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

THE PRESS.

The public declarations of the new Emperor of Russia, ALEX.
ANDER 11., have attracted much attention. His proclamation on the
death of his father, and his address to the army, were considered as
formal documents meant to gratify popular sentiment, and
to which, therefore, no political significance was to be attached.
But his address to the diplomatic corps, delivered on the 7th
inst., five days after his accession, may fairly be considered as
announcing the policy on which, with his Government, he is pre-
pared to act. He stated that he adhered to the principles of
the Holy Alliance held by his uncle the Emperor ALEXANDER and of his
father. The intentions of the latter, always loyal and upright, had
been misunderstood. " Like him," said the young Emperor, firmly,
" I desire peace, and wish to see the evils of war terminated;
" but if the Conferences which are about to open at Vienna
" do not lead to a result honourable for us, then, gentlemen, at
" the head of my faithful Russia, I will combat with the whole
" nation, and I will perish sooner than yield " To the Minister
of Prussia (Baron Ds WEATHER) he said that he had never doubted
the fraternal affection of the King, and to the Minister of Austria
(Count ESTERHAZY) he spoke gratefully of the order of the day ad-
dressed to the Austrian army. This declaration of the young
Emperor's sentiments emphatically establishes what was previously
well understood, that if peace be not accomplished by the Congress
now sitting, the war must inevitably be desperate and long-protracted.
The isolation of Prussia continues. The Chamber of Representa-
tives has declared that it witnesses this isolation " with sorrow," and
expresses a hope that the King will adopt "a firm and consistent line
"of policy." The King arrived at Dresden on the 18th. It is supposed
that his visit has some political importance.

It is pleasant to contrast the latest despatches from the camp
with those previously received. There is general improvement. The
troops are recovering health and strength, and the spirits of men and
officers are exhilirated by the bright spring weather which had been
experienced. Activity and energy were displaying themselves in that
Slough of Despond, Balaklava, which is being rapidly cleaned out,
drained and made wholesome, and convenient at the same time by the
erection of piers, cranes, and store-houses, for the easier landing and
better preservation of the Government stores. Meanwhile the siege
operations were, to use that stereotyped phrase, " carried on success-
" fully." New batteries were erected and armed, while the old ones
were strengthened upon every point. But the Russians upon their
side neglected no opportunity of strengthening and improving their
position. General OSTEN-SAZKEN had displayed great activity since
he assumed the command of the Russian army. Convoys of stores
and provisions were daily seen crowding into Sebastopol—new
redoubts were thrown up, and their lines of defence extended and
armed to that degree that their strength, it is believed, would prove
their weakness, and the immense number of guns to be worked tend.
to such a diffusion of the garrison as must materially weaken the
numerical strength of their forces upon any given point of attack.
It is stated that one fort which, in the commencement of th
siege, presented a line of from 50 to 60 guns, has now more than 200.
The Malakhoff Tower, which, on the 17th of October, had 25, has now
70. The Flag Battery is bristling with 140 guns, and the Redan Wall
has been in many places triply fortified. As far as projected opera-
tions in the field go, the Russians are gradually blocking up every
point, and throwing up redoubts, and otherwise fortifying all the
olvailablc roads from the allied camp into the country.
By the publication of the despatches of General CANROBERT and
of those of OSTEN-SACEEN, we have an opportunity of comparing the
different accounts given of the smart action of the 23rd. The French
attacked gallantly, but the Russian fire was too hot for them. They
were compelled to retreat with severe loss, nor, though the advanced
work of the Russians is admitted to be important, has any tfurther
attempt been made to take it

In Paris nothing certain is known respecting the departure of the
Emperor, but the whole attitude of France is warlike. The address
of the Emperor in reviewing the Imperial Guards, on Tuesday, was in
the style of the great NAPOLEON'S harangues. In a few words, which
every man could remember, it declared the army to be the true nobility
of the country, preserving from age to age traditions of glory and
national honour. A pamphlet by M. EMILE GIRARDIN, "La Paix," has
excited great notice in Paris, from its extraordinary proposition that
France and Austria should equally insist on the dismantling of Sebas-
topol and Gibraltar, so as to give complete freedom to the two seas—
the Mediterranean and the Euxine.

In Parliament the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER'S first measure
has not been well received. The Newspaper Stamp Bill in its altered
shape pleases no party. Mr. GLADSTONE'S plan went on the intelligible
principle of placing all printed papers on the same footing, and aban-
doned all necessity for newspaper registration and securities. Be.
tween newspapers and other publications we think a broad distinction
may be drawn, and that the distinction may be maintained on grounds
of policy. Either system would be consistent. But Sir CORNEWALL
LEWIS adopts neither. A publication is to be a newspaper in the eye
of the law, and to require registration and securities only when it is
required to pass through the post. Obviously this is to demand sure-
ties from the more respectable journals, which would use the post,
while papers of a lower class, having a purely local circulation, would
be exempt from them. Notice was last night given by Mr DEEDES
that he should move the postponement of the second reading of the
Bill until after the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER had made his finan-
cial statement.

The tone of Lord PALMERSTON'S remarks on the " oppressed-na-
tionalities " speech of Sir ROBERT PEEL has tended to lower the Noble