The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDA p EVENING, MAY 26, 1855.

LATEST NEWS.

THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL.

DEFEAT OF THE RUSSIANS.

DESPATCH FROM GENERAL PELISSIER.

PARIS, SATURDAY.
A despatch to the following effect has been
received from General Pelissier :
" SEBASTO POL, MAY 24.

" A very lively combat, directed against our
important position, has lasted all night. We ob-
tained a complete success. The enemy's loss was
enormous, and ours sensible."

The _Patric has the following :
We are assured that a great advantage has been
gained by the French army before Sebastopol.
A private despatch announces that on the night
between the 22d and 23d of May the French car-
ried by assault the intrenched. Russian camp near
the Quarantine Bastion, which was defended by
the whole garrison of Sebastopol.
The same despatch states that the expedition
against Kertch had again sailed.
PARIS, SATURDAY, 7.30 A.M.

The Moniteur publishes two despatches from
General Pelissier, dated the 23d and 24th inst.
In the first the General thus expresses himself :

" The enemy had formed between the Central
Bastion and the sea a large place d'armes, where
they proposed assembling considerable forces to
make important sorties against us.
" In the night between the 22d and 23d we at-
tacked those works, which were defended by nearly
the whole of the garrison. The combat was
fierce, and lasted during nearly the whole of the
night. We carried and occupied half of the
works. I hope to be able to announce to you to-
' morrow that the remainder will have been carried
on the following night."
In the other despatch Gen. Pelissier says :
" We last night very happily carried the re-
mainder of the works we had attacked on the pre-
vious evening. The enemy, whose losses were
enormous the night before, did not make so stout
a resistance. Our losses, though considerable,
were much less.

" The Allied armies to-day cordially celebrated
;ogether the birthday of her Majesty."

BERLIN, FRIDAY, MAY 25.

A despatch from St Petersburg, dated this day,
Friday, May 25, announces that the following
despatch had been received there from Prince
Gortschakoff, dated Sebastopol, the 19th :
The enemy's fire is weak. Our losses are
moderate.

Both sides are occupied in repairing the old
and erecting new batteries.

The Invalide Russe announces that the Empe-
ror had just inspected the arsenals, fortifications,
troops, batteries, and fleets at 6ronstadt.

VIENNA, SATURDAY, 9 A.m.
The projected Conference will not be held to-
day.
The expected despatches have not arrived
from Paris and London.

SEBASTOPOL, MAY 24, AFTERNOON.
Miss Nightingale has been very ill, but is now
out of danger.

THE BALTIC FLEET.
BERLIN, MAY 25.
The Vulture, with mails, arrived last night a
Dantee.

There were some large Russian men-of-war
Eying at Sweaborg. They were dismantled.
The Riga channel was blocked up by sunken

rocks.

The bulk of the English fleet was at Nargen.
The crews were healthy.

No new cases of small-pox had occurred on
board the Duke of Wellington and Arrogant.

BERLIN, SATURDAY, MAY 26.
Advices from Nargen, of the 22d, state that
the English fleet has not commenced hostilities.
No French vessel bad joined yet.
Some steamers had penetrated into the bay of
Cronstadt without meeting any ice.

V ttb p
. •
. . .

SUN OFFICE, Six o'Clock.

BELGIUM.

The Central Section of the Belgian Chamber of
Representatives, charged to examine the credit of
9,400,000 fr. demanded by the War Department,
for the completion of the defence of Antwerp and
the banks of the Scheldt, has just terminated its
deliberation. [t results from the discussion that
there are two systems in question—one consists in
enlarging the fortifications, and the other defend-
ing the present ones, by an entrenched camp.
In presence of serious differences of opinion
which could not be solved without a fresh exa-
mination of the question, the Central Section has
agreed to postpone the expense of 5,440,000 fr.
for the defence of Antwerp ; but the surplus of tne
credit, applicable to the banks of the Scheldt and
to the materiel of the artillery, was agreed to with-
out opposition. The report will be presented in a
day or two.

A letter from Kalisch, of the 16th, in the Aus-
trian Gazette, states that a part of the Bth division
of the infantry of the corps of General Rend, had
left its po-ition near Perekop, and joined the troops
which defend Sebastopol.

AUSTRIA AND TITh WESTERN POWERS,

The Augsburg Gazette publishes the following as
the text of a note addressed by M. de Walews►d,
the new French Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the
French Euvoys abroad. It is dated 9th May :
" Sir I hasten to prevent by explicit declarations any
erroneous interpretation of a series of facts, so as to
enable you to contradict any wrong bearing given to
them.

" You are aware that Count Buol when, after a de-
claration of the Russian Plenipotentiaries which we
might have regarded as sufficient to authorise us to re
gird the conferences as broken off, adjourned the re-
assembling of the conferences ; he nevertheless expressed
the desire to endeavour to find in a new combination a
means for realising the third point. The Vienna Cabi-
net did not hesitate to declare its firm intention to
maintain the alliance of the 2d of December when it
submitted to France and England propositions which
they examined with the greatest desire to find them
satisfactory.
" Unhappily their good intentions failed, as it was
impossible of making an arrangement, founded on such
a combination, agree with what their dignity demanded,
and the legitimate right which they had made it their
mission to assert in the general nit4rests of Europe. It ,
appeared, in fact, to the Cabinets of Paris and London,
that the interpretation of that point which is the most
important of all, and in reality the sanction of the others,
as proposed by Austria, responded neither to their ex-
pectations nor to the sacrifices they had made.
" If the Cabinet of St. Petersburg had accepted the
ultirivstuw, proposed by the Court of Vienna peace would
have been re-established on weak foundations, the in
efficiency of which would have led in the future to dan-
gers which it was the hope of the Allies from thete-
ginning of the crisis, and after the great efforts made by
the Allied Powers, to see banished for ever.
"Such are the motives which have induced us not to '
adopt the plan proposed by the Austrian Government.
These motives are so evident, they are so fully justified
by the position of the Western Powers, that we do not
doubt the Court of Vienna will appreciate them in their
true meaning.
"The alliance of the 2d December is not, therefore,
brought in question. It is, on the contrary, the earnest
desire of the Government of the Emperor, and of the
Government of her Britannic Majesty, to strengthen and
develope it, and no doubts can exist at Vienna on the
subject. It is important, sir, that you should express
yourself clearly in this sense, and explain that, if the
situation has undergone a modification, it arises solely
from the fact that the Russian Plenipotentiaries, after
having accepted the third point in principle, afterwards
. refused to admit its practical consequences.
WALEWSKI."

MONEY MARKET

AND
COMMERCIAL TNT AILLIGEKCE.

CITY, Two O'CLOCK.
The Cotton Market at Liverpool, yesterday,
closed with a firm appearance, and without much -
variation in prices. The sales of the week
amounted to 153,080 bales. The Railway Share
Market was steady, and closed with an upward
tendency in prices.
The arrivals of Colonial produce during the
month are stated by Messrs. H. W. Jewesbury
and Co. to have been very large, notwithstanding
which the business transactions have been consi-
derable since the date of our last, and former prices
for most articles have been fully maintained. The
deliveries from the warehouses, both for home con-
sumption and export, continue very satisfactory.
We have to notice a reduction in the stocks of
many leading articles, which, until lately, have
been in excess of last year. Sugar and rice are
both dearer. Dyes and dyeing materials re-
main without alteration, except for Indigo,
which is dearer. Cochineal has continued in fair
demand, but previous rates have been barely sup-
ported. From the continental produce market
the accounts continue satisfactory. From the
cotton manufacturing districts the reports state
that the demand had slightly fallen off, and lower
prices had been accepted, but from the woollen
districts we learn that the transactions have been
large, and higher rates have ruled.
In referring to the debate upon Mr. Disraeli's
motion, Messrs. Smith and Charles express their
conviction that neither the mover, who should
have excellent means of information, nor Lord
John Russell, mho, from his mission to Vienna,
ought to be still more competent to form an opi-
nion, have any strong expectations of peace.
At the public sales of wool just concluded there
were 43,208 bales of Colonial, and 3,418 of East
India, and 5,838 of Foreign offered. The Austra-
lian realised ld. to lid., and for Moreton Bay 2d.
to 3d. per lb. advance. Cape went 2d. to 3d.
higher for scoured parcels, and Ad. to ld. for
greasy.
All that we have stated for some time past re-
specting the position of the Bank of England has
been verified by the most recent balance sheets of
that establishment. The account for the week to
the 19th inst. gives the amount of the bullion and
the note reserve together so large that one might
fancy we were in a state of protound peace, and
although, unfortunately, the dullness of trade
partly contributes to the accumulation, it is en-
couraging to find such large imports of gold from
abroad. Compared with the previous week, the
changes are as follows :
Active circulation
Decrease
Bullion
Increase •

Rest
Increase
Public Deposits
Increase
Other Deposits

Increase
Seven-Day and other Bills
Decrease
Government Securities
Decrease
Other Securities
Decrease.
Notes unemployed

£19,621,940
297,395
16,647,716
602,515
3,170,300
4,515
3,358,272
624,364
12,230,771

25,564
991,720
36,420
10,823,132
193,242
12,455,155
88,645
10,280,610

Increase 863,435
Yesterday afternoon there was a little flatness in
the rates for bills of exchange upon Antwerp,
Frankfort, and Trieste. Paris was firm, and Ham-
burgh and Amsterdam were a shade higher.
All the gold per Sussex, from Australia, has
been melted and sent into the Bank of England.
The amount of the precious metals shipped
direct from London during the week en ling
Thursday last was 5,920 ounces of silver and 140
of gold, all to the Continent.
The . ship Elizabeth from Port Philip brings
12,502 ounces of gold.
The extremely favourable Bank Return, and the
satisfactory news from the Crimea, have reudered
the stock market very firm, and given a fresh im-
petus to business. Consols have been 9i is and
since 91i for transfer and account. The New 3
per Cents. have been 91 to f, and the Reduced
901 to 4. The Omnium is up to 31 and 3/ pre-
mium, and the Terminable Annuity is firm at 16/
to 11-16ths.
In Foreign Stocks scarcely any business is doing.
Turkish Bonds have been 77i to 78i. Mexican
Bonds are quiet at 22. Spanish Threes bring 37k.
Dutch 2i per Cents. are 63g.
The following are the nominal prices of foreign
stocks:—Grenada Deferred Bonds, 6/ to 7k; Mexi-
can, 22i to;Peruvian, 68 to 70 ; ditto Three
per Cents., 47 to 49 ; Portuguese Four per Cents.,
42 to 44 ; Russian Five-per Cents., 98 to 100 ;
ditto Four-and-a-Half per Cents., 88 to 90 ;
Spanish New Deferred, 18i to 184 ; Ditto 3 per
Cents., 37i to 371; Ditto Certificates, 4 to 41 ;
Ditto Passive, 31, to 41,.
Railway Shares are at higher rates for the prin-
cipal lines, but business is not very active. The
lines are in demand, at very full rates. Sambre
and Meuse are better.
The Banks are quiet. Crystal Palace are firm.
Mines are dull.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.—CLOSING PRICES.
I Front the Offictal Li v,.

fin.inee4 Anne
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities... • 9Oh
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities
New 3 per Cent. Annuities
L.una Annuities. Expire sth Jan., 18N)

--Ditto 30 Years, Expire sth April, 1885 164 11-16 fl
C ffisois ;or Account, 30th May
Omnium
Exchequer Bilis, 2id.
Snail
Ditto Advertised 5 8 pm
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.

Aexieem 3 per Cent.
Ditto for the Account... 22
Bonds, 3 per Cent 37i
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. n-A fun 4B p c
Curkish Bonds, 6 per cent
Ditto for the Account 7B e 7g
Dividends on the above payable to London.
Dutch Exchange, 2i per Cent. 12 Anil
TWO O'CLOCK.

Consols 912
Ditto, May Account

SURREY T HEATRE.

Miss Romer commences the operatic season at this
theatre on Monday next,' with a new opera by Herr
Mayer Lutz. It is entitled Faust and Marguerite, and
the principal parts will be sustained by Mr. H. Drayton,
Mr. G. Perren, Mr. G. Yarnold, Mr. Bowler, and Mrs.
H. Drayton. The services of Flexmore and Marlatne
Auriol have been secured for the ballet, and Miss
Featherstone for the fairy extravaganza. The arrange-
ments altogether for the campaign are highly attractive.