The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-22 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.
The Moniteur, which condescended to quote the
Vienna protocol (given in the Daily News of Tues-
day) from the Debats, without a word of comment,
repeats the instructions to the ambassadors of the
Year Powers at Constantinople, as given by that
journal, but accompanies the quotation with an ex-
traordinary " boutade," which causes much amuse-
ment. It says :—" We reproduce the instructions
published by the Journal des Debuts, and which,
essording to that journal, have been addressed to the
representatives of the Four Powers at Constantinople.
We have not to explain ourselves as to the correct-
ion of diplomatic documents thus given up to pub-
licity. If they are false, it is a culpable manoeuvre ;
and if they are true, it is an unpardonable indiscre-
tion. The government has taken measures to pre-
vent the recurrence of such facts." The government,
voider whose strict superintendence every line
re importance in the .Iloniteur is published,
Icertainly knows whether the Debate despatch is true
sr false. It might be replied to the Moniteur," If
it be false, your republication of it is a culpable
manoeuvre ; if it be true, the expression of your
scruples is ridiculous affectation." Of course it is not
to be doubted that the publication in the Debats is
literally correct, and under present circumstances it
is a fair subject for congratulation that the French
government is ashamed to own it. The Pays, in
commenting upon these instructions, takes pains to
show that they do not imply a suis qua non on the
part of the Pour Powers that Turkey should concur to
an armistice. It understands that notwithstanding
the pressing solicitations of the ambassadors.
Turkey may well hesitate to consent to an immediate
suspension of hostilities. All that this semi-official
organ of the French government now insists upon is
that Turkey cannot reasonably refuse to send a
plenipotentiary to an European Conference. In
this surmise the Pays is probably right. Throughout
the whole course of the affair from the beginutng the
Porte, while firm upon every. essential point, has
shown itself to be no stickler tor form. It !ft 63:7
means probable—unless the events consequent upon

the affair of Sinope should have made the instructions
when they arrive at Constantinople wholly inappli-
cable to their existing state of circumstances—that
Turkey will insist upon the prosecution of the war
at all events, and positively refuse to name the terms
upon which she would make peace. On the con-
trary, judging from the expressed opinions of subjects
of the Sultan here who are in a good position to form
&judgment as to the reception which these instruc-
tions are likely to meet with, I can predict with
much confidence that the Porte will not refuse to ne-
gotiate. But I can with equal confidence express the
belief that she will not consent to an armistice, and
will not propose any of those disgraceful conditions
of peace which alone stand any chance of acceptance
by Russia.
I understand the government has to-day received a
despatch to the effect that the Turks had been tho-
roughly routed at Kalafat and driven across the
Danube. News to this effect was, I perceive, circu-
lated esterday in England, but not believed. Up to
a late hour this evening the Turkish embassy here
had no knowledge of any such event. The receipt
of the intelligence by the government is not even
presumptive evidence of its truth, for the French
agents of course send the rumours they hear, although
they may turn out to be Russian fabrications.
The Bourse was considerably better to-day. The
unmeaning despatch Iran Vienna, quoting I.ord
Redefine as an authority that the Porte was disposed
to negotiate, was thought an event of importance by
some speculators. The confirmation of the " instruc-
tions" given in the Minds, implied by their repro-
duction in the Mondeur, also had a favourable effect,
many people thinking that the pressure put upon
Turkey will be so great that she cannot refuse to
make peace upon any terms. The Threes closed at
nearly the highest price of the day, with a rise of
40c. Credit Mobilier was in favour, and rose
7f. .7)41e. ; but the upward movement was repressed by
a rumcrir that this society was about to take the
Turkish loan. Most of the railways rose a franc or
two.

With respect to the real history of the paragraph
in the liviate.er, two stories are current. Some say it

is but part of a " comedy"—to use a favourite French
idiom—and that the government chose the /),,,, it,
a medium for making a communication to the public
the responsibility of which it was not desirous for
the moment to assume ; but a more accredited vet.
sion is that M. Bourqueney, who is a great friend of
M. Guizot, gave these state papers to him, and
friend of his took them to the For my own
i.orri..eor to be
part,wrfec Itlb;ligeevneutihnee.indliFhrtii,omn
"measures'
ralludesto
point, 1 fancy, to the better preservation of state
secrets, and not to any extraordinary severities
against the journals that may publish them when
they ooze out.
The Academy of Sciences met yesterday, to elect
a Perpetual Secretary in place of the late Si. Arago.
The candidates were MM. Elie de Beamnont, Charles
Duple, the brother of the eminent ex-President of
the Legislative Assembly, Lame, Pouillet, and, sena,.
mont. At the first ballot, there were .5 votes. N.
Elie de Beaumont had 19; NI. Dupin, lil; NI. Lato,..,
8 ; and M. Pouillet, i ; M. Senarmont, 1 ; and there
was 1 blank vote. The required majority being 27,
there was a second ballot. The votes were 51.
Elie de Beaumont had 29 ; M. Dupin, 17 ; N. l'ouil-
let, 5; M. Lame, 1 ; and M. Senarmont, 1. NI. Elie
de Beaumont was therefore declared to be elected,
subject to the approbation of the Emperor. I believe
there is no doubt whatever that M. Leverrier will be
the successor of M. Arago at the Observatory.
The Emperor has appointed the Prince Napoleon,
President of the Commission of the Universal Exhi.
bition, to be opened in the Crystal Palace now build.
ing in the Champs Elysees, in 185.5. The members
of this commission are not yet chosen. There are a
great many candidates.
The new Bonapartist club the " Globe," was inau-
gurated by a grand dinner, General liar, the presi-
dent, in the chair. M. Belmontet, the eminent ex-
member of the 10th of December society, proposed
as a toast the " Imperial dynasty," which he chi-
racterised as " the buckler of the present, and the
lever of the future."

A history of the Roman republic of Big, written
by M. Marche!, of Caloi, has been interdicted by the
standing committee on " colportage,“ on the ground
that it contains several libels on the Prince of
Canino. M. Marchal is now a political prisoner. It
is said the Papal government lately requested a par-
don for him, but that the offence given by the allu-
sions in this work to a member of the Bonaparte
family was so great, that the Emperor declined to
grant it.
The Echo ,le /a Lye states that the police of Aire
(Pas-de-Calais), a few days since, di.covered written
on the window shutters of the establishment of
Ursuline Nuns in that place the words—" Ledru-
Rollin, du pain—Napol/2on, du baton—Pillage
which they effaced.
Fifteen men appeared a few days ago before the
Court of Assizes of the Gard, under the charge of
having been engaged in a plot ag,tinst the safety of
the State. After seven days' hearing, the jury
brought in a verdict of " Not Guilty."
Engineers are engaged in making the surveys for
a line of railway round Paris, but at a distance of
100 kilometres (GO miles) from the capital, so as to
form a communication with all the great lines which
start from it. Orleans, Chartres, Evreux, Amiens,
Epernay, Montereau, Sens, and Auxerre, will come
into this new line. I learn from a good source that
government is quite determined that this line shall be
made.

The following is the text of the judgment of the
court-martial at Mezit*.rea, in the affair of Captain
Laporte :—" The President presented two questions
—first, is Captain Laporte guilty of having killed
General de Brigade Count de Neuilly ? secondly, did
the accused commit this act (ce llieurtre) in legiti-
mate defence? The Council, on the first question,
declares unanimously that the accused is guilty ; on
the second question, by the majority of four votes to
three, that the accused acted in the case of legitimate
defence. In consequence, the council, by a majority
of four to three, acquits Captain Laporte of the accu-
sation brought against him ; and orders that lie shall
be immediately set at liberty, and be sent to his
corps to continue his service.'

PARIS, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
Two telegraphic despatches, one from Vienna and
the other from Trieste, speak of another battle gained
by the Russians at Ozouski, iu Asia, on the Ist of
December. No official confirmation of this event
has hitherto arrived in Paris. Several German
papers arrived to day continue to speak of a great
battle having been fought at Kalafat, but they
give the victory to the Turks, and not to
the Russians, and speak of the latter hav-
ing lost 4,000. If there be any truth in
this affair, which was bruited in London
three days ago—it is extraordinary that the news
should nat yet have reached this in some authentic
shape. M. de Penton, the Russian diplomatist, who
was said a day or two since to be designated eventu-
ally as the Plenipotentiary to be sent by the Czar to
the proposed Congress, is, according to this day's ad-
' vices, going on a mission to the Shah of Persia. It
is stated in a private letter from Vienna of the ISth
that Count Valentine listerhazy, the new Austrian
Ambassador to St. Petersburg, is to go immediately to
'his post to support negotiations relative to the last
note of the four Powers.

The Bourse to-day was greatly excited and depressed
by two pieces of political news. The entry of the
fleets into the Black Sea, although there was little
doubt of the fact among the well informed yesterday,
is now thought to be confirmed beyond controversy,
and the effect upon the public mind is very great.
I But the report from England, that General Baraguay
d'Hillicrs opposed the proposal of Admiral Wades
to send the fleets forward at once when the news of
the disaster of Sinope arrived, has produced a deep and
painful sensation. The story adds force to the rumours
already too prevalent, that the so much vaur,ted
good understanding between France and England
is in danger of being broken, and has perhaps never
been sincere. Both the official telegraphic despatches
placarded at the Bourse gave the day'Fl price of Con-
sols one-eighth higher, but it was said late in the
afternoon that a sudden fall of i, per cent. had taken
place. Under these influence, the Threes fell 50c.,
and the Four per Cents. 1 fr. Bank of Fran _e de-
clined 20fr. The railways were all very heavy.
Many of the principal lines fell front 7fr. to 10fr.
I bear it said that the Moitileur to-morrow will
contain either a denial or an explanation of the course
imputed to General Baraguay d'Hilliers.
The Emperor presided yesterday at a Council of
Ministers. All the members of the Cabinet were
present. Another Council was hell to-day.
The cabinet ministers who have lately arrogated to
themselves the title of " Monseigneur," besides the
designation " Excellency," find themselves taken
down a peg by the following note in the Moniteur
this morning: "It is by error that sonic persona
have applied to the high functionaries of the State
the title of Monseigneur.' This title belongs only
to the French princes and to the princes of the family
of the Emperor."
In consequence of the high price of provisions, the
Minister of the Interior has ordered the prefects to
make such a monthly allowance to all the govern-
ment clerks under their orders, whose salaries are
small, as will enable them and their families to con-
sume their usual quantity of bread without taxing
their incomes more severely than when bread is at
an average price. In many departments of the state
a special addition of 10 per cent. has been made to
the salaries of all married officials, and bonuses of
diffi•rent amounts have been awarded to the un
married in the subordinate ranks of the civil service.