The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-07 00:00:00

special importance in a strategical point of view.

The fortifications of Kieff are to be completed by

the termination of the winter months

AUSTRIA

The same despatch mentions that the Austrian

Government intend to communicate to the German
Diet all the propositions for peace which have
been sent to St. Petersburg.

SARDINIA

Despatches dated Turin, yesterday, notify the
departure from that city of General De la Marmora

to attend the Council of War about to be holden

in Paris

INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, SUNDAY.

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam-ship Com-
pany's steamer Indus has arrived here with the
heavy portion of the India and China mails,
bringing 38 passengers, and dates from Alexandria
to the 23rd; Malta, the 27th; and Gibraltar, the

31st alt,

FRANCE.

(PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, FRIDAY EVENING.

You were told by me, a few days back, that the
French government had received information that
there was no likelihood whatsoever, of the Austrian
propositions being accepted by Russia. To-day,
the Journal des Debats, which occasionally receives
diplomatic intelligence from the highest quarters,
contains an article, which confirms, to the letter,
the authenticity of my information. On the 27th
December, it says, Count d'Esterhazy, the Austrian
minister sent to St. Petersburg, presented the pro-
positions of his government to Count de Nessel
rode, who received them without any emotion, and
without any other remark, than " I will take the
orders of the Emperor." Count Esterhazy was,
continues the Debats, to wait till the 4th January
for an answer, and in the event of none being sent,
was to ask for one, and to wait till the 15th—after
which, supposing Russia still to continue silent, he
was to leave with all his legation. It was not
doubted, however, that -Russia would reply; but it
was not doubted either, that the reply would only
be to the same effect as the circular which, under
date the 22nd ult., she has sent to her diplomatic
agents, and which, as is known, proposes to exclude
all ships of war from the Baltic, except those of
Russia and Turkey, and to leave those two powers
to settle between themselves, without the inter-
vention of the Western governments, the number
of vessels each shall maintain a propo-
sition absurd, and even insulting to
the Western Powers. On such terms,
negotiations are evidently impossible; but, says
the Debats, "nothing indicates that Russia is dis-
posed to propose any other for the moment, and
we are assured that she prefers to run the risk of
a third campaign." It adds that, in consequence,
the " war is not near an end," and it casts the
responsibility of its duration on Russia.

In the course of its article, the Debars intimates
that, though his mission will fail, it is probable
that Count Esterhazy, before taking the formal
step of breaking off diplomatic relations with
Russia, will wait until he can receive new instruo-
tions from his government. This is a new proof
that Austria has not yet got to the end of her dis-
graceful shuffling, and not yet shaken off her
abject fear of Russia. _

I hear that the French government has received
despatches from Germany to day, which lead it to
apprehend that the minor German governments
will declare that the neutralisation of the Black
Sea, proposes by Russia, in her circular of the
22nd December, under the conditions therein
mentioned, is satisfactory in every respect; that
the Western powers have no right to expect any'
thing more; and that Germany, for her part, will
declare herself perfectly satisfied therewith. If
the minor German governments make such a decla.
ration, no surprise need be felt, as it would be but
another proof of their base subserviency to Russia;
but the lesson would be a good one to the French
government,—for really it has sacrificed its owri,
dignity, and that of England, by the extraordinary
pains it has taken to win over those governments
to their cause—as if England and France needed
the paltry support they can give
The substance of the Russian circular of the
22nd December, referred to above, has arrived
to-day in the Belgian papers. As it will be in
England before this letter, I need only say that
its meek protestations of a desire of peace are
regarded with contempt, because they are knowil
to be false.

The Vienna telegraph informs us that the
chances of an understanding being come to between
Prussia and Austria are increasing. If this be so,
Austria will naturally be less disposed than ever to
break off with Russia.

Before concluding allow me to say a word about
myself. Since I have had the honor to be your
correspondent, I have on innumerable occasions
anticipated
•evep the foremost of your great London
n
cotemporaes in obtaining important intelligence;
but I have seldom cared to take the trouble to draif
attention to the fact, trusting to the sagacity o',
your readers to discover it for themselves. I beg
however, now to be permitted to remind theni
that within the last fortnight my letters have con;
tained not fewer than three important pieces 0
intelligence of which the London papers knell',
nothing. The first is that noticed above—namely
that the French government had learned that ne
chance of success awaited the Austrian proposition°
—a fact of the very highest consequence at the
present juncture. The second was that the French'
government will, before long, have to apply for a
new loan—also a fact of no little consequence'
The third was that the famous pamphlet on the
necessity of a Congress was about to appear'
Thus, from what it has done, your readers n'eo
entertain the conviction that, for the future, the
NORTHERN DAILY TIMES will be excellently Well
informed on continental and French matters.