The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-09 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 9, 1853.

posts, the sokliers generally bearing at least the name
of Cossacks. In advance of these, along the slopes of
the Altai, are a number of mining establishments,
in which not a few of the moat adventurous and
thriving speculators are Cossack deserters or exiles
escaped from the penal settlements. From Tobolsk to
Kiachta, along the line of military posts, is the
great highway of the Chinese commerce, and trading
settlements are here and there to be met with upon it,
to which the nomades bring their peltries, and the
Altai miners their gold and other metals to exchange
for the commodities of Europe or China. From
Kiachta to Okhotzk, and the peninsula of Kam-
schatka, there are two highways, upon which the
military posts are less frequent, while there are not
above half-a-dozen trading stations. The traffic along
this line is kept up by the exchange of a few
Chinese and European goods for the peltries of the
surrounding regions and Russian America, and the
produce of the fisheries of Okhotzk, Kamschutka,
' the Islands, and Russian America. The products
of the Ural and Altai mines are valuable,
though their value has been grossly exag-
gerated; the trade with China is respectable,
though not greater in amount than that of one
of our third or fourth-rate trading towns ; the
trade of the regions to the east of Kiachta is utterly
insignificant. The population of the four Siberian
Governments of Tobolsk, Tomsk, Jeniseisk, and
Irkutch is estimated at about three millions, which,
bearing in mind that the immense majority are
savage nomades, is probably not far from the truth.
The population of the Government of Orenburg is
estimated at rather more than a million—probably

an exaggeration. Taking the lowest estimate of the
superficial extent (uncovered by water) of Siberia, we
have 3,600,000 square mile, occupied by four mil-
lions of inhabitants, only a very small proportion of
whom are civilised settlers. The military and civil
establishments of Siberia cost the Russian Govern-
ment annually more than the revenue of the country.
The inhabitants, remote from the seat of govern-
ment too much scattered to be easily or cheaply
coerced, enjoy a kind of rude competence, bordering
in some cues on affluence ; but except as swelling
the acreage over which it is the boast of the CZAR to
rule, Siberia is of no real value to Russia—does not
add to its strength. It can however be scarcely con-
sidered as an incumbrance, for it is in no danger
of attacks from without. The scanty nomade popu-
lation which scours the broad Mongolian waste
between China and Siberia has no temptation to
cross the Altai Mountains in search of a leu
genial climate; Mantchooria has been depopu-
lated ever since its population followed their
dynasty en ;mese to the south of the Great
Wall ; and the robber hordes who swarm
along the frontier towards Orenburg, may perpe-
trate predatory forays, but have neither the wish
nor the power to attempt inroads for conquest and
permanent occupation. If Russia will leave its
neighbours alone, Russia may be at ease for many
years for any dangers that threaten it from the
Siberian side.

But will Russia be wise enough to leave these
Eastern regions in repose ? If compelled to retire
from Turkey, Russia will seek to indemnify itself by
pushing forward its frontier to the Amur, which it
has repeatedly attempted without success when
China was tranquil. Indeed, the despatch of the ship
of war which occasioned the late excitement at Ports-
mouth for the Pacific, looks as if the idea of aggression
in that quarter were already entertained. In the
present state of Chinese politics little opposition can
be expected from China; but the extension of the
Russian exclusive and vexatious system to the Amur
might bring on a collision with the United States.
It is also not improbable that attempts may be made
to recruit the Russian exchequer by additional im-
posts on the Siberians among others. Now, it is true
the progress of Siberia, compared with that of the
United States, suggests a low estimate of Siberian
enterprise and intelligence. Russian settlement had
extended to Kamschatka before the American war of
independence; since that time the population of the
United Stases has increased from two to twenty-
four millions; their wealth in a still larger
ratio. The population and trade of Siberia have
scarcely increased at all in the interval. Yet among
the traders, hunters, fishers, and miners, of
Siberia, is to be found a spirit more akin to that of
the Yankee than in any other part of the Russian
dominions. They are tartly pioneers of civilisation;
they are contented, for they have ample means of sub-
sistence, and are little troubled by government; but,
composed in a great measure of exiles or their descend-
ants, they have little love for the CZAR'S government.
Any measure tending to irritate the Siberians, and
embroil Russia with the United States, would infal-
libly lead to insurrectionary movements which the
Russian Government could not suppress, except at an
expense of men and money tar exceeding the value
of the territory. It need surprise no one should
Siberia prove the first of the overgrown territo-
ries of Russia to shake off the domination of St.
Petersburg.

LATEST FROM ABROAD.

TILE EASTERN QUESTION.

(BY SUEVARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEOLAPII.)
We have received the following despatch from our
Paris correspondent:

PARIS, FRID Y Moßmixo.
A manifesto, which appears in the /ifoniteur of
this day, says :

" It wouid be presumptuous to regard the Eastern
Question as settled. We may still expect to see it
pass through different phases. The true danger
of the situation cmsisted in the possibility of a
division of the Powers into two parties. This fear
has disappeared. The same views—the same wishes
—animate France, England, Austria, and Prussia;
and a protocol, signed at Vienna on the sth of this
month, in a conference at which the representatives
of the Four Powers assisted, attests their unanimous
resolves."

Cinturrmaa HOLIDAY.—The Mayor of Exeter has
given his sanction to the suspension of business on Monday
the 26th inst., in consequence of Christmas Day falling
on a Sunday, the principal merchants and tradesmen
having signed a memorial to his Worship for this purpose.
No doubt other provincial cities and towns will suspend
basinees also on the day in question, in order that both the
employers and the employed may have a day's recreation.
LIGUANEA AND GENERAL MINING COMPANY OF
JAMAICA.—An extraordinary general meeting of the pro-
prietors of this company was bald yesterday, at their offices,
in King's Armsard, Coleman-street, to confirm certain
re Arms-
passed unanimously at a previous meeting held
on the 21st ult., for raising 2s. per share (either with or
without certain options of taking the unappropriated shares
of the company) to enable the directors to carry on the
affairs of the company and to test the Riverhead Mine, also
for making certain bye-laws, rules, and regulations for the
management and government of the company, registration
of shares, or the affairs thereof; and of taking powers
either to compel the registration of unregistered shares
or scrip, or to forfeit the same if not brought in for
registration within a certain time, and to comsel the parties
holding such shares Or scrip to execute the deed of settlement.
Mr. Prinsep, the chairmen, after ob.ierviog that the meet-
ing was merely for the formal purpose of confirming what
had already received the unanimous sanction of the share-
holders, proceeded to put serrating resolutions for raising
21. per share, by two instalments of Is. each per share,
payable in January and May next; for autnori-ing the pay-
ment of interest thereon, at 5 per cent. per annum, until
the money so advanced shall be repaid or converted into
new shares; for giving an option to the shareholders
soaking the advance of taking the reserved shares at par, in
proportion to the number of their original i.hares ; and for
the other purposes mentioned in the advertisement, all of
which were confirmed unanimously and without enerva-
tion. A vote of thanks to the chairman concluded the pro-
ceedings.
BIKKRECK FREEHOLD LAND SOCIETY.—A lecture
was delivered, at the King's Wad lon, Lower grove, Nor-
wood, on Wednesday evening last, by Mr. James Beale, the
great promoter of freehold land amitties ; and the object of
his observations was to demonstrate to the middle and
working classes the great advantages they would derive
from becoming members of such institutions. The lecture
was delivered under the auspices of the Barkbrck Society,
one of the directors of which, Mr. Barnard, occupied the
chair. A ballot afterwards took place for priority of choice
of allotment on the Lower Norwood estate.

DARING CAuE or 11.01;3EUREAKING.—At an early
hour on Wednesday some thieves made a furcibli entrance
into the dwelling of Mr. Lumky, the tookteller, of 126,
High Holborn. It is auppu.ed that the thieves effected an
entrance through an ap.rture over the kitchen window.
When the servant at empted to enter the kitchen she
found that the door had been partially tercet'. She imme-
diately gave the alarm, and the house was searched. Great
force had been used to breik the door, which is very mas-
sive and lined witn iron. The thieves had removed a por-
tion of the st ine Souring to aid them in the work. Had
they go, inlo the upper prernisos, their booty would have
tnen no doubt a rich ~ne. As it happened, the articles
they took were of little value. From the appearance of
the prenti,eo, the marau•lcrs hod h•e n some hours occupied.
Daring the time they ha I regaled them-elves with some
rum, with which a piece of carpet and a blanket were situ•
rated. S apicion attached to a man who was found con-
cealed in an adjoining area. Ho was takes into custody.