The Sun.
London, England, 1862-10-21 00:00:00

BRITISH TRADE WITH RUSSIA.

The following correspondence has been forwarded
,o us for publication :
Purlwell, Batley, near Dewsbury, Oct. 4.

My Lord,—l beg to ask your lordship whether
British merchants can and do freely trade with the
people of Carcassia along the coast of the Black
Sea, according to the 11th, 12th, and 13th articles
contained in the Treaty of Paris of April 27, 1856,
without stoppage, annoyance, or hindrance from
Russian vessels of war P—l have the honour to be,
my lord, your lordship's obedient servant,

THOS. WRIGHT FENTON.
To the Right Hon. Earl Russell,
Foreign-office, Oct. 16.
Sir,—l am instructed by Lord Russell to acknow-
ledge receipt of your letter of the 4th instant, in-
quiring whether British merchants can freely trade
with the people of Circassia along the coast of the
Black Sea ; and I am to state to you, in reply, that
on referring to the Russian Government, in the
year 1858, her Majesty's Government ascertained
that every commercial undertaking that was not
destined for one of the five ports of Anapa, Sou-
koum, and Redoubt Kale, Poti, and St. Nicholas,
which were legally open to foreign commerce on
the Asiatic seaboard, would be contrary to the re-
gulations of health, customs, and police which the
Imperial Government observed and enforced; and
that every merchant ship or steam vessel making
for any point of the eastern coast, where the cus-
toms and sanitary services were not duly orga-
nised and had not been officially notified, would
act in contravention of the established laws, and
consequently the Russian cruizers charged to watch
the coasts would prevent such vessels from trans-
gressing the regulations of customs, health,
Sea and
police to which commerce in the Black is
legally subjected.
Such being the case, Lord Russell is of opinion
that British vessels would not be secure from in-
ussian cruisers, if they
terference on the part of R
hand have been
consequently
made for any point of the eastern coast of Cir-
cassia between the ports h
commerce
by Russia to foreign
any attempt to open a communication with any
port would only bring about withcomplicationsses
to the
the
in
Russian Government, and result
persons engaged in such an enterprise .—I arli
G. 1-LatliONDs,ir7
T. W. Fenton, Esq.

EXTENSIVE INCENDIARY FIRES NEAR SHEFFIELD.
--For some weeks past the farmers on the north •eastern
side of Sheffield have been greatly alarmed by the occur-
rence of a number of fires in farmyards generally resulting
in considerable destruction of preperty. The first of the
series was at Barbot Hall, near Rotherham, where the
stacks and farm buildings were set on fire, and £l,OOO
damage done. The second was at Glley, in the same neigh-
bourhood, and property to the value of £2OO was destroyed.
The third was at Hansworth Woodhouse, about three
miles from the town, and there several stacks were set on
fire. The proprietors of the two last-mentioned farms had
received threatening notices. The fourth fire occurred at an
early hour on Sunday morning, on the extensive farm pre-
mises of Mr. Thos. Ward, at Handsworth Woodhouse. Six
stacks, comprising one each of oats, wheat, barley, straw,
and two of hay, were placed in the yard, close to each other.
About 1 o'clock in the morning, a person who was passing
the yard did not notice anything to excite suspicion, but in
about half an hour afterwards a light was seen in the stack
yard, and persons who hastened to the spot found all the
1 six stacks in flames. The greater part of the stacks were
totally destroyed. The owner had insured to the amount of
£2OO, but that will leave him a heavy loser.