The Press.
London, England, 1856-03-01 00:00:00

Inv Vrvgg.

LONDON, SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 1856.

POSTSCRIPT.

The Dresden Gazette states some details of the in-
structions given by Russia to her representatives at
Paris, which appear to be derived from official
sources. According to that journal, Russia wiil,
without difficulty, acoede to the demand that the
islands of Aland shall not be again fortified. On the
other hand, she is said not to intend to restore Kars,
except on condition of receiving some equivalent in
return.

A letter from Berlin, of the 25th, in the German
Journal de Frankfort, says :
A despatch has been addressed, under date of the I:ith,
by the Berlin Cabinet, to Count de Ilutzfeld, the Prussia'
Ambassador in Paris. It is said, we are assured, that
Prussia is disposed to sign the programme of peace, but
that the Western powers demand more from her than from
Austria, when they require that the Berlin Cabinet shall
engage to enforce the acceptance of the conditions of
peace in the event of the negotiations not proving suc-
cessful.

Bavaria has laid three propositions before the
Diet, which, if carried, will be a great step towards
Federal Reform.

The police of Berlin have made such discoveries in
regard to the late abstraction of desi arches at Pots-
dam, that the affair is stated as likely to assume a
charge of high treason.

THE PROBABLE FATE OF THE " PACIFIC."

The non-arrival of the Pacific steamer at New
York up to the 14th ult. has created great alarm.
She left Liverpool for New York on the 25th of
January ; and the following intelligence, posted on
Thursday in the Underwriters'-room, Liverpool, leaves
but slight hope of her safety :

Glasgow, Feb. 27.
The Edinburgh (s.s.), which arrived here 14th inst.,
from New York, passed, on the 7th inst., a large quantity
of broken ice, and in it saw a quantity of broken cabin fur•
niture, fine ornamental doors, with white or glass handles,
such as might have belonged to a first-class steamer, or
ship.

Mr. Russell Gurney has been this week unani-
mously elected Common Sergeant in the place of
Mr. Bullock, who recently resigned that office. The
office of Judge of the Sheriffs' Court is vacant by
this election. Mr. Prendergast, Q.C., is mentioned
as the probable successful candidate.
Mr. Blak Q.C., has resigned the appointment of
Crown Prosecutor for Mayo. It is stated that Mr.
West, Q.C., has been promoted from Leitrim to
Galway, in the room of Mr. M'Causland, now Re-
corder of Singapore : Mr. Harken succeeds Mr.
West in Leitrim, and Mr. Jordan succeeds Mr.
Blake in Mayo.

The Irish papers teem with local details respecting
the probable issue of the winding up of the affairs of
the Tipperary Bank. All their first sympathy for
the death of Mr. Sadleir has rapidly passed into
bitter denunciations against him as a "consummate
villain." The Times correspondent, writing from
Dublin on Wednesday, says :
Until the hearing of the winding up petition presented
to the Court of Chancery last week, it is not expected that
anything perfectly reliable will transpire with respect to
the affairs of the Tipperary Bank, or to the extent of its
difficulties—the result of its unfortunate connection with
the man whose gigantic frauds have cast into the shade the
memory of the most accomplished swindler of ancient or
modern times. " What next—and next?" are the ques-
tions in every one's mouth, and full and complete answers
cannot be long delayed, so that in the meantime it would
be necessary to refer to the almost countless reports that
are in circulation as to transactions which have not been
yet wholly brought to light. Long before Mr. Sadleir left
his native country for England, as a more enlarged sphere
for his peculiar operations, his professional reputation was
none of the highest; but people here, even those who best
knew the man, were not prepared for the astounding re-
velations elucidated since the commission of the act which
closed his misspent life.

THE PRESS.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-FRIDAY.
TORTURE IN INDIA.

The Earl of ALBEMARLE, in moving for some
papers, adverted to the evidence which showed that
tortures were inflicted upon the natives in the Presi-
dency of Madras. He suggested as the only method
of putting an effectual stop to such practices that
the functionaries •f the India Company should be
made responsible to the Hume Government or Par-
liament.

Earl GRANVILLE consented to produce the papers,
but urged that sufficient responsibility already
existed among the different departments, even to
the lowest of the Company's service.
Some bills were advanced respectively through a
stage of progress, and their lordships sojourned at
a quarter past six.

HOUSE OF COMMONS-FRIDAY.
PERSIA.

Mr. LAYARD gave notice that on the next supply
night he should call attention to the relationship be.
tween this country and Persia.

THE CRIMEAN REPORT.

On the motion fur going into Committee of
Supply,
Mr ROEBUCK brought forward his amendment
setting forth that the appointment of a board of
general officers to report upon the report of Sir J.
M'Neill and Colonel Tulloch was to substitute an
inefficient for an efficient mode of inquiry,
and that the conseque►►ces will be to shield
and hide the misconduct of those by whom
various departments of our army had been
placed under the command of the officers who
had been inculpated by the Commissioners
appointed to investigate their conduct. Admit-
ting that some disadvantages might result from
the ventilation of such a question, at a moment when
peace and war seemed trembling in the balance, Mr.
Roebuck declared that it was not his fault if the Go-
vernment built up a wall and then ran their heads
against it. He described the motives and results of the
different inquiries that had been successively instituted
respecting the management of the Crimean army,
in the press, in Parliament by a select committee,
and, finally, by the commissioners sent to the spot,
who undertook their functions, as he believed, most
reluctantly. The consequence of this last investiga-
tion was the preparation of a report seriously con-
demning the conduct of four officers in high com-
mand. In the natural order of things this report
should have been treated as a bill of indictment, and
the officers in question tried by court-martial. In-
stead, however, of adopting this course, the Govern.
ment had appointed a commission to report upon the
report of their own commissioners, and place Sir
J. M•Neill and Col. Tulloch upon their trial merely for
the faithful performance of their duty, besides the
functionaries whose conduct they had impugned.
This proceeding, he contended, would result in
stultifying the inquiry and shielding the guilty par-
ties, and tend to inflict an irreparable injury upon
the military system of the country.
Sir J. PAKINOTON regretted that the Government
had not allowed the question to be brought forward
in a shape which would have allowed him to move
the amendment of which he had given notice.
Being thus precluded from submitting his own pro-
position to the house, he was compelled to dissent
from the resolution submitted by Mr. Roebuck. He
noticed therein many omissions and some misrepre •
sentations, and remarked that it prejudged a question
which still remained open for discussion. Under
these circumstances he intended to abstain from
further comments until a more appropriate season,
declaring at the same time his conviction that the
conduct of the Ministry with respect to the Crimean
Commissioners' report was open to great censure.
He noticed, in particular, the delay that had taken
place in submitting that report to the Commander-in-
Chief, a negligence which, in his belief, argued serious
common want of unity between the departments
among which the administration of military affairs
was now divided. The Government, he maintained,
both by what they had omitted to do and what they
had done, continued to perpetrate an injustice on the
officers whose conduct was blamed, and inflict an
insult upon the Commissioners who drew up the
inculpatory reproach.
After some remarks on a personal topic from
General PEEL,

Mr. F. PEET, concurred with Sir J. Pakington in
the opinion that all discussion upon the subject was
altogether premature. The charges brough► against
certain officers of the Crimean army were now on
the point of trial, and he censured Mr. Roebuck for
seeking to prejudice the case and prejudge the de-
fendants.
Mr. BENTINCK having spoken,

Mr. LAYARD reminded the house that when the
Crimean Commissioners were first appointed he had
prophesied that their report would be a sham, and
this prognostic had been amply verified. That re-
port, however, had been formally adopted by the

SATURDAY,

Government, and he believed that its allegations
could be fully dealt with by the house and the coun-
try without referring them to any board. By deco-
rating and promoting officers who lay tinder heavy
censure in this respect, the Government hat pre.
judged the cause, while the Horse Guards had defied
public opinion.

Colonel NORTH having defended the army and iti
officers,

Sir Dr LACY EVANS specified a numberof instances
from which he drew the conclusion that Government
had behaved badly towards the army and uncandidly
towards the country.
The Hon. A. GORDON defended his relative,
Colonel Gordon, from the censures which Sir De
Lacy Evans had passed upon his conduct while serv.
ing on the staff in the Crimea.

Mr. GLADSTONE regretted that so much latitude
had been given to a debate which all parties seemed
to agree was misplaced and premature.
Mr. WILLIAMSON also opposed the resolution.
Lord PALMERSTON observed that the character
which the debate had assumed proved how inappro-
priate had been the time chosen for its introduction,
Strong censures had provoked vehement rejoinders,
and the discussion had often degenerated into an
interchange of personalities. Adverting to the
report of the commissioners, he denied that t e
Government intended to disparage their authority
or cast any reflection upon their veracity, by the
appointment of a board of general officera to ex-
amine their statements. How else, he asked, could
the officers whose conduct was blamed be allowed
an opportunity to enter upon their defence; and
what better tribunal could be found to decide upon
the question of personal culpability? If the
report had been kept back as had been sug-
gested until the parties mentioned in it had pre-
pared their vindication, the Government would have
been exposed to censure for suppressing important
information. After alluding to some matters of fact
which had been stated in the course of the debate,
and justifying the appointments given to Lord Car-
digan and General Airey, the noble lord submitted
that the imputations thrown out in Mr. Roebuck's
resolution were both ill-timed and unjust.
Lord LOVAINT interposed a few words on behalf of
the memory of Lord Raglan.
Lord CLAUDE HAMILTON challenged Sir De Lacy
Evans to substantiate his allegations against Colonel
Gordon.

Explanations having been made by Sir DE LACY
EVANS and Mr. F. PEEL,
Mr. ROEBUCK withdrew his amendment, and the
house went into Committee of Supply.
A single vote of six and a half millions on ac-
count for the pay, &c., of the army was taken, and
the house resumed.

The Consolidated Fund (1,631,6051. Is. 5d.) Bil
was read a third time and passed.
The Mutiny Bill, and the Marine Mutiny Bill, were
respectively read a second time.
Mr. W. PATTEN obtained leave to bring in a bill
to amend the laws relating to the fencing of ma..
chinery in factories.
The house adjourned at a 'quarter past twelve
o'clock.

Cabinet Councils were held on Saturday and ma
Tuesday afternoons at the Foreign o'ff'ice. The
whole of the Ministers in London were present on
each occasion. The Councils sat three hours and a
quarter, and two hours respectively.
Her Majesty's dinner-party on Wednesday included
her Royal Highness the Princess Royal, the Duke
and Duchess of Argyll, Mr. Buchanan ( American
Minister), Count Vitzthum (Saxon Minister), the
Earl of Eglinton, the Earl and Countess of Mount
Charles, Viscount Monck, Lord Ernest Bruce, Lord
and Lady Robert Grosvenor, the Right Hon. B. and
Mrs. Disraeli, and Sir Benjamin Hawes.
The Earl of Derby, on Wednesday evening, enter-
tained a select circle of political supporters at din-
ner, at his lordship's mansion in St. James's-square.
The guests upon this occasion were—Sir Edmund
Hayes, M.P., Sir Thomas Herbert, M.P., Sir Samuel
Bignold, Admiral Jones, Colonel Gilpin, M.P.. Cap
tain the Hon. Arthur Duncombe, M.P., Mr. Nisbett
Hamilton, M.P., Mr. Adderley, M.P., Mr. Master-
man, M.P., Mr. Fellowes, M:P., Mr. Alford, MT.,
Mr. Bailey, M.P., Mr. Gore Langton, M.P., Mr.
Bennett, M.P., Mr. B. Blackmore, M.P., Mr. Ow9n,
M.P., Mr. Mullins, M.P., Mr. Deedes, M.P., Mr.
King, M.P., Mr. B. Moore, M.P., Mr. Knatchbull,
M.P., Mr. Vansittart, M.P., Mr. Follett, M.P., and
Mr. Bali, M.P.
Mr. John Bright, M.P., is in so unsatisfactory a
state of health as to compel him to abstain for a
time from attendance upon his parliamentary duties.
His medical attendant has absolutely prohibited him
from attending to business of any description for
some months to come.
Thb Attorney-General of Ireland has arrived at
Cavan to prosecute the persons charged with the
murder of Miss Hinds. One of the prisoners has
turned approver.

11

MARCH 1, 1856.

THE CONFERENCES.

MONDAY was the opening day of the great Conference

Paris.

Early in the morning, writes one correspon-
dent, Baron Brunow was stirring. Soon after eight
a.m. M. de Seebach was seen to issue from the
Baron's house, and proceed at once to the residence
of Count Orloff. For some hours the three remained
closeted together.
At half-past one p.m. the plenipotentiaries were to
assemble in the Salon des Ambassadeurs, at the
Hotel of the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The room
is separated from the Minister's cabinet by another
fine room, called the Salon des Attaches de Service.
The Salon des Ambassadeurs receives its light from

three large windows opening on the north, and look-
ing towards the Seine. Opposite the windows are
bung two full-length portraits of the Emperor
and Empress, with a portrait of the first Napoleon.
The table at which the diplomatists sit is circular
and covered with a green cloth, twelve arm-chairs
being around it. Before eaeh seat is arranged a
supply of paper of various sizes, sealing-wax, pens,
etc. Four wax tapers are also on the table, in case
of being required to seal letters. Between the win-
dows are disposed two other tables, one for the two
gentlemen who are to act as secretaries, and the
other for the use of any of the plenipotentiaries who
may wish to write in private. The table of the secre-
tares can be moved close to the round table in the
centre, it' necessary :

Soon after one p.m. (says a Paris letter) a modest-
looking brougham, scarcely remarked till it was within a
few yards of the Ministry, drove into the front gate, and
halted at the toot of the grand staircase. The carriage
contained the Sardinian Plenipotentiaries, Count Cavour
and the Marquis Villacuarina, in plain morning costume.
A single chasseur was their only attendant. As they
ascended the staircase, a squadron of M. Walewski's foot-
men, who were on the look out, threw wide open the glass
doors, and the Piedmontese representatives entered the
hotel the first. A few minutes afterwards came Turkey—Aali
Pacha, the Grand Vizier, and Mehemet Bey, were dressed
just like Europeans, except that they wore of course the
inevitable red fez. The Grand Vizier wore a Talmo, that
might have been bought in Regent street. England and
Austria followed very shortly afterwards, in remarkably
unpretending carriages. There was then a pause of
several minutes. People began to ask whether Russia
would not find some excuse not to come. But at a quarter
past one a handsome carriage, with two chasseurs behind,
drove up at a rapid pace, containing the Russian Plenipo-
tentiaries. Count Orloff stepped out first, and although he
is seventy years of age, ran up the steps like a boy. I had
an opportunity of seeing him well, for when he arrived oa
the top landing he took off his hat as if to return the
salute of the servants in waiting, and then turned round to
see what had become of his colleague. Baron de Brunow
got out of the carriage very slowly. His face was en
velope I in an ample comforter ; he walked up the stairs
with a somewhat faltering step, and his spare and bent
form presented a striking contrast to that of his coadjutor.
Count Orloff is a wonderful-looking man for his age. He
is of large size, very erect, and his countenance denotes
robust health and great resolution. He has a very large
head, covered with iron grey hair, cropped close. The
expression of his features is quite Calmuck, but as he
smiled at Baron Brunow slowly mounting the stairs after
him, he had a good-natured look.
The plenipotentiaries having met, they placed
themselves according to precedence, France in the
centre, England on the right, Austria on the left, then
Turkey, then Sardinia, and lastly Russia. According to
diplomatic usages, the first thing to be done was to
elect a president. M. Walewski was, of course,
nominated. The verification of the powers of the
plenipotentiaries was next gone through, when M.
Walewski delivered an address, pointing out the
object of the meeting, and suggesting the order in
which the deliberations should proceed.
The Conference was then definitively opened. At
this stage Count Orloff is reported to have risen and
spoken for some time upon the policy which actuated
Russia. The question of an armistice was then pro-
posed and discussod, Count Orloff remarking upon
the terms of the armistice, particularly with reference
to the transport of stores and troops.
Count Buol, the Paris correspondent of Le Nord,
declares, on authority, raised the question of the
rectification of the frontier on the side of Bessa-
rabia, upon which Count Orloff observed that the
new frontier which it was proposed to establish
behind the mountains was impossible to be settled,
as no mountains existed in the vicinity. The pleni-
potentiaries, adds the correspondent, not possessing
any precise information of the locale, were a little
embarrassed by the observation of Count Orloff.
At half past four p.m. the Conference concluded.
The sitting was raised, and the Plenipotentiaries
walked for a short time in the garden of the hotel,
conversing freely in separate groups. At five p.m.
they left the hotel and returned to their respective
quarters, in the same unostentatious manner as they
44 arrived.

On the following day the Moniteur announced the
opening of the conferences, and the Bret result :

THE PRESS.