The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-07-17 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

The Paris papers of Saturday publish the following tele-
graphic despatches :
STOCKHOLM, July 13.
An authentic report announces that on the sth inst. the
English bombarded and set fire to Lovisa, a small town in the
duchy of Finland, on the gulf of the same name, situated at
about 60 kilometres from Helsingfors. The town was com-
pletely destroyed.
HAMBURGH, July 14.
The town of Lovisa, in Finland, was bombarded and
destroyed by the English on the sth inst.
Lovisa (says the Journal des Debats) is a town of about
6,000 inhabitants, situated on the coast of the Gulf of Fin-
land. It was built in 1746, under the name of Degesby,
which name it exchanged for Lovisa in 1752.

THE RUSSIAN AUTHORITIES AND
FLAGS OF TRUCE.

ON the 29th of June, a steamer left Cronstadt with a flag
of truce, and steered for the allied fleet. A boat from the
Duke of Wellington pulled alongside, and in that boat an
officer was sent with a despatch from the Russian Minister of
War to the English Admiral, informing him of the determina-
tion arrived at by the Russian Government regarding com-.
munications with the Anglo-French fleet in the Baltic. That
determination was expressed in the following terms :
" Flags of truce will only be received on three points—
namely, Cronstadt, Sweaborg, and Revel.
"Vessels bearing a flag of truce must hoist a white flag of
large dimensions, and cast anchor beyond long range, and wait
until a boat goes alongside to receive a written message from
them.
" I must inform you, M. l'Admiral, that the Imperial Go-
vernment has resolved not to recognise a flag of truce on any
other point than those abovementioned, or without the strict
adhesion to the rules herein laid down."
After consulting with the French admiral, Admiral Dundas
sent a reply, in which he said :
" I take the liberty of informing you that I am ignorant of
the circumstances with respect to the conduct of my officers
whicmay have given rise to restriction of communications
by flags of truce as hitherto practised in the present war. - I
am perfectly aware that it is customary to hoist a white flag
of sufficient size, and I also admit the necessity of not ap-
proaching within range of the guns of a fortress without per-
mission, or nearer any other point than may be necessary to
attract attention ; but the time and place where such commu-
nications, under a flag of truce, may be thought indispensable
depend upon the eirentnatanees of each individnal ease I
admit, without reserve, that in most cases it is more suitable
to send a flag of truce to a spot where it is likely to meet with
an officer of rank; and that, moreover, no advantage should
be taken of such suspension of hostilities to accomplish, with-
out danger, acts which could not have been done during actual
hostilities.

" By informing me that on the whole extent of the Russian
territory from Tornea to Libau flags of truce are limited to
the three points you have mentioned, you virtually increase
the evils of war, and deprive both parties of those means of
correspondence necessary even between enemies.
" I regret that when such a notification was made to me no
fact was mentioned which might have led me to make an
inquiry into the conduct of those accused, and I am quite
ready to institute an inquiry into the conduct of any officer
pointed out to me as having violated a flag of truce.
"As regards communications that may be sent to me, I
refer you to the conditions you yourself have made, either
to approach or display a flag of truce : a flag of truce will be
received by the nearest vessel, and sent, as the case may be,
to the senior officer, and I ask no other security than that
which I may reasonably expect from the good faith and
honour of the officers to whom you may think fit to entrust
such sort of communications."
To this reply, which challenges the Russians to the proof of
any violation of the law of nations on our part, and throws on
them the responsibility of the proposed departure from
established usage, the French admiral has given his cordial
assent.

THE PARIS EXHIBITION of INDUSTRY.

THE correspondent of the Guardian writes :—To make up
for want of punctuality and grandeur of conception, the
Exhibition of 1855 will, I think, ultimately be allowed to
have greatly the advantage of its predecessor in the value and
beauty of its productions. The new portions have proved
fully equal to the expectations entertained respecting them,
and it is impossible to deny that no other country in the
world save France has the power of displaying such a collec-
tion of luxury and elegance as that now exhibited within the
circles of the panorama. Any attempt at description would
be wholly unavailing. I will merely niention that the furni-
ture displayed in the outer circle by the Faubourg St. Antoine
far exceeds in richness and costliness anything exhibited in
England. It bespeaks, indeed, a luxury almost frightful to
contemplate, and certainly of a kind which no fortunes in
France can be justly adequate to support. Few of your
readers, probably, can have overlooked or forgotten the
beautiful sideboard of Fourdinois, of the Four Quarters of
the Globe, exhibited in London. Beautiful as was the
carving, it was insignificant compared to the treatment
of the same subject by Ribaillier in the present Exhibition.
The personages, large as life, have all the vigour of the finest
productions of the sculptor's chisel, while the finish of every
part of the work is unrivalled. The whole is carved in walnut-
wood of a rich colour. The cost to the maker was upwards of
£1000; the price put upon it will be from £14,000 to £15,000.
The fashion of introducing bronzes d'art into furniture pre-
vails just now; you see bookcases richly sculptured, into the
panellings of which are inserted, in bronze, copies of the Gates
of Ghiberti, or other costly and elaborate subjects. A favourite
piece of furniture is a cabinet of arms, for the display of ancient
and modern weapons, either of war or the chase. An especially
beautiful specimen represents on each side a falconer; and a
fisherman, of really marvellous execution, so free is the:action
with which the one throws up the bird and the other handles
the net. The panels of this cabinet are exquisitely painted
with emblematical figures on a gold ground. The design and
effect of the whole is elegant and rich in the extreme. But it
would be useless to go on ; the style and costliness of this ex-
travagant collection of furniture is such as does not exist, and
is hardly known out of this country. In the inner circle the
imperial manufactures bid defiance to all competition, as well they
may. Since the day when Jean Gobelin founded the Gobelins in
1450, it has been backed by the whole strength of the Govern-
ment,for four hundred years,regardless of expense. The cartoons
of " Paul and Barnabas at Lystria," and of the " Miraculous
Draught of Fishes," the portraits after Titian, and various
other productions, are wonders in tapestry. Nor are Beaunois
or Aubusson one whit behindhand. A magnificent carpet is
displayed, a present from Louis Napoleon to the Pope. The
wreath around it is entwined with the names of Napoleon's
victories; at the bottom is written les dix commandments;
and immediately above is, first the triple crown and keys, and
then the imperial crown and cipher; rich garlands form the
centre upon a field of bees. The Sevres vases are of extra-
ordinary beauty of form and material, and the landscapes and
subjects painted on them of equal merit. A baptistery also
attracts great attention ; it is asked whether it be intended
for a future and hoped-for Ring of Rome. There are enamels
which have nothing to envy in those of Bernard Palissy.
Amongst other objects is a state dinner-service, commanded
by the Emperor, and just terminated after three years' labour.
Though only electro-plated, the covering of silver is so' solid,
and the chiselling so rich and highly finished,
that the cost
of the whole has been £32,000.

CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.—The traffic for the
week ending July 1, 1855, was as follows :—Passengers,
parcels, &c., £3,645 17s. 2d. ' • steam-boats, £625 14s. 10d. ;
goods, £1,676 17s. 11d. Total, including Carnarvon traffic,
£5,948 9s. 11d. Corresponding week last year : Passengers,
parcels, &c., £3,412 18s. 3d. ; steam-boats, £678 12s. Bd. ;
goods, £1,615 10s. 9d. Total, including Carnarvon traffic,
£5,707 is. Bd. Increase, £241 Bs. 3d.
DR. Lococes CosmzTtc.—A delightfully fragrant prepa-
ration, for improving and beautifying the complexion, rendering
the skin clear, soft, and transparent; removing all eruptions,
freckles, sunburn? tan, pimples, and roughness,—curing gnat
bites, and the stings of insects generally. In the process of
shaving, it allays all smarting, and renders the skin soft and
smooth. Sold in bottles, at Is. lid., 2s. 9d.. and 4s. 6d. each.
Beware of counterfeits. Observe the words, " Dr. Locock's Cos-
metic," on the government stamp outside the wrapper. Sold by
all respectable chemists; also may be had Dr. Locock's Pulmonic
Wafers, for asthma, consumption, coughs, colds, and all disorders
of the breath and lungs they have a pleasant taste, Price I s.lid.,
22. 94-, and 118. per box. Wholesale Warehouse, 26, Bride-lane,
London.

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

HOUSE OF LORDS.

TUESDAY.

At the meeting of the House, Lord SHAFTESBURY stated,
that, at the urgent request of the Bishops of London and
Oxford, he should postpone his bill until Monday, the 16th.
THE MASSACRE AT HANGO.—The Earl of MALMESBURY
directed attention to the despatch of General de Berg, vindi-
cating the massacre at Hango. He requested to know what
course government intended to pursue in the matter.—The
Earl of CLARENDON said the letter referred to was most
unsatisfactory, and added that Admiral Dundas had been
ordered to demand the immediate release of the prisoners.
A communication had also been made, through the Danish
government, on the subject, with the Russians. Till answers
to these demands had been received, government could not say
what course it would adopt.—Lord CAMPBELL said there
could be no doubt that the Russians had been guilty of a
most flagrant breach of the law of nations.—Lord COLCHESTER,
without offering any excuse for the Russians, expressed a
hope that this event would render our naval officers more
careful in communicating with the enemy by flags of truce.
In answer to a question from the Earl of Malmesbury, Lord
CLARENDON said there were grounds for hoping that a cartel
for the exchange of prisoners will 'speedily be arranged.
The Victoria Government Bill was read a second time.

THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE.—The Marquis of CLA.N-
RICA-EDE moved for a return of all persons employed in the
diplomatic service, and expressed an opinion that the attacks
so frequently made on that branch of the public service were
unfair and unfounded.—The Earl of CLA.RENDON had no ob-
jection to the production of the returns.—Lord GueNvlLLs
took the occasion to defend himself from some attacks which
had been made upon him in the Lower House with regard to
certain diplomatic appointments made by him when Foreign
Minister. Lord MA.LxasstruY deprecated any attempt to
remove the patronage of the Foreign-office from the control of
the Foreign Minister for the time being.—The returns were
then agreed to, and the matter dropped.
Some other business was despatched, after which their
lordships adjourned.