The Press.
London, England, 1854-12-02 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

also promises her assistance to Austria if attacked in
the principalities. The King's speech upon the
opening of the Prussian Chambers on Thursday con-
tains the following passages:—
A bloody conflict has broken out between three powerful
members of the family of European States. Our father-
land is not yet affected ; I have fresh occasion to hope
that the basis of a further understanding will soon per-
haps be obtained. Closely united with Austria and the
rest of Germany, I shall continue to look upon it as my
task to plead for peace, the recognition of the indepen-
dence of foreign States, and moderation. Should I subse-
quently be compelled to add force to this attitude, Prussias
and my faithtlil people will bear their inevitable burdens
with resignation, and know how to meet such eventualities.
The army shall be made ready for war.
The works of the electric telegraph, intended to
connect Jassy with Czernovitz, have been com-
menced. It is hoped they will be finished in a
month.
Queen Christina and the Duke of Rianzares have
arrived in Paris, and have paid a visit to the Em-
peror and Empress at Si Cloud.
Several ladies of high rank in Madrid are endea•
vouring to get up a society for preventing cruelty to
animals ; and even, it is said, to preach a crusade
against bull fights.
The Royal Mail steam-ship Magdalena arrived at
Southampton yesterday with the West Indian, Pacific,
and Gulf of Mexico mails. She brings 75 pas-
sengers and 2,250,000 dols. in specie on freight, of
which 30,000 dols. are for the Mexican dividends.
The Jamaica markets were steady; the produce
market was rather firmer.
In Demerara the drought still continued, and the
crops, sugar excepted, were suffering severely. St.
Lucia is free of cholera, but the weather was rainy
and unsettled.

Lord J. Russell has addressed the usual circular
to those members of the House of Commons who
usually support the Government, earnestly request-
ing their attendance in Parliament on the opening of
the session.
Thursday was the last day for the reception of the I
agricultural implements to be exhibited at the en-
suing show of the Smithfield Club, appointed to take
place on the sth, 6th, 7th, and Bth inst. The show
of implements will be twice as large as that of last
year, whilst the entries of live stock amount to nearly
one-third more. Prince Albert will be a competitor
in the pig and cattle classes, and also for short
woolled sheep. Among other contributors are the
Dukes of Richmond and Rutland, Earls Hardwicke,
Spencer, Leicester, and Fitzwilliam, and Sir J. V.
Shelley.
The Queen has commanded that a medal be pre-
pared to commemorate the success of the forces in
the wars in which they were engaged against the
Kaffirs in the years 1834-5, 1846-7, and between
December 1850, and February 1853. One of the
medals is to be conferred on every Burying officer,
non-commissioned officer, and soldier of the regular
forces who actually served in the field against the
enemy in South Africa at the periods alluded to, ex-
cluding those who may have been dismissed for sub-
sequent misconduct, or who have deserted and are
absent.
The number of visitors to the Sydenham Crystal
Falace during the six days ending last evening
(Friday) was 5,518, including the season-ticket
holders.
We regret to state that Mr. Kinglake, the talented
author who so lately was present at the battle of the
Alma, and at the later operations of the army before
Sebastopol, is at present suffering from severe illness
at Malta. We sincerely trust that he may soon be
convalescent, as his " campaigning notes " are looked
forward to withipleasure.

A NAVVY, named William Broome, about twenty-
eight years of age, was killed on the Great Western
Railway last week, by the fender of the engine of a
train inflicting a frightful wound upon his head. He
had had a quarrel with his sweatheart the night
before, and that day had sought to enlist, but was
rejected because he was not high enough. He was
seen lying by the rails within a very short time of
his death, and from his demeanour there can be no
doubt the act was his own.
ON Sunday evening last an extensive cotton-mill,
belonging to Mr. Thomas Dronstield, at Middleton,
in Lancashire, four storeys and two attics in height,
was totally destroyed by fire, with all its contents.
There was another mill belonging to Mr. Dronsfleld,
separated by a passage only eight or ten yards in
width from the one which was on fire, and a third at
ono end of the premises ; and these would probably
have been destroyed but for the exertions of the fire-
men, who succeeded in preserving them unharmed.
The burnt mill was built in 1N46, and was occupied
by Mr. Joseph Wolstencroft, Mr. Edmund Howarth,
and by Messrs. Fielding and Clegg, with self-acting
spindles, hand-mules, and carding machines—all of
the most modern and costly construction. The
insurances on the property amounted to 10,000/., but
the &steal loss is far greater.