The Press.
London, England, 1857-12-26 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

The Bank of PrusSittliasredUced its discount on
commercial bills to six and a half per cent., and its
rate of interest on loans on goods to seven and a
half per cent.
The health of the King of Prussia is still so far
from being restored that the definite establishment
of a Regency is by no means improbable.
The Prince of Prussia, it is fully anticipated, will
he present in London at the marriage of his son with
the Princess Royal of England. Princes Frederick
Charles and Adalbert will certainly be present.
The Zeit states that the opening of the Prussian
Chambers is definitively fixed for the 12th of
J anuary.
RUSSIA. _

Le Nord of Saturday last publishes the official
documents relative to the regulation of the relations
between the Russian landed proprietors and the
peasantry. From the imperial decree, addressed to
the Military Governor of Vilna and the Governor-
General of Grodno and Kowno, we make the follow-
ing extracts :
To this effect, I ordain to establish from this day a com-
mittee of e'.aboration in each of the before-mentioned
Governments, and hereafter a general commission for the
three Governments united. Immediately after the forma-
tion of the provincial committees each of them will draw
up a detailed plan for the amelioration of the existence of
the peasantry, taking for a basis of their plans the following
conditions :-1. The proprietor preserves his right of pro-
perty in the old landed estate, but th‘t peasants preserve
the plots around their habitations, which they have the
right of acquiring in complete ownership by purchase, the
money payable at a fixed term ; they have also the use of
a certain portion of land according to local conditions
which may be necessary tolassnre their existence, and to
give them the means of satisfying their obligations towards
the State and the proprietor. lu return for this use the
peasants are bound either to pay a rent to the proprietor

or to labour on his account. 2. The

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tween peasants and proprietors must be so regulated as to
guarantee the regular service of taxes due to the State, and
of servitudes and provincial imposts.
The remainder of the decree refers to general in-
structions to the various officials engaged in carrying
out the directions of the Government on this subject.
The decree, signed by the Emperor Alexander, is
dated Tsarskiie-Selo, December 2, 1857. Le Nord
states that this and other documents relating to the
same question, and published by our contemporary,
were to appear officially in Russia on Monday.
The failure of the Putiatin embassy to China will
in all probability result in certain active and aggres-
sive measures against that empire by Russia. The
tone of the Russian journals is singularly indicative
of such views. The Northern Bee last week
remarked :

China is too extensive an empire to admit of its con-
tinuing any longer to lead an isolated existence, shut out
from all intercourse even with those States which, by
means of their commercial organisation (England) and
their conterminous vicinity (ltussia), have the strongest
claims to enter into relation with her. The spirit of
European enterprise cries aloud, and demands that she
should approach the circle in which it reigns. The dig-
nity and the power of civilised States cannot be any longer
indifferent to the obstinate refusals of the Court of Pekin
to enter into any species of relation with Europe and
America ; the less so, as Japan, in obedience to better
impulses, and without any particular means of coercion
being employed, had already done so. According to the
most recent intelligence China abides by her obstinacy, and
therefore it will be no matter of surprise if China should
shortly become the theatre of remarkable events of the
highest interest to Europe.

Taken in conjunction with the arrival of the Siberian
generals, who have lately made a tour of inspection
throughout the Amoor territory, it may be accepted
as an indication of the policy about to be pursued
towards China.