The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-22 00:00:00

TAE MEDITERRANEAN.

MALTA, MARCH 14.
The news of the Emperor's death has caused a
perfect commotion in Valetta, where it is regarded
as good news and as au event which may change
the whole face of affairs.

According to our letters from the camp the good
people of England have gone to the extreme in send-
ing out things. The place is now overstoclud....nil
l. wowingcapita
is going begging ; everything is to
he had. In fact, it would not be a bad speculation
to buy up there and send home ; one would realise
a large profit. Eight Russian sailors (deserters)
came over on the night of the 28th ult. ; one was
shot crossing over by our troops. About forty have
deserted between the 19th and 29i-,h : they all say
provisions are short in Sebastopol, but their reports
are received with very great caution.
Our accounts from Naples state that the Czar's
death has caused a great sensation there, and so
nervous are the authorities that several arrests have
been made in consequence of persons speaking the
news.

The Tenoriffe has just come in from the Levant.
The Calcutta has arrived with six hundred Lanca-
shire militia on board, sixty women, and sixty-
eight children ; she steamed off to Corfu at 5 p.m.
The Vectis came in from Marseilles this morning ;
she met with a very heavy gale during the night
and lost two boats ; she went on with tiro Indian
mail at 5 p.m. The last two days severa.l•Dutch
galliots have come in freighted with mules ; one
this morning had 55 mules on board, and all had
come safe, although they had met with severe wea-
ther on their passage. We aro still in almost daily
receipt of stores and ammunition for the army.
The Ordnance department. has formed warehouses
in almost every part of the island, and arc con-
stantly employed in storing the things received, or
issuing fresh supplies for the camp. I told you
sometime since this :lace would become a large
barrack, and it is fast doing so ; a regiment comes
or goes and makes no stir. Every third person
you meet is military, and everything savours of
warfare. Even our ladies are becoming military,
at least in their talk, and instead of the shape of a
bonnet or cut of a mantle, the merits of this or
that general are discussed. The Calcutta, after
dropping the militia regiment at Corfu is to take
on the 48th to the Crimea. The 91st is still here,
the authorities not being yet able to spare a tran-
sport large enough to take them all, as is intended,
to Athens, and to bring back the 3d Regt. (Buffs.)

THE VIENNA CONFERENCES.
VIENNA, MARCH 18.
Nothing of a reliable nature had transpired with
respect to the results arrived at by the meeting
yesterday. To-day there are all sorts of rumours
afloat. Certain political wiseacres are seen stalk-
ing or lounging about the club-rooms and else-
where, shaking their heads, and grinning at their
own conceits. They have got a notion that things
must be going wrong, simply because even they,
the would-be well informed, are kept in the dark.
These "paragons of intelligence" are all wrong;
the proceedings of the Conferences are going on
very satisfactorily indeed. After the first meeting
a protocol was drawn up, and signed by the mem-
bers of the Conference; embodying the general prin-
ciples—that is, the interpretation of tho " Four
Points of Guarantee" which form the basis of the
present negotiations. The said protocol also set
forth the agreement that had been come to to dis-
cuss the " Four Points" seriatim. Accordingly,
the deliberations which took place yesterday had
solely reference to the "First Point of Guarantee"—
id est, the future conjoint protectorate of the prin-
cipalities by the great Powers. The discussion of this
point was, notwithstanding the Conference sat up
wards of three hours, left unfinished, and adjourned
to the next meeting. Matters are progressing in a
way which fully justifies the hopes of a pacific issne.
The plenipotentiaries of Russia manifest the most
conciliatory and honourable spirit. Russia thus
appears earnestly desirous to meet the views and
wishes of the Western Powers and Austria to
restore to Europe the blessings of peace, upon a
firm and lasting basis, with as little delay as
possible. As regards the attitude of Austria at
these Conferences nothing can be more satisfactory.

Her truly enlightened representatives entirely sup-
port the views of France and Eugland,•which are,
in point of fact, equally as much the views of
Austria as of the West. All the world must ad-
mit that the Austrian alliance of the West is of

the most vital importance at this moment to the
general interests of Europe ; and to doubt or
to question its sincerity, except upon indis-
putable grounds, appears hardly defensible. But,
In justification of the opinions held at Ber-
lin concerning Austria, it may be as well
to state that even here there aro not those
wanting who pretend to know that ever since
the demise of the Emperor Nicholas a change
has come over the views and intentions of the Em-

peror Francis Joseph and his Ministers. But all
this is mere puerile conjecture, and based upon
not one solid or reasonable argument. The para-
mount interests of Austria • imperatively demand
that her policy in the solution of the Oriental
question go hand-in-hand with the Western
Powers. Herein you have the simple key to all the
apparent mystery of their " perfect coincidence of
views with the West." And, for the hundredth
time, permit me to assure your readers that the
Emperor Francis Joseph and his Ministers have
nothing but the honour and welfare of the empire
at heart, and will consequently pursue no other
policy, in respect of the Eastern complication, than
that which has become traditional in this country,
and which can alone promote its best interests.
For the benefit of all sceptics, let me add that, if
even a perfect angel were to sit on the throne of
the Czars, this would not in any one iota change
the policy of Austria as regards its interests in the
East.