The Press.
London, England, 1856-08-23 00:00:00

LORD GRANVILLE.

The Hotel Demouth, where Lord Granville is sojourn-
ing for the short time before the corps diplomatique set
out to Moscow, is situated on the first canal that crosses
the Nevaky Prospect, and crowds of isvostchiks, and other
Russian idlers of the lower class, succeeded each other all
day long, Friday, Saturday, and yesterday, on both sides of
the canal, and upon the police bridge, or Politziiskoe Most,
to gaze at such of the new inmates as occasionally ap-
peared upon the massive balcony. One, an English naval
officer, attracted the greatest attention, thanks to his
thoroughly professional look, and to the uniform which
set it off. The isvostchiks were never tired pointing to
him, and then to their own shoulders, to indicate the
gleam of his ponderous bullion epaulettes, exclaiming,
" Ah ! dobrah eta! Ah ! carasho ! " " Ah ! how fine he is !
how splendid!" I told you in a former letter about the
100 bottles of regularly ordered diurnal Medoc for the
Count de Morny's servants. Our Embassy, tender of the
calves of those colossal footmen, vigilant for the stomachs
of those imposing haul-kale (or " indoor•louts," as
I have heard this translated) on whose physical condition
so much of the majesty of our island depends, has been at
least as provident. Lord Granville is quite right to attach
importance to his being attended by a hundred vakts-apied
at the coronasion. The Russians cannot conceive what
ambassadors come here for, if not to spend plenty of
money—and then to have considerably less than the full
benefit of it. Everybody, from the iavostchik who drives
you to the landlord who lets you his house, cheats every-
body else in a good-humoured spirit.X If the impostor is

SATURDAY,

detected by you, he respects your acuteness as having
beaten him ; but it is all a sort of game—better luck next
time. If his imposition passes good, he still respects you
as being able to stand it. None are despised but those
who have nothing to be cheated out of. The French Am-
bassador is revered, venerated at this moment in St.
Petersburg; and if a story which I have just heard be true,
as I believe it to be, Lord Granville (who, by the way, has
just this instant arrived at Cronstadt) will be held in
equal veneration at Moscow. The statement is this :he
has, of course, taken a house at Moscow; but he has
taken it only fcr a month, the requisite period. Prince
Dolgoroulti, the Minister at War, has also taken a house
at Moscow for a month. There is not very much diffe-
rence in the accommodations of the respective houses (ex-
cept that Lord Granville's has no suitable ball•room) ; and
what do you suppose each pays? Lord Granville pays
40,000 silver roubles ; Prince Dulgorouki 8,000 ; the One
7,0001., the other 1,2001.—1 b.

When Lord Granville arrived at Cronstadt a small
imperial steamer at once came out and took his
Excellency and suite on board.

Entering the passage round the granite fortresses
of Cronstadt, is a moment of special interest
to all English tourists
Of course, when we approached that world-renowned
chain of marine fortresses, every one rushed upon desk,
and spy-glasses were in instant requisition, and eager
questions were asked about the famous place that had
laughed at the fleets of two great nations, and at which
British admirals had contented themselves with looking
at the longest possible ridge. I must confess that at first
the general feelingowas aollte ,of surprise, and every, one
asked his neighbour, err these the forts before which
Napier hesitated, and Dundee declined to attack ? We
saw three stone forts standing at long distances across the
harbour, which appeared to us not much larger than
Martello towers; and each armed with three tiers of only
twelve guns.: Seaward there appeared a broad expanse
of water, in w • a large fleet might manceuvre ; and to
the north the 1 which Admiral Napier himself dis-
covered, and of dh, up to that time, even the Russians
had no idea. To unprofessional eyes it appeared that the
prudence muit have been great which prevented the attack
on Cronstailt in the early part of the war. It is, however,
only fair to airtdc,that the naval and military men on board
were of a diffeent opinion, the former pointing out that
although the seeming expanse of water was broad, the
real channel was exceedingly narrow, and the latter,
amongst whom was an Italian officer who had served in
the defence of Rome, averring that a hostile fleet going
up in twos and threes would inevitably be sunk the
moment they came within range of the guns.—D. News cor.

The new regime at St. Petersburg is spoken of
very favorably:—

In due time we arrived at St. Petersburg, and had a
foretaste of the improved regime which every one here
hopes for, in the great courtesy and forbearance of the
Customhouse officers, who to my great surprise were
perfect lambs in comparison wtth the stern functionaries
of Dover or Folkestone. They did not even open the
books in my portmanteau, although the word " Russia "
appeared conspicuously on the back of every one of them.
It is generally understood that this is only part of the new
system, and that the new Emperor contemplates even
more startling innovations than this satisfactory relaxation
of the rules of the Douane. One little instance I may
mention, as the straw showing the way the wind blows.
In the late Emperor's time smoking in the streets was
strictly prohibited, but shortly after the accession of the
present, his Imperial Majesty was himself seen smoking
along the quays—a quiet hint that the " counterblast " had
been allowed to die out of itself.

The Count de Morny has presented to the Em-
peror of Russia the Grand Cordon of the Order of
the Legion of Honour from the Emperor Napoleon.
Le Nord publishes some details respecting the re-
ception of M. de Morny by the Emperor. At the
grand ball given on the occasion of the anniversary
of the Empress's birthday, M. de Morny had the
honour of dancing with her Majesty and with her
Imperial Highness Alexandra, the wife of the Grand
Duke Constantine. During the supper the Emperor,
who was walking round the tables, conversed re-
peatedly with the members of the French Embassy.
At four o'clock on the afternoon of the same day an
official dinner took place in the palace of the Eng-
lish Garden ; M. de Morny proposed as a toast,
"The Emperor Alexander 11. and the Empress,"
expressing, in a few graceful words, his grateful
sense of the reception he had met with, and which
he considered as a new proof of the sympathy exist-
ing between the two States. He concluded with
saying he was persuaded that the relations so happily
and cordially renewed between Russia and France
would be consolidated more and more. The Count
of Borch, grand master of the ceremonies, in reply,
proposed " The Health of the Emperor and Em-
press of the French," and thanked the French Am-
bassador for his friendly words.
_

Le n ord also accounts for the apparent preference
shown to M. de Morny over Count Esterhazy in the
earlier reception :
Count Esterhazy, having learned that the Count of.
Morny was leaving for St. Petersburg, made his prepare.
tions so as to arrive at that city before the French repre-
sentative. A few days after he desired to be presented
officially to the Czar; but his presentation could not take
place, for Count Esterhazy had forgotten to bring with him
his credentials. 1n the meantime M. de Morny arrives,
who a few days after solicits and obtains his official pre-
sentation. He had not forgotten his credentials. Of all

AUGUST 23, 1856.

the representatives of the foreign powers sent to the coro-
nation of the Czar, M. de Morny is, therefore, the one
that has been received first by the Emperor. Count Eater•
hazy was desirous, no doubt, of being received the first,
that he might have the right of occupying the first rank
during the ceremonies of the coronation, for you cannot but
be aware that on such an occurrence the places are given•
according to the priority of the several receptions.
A bit of Court scandal is rather amusing, and shows
the inestimable advantages possessed by a despotic
sovereign :

The Governor of Moscow is Count —. His daugh-
ter was united in marriage to Count Nesselrode, junior,
and is separated from him in divorce. The mother,
Countess —, is not received ut Court. Were she at
Moscow during the coronation, how could the wife of the
Governor remain uninvited? The scandal would be
great; the case was delicate. How is it arranged? Why,
a decree of the Emperor unexpectedly appears, stating
that as Countess —is most anxious to travel abroad,
his Majesty graciously permits her to do s•o forthwith.
She thanks his Majesty, choking with rage ; and her
friends choke with regret or laughter as they wish her
good bye. I believe the permission extends to the
daughter.—Post cor., Aug. 16.
The exodus from the Continent to St. Petersburg
is remarkable. Among late arrivals was General
Mouravieff :

Only an hour since the Stettin boat arrived deep in the
water with her human freight General Mouravieff yips on
board. The portraits of Mouravieff which I have seen in
England do him gross injustice. There was one I espe•
cially remember, representing him as a portly, heavy-
faced, stupid•looking man of sixty. He appears about
forty-eight—is small, active, sprightly, with such a good-
natured and good-humoured expression of countenance as
to prevent your remarking at a first glance its unquestion•
able keenness and intelligence. Some of the princes and
heroes who came with him were in uniform, and covered
with orders. He wore plain clothes—not even a ribbon—
and, instead of a military hat, a little black cap—looking
altogether like a sensible traveller used to the sea. It is
not a tine thing to see a man who glitters with stars,
crosses, and badges, seasick !—Post cor.
The official programme of the coronation is pub-
lished.

M. FARINI'S LETTER TO MR. GLADSTONE, just pub-
lished at Turin, forms a pamphlet of a few pages.
Having depicted the political condition of each
Italian state, the distinguished writer insists on the
necessity of reform, and of putting an end to foreign
occupation. The following passage will be read
with interest :

Judging by the past (says M. Farini) and from the de-
clarations made by Count Buol at the Congress of Paris,
Austria means to maintain the prerogative of armed inter-
vention in each Italian state, whenever she may be invited
so to do by the legitimate princes; in other words, by her
own very near relatives, or by her most devoted prefects.
She has no right to act in this way; and it is quite clear
that she does not so act for the purpose of securing the
existence of the thrones or altars, but of strengthening
her own governmental influence and her own usurpation.
It is consequently evident that Piedmont, in her capacity
as an Italian state equal to the state possessed in Italy by
Austria, and in her capacity as a European power, can
also intervene. I say that she ought to do so, and that in
forming her resolutions she ought to take counsel of her
interests and dignity. If Europe is apprehensive that a
Piedmontese intervention in the other States of Italy may
disturb the peace, she must put an end to the Austrian
occupation, and find the means of not seeing it renewed.

M. Farini is a member of the majority in the elec-
tive chamber, and is one of the most devoted as well
as most intellectual supporters of the policy pursued
by the Sardinian Cabinet.

THE RIFF PIRATES, Off the Morocco coast, are
awkward customers to deal with. His Royal High-
ness Prince Adalbert, Lord High Admiral of the
Prussian Navy, was attacked, wounded, and
very nearly made prisoner by them the week
befcre last. It appears that the prince, anxious
to inspect personally the ecene, on the Riff
coast, of an outrage some time since on a Prussian
ship, whose crew had been massacred by the pirates,
proceeded in his barge to the spot a few days antece-
dent to the 10th inst., when his landing was not only
opposed by the Riffraff, but he was tired upon. This
roused the spirit of the prince, who returned to his
sloop Dantzig, manned and armed her boats, and pulled
on shore. By this time vast numbers of the pirates
had collected and made a formidable demonstration;
but the prince, nothing daunted, dashed ashore,
end charged the Ruffians sword in hand. The
Riflians, however, were not to be put to flight by a
prince, though he was High Admiral of Prussia,
and backed by some fifty men. They stood their
ground, poured in a steady fire, struck down the
prince with a ball in his thigh, mortally wounded his
aide-decamp (flag-lieutenant), shot the mate of the
party in the arm, killed seven, and wounded seven-
teen men. In fact, the whole of the prince's party
was nearly cut off. The survivors were ultimately
got on board the sloop, and carried to Gibraltsr.
The killed were interred with full military honours,
and the prince admiral's wound is doing well.