainly enough intimated that peace can alone be secured upon terms which have been already more than once rejected by the Russian AUTOCRAT. Consequently, it is quite manifest that the Prime Minister of England can nowhere discover facts capable of justifying his extraordinary assertions made on Friday evening --language which can only be accounted for chari tably as being the result of some bewilderino , hallucinatiois. Conspicuous among the many acts which have gained for NAPOLEON 111. that extraordinary po pularity which he is now known to have acquired among the masses of the French population, are manifestly and in contestibly his magnificent schemes for the beautifying of Paris by a series of grand and remarkable building improvements. It were well for London if this imperial display of enter prise and munificence excite a salutary emulation amongst ourselves. There is a probability of its doing so ultimately. It is the duty, therefore, of every conscientious journalist to accord a prompt and earnest attention to whatever project may give promise of carrying these hopes, however slightly, towards their desired realisation. We may not cherish the extravagant day-dream of erecting a Louvre of our own, but, at any rate, it cannot be unreasonable to look forward to the time when the capital of England may, at least, possess some structure not altogether unworthy of being designated a National Gal lery. The admirable and eminently beautiful design of Mr. LIONEL GISBORNE has afforded us something like a rational prospect of a compre hensive succession of Thames Improvements. Then there is the spacious thoroughfare recently We give Lord JOHN RUSSELL full credit for wishing to extirpate bribery. We believe he also wishes to annihilate " undue influence ;" but we may be allowed to doubt whether he would THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY is, 1854. MUNE Y . MA RKE :V AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool on Saturday wore estimated at from 8,000 to 9,000 bales, of which 500 American and 1,500 Surat were taken on speculation. The market closed firmly without alteration in prices. The sales comprised 200 Pernam and Maranham, at 6P. to Bd. ; 100 Egyptian, at sd. to Bd. ; 2,000 Surat, at 3d. to 4d., and the remainder nearly all American. Railway Shares were firm. The railway meetings announced are the fol lowing : Company. Date. Place, &c. Belfast and County Down Feb. 28, Belfast. Birk., Lanc., and Chesh. Jn Feb. 25, Birkenhead. Boston, Sleaf., & Mid. Coun Feb. 18, Euston HoteL Bristol and Exeter Buckinghamshire Feb. 22, Eustm Station. Cork and Waterford Feb. 28, London Tavern. Direct London and Portsm Feb. 24, London Tavern. Dublin and Belfast Junction Feb. 15, Dublin. Dublin and Wicklow Eastern Counties East Indian Feb. 17, London Tavern. East Kent East Lancashire Feb. 22, Bury. East Lincolnshire Graissessac and Beziers Mar. 14, Paris. Great Northern Feb. 25, London Tavern. Gt. South. and West. Ireland Feb. 25, Dublin. Great Western Imncasber and Carlisle Mar. 3, Liverpool. London and Blackwall Feb. 21, London Tavern. London and North-Western Feb. 22, Euston Station. London and South-Western Feb. 16, 34, York-road. Lowestoft Madras Manch., Buxton, and Matlock Mar. 2, Derby. Manch., Sheffield, and Line.. Feb. 22, Manchester. Maria .ntonia Maryport and Carlisle Feb. 22, Maryport. Midland Newp., Aberg., and Hereford Feb. 23, London Tavern. Newry and Enniskillen Feb. 28, Guildhall Coffeeho. Norfolk Northern and Eastern Feb. 16, Bishopsgate-station Northern Counties Union Feb. 24, London Tavern. North Devon Feb. 27, London Tavern. North London Oxford, Worcester, & Wolv. Feb. 22, London Tavern. Royston and Hitchin St. Andrew's& Q ,ebec (Cl. A) Feb. 2 4 , 26, Parliament-st. Severn Valley South Devon Feb 28, Plymouth. South Wales South Yorkshire Taff Vale Feb. 17, Bristol. Thames Haven Vale of Neath Waterford and Limerick Feb. 22, Waterford. West Cornwall W. End of Lon. & Crys. Pal. Feb. 27, London Tavern. Whitehaven Junction Feb. 15, Whitehaven. Worcester and Hereford Feb. 28, Euston Station. York and North Midland.., Feb. 17, York. York, Newcastle, d; Berwick Feb. 17, York. A portion of the letters from Australia has been delivered, and their general tenour is satisfactory, although there are exceptional points. The gold production, measured by the amcunts received at Melbourne and Sydney, had fallen off ; but there are doubts whether the diggers had not abstained from sending down gold, owing to the agitation respecting the license. The Osmanli steamer had been wrecked while on the voyage from Sydney to Adelaide, off Kan garoo Island. The Adelaide accounts represent the supplies of most articles of import as being abundant, and prices were, in many instances, depressed. The Legislature had imposed an additional duty of 3s. per gallon on spirits, but enough was previously cleared for two months' consumption. The duty upon wine was lowered to ls. per gallon. Owing to the high prices asked for the new clip of wool by the sheep farmers, the sales were but limited. Large quantities were arriving for shipment, how ever, seven vessels being in course of loading. The rate of freight to London and Liverpool was 3d. to 4d. per ounce for gold, and id. to id. per lb. for wool. The letters from China report unsteady markets for piece-goods, owing to the rebellion, and at Cal cutta money was scarce and dear. There has been considerable firmness in the English stocks, and the quotations are higher than on Saturday, by to per cent., although with a very limited business doing. Consols have been at 91i, and since as high as 92, for transfer, the account prices being 91i to 92. The New Three and-a-Quarter per Cents. have realised 93k, and are now 931 to I ; Bank Stock is quiet, at 216 ; Exchequer Bills are 19s. to 205., and India Bonds 105... premium. _ _ Most foreign securities have been dull, but with out any decline in prices. Spanish Bonds are merely nominal, and Portuguese also—the former at about 404 to 4 for the 3 per Cents. Mexican Stock has been at an advance to 25i Chilian 3 per Cents. have realised 75, Brazilian Old 5 per Cents. 971, Equador 4, and Grenada Deferred 64. Russian 5 per Cents have been quoted 1041. BRITISH MINES.—Mr. J. S. Lane reports as fol lows :—A dulness still prevails, and only a few mines can be quoted. These are the Great Alfreds, 32 33 • Alfred Consols, 24 25 ; Sortridge Consols, 1 ; ifollands, 44 ; Tavys, ; Devon Great Consols, 445 ; North Pool, 195 200 • South Devon Great Consols, 225. 6d. 275. 6d. ; Balnoons, 44 4 ; East Russells, 5 54 • West Sortridge Consols, 4. The Railway Share market has Leer inanimate, and the arrangements connected with the settle ment of the account are in progress , and occupy chief attention. Oxford, W orcester, and Wolver hampton, are rather higher. There have been only a few bargains in North-Western, Great- Western, and Midland. French shares quite neglected. The Gold Mine Shares have been without altera tion, the Banks are tolerably firm, and the Land shares nominally the same. The current prices for the Jamaica Mines not officially quoted are as follows :—Metcalfe, to prem. ; Sue River, f dis. to par ; Port Royal, to B- prem. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES. (From the Official List.) Buimess done Bank Stock ; per Cent. Reduced Annuities 92s 4 4 .3 3 per Cent Consols Annuities 92 113 2 New 31 per Cent. Annuities 93 i 4 Long Annuities, Expire sth Jan., 1860 Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth Jan., 1860 5 India Bonds, 21000 ....... Ditto, under £lOOO lO p Consols for Account 15th Feb. 914 21$ Exchequer Bills, Id. £IOOO £5OO l9 Small l9 PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. Ditto Now, 1852, 4.} per Cent 9B Buenos Ayres Bonds, 6 par Ceut 59 Chilian Bonds, 6 per Cent ritto 3 per Cent ..... .............. ...... 75 Equador Bonds Grenada Bonds, Deferred Mexican 3 per Cent. Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ St 1044 54 Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 4O Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cent. 12 Guil THREE O'CLOCK. Consols Ditto February Account LINCOLN RACES. (BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.) ARRIVALS. —Jack the Giant-Killer, Windsucker, Vic tress, Star of England, Maid of the West, Strip-me- Naked, Beresford, Wildgoose, Psyche, Horatio, Lioness, Tomboy, Topsy, White Mouse, Alp, President, Dor mouse, The Prince. The following leave Malton this day for Lincoln : The Jewess, mare by Yaxley, and Cardsharper. MANNING THE NAVY. TO THE EDITOR OF TRH SUN. Snt,—The able manner in which you demonstrated the manner by which our men-of-war can be furnished with crews has given general satisfaction to many ex perienced naval officers with whom I have the pleasure of being acquainted. Surely this is not a time for our Government to hesitate about the paltry outlay of a few thousands. Let them go energeticaby and fearlessly to their work, and the country will find the supplies ; even our old friends the farmers, on such an occasion, would cease to grumble. In your edition of Friday evening there is a paragraph to the effect that the whereabouts of NIT. Bell, the English ei.gineer, could not be discovered. Why do not our cannon ask the question ? Their language could not be misunderstood, and must elicit a spe e dy reply. As to his having taken service under the Rus sian flag, no one in his senses will credit it, and I trust our Government will not allow the brave fellow longer to remain a prisoner, as the heroes of Sinope cannot be very merciful 6r humane guardians.—l have the honour to remain, sir, yours obediently, A CONSTANT READER. Bedford, Feb. 12. CABINET COUNCIL. —A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday afternoon at two o'clock, at the Foreign-office, Downing-street. The Ministers present were, the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell, the Marquis of Lans downe, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Duke of Argyle, Viscount Palmerston, the Duke of Newcas tle, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir Wm. Molesworth. The Earl of Clarendon arrived in town at half-past 3 o'clock to attend the Council from Windsor Castle, and joined his colleagues at the Foreiga office. The Council sat three hours and a half, LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. RUSSIA AND TURKEY. NEW NEGOTIATIONS. From Vienna we learn, by telegraph, that Aus tria proposes a Congress, and that Count Orloff rather approved thereof. This, however, is at variance with the account published by the Journal des Debuts. " According to letters from Vienna which we have received (says that journal on Saturday), the Austrian Cabinet has adopted important resolu tions in consequence of the communication it re ceived from Count Orloff. Not only, it is said, has Austria refused to enter into an engagement of absolute neutrality, but she is represented to have declared that she will consider the passage of the Danube by the Russian armies as a declaration of war ; and that she will also consider as a declara tion of war the permanent occupation of the Prin cipalities by Russia. An understanding remains to be come to as to what is to be considered a per manent occupation—that is to say, to fix a time within which Russia shall evacuate the Princi palities. These resolutions are said to have been communicated by Count de Buol to Baron de Meyendorff, who has transmitted them to his Go vernment. The intermediary of Count Orloff has been set aside ; his mission has therefore termi nated." The Journal de Francfort publishes an article having all the marks of a semi-official communica tion, in which it is said that " the German Powers have firmly resolved, though unwilling to make their resolution the subject of a treaty, to preserve strict neutrality, whatever may happen." The. Constitutionnel says these resolutions attri bated to Austria by the Dlbats are not definitive, but eventual. The Constitutionnel confirms the news that Aus tria has declared that she shall consider it a casus belli either if Russia keep permanent possession of the Principalities, or if the Russian troops pass the Danube. The Constitutionnel adds that Count Orloff is the bearer of an autograph letter from the Emperor of Austria to the Czar Nicholas. The Paris correspondent of the 'limes, writing yesterday (Sunday) makes the subjoined important statements : " It is certain that fresh negotiations are on the tapis for the settlement of the Ristern question, and, however they are destined to terminate, that hopes are again very generally entertained that these negotiations will not be unsuccessful. The propositions said to be adopted by the four Powers make a concession to the Emperor of Russia on a point which he has had most at heart, namely, the liberty of negotiating and treating to a cer tain extent alone with Turkey. The Porte will, of course, have the right to consult with its allies ; but the negotiations will take place without the intervention of third parties, who will only step in when the moment comes for negotiat ing a separate and independent treaty, by which the four Powers will guarantee the stipulations of the first. With reference to the evacuation of the Principalities, it is proposed that it shall take place simultaneouslrwith that of the Black Sea, and that the fleets will re-enter the Bosphorus when the Rus sians re-cross the Pruth. Neither is it certain that a notification of a menacing kind has been addressed to the Czar relative to the passage of the Danube, no more than to the evacuation of the Principalities ; but it is positively stated that Count Orloff has been made acquainted with the real sentiments of the Prussian and Austrian Cabinets, and of the pro bability, if not the certainty, that the prolongation of hostilities will decide these Powers to unite, once for all, with the Western Government. Count Orloff has quitted Vienna with the fervent resolu tion, at least to all appearance, to impress upon the Emperor of Russia the absolute necessity of no longer persisting in a line of policy which must sooner or later alienate from him the Powers that were hitherto most friendly. The facts just mentioned proceed, I think it right to say, from an Austrian source. "In another quarter less open to suspicion it is alleged that on the 29th or 30th ult. the autograph letter, of which mention has been already made, from the Emperor of the French to the Czar, (and which was previously communicated it is said to the English Cabinet,) proposed that a treaty of peace should be negotiated between Russia and Turkey on the bases of the Vienna note as modified by the Porte ; that the negotiations should take place di rectly between a Turkish Plenipotentiary and a Russian Plenipotentiary—Turkey of course re serving to herself the right of taking counsel with her allies ; that if an arrangement be effected, the treaty shall te concluded between Russia and Turkey, but that a convention between the Ca binet of St. Petersburg, the Ottoman Porte, and the four Powers should place the execution of such treaty under the guarantee of Europe, and that the seat of the negotiations should not be either at Constantinople or at Bucharest. " Another authority mentions that propositions have been made to the Emperor of Russia, in the name of the four Powers, for the conclusion of a treaty between the belligerent Powers only with the second treaty or convention between the four Powers, guaranteeing the execution of the first • that the old treaties are to be r e -examined by the four Powers, and that a new treaty between Russia and Turkey of a more explicit nature as to the relations between those two Powers should be adopted. " It is further said that the combined squadrons are to occupy the Black Sea at three points—the first at Varna, the second at Sebastopol, and the third on the Asiatic coast as far as Batoum, to pre vent hostilities and to keep the sea open until the negotiations shall be brought to a close. " The propositions above mentioned—and which we are assured that the King of Prussia and Em peror of Austria use all their personal influence, in addition to the Emperor of the French, to induce him to accept—are substantially the same, parti cularly with reference to the two treaties, one as between Russia and Turkey alone, the other as be tween the Four Powers guaranteeing its execution. " The concessions thus proposed to be made to the Emperor of Russia refer to a question of amour propre and of time. There is no doubt that some consideration ought to be had for a man who is at the head of 70,000,000 of human beings, all devoted to his will ; but the greater the consi deration, the more honourable and the more dura ble ought to be the peace intended to be restored. It must not for a moment be forgotten that Russia can now only gain by time—a month or two more for the concentration of her forces would be of the greatest importance to her, and there is little doubt that she will profit by the over tures again made, in order to obtain the delay which is so necessary to her. If it be true, as is affirmed, that the autograph letter of the Em peror of the French was despatched on the 29th of January, it will have reached its destination destination about the 7th inst. Allowing three or four days for reflection, even in case the Czar wished to wait for the return of Count Orloff 1 before deciding, the reply to these propositions ought to be received here about the 22d of the pre sent month. " I am unwilling to throw any doubts on the sincerity of the proceedings of Austria and Prussia, on the more favourable interpretations of the result of Count Orloff's mission, or on the prospects opened by them of a pacific ar rangement ; but I think it right not to refuse to take notice of what is said by many of the Russian party here, and apparently believed by them. I mention it with all the more hesitation and doubt, that it is contrary to what is declared to be the case in other and generally well informed quarters. The Russians here say that Count Orloff has succeeded, instead of failed in his mission ; and that he has obtained all he desired— namely, the formal assurance on the part of Aus tria and Prussia of an absolute neutrality. That, nevertheless, the Court of Vienna is to act so as to make the Western Powers believe the con trary, and that she is to declare to the Ca binets of London and Paris the very opposite of what she has accorded to Russia. They maintain that the menacing independence assumed towards Russia is only affected. The persons who speak in this manner go still further, and maintain that an absolute neutrality will be the policy of even Prussia." SIR C. P. RONEY. The Hull Packet of Saturday states that Sir Cusack P. Roney has made an arrangement to meet the mer chants of Hull on 'Change on Monday morning on the subject of the present peculiarly inviting prospects in relation to the subject of emigration in Canada, and also to show that in the event of hostilities preventing Baltic timber coming to this country an inexhaustible supply can be had from British North America. THE LONDON BANKS. The subjoined representation to the bankers of Lon don has been prepared in consequence of the intention advertised by the Bank of England to commence busi ness on and after the Ist of March at 10 a.tn., instead of 9, as heretofore. In all banking establishments the hour between 9 and 10 is almost wasted, and it was a considerate step on the part of the Bank of England to propose to do away with a needless attendance. It is evident, however, from the signatures attached to the present document, representing a body of the largest traders in the city, that the private bankers will not be able to follow the example, unless—which is scarcely probable—they can devise some arrangement to meet the requirements of this influential class of customers : " The undersigned hear with surprise and regret that it is proposed to delay the opening of the London banks until 10 o'clock, instead of 9 o'clock as hitherto. " They beg their respective bankers to reconsider this subject, as, although it is true but few checks are pre sented before 10 o'clock, yet those few are of the greatest importance ; and the delay that must ensue in the pay ment of duties and otherwise from such an alteration must prove prejudicial to the commercial community. J. Travers and Son. Tho. W. Wing. Moffatt and Co. Tomlin, Randall, and Co. Hicks, Baylis, and Co. Absolom Orooker, and Co. Peek,Th others, and Co. W. L. Ogil by, Moore,& Co. William Leask. Fincham, Matson, and Co. Wm. Knill. Jno. and Jas. Adam and Co. FergussonandForster. R. M. Holborn and Sons. Clarlg,Ansted, and Co. Lightley and Simon. Conway, Phelps; and Fleet, Brcrthers. Hayward. Whistlers and Striven. Thos. Cooper, and Co. Darby mid Co. For Keeling and Hunt. Scott and Simpson. Spicer, Brothers. Taylor and Whalley. Petty, Wood, and Co. Ryde, Curteis, and Co. Church, Son, and Murt on and Webb. Stubbs. M., J., and C. Woodhouse. Woodman and Ham- E. Goodhart, Son, and bridge. Patricks. Jno. Bower, and Co. Layton, Hulbert, and Co. Fenn,Kemm,and Fenn David Lloyd. HA YMARKET THEATRE. A. very lively and humorous piece of intrigue and equivoque, by Mr. Palgrave Simpson, entitled Ranelagh., was produced here on Saturday evening, and met with a degree of suocess by no means disproportionate to its merits. The period is the time of George IL, when Ranelagh was a fashionable place of resort, and the cha racters are attired in the perukes and swords, lace and embroidery of that day. The principal personages are two married couples, who are placed in contrast with each other. Sir Robert Rovely loves his wife, but the lady's affection is a little too engrossing, makes his home something of a bore, and induces him to seek amusement elsewhere& Dr. Coddlelove, on the other hand, is an uxorious husband, who ties himself to his wife's apron strings, and teases and annoys her accordingly. Sir Robert has an intrigue with a lady of easy virtue, whom he visits clandestinely. Lady Rovely, at first uneasy, becomes suspicious, and learning that her husband is going fur tively to anelagh, her jealousy impels her to follow him thither. Mrs. Coddlelove, glad to escape for a little from her husband's devoted attentions, agrees to go with some friends to Ranelagh while the Doctor is otherwise engaged. But Dr. Coddlelove goes to Ranelagh like wise ; for Lady Rovely, having resolved upon her secret expedition to watch her husband, has taken the Doctor as her escort. Thus they are all at Ranelagh ; the knight with his inamorata (a personage who does not appear) ' • Lady Rovely, attended by the doctor ; and Mrs. Coddlelove all alone, having lost her friends in the crowd. The ladies, of course, in masks and dominoes. To increase the confusion, there are three gentlemen, Colonel Crawfish, Mr. Bramble, and Sir Lorimer Lally, each of whom has come in search of a lady belonging to his family who. has made a stolen visit to Ranelagh. There is now a perfect imbroglio of mistakes and per plexities ; and the upshot is, that after the two ladies are thorougly frightened, the Doctor amusingly mys tified, and the libertine knight involved in three challenges from the gentlemen who are in search of their runaway fair ones, a general eclaircissement takes home.place, and they all go h ome. The acting was admirable ; Sir Robert and Lady Rovely being personated by Mr. G. Vandenhoff and Miss Reynolds, and Dr. and Mrs. Coddlelove by Mr. Buckstone and Mrs. Fitzwilliam. The piece was admirably put upon the stage. The view of Ranelagh, with its rotunda and trees brilliantly illuminated for a fete, was extremely beautiful, and eli cited loud applause. There was a loud call for the author, but not being in the house he could not appear. ➢Zr. Buckstone was enthusiastically cheered, when he came forward and announced the repetition of the comedy, for so it is called, three times a week. THE COURT.—Her Majesty and his Royal Highness Prince Albert, with the junior branches of the Royal family, and members of the Royal suite, have arrived at Buckingham Palace. The Court will return to Windsor at Easter as usual for a few days. The Royal stud was conveyed to Paddington by the Great Western Railway. The Duchess of Inverness has issued invitations for a select dinner and evening party on Wednesday next, at Kensington Palace. The Duchess Dowager of Hamilton is passing the season in improved health in Portman-square. The Marquis of Waterford has been appointed a deputy lieutenant of the county of Waterford. The Countess of Clarendon has issued cards for a grand assembly at the official residence of the noble Foreign Secretary, Downing-street, on the 22d inst. The Countess of Ellesmere will have a soiree, to morrow, in Belg7ave-square. The Earl and Countess of Ellesmere, and the Lady Alice Egerton, returned to Belgrave-square on Satur day from a visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle. The Earl and Countess of Harrington, who have been entertaining visitors at Elvaston Hall, come to town early next month for the season. Lady Bloomfield, of Langhton, Moneyga,ll, has given instructions for the erection of several comfortable houses upon his lordship's estate for the widows and orphans of respectable tenants who may require an asyl Sir Charles Henry Coots, M.P., Lady Coote, and family, have arrived in Connaught-place for the season, from Ballyfinn House, Ireland. The Marquis of Londonderry ♦isited Sunderland on Monday last, in his old family railway carriage, " the Royal George," that conveyed the late Dukes of Cam bridge, Wellington, &c., over his lordship's railways on their visits to Wynyard ; and which ran for the first time on Monday last, on the splendid Londonderry, Seaham, and Sunderland Railways. ARRIVAL OF GENERAL GARIBALDI.—GeneraI Gari baldi, the valiant defender of Rome, arrived in London on Saturday morning, from New York, on board of a merchant ship, which he commands, as he has nobly and modestly resumed, after the overthrow of Italian liberty, his former profession of a mariner. THE TURKISH EMBASSY.—Habeeb Risk Allah Effendi left London on Saturday evening by the express train for Paris en route to Vienna, with despatches for his Government. CONSTANTINOPLE._ A telegrap)iic despatch of the 27th January, from Constantinople, says : " In the letter addressed by the Admirals to the Commandant of the port of Sebastopol a term of 15 days was fixed for Russian vessels of war to re turn to their harbours in the Black Sea. " A corps of engineers is employed in marking out a camp at B o uyouk-Tchekmeelesche, near the Sea of Marmora, for 40,000 men. This place is six miles from Constantinople. "We learn that Knrschid Pasha (General Guyon) has resumed the offensive against the Russians in Asia, with 30,000 foot, 5,000 horse, and 140 4uns." The following is from Constantinople, dated Jan. 26 : " Yesterday afternoon the Fury returned &out her mission to Sebastopol. On arriving in the vicinity of the great Russian stronghold she found the entrance to the harbour frozen up, and was consequently obliged to retreat without having delivered the despatches of which she was the bearer. " The combined British and French squadrons have been at anchor at Beycos and Buyukdere since their return from the Black Sea. They evidently prefer the Bosphorus to the Euxine. " It is thought that the fleets will ere long return to the Black Sea. As yet, however, no prepara tions are being made for their immediate departure. Several of the ships had been damaged during the late excursion, and are under repair. No accident of a serious nature has, however, taken place. " To-day General Baraguay d'Hilliers, the am bassador of France, left on an excursion to Kara- Bournou, accompanied by a numerous suite of French officers, who are attached to the embassy. His Highness ehemet Ali Pacha, Grand Seraskier (Minister of War, and brother-in -law of the Sultan), and Tewfik Pacha, his aide-de-camp and principal staff-officer, accompany the French ambassador. They will be absent three days. The object of this excursion is with reason considered to be for the purpose of fixing upon a suitable spot for the encampment of a French army, in the event of the daily increasing complications of a war with Russia demanding the presence of either a solely French, or an Anglo-French, military force at Consta nt nople. The French general will return on Sun day, as he has issued invitations for an entertain ment on a large scale for the Monday following. " There have been false alarms about the state of Omer Pacha's health, and the Sultan and Grand Vizier immediately sent their physicians to attend upon the Ottoman general. A gentleman who has just arrived from Schumla, and saw Omer Pacha himself, tells me that he is in perfect health, though he had been suffering of late from a slight indisposition. This has .no doubt been the cause of the alarming and erroneous report; Three or four doctors belonging to the army of Roumelia have been turned out of the Turkish service on suspicion of being Russian spies. " Awongst the extraordinary events occurring in these wonderful times, may be mentioned the arri val at Constantinople of a youth of from fourteen to sixteen years of age, accompanied by several hundred warriors. This youth, who is a native of a remote cc untry in the interior of Asia Minor, is the offspring of a woman fifty years of age, and on that account his mother looked upon him as destined for great things—a feeling which seems to have been shared by 'her. neighbours and all the province. The child was:taken to the Mosque. On his right arm an Arabic verse has been in scribed, signifying " Thou Wilt die a martyr whilst on the left the happy prophecy, " Thou wilt be a great man," is carved' in Eastern charac ters. This youth was from his birth destined for a military career, and generally regarded with feelings of respectful veneration by his fellow countrymen. He has now grasped a standard, and, surrounded by his friends and fol lowers, is hurrying to the war. His youthful appearance, while riding through the streets of Stamboul at the head of his followers, had given rise to the report that a heroine a la Joanpa d' Arc had started up for the cause of the Crescent. A warrior woman has, however, appeared in Anato lia, surnamed Karak gas (or the Black Girl), and she is the leader of some thousand horsemen." The same writer on Jan. 30 says :—" The day before yesterday General Baraguay d'Hilliera re turned from his excursion to Buyuk Tchekmedie and Kara Bournou. This little expedition is with reason considered to be connected with the trans- port of French troops to Turkey ; and the object of the French General's visit was undoubtedly to have a look at the country, in case of their arrival. Persons are notwanting who talk of attack ing the Crimea and Bessarabia with an Anglo- French force, with other rather out of the way places. General Baraguay d'Hilliers has visited the country from thirty to forty miles to the east of Constantinople, near the ruins of the celebrated wall of Athanasius. It is now thougl.t that a French force will be placed from sixteen to eigh teen miles distant to the east of the capital, behind the formidable natural position which is there, and which was well known and appreciated by the ancients, in order to be enabled to arrest the pro gress of a Russian army which should be advancing victoriously on the capital, after having forced the Balkans. This position has been considered im pregnable by all who have visited it. " A general attack upon the line of the Danube may be expected to be made by the Russians in the spring. If the British and French Governments purpose sending troops, they had better be quick, if indeed yet in time. A European force side by side with Omer Paella's army would render futile every attempt of the Russians to force the passage of the Balkans. " As regards the combined squadrons, they are still at anchor in the Bosphorus. It has, however, been resolved to send a division of steam-frigates to cruise in the Black Sea. The day before yes terday two French and two British steamers pro ceeded there, and on their return they will be re lieved by others. The Turkish Admiralty is get ting ready a great deal of ammunition, stores, &c., and a considerable number of troops are being embarked. They are all to be transported to`the army in Asia, and will be conveyed by British and French steamers. "TheVauban arrived here from Toulon on Thurs day to join the French fleet. She brought a con siderable number of extra sailors for the other ships of the squadron. The last despatches re ceived here by the representatives of Great Britain and France have been of a very determined char acter. " General Klapka has been named General of Division in the Ottoman army. He leaves for Batoum to-morrow, from whence he will proceed directly to Kars, Bayazid, &c., to inspect and re organise the army of Anatolia. On the 17th of this month the Russians attacked the Turks at Sistowa. They were repulsed with a loss of 200. "The last accounts from the Danube are not of great importance. At Kalafat the Turks were daily expeeing an attack. Small encounters con tinued to take place at different points along the line. " The Banshee has just come in with despatches for the British ambassador." THE DANUBE. The following is dated Bucharest, Feb. 1 "The Russians have now 65,000 before Nalafat. Before the arrival of General Schilders, Prince Gortschakoff had resolved on removing his head quarters to Slatina, but the General had persuaded the Prince to change his plan, and had handed him an order from the Emperor to use every effort to drive the Turks out of Lesser Wallachia without further loss of time. " Both sides were anxiously expecting and pre paring for a decisive attack." Advices from Bucharest, of the oth instant, an nounce that 800 Turks, with eight gun-boats and four sailing-craft, crossed the Danube from Rut schuk to Giurgevo early on the morning of the sth. They landed near the quarantine building, and arranged themselves in line of battle. They were received by two battalions of Russians with a murderous fire, which lasted for three hours. The Russians suffered severely. The Turks finally re turned to Rutschuk. Advices from Odessa state that 30,000 Russians are en route from Moscow to Bessarabia. A. privat • letter from Bucharest of ;11e 29th ult. states that Russian troops are marching in great numbers towards Little Wallachia. The inhabi tants of the district of Ildoto alone had been com pelled to supply 600 waggons for the transport of stores. The Russians appear to attach extreme importance to the operations which are being pre pared. General Gortschakoff, while speaking to a person attached to the Austrian Embassy, who had remarked that Ismail Pasha was strongly intrenched at Kalafat, and that he had the advantage of posi tion, replied, " We have received the most impera tive orders to drive the Turks out of Kalafat. I know that it must cost me anumber of men, but I will succeed at any price." It is a difficult undertaking," replied the o th er, " for, although you wish to capture Kalafat a t any price, the Turks will preserve it at any price." These facts, of which the authenticity is guaranteed, prove the desperate character of the struggle. Although General Gortschakoff is deter mined to sacrifice any number of men to attain his object, he will have more difficulties to contend with than he anticipates. A Turkish captain of in fantry had arrived at Bucharest captured by some Cossacks, who threw a rope with a noose round him. After having used every effort to induce him to give information respecting the position of the Turkish army by bribes and threats, which he resisted with unshaken fidelity, the Russian com mander ordered him to be chained and cast into a dungeon. The Patrie reports, that in the district of Mohe denz, in Wallachia, the peasants have risen against the compulsory service, which was imposed on them, their wives, their daughters, and even their young children by the Russian officers, in conformity with the recent edict in the Peti ber Per to t deft pow mill whc kill , gre tot bee a g sok Bell ; sib] eta by ani of Rl] ars th( A..