The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-03-06 00:00:00

FRANCE.

(FROM OUR OWN,CORRWONDENT.)
PARIS, TIIESDArEVRNING.
The Conferences have assembled to-day, and the
sitting was continuing at half-past four, at which
hour I was at the Ministry of Voreign Affairs. I
have heard nothing which modifies in any respect
what I have said in my preceding letters as to the
difficulties which have presented themselves in
the course of the discussion; but I have not heard,
either, that any new ones have arisen. In truth,
however, those which have been indicated to you
are sufficiently grave. The greatest secresy con-
tinues to be observed by the Plenipotentiaries,
and I find that people in the highest official sta-
tions are ignorant of what takes place amongst
them. The mystery now observed is much greater
than it was at the beginnings
The legislative body has held a sitting 'to-day,
but the proceedings in thispseudo-parliament being
without any real political importance, attract but
little attention. The newspapers even do not
report them until a day or two after, and then are
obliged to insert the report which the government
sends them.
It is really amusing to read the Belgian papers
to-day—they announce positively that peace is
definitively concluded, and make as grand a
flourish on the matter as if it were Belgium which
had accomplished it. They seem to have been
made the subject of some stock-jobbing inystifica-

tion.
The French Government, I understand, has
received to-day, news from its diplomatic agents,
that new disturbances have taken place at Malaga,
and that in Greece, several French soldiers have
been assassinated by brigands.
An imperial decree, dated the 27th ult., and just
promulgated, reduces to 6f the 100 kilogrammes,
the duty on the import of rails for railways, pro-
vided they be required for the prompt renewal of
existing lines, or for adding new lines to those that
exist, or for enabling a railway, in course of
execution, to be opened somewhat earlier than the
period fixed; but the Minister of Commerce is to
decide what quantity shall be imported for each
special purpose. Any modification that may be
made in the existing tariff duties, is certainly
acceptable, whatever may be the conditions which
shackle it; but, it is much to be desired, that the
government should have the courage to reduce
permanently the existing duty on iron 'in every
shape, and especially on rails.
It is now said that the cardinals of Rome posi-
tively object to the Pope coming to Paris to christen
the Emperor's baby.'
The Constitutional seems almost anxious to bring
doWn on it the vengeance of the government. In
addition to the scrape it got into the other day, it
has this morning done greater offence by sneering
at two of its semi-official cotemporaries, as
"ministerial journals."
Preparations for the embarkation of not fewer
than 20,000 men for the Crimea are at this moment
being made at Marseilles.
Constantinople letters of the 26th ult.. say that
the new reforms in favour of the Christians had
caused great agitation amongst the Turkish popu-
lation, and that even the Greeks were profoundly
discontented with them. Fears of disturbances,
were entertained.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING

The great eyent of the day is, naturally, the
speech of the Emperor on opening the Legislative
Body. I have forwarded it by telegraph.
The impression the speech has created has been
this—The partisans of peace d tout prix, who were,
unfortunately, far too numerous here, are not
pleased with it, because it does not announce what
they had confidently hoped, namely, that peace is
virtually a fait accompli ; the advocates of war are
not pleaied with it, because it does not proclaim
that the Conferences are all foolishness, and that
the war is to be renewed with greater energy than
ever; but moderate men consider that it is just
what it ought to be—firm without bravado, ready
to accept peace if it be honourable, ready to make
war with desperate vigour if it be needed. On the
whole, perhaps the speech, impartially weighed,
leads one to the conclusion that the Emperor cal-
culates infinitely more on war than peace. The
evident pride with which the Emperor speaks of
the Queen's visit to Paris, and the glowing terms
in which he talks of the English and French
alliance in the last paragraph, will effectually put
an end to all the intrigues of natives and foreigners
directed against that alliance.
Greater mystery than ever is thrown over the
deliberations of tthe Conferences. But I am in
formed that there is the best reason to believe
that they are not very cordial. lam even assured,
that the differences which were previously mani-
fested, were not only not arranged, but became
embittered in the sitting of Saturday. The fifth
point, it is said, was under discussion on',that day.
This is the most difficult point of all ; and if, by
chance, an understanding were to be come to upon
it—which, however, according to present appear-
ances, is scarcely to be expected—the Conferences
would then take up the third point as of the next
degree of difficulty, then the fourth, and then the
second

No sitting of the Conferences has been held to-
day, but it is understood that one will take place

to-morrow

Very little credit is placed in well-informed
quarters, in this city, in the statement of the
Morning Post of to-day, brought to us by telegraph,
to the effect that preliminaries of peace, accepting
the Austrian propositions, were signed by the
Plenipotentiaries on Saturday. A Belgian news-
paper, the Independance, has got hold of the same
story, and it gives it in the guise of a telegraphic
despatch from Paris. But it turns out that no
such despatch was sent from Paris, and the
government people talk about prosecuting the
Independance. I even hoar that the Emperor, on
purpose to show that the Independance spoke
without authenticity, altered his speech so as to
make it more reserved than it otherwise would

have been.
After writing thus far I received this evening's
Patrie, and find in it a " positive contradiction "
of the statement of the Independance. Coming
from a semi-official journal, and published in the
form which. is usually adopted for semi-official
announcements, this statement of the Patrie is of
great gravity. Though the Morning Post is not men-
tioned, the contradiction is, no doubt, meant to be
as much addressed to it as to the Belgian paper,
The Patrie takes advantage of the occasion to
remind tho public that the plenipotentiaries are
pledged to solemn secrecy, and that they will
certainly not violate it.
Several English officers, absent on leave in this
city, received, yesterday and to-day, positive orders
to rejoin their resneetive corps without delay.
The Borysthene, with news from Constantinople
to the 25th, has arrived to-day at Marseilles. The
principal item of the news is. that the English were
preparing an expedition against Trebizonde.
There has been rather a serious decline to-day
on the Bourse in rentes and all securities. It is
said that the Credit Mobilier had to advance
nearly 3,000,000 f. sterling, to facilitate the last
liquidation, otherwise there would perhaps have
been a crash.

EMS tRKATION OF TROOPS.—Yesterday forenoon about
130 men, and a like number of horses, belonging to the
Royal Artillery, embarked on board the Sarah Sands. She
was to have sailed last night or this morning. It was stated
that she would call at some Irish port, Cork, most likely, to
take in more men for the Crimea.
ROYAL AMPHITHEATRE.—On more than one occasion
have we had to record the excellence of the acting of the
Lauri Family, and particularly that of Miss Jenny Lauri,
who has become a general favourite in her peculiar line.
We are glad to find that on Saturday evening she presents
herself to the public, for her first benefit. Independent of
the ample and excellent bill of fare provided for the occasion,
we think the claims of the young lady herself would be
sufficient to attract a bumper. Miss Lauri will appear for
the first time, as Columbine, in " Sketches from the Panto-
mime," and from what we heretofore observed of her
dancing, we think she will hold the first place in that role.
We trust in future to see her as she deserves to be, the
Queen of Columbines.
NEW BRIGHTON CLUB ROOMS.—On Tuesday evening a
highly interesting and instructive lecture was delivered in
the New Brighton Club-rooms, by the Rev. James Cran-
brook, to a very numerous and select audience. The subjt et
was the theory of human progress. The lecturer sketched
the rise and fall of the various kingdoms of Persia, Greece,
Rome, Bre., with groat power, and his rem irks upon the
ancient philosophers, poets, and sculptors, and the advan-
tages of modern science, &c., showed profundity and deep
research. At intervals the rev. gentleman elicited much
applause, and at the conclusion a vote of thanks was pro-
posed by Peter Wright, Esq., for his very admirable lecture,
and the meeting separated.