The Press.
London, England, 1854-04-01 00:00:00

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

FURTHER documents relating to the Russian con-
troversy were issued on Wednesday. This new
series comprises 137 papers, dated between the 10th
of last January and 19th ult., and contains a mass of
correspondence detailing the last steps of the
diplomatic intercourse which took place before the
final rupture at St. Petersburg, with a variety of
despatches from, or to, Lord Stratford at Constanti-
nople, respecting the rights and privileges to be
accorded by the Sultan to his Christian subjects.
Among these documents is a copy of the last terms
which the Czar professed his willingness to accept
from Turkey under the guarantee of the four powers,
offering in return an immediate evacuation of the
principalities. The proposals were for a treaty on
the following bases :-
1. The full and entire confirmation of former treaties
concluded between Russia and the Porte, dating from
that of Kainardji, and of the special conventions of
Adrianople relative to the Danubian principalities and to
Servia.
2. Explanations, to be recorded by the respective pleni-
potentiaries charged with the negotiation of peace in a
separate act in the form of a protocol or of an additional
article, the draught of which is hereunto annexed, concern-
ing the signification and practical application of the former
and latter firmans of the Sultans relative to religious
liberty, and to the immunities according to the churches
of the orthodox Eastern rite.
3. The evacuation, with the least possible delay, of the
Danubian provinces, and of the other territories and towns
forming part of the Sultan's dominions which may, in con-
sequence of the events of the war, be occupied by the
Russian armies, so soon as the arrangements shall be con-
cluded.
4. The re-establishment of the order of things, and of
the Governments of the principalities, such as they were
settled by the stipulations of Adrianople.
b. The regulation of the right of asylum, and of the con•
ditions on which it should for the future be accorded in the
respective countries to agitators and revolutionists, who,
under the guise of political refugees, might foment dissen-
sions and create misunderstandings between friendly and
neighbouring Governments.
As concerns the treaty of July 13, 141, Russia considers
it as never having ceased to be in force, since it was con•
cluded both for the time of peace as well as for that of
war; consequently, there would be no occasion for its re-
newal or completion by a guarantee.

. _
The last despatch is from Mr. Michele, the English
Consul at SL Petersburg, dated on the 19th, and
announcing Count Nesselrode's declaration that the
Emperor did not think it " convenable " to return
any reply to the message brought by Sir H. Black-
wood. The despatch concludes
" In the course of our subsequent conversation, I asked
Count Nesselrode what the intentions of his Government
were with reference to the consular arrangements between
the two countries in the event of a declarsition of war ?
His excellency replied—' That will entirely depend upon
the course her Britannic Majesty'sUoverntinnt may adopt;
we shall not declare war.' "

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296

* lal gattilignut.

FRANCE.
In the sitting of the Corps Legislatif on Monday
the Minister of State was introduce& and, in the
name of the Emperor, read a message, announcing
that the last resolution's of the Cabinet of St. Peters-
burg had placed Russia in a state of war with
France, the responsibility of which entirely rested
on the Russian Government. The assembly re-
ceived the announcement with loud acclamations.
The President, in reply to the message, said that
the Emperor might rely on the unanimous assist-
ance of the Corps Legislatif, as well as of the whole
country. The acclamations were renewed, and the
assembly broke up amid repeated cries of " Vive

l'Empeieur ! "
The same announcement was made to the Senate.
The Moniteur publishes a decree for the reorgani-
sation of the medical service in the navy, and de-
termining the rank and pay of the medical officers.
Another decree raises the number of enseignes
de
vaisseau in the French navy from 650 to 000.
Rear-Admiral Lugoel is appointed to supersede
Rear-Admiral Jacquenot as second in command of
the Mediterranean squadron.
The Patrie gives an interesting account from
Malta of the 25th ult. of the recepti of General
Canrobert and the other French generals who bad
arrived there on the previous day on their way to
Constantinople. The commander of the garrison at
Malta called out the troops in honour of the visitors,
and there were loud and enthusiastic cheers from
the officers and soldiers. On the 25th the Christophe
Columb, which had brought the French generals to
Malta, left for Turkey.
The bands of several regiments of the garrison
of Paris have been for some time practising the air,
" God save the Queen," in order to play it on the
arrival of the English auxiliaries, whose bands will,
no doubt, return the compliment by playing the now
appropriate air of " Partant pour Is Syrie."
Preparations are making at the Palace of the
Elysee for the reception of the Emperor and Em-
press, who will remove from the Tuileries as soon as
the fine weather sets in.
The loan is closed. 98,000 subscribers demanded
467,000,000 francs. 253,000,000 francs have been
subscribed in the departments, and 214,000,000
francs at Paris. 308,000,000 francs have been
demanded in Three per Cents., and 159,000,000
francs in Four-and-a-Half per Cents. The Govern-
ment has given notice that the subscription having
exceeded the required amount, all offers above
1,000 francs must be proportionately reduced ;
smaller subscriptions than 1,000 francs wil not be
interfered with.
M. Arthur Nicolas Hubbard, a member of the
Paris bar, has been tried for belonging to a secret
society, and the clandestine possession of a printing-
press. He was counsel for the defence of one of the
prisoners in the affair of the Opera Comique plot,
and the great zeal he showed, coupled with certain
expressions betraying an intimate knowledge of the
conspiracy, provoked the suspicion of the law officers
of the Crown, and led to his arrest. It was proved
that the printing-press afterwards found at Bratiano's,
the Wallachian, had been originally in his posses-
sion, and had been used while in his house to print
"Le Revell," "La Conscience Publique," the
" Bulletin a l'Armee," and other revolutionary pro-
clamations. The court found M. Hubbard guilty,
and sentenced him, as a leader and founder of a
secret society, to three years' imprisonment and a fine
of 500 francs, and for the possession of the printing-
press to a fine of 10,000 francs. He is, moreover, '
deprived of civil rights for five years.
The Legitimist journal, the Union, has profited
by the lesson that was lately given to it. Not only
does it abstain from insinuations against the
alliance with England and the policy of the French
Government in going to war with Russia, but de-
clares that, now that war is proclaimed, all parties
are bound to give proofs of their patriotism, by
efforts and sacrifices in support of the honour of
France.
The meeting of the creditors of M. Montaux on
Wednesday night went off very satisfactorily. The
firm pays 50 per cent., half of it down. The
liabilities do not, it appears, exceed three millions of
francs.