The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-01 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
The Conference on the Neufchatel question was
to have met today, but did not, the Swiss Pleni-
potentiary riot being yet prepared with a categorical
answer to the propositions of M. de Hatzfeld.
Colonel Barmann, the resident Swiss Minister,
had an interview to-day with Count Walewski. The
distance between what Prussia proposes and what

Switzerland demands, even on the hypothesis that
the conditions mentioned in the Independence and

other Belgian papers are correct, is sufficiently wide
for an approach to be madewithoutlarge concessions
on one side or the other, if not on both. But I have
reason to believe that the real propositions are not
such as have been stated, and they are in point
of fact much harder. If the Swiss be dissatisfied on
account of the delay that has taken place, and the
non-fulfilment of the promises and hopes held
out to them months ago, they will very probably

be much more so in a-few days hence when the
real conditions on which the King of Prussia

agrees to"renounce his sovereignity are known.
In the mean time, the representatives of France
and England are doing their best to smooth the

way to an arrangement.
It is said that the intervention of the British and
French Governments for the arrangement of the

existing differences betw, ea the Austrian and
Sardinian Governments has been favourably
received, and it is hoped that diplomatic relations
will be restored sooner than expected.
The negotiations for the conclusion of a treaty
of commerce between the French and Russian
Governments are concluded, and the treaty will
soon be reduced to writing. M. Bandin, first
Secretary to the French Embassy at St.
Petersburg, is appointed to conduct the
negotiations.
Captain Roussin, commander of the steam sloop
Averne, who is appointed to proceed to the mouths
of the Danube to be stationed there, has been
summoned to Paris to receive special instructions
from the Government. The Averne is at Toulon,
undergoing repairs.
It has been decided that Admiral Hamelin, Mi-
nister of Marine, accompanied by the Beard of
Admiralty, will proceed to Toulon, to receive the
Grand Duke Constantine, who will proceed to
England after having visited France.
A private letter from Senegal announces that
the frigate Nemesis, bearing the flag of Admiral
Rigault de Genouilly, anchored in the roads on the
28th February, coming from Brest. The Nemesis
was to sail immediately, and to continue her course
to China, where it was expected she would arrive
in May, and join the squadron under admiral
Guerin. _ _ _

It appears that the Episcopal Chapel, in the rue
d'Aguesseau, Paris, built by Bishop Luscombe, and
lately the property of the Rev. Mr Chamier, has
been purchased by the British Government, and
will henceforth serve as the chapel for the British
embassy. As the service at the ambassador's resi-
dence will be discontinued after Easter, there will
then be only two places of worship in Paris for
members of the Church of England. It is supposed
that the galleries of the chapel will be retained
for the persons attached to the embassy, as well as
for those residents who prefer, by the payment of
a fixed sum for their sittings (which will go to-
wards defraying the current expenses of the chapel)
to secure for themselves the opportunity of attend-
ing Divine worship, from which, at certain seasons
of the year, the enormous influx of visitors would
exclude them. _

A great number of the large trees in the Champs
Elysees are undergoing the process of being
stripped of their rough outer bark to a height of
20 feet and upwards with a view of destroying the
worms that are bred and harboured in the inter-
stices of the bark, and which, by piercing the 'trees
with innumerable holes, prevent the sap from
rising, and cause their premature decay
A letter from Venice of the 20th inst. announces
that a painting by Paul Veronese, for three cen-
turies the property of the Pisani family, has been
purchased by the British government for £14,000
sterling,
Trade in Paris was a little more animated last
week than the week preceding. The shopkeepers
who suffered their stocks to run low are now forced
to replenish them even at an advanced price. It is
expected that the spring trade will become more
active in the course of the next 15 days. Accounts
from the manufacturing districts state that business
is still dull at Rouen and Mulhouse, but that at
Roubaix, St. Quintin, Rheims, and Amiens appear-
ances are more promising. The new stuffs com-
posed of wool, with a mixture of cotton, are more
sought than the manufactures of Rouen, Letters
from Lyons state that orders have been received
there for rich silks, velvets, embroidered shawls
and figured waistcoasts, of which there are a great
variety of patterns, and for which the Lyons
manufacturers are unrivalled. Satin articles like-
wise, which had long been neglected, are now
coming into favour. Since raw silk has become so
dear the Lyons manufacturers confine themselves
to the preparation of expensive stuffs from which
alone they can derive any profit. There is a
remarkable fall in the price of leather to be
remarked in this market, and the stock of that
article is increasing. This decline in price is attri-
buted to the substitution of moleskin for the com-
mon hide. The war and naval departments have
given large orders for equipments to be made of
moleskin. The railway companies likewise have
adopted it. It has been ascertained that for streagh
and durability it is equal to calf skin, and is from
50 to 60 per cent cheaper. It is expected that the
opening of the Bordeaux and Cette Railway will
considerably increase the trade of the F,rench ports
on the Atlantic. and already companies are formed to
transport by coasting vessels to Bordeaux, the
merchandise intended for the Mediterranean. A
letter from Morlaix announces that in that town
alone ten vessels are being prepared for that
service. There was a further decline in the Paris
corn market last week. All the provincial markets
are well supplied, and there are but few specula-
tive purchases made, At Marseilles, since the
demand has ceased for Spain and, Portugal. the
corn market has declined daily, and further large
supplies are expected there from Southern
Russia during the month of April. In
the last Paris market holders of wheat
were forced to submit to a reduction of lf. in
the sack of 120 kilogrammes to effect sales, The
appearance of the growing crop is magnificent, and
the farmers desire to dispose of their stock on hand.
Flour fell in the Paris market lf. the sack. The
best quality was offered at 74f. the sack of 157
kilogrammes The sale of wine is easy at Berey,
and prices are firm. 4t bordeaux trade is dull,
but without any reduction in prices, although, after
careful examination of the vineyards, an abundant
vintage is expected. There is an active demand
for wine at Beziers and Pezenaf.2, but stocks are
low. Prices vary from 250 f, to 400 f. the cask of
700 litres. Spirits of wine, from beetroot, is quoted
in Paris at 125 f. the hectolitre.
We find the following in Galignani's Messenger:—
We regret to announce that the oldest American bank-
ing house in Paris. Messrs. Greene and Co., of the Place
St. Georges, have been compelled to suspend payment,.
The following despatch has been received :
MADRID, MA.RCEI 28.
The Gazette declares that the most perfect union exists
between the members of the Cabinet on all questions
comprising the electorial question.
Los Uojas Autografas states that permission has been
sent to General Serrano to go to Madrid.
The new elections in the provinces continue to be
favourable to the Moderate party.

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, MARCH 28.

The news that the Sardinian subjects in Austria
have been placed under the protection of the
French Embassy is most acceptable to the
Austrians, who much feared that Count Cavour
would claim the friendly offices of Baron Lindberg,
the Russian Minister at this Court. The Ost-
Deutsche Post contains a leading article in defence
of the policy of Austria towards Sardinia,
and a brief summary of it must be given, as