The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-09 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, APRIL 7.
The Queen and Prince, with the Prince of Leiningen,
walked in the grounds adjoining the Castle this morn-
ing. The Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, the Prin-
cess Royal and Princess Alice rode on horseback.
Prince Leopold paid a visit to the Duchess of Kent at
Frogmore-house, being his royal highness's birthday.
The Princess Helena and Louisa and Prince Arthur
took a carriage drive.
The Duchess of Kent visited her Majesty to-day.
_ _ _ _ _ _

Her Majesty and the Prince of Leiningen, with the
Princess Helena and Prince Arthur, drove out in an oPen
carriage in the afternoon. Prince Albert accompanied
her Majesty on horseback. Lord C. Fitzroy and Col.
Seymour were in attendance.

The dinner party this day included the Prince of Lei-
ningen Lady Caroline and Miss Barrington, and Major
General the Hon. Charles and Mrs. Grey.

APRIL, 3.

The Queen and Prince, the four elder royal children,
and the Prince of Leinin gen, the ladies and gentlemen
of the court, and the domestic household, attended
divine service this morning in the private chapel of the
Castle. The Hon. and Very Rev, the Dean of Windsor
performed the service, and administered the holy com-
munion.

The Queen and Prince and the Court went into mourn-
ing on Thursday, the'sth inst., for a week, for 'the late
Hereditary Princess of Saxc-Meiningen.

A Cabinet Council was held on Saturday at the Fo-
reign-office, Downing-street. The Ministers present
were Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl
Granville, the Marquis Of Lansdowne, Sir George Grey,
the Earl of Clarendon, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Sir Charles Wood, the Right Inn. Vernon Smith, 'Sir
William Molesworth, Vischunt Canning, and the Earl
of Harrowby. The council sat three hours.

The Lord Mayor and the City Remembrancer had an
interview with Sir George Grey, on Saturday, at the
Home-office.

S:r lhoinas Fremantle, Chairman, of the Customs, had
an interview, on Saturday, with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer: • Sir Alexander Spearman had also an in-
terview with the right hon. baronet, at his official resi-
dence in Downing-street.
Earl Granville, Lord President, and the Countess
Granville, left London on Saturday evening fur Paris,
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-
office, from the Governors of the North American pro-

Viscount Palmerston. left town after the Cabinet
Council on Saturday afternoon, accompanied by the
Viscountess, for his. seat, Broadlands, Hant4.

The authoress of "Jane Eyn," whose death is univer-
sally lamented, only clia,n,zed her maiden state last July,
when she married the Rev. Mr. Nichol, her father's
curate.

M. Ducos, the French Minister of Marine, is seriously

The new Easter pieces include one at the Haymarket
by Mr. Planche, entitled "The New Haymarket Spring
Meeting (T 855)."
A sum of 9,400 florins has been received at the Hague
from Manchester, in aid. of -the numerJus sufferers from
the late inundations in Holland:

THE AMERICAN INlAns.—LivnaPooL, Saturday.—The
United States mail steam-ship Nashville, Captain M.
Berry (in hen of the Pacific), sailed this afternoon, at
two o'clock, for New York, with. the usual mails, 52
passengers, and a full cargo of merchandise on freight.

OFFICIAL APPOINTMENTS.-Mr. John Ball, M.P. for
Carlow county, is appointed Under;Scoretary for the
Colonies. Mr. Ball was formerly the Assistant-Commis-
sioner of Poor-law in Ireland, which permanent office he
resigned for the purpose of becoming eligible for a seat
in Parliament. Mr. Samuel Shepherd, of the Home
Circuit, has been appointed residing magistrate at Bay
Islands.

DEPARTURE OF THE GUARDS FOR THE CRIMEA.—TO-
morrow morning 900 men, consisting of 300 of the Scots
Fusiliers, from St. George's Barracks ; 300 of the Cold-
streams, from Wellington Barracks; and 300 of the Gre-
nadiets, from Portman-street Barracks, will leave Lon-
don for the Crimea. Tlie men will proceed in three de-
tachments, and will not concentrate until they reach the
railway station.
WINDSOR.—The birthday of his Royal Highness
Prince Leopold was celebrated 'here, on Saturday, with
the customary honour=. Royal salutes were fired in the
Bachelor's Acre, from the corporation ordnance, at Fort
Belvidere, and from the Royal Adelaide frigate on Vir-
ginia Water ; and the bells of. St. George's and St.
John's Churches sent forth merry peals at intervals
throughout the day.
BnomrroN HOSPITAL.—The third performance of the
New Philharmonic Society, on the 25th instant, will be
for the benefit of the Hospital fir Consumption at
Brampton. Signor Belletti, Madame Clara Novello,
and a splendid orchestra will lend their assistance ; and
as the concert will have the especial patronage of her
Majesty, and a long list of distinguished ladies, it, is ex-
pected to come off with great eclat.

- SUDDEN DEATH OF THE DOWAGER MARCHIONESS OF
DOWNSHIRE —We regret to have to announce the de-
cease of the Dowager Marchioness of Downshire, who
died suddenly on Saturday, at her house in Lower Gros-
venor-street. The deceased lady, who was Maria, eldest
daughter of the fifth Earl of Plymouth, was married in
the year 1811 to the late Marquis of Downshire, who
died in the year 1845. She was a lady of most amiable
disposition and kind manners, and much beloved and
esteemed in a large and distinguished circle of relatives
and friends.
MR. GEORGE H. SMITH.—We learn from a private
source, and upon which every reliance is to be placed,
that this ill-fated gentleman, very soon after his commit-
tal from Rochester to Maidstone gaol, about six months
ago, on the verdict of the coroner's jury, which found
him guilty of the murder of his wife, was removed from
the hospital of that establishment to the County Asy-
lum Kent, where he has remained ever since: At the
Maidstone assizes last month, at which assizes his trial
was expected to be brOught on, the judge commissioned
a medical man to visit Mr. Smith in the asylum, and to
report upon his present state of mind. Mr. Smith was
by this professional gentleman pronounced to be still
insane, and the trial was in consequence postponed until
the next assizes, or until such time as he should be able
to plead to the charge brought against him. By an aet
of Parliament passed early in the present reign, it is pro-
vided that no insane person shall be put upon his trial
until he is able to plead. We believe that tbo postmas-
tership of Jerkey, held for the last several years by Mr.
Smith, has not.yet been declared vacant.—Jersey Times.
DEATH OF WYNDHAM kARDING, ESQ., C.E. AND
F.R.S.—It is with sincere regret that we announce the
death of Mr. Wyndh cm Harding, who died on Tuesday
last, near Cheltenham, in his 37th year. A gloomy and
melancholy feeling spread over Bridgend after the sad
message, despatched by telegraph, had reached Glan-
Ogwr, the seat of his father, the Rev. J. Harding, rector
of Coyty and Coychurch. Mr. Harding was too well
known in the scientific world to require any eulogium
from our hands. He was indeed endowed ,with a noble
mind, and that embodied in a noble nature. Mr. Hard-
ing, in his professional capacity, was well known al the,
strong advocate of the narrow gauge. He received a
patent fof a plan for stopping railway carriages. In a
literary point of view, his prodution, read at the Royal
British Association, Swansea, will long be remembered.
The lecture delivered by him at the School of Design, on
"The Lines of Beauty," was a masterly production, and.
was, universally admired. Several papers also have ap-
peared on experiments made by Mr. Harding on " Elec-
tricity" and the " Electric Light," with various others
relating to " Steanf," " Mechanism," and " Chemistry."
Mr. Harding was for many years secretary to the South-
Western Railway Company. As a philanthropist hundreds
of hearts feel grateful for his exertions in assisting and ad-
vancing loans to emigrants to secure a free passage for
them- to Australia. Mr. Harding built and fitted ouktwo
ships for this purpose, and' emigrated a vast number of
people on Mrs. Chisholm's plan. We feel proud to state
those working people who received loans returned the
same most honourably. In every sense he was the work-
ing man's friend. The inhabitants of Southampton will
long remember the day when Mr. Harding and Mrs.
Chisholm met to witness the departure of emigrants,
and when each of them addressed the vast aseemblage
congregated for that purpose. Mr. Harding was for
many years" President of the Bridgend Mechanics' Insti-
tute. His speeches on anniversary meetings evinced
his knowledge and comprehensive views of men and
things. This society, by the death of Mr. Harding, will
lose one of its best friends.—Carabrian.
EXTENSIVE FIRE AT WOOLWICH. -- MIRACULOUS
ESCAPE OF Six CHILDREN.—A fire, attended with a
considerable destruction of property and almost fatal
results to six children, happened between the hours of
three and four o'clock on Saturday morning last, in the
premises belongiz..g to Mr. J. Steel, stationer and beer-
shop-keeper, situate at No. 39, Church-street, Woolwich.
The fire was first discovered by a police-officer of the R
division, who in passing the premises perceived smoke
issuing from the lower part of the house, which con-
vinced him that flames were on the point of breaking
out. Without a moment's delay an alArm was sounded,
and messengers were despatched for the engines.
Several of the inmates having effected a safe retreat,
it was ascertained that not fewer than six children
had been left in the building, which was then nearly
three-parts on fire. The police, upon being
made acquainted with that fact, gallantly rushed through
the fire, and happily succeeded in rescuing the whole of
the children, not one of them haVing sustained the
slightest injury. The flames next extended from the
premises of Mr. Steel to those adjoining, belonging to
Mr. W. Lee, chandler's-shop-keeper, No. 38, in Church-
street. The engines of her Majesty's dockyard were
soon in attendance, and a plentiful supply of the Kent
Company's water having been procured, the police went
to work- in an admirable manner, and they eventually
succeeded in extinguishing the flames, bet not until the
premises of Mr. Steel were partially consumed, and the
premises of Mr. Loe,' next door, similarly damaged by
fire, water, and hasty removal. The sufferers were re-
spectively insured in the Norwich'Union and Atlas Fire
Offices. The origin of the misfortune is unknown.

LATEST w,
NE Ws V 1.-73 *

THE VIENNA CON FE4ENCE.

---

VIENNA, SUNDAY MORNING, APRIL 8.
Ali Pasha will be here at six o'clock this

evening.

It is not yet known whether Prince Gortscha-
koff has received his expected instructions.

SATURDAY.

M. Drouyn de riluys was received to-day by

the Emperor of Austria in a private audience.
The next conference is fixed for Monday.

BERLIN, SATURDAY.

In consequence of counter orders received, en
route, General Wedell has returned to Berlin to
pass the Easter holidays. He is afterwsrds to
proceed directly to his post at Luxembourg. M.
de Usedom is also expected from London.

CONSTANTINOPLE, MARCH 31.

The division of Egyptian troops sent to Omer
Pacha has landed at Eupatoria. Execution of
the sentence of exile pronounced against Mustapha
Paella has been suspended on account of the
state of his health.

• THE BALTIC FLEET.
(13y Submarine and British, Telegraph.)
DEAL, MONDAY MORNING.
The whole of the Baltic fleet have sailed east-

ward, except the Ajax and Ruby gun-boat.

TURKEY.

A letter from Constantinople;of the 26th ult., in
the Courrier de Marseille of the sth• inst., says—
" Our city assumes every day an extraordinary ap-
pearance. The works of the camp of the army of reserve
are progressing rapidly. The streets are filled with
military uniforms, officers, intendants, interpreters, and
soldiers, moving backward and forward 'with incredible
activity. Everything we see affords us convincing prOof
of the powerful organisation of the French ariny, Troops
have a'ready arrived for the camp of. Malasq..,.. Lcap
give you to-day the composition of the artuy of reserfeA
which, as I mentioned in a former letter, will probably
operate with the Piedmontese division in Bessarabia.
The camp will :consist of three divisions of infantry
(one of which will he the Imperial Guard), •Of a division
of Cavalry, and of a numerous Artillery—Vit.,
" Imperial Guard.-4 battalions of Grenadier:7, 2,40 b
men ; 4 battalions of Voltigeurs, 2,400 ar:st 1 of
Foot Chasseurs, 600 men.

"First Division.-Ist brigade, 14th battalion of Foot'
Chasseurß, 800 men ; 42d and 57th 111013'01:A, 3,69(i
men ; 2d brigade, 62d and, 73d Reginaelfts, e
Second Division—let brigade, 7th battalion of Foot
Chasgeurs, 800 men ; 9th and 32d Regiments, 3,600
men.

"Cavalry.—Guides of the Guard, 600 men ; 2 regi-
ments of Cuirassiers, now at Adrianople, 800 men.
"Artillery.-2 batteries of the Guard, 500 men ;3d
battery of the 10th Regiment, 249 men'; 2d battery of
the Bth Regiment, 249 men ; 3d battery of the 12th
Regiment, 249 men ; 14th battery of the 13th Regi-
ment, 249 men. '
Engineers—One company and a-half of the Guard and
one ditto of the Line.

We expect shortly two regiments of Chasseurs
d'Afrique, but those troops are not to remain at Con-
stantinople, our generals requiring them in the Crimea,
where they have only a small cavalry force to oppose
the numerous Russian cavalry. The English army will
soon be in a most efficient state. It has received large
reinforcements, and men perfectly cured daily leave our
hospitals for the Crimea. Yesterday. 300 embarked in
the Medway for Balaklava."

FRANCE.
FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

PARIS, SUNDAY.

Of political discussion the Paris papers are al-
most without exception blank. Some important
facts, apparently well founded as such, transpire
however in their correspondence from Vienna and
Constantinople, and more especially in that of the
Pays and the donstitutionnel. With.respect to the
latter city, the Pays thus refers to it :
"We publish elsewhere, from a special correspon-
dence, the text of the instructions which will have been
given by the Ottoman Porte to its ambassador at the
Court of Vienna. These consist of general recommen-
dations which prescribe to Arib Effendi to accept only
ad referendum the different subjects recommended to the
conference ; but it is certain that the Minister of Fo-
reign Affairs, Ali Pacha, is the hearer of the definitive
instructions of the Sublime Porte."

The special correspondence of the Constitutionnel
from Vienna (which we give elsewhere) announces
with a quasi formality the gratifying intelligence
that—
“--By the adoption, pure and simple, of the fourth
guarantee, Russia has made two very important conces-
sions." _ _ _

A letter in the Siecle says :—" The desperate
efforts of the Russians to check and- destroy the
new works of the Allies clearly indicate that the
vulnerable point of the place has been found.
Such at least is the opinion which I have heard ex-
pressed by persons initiated in the science of arms.
This opinion is based on the fact which appears out
of the pale of doubt that, when once our new bat-
teries shall be terminated they will absolutely do-
minate the port of Sebastopol, and may facilitate
the entrance of the allied fleets, if the allies sueceed,
as is hoped, by submarine machines in blowing up
the vessels which block the pass. The arrival of
vessels from France with men, horses, and ammu-
nition is continued with great activity."
A letter from Aleppo of the 12th ult., in the
Moniteur, says :—" Couetli-Mehemet Pacha, -an
Ottoman General, having been informed that the
chief of the insurgent. Kurds was at Chalagha, a
village in the neighbourhood of Deronne, marched
lately on that place with 16,000 men and 10 pieces
of artillery, and resolutely attacked the rebels. The
latter, after a combat of four hours, fled to the
mountains, leaving 150 killed and 600 prisoners in
the hands of the Turks."

As the Empress, unaccompanied by the Emperor,
was walking yesterday afternoon in the Bois de
Boulogne, with the carriage in wailing, the drums
of a battalion of the Voltigeurs of th:Guard, that
happened to be on its way from St. Cloud to Paris,
were heard ; her Majesty entered the carriage,
which appeared to move out of the way, but the
moment the troops saw the Empress they drew up
in line, and she passed slowly in front amid the
most enthusiastic shouts. The officer commanding
the column approached the carriage door, took the
Empress's hand and pressed it to his lips.- A-t this
act the shouts were again renewed. The Empress,
appeared much affected at the manner in which
she was received, for'to all appearance the meeting
was most unexpected.

We read in the Phare de la Manche :
" The screw liner Austerlit3, commanded by Captain
Laurencin, is now ii the roadstead of Cherbourg, mak-
ing the requisite fitments for the conveyance of the Em-
peror and Empress to England. In a few days, between
the 10th and 12th inst., this ship will proceed to Bou-
logne, where their Majesties are to embark for Dover.
The corvette Bayonnaise, which is about to leave for the
Iceland station, the steam avisos of the channel, and the
other ships of war, will no doubt assemble in the Straits
to form the Imperial squadron on that memorable occa-
sion. Two steam :wises, the Ariel, coming from Gran-
ville, and the Souffleur, from Brest, have already ar-
rived at Cherbourg."

The two battalions of Gensdarmes of the Impe-
rial Guard, who left Paris on Saturday evening by
the Lyons Railway, are not to embark imme-
diately, but to await further orders at Avignon.

The following is from the Times Paris cerres-
pondent's letter, dated yesterday, 6 p.m. :—I am
assured, on good authority, that the telegraphic
despatch from Berlin, published in the Paris
papers, announcing' that General do Wedell had
set out on his return to Paris, but had received
a counter-order on the way, is entirely devoid
of foundation. General de Wedell has not
quitted Berlin, at least not quitted it for Paris
on any other mission, and consequently could
not have been countermanded. He had been
expected this day or to-morrow here, but as
his stay at Berlin may be some days longer than
was supposed, he will probably not return till the
middle or close of the week. I may also observe
that, whatever be the chances of an understanding
with Prussia, the mission with which the General
has been charged to this Government is not at an
end, and will probably be resumed on his return.
A friend, whose opportunities for obtaining accu
rate information I have found more than once to
be excellent, but who, I fear, is rather sanguine
on the present occasion, persists with much tena-
city in the opinion that peace will be the issue of
the Conferences. , Even were these Conferences
brought to an abrupt suspension, or even
arrested, he thinks that s such nevertheless would
be the case, for then tha time will have arrived for
Prussia to step in and propose her mediation, which
Russia will not refuse, and which Prussia believes
the Western Powers will not totally reject. I have

already mentioned the intense desire of Russia to
maintain the cab,inet of Berlin in its fidelity to
her, that, whether she fail or not she may 6611
have a friend and ally through whom she maYo"
toyer her influence over Germany, and perhaps al_
mediator should matters reach the crisis I have
alluded to. Prussia then ill not entirely break
off, whatever be the issue of M. de Wedell's
sion, full of confidence as she is that her aid va
11
be needed at last, and may be invoked. If 10311
credit the information contained in more than one
confidential letter from personages allied with toe_
'lmperial family, Russia is in-reality most desirous
of peace, notwithStanding the vastness of her
military preparations. Prussia, I assure you, }
firmly convinced that should the diplomatic en-
counter now taking place at Vienna break 11P
"in much admired disorder," she 'can til,e/,
step in and impose her will. I am not cle,„,
";
sure whether, in her excess of fatuity, she does
not think that she may overstep a little the respect
due to the persons of Ambassadors ; she maY
tice them to Potsdam on any pretext, or do a hail
in the kidnapping line ; and, if Lord John and 3c
Drouyn de Lhuys prove refractory, exercise a little
gentle pressure, out of her great love for humanity
Let our Plenipotentiaries avoid Berlin on their Way
back, for the recollection of the thumb-s Crew
still be vivid ; and a treaty of peace would, With
M. de Manteuffel, justifyits application. Serioesi
speaking, Prussia is full of the belief that she Yo't
be balled before long to play a most important part
in the cutting of this Gordian knot.

BOURSE, AP2.IL 7.—CLOSING PRICES.
Cash. fr. C. End of Month.
44 per Cents 94 25 • —f. ---c.
3 per Cents 69 35 69f. 35c.
84
Credit Mobilier 797 Roman ,
Credit Foncier 430 Austrian
Belgian
Fives — Spanish Threes
.....
Piodmontese B5 75 Home Debt
RAILWAYS—FOR CASH.
fr. c. ,A'•.6•
Orleans ... ..... -
Western 660 Rouen
Cate 628 75 Strasburg . • 872 rn
Mediterranean 987 50 Havre 551
Northern ....... ..b.. 870 Cherburg

- ~

RUSSIA.
We have received the St. Petersburg journals 0f
the 31st March.
A supplement of the Invalide Busse publishes the
following : '
" A telegraphic despatch has been received frTil
Kieff, from Aide-de-Camp General Prince G°l.`s;,
chakoff, announcing that in the night between ~,
10th and 11th of March (22d mid 23d) a Stroh,
sortie was made to prevent the enemy exenuti/
promptly the approaches towards the Kamtschatk
lunette ; the affair terminated to our advantage'
and the approaches constructed by the French du.;
in the last few days were destroyed. The loss °.,r
both sides was considerable, but that of the eneT%
much greater than ours. We made prisoner.,
tViti Trench officers, one English Colonel, and 31`
gngliSh Captain."

PRUSSIA.
A letter from Berlin, of the 4th, says :—" hg
president of the' Council, M. de Manteuffcb ":
M 0
eft' to=day for the country, when it became knee
that Z. Drouyn de Lhuys would proceed direct to
Arierit,o,' without passing through Berlin. The fe;
tUsal a Lord J. Russell to come hero for the fea "ii
of Easter has produced a disagreeable impressloe
at our Court. His lordship alleged as an excl;
for not accepting the invitation of the King,
little time which ho had at his disposal and t'
importance of his occupations at Vienna." rho A
A letter from Berlin of the 4th in the Gerno
Journal of Frankfort, gives it as positive that "o -
tothe 19th ult. Count Buol despatched a circular
the Austrian ministers accredited to the Gerilobe
Courts, in answer to the Prussian despatch of
16th ; but that this circular has not been coullpeo
nicated to the Prussian Cabinet—a circurnat9l3.o
which has created some surprise, all Prussitt•
despatches having been hitherto regularly coin°
nicated to the German Courts.
BERLIN, April 3.—The Hamburger Nachrie-11,
mentions that the recent arrival of the stearTor
Hamburg, Captain King, at Heligoland from l'fo
don, with an officer of engineers and three saPPte io
and miners, bringing with them timber for te.
erection of 400 huts, was a great surprise t°
Governor of that important British dependa.ltio
Ho had received nc intimation from the author'
e,
at home of their intended arrival, and had CO
quently made no preparation for their reception..tho
however there were neither carpenters nor 013,1.0
1,
of the party no great loss of time accrued Itior
the necessity of the Governor's writing home the
instructions. The artisans who are to ere: ~•151
huts, though they did not arrive with the mater,,
on which they are to work, are nevertheless
nounced to be on the road, with the furniture all
fitting up which the huts are to contain v/13,'"
finished. This is very like a small edition of BO;
klava mismanagement. A number of women are
now occupied in carrying the timber up from 00,
landing-place to the heights, which constitute tilt
only habitable part of Heligoland. The noroe,
resources of this island in cattle are notorious, (lei
cow and ;io horse ; and as all provisions must __
derived from Hamburg it seems the more unr,o,
donable on the part of the authorities to sena.;
large an increase to the population as four ret,,,,;
without previous notice to her Britannic Mai°
Governor.