The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-24 00:00:00

ITALY.

SCHAMI AND HIS SON.
The writer of a letter from the Caucasus states
that within the last few weeks Schamyl has been re-
joiced by the return of his son, who, eleven years
ago, when of tender age, had the misfortune to be
taken prisoner by the Russians. Since then Schamyl
had not heard of the boy, and long ago gave him up
for lost. It appears, however, that when he was
captured the Russian general, Prince Woronzoff,
sent him to St. Petersburg, where the late Emperor
took a liking to the lad, and had him educated in the
SPAIN. Military Academy. It happened last year that
Sammy', in some sudden surprise, took several Rus-
The inauguration of the railway from Madrid to sian ladies prisoners, amongst whom was the Princess
Albacete, a distance of 276 kilometres (1721 English TQcharawaddy. They were conducted to one of
miles), took place on Monday last. Scbamyl's mountain fastnesses and confined there as
The Spanish Government continues sending rein- prisoners of war, hut treated with the respect and
forcements to Cuba.
TURKEY. decorum due to their rank and sex. The Governor-
General of Tithe sent a flag of truce to Schamyl to
Advices from Constantinople of the 12th of March demand the release of the captured ladies, offering a
state that the shocks of earthquake continued. large sum of money and the liberty of several
The sulphurous springs of Broussa had been dried Circassian ladies who had been made prisoners by
up. Mount Olympus vomits smoke like a volcano. the Russians. But Schamyl replied that if his son
The French hospital of Grand-Champ is reported were alive, and the Russians would restore him, he
to have been destroyed by fire, with the loss of about would release all the lady captives. The Emperor
lon lives. Other accounts, however, declare that Nicholas sent for young Schamyl, gave him his
it was only some wooden barracks near the hospital liberty, and fitted him out with the needful equip-
alluded to that caught fire and were destroyed ; ment to undertake the long journey. The exchange
making no mention of any persons having perished took place in the end of January. Young Schainyl,
in the conflagration. The Emperor Napoleon was
who when at St. Petersburg was not required to eh-
expected in that city, where every preparation had jure the Moslem creed, has profited by his involun-
been made for his reception. tarsj seour at the Russian capital, and has now
The death of the Emperor Nicholas was received.
returned to his overjoyed father an accomplished
at Constantinople on the 7th instant. cavalier, with a comparatively civilised education.
RUSSIA. It is said that he entertains "great gratitude to the
The official report of the progress of the malady Emperor for his personal treatment, and it is not
of the Emperor Nicholas confirms in some degree impossible that his return to his native mountains
the opinion entertained that the news of the affair may have an effect on the future mode of Circassian
of Eupatoria accelerated, if it did not cause, the warfare, and the introduction of more civilised man-
death of the Emperor. It was precisely on the 24th ners and customs generally amongst his countrymen.
February that an improvement in his system took
place, and a favorable crisis was expected. At that INDIA AND CHINA.
We announced
moment the despatch concerning Eupatoria was the arrival of the overland mail
handed him, which appeared to disturb bim very ' from India and the Eastin our late edition last week.

The Opinione of Turin states that two companies '
of the Piedmontese corps of Engineers are to embark
on the 31st instant, on board the Carlo Alberto
steamer, for the Crimea. Five hundred oxen have
been bought by the Piedmontese Government for
slaughter, in order to furnish the expeditionary troops
with salt beef.
A separate treaty will be concluded between Sar•
dinia and the Porte, and all the diplomatic difficulties
which retarded the embarkation of the Piedmontese
contingent will be thus removed. The expedition,
commanded by General La Marmora, will proceed
on the 12th of April.

The letters and papers have since been duly re-
ceived. The following is from the summary of the
Bombay Times :
Perfect tranquillity reigns throughout India, and there
is every prospect of its lung continuing to du so. Some
time since it was stated that 'fagsliund, in the Kokan,
had been occupied by the Russians; whereas we are now
assured that l'agshund hail not been
occupied by them,
and that no Russians are within two hundred miles of the
place. A force has certainly arrived within some days'
march of Khiva, but no RWISIAII agent has been within
reach of that town. The Shah of Persia is unremitting in
his endeavours to effect an alliance with Dost hi &twined.
The latter some time since sent one of his courtiers on a
secret political mission to Persia ; he lately returned to
Cabul with costly presents from the Shah to the Dost, and
a gracious and flattering letter, in which, among other
things, the Aweer promises to restore all the territory
wrested from Cabul by Persia. The kleeranzaie expedi-
tion has not lett Peshawur, but arrangements are in pro-
gress for its departure. The mountain train bad been
warned for service, as well as a company of European
artillery. Our advice' from Burmah are to the ilfirti ult.
Orders have been issued by the commissioner for two ves-
sels to he in readiness in June next to proceed to Ma,
whither the ambassadors have already tone.
The North China Herald of January 6th gives an
account of an unsuccessful attack on the city of
Shanghee. It says
The renewal of an. assault on the city of Shanghae has
been daily expected since Saturday last, when a few shots
were tired into it by the French, whereby it was reported
that about twenty insurgents were lined. This morning,
at about half-past six, a cannonade was commenced from
the French battery in front of the French consulate, and
within an hour a practicable breach was made in the north
city will, below the Jose-house that was destroyed by the
bombardment on the 9th ult. At this place we hear that
1.600 Imperialists and :.:60 French marines and sailors
ascended the breach and scaled the walls, when a furious
contest ensued—the French frigate La Janine d'Arc, and
steamer Colbert, also firing into the city to protect the at-
tacking column. The insurgents maintained their ground
with great determination, and burled the imperialists num
the walls as they ascended for some time. The French
behaved with great coolness and bravery, but Lieut. Duran
was killed, and Ensign Discry wounded, on the first attack.
The combat was maintained with great spirit from half-
past seven till about eleven am., when the insurgents
drove the Imperialists back with much slaughter; and the
French, finding their Chinese allies worse than useless,
were compelled to retire within their lines A few shots
were fired subsequently from the Fren:h ships.ofwar, but
about noon it seemed that the contest was euncluded for
the day, and the insurgents were left masters of the city.
We are informed that the French have had two officers
killed, four wounded, and thirteen privates killed and
thirty-three wounded.
WEST INDIES.
The West India mail packet Panama arrived at
Southampton on Tuesday. Besides forty•eight pas-
sengers, and specie to the value of 1,169,000 dole.,
she brings a large and beautiful collection of woods
from the Jamaica Society of Arts for the Paris
Exhibition.
The West India islands were generally healthy.
A serious disturbance took place at Kingston on the
27th of January, originating in a misunderstanding
between the Baptists and their minister (Mr. Ough
ton) about the proprietorship of their large chapel.
So great was the tumult that the authorities were
obliged to call out the aid of the military. The
result was not known when the packet left nee t day.
In Demerara an inundation, supposed to he con-
nected with some subterranean perturbation, bad
done considerable damage. ?deteorological pheno-
mena, unusual in February, have also manifested
themselves. Houses (says the Royal Gazette) have
" toppled down" before extraordinary winds ; forest
trees have also been levelled or dismembered ; and
such a sea has broken upon the coast as to destroy
the seaward defences, break kokers to pieces, and
create an amount of destruction unprecedented in
man's memory occurring within so short a time.
During one or two days the rain fell incessantly and
in torrents ; but, although back dams were endan-
gered by the pressure of the accumulating savannah
waters, no great damage could be effected from this
cause—it only kept estates' draining-engines in con-
stant employment. The sea has thoroughly satu-
rated Kingston (part of George Town) with silt,
killing, as a matter of course, trees and shrubs, and
fruit and flower, with which it was ornamented, and
which cost both time and money in the raising.
There is also a mud deposit upon the land—in this
• the certain cause of disease. The Executive

sweet rain-water with which of
covered the ground simultaneously with tohe outbreok
aeawardly.

'I

country the certain eause of alsease. any
and the Court of Policy have agreed to get out a
Dutch engineer, accustomed to sea defences oil the
coastof Holland. A visitation such as thjs would,
under ordinary circumstances, have been ruinous to
a very large amount of property on the east coast to
windward of the town. are informed, however,
that although strong k Wokeers, or draining sluices,
were shivered as if they had been reeds, and many
estates put under water, the mischievous influence
of the salt was to a large extent counteracted by the
a.stst• with which the torrents of rain

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