The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser. — Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

liberpoot tanbarb. TUESDAY MORNING, JAN. 10, 1854. COBDENIC POLICY, THE INTERNAL ENEMY OP ENGLAND. SUCH is the title of a very remarkable publication given to the world within the last few days. The value or im portance of that work is not derived from any intrinsic , excellence ; in point of fact, its moral claims are of a very tainted character. Nor can its title to consideration be based on any high or intellectual cogitations elaborated in its pages ; although abounding in shrewdly drawn con clusions, it is too obviously founded on the disappointed expectations of a sordid spirit to be admitted as the off spring of disinterested virtue ; and every page is dis coloured by the rankling animosity of a discarded partizan. For what, then, is it to be chiefly prized ? Its chief, in deed its only, value is the light it throws upon the hidden machinery by which Mr.COBDSIC and his coadjutors swayed the popular mind to such an extent as led to the disrup tion of our social polity ; and the exposure of those secret motives for which, after breaking down the barriers of protection, raised in defence of our native industry by the -wisdom of statesmen, in obedience to the experience of centuries, the same clique still seeks so far to overthrow our time-honoured institutions, as will render the British people the helpless and unreasoning tool of that grasping, selfish, and unprincipled coterie, at the head of which, "by merit raised To that bad eminence," stand RICHARD COBDEN and JOHN BRIGHT. The book referred to is written byAtancANDEn. SomEavnax, a will inghelper of the tribe—an individual who, under the news piper soubriquet of "One who has whistled at the plough," was an effective instrument of evil in their hands. "Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad," is a proverb of ancient application, whether it may serve in any way to elucidate the nature of that deadly quarrel which has grown -up and declared itself between the leaders of the anti-corn law conspiracy and their most gifted instrument, is not for ES to say. When members of a certain class of the community fall out among themselves, honest men are supposed likely to come by their own, and symptoms of such a falling-out among the league confederacy are becoming more and snore rife with each succeeding day's experience. It is not AO long as to have escaped remembrance since the notorious "national testimonial." to COBDEN gave rise to feelings the reverse of amicable between that astute luminary and EnrouT, his disappointed confrere in the work of agitation. Only last week the nnes, another of the agitating brother hood, admitted that the objects of the league, so far as it professed to increase the demand for manufacturing labour, had, de facto, proved an inoperative pretence; and now we have Mr. SOMERVILLE whistling such strain from his new plongh-tail, as must put even • CoDDEN'S proverbial power of face severely to the test. In his new ditty, regardless of that honour which is said to be observed among even the most lawless and degraded lshmaelites of society, Mr. SOMERVILLE "unfolds a tale," which even the worst enemies of the defunct League were unprepared to credit or receive ; nay, more, he backs the smexpected revelation with strong and damning documen tary evidence. Without scruple or remorse, he treats us -with such a string of " private and confidential" commu nications, indited by the cunning hand of Mr. COBDEN and a few of his select associates, as unveils a system of hypocrisy and fraud, by which the objects of the League -were carried into effect, as we believe to be without a pa . zallel in the annals of political rascality. Lest the letters *hemselves should fail in fully displaying the nefarious schemes inculcated in their contents, Mr. So3tEuvILLE obligingly accompanies them with such an amount and hind of running commentary, as cannot fail to bring their meaning fully and readily within reach of even the " mean est capacity," and this he does with all the alacrity and zeal distinctive of recent apostacy. It is, however, only justice to say, that he justifies the unmasking of his quon dam patrons as some restitution for the evils he was in- strnmental in inflicting on society. We readily admit the Tuesday, and will spell( to the Council of the Le Due' about the arrangement. [The terms of payment . . . . . All are fully sensible of the value of your novel` labours in the cause. One word of advice —do not let any : animus in favour of the League or manufacturers appear in your writings—[secretiveness again]—especially the letters in the Chronicle, which I know, attract a good deal of notice. . . . "' In the last Number One there is a letter from a farmer, going for total repeal on the ground that he can not fatten cattle to compete with foreigners, unless he gets the raw material cheap. Can't you insinuate a short letter into Number One, which is read by the farmers ? But you must not let your signature identify you—[se?re tiveness again] ;—"Peter Robins" and "Reuben" are both palpable noms de guerre. Sign, a Westmoreland or Leicester Farmer. I shall want you to write a good address from the League to the farmers of the kingdom. It_ must be well done. I have some suggestions to make which I will send to you when I have been able to refer to some facts.--I remain yours truly, "`A. Somerville, Esq.' "`lttcnD. COBDEN.' " I did not write as a Westmoreland 'or ' Leicester Farmer.' In at first calling myself 'One who has whistled at the Plough,' I was described truly. Other signatures used by me were only for private identification, not to misrepresent myself as a farmer, which I was not. " Mr. Bright bad the same degrading opinion of the press as Mr. Cobden. He it was, if the rumours in League I circles did not belie him, that so fatally operated on the Warwickshire paper, as to extinguish it in a fortnight. Indeed, one of his brothers, in giving me particulars of his career in 1846, confirmed this delicate liitle rumour. Subsequently, in a conversation with Mr. Bright himself, it was alluded to, when he observed that the less I said about it the better. He applied to me, 1843-'4, as Mr. , Cobden did, to write letters as a farmer of a certain loca lity. He hinted at having operated on one or more agri cultural papers circulating in Durham, North Yorkshire, and Northumberland. I adhered to my role not to write as that which I was not ; and not, by professing to be Tory and half-and-half Protectionist, to " insinuate," as Mr. Cobden phrased it, letters into Protectionist journals. Mr. Bright said, if I wrote certain articles and gave them to him, I need not know nor care what became of them. He got them in private from my own hand. I knew no more until I saw them in North country papers, signed, A Farmer who Sells his Corn at Newcastle. From these agricultural papers they were reprinted by the League as genuine farmer's letters, and circulated uni versally as such 1" Much additional evidence of a similar kind, and refer ring to similar transactions, is to be met with in different portions of the book ; but enough, we think, will be found in, the two instances quoted, to warrant the charge of dis honesty brought against the men, and the means through whose agency the abolition of the corn-laws was brought about. In this racy pamphlet the curious reader will likewise find much interesting matter, relative to the organisation and working of another league,—we mean the Peace So ciety, with the sayings and doings of which, it appears, poor SOMERVILLE has also been made acquainted, in a spirit the reverse of dove-like. To many the publication will afford another source of interest in the enlightenment it sheds around the means by which the unadorned elo quence of Mr. COBDEN is prepared and manufactured, we pretend not to say at whose expense. If Mr. SOMERVILLE, however, is to be credited, the expenditure of either time or pelf pertaining to theThonourable member for the West Riding is neither extensive nor oppressive; particularly if private individuals or quasi public institutions can be made to furnish the particulars. We had, indeed, some intention of going more into detail on this branch of the subject, as that is illustrated in the book before us; but the much more important matter of public demorali ' sation, as that has been deliberately charged by the open accusation referred to, has so completely occupied our space as to prevent it. In that agitation which ended in the abrogation of the corn laws, and which, managed through the instrumen tality we here see exposed, became a species of urban delirium, many an individual was induced to contribute largely of his means in support of what he was taught to look on as a great national benefit. How few of all those honest dupes were aware of the base and hypocritical uses to which their contributions were applied ! How much more narrowed still would have been the circle of contributors to that ill-gotten fund, if wilful and malig nant falsehood, gross dissimulation, concocted cheating, and planned deceit had been among its avowed instru ments of success ! We can well remember the yell of triumph with which the existence of the league was de clared to be" a great fact ;" sincerely do we hope the period will never arrive when the organ of that note of exultation shall be proved to have been cognizant of the existence of so unprincipled a 'system of political seduction as that proclaimed and all but demonstrated in the " Cobdenic policy." Up to the period of that inglorious strife of cunning and duplicity against honest conviction —preju dice if you will—the agitation of British politics had been a manly, an open, an ingentions contest. The field of its engagement had been an arena in which— " Minds combat minds, repelling and repelled,?; suspicion naturally attached to the testimony of a sociis sriminit, and acknowledging that of Mr. SOMERVILLE to 13e so tainted, we beg our readers to remember that, in any subsequent remarks upon his version of the story, we adduce his evidence to be received valeat quantum ralere lookst, premising simply that, in criminal inquiries, such evidence is chiefly valued in corroboration or explanation -iof facts otherwise but imperfectly substantiated ; while, in morals, the mere association of the parties is held as in a vousiderable degree explanatory of their mutual tastes and .13abits. Having got so far in our preliminary remarks -respecting the publication and. its author, let us next in -.quire what are the charges brought by him against his recent employers, and see by what evidence he supports those charges. It is true, that he complains his task masters have underpaid and overworked him—broadly asserts great benefits conferred, and more than merely insinuates palpable and base ingratitude as their chief reward. These, however, being personal matters, we do mot feel called on to examine deeply into their nature, and =ay be more readily excused for the omission by the con viction that Mr. SOMERVILLE is no silk-gloved champion ef his own cause, but is potent as well as deft in the use 'of a very damaging weapon. The first grave charge brought against Mr. Cosnrs, and by implication against his brother leaguers, is that, by dishonest means, they endeavoured to effect the abro gation of the Corn-laws ; one of these dishonesties was by insinuating anti-corn-law articles into pro-corn-law news- Tapers, so disguised as to deceive and mislead protection ists by an insidious inoculation of free trade doctrines. Bow does Mr. SOMERVILLE state this charge ? and it has been reserved for our own day, and for those who, in the affected purity of their religious zeal, would overthrow our altars ; who, in the fervour of their political liberalism, would annihilate our constitution and degrade our monarchy, to achieve one object of their ambition through means at the use of which a felon would blush— to secure a chance of selfish aggrandisement, by pursuing a course which bold ruffianism would feel ashamed to own. So early," says he, p. 17, "in my acquaintance with those people as 1842, I declined a share of the proprietor ship and editorial pay in a first-class pro-corn-law news paper, proposed to me by Mr. Cobden, on behalf of the anti-corn-law league, rather than be a hypocrite as he designed." Thus far the charge ; 1107 the support of it. At page .37 we find the following -'"The first letter quoted refers to a London newspaper d high reputation, of Conservative politics, an able advo +pith: of protection to agriculture ; in short, a landlord's and farmer's newspaper. To distinguish it from others written of in succeeding letters, I call it Number One. its name is withheld, as its present proprietors may not Le, though for aught I know they are, the same as in 1842. "' November, 1852. "`Dmin SlB,—Could not Number One be got right ? It appears to be taking the side of the farmers. It would be a great move if we could purchase a share and put you on it. Make some inquiries quietly as to what it is Aloft, and as to the persons connected with it. —Yours truly, RICHARD COBDEN.'" "In this short letter Mr. Cobden's mind bad four dis tinct secrets and processes of deception operating at once. 1. " It appears to be taking the side of the farmers.' This was the smallest and least important. He meant to intimate that something in the editorial department showed that it was abandoning the cause of the land owners, and addressing itself to the farmers, as having interests apart from those of landlords ; the truth being that, editorially, the paper had taken no such view of the Corn Law question. It would have at once lost its influ ence and circulation if it had. But, on behalf of the . _ league, a letter had been inserted, which, treating of other matter, introduced that view of the subject ; and, by private arrangements made, the League had reason to sup pose that such letters might be again inserted. This they told me subsequently. 2. " Make some inquiries quietly as to what it is doing, 2nd as to the persons connected with it.' By subsequent conversation, I ascertained that at this time the League knew all which Mr. Cobden desired me to ascertain, and much more. They knew that the whole concern could be purchased for certain thousands of pounds. Mr. Cobden, in desiring me to sound the proprietary of the paper, was secretively sounding me. 3. "It would be a great move if we could purchase a share, and put you in it.' Mr. Cobden's estimate of literary men contemplated me, not as nibbling at this bait of property and editorial power in a first-class newspaper, but as swallowing it at a gulp ! He who had formed such an opinion of writers and speakers' [I was no speaker], 'journalists' and 'reviewers,' that he invoked punishment on them when, six years previously, he ar rived home from Russia, did not dream that there could be one of the literary brotherhood who would scorn to be concerned in such Jesuitical deception of political oppo nents, particularly if that more than the Bible principle of a certain sect in Manchester [God grant them fewness of number, and shortness of political life}-pecuniary profit and personal advantage —were involved. 4 " The words of this third process of secretiveness are the test of the fourth. The paper was Conservative in general politics, rather Tory than Moderate, and a decided Pro-Corn Law journal. It opposed the Anti-Corn Law league, and it was intended to be so conducted. On League capital it was to be Tory in politics, to advocate the Corn Law so far as to retain its agricultural readers, but to admit occasional articles of treachery. " Am I in error in putting this construction on Mr. Cobden's pro posal ? In the first place, subsequent conver sation with him and others, chiefly about other newspapers, but incidentally touching Number One, confirmed this interpretation. Secondly. It would not have served their purpose ; it would not have been, c as Mr. an Ceden phrased it, ' a great move,' to have par converted it F.. to a Free-trade newspaper, because its Protectionist readers would have spurned it. Mr. Cobden's design was to instil homoeopathic morsels of anti-protectionism into the houses of Protectionists unawares, while, innocent dupes, they paid for it as a Pro-Corn Law journal." F arther on, at page 41, we have the com mencement of anotner evidence how far these anti-corn-law advocates of the freedom of the press may be carried, if in conso nance with their own views. The following letter, Mr. SoiszaviLLE assures us, also has reference to the same mewspaper— "` Waterl oo, near Liverpool, Saturday. "'DEAR SlE,—Your letter followed me here, where I am getting some sea air. I will be at Manchester on 'THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD, AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER. culty he, got all the passengers out of the two trains, and putting as many of them as was possible upon the en gines, conveyed them to Manchester, leaving the car riages as thew stood, the snow rapidly accumulating upon and around them. At this time the wind was blowing a perfect gale, and the snow was drifting about so fiercely that it was impossible to see for more than a few yards. After landing the passengers from the two trains, Mr. Blackmore returned to the Newton cutting with a large number of men, who were set to work to clear the lines. The two powerful goods engines were repeatedly taken back some distance, and then run into the snow at full speed ; but so great was the resistance offered by the mass, now more than five feet deep, that sometimes only a yard or two was cleared. When one line bad been opened through this drift, Mr. Blackmore proceeded to the drift on the Oldham branch, a little beyond Middleton, and there the same kind of operation was resumed; in one run the engines were almost brought to a dead stand as soon as they struck the snow, which was nearly seven feet deep. On the Bury, Bolton, and Liverpool branch, (which runs out of the main line at Blue Pits,) a train from Liverpool got fast on Wednesday evening, about 400 yards from the Heywood station. The passengers remained in the carriages for some time : but then most of them scrambled out and sought lodgings at inns, at the station, or private houses, while others made themselves as com fortable as they could in the carriages. Between Hey wood and Blue Pits the snow (according to the report of the Heywood station master) was from 15 feet to 20 feet deep on Wednesday evening. The passengers by one of the Yorkshire trains, from Manchester, remained in the carriages for about three hours after they got embedded, a short distance from Middleton. Then they got out and made their way to some cottages, where they were most kindly treated, good fires being made, the cottagers renaily producing everything they could in the way of food. In the Macclesfield and Bolton division, the deepest drift was between Moses Gate and Bolton. The snow accumu lated to a depth of nearly five feet for several hundred yards, and there was a complete stoppage of the traffic from Wednesday evening until about half-past one on Thursday afternoon. The passengers by the north express, includingseveral magistrateswho had attended the County Sessions at Preston, were, like many others, compelled to spend the night on chairs, sofas, tables, and even on the floor, at the principal inns, or at the station. There was a deep drift near Chapletown, on the Bolton and Black burn line, into which a train ran and got almost buried, as soon as it emerged from a tunnel, and it was with diffi culty extricated. The line was cleared for traffic by half past seven on Thursday evening. On the Liverpool branch of this company's lines there was a stoppage from Wednesday night to Thursday forenoon ; but on Friday afternoon all the drifts had been sufficiently cleared to allow a resumption of the traffic. On the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire line, the traffic, though im peded, was kept open ; but not without very great exer tions. The traffic has also been maintained with compa ratively only slight deviations from regularity on the Birkenhead, Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction line. If railway traffic has been beset with such difficulties in this district, and on the main lines communicating with it in different directions, we receive such negative consolation as that consideration can afford, in learning that we have not been alone in our difficulties and privations, but have had numerous participators in the widely extended com munity of such sorrow. The metropolis has also expe rienced the inconvenience of a suspended traffic, and we now learn, through the resumed intercourse, that the great trunk-lines, terminating in London, have all been, less or more, blocked up. On the Eastern Counties line, it was intimated by telegraph, on Thursday night, in London, that this line, with the exception of its loops, was entirely cleared for traffic, and on Friday morning the mail train from Norwich and Cambridge, due at 4.15 a.m., arrived about an hour and-a-half behind its time. The mail train referred to passed through a cutting about five miles in length, extending from Thetford to Harling, at 12 o'clock on Thursday night, leaving all clear behind it ; but shortly after its passage another storm of snow came on, falling to an average depth of four or five inches—the wind drift ing it rapidly into this cutting so as once more completely to block it. Up to Friday night the most strenuous exer tions were made to remove this new obstruction, but it was found necessary altogether to suspend the traffic on that portion of the Norfolk line, and the trains went no further than Ely ; access to Norwich and Yarmouth throughout the day from the metropolis being obtained by the Eastern Union line, vid Ipswich. The Newmarket branch was still closed, although hopes were entertained of reopening it on Saturday morning; and the same was the case with regard to the St. Ives and Huntingdon branch lines, the traffic to and from Wisbeach being carried on through March. On the East Anglian Branch traffic was unimpeded between Ely and Lynn and Lynn and Wisbeach, there being no cuttings in that direction ; but between Lynn and Dereham, where deep cuttings exist, the traffic up to Friday night was entirely suspended. The Peterborough line remained perfectly free. Guards arriving at Shoreditch during the course of the day re ported frost, but no snow as far as Cambridge. At and below Ely, however, snow was falling fast. The number I of men employed in clearing out the various snow drifts on this line on Tuesday has amounted to about 1,000, paid lat the rate of 3s. per day. The through traffic on the Great Northern remained impracticable on the main line up to Friday night, although great progress had been made in clearing the block to admit the passage of trains be- I tween Peterborough and Grantham on Friday after noon. At the same time operations were advancing between Grantham and Newark so as to encourage a hope that the through traffic upon the main line might be resumed on Saturday morning. About seven hundred men had been employed day and night in removing the snow. The through traffic to York was on Thursday and Friday car ried on by means of the Lincolnshire loop line, the Edin burgh fast train, due at King's-cross at 9.30 a.m., arriving three hours behiud its time. The other up-trains were pretty punctual, and the down trains started as usual, but carrying much fewer passengers than ordinarily. The guards of trains arriving in the earlier part of the day reported thaw and sloppiness along the line, but after twelve o'clock they brought in accounts of frost. It was also snowing fast within a few miles of London to and beyond Peterborough. The entire coal traffic of the line has been suspended, but the -company hope shortly to resume it. On Friday, shortly after twelve, the north mail train via the London and North-western arrived in London, having been detained two nights at Lancaster, where the post-office clerks had to sleep in the mail tender, suffering acutely from cold. After leaving Lancaster, the greatest difficulty was experienced in forcing a passage along the line to the junction at Warrington. The Holyhead line was made so far clear as to admit of the passage of trains. On the Midland line traffic also pro ceeded both ways, but tickets for this line were only issued at Euston-square conditionally. The same precaution was also taken with the Northern traffic, passengers for Carlisle and Scotland being only booked to the Warring ton Junction. Guards on arrival reported no snow, but frost prevailing down the line. The number of men em ployed in clearing the various snow drifts, under the super intendence of Captain Huish and other officials of the line is said to have amounted to upwards of 1,500, entailing, of course, a serious expenditure on the part of the company. The traffic operations of the Great Western remain but very little impeded, the trains on Friday arriving and departing without any material deviation from the time table. No snow was reported down the line during the day, and the quantity which has fallen during the week appears much less than in the northern and eastern dis tricts of the kingdom. Thaw was reported along the line in the early part of the day, but as evening drew on the engines and tenders came in with icicles attached. By the employment of several hundreds of labourers, and other exertions, the Southeastern line has been kept free from material Obstruction ; but this has been effected at a heavy cost, the labourers being paid 3s. each per day, with an allowance of bread and cheese and beer. The London, Brighton, and South Coast, and the Southwestern lines, have been enabled to maintain their traffic with consider able regularity. In the far north the weather has likewise been of a very stormy and wild kind. In the North Highlands the snow commenced early in the week before we were visited by it. The Inverness Courier of the 29th ult., informs us that, even then," on the Aberdeen-road, the storm had been seri ously felt. Yesterday, the mail due at five a.m. did not arrive till more than twelve hours after the time, and then the bags were carrid on horseback from Forres. All the coaches plying on this road have been stopped. The mail going to Aberdeen yesterday could get no further than Nairn; the Star coach stuck in the snow at Auldearn ; and the Defiance, which left here as usual this morning, turned back after going three miles. From Aberdeen the mail passed freely through the Foundland Hills, and got as far as Newmills, near Forres. Here the guard was obliged to leave it. All trace of the road was in many places lost, and it was everywhere impassable for ayehicle. He succeeded, by dint of perseverance and good manage ment, in carrying the mails safely on horseback to Inver ness. The wind was northerly, and blew strong, and the snow consequently drifted about very much. About 100 men are engaged at various points clearing the road, and it is hoped, if the storm does not increase, that the coaches may be able to resume the communication in a short time. The north mail came in last night very little behind the usual hour, but it brought only the bags from Tain, from which we may infer that the Ord of Caithness and other points on the North-road are impassable. The steamers arrived about the usual time." While it would thus appear that the storm, which has been one of unusual severity, has extended from the extreme north, almost to the southern limits of our island ; it has also included its breadth from shore to shore, and we also learn that our continental neighbours have not been exempted from its ravages. In France, we are informed, the frost has been of great intensity— sufficient, it is said, in some instances, to snap the tele graphic wires, and interrupt communication. The De bats records a very singular impediment to the transmis sion of messages on some of the lines :—" The snow accumulates on the wires, and, when slowly melted by the sun, forms icicles which connect one wire with ano ther. These icicles serve as conductors, and blend separate despatches in inextricable confusion." Such impediments to telegraphic communication have, fortu nately, not been experienced on any of our lines ; and we have reason to believe that, throughout the telegraphic system of Great Britain, communications once entrusted to the wires have been transmitted with the usual fidelity and celerity along all the lines—an advantage of inestimable magnitude in a country whose commercial and pecuniary transactions are of so intricate, so delicate, and so gi gantic a nature. Severely as the storm and its concomitants have been felt on land, we regret to add that its effects have been still more disastrously experienced at sea. Accounts of numerous fatalities will, no doubt, yet be received to aug ment the number of the following THE SNOW STOR3f. Fos a considerable time past we have had indications of the approach of severe winter weather ; and so long since as the beginning of the week before last a smart frost set in, which continued for several days ; the morning of Tues day, the 27th ult., being ushered in by a considerable fall of snow, and that, at this season of the year, unusual phenomenon of a very loud peal of thunder, accompanied by a brilliant flash of lightning. The frost, on that occa sion, though sharp, was not of unusual severity, and on Thursday, the 29th ult., it gave way to a partial thaw, succeeded, however, the same night, by a frost of much greater intensity than the preceding, which continued fluctuating till Sunday morning, when a very severe frost set in. After night-fall of that day, snow began to descend, and before morning the ground was covered to a consider able depth ; from this period up to the end of the week, the frost was intense; the extreme limit of cold being reached betweeen Monday night and Tuesday morning, when the thermometer indicated a temperature of 20'1, that being lower than has been marked in Liverpool at any period within the last eight years. During the night sf Tuesday snow again fell heavily, and at dawn the ground %splayed a white coating six inches thicker than that it wore at sun-down on the previous day. On the after noon of Wednesday, at a little before dark, snow com menced descending, and continued to fall without inter mission for many hours, under the influence of a strong easterly wind, drifted in many of the streets to a great depth, and, on Thursday morning, the ordinary street traffic was maintained with much inconvenience and no small amount of difficulty. From that time until Satur day morning, no more snow fell, or, at all events, what did fall was of very trifling amount; but after several chop pings and changings of the wind during the course of Thursday and Friday, thaw set in on Saturday morning, accompanied by a south-easterly breeze, and a tempera ture, which, speedily converting the surface of the snow into an uncomfortably pulpy mass, rendered the chief thoroughfares almost impracticable to the ordinary con veyances ; and which, but for the prompt and judicious measures adopted by the authorities, would have rendered pedestrian progress almost an impossibility. While great inconvenience was experienced in con ducting the local traffic of the town, on account of the snowy impediments which the streets presented, a source of still greater anxiety displayed itself in the threatened freezing of the Mersey,—a continuous coat of ice, of no inconsiderable thickness, stretching from the north towards the south shore,—the stream being studded by masses of floating ice, thickly covered with snow; and a still increasing intensity of frosty influence being manifested in the frozen canals and other still waters of the neigh bourhood. The, street traffic, more particularly in the busy vicinity of the docks, was frequently brought to a stand-still, from the accumulations of snow, notwith standing the very general employment of double teams. The various omnibuses, in defiance of extra horsing, had great difficulty in maintaining even an approximation to regularity in their trips, and most of the cabs and cars were forced to employ extra horses. By far the greatest source of annoyance and loss, however, was found to result from the entire stoppage of intercourse with the metropolis, and, indeed, with all distant parts of the kingdom, whether by rail or, horse conveyance. On Wednesday and Thursday, Liverpool was entirely without communication by any of the leading railway lines, and neither letters nor newspapers from London, or along the lines converging towards it, were received. Towards the south the snow had drifted into and filled the cuttings at Crewe, in the neighbourhood of Stafford, at Tring, and in the vicinity of Warrington. The line to Derby became impassable on Thursday ; and a train despatched by the authorities of the North western Company, for the purpose of endeavouring to force its way by the united power of two engines, was soon stuck fast, and six engines were required to extricate it from entanglement, and drag it back to the station. Many accidents occurred to foot-passengers from the very slippery state of the footpaths, none of them, fortu nately, as far as we can learn, occasioning very serious injuries. SNOWBA.LLING ON TM? EK0116.31G8. Among the incidents arising out .oT:the snow storm, not the least interesting or amusing was a mimic war, suddenly improvised in the Bagged area of the Exchange-buildings, on Thursday afternoon ; in carrying out which, some two or three hundred members of the Exchange engaged in an arduous though innocent and friendly strife with snowballs. So far as can be learned, the declaration of hostilities wad rapidly responded to, war being waged between the 'cotton brokers and the members of the stock exchange. The caucus belli has not as yet transpired, although it 'has been hinted by parties deeply skilled in such diplomacy, that the restless ness produced by having " nothing else to do " was mainly instrumental in causing the outbreak, the hostile inclination being further influenced by an almost un limited profusion of such military stores as were required being temptingly displayed before the belligerents. What, under the circumstances, could be more natural than the friendly rencounter to which we now refer ? No advices as to profitable or unprofitable business—no newspapers to while away the idle hour, save such as had been perused and re-perused, thumbed and re-thumbed—" learnt and conned by rote," and oceans of the ill-pervading snow, the immediate cause of all the difficulty, lying temptingly in the way, "to cast into each others' • teeth "—human nature, or, at all events, such stirring human nature as members of 'Change are made of, could stand it no longer, and to work they went In earnest mood, but yet of gentle mind. The battle raged with much spirit, and with varying success, for nearly two hours, victory now hovering over the ranks of the cotton champions, and anon winging her wayward and uncertain flight to that ground on which the stock-brokers stoutly maintained their position. With fluctuating fortunes the combatants continued to wage no unequal strife, when Captain Greig, head constable of police, on the request of the Mayor, who, we understand, had been specially solicited by Mr. Bate son, chairman of the Newsroom Committee, to have the contest terminated, interfered to stay the conflict, which it was feared might speedily extend itself to the active agency of combatants not swayed by such pacific and well regulated dispositions as those who had begun it. Here the only unpleasant part of the affair arose. The gentle men of the Exchange, and the members of the police-force, under the guidance of their chief,misunderstood each other, and, for a time, a real war seemed likely to ensue between the parties. The police were very roughly handled on the one part, and several gentlemen were taken into custody on the other. Ultimately, however, both parties disco vered their error mutual explanations were followed by expressions of satisfaction and good feeling, and the affair was terminated as all such sportive ebullitions ought to do, in good humour and forgiveness. As the unpleasant, not to say unprofitable, state of our internal relations were, in a great measure, owing to the anomalous condition of our means of communicating with our friends and neighbours in the immediately-adjoining and more distant localities, a glance at these becomes an indispensable supplement to the preceding brief sketch ; and first for those great circulating systems by which the current of domestic and commercial intercourse is main tained in healthy action, THE RAILWAYS. Since the railway system was brought into operation, we have never, in this country, had anything like the general blocking-up of all means of communication which we have witnessed during the past week. Indeed, for several winters after the first opening of railways, it was entered as one in the numerous catalogue of real and ima ginary virtues inherent in railways, that they would be found unassailable in the regularity of their transit, by the rudest assaults of even the wildest snow-storms ; it being maintained, and partially demonstrated, by slight experience, that while snow-drifts could not form to any formidable extent on the embanked portions of railways, the currents, which are generally found to scour the cut tings, would effectually clear them of falling snow, and prevent any accumulations which would not readily yield to the impetuosity and power of the majestic yet obedient locomotive. Alas ! for the fallibility of human speculation ! Such expectations were obviously built upon the sandy foundation of ignorance, and proceeded upon the supposi tion that currents of air must always travel in railway cuttings, obedient to the wishes of those gentlemen who could find no engineering difficulties in forming a railway to the summit of Snowdon, or beneath the hidden depths of the vast Atlantic. Tuesday night and Wednesday morning must have rudely awakened such dreamers, if any such were still remaining ; for it made palpable the fact that cross currents would sweep open districts, and bury in gelid and impenetrable snow, miles upon miles of cutting, setting at defiance the mighty steam-steed, and laughing to scorn, for a time at least, the anxieties, the energies, and the active ingenuity of man. Some of the heaviest falls of snow being accompanied by a strong easterly wind, the snow, especially in cuttings, was swept up by the blast into immense drifts of great length and depth. The monster drift, perhaps, was that on the London and North-western Railway between Crewe and Whitmore, which, besides being many feet deep, is said to have stretched not less than ten miles in length along the line. But all the lines in this part of the king dom have been more or less obstructed by snow-drifts, and have only been freed by the labours, day and night, of large gangs of workmen, with pickaxes, spades, shovels, and other implements. Every railway line has its story to tell of snowed-up passengers, benighted, bedless, and in some cases without sufficient provisions, detained for hours, unable to proceed either forward or return backward, till the line had been cleared by manual labour. Some in stances of great exhaustion from working many hours at this unusual sort of " diggings," have been recorded. In some cases female passengers have had to be carried from one end of a short drift to another, before they could pro ceed on their railway journey; and in hundreds, perhaps thousands of instances, persons after getting half-way to their destination, after many hours' detention, have found themselves compelled to abandon their business or other object of their journey, and return home, after passing one night sitting by some fire, unable to procure a bed, and never having had their clothes off, The railway com panies generally have made- great exertions to rid their lines of these disagreeable blockades ; and we have heard that on the great drift between Crewe and. Whitmore, from 800 to 1,000 labourers were employed during the greater part of Wednesday, Wednesday night, and Thurs day, so that at length the line was got partially clear of its snowy barricade on Thursday evening. The stoppage of the London and North-western line has been most seriously felt; for not only have thousands of passengers been prevented from reaching their desti nations, and been kept in most uncomfortable situa tions for long periods, but the whole of this district has been deprived of all postal communication with the metropo lis to the very serious interruption ofmercantile transactions. At Crewe, where, from its central position, a large assem blage of storm-stayed passengers was accumulated, every exertion was made by the railway officials and authorities, and by the keepers of the station refreshment-rooms, and the hotel keepers of the town, to render the detention as little disagreeable as possible ' • and the same remark, we may add, is applicable to all the other points at which insurmountable obstructions were experienced ; still the disproportion of the demand, and its protracted duration, pressed so heavily on the resources, as to occasion serious inconvenience and privation to many, notwithstanding every exertion for their comfort and accommodation. The occurrences at Crewe may be received as a fair indication mutatis mutandis of what took place in other localities. Here the passengers, by the express and other trains, arriving in rapid succession, without any available means for their passing forward in any direction, soon filled every description of place in which accommodation could be found. Successive arrivals continuing to swell the "pressure from without," all parties had to submit to crowding and inconvenience, which, under other circum stances, would have been found, and declared to be insufferable ; but which here, the good sense and good nature of the conjoint sufferers were employed to render as little irksome as possible. The commencement of the detention must serve as an illustration of the general scene, the difference being that the difficulties at first experienced, increased with each succeeding arrival, and were not diminished by the continuance of the period of the blockade. The passengers by the express and other trains which speedily arrived, soon filled all the refresh ment-rooms at the station, in which large fires were made ; orders were given by the station-master that the guards and porters should pay every attention to the wants of the passengers ; and as evening approached, coffee and bread and butter were supplied to all those who chose to partake of it. Many of the first-class passengers went to the refreshment-rooms and hotels in the town, and spent the night there ; but the great proportion re mained at the station, refreshments being supplied three or four times during the night. The female passengers were accommodated in rooms appropriated to them exclu sively, and the male passengers were informed that any car riage at the station was at their disposal, if they could make themselves more comfortable there than in the rooms. To say that, under such circumstances, disappointments were numerous, would be trite ; and it is scarcely necessary to add, that at the various blockaded points the causes of such disappointments were both varied and incongruous. In one corner of the same apartment might be seen the eager man of business, fretting because ho was unwillingly withheld from the prosecution of remunerative enterprise ; in another, was cooped up the regretful anxiety of him who sought by personal exertion and sagacity to stay the current of an adverse commerce,—here was detained the chafed mourner of domestic or family bereavement—there the impatient lover, suddenly checked in that journey which was to end in the reward of his affection, the fruition of his hopes. But who can picture the conflicting emotions of hope and fear—of joy and sorrow which hover round that arrested stream of correspondence which, securely locked up in leathern cerements, is here detained in a tem porary sepulchre of snow ? The above remarks, it will be seen, apply chiefly to the London and North-western line, and the stoppage at Crewe; but other lines, and other points of that line were in a similar manner blockaded and beset ; while some of the less important lines and stations were but little incom moded. On the Macclesfield line the fall of snow was so heavy near Cheadle, on Tuesday evening, that the 8.40 train from Manchester to Macclesfield got embedded near Poynton, and could not be dragged out again. The agent of Lord Vernon sent about 100 colliers to assist in the ex trication ; but after digging for several hours, the task was given up as hopeless, and the train was left with the snow up to the windows of the carriages. Two or three of the colliers were so overcome by the cold and exposure, that they became lethargic, and almost fell into a sleep, and had to be carried to the station, where stimulants were ad ministered. A young lady, a passenger, also. suffered severely.—On the Yorkshire lines, and on the branches of the London and North-western in that district, there have been many drifts.—The train which left Stalybridge for Stockport, at 11.15 on Wednesday morning, had not ar rived, nor had anything been heard of it at nine o'clock in the evening. Some men were sent from Stockport to search for it ; and they at length found it about 400 yards beyond Guidebridge, almost buried, the snow around being nearly 12 feet deep. The engine was a small " tank," and the steam that had issued from it had melted the snow, which, rapidly freezing again, had covered the sides with most fantastic festoons, or else covered them with a thick coating of ice. On the Manchester and Liverpool line the traffic was not stopped, nor were the trains very materially delayed. The North Union line, too, has been kept clear with but little trouble. On the Lancashire and Yorkshire line, the mail train which left Normanton, at 11 20,4 am., on Wednes day, got very deeply:embedded near Blue Pitts. The drift into which the train ran was from focit feet to six feet deep ; and the intelligence received at the Victoria. station early in the afternoon was-such that all bookings sus pended. Immediately on steaming the state of :things, Mr. Blackmore, superintendent of this division of the;line, started with two powerful goods engines coupled tegetlitt and ran through the Newton Heath drift as close to- the embedded trains as ,possible, -After considerable „dia. LOSSES ON THE COAST. The arrivals of Saturday furnish a sad catalogue of losses and wrecks on different points of the coast, during the recent heavy snowstorm. The sacrifice of human life and property has been most considerable, and it is feared that the full extent of the havoc is yet to be learnt. The fall was accompanied by a severe gale of wind from east north-east, and it is computed that along the coast and north-east coast, Suffolk, Norfolk, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, &c., upwards of fifty vessels were driven ashore, many of the crews perishing. A terrible :loss occurred on the Goodwin Sands, in the course of the severe night of Tuesday last. The unfortu nate ship was, a foreigner, but her name has not been correctly ascertained. Themreck was discovered at day break, by the loggers, who ,were on the look-out, but nothing could be seen of thosebelonging to her. Several bodies have teen washed Iv between Ramsgate and Sand with, and it is believed that they formed a portion of the crew of the illfated ship. A canoe-built boat, some 16 feet long, has been washed upon the range of coast, as also a piece of a vessel's quarter boat, having the words " Vrouw Neeltje, K. and V." painted thereon. Lower down channel, some few miles to the westward .of St. Alban's Head, a vessel called the Emma, belonging to Ipswich, was caught in the snow storm and gale of wind, on Tuesday, and went over, the whole of the crew perishing. The wreck has since been observed by the coast-guard men floating with her stern upwards. As before noticed, the Eastern coast suffered most severely. From the Shears in the Swin to high above Yarmouth the most formidable weather was experienced. The brig Abraham, of Portsmouth, from the Tyne, during the storm of Wed nesday, was driven ashore a short distance to the south, ward of Gorlestone-pier. The poor fellows on board im medi4ely took to the rigging ' • they were observed from the beach, but nothing could be done towards rescuing them. About a mile to the southward of the scene of this fatal calamity, another loss occurred. The collier brig Eliza, Mr. Conolly, master, bound to Hartlepool, from the Thames, was carried ashore by the boisterous gale, but happily the crew succeeded in preserving them selves. Communications of a later date mention there was but very little diminution in the violence of the weather, the wind continued to blow strong from the south-east with, at intervals, heavy falls of snow. In the vicinity of the month of the Tees the colliers and coasters suffered most extensively. A fleet of coasters managed to run into Hartlepool with safety, but more than 20 were driven by force of the storm ashore, the greater bulk of which, it is feared, will become total wrecks. Some were in ballast, and others deeply laden One vessel called the Dapper, which sailed from West Hartlepool on Monday, encountering the storm, put back and en deavoured to run into the port for safety. Unhappily she got upon the rocks, and almost instantaneously capsized. Her unfortunate crew clung to the rigging, and from their gestures implored those ashore to render them aid. Before the lifeboat, however, could reach the poor fellows, the whole of them, with the exception of the master, Mr. Spenceley, and a seaman, dropped off and were drowned. Near the same spot was another wreck, that of the Aroe ; she, also, in attempting to make the harbour for shelter, struck upon the rocks, and went- to pieces. After much exertion the crew were preserved. Frightful losses took place at Shields. Vessels were dashed to pieces on the rocks beneath Tynemouth Castle, and many lives were sacrificed. A correspondent of the Times, writing from this port, on Thursday night, states that the wind was still blowing hard from the east-south-east, with a high tempestuous sea breaking over the bar. Various papers from the vessels wrecked have come ashore ; some of them are seamen's discharge tickets; one was identified by the name of " George Flatts" upon it. A love letter was also picked up, sig ned " Ed. Hillburn," addressed to "My dear Caroline. " There is no doubt that those belonged to the schooner Eliza, which was lost and all hands. The oldest pilots belonging to the port scarcely remember ever witnessing such a great destruction of property at one time. _ • _ - Higher up to the northward, near the Holy Islands, many other losses occurred during the storm. Near Wark worth, five vessels were cast ashore, and it is feared will become wrecks. In addition to the above, intelligence was received from Belfast, announcing the loss of the Yorkshireman steamer, Captain Morecombe, on the rocks to the northward of Donaghadee, on the night of Wednesday. She was bound to the above port. The crew and passengers were saved. It is apprehended that, on the arrival of many of the mails from the small ports, which have been detained by the stoppage of the cross-roads by the snow, this already long list of casualties will have numerous melancholy additions. Independently of those fatal casualties all classes of the community are exposed to, hardship and privation, conse quent on the inclemency of the weather, coals have been almost impossible of acquisition, andamong the humbler and more indigent members of society, as well as among those of more elevated rank, many will remember with feelings of painful recollection the severity of that storm which marked the advent of 1854; a storm which has no parallel in extent of range, intense severity, or duration in this part of the country for many years. FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE. Fn.useE.—A very brilliant ball, the first of the season, took place on Wednesday at the Tuileries. The men were either in uniform or in court dress. About 5,000 persons received invitations. Count de Peyronnet, the well known minister of the Restoration, has just died at his estate of Montferrand, near Bordeaux, aged 77 years. The Empe ror, it is stated, has intimated in plain terms to the Austrian Cabinet, that any further secession from the intervention to which it had become a party, will be re garded as an indication of meditated hostility, and, that in case of war becoming general through its conduct, the French will not decline the alliance of either Hungarians, Italians, or Poles, but that the recognition of those natLualities will become the settled policy of France, and will receive her support. The Moniteur contains a cir cular, dated December 30th, addressed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs to the legations of the Emperor in foreign countries, on the Eastern question. This document, which is very moderate, but firm, after narrating the different phases of the question, declares that France, England, Austria, and Prussia, have recently, by their agreement concerted at Vienna, solemnly recognised that the terri torial integrity of the Ottoman Empi r e w as one o f th e conditions of 'their political equilibriums. The affair of Sinope took place against all provisions, Russia having deelared that she only desired a material guarantee for the fulfilment of what she demanded. To prevent the Ottoman territory or the Ottoman flag from being the object of a new attack on the part of the naval force of Russia, the French and English fleets have received the order to enter the Black Sea. The circular terminates by expressing the hope that Russia will not expose Europe to new convulsions. SPA,IN.—Her Majesty gave birth to a daughter on the sth of January. Both the Queen and the young Princess are doing well. Swiinix.—The Diet, through its secret committee is much occupied with the propositions submitted to it for an increase of the military force and the means required for the defence of the country. The King presides over a special committee, which deliberates on the question of neutrality. The Swedish army, in time of war, comprises 85,000 foot, 6,664 horse, 4,416 artillery—in all 94,000 men, to whom must be added 8,000 militia from. Gothland ; the force being ten times greater than what it is in time of peace. King Oscar has imparted to the secret com mittee of the Diet the treaty concluded with Denmark, for assuring the co-operation of the two countries in maintaining their common independence. Arnici.—The steam-ship Forerunner arrived at Ply mouth on Sunday, with mailsfromthe West Coast of Africa. She left Lagos, December 6; Sierra Leone, 20; and Madeira, Jan. 1. She brings 2,000 ounces of gold and two boxes of specie. Admiral Bruce had received a visit from the new King of Lagos, accompanied by several chiefs. Affairs are still very unsettled there. Ja.sako was making a resolute resistance. Liberia was in a flourishing condition. The second master of the Myrmidon had been murdered at one of the Biioinga Islands. The Antelope, Myrmidon, and Britomart were despatched to demand satisfaction. A large village, thirty miles east of Cape Palmas, had been destroyed by the Penelope, the captain and crew of the Heroine having been murdered there last July. The Mermaid sailed for Liverpool, from Fernando Po, two days before the mail steamer. Mnxico.—Private letters state that the speedy assump tion of monarchical power by Santa Anna is regarded as certain. At the same time, it appears that the step is likely to be welcomed by all classes, the general cry being "No more Congress." Within the past few weeks the issue of a decree for the re-establishment of the order founded by Yturbide during his short rule, and called " The distinguished order of Guadalupe," had been ac cepted as a distinct step towards the approaching change, and all the subsequent movements of the government had been in keeping with the idea of a decided extinction of republicanism. Nevertheless, their progress towards the new order of affairs seemed scarcely quick enough for the people, by whom the extent to which the last legislative assembly rendered itself odious from its incapacity and corruption is cited on all sides as a sufficient argument against any continuance of popular institutions. Hence a succession of pronunciamentos had taken place all over the country, with a view to put off the period fixed for the assembling of a new Congress, and to leave it to the Pre sident's pleasure to choose the time when his dictatorial authority shall cease. Some of these demonstrations, moreover, had embraced a demand that lie should be de clared dictator for life, with power to name his successor, others that he shall be styled Grand Elector, Captain- General, Bc., and that he shall be addressed as "Serene Highness." Meanwhile Santa Anna himself was vigilantly using means to strengthen his material power, and had raised the army to 30,000 men, sending, at the same time, a young general to Europe to purchase arms, cannon, and other warlike stores. The chief drawback to the effect created by this display of energy was found in the con tinuance of the old rumours regarding the gross manner in which the public funds are squandered through dis reputable agents. It is also asserted that the multitudA of young officers lately appointed are all ignorant of their profession and unfit for real service. In the face of these things, however, even the most sober citizens and mer chants are evidently pleased at the existing prospect, from the impression that no government, however capricious, prodigal, or despotic, can be so bad as the anarchy from which the country has emerged. It is likewise observed that almost all the former enemies of Santa Anna are now figuring as his active partizans, and that thus, with the commercial public, the political adventurers, the church, and the masses all on his side, his position is one in which it merely depends on his own will to define its name. THE WAR IN THE EAST. News from Odessa of the 14th ult. says that 800 Turkish prisoners of war are collected there, and that a cartel for an exchange is spoken of. The camp within five leagues of Odessa is raised on account of the incle mency of the weather. The troops are distributed among the towns nearest the Turkish frontier. The corps under Sacken, destined to act in the ' Prin cipalities is unable to advance, as the roads are absolutely impassible. . An account from Galatz, dated Dec. 15th, gives the par- Iticulars of a Russian attack on Matschin, a Turkish town, containing from 4,000 to 5,000 souls, and situate about four leagues southeast of Ibraila, in the embouchure of one of the arms of the Danube, at the foot of a range of mountains, where a few small breastworks- have been thrown up. General Luders having resolved on a coup de main, two Russian steamers were, on the night of the 12th ult., despatched with six gun-boats in tow, and the next morning a heavy cannonade was opened on the town. The fire was kept up briskly till the evening of the 13th. A steamer then returned to Ibraila. On the 14th, the combat recommenced. Two Russian battalions succeeded in gaining the right bank, but they were obliged to retreat, after having destroyed two Turkish batteries. A Vienna letter of the 28th ult. says :—" General Aurep has returned to Bucharest from his mission at Krajowa. It is stated that he had conveyed to Gen. Fishbach new instructions to maintain the defensive. It is added that Prince Gortschakoff will not make any offensive move ment, and that he will retire with his troops -behind the Altflys in the event of the Turks advancing. The news is confirmed that apart of the Turkish troops who had taken up a position itt lialafat have returned to Widdin. That place . has now a garrison of 50,000 men under Sami Pacha The -troops concentrated .at Kalafat are commanded by Aclunet Pasha. • Oniter.PaClA is now at Widdin, On the 17th he was at Rustchuk, the garrison of which has been doubled. On the 16th a report was current at Widdin that the Turks proposed to cross the Danube at Rust cbuk." CONSTANTINOPLE, DEC. 25.—0 n the 22nd the resolu tion adoptednn the 18th by the General Council convoked to deliberate on the Note of Conference, and composed of all the members of all the Ministries, Viziers, Ulemas, Pashas, Ministers of the Army and Navy, and other dig nitaries of the empire, was notified. This resolution, unanimously adopted, shows that the Sublime Porte having chosen war to save order, her rights, and integrity, will not reject peace if these conditions are guaranteed to her for the future. This notification adds that commu nication of this decision has been made to the representa tives of the Four Powers, that the state of war still continues, and that not even an armistice has been con cluded, and that despatches, announcing what had passed, had been sent to the commanders of the armies in Europe and Asia, that no stop should be put to the millitary operations. This timely proclamation has calmed the public mind. The insurrection of the previous day had decided that Government would fetch from Beicos three Turkish steam-frigates, and a division of the united fleet. During the night of the 21st a Russian war schooner, the Aloupka, driven by a gale into the Bospho rus, has been captured by Mustapha Bey, commander of the fort of Anadoli Karak. M. Kenikoff, director of the Political Chancellery at Teflis, has departed for Persia and Affghanistan, as Ambassador Extraordinary of the Czar ; he is accompanied by a General and Russian staff officer. He was expected at Teheran on the 30th of Nov Mr. Thompson, the British Chargé d'Affaires in Persia. has succeeded in terminating the difference which had ex-, isted between that country and England. Ah me t Eff en di , Turkish Chargé d'Affaires, satisfied with the explanati ons of the Persian Government, did not think it right to in terrupt his relations with the Shah. VIENNA, FRIDAY.—The Turkish Council has declared itself permanent. Eighty ringleaders in the late outbreak have been sent to Canea, in the island of Candia, where they arrived on the 27th of December. The conditions on which the Porte will treat are, the evacution of the principalities and the revision of the treaties formerly existing between Turkey and Russia. The rights and privileges of all Christian confessions are to be fully confirmed. On the occasion of the late disturbances, the Sultan de clared to the French ambassador that he would rather abdicate than accept foreign assistance against his own subjects. _ The Russians have occupied the Austro-Wallachian frontier from Orsova to the Torgburg-pass, near Cronstadt. The Russians are also permitted to make purchases within the Austrian frontier. BUCHAREST, DEC. 26.—1 t is supposed that the Russian army of invasion is being increased from 80,000 to 240,000 men ; but the difficulties of recruiting and organisation are such that it cannot attain that figure before the lapse of several months. CONSTANTINOPLE,DEC. 26.—Harmony is re-established in the cabinet. The Minister of War retains his portfolio. The resignation of Redschid Paella has not been accepted. The war party is strengthened by the recent demonstra tion of the Softas. ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 22.—The Pasha of Egypt, when he heard of the disaster at Sinope, ordered the immediate armament of six frigates, five corvettes, and three brigs, destined to fill up the chasm which has been produced in the materiel of the Turkish fleet. VIENNA, SUNDAY AFTERNOON'.—Austria has demanded whether the Russian Court would object to a European protectorate over the Christians in Turkey. The reply, in most positive language, was that Russia would permit no other Power to meddle in the matter of the Greek church. Russia had treaties with the Porte, and would settle the question with her alone. M. Kaniloff, director of the diplomatic bureau at Teflis, has gone on a special mission to Teheran, with four staff and six subaltern officers. AUSTRALIA. The Francis Henty arrived at Plymouth on Friday, with advices from Melbourne to. the 11th October, and 66,481 ozs. of gold dust. The Walter Hood arrived at Portsmouth on the same day, with advices from Sydney to the 13th October, and £32,000 in gold dust. The gold fields are spoken of by the passengers, all of whom bring home large quantities of dust, as being as good as ever. One passenger has more than 3,000 ozs. of gold, and another states that he was one of eight men who dug in a hole at Ballarat, called " The Jeweller's Shop." The first half-packet of dust taken up was 21 lbs. 9 ozs., and when they divided there was 40 lbs. 8 ozs. for each man. This party sold the hole for £5O, and seven men cleared £3OO each, and then they sold it for £4O, and were working it when our informant left. It was 104 feet deep, and gave our informant the asthma. Of all the passengers not one has less than a thousand pounds. The produce market was badly supplied. There was a general complaint of business being dull, and very little gold offering for sale. Gold shipped from Victoria, 1,841,134 ozs. ; per Francis Henty, 66,481 ozs. : total, 1,907,615 ozs., or 79 tons 9 cwts. 2 qrs. 17 lbs. 11 ozs., which, at 755. per oz., amounts to £7,152,655. The intelligence from the different dig ging localities continues good, although on the Balarat side they complain of the late heavy rains having greatly impeded operations. " Melbourne, 10th Oct. " The dulness perceptible in our market during the winter months has been gradually disappearing, and a brisk summer trade may be anticipated, although articles may not realize the enormous profits of last year. It is pretty generally known that the stores at the diggings and throughout the interior are now empty, or at most lightly stocked, the trade lying by until the roads are fairly opened, and carria,ge at a more reasonable figure. It is expected that our stocks will be pretty well worked off within the next few months, as our population pro duce almost nothing, and depend 'in a great measure on foreign supplies. In breadstuffs a considerable reaction has taken place, particularly in flour, and fine sweet is now worth from £34 to £36 per ton. The arrivals have not been large during last month, and the consumption is reducing stock fast. In spirits a great activity has been visible. Brandy has sold with great facility. Rum has also been greedily bought. Ale and porter have been flat during the winter. Wines are in fair demand, particu larly fair port. Building materials are upon the decline. Soft goods are flat. Ironmongery rather better, and hollow-ware still in demand. Boots and shoes a drug. Gold has been pretty steady." AMERICA. ARRIVAL OF THE ASIA. By the British and North American Royal Mail Steam ship Asia, Captain Lott, which arrived here yesterday, we haVe intelligence from New York to the 28th ult. She brought 61 passengers and 362,769 dols. in specie on freight. PASSENGERS. - Captain Brough and lady, Captain Brusan, Dr. T. B. E. Laudry, Mrs. Roney, three children, and servant, Miss Gray, Miss E. Gray, Mr. Henry Gray, Mr. Clark, Mr. Banks, Mr. Lahoche and la ly, Mr. Por tres, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Schroeder, Mr. T. T. Rambach, Mr. H. Carriere, Mr. C. Bertrand, Mr. L. L. Hegueman, Mr. H. Clouzean, Mr. H. Leon, Mr. Brujere and friend, Mr. Winks, Mr. J. R. Wallace, Mr. J. Henry, Mr. James Cohen, Mr. Ewing, Mr. T. Watson, Mr. Burstall, Mr. A. L. Tyler, Mr. J. S. Fry, Mr. Hill, Mr. John Ross, Mr. Normand, Mr. A. C. Barclay, Mr. Ashton, Mr. Harvey, Mr. Lyall, Mr. E. ParaAli.s, Mr. Cremajie, Mr. Edmond stone, Mr. Roy, Mr. Miller, Mr. Braham, Mr. J. Wright, Mr. L. Gates, Mr. A. Boyd, Mr. A. Cochrane, Mr. Hain in ;, Mr. Marrincorrich, Mr. E. Debord, Mr. J. Lallemand, Mr. E. Lallemand, Mr. E. Forestier, Mr. H. Lozier, Mr. Cummings. The Asia passed the barque Harlequin, bound for Liver pool, at 3 p.m. on the 28th ; at noon. on the 30th, the screw-steamer Glasgow, from Glasgow for New York,; and at 1 30 p.m. on the Bth, the steamer Niagara, hence for Boston. The United States steamer Pacific, Captain Nye, arrived at New York on the 26th ult. TERRIFIC CONFLAGRATION. BURNING OF THE GREAT REPUBLIC AND OTHER SHIPS. A most destructive conflagration had occurred on the 26th ult., by which upwards of a million of dollars' worth of pro perty was destroyed. The fire broke out in No. 244, Front street, and from thence extended to several buildings on both sides of the street. Five or six buildings and their contents, valued altogether at about eighty thousand doll ars, were destroyed. But the most me l anc h o l y resu l t of this fire is the destruction of the magnificent clipper-ship Great Re public, and two other vessels, the Joseph Walker and the White Squall. The Great Republic, valued at 300,000. dollars, was insured for 180,000 dollars ; the cargo, valued at the same amount as the vessel, was insured for 275,000. The Joseph Walker, valued at 90,000 dollars, was insured for the full amount ; the cargo, valued at 40,000 dollars, was uninsured. The White Squall was fully insured for 80,000 dollars. Other ships, including the De Witt. Clinton and the Whirlwind, narrowly escaped destruction. The Herald gives the following description of the de struction of the Great Republic, Joseph Walker, and White Squall :—" While the fire was raging in Front street, the sparks were so thick in the vicinity as to as sume the appearance of a shower of fire. The streets and docks along the east river were literally alive with burn ing coals. The pier at the foot of Dover-street was at one time covered to the depth of some inches with fire, and the rigging and masts of the numerous vessels lying in the stream were completely enveloped in flying sparks. The seamen and others strenuously exerted themselves to pre vent the canvass from igniting, but in most instances the high wind rendered their efforts useless. About half-past one o'clock the rigging of the stupendous new ship Great Republic took fire. Owing to the immense height of her masts, it was impossible for the engines to play upon the flames, and the consequence was, that the falling spars soon set her deck in a blaze. Some of the sails on the• vessel were bent, and when they once became ignited, no human power could save her. It was melancholy to see the noble shipalmost instinct with life, the work of months, destroyed in a few hours. The sight presented by the burn ing vessel was really sublime. The rigging was enveloped in flames from the topmast to the deck, and these as they were swayed by the wind threw out huge tongues of fire on either side. The streets in the vicinity were crowded with spectators, although the storm raged with great vio lence, and the night was so cold that the water froze as it fell even on the side of the burning vessel. So violent was the wind that it threatened destruction to some of the buildings along the docks, and the wonder is, not that so much property was destroyed, but that the loss was not greater than it is. The air was filled with sparks and fragments from the burning houses. At one moment a dense cloud of black smoke would sweep down on the spec tators, shutting out from their view the burning ships, and as this rolled away again, the terrific sight would break more vividly upon them. No less than three ves sels were on fire at one time ; yet, although there was suf ficient water around to extinguish a city in flames, the thousands who crowded the docks could only look on hopelessly while the terrible work of destruction was going on. The foremast was the first that went by the board. It fell with a terrible crash, threatening the lives of some firemen and others who were standing on the - side of the vessel. The mainmast shortly afterwards went over, and the mizenmast fell across the pier into the dock, strik ing a small boat, which it capsized, knocking its occupants, four men, into the water. All of them escaped with a bath of cold water. The sailors, apparently regardless of their lives, rushed up the ladders and did all that men could do, but the inflammable nature of the materials rendered all itheir efforts utterly useless. The Joseph Walker was set on ,fire by sparks which were wafted from the burning builaws in Front-street She took fire almost and- TUESDAY, JANUARY 10, 1854 h o taneously with the Great Republic, and is now b almost to the water's edge. The mas t s and rigg'inE 10 i destroyed in less than an hour after the vessel cog' t, The stem appears to have suffered most, and the Iv, : after part is burned down almo s t h a lf- way i n t o the Many attempts were made to scuttle her while the T,,,; wag in flames, but the inten s e he a t d e f ea t e d every atwf to save her. Strange to say, the Constellation, whil o lying at her bows, escaped w ith ou t h av i ng even a Id s spar scorched. The Joseph Walker is now a total "`f and all her ca rg o i s d es t ro yed. She was a Liveil , packet-ship, and was owned by Messrs. Thompson nephew. She was not more than two years was valued at about 90,000 dollars, and was insured in the Atlantic, Mercantile, Mutual, New and . other offices in this city. She was ing for Liverpool, and had taken ,on board about bushels of grain , 400 bales of cotton, and 600 rosin, valued altogether at about $42,000, making* loss, for vessel and cargo, of about $132,000. The b brands thrown froni the Great Republic set fire t° rigging of the magnificent clipper White Squall, IS lay moored at Pier No. 27, east river, since her return California upon the 20th instant. Owing to the I ; wind which blew at the moment, the flames spread her tracery of masts, spars, and rigging in an increl short space of time, and all became convinced that, only hope of saving her, or preventing her adding to extending the fire by the like calamity which befel 114 was to cut her adri ft and let h er go before the wind. Y act was performed by her mate, Mr. Poole, who had f i viously arrived on board, and she was towed into stream by one of the Fulton ferry boats. Once freed her lashing, the White Squall was taken out by 8 .; northwester and went clear into the east river, adm i the astonished people of Brooklyn th a t the calamitY, about to approach their city. The White Squall too', the river, and was soon such a m ass o f fl ame that 1 , attempt to scuttle her was found to be impossible, falling, previously, of her rigging and mainmast 10' the entire hull on fire from aft to her forward part least all the surface space which was above water. course was anxiously watched by thousands in Broo h and every preparation was ma d e b y th em to h e lp when she would touch land. This did not occur 11° half-past three o'clock in the morning, at which time' came with her side to the wooden wharf at the foo t the extensive yard in rear of the works belonght,,, the Brooklyn Gas Company, which are s it ua t e d b e t s the foot of Hudson avenue and the Wallabout. was immediately made fast to both ends of the pier, / 4 ' a hose pipe being laid from the engine -house of the pany, a tremendous volume of water was thrown into $* upon her, but still with very little effect. Owing , the existence of another fire som ew h ere i n th e t hi r d , trict of Brooklyn, at this moment, the firemen of that r, of the city could not attend for a considerable sea, hi c e time, in fact, until a late period in the morning, their exertions were quite usele ss f or th e preserva ilo'' the vessel. The thick smoke which issued from the lfi tti ing clipper was car r i e d u p the river close to the al of it giving the appearance of many ships being on fire at ferent points. As the White Squall was in ballast ;$ without cargo, except some tons of co pp er, s h e sen t f, a dense, thick, penetrati ng smoke from her timbers,' tl d not a very clear flame until a b ou t h a lf- pas t fi ve. At hour all her bulwarks were burned away from the quarter, up to about six feet of the forward hull, W seemed as if protected by the heavy gale which was blowing in the opposite direction, coming right over; jib. Her jibboon, with the ropes attached to it, stoo d fectly whole and sound, but her ma s t s an d every thi n g e". had long before crumbled into the hold, leaving nod": standing excepting the bare and naked stancheons ing on either side aft. A stream was still kept up the hose of the Gas Company, but when the sun came 4 clear it was evident that no h uman a id could save ' and by nine o'clock nothing remained of the White R" except her creaking hull, whi c h was being qui c kly level; to the water's edge. Th e h ea t was so i ntense, tha t coppers were crumpled up like brown paper, and water evaporating from her hold made a spray which e l? tended half way across the river, and upon which the, ( l flecfion of the cle ar sun f orme d a per f ec t rainbow, w.wea. presented a very extraordinary s i g ht. F ron ti er H ose No. 5, of Brooklyn, arrived at half-past nine o' c lock, 7 1 went to work with a good will, cutting away all that o o mained whole near the jibboom. However, the fl were then gradually dying out for want of fuel, and or , a few flashes came up now and then from the shal' lti : skeleton. All hopes of doing any good were abandol'ej and only about two hundred people lingered in the P . :4 So that the White Squall is now a total wreck, lying e r with the water." • tO The De Witt Clinton was cut ad r ift , an d escape d flames, as was likewise the c lipp er Whi r l w i nd, not, b,c'r ever, before she had some p ar t o f h er r i gg i ng destroyoe the flames. Other ves s el s escape d i n a similar mar'tilleel A formidable expedition against Cuba had again organised at New Orleans. The U. S. Government 1( e taking active measures to suppress it. The presence the Pope's nuncio at Cincinnati had caused a riot WO* the Germans of that city, who threatened him with P e e ; sonal violence. The police were called out, shots S ' ' fired, and one man killed and four were wounded. ~ much rioting, attended with lo ss o f lif e, th e Erie rai l riots had been quelled. Advices from Mexico state that Santa Anna had acceP • OO ln the title of Most Serene Highness, with a salary of $ 60 4 In case of death or di squa lifi ca ti on h e is to a ppo i n t successor. Advices from Havannah to the 22nd nit. state that . / governor had intimated his intention to preve n t th e 1 3 'j ing of slaves. There was a great demand for sugar at gS,, prices. The receipts of new sugar had b een small. 40 demand for coffee was good. Mol asses scarce. scarce, and in good demand. T o E urope there n , as demand for freight at £3. 10s. to 23. 15s. Tohare scarce and firm. Adn Viv ces from San F ranc i sco t o t h e 7th ult. Tbe _4l field Scott had been lo s t on th e coas t of Santa Baroil„ofij, Crew, passengers, and specie, amoun ti ng to $l,OOOP' saved. Flour was active. COMMERCIAL INTELLIGENCE. Nsw YORK, Dsc. 2 8 • MoNsy.-The aspect of the stock market has undere_, 4 no important change since the 13th instant. Transacto 4 continue very limited, and prices generally steady. -3 01 .; 0 1 continues quite abundant at rates last qu o t e d, s i x t o s e L per cent. for call loans, and nine to ten per cent. for T i " ) , ' count of first-class paper. The w ee kl y returns of .4, banks in this city show a co ns id era bl e i ncrease in lo b `` with a slight falling off in specie. There has been a 1 1'4 demand for exchange on E urope, b ut with a better 5 11 , of bills rates are tendin g d ownwar d s. W e quote :-141' don, 109 to 1091 ; Paris, 5.13*- to 5.171; Amst er dam, to 41*; Frankfort, 411 to 411; Bremen, 791 to 80; burg, 37 to 371; Antwerp, 5.15 to 5.17 i. COTTON. - ( Prom W. P. Wright's Circular of . 1) 4 28.)-We have had an ac ti ve b us i ness, at prices in favour of sellers. There is very little legitimate ness on orders being done, the quantity reported as s'" o , for export being spec u l a ti ve s hi pments on Americanj count, or on joint accou n t w ith part i es i n Liverpoo l PI Havre. Some sales have also been made in which trap sellers retain an interest. The amount so l d in trann between southern ports and Liverpool is also large, aft, notice this season a large increase in this b ranc h of bm ness over that of any previous year. Yesterd a y, a fter Pi e Pacific's letters were delivered, there was more desire t i operate, but prices were not quotably lowe r . Th e sa les the week have been, for export, 2,159 bales ; home d sumption, 4,571 ; on speculation, 1,700 ; in trans l ;j, 3,456: total, 11,886 b a l es . Th e export during same time has been : -To Live r p oo l, 4,880 bales gow, 35 ; Havre, 136: total, 4,979. Crop opinions 1; dine to 3,000,000 as the probable result, but as I ha before intimated, the extent of the receipts at li g ports will depend in a great degree upon the price, i which cotton m a y se ll d ur i ng the first three moon of 1854. At the present currency planters will freely, but should decline of moment take place, oi of the more wealthy planters will hold back a portion their crops until-the character of the weather next sPPL6 is ascertained, and its probable effect on the to-be-plan" crop may be estimated. ti The following is a statement of the movement in co since the Ist September last, as compared with the p r vious three years :- 1853 1852 1851 „' - 'oov Receipts at the ports 777,000 1,244,000 848,000 7Sw o oo Exportsto Great Britain 215,000 450,000 274,000 2310 France 5 .2,(.00 66,000 101,000 12 ,2'00e „ other for. p'ts 46,000 56,000 39.000 2-0 Total expirts 313,000 572,000 415,000 412 co p Stock on hand BREADSTUPPS.-The corn trade has become morr_ r cited in consequence of the favourable accounts per rica and Pacific to the 10th and I4th instant, acting a navigation closed by severe frost and small stO Wheat and flour adva nce d cons id era b ly ; but Indian 7,0 was dull. Flou r ad vance d 50 c. per barrel. Indian declined 2c. per bushel. t, NAVAL STORES.-Sales of c ru d e t urpent i ne have v ~ it made at $4 171 c. Spirits of turpenti ne i s in modal, demand at 621 c. to 65c. Common rosin is in good dera o and with a light stock prices are firm. PnovisroNs.-Old mess pork in fair demand, fr 001 , ,,, to $l3 25c.; prime, $lO 874 c. to $11; new mess fitit $l4 50c. to $l4 75c. ; prime, $l2 to $l2 25e. T he be e;s qualities of beef in barrels are inquired fort' and therol rather more demand at $l3 to $l3 50c. pod Se to Chicago and other prime qualities of western, $l3 to w ' No change in cheese, butter, or lard. otlf FREIGIITS.-There is more activity in ' n and •• e • - fe i for England and France. Flour has been shipPoLit Liverpool at 3s. and 3s. 3d. to 3s. 6d. is now asked. 0 ' 1 ;4 , 9ld. to 101 d. ; is. is now asked. Cotton 3-16 d. to ' To London : Flour, 4s. 6d. - Grain, 14d. to 15d• ; P a d ' stores, ss. ; heavy goods, 455. to 555. To Glasgow 3 s . 6d.; grain, 10d. To Havre : Flour, 94c. to 95c.; GrAl'' 24c. to 25c.; Ashes. $lO to $l2 ; Ri ce, $ l2. NEW ORLEANS, DEC. 24 .-Receipts of cotton for t e week, 45,000 bales ; sales for th e wee k , 36,000 bales ; v e strict Middling, 9*c. per lb. MoBILE, DEC. 2 4.-Receipts for the week, 26,000 b. o : e j middling, 81c. • market very acti ve . Freight to Liven id., to Havre itc. per lb. ARRIVAL OF THE ATLANTIC. I By the United States Mail steam-ship Atlantic, CaP t " , West, which arrived here on Thursday, we have ag t ic gence from New York to the 24th ult. The Atlan lV a v brought 60 passengers, and $550,000 i n specie. OA, 25th she passed the Pacific steam-ship. The City of P"'" chester arrived at Philadelphia on the 23d ult. Despatches from nearly all sections of the United SP: O 4 represent the weather as being intensely cold, an d the from the' north state that the ground is deeply cove' ? with snow, and that the canal s an d r i vers are fro 4 0 From Albany we learn that the navigation of the Ilut i l e tt i s suspended, and that the boats are laid up in wi t ' quarters. We learn by telegraph, says the New York Hera the 24th alt., that the steam-ship Pampero has arriOZAO New Orleans, with t wo wee k s ' l ater intelligence California. The steamer Northern Light is repo to be on the way to N ew Y or k w i t h $ 1,600,000, and passengers. • No business of importance has been transacted in o l branch of Congress. A,bill, prov i d i ng for the distrilPii'i of the proceeds of th e p u bli c l ands among the 'or. States, had been announced in the senate. The mow j of the House of Representatives, to whom the resor t ' proposing to present C a pt a i n I ngraham with a O 0 rt had been referred, had u nan i mous l y resolved to reP°. 1 favour of bestowing upon him a medal, with a sill inscription, commemorati ve o f the gallant conduc t himself and associates at Smyrna.