The Press.
London, England, 1854-02-04 00:00:00

102

late elections in these boroughs had been declred e
void on petition, and he wished to give the hoaus
an interval of five weeks to consider the reports
from the several election committees, and de-
termine how the franchise question should be dealt
with.

AORTCULTURAT. STATISTICS.
In answer to Mr. Stafford,
Mr. CARDWF.LL stated that Sir John Walsham and another
gentleman had been sent to institute en inquiry into the agri-
cultural statistics of the counties of Norfolk and Hants, and
he expected their reports very shortly.
EPISCOPAL AND CAPITULAR REVENUES.
The Marquis of BLANDVORD has obtained leave to reintroduce
the bill of last session making better provision for the manage-
ment of capitular and episcopal property. The only moditication
proposed in the present bill is one for giving corporations, aggre-
gate or sole,
peet power of applying a portion of this property to
the making rmanent provision for the spiritual wants of the
population in which it was situated.
With the assent of Lord J. Russell the bill has been brought
in, and passed the first reading on Thursday.
GOVERNMENT MEASURES.
Mr. 'Daus, on behalf of the Government, has promised a
series of measures, which will be introduced on the following
dates :—Monday next, the 6th inst., Motion for committee of
whole house on parliamentary oaths (Lord J. Russell); Friday,
10th, Leave to bring in a bill to amend laws on bribery, treating,
and undue influences at elections (Lord J. Russell); same day,
Bill to Amami laws respecting election petitions and inquiries
into corrupt practices at elections (Lord J. Russell); same day,
Bill to amend law of settlement (President of Poor-law Board);
Monday, 13th, Leave ►o bring in new Reform Bill (Lord J. Rus-
sell); same day. Bill to amend laws concerning the vacating of
seats by members of the House of Commons (Lord J. Russell).

Sottip and (Colonial fltelligtatt.

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.

PARIS, February 2.
THE speech of the Queen of England appears at full
length in the Moniteur of this morning, unaccom-
panied by any comment. It is generally rumoured
here that this royal address is more significant in its
omissions than in its expressions. No mention of
the entry of the combined fleets into the Black Sea,
and the names of Austria and Prussia not pro-
nounced.

Mlle. Petrowich, a Servian singer, made her dibut
last night at the Italiens in Luerezia Borgia. M. de
Kisseleff, with several Russians, was present at the
representation. He holds himself in readiness toile-
part from day to day.
The ball given on Saturday at the Hotel de Ville
was magnificent. The brilliant salons of the muni
cipal palace were dazzling to behold. The Prefect
of the Seine, M. Hanssman, and M. Delangle, presi-
dent of the members of the Municipal Canned, did the
honours with delightful courtesy. Upwards of 5,000
persons were present, among whom were to be re-
marked a great number of English visitors of dis-
tinction. The orchestras of Strauss and Dufrene
inspired the dancers. Five It/Its, abundantly
provided with all the delicacies of the season, offered
their varied seductions to the guests. The ball was
opened at half•past eight o'clock, and continued till
far into the morning.
The Emperor and Empress honoured with their
presence the ball at the Palais Royal on Sunday,
given by the Prince Jerome. The Ministers, the
grand officers of the Crown, and several distinguished
members of the Senate, the Corps Legislatif, the
Conseil d'Etat, and the army, were among the bril-
liant throng which crowded, to the number of six
hundred, the rooms of the Palais Royal. Their Ma-
jesties arrived at ten o'clock, and remained till one
o'clock in the morning.
The Imperial School of Fine Arts will soon proceed
to the election of a new member of the commission
charged to assist the section of architecture in the
award of prizes, and also of a secretary of archives,
vacant by the death of M. Achille Leclerc. The
celebrated Abbe de Lamennais, author of " Les
Paroles d'un croyant, " who has been lately very ill,
was yesterday declared out of danger. The Prince
Napoleon has been received with marked honours
at the Court of Brussels. The Duke de Braaant
welcomed him on his arrival, surrounded by a bril-
liant staff, and conducted him to an anclicince of re-
ception held by King Leopold. On the 30th of
January a grand court dinner was given in his
honour. The French Ambassador and Mme. Bar•
rat were also invited. After the dinner, his Imperial
Highness went, in company with the Duke and
Duches of Brabant, to the ball of the Nobles, where
he remained till half-past eleven, and went away
with their Royal Highnesses. Next day the French
Ambassador presented the Corps Diplomatique
to the Prince, who conversed with each of the
Ministers of foreign powers present. After which
he accompanied the Duke and Duchess of Brabant
to visit the Church of St. Gudule and the Hotel de
The Bourgomestre of Brussels attended, and
pointed out the different monuments to the visitors.
In the evening another grand dinner took place,

THE PRESS.

succeeded by a visit, in company with the Belgian
Royal Family, to a performonce (by command) at the
opera. It is said that the Prince will proceed from
Brussels to Berlin.
The family of the late Lieutenant Bellot have pre-
sented to the mayor of Rochefort (his native town)
the cross of the Legion of Honour worn by him on
board the Phenix in his last and fatal expedition
in the Arctic Seas.
M. Bineau, Minister of Finance, having called the
attention of the Emperor to the very valuable
services rendered to the country by the custom-
house officers and men employed on the coast, a
decree has appeared this morning nominating a
number of these meritorious functionaries to be
chevaliers of the Legion of Honour.
The Government has again found itself called
upon to disclaim any responsibility in the trans-
mission of news conveyed through the medium of
the electric telegraph. Stringent orders have, more-
over, been given to bring to justice any parties send-
ing despatches which may be false, of a nature to
trouble the public mind, or to facilitate fraudulent
speculation.

FRANCE.
Prince Napoleon left Paris on Saturday for
Brussels, travelling in the same train with the
Prince de Chimay, who was returning to Belgium.
The details of his journey were chronicled with much
parade in the Moniteur, and he was received in the
Belgian capital with imperial honours. The Duke
de Brabant met him at the railway station, and con-
ducted him to the palace. Much importance is
attached in both countries to this journey, and
innumerable rumours are current both iu Paris and
Brussels as to its cause and object. It is said to
mark a complete change in the relationship between
the Bonaparte and Coburg families, and there is a
persuasion among the Parisians that the Duke and
Duchess of Brabant will shortly pay a return visit of
compliment to the Emperor Napoleon.
All the young disposable soldiers of the second
portion of the contingent of the class of 1851 are
called into active service by imperial decree to fill
up the gaps produced by the discharge of old
soldiers of the special corps.
Colonel Ardent, accompanied by the English
general Sir John Burgoyne, are said to be about to
visit Constantinople, these officers being commis-
sioned by their respective Governments to pro-
ceed there on duty connected with military engineer-
ing. Several military councils have been held at the
Tuileries with respect to this subject, at which the
most eminent French military engineers have assisted.
The Emperor has been present at atl, and has taken
great interest in their labour-.
Many Russian families are preparing to quit
Paris, and some have already done so, to their infinite

regret.
The Moniteur has published the official returns of
the customs during the month of December last,
and also for the year 1853. The receipts last
month amounted to 11,840,175 f., being a decrease
of 1,505,812 f. on the corresponding month of 1852,
and an increase of 2,148,147 f. on that of 1850.
The yearly return of 1853 amounts to 140,395,473 f.,
being an increase of 531,818 f. over 1852, and of
23,242,001 f. over 1851. The principal articles on
which an advance has taken place, as compared
with 1851, are raw cotton, coffee, rough castings,
coal, wool, and French colonial and foreign sugars.
The Times article, in anticipation of the Queen's
speech, was telegraphed to Paris on Tuesday morn
ing so incorrectly that the expressions of the writer
were attributed to the Queen. Much sensation was
excited, and the consequent fluctuations in the
Bourse were serious. In consequence, probably, of
this incident, the Moniteur subsequently published a
notification stating that the Government is not
responsible for the news given in pnvate telegraphic
despatches. It will continue, however, to give the
greatest latitude for despatches of this kind; but it
has thought it necessary to order that any despatch
with false news and of a nature to disturb public
tfanquillity, or to favour illicit speculations, shall be
brought under the notice of the judicial authorities.
A contract has just been concluded at Rochefort for
the equipment of 15,000 men : they are to be fur-
nished within one month, independent of 20,000
already in progress, which number is nearly com-
p**

SATURDAY,

with the Emperor on Monday last, the 30th. He
was expected to leave the Austnan capital before the
end of the week.
A letter from Vienna, in. the Cologne Gazette, states
that tue disposition of the Ausuians is not untavour-
able to the Turks, even in military circles, and that
Count Orloff would find great difficulty in succeeding
in his mission. As it is, no State has hitherto
suffered more than Austria from the disturbance
caused by Russia.
It was reported that the Emperor Nicholas would
pay an early visit to Vienna and Berlin.
The Germanic Diet have resumed their labours
concerning the modifications which were to be intro
duced into the military constitution of the Confede-
ration.

BELGIUM.
The Belgian Minister of nuance has presented to
the Chamber of Itelu•eseutativea a bill provubing a
credit of 1,730,0001. Mr UHs continuation of the ueten-
sive woks of the country, and for completing the
necessary warlike stores.

SPAIN.
A decree suppressing passports was signed on the
45th ult. by the Queen of Spain.
The Nueion and Diario Espanol have been sus-
pended for not making up their caution-money, a
part of which was embargoed to pay a tine imposed
on them. The Oriente has been condemned in 5,000
reels fine, and six months imprisonment for its re-
sponsible editor.
RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
The English and French Ambassadors at St. Pe.
tersburg have already received their instructions to
demand their passports, and it is added that the
tone of those instructions, which will be read to
Count Nesselrode, contain some strong e,pressions
which are not in the answer to the Russian An►bas-
sdors.
The Cologne Gazette states that the Imperial Guard
has received orders to set out on the Ist of March to
occupy the coast of the Baltic, its head-quarters being
at Riga.
Telegraphic despatches from Vienna announce in
very positive terms the dismissal and disgrace of
Prince Gortschakotf, and add that General Schilder,
who has been appointed his successor, had left l'esth
for the seat of war. Another account states that the
general hail, indeed, departed for the scene of hosti-
lities, but simply for the purpose of superintending
the operation of throwing bridges across the Danube
for the passage of the troops. General Schilder
is chief of the engineers, and the statement of
Prince tiortschalcoirs dismissal appears exceedingly.

doubttu'.
The Wallachian peasants sell all their cattle to
avoid Russian transport service. The Russians pro-
hibit the purchase of cattle from the peasants.
The whole Russian fleet was at Sebastopol on the
11th ult., but left in the direction of Ratkum on the

following day.
At the date of the last intelligence from the Black
Sea the greater part of the British fleet had returned
to Constantinople, in order to convoy troops and
ammunition to Varna.
The Odessa correspondent of the Wanderer writes
on the 20th of Jan. that 400 vessels were in port
taking in corn. It was then still firmly believed in
Odessa that there would be no rupture between
Russia and the Western powers, though the tre-
mendous preparations proved that the war against
the Porte was to be carried on with all energy.
There are nu tidings of any hostile movements
in the principalities, but accounts have been re-
received of a sanguinary battle which took place on
the Ist December at Soubatan, in Asia, a place in
! the Turkish territory, between Kars and the Russian
frontier. The battle continued the whole day with
great obstinacy, and the losses were very consider-
able. A letter from Trebizond of the and gives the
following details of this engagement:—
" The Turkish force was composed of about 25,000
regular troops and redifs, besides a considerable body of
bagi bozouks (irregular cavalry). The Russians had
from 20,00) to 25,000 men. Only the right wing and
centre of the Turkish army were engaged in the battle.
The left wing, which was commanded by Veil Pitch',
could only come to within three hours' distance of the,
scene of action. The regular troops end redifs fought
very well, and were for several hours engaged with the
Russians. Several attacks were made with the bayonet,
and they even fought hand to hand with the Russians.
They were, however, abandoned by their leaders ; and
then, of course, nut having any one to direct them, took
to flight. Several thousand men were killed on either
side; and the Turks lost 17 guns.
" Veli Pacha brought back his men to Kars, where most
of the regulars and redifs of the centre and right also
rallied ; but the bazi bozouks and other irregulars all took
to flight, and disbanded. The Russians remained masters
of the field of action, and remained in the villages near for
several days, quietly collecting the guns and ammunition
lea by the Turks; and then returned to Gumri and
Akiska, recrossing the frontier. The Turkish colonel of
infantry (Skender Rey) was killed. The troops would
not have suffered so much had nut the generals, Hussein
Paella, who commanded the right wing, and Osman