The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-06-19 00:00:00

fleet."

EXPEDITION TO THE SEA OF AZOFF.

- - - -
From the Sea of Azoff the news also continues of a highly
encouraging character. As before stated, the various towns
and harbours which are scattered about the shores of that
" Russian Lake," have succumbed to the power of England.
Contrary to expectation the Russians have also evacuated
Anapa, one of the most important seaports possessed by them
on the sea-board of the Euxine. The success which has
attended this expedition has naturally given rise to much
rejoicing, and has elevated the spirits, while it has excited
the expectations of the army in a very high degree, and other
expeditions are talked of as probable, and even imminent.
Among others it is stated, in military circles, that it is the
intention of the Allies to effect the landing of a large force on
the south side of Kerkiet Bay, Gulf of Perekop, and it is
believed the demonstration will be made near Karkasat ; this
is for the purpose of checking in detail any advance of Russian
reinforcements for Sebastopol, and of cutting off their retreat
from the Crimea. The reinforcements that are now being
sent out, together with the regiments at Gibraltar, Malta,
and the lonion Islands, and the newly-raised Foreign Legion,
will form the British contingent of nearly 18,000 men, France
and Turkey will furnish nearly 80,000, which, with the
British, will constitute a formidable force of at least 98,000
men ; this force, it is expected, will be sufficient to cut off the
communication between the mainland and the peninsula by
the Isthmus of Perekop. In the meantime the siege is prose-
cuted
with unabated vigour.

Naval operations against Petropaulovski, the Russian
stronghold in the Pacific, are about to be renewed ; and, if
successful, to be extended to the fortified settlement at the
mouth of the river Amoor, and the island of Taghalan.
It is reported that Portugal is on the eve of entering into
the Western alliance, which will be ratified when his Majesty
mounts the throne next September, and that the Portuguese
government will then contribute a contingent to the Allied
erces.

A DEPUTATION from various dissenting bodies had an inter-
view with Lord John Russell, at the Colonial-oflice, on Tues-
day, to urge objections to the grant of £500,000 for religious
purposes, contained in the Victoria Government Bill.
ANOTHER SHIP OF WAR, of the largest dimensions, is about
to be laid down in the dockyard at Pembroke. She is to carry
130 guns, and one pivot-gun, and is to be called the Howe, iu
the room of the ship of that name, of 120 guns, broken up a
few years since.
TIM PATRIOTIC FUND.—The London Gazette contains
the reports and a financial statement of the Patriotic Fund
Committee. The receipts have been £1,051,445. 1,847
widows have received relief, and in connection with them
1,802 children. Each week 70 or 80 widows are added to the
number receiving relief.
A NEW Docic was opened at Portsmouth Dockyard, on
Tuesday, by the entrance into it of Her Hajesty's new yacht
for the purpose of being coppered. It is 50 feet longer than
any other of Her Majesty's Docks, and has consumed the fol-
lowing materials in its construction :—Three million bricks,
152,359 cubic feet of stone, 94,783 cubic feet of timber, 729
cwt. of ironwork, and cost in the aggregate £63,000.

LORD HARDINGE has punished Ensigns Sanders and Neville
of the 30th regiment, who were the prime movers in the
practical joke upon an Ensign of the bOth, stationed with
them at Fermoy, by promoting two junior ensigns over their
heads, and has intimated his intention to countenance the
same treatment until they shall be favourably reported upon
to head quarters.
TUE CROPS IN THE UNITED STATES.—From all quarters
at the north and west, and the middle states, the accounts of
the growing crops are full of promise. If the season should
continue as favourable as it has been hitherto, a much larger
aggregate of breadstuffs will be raised this year in the country
at large, than was ever known before. The mouths of the
croakers will be stopped with abundance, and prices will come
down.—New York Journal of Commerce.
WE believe that it is the intention of the government to
introduce, on an early day, a measure for the consolidation of
the acts relating to the militia in England and Wales. In
taking this step the government has undoubtedly exercised a
sound and wise discretion, for disgraceful as is the general
condition of our statute-book, there is scarcely any branch of
our law recorded upon its pages which is in a more confused,
perplexed, and unsatisfactory state than that which relates to
the militia.—Morning Post.
PERJURY.—On Monday, at the Central Criminal Conrt,
London, Louisa Harrison was acquitted on a charge of perjury,
alleged to have been committed by her in identifying a man
named Mallett, who was accused, tried, and sentenced to death,
a short time ago, for robbing her, and using violence in the
commission of that crime. Harrison had represented that a
second attack had been made on her recently, but the police
found that she was imposing upon them, and the government,,
besides giving Mallett a free pardon, caused Harrison to be
charged with perjury.
APPREHENSION OF A SECRETARY OF A BRITISH CONSUL.
--BERLIN, June 11.—There is a rumour here that the secre-
tary of our consul, at Cologne, has been arrested, while
engaged in conveying despatches for our government. It is
stated that Mr. Curtis, our consul there, had sent in a written
protest against his secretary being taken and examined before
a magistrate without himself being permitted to be present,
but without avail ; doubtless, he has not failed to communicate
the particulars to Downing-street. It appears that the secre-
tary was apprehended when about to leave the town with des-
patches, and some suspicion of his being concerned in recruit-
ing matters for the Foreign Legion,Appears to be at the root
of .the matter.

LIVERPOOL AND BIRKENHEAD
DOCK BILLS.