The Press.
London, England, 1855-12-22 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

The following Imperial ukase, addressed to the
Minister of Finance, has been issued by the Im-
perial Government :
To provide for the extraordinary expenses which ac-
tual circumstances impose upon the Treasury of the Em-
pire, we have authorised you, conformably to your propo.
sition, to conclude, through the medium of the commercial
house of our banker, Councillor Baron Steiglitz, of St.
Petersburg, a loan of 50 millions of silver roubles, on the
eo iditions confirmed by us, and we order you consequently
to make the following arrangements :-
1. This loan is to be inscribed on the ledger (grand-
tivre) of the public debt of Russia as the sixth loan at 5
per cent.
2. For this loan notes shall be issued of the Imperial
Commission of the Sinking Fund (inscriptions) to the
bearer ; each note to be for 500 silver roubles.
3. This scrip will bear an annual interest of 5 per
cent., dating from the Ist October of the present year.
To each note 20 coupons will be attached, on the presen-
tation of which the interest due will be paid to the cor-
responding time.
4. Tile pay went of this interest will be made for each
halfyear due, from the Ist April to the Ist June, and
from the Ist October to the Ist December, and there will
be paid for each coupon at St. Petersburg, by the Com-
mission of the Sinking Fund, 12 roubles 50 copecs silver, '
or else through the medium of the bankers, Steiglitz and
Co., 23 florins 60 cents. of the Netherlands, or 26 marks
10 schelings 11 pfennings of the Hamburg Bank.
5. On the expiration of the first ten years of the loan,
new coupons will be issued for the scrip then in circu-
lation.
0. The sinking (amortisement) of this loan will com-
mence in 1858, and for this object a special fund will be
assigned, totally distinct from the other loans, and which
will form each year two per cent. of the nominal capital
of the loan. This sinking fund, which will increase from
the interests become disposable by the redemption of
scrip, will be employed to buy up the scrip at the current
rate (au coura) as long as it does not rise above its nominal
value, that is to say, above par. Atter twenty years, namely,
dating from 1875, the Government reserves to itself the
right of paying the scrip of this loan, which may then be
in circulation, at the rate of its nominal value.
LThe original is signed by the proper hand of his
Majesty the Emperor.]

ALEXANDER.

St. Petersburg, Nov. 26, 18:55.
Translstion approvetl.ll

NESSELRODE.
Chancellor of the Empire.
The great council of generals and Ministers have
commenced their sittings at St. Petersburg. The
activity of every military department of the Govern-
ment is spoken of as incredible : enormous prepa-
rations are being made for the defence of Cronstadt
and St. Petersburg, and the various departments of
the army and navy are narrowly scrutinised, to pre-
♦ent frauds on the Government or the misapplication
of means.
R. The Grand Duke Nicholas returned to Odessa on
the sth, for the purpose of distributing the Sebasto-
pol medals to the remains of the defenders.
ne insurrection in Little Russia continues to
spread, and causes serious uneasiness to the Govern-
ment. Strong divisions of troops have been sent
into the country to suppress it with vigour.

PRUSSIA.
Count Munster retuned to Berlin, from St. Peters-
burg on the 18th, with a letter from the Emperor
of Russia, in reply to that of the King. The contents
of either letters have not transpired, although it is
generally credited in Berlin that Count Munster was
the bearer of a pacific entreaty from the King to the
Emperor.
The Russian Loan, undertaken by Mendelssohn's
house, will not be issued till after the turn of the
year. The Berlin portion is about 5,000,0001.
SWEDEN AND DENMARK.
The ratification of the treaty has taken place be-
tween Sweden and the Western powers, by which
Sweden engages not to cede nor to exchange with
Russia either territory, pasturage, or fishing-grounds,
on the one hand; and the allied powers, on the
other, engage to defend Sweden against Russia,
should the latter treat the conduct as a breach of
neutrality.
It is stated that a secret article of the treaty
concludes also an offensive as well as defensive

alliance.
The Danish commission on the Sound dues lately
received a letter from the United States Government,
refusing to accept the rights put forth by Denmark,
and objecting to send a representative to the con-
gress. The note, however, admits that Denmark
has gone to considerable expense for the construc-
tion and repair of the different lighthouses for the
guidance of vessels in passing through the Sound.
The United States, in consequence, declare their
readiness to pay their part of an indemnity destined