The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-06 00:00:00

THE WAR.

One of the first effects of the death of
Nicholas L has been to suspend the action of the
negotiators who had repaired to Vienna to attend the
Congress appointed to open there. M. de Titoff,
coadjutor of Prince Gortehakoff, reached Vienna on
Saturday, simultaneously with Baron Brock, who
will, doubtless, exercise an important influence over
the policy of Austria at the present crisis. On Sun-
day evening Lord John Russell arrived on the scene,
and thus the diplomatic party was completed. But
the powers of the Russian negotiators have expired
with the sovereign by whom they were given.
To renew them would require time, but the disap-
pearance of the late Csar has changed the general
European situation to an extent which will at least
demand a new political reconnaissance. and this
involves delay.
From Warsaw we learn, that Prince Paskiewitch,
who had summoned a great council of generals to
meet him in the Polish capital, had himself been sud-
denly recalled to St. Petersburg. _ _

M. de Neeselrode's circular, containing the decla-
ration of war against Sardinia, was officially com-
municated to the Germanic Diet on the let instant.

A day before the Cur Nicholas died the Austrian
government published in its recognised organ of the
press a statement expressing its views of the general
position of affairs, and by which its action in the
Congress would probably be guided. In the article
referred to it is said:

Enough has been done for the military honour of all par-
ties. A general basis has been gained for the settlement of
carious important points, claims. and relations, which, 1:
during a aeries of years, have either actually been disputed.
or have menaced to Mad to conflicts; a general basis his
been found, which will ensure the independence and integ- I
city of Turkey, and the privileges of all 'be Christian sub-
jects of the Porte, without interfering with the sovereignty
of the Sultan, and will prevent any future encroachments
on the part of simile powers. We acknowledge that the
final lune of the approaching negotiations—as is the case
with everything undertaken by man—lies in the band of
God alone, but the negotiations for the restoration of peace
begin under favourable citcumstancee, and this will *aeon-

mire the statesmen concerned in thget to set about their
Meat work with earnestness and candour, so that they may,
with the blessing of Almighty Clod, bring matte re to a happy
conclusion in the way intended by their illustrious Sove-
reigns, and for the welfare of all the European nation,.

This is hardly the language of a power ready to
insis► on a real diminution of Russian power in the
Black Sea.

RUSSIA.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fss. 2S.

Four suburbs of the city will next month be de-
clared in a state of war. The batteries erected on the
island of Vassilevski hare been armed with cannon mounted

on eau t-iron earrings.. Them latter were midi in a Russian
iron foundry, near Kiew. The new militia will receive, ge-
nerally speaking, percussion muskets, but are allowed to

use their own. °dicers and non commissioned cM.
are are to weer cuffs and Gringo- The Robles
of this government are to meet to-day for hearing
the manifesto of the Emperor, decreeing the formation
of a militia, read to them. The meeting will be held at

their club, in St. Michael-street. The nobles of the circle
will meet within • week. The principal assembly will be
called upon to equip men for the national de-
fence, entirely at their own • penes. Macy of the
noble members in question have declared already
their readiness to do sr. The following fact is
mentioned, to show the prevalent feeling about the present
war. The artist Zacharoff, living here, has, either from
patriotism or on speculation, made a picture, which repre-
sents Peter I. in his workshop, where he is making a cross.
In order to connect the rude Emperor with the reigning
monarch, • clever motto was written at the foot of the
picture, which was then submitted to the Emperor for his
approbation, previous to its being engraved and distributed
in prints. The Imperial sanction runs as follows: "The
words may be used beneath the print, ' Print of Peter
I. engaged in erecting • cross, dedicated to the Emperor
Nicholas I. fighting for the cross.' The sum of 50 silver
copecks from the sale of each print may be set apart for the
succour of those wounded in the present war."

We Dave received through private letters from the Russian
Baltic provinces the following detaile respecting the loca-
tion of troops in Courland and Estbonia, as decreed
about the mi4rlle of February last. The Pahlen Regiment
of Hussars, consisting of eight squadrons and 1,200 strong,
commanded by Col. Gottschalk, occupied the district be-
tween Mitau and P tlangcn,vith ifs head-quarters at Mitau.
The Black hussar Regiment of the same strength, and com-
manded by General Palaiolog, occupies the ground between
Telschrn and Korean, he himself being with his staff at the
former town. Two regiments of Chiang, each of the same
strength also, are stationed between Roulettes and Tan-
roggen, and even beyond the latter place. There is
also a regiment of Cossacks between Tauroggen and
Libsu, under the command of 0 I Grekoff, whose head-
quarters are in Libau. This regiment consists of 6 squad-
rons, and their duty is to guard the frontier between the
two towns abov,mentioned. These 5 cavalry regiments
belong to the Baltic Army Corps, commanded by General

von Sievers. No infantryor artillery bu appeared as set
in the districts named above, bat it is reported that strong
garrisons of them two arms are in the towns of Mitsu,
Rigs, Revel, and Nerve. Then letters inform us that the
Prince of Prnsaia's regiment, 1,400 strong, is stationed at
Kites. There are two regiments of reserve, under the
command of General von Schwabe, at Revd and Nerve.

THE FRENCH ARMY OF THE EAST.

The army of Paris has maamed, sines the lit inst.,
1 the rum of the Army of the East, and is composed as
1 follows:

INFANTRY,

let Division.—OenertatO;;4, Commander. Ist Brigade.
—General R 4 d, tad battalion of Champlin de Vin-
canoes, Bth and 36th Regiments of Infantry. 2nd Brigade.
—Genenl Goyon de Sc. Loyal, 17th and 66th Regiments
of Infantry.
2nd Divisien.—Osnersl Bongo's, Commander. let Bri-
gade.—General Ripen, 20th battalion of Chassaun. 83rd
and 88th Regiments of Infantry. 2nd Brigade.—General
Marone, 63rd and 67th Regiments of Infantry.
3rd Division.—Tbe former Division of Bomanund. let
Brigade.—General dliagnes, 12th battalion of Chanwars,
3rd and 77th Regiments of Infantry. 2nd Brigade.—Osaaral
Ginty, 48;b and 61st Regiments of Infantry.
4th Divisisa.—let Brigsde.-11th and Slit Regiments of
Infantry. 2nd Brigane.-64th and 911 h Regiments.
6th Division.-Ist Brigade.—The lit and 2nd Regiments
of Voltiguars. 2nd Brigade.—The let and 2nd Regiments
of Grenadiers. Those regiments it. formed of the picked
companies of the third battalions of a certain number of
infantry regiments of the army. TM commanders of those
two last divisions are not yet appointed, bat it is believed
that General Dechaussoy will take the oommand of the
4th, and General hi'Mahon of the 6th division.
CATALIT.

let Division.—let Brigadg.-2a and 7th Regiments of
Chaeseure. tad Brigade.-8:h and 10th Regiments of
Chairmen.
2nd Division —let Brigade.-3rd and Bth Regiments of
Chanute'. 2nd Brigade.-9th and 10th Regiments of Dra-
go3
ns.
al
rd Division.—let B ' it-3rd and 4th Regiments of
Cuiramiers. 2nd B .-Bth and 10th Regiments of
Cuirassier,. This remains under the orders of
General Kerte, who nemmande likewise the entire cavalry
of the army of Part e.
Then eight divisions me to he stationed as follows .—Thii
Ist, tad, 3rd, and 6th divides@ of infantry, at Paris ; the
4th division of infantry, at Men and Strasburg; the let
division of cavalry, in the degostnninte of the Masse and
Moselle; the 2nd division of sawdrytommembei by Gene-
ral de Goyon, at Lomond!' ; and its_ lei *shim of cavalry,
in the departments of the Upper mod LOWer Rh
inee.
Marshal Magmas is to reemommed In i Ratters
army, and to retain the government of the Int military
division.
The Buten env will assist of 60,000 infantry, 7,000 or
8,000 cavalry, 16 batteries of artillery, two for each divi-
sion, sad a carpe of engineers.

FRENCH REINFORCEME
CRIMEA.

FOR THE

' The first division of die sway of Lyons, oomposed
pf tbo 47'1, 62nd, Mad, 714 set • 11th regiment of ia-
-1:11 two betterise Si artillery, and a ossepany of
'has bemoaned to Os the slaty la the Crime.
27hisint is to Ism the Roth division. The division of
Goma& UM Misr" sow seestayed at lizthossy, near
ai is to imam As Utb division of that army. Two
111.111kf 148.11141 to the km of Paris, the kb
on In be sailiest in that division. The
of Combos's owl ii to lis reinforced by tii.l33
hod lid lieldeledid de Menem trifriges, whisk sre to be
frogiosd la Wilds by two regissrals of Chewers frost
how

THE EXP:

PRUSSIA.
BERLIN. Mszon, 2.
The news of the death of the Czar—for such is the
general interpretation of the " sudden and alarming
illness" where "medical men entertain no hopes"—has
spread like wildfire throughout Berlin, and caused, of
course, the deepest sensation. Most people believe that
he has been poisoned, but I have reason to think that it
may be ascribed to another cause, from the following
facts which have come to my knowledge, and for the
authenticity of which I can vouch, although it is such
a delicate subject that I thought it more prudent not
to communicate it at the moment I heard it, which
was several days ago.
When the Czar received the intelligence that
Sardinia had thrown off her neutrality and openly
joined the Western Alliance, he was so overcome with
passion that he raved with impotent rage. His first
idea was to imprison all Sardinian subjects residing
in Russia, and seize their property and ships. The
Empress, in her delicate state of health, received such
a shock trom seeing the fit of passion that the Czar
exhibited, that she was obliged to take to her bed,
from which she has not yet risen. Nobody at-
tempted to offer opposition, or to place him under
restraint, and it was entirely owing to the
sensible representations of the venerable Count Nes-
selrode that he was ultimately induced to give ex-
pression to his irritated feelings in the circular
despatch of the 17th February, which bears evident
internal signs of having been penned in a hurry and
under great excitement, quite at variance with the
usual care and skill which generally distinguish Rus-
sian diplomatic despatches. How long the paroxysm
lasted I am not able to say, but I can assert that it
was so exceedingly severe that it was scarcely ex-
pected he would recover his reason. Under these
circumqtances I think I am warranted in expressing
the opinion that poison was a superfluous agent in
causing the alarming symptoms mentioned in the
despatch—or death, according to the general belief—
but that they may be ascribed to a brain fever, or
another attack depriving him of his reason, and per-
haps life.
We must of course wait for further news from Bt.
Petersburg before any speculations can be hazarded
on the effect this tragical episode may have on the
march of public evente, although it may be safely
expected that it cannot fail to produce an important
and decisive influence on the weal or woe of Russia's
futurity, coming as it does at this present critical
moment of European affairs. In the meantime it
may be well to inform your readers that there are in
Rebels two pretty nearly balanced parties—viz., the
old Russian party and the modern German one. The
former is headed by the Grand Duke Constantine,
and is as fanatic and bigoted in regard to the supre-
macy and sole existence of the " orthodox church' as
the other (under the heir apparent, Grand Duke
Alexander) is moderate and tolerant respecting reli-
gion, and advanced in polite education and civilisa-
tion. Should the death of the Czar be confirmed, it is
not unlikely that internal dissensions may break out
in Russia—ay, even in the imperial family—for the
succession, about which, as is well known, considerable
doubts are entertained by legal men well acquainted
with the rights of succession. These doubts arise
from the dubious expression contained in the will of
Peter the Great, in which the succession is vested in
"the eldest son born to the Czar." Now, it is well
known that when Alexander was born the Emperor
Nicholas was not the reigning Czar, but that he had
ascended the throne when the Grand Duke Constan-
tine was born. Each party of course puts its own
construction on these word,.

The Kiog received Lord John Russell yesterday in
a private audience, but invited the Russian privy
councillor, Baron von Titoff, who is passing through
Berlin, and charged with a special mission to Vienna,
to dinner. I must, however, add that Baron von
Manteuffel gave a magnificent banquet, at his official
residence in the Foreign-office, to Lord J. Russell,
Mr. Hammond, and the gentlemen who accompany
him, to which Lord Bloomfield, Lord W. Loftus, and
most of the other members of the corps diploniatique
were also invited.

Yesterday the following resolution was brought
before the First Chamber for discussion and ap-
proval :
The First Chamber acknowledges and deeply re-
grets the baneful influence of the Sound Dues on the
trade and navigation of Prussia, and expresses its
confidence that the Prussian government will take
every step in its power for the abolishment of the
said Sound Dues.

"Reasons assigned—the undoubted burden, inter.
roption, and disadvantages imposed on the Prussian
trade in the Baltic, and so heavily falling on Prussian
merchants and shipowners.
"(Signed) Hering, Dr. Briiggemann, Baron von
Baidenbrock, Fabricins, Groddeck, Von Franken-
berg-Ludwipdorf, Count von Hardenberg, Count von
Hoverden, Count von Itzenplitz, Romer, Krausnick,
Piper, R. von Maltzahn, Von Ploetz, Count von Ho
dern, Baron von Rothkirch-Trach, Count von
Schlieffen-Sandow, Prince von Schimaich-Carolath,
Senfft von Pilsach, Baron Von Sobeck, Voigt,
Wegmann, Count York von Wartenburg, Von
Zander." _

(PROW THZ

Upwards of 800 petitions have been sent in to the
government by persons who, in spite of the repeated
advertisements in all the continental papers, neg-
lected to present their banknotes of 183.5, which are
called in, and were to be exchanged for new ones
before the end of January. The amount of notes held
by the petitioners is more than 100,000 dollars. It is
not yet decided whether the petitions for an exten-
sion of the term will be admitted.
How difficult it is to teach people addicted from
their youth upwards to the fallacies of protective
duties the practical benefits of free trade may be seen
from the fact that it is now under the consulerstion
of the Prussian government to lay before the cham-
bers a bill to raise the consumption duty on salt from
1 silver groachen to 13—equal to 25 per cent. When
the reduction took place there was, of course, a deficit
in the receipts (amounting to two millions of dollars)
in the first year ; but two years later that deficit was
covered, and ever since there has been a surplus. In
spits of these favourable results it is now proposed to
raise the duty ; and should the measure be carried, it
is easy to foresee that it will lead to a renewed defi-
ciency in the receipts, and materially interfere with
the consumption of one of the first necessaries of life.
Our central free-trade association are keeping an
active watch, and will not fail to make the needful
representations to the government on the subject.

ICAMINITZ-PODOLSKI, PE.. 20.
Although, from the vigilance kept by the Russian
authorities on the transmission of private correspon-
dence, it is excessively difficult to smuggle a letter out
of Poland, yet from the precautions I have taken—
which, however, I am afraid here to communicate—l
have great hopes that this may reach you in safety,
and if so, it will serve to gip your readers some
insight into the present state of Poland.
As a matter of course, we are systematically kept
in the dark as regards the march of events in Europe
generally. Very few foreign journals are permitted
to enter the kingdom, and then only in such a muti-
lated state as to defy even the most ingenious per-
sons from making "head or tail" of the real state of
affairs and public opinion. Formerly the objection-
able parts of foreign newspapers were blackened
over by printing ink, but u some clever people were
found eapable of washing out the blackened parts,
end rendering the original printed matter again
legible, the board of censorship now adopts the more
safe method of cutting out the forbidden article, by
which means the article on the other side is also ren-
dered totally unintelligible.
But in vice of Vie vigilant precautions taken by
the authorities wit. regard to foreign journals—for,
of course the Polish and Russian newspapers are so
cooked as not to give any insight into the real state
of affairs—they cannot so completely keep us in the
dark as they wooed wish, and people put their heads
together and whisper that a change far the better in
the slate of unhappy Poland may result from the
war, whit& we are taught to believe was
=
on without any provocation whatever on the
part Brimile, merely out of jealonky of the Sourish-
lag elleidenet theempire, :ea the Kate of Dillennighl
befriaooo Viliek. the tahabitante enjoy mist the
Lid laws and Phrnal government of the Cur
' Ulf Tkipsr4l ripest, thit a motion In firm

•rln

. I i

TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 1855.

at the re-eistalelfahmeat of Poised as an independent
kingdom is going on in E.., and that oar former
champion and ally, Fraaoe, is going to mareb an
army of 100,000 men to enforee oar independence.
We have been so often deceived by promises of sup-
port from abroad, that it cannot be wondered at if
we are rather distrustful of the intelligence, which'
perhaps is more in accordance with oar patriotic
wishes than the dictates of reason. Still we are fain
to entertain hopes of &change taking place, and any
change will be for the better.
Our little fortress is probably destined to play a
conspicuous part in the events of the present war.
Measures were taken in the autumn to repair the
ramparts and bastions, though in a hurried and in-
adequate manner; but now orders are given to
resume the works in a more efficient way, u soon as
the state of the weather will permit, and from the
magnitude of the preparations and the proposed ex-
tension of the fortifications, it would seem to be in-
tended to raise this place to the rank of a first-rate
fortress. In a strategical point of view, the situation
of Kaminita, so near to the great fortress of Chotin
and the Austrian frontiers, makes it admirably
adapted for the establishment of great depots of
ammunition and provisions, which have been already
formed here.

Ever since the beginning of the war we have had
an almost uninterrupted suite of marching' and
counter-marchings of troops, the exact object of
which it is difficult, if not impossible, to understand;
whilst I need hardly add that the standing garrison
of the place has been raised to as many as it can pos-
sibly contain, and if you could only see the miserable
huts and sheds in which the troops are quartered, and
the patriarchal way in which they are clothed and
fed, you would readily understand why the Russian
soldiers brave death so steadily. Lite offers so few
enjoyments to them that they look upon death as a
relief.

Both the inhabitants of this fortress and the poor
serfs on the surrounding estates lead a life that is
scarcely bearable. The latter in particular, after
being deprived of their waggons and horses, which
were required by government to convey the forced
contributions of corn and hay to the ,magazines
formed here, were actually obliged to become
beasts of burthen themselves, and carry the baggage
and forage, and drag the artillery and ammunition
waggons of the army through sloughs up to their
knees in mud, and in the midst of a pelting rain. Of
course, all idea of a recompense for this heavy work
was out of the question. It is not the system here to
give or pay—only to take! The consequence was,
that these poor serfs, deprived of their oxen, horses,
and waggons—in which, *generally speaking, con-,
sisted the wbole;of their little property—were seen,
staggering under loads above their physical powers,
till they fell down from sheer exhaustion, and
strewed the line of march with hundreds of
their miserable dead caresses. I must, however,
here add, that since the winter has set in,
this state of things is much ameliorated, and the
transport of baggage and artillery greatly facilitated
by placing them on sledges, which do not require so
great an amount of physical power to move.
As regards our nobles, I may mention that they
maintain a sort of sullen neutrality. Of course they
cannot be expected to take any active part in wee.
sures only tending to the greater humiliation of this
unhappy country, and they look on with a degree of
apathy which shows how little hope they entertain
of the future. Commerce is completely annihilated,
money scarce, provisions dear. Nothing but com-
plete ruin, desolation, and famine, stare us in the
face. Ii Europe could only see us, she could not resist
coming to our assistance.

FRANCE.

DENT or Tlllll DAILY NEWS.)
PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.

The Emperor, accompanied by Lord Cowley and
M. Drouyn de Mays, arrived in Paris yesterday,
precisely at the hour anticipated, half-past six. The
Empress went to the Boulogne railway station, in
the Place Lafayette, to meet his Majesty, and threw
herself into his arms u he alighted from the train.
Their Majesties then proceeded, without any escort,
to the Tuileries, where they arrived about seven
o'clock.

There can be no doubt that at the Boulogne confe-
rence, convened on the sudden is consequence of the
Czar's death, matters of the gravest import, requiring
instant decision, were treated of. So solemn an in-
ternational meeting was never before, since the world
began, held at so short a notice. The news that
Nicholas was no more, reached the two governments
on Friday afternoon, and on Saturday, in the day
time, Napoleon 111., Lord Cowley Irepresenting
Queen Victoria), and the French and English Minis-
ters for Foreign Affairs, met together to consider what
course was to be taken under circumstances wholly
unexpected. I have received no revelations of what
poised at this great consultation, but 1 can mention
ens Important question which mast necessarily have
been discussed, and can offer a not very hazardous
conjecture of the solution it met with. Immediately
after the death of the Emperor Nicholas, the Austrian
and Prussian Ambassadors in Paris and London being
instructed by telegraph represented that the situation
being now so completely changed it was highly
desirable not to press on the war, but to Five the new
Emperor of Russia time to establish himself firmly
on the throne, and to encourage by conciliatory con-
,duct the development of his presumed peaceable in-
clinations. I cannot say whether or not an armistice
was in terms asked for, but this much is not doubtful,
that the German Powers recommend that the Stait4
gra should be preserved as neszlas possible, and
deprecate any assault upon Sebastopol until the
Emperor Alexander shall have bad an opportunity
of negotiating. Very pressing representations in
this spirit were made repeatedly on Saturday morn-
ing both in Paris and London. I hope and believe
that I am not mistaken in expressing a de-
cided opinion that this attempt of the German
courts to persuade the Western powers to lose pre-
cious time on the specious pretext of an unlocked for
opportunity to make peace has not succeeded. I
repeat that I have no precise information on a
subject, which in all
.probability is yet a secret con-
fined to the two governments, but from the general
tone of conversation in official circles to-day, I have
no doubt that the real mot d'ordre is that given in
the Emperor's private letter, to which I alluded yes-
terday, " Nothing is changed," and that the °ourse
dictated by the manifest duty and interest of the two
countries, namely to push on the war with redoubled
vigour, and so take advantage of any confusion in
the enemy's councils which the recent event may
perchance produce, is the course decided upon by the
Boulogne conference.
The room at Boulogne in which the above impor-
tant conference was held, was not, it appears, protected
by those close shutting double doors which guard the
' secrets of the Council Chamber in the Tuileries. A
part of the discussion was so animated as to excite,
and partly to gratify the curiosity of persons in the
ante room. No entire sentences were indeed heard,
but some stray words, pronounced in a tone of con-
siderable excitement, reached ears for which they
were not intended, and conveyed the impression that
Lord Clarendon was remonstrating unsuccessfully
against the Emperor's proposed voyage to the
Crimea.

Some doubts are entertained at the Tuileries to-day
whether this voyage will after all come off. The
Empress is said to be less enthusiastic about it than
she was, and the party at court which has always
been opposed to the project hopes that the altered
circumstances may furnish a pretext to the Emperor
for revoking a determination which he would not
revoke in apparent deference to advice.
It was to be expected that there would be a re-
action at the Bourse to-day from the extraordinary
rise of Saturday. An immense crowd amembled, and
many parsecs found it impossible to obtain seam to
their agents. The Rents opened. at 70fr. 600., and, after
many oscillations with no very wide range, closed
at 70fr. 86c., with a fall of lfr. 60a. Rumours of
sinister news from St. Petersburg circulated towards
the close of business. All the railways fell, several
line as mush as 106" lafr., and 206.
The affair of gunk. Doudet will corn before the
tribunal of Correctional Polio, on Friday nexi.
I More than twenty wittier(' far the remand= have
already received samisonses.