The Sun. — London, England, 1853-12-31 00:00:00

HE NATIONAL MISCELLANY, Price is., for JANUARY, contains— I. Sitting for One's Per trait —II. Servia.--111. Late Hours—lV. Discovery of America in the Tenth Century, concluded—V. The Dark Home—Vl. Street Names—Vll. Saxon London—VlM A Few Words about Walter Savage Landor —IX. A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year— X.-Notices. At the Wee, lA, Exeter-street, Strand, London. THEATRE ROYAL DRURY-LANE. Lessee, Mr. E. T. Smith. THIS EVENING, Dzo. 31, Will be performed an entirely new Drama of interest, entitled THE BEGGING LETTER. To conclude with KING HI7I.IMINGTOP ; or, Harlequin and the Land of Toys. THEATRE ROYAL, lIAYMARKET. Under the management of Mr. Buckstone. THIS EVENING, DEC., 31, Will be performed THE HOPE OF THE FAMILY. Characters by Messrs. Chippendale, Compton, Buckstone, and W Farren ; Hrs. Buckingham, Mrs. Poynter, Mrs. Fitzwilliam, and Miss E. Grey. After which, a Grand CHRISTMAS PANTOMIME, called HARLEQUIN AND TILE THREE BEAR' , ; or, Little Silverhair and 'the Fairies. Columbine, Miss M. Brown; Hs rleguin, Mr. J. Marshall: Pantaloon, Mr. W. A. Barnes; Clown, Mr. H. Marshall. ROYAL PRIYCESS'S THEATRE, OXFORD-STREET. Under the Management cf Mr. CHARLES REAL THIS EVENING, DEC. 30, Will be performed THE LANCERS; or, The Gentleman's Son, Principal characters by Messrs. Meadows, Ryder, Everett, H. Mellon. and D. Fisher; Mrs. Winstanley, Miss Daly, and Miss C. Leciereq. After which will be presented a new Grand CHRISTMAS PAN TOMIME, entitled HARLEQUIN AN, THE MILLER AND HIS MEN ; or, King Salamander and the Fairy of the Azure Lake. Harlequin, Mr. Cormack ; Clown, Mr. Huline; Pantaloon, Mr. Paulo; and Columbine, Miss Desborough. LYCEUM THEATRE. Under the Management of Madame Veatrla. THIS EVENING, DEC. 31, Will be performed A BACHELOR OF ARTS. Characters by Messrs. C. Mathews, F. Matthews, and Baker; Miss F. Hughes. After which, an original Fairy Extravaganza, called ONCE UPON" A TIME THERE WERE TWO KINGI. Principal cha racters by Mr. Wright and Madame Vestris. To conclude with PATTER VERSUS CLATTER. THEATRE ROYAL ADELPHL Proprietor, Mr. B. Webster.—Directress, Madame Celeste. Rare Christmas Amusements—The Great Attraction of London — "One of the Sights of London"—The Sea of Ice and Marvellous Adelphi Effects in the exciting new Nautical Drama of " THE THIRST OF GOLD," every Evening—A new Grand Fairy Spec. tacle, NUMBER NIP. THIS EVENING, )5Tc...31. • • papninvicl'e*l`TaUtical Melo•drama, an, Sea of Ice, & c., new Will be presented the highly In Rye tableaux, with new scenery, dresses and appointments, called THE THIRST OF GOLD ; or, THE LOST SHIP AND THE WILD FLOWER OF MEX ICO. Principal characters by Messrs. B. Webster, Keeley, Paul Bedford, 0. Selby, Parselle, Marsden, Re. ; Madame Celeste, Mrs. Leigh Murray, Miss F. Masked, Re. ; with an entirely new grand specta cular legendary Christmas piece, in two acts, with new scenery, dresses, machinery, and appointments, ca ll e d N UMBEK NIP, or BRIDE. Principal ch aracters by Madame Celeste, miss gar, Miss M. Ke e l e y, Mi ss C ut hb ert, M i ss Mrs. TH E KeeleY, SPIRIT Woolgar, C. Harding; Messrs. Paul Bedford, J. Rogers, Romer, G. Lee, &c. ROYAL OLYMPIC THEATRE. Lessee and Manager. Mr. A. Wigan. THIS EVENING, Disc. 31, Will be performed PLOT AND PASSION. Principal characters by Mr. F. Robson and Mrs. Stirling. Atter which, a new historico-geographical CHRISTMAS PAN TOMIME, called HARLEQUIN COLUMBUS; or, The Old World and the New. Harlequin, Mr. F. Moreland; Pantaloon, Mr. W. Rochez ; and Columbine, Miss Wyndham. STRAND THEATRE. Sole Lessee, Mr. F. W. Allcroft.—Directress, Miss Rebecca Isaacs THIS EVENING, DEC. 31, The Performances will commence with the Opera of THE IRISH EMIGRANT'S DREAM. Principal characters by Miss G. Hodson, Mr. H. Manley, Miss R. Isaacs, Miss Fanny Reeves, &c After which, a new grand Comic Christmas Pantomime. entitled HARLEQUIN AND KING NUTCRACKER; or, The World of Toys. Clown, by 'he inimitable Flexmore ; Harlequin , Mr. B o l ogna; I'antajoon, r. Griffiths ; Columbine, Miss Goward. After which, THE PET OF TEZE PUBLIC. Principal characters by Mademoiselle de Laney and Miss Rebecca Isaacs. Stalls, 55.; Boxes, 45.; Pitt, 25.; Gallery, Is.; Private Boxes, 11. ls., to be bad of Mr. Allcroft, 15, New Bond-street. ASTLEY'S EUROPE'S NATIONAL AMPHITHEATRE. Lessee and Manager, Mr. W. Cooke. Grand combination of attraction for the Holidays. The Only Eques trian rantomime in the Metropolis, and the wonderfal Performing Elephants. THIS EVENING, Dec. 31, The New Grand Equestrian Chinese Spectacle, entitled " THE WISE ELEPHANTS OF THE EAST; or, THE MAGIC GONG— in which Mr. W. Ceoke's wcndro Is Elephants will appear. Followed by a series of Mr. Wm. Cooke's matchless scenes of Equestrianism in THE CIRCLE, by the talented artistes of this establishment. After which, a New Grand Equestrian CHRISTMAS COMIC PANTOMIME, written expressly for this Theatre, by Mr. NELSON LEE, entitled BILLY BUT TON'S JOURNEY TO BRENTFOED ; or, Harlequin and the Ladles' Favourite. New scenery, dresses, decorations. and appointments, maernificent Car of Industry, Sec. Harlequin, Mr. H. Hemmings; Columbine, Mdlle- Christine; Pantaloon, Mr. Lehman and Two Clowns, Mr. C. Adams and Mr. Croueste ; Sprites, Mastets Gee and Bradbury. A MORNING PERFORMANCE on JAN. 2, commencing at two. Juvenile Night on THURSO kY, JAN. 5, when the Comic Panto mime will commence the Performance,. Box-otliee open trom Eleven till Foar. Stage Manager, Mr. IV West. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE. Tina DAY —Morning 13 niin.after 2 I Evening 40 min.art. 2 THE WEATHER.—Smt OFFTCX, Dnc. 31. THERUOMETER, IN THE SHADE. 41—highest since noon yesterday. 29 —lowest this morning and during the night. 37—this day at noon. BAROMETER, 29 . 69—rising. WIND, W. by N.—Light breeze, and fine, frosty weather. ~, `~~ qffit AMA, LONDON, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1853. New-Year's Day will, in a few hours, dawn gradually over the European Continent. It will extend its light successively over Russia, over Turkey, over Austria, over Persia, over France, over England—and everywhere will come as the harbinger of War to Christendom. A solemn truth which must no longer be glossed over by the shadowy possibilities, or rather, as we should call them, the substantial impossibilities of re newed and more successful negotiation. War it must be—and war not restricted to a little out of-the-way corner like Molde-Wallachia, but in volving in the struggle the whole of the great Powers of the Eastern Hemisphere. El even months, or ten months at least, have we bee n in sisting that "to this complexion it must come at last," unless the Cabinet of St. James's and th e Tuileries acted with decision, and despatched their combined fleets at the outset vigorously and promptly through the channel of the Bosphorus as well as through that of the Dardanelles. Re peatedly, day after day, week after week, month after month, we have asserted that the difference between Russia and Turkey would be complicated, and irritated and magnified into a general contention—unless France and England together acted with becoming determination—un less they crushed the evil at the very commence ment—unless they said to the arch-aggressor boldly and explicitly, You shall not cross the Pruth, you shall not occupy the Danubian Princi palities, you shall not arrogate to yourself with impunity the right to exercise supreme authority over several millions of the subjects of your neighbour, you shall not perpetuate unrepelled a great crime against the Turkish Empire —a crime 'which, if allowed to develope from a lawless dream into a disastrous reality, must inevitably conduct that empire sooner or later to its most perilous dismemberment. Had this chivalrous and honour able policy been adopted at the outset in Paris and London, we still believe, as we have all along believed, that the quarrel must have been bro ug h t in a comparatively brief interval to a decisive issueand a satisfactory settle ment. We still beli eve, a „ we have all along believed, that had the two great Powers of Western Europe acted thus resolutely, had they at once assumed this commanding attitude—the greatest military and the greatest maritime nation on the globe would so have affected the Russo- Turkish difficulty, that the Pruth would never have been crossed, Moldo-Wallachia Would never have been occupied by the troops o f GORTZCHAKOFF, and his diplomatic precursor, MENSCHIKOFF would have returned on a shameless errand to his imperial master, without leaving behind such disastrous conse quences of his mission as the bloodshed on the Danube and the massacre at Sinope. However, the allies of Turkey did not act thus resolutely, they did not assume this decisive attitude, but instead of this they trusted everything to that wretched system of wire-drawn diplomatic negotia tions--which, from the first, we have declared again, and again, and again, would prove, necessarily, un productive ofany advantage whatsoever. Insomuch has it proved unproductive of good that, instead of bringing matters to a pacific arrangement, as was expected so blindly and mistakenly through out by the infatuated admirers of Aberdeenism— it has unhappily fulfilled our predictions to the very letter, it has' fostered a local misunderstand ing into a cause of warfare for entire Christen dom. in yield, and in quality. While we write, win ter is exhibiting its proper character. We may hope it will be followed by a normal spring, sum mer, and autumn ; and that the immense extent of wheat which will be sown, under the stimulus of present prices, at home and abroad, will pro duce a double supply at half price. Looking forward thus, however, we can not but be reminded how completely the most essential condition of our comfort and prosperity is beyond all human control. Amidst 'the upsetting and reconstruction of parties and Cabinets, the year opened auspiciously upon the country. Food was at half its present price, employment in every branch of trade, and commerce abundant, gold pouring in from our colonies, people emigrating, not to escape poverty, but to win riches. Workmen were content, and masters accumulating capital to employ them yet Ibetter. Workhouses were emptied and workshops filled, and it even seemed as if the Celtic Exodus itself would be stayed or diverted. And still, even at the present prices of food, clothing, and firing, trade is wonderfully brisk, and commerce hardly able to provide itself with the means of transit. The great blight on our prospects has arisen amongst the workmen themselves. Unable, like too many of their betters, to bear the rapid access of good fortune, they took, and are still taking, the short cut of " strikes " to get what they deemed to be their share of the general pro fits. Every branch of trade has suffered, more or less, from this cause, and well will it be if capital be not driven to competing countries which ought to employ English labour. To make the matter worse the strikes became more general in proportion as the prices of food rose. While it was becoming apparent that we should need large supplies from abroad ; while our shipping was so busy in the Australian trade, and elsewhere, that its scarcity enhanced the cost of foreign supplies by very heavy freights ; while the consuming powers of the community were obviously diminishing, their means being absorbed in the purchase of food ; and while other European countries were all competing. with us for the first necessary of life—under these circumstances our operatives were seduced into an ill-advised and bitter war with the capitalists who employ them. Nothing in the course of the whole year, de pendent on the human will, do we regret more than this. The life of our prosperity is confi dence, and if confidence in the reliableness of our It is literally so acknowledged on the very last day of this calamitous year of 1853—acknow ledged simultaneously by the recognised organs of the British and French Governments. Reluc tantly acknowledged by them, of course — because falsifying every one of their fair anticipations—but still acknowledged, can didly, and explicitly, and unmistakeably acknowledged. It is notorious that his Imperial Majesty NAPOLEON 111. has all along sympathised in heart with the cause of Turkey, that he has all along been disposed to repel with the might of his vast power the insidious and audacious policy of the Russian AUTOCRAT, that he has only consented to exhaust all the efforts of diplomacy to bring about a reconciliation of differences be tween the belligerents, because he himself was f orma lly pledged to a pacific policy in the pre sence of the whole world by that glorious avowal vEmpire c'est la paix," made by him with such chivalrous frankness and spontaneity on the oc casion of his ever-memorable speech at Bordeaux. Well, NAPOLEON 111. has fulfilled that formal and remarkable engagement. He has employed every effort to bring about by diplomatic negotiations some satisfactory arrangement between the SUL TAN and the AUTOCRAT. Those endeavours were in a manner incumbent upon him—they were honourable in him—they were the fulfilment on his part of the solemn promises made by him, not only in the presence of the French nation, but under the watchful gaze also of the whole of observant Christendom. It was not thus, however, with the British Government. What was comprehensible and creditable on the part of France, was incomprehensible and dis creditable on the part of England. The policy which was self-vindicatory with NAPOLEON 111., was despicable, and suspicious, and unpatriotic on the part of the ABERDEEN Coalition. That Coalition, in regard to this Eastern Question, moreover, has hung like a clog upon the energies of France—it has clung, like the influence of paralysis to the arm of NA POLEON. Whence the pacific efforts of the Cabinet of the Tuileries hare been protracted beyond what was in any way requisite —even bearing in mind what has been just alluded to, the pledge contained in the famous speech at Bordeaux. And so—as we have all along pre dicted, not vaguely, but in the clearest language possible, and with an almost painfully protracted reiteration—these miserable negotiations have proved one after another to be utterly abortive—so that WAR is now, on the last day of 1853, declared by the organ of Aberdeenism to be (mark ! these are its own words), not an alternative, but a decision. New-Year's Day comes to us, therefore—thanks ;o our inestimable Coalition—laden with the penalty of War to entire Christendom. It is inevitable. Is it not ? What says the Moniteur, the official journal of the French Government ? Why, it gives out every indica tion that the momentous struggle is actually on the eve of its commencement. What says the Patrie, UV) semi-official organ of the French Cabinet 7 Why, it says, signifi- cantly enough at this juncture, " Whatever may happen, France has confidence in her Era- peror." And the Times—what says the Times, the Ministerial journal of •the English Govern ment ? Why, it asserts this morning, in regard to the conduct of the CZAR, that " With whatever reluctance, the Western Powers must accept the challenge so insultingly flung to them." And the Chronicle—what says the Morning Chronicle, the semi-official organ of the Coalition ? Why, simply and plainly it says this—" All disguise is at an end, and nothing is now left for England and France but to make the war which appears inevitable as short and decisive as pos sible." Therefore, on the showing at last of the official and semi-official organs both of France and England, waris inevitable, and that war, not a war between Russia and Turkey, but a war involving in it the principal Powers of the European Con- tinent, in fact—after thirty-eight years' peace —a war of entire Christendom. Such is the New- Year's gift to England:from the Earl of ABERDEEN'S sagacious, energetic, chivalrous, and patriotic Administration . Farewell to EIGHTEEN HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE. Newspapers are forbidden to moralise, much more to sermonise ; and very reasonably, for many millions a-year do we pay for pulpit instruction of that sort. It is, however, impossible to step over the invisible mystic threshold which separates each year from its successor with out some grave recollections. Possibly, if the pulpit touched more frequently on the topics of the newspaper, it might gain in attraction without losing in sacredness ; and possibly, too, were con siderations of religion, void of all cant and bigotry, more frequent in our newspaper arguments, we might gain in permanent influence, without sacrific ing our political, commercial, and entertaining character. We accept, however, one line, as we find it drawn for us, thankful that every reader of fifty years of age will acknowledge that both the pulpit and the newspaper have improved sur prisingly within his recollection —that the former has become more popular and earnest, and the latter more sincerely respectful to religion, and, so far as the nature of the case allows, more influenced by its dictates. operatives be sapped, capital and prosperity will flee from English manufacturers ; the next step would be an English Exodus, as miserable as the Celtic one. Of Parliamentary achievements, the great one unquestionably is the Succession Duty. True, it is in mortifying contrast with the amount of the two Legacy Duties (one of them paid immediately), levied on personal property, but it is the greatest step made in our system of taxation since the repeal of the corn laws ; and much as we have often differed from Mr. GLADSTONE, we have no doubt that the financial historian of England will always record with eulogy his victory over the reluctance of our landed aristocracy to part with their unjust feudal immunities. We have also• to set to the credit of our Legislature permission to wash free of duty, a Customs' tariff, and laws much improved, the smallest item of the taxes on knowledge repealed, and assessed taxes simplified, and in some cases equitably reduced or aug mented. Whether a seven years' income tax, or the promised termination of it at the end of that time, is to be regarded as a boon or an infliction, our readers must decide for them selves. India, too, must rejoice or mourn accord- ing as she remembers the little done for her by Sir C. WOOD, or the much left undone, which, but for sheer incapacity or obstinacy, he could so easily have done. Jews still lament their exclu- sion from the House of Commons, finding consola tion, perhaps, in Austrian loans. Canada, how ever, with the Clergy Reserves in its own power, and our Australian colonists delivered from con victs, have cause for unmingled satisfaction. For Cab Laws, and many minor mercies of a like kind, w• desire to he unfeignedly thankful, and, on the whole, to own that, at home, the Coalition which entered office nearly with the year itself, has not worked so badly. We wish we could say as much for foreign affairs. Two ill-conceived colonial wars, the Kafir and the Burmese wars, have closed during the year with little credit and great cost to us, and no prospect whatever of permanent peace in either country. It is, however, in a strictly foreign affair, one which Lord ABHRDEEN and his col leagues have most jealously kept to themselves— one on which they doggedly refused all informa- tion to Parliament--one in which England's part has been kept religiously to courts at home and abroad,—it is just in this that the year has closed with all the prospects and most of the evils of war, combined with the certainty that manly conduct in - June would have saved the Danubian Provinces, the cowardly slaughter of Sinope, the exhaustion of our ally, and the disgrace of two CAbinets being gulled or bullied, or both, by the pet Des pot of German Courts. We close the year out witted by a semi-barbarian Power, befooled by a bankrupt one, and ashamed before Europe of the poltroonery of our Cabinet. We have it indeed now in our power to annihilate, for many a year, the might of Europe's great enemy in the Black. Sea, and to render the world the same service in the Baltic next Spring. A little time will show whether the New Year will dawn upon us with a policy deserved by Russia and honourable to England. THE MATILDA WATTENBACH. This clipper ship, which sailed from the Mersey with the November mails for Australia, under the command of Capt. Clare, on the 4th instant, was seen by the Gannet (s.s.), from Lisbon, at anchor in the Tagus, with fore mainmasts gone, on the 19th instant. It will be remembered that the American paddle-wheel steam-ship Golden Age, Porter, left Liverpool a few days after the Matilda Wattenbach, and much interest is attached to both voyages, many beta being laid upon the superior sailing qualities of each vessel. It is thought probable that the General Screw Company's steamer Crcesus, which is to sail with another mail on the 10th of January, will be instructed to call at Lisbon and to take her letters. Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg, first cousin to Prince Albert and the Queen, who is now on his voyage to Portugal to visit the King Regent, his near relative, will, on his return to Lisbon, pay another visit to our Sovereign, and then proceed on a visit to the King of the Belgians, at Brussels, en route to Germany. The Duke of Devonshire is passing the holidays at his marine villa at Kemptown. His Grace's usual Christmas bounties have been distributed at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire, Hardwicke-hall, Shropshire, and Lismore Castle, Waterford. The Earl and Countess Delawarr and a family circle are passing the recess at Buckhurst Park. The Hon, and Rev. Reginald West left the noble Earl's in Upper Grosvenor-street yesterday, to join the circle. The Marquis and Marchioness of Breadalbane are entertaining company at Taymouth Castle. The noble Marquis is expected at Breadalbane House, Park-lane the third week in the ensuing month, to be in attendance on the Queen as Lord Chamberlain, on the meeting of Parlia ment on the 31st, and which it is expected will be opened in person by the Sovereign, with the usual speech from the Throne. With Englishmen, when they meet, the esta blished order is, first our health, next the weather, then the newspapers and politics. As to the first the answer for the year seems to be " much as usual." The cholera gave us, indeed, a severe shock in one or two localities, and threatened several, but it has made the country much cleaner, and will make it much cleaner still, un less we be thoroughly infatuated. We have still a Home Secretary who has recorded his decree against " dirt in the wrong place," and who, we believe, will do all he can to send it to the right place ; and with closed intramural churchyards and towns, well swept and washed out, we may hope that when cholera weather returns the effect of Lord PALMERSTON'S Edinburgh letter will be extensively manifest. Our national doctors have also made vaccination compulsory. As to the weather, it has certainly for the last two years furnished those who needed it with ample topics for conversation. Unparalleled heat at Midsummer lessened the produce of our crops in ' 1 852 ; and fl oo d s, a l most fu lfi ll i ng L ord MAID- STONE s prophecy before its time, curtailed our autumn seed-time for this year's crops. An open winter, utterly unlike the skating and sliding ones of our boyhood, left the land unmellowed ; it was followed, however, by a most cutting early spring, and wet later one, preventing again the spring sowing of wheat, and not permitting the summer corn in the better lands to be got in in the best style. Then a wet summer, and a fickle harvest, all resulted apparently in crops deficient in extent, The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield's seat, Bretby Park, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, is the scene of much gaiety during the holidays. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cambridge is honouring the Earl with a visit. Mr. and Mrs. Disraeli arrived at Grosvenor gate, Park-lane, on Thursday, from Hughenden, Bucks, for the season. Commodore Sir Charles, and the Honourable Lady Hotham have arrived in town, from Paris, en route to embark for Melbourne, South Australia, of which colony the gallant Commodore is appointed Governor. The Countess Dowager of Donoughmore, the Ladies Hutchinson, and suite, have arrived at their resi dence, Merrion-square, Dublin, from Belmont, county Wexford. The Right Hon. the Lord Chancellor of Ireland has left Dublin for London. It is stated that Dr. Bowring will succeed Sir George Bonham as Governor of Hong Kong and Chief Superintendent of British Trade in China. Rest Sir Fitzroy Kelly is now named as the M.P., entrusted with the arrangement of the details of a contem plated Tory Reform Bill. The Cologne Gazette, in a letter from Berlin of the 25th, mentioning the death of General de Radowitz, adds that before his death he had had time to finish the edi tion of his complete works. The French Government, through the medium of the Count de Lowenhielm, the Swedish minister at Paris, has just presented the Royal Library at Stockholm with a copy of the " Chalcographie du Musee Imperial," composed of 85 volumes. The Royal Library has, in its turn, sent to the Imperial Library at Paris 100 volumes of manuscript and rare printed works. THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 31, 1853 MONEY MARKET AND COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE, •ITY, TWO O'CLOCK. The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were estimated at 5,000 bales. The market was quiet, with very little change in prices. Railway Shares were flat. The situation of the Bank of England, as indi cated by the weekly return to the 24th inst., was much more encouraging than for some time. The addition to the amount of bullion was important, notwithstanding the increase in the loans and dis counts, which show trade to be at least active. The Government account also stood high, being 1,891,3821. above the highest point this year, which was on the Ist January. The unusually large amount is in preparation for the payment of the dis sentient holders of South Sea Stock, dzc. On the 23d July the Chancellor of the Exchequer had to his credit not much above 1,849,0001. The bullion ar riving this week is being taken for the Continent, and that which is coming forward per Australian ships advised as being off the coast, is expected to be like wise purchased for the same destination. Com pared with the previous week, the changes in the Bank account are as follows : Active circulation Increase Bullion Increase £20,810,155 204,530 15,819,041 375,785 3,198,455 Increase Public Deposits 11,157,724 Increase Other Deposits Decrease 91,762 Seven-Day and other Bills Decrease 4,750 Government Securities No alteration. Other Securities 16,643,651 Increase 406,546 Notes unemployed 8,318,280 Increase Yesterday afternoon there was an improvement n the rates at which bills of exchange were nego tiated upon some of the continental cities. Paris, 90 days, was taken at 25 274 to 30 ; Hamburgh, at 13 41 to 4f ; Amsterdam, at 11 15f to 16 ; Frank fort, at 1181 to / ; and Trieste, at 11 38 to 42. We gave yesterday a rapid glance at the statistics of 1853, and the following, from a correspondent, to whom we have been indebted on former occa sions, may be interesting, as showing the past in another view :—" A year of no ordinary interest closes with this day. We anticipated under this head in The Sun, at the opening of 1853, that the results of the gold fields of Australia would have a paramount influence, not only on the welfare of the Queen's southern possessions, but also on all mercantile transactions in every section of the em pire. Time' has fully borne out that anticipation. Land in New South Wales, and Victoria especially, has risen beyond the records of fable, and fresh gold deposits have been lately reported. And such reports may be fully corroborated, surpassing the imagination of the Eastern writers. Although, as we also prognosticated in our remarks on the Ist of January, gold mining by associations has not proved to be such an unerring and remunerative in vestment, as the Gold Companies, without excep tion, had , caused the public to expect. The un initiated in Colonial commerce have, in many instances it is to be feared, made losses by their ill assorted indents to Australia ; but the regular traders to that market have, we have reason to know, made very satisfactory returns. Perhaps the late shipments may not have sent home more than cost, freight, and insurance ;' but if the average of the year be taken, as already stated, the returns, we understand, are very satis factory. High priced corn, above averaged priced cotton, and the expectation of an Eastern war end ing in an European conflagration, have been so many barriers to what might have been a year of unparalleled prosperity. As regards -the prospects of 1854, up to the latest advices of the corn sowing in this country, and the cotton planting in the United States, all is so far favourable. Australian accounts never read better. We have free trade with France looming in the future,' and if it were not the black spot on the commercial horizon--the Russo-Turkish question—the new year would open as full of the ingredients of prosperity as charac terised the beginning of the year about to close. Whatever may betide the old coun tries, it is certain that the onward pro gress of the people of the embryo empires in America and the South Pacific can only be checked, not stayed. They, therefore, must con tinue to be large consumers of Or fabrics. With the intended public works in Australia, and the reduced duties in France, the staples which enter largely into the formation of railways appear to have every chance of an average trade under any eventualities in Europe. It is to be observed that the making of railways in the gold-producing colonies will act differently on our monetary ope rations now than it would have done if they had been undertaken prior to the discovery of the gold deposits, when the value of the increased exports from the parent country must have be — n - - represented by debentures, instead of payments in ' hard bullion.' " It is a fact at`the present time that loanable capital is as cheap in Sydney and Melbourne as in London. The gold will not be sent here to be warehoused, but only in payment of debts, or to cover purchases, and since the production is much greater than the exportation the balance seeks colonial produce for investment. Thus it is that it finds an outlet in the foundation of roads and docks, and the purchase of land, both of which cause the volume of exportation to be expanded, since a large portion of the material for the formation of the former is imported , from, and many of the owners of the latter reside in, this country. "Taking all things into consideration, we are by no means inclined to look unfavourably on the mercantile prospects of 1854." The amount of the precious metals exported from London direct during the week to last Thursday was 150,000 ounces in silver and 5,400 ounces in gold, all to the Continent. The Stock Market has given way to the extent of per cent. within the last hour, and numerous sales have been pressed. Consols for the opening, ex dividend, have been quoted 93i f, and since 931 to L. The New Three-and-a-Quarter per Cents. have been 95f, and are now 94g. The Three per Cent. Reduced, which were 93 f, have declined to 93g. Exchequer Bills are 55. to 86. premium. Foreign Stocks are very inactive, and prices are heavy generally. Danish 5 per Cents., are lower, being 102. Russian 5 per Cents. have declined to 112, and the 41 per Cent. to 974 and 98. Spanish Deferred Bonds are quiet at 22. Dutch 4 per Cents., after being done at 971, receded to 961. In other Stocks no business has been transacted. Railway Shares are quiet, and there is a general depression in values, owing to the de c li ne i n Con sols. Caledonian have fallen fully it., Great Northern about 156., Lancashire and Yorkshire 55., North-Western 1/., Midland 10s., North British 55., and South-Eastern 1/. French shares are also weaker, but with few dealings. Pari s an d L yons are fully 10s. cheaper, and Northern of France are similarly affected. _ Rather more has been doing in Gold Mine Shares, and at steady prices. In the Joint-Stock Banks the only transactions have been in Australasia, at it. to 2/. decline. Australian Agricultural Shares are about 2/. lower, and the South Australian, after being 37, have dropped to 36. Peel River are also flatter. BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY. (From the Official List.) Busineso clone. 3 per Cont. Reduced Annuities 934 New 34 per Cent. Annuities 954 4 Consols for Opening 18th Jan. 9 33 Exchequer Bills, 1(1. LATEST FOREIGN NEWS 21060 . - 5 8 p £5OO 5 8 P Small 5 8 p PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY. Danish Bonds, 1825, 3 per Cent — Ditto 5 per Cent Equador Bonds , Mexican 3 per Cent. Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £ 5t...,, 112 Ditto 4a per Cent 97 8 Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. 22 11 Dividends on the above payable in London. Dutch Exchange, 2i per Cent. 12 Gull 641 Ditto 4 per Cent. Certifteates. . TWO O'CLOCK. Consols for Opening 18th Jantzary.-..': 931 xci About 200 women, belonging to the district called Cassein Pacha, which is chiefly occupied by the families of sailors, had been to the Admiralty, had broken the windows, and had made such violent threats against the Minister, that he had deemed it prudent to escape in disguise. He had been warned that he would have to appear before the Council of • Ministers, to explain his conduct. In the event of his being dismissed Ahmet Pacha Kaiseli was spoken of as his successor. The Ambassadors of England and France, supported by the Ministers of Austria and Prus sia, were energetically pressing on negotiations for peace, and it was confidently asserted not without hope of success ; but the Sultan, though entertaining a great horror of war, was afraid that any project of an arrangement would cause pro found commotion in the Empire—the catastrophe of Sinope having caused immense irritation. Be sides this, it was expected that the effect produced on the Western Powers by the disaster of Sinope might be such as to effect an entire change in the situation. Details of the affair at Sinope were eagerly listened to, and they all tended to prove that the Turks acted with heroic bravery. Not a single vessel, as already stated, would yield ; two were blown up by their captains ; a small one, bearing sixteen men and three guns, fought till nightfall, and the Captain Edhem Bey only quitted her with his men when she was sinking. The captain of the Navik, Sman Oglou Ali Bey, oue of the vessels blown up, sent all that re mained of his crew on land before he set fire to his powder magazine, and perished with his ship. Amongst thq pieces of wreck found floating in the water was a mast with a flag nailed to it. It was the Turks who commenced the battle. It was ne cessary to amputate several of the wounded who were received on board the English and French steamers—they uttered no cry, made no complaint, but displayed heroic indifference. Accounts from Asia had been received, but the details had not been published -t-it was, however, stated that the Turks had gained advantages over the Russians ; that, for example, the Russians had been repulsed in a new sortie from the fortress of Alexandropol ; that the Turks who were besieging the citadel of Akiska (Achalzick) had succeeded in destroying the aqueducts ; that Salim Pacha had gained a brilliant victory in the environs of Saffah ; and that Daniel Bey had defeated the Russians in the Terek. The news that Persia had broken off with Turkey, and had resolved to second Russia, had created great sensation. She was assembling an army of 50,000 men to march on Bagdad. She owed 60,000,000 piastres to Russia, but the latter had agreed to abandon the debt. The Turkish Ambassador at Teheran had arrived at Bagdad on his return to Constantinople. The English Minister at the same place was also ex pected at Constantinople. On the other hand, Dost Mohammed, Sovereign of Affghanistan, who is an implacable enemy of Russia, strongly opposed the policy of Persia, and even threatened to invade her territory to avenge the Turks. General Ba raguay d'Hilliers gave a second grand dinner on the 14th, to which he invited the Admirals and most of the principal officers of the two fleets ; and Lord Stratford de Radcliffe was to give a grand dinner on the 15th to all the Foreign Ministers, the Admirals, and most of the Ministers of the Porte. The weather was very bad in the Black Sea. On the 13th the Belgian vessel Eugenia, Captain Hegeirch, was lost at the entrance of the Bosphorus. An English merchant ship from Tre bizonde had brought tidings that a Russian ship of the line, that 'bad been towed greatly damaged from Sinope, had gone down about 90 miles from that place. The Divan had given orders to fortify sixteen important points on the coast of Anatolia, on the Black Sea. REPLY OF THE ENGLISH AND FRENCH AMBASSADORS TO THE APPLICATION FOR THE ENTRANCE OF THE COMBINED FLEETS INTO THE BLACK SEA. A week after the date of Reschid Pacha's note to the two Ambassadors, communicating the news from Sinope, and asking that the fleets might enter the Black Sea, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe and M. Baraguay d'Hilliers met at the French Palace, at Pera, and after a conference, which lasted some hours, agreed upon the terms of their reply. This note we subjoin in substance from an authentic source : " I have to acknowledge the receipt of your ex cellency's note of December 4. I learned thereby that a division of the Russian fleet, which had been cruising for some days in the neighbourhood of Sinope, entered that port on the 30th ultimo, and attacked _some Turkish ships of war anchored• here. Since then I have been also apprised of the result of the combat, which I deeply deplore, while, at the same time, all my praise is due to the noble devotion and patriotism of those who fell in an unequal atruggle. I am, however, in duty bound, as far as con cerns me to disclaim all r es p ons ibilit y i n reference to that disaster ; and your excellence will do me the justice to acknowledge that whenever I was consulted by the Porte as to the expediency of the Ottoman fleets entering the Black Sea I invariably expressed my doubts and apprehensions without reserve. A defective materiel, crews under the contingent required in time of war, the adverse chances of the Black Sea at this season, the possi bility of encounter with an enemy of superior force —all these reasons were exposed to the Government of the Sultan, in support of an opinion in opposi tion to its own. " The presence of the Anglo-French fleet in the Bosphorus is an incontestable proof of the interest and sentiments which animate the Emperor of the French and her Majesty the Queen of Great Bri tain. Their presence has a political signification. It is a moral support, as long as there remains a hope of effecting a reconciliation between the ad verse powers. " Should, however, Russia attempt to land a force on the Bosphorus, or at any other point of the Turkish coasts, the combined fleets will be then required to act, and enter immediately the Black Sea, if necessary, to protect the territory, as well as the integrity of the Ottoman empire. (Signed) " REDCLIFFE. 4 6 BARAGITAY D'HILLIERS. " Dec. 12, 1853i' RUSSIA AND TURKEY, - By telegraphic despatch from Constantinople of December 19, we learn that Halil Pasha, the Sultan's brother-in-law, is named Minister of the Interior ; Riza Pasha is the new Capitan Pasha. Abdi Pasha has been recalled from Asia, and 25,000 Turks have received orders to retire from Russian Armenia. On the 15th, the four Powers presented a note, demanding an armistice. Halil Pacha's entrance into the Ministry is re garded as favourable to the project of peace. The united fleets were still in the Bosphorus on the 19th inst. On the 20th a company of Wallachian militia seized their newly-appointed Russian officers, beat them soundly, and then deserted with five of them to Kalafat. The Trieste Zeitung asserts that the British diplomatic agent at Teheran has renewed relations with the Persian Government. Turkish bulletins received via Vienna acknow ledge the evacuation of the Russian territory in A despatch from Bucharest, dated 27th Dec., announces the departure of the English. Consul- General from Bucharest for Rutschuk. It is reported that the French Government has received despatches from Constantinople of the 18th, announcing that the Divan, which had been fixed for the 20th, to deliberate on the propositions of the Conference of Vienna, was held on the 18th ; that it resolved to permit Redschid Pasha to ac cept those propositions, on condition that nothing shall be proposed for the acceptance of the Porte which has been already refused ; that all existing treaties between Russia and Turkey shall be can celled ; and that it is on those terms the Divan agrees to accept the guarantee of the Four Powers for the evacuation of the Principalities after the conclusion of peace. It is further stated that the French Government, very much doubting that the Emperor of Russia will accept the terms proposed by the Conference of Vienna, sent a despatch on the. 13th inst. to the Admirals in command of the combined fleets, authorising them to ;titer the Black Sea, should events render it necessary to do so, and that positive orders were despatched on the 19th to the fleets to enter. The French Government and the Russian Mi nister in Paris have received despatches from St. Petersburg dated the 20th instant. These de spatches announce that the Emperor Nicholas formally rejects the protocol and the note agreed to at Vienna on the sth of December. If the con ference choose to send the propositions of Turkey to St. Petersburg, they will be received and exa mined, but the Czar persists in declining to allow any intervention on the part of Europe in a ques tion which concerns no power excepting Russia and Turkey alone. From this it is evident that there is not the re motest ground for the announcement made by some German papers that the Czar had shown a disposi tion to send an ambassador to the conferences of the four Powers. As regards the threat to send the united squadrons, Russia affects not to feel the slightest alarm, and professes that she is ready to abide by the result. In presence of such a state of things, nothing but war is possible. The Czar, after having cajoled the other Powers as long as he could with his professions of peaceful intentions, has at length thrown off the mask. It is thought that within the next few days we shall have accounts of a mighty effort to be made by the Russian general in the Lesser Wallachia to take Kalafat, and to drive the Turks entirely across the Danube. It is reported that the Russians reckon on being in Constantinople before the end of summer, and that they have already laid down the plan of their campaign. They are to march to Constantinople by Widdin, Sophia, and Adria nople. The Russian Government bad considerably in creased the army of the Caucasus, and had ap pointed several Generals to serve under Prince Woronzoff, the Commander-in-Chief. A private letter from Constantinople of the 18th inst. announces that the Sultan had decreed that a nionutnent should be erected to the memory of the brave officers of the Ottoman navy who had blown up their ships at the battle of Sinope to save the hpour of the Turkish flag. Accounts from Malta of the 24th inst. state that the British merchant to whom two vessels belonged which were sunk at Sinope had addressed a demand for compensation to the Russian Government. He sets forth in his demand that his ships were at anchor at a distance from the roads, that the British flag was flying at the mainmast, and that they -had - been; designedly sunk by the Russian ships of war. A recent letter from Krajova states that the birthday of the Emperor Nicholas was celebrated there with great éclat. From six to tea Russian soldiers were quartered in every house, and prepara tions were being made to increase the same on the 20th inst., but as it was to last only for a day, it was probable that the expected troops would push on towards Kalafat, in the direction of which the Russians were in possession of the villages for 16 miles. Since the skirmish between the Russian and Turkish outposts on the 4th inst., nothing of importance had occurred in Lesser Wallachia. The Russian Invalide brings the official account of the victory gained by Prince Bebutoff, Dec. 1, at Ughulso, over the Turks. The latter had encamped in the vicinity of Basch-Kadykblaer, and fortified themselves upon the heights near by. The Russians are said to have numbered about 10,000 men with 32 cannon, and the Turks, including Kurds and other militia, 36,000 men, and 46 cannon. Soon after the commencement of the cannonade, Prince Bebutoff made a a bayonet attack, which turned the enemy's right flank, while at the same moment his left was attacked by four squad rons of dragoons. The battle lasted three hours, and ended in a complete defeat of the Turks. The latter were also pursued by the victorious Russians until nightfall. The Russians lost 317 killed, and 700 wounded. Among the wounded was Major-General Prince Obetian who received two shots in the bayonet attack. The bulletin says that the Turks lost more than 1,500 killed, and" a still greater number of wounded; 24 cannon, 10 munition waggons, several banners, and their entire camp, fell into hands of the Russians. The Emperor of Russia has ordered rewards to be given to all the officers who commanded in the above engagement. The privates are to receive military badges and two rubles a-piece. According tb information received at Bucharest on the 17th, the Russians were keeping up an active cannonade at Gatsid, vis-a-vis to Ibraila, in order to destroy several coffee-houses and other buildings on the other side of the river. The pieces were heavy, and every shot told. Strong detachments of Russian troops were en route for Lesser Walla chia. On the night of the 16th, seven Cossacks crossed the Danube from Giurgevo, in a small boat, surprised a Turkish picket guard, and took one prisoner, who was sent by the Russian general at Giurgevo to Bucharest. On the 15th the Turks again resumed their cannonade against Giurgevo, and several balls came thundering into the town. In fact not a day passes there without hostilities of the same kind, and the inhabitants of the town expect the worst. A letter from Constantinople of the 16th states that the Porte has published a circular ordering that the Turkish authorities who may during the delay accorded have relations with Russian merchant vessels shall observe a conciliatory conduct, and even render them service when opportunities occur. The Post Ampt Gazette contains a letter from Vienna of the 23d, which says :—" The Turks have not evacuated the island of Mokan, as is proved by the last letters from Bucharest. On the 14th ad ditional troops were sent to Krajowa. The rumour of the Turks having passed at Giurgevo and of the great battle fought at Kalafat is not true. Russian troops are also occupying Karakal." A letter from Athens, 16th, states that Ismail Paella has forbidden the entrance into Smyrna of the Athens Sieele, on account of its having pub lished an article exciting the Greeks to revolt against the Sultan, and co-operate in the destruc tion of the Ottoman Empire. Galignani gives the following summary of news from Constantinople, up to the 15th of December : —The Sultan and all the population were painfully affected at the disaster of Sinope ; it was generally believed that the Capitan Pacha. (Minister of Ma rine) would be dismissed as mainly responsible for it—he having, as alleged, given Osman Pacha posi tive orders to remain in the Bay of Sinope, though the French Admiral several times pointed out to him the danger of his so doing. A popular demon stration had been made against the Capitan Pacha. REPORT OF DR. PIRAUD, OF THE MOGA DOR, TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER. MOGNDOR, Dec. 8, 1853.—Owing to my inces sant occupations I am only enabled to report sum marily in regard to the mission confided to the medical officers of the Mogador at Sinope. After having received your instructions, and come ac cordingly to an understanding with my colleague of the English frigate, I went on s h ore on th e 7th inst., at 7 a.m., with Messrs. Louvel (Mogador), Vincent (Valmy), Aiguier (Friedl an d), F eui ll et (Jena), and the medical staff of the Retribution were just in the act of quitting their ship to join us, and co-operate in our labours. M. Bertrand, mean time, one of the surgeons of our ship, had been left on board, to make all the necessary preparations for the reception of the wounded. Immediately on landing, I proposed to the English surgeon major to divide the coffee-house, sheds, and huts at our disposal, in order to allow each party to act with greater freedom, and thus facilitate and lighten our labours. The English surgeon accord ingly took possession of the department nearest the landing-place, and the French the two others. It was evident, generally speaking, that we had to deal with very severe cases—comminutive fractures of the limbs, and with wounds of serious extent. " Penetrated with the object of our mission, after having examined and dressed the wounded, I regis tered, to be conveyed on board, all such as offered the smallest chance of recovery. Whoever could have beheld these poor fellows, huddled together in an infected atmosphere, and in utter destitu tion, must surely have felt and acted as I have, and shown great liberality in respect to the numbers to be transferred to our ship. Hence, out of 21 suf ferers contained in the lesser department confided to my care, 18 were registered to take with us ; the other three were dying, and in a state of frightful mutilation. After two hours' dressings, and having performed a most urgent amputation of the right arm, I proceeded with my colleagues of the Mogador to the other more spacious compart ment, containing wounds of every description, but especially very extensive burns, and some of which had mummified whole extremities. Burns are, in general, the predominating variety or wound ; and the cause naturally arising from the issue of the combat, inasmuch as all the Turkish ships were either burnt or blown up. Here again, time per mitting it, we were again enabled to amputate another arm, whereof the whole inferior portion had been pounded (broyee) by a projectile. " Altogether from these two localities, compris ing some sufferers brought at the moment of our departure from the neighbouring villages, 54 dan gerous wound-cases were conveyed to the Mogador, besides 33 o th ers l ess i mportant, wh i ch had been already sent in a boat of the country. Total, 87. " From seven in the morning till four p.m., dressings were continued with all the care and assi duity practicable under such circumstances. " The generous sentiments of humanity which animated the medical staff under my orders are be yond all praise. Incontemplating the ruinsandcom plete desolation of this unfortunate town; to bring with the greatest number possible of these poor sufferers, was the common object of all. On my arrival, and subsequently, I experienced heartfelt satisfaction at having taken with me some in a most precarious but not altogether hopeless state ; and really, the courage of these poor fellows was admirable, and indescribable, and they soon rat- lied and cheered up at the bare idea of a prompt return to their foyers. The happy arrangement s, moreover, made by the officers for their reception, contributed no doubt to produce these good effects, and I trust that the dictates of humanity may be fulfilled without compromising the hygiene of our ships. During all our melancholy labours on shore as on board, I feel the highest satisfaction in de' daring how much I am indebted to the onerous zeal and assistance of our ship's crew. I furnis hed before quitting this port a provision of lint, linen, &c., to the surgeons destined to attend remaining sufferers, and who had escaped from the catastrophe to the neighbouring villages. " PIRAIID, " Surgeon-Major of the Mogador. FRANCE. At the hour of going to press, the Paris papers of yesterday had not arrived. The following has been received by electric telegraph, dated Paris, yesterday evening : Lord Cowley attended to-day (Friday) at the first meeting of the Commission of the Great Exhibition, and assured the members of the co operation of England in this great undertaking. The Prince Napoleon, as President, thanked Lord Cowley in behalf of the Commission. An Imperial decree closes the College of St' Michel au Montant, on account of the occurrence of factious demonstrations, which were not repressed by the authorities. Four officials, employed on the Orleans Railway' who were prosecuted for negligence on the occasicn of the accident at Beaugency, have been condemned to six months' imprisonment and 300 f. fine each. According to Vienna advices, of the 26th, th e Ambassadors of France, E ng l an d , an d P rus sia had on the 24th a fresh conference with the Austri an Minister of Foreign Affairs on the Eastern q uestion''` Count Buol communicated to them a second de". spatch from Baron Bruck, which confirmed th e hope entertained of a pacific arrangement. Advices from Bucharest, of the 23d, bring no news. Th e Vladika of Montenegro has addressed'`' letter to his uncle, Petrovich, in which he justi fiel his conduct, and begs him to return to M° ll , negro, and afford th e Vladika the benefit of AP advice. Petrovich replied that he would never return till his nephew had banished from Court those Till ° had plotted against his life. The Bourse was heavy yesterday (Friday), a nd all securities de c li ne d. Th e Thre e per C e nts closed at 73f. 80c. for the end of the month, An the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. at 101 f. 25c. • • The severe cold w hi c h h as prevailed in Paris forf some days past h as b een f e l t i n various par t s °f France. The th ermome t er f e ll at Arras an d at l i Valenciennes to 19 de grees b e l ow zero. Snow' I in such quantities at, Lille that, according to letters from that town, it will cost 50,000 f. to clear the streets. The Seine is frozen over between the Pont Not Dame and the Pont Royal. It is expected that, the frost continues without a thaw for two or three days more, it will be possible to cross the river on. the ice. At the Council of Ministers which assembled on Wednesday, it is said the war party appeared t° have the advantage, M. Fould being obliged t° yield on sev era l po i nts to M. de Persigny. 11" further resolution, however, has, it is said, been come to, matters being left as they are for th e present. The Emperor received on Wednesday at a public audience General Francois Solano Lopez, who pre" sented to his Majesty his credentials as Envoy xt . traordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of th e Republic of Parnuay. M. Solano Lopez was on' veyed to the Tuileries in a Court carriage. An Imperial decree appoints M. Cornudet, Can" cillor of State, to be a member of the Mixed Corn' mate* of Public Works. Captain d'Herbinghem, aide-de-camp of th e Minister of Marine, who has been appointed to the command of the steam-frigate Vauban, has left Paris for Toulon, to take the command of his ship: Four new regiments which have recently arrived in Paris for garrison duty were reviewed on Thurs day, at half-past 12 o'clock, by the Emperor in the Place de Carrousel. The E peror, who w as on horseback, put the men through their movements,, after which they d e fil e d b e f ore him. The cries of "Vivo l'Empereur !" were frequent. It is was generally expected that the Ihroniteur of Thursday would contain an article explaining the actual state of the Eastern question, the posi; tion of the Powers, the acceptance by Turkey 0 - 1 ' the proposition for sending a plenipotentiary to th e Conference, and the terms on which she may con: ": sent to treat. The silence of the official journal has produced a very unfavourable effect ; and it is taken as an indication that the difficulties still in the way of an arrangement without a European war have grown more serious, and that, such en arrangement is as remote as ever. Almost every' thing connected with this question has been MY.; sterious and confu se d f rom t h e b eginning ; but, anything clear and palpable now appear, it is the, perfidy of Russia, an d th e double-dealing 01. Austria. This last Power may yet pay the penalty of her bad faith, and even at the present morsel?' it is doubtful if she is better appreciated by Russia than she is by England or France. It is said that the Emperor Nicholas has very- recently—since the signing of the protocol—expressed himself in angl and contemptuous terms of that Governmeutt which has no t th e courage either for good or evil.; and it is d ou bt e d if t h e moat earnest and most humiliating protestations from it would inspire him with confidence. It is right that it should be known that in Paris?, as well as in St. Petersburgh, the Austrian and Prussian amb assa d ors attended at a Te Deum Per" formed there to celebrate the great and g lorions victory gained by the Russian arms over Turkey a' Sinope and othe r pl aces . This will serve as Wu. as any other straw to show how the wind blows- It is useless to deny that in Paris an amicabl e settlement of the Eastern Question is considered ag, all but hopeless, a n d war on a l arge scale as all b ut certain. Public opinion is in this respect the safe as that of the Government ; and as matters sr proach nearer and nearer to a crisis the most des' perate efforts are made by every partisan of Ruseitlf native and French, and by her agents, from th e highest to the lo wes t c l ass , t o create discord NY tween France and England, to excite jealoue o and hstreds which no longer exist, and to throf doubts on the good faith of both. These persons are not discouraged or daunted by the ill succes s that has hithert o a tt en d e d t h em, and they return w the task as if it were one of honour, of humanitif and of patriotism. If Louis Napoleon wishes to bring to a prelo - end all the conspiracies formed against hit ° , whether in the s a l ons , th e chateaus, or among tm: defeated pa r ti es , h e wou ld have only to publish declaration of war against Russia in the Moniteoro and it would be hailed with enthusiasm by of tainly nineteen-twentieths of the people of t"" country. • SPAIN. The Duchess de Montpeniier held, on the m-, inst., a grand l evee a t th e P a l ace at Madrid. Til" corps diplomatique, the grandees of Spain, the a n' thorities, the chiefs of the army, the judges of t i ln, different courts, the senators and the deputies, 01 other personages, presented their congra t u lation: to her Royal Hi g h ness on t h e occasion o f be arrival. The position of the Marquis de Turgot 35 satisfactory as possible, and it was hoped that 136 ' would be able to rise in a few days. The Ambas sador was to be represented at the Queen's confine' ment by M. de Montherot, First Secretary of tb° French Legation. One of the most distinguished men in SpaiT Don Alvaro Fl ores d e E stra d a, d i e d on th e 16 6 ' inst., at Novena, in the 88th year of his age. , e According to th e re t urns of the revenues ofti' d island of Cuba, the Customs' receipts amounte in 1850 to 100,960,200 rea l s ; an d in 1851 6 ' „ 108,079,040. The most perfect tranquillity prevailed through' out the whole monarchy. The Three per Cents. were done at 43i ; tbe t New Three per Cents., at 22 ; the Debt of the Fill Class, at 8a ; and that of the Second, at 41. ITALY. The Piedmontese Gazette of the 26th publishes A royal decree giving force of law to the postal een; vention lately concluded between Sardinia an Austria. By this convention the two G o vernmen i _ t s engage to convey letters an d printed papers by tul mo st speedy mea ns a t t h e i r comman d. Pos communications are t o b e kept open provisiona lly at five different points of the frontier, until the construction of r a il wa y s s h a ll render other arrange ments necessary. Letters may be fran ked or no t ) at option, to their places of destination. SWINEY Pitfm—The Council of the Society of A:!to announces that, on the 20th of January next, in aeeold' ante with the will of the late Dr. Swiney, "a oile r goblet, of the value of 100/.. containing gold coin to tbe same amount," will be awarded "t o the author of the best published work on Jurisprudence." I 1 1( 14111 fra ~le lar, (Itt fr o ha: R e; he: )1, , 1,, ot, 1 M r • Eli z to tak e be