The Press.
London, England, 1854-04-08 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

amount and atrocity upon the coast of Cuba. He
inquired what the British Ministry intended to do
upon the subject?
Sir J. GRAHAM stated that, even under all the ne-
cessities of war, the Admiralty had maintained the
slave squadron off both the coasts of Cuba and of
Africa in full efficiency. He admitted that an honest
co-operation of the Cuban authorities would do more
for the suppression of the traffic than the best efforts
of our cruisers. The Foreign Secretary had trans-
mitted urgent representations on the subject to the
Spanish Government, and, though these had not yet
been fairly responded to, no endeavours would be
spared, either by diplomacy or by active interference
through the slave squadron, to secure the performance
of the engagements which Spain was pledged to
carry out.
Mr. COBDEN hoped that England would never in-
terfere to prevent Cuba falling into the hands of the
United States, a consummation towards which events
seemed to be ripening.
The motion was agreed to.

Sortign anti Colonial antellipue.

FRANCE.

The Moniteur announces the departure of the first
French contingent to the army of the East. The
total force amounts to 20,078 men and 365 horses.
Every day a portion of the 200 commercial vessels
freighted at Marseilles put to sea, carrying cavalry,
artillery, ammunition, provisions, materials for en-
camping, &c. The troops embarked at Toulon on the
31st ult. ; the squadron immediately left the harbour.
A telegraphic despatch from Brest on Tuesday
states that Admiral Perseval-Deschenes had just
taken the command of the third French naval squad-
ron amidst loud cries of " Five l'Empereur !"
The embarkation of the troops for the East com-
menced at Algiers on the 23rd ult.
The Bulletin des Lois publishes a decree author-
ising an advance of ten million francs from the
French Treasury to the Ottoman Government. This
advance will bear interest, and will be repaid either
from the produce of the first loan which may be con.
tracted by the Ottoman Government, or in supplies.
It is said that the departure of Prince Napoleon
for Turkey is definitely fixed for Sunday (to morrow).
General Prim leaves the same day, as also one of the
attaches of the Ottoman Embassy in Paris. Marshal
St. Arnaud expects to leave on Monday.
Since Napoleon 111. has been head of the State
the following line-of-battle ships have been launched
from the French dockyards :—The Paris,
120 guns ; the Louis XIV., 120 ; the Fleurus, 100;
the Duguay-Trouin, 100; the Annibal, 100; the Aus-
terlitz, 100; the Bayard, 00; the Donaivorth, 90;
and the Tilsit, 00 ; in all nine vessels, with 910 guns.
The Central Jewish Consistory of France has pe-
titioned the Emperor to extend the privileges about
to be obtained for the Christians in Turkey to Jews
who may be subjects of the Sultan.
Late on Tuesday evening the Legislative Assembly
granted the authorisation to prosecute M. de Monta-
lembert for his letter addressed to M. Dupin by 184
votes against 51. M. Berryer has undertaken the
defence of his late colleague.
The editor of the Journal des Debati was sent for
on Monday to the Ministry of the Interior, and was
warned officieusenient that the line which he was fol
lowing with respect to the Russian question exposed
the paper to danger. It has not transpired what
article was found fault with.
A grand military banquet was given at the Palace
of the Tuileries on the 31st ult., the number of
guests being 106. Several toasts of a warlike cha-
racter were given by the Emperor, accompanied by
speeches in the same sense, which roused the
enthusiasm of the party to the highest pitch. Among
the toasts proposed by the Emperor was " Success
to the war—a war undertaken for the triumph of
liberty against despotism, of humanity against
cruelty and oppression, and of civilisation against
barbarism."
It is decided that a new levy of 80,000 or 100,000
men shall be forthwith made. The decree for this
further addition to the army is ready. The Moniteur
explains the purport of this decree as follows :
" It is true that the Government presents to the Legis-
lative Assembly a project of law for increasing the con-
tingent of the class of 1853. Under the present circum-
stances, such a measure is directed by prudence. But
everything leads us to believe that a notable part of this
effective force will remain at home, as belonging to the
reserve. The only object of the project is, in reality, to
give the Government the faculty of disposing of this con-
tingent in the case, little probable, that the honour and
interests of France should imperiously demand it."
Preparations are making in the Cirque de l'lmpe-
ratrice, in the Champs Elysees, for the grand dinner
to be given to Lord Raglan and his staff. It is said
that 2,000 covers will be laid.
The Archbishop of Paris has addressed a long
pastoral letter to the clergy and faithful of his diocese

SATURDAY,

in which he orders that prayers shall be offer 4
for the success of th• French arms in the East.

AUSTRIA.

Prince George of Mecklenburg Strelitz has brought
both to Vienna and Berlin conciliatory propositions
from St. Petersburg : they are conveyed in a letter.
Its tenor is as follows :—When the Western powers
succeed in securing the emancipation of the Christians
in Turkey by treaty, the Czar will be willing to
evacuate the principalities simultaneously with the
evacuation of the Euxine by the combined fleets.
The Archduke Albert left Vienna on the Ist for
Semlin, as commander-in-chief of the army of obser-
vation on the Turkish frontier. That army, including
the inhabitants who perform a permanent service, is
not less than from 120,000 to 150,000 men.
Negotiations have been going on between the Aus
trian Treasury and the Vienna Bank for an advance
on the security of the State domains. The Bank has
declined the proposal.
Austria has demanded from Russia that her sub-
jects in the principalities shall not be compelled to
take the Russian paper money.
On the occasion of the Emperor's marriage four
counts will be raised to the lank of princes : the
names mentioned are Count Kollowrat, Buol,Radetzky,
and Grunne.

ITALY.
A number of Piedmontese officers have applied to
the Minister of War for authorisation to enter the
French service in order to proceed to the East. The
Minister is said to have given a negative reply to all

these demands.
Several arrests have taken place at Parma, and
among others the supposed assassin of the Duke.

SPAIN.
The ➢iadrid Government is driven to such ex-
tremities for cash that they are actually owing the
prizes in the last lottery that was drawn.
_ _