The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-11 00:00:00

TURKEY

We have already announced the presentation to
the Sultan by the French Ambassador, M. Thou-
venel of the Grand Cordon of the Legion of Honour.
His Majesty the Sultan, on receiving from the
hands of the Ambassador the Emperor's letter and
the insignia of the Order, as remarkable for the
brilliancy of the jewels in which they are set as for
their exquisite workmanship, replied as follows :
I consider these precious insignia not only as a
token of the private friendship of his Majesty the
Emperor, my august ally, for myself, but also as
one of the great consequences of the •memorable
alliance which is destined to consolidate for ever
those ancient relations of friendship which exist
between the two empires. lam the more touched
by this mark of consideration on the part of his
Majesty, as it is the first foreign decoration which
I receive, and I am also glad to receive it from the
hands of so distinguished an Ambassador as
yourself

I sincerely hope that my untiring efforts for the
welfare of all my subjects will be crowned with the
desired success, and that my empire having be-
come, henceforth, one of the members of the great
European family, will prove to the whole universe
that it is worthy of occupying an important place
in the circle cf civilised nations. Turkey will
never forget the generous services which its noble
Allies have imposed upon themselves to procure
this happy and great result.
I will write directly to the Emperor to thank
him; but I request you, Monsieur rAmbassadeur,
to make him acquainted with this expression of
my sentiments.

To complete this ceremonial, M. Thouvenel pro.:
cPeded in great state to the palace of Tcheragan.
Four of the Sultan's state carriages were sent to
the French embassy for himself and suite. The,
Ambassador's carriage was drawn by four greys.
This carriage had been prepared in anticipation of
the Emperor's visit.
A letter from Constantinople, describing the
reception, says :—lt is supposed that the English
ambassador will propose to his court to send also
a decoration to the Sultan ; hut the matter is con-
sidered difficult, in consequence of the statues
and formalities of the Order of the Garter and the
impossibility of giving to a sovereign any but the
chief order of the State.

PRUSSIA.
Despatches dated Berlin January 9, mention
that there can be no doubt that Austria has Lily
determined to induce the Frankfort Diet to make
some manifestation on the Eastern question.
Count O'Donnell, the Emperor's Aid-de-Camp, is
commissioned to visit various of the German
Courts to feel the way for this object.
A correspondent writing on the same day states.
that in Berlin, some fioliticans are looking forward
to the speedy publication of the result of some-
what lengthy diplomatic negociations, that have
been going on between Russia and the United
States. No one, however, seems to be Male to
state on what pint the said negotiations have
turned, nor in what they have resulted, but are
not the less convinced that Herr Bodiseo, Secre-
tary of the Russian Legation at Washington, who
a few days back passed through here on his way
to St. Petersburg, is the bearer of the important
document.,
The American Government, which repudiates
the right claimed by Denmark to levy Sound dues,
recognises at the same time the equity of Den-
rnark's being indemnified for the expense she has
been at in buoying and lighting the Sound, and is
willing to pay a quota towards this and a fair share
towards the future maintenance of the necessary
establishment. For the first purpose the American
thalers, or
Government
/3,0001. seems to b© willing to pay 40,000

Quite at the end of the year the. Sound was
visited by such mild weather that the straits
were open in every direction, and no trace of ice
was visible anywhere. The American clipper
Wolga, which has been so long lying there biding
her time, at last, in the full persuasion of meeting
no British cruiser in the Bay of Finland, put
to sea on Christmas eve. It seems certain
that this vessel had a valuable cargo, chiefly of
arms, on board, and had been waiting so long
in those waters for an opportunity of bringing
them in safety to the Russian coast. The vessel was
built in Boston, and is navigated by a Dane of
the name of Holm, perfectly intimate with the
Danish waters and the Russian coast. She has
been seen since off Bornholm, sailing, with every
stitch of canvass strained, towards the Bay of
Finland. A Russian merchantman also, with the
Russian flag
.flying, left Elsinore on the 29th. of
December, homeward bound, after lying there
perdu for about two,years, and it is presumed that
the numerous Russsan vessels that have been so
long ice and enemy bound in the Scandinavian
harbours, will have profited by the extraordinary
mild weather reigning there to return hothe un-
teathed.