The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-23 00:00:00

SATURDAY,

state of our Indian possessions hasleft much to be desired.
The latest accounts from those colonies permit us to hope
that the evil will be subdued by the prompt and efficacious
measures adopted by the authorities. The harvest in these
colonies promises to be abundant, and, according to the
reports received up to this time flow the various pro-
vinces, the crops in our own country promise to be equally
favourable.. We continue to improve the state of our
rivers, and we are also actively engaged with the ameliora-
tion of all waterways of importance. During the past year
the Netherlands has been brought into communication at
two different points with the railroads of the neighbouring
States, and there is every reason to hope that a third junc-
tion will soon be made. I pay particular attention to the
development of this means of communication, which is so
necessary to the trade and industry of the country. Active
measures are being taken for the augmentation of the tele-
graphic lines in the interior. These lines will be placed
in communication with those of foreign States. Notwith-

standing the impediments caused by the present war to our
commercial relations, our trade, navigation, and naval
organisation remain in as prosperous &condition as present
unfavourable circumstances will permit. The financial
position of the country continues to be satisfactory
The national debt should undergo an investigation, with a
view to its reduction A project of law upon the first
and second class instruction will be laid before you in a
short time. The law relating to the superior cicssea of
instruction will also undergo amelioration ; and finally, you
will have ample opportunities of showing your zeal and
interest in the different scientific institutions of our

country."
There have been serious riots at Schiedam,
ostensibly on account of the price of bread, but
really on religious grounds. A Roman Catholic
priest residing in Schiedam recently abjured his
faith, and became a Protestant. Zealous for the
cause he now advocated, lie denounced, in a public
lecture, as a wicked invention of priestcraft, all the
rites of the Roman Catholic Church. As the Roman
Catholics are equal in numbers to the Protestants,
the former determined on a trial of strength with
the latter. The mob collected in groups, got up one
cry against the bakers, and another against an unfor•
tunate milkman, whose jealous dame bad publicly
iccussd him of improprieties with the dairy-maid.
But these were but rallying cries ; their object was
to put into execution their threat of tearing limb
from limb the apostate to his faith and the reviler of
their religion. lle, however, escaped their fury, and
fled—whither no one seems to know. But the
police—only eight in number—were insufficient to
check this riot. The military were summoned, who,
on arriving, had to fire over over the mob, in order to
alarm them into order. Two men, however, were
killed. The town is now subdued into quietness.
SPAIN.
r Several foreigners have received orders to leave
Madrid, and some of them have been conducted to
the frontiers of Portugal. It is said that several
refugees of different countries have left London for
Madrid, with passports from the ambassador of a
certain power which is not too friendly to Spain.
The Espana declares that the rumours which had
been current of the retirement from the Cabinet of
M. Santa Cruz and M. Alonso, Ministers of the
Interior and Justice, are unfounded; and the Clamor
Public° says the same thing.
The Junta of Valencia, in imitation of those of other
principal towns in Spain, had ceased its functions.
Madrid was quiet, but the public mind was far
from easy, and reports of a new rising were rife on all
sides. The friends of the Government declare these
reports to be mere inventions of the enemy, but they
none the less serve to agitate the public mind.
The grandees of Spain cannot leave the place where
the Court resides without the royal permission ; and
the Espana says that twenty petitions have been sent
in to the major-domo of the palace by members of
that body for leave to go abroad.
ITALY.
The third portion of the telegraphic wire con-
necting the island of Sardinia with the coast of Africa
is already attached.
From Rome we learn that the cholera has caused
the dispersion of the corps diplomatique in various
directions. The Russian ambassador has proceeded
to the baths of Aix ; the Sardinian ambassador to
Frascati ; the Netherlands ambassador remains at
Brussels ; the Bavarian ambassador is on the
Tuscuelan hills. The Spanish ambassador, Castello
y Ayensa, sent in his resignation to Madrid imme-
diately upon receiving the first intelligence of
fo the
revolutionary turn of events in Spain ; but was re-
stalled, General Narciso Infante having already been
appointed as his successor, whose appointment, how-
ever, will probably be cancelled.
RUSSIA.
The following letter, dated St. Petersburg, Sept. 9,
given by the Berlin National, describes the effect
produced by the recent Imperial ukase, ordering
another levy of recruits, upon the extended scale of
ten men per thousand souls, throughout the western
half of the empire :
" The long-dreaded Anse (to the above effect) has at
length appeared. It is 'noticed on the extension of the lei
served army (whereas it is notorions that the so-calle,
reserves are not formed of recruits, but of soldiers who