The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-12-11 00:00:00

TELEGRAPHIC DESPATCHES.

The Morning Post Marseilles correspondent telegraphs the
arrival of the Euphrates with news from Constantinople to
Nov. 26th ; according to which our position at Kertch is
threatened. Admiral Lyons, says the despatch, continues to
cruise near the shore of the Crimea, to survey the point of
Kertch, against which the Russians seem to be preparing an
attack during the winter. They are fortifyng Arabat, and are
concentrating in its environs 30,000 men, whilst 15,000 more
are sent towards. Genitchi, in order to re-establish communi-
cations between the mass of the army of Prince Gortschakoff
and the interior of Russia by the road over the Spit of Arabat.
The guns of the boats and steamers of the allies, and of their
floating batteries, can reach the Russian convoys along the
whole route, and across the whole breadth of the Spit, unless
maritime operations are suspended by the freezing of the Sea
of Azoff. Accounts from Kertch state that the Russian
cavalry, which had been in the neighbourhood of that place,
have retired into the interior. Five gunboats are still cruising
in the Sea of Azoff. Three hundred sail of merchantmen are
lying wind-bound in the Sulina mouth of the Danube.
•—•—•••••• MARSEILLES, 4th Dec.
The last accounts from Constantinople state that Sir Ed-
mund Lyons continues to cruise along the coast of the Crimea,
in order to watch the point of Kertch, against which the Rus-
sians appeared to be preparing an attack during the winter;
the latter are fortifying Arabat, and concentrating in
its neighbourhood 30,000 men, while 15,000 more are directed
on Genitchi, in order to re-establish communications between
the main body of the army of Gen. Gortschakoff and Russia by
the Spit of Arabat. It may be remarked, however, that the
guns of the steamers and the floating batteries of the allies
can reach the Russian convoys throughout the whole length
of the Spit, if the Sea of Azoff be not frozen over. The dis-
turbances in Syria, which had been appeased through the in-
tervention of M. de Lesseps and the English consul, have re-
commenced on some points. The town of Kars is still
defended with vigour by its heroic garrison; but, according to
recent accounts, provisions were getting exceedingly scarce.
The reinforcements under &lira Pasha had not made their
appearance.

The news thus received is completed by intelligence to the
30th ult., which has arrived through Vienna. The division of
General de Chasseloup-Laubat, 12,000 strong, has arrived at
the camp of Sebastopol. The English and Piedmontese have
also received re-inforcements. The Russians have established
several batteries in order to oppose any attempt which the al-
lies might make to effect a landing in the rear of the northern
forts. The allies, on their side, have united the French and
English quatters at Sebastopol by a bridge of boats.

A supplement to the Invalide Russe publishes the following:
Aide-de-Camp Gen. Prince Gortschakoff announces, under
date of the 11th (23rd) of Nov., at 3 30 p.m., that up to that
moment nothing particular had occurred in the Crimea.
Some days previously a French Colonel and a French
Captain who had made a reconnaissance on horseback, were
captured at our advanced posts.

THE CZAR OF RUSSIA IN THE CRIMEA.
The Invalide Russe, of the 27th of November, publishes
the following account of the Emperor Alexander's visit to the
Crimea :
His Majesty the Emperor deigned, on the 28th of October
(9th of November), to honour his army in the Crimea with a
visit.

The Commander-in-Chief and all the civil and military
authorities who were at Bakshiserai had assembled in the
church; and at two o'clock the ringing of bells and loud
cheering announced the arrival of the Emperor and of their
Imperial Highnesses the Grand Dukes Nicholas and Michael.
At the porch the Emperor was received by the clergy with the
cross and holy-water. After having heard prayers for the
preservation of the days of the adored Sovereign and of his
illustrious house, his Majesty proceeded on foot to the resi-
dence of the commander-in-chief, whom he deigned to honour
with a visit, and thence went to the house which had been pre-
pared for his reception, the palace of Bakshiserai having been
turned into a temporary military hospital.
At the doorway a deputation of the citizens had the honour
of presenting bread and salt to his Majesty; at the same time
the Mayor of the Tartars of Bakshiserai and the Rabbi of
the Caraimes were presented to His Majesty.
Having entered his apartments, His Majesty deigned to
receive all the members of the staff of the Crimean army, and
expressed to them his gratitude for their faithful services.
During the journey from Simpheropol to Bakshiserai, his
Majesty had already inspected, at the Alma station, a portion
of the troops of the 2nd Infantry Corps stationed there, and
on his arrival at Bakshiserai his Majesty proceeded to the
Katcha, where, in front of the camp, he reviewed a portion of
the troops of the 4th Infantry Corps, the artillery, and the
militia. His Majesty returned to town to dinner.
camp-General, the Imperial Aides-de-Camp, and the Generals
of the Head-quarters, proposed a toast in honour of the army
of the Crimea.

In the evening the tortuous streets of Bakshiserai and its
elegant minarets were illuminated with coloured lamps, and
on the heights of the rocks which overhang the narrow valley
of Bakshiserai tar-barrels were lit. The mixed population of
the town thronged the streets till night, admiring this un-
usual and picturesque scene. A similar illumination took
place on the subsequent evenings.
The next, day, 29th of October (10th of November), the
Emperor, accompanied by their Imperial Highnesses the
Grand Dukes Nicholas and Michael, and by his Highness
Duke George of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and his suite, pro-
ceeded in an open carriage at 8 a.m., with the Commander-in-
Chief, to the Donvankioi: station, and thence, after changing
horses, to the troops of the sth Infantry Corps posted near
the fortifications of the north side of Sebastopol, to inspect,
in front of their camp, those troops that were not actually on
duty. Thence his Majesty proceeded on horseback to the
Volokhoff Tower, from which he took a survey of the neigh-
bourhood, the sea, and the city which had fallen after a
glorious struggle. His Majesty then visited the fortifications
of the north side.

His Majesty then reviewed the troops of the 4th Infantry
Corps posted between Inkermann and the-Mackenzie heights.
In this excursion his Majesty accepted an invitation to a
breakfast prepared for him by Lieut.-General Pauloff, during
which his Majesty again thanked every one, and proposed a
toast in honour of the 11th Infantry Division. Thence his
Majesty returned to Bakshiserai.
On' Sunday, the 30th of October (11th of November), after
hearing mass, his Majesty proceeded to the troops of the 3rd
and sth Infantry Corps, stationed on the Belbek, and reviewed
them; his Majesty then inspected the positions at Youkary-
Karaleze, and reviewed the troops of the 3rd Corps
of Infantry, which occupied them. After visiting on
horseback our most advanced Cossack posts near the defile
leading into the Baidar valley, his Majesty returned to Bakshi-
semi.

On the 31st of October (12th of November), his Majesty the
_Emperor inspected the troops of the 3rd and 4th Infantry corps,
stationed on the Katcha and in the defile of Tasch-Bastine.
On his return to town his Majesty visited the palace of
Bakshiserai, conversed with the wounded and sick officers and
men, asked them respecting their services, and expressed his
gratitude. At 3 p.m. his Majesty, accompanied by his imperial
highness the Grand Duke Michael, left for Simpheropol.
At all these reviews, his Majesty the Emperor thanked the
troops in the most gracious terms for their faithful services
and their courage, for the constancy with which they supported
so many hardships, and for the self-denial they displayed in the
heroic defence of Sebastopol, and in• other encounters with the
enemy. On this occasion, his Majesty, assembling round him
the generals, superior and subaltern officers, inquired with pa-
ternal solicitude respecting their wounds, and thanked them
all and each individually. Entering the ranks, the Emperor
conversed most graciously with the soldiers decorated with the
military medal, questioned them respecting the battles or sor-
ties where they had earned that distinction, and listened to
their replies with the kindest interest.
The troops, penetrated with sentiments of fidelity, love, and
most profound devotion for our august Sovereign, received the
Emperor with enthusiastic cheers. The officers by impulse
formed in groups round the Monarch to express their un-
bounded love and their readiness to die for him.
"We will do all that is in our power, Sire ! We will not
'spare ourselves," was the general exclamktion of the officers to
the gracious and flattering expressions of confidence of the
Sovereign in the indomitable warlike virtues of his soldiers.
On the Ist ( 13th) of November, the Commander-in-Chief
received from Simpheropol an order of the day from his Ma-
jesty the Emperor, addressed to the army of the Crimea, con-
ferring upon the heroic defenders of Sebastopol a silver medal,
instituted in commemoration of the nearly one year's siege of
that town, to be worn at the button-bole with the riband of
the order of St. George. His Majesty deigned to renew to the
Crimean army the expression of his gratitude and Imperial
goodwill.

On the same day his Majesty deigned to honour the Com-
mander-in-Chief with an Imperial rescript, couched in the
most gracious and flattering terms.

THE WAR IN ASIA.

The Military Gazette of Vienna of the Ist inst. contains
some account of the position of the Turks in Asia down to the
12th ult. Omar Pasha had divided his army into three corps.
He occupied Suchum-Kaleh with the main body, and had de-
tached to Redout-Kaleh the corps of Ferhad and Osman
Pasha, composed of 12 battalions of infantry and 4 regiments
of cavalry, and stationed at Batoum the corps of Mustapha
Pasha, with the Tunisian Contingent, directing him to operate
according to circumstances. It was at first believed that those
three corps would simultaneously advance into Mingrelia,
Guria, and Imeretia. It was even reported that Omar Pasha
had penetrated 26 leagues into the interior, on the road to
Kutais. This, however, has not yet been confirmed. On the
12th, Omar Pasha had not moved from the basis of his opera-
tions. On hearing of the Turks having established themselves
at Suchutn-Kaleh and Redout-Kaleh, Prince Bebutoff sent two
battalions of regular infantry, four sotnias of Cossacks, 8 pieces
of artillery, and 8,000 irregulars to Abandria, on the Ingour,
and that corps of observation had intercepted, by the position
it had taken, all communication between Suchum-Kaleh and
Redout-Kaleh. The Sirdar was naturally anxious to re-estab-
lish that communication, and he accordingly advanced with
his army, consisting of 26,000 men and 40 pieces of artillery,
by the Altanglo-road, and crossed the small branch of the In-
gour without encountering the enemy, who awaited his ap-
proach on the left bank of the principal branch. The Turks
crossed the latter, under the protection of a few steamers, near
Anaclea, and thereby rendered the position of the Russians
untenable. The engagement on the 7th ensued, the result of
which enabled Omar Pasha to re-open the communications be-
tween his corps of army and that of Ferhad Pasha : but down

to the 12th of Nov. he had not penetrated more than three
leagues into the interior of the country. Selim Pasha was
still in the same position on the Erzeroum-road, not having
advanced beyond Hassan-iL:gi
! troops and convoy
of provisions and ammunition, on the 10th of Nov. Gen.
Y.. 4
Mouravieff was establishing a winter camp before Kars, and
had sent off the militias of Grussia and Georgia to the army
of Prince Bebutoff. As respects the corps of Mustapha
Pasha at Batoum, competent persons declare that it was not
yet in a condition to take the field.

3iAIISHAL PELISSIBIZ has officially notified to the Constan-
tinople papers, that henceforward no mention whatever is to
be made of the movements of the French troops ; and even
the list of arrivals of steamers with troops and ammunition s
to be discontinued.

PEACE NEGOCIATIONS.—We believe we may affirm that
the proposals have in substance been sanctioned by Lord
Palmerston's Cabinet ; that they have been returned to the
Emperor of the French; and that direct communication upon
them is now opened between the Courts of Vienna and St.
Petersburg.—The Press. _ _ _

TILE VICEROYALTY or POLAND.—Letters from St. Peters-
burg speak with some degree of certainty of the Grand Duke
Constantine having been definitively fixed on by his brother
to assume the dignity of Viceroy of Poland, on occasion of the
now probably approaching death of Prince Paskiewitsch; and
it is affirmed that the Grand Duke is in a high degree popular
in:that country.

PEACE EIIiiOIIRS.—The Vienna correspondent of The
Times writes :—" In diplomatic circles it is related that Coant
Buol is inclined to believe that he has found a basis for peace,
`which is likely to be acceptable to both parties;' and it is
also known that Prince Gortschakoff has, within the last few
days, somewhat lowered his tone, but still the prevailing im-
pression is, that Russia will continue to refuse to consent to
any limitation of her fleet in the Black Sea."
THE EXPENSES OP THE WAR.—The Times is the object
of attack on the part of the Paris Pays and the Assemblie
Nationale. An article, in which the payment by Russia of
the expenses of the war was insisted upon as forming one of
the points to be considered in the re•establishment of peace, is
criticized by the Pays, which complains of the intervention of
the press in this matter. The Assemblie Nationale severely
rebukes the Times for its reflections on the inaction of
Marshal Pelissier. It says, " When only three months
separate us from the day when French and English marched
with equal courage, but with a fortune so different, against
the two principal works of Sevastopol, we cannot conceal our
surprise at reading in a journal like the Times, so great a
partizan of the alliance and of the war, attacks similar to those
to which we allude, and on which we could not maintain a
complete silence."

LIVERPOOL SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF
FOREIGNERS IN DISTRESS.

Yesterday, the fourth annual meeting of this society was
held in the Clarendon-rooms, the Mayor, John Stewart,-Esq.,
in the chair.
His Worship, in opening the proceedings, said he was not
much in the habit, and never had been, of attending at meet-
ings of that description, but when invited to preside there he
could not resist the invitation, especially when he saw that its
objects were such as must commend themselves to every right-
minded man. He considered a very good mode of operation
was adopted by that society, Great pains were taken to see
that unworthy objects were not imposed on the benevolent.
A great deal of benevolence had been expended upon unworthy
recipients. He could only say, that if his attendance could
aid the society, he would be very glad to give it. He would
call on the Treasurer and Secretary to read the statement of
accounts and report.
The Treasurer, Mr. BBNCICE, then read a statement of the
financial position of the society. It showed that the receipts
from subscriptions during the year had been £379. 18s., from
donations £42. 19s. The grants amounted to £329. 10s. 4d.;
the loans to £43. 12s. 3d.; and the balance carried forward
was £Bl. 12s. 9d. The Treasurer recapitulated the figures
with a view to show how necessary it was to obtain an in-
crease of aid to the society, and he particularly urged upon
the members the desirability of enlisting the sympathy and
co-operation of their friends. •
The Secretary, Mr. Boss', then read the fourth annual re-
port, from which we extract the following, which are the
principal passages :
The Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress has suc-
cessfully accomplished the fourth year of its existence. This
fact is, in itself, a proof of the interest which the public take
in it, for it depends entirely upon voluntary subscriptions and
donations.
It is, therefore, with sincere pleasure that the committee
avail themselves of the present opportunity to thank their
subscribers for their kind support, and also for the handsome
way in which several of them have come forward to assist, by
extra donations, poor people in special cases, where the com-
mittee did not feel justified in granting relief, to an amount
quite out of proportion with the means of the society's income.
Gratifying as this result may appear, the committee hope that
the subscribers will not consider it as a reason to relax in their
charitable work, but that they will increase, if possible, their
contributions, and use their influence to procure new subscri-
bers ; for, in a great commercial community like Liverpool,
there are daily changes which affect our income. From time
to time several subscribers leave town; others change the ob-
jects of their charity so that, if we wish barely to keep it up
to its present amount, we must find new subscribers : a for-
tiori must it be so, if the income is to increase.
stated
diththoau in
that it
igtiivsbgecuonindiune importanceg
relief in the right direction; the demands upon it increase,
ymorteo tuhsiesfuslociinetyd,isittFimbuaytinbge
and the applicants seem to be of a more respectable class than
yarl
previously, which would tend to show that vagrants and beg-
gars by trade think it not so easy to impose upon us as at the
beginning of our work. We have a better knowledge of the
channels through which they come, thanks to our corres-
pondence with other societies, mentioned last year, and to our
experience.
After appealing to your generosity, the committee feel it
their duty to give you a summary account Of the way in which
aynroourt mnrosnieuy lzrz.lzeznuodwisitfirrib-autuedi.iftrea,
e-trytP lat year
A cubNcriptions,
The amount given in relief amounts to £329 10s.s 4d. showing
a decrease over last year of £52 ss. The amount of 'loans not
repaid is £lB, against £5B last year. The number of applica-
tions has been 1,144, of which 1,004 were relieved, against
1,354 last year, of which 1,198 were relieved. The average per
head is about 6s. 6d.
Moderate as the expense has been, we have been obliged to
encroach upon last year's balance: it is not, then, without
cause that your committee apply to the public generosity for
increased support.
The causes which made last year one of great difficulty for
the poor are still in existence and rather aggravated ; we have
now had dear food for three years, and work is not plentiful.
If we have had fewer applications than last year, it is owing
to the enormous decrease in the number of foreign emigrants
going through this country to America and Australia, and the
almost complete absence of foreign peasants and workmen
coming to try their fortune in England. Last year we had a
great many of this class who arrived without any plan or
means of support, merely with the idea that it was sufficient
to land in England to find work and good wages.
A fresh'source of distress has been the arrival of many poor
foreigners returning from the United States, in most cases
against their will. Some of them were aged and infirm
people who had been in the first instance sent out by their
parish, so as not to be a burden, and who afterwards have
through an equally harsh policy been sent back to Europe
quite destitute by some charitable society in New York.
Others are men in all the bloom and strength of life, who
have been enticed under false pretences to go on board of ship
as sailors, although totally ignorant of the work, and have
arrived in Liverpool stripped of the little money they had, and
very often ill from bad treatment on board of ship. This was
already noticed last year, but the committee think it necessary
to draw your attention to this point again. It would be well
if all influential men, and particularly shipowners and consuls,
would use their best endeavours to prevent this kind of press-
ing into the commercial navy in America, and warn their
countrymen against it.
[The report instanced a number of cases, giving an idea of
the sufferings which have been caused by this system.]
We have also had lately twenty-seven old people sent back
from America. Seventeen found their way home by their own
resources, ten were sent to Rotterdam jointly by us and by
the parish ; our share of the expenses was increased by the
board and lodgings we had to provide for them, and amounted
to £l2.
The following hard and expensive cases of distress, arising
principally from bad trade and from the inexperience of parties
travelling in a foreign country of which they do not know the
language, will show the direction in which your committee
have laboured. You will notice that most of these people, up
to that time, seemed to be quite secure from poverty and had
borne good characters ; therefore it appeared to us desirable
to incur a greater expense than usual, to give them a chance
to recover a good position, as their case is more painful than
that of people who have lived on the verge of destitution for
many years, and have in some manner become accustomed to
it. [Cases enumerated,]
If you question the policy of granting such large amounts,
we would state, in our defence, that as we have met with
fewer imposters than last year, we have acted with more con-
fidence in our distribution, thinking it more desirable, as we
said before, to assist respectable people, thrown into temporary
distress, towards retrieving their misfortunes, than to give
with a chary hand to a multitude of people who have habi-
tually lived for a long time at the public expense.
One difficulty we have to contend with is, the dislike of
most English workmen to work with foreigners, so that if a
German or a Frenchman falls into distress here he has a poor
chance to find employment.
As we promised last year, we have curtailed the loans, and.
must say that, generally speaking, we find them the most un-
desirable shape of charity. People who deserve loans gehe-
rally find amongst their acquaintances friends who will trust
them. In most cases a request for a loan is merely a blind to
get a larger amount than by asking a gift. In a few cases,
however, our loans have done good. The amount laid out in
this way is £3B, of which -£lB have been repaid, against £74
last year, of which £l6 only were returned.
Another item of increased expenditure is an advance of 10s.
a week in the assistant-secretary's salary since the month of
June. _ Your committee has consented to that alteration be-

cause the work is daily increasing, and the responsibility is
also very great.
Lastly, your committee request all gentlemen subscribers,
or non subscribers, who are applied to by foreigners for assist-
ance, to send them to the society ; this being the best means
to guard against imposition, and to enable the society to ob-
tain a knowledge of the wants and character of the applicants
in general.

Appended to the report was a statement showing that the
I number of individuals, including women and children, who
applied for assistance from 14th Nov., 1854, till 15th Nov.
1855, was 1,496, viz., 582 single, 151 widows, 411 married, 131
children, not included in the table below, because they came
with their parents. The table itself showed that 1,004 appli-
cations had been granted and 140 refused; total applications
made 1,144. The operations also included the following aids :
—Assisted towards America, 33; passages to Hamburg, 38;
passages to Rotterdam, 76 ; passages to Havre, 27 ; passages
to Spain, 2 ; fares to London, 25; fares to Manchester, 16 ;
fares to Hull, 16 ; fares to Birmingham, 12; passages to
Dublin, 10 ; passages to Glasgow, 14 ; returned from America,
172 ' medical advice, 80 ; clothing, 89.
It was moved and seconded that the report and Treasurer's
account be approved, which was adopted. The list of officers
for the ensuing year was read and agreed to.
The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Bossi, the
honorary secretary, who, the mover said, had done as much as
any one for the society. Thanks were also voted to the
treasurer, Mr. Bencke, who had been very successful in his
efforts on behalf of the society.
Thanks were voted to the Mayor, who made a short reply,
and the meeting separated.