The Press.
London, England, 1854-05-27 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Queen has relented, and permits the forced
loan, It is to be of 180,000,0(M reels, bearing interest
at the high rate of 12 per cent. One-third of the
sum will, it is said, be taken by capitalists, the house
of Rothschild subscribing for 15,000,000.

Queen Christina, who has been dangerouly ill, is
reported convalescent.

TURKEY.
A decree prohibiting exciting political conversa-
tions had been read in the mosques of Constan-
tinople.
The Porte have issued new notes for 80,000,000
piastres.
The son of the I'acha of Egypt, who arrived in
Constantinople lately, brought a contribution to the
amount of 250,0001. The sum was received with
rapture as a welcome supply to an empty treasury.
Bou Maze has obtained permission from the
French Emperor to accept the command of an irre-
gular corps which the Porte has offered him in Asia.
The Emperor will supply the expenses of his outfit
out of the privy purse.
Among the proofs that slight causes produce great
results in Turkey as elsewhere, an incident is re-
corded which, growing out of a casual expression at
a festivity, had nearly brought about a total change
of Ministry at Constantinople. Prince Napoleon,
immediately after his arrival, proceeded tc the palace
to pay his respects to the Sultan. In the course of
his interview the Prince, who is a soldier, and not a
diplomatist, expressed his own gratification and that
of the Emperor with Vely l'acha, the Ottoman Am-
bassador at Paris. " Vely Pacha," said the Prince,
"is the truest triend of France." Traditionary diplo-
matic etiquette required that at this juncture the
Prince, turning round, should have added, " always
excepting Redschid Pacha." Unfortunately he
omitted this ceremony, and Redschid Pacha, with the
quick susceptibilities of a man versed in diplomatic
formalities, and in whose presence a man cannot
gape or sneeze, took umbrage and withdrew. That
very evening the Pacha returned to the palace.
What passed between the Sultan and the Minister
is not known, but the result of his interview was the
recal of Vely Pacha, his promotion to the dignity of
a Prince of Crete, and the appointment to the Em-
bassy in Paris of Namik Pacha. Such matters,
however, cannot be kept secret. Prince Napoleon
was informed of the mischief his words had done.
He would not allow that France should lose a friend
and the Porte an able representative through Itedschid
Pacha's susceptibility and his own carelessness. He
took energetic steps to pacify the Minister, and suc-
ceeded in obtaining a reconsideration of the decree
which removed Vely Pacha from his post. Before
this was brought about, nevertheless, there were
strong symptoms that Redschid Pacha himself might
very probably resign.

488

men, and consequently the loss to the landed pro-
prietors will amount to twenty-two millions of silver
rubles.
The Augsburg Gazette of the 20th says :—Several
Frenchmen, who have passed through Berlin, having
been obliged to leave St. Petersburg, state that a
perfect paralysis is seizing trade and commerce in
that city, rendered more grievous by the enormous
price of provisions. Many bankruptcies are immi-
nent. Paper money had fallen considerably below
its nominal value, and gold was eagerly sought fcr.
Economy in every branch of the national expendi•
ture was being attempted. Thus, the building of
the Church of Isaac was suspended—a most ominous
and momentous matter in Russia. The patriotism
of the wealthy inhabitants was perpetually racked
by the crying wits of private misery and distress.
The bullion in the treasury was removed to Moscow.
Mr. F. Bucknall, a member of a Bristol merchant
firm, has lately returned from St. Petersburg, after a
residence of five years. He reports that in the more
intelligent circles the possibility of an attack by the
combined forces on the capital itself is seriously en-
tertained. Amongst the masses of the city a super
stitious confidence in the successful issue of the war
generally prevails, founded on the belief that the
war is a religious one, and that God being with the
Emperor he must prevail. The Czar himself does
not appear to be so well at ease. It is understood
that the commandant of Cronsdadt has informed him
that, although of great strength, the fortress is not
impregnable. The Emperor is obviously very anxious
on the matter, for he goes himself to Cronstadt twice
or thrice a week, and all conceivable efforts are being
employed to strengthen it as far as possible. Mean-
while the imperial city is being crowded by troops,
which are continually pouring in in large masses.
Many of the nobility and leading families are quitting
their town residences and retiring into the interior,
carrying with them their plate, jewels, and portable
property of value ; and the foreign residents were
quitting in such numbers that Mr. Bucknall had to
wait for six weeks before he could get a place by the
conveyance which runs twice a week from St. Peters-
burg to Tukun.
The Russian fleet lying before Cronstadt is stated
by the Berlin Zeitung to be in perfect readiness for
action, and the whole place swarming with sailors,
marines, and land troops. About 10,000 men were
quartered in the fortress and various forts, the
greatest number that Cronstadt can contain. On
the island troops were lodged in tents, and additional
works were being constructed at I'anefort, the
other forts having been rendered as strong as
possible.
A private letter from St. Petersburg states that
Count Nesselrode has been recently insulted by the
people of that capital. On passing through the
streets in his carriage he was hissed, hooted, and
menaced, and forced to take refuge in the house of a
friend. He was accused by the people of being the
cause of the war, of not having taken sufficient care
to provide against its casualties, and of having shown
indifference and negligence.
An ultimatum has been sent by the Emperor
Nicholas to Persia, and a reply demanded within two
months.
GREECE.
The latest intelligence from Athens states that an
ultimatum has been given to the Greek Government
by England and France, with four days allowed for
a reply. This interval would expire on the 22nd
inst. The ultimatum requires the immediate recal
of all officers that have joined the insurgents, and
the dissolution of the volunteer corps. if no satis-
factory reply was made to this requisition an imme-
diate occupation of the Greek territory and blockade
of its ports was expected to be established by the
joint powers. Another account states that in that
contingency the Greek throne will be declared vacant,
and a new Government established.
A French army corps reached the Pincus in the
Euphrates steamer, and landed as early as the 12th
inst. More troops, both French and English, were
on their way.
Bavaria, it is stated, is desirous to place Greece
under the guarantee of the great German powers.
Prussia, without any actual opposition to this pro-
ject, refuses to take the initiative in carrying it out.
The Paris Moniteur has lately published a number
of letters from Greece, describing the atrocities com-
mitted by the pirates, and bitterly complaining of
the part taken by the Greek Government, both in
encouraging piracy and the insurrection on the
Turkish frontiers.
AMERICA.

Tne last New York advices are of the 13th inst.,
received by the mail-steamer Pacific.
The Washington Union, Governmentorgan, talks of
the blockade of all the Cuban ports, if Spain should
not fully satisfy the claims of the United States.
Fresh steam-boat disasters are reported to have
occurred in the Bay of San Francisco on April 15th,
of a terrible character, the steamer Secretary ex-
ploding shortly after leasing the wharf, with great
loss of• life to the passengers. The boat was lite-