Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-04-11 00:00:00

extraordinary movements of troops had caused a
panic on all the Continental Bourses. Five per
cent Austrian Metalliques fell to-day 1 per cent. in
Vienna; 31 per cent. in Frankfort; and 3-1 per cent.
is Berlin.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, Friday, 6 p.m. —I have not learnt that the
question of the Congress has made any advance since
I last alluded to it. Austria is said still to persist in
her demand that Piedmont shall disarm; and Pied-
mont to persist in refusing. Austria alleges that she
and Piedmont are not precisely in the same condition
in this respect; and it is not merely with the Sar-
dinian Government she has to deal, but with thou-
sands of her own Italian subjects, deserters from her
standard, who take up arms against her ; with the
bands of revolutionists 'of every colour collected
together, and ready to be let loose on her territory ;
and that while she may treat with a Government, it
is too much to expect that she shall treat with
Garibaldi and his free lances. These are the ele-
ments which place Piedmont in' a situation altogether
exceptional, and which Austria regards as justifying
the condition she has placed as indispensable to her
entering the Congress.

The Conference on the Danubian Principalities
and the double election of Colonel Couza met yester-
day; at one o'clock, at the Hotel of the Minister for
Foreign Affairs. The proceedings were of a prelimi-
nary character. After the exchange of powers
ad hoc they were opened by the Ottoman Ambas-
sador, M. Musurus, who explained succinctly the
views of his government. The Sublime Porte feels
the deepest and sincerest interest in the good
government and prosperity of the Danubian Princi-
palities. It has never violated its engagements with
these provinces ; it has respected their privileges
of self administration, and strictly adhered to the
treaties in virtue of which they were organised. As
a proof of its solicitude for the well-being of these
populations, and with a view to prevent the evils
which would inevitably result from the attempts
against the legitimate authority of the Sultan—an
authority recognised by every successive treaty,
including the Convention of August, 1858—the Porte
deputed its Ambassador in London to represent his
Highness at the present Conferences. The Sultan
cannot, however, regard with indifference an act
such as the late election of Colonel Couza as Hospodar
of the two Provinces, which would annul the Conven-
tion concluded last year. The Port denies that Col.
Couza possessed the legal qualifications indispen-
sable to his election as Hospodar of Moldavia; it
maintains its protest against the illegality of that
election, as well as against his second election for
Wallachia, which was effected by the introduction
of armed bands of peasants, and the intimidation
exercised by them over the people. It appeals to
the Powers whose representatives signed the Con-
vention last year for the organization of the
Principalities to maintain it in its integrity. The
other representatives made, I believe, no remark,
but contented themselves with taking notes of
what was stated by the Ottoman Ambassador,
with a view of referring to their instructions. The
conference lasted about an hour. No day was fixed
for the next meeting, but due notice will be given to
the plenipotentiaries.
The course that will be taken by the other powers
on this question is generally judged from the past.
Russia, it is conjectured, will propose the confirmation
of the election purely and simply, but without pre-
judice to the future; and France, it is thought, may
press for the radical modification of the Convention
of 1858.