Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-06-18 00:00:00

FRANCE

PARIS, TUESDAY EVENING.

It must be admitted that, contrary to general
expectation, the elections are becoming very ani-
mated. It is true that the animation is as yet
confined to the candidates, but the movement seems
to be on the increase, and may gain the electors
before it stops. The Prefects are doing their best
to stir up the Mayors, and the Mayors do their
best to rouse the ardour of the peasants. The
mairie of Bordeaux is said to have accompanied
the voting tickets which he issued to the indigent
electors of that place with another ticket for sfr.
each.

Great exertions are being made to effect a com-
bination between the Siecle and the Estafette, who,
as you are aware, present different candidates for
Paris, though both are going on the Democratic
interest. An opportunity is offered by the refusal
of one of the Siecie's candidates, M. Reyneau,
sub-Prefect of Sceaux under the Republic. If a
reconciliation be effected, M. Eugene Pelletan, a
name well known in the Democratic press, would
be admitted. No great hope, however, is enter-
tained of uniting these sections of the party, and
the division is likely to last.
The ratifications of the treaty relative to the
Canton of Neufchatel were exchanged at the
foreign-office at two o'clock to-day.
The Moniteur de l'Arniee publishes a letter from
Algeria, dated Souk-el-Arba, the 7th June. It
announces that in a few days will have been laid
the foundation of Fort Napoleon, the futre Euro
pean capital of the Beni-Raten, lately the most
indomitable of the Kabyles, unless, *after having
traversed Kabylia between the Djendjura and the
Sebaon, a more perfect political capital may be
found among the Beni.Yahia.
It is said that at the last Cabinet Council, a
memorandum was communicated from M de Thou-
venal, which was lately received from Constanti-
nople. It appears* from this document that the
union of the Danubian Provinces is likely to be
voted by the Divans in Wallachia, but not in Mol-
davia. 'The Prussian and Sardinian Ministers at
Constantinople, who, with M. de Thouvenal,
support the policy of the union, are of a similar
opinion.
Sad-Medjid, the new Imaum of Muscat and of
Zanzibar, has ordered the construction in a French
dockyard of two steam corvettes for his war navy,
which now comprises forty sailing vessels.
The last accounts from Mexico announce that
despatches had been received there from Italy to
the effect that the Court of Rome had refused,
under existing circumstances, to open negotiations
with the government of General Comonfort for the
conclusion of a Concordat.

TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, JUNE 5

The regulations suppressing the trade in black
slaves have been put into full vigour. Only a few
days ago the Kangaroo, an English steamer, belong-
ing to a native merchant, which brought troops
from Egypt, was visited by Captain Glyn, of her
Majesty's ship Copkette, stationed on the Bos-
phorus, and six negro slaves taken out of her and
given over to the Turkish authorities.
The brigandage which had rednced Epirus and
Thessaly into a state of anarchy since the war has
been completely suppressed. A. score of brigands
have been executed, and about 80 await their judg-
ment in the prisons. The merit in this case is due
to Mahommed Pasha, Governor of these two pro-
vinces, and to his Lieutenant Hussui Pasha in
Bariesa.

Even the delicate question of financial reform
has commenced, and I am happy to say not with-
out success. Every department has made some
reduction in its own expenses. They are perhaps
not so extensive as they might have been, but still
they amount to a yearly sum of 100,000/,which is not
a little, if one considers that hitherto the habit was
not to retrench, but rather tc increase the expendi-
ture and the budget in every way. On the other
hand one branch of the revenue at any rate has been
considerably augmented, and that without any
detriment to the people. This branch of the
revenue is the Customs department. They are
farmed, as you know, and every year in the spring
an auction takes place. Each district is farmed
separately, and in three of the districts—Smyrna,
Salonica, and Beyrout—the sum has this year been
greatly increased. As the duties remain the same,
the increase is paid by the rich contractors out of
their enormous profits.

SPAIN.

MADRID, JUNE 12,

The Mexican question seems for the' present
completely at a stand still. The Spanish Govern•
ment does not at the present moment actively press
its demands, and it is to be hoped it will not be
driven to do so by the opposition in the Cortes
and press. It is to be regretted that greater ex-
pedition could not be used in the trial of the
criminals concerned in the late outrages, but the
delay does not appear to be the fault of the Mexi-
can Government, but of the circumstauces of
the 'country, and especially of the remote and
Unsettled district in which the trial takes place.
special Commissioner has been sent thither
from the capital, and the Mexicans protest that
no time is being lost. They utterly deny that the
'outrages in question are of a political nature, and
that
the persons engaged in them were either in
Government employ or instigated by any one
authorised to represent the Government. As I
have already informed you, the last despatches
received did not advance the question on jot
towards a settlement ; but others are expected
here on Monday, which it is belived have been
brought
.by Senor Montes, late Mexican Minister
of Foreign, Affairs, and who has arrived in Paris on
1118 way to Rome; and then, it is hoped, may be of
greater importance.
The government having positively refused to
accept the amendments made by the committee in
the law on the press, they have been withdrawn,
and the report identical in all essential points with
toe Ministerial project, will probably be presented
theh Chamber to-day.
on specie on Board the steamer Duero, wrecked
part oefeatalonian coast has been saved, and a sot
the vessel cargo. Efforts were to be made to ge
but their success was considered
very -ouuLtul.
the same Another shipwreck is reported
;n -"at, that of the steamer Elba, which left
Marseilles en the sth •
Notwithstanding that
continues favo mg that the weather has been and
its high price in
to the crops,
wheat maintains
e In Madrid, and ranged from 86 to
100 reals the fa„
Some of the -ega on the last market day. In
markets of the provinces of Castile the
stock is so small that there are scarcely any trans-
actions, and those that do occur are at exorbitant
prices, say,
in some markets, 80 reals for wheat and
60 reals for barley, or u
quarter. Aupwards of £4 or £3 the
newspaper to-day gives a bad account
of the vineyards of Xerez. •