The Sun. — London, England, 1854-05-18 00:00:00

, . THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LAYE. Lessee, Mr. A. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, Mar IS, Will he performed FIDELIO, Leonora. Madame Caradori ; Florestan, I,lerr Reichardt; and Rocco, Herr Formes. Followed by (21 time) a new BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT, entitled UNE FETE EN OLYMPE. Fricee--Stalls, Ts; Dravi Circle, 53.; Rues, Sa. ; Fit. 24. ; Gallery. le.' and Private 13 °zee. One , Two, Three aad Four Guineas. The ftoa-office open daily from Ten till filx. where Plecea ma y be secured. Private Roam and Stalls to be had of Mews. Leader and Cock, 63. New Bond-streot. THEATRE ROYAL HAT - MARKET. Under the management of Mr. Sacketone, THIS EVENING, MAT IS, Will be performed TOWN AND COUNTRY. Charaeters by Masan. Compton, Chippendale, George Vandenholf, and Buckstone ?Mu Featherstone and MIN Reynolds. After which, the entirely new and original extravaganza, entitled BIICKSTONE'S VOYAGE ROUND THE GLOBE (111 LEI CESTER•SQUARE), written by J. R. Planche, Esq. Principal characters by Mr. Buckstone, Mr. W. Farren, Mr. Clark, Mr. J. Marshall, Mr. H. Marshall; Mrs. Fitzwilllam, Mrs. Caulfield, Miss k. Grey, Miss Lydia Thompscn, Miss Laura Morris, and Miss Featherstone. Followed by WILLIKIND AND•HYS DINAH. Supported by Messrs. Backstone and Corti; Miss Louisa Howard, Mrs. Fitzwil liani, and Mrs. Caulfield. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE. OXFORD-STREET. Under the Slansgement of Mr. Cummins Kiwi. THIS EVENING. MAT IS. Will be performed THE MARRIED UNMARRIED. Characters by Messrs. W. Lazy. Ryder. and Cathcart; and Misses Heath and 3ln Tay. Followed by FAUST AND MARGUERITE. Characters by Messrs. C. Kean and David Fisher ; Mrs. Winstanley and Miss C. Leciemq. After which, AWAY WITH MELANCHOLY. Characters ly Messrs. Meadows, D. Fisher, and Saker ; and Misses Murray and Daly. TREATBE ROYAL A.DELPIII, Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste, THIS EVENING, MAr 18, TWO LOVEI AND A LIFE. Supported by Will be Perform ed Benjamin Webster, Keeley, and 0. Leigh Murray, M rs C. SeibT. e lm i Miss Woolgar an 3 Madame Celeste. Followed by VIE MOU3TACHE MOVZ3IENT. Principal cha racters by Messrs. 0. Smith, Keeley, and ?smil e; Mrs. Keeley, and mi ss Mary Keeley. After which, THE OVERLA.ND .TOLTRNEY TO CONSTANTI NOPLE, AS UNDERTAKEN BY LORD BATEMAN, WITH INTERESTLYG PARTICULARS OF THE FAIR SOPHIA. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan. THIS EVENING, MAT 18, Wril be performed FIGHTING BY PROXY. Characters by Robson and Wigan; and Miss E. Turner. After which, THE HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Cha racters by Messrs. F. Robson, J. H. Waite, Leslie, and Vincent; Airs. Chatterley, Miss P. Horton, and Miss Marston. To be followed by TO OBLIGE BENSON. Supported by Messrs. Emery, Robson, and Leslie ; Mrs. Stirling and Miss Wyndham. STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee Mr. F. W. Alicroft.—Directress. Hiss Rebecca Isaacs. THIS EVENING, Max' 18, Will be performed THE GARDENER OF VERSAILLES. To be followed by BOX AND COX IN KAFIR LAND. After which, a BALLET DIVERTISSEMENT. To be followed by SUMMER FLOWERS. To conclude with MR. AND MRS. WHITE. Stalls, Ss.; Boxes, 32.; Pit, is. 64; Gallery, Gd. ; Private !loxes, 41 1 le. 6d., to be had of Mr. Allcroft, 15, New Bond-street. ASTLEY'S EUROPE'S NATIONAL A NIPHITHEATUE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. William Cooke. THIS EVENING, MAY 18. Will be presented the new grand Nautical and Equestrian spec tacle, embodying n met and extraordinary effects (written by Mr. Nelson Lee), entitled A TALE: OF THE SPANISH WAR ; or, The Horse of the Wreck. Ths horses expressly trained by Mr. W. Cooke. Followed by an entire change of the Scenes of the CIRCLE. To conclude with a Grand Ballet. entitled THE STAR OF THE ItHINE. Bo:-office open hoot Eleven till Four. Stage Manager. Mr. W. West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. 'Fins Des —Morning 55 inin.after 5 I Evening 25 roin.aft. 6 To-Moutow—Morning 56 rain.after 6 1 Evening 32 min.aft. 7 THE WEATHER.—Sum OEFICI, NKr 18. THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 67—highest since noon yesterday. 54—lowest this morning and during the night. 56—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 30'12. Wnrn, variable from W. to N. and N.E.—Cloudy weather, and alight rain. o ~7L' LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 18, 1854. It is sincerely to be hoped that his Excellency, General B.A.RAGUAY D'HILLIERS, may be speedily recalled from his position as French Ambassador at Constantinople. Latterly he has done little else than add considerably to the embarrassments already sufficiently numerous and harassing. Unfortunately, it is not the first time that his Imperial MAJESTY, NAPOLEON 111., has found difficulties complicated most unnecessarily and deplorably by the hot-blooded petulance and pre cipitation of his diplomatic representatives. At the very first moment of the misunderstanding be tween the Sublime Porte and the Government of St. Petersburg, the EMPEROR of the FRENCH found himself compelled suddenly to recal M. DE LAVA LETTE from Constantinople. That Minister, it will be remembered, adopted terms so arrogant and exacting in his correspondence with the Divan, in regard to the settlement of the delicate and somewhat bewildering question of the Holy Places, that an amicable arrangement was for awhile almost despaired of. He was recalled, however, and with his recall, the difficulty disappeared. Magnanimous concessions were made by France in compliance with the sugges tions_ offered by the British Government. The complications of the matter at issue became at once disentangled and simplified. The differences between the Greeks and Latins were forthwith smoothed away with almost miraculous celerity. Might not similar advantages be expected to accrue from the recal of that quick-tempered Envoy by whose conduct of late the public at large have been rather painfully reminded of M. DE LAvALErres petulance and precipitation ? The dispute between the Sublime Porte and General BA.RAGITAY D'HILLIERS in reference to the depor tation of all the Greeks indiscriminately within the boundaries of the SurrAN's dominions, has happily been closed definitively to the satisfaction of every one at all concerned in it. But fresh annoyances arise in consequence of certain jealousies as to matters affecting the movement of the allied troops matters altogether so ridiculously trivial in themselves as to bear some re semblance to the frivolous squabbles for precedence in the march of some civic procession. Desirable to the very last degree as it assuredly is, that affairs should at the present crisis be con ducted in all respects as smoothly as possible--so that there may not be, under any conjuncture of eircumstances, even the most passin g or momen t ary Interruption to the cordial good feeling which at length exists between the French and English— is it not deeply t o be regretted that any one should jeopardise the b continuance of good feelin g y hints, or innuendoes, or doubts, or hesitations ? Is it riot lamentable that questions of priority or preference should be raised by those whose main responsibility it is to assist otherwise uninterrnptedatid in sustaining prevtuli n the —we mean amon g the alliesg equanimity of the R —IILTAN in their general bearing towards each other ? Every thing considered, therefore, remembering that the v it a l importance that the union between France and England should be illustrated in proximity to the seat of war by the most perfect understanding between the Envoys from the Courts of St. James's and the Tuileries—we do regard it as likely to be a Subject for sincere rejoicing, the prospective recall of the gallant, but hasty, and, therefore, indiscreet diplomatist at present representing his Imperial MAJESTY, our ally, at Constantinople. Whether the functions of Ambassador are to be added to the weighty responsibilities already posed upon Marshal ST. ARNAUD, ill 11i8 capacity Commander-in-Chief of the French forces in the East, or whether some other personage is to be nominated by Imperial decree as the successor General BARAGUAY D'IIILLIERB, it IS, at .. any rate, very genera l ly understood that the last- Mentioned is at once to be withdrawn from his diplomatic post at Constantinople. His recall will no more be regretted, we believe, than was the recall of M. DS LAVALJITTE. Anxieties of a somewhat distressing kind' will thus be effectually diuipeted t end the utmost relime will be reposed THE SUN, LONDON, TIiURSDAY EVENING, MAY 18, 1884. in the unselfish co-operation of the subjects of VICTORIA and NAPOLEON in carrying out, side by side, and hand in hand, with implicit confidence in each other's integrity, the glorious but stupen dous enterprise upon which they have together adventured. Public: attention is now strongly dir ec t e d to the operation of the Bank Charter Act o f 1844 ; an d a general opinion prevails that something must be done to modify its stringent regulations, or that a panic will prevail exceeding in intensity that of October, 1847, and spreading ruin and dismay throughout the industrious classes. We have witnessed the steady progress of the drain of 'bullion, and the diminution as well of the notes iu general circulation as of the "reserve," which is now reduced to an amount below that usually considered indispensable for conducting the legi timate business of the banking department. We have also seen the continued increase in the mtnirraurn, rate of discounts, until that which, on the Ist January, 1853, stood at 2 per cent., is now charged per cent. ; and yet the desired change has not been produced. We are still pro ceeding at a rapid rate on the road to ruin, and yet nothing has been done, or even authoritatively announced as under Ministerial consideration, for the purpose of arresting this truly alarming state of affairs. It is true that within the last few weeks very ominous and significant hints have issued from the Ministerial organ—that the value of the ex clusive privileges afforded to the Bank of Eng land have been set forth and expatiated on with extraordinary emotion, and the very pertinent interrogatory has been exhibited in various forms, but all to the same point, namely, What is there to prevent the Government from becoming its own banker, from keeping its own funds, liqui dating its own liabilities, and, above all, ISSUING ITS OWN NOTES ? The establishment of a really National Bank of Issue—the resumption of the Royal Prerogative of making money, which had for a time been delegated on certain conditions to a private corporation, is thus clearly indicated. If the intimation be only carried out fully and fairly, if the matter be only pushed to its legi timate conclusion, the industrial community will have no reason to dread the consequences of the war, or the additional fiscal changes thereby occa sioned, even though the latter amount, in round terms, to 10,000,0001. sterling per annum. No. Give us " free trade" in banking—allow us to ob tain the requisite supplies of " straw," and there is no danger but the " bricks " will be forthcom ing at the appointed period. But under the pre sent system, all the power of the AUTOCRAT, by sea. or by land—the fortifications of Cronstadt or Sebastopol—the vessels constructed or repaired in English dockyards, or the wild and undisciplined hordes of half savage Cossacks, who crouch before the knout of " the God of the Russians"—do not excite in the minds of well-informed Englishmen a tithe—no, not an infinitesimal portion—of the terror and consternation occasioned by the fear of having the circulating medium reduced much be low the amount required for the wants and exi gencies of the country. It may be said that the hints of the Times should not be taken so very seriously, that the intimation given might have been but a mo mentary ebullition of anger, having no defi nitive meaning, and expressive of no fixed reso lution. We might agree with the argument, had the question related to any other topic. But when we consider the almost fanatic zeal with which the Times fought the battle of the bullion ists—with which it advocated the principles of the Act of 1844, which it declared to be as much beyond the possibility of question as the doc trine of "Free Trade," the matter assumes a peculiar significance. It appears to be like the straw thrown up to ascertain the direction of the " atmospheric currents " the feelers put for ward through the bullionist organ, for the pur pose of discovering whether the "Times-serving " part of the community will continue to follow the beck of their self-constituted leader, or whether they are still dazzled by the specious fallacies re specting the " self-acting regulator of the cur rency," and other frothy trash of a similar cha racter, which, so long as it suited the purpose, was freely poured down their gaping throats. Yes, the participation —nay more, the lead of the Times— in the onslaught clearly proves that the fiat has gone forth, and that it is time for the " Old Lady" "to set her house in order" without any unnecessary delay. It is, indeed, sufficient to insure the success of the movement that a spirit of inquiry should be excited, and that the people should be determined to investigate the question in all its varied details. Hitherto it has, like the enchanted castles of necromancers in the books of chivalry, escaped observation through the mists by which it was concealed. Two potent magicians, PREJUDICE and IGNORANCE, lent their aid to keep it from general view ; but at the first summons from the good knight, Monetary Science, the rottenness of the foundation will be discovered, and the deceptive superstructure will crumble away before the trum- 1 pet-voice of public opinion. " What necessity,' - ' we ask, repeating the query we have so frequently put forward—" What ne cessity is there for a gold currency for domestic use? Why are from 40,000,0001. to 50,000,0001. 'of sovereigns required for carrying on the every-day transactions of life ? The examples of Scotland and Ireland prove that, if there was an adequate supply of small notes, ever concurrent with bullion, that the latter will speedily go out of circulation. In either of the sister kingdoms a sovereign is a rare sight, and when one is ob ' tained from a travelling stranger the recipient I hastens to exchange it for the less cumbrous and i more convenient " pound note." We prevent the development of a similar feeling here by pro hibiting the circulation of notes for less than 51., and " verily we have our reward." "We pay dearly, indeed, for our whistle"—when we con sider that the wear and tear of notes in circula tion costs at least 1,500,000/. per annum, and if we place the interest at an equal amount, we find 3,000,000/. per annum lost by absurd regu lations. What would be said of a small trades man if he used golden scales and weights in all his transactions. The unnecessary waste of capital most probably would paralyse his efforts, and bring him to bankruptcy. But the nation which insists on having sterling value, where a suitable measure and representative is only re quired, in using gold where paper would answer just as well, acts an equally foolish part, and should be held up to contempt and ridicule for its fatuity. All that is required for a currency is, that it should carry with it the confidence of the community, that each man should know that !he can dispose of it in the same manner and at the same rate that he received it—that it possesses, in fact, the necessary sanction for its redemption, and therefore carries with it the " purchasing power." We have repeatedly shown that a national note, secured on all the wealth and industry of the country, and receivable by every tax-collector throughout the kingdom, would possess that sanction—that it would be just as acceptable as gold. All that is required is that the subject should be ventilated in Parliament. If the inquiry be only entered on in a fair and straightforward spirit, we have no doubt that truth will prevail s and that the national currency will speedily be placed on a just and proper foundation. The press tact owes much to the persever anced tact of Mr. seems not unlikely to ollweiLNlhiEimit a , y G e I t B S m oN or , e. and Hi i s t on Tuesday • generalship ad mirable ; it was useless , - i nig t was certainly che le well of the Ex knew, when the Chancelloreitotierbi was a i s doubling or increasing several taxes, 80 iim au stand and give up ax iothcr. That official ( _ Important during a w ax, would, of course, shake his head at being ask& I. to surrender nearly half a million of money, at id the House must support him. Mr. GIBSON, ti ierefore, confined himself to undermin] ing the foundation of a tax which he dare not batter' directly, with the full intention no doubt of spz 'inging his mine when foreign foes shall cease to divert us from domestic improve ments. His - .more ardent colleague, indeed, Mr, BRIGHT, could not be restrained, perhaps it was not wished, from a cannonade in the trans-Danubian style of the Turks and Russians ; but the mover of the resolution wasted none of his powder ; he barely intimated that he had plenty of it ready for instant use, but he adhered with almost logi cal severity to his strong point. A strong point, too, it is. With no little un easy writhing and wriggling on their part—not, however, quite so violent as that of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to avoid surrendering the whole advertisement duty—the two law officers of the Crown and our versatile Home Secretary- were compelled to acquiesce in Mr. GIBSoN's motion. They seemed but too happy to escape with the accompanying verbal assurance that the Govern ment officials had done nothing in their newspaper stamp prosecutions from personal favour and partiality a charge which they perfectly well knew Mr. GIBSON never thought of bringing against them. They plainly thought it a case for caution, and that accepting an explanation was better than a duel with an adversary who had so well selected his weapons. The innocence of the Government law officers, however, only makes Mr. GißsoN's case the stronger. Even under such blameless ad ministration it had to be confessed by the whole House of Commons that " The laws in reference to the Newspaper Stamp and periodical press are ill defined and unequally enforced, and that the subject demands the early consideration of Par liament.' Modest enough in appearance, such an unques tionable fact, and with only such a guarded pledge in reference to it, is an impregnable posi tion from which to commence the grand attack. Mr. GLADSTONE preferred giving up ultimately his Income Tax to attempting an equitable adjustment of it. He felt that a confessedly unequal tax was doomed td extinction, and only saved it for a time by promising some years hence the means to supersede it. With what grace therefore can he face hereafter the resolution agreed to by his own colleagues, that the tax on news never can be equally enforced. The English public will never long consent that the Treasury should have the arbitrary work ing of a definition which depends on the will or whim of Government officials. . What " news" is, no one yet, no lawyer, no judge, no jury, has been able to determine with precision. Public occurrences and facts, if told to the public at intervals shorter than 26 days, are taxed as news, but comments including or implying the facts are not news ; literary journals, with a cer tain minor portion of news in them, generally escape; so do " class journals," if powerful enough to fight Mr. TIMM, who, however, incontinently indemnifies himself on journals not backed by a proprietor who refers Mr. Timm to his solicitor. The "Times," in every form--Musical, Law, or Racing Times—seem to stay for no Mr. Timm ; and the Athenaeum,, with the Literary, and the Medical Gazettes, appear also to use him as they please. But when that awful functionary sends his missive to the Potteries Free Press, or the South Coast Journal, the penny preachers of news and politics are obliged to bow to a five or a twenty pounds penalty, and to accept the remis sion of the fine as an act of sovereign mercy. They, simple souls, had supposed that the law could and would be equally administered, and that if the Builder, the Racing Times, tire., escaped, they might escape also. They quite forgot that the Newspaper Stamp Law was, and must be, Treasury-made law. • This, then, was the sum of the whole debate. Mr. BRIGHT'S earnest appeals against the stamp, as a tax on knowledge and education, will have their weight, of course, but were irrelevant to the main fact to which Mr. Grasorr compelled the assent of the House of Commons, Government officials included. He has recorded on its jour nals the truth, which proved fatal to the defence of a perpetual Income Tax, that the tax cannot be administered with any approach to fairness ; a defect which once distinctly acknowledged, no impost can long survive. In this Mr. Gmsort showed a skill worthy, we think, of a leader of the House of Commons. Of course the discussion pointed to the abolition of the tax, and on that subject Mr. BRIGHT'S speech will be read with interest. He calculates that with a penny stamp for such papers as pass through the post the Treasury would realise as much as it does now. The number of papers would be increased, he thinks, tenfold, and that one-tenth would thus pay the same stamp duty as they now do, but as bona fide postage. No one will wish that the Post-office should be charged for no thing, with the conveyance and delivery of news papers, or other printed documents, but we must de cidedly maintain that hero the American practice is the sound one. They charge all printed paper at half the rate of letters ; and certainly it would be most unreasonable to expect the Post-office to carry the largest paper and its supplements for the same charge as that made on some small penny journal ; and, on the other hand, unfair to the small newspaper that it should pay as much as the large one. The newspaper postage-stamp must commence from one halfpenny upwards, and we feel confident that this arrangement, as most just, would be most profitable also. At the present time, when it is impossible to say what may be the consequence, of the war to the mercantile and trading community of the country and those dependent thereon, it is incum bent upon all, while in their power, to provide for the hour of misfortune, should it arrive ; and we therefore direct attention, as we have before had the pleasure of doing, to the account of the tenth election of annuitants on the Benevolent Fund of the Provident Clerks' Association, when three clerks and four widows of clerks were elected to annuities, making, on the whole, ten clerks and thirty-one widows annuitants on the fund. It is gratifying to find that the benefits of this excellent institution are distributed alike in town and country ; and we feel satisfied that, as its ob jects become more generally known, it will receive the support of the many benevolent individuals in this country. THE EARL OF LICHFIELD.—It is stated that this nobleman (late Lord Anson) has purchased the Gondola yacht from Mr. Woodhouse, and intends to embark on an extended aquatic excursion early in the season. DEATH OF THE COUNTESS OF PORTSMOUTH.—This noble lady, we regret to say, expired on the 12th inst., at her mansion at Eggelsford, in her 78th year. 'Her ladyship was widow of the last Earl of Portsmouth, and sister to the present Earl Fortescue. RATES OF EXCHANGE.—The French rate of exchange continues firm at previous rates. Another favourable fact is that silver and dollars are in the mar k e t h ere , an d that prices are heavy, notwithstanding the last quota tions from India and China. DRINKING THE HEALTH OF THE ESIPEROR OF RUSSIA. —A. few days since a dinner was given to the tenants of Mr. Heathcoat, M.P. for Tiverton, of which it will be remembered Lord Palmerston is the other represen tative. After the cloth had been removed various toasts were proposed, and among the rest was that of "The health of the Emperor of Russia, and may the war last for seven years," which was proposed and seconded by two farmers, named respectively Densem and Hewitt. As might have been expected, the toast was received with indignation ; and its proposer has since been taunted by all with whom he has come in contact. Indeed, it was questionable whether he would not have been mobbed by the women who assembled on the fol lowing market-day. Such sentiments of disloyalty, it is scarcely necessary to state, are not generally entertained by the Devonshire farmers, notwithstanding their fond ness for high prices for their wheat. THE WAR.—ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN.—The following is a copy of the address of the corporation of Cork to the Queen, on the subject of the Russian war, and of the reply thereto, received from Lord Palmerston : "To THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. "May it please your Majosfy—We, your Majesty's duti ful and loyal subjects, the mayor; aldermen, and burgesses of Cork iu council assembled, at this momentous crisis of the commencement of the war, approach your Majesty with the humble expression of our devoted loyalty and attach ment to your Majesty's throne and person, and we fervently pray that the Supreme Disposer of events may vouchsafe to bless your Majesty's arms and those of your august allies, so that, speedily vanquishing your enemies, you may secure to Europe the blessings of a solid and enduring peace. " J. N. MURPHY, Mayor of Cork. " ir,iio)Ea 151`atiTay, Town Clerk." " REPLY._ --- ‘' - Whitehall, May 8, 1854. " Sir —I have had the honour to lay before the Queen the loyal and dutiful address of the mayor, aldermen, and burge ss " of Cork in council assembled, which accompanies your letter of the Ist inst., and I have the satisfaction to inform you that her Majesty was pleased to receive the same very graciously.—l am, sir, pur obedient servant, "The TOWII Cleft of Cork." ‘ PALALZIOT U." MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. CITY, TWO o'CLOCK The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 5,000 bales, including 1,000 American taken for export and on speculation. The market closed heavily, with a downward ten dency. Compared with Friday's rates, prices of American were nearly id. per lb. lower. Railway shares were quiet. The following is the report of Messrs'. ,H. W. Jewesbury and Co. upon the indigo auctions : " Since the last February sale, the demand for indigo, in common with most other descriptions of produce, has been exceedingly limited, and as prices were very generally expected to rule lower, the sale just concluded opened heavily, at a serious reduction upon February rates—the limited amount of orders from the con tinent, also the home trade operating very spa ringly, and the advanced rate for money, have alto gether caused one of the flattest sales ever remembered. Fine shipping indigo has declined 6d to 9d, and in some instances is per lb. ; upon the ordinary and good de scriptions the fall has been about 6d per lb. Madras good and fine (being scarce) sold at about last sale's rates ; the ordinary sorts were 3d to 4d per lb. lower, as was also good and fine Kurpah, the ordinary qualities being 4d to 6d per lb. under February prices. Of the quantity brought forward, it is estimated that 2,808 chests are bought in, 5,048 withdrawn, and 3,300 sold, to which may be added about 200 of the bought in and withdrawn, making the total quantity sold about 3,500 chests, of which 1;800 are said to be for export, and 1,700 for home use and re-sale. The following are the quotations as compared with the last February sale :-- Fine shipping 6d to is lower • good ditto, 4d to 6d lower; broken and consuming, id to 6d lower; Madras, good and fine, par to 3d lower ; middling ordinary, 3d to 4d lower ; Kurpah, good and fine, 3d to 4d lower ; middling and ordinary, 4d to 6d lower ; Oude, 4d to 6d lower ; Pondicherry, 9d to is lower. The letters by the Overland Mail have been de livered this morning, and they represent business as being rather dull generally. The insurrection in China seems to make. progress, and at any rate the Imperialists have not gained any material successes. The ship " Flying Dragon," arrived at Ceylon, furnishes advices to the 15th February from Mel bourne, in wliich we find_a few additional items. It is stated in one letter that business had been circumscribed, but that there was a decidedly firmer tone generally, with a tendency to improve ment. When the cessation of shipments from Great Britain begins to be understood, a marked advance was looked for in all articles of general consumption, but, nevertheless, a further decline in spirits was probable. The alteration in the tariff, imposing a duty of 6d. per gallon on beer, had an effect in causing that article to decline slightly. There was a considerable demand at the various " diggins" for supplies. The quantity of gold brought down to Melbourne from Jan. 23, to Feb. 14, was 63,833 ounces, and the shipments had been 80,632 ounces, of which 250 ounces were to Syd ney. The arrivals were large, comprising 53 ves sels from British and foreign, ports of 19,812 tons. The addition to the population, allowing for the departures, was 2,709 persons. Timber was in re quest, but the price was not high, owing to the difficulty of procuring storage. The Honourable East India Company have taken up the Royal George to convey troops, and the Barham for stores to Calcutta. The rate of exchange for bills drawn by the Hon ourable East India Company, has been reduced id. per rupee—viz., to ls. 114 d. on Madras, and 2s. on Bombay. This would appear to indicate either a falling off in the demand for remittance that may result in smaller specie exports hence, or otherwise larger payments to be made here by the company, which desires to offer greater temptation to purchasers. The value of money has been getting up steadily here to the Bank of England minimum, and the discount houses are doing the best bills very cur rently at 54 per cent, and according to date, still more is asked. The Bank of Belfast has advanced its rate of discount from 5 to 5i per cent. The French Government, as was expected, has lowered the interest in Treasury bills, and money is very abundant at Paris. The exchanges will be favour ably influencedwhen the new law is in force, allow ing colonial produce to be brought here, as the stocks in France are small. A meeting of the shareholders in the Albion Gold Mining Company is now in progress, the object being to expose the mismanagement and promote the winding up. The proceedings have not yet concluded. Public Securities are still advancing, the ener getic course pursued by Austria having the effect of strengthening the impression that Russia cannot long resist such a coalition. Consols have been 883 to 89 for transfer, and 88a to for account. The New 31 per Cents. have been marked 881 to 884, and the 3 per Cents. 87i to Bank Stock has been firm at 204, and India Stock quiet at 235. Exchequer Bills are ls. discount to 2s. premium. The foreign market has been dull as regards Spanish American and speculative stock, but there have been several bargains in Northern Bonds. Russian 5 per Cents. have declined to 95 and 941, and the 41 per Cents. to 814. Belgian 41 per Cents. have been at 90, and Dutch 2i per Cents. at 58 to 59. Spanish Deferred Bonds are 183- to 1. The railway share market has been very firm, with, however, only a limited business doing. French shares are steady, and Northern higher. The other foreign lines have been in moderate request. Gold Mines are 'merely' nominal, the Oriental Bank shares have risen about about it., and Aus tralian Agricultural Land are buoyant. The last week's railw a y receipts ascertained up to this day are in round figu res a s u n de r : 1854. 1853. Great Western North-Western South-Western Brighton Midland South-Eastern Caledonian, and Edin. and Glasgow 16,385 14,086 Great Northern 18,069 15,742 Lancashire and Yorkshire 19,047 18,895 York and North Midland Newcastle and Berwick } 28,308 26,339 Leeds Northern BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES. (Front the Official List. rtnßiness done Bank Stock i per Cent. Reduced Annuities B7i i i i n 3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 881 i 9 83 9i 81 9 s ew 31 per Cent. Annuities B B4 f, i Long Annuities, Expire 6th Jan., 1860 -16 3 Ditto 30 Years, Expire 10th Oct., 1859 4 5.16 India Stock 235 Consols for Account 6th Juno B Bi I I 1 94 Exchequer Bills, 2d. 21000 -.. l.d 2 p Small 1 le PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. 1 Rraxilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 964 6 Grenada Bonds, Deferred tt uss i an Bonds, 1822 , 5 per Cent. £St 9145 4 5 Ditto for the Account 95 4 4i 5 Ditto New, 1852, 44 per Cent . Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent 824 Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 3Bl Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. — Ditto for the Account lB3 i Ditto Passive (Converted) Dividends on the above payable In London. Belgian Bonds 44 per Cent. ex. 25 fr Dutch Exchange, 24 per Cent. 12 Gu11..., 59 81 91 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certineates ... THREE O'CLOCK. Consols B9 i Ditto Juno Account B9 i OPENING THE NEW STREET TO ST. PAUL'S.—The last portion of the new thoroughfare of Cannon-street West, opening up a direct communication between the south side of St. Paul's Cathedral and London-bridge, is now being paved, between Old Change and the churchyard, with blocks of granite, and the Commissioners of City Improvements I,tavo definitively fixed that this import ant line of thoroughfare shall be opened throughout on Monday next, the 22d inst. SHIP MAILS D URING THE MONTH. Notice was issued from the Gen eral Post-office yesterday that ship mails will b e ma d e u p for Melbourne, to b e sent b y the Great Britain, which leaves England on the 10th of June next ; for Cons itant ino p le, b y a steamer which leaves May 27 ; for R io de Janeiro, Buenos Ayres, and Monte Vid eo , by a see amer which leave s J une 1, and for Hudson's Bay, Vi incouver Island, and Sandwich Islands, by vessels wl sich leave England during this month. SHIP ON FIRE.—ME LBOURNE, Feb' 2.—On the 16th of December, Captain Grant, of the ship Tay, recently arrived at Adelaide, du covered smoke ascending from the main h a t c hway, Iv n d upon making th e c l osest examination of the I adet► hold, ascertained that the coal had become ignited by spontaneous combustion. To attempt to extini,,:ui lib the fire by removing any portion of the cargo, a irrl so giving the air free ad mission to the hold c ,f the ve3sel, would probably have proved a most du itructive course. A more safe remedy, that of batter 'big down the hatchways, was adopted, and the capti in, the first officer, and a few. of the crew, to whom I done the perilous accident was known, wat c h e d with : anxious solicitude for the general safety, and whilst t`ae c aptain cracked on the vessel with sedulous earnest'aess, the cause of his eager efforts to terminate the pi ,ssage was unknown to his passengers, whose ignorant, 3, whips t it did not exaggerate their dan ger, preserved t ,hem from unceasing and torturing alarm. Above the coal 9 were 150 barrels of gunpowder, and a large quantity o f spirits. The fire was subdued, and there is little i loubt but that she will deliver her cargo in good order, .—Shipping Gazette. LATEST FOREIGN NEWS. THE WAR. CONSTANTINOPLE, MAY S.—Nainik Pacha, who was lately charged with the negotiation of a loan, is appointed Ambassador at Paris. Maslum Bey, Minister of Commerce. Nemet Pacha, Minister of Police. Vely Pacha, Governor of Candia. The Sultan, after having paid a visit to Prince Napoleon, invited his Imperial Highness to dinner. Marshal St. Arnaud arrived at Smyrna May 6. A division of the French army has left Gallipoli for Biaz ur. An Egyptian-Turkish squadron goes into the Black Sea, probably to Varna. THE BALTIC. THE FLEETS NEAR CRONSTADT. Letters received yesterday from St. Petersburg, dated the 9th inst., state that the British fleet had been seen within 25 to 30 miles off Cronstadt, and had captured a number of Russian gun-boats. COPENHAGEN, May 16,—The houses on the right bank of the Neva, at St. Petersburg, have been de molished. The telegraph to Stockholm is open. COPENHAGEN, May 11.—The leprosy is spreading so rapidly in Norway that fears are entertained of its becoming a general sickness, as in the middle age. Strong efforts will therefore be made against it, and the Parliament have made large grants for hospitals, in which the incurably sick will be al lowed to reside. No one will be allowed to marry II while afflicted with this disease. A ship loaded with cannon-balls has been stopped by the local customs officers in Newcastle, and it will not be permitted to sail until further instructions arrive from the English Government. As this was a Norwegian vessel, the subject excites interest in that country. The French fleet, or rather its first division, is in the Great ,Belt. The ships distinctly stated to have reached the. Swedish coast, may pos sibly have been the Swedo-Norwegian squadron. The last number of the Aftoabladet contains a long letter from a female correspondent, residing on the island of Muskey, descriptive of the death of Lieutenant Freeland, his solemn burial, various visits and adventures on board and ashore. The whole is so graphic and charming that it ought to see light in an English dress, but its length forbids. The following is an extractof an interesting letter, written by an English gentleman now cruising in a yacht in the Baltic, to a friend in Paris. It is dated May 5 : " A wet day at anchor in a smooth water cove on the Swedish coast has tempted me to write to you, as no doubt you will not be sorry to hear a voice from the fleet. I left Southampton in a yacht on the 10th of April, with very rough weather, and a continued head-wind to fight against, and at last made the fleet in Landsart Bay (or fiord), about 60 miles north of Stockholm, in a small cove of which we are at anchor, while the fleet is bang ing away at practice in the fog outside. Napier has 22 ships here-- 14 line-of-battle ships, and the rest paddle-wheel steamers. The remainder of the fleet, screw-frigates and paddles, and about six more liners, are cruising about the Baltic off the Gulf of Finland. The fleet has come hers a month too soon, the ice having only just broken up at Sweaborg and Cronstadt. On Sunday there was a thick snow storm, and ice falls from the rigging frequently of a morning. We have had fogs, lasting 36 hours at a time, so thick that we could ncrt see twice the length of the yacht ; and when it cleared, not knowing where we had drifted to. I saw old Napier yesterday. I believe, from all I can hear, that something is to be done on the Finland coast, or in the Gulf, the moment the weather lets them see their direc tion for firing. You can conceive nothing finer than this finest of all fleets. The Swedes and Danes are, to a man, with us, and . every tolerably fine day brings crowds to cheer us. The Kin, and Court at Stock holm, too, I understand, would ° be glad if an excuse offered to make them join us. We have sent about 17 role on prizes Danish home to o England ,rSwedish edieh g round. t he crews at Manyof liberty on pa these poor Finlanders and Courlanders offered to enter our navy ; many begged to be sent to England, and on leaving the ship they were taken by to the shore, they shook hands all round, and gave three cheers for England. "The fleet in the Baltic now is 45 sail, 2,250 guns, and about 23,400 men ; this is inclusive of the French fleet of five ships of the line, four frigates, and four steamers. " I don't think Cronstadt or Sweaborg will be bom barded ; they are in such difficult channels that without the steam power it would be quite impossible to get into position to attack, as stone walls and casemated batte ries must be fired at from not more than 200 yards dis tance. No doubt an attack on Sweaborg might and would be entirely successful, but of course not without severe loss and much damage to our ships ; immediately alter which out would come the untouched Russian fleet of twenty-seven sail of the line and thirty-eight large frigates from Cronstadt, and fall on our disabled fleet. Napier is bold enough ; but if the Russians ex pect him to commit some rash folly through love of fighting, they are much mistaken. The St. Jean d'Acre, Captain Keppel, is unquestionably the finest and most efficient ship here—ninety-one heavy guns on two clear fighting decks. The Austerlitz, the only Frenchman in this quarter yet, is a very fine ship, the men very clean and smart aloft. We have not seen their target practice. Their great gun exercise is not so quick as ours, the command being rut, deux, eras,' instead of ' one, two.' I don't expect to go home before next month, but I hope to see something worth seeing before I leave." THE BLACK SEA. TREBIZOND, April 30.—Forts Noworossijsk and Gelendshik have been evacuated. Sucbum Kaleb is almost entirely deserted. A letter from Orsova, of the Bth, states that the Russians have destroyed three batteries which they had near Salina, and ordered ail the inhabitants of that place to leave it. Most of them are going to Tultscha. According to a correspondent of the Trieste Gazette, the united fleets were cruising off the Crimea, where they were blockading Sebastopol. On the 30th ult. explosive projectiles were launched against it for three hours by an English steamer, but, as it was given out, without result. A di vision of frigates had steamed away and gone to destroy the Russian forts of Redutkale, Suchum• kale, and Auapa, on the Circassian coast. The Russian fleet keeps snug at anchor behind stone walls, and shuns all chance of collision. This may prolong the war, but then it will compel the allied Western Powers to support their fleets in both seas with land forces. The Ko/n. Gazette says :—An official communica tion was published at St. Petersburg on the 9th, that 30 ships of war of the enemy had been. seen from Sebastopol on tie 28th of April. THE OTTOMAN FLEET. The destination of the Ottoman fleet, which lately left Constantinople for the Black Sea, is not exactly known, but the most probable is that it is hound to the Circassian coast, as they have em barked large quantities of ammunition and guns, besides which Seffer Pacha and Beseeh Pacha, both Circassians, accompany the ships. By last accounts parts of the combined fleets were blockading Se bastopol, and the remainder had gone to Souk houm Kale. The Turkish fleet is under the com mand of Caiserli Ahmet Pacha, a good and brave sailor, Mouchaver Pacha (Captain Slade), and Hassan Pacha, and is composed of 22 vessels, in cluding steamers. The following is a list of the fleet SAILING SHIPS. Guns. Mailmen& 124 Peiki Zafer Isdemdoulie A Cade Zerad 74 Feuftah Zehad Garan Bahri Cheref Nutna 2O Djai Fcrakh Guns. Peiki Measareh Techrifie Nousretie 74 Myouni Baird 54 Ferakh Numa 2O Shaika 2O STEAD Guns Muklibirri Surur 26 Chaiki Chadi Shakkper 8 Peiki-fiz SHIPS. Guns. Ge:gi Bahri 22 Megidi 4 Messia Bahri THE DANUBE. A letter from Bucharest, iu the Press of Vienna, states that the prisons of Bucharest are filled with Wallachians suspected of being partisans of the Turks. At Vienna it is said there is no foundation what ever for the rumour that the Russians have in vested Silistria by land on the right bank of the Danube. The Moniteur de l' Armee thus describes the respective positions of the belligerent armies since the evacuation of Lesser Wallachia by the Rus sians " On the extreme right, along the left bank of the Aluta, is stationed the Russian corps of army coming from Pojana and the neighbourhood of Kalafat, which has been reinforced by a second corps, lately arrived from Moldavia. The reserve is at Pilesti, an important town of Great Wallachia, 20 leagues to the N.W. of Bucharest. The right of the Russians communicates with the centre through Giurgevo, where a third corps is encamped. The centre extends from Giurgevo, oppo site to Rustchuk, to Kalarasch and Rassova, along the left bank of the Danube, having its reserveat Bucharest, 13 leagues from the river. The left wing begins at Ras soya, and occupies the Dobrudscha, communicating, by Odessa, with the troop of Osten-Sacken. Its reserve occupies Matschin and its vicinity. The line of operations of the Russian army stretches over a distance of at least 50 leagues, from the Aluta to the mouths of the Danube. Its real force may be calculated at between 150,000 and 180,000 men. The second reserves are still on the banks of the Dnieper, their effective force being unknown. The Turks, who hav e I likewise effected a movement of concentration duce their adversaries abandoned the environs of Kalafat, oc cupy the following positions :—Their left wing is on the right bank of the Aluta, with its bead quarters near Slatina, and its reserve at Krajova, communicating with the centre by the Danube towards the confluence of the Aluta. This wing is formed of the troops which lately garrisoned Widdin and Kalafat, and of a portion of the reserve, ordered to join from Sophia. The centre faces that of the Russian army, between Nicopolis and Silis tria, occupying the fortified points of Rastchuk, Tur tukai, and Silistria, the garrisons of which have been lately reinforced from Shumla by order of Omer Pacha. The reserve of the centre is stationed at Shumla. The right wing lines Trajan's Wall, with its reserve at Bazardjick and Varna. The Turkish force on those different points tray be estimated at from 120,000 to 130,000 combatants, including the garrisons of the strong places. The troops of the second line are con centrated around Adrianople, and the 50,000 or 60,000 English and French already at Gallipoli, Scutari, and Constantinople form the third line. Such are the forces of the two belligerent Powers opposed to each other in Europe. Our information with regard to the armies of the Caucasus and Asia are too imperfect to enable us to give any correct account of their positions and numbers." THE DOBRUDSCHA. The Augsburg Gazette, generally well informed about Russian movements, estimates that the epi demic has already put hors de combat 18,000 Rus sians since their occupation of the Dobrudscha. It is stated by the Lloyd of Vienna that in con sequence of the continually increasing number of Russian prisoners, Omer Pacha has written to his Government to propose that a regular exchange of prisoners shall be effected. The Lloyd also adds that putrid fever is making great ravages in the Russian army of the Dobrudscha. The allies are now iu sole possession of Varna, and as the French have already advanced to Adrianople, the Turkish garrison of that city is on its way to Shumla. It is also confidently asserted at , Constantinople that the French will place a reserve corps of 50,000 men at Rodosto, where their engineers are already taking admeasurements for a fortified camp. The corre spc.ndent of the Oest. Deutsche Post writes that the offensive operations of the allied armies will soon commence, but not on the Turkish soil." All the best tacticians consider Prince Gortschakoff's expeditionintotheDobrudscha a strategical bl under. The Constantinople writer further says, t hat the Russians have experienced such severe checks neap Rassova that they have probably lost all inclination to renew their attempts in that quarter for some time to come. The English part of the Constan tinople garrison -15,000 infabtry—has already reached its destination, and as many French troops are expected. The official Osservatore Triestino has a strongly-pronounced dislike to Russia, but its Constantinople correspondents are extremely impar tial in their reports. One of them writes that the Anglo-French cruisiers have taken 13 vessels, four of which offered such a vigorous resistance that they were sunk. Six have been taken to Varna, and three brought into the Bosphorus. Omer Pasha has had several of the Bashi-Bazouks beheaded. Some 600 of these fellows not long since were taken on board the British steamer Astrologer at Trebi zond, and just as they were starting for Batoum, they amused themselves by trying whether their new guns would carry as far as the shore. As the whole population of the place was assembled to see them start, two persons were killed and four severely wounded. This new kind of salute seemed to pro duce no sensation, for the apathetic bystanders did not take the trouble to move from the spot. The whole of the maritime coast from Batoum up to St. Nicholas has been fortified according to plans drawn by European engineers. Selim Pasha is pre paring for an attack on Osurgeth, which is a town not far distant from St. Nicholas. RUSSIA. The Lloyd of Vienna says it is now quite certain that the Russians intend to form an army of obser vation near the Prussianfrontier. Twenty thousand men are marching towards Petrikan and Gensto chan, which are only a. few miles from the frontier. The Presse contains an article in answer to the assertion of the Jouirnal de .St. Petersbourg, that "during the war the nobles would give up one tenth of their income to the Czar, and that the merchants and traders would pay an annual tribute of 300, 160, or 100 roubles, according to their means ;" that is to say, 1,200 f., 640 f., or 400 f. The Presse declares that there are not 20 noble houses in Russia that are not deeply mortgaged ; that their incomes are rather nominal than real; and that they cannot give a large sum to the Czar. Their incomes, besides, being founded on agricul tural produce, must fall off enormously when once a strict blockade is established by the Western Powers on the coast of Russia. Already the effects of that measure are beginning to be severely felt, and, should it continue, ruin inevitably awaits the Russian nobility. As to the merchants and . traders, their number amounts to about 36,000, of wham 900 belong to the first class, 1,900 to the second, and the remainder to the third. Supposing that they paid the amount mentioned above, the Czar would receive about four millions of roubles (sixteen millions of francs). "But how," asks the Presse, "are they to pay that amount of money when their business is nearly ruined by the blockade ? Surely, what causes damage to the nobles cannot but be just as injurious to the mer chants and traders, who are the connecting link between the Russian nobles and other Countries." It is now three or four months since a proje•t was attributed to the Emperor of Russia of re constructing the kingdom of Poland, not, of course, out of any regard for Polish independence, but out of vengeance on those Powers that refused to asso ciate themselves in the enormous injustice he medi tated against Turkey, or who have contravened his designs. The movement of Russian troops to the frontier of Galicia and the Bukovina would seem to render probable the execution of that menace ; and though such an attempt would, in all proba bility, terminate as much to the disadvantage of the Emperor himself as to those against whom it was directed, yet, from what we have already wit nessed of his conduct, we are justified in supposing that no step will be thought too desperate for him to undertake. MONTENEGRO. A letter from Cattaro of the 4th, in the Moniteur says :—" The Monte_ negrins attempted a week ago a little razzia on the village of Sestaui ; but being attacked by the inhabitants at the moment when they ware retiring, they had two men killed and were forced to abandon the flocks which they were removing, and also a human head which they had cut off." GREECE. ATHENS, May 12.—Fuad Effendi, with 15,000 Turkish troops, is at Arta. The rebellion is almost totally quelled. Communication with Prevesa is fully restored. The road to Janina will shortly be entirely free. It is said that a new Anglo-French note has ar rived at Athens. 8,000 Belgian muskets, destined for Greece, have been confiscated at Malta. Some transports, conveying horses belon g ing to the generals of the expeditionary arm y, have been attacked by Greek pirates. Eight thousand muskets, destined for the Greek insurgents, have been captured near Malta. The Government of Greece is to be required, by the allied Powers, to give in its adherence to the protocol of Vienna. The ntw Kaimakan of Samos, Jan Ghika, has addressed to the inhabitants a proclamation in which he exhorts them. to union and obedience to the laws, and declares that he is charged by the Sultan to maintain tranquillity, and at the same time protect and consolidate the privileges which he has granted to the principality of Samos. FRAN CE. The Paris correspondent of the Morning Chronicle writes :—ln my letter of yesterday I sent you an extract from the letter of a correspondent, who represents the attitude of Austria as still very doubtful, and that that Power ha s d e t erm i ned not to go any further against Russia th an i s t o b e implied from its persisting in maintai n i ng a neu tral attitude. I have since learnt that this is not the feeling of the French Government. The im pression at head-quarters here is, that Austria has now not only come fairly an d h onestly over to the side of the Western Power 3, but that th ere is every probability that within the next fort night we shall have th e news t h at s h e h as d ec l are d war against Russia. Th e a tti tu d e o f P russ i a i s not quite so satisfact or y, b ut great con fid ence is felt that that Power will also follow the ex ample of Austria. M. de Manteuffel is said to be firmer, and more determined in his adhesion to the alliance, than i s su p pose d i n some quarters; an d l ie is now more secure thAn ever in his post as Minister of Foreign Affairs. The French Government has no longer any uneasiness as to the resolution which the Prussian Government will ultimately adopt. It has never yet attempted to get rid of its engage ments hitherto; and notwithstanding some evident tergiversations in the mind of the King, nothing has occurred to show that it has ever contemplated the idea of shaking them off. On the same subject the Times Paris correspondent says :—Accordihg to the most trustworthy accounts nothing can be more 'satisfactory than the attitude of Austria in the present critical state of affairs between Russia and the Western Powers. Any doubts that may have hung over tue policy of that Power, or any suspicions that may have been to the latest moment entertained as to the sincerity of her adherence to the policy of France and Eng- ' land, or hor willitiguen to act when the proper time for action should arrive, appea4. • dissipated ; and even by those whose endured to the last it is now averred t117,;', is acting at this moment -as becomes a great, Power desirous o f throwing off the tutelage of Russia, and of sustaining its independence. In deed, unless the blackest treason be contemplate d, the assurances given by the Cabinet of Vienna; and partis.ularly by the young and high spirited Emperor, leave us little to desire, and there is reason to believe that the cry of Five r At h " triche will soon be associated in the cotnplime n ‘ tary phrases exchanged between France and Enr land. You are already aware that M. (now Baron) von Hubner has returned to Paris. after his slier ° visit to Vienna. With all the caution which chars° . terises every one connected with Austrian diploma* and the mystery which covers its proceedings, it is nevertheless known that the explanations given bY t that Minister are suchas to justify the most generally confide°, hopes ; and a person who is on these matters has this day declared it as 1 1 1 opinion that, before the lapse of a fortnight, a JON A' rupture will take placa between Austria and Russia' For the honour of Austria it must also be said that if a change for the better be observable in the Bet" lin Cabinet, it is principally owing to the pressure exercised upon it by that power. She has very recently remonstrated with Prussia in ter •s neither the Cabinet nor the King could disregard' She has reminded Prussia of what she appeared to forget, namely, that she was a party to the solemn acts which bound the four Powers to a commie° policy, and declared that she would consider the conduct she had given some indications of pursuing to be in total contradiction to these engagements ; that they signified nothing more or less than a re fusal to execute those pledges, and that the 1 10 ° - realization of them would be regarded by Austria 0 an act against herself. Austria has declared bet readiness to act with the Western Powers, but before advancing she insisted upon knowing the court which Prussia proposed to follow, while she herse ll was engaged. Such, lam assured, is, in substance the language. employed by Austria. The answer of Prussia is said to be satisfactory, and the conr munication which, as I mentioned yesterday, w° s received by the French Government, announce s such to be the case. The result is, that though Prussia may be as earnest and as zealous 1 ° the cause as desirable, yet much satisfaction is el pressed at the change which is said to have conle over her councils ; and, if matters progress in the same favourable way, we may soon expect to s e l the Emperor Nicholas hemmed in by a circle enemies. As it is, his position is bad enough ; vib ° will it be when his dearest friend is forced by a' cumstances, if not induced by goodwill, to destroy the only chance he had of making a diversion in h is favour. The French seem to be quite aware of the right plans for shipping troops speedily, as witness th e following statemen t from the 31 alta Mail of May 'The French Government have become the owrieL.: by _purchase of the three steam-ships lately in th is harbour, the Golden Fleece, the Emu, and the Xe ly garoo, and they will change owners as soon a s thc contract for which they are hired to the Englis h Government has expired. Built in the hope of obtaining the contract for the line to Australia, thes e fine ships were, as it were, on the offers being de clined, thrown on the hands of the company, wh o ' having no other object in view in which they coo l ` employ vessels of their size and sp e ed, came to th ° resolution of accepting the offers made, and by which, we believe, they have realised a profit tha t may solace them for the loss of the Australian o o ° - tract. It is matter of regret, however, that thos e ships have not become the property of the British Government rather than that of any other iu the world, however fiiendly soever it be." The interest on Treasury Bonds is fixed, after the 18th of May, at 3-i per cent. for bonds of three to five mouths, at 4 per cent. of six to eleven mouths , and at 4i per cent. of twelve months. The Three per Cent's. opened yesterday at 66f. 9 5 ,_°1 and closed at 67f. 80 c . f or th e en d o f t h e mo nth the Four-and-a-Halt p e r C en t s . c l ose d at 93f. 90°' , and the New Loan at 67f.; Orleans Railway Share s ,' 1,107 f. 50c.; Rouen, 910 f. ; Havre, 460 f. ; Gre°" Northern, 795 f. ; trasburg, 745 f. ; New shares , 582 f. 50c. ; Paris and Lyons, 897 f. 50c. ; Lyre° to the Mediterranean, 740 f. ; Western of Franc' , 615 f. ; Bordeaux and Cette, 560 f. ; G rea t Centre; of France, 482 f. 50c. • Lyons to Geneva, 47 11 ' 25c. ; Bank of Credit Mobilier, 607 f. 50c. AUSTRIA. The Austrian Government has published an 91 count of the receips of the Treasury for 1853. - 1- shows a falling off of 56,000,000 of florins. PRUSSIA. The negotiations with R uss i a f or a treaty of commerce, have completely failed. All that haS been agreed upon is, to give facilities to commerc e on the frontiers. Severid of the Berlin journals state that at Backeburg, in the principality of Schauenburg; Lippe, some Prussiansubjects have been condemne u by the tribunal of correctional police to rather lon imprisonment, for having been present at religious meeting presided over by an anabapti" missionary. The German Journal of Frankfort states from Berlin that there is no f oun d a ti on f or th e assertio. n of the Cologne Ga ze tt e , th a t th e Ki ng o f Pruasg" has, on the application of the Prince of Prusail i f deprived him of his military functions. The same journal says there is a rumour I:3 Berlin that the German powers propose to send a 1 t " army of pacifi ca ti on " t o G reece i nstea d of the intervention proposed by France and England. f We learn from ano th er source t h at t h e Prince Prussia has been prevailed on, at the especial r e t : quest of the King, t o re t urn t o B er li n on the V; of June, the anni versary o f t h e d eat h o f the' father, a day always observed by the royal famiil ITALY. A letter from Naples of the 9th, in the Pc mento of Turin, states that the King has taken a' active part this year in the late exercises and Ina: nceuvres of the troops, which usually take place 1 ", the spring season. This year, however, the troop s called out are not to return to their cantonment s / but are to remain en ramped as an army of observa: tion. This measure has caused some surprise 111 the capital, there being no signs at present of ar, proaching civil commotions, or of war. The head pilot of the port of Naples has been sent to Genoa, to take the command of the Sicilia, and bring her back to Naples, where the judicial inquiry respect' ing the late melancholy collision is to take place. The sixth anniversary of the Constitution was, as already stated by telegraphic despatch, celebrated at Turin on the 14th with great pomp. The king, the members of the legislature, the ministers, and all the great civil and military authorities were present at the solemn thanksgivings offered up in the cathedral, which was decked out with tri coloured flags, and other suitable symbols inter spersed with appropriate inscriptions, while the national guards were drawn up in parade on the square outside. The troops of the garrison lined the Piazza Vittoria Emmanuele and the adjoining streets. The King, on leaving the cathedral was received with loud cheers by the assembled multi tude, and the progress of the royal family to the palace is described as a triumphal procession, s ° great was the enthusiasm of the people. The King afterwards reviewed the troops in the Piazza Castello. THE PACIFIC MAIL. SOUTHAMPTON, WEDNESDAY* ► By the Royal Mail Steam-ship Magdalena w e have accounts from the Pacific ports, and dates to the 3d of April from Valparaiso, and Callao the 12th. The Pacific Steam Navigation Company e steamer Santiago arrived at Panama on the 20th ult. with $300,000 in specie on freight. From Valparaiso we learn that the Russia n frigate Diana sailed thence on the 23d of March, ostensibly for the Sandwich Islands. The British frigate President left on the 21st, and at the last accounts was with the Trincomalee at Calloa. Th e postal arrangements of the Chilian Gevernmeo u, had given great dissatisfaction. The markets were more active, but prices of goods were low, th e arrivals round Cape Horn having been nume rous., Freights were high, but, owing to the scarcity 0 ' vessels, little was done. From Bolivia the only news of importance is 1 1 the effect that General Be!zu was at La Paz, an d in correspondence with General Castilla, the Peru vian insurgent leader, to whom he was about to send money, arms, and troops. Accounts from Peru state that the city of Cuzco pronouned against the Government on the 1 6 th of March. General Castilla was said to be in the vicinity of that place. President Echenivue re remained inactive at Lima, but was to march at the head of the Government troops within 20 days t o r hazard a general battle. The title of Liberator 0 Peru had been conferred on Castilla at AriquiPe• It was generally believed that the Government We e growing weaker day by day, and the revolutiona r y party gaining strength. The British ship An n Dashwood w e nt as h ore on S an L orenzo on the 7t' of April, and became a total wreck. There Wer e 42 American and 65 English vessels at the Chinches at the last accounts. The Ft ench ships La Fort and L'Eurydice were at. Callao. Seamen w er ,, very scarce, and there was room for 1,000 extr: hands. Six or seven vessels were lying at „t il . Chinchas waiting crews to take them home. change on England, 46k ; UniWd Staten, 6 P cent.