The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-02 00:00:00

DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.

OALATZ, itLY 17.

The main body of the Russian corps of occupation
is marching through Moldavia into Wallachia, and
particularly to stations along the Danube over
against Bulgaria.

PERSIA.

Prince l►olgorouki, the Russian envoy at Teheran,
demands the cession of the province of Azerbnidjan,
one of the richest in the monarchy, as compensation
for the nonpayment of an immense sum of money
which he pretends is owning from the Schah to the
Czsr. The province of Azerbnidjan is contiguous to
the Russian possessions to the south of the Cas-
pian Sea.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

The statement of the Comillaliususel, given yester-
day in our telegraphic despatch, and to-day more fully
in the letter of our Paris correspondent, is the latest
piece of intelligence touching the eastern question.
The telegraph indeed has, within the last four-and-
twenty hours, been more than usually prolific in an-
nouncements. Thus we are told, amongst other
things, that Moldavia has declared itself independent
of the Porte, and that the same step is expected of
Wallachia. Such idle stories only serve the purpose
of Russia, by diverting attention from the real actors
on the scene. Letters from Constantinople of the 18th
inform us that the Hospodars of the two principalities
had instructed their agents at the Porte, that "bp supe-
rior order," that is by order of Prince Gortschakoff,
they were under the necessity of "breaking off for a'
time" all relations with the government of the
Sultan. This proceeding on the part of Russia is of
course outrageous, but by no means surprising, for
although Prince Gortschakoff, on entering the prin-
cipalities, formally proclaimed that he would in no
way interfere with the government of the provinces,
or with the existing institutions of the country,
hie master had previously announced, through Count
Nesselrode, to all the courts of Europe that he was
about to take possession of Moldo-Wallachia, an act
which, as soon as it was completed, necessarily ex-
cluded Turkey from all power over the country in-
vaded. Some public writers, misled probably by the
Russian verbal disclaimer of warlike intentions, ex-
press. themselves as if the Czar, in occupying the
principalities, were in some way or other exercising
a treaty right. But there is not the slightest founda-
tion for such an assumption, and if the acts and not
the words of the Czar are looked at, it will be found
that in Moldo-Wallachia that potentate is exercising
as far as it suits him every prerogative of a con-
queror. The Post-office is in the hands of Russia,
the Czar's agents conduct the censorship, and twenty
commissioners, acting in the name of the Hospodar.
but receiving their orders from Prince Gortschakoff,
have been appointed to give full effect to all the
plans of Russia.
The semi-official Oetterreiehimhe Corresponden: of
the 27th ult. has an article upon the state of affairs
at Constantinople on the 18th ult., two days before
the departure of the Caradoc. It is anything but
sanguine. The writer says that the ambassadors of
the European Great Powers were holding frequent
conferences, the general result of which was consi-
dered as favourable to the preservation of peace.
Notwithstanding the unavoidable vacillations that
have taken place in the adjustment of pending diffe-
rences, the confidence in the maintenance of peace,
which is also entertained there, is an obvious and
ratifying fact. This confidence, he goes on to sac,
is constantly kept active and alive by an undeviating
regard to the announced intentions of the
august sovereign of Russia in no case to prejudice
the Integrity of the Ottoman empire. If even on the
part of the Mussulman population a certain fanaticism
has become evident, and single instances of in-
sult* towards Christians have occurred, it must be
borne in mind that the Porte itself has till now com-
mitted no aggressive act whatever. And thus all is
made to depend on the magnanimity of the Czar and
the supposed readiness of the Porte to bear any ill-
treatment with patience. In an article in tho °ester-
reichisehe Correspotulen: of the following evening, it
is said that the serious difficulties of the case are by
no means as yet overcome, but that on the other
hand there is no occlusion to despond of a happy
issue.
On the 20th the English steamers Retribution and
Fury were anchored in the waters of Constantinople.
The Inflexible in crossing the Dardanelles ran
ashore, and is now under repair in the port of Con-

stantinople.
On July 14th Admiral I)undas, with all the cap-
tains of his squadron, made a reconnaissance as far
as Gallipoli. On his return he minutely inspected
the fort of Cheuck, the most important one
belonging to the Turks on the Asiatic coast. Lord
Redefine was expected at Besika. On his return
Admiral Dundas was to accompany him to Con-
stantinople.
A letter from Jassy of the 17th says that the 4th
and sth corps of the Russian army, which have
effected the passage of the Pruth, are composed of
24 regiments of infantry and 12 regiments of hussars
and Cossacks of the 1/on ; in all, 110,000 men, with
12 batteries. These letters add that the 3rd corps
was on the point of entering. The general in com-
mand of this corps had fallen sick at Kiew.
A letter from St. Petersburg of the lith says a
deputation of three Boyards, chosen from among the
firict men in Moldavia, has arrived from Jassy, to!
complain to the Emperor, with the permission of the '1
rtigning Prince, that his army treat the provinces as
a conquered country, and commit numberless exac-
tions.
The Portafaylio -Valk se of the 23rd of July says
sorbs Wens ✓osrrnal reports, on the authority of

letters from Ismail, that the Russians have thrown
several bridges of boats across the Danube, to connect
Ismail with the isle of Tchetal. The clergy blessed
the works in the presence of Major-General Febrikoff,
lgovernor of Ismail, Vice-Admiral Gortschakoff, and
Lieut.-General Lmchner, commanding the engineers.
;t appears, then, that Russia is prepared to cross the
Das:ube whenever she plea.es, without requiring
much time to complete the works."
A letter from Jassy, dated July 29, in the Gazette
de Cologne, says: " .%'e learn that Russian agents
are at this moment extremely active in concluding
bargains with the possessors of the state forests and
private individuals in the principalities, for timber
for ship-building. It is well known that the forests
of Moldavia and Wallachia abound in the finest kind
of timber for that purpose."
The Porteiv/i,s Miatese of July 18, says: "The
French steamer Ajaccio, from Toulon to the Levant,
has on board )2 superior officers of the French army,
who are going to serve the Turkish government:
120 cases of muskets have been sent from Marseilles
to Constantinople by the Leonidas."
A letter dated Berlin, July 27, in the Gazette de
Cologne, nays: "The division of the Russian fleet
known as the Baltic squadron, is composed of nine
ships of the line, six frigates, and fire small vessels.
It is now performing evolutions in the Baltic."

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.

The Constitalionnel repeats in more positive terms
the important announcement it made yesterday. It
says: " As we have stated, we were assured on Satur-
day that the conditions of arrangement concerted
at Constantinople, and brought by the Caradoe, were
not admitted by the cabinets of Paris, London, and
Vienna. New information now permits us to add
that this news is certain."
According to a version current at the Bouise to-
day, the proposal brought by the earache was nothing
more than the one put forward by M. de Bruck
on the part of Austria immediately after the'
refusal of Prince Menchikoffis ultimatum by I
the Porte. Reschid Pacha then refustd to agree
to this project, which has ever since teen thrown
aside by diplomacy as inadmissible. But when
recently a sort of diplomatic congress was assembled
at Constantinople, M. de Bruck brought forward
his old scheme again, accompanied by the tempting
recommendation that the Czar had already approved
of it in principle, and might very probably close with
it now. It was, however, observed that the scheme
in question was framed before the Russians had occu-
pied the Principalities, and was therefore inapplicable
to present circumstances. Upon this, it is said, an
amendment was made stipulating with more or less
particularity for the eventual evacuation of the pro-
vinces by Russia, but it is to be inferred, from the
proposition not having been accepted by the powers,
that this stipulation, supposing it to exist, was any-
thing but explicit and satisfactory. The above ex-
planation, which I merely give as a Bourse report,
had the effect of counteracting to some extent
the alarming nature of the paragraph in the
C'onstilutionnel, but, notwithstanding this tendency
to catch at any favourable hypothesis, the rente
closed with a fall of 70c. from Saturday's quotations.
The following mysterious statement appearing in
the Journal de Rennes, of July 29, has greatly excited
curiosity in certain circles, although the public is
as yet hardly in possession of the intelligence:
On Tuesday evening, about so hour after the sitting of
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, two gendarmes went in
search of M. de Fallon: at the house of one of his relations,
and the next day a sergent de villa presented hicuself at
M. Sores with the same object, at the moment when the
illustrious orator bad just left for the country. We might
have given this news in our last number, but we thought it
better to wait for further information, and to attempt to
discover a plausible explanation. We now, however, know
no more than we did two days ago ; but the story has made
so much noise in tee town, that it is impossible for us to be
longer silent. We will neither echo nor guarantee the
commentaries to which it has given rise.
It will be observed that the paragraph does not state
in terms that the object of the visit of the gendarmes
and aergent de villa was to arrest M. de Falloux,
although it seems scarcely doubtful that such must
have been their intention. I have not been able to
learn any further particulars. None of the journals
allude to the subject except the Union, which ex-
presses an earnest hope that the government will
speedily explain this very serious affair.
I have again to record an important and courageous
judgment of the Court of Caseation. A medical man
in the department of the Avyron is now in prison
charged with a political offence. The provincial
lrocureur-general, applied for and obtained from the
ocal court a change of venue for the trial, upon the
ground that demagogic principles were eo prevalent
in the Avyron that a Jury, there was likely to be
prejudiced in the prisoner's favour. The Court of Cas-
eation has quashedthe order to change the venue, and
declared that whether the reason alleged by the pro-
cureur be true or false, the law does not admit that
the political principles of the inhabitants of any de-
partment disqualify them from trying a criminal
charge.
I mentioned long since that the Emperor and
lEmpress would probably not be absent from Paris
for any length of time this year. I now see in the
Presse a letter from Pan, stating that orders have
been received to suspend the preparations going on
at the chateau there, in anticipation of their Ma-
jesties' arrival, and that they will positively not go
to the Pyrenees this year.
The
.price of bread for the fortnight commencing
to-day is fixed at 40c. the kilo for first quality, and
32c. for second. These are the prices settled at the
last augmentation on the 15th of July. The decree
fixing the tariff states that the rise in flour is not
II sufficient to justify an increased price for bread. It
is commonly believed that, whatever may be the value
of flour, a fall in bread will be decreed for the Em-
I pwor's fete day, Aug. 15.
The Bourse to-day.has exhibited almost a panic
almost every description of Securities having fallen
lYd closed with a downward tendency. The Three
I pee Cents. for cash and for the account have given
Way 55c. each ; the Four-and-a-Half per Cents. for
, 30c. ; and for the account 10c. Bank shares,
which for some days past have been steadily advanc-
ing, have also gone down 20f. At the close of busi-
ness the quotations were : For cash : Three per
Cents., 781. 35c. ; Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 103 f.
25e. For the account : Three per Cents., 78f. 40c. ;
Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 103 f. 40c. Bank Stock,
2,840 f. Northern, 8701. 23c. ; Paris and Orleans,
1,162 f. 50c. ; Paris and Strasbourg, 928 f. 75c.•.
Paris and Lyons, 9341. ; Paris and Rouen, 1,1071.
50c. ; Lyons to the Mediterranean, 760 f. 50c. ;
Western of France, 745 f.; Rouen and Havre, 505 f.;
Bordeaux and Cette, 626 f. 50c.