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

THE PRESS.

to run along the banks of salt lakes, without any
vestage of a running stream ; but, further on, there
are everywhere rivers at no great distance, and,
beyond Simferopol, the road passes successive?), near
the sources of the Alma, the Kateha, and the Belbek.

lortign and golonial 4nttiligente.

FRANCE.
The first meeting of the Imperial Commission,
appointed by the Emperor to collect all the writings
of Napoleon 1., is to meet at once under the presi
dency of Marshal Valliant. It is reported that the
labours of the commission will produce eight solid
quarto volumes of matter, in which all the Emperor's
decisions, directions, &c., on matters pertaining either
to state policy, law, or diplomacy w►ll be arrayed.
It is also reported that this great work will be pro-
duced in various continental languages. The
architect of the new part of the Louvre has just
notified to the Government that the new galleries in
that building cannot possibly be ready for the
Exhibition of the Fine Arts of all Nations next year.
In consequence, a large plot of land has just been
set apart in the neighbourhood of the Palais de
l'lndustrie, where a temporary gallery will be erected
for the occasion in question.
The Constitutionned says:—" We are assured that
it has been definitively decided that a harbour of
refuge, capable of receiving the largest vessels of the
state, shall be constructed at Boulogne-sur-Mer.
The site of the port will be at the village of
Chatillon, which is at the south-west of Boulogne.
The port will be very useful, as at present large
vessels passing in the Channel have no place of
refuge. The expense is estimated at 18,000,0001. or
20,000,000 f.
The Sentinelle of Toulon mentions the expected
arrival in that port of some hundreds of Russian
prisoners, who will be employed at reduced wages
in the extensive works now going on there, the
Government wishing that they should be pushed on
with greater activity than the number of workmen
that can be procured will allow. These men will be
employed in the repairs of the fortifications, while
the embankments and other works of that kind will
be performed by natives.
The Emperor left Boulogne on Saturday at noon,
and arrived at Paris at five o'clock. In the evening
his Majesty repaired to the Theatre Francais, and
assisted at the representation of the drama of
Adrienne Lecouvreur, in which Mademoiselle Rachel
performed the part of that celebrated tragic actress.
Another member of the Paris press, the Viscount
de la Guerronniere, member of the Chamber of
Deputies, has been appointed Councillor of State.
The Moniteur publishes a long list of officers and
soldiers of the army and navy, who, having distin•.
guished themselves at the siege of Bomarsund, have
received the decoration of the Legion of Honour or
the military medal.
The Emperor has also conferred the military
medal on a number of non-commissioned officers and
men who zealously attended the sick during the
prevalence of cholera in the army of the East.
We read in the Moniteur :—" We are happy to
have it in our power to contradict the report of the
death of General Espinasse. Having returned to
France, in an almost dying state, from an attack of
cholera, this gallant officer is now sufficiently re-
covered to return to the East. He came to Boulogne
to take leave of the Emperor, and is now awaiting the
orders of his Majesty for Marshal de St. Amend."
The Emperor, who bad left Paris during the week
to fetch the Empress from the Pyrennees, returned to
the Tuileries on Thursday.
BELGIUM.
The Emancipation of Brussels replies as follows
to all the insinuations which have been put forth
relative to the journey of King Leopold :
" The King, who is going into Switzerland and to Como
forthe benefitof his health, will return to Brussels aboutthe
middle of October. The excursion of his Majesty has not
been dictated by any political idea, and the reports which
have been circulated to the contrary are entirely void of
foundation. It is certain that his Majesty will preside at
the opening of the Chambers."
A letter from Brussels announces that the Minis-
ters have withdrawn their resignation, thus putting an
end to the ministerial crisis.
HOLLAND,
The States General were opened on Monday by a
speech from the King, of which the following are
extracts :
" I continue to receive from all foreign powers marks of
amity and friendship. This fact, considering the present
political position of Europe, is extremely satisfactory to
me. The neutrality which we adopted has been strictly
maintained, and, as we have scrupulously observed our
obligations towards foreign States, we may on our side
expect to see our rights respected The resistance to
our authority which we have experienced from the Chinese
in the island of Borneo has, I am happy to say, been
overcome by the valour of our troops. The general situa-
tion of our colonies is satisfactory, although the sanitary