The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-06 00:00:00

PERSIA.

Prince Dolgorouki, the Russian envoy at Teheran,
demands the cession of the province of Azerbaidjan,
one of the richest in the monarchy, as compensation
for the nonpayment of an immense sum of money
which he asserts to be owing from the Schah to the
Czar. The province of Azerbaidjan is contiguous to
the Russian possessions to the south of the Caspian
Sea. The debt claimed amounts to eighty million
roubles ; and, as the province specified is valued at
something higher, Russia promises to pay the dif-
ference to the Shah.
The Paris journals contain a letter from Schiras,
in Persia, written by a Swedish physician, giving
a dreadful account of the almost total destruction
of that town on the 21st of April. Not less than
12,000 persons, it is stated, perished by the disaster.

UNITED STATES.
The latest accounts from Washington state that
fresh difficulties had arisen with regard to the
fishery question. It was believed that the nego-
tiations would be delayed, and that the subject
would not be disposed of before the meeting of
Congress.
The New York Crystal Palace does not attract
so many persons as was anticipated, and the daily
attendance has not averaged more than four thou-
sand.
The large steam-boiler in the foundry of John R.
Pratt, Esq., Attorney-street, New York, collapsed on
the 19th, just as the workmen were returning from
dinner, blowing out the rear of the premises, fright-
fully scalding the engineer and three workmen, and
fracturing the skull of a grocer who was sitting in
front of his store in Ridge-street. Several others had
hair-breadth escapes. The engineer died the night
after the accident.
Three ladies were drowned by the swamping of a
pleasure-boat on the Delaware, on the evening of the
19th ult.
Three large tobacco manufactories were destroyed
by tire at Richmond, Virginia, on the 15th, entailing
a loss of upwards of 40,900 dollars.
William Cating, a native of Ireland, has been hung
at Hackensack fir the murder of two children named
O'Brien. He was at feud with their father. Another
female has been thrown from her horse at the Hip-
podrome and killed. This makes the third victim at
the same fatal place of amusement. A negro has
been hung by a mob at Liberty, Missouri, tor kill-
ing his overseer.
A murderous attack was made upon a body of
Mormons in Beaver Island on the 13th of July.

An accident, attended with melancholy results,
had occurred in Havana at the circus on Sunday,
the 10th ult., by which several persons were very
seriously, and some mortally, injured. A large con-
course had assembled to witness the exhibition which
was got up by the agricultural commission. As his
Excellency the Captain-General entered, the crowds
pressed to see and salute him, and the gallery, being
too weakly constructed, gave way, and precipitated
great numbers of people on those below. The
Havana newspapers report the death of one gentle-

AUGUST 6, 1853.

man, Don Gabriel Alguacil, but, as usual, give no
satisfactory account of the numbers killed or
wounded.

CANADA.

The first train on the new line of railroad be-
tween Montreal and Portland arrived at the latter
place on the 16th ult., and was welcomed by a salute
of 30 guns.
The coroner's inquest on the ten men killed during
the (lavazzi riot at Montreal has ended as everybody
expected, the jury not having been able to agree on
a verdict. This inquest lasted nearly a month, and
a large mass of evidence was taken and published ;
Rome of it of a most conflicting character, and reveal-
ing undeniable perjury, not on mere details but on
the main facts of the case. This inquest had almost
absorbed public attention for some time past.
The crops in Upper Canada are not likely to be
very full this year; but the quality promises to be
very good. Prices were very variable, being much
affected by the news from Europe.

CHINA.

The following letter, which is dated Shanghae,
May 31, gives some interesting particulars respecting
the progress of the rebellion in China :

" Everything lately has been going on quietly at Nankin,
but there is no doubt that the rebels are gaining ground
daily ; the more I hear of them the more I am led to be-
lieve they are an earnest, determined people. The prospect,
however, of their settlement as the Government of the
country must be very uncertain, and is rendered the more
so as in the south of China two other rebellions have
sprung up ; one at Amoy, which place they have taken,
and there set a guard for the protection of foreigners—
that is, English and Americans, &c. How it will end
the wisest cannot say, but there can be no doubt that the
empire under the Tartar rule and the mandarins is draw-
ing to a close.
" We are on the eve of startling changes in China, I am
sure : they will not be long in coming. Let us hope that
good will result, as I hope it will. The rebels at Nankin
requested us to go up and trade with them ; they are
anxious we should do so, and provided we would go they
promised us protection.
" The mandarins are making some efforts by buying
English ships and giving the command to English and
Americans, with as many English for crews as they can
collect; but these men are hired at enormous pay, and
do not expose themselves to more risks than they can
help ; as to fighting, they intend to do nothing of the kind ;
they go merely for their pay, and take care and do little or
nothing.
"The Emperor's army is diminishing daily, for they
bolt as their pay ceases, which is the case with many ;
their expenses are enormous, with a decreasing revenue, for
the people plainly refuse to pay their taxes, and the man-
darins in such times have not the power to make them. In
fact, the Tartar rule is dropping to pieces, from their weak-
ness and natural causes, the result of imbecility, dishonesty,
lying, and cruelty. Under proper rule the Chinese would
become one of the first, most enterprising, and most suc-
cessful nations upon earth. Many differ from me, but I
consider Chinamen, as a body, the most talented people
have ever seen, and are very far superior to my own
countrymen in many qualifications. All they want is
education, good government, and protection of the law in
that which is rightfully their own ; give them this and
they will rise rapidly into an important and civilised
nation. They are not a fighting people, but commercial,
persevering, and enterprising. The more I see of them,
the more I admire their ability ; but I must admit them
to be the most unexceptionable liars I have ever seen ;
beyond pilfering in accounts ( what we call at home a
per-centage), they are honest as a nation—very much
so—but in all accounts they will strive and squeeze when
they can."