The Press.
London, England, 1855-09-15 00:00:00

THE CAMP THEATRE.

The winter dramatic season of the naval brigade
was inaugurated on the St`th ult. by a splendid series
of performances. The histronic artistes, orchestra,
and stage appointments all belonged to the ship
London, and the entertainment came off in the
ravine along the summit of which the camp of the
brigade is pitched. The performances included three
pieces well known to the habitués of the Hay
market and Adelphi , and the blue-jacket actors
are reported to have sustained their roles in a manner
which would not have disgraced any of the second-
rate employees of either of those houses. The theatre
consisted of a large appropriately shaped and deco-
rated tent, pitched in the bottom of the ravine ; and
the audience looked on and applauded from their al
fresco seats along the ascending slope of the hill.
Acting, singing, and dancing were all admirable ; and
if the boisterous satisfaction expresssed by the ring-
ing palms and right virrous lungs of the hundreds
who crowded the hillside can be in any way accepted
as proof of excellence, Messrs. Wright and Buckstone
Dever surpassed the nautical knights of the buskin,
who gave bodily and vocal shape to the fun contained
in the three farces of Deaf as a Post, The Silent
Woman (not Ben Jenson's classical comedy), and
Masher and Crasher. The only thing to be found
fault with in the whole arrangement was its gratuitous
character ; a space should have been inclosed for the
audience, and a charge made for admission, to be
flistributed amongst the performers, or otherwise ap-
propriated for the good of the men, or as the officers
of the brigade should deem best. Among other dis-
tinguished visitors were the Duke of Newcastle, who
paid marked attention to Deaf as a Post, and led the
encore for a hornpipe of the first force ; Lord Rokeby,
who was as assiduous as his grace ; and many gene-
rals, brigadiers, lords and honourables. The sense
of enjoyment was not marred by the long-range guns,
which used now and then to send a lobbing shut near
the theatre, and never did any harm ; and if the
audience were amused so were the performers, who
pled wild surprising spirit and taste,

THE PRESS.

lortign 6orrtspontalct.

FRANKFORT, September 11.
THE war in the Crimea is beginning to tell upon the
Governments of Central Europe, and its prolonga-
tion, contrary to the intent of the English and
Vienna Cabinets, is begetting results that will
shortly test the sincerity of the Palmerston plans
militant. Count Buol does not disguise, and his
partisans frankly declare, that in the confidential
communications with Lord John Russell on subjects
beyond the strict limits of the Conference, the
English envoy spoke the sentiments of Lord Palmers-
ton, and had authority for the opinions he expressed
and the course that he pursued. That peace at any
price was the private instruction of the English
Cabinet Lord John Russell himself divulged at
Brussels, and the object would have been accom-
plished had it not been for those informal vagaries
which alarmed the trained adepts of precise
diplomacy. It was admitted by Count Buol, confi-
dentially, that should peace be impracticable Austria
could not and would not abide by the promise con-
veyed in the December treaty to take an active part
against Russia. He disclosed the untoward position
of the finances, the insecurity of the Italian pro
vinces, the state of Hungary, and the difficulty of
territorial conservatism without the guarantee of
England and France for the integnty of the Austrian
empire as apportioned and settled at the Congress of
Vienna. Another embarrassment, also, would arise
if the war should ultimately extend to the princi-
palities whilst held by neutral and Austrian troops.
In these private interviews Count Buol admitted the
occupation of the principalities, with the consent of
Russia, to have been based upon the understanding
that Austria would not exceed the four points of
Vienna in articles for peace, would not depart from a
strict neutrality, nor permit the principalities to be
invaded and occupied by others. The agreement
betwixt Russia and Austria, arranged domestically
and secretly, was very positive, and so remains.
The possibility of the war extending to the banks
of the Danube has led the St. Petersburg organ to
speak without reservation, and to reveal the sub-
stance of the intimate conversations of Count Buol
and Lord John Russell, which were not unknown to
Lord' Palmerston :

Le langage alarme de la presse Autrichienne, et l'annonce
d'une nouvelle tentative qui ferait le Cabinet de Vienne
aupres de is Dieto Germanique a tin de s'assurer l'appui
de l'Allemagne, nous ont inspire la retlexion que l'Autriche
se trouve en ce moment sous le poids dune pression ever-
gigue par laquelle lea esperauces occidentales s'efforceut de
briser son inertie, et de l'entrainer a leur suite dans touter
les consequences d'une co-operation militaire. On tient
suspendue stir sa tete la menace dune campagne sur le
Danube, et c'est lit ce que l'Autriche redoute le plus. Placee
dans la dangereuse alternative de commencer la guerre
sans le concours tie l'Allemagne, ou de se voir enlever par
le fait dune entrée des allies dans les Principautes, l'uniqae
et. precieuse fruit de cos sacrifices et de sa politique, l'Au•
triche cherche a conjurer le danger qui la menace.
There is no lack of sincerity in this Russian state-
ment of the real position of Austria, and the open
declaration of the compact for the ultimate posses-
sion of " l'unique et precieuse fruit de ces sacrifices
et de sa politique" must be entertaining both to
Count Buol and Lord Palmerston. Russia holds
certain secrets of the Austrian policy, as Austria is in
possession of some of the privy dealings of the Eng-
lish Cabinet. It is possible that these same are not
unknown to Russia, who may disclose just so much
as may suit her purpose.
Late events have caused fresh communications
betwixt Prussia and Austria, and have led to a deter-
mination by the respective Cabinets to protest for.
molly against France and England extending their
military operations beyond Turkish and Russian
ground. This puny endeavour to prevent the war
becoming general is circumscribed to simple protest,
for it, is inevitable. The old German nobility are
adverse to the existing order of things, and to the
corruption of the reigning princes by Russia, and the
Hungarians are impatient of Austrian rule. These
questions were secretly mooted at Vienna, and in-
fluenced that peace tentative, improper and irregular,
the defeat of which embarrassed Lord Palmerston,
instigated the ex post facto letter• militant of Lord
Clarendon, and expelled Lord John Russell from the
Ministry. It must be remembered that Lord John
ltussell, previous to the Vienna mission, was wont to
applaud the nationalities as an inherent principle of
continental Liberalism, and that upon his return he
eagerly seized an opportunity to denounce them as
impolitic, inadmissible, and destructive of Eu-
ropean peace. Each fact that indirectly creeps into
light proves substantially that the Palmerston
Ministry did not intend to prolong the war, and that
Lord Palmerston himself was impressed with the
force of the consequences which would be sure to
follow if peace were not summarily eataPlisbed,

SATURDAY,

conclusive evidence may be adduced the want of gun-
boat and mortar materiel in the Baltic to improve
the insignificant success at Sweaborg, and the un-
prepared state of the Crimea for the necessities of
another winter. The Hanse transport affair and the
deficiency of huts are not promising proofs of adipi.
nistrative improvement in the War Department. In
the meantime, the St. Petersburg Gazette announces
that Russia is willing to treat for peace on honourable
terms, and hints that the offer is neither unknown
nor unacceptable to the Ministry of England.
Austria has ceased to appeal to the Diet, and M.
de Prokersch-Osten has been summoned to Vienna.
A daily journal well informed on the affairs of
Germany observes .

En parlant de l'Allemagns on eat tout d'abord ember-
rassee de savoir on elle est. 11 y a longtemps que Umpire
tiermanique a disparu, et alors que Francois 11. abdiquait
un titre dont it reconnaissait publiquement l'inanite, it ne
creait pas une situation nouvelle, it souscrivit a un fait ac-
compli. L'unite de la nation n'existait plus.
This want of unity has provoked the contention
betwixt Austria and I'russis for a preponderance at
the Diet; and the strife of party has permitted
Russia to introduce a third and a very powerful
influence—the more powerful from the venality and
utter want of integrity amongst the German princes.
Not so the people. The absence of German unity
is the crime of the unpatriotic and corrupt prince,—
the desire of German unity is the tie that binds
together the ancient noblesse and the people.
Powerless for German welfare, it is in vain for the
Diet to interfere with the principalities and to attempt
to coerce the people, represented in their respective
Chambers, into a compliance with the will of an
irresponsible sovereign. Hanover has referred to
the jurisdiction of the Diet, and the Diet has decreed
in favour of the King against the popular Chamber.
Wurtemburg may probably follow the example; and
the Diet, reversing the case, has also acceded to the
petition of the nobility of Saxe Cobourg for a restitu-
tion of the " droits equestres." This will directly
raise the question of the value of the Germanic
Confederation and the stability of the princes in
opposition to the people, or when with the people
against the Confederation. The initiative positive
has been taken by the Diet, and it presumes to
dictate to the Duke of Saxe Cobourg Gotha, and to
command the restitution of the nobility of his princi-
pality to those feudal privileges which had been
legally abolished by the Constitution of the duchy.
The reply of the Duke is curt and to the purpose.
He asserts that on his accession to the dukedom he
became bound, " voluntate suit, et conscia mente," to
certain conditions fundamental of ducal rule. His
oath was pledged thereon, to which ho adheres ; and
he implies the direct impropriety of the Diet in
accepting a petition from certain parties in his State
against the spirit of the Constitution. Every Ger-
man who understands and values national honour
and national consistency must and will applaud the
straightforward conduct of the Duke of Saxe Cobourg.
He has encountered the German difficulty by siding
with his people against the oppression of the Diet.
If the Diet recedes from its decision it becomes for
ever inoperative and useless,—and if disposed to try
itsi power what step will it take ? The Liberals of
Germany are prepared for the event.
J. E. L.

SIENA, September 8.
THE concordat lately concluded betwixt the Pope
and the Emperor of Austria does not specify the
more important and particular engagements which
have been entered into with Cardinal Antonelli. That
an armed intervention will be necessary to put down
the political effervescence in favour of Italian reform
cannot be disputed—;nut will it be allowed, and by
whom will it be undertaken ? The Echo of Mont
Blanc says, "De tons cotes retentit le cri de l'insur-
rection" ; and whilst Jesuit Rome is relying for
foreign aid against liberalism, at Alexandria in Pied-
mont the statue of Andrea Vocchieri—a young man
shot on June 2, 18.53, for his devotion to "la
Giovane Italia"—has been formally inaugurated on
the Piazza Grande with every popular and govern-
mental honour. On the same day, in the adjoining
grand duchy of Tuscany, the trial of l'eruzzi took
place for a participation in the Florentine conspiracy
against Austrian subjection. He is a descendant of
the Baldassare Peruzzi of this place, well known in
the annals of Pignotti and Guicciardini. This state
of things cannot last. If one man be governmentally
honoured a few miles north for deeds for which a
man a few miles south is governmentally executed,
public opinion will surely and immediately interpose
its judicial decision, and lead to the overt act of
sentence one way or the other; and that way will be
clear enough.
tsur inscrutable purposes the Emperor of Russia
has yielded the point of episcopal nomination i*
Poland and the Latin districts to the Pope. Nothing
would induce his father, the Czar ;iicholas, to

SEPT. 15, 1855.

don this long•coveted privilege ; and the concession
at the present moment is indicative of anything
rather than increase of Russian influence in Europe.
It will certainly weaken the demand of Russia in the
fourth proposition of Vienna for an almost exclusive
protectorate of the Christians in Turkey, and will
authorise the Latin Church to assume a position
which has always been refused to it by Russia.
M. T. A.