The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-12-19 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, DEC. 15.
The Paris correspondents of the English and
German papers announce that the Conference is not
likely to meet as soon as was a few days since ex-
pected, " because the representatives of the Powers
are unable to agree which of them shall preside."
Within the last few days a new difficulty has
arisen, but you may believe that the question of
presidency has not yet been discussed. As you
were a week ago informed, it was agreed that the
frontier question should be settled according to the
spirit of the treaty of March 30th. The Sardinian
government officially informed the British Cabinet
that it shared the opinion of England, Austria, and
Turkey, in respect to Bolgrad and the Isle of
Serpents, and the French government gave
its allies to understand, that it intended to play
the part of neutral mediator at the Conference.
There is reason to believe that neither England
nor Austria was greatly edified by the policy of
the Paris Cabinet, but both Powers were desirous
that the conditions of the Treaty of Peace should
be realised as speedily as possible, and they
therefore no longer turned a deaf ear to the
proposal of France to meet her again in confer-
'ence. If the information given me be correct,
the British ambassador some days since informed
Count Walewski that his government did not
object to the proposed conference, but Count
Buol, who has recently learnt to his cost that
implicit confidence cannot be placed in France,
still holds back, and is likely to continue to do so,
as Count Walewski now professes to believe that
"some compensation" ought to be given to Russia
for Bolgrad. What Russia claims instead of the
town in question is a piece of land lying between
the river Yalpuck and one of its tributaries, and
persons who are well versed in the merits
of the question are inclined to think there
is no good reason why she should not have
it. Russia has laid a trap for England and
Austria, and they will have fallen into it should
they agree to let her retain the territory in question
as a compensation for the loss of Bolgrad.
Russia would like to prove to the world that she is
a very ill-used Power, and she would be able to do
so if the Earl of Clarendon and Count Buol were
to acknowledge that an indemnification is due to her
for the loss of the chief town of the Bulgarian colo-
'flies. The Conference will probably meet after
Christmas—that is, before the beginning of the new
year. As has repeatedly been said, the order to
evacuate the Danubian Principalities will be issued
as soon as Bolgrad is in the hands of its proper
masters ; but there has been a thaw during the last
few days, and it is doubtful whether the Austrian
troops will be able to return home until fresh snow
has fallen and another frost set in. By means of
sledges the artillery, baggage train, &a , may be
moved over firm snow ; but when, at this season of
the year, there is a thaw, the so-called roads of the
Danubian Principalities are like unto bottomless

pits, According to the last advices from Galatz
the Danubian Commission has made the discovery
that the Kilia arm of the Danube is more easily
navigable than the Sulina. The-bed of the Kilia
arm is in perfectly good condition, and the bar at
its embouchure is much less formidable than those
before the mouths of the Sulina and St. George's
arms of the-river. On good maps it is to be seen
that the St. George is the principal arm of the
river, and Danubian sailors tell me that vessels
bound to Constantinople would save much time
if they could pass through it.
The reports which reach this city from Milan are
extremely contradictory. According to some Italian
writers the clemency displayed bythe Emperor since
he has been at Venice has produced an excellent
effect on the inhabitants of the cities in Lombardy ;
according to others, the people are as refractory as
ever. The impression said to prevail in high offi-
dial circles is that his Majesty will be well received
by the lower classes in Lombardy, coolly by the
burghers, and coldly by the nobles. There is a
rumour in the city that Count Grunne, the first
General Adjutant to the Emperor, has been shot at
by a Venetian, but my endeavours to obtain relia-
ble information on the subject have failed. The
behaviour of the Emperor and Empress to their
Venetian subjects' does not find favour in the sight
of some highly placed persons in this city. It is
thought that their Majesties are too kind and
condescending, and averred that the Italians can
be much better governed by the sword than by the
sceptre. The sword and musket system bas had a
fair trial, and has completely failed ; but still
there are people who cling to it as if it were a
panacea for every evil. The state of public
feeling is so bad in Hungary that the represen-
tatives of the different circles are about to'meet
in order to consult on the means to be taken
to improve it. The heads of the different de-
partments wil propose to the Archduke Governor
such changes in the provincial administration as
May appear necessary or desirable, and he, after
having duly examined the propositions, will either
reject or recommend them to the consideration of
the Emperor. On the 12th instant there was a
TeDeunt sung, and solemn thanksgivings offered up
to the Most High for the providential escape of the
King of Naples. In obedience to telegraphic
instructions received from Venice, the following
members of the Imperial family were present in
the Italian Church in this city :—The Dowager
Empress Caroline, the Archduchesses Sophia,
Elizabeth, Maria (the sister of the Queen of
Naples), and the Archdukes Francis Charles,
Ferdinand, William, Leopold, Reignier, Henry,
and Maximilian d'Este. All the Austrian Ministers
appeared in full uniform, and most of the diplo-
matists were present.
A Vienna correspondent of the Frankfort Post
Zeitung positively denies that France has offered
to mediate between Denmark and the great German
Powers, and he 'is probably right; but it is here
generally believed that the Emperor Napoleon is
employing his newly acquired influence over the
King of Prussia, in order to keep him from doing
his duty, to the German Confederation. Prince
Daniel is still endeavouring to persuade France to
acknowledge the independence of Montenegro, and
it is here believed that Count Kisseleff is doing all
in his power to serve him. The " subvention "
granted by the present Czar to Prince Daniel, is
considerably larger than that paid to him by the
late Emperor. It is believed that the needy Potentate
has to thank Prince Gortschakoff, who was the friend
of the late Vladika, for the increase in his salary.
As you will probably already have learnt from your
Berlin correspondent, the Prussian Cabinet on the
Bth addressed a note to France, England, and
Austria on the Neufchatel question. The language
employed by Prussia is extremely menacing, but
the Swiss Confederation is resolved that the revo-
lutionary royalists shall be brought to trial, " be
the consequences what they may." General Dufour
recommended that the prisoners should be libe-
rated, but he has left Berne because no attention
was paid to his counsel.
The Wiener Zeitung, in its non-official part, has a
most shameless article on the new marriage laws.
The writer, who is believed to be Dr. Fessler, the
Professor of Ecclesiastical Law at the University,
asserts that the Concordat, with its corollary, the
Marriage Law, has given general satisfaction to the
nation, but the sequel will prove that he either
deceives himself or seeks to deceive others. The
Concordat is abhorred by the great bulk of the
nation, and the new Marriage Law is one of the
principal causes of the general discontent in Hun-
gary. The ultramontane writer has also the
impudence to assert that no countries prosper in
which marriage is not recognised as a sacrament.
According to this doctrine England, the United
States, Prussia, &c., are less thriving than Naples,
Rome, and Austria. His Holiness the Pope has
pardoned 24 persons who were at the head of revo-
lutionary corps, and 36 members of the revolutionary
parliament. " All these persons," says the Gazzetta
di Venezia," will be allowed to return to the Papal
dominions."
In a few days the Archduke Ferdinand Maximi-
lian will go to Brussels on a visit to his affianced
bride.