The Press.
London, England, 1855-04-21 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

SATURDAY,

the Emperor, and terminated the fifth day of festivities which must
be numbered among the most brilliant the English Court has ever
known.

We are assured, by a communication from Paris, that the Emperor
has fixed his departure for the Crimea for the 3rd of May.

The Conferences at Vienna have not yet led to any decisive result.
The telegraphic messages are mere rumours. The facts yet known
are that the Russian Ministers received the despatches for which they
had been waiting on Sunday evening A Conference was held on
Tuesday, and lasted four hours and a-half ; and it is supposed that
the propositions of the allies f;n* the reduction of the Russian fleet in
the Black Sea were then rejected by Prince Go wrscHAnury and M DE
TITOFF, and that a counter-proposition was submitted, which was
thought worthy consideration by the allies. Another Conference,
lasting two hours, was held yesterday. It is believed that Austria
leans to the side of Russia. We hear, from high authority, that the
accounts from Vienna are most unfavorable, and that it is considered
certain, should the Conference break up without result, that Austria
will not take part against Russia.

The Campaign of 1855 has at length been inaugurated. Upon
the morning of the 9th of April, some five hundred guns and mortars
opened fire upon the Russian intrenchments, and on the right
attack directing their fire principally upon the Malakoff tower. The
result up to the 14th does not appear to have equalled the too sanguine
expectations of the allied Generals. The latest despatch received states
that the bombardment was kept up, though without any deeided result,
although the advantage, if any, in point of fire and weight of metal,
appeared to he on the side of the allies. If in five days bombardment
we can produce no sensible result, the option of assault must alone
remain to the allied Generals. Meanwhile rumours and telegraphic
despatches rapidly arrive, now bringing the report of a breach, and
now that OMER PACHA and 15,000 men are to aid in the assault,
according to one version, or to create a diversion by landing on the
north side ; and according to another that a combined assault by
sea and land is to take place. The fleet has already taken up a
position before the port of Sebastopol, and at the moment of assault
will doubtless attempt to create an efficient diversion in favour of the
assailants.

We have received intelligence from Scutari up to the 2nd of April.
The nurse question seems to continue a difficult and perplexing one.
A correspondent writes to us, under date of Scutari, April 2.—
The Romanists are trying in most quarters to convert, and I hesr many accounts of
their attemp a; but it is nA necessary to take up your time with more than 1 can well
prove. The books are some of them very bad which they distribute, and there is one
full of the pictures of the torments of hell, which is very bad. Ought not there to be
some censorship of their books ?
Miss Nightingale is sadly perplexed. The ladies defy her ; and she fears that Lord
Panmure is against her, and so dare not move without orders. Miss Cleugh runs off
with Sir Colin Campbell, and says she will live in a tent alone, if she likes; and Miss
Talbot says she will stop and be a Socinian, if she likes. I suppose we may expect a
Mormon or two next.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER yesterday succeeded in effecting
his proposed loan of 16,000,0001. For every 1001. sterling, he is to
give 1001. Three per Cent. Consols, and an annuity of 14s. 6d., termi-
nable at the end of thirty years, which annuity, it is computed, is now
worth 121. 7s. 6d. sterling This, with allowance for interest, would
show the loan to be- contracted at about 86i. The offer of M. ROTHS-
CHILD was below the minimum fixed, and was therefore at onco

accepted.
Last night the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER brought forward his
Budget in the worst financial speech heard since the retirement of
Lord ALTHORP. The expenditure for the year is estimated at nearly
81,000,0001.
In addition to the loan for 18,000,0001., he proposed to raise 5,300,0001.
by additional taxation. Sugar would be taxed 3s. per cwt., coffee ld.
per lb., tea, 3d. per lb., and the income tax would be raised one per
cent. The enumeration of the several items of sugar, coffee, and tea,
was received with great ironical cheering. The reason given for these
taxes is curious. As the bulk of additional revenue was raised by
direct taxation last year, the main stress ought to be laid on indirect
taxation this year. The statement, confusedly delivered, was ill re-
ceived. It is very unlikely that Sir G. C. LEWIS will ever have to go
through the painful duty of another financial exposition.

Three "Liberal" candidates (while we write) are contesting the
County of Cork between themselves, and, although there are five
thousand Conservative electors in the constituency, not one Conser-
vative candidate has appeared in the field. We are sorry to he obliged
to record a fact which shows so much apathy amongst the Conserva-
tives of the south of Ireland. We have no local knowledge to explain,
such a state of things; but, with the high polls recorded in " Dodd
at former elections, we are justified in thinking that, with moderate
energy and little outlay, a constitutional candidate could be returned.
The competitors for the seat (vacated by the promotion to the peerage
of Mr. BURKE ROCHE) are Viscount ENnstdoax, son Of the Nall of
LISTOWEL, one of the heroes of the Alma, where he was " serclely
wounded ;" Mr. ALEXANDER M'CARTRY, formerly M.P. for Cork city ;
and Mr. RICKARD DEASY, the leader of the Munster Circuit Bar. The
latter two gentlemen are Roman Catholics, and each of the three can-
didates proclaims his attachment to " tenant, right." Next week we
may possibly comment (when the result is known) on some of
repotted proceedings ofthis rather singular contest

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