The Press.
London, England, 1857-08-22 00:00:00

lortign dorusgoillunct.

PARIS, August 20.
Au. accounts agree in stating that Austria has
given her full consent to annul the recent Moldavian
elections, and that, in concert with England, she has
advised the Porte to issue orders for a fresh election ;
but, on the question of a union of the provinces,
Austria reserves to herself the right of abstaining
from giving an opinion until after the European
powers shall have declared themselves. The con-
ference at Osborne is, in point of fact, the most
important affair of the moment, since it has cut the
Gordian knot that was becoming inconveniently
tight, and threatening shortly to resolve itself into a
emus belli. Turkey, it is said, is sensible of being
placed in a most embarrassing position. The Sultan
will probably change his Ministry, but without any
result in respect to his relation with foreign powers.
To them, one Turk is as good as another, if no
alteration be made in the system of government.
That which is imperative on the part of the Ottoman
Government is to understand fully and literally that,
to deserve being admitted into the European family
of nations (according to the stipulations of the
Treaty of Paris), and to preserve its station, it must
vigorously perform the promises made to conform to
the progress of civilisation, by which alone it can
secure to itself vast internal advantages and the
security of the empire. Reform—amelioration—

progress—are the three words that the Turkish
Ministry must adopt as a principle of action and the
mainspring of government.

A Palace revolution, in these days, is a nullity and
a farce, for the time is past when the public atten-
tion was absorbed by the simple news of the nomina-
tion of a grand vizier as successor to the one who
had been summarily strangled. The Sultan now
understands his sovranic mission a little better, and
is aware that to insure the well-being of the millions
intrusted to his care is not only his duty, but a
means of self-preservation. He must assimilate his
mode of rule to that of the other powers of Europe ;
and in this worthy task he will find himself sup•
ported by his firm and trustworthy allies, France
and England. I have no other political news to give
you. Most of the foreign ambassadors, and several
of the Ministers, have quitted Paris for the season.
M. Fould is gone to Tarbes, where he has consider-
able property.
A great change has taken place in the personnel
of the French diplomacy throughout Europe, and of
late there have been many alterations of appoint-
ments at the different Courts. The members of the
high aristocracy no longer decline to accept diplo-
matic situations under the Empire. Some of the
highest and oldest titles of France may now be found in
the lists of foreign ambassadors, charges d'affaires,
and secretaries of embassy—names that have figured
in the history of former monarchies. This is a
convincing and public proof that the prejudices of
the Faubourg St. Germain do not extend beyond the
antiquated and worn-out generation that is fast has-
tening to the grave, and that the younger scions of
the old noblesse, by enlisting themselves in the
service of the Imperial Government, exhibit an
example of patriotism which must insure the glory
and prosperity of the country, and at the same time
be a safe guarantee for its future welfare.
The question of the commercial prosperity of
France has recently been much discussed in England.
That the commerce of France is gradually increasing
will be seen from the following statement :
The number of foreign merchant-vessels which
unloaded in the principal ports of France from the
month of January to July of this year was 9,0089
with a tonnage of 1,508,312. In 1850 it was 8,089

1857.

vessels, of 1,432,295 tons, and in 1855 it was 7,614
vessels, of 1,186,038 tons.
As regards the exportation of merchandise, there
is a great falling off in wine. In the first seven
months of 1856 it was 823,875 hectolitres, whilst
for the (same period of 1857 it was only 651,743.
The exportation of "species" has greatly increased.
From January to July in 1855 it was 7,965,511 hec-
tolitres, fir the same period in 1858 9,209,973, and
for the first seven months of 1857 13,621,292 hecto-
litres. The exportation of corn has also greatly in-
creased. In the first seven months of 1855 it was
594,5(X) q.m.; in 1856, 410,561, and in 1857,
1,245,623 q.m.
The importations have also increased. France
received in the first seven months of 1855, 48,849
q.m. of cotton, and in 1857, 71,865 q.m. From
January to July it, 1855, the importations of coal
from England was 5,197,305 q.m., in 1856, 6,090,547
q.m., and in 1857, 7,497,380 q.m. During the first
seven months of 1856 the importations of iron in
bars from England was 500,871 q.m., and in 1857,
523,220 q.m.
I have thought proper only to notice to-day a few
items of importation and exportation. In one of my
next I will refer more fully to this important

subject.
The Minister of the Interior has drawn up a
report for the Emperor on the present state and
prospects of the Orphan Asylum, under the patronage
of the young Prince Imperial. This institution was
founded for the maintenance and education of a
certain number of orphans, and to supply them with
the means of establishing themselves in life accord-
ing to their wishes and calling. The project
has been most successful. In the month of
January the number of inmates amounted to forty-
seven, and in this short time it has increased to
150. The report of M. Billault, Minister of the
Interior, details a number of interesting facts, show-
ing the advantages to be derived, and proving their
realisation by the large number of orphans who
have already benefited by the benevolent plan of the
Prince Imperial, and of the uniform good conduct
by which they have been distinguished.
It is hoped here that the Queen has been satisfied
with ber reception at Cherbourg. Orders were sent
from the offices of the different Secretaries of State to
receive her Majesty and the Prince Consort with all
the honour due to their illustrious rank, and to show
them everything worthy of been seen. Her Majesty
reached Cherbourg on Monday last and left on
Wednesday. Orders were also sent to the same
effect to Havre, and two batteries of artillery were
placed on the Place de la Providence and the South
Fort to salute her Majesty, in the event of her
approaching the harbour.

THE MILITIA.
TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS."
Sir,—Permit me to offer you my best tharks and
those of many brother officers for your spirited
article on the militia. The best of us, sir, and, I re-
joice to think, the majority, have higher wishes in
joining the militia than to air a uniform at a levee
or a) country ball; and nothing can be more dis-
heartening to us than the having the opportunity
denied us of acquiring that knowledge of our duties
and of our men, without which we are but an empty
sham. We are ready and willing to devote our time
and energies, and money too for that is often
necessary), to maintain and promote the efficiency
of our regiments; but the best of us will shrink
from a service which in peace is but a name, and
which on any sudden emergency would call on us to
perform duties of which we are kept in studied
ignorance. Had the militia been called out for
training, as they should have been, and should be
every year, in May and June, how different would
have been the position of Government ! One stroke
of the pen would have produced as many volunteers
as they could wish, and then they could have retained
and embodied such battalions as in point of
numbers and efficiency proved themselves most
eligible. But a paltry economy interfered, and we
were told that after twelve months' disembodiment
we were too efficient to require drill! One word
more. I hear and read flying rumours of foreign
legions; why pass by the militia a second time with
such studied contempt? As one who has volun-
teered before, and is ready to do so again, and as
having a pretty considerable acquaintance with
militia regiments, I would stake my commission on
the certainty of Government securing the services of
twenty militia battalions, from the colonel down to
the youngest drum boy, for foreign service in any
quarter of the globe, if they would only apply to
them instead of to the sweepings of Germany.
I feel that I owe an apology for the length of my
letter, but the subject is one on which I feel deeply,
not, God knows, from anything I have to gain from
embodiment, for there are few to whom it could ba
more embarrassing ; but I do wish to assert the
claims which we have to be allowed to share in vin-
dicating the honour of our oountry.—l am, sir, your
obedient servant, A blzurza OFFICER.

THE REBELLION IN INDIA.

REGARDING dispassionately the important facts re-
lated, in the full details this week received from
India it is impossible to arrive at that degree of
confidence and satisfaction affected to be felt by the
Ministerial journals of this country. The " mere
military mutiny" has resolved itself into a reli-
gious war of extermination against the whites.
Everywhere we see symptoms or proof of the
rebellion extending, nowhere of its real suppression,
and in more than one spot of its influencing
the hesitating conduct of, if not positively em-
bracing, the princes of India ; while, from the
positions the rebels have taken up in Oude and
Rahilcund, and the plan of operations which they
appear to develop in their determination not to
cross the Ganges, it is clear they will fight for the
possession of Bengal in case of the fall of Delhi. Un-
fortunately in several instances the Sikh irregular
troops and contingent forces attached to the native
princes have joined the movement, and, in fact,
every native, and every native soldier in Bengal,
from the very confines of the Bombay and Madras
Presidencies, is either in active revolt or passively
mutinous, waiting his opportunity.
" The whole country has risen as one man," writes
an officer from Benares. " The whole country has
risen up against the British Government," writes
another from Mhow. " There have been for a
long time incendiaries all over India, and secret
understandings with the King of Delhi to encourage
the mutiny," writes a third; and be adds, "The
King of Oude and his Ministers were too glad to
have an opportunity of doing what he considered so
advantageous for himself at such a time to get back
Oude, and heartily joined to assist his co-reli•
gionists, the Mahomedans of Persia, Delhi," &c., and
then he continues :

The leaders of the mutiny are Mabomedans, not Hin-
does, though the Hindoos have been led to join them. The
disaffection has spread throughout India; there are some
few exceptions where sepoys have stood firm, but they are
few and not to be trusted one minute. Moulvies (Ma•
homedan priests) have been very active in seducing the
Mahomedans to rise and leading them on. Of Hindoos,
too, the .3rahmins (priests) have instigated the Hindoos
also.

And yet, in the face of such statements as these,
made by practical men upon the spot, and well able to
judge, the Ministerial papers declare that the mutiny
cannot " expand," that the worst has come, and that
now we may tranquillise our minds !
The commercial authority is of some little weight in
matters regarding India, and we subjoin the TRADE
CIRCULAR of one of the most eminent houses in Cal-
cutta, and beg the attention of our readers to its
statements :

The mutiny amongst the sepoy troops has become all
but general, and it is believed by all who are not interested
in hiding from the public the real state of affairs, that the
whole material of our native army, regular and irregular,
are at this moment, with some few exceptions, in a state of
open or passive mutiny, ready to break out at any moment.
The mutineers at the several stations from Delhi down•
wards to Calcutta have been almost unchecked, and will,
if allowed to progress much further, have the effect of
causing the whole army, of every branch, to declare for
the new rule prophesied to commence one hundred years
after the anniversary of Plassy, which took place June 23,
1757. This prophetic dynasty, it is said, will succeed the
rule of the British in India, which will cease in 1856 or
60 I The truth of the prophecy is believed in by both Hindoo
and Massultaan, and has been published for months past, and
generally received as of divine origin by the natives of all
creeds. The fact of the mutineers being in possession of
Delhi, the ancient Hindoo and Mabomedan capital of
India, fulfils a large portion of the prophecy, and the rest
they blindly and confidently believe will be accomplished
"by the aid of God and Mahomet his prophet." Every
Masontown holds himself bound to respond to the call now
made upon him to fight for the recovery of the kingdoms given
as an inheritance to the faithful, and which they say have been
removed from their keeping for a time only, as a punishment
for the sins of their fathers.
It has been asserted by those connected with the Govern.
meat of India that the moral force of opinion is the power
necessary to secure the allegiance of the millions, and that
no other means can command it. Matters have now
assumed an entirely different aspect, and the time has ar-
rived when the inefficiency of the East India Company's
government becomes se(f•evidenl to every Englishman in
the East. India must have a large introduction of the
English element, military and civil, throughout its length
and breadth, and her Majesty's Government supersede the
Company'a rule. The farce of ruling a conquered race by
the race themselves must be no longer enacted. Let force
be permanent. It is the only power that can effectually
secure to us protection for life and property. Sir Charles
Napier years ago saw this mutiny looming in the distance,
and provided for it, as far as he was permitted to do so, by
an address to the Government of Lord Dalhousie and the
Court of Directors. The attention given to his advice by
those who comprised the Government of India and the