The Press.
London, England, 1854-07-01 00:00:00

USURY LAWS.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER on Thursday
brought in a bill for the abolition of the usury laws.
The measure, as he explained its purport, is designed
to remove the last legislative restriction upon the
rate of interest paid for borrowed money, which now
operates against only a single class of loans—those,
namely, raised upon real property. The measure he
submitted would relieve landowners, railway compa-
nies, and other owners of realty, from the disabilities
under which they laboured when seeking to borrow
money on mortgages or debentures.

THE Czar's ships in the Eastern seas have exciied
quite a panic. Calcutta, Bombay, Singapore, and
Hong-Kong, have all been overhauling their fortifies
tions, and preparing to give the Russian admiral
such a reception as his visit would deserve. The
Russian squadron only consists of five vessels, the
largest of which is a 00-gun frigate, and the smallest
an 18-gun corvette. The natives are, nevertheless,
very much alarmed. Many of the wealthier, accord-
ing to the Bombay Telegraph, have already buried
their money and ornaments, and are prepared to
start up the country on the first alarm. The Mar-
warries and some of the native Soucars have ceased
altogether investing their moneys in the banks or
other local institutions, and declare that as soon as
the Russians arrive every rupee in the place will be
seized. The fright would be simply ridiculous, were
it not so much calculated to create a foolish panic in
the place,

JULY 1, 1854.

ptiga an Colonial 3nitiligtut.

FRANCE. %

The change in the French Ministry which was an-
ticipated last week has taken place. M. de Persigny
retires, and M. Billault is nominated Minister of the
Interior. The new ministers on Monday took the
oaths of office beforelthe Emperor, and entered on the
duties of his office upon Tuesday, when in the course
of the evening he received the complimentary visits of
the functionaries attached to his department.
The successor of M. Billault, as President of the
Legislative Corps, will, it is understood, be M. Rouher,
formerly Minister of Justice, and at present president
of one of the sections of the Council of State.

M. de Persigny is nominated Grand Officer of the
Legion of Honour. In company with Madame de
Persigny he is said to have gone on a trip to.
Switzerland.

It is believed that the Emperor and Empress will
leave Paris on the 20th of July, either for the
Pyrenees, or on the visit which his Majesty promised
to pay to the camp at Marseilles. The Empress,
whose health is, it appears, by no means robust, will
pass some time in the Pyrenees, which she so often
visited in other times, and preparations :we already
making at Biarritz, which is only distant about half
an flour from Bayonne.

Marshal de St. Arnaud, it is stated, is to command
the expedition to the Crimea. The Moniteur publishes
a decree granting him permission to accept and wear
the insignia of the Turkish order of the Medjidie of
the first class.

The Marquis d'Aoust, uncle of Marshal de St.
Arnaud, died on Saturday last, at his Chateau of
Cuincy, near Douai, at a very advanced age.
The Moniteur de l'Arnsie mentions, as a proof of
the enthusiasm which prevails among the young
conscripts, that, at the last drawing for the conscrip-
tion, the number of pretended infirmities, voluntary
mutilations, and demands for exemption had been
less considerable this year, when the contingent is
140,000 men, than it has ever been when the number
required was only 80,000.
A distressing accident happened on Monday in the
Bois de Boulogne to Prince Charles Lucien Bona-
parte, while riding in company with his brother,
Prince Pierre Napoleon, and some other gentlemen.
A horse ridden by one of the party suddenly lashed
out, and, striking the prince with violence, fractured
his left leg. Tho fracture has been reduced, and
there is reason to hope that no serious consequences
will ensue.

The beautiful weather enjoyed throughout France
lately has had a favourable effect on the corn mar-
ket. The prices have fallen considerably, nearly 2f.
per 100 kilogrammes.
GERMANY.

The entry of the Austrians into the principalities
is decided on, and Count Coronini, with the first
division, to be followed closely by a second, is ready
to descend the Danube to Giurgevo, whence he will
march to Bucharest.

M. de Bruck is to communicate with the Porte as
to the steps necessary to be taken with a view to this
occupation of the principalities by the Austrians. An
Austrian officer, Colonel Halik, was to leave Vienna
during the week for Varna, in order to make arrange-
ments for the same step with the commanders of the
French and English troops.

General He has been named commander-in-
chief of the third division of the Austrian army. The
number of men under his command will be 300,000.
General Schlick commands the fourth division, in
Galicia; Archduke Albrecht the third corps, in
Transylvania.
Austria will delay her occupation of the principa-
lities until after her reception of the Russian answer
to her summons, and to the Prussian note.
The Austrian loan is immediately to be issued;
500,000,000 florins are spoken of as the maximum,
and 350,000,000 as the minimum, amount.
The Prussian Correspondence publishes an article
announcing that all the other States of the Gemanic
Confederation have completed the Austro-Prussian
alliance by their declaration of adhesion to the policy
of the two great German powers.
The King of Prussia returned on the 23rd ult.
from his tour, and proceeded to Sans Souci, where
the Queer had already arrived from Dresden. Gene-
ral Grunwald, aide-de-camp-general to the Emperor
Nicholas, reached Gumbinnen on the 17th, where he
complimented the King in the name of his Sovereign.
The general remained a day at Gumbinnen, and then
returned to St. Petersburg.

The marriage of her—Prussian Royal Highness
Princess Louisa with Prince Alexis of Hesse
Philipsthal was to take place on Thursday, the 211th
ult., at Potsdam.