The Press.
London, England, 1855-10-13 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

a barrier against Russia? Here is the answer. By
forming a league of neutrality, by attempting to in
duce France and England, by persuasion, and that
failing, by force—this is not said in jest—by force, to
accept such terms of peace as they, the sovereigns of
Prussia and Austria, with the petty powers, shall
deem satisfactory, and which shall at the same time
repress the liberalism of Germany. The King of
Wurtemb tug met the King of Prussia at Coblentz with
a view to establish a neutral league upon that basis
of action. The accredited organ of the " parti de la
Croix" shall be quoted :
C'est bien le tams d'une ligne des otati nentres, et d'une
mediation de l'Autriche, de la Prusse, et peut•etre des
Etats Unis, sin d'amener les parties belligerentes a nne
pail honorable et convenable. Si la ligue des neutres se
dressait compacte et rosolue, si l'on preparait des fortes
de terre et de mer pour soutenir ses projets, si l'on s'avan•
;nit sur le theatre de la hate avec des otires honorables et
dignes, les parties belligerentes y reflechiraient avant de
repouaser cette action ou cette mediation, si l'on vent lui
donner ce nom.

The gauntlet is here thrown down openly by
Austria, Prussia, Saxony, Wurtem burg, Bavaria, and
the German princes, in defiance of England and
France. It is, in point of fact, a meditated attempt
to put in force the spirit of the conversation whioh
took place in the presence of MM. Stahl and Niebuhr
at Berlin, and which has already been related in the
pages of THE PRESS. The project of a neutral
league, and its temper upon the failure of the Vienna
Conferences, was known to Lord John Russell.

J. E. L.

lortign anb otoinial 3nttiligente.

FRANCE.

The letter of Prince Murat on Neapolitan affairs
has called forth from the French Government a clear
protest against the belief that it encouraged any pre-
tensions of the prince to the throne of Naples. In
this official note the foreign policy of France is
clearly defined, and any underhand projects calcu-
lated to cause fresh complications in the affairs of
Europe emphatically disavowed. The note was pub-
lished in the Moniteur of Sunday last:—

The Government of the Emperor has seen with deep
regret the publication of a letter on the subject of the
affairs of Naples, which might tend to create a belief that
the policy of the Emperor, instead of being frank and
loyal, as it is and always has been, towards foreign Go-
vernments, would favour, underhand, certain pretensions
which the Government emphatically disavows, under
whatever form they may be manifested.

The Pays of Monday had the following remarks
upon the subject:—

This note proclaims and defines once more the policy of
France. We hope that it will put an end to all the male-
volent rumours which the foreign press disseminates in
order to cause the intentions of the Western powers to be
suspected. The policy of the West is a policy of order
and equilibrium ; it is not based on any revolutionary
element; it does not encourage any adventure calculated
to cause new complications, in the midst of those already
too serious which agitate Europe. The partisans of Russia
endeavour to make foreign countries believe that the war
against the Czar is only a pretext to cover vast enterprises
and projects which are kept in the dark for an approach-
ing explosion. Every day the Russian organ at Berlin
presents to its readers the phantom of the first empire,
and menaces Europe with fundamental rearrangements.
It is Russia, it is she alone, it is her traditional ambition,
her power, dangerous to other States, which the Western
powers desire to lessen, and to subject to the law of Euro-
pean interest. But they do not on that account dream of
any of the radical revolutions which change the relations
and the limits of nations; they have, in fact, no need of
such great efforts to obtain the result which they have pro-
posed to themselves.
A council of Ministers was held on Saturday, under
the presidency of the Emperor, and sat for three
hours. The rumours of changes in the French
Cabinet are contradicted by the Paris correspondent
of the Morning Post, who asserts that the Emperor
has no intention whetever of making any changes in
his Cabinet. Nevertheless, it is believed that Marshal
Valliant is desirous of retiring from the arduous post
of Minister of War. General Canrobert is spoken of
as his successor.

The late visit of Baron Prokesch to Paris was, it is
said, undertaken with a view of coming to an under-
standing with the French Cabinet upon the subject
of equalising the condition of the Christians in Tur-
key with that of the other subjects of the Sultan.
Baron Hubner had an interview with the Emperor
on Monday, to present a letter of cougratulation from
the Emperor Francis Joseph upon the fall of Sebas-
topol.
The financial condition of France continues to
occasion some amount of disquietude as to the future.
The progressive decline of all the public securities is
ascribed to a variety of causes—the deficiency of the
harvest, the late loans, the vast amount of paper in
the market, and the probable extension of the war.
The abuse which was heaped upon Lord Stratford
de Redcliffe last week, by the French papers gene-
rally, has been considerably modited this week, upon

973

finding that Lord Stratford is not recalled. Th•
Univers, which first asserted the recal, is compelled
to acknowledge its error, but asserts that be has been
blamed.

The pregnancy of the Empress was officially an.
nounced in the Moniteur of the 11th, and the prayers
of the French nation invited on her behalf
France will learn with as much joy as gratitude to Pro.
vidence that the Empress is pregnant. This happy event,
which promises to the Emperor the only satisfaction which
was wanting to his domestic happiness, is a new guarantee
of the stability of our institutions. Every one will address
thanksgivings to Heaven and prayers for the preservation
of the health of the Empress and for the fulfilment of the
hopes of the nation.
The Dibata of the 11th contains a review of the
present position of the allied armies, by Colonel St.
Ange, but he carefully avoids expressing any opinion
upon the probable or possible movements of Marshal
Folksier.
RUSSIA.

The feeling of the people generally in Russia, and
particularly at St. Petersburg, is described as one of
depression at the probable results of the war. A
correspondent writing from St. Petersburg on the
29th states that the discontent of all classes mani-
fested itself openly in expression. Great speculation
was excited as to the mode in which the war was to
be carried on. It was generally believed that the
Crimea would be held to the last extremity. On the
25th, the Emperor is stated to have arrived at Nico-
laieff, and spent three days in examining the fortifi-
cations. A letter from Odessa of the 29th observes
Immediately after the arrival of the Emperor at Nico.
laieff, the contractor of the works, and Lieut. Volokoff,
belonging to the Engineers, were called to Nicolaieff by
telegraph, and intrusted with the construction of several
redoubts around the town, to be armed with 360 guns. In
addition to this, 500 gun-boats, each to be armed with from
two to four guns, will be immediately constructed under
the personal eye of the Grand Admiral Constantine, work-
men having been brought from Cronstadt expressly for that
purpose. The arming of the two new frigates, Mss and
Tiger, has already been completed, at which circumstance
the imperial visitors expressed the greatest satisfaction.
The Grand Prince Constantine left on the 27th ult for
Sebastopol, from whence it is said that he will return in
company with Prince Gortschakoff, for the purpose of
holding communication with the Emperor respecting the
plans for the future campaign. It is said to be in the
plans of the Russian commander-in-chief to abandon the
northern forts, and to take up a strong position between
Baktchi-Semi and Eupatoria for the protection of the
Crimea.
At Nicolaieff 45,000 men were collected. The
arrival of the fleet off Odessa had caused great
sensation among the inhabitants, who were leaving
the town rapidly.
At Helsingfora the Russians were actively em-
ployed in restoring the fortifications of Sweaborg,
and in augmenting its defences. General de Berg,
the Military Governor, had visited the rock of
Longom, in which the French established a battery,
to see if it will not be possible to construct a citadel
there.
A loan was about to be contracted with the United
States.

Letters from Galatz, of the 25th, state that all the
troops of the line in Bessarabia have been concen.
trated between Odessa and Nicolaieff. The fortresses
of Bessarabia are occupied by the militia.
TURKEY.

The Sultan has sent Rifaat Pacha to the Crimea,
to present first class decorations of the order of the
Medjidie to Marshal Pelissier, General Simpson,
General de la Marmora, and Admiral Bruat. Each
of these gallant personages will also receive a satire
enriched with diamonds and an autograph letter of
thanks from the Sultan. The sword sent to Marshal
Pelissier was valued at 100,000 f. The Sultan, more-
over had created the Marshal a Padishah, with a
grant of 200,000 Y. a year.
Letters from Constantinople, of the Ist, state that
the first division of the Turkish Contingent, with
artillery, had embarked under the command of
General Vivian for Kertch.
Accounts from Constantinople affirm that the re-
ported recal of Lord Stratford de Bedell& was
untrue.

AUSTRIA.
A circular has lately been addressed by the Aux.
trian Government to its diplomatic agents upon the
present position of Austria with regard to Russia and
tee Western powers. This document stalei that,
according to article iv. of the treaty of I)ecem.
ber, " Austria cannot act as a mediator between
Russia and the Western powers, because she is the
ally of the latter ;" while Prussia, being bound by no
ties, is free to attempt negotiations. The question
whether the present moment is favorable for negotia-
tions is then argued and negatived, as the success of
the Western powers cannot be considered decisive
until the Crimea is wrested from Russia. The finan-
cial affairs of the empire were felt to be in a most
unsatisfactory condition, and a great crisis anti-
cipated.
The recent journey of Baron Prokesch to Pan.
had excited a great deal of surmise at Vienna. The