The Sun. — London, England, 1854-12-28 00:00:00

THE COMMISSIONERS of the METRO- POLIS TURNPIKE ROADS North of the Thames will hold a SPECIAL, MEETING at their Office, No. 22, Whitehall-place, in the parish of Saint Martin•in-the-Fields, in the City of N estminster, on FRIDAY, the 12th dayofJanuary, 1855, at the hour of One in the Afternoon, far the purpose of considering whether any and which of the several, toll-gates and side-bars now placed on and by the side of the Ninth District of the sajd Metropolis Turnpike Roads North of the Thames shall be removed and placed elsewhere, or discontinued ; and whethei any other tollgates and side-bars shall be erected oa or by tke sides of the roads in tha said District, and in what situa tions the same shall be placed. - By order of the Commissioners. J. L. PANTER, Chief Clerk and Secretary. Metropolis Roads Office, Whitehall-place, 2Sth December, 1854. GRIND BAL MASQUE and CHRISTMAS FETE at the CASINO DE VE &USE, High Holborn.—The Proprietor of the above magnificent and popular Establishment respectfully announces that he will, at the suggestion of his sub scribers and friends, give a GRAND BAL MASQUE and CHRIST MAS FETE TO-DAY (THURSDAY, December the 28th) the arrangements for which are of a most extensive and superb cha racter. Mr. W. M. Packer's renowned band will occupy the orchestra, andperform a programme of dance music apropos to the festive occasion.—Gentleman's ticket, ss. ; lady's ditto. ag- g el '' Doors open at half-past nine, to commence at ten o'clock punctu7. —Mr. Nathan, Castle-street, is the appointed costumier. T. D RITRY-LlNE.—Lessee, Mr. E• Smith. — Reduced Prices as usual.— A Morning Thura erformance every day), Dec. 28, Wednesday, at Two o'elock.—This Evea tn _f_ ( se o f FAZIO. A ft er her Majesty's Servants will perform the_.?:l-7reextraordinary, lite which will be produced the entirely W. and pecul i arly culinary ray, traditionary, comical, gastrono mic al , Pantomime, entitled and fantastic domestic grand comae Mustard and the Four- JACK AND JILL; or, HarletenT_ ie. The extensive scenery, en and-Twenty Blackbirds Baker e Cuthbert, Cooper, Gordon Wilson tirely new, by Messrs- lgis h e b 'seessrs. Tucker The extra° , rdinat; and Moore. The machl_ changes , and . transformations by Mr. properties, decorations, m hie arrant by Madame Louise.. 'Needham. The choregra-P The overture and music composed and selected by J. EL Tully. Leader, The whole of the d es i gns, mo d e l s , an d s k etc h es - Mr. Hayward f urn i s hed from the stu di furnished of Dtkwynkyn, who f or man y wee k s p as t has been personally supervising their execution. The novel grotesque burlesque opening invented and written by E. L. Blanchard and the waole arranged and produced under the immediate superin tendence of Mr. Edward Stirling. Principal Ingredients in the Christmas Bill of Fare :—The Hall of Hypochondria in the Domains of Dulness.—Misanthropy (Genius of Gloom), Mrs. Belford. Fog, Drizzle, Taxes, Spleen, Indigestion, Quarter-day (his Ministers of Melancholy), Messrs. E. V. Dent, E. V. Wet, E. V. Load, E. V. Day, E. V. Weight, and E. V. Bills. Azure Diabolicals in attend ance, Messrs. Croak, Quake, Fret, Fidget, Worry, Flurry, Fume, Vex. Groan, Growl, Grumble, and Grizzle. Apparition of Misan thropy on her favourite Nightmare, and Magical Appearance of Good Humour in her Christmas Car. Good Humour, Miss Alder ; Lightheart and Sunshine (her Attendants), Misses Honey and Brews: Mrs. Gismos (the original "Cook's Oracle," and the well known adviser of the " First catch your hare," &c,), Miss Rosina Collins. The receipt given to make a good pantomime, and its con coction accordingly. Cottage of Jill on the borders of Fairyland (by, Sunrise), with Enchanted Kitchen, Garden, and Region of Preserves. • "Sing a song of Sixpence, " Pocket full of rye, "Four-and-twenty - blackbirds, "Baked in a pie."—Ancient Nursery Legend. Jack (the interesting hero of the olden story, who went up the hill to fetch, &c ),afterwards Harlequin, M. Milano; Jill (the heroine of the adventure, in love with Jack), afterwards Columbine, Mdlle. Bolen ; Marmalade (the Fairy Queen of the Preserves), Miss K. Warrington ; Pineapple, Raspberry, Lemon, Cherry, Apple, and Greengage (her Assistants), Misses Clifford, Gower, Johnson, Love. Lunis, and Richardson ; Strawberry, Cranberry, Gooseberry, Cur rant, Apricot, Damson, Quince, &c. (Fancy Preserves), Misses Grace Honey, Ellen Honey, Laurance, Louise, Therese, Charles, Kin: , Sidney, Gordon, Barnes, Emily Barnes, Richardson, Eliza Richard son, Rose, Sidney, Emily Moore, Elizabeth Smith, Lille Ellis, Rosa Harrison, E. Box, Taylor, Matilda Chenley, Martiney, St. Clare, Evans, John Levines, S. Johnson, and Roberts ; Preserved Ginger their warm ally), Master Pungent ; Fruit Blossoms by a Blooming Selection of Coryphiftes. The Will and the Way—the Talismanic Sixpence—The Change, Grand Ballet. Principal Dancers, Mdlle. Therese and Annie Cushnie, Therese, Smith, Sec. The Four-and- Twenty Blackbirds, Masters Tweet Tweet, Toot Too, Loodle Loodle, &c. The Reading of the Will— " Jill must not a husband take, Till she a pie can make and bake." Interior of Jill's Cottage (by Moonlight).—Coal, Mr. Nobbs ; Bundle of Weod, Mr. Halfpenny ; Congreve Box, Mr. Fizzer ; Bellows, Mr. Leathertongue ; Dutch Oven, Mynheer Von Tan ; Rolling Pin, Mr. Smoothpaste ; Gridiron, Mr. De Bar; Frying Pan, Mr. Broadrim ; Soyer's Three-legged Iron Pot, Herr Potluck. Cruet Castle in the Table Cloth Territory (by Moonlight), and Golden Palace of King Mustard.—King Mustard (afterwards Clown), Harry Boleno ; the Empress Vinegar (afterwards Pantaloon), Herr Kohl ; Black Pepper and White Pepper (sentinels on duty at Cruet Castle), Mr. Husky and Mr. sneezums ; Sweet Oil, Miss Florence: Cayenne, Mr. Capsi eum ; Harvey's Sauce (attendant in waiting), Mr. Savoury ; the Army of Beats, Messrs. Indian Soy, Curry, Capers, Ketchup, Mushrooms, Garlic, Shalot, Sweet Herbs, Potted Tongue ; Potted Beef, Potted Bloaters, Potted Anchovies, Potted Shrimps, &c.; Horse Radish (from the King's stab:e), by a Racing Na;. attend Review—Ter rific Attack upon the Appetite, and Rally of the Relishes—Great Progress of Jill in her Culinary Career. The Abode of Chutnee in the Province of Pickles (by Sunset).—Chataee (Chief of the Pickles), 3,1 r. Fiery Facies ; the Pickle Army, Messrs. Onions, Walnut, Gher kins, Cauliflower, Red Cabbage, &c.; Small Jar, Master Piccalilli. Great demand for Pickles and determination of the Dcor to Stand a Jar. Interior of the Stupendous Salt Mine (by Moonlight).— Salt Rocle(a bright White Sprite), - Harr Willikind Moles. Imminent danger of Jill in splitting upon a Rock of Salt—Treachery of Vinegar —Upsetting.the Pail above, and Evaporation of the Saline Stalactite Co'umns, disclosing The Emerald Temple of Salad.—Magical Union of the Sweets and Sours, and " a Pie" termination of the Loves of Jack and Jill. The Transformation. -Harlequin, M. Milano; Columbines, Mdlle. Bolen and Miss Ellen Honey; Pantaloon, Mr. Cole ; Sprite, Herr Willikind Meleno ; Clown, the celebrated Harry Boleno (his first appearance in London for many years) ; Aerial Evolutionists, by the inimitable Italian Brothers. The Turk's Head Public-house and Hairdresser's Shep.—Hairdresser, Mons. Pomade ; Publican, Mr. Billy Williams ; Customers, Messrs. Rednob, Smockface, Owen Swift, Beardless, Whisker Want, Baron Nicholson, and Tom Steed ; the British Pub lic by themselves; Policeman A. 1, Mr. Vigilant. Approach of the Greet Rugged Russian Bear—How he Whines after the Forte, which, being rather old. , turns out somewhat crusty—A Dose of Turkey Rhubarb—A Done Cossack—pure Circassian Cream—How one Sham 11l mates all well—The Great Bear turns out a Great Boar —Russian Attachment to Grease —Clown Cuts his Customer's Hare end afterwards Dresses it a la foyer—The Great Moustache Move ment—A Close Shave —Clown shows his hi g h attachment to the —Sudden Rise in Porter—An m.T.M.P.—A. Patten - Leek at to o'clock—A. Bona Fide Traveller—Ginger Beer and Gin without ger , —A Mill, a I)lght, a Regular Row, and Station-house for Two. Great American Baby Show.—Arrival of the Infantry—Sudden Squall—Ma's upon the Eve of Battle—General Attack—Awarding the Prizes—Clown and Pantaloon's Offsprings—The Prettiest Baby in the World—A Model Baby and a Spirit Child —The Wonderful Effects of Dr. De Jongh's Cod Liver Oil—Clown's Great Prize Baby —Fresh Arrival of 300 more Babies—The Judge Confounded—Great Uproar—An Unwelcome Visitor to a Ladies' and Juvenile Party— and Extraordinary case of Suspended Animation by the Ita lian Sprites. Scott's Oyster Shop, Newspaper-office, and Pursell's Biscuit Baking and Confectionery Establishment, Cornhlll.—" rouse ye then, my merry men, it is our opening day"—A Holster for one and a Lobster for two—A 31ussulman and a Man for a Muscle—Daty and Custom—A Bride Cake and a Wedding Cake— First Edition and Second Edition—Left Out far Want of Rce.m Press of the Privilege and Privileges of the Press —" Oh, what a row, a rumpus, what a rioting." Baker, Mr. Crusty ; Fishmonger, Mr. Scales; Master Newsboy, Christmas-box; Printers, Messrs. Typo and Chapel ; Editor, Mr. Cutemdown ; Critic, Cntemup; Pas sengers, Meagre. Trot, Cosey, Strutalong, Lounge, Loiter, and Walk about ; Boardman, Mr. Bobaday. Hosier's Shop and New Wing of Somerset-house.—Here we are—Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year-. High Prices and Low Prices—Manchester Stuff—Eng lish Comforters—Stocks on Hand and Handsome Stocks—Ford's Eureka Shirts—Reform in the Civil List and Uncivil Treatment of the Clerks—Transfer-day at the Bank, and General Holyday at Somerset-house.—Hosier, Mr. Stockers; Shopman, Mr. Early bird ; Boy, Master Toddles. Soyer's Magic Kitchen.--Chef de Cuisine, Mons. foyer; Kitchenmaids, Misses Basteaway and Drippingsell ; Guardsman, Corporal Longshanks ; Policeman, Sergeant Podger. Cupboard Lovers—foyer's Last Soup Where's the Knives and Forks?—Boiled and Unboiled Lob sters—Headless Swains—Lobster Patty sad Giblet Soup—Clown Gone all to Pot—Harlequin Gets well Towelled and afterwards Mangled—Clown and Pantaloon in a Stew—A Regular Broil— Thou contest in such an unquestionable shape, that I will speak to thee (Soyer, or rather Shakspeare)—Teo Many Cooks Spell the (Clown's) Broth—The scene finishes in a very spirited manner. An Illuminated Page of the History of England.—Grand Allej.oricdl Tableau with Panoramic Effects, illustrative of the Triumphs of the Alltei Forces. Young Jullien's " Allied Army Quadrille," by the double bands of the. English and French. " God save the Queen," " Partant pour la Syrie," and " Rule Britannia " Daughter of the Regiment, Miss Rebecca Collins, in which character she will sing the spirited patriotic effusion, published in " Blackwood's Magazine" for December, and written by Corporal John Brown, of the Grena dier Guards;When the men got some drink for the first time at Balaklava, Sept. 25th:— "Come all you gallant British hearts that love the red and blue And drink the health of those b rave l ads who made the Russians rue. e Then fill the glees, and let it pass, th ree t i mes three, end one more . For the twentieth of September, eighteen hundred and fifty-four . Vestibule of the Temple of Victory. The Tribute of England to the Brave Patriots. Distribution of Laurel Wreaths, Gorgeous and Electric Scenic Climax, with Revolving Columns and Variegated Illuminations. Terrific Flight of the Rana!' Brothers. The whole scene presenting a coup d'ce'l never before witnessed on the English stage. Admission :—Stall., ss. ; dress einem 43. ; second price, 25.; upper circle, 3s:; second price, Is. 6d.; pit, 25.; second price, Is ; lower gallery, Is. ; seeond price, d. ; upper gallery, 6,1. ; private boxes, 10s. 61 , 15 8 ., 215., and upwards. Doors open at halt - past G, performance at 7 o'clock. Half-price at 9 o'clock. The box-office open daily, from II till 5 o'clock, under the direction of Mr. Edward Chatterton. Notice.—The following pi ces are approved and in preparation, and will shortly be produced : —The Grand Christmas Pantomime,. by E. L. Blanca ere, Esq. ; a Drama, by Dion Bourci mutt, Esq.; Two Dramas, by A. Harris, Esq.; an Adaptation from Meyertter's.Opera, L'Etoile du Nord, with new scenery, properties, and effects; to be succeeded by an English version (by Mr. Reynold son) of Gluck's Iphigenia Tauride. The Grand Historical Egyp tian Drama, many months in preparation, will also shortly appear. THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET. Under the management of Mr. latekstone. Tilts EVENT:NG, 14c. 28, will be performed the Drama of THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TARLE. Characters by Messrs. Chippendale, Howe, W. Farren, Compton, and Buckstone; Misses Reynolds and E. Followed by a new grand Chr'stmas Pantomime. entitled LITTLE BO•PEEP; or, Harlequin and the Girl who Loit her Sheep. Little 80-Peep, Mlai L. hompson ; Harlequin, Mr. Chttpino ; Pantaloon, Mr. W. Barnes; Clown, Air. App'eby ; Colnn►bine, Mis, M. Brown. ROYAL PRINCESS'S THEATRE Under the Nianageme.nt of Slr. CaARLCI MEAN, THIS EVENING, DEC. 28, WI I be performed THE S I RANC;ER. :lir. C. Kean. After which will be produced a New GrAnd( hristmaA Pantomime. entitled, HARLEQUIN BLUE-BEA I , D; or. The Great ISashaw, , litelequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo ; and COlllft Whe, 311ss I)esborough. Principal character t y TtIMATRiI. KOVAL ADELPLII. Preprletor, Mr. B. Webstor.—Dlroctress, Madame Celeste. 1 1113 EVF.NINCI, DEC. 23 - - - Will to pertl , rmed an entire new Rustic Drama called PIERRE THE YOUNDLINO. Suoporte f 1"y Messrs. 11. Webster and Kee laT, and Mrs. Keeley and Miss Wcoigar. After eh, a new grand Eccentric Extravaganza, called VU- Z'U: Travels et Messrs. l'anube and P"uth. BELLE. To whie.h will be added a n nv Farce, entitled THE RAILWAY ROYAL OLYMPIC TUE ATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. A. Wigan. THIS EVENING. T)Ec. 28 Will be presenteilattei Comelletta,c4lled A WIFE'S JOURNAL. by metiers Brown, Emery, tlarcaurt, and Leslie; and Characters and Miss Maskell. Mrs. r rown, w ki c h. a new F_adrizat ravaguisa entitled TFIF: YELLOW A ter ... .AND. Tili K 1 b THE WALD NIINEJ. Charac- DWAn-r - s ~1 , .. e. Miss M MIAs Bromle ”son, m.l Jana George, Miss E. Ormonle, ter3 by arstcn. 33 i and Mrs. M 3 , Fitz Allan. To conclude -, v ith the Farce, can A. BLI GIITED BEING, in n latch air. Holsson will appear. ROYAL LITEUM THEATRE. TJn.ler the management of Afaclame Vechts. !sae Ceske Mr, C. Mathews. TiII4 EVENING, DEC. 28, Will be perf,rmed AGGRAVATING SAJI. Principal character by Ilr: C. Alathews. ' Will be produced a new and original Fairy Extravaganza. en titled PRINCE PRET TYPET and THE BU TTERFLY. To be followed by TWO II EAOS ARE BETTER YUAN oxE . liox-offlce open from 10 until G. Sole agent for Private Boxes, Mr. Alleraft, 15, New Bond-street. • ASTLEY'3 nOTAL A 'IPTITTUF.ATivi r LC-'41 , e2 and Mana;or, qtr. William rooke. Tremendous success of the Comte Pantomime! MORSING PERFORMANCES will take place on the Monday ':.sforningd of January Ist, Ath, and 15th. THIS EVENING, THE BATTLE of TFIE ALMA! After which, the SCENES In the ARENA! To Notielode with an entirely new Harlequinade by Nelson Lee, with new music, scenery, dresses, tricks, transformations, &c., &c , called, MILLI ✓ER'3 TRAVELS tfIhOUGH TII& HORSE ISLANDS ; Or, Harlequin and Britannia! Bo t-ocdOe open from Eleven till Four. Stage Manager, Mr. V. West, A cling Manager, Mr. W. 11. Cooke. Equestrian Director , 3r. W. Cooke, Jan. TILE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 28, 1854 HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. i) 4 , 7 --Vertin - 45 minotfter 8 E. - . ening 18 rain.ftft. 9 To-';oft w Mornil . g 51 rain.arta - 9 Y&,--Falr.:.'L 23 10 Dec. 28. THE WEATHER. --9111 1 On") IaIIII2IOIIETEB, IN THZ SHADE. 43 highest since noon yesterday. 35—lowest this morning and during the night. 40 —this day, at noon. BABAYSISTICB, 30'48—rising rapidly. WTSD, N.W.—Light breeze, with fine frosty weather. We had a slight fall of snow this morning. flf,, ceptible in the earlier stages, are being steadily though slowly remedied, and we can look forward confidently to the Rltimate capture of the Russian stronghold, and with it the overthrow of the Russian power in the Euxine. AOMEI3. PACHA is preparing to move with from 30,000 to 35,000 of the gallant veterans - who proved their efficiency last year in the Princi palities and on the line of the Danube. Whether he will proceed to Balaklava, to Eupatoria, or to Perekop is not at present known. His presence, however useful it might be, is not urgently re- ' quired at the former locality. Our troops have shown that they are able to hold their own, and that they can withstand all assaults from the out side as well as all sorties by the garrison. If the Turkish cohorts landed at Eupatoria they might create a diversion in the rear, and place OSTEN SACKEYS corps between two fires, and thus get iid of their opposition, and enable the besiegers to complete their arrangements for the reduction of the fortress. On the other hand, the seizure and garrisoning of Perekop—a step that ought long since to have been taken, if sufficient force could have been mustered for the purpose— would not only prevent the arrival of new auxiliaries and new supplies, but it would shut in those already there like rats in a trap until they should surrender themselves unconditionally to the ♦ictorious Allies. With the complete and unopposed command of the sea, with the power of landing the personnel or mate riel of war at any point on the coast of the peninsula, we should very speedily have matters all our own way. We have hitherto neglected, or, at least, not adequately availed ourselves of, the means at our disposAl. There is, however, if we are to credit the advo cates and eulogisers of the Austrian Alliance, no reason for the retention of troops for the protec tion of the Principalities, or the Turkish territo ries, properly so called. All that is guaranteed by Austria. And even without such a guarantee we should suppose that Russia had quite enough to do to protect its own territories without attack ing others. With vigour and determination the matter may be brought to a speedy close ; and we earnestly hope that these indispensable qualities will not be wanting in the present crisis. LATEST NEWS. THE CRIMEA. VIENNA, WEDNESDAY. On the 17th Omer Pacha left Varna for Con- s tan tinople. On the 15th General Osten-Sacken reconnoitred in force, and a skirmish is said to have taken place near the ruins of Inkerman. A despatch from Sebastopol of the 14th an nounces that on the 11th the Russians attacked the French outposts, and gained possession of three mortars, but were repulsed with the loss of 50 men. It is also stated that Prince Men9chikoff is ill, and that Osten-Sacken exercises the command during the sickness of the Commander-in-Chief. A despatch from Varna of the 17th states that 5,000 Turks had embarked for the Crimea. The Duke of Brabant visited Lord Westmore land yesterday. His lordship's health continues to improve. Yesterday Prince Gortschakoff presented a note which he had received from St. Petersburg to Count Buol. It is believed to be unsatisfac tory, but is not the final reply of Russia. Intelligence has reached Marseilles from Con stantinople, dated the 16th. In a sortie made by the Russians on the 12th hey had 700 men put hors de combat. Between the 13th and the 20th 8,000 French and English troops passed by Malta on their way to the Crimea. BERLIN, DEC. 25. The Correspondance says there is a probability that the enrolment of German troops for foreign countries will be forbidden, seeing that, by Article XVIII. of the Act of the German Federation, it is expressly forbidden to German subjects to enter into the military service of Foreign States: FRAN CE. THE NEW LOAN. PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING. The Legislative Corps has held its first sitting. -It met to-day at two o'clock ; Count de Morny, the president, in the chair. Count Murat, the Marquis de Chaumont-Quitry, M. Dalloze, and the Duke de Tarente, were appointed to act as secretaries. The president pronounced an ad dress on the occasion of his taking the chair in the midst of the warmest acclamations of the Assembly. The bureaux were appointed by lot. A letter, sent to the president since the last ses sion, was then read, in which M. de Lorinet de clares that he resigns his functions as deputy for the department of the Ain. Leave of absence was accorded to MM. Cabias, Sapey, Varin, d'Anvelle, and Crosnier. A communication was made in the name of the Government by M. de Parrieu, pre sident of section of the Council of State, and a bill presented to authorise the Minister of Finance to contract a loan of 500,000,000 f. The expose des motifs of this measure was read amidst the acclamations of the Assembly. M. Roullert-Du gage proposed that the members should at once proceed to the bureaux and exlmine the bill rela tive to the loan. This proposition being agreed to, the members at once withdrew to organise their bureaux, and to examine the bill in question. The public sitting then terminated. In the address which Count de Morny made to the Assembly, on the occasion of his taking the chair as presi dent of the Legislative Corps, after saying how much he needed the kind co-operation of his col leagues to enable him to perform his duty with efficiency, he observed, that to the violent debates which had marked the proceedings of former assem blies had succeedsd dia.:of:maim:is of a perfectly calm and polite character. -As used the.e woras tionally, because they were of high political im portance ; since the present mode of transacting the publio business was an evident proof of the accord which existed between the great powers of the State, and which had had the effect of giving to the head of the State the most complete liberty of action, and of allowing him to perform such great things. That accord had also enabled him to enter into a sincere alliance with the two greatest Powers in Europe, and to enjoy the confidence of Germany. The honourable gentleman also in the course of his address passed a handsome compli ment to M. Billault, his predecessor, for the manner in which he had always performed his duty. Count de Morny ha t s taken up his residence at the President's palace adjoining that of the Legis lative Corps. HALF-PAST SEVEN.—The French Government has this day received, by way of Bucharest, news from the Crimea, dated the 18th. It is in every respect satisfactory. The troops continue to be full of ardour. The reinforcements continue to arrive in great numbers, and establish themselves with perfect order in the encampments set aside for them. Eupatoria is strongly guarded. It is now in sured not only against a coup de main, but also against all the attacks that the Russians might attempt to make against it. BOURSE, DEC. 26.—CLOSING PRICES. Cash. fr. c. Rad of Month. 4i per Cents 93 —f. —e. 3 per Cents 66 85 66 65 Credit Mobilier 730 Roman Credit Foncier 545 Austrian . ............ Belgian Fives — Spanish Threes..... Piedmoutese B6 50 Home Debt ......... RAILWAYS - FOR CASH. fr. c. fr. C. Orleans ........ ...... 1,137 50 Lyons ... 972 50 Western 630 Rouen .................. 982 50 Cette Mediterranean B4O Havre 530 Northern THE PRINCIPALITIES. OMER PACHA'S DEPARTURE FROM BU CH AREST. BUCHAREST, Dec. 12.—Yesterday, while rain was falling in torrents, Omer Pacha set out for Shumla and Varna with his staff. His household follows, and it is well understood that we shall not see him again for a long while. He goes with 30,000 or 35,000 men to the Crimea, but to what point of the Peninsula is to us unknown. The semi-official organ of the Government here published a few days ago the following order " Considering that in consequence of the note of Omer Pacha, Generalissimo of the Otto Man armies, an am nesty has been accorded to every one compromised in these latter times; that several have appreciated that oblivion of the past, but that other; have followed the enemy, and have not since returned—we submit this matter to the deliberation of the extraordinary council of the administration, and we order that the said indi viduals shall be forbidden to return to their country.-- STIBBE!." TURKEY. CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 11 The following is the substance of a despatch from General Canrobert, dated Bth inst. :—The General demands of his embassy to represent to the Porte the absolute necessity of providing regularly the supplies of the Turkish troops, whose numbers are daily increasing by the arrival of reinforcements from Varna. The ardour, enthusiasm, and con fidence of the allied armies are displayed in glow ing colours. Their constancy under so many trials and hardships, the General remarks, merits the most honourable mention, and is the surest pledge of success in a struggle whiek has now assumed such enormous proportions. Were the British force as advanced as the French in respect to its works, and more especially in the renewal of the batteries destined to operate on the place, General Canrobert hoped to re-open the fire in a couple of days. to business than he does at the present moment, working daily for sixteen hours, for he knows very s,ll that he has 1 criu to rc:y c.,u, and that 'ais orders, however exigent, are never executed, unless he sees them done himself. The whole system of Russian bureaucracy is so rotten that no confidence can be placed in anybody, and no one is more con versant with this fact than the Emperor himself. Count Nesselrode is still in favour, and is closeted with his royal master for several hours every day. The general opinion here is that a war with all Europe is inevitable, although a part of the nobles affect to believe that Austria will never be brought to draw her sword against Russia, and doubts are beginning to be seriously entertained whether it will be possible even for Prussia and the States of Germany to maintain any longer their one-sided neutrality. The last accounts from the Crimea are anything but encouraging. The army is decimated by disease, provisions are getting short, and in the present state of the roads there is no mode of sending sup plies. Great fears are entertained that Sebastopol will not be able to hold out much longer, and Mensehikoff's flaming despatches, with his poetical description of brilliant attacks and successful sor ties, with the stereotype loss of " one man killed and wounded," fail to inspire general belief any longer. It is said that the Emperor has sent for the venerable Field Marshal Prince Paskiewitch from Warsaw to consult with him on the best means of defending the frontiers on the Austrian line, and to concert measures for certain contingencies that may be shortly expected in that quarter. That the nobility and mercantile classes devoutly wish for peace cannot be doubted for a moment, however unwilling they may be to clothe in words such an unpatriotic sentiment. It is only the pea sants who still entertain any enthusiasm for the Czar. The new levy to be raised in March of ten men in every 1,000 inhabitants will drain the population of nearly a million of men—on paper ; for nobody seriously believes the possibility of raising such an army by an imperial ukase, it being well known that the Czar must first raise—the wind. _ _ _ The ukase, which is dated Gatschina, Ist (13th) December, decrees that the conscription is to have force in the eastern half of the empire, or, in other words amongst, the barbarous tribes of Asiatic Russia. The levy is to commence on the 15th February, and to be finished by the middle of March. The conscripts are to have, moreover, the supreme g ratification of paying for their uniforms and outfits out of their own pockets, and the sums charged to each recruit are not to exceed the value paid by the commissariat department to the con tractors, viz., 10 silver roubles, 30 copecks (about 11. 10s.) per head; the Czar magnanimously re nouncing all idea of making any pecuniary profit on the transaction—the logical inference to be drawn from which is, that in other cases he does make a profit. PRUSSIA. BERLIN, DEC. 24. Every thought of every member of the political world here, not thoroughly engrossed by the ap proaching family festivities of Christmas, is directed towards London, in anxious expectation of what Herr von Usedom will learn of our Cabinet's inten tions. The conviction hero seems very strong, that if the views of the Western Powers do not very far exceed those limits which Prussian views set to the scope of the present war, the King will decide upon casting his lot with them. The accounts that reach here from Russian Po land mention that the 12th serial levy is being car ried on with equal energy and cruelty, and that, at the same time, the lower classes of the population are compelled to the most arduous labours for the purpose of conveying to the warehouses and arsenals the immense stores of provender and provisions of all sorts that the upper classes have been forced to contribute. The young and operative generation is confiscated to the Emperor's military wants ; the necessary edibles are laid under embargo to meet the wants of the Commissariat, and the families who are thus deprived of their effective members are compelled to give their own services and those of their teams to convey their lost treasures to the neighbouring citadels. Their payment they re ceive in paper, to come due three days after con venient ; their taxes must be paid in hard cash. Under the circumstances the poor people cannot even afford the luxury of a hearty curse on their oppressors, for anything like grumbling renders them liable to personal pains and penalties, con fiscation of goods and chattels, and to being handed over to the labour gangs. Warsaw is being turned into into an tirs i t m -o p l r m era fi b wour l c riettiheakacestaeertapoi fortifications. army fna n w.u2 d n oa L en a roc ismino areieat environs g o rons s t w a a n r try n is posted between Bialogon and Samsonow, and another between Keilei and Radom. It is repre sented as highly improbable, that the Emperor, with 50,000 (?) men on the Austrian frontier, will consent to worse conditions than those which Prince Gortschakoff was authorised to accept in Vienna ; and some voices go so far as to assert that it would very much interfere with Russian plans aid wishes if Europe was to take Russia at her word. In some correspondences we find that Aus tria's signature of the treaty by no means surprised politicians in Russia ; it had been looked forward to a long time as probable or possible, but is con sidered there to be an empty demonstration. "The capture of Sebastopol and the burning of the fleet will not, it is said, alter the position a hair's breadth, for still peace cannot be concluded with out Russia's consent." organised whole, to be kept together and strengthened by one joint constitution, "Ministers nifwe the fillies:. contideLee in the patrifit. ism and public spirit of the Diet, and rely upon their cooperation in effecting the above desirable results, and upon these grounds have accepted the responsible duties of office offered from the Sovereign. " With respect to our foreign policy we may add that, in direct concurrence with the sentiments entertained on this subject by the King, we do not intend to propose any change or modification." The programme was received in both houses with great acclamation. It will be remembered that about a month before the dismissal of the late ministers, a patriotic mem ber of the Volksthiug, Herr Tutein, proposed to impeach them for the unconstitutional edict of the 26th July, and also for unwarrantably altering the budget after its final adoption by the house. The impeachment was really never made, but the question was put and carried. It remains now to be seen whether it will really be executed. The new ministers are unwilling to take so extreme a step against their predecessors, but there is a strong party in the house, at the head of which is Bishop Monrad, who earnestly wish to see them impeached and severely punished, as a warning to all future ministers not to attempt to tamper with the con stitution. The Chambers will be prorogued most likely to morrow for the holidays, and they will not re-open till the 4th January. THE BALTIC. EFFECTS OF THE BLOCKADE. TILSIT, Dec. 19.—Our transit trade has never before been so important as this year, exclusively in consequenceof the blockade of the Russian ports. Although the shor`,. but severe frost in November threatened to put an early end to our navigation, the late mild weather has again opened the com munication with the interior of Russia, and several hundred loaded vessels which were frozen up in the ice have been able to proceed to their destination. From the opening of the navigation at the end of April, down to the close of the season by the early setting in of tho frost, ' no lees than 2,223 loaded vessels and other river ships, besides 1,036 rafts of timber, passed the Russian frontier station of Schmaleningken, bring ing the following goods :-364,964 barrels of rape and linseed, 403,000 cwt. tallow, 16,300 cwt. copper, 87,000 cwt. cordage, 11,160 cwt. bristles, 70,000 cwt. rags, 3,680 cwt. sailcloth, 1,180 cwt. oil, 7,987 cwt. mats, 6,090 cwt. raw hides, 5,100 cwt. tar, 3,600 cwt. feathers, 400 cwt. potash, 555,012 timbers, 21,065 oak timbers for ship building, and 2,136 lasts pipestaves. All these goods were destined for Memel, whence they were transshipped to England, and the vessels returned to Russia freighted with valuable cargoes of colonial produce, British manufactured goods, salt, wine, and other articles of consumption. Letters from Tuscany, in the Corriere Mercan tile of Genoa, positively announce that the Aus trian troops are to evacuate the Grand Duchy in the course of next month. The Wanderer of Vienna of the 23d says :—A letter from Tcharakou states that there has been a sanguinary engagement between the Russians and a battalion of Tunis infantry, which was making a reconnaissance. The latter had the advantage." The Mahmoodeyek canal, which connects Alex andria with the Nile, is to be closed after next January, for the purpose of being deepened. Wheat keeps up to 50s. ; beans, 403. per quarter, free on board. Freights dull at ss. 6d. per quar ter. Exchange on London, 98 piastres per pound sterling. The accounts received in high and official quar ters from St. Petersburg, relative to the Empress's health, are calculated to inspire most set ious an x iei ies, so serious indeed to awaken apprehensions of a gradual if not a speedy decline. Should these sinister apprehensions be realised, as feared, within the next six weeks or two months, the Imperial family will not only be smitten in its dearest and most heartfelt affections, but the people of Russia will be deprived of the benevolent and maternal solicitude of a guardian who has endeared herself to all classes, and devoted her whole Imperial life to befriend and succour all those who stood in need of her sheltering advocacy or protection. The vir tues which distinguish the princesses of the house of Hohenzollern never shone forth more conspi cuously than in the illustrious daughter of Frederick William 111. FUNBRAE OF THE LATE GENERAL DU PLAT. VaNNA, DEC. 23.—The funeral of General Du Plat took place to-day at 2 p.m., with the military honours usually accorded to officers of the same rank in the Austrian army. There were present a division of ca valry, two battalions of infantry, and a troop (six guns) of Horse Artillery. Field-Marshal Hess was also in attendance, and at least forty or fifty general officers. The remains were followed to the grave by the mem• bers of the various embassies at the court of Austria. The procession moved from the Golden Lamb Hotel, where the general died. The concourse of spectators, which was immense, included many persons of rank and distinction in Vienna. At the conclusion of the funeral the troops " marched past" Field-Marshal Hess, and then returned to their respective quarters." The Presse of this city states that the general, who made his will in the presence of Lord Westmoreland, has left a thousand pounds sterling to the fund for the widows of the soldiers fallen in the Crimea, and five hundred for the purchase of wines and cordials, espe cially Tokay, for the wounded at Scutari hospital. The poor of Vienna were also remembered by the departed soldier in his testament. COURT CIRCULAR. WINDSOR, Duo. 27 The dinner party yesterday included her Royal High ness the Duchess of Kent, Lady Fanny Howard, Ba roness de Speth, Viscount Canning, and Sir James Graham. The band of the Royal Bucks Militia played during dinner, and her Majesty's private band afterwards. 'Lk. queen and royal family walked out in the Home Park. CADrsrET COUNCIL—A Cabinet Council was held yes terday afternoon, at the Foreign-office. It was attended by the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Lansdowne, the Duke of Argyll, Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of Clarendon, Sir George Grey, the Duke of Newcastle, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir William Molesworth. The Council sat three hours and a half. His Excellency Baron Usedom, special envoy from th. King of Prussia to this country, accompanied by the Baroness, left town yesterday on a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. The Earl and Countess of Derby, Lord Stanley, M.P., Lady Erama Stanley, the youthful Lord Skelmersdale, and the Hon. Miss Wilbraham, and a family circle, are passing the recess at Knowsley Hall. The Duke of Somerset passed a good night on Tues day, and was in a more comfortable state yesterday. The Duke of Sutherland has left Trentham, on a visit to the Marquis and Marchioness of Stafford, at Lilies hall, Salop. The Duchess of Sutherland has arrived at Stafford House, from Trentham. The Marquis of Lansdowne arrived in London yester day morning, from his seat, Bowood Park, for the pur pose of attending the Cabinet Council. The Marquis and Marchioness of Kildare have arrived at Stafford House from visiting the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland at Trentham. The Marchioness is ex pecting her confineraent early in the ensuing month. The Earl and Lady Constance Grosvenor have arrived at Calverley Park, Chester, from Trentham. Sir James Graham arrived in town yesterday fro m Windsor Castle. The Right Hon. Sidney Herbert returned to town yesterday from Wilton House, Salisbury. Sir Charles Wood returned to London on Tuesday night, from his seat, Mickleton Hall, Doncaster, in order to attend the Cabinet Council held yesterday. Vice Admiral Sir Charles Napier returned to Albe marle-street yesterday from a visit to her Majesty at Windsor Castle. Lady Raglan and the Hon. Misses Somerset, who are passing the holidays in Great Stanhope-street, we un derstand, received letters on Monday front the gallant field marshal commanding our army in the Crimea, dated from head-quarters at Sebastopol, when his lordship was in excellent health. We understand that the marriage of Sir Hemphrey de Trafford, Bart., of Trafford Hall, Lancashire, and the Lady Annette Talbot, daughter of Mrs. Washington Hibbert, and sister of the Earl of Shrewsbury, is expect. ed to take place about the middle of next month, at Hilton Grange, Warwickshire. THE HON. AND REV. MR. LlDDlLL.—Proceedings, we understand, have been commenced against this noted Tractarian, of St. Barnabas, in the Ecclesiastical Courts. REPRESENTATION OF NORWICH. —The nomination is appointed for to-day—the election for to-morrow. ITALY.—The Milan Gazette of the 19th, publishes a notification from the International Committee et Aus tria, Parma, Modena, announcing certain modifications introduced into the Customs' tariff between those States, in consequence if the Austro-Prussian Customs treaty of 1853. MR. ADAIR, M.P.—We understand that it is pro bable our hon. member, under the provision of the Militia Act just passed, will shortlyl proceed, with his fine regi ment (the Suffolk corps of rifle militiamen), which was in active training under canvass during lastsumnier, and sub sequently at Woolwich, to Gibraltar, there to do duty in stead of the line whose services are required at Sebastopol. —Cambridge Press. THE CHAMPION OF THE SEAS.—Captain Newlands, belonging to Messrs. James Baines and Co.'s Black Ball line-of-Australian packets, which sailed from Liverpool on the 11th October, was spoken on the 18th day out, in lat. 11 N., long. 26 W., by the Lord Elgin, arrived at Liverpool from Africa. She had upwards of 600 pas sengers and a full cargo of merchandise on board. Al though delayed after her departure by contrary winds she was making very good way. A. STRIKING CONTRAST.—WhiIe the Church of Eng land in the thirty years from 1801 to 1831—though in undisturbed possession of the whole administrative, le q.islative, and judicial power of the nation—had ad vanced its sittings only 18 . 6 per cent., the Independents had, in twenty years, augmented theirs 60 . 2 per cent., the Baptists 79 per cent., and the Wesleyan Methodists 233 per cent ! —Voluntaryism in England and Wales. BRIGHTON, Dec. 27.—The Duke of Richmond has taken East Lodge for the purpose of remaining with his family in Brighton during the stay of the Royal Sussex Light Infantry Militia. The Duchess of Richmond ar rived here at the close of last week for a short stay, but has since returned to town. His Grace went to town on Tuesday morning, returning in the evening to the York Hotel. It is expected that the Duchess and fa mily will arrive at East Lodge the beginning of next week. THE HIGH SHERIFF OF LANCASTER.—John Pember ton Heywood, Esq., of Norris-green, Liverpool, is to be the High Sheriff of Lancashire for the ensuing year. big. William Wood, solicitor, of Liverpool, will be the Under-Sheriff. The Acting Under-Sheriffs in Preston will be Messrs. Wilson, Seri, and Deacon.—Preston Chronicle. THE LATE SIR J. KEIL/T.—Yesterday were interred st the Cemetery, Kensal-green, the remains of that listinguished officer , General the Right Hon. Sir J. ,[erupt, G.C.8., colonel of the let or Royal Regiment. The mournful ceremony was attended by 3ir James Hamilton, Sir George Cou per, General the Viscount Hardinge, Major General Yorke, Lieutenant General Sir Harry Smith, and others. RUSSIA. GLOOMY ASPECTS-PASKIEWITCH SENT FOR-THE NEW LETY. PFERSBURG, DEC. 17. The news of tho ' t r p . of the 2d of December being signed ha s cause a great sensation in our political circles, and together with the still danger ous state of the Empress thrown a gloom over the Russian capital, which it is difficult to describe. The court is far from being in a humour to enjoy the festivities of the approaching Christmas, the aristocracy dare not give their usually brilliant balls a nd entertainments, the merchants find their commarce nearly ruined, the shopkeepers have no sale for their fancy goods and articles of luxury, and the prevailing fear of coming misfortunes ex tends clown to the very lowest classes. Never did the Czar apply himself more vigorously DENMARK. OPENING OF THE NEW DANISH PAR PEACHMENT OF THE ER-MINISTERS. COrENHAGEN, Dec. 22.—The opening of the new Parliament, which took place this time under such significant circumstances, and promises to form an important era in the history of our constitutional development, was attended by all the newly elected members, the new Ministers, and a nu merous public, who filled the galleries sot apart for them. The only member of the Cabinet not present was the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Count Wulf Scheel-Plessen), who had not yet arrived from Stockholm, hitherto the seat of his diplomatic labours. Notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, the Fackelzug, or serenade by torchlight, on the great square in front of the royal palace of Chris tiansborg, was most numerously attended, and presented a very striking spectacle. When the King appeared on the balcony an I thanked the as sembled crowds for this demonstration of their loyalty and patriotic feelings the enthusiasm of the multitude knew no bounds. It is satisfactory to be able to add that no disorders took place, and that the crowd separated without the occurrence of any accident. The communication of the programme of minis terial principles was laid before both houses at the same time ; in the Landsthing it was read by the Prime Minister Bang; in the Volksthina by the Minister for Religion and Education, Hall. The other ministers were present, and all were dressed in their gala uniforms in honour of the importance of the occasion. Tne programme itself is as fol lows : "The new cabinet appointed for the administration of the affairs of the country by the royal decree of the 12th inst. considers it a paramount duty to lay before the assembled Diet the principles they intend to follow with the full concurrence of the King, and the co-ope ration of the Legislative Assembly in carrying out the principal question so long under discussion- • the defini tive settlement of the constitution of the Danish monarchy. " Ministers conceive it to be a matter of the most pressing urgency to bring this question to an end with the least possible loss of time, to calm the public mind, and remove any doubts that may exist of their pa triotism or the honesty of their intentions. Under these circumstances, they express their opinion that it is not advisable to make any change in the accepted project of a restriction of the fundamental law of the sth June, 1849, and further that there can be no danger in ac. cepting such project, particularly as the alterations which may appear needful, especially with reference to the affairs belonging exclusively to the general fun damental law of the monarchy, may easily be effected by legislative enactment at a later period. If, therefore,_ _the above-mentioned project should be ac cepted by the Assembly without any amendment or al teration, Ministers will lay unaltered before the King, to obtain the royal sanction, so as to fulfil the conditions contained in sec. 100 of the fundamental law, of impos ing on the King the obligatory approbation of a mea sure passed in succession by the three newly-elected Parliaments. "Before the Cabinet proposes a vote of the Assembly for the definitive restriction of the fundamental law of the sth June, 1549, in accordance with sec. 5 of the new fundamental law, they will consider it neces sary to the full vindication of their principles to carry out a modification of the Danish monarchy, as con tained in the Royal ordinance of the 26th July, of the present year, in such a manner as to give it a really conAitutiona), character, and especially with refer ence to the necessity of investing the representative body with the full and unquestionable right of votirg and e xercising a veto in all financial questions and other legislative enactments, whilst at the same time the Volksthicig, as the direct representative of the people, be invested with greater attributes and elements of more legMative power than they now possess. En doing so they will be simply fulfilling strictly to the letter the inAructions contained in the royal decree of the 28th of January, 1852, for the legal development and improve ment of the constitutional element for the whole extent of the Danish monarchy, and carrying out the objects therein mentioned and sst forth, viz., the perfect union of the different parts of the kingdom into one well. THE _RUSSIANS IN CAUCASIA. We take the following letter from the Russian gazette, Le Caucase DETtISENT, Oct. 15.—1 t is curious to observe the pro gressive improvements effected in our district, even in the midst of war. The signs and tokens of strength and security already exhibited in the north are yet more remarkable when shown at the extremities of the empire, and especially in the Caucasus itself, a very centre of battles and military movements. When the battles of Alexandropol, Akhaltsykh, Ozourghety, and Kars were fought, at the time when Schamyi was me ditating, so fondly and dangerously for himself, an inva sion of Kakhetie and the plain of Koumykh, what was going on in the neighbourhood of Derbent, this town so close to the mountaineers, and so exposed to their in• cursions ? A commercial and industrial movement was very peacefully taking place here, which seemed to become more brisk the .nearer hostilities actually were. Thus, for example, the communal lands of the town of Kouba, which four years ago fetched in the market between 60 and 80 copecks only per square sagene, fetched last September 10 and even 13 roubles. Several houses of two storeys have been built in this little town. Large orders for bricks have been given, which must be ready next year. The suburbs are following the example of the town, and the Jews are building their neat, strong, stone houses. The same ac tivity is observable at Derbent. No sooner have they finished their cathedral, one of the finest architectural monuments of the Caucasus, than we now see stone houses springing up on all sides, most of them having two spires. The buildings sanctioned and promoted by the directors of the public hospitals at Tiflis are rising every where with surprising rapidity. The streets of Derbent are beginning to form regular lines, the great square is getting defined; they are constructing a magnificent hos pital that is to contain 900 beds, and the barracks are very nearly finished. At the same time a number of barques, laden with madder, have entered the port. We may con ceive the commercial activity in the harbour of Derbent, when we find that the exportation of this dyer's drug alone down to Oct. 1 amounted to 139,000 poods, which we set down at 150,000 by adding the quantity exported from Koulba, whereas in 1853 the whole quantity ex ported of this produce was not more than 131,000 poods. In the neighbourhood of Derbent, and in the distr►cts of the Government, where nearly all the inhabitants are Mussultnen, there is the greatest security and perfect tranquillity. It is no uncommon thing to meet here Beks quite willing and ready to make pious offerings for the present war, or to raise and equip from among them selves a militia force destined to take a patriotic part in it. Several chiefs of the free tribes of the Tabassarane have made the Governor of Derbent arbiter in their dis putes. Such symptoms of general tranquillity and gene ral confidence are the evident result of the enlightened efforts made by the local administration. The authori ties, both civil and judicial, have a simple line of duties laid down for them ; the action of the local government is therefore rapid and regular, having constantly for its object that of preserving the security of the country whilst en couraging its industrial and commercial movement. The lighthouses, the breakwater along the coast, render navigation easy ; the high roads are carefully patrolled, so that robberies, so common a short time back, have now ceased. Since 1852 fortifications have been con structed along our mail roads, and serve as station, for travellers. Nothing can be more perfect than those edifices with respect both to their construction, and the comfort reigning within. The traveller is always sure to find there good board, a clean sleeping room, well lighted, and warm. All the rooms are very decently furnished. At each of these stations there is also a barrack for fifty Cossacks, lodgings for the func tionaries of the place itself, and stabling. All this is arranged, with the Cossack post included, within a square, the sides of which measure sixty sagenes, and the whole is defended by two bastions and four curtains. All these edifices are built with hewn blocks of stone, and their existence shows the solicitude of the Russia❑ Government. The stations fortified in this way are already quite finished at Kaya-Kent and at Kouliassi ; the others will also soon be ready. Not only does the commercial and industrial movement experience no ob stacle, but it is on the contrary being very sensibly de veloped, as has been already observed. Madder is extensively grown in all directions, and since 1852, more particularly in the Khanat of Kurinsk. Even merchants come here from St. Peters burgh and give orders. The inhabitants grow also large quantities of the teasle, 60,000 of them having been very lately sent from the Crown Garden to Mos cow, ta here the specimens previously sent had been highly esteemed. The Derbent wines will soon take an honourable place among those of the Caucasus. Seve ral hundred bottles, made entirely from the vines of the Crown Garden, can already vie with the wines of the Crimea, not only in quality but in variety. Al l this pacific progress shows the natives how good it is for them to be under the care of a powerful and enlightened Go vernment, which during so tremendous a war can carry out in this country its great work of developing what ever may contribute to its Peaceful prosperity. Tnt MAILS.--SouniamPToN, Wednesday, Dec. 27. The Peninsular And Ociential Steam Navigation Com pany's steamer Madrid, Captain Cook, sailed this after noon with the usual mails for Vigo, Oporto, Lisbon, Cadiz, and (- ;ibraltar, 44 passengers, a full general cargo, and specie, value 71,000/. sterling. The Tagus is to take out the East India, China, and Mediterranean mails of the 4th proximo. The Royal Mail steam-ship Atrato, Captain Woolley, with the homeward West India, Pacific, and Guif of Mexico mails, is due here on 31st The United States mail steam-ship Union, Captain Adams, with dates from New York to the 16th instant, is expected off Cowes about Saturday next, on her way to Havre. ~~j~ LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1854. A " projet de loi" has just been presented to the Legislative Corps authorising a new loan of 500,000,000 francs, equivalent to 20,000,0001. sterling. NAPOLEON the Third, in the exercise of a sound discretion, perceives the importance of sparing the pecuniary resources of his subjects at the commencement of what may possibly prove a very protracted and onerous war. He has not at the very outset endeavoured to disgust them with hostilities in order to prepare their minds for peace at any price, or on any conditions, however humiliating. He has not permitted the Ministe rial organs to put forth a quantity of unmitigated nonsense as to the advantages of a great " finan cial demonstration," in order to prove to the CZAR how humble was the estimate which we had formed of his prowess and resources, and how well satisfied we were as-to our capabilities of " doubling him up" at a moment's notice and on the cheapest terms ; or, according to another and perhaps a sounder interpretation, to afford to the Prime Minister's old friend (of forty years' standing) the most conclusive evidence that we were not deter mined to accept any propositions which he might deign to offer, or, if he maintained the appearance of obduracy, to approach his throne as humble supplicants that he would deign to overlook our presumptuous opposition to his will, and to be satisfied with " Turkey" for the time being, before Central Europe, France, and the United Kingdom become necessary to appease the cravings of his insatiable appetite—that, in fact, we were only intent on obtaining the boon granted by the Cyclop to " ovrtr," that of being the last de voured. Nor did the EMPEROR even imagine that the present generation was to bear the entire of the extra war expenditure. He was too prudent and clear-sighted no'; to Terceive the absur dity of exhausting the national resources in the ye/7 commencement of the contest. His first proceeding was, therefore, an appeal to the patriotism and loyalty of his people—and nobly, gloriously was it respc,nded to. He flung aside all his red-tape trammeils. He boldly disre garded official precedents. In place of dealing with a few over-cautious or,o - ver-griping capitalists —and the terms may be convertible, as caution is frequently resorted to as the mask for cupidity —he laid his proposals before: the whole body of his people. In place of striving to obtain several trifling advantages—possibly not exceeding a few sous in each one hundred francs, or, in other words, of opening a novel diescription of lottery, a State gambling table, in which the unwary might be cheated of their mon osy by paying more than the real value of that for which they were bid ding—he caused the valise to be fairly esti matial, and allowed every mean, even those N.llO could not offer for more thria ten francs Bentes, to inscribe his name on the , list, and thus to ob i tain an additional interest; in the welfare and prosperity of the country. It requires but little a rgument to prove the wisdom of this course. A simple recapitulation of facts is all that can be ilemanded. The Eat- PEROT/ asked for TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY MIL LION FRANCS, equivalent to TEN MILLIONS OF POUNDS STERLING of our 3 gimpy, Ninety-eight thousand Frenchmen responded to the demand. They were not all rich, hact not their thousands or even hundreds to ten aver their SOVEREIGN ; but every man's mite was: forthcoming. More than sixty thousand Fr enchmen applied for sums not exceeding fifty francs of Renter, or two pounds sterling, of annual dividend. The account thus obtained was no less thazt forty-nine millions of francs, or one million nine , hundred and sixty thousand pounds sterling, while the entire ac count tendered for was no ler than four hundred and sixty-seven thousand fire hundred francs— (lB,6Bo,oool.) Nearly haltf the accounts de manded by bidders for more than fifty francs of Recites were, therefore, withheld—while the hum bler classes obtained all th ay asked for. This judicious and equitable *course will agai n be successful. The EMIPEROR will obtain the twenty millions he requires from his people. No strangers are required for what can be provided by the honest and heart felt enthusiasm of the people. Are the English less enthusiastic—are they so dispirited, so poor, or so apathetic, that they ' , could not provide even Two Millions in the mode by which the French EMPEROR could have obtained nearly ten times the amount ? Far from it ! The fault is not with the people, but with the Financial Minister. Let red-tapist precedents be cast aside. Let a straightforward application be made, and we ventisre to assert that Englishmen will not hang back—that they will display as much ardour, liberality, and enthusiasm as their Continental brethren. We do not requi:re or seek for more. Matters are still proceedling according to the ordinary course before Seb hatopol. The Allied Armies, who are at once be ;;egers and besieged, have fortified their positions no as to be capable of resisting any attack either Prom the iiterior or the exterior—from the garrison' of the beleaguered city or the army in occupatio: IL of the open country. The weather is at present favourable to the Allies ; for while it leaves the sea open to our vessels, it has reduced the roads between the Isthmus of Perekop and Seboostopol to an impas sable condition, little better -than so many quag mires. If, therefore, our mien have suffered in some degree from the wet aux" cold, the Russian troops in the field have enducred far more in the absence of supplies, which they are now un able to obtain, and of the reinforcements that might enable them to regume the offensive. The decisive check which tiey experienced at Itikerman—the failure of the vigorous and de termined attack on the sth t►f November, where two Archdukes had been summoned to witness and participate in the anticipated triumph, has ever since paralysed their energies and reduced them to a state of comparative, inactivity. With out additional force—without fresh troops, they could do nothing. The pantie occasioned by the unexpected victory of the Allies had not yet passed away ; and, as above- mentioned, the state of the atmosphere and of the roads, for the time being, precluded the hope or further aid, at least until the frost had fairly set i Q. In the meantime We have riot been idl e . D a y after day English , French, r Turks, and addi tional stores have been land.ed. at the conven i ent so painfully p er . depot at Balaklava. • The errcsrs, THE OVERLAND MA BOMBAY, Nov. 28. (From the Bombay Times.) The past fortnight, like the previous six months, has been nearly barren in events of importance, and this state of universal peace, so auspicious for the country, leaves a heavy task on the hands of a newspaper writer. The intelligence from Cabul states that Dost Mahomed, finding himself advanc ing in years, is anxious to make arrangements for the succession of his son. Amongst a high-spirited but factious people like the Affghans the succes sion will be determined by the sword, by which the Dost himself cut his way to supremacy. The Soodazye dynasty is extinct, but the Barukzayes have no claim to dominion save the power to maintain it ; and as Ghoolam Hyder Khan, destined for the succession, is neither the oldest nor most energetic of the Ameer's; sons, a contest is certain to ensue, where British intervention is likely to be asked for—and as this means supplies of men or money, it will, it is hoped, be refused in a country with which a subsidiary connection is so undesirable. This probably explains the ground of the Dost's recent overtures to our Government. His brothers of Candahar, with whom he has for twenty years been at feud, are said to have taken the alarm, and applied to Persia to assist them in extinguishing the supremacy of English in fluence—an application not very likely to be attended to. The Russians are said to be fostering these animosities, and to be promising supplies of men and money, the chances of the realisation of which will probably be more cor rectly estimated in Affghanistan when the accounts of the operations in the Crimea reach them. Our north-west frontier altogether seems so satisfactory that even alarmists have ceased to prate of danger' The electric telegraph is now so nearly completed that messages have of late repeatedly been con veyed to A.gra, a distance of 800 miles, without re petition, and so on to Calcutta at an interval of a few hours. The news received by the mail, which left London on the 25th of Oct., and reached Bom bay on the 23d. November at 8 p.m., had been received at Calcutta and at Lahore, distances of 1,500 miles each, by two in the morning, and 12 hours after the despatch an acknowledgment of its safe arrival was returned to Bombay—intelligence being thus communicated from England to the re motest parts of India in 29 days, an interval which would have been diminished to 27 but for the storm in the Red Sea. The tidings despatched by this day's steamer contain the Calcutta news of yesterday, which will, in all likelihood, reach Lon don by Trieste, in the space of twenty-five days, and this will be diminished by two as soon as the Egyptian Railway is extended. We mentioned in our last that the remains of the late Com mander-in-Chief bad been laid out in state in the Castle where they were to remain for some weeks, and to be afterwards sent home by the Cape. After all the magnificence of preparation that had taken place, a sudden change of plan was adopted, and they were on the 22d forwarded to Suez by the Ajdaha, which had been for some weeks under orders to bring the Hon. Mr. Murray and the Persian embassy round to Bushire, on their way to Teheran. The Commander-in- Chief of the Indian navy, Sir Henry Leeke, proceeds next week to Calcutta, in the Assaye, by desire of the Govcraor-General, to make arrangements for the reconstruction of the Indian navy, the head-quarters of which will, it is understood, hereafter be in Bengal. An action has been lately decided before the Su preme Court in Bombay, to the effect that the shop and stall tax, which yields from 5,000/. to 6,0001. a-year to the municipal fund, is illegal. Out of from ten to fifteen thousand people who pay the tax, allowed on all hands to be oppressive, Mr. Co, non, editor of the Bombay Gazette, was the only man who had the spirit to resist and carry the matter into court, where he was triumphant. We gave in our last an account of a violent thunderstorm that had been experienced at Bom bay on the 29th and 30th of October, with a furious hurricane which burst upon us on the 2d of November, and the present season altogether promises to be one of the most singular in its meteorological phenomena which we have for many years experienced. On the 24th and 25th of Sep tember, and again on the 6th of October, violent hurricanes prevailed in the China Seas, between 15 and 20 northern parallels, and the 100 and 120 meridian. At the latter date a hurricane oc curred in 6 S. and 62 E. simultaneously with that raging 20 deg. to the northward, and 60 to the eastward of it. A furious rain and thunder-storm occurred in the desert between Caire and Suez on the 20th of October, and rain was expe rienced all down the Red Sea at the end of the month, two inches having been measured at Aden, these regions being in general rainless. On the 7th of November a second storm of some severity occurred in the lower part of the Red Sea, and after several days of most intensely and disagreeably dry weather, with every appearance of con ti nu i ng fair. Bombay: was on the afternoon of the 26th visited with a heavy fall of rain from south-west, the landscape for several hours looking exactly as it is accustomed to do during the rainy season. The barometer gave hardly any warning of the change, and our fair weather showers almost always come upon us from the east, and are pre ceded by thunder and squalls. The whole of the trees which were injured by the hurricane have burstout into leaf ; those which usually shed their leaves in December or January, and renew them in March or April, are at present thickly covered with verdure, and botanists are watching with in tense curiosity the results that may ensue when spring thus anticipated returns. A brilliant display of meteors occurred at Kurrachee at daybreak on the 14th of November. They first made their appearance about 4 a.m., and for the next two hours they continued to shoot without intermission across the firmament until, indeed, daylight ob scured them. On the evening of the same day a brilliant meteor was seen at Bombay, a little after sunset. It was first visible near the zenith, and seemed to rush north-easterly, leaving a long train of sparks behind it, when it vanished behind a thunder -cloud and seemed to explode, this last fact being rendered uncertain by the lightning then fla s hi ng i ncessantly. The Legislative Coun cil of I n di a h ave agreed to throw open their meetings to 'the publi c ; an d t h e secrecy sys tem, like many other antiquated absurdities to which the authorities have clung, begins to be aban doned. The Council itse o l u f, h i i t sr i e s t s u aid, is working Peel, will, it iaenedffitrhele affirmed, on Justice, rn Si t r o L E a n w g r l e a n n c d e , make disclosur es on t h e su b ject that will astonish the community. The new Council is in mechanism a miserable botch compared to the Legislative Councils f or t h e t h ree Presidencies, p roposed by the Queen's Judge, i n 1831, time d but t bli t s h h e e n d in the bl ue b oo k s of the it provid es va l ua b le civil serv ice appoint m outs, and that i s qu i te enough to cause the hest of measures to be transformed to the worst. The embassy from Ava bad not at our latest dates reached Calcutta. The Governor-General is at Calcutta, and the Governors of Madras and Bombay at their respective seats of authority. Lord Elphin stone has entirely recovered his recent indisposi tion. Lord Harris seems to be gaining golden opinions at Madras from all sorts of people for the perfect independence of his council, and the decision and intrepidity of his measures. Sir Henry Somerset arrived at Bombay on Thursday the 16th instant, and immediately assumed the command of the army ; he has since then gone to Poonah on duty. A m vinificent launch took place at Bombay on the 21st—the ship was the steamer a p r ow b e u r r , de the n, Punjaub, 1,80 0 tons andhCoo-li 60 0-horse consort of th e A ssa y e , a sip of similar launched in March. The two were intended for the packet line to Suez when the Court of Directors resisted all entreaties to abandon the mail contract. thea n Ori e i a n h t a e l navy n avy They will, now th a t i t has been con conferred on the q b P e t e i: n t e e s p r e u l o l a y u i f e . d o d Indian Bn Company, it is supposed, b l s e id t e r , an a s n f d err t e h d e to he c a a t cutta. Trade is dull, and there is greater stringency in the money market than at the date of our last summary. COMMERCIAL. CALCUTTA MARKETS. Outing to native holidays and the arrival and depar ture of mails, we have had but a very moderate amount of business transacted during the week in our produce market. In indigo some sales have been reported, and since the receipt of advices by the last mail, our market has assumed a firmer appearance. Raw silk and piece goods have attracted better attention, especially the latter, for which the demand is very brisk. Sugar is not much wanted, though prices for the different qualities remain unaltered, stocks in the market not being heavy. Saltpetre bas been in better demand, and a slight ad vance in prices established. Rice has experienced a fur ther improvement, though for want of supplies little business has actually been done. We have nothing new to report as regards our import market ; the demand foe most . descriptions of British cotton goods continues good, without, however, causing any alteration in prices ; and considering that native holidays have again jute, fered with the progress of busi ness, transactions have been to a fair e xtent. Our Money Market has commenced to show signs of tightness. Funds are not so abundant, and capitalists do not seem inclined to meet the wants of borrowers on such easy terms as for some time inst. There has scu,plv been any change in the rates of Government Securities. Exel.ango has partially advanced, an 1 the following are the ruling rates fur 6 months sight papers :—First class credits at I.s. 110. per Co.'s Rs.; ditto documents, at Is. 11A.1. to ditto. Freights.—There has not been any material alteration mai for last adv cou Go, Enl aga fort pre: intE all z are $24 her Loi to-c mai tea be' am La