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

THE PRESS.

provement of our mercantile code, in conformity with
past legislation on the subject.
After some observati ms from Admiral Walcott,
Captain Scobell, Mr. Philipps, Mr Ingham, Mr.
Laing, and Mr. Pellatt, leave was given to bring in
the bills.
The answer of her Majesty to the address in reply
to her Majesty's speech was then brought up by
Lord Drumlanrig, Comptroller of the Household,
and received.
The LORD ADVOCATE moved for and obtained leave
to bring in a bill for the valuation of lands and heti-
tages in Scotland.
On the motion of Mr. WILSON, it was resolved that
on Monday next the house should go into a commit-
tee to consider the oaths taken by members of Par
Lament.
The house then adjourned, at a quarter to nine
o'clock.

THE RUSSIAN AMBASSADORS.
DIPLOMATICALLY speaking, the Russian Ambassador
at the Court of St. James's quitted England yes-
terday. Personally we believe that Baron Brunow
will not leave London until this afternoon. The
Chesham-house establishment has, however, been
broken up, the domestics are dismissed, and the
attaches of the Embassy have subsided into the cha-
racter of mere individuals. Contemporaneous changes
of similar character have passed over the hotel of
the Russian Embassy in Paris. M. Kisseleff, whose
departture has been positively stated by one
Parisian journal or another every day for the past
week, upon information derived from the Bourse, has
actually demanded his passports, ceasing to hold
diplomatic intercourse with the French Government,
on Thursday evening, purposing to depart from the
French capital this (Saturday) morning. The
proximate departure of the representatives of Eng-
land and France respectively from St. Petersburg
has already been announced. Thus the rupture is
complete, so far as the cessation of all ambassadorial
functions can mark its completion, and Russia is at
war with the two great Western powers.
M. Kisseleff, it is said, proceeds to Brussels in the
first instance, and thence, more leisurely, to St. Pe-
tersburg. Baron Brunow, according to report, will
not go so far. He retires to Darmstadt., and there
watches the course of events.
The Ministerial reply to the envoys in London and
Paris was to the effect that the powers do not intend
to maintain in the Black Sea the neutrality as inter-
preted by RuSiia, abd that 'bray cannot place on
perfect equality Russia and Turkey, seeing that they
are resolved to protect the Turkish squadron and
the Turkish territory from the attacks of the Rus
sians—the weaker against the stronger. This was of
course conveyed iu terms of studied courtesy, but
firm and determined, and such as left no room for
doubt.
On Wednesday M. Kisseleff was invited to a ball at
the Tuileries, which, however, he did not attend.
His last appearance before the Parisian public was
accordingly on the previous evening (Tuesday), when
he was present at the Italian Opera, on the occasion
of the datut of Mademoiselle de Petrowitch, a young
lady of high origin, granddaughter of Kara George-
witch, during his lifetime Hospodar of Servia.
The under-secretary of the Russian embassy, and
several of the great Russian families resident in
Paris, have taken out their passports for Berlin.
The Princess Lieven goes to Brussels, and has made
her arrangements for remaining for acme time in
that capital. She does not leave Paris for a fortnight.
M. Ebeling, a Russian agent, will remain in Paris
after the departure of the embassy. The chancellerie
of the Russian embassy has been for some days
crowded with Russian subjects demanding passports.
The Assenthlke Nationale states that the proposals
tending towards opening new negotiations, of which
Count Orloff MSS the bearer, have not been deemed
acceptable either in London or in Paris.
A Vienna telegraphic despatch, dated Thursday
evening, says :—" Report states that the Emperor of
Austria has declared to Count Orloff that if the
Russians cross the Danube he will consider the
same as a declaration of war. Austria insists on
the acceptance of the project of the 13th."
The Trieste Gazette, the most important organ of
the commercial interest of the Austrian empire,
calls upon the Government to intervene against
Russia on the Eastern question. It says :—" All
our future will be at stake, and exposed to chance if
we do not declare ourselves on the question of the
Danube. Every true patriot will despair if our com-
mercial interest as connected with that river be not
enforced."
Letters from Berlin in the Weser Zeitung report
that at the sitting of the Council of State the Prince of
Prussia had pronounced himself against all neu-
trality and tergiversation. "He was ready to do
honour," he said, "to the noble quali lea of his
brother-in law, the Emperor Nicholas, but, as a
Prussian Prince and heir presumptive to the throne,

109

he did not hesitate to declare that the moment wra
come for Prussia to assume a decisive attitude. and
to notify to the Cabinets of Europe that a refusal to
accept the propositions of the Conference would
force Prussia to take her stand by the side of il
Western powers, and to follow them to all ex
tremities."
The Paris Moniteur was expected to publish a de-
claration on the subject of the Russo-Turkish war,
fur the purpose of explaining the departure of the
ambassado.s.
The preparations for war, both of a military and
naval character, are proceeding in France with great
activity. Orders have been sent to Toulon that the
Labrador steam-frigate shall be immediately armed
and got ready for sea. She is to be victualled fur
seventy days, and with six months of spare stores.
The Asmodie steam-frigate, the aiming of m Web is
completed, is now ready for sea.
Despatches have been received in Marseilles an-
nouncing that. Mr. Tucker, of the Caradoc, would
leave London on the evening of the 30th, the bearer
of important instructions from the British Govern-
ment to Lord Rodeliffe. Owing to the badness of
the roads, Mr. Tucker could not reach Marseil:es be-
fore Thursday morning. The Caradoc was to
leave for Constantinople immediately after his
arrival.
In St. Petersburg, the Grand Duke Constantine,
who has placed himself at the head of the old Rue
sian party, has shown considerable dissatisfaction at
the expectant attitude taken by the Government atter
the receipt of the communication of the maritime
powers, and, it is said, urges the Czar to reject the
last propositions of the Divan. He does hot conceal
his irritation against M. de Ne-selrode.
Constantinople adv.ces of the 23rd state that the
combined fleets had on the previous day returned to
the Bosphorus, and taken up their old anchorage at
Beycos. According to one despatch this return bad
occasioned extreme astonishment in Constantinople.
Another report states that the fleet had only re-
turned for the purpose of convoying Turkish troop-
ships to Varna.
Authentic accounts respecting the movement of
the combined fleets have been received up to the 15th
ult. The expedition with troops and munitions hail
safely arrived at Batoum, touching at Sinope on the
14th, on its return. It, there communicated to the
combined fleets that an attack of the Russian fleet
was much dreaded at Batoum ; and then returned
without delay to Constantinople, the wind being
faitnrable, in order to take in fresh troops Rill am-
munition. This expedition consisted of six Turkish
and six Augliareneb-veresels. On the morning of
the lith a division et Ale,combined fleets weighed
anchor, and set sail for Batoum. The remainder of
the fleet was left at Sinope. In the afternoon of the
same day two steamers were sent to Batoum to sig-
nalise, and one steamer was despatched to Constan-
tinople. It was not deemed impossible that on the
way to Batoum the combined fleet might meet with
Russian men-of war. Rumours of actual collision,
sometimes accompanied by striking circumstances,
have been spread on the Paris Bourse and London
Stock Exchange. They were all of a completely
speculative character and intention.
From the principalities it is stated that the Turks,
although abstaining from great operations, give the
Russians no rest. On the 15th and 10th ult. a heavy
firing was kept up from Rustchuk against Giurgevo,
and an attack was made on the island there. On the
same day the Turks made attacks near Oltenitza and
Calarasch. News of the same kind arrives from
;silietria and Ttutukai, and fighting is again going on
near Matshine. The Russian troops on their march
are allowed to rest. A Bucharest letter of the 21st
ult. says :—" Giurgevo is being bombarded by the
Turks, and gre t damage is done to the town. The
enlistment of volunteers is going on with consider-
able success. The number of recruits in this city
amonnts already to 000."
THE PRINCIPALITIEB.—The Russian General Count
Osten Saken arrived in Jassy city on the 20th ult.,
and took possession of the apartments prepared for
him at the Government-house. He will administer
the government of the province in the capacity of
vice-president.

The French Goverment has determined to try the
experiment in Paris of night policemen, similar to
the police force in Ergland. The new corps will be
established in Paris in about two months. It will
be simply a night police, and will, in the first in-
stance, be on a very limited scale. If the experi-
ment succeed, the system will be gradually extended.

The Madrid journals of the 28th ult. have arrived.
According to the Heraldo, the Marquis de Turgot,
the French Ambassador, has not, as announced some
time ago, become convalescent, and has not yet been
able to leave his bed ; but his state, it says, presents
no danger. The Marquis del Duero, one of the exiled
generals, had left Cordova for Cadiz to embark for
the Canary Islands. The Treasury had prepared the
funds for the January payments. The Marquis de