The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-30 00:00:00

THE BALTIC.

There is no news of interest from the Baltic fleets.
Notwithstanding some semi-official contradictions
and rumours of a projected attack on Revel, it
appears certain that nothing further will be attempted
this year. Sir C. Napier may, however, very poss►bly
remain in the Baltic with a squadron as long as the
ice will permit. The French and English admirals
separated on the 19th in the Baltic. The French
fleet, under Admiral l'arseval Deschenes, is now on
its way home.
The depot of coal at Kiel belonging to the French
Government is by no means exhausted, and will iu
all probability be replenished in time to be made use
of in the next year's naval campaign in the Baltic.

THE WHITE SEA.
Official despatches from Captain Ommaney have
been received by the Admiralty, detailing the opera-
tions of his small squadron in the White Sea, which
have resulted in the destruction of the defences end
town of Kola, the capital of Russian Lapland. Capt.
Ommaney states
" Kola is the nearest Russian town on the Arctic coat
to the Norwegian dominions. It is regarded as a place of
considerable importance, being the seat of government for
Russian Lapland, and garrisoned by a military force. Un-
derstanding that the creeks adjacent to the Kola river
were well adapted for concealing vessels belonging to ths
enemy, 1 deemed it necessary that this locality should be
reconnoitred before the close of this season while conduct-
ing my operations in those seas ; accordingly I directed
Captain Lyons to execute this service on his return Iron
Nardo-Huns.
" By extraordinary perseverance the obstacles of ascend-
ing a narrow river were overcome, and the Miranda was
placed within gunshot of the town of Kola. Captain
Lyons, anxious to spare the town, submitted conditional
terms for the surrender of the garrison, and afforded the
authorities full time for reflection. The oiler was rejected,
sod, the enemy assuming a hostile attitude, there was no
alternative but to open fire upon the defences and assem-
bled force. The effect of the shell among the wooden
houses soon caused a general conflagration of the town,
which reduced it to ashes.
" The defences of the town were completely destroyed,
and considerable loss of life was doubtless inflizted oa
the enemy's side, besides the destruction of a large quan-
tity of Government flour that was in store for the use of the
troops."

THE PRINCIPALITIES.
The Russians being cleared out of the principali-
ties, Orner Paella is pushing his forces across the
Pruth, and at the latest dates was preparing to be-
siege Ismail, in Bessarabia, the fortress so celebrated
from its siege and capture by Suvarow. Lord Raglan
is said to have called for some diversion in this quar-
ter, to keep the Russian army employed, which might
otherwise be sent to reinforce the troops in the
Crimea. This adverse movement is reported to have
been very distasteful to the Austrians, who protested
against the intended occupation of lbraila and Galati
by the Turks.
The Vienna Lloyd says the retreating Russians
broke down behind them all the bridges they three
across the Pruth, and To, tified all the points on the
other side of the river where they think an attack
from their enemies not impossible. Theme bn. dg!il
built by themselves have been, therefore, so built for

*EPTEMBER 30, 1854.

their own retreat, The principalities have sutfered
much from them. The utterly-impoverished dis-
tricts of Wallachia are mournful witnesses of the
Muscovite occupation. These districts were amongst
the wealthiest, especially in their live stock, of the
principality, and now, through the incessant requisi-
tions and robberies of the Cossacks, they have been
literally reduced to beggary.
THE WAI4 IN ASIA.

The Circassians' commanded by Daniel Bey, a re-
lation of Schamyl, after they had crossed the Yarouk-
Sou, burned sixty villages, the inhabitants of which
had fled to Tiflis. They fought two battles with the
Russians under General Wrangel. In the first, the
Poles, forming part of that army corps, deserted with
two guns, making prisoners thirty Cossacks of the
regiment that pursued them. After the second corn-
bat the Russians fled, throwing two guns down a
ravine. The Circassians effected their junction with
Schamyl at Zakatala. That chief was about to pro-
ceed to the attack of Tiflis.
The Turkish army in Asia occupies the camp
abandoned by the Russians near Kars.
We read in the Journal de Constantinople:—

" Ismail Pacha, late commander-in-chief of the division
at Kalafat, who so greatly distinguished himself in the
defence of that important place, has been rewarded by the
• Sultan with the appointment of Muchir. Ismail Pacha is
appointed commander-in-chief of the army in Anatolia, in
the stead of Zarif-Mowitiat Pacha."
His Highness the Pacba of Egypt has been
pressed by the Turkish Envoy to send off as soon as
possible the Egyptian reinforcements and artillery
which he had promised to the Porte.

The Minateur states, that an English regiment of
cavalry, destined to reinforce the army of the East,
is shortly expected at Suez from India, and that the
Egyptian Government instantly granted the free
passage across the territory asked for by the English
Consul. General.
The recent courts-martial at Windsor delayed the
departure of the main body of the 46th Regiment for
the seat of war. They are now under orders to em-
bark at Woolwich in a day or two on board the trans-
port John Shepherd, which is fully prepared for their
reception. Their arrival at the scene of hostilities,
probably too late to take part in the most brilliant
operations in the Crimea, will doubtless prove not
the least portion of the punishment with which this
ill-fated corps bas been visited. The 46th is the last
regiment for service in the East.

The Dublin Express states that it is reported in
nrell-inforined military circles that the under-
mentioned line regiments will form part of the British
expeditionary force for the Baltic in March next:-
18th, 51st, 54th, 50th, 60th, 72nd, 80th, 82nd, 90th,
and 94th. The whole of these regiments will be in
England before the close of the year, and it is anti-
cipated that there will be no difficulty in raising them
to their augmented establishments long before they
proceed to the Baltic, the whole of the recruiting
staff being exclusively employed at the present mo-
ment in raising men for those regiments.

THE SQUADRON OF THE ALUMS which arrived at
Honolulu to water the ships and take in fresh sup
plies, numbering 258 guns, and headed by the war-
steamer Virago, is bound north to the Russian Asiatic
continent. The local journals notify the imposing
appearance of the vessels at anchor, such as the in-
habitants of the Sandwich Islands have not previously
been privileged to see, and add their good wishes for
a successful cruise. The Pique frigate, which had
been in pursuit of the Russian frigate Diana, joined
the
THE APARTMENTS AT WINDSOR CASTLE occupied
by the present Emperor of Russia on his last visit to
this country are being embellished and rearranged.
A report from a quarter likely to be well informed on
such matters reaches us that the Emperor and
Empress of the French are coming over on a visit to
her Majesty on the 16th of November.
Mn. MACGREGOR, M.P. FOR GLASGOW, met a large
number of his constituents on the 21st in the Mer-
chants' Hall in that city, for the purpose of laying
before them an account of his stewardship during the
last session of Parliament. The hon. member was
accompanied to the platform by Bailies bi'Dowalland
Macgregor, Deacon Convenor Craig, Councillor
*Adam, and a number of other local notabilities.
MR. HUME has been suffering from a severe attack
of indisposition at Thurso Castle, and the ceremony
of the presentation of the freedom of Aberdeen to him
has been necessarily postponed.
. THE celebrated clipper Engle, Captain Boyce, ar-
rived in the Mersey on Wednesday evening from
Melbourne, from which port she sailed on the 30th
of June last, with 80,000 ounces of gold and 35,0001.
m sovereigns—valued altogether at about 355,0001.
IN return for the compliment lately paid by Eng-
land to her ally, by christening a man-of-war France,
If is Intended to prefix the word Grind to the Bre
tagne, now building at Brest, a war-steamer of 1,200
11°rse
i power, which will, when finished, be the finest
ship n the whole French navy.

THE PRESS.

lortign and 6olonial `,nttiligente.

FRANCE.

The Emperor Napoleon returned to Boulogne
from the south on Saturday afternoon, having left
Paris that morning and stopped at Montreuil to revit w
the troops stationed there. On Monday evening the
Empress Eugenie also arrived at Boulogne, where
she was received with salutes of cannon, deputations,
and other tokens of welcotne, military and municipal.
The poissardes or fiat-mown of the town took a pro•
minent part in these performances. They were
dressed out on the occasion in their best holiday
clothes, and, having formed themselves into procer•
sion, walked to the railway station, and there awaited
the arrival of her Majesty to pay their respects to
their imperial mistress. Each of them carried a
beautiful bouquet of flowers in her right hand, and
the bright scarlet petticoats, with which they were
all clothed, rendered the scene one of a peculiarly
gay and picturesque character.
After duly acknowledging the various marks of
favour shown her, the Empress retired to the Hotel
Brighton. Many fetes and reviews are projected for
her entertainment during her stay in Boulogne, the
Emperor, it is stated, being desirous to show his con-
sort to the army. Among other doings, a great sham
battle was to come off before the end of the week. It
was to commence about twelve miles from the town,
and to extend several miles around. General
Schramm on the occasion was to represent the Czar
Nicholas ; and St. Omer was to be the Cronstadt or
Sebastopol. The Emperor Napoleon was to com-
mand the attacking force, and to besiege and take
the stronghold of the Russian enemy.
The health of the Empress is stated to have much
improved during her stay at Biarritz.
The Boulogne theatre was burnt down on Sunday
last. The fire broke out about noon, caused, it is
said, by an actor going into his dressing-room with a
lighted cigar. Assistance was soon at hand, the
Emperor himself arriving early, and making him-
self active In attempting to extinguish the flames.
The supply of water was, however, scanty, and the
fire-engines ridiculously inefficient, so that the edifice
was entirely destroyed. Fortunately the direction of
the wind saved the neighbouring buildings from
danger, or the calamity might have proved much
more disastrous. The theatre was fully insured, and
will be immediately rebuilt. An English company
has been established for the purpose of supplying
Boulogne with water, and the necessary works are in
an advanced state of completeness, but the operations
of the projectors have been strenuously opposed by
the mayor and his party in the town.
The Minister at War has written a circular to the
prefects, commanding officers of gendarmerie, and
directors of fortifications, directing them to exercise
the strictest surveillance upon the frontiers of France.
The customs duties in France for the past month
show an increase of 918,344 f. over the corresponding
month of 1853. . _ .

Prince Poniatowski, the Tuscan Minister at Paris,
who lately resigned his post, is about to obtain letters
of grand naturalisation, and will, it is reported, be
appoimed to high functions about the Emperor, who,
it is well known, feels great interest in his welfare.
The total number of deaths from cholera in all
France amounted, up to the date of the last reports,
to 88,626. But, according to the same accounts, it
is everywhere dying away, and does not invade new
localities.
Lord Cowley, who has been residing at Chantilly
for some months, has returned to Paris.
The Moniteur has published a report from the
Minister of the Interior, and consequent imperial
decree, completely reorganising the police force of
Paris, which is to be constituted henceforth in many
respects upon the model of the London blue police.
This reform, if fully carried out, will remedy a crying
defect in the municipal organisation of the French
metropolis. Hitherto the Paris policemen (called
sergens de ville) have contributed but very little to
the protection of life and property. In fact, their
habits did not tend that way. The sergent de ville
is very seldom seen at night. In the day time he
struts about in a cocked hat, and addicts himself
principally to eavesdropping about cafes in the hope
of catching up some seditious expression, to making
people " move on " on the little Bourse, to laying
informations against spinsters who put flower-pots
on their window-sills, and to enforcing the policy of
muzzling dogs in hot weather. Although there
is no reason why the streets of Paris should not
be as safe as those of London, it is notorious
that in many of the richest as well as the poorest
quarters of the city a man may be robbed and
murdered after eleven o'clock at night without its
being even probable that his cries will attract assist-
ance. A patrol goes round at certain hours well
known to the thieves, and merely shows its vigilance
by picking up now and then a drunkard, or a
vagabond, who may be sleeping in a doorway. In
London the chances of a night attack are so small
that a man walks any where between Paddington

917

and Whitechapel at any hour without taking the
danger into account. In Paris, on the contrary,
people would be thought mad if they traversed some
of the fauboirgs and barriers on foot arler midnight ;
and when a man is out from necessity he clutches a
heavy stick, walks rapidly in the middle of the
carriage road, and looks anxiously right and left ae
he goes along. All this is to be altered. The
London system is to be avowedly introduced; the
Emperor having been struck with the excellent
organisation of the London police, its efficiency against
evildoers, and the services it hourly renders to the
population. The estimated expense of the new
measure is 5,000,O(X)f. a year (three millions less
than in London) instead of 1,535,000 f., which was the
annual cost of the old establishment. The first
result of the increase of the police force will be to
suppress a number of military stations, and to place
at the disposal of Government a considerable por-
tion of the garrison, now thought necessary to protect
the capital. A few thousand men leas in that mili-
tary force would more than cover that proportion of
the expense of the police which is to be charged to
the State.

It appears that the old soldiers of the empire yet
living are a much more numerous class than was
supposed. The committee appointed to distribute
the 1,500,000 f. appropriated by the Emperor in want-
faction of Napoleon l.'s legacy to the " officers and
soldiers who fought for the glory and independence of
the nation from 1792 to 1815" have received upwards
of one hundred thousand applications, supported by
vouchers. Claims pour in from all parts of Europe,
and particularly from Italy. If all these claims are
admitted, the present fund will only yield 15f. per
head, which would be an illusory sum as a satiafaa-
tion of en imperial bequest. The committee propose
taking the Emperor's pleasure before making their
award, and probably a supplementary sum will be
granted from the eight millions to which the claims
of Napoleon's legatees upon the State are, according to
present arrangements, limited,
GERMANY.
The Emperor and Empress of Austria arrived et
Vienna on the 21st inst. on board the steamer Her-
'nine, at Nussdorf. From the capital they proceeded
to Schoubruno. Their M ajesties had left Lintz at eight
in the morning on beard the imperial steam. yacht the
Adler. After passing the shallows near Wallsee and
Staining, the yacht grounded at a spot where there is a
rapid and sprang a leak. The accident arose from
the low water level. The Ilermine, belonging to the
Steam Navigation Company of the Danube, came up
at the instant, and took the royal passengers on board,
bringing them on to their place of destination.
The Moniteur states respecting the attitude of
Austria :
" In the discussions which have taken place between
the Cabinets of Paris, London, and Vienna, on the subject
of the occupation of the principalities by the Austrian troops,
it has been agreed that the French, English, and Ottoman.
armies may at any tine, if they deem it expedient,
co-operate actively in the occupation, and that no
impediment will thence result to the defensive or
offensive operations which the three belligerent powers
may direct against Russia. Faithful to this engage-
ment, his Majesty the Emperor Francis Joseph
despatched orders to General Hess, by electric telegraph
on the evening of the 21st inst., to offer no opposition to'
the movement of the Turkish army upon Galati and lbraila'
in the event of such a movement forming part of the am-
binationsof Omer Pasha."
A private telegraphic message from Vienna, of the
23rd inst., announces the envy of General Hess into
Bucharest.

The Preue of Vienna calls for some explanation
as to the eventual preponderance of foreign ►nfluence
in the principalities, where the interests of Germany
ought especially to be protected by the occupation of
those provinces by Austria.
The Diet of Frankfort met on the '2lst. The
whole sitting was taken up with receiving reports.
The committee on the affairs of the East will meet
forthwith to ascertain what instructions have been
given by the different Governments in reply to the
question submitted by M. Prokesch in the name of
Austria. The Cabinet of Vienne calls upon the Met
to accede at least to the proposal of a collective pro-
tectorate for the principalities, and the free naviga-
tion of the Danube. A Prussian note has been pre-
sented to the Diet, promising a moral support to the
four guarantees required from Russia, but urging a
postponement of any discussion.