The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

result any change in existing territorial positions. The last
of the protocols, in which this agreement is recorded,
shows that, although Fraser and Great Britain hare entered
into the tear against Russia, the four Cabinets invariably
adhere to the principles proclaimed heretofore by thee in
common, and have united in regard to the principle on
which to deliberate in common as relates to the fitting
means for attaining the object of their endeavours. The
Courts of Vienna and Berlin have not failed to perceive
that the continued display of military force on the Danube
is irreconcilable with the most important interests of
Austria and also of Germany. Having come to a decided
conviction on this point, Austria and Prussia now turn to
their German conledorates. It seems to them of prime
importance to the political position of Germany, an
element of her settled policy, a condition of the growth of
her national wealth, that there should be a well-ordered
state of affairs in the countries on the Lower Danube.
Germany looks to the East—of which the Danube is for
her an highway—for an important extension of her com-
merce, but for this purpose Danubian commerce must be
as free as possible, and exempt from liability to obstruc-
tion. But apart front this, the two powers consider that it
is the duty of the federal Governments of Germany to
take care that the settled relations of great European
states shall not be altered to the prejudice of Germany by
the present war. Final decision still belongs to the future,
and Austria and Prussia urge upon their• German allies the
necessity of standing firm and true by each other under the
trials which the approaching future may bring upon their
common fatherland."

SMALL CHANGE IN CONSTANTINOPLE.
TIM state of affairs in this respect in the Turkish
capital is reported in the correspondence from Turkey to
be very bad. There is no silver to be had. If a purchase
is made, and gold offered in payment, it depends entirely
on the amount expended whether the bargain is not off,
either from the inability to give, or the unwillingness of
the shopkeeper to part with, so scarce a commodity as
" change." But when the articles sold are consumed on
the spot, as at a confectioner's, the matter becomes serious,
because the seller does not ask in what money he is to be
paid before the cakes are eaten ; and, as he finds it impos-
sible to be off the bargain, he is obliged to start small paper-
money of his own. Here is a specimen
" Baltzer et Driesmans,
8.P., lne. Pre.
Lorltzaw and Dwindurwind."

The above bank-note is issued by one of the best con-
fectioners in Perri, who, in offering it, appeals to the good
nature of his customer to accept it, as he has nothing else
to give. The British troops at Scutari are equally ill off
for small money. The pay is issued to them in English
sovereigns. The difficulty then presents itself, how are
these sovereigns to be distributed daily, each man to have
his share? Jews and others come laden with silver, which
they retail at ridiculous prices. A sovereign is worth
from 130 to 130 piastres in paper money, upon which
currency of course all prices are regulated. The Jew pre-
sent himself with silver five-piastre pieces, and gives
twenty-one of them to the captain of a company for the
sovereign, reminding his victim that, although they are
called five-piastre pieces, they are worth in a shop six for
any article purchased Twenty-one six piastre pieces
appear to the novice good exchange for a sovereign, parti-
cularly when they are called Turkish shillings. The Jew
in the transactions gain four to ten piastres, or say tid. to
Is. rid., upon every sovereign he buys. This is only the
commencement of the war—at Constantinople too. What
will the troops do in the interior, unless some steps are
taken to remedy such an evil?

ANOTHER STEAM MONSTER, whose proportions sur-
pass all former specimens of the class, huge as they
have been, is now building at Scott Russell's yard in
Millwall. Her keel was laid down a few days since,
and the vessel is expected to be completed in two
years. She is to be nearly twice the length of the
great Himalaya, to have three times greater tonnage,
and is expected to perform the voyage to Australia
in a little over thirty days.
A MEDAL in commemoration of the allied war
against Russia in defence of Turkey has been struck
at the Paris Mint. It is of the size of a five-franc
piece. On the obverse Napoleon 111. is represented
giving his right hand to Queen Victoria, and his left
hand to the Sultan Abd-ul-Medjid. Over the head
of Napoleon is inscribed the word " Catholicisme ;"
over that of Queen Victoria, " Protestantisme ; " and
over that of the Sultan, " Islami,me." Over all, and
in large characters, so as to make the group into one
whole, are the words, " Dieu lea Protege ; " and be-
low the figures is the word " Civilisation." On the
reverse are the words, " Sous le regne de Napoleon
111. et celui de Victoria, la France et la Grande
Bretagne s'unirent pour assurer la paix du monde."
The medal is signed by " Caqui, graveur de l'Em-
pereur."
Dn. STANGER, the Surveyor-General of the colony
of Natal, died at D'Urban on the 14th of March,
after an illness of but one week. Dr. Stanger was
one of the few survivors of the memorable Niger
expedition. His scientific attainments and sterling
principles endeared him to every one who knew him,
and his experience as surveyor-general of this colony,
extending over nine years, gave him a high position
in the Legislative Council. The funeral took place
on the 10th ; the greatest portion of the inhabitants
of D'Urban were present, and the Bishop and the
Rev. Mr. Lloyd performed the burial service.