The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-07 00:00:00

Bourse to-day as follows
Cents., 90f 50c.; Three per Cents., 72f. 90c

'—Four and a Half per

FRANCE.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING

It is not impossible that the Conferences will
open before-the 20th of this month, the date spe-
cified. A telegraphic despatch states that the
Russirn negociators have already left St. Peters-
burg for this city. Lord Clarendon, will also,
probably, arrive before long. A splendid house,
known as the " Hotel Cooper," in the Champ
Elysees, has been hired for him and his suite,
whieh, it is expected, will be very numerous.
According to a Vienna letter in the Constitutionnel,
a few weeks after the rupture of the famous Vienna
conferences, Russia made known confidentially to
Austria that Prince Gortschakoff, and M. de Titoff,
her plenipotentiaries, had exceeded the spirit of
their instructions in rejecting the neutralisation of
the Black Sea. Austria informed the French
ambassador of this, and when he came to Paris in
October last he communicated it to his govern.
ment. That government declared that it had no
hatred of Russia, and would endeavour to facilitate
an honourable arrangement for her. This decla-
ration led to the Austrian propositions, to the
circular of Prince Nesselrode of the 22d Dec. last,
and, finally, to the acceptance of Russia. The
protocol signed at Vienna relates, it is added, at
full length the preceding facts, records the reading
by Prince Gortschakoff of a despatch accepting
the Austrian propositions, and sets forth at length
the conditions themselves. The letter adds that
the Allies have decidedly sent orders to their troops
in the Crimea to suspend hostilities until further
orders.

The Moniteur publishes officially the names of
the plenipotentiaries who are to take part in " the
negociations about to be opened at Paris." Their
names are known, but it may be well to repeat
them. For France—Count Walewski, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, and Baron de Bourqueney, Am-
bassador at Vienna. For Austria—Count de
Boul Schaunstein, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
and Baron Hubner, Minister at Paris. For Great
Britain—Earl of Clarendon, Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs, and Lord Cowley, Ambassador
at Paris. For Russia—Count Orloff, Member of
the Council of the Empire, and Aide-de-camp
General of the Emperor of Russia, and Baron de
Brunow, Envoy Extraordinary, and Minister
Plenipotentiary to the Germanic Diet. For Sar-
dinia—Chevalier Massimo d'Azeglio, Senator of the
Kingdom ; and for Turkel —Aali Paella, Grand
Vizer of the Sultan, and Mehemmed Djemil Bev,
Ambassador at Paris. It will be observed that
Prussia does not figure on the list; her exclusion,
therefore, is a fait accompli. England, as I have
already told you, insisted on it, and France after
some hesitation adopted her views.
General Espinasse, commander of the 3rd
division of the French army in the Crimea, has
just left this city to return to his post after a
months' leave of absence. As he is an aide-de-
camp of the Emperor, some people think that he
would not have gone back unless there was a
likelihood of his having work to do.
It is a positive fact that the French Government
"1-'

has not suspended in any respect its military and
naval preparations. The contrary was said a few
days ago with great confidence.

This is Mardi-gras, the last and grandest day of
the Carnival, and the unfortunate bceufs gras has
again been paraded about the town, accompanied
by a brilliant cortege. Vast crowds assembled
every where, and especially on the Boulevards, to
see the sight. The Emperor and Empress passed
down the Boulevards in an open carriage, at about
three o'clock, and were well received. The day
has been observed as a holiday by the larger part
of the Parisian population. There seems to be a
greater number of maskers and mummers in the
etreets than usual, but they are of the lowest class
of society.

Accounts from Constantinople to the 28th ult.
have reached Marseilles to-day. It was General
Codrington who announced to the allied armies the
acceptance by Russia of the Austrian propositions,
but the troops at first received the news with in-
credulity, and afterwards with stupefaction. Mar-
shal Pelissier shortly before had heard that the
Russians intended to surprise the advanced divi-
sion in the valley of Baidar, and he sent a vast
force (eight divisions) to support it. At Kamiesch,
there had been some fires, and trade was in great
distress. At Constantinople, the Cheik Ul Islam
had appealed against the resolutions adopted in
favour of the Christians.

A telegraphic despatch from Stockholm says
that the King had sent the Grand Cross of the
Order of the Seraphims to Prince Albert. This
dignity in Sweden is equal to our Order of the
Garter.

.1% TROPHIES FROM SEBASTOPOL.— Some very interesting
relics, brought from Sebastopol by a gentleman, can now Fe
seen at the jewellery establishment of Mr. John G. Jacob,
Waterloo-place, Church-street. Amongst these are the
following articles : Three books, on religious subjects,
printed in the Russo-Greek language, possess peculiar
interest. One of the volumes is 127 years old, and relates
to Jerusalem—being a history of the " Holy places, &c."
This was found in the house of the bishop of Balaklava.
There are two other books of prayers, &c., which were
found in the church at Balaklava. There are also swords
and muskets, helmets, and other things of that sort, which
were taken out of the Redan and Mamelon Towers.
Another curiosity is a small square piece of brass, with the
image of the Virgin and child, and some mystic figures.
This is called the " charm," and is held in great veneration
by the Russians, and worn by them next the person. All
these things are well worth inspection, and Mr. Jacob's
gentlemanly conduct, in exhibiting and explaining to his
visitors, is duly appreciated.—At Mr. Dixon's Eldon
dining rooms, South John-street, may be also seen a variety
of things just brought home from Sebastopol, and amongst
them a Russian infantry coat, helmet, gun, and bayonet, A
" charm," in excellent preservation, and a splendid star,
(silver) which was taken from a Russian officer. They
we'e presented to Mrs. Dixon by a gentleman who has
come home from the Crimea.

LIVERPOOL ARCHITECTURAL AND ARCLUEOLOGICAL SO-
CIETY.—Last evening, the members of this society held
their usual periodical meeting, at the Royal Institution,
Colquitt-street. Mr. Huggins presided on the occasion.
The following gentlemen were unanimously elected
associate members of the society :—Mr. G. F. French
of Bolton and Mr. R. Wells. The following donations were
presented to the society : Report of tte General Board of
Health as to the sanitary state of Southport and other
places ; the Land and Building .News; the minutes of the
meetings of the Royal Society of Architects ; the Irish
Reporter; the Building Chronicle. Mr. Boult stated
that be had that morning received, from blr. W. G. Elliott,
Blisworth, several copies of a letter addressed to the
Mining Journal on " Drainage, and Utilization of Slag."
As he had before noticed the subject, when he had received
similar communications, he would not detain the company
with any observations, further than to say that Mr. Elliott
had suggested that his patent would be very applicable in
the proposed railway tunnel between England and France,
as the material might be converted into bricks on the spot.
The copies of the letter were then distributed amongst the
members. In the absence of Mr. T. C. D. Barry, who had
an engagement in London, Mr. B. oultread that gentleman's
paper, " On the causes of damp in buildings, and the means
used to prevent it." The
best thanks of the meeting were
voted to Mr. Barry for his valuable and interesting paper
Mr. Verelst apprehended that the chief cause of dampness
in h% ases arose from that curse which was so prevalent in
this country—the curse of cheapness ; for architects, in too
many instances, were not permitted to consider how they
could build best, but how they could build cheapest. After
a few brief observations, the business of the evening was
concluded,