The Express.
London, England, 1856-02-13 00:00:00

HOLSTEIN AND THE BALTIC.

(MOM ova OWN C0111.18tONDIN7.)
KIEL, Pas. 9.
Although the Kin of Denmark has annulled the
votes of the Holstein Diet on the subject of their
petition to him for a more just recognition of the pri-
vileges of the duchy, on account of their having in
that matter exceeded their legitimate powers, he can.
not obstruct their resolution to arraign M. von
licheele for the abuse of his authority as minister for
the duchy ; and that process; will, I am assured, be
pressed forward with as much promptitude and
energy as the formalities which must be observed
will permit. The Diet have given the necessary in-
structions on the subject, and the cantle will be
heard in open court, when the accused will be called
upon personally to plead. It is not to be denied that
the pacific turn which has taken place in European
politics will, to a certain extent, restrain the zeal
with which Holstein had taken up this question ;
but there nevertheless appears tole) a settled purpose
on the part of the leading men of the province to
have their connexion with Denmark now put upon a
more just and equitable looting. The arrangements
made by the great powers of Europe in 1850 with
referenoe to this question may be enforced for a
time, but they will assuredly never be respected by a
people conscious of their rights. They did not throw
off their allegiance at a period of great excitement,
when the example of other nations might have
afforded them an excuse for doing so, and when their
Prince had been betrayed into a violation of their
privileges ; but they will acknowledge no tie to con-
nect them with Denmark beyond the reign of the
male branch of the present dynasty, and they will
be converted into willing subjects of a vassal
of Russia, nor forced to submit to be for ever de-
barred from sharing in the common destinies of Ger-
many, with which, and not with Denmark, all their
associations and sympathies harmonise. The people
of Holstein feel that recent events have contributed
to render their coun'ry and cause better known than
they have heretofore been in England; and they
have this consolation, that, whatever may be their
destiny, the interests of Great Britain will not allow
them at any time to be sacrificed to Russia.
The frost which came so unexpectedly upon us last
week has u suddenly disappeared, and a south-west
gale has completely dispersed the ice and melted the
snow, so that we have now quite the aspect of spring,
and the communications with Russia are again
entirely free and uninterrupted. A vessel arrived
here two days ago from Libau, with a cargo of Rus-
sian produce ; and the captain reports that the im-
ports there had been eo great that it was no longer
possible to sell the cargoes from the ship's side, and
that it was no easy matter to obtain storage for
the great accumulation of goods which had been
received there; while the prices of imports had in
ernisequence so greatly taller', and those of exports so
much advanced, that the proepec's of profit had
most materially diminished. So far as stopping the
supplies of warlike stores to Russia, a renewal of the
blockade would now be almost unnecessary; but from
the great preparations at this moment making by
Russia in fitting out some of her largest and best
eater frigates, it is very desirable that the vessels
sent to the Baltic before an armistice is arranged
should be of a class lolly qualified to cope with those
of Russia now ready for sea, otherwise some dis-
aster may occur, the consequences ot which no op.
portunity might now be afforded to counteract. Of the
loss of the Polyphemus you must already know.
Nobody here can conceive what could be the induce-
ment to send her to the west coast ot Jutland, where
there could be no possible occasion for her services.
All regret the catastrophe, on account of Commander
Warren, who was well know n and much esteemed
here. When on halt•pay he served as &volunteer
with his brother, Captain Warren, of 'he Cressy.

PORTUGAL

(Paoli OUR OWN

LISBON, Fira.:S.
The weather has changed for the better, and the
floods which had overspread the country are gradually
subsiding.
The impressions of Dom Pedro V. respecting his
kingdom appear to be tolerably accurate. The other
day, when visiting the Santarem &dingy works, the
conversation turned on the expediency of stopping
them. His Majesty said that if such projects were
not now prosecuted in Portugal, it would be tanta-
mount to eraaing her from the map of Europe.
The commercial community will rejoice to hear
that the British, French, and American Ministers
have addressed strong remonstrances to the Portu-
guese government on account of the conduct of the
Board of Health respecting ships sailing under their
flags being placed in quarantine. The Me of the
British Minister is the steamer Pert, the merits of
which are **Tiane to the million. The American
Minister writes about the Colchis, a vessel which put
in from New Orleans. The Board of Health's last
communication with th►t port was some 12 months
ago, when it wee suspected; as a matter of course
they "tried back," and started from the last advice;
the Colchis was therefore anchored in quarantine,
and came in collision with another vessel, for which
damage the American Minister claims compensation.
The case of the French Minister is still worse.

The brig George put in from Monte Video.
She had two men on board whose limbs had been
broken through a fall from aloft. When the health
boat came alongside, the matter was mentioned, and
siedical aid asked for, but the ship was at once or-
dered to ride quarantine, and was cut off from com-
munication. The captain afterwards sent a strong
remonstrance to the authorities, showing that the
men required hospital treatment, and that he could
not answer for the conesquences. A reply was given
that a medical officer should be sent to report apes
the case, but for two days he never made his appear-
ance; and when he did, he ordered the men to be
brought on deck. This be was told could not be
done, and he was desired to step below. Then,
as my information goes, he passed the report, admit.
Ling the ship to pratique, without seeing the men at
all. If this be true, the spirit of quarantine legisla-
tion cannot be pushed much further, and no comment
upon these cases is required—they speak for them-
selves.

The Portaguese steamer Donna Maria 11. has sailed
for Brasile. The French war steamer Croiseur has
*eil•d. and the French steamer Bretagne has left
for Nantes. The Madrid has arrived from the month.
The screw steamer Minho hu sailed for Liver.
pool. The screw steamer Milan has arrived here
from Naples en route for Liverpool. She is placed
in quarantino.