The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 5, 1853.

mentum ad hominem merely. We reply, not quite
so. Will any one defend paying the Income Tax
openly ? If not, why not ? Should it be replied
that it is more from the general aversion to
exposure of what Englishmen regard as a purely
personal matter, than from fear of injury to
the business of individuals, we rejoin that
this rather strengthens the case in favour of
secret voting, since open tax-paying would but re-
quire us to sacrifice a useless sentiment, while
open voting, if honest, would certainly be the in-
jury and ruin of half the Chandos clause voters
and the country tradesmen, and of thousands of
dependent persons in the cities and boroughs. We
think it then indisputable that the principle which
justifies secret tax-paying is sound, but we wait
for the proof that it is not equally sound in re-
ference to secret voting. Indeed, it seems obvious
that secret voting has, as we have said, the
stronger case. The former saves the honest tax-
payer from direct injury only, while it exposes him
to indirect injury by opening wide the door to
fraud. But the Ballot would not only save the
honest voter from direct injustice ; it would also
bolt the door against electoral corruption. Secret
tax-paying is, as Mr. ROEBUCK at the time of its
commencement eloquently showed, a premium on
dishonesty, and a penalty on conscientiousness.
The Ballot is equally a premium on eonscientious-
ness, and at least an obstruction to dishonesty.
We commend these hints to Mr. GLADSTONE'S
notice, and 'to Lord JOHN RUSSELL'S also.

The defendant " was very sorry for having
made such a blackguard of himself. His temper
was none of the best, and his wife's was no better."
Such was the defence put forward on Wednesday
last by a cowardly miscreant, who, after a long
course of habitual ill treatment to his unfortunate
wife, was at length called upon to answer for a
series of unmanly outrages which he had com-
mitted on the preceding evening. The cause
that had so strongly excited his temper, " that
was none of the best," was " that tea was not
ready" at the moment he came home tipsy, having
arrived at that stage of inebriety known to topers
as " the cross drop." " Tea was not ready !"
His miserable slave was not gifted with sufficient
prescience to know with certainty the moment at
which he might feel disposed to abandon the ale-
house fire, and the congenial society of his
brother tipplers. She could not have his " tea
ready" at the very moment that he was in-
clined to take it, or rather that he was de-
sirous of discovering " a peg whereon to hang
a quarrel," if quarrel it could be called, when
there was but one side to the altercation, when
one bestowed and the other received all the
buffets. " Tea was not ready." His wretched
partner was endeavouring to make the apartment
cheerful and comfortable for his reception. Slit
was cleaning the floor at the moment, " hoping
even against hope" for some recognition of her
toil, some token that he appreciated her anxiety
to have a clean and healthy home for the
man whom she had accepted for " better
or worse," and whom she was desirous of
conciliating to the utmost extent of her power.
But, " tea was not ready !" That fatal error !
that indefensible negligence blotted out the re-
membrance of all she had done and all she had
suffered, and called for speedy and adequate
punishment. The unoffending table received the
first marks of his irritation. He seized hold of it,
and dragged it over his victim, whom lie had not
as yet directly assailed. The children, taught by
experience as to the results of such transactions,
rushed out of the room " screaming for
assistance." This was an unfortunate move-
ment for themselves. The indignant " lord
of creation" found a new channel into which he
might direct his irritation—one too that possessed
the strongest inducement for persons of his tem-
perament, that the parties he was about to at-
tack were incapable of defending themselves or
retaliating on their assailant. He first " struck
one of them, a girl eight years old, on the face vio-
lently, and was continuing his ill-treatment" when
the feelings of the mother induced her to interfere for
the protection of her child. The scoundrel then pro-
ceeded to " beat another one." He had not
yet screwed up his courage to the point necessary
to face an adult—even a female. He should get
" the steam up" by a little preliminary practice
on infants. The mother again, forgetful of self,
came to the rescue. She got between her hus-
band and the innocent object of his wrath, and
for this outrage on his dignity, the husband ! the
father, struck the woman he had solemnly sworn
at the altar to love and cherish "on the side of
the head as hard as he could, and nearly
stunned her." Having thus resented the act of
insubordination, he again attempted to get at the
helpless child. The mother again interfered, and
such conduct, of course, demanded exemplary pun-
ishment. She was again attacked, and received
" many severe blows on the head and face," and,
as a concluding token for the time being, " a
cup of scalding tea," which appears to have
been got ready in the interim, and the absence
whereof was the teterima causa, was flung over
her. He then returned to his boon companions,
who, doubtless, applauded his vigorous and ener-
getic treatment of a negligent wife, who had not
" tea ready" on his return home.
It might be supposed that this outbreak would
have alleviated his wrath—that his irritation
would have vanished in the genial atmosphere of
the " pot-houso parlour." But no. During the
interval he was manifestly " nursing his wrath to
keep it warm," working himself up to a further
exhibition of malevolence. On going to bed he
began digging his knuckles into his victim,
pinching her cruelly, and calling her most disgust-
ing names. She begged him to cease, as her
head was very sore. He assured her "it would
be sight sorer before he was done with her,"
that " he would murder her and the children too
before morning." With tipsy cunning he supposed
that he could escape the vengeance of the of-
fended law if the appearances of his brutality
were not perceptible. Accordingly, while punishing
her, he said, "you am not such a fool as
to injure where your marks can be seen." A
policeman was at length called in, who was com-
pelled to break open the door before he could
rescue the sufferer from the gentleman who can-
didly acknowledged that " his temper was none of
the best." The ill-treated wife, it appeared,
laboured hard to support the family. She kept
a mangle, and both were described "as of
very respectable appearance." And yet, ac-
cordn,g to her sworn statement, she had
been "subjected to similar treatment almost
weekly since her marriage, and was obliged
to come to the police court for protection three
months after "it had taken place." One of his
favourite threats appears to be that he " will mur-
der her, and swing at Newgate." It would
scarcely be to be regretted for his sake if the pro-
mise were realised.
Now, what treatment is suitable for such a
person, who habitually, almost weekly, is guilty of
such outrageous and unmanly conduct, and uses
such threats. For him the gaol has no terror.
The result of the sentence to " hard labour" is
not appreciated. Nothing but the lash, soundly
and heartily administered, can induce him and
his fellows—and we regret to say that there
are many similar characters—to endeavour to
control tempers that are "none of the best," and
to bear even so great a provocation as " tea not
being ready," without flinging about the table and
beating wife and children. The cat-o'-nine tails
is the only remedy for such a temperament, a severe
flogging—a public castigation. A flagellation in-
flicted in the presence of his boon companions
will work a cure, and far better is it that a dozen
or two of ruffians should suffer degrading and
brutalisinn, punishment than that so many hun-
et e
lnde
dyed wives
( r tol
s
and helpless children should be corn-
'
p levtusere incessant ill-treatment from
s
" tempers are none of the best."

LIGHT GOLD.
tradesmen in varioSuesniee;nplairets are made by retail
are
subjected
of the metropolis of the loss
edt:dbby the circulation which
to which they
has been given to a considerable
two agoesitnetthhe Daily News,
rbailaesindumber of light sove-
i :reigns
referredsa nd h half-sovereigns:
of - sao vdearye 1 gonrs .. [spurious coin-
which is made of good gold, but thinner money
of the Royal Mint, half-sovereigns and sovereigns
current of less than the proper diameter, havingre Bbaere
diminished in value by being ground round the edges, e n
after which they have been remilled to deceive the eye.

AMERICA.

ARRIVAL OF THE AMERICA.
(BY MAGNITIC TELEGRAPH.)
LIVERPOOL, MONDAY.
The Royal Mail Steam-ship America, Captain
Lang, whi9h was to leave Boston on the 23d ult.,
with the usual mails from the United States and
British North America, was off Holyhead, inward
bound, at half-past ten o'clock this forenoon.
The America is expected to arrive in the Mersey
at half-past four o'clock this afternoon ; and her
mails will leave by the 9 p.m. train, for delivery in
London to-morrow morning.

THE ALLEGED MURDER OF A ROMAN
CATHOLIC PRIEST AND THREE LADIES.

We are sorry to have been on Saturday unintentionally
instrumental in giving publicity to a most infamous fabri-
cation of the murder, at Sutton-place, near Guildford, of
the Rev. Henry Lea, a Roman Catholic clergyman, and
three ladies, his cousins. It is only right that we should
state that the report reached us in the ordinary course.
It bore the signature of "D. W. Ribble," a reporter
who is in the habit of occasionally contributing to our
columns. The circumstantial manner in which the de-
tails of the supposed murder were given assisted to dis-
arm all suspicion of its authenticity. Of course, the re-
porter will be required to give some satisfactory account
of his share in the transaction, and we need scarcely say
that if he does not entirely exonerate himself from all
blame in the matter, his name will be at once erased
from our list of casual contributors. It remains for us
only to add our sincere regret that we should have been
made the medium for inflicting this annoyance upon the
rev, gentleman whose name has been so unwarrantably
made use of in the fabrication referred to.—ED. SUN.

SPORTING NOTES.

WHIMS ABOUT WOLVERHAMPTON.

Wolverhampton Steeple Chases possess scarcely suffi-
cient attraction to induce metropolitan turfites to make
the long and tedious journey to the " scene of action."
The proceedings will be confined to one day, and not-
withstanding the active exertions of the clerk of the
course to render them popular, they will be compara-
tively deficient in the "elements" of excitement. Oscar
and Bourton have engrossed all speculation on the
Steeple Chase. Still some uncertainty exists as to the
intentions of their respective owners, many knowing
persons asserting that Oscar will be started to 'get
Bourton's line," others declaring that his appearance
among the competitors will occasion the withdrawal of
Bourton. On principle, I shall not attempt to select the
winner, experience rendering me cautious and suspicious
of the squaring system. If Oscar and Bourton run
on their merits, their performance at Warwick may be
deemed a pretty trustworthy criterion as to the extent
of their respective chances. Whether either Oscar or
Bourton will start, however, it is difficult to determine ;
rumour asserts that one of them will be " scratched,"
and after all I shall not be surprised if an accommodating
arrangement be made in favour of Bourton. The field
is likely to be comparatively insignificant. Victress
was declared not to start on Friday last.
The race officials' at York display much tardiness in
publishing a complete list of the nominations for the
Great Northern Handicap. Although the stake closed
on Thursday, scarcely more than three parts of the entries
have yet been made public. This delay has caused much
dissatisfaction. •
December 5. A FRESH MAN.

ABRIVALS.—SteepIe Chase—Little Charley, Topsy,
Beaver. Hurdle Race—Star of England, colt by Dray-
ton, Sir Harry, Chatham, The Macaw, Merry Lass,
Lucks-all, Friendless, Union. Jack, Gaffer Green.

LAW INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY).

COURT OF BANKRUPTCY.
(Before Mr. Commissioner Goulburn.)
IMPORTANT QUESTION AS TO ADVERTISING AUDIT

MEETINGS.

Mr. Reed, solicitor, made a complaint in a case, that
an audit meeting had not been duly advertised in the
Gazette, and in consequence, as at least 21 days must
elapse after the advertisement appeared, the creditors
were thrown out of a very considerable sum of mony,
which, in the present state of the money market, it was
desirable they should have.
After some remarks by Mr. Reed, Mr. Lawrance,
and Mr. Winslow, the registrar, having been confirmed,
His Honour said that he did not think it was a gene-
ral rule to advertise such meetings, except the first
statutable one, for it had been found that the expenses
were frequently great, when there was, in fact, nothing
to divide. He thought, however, that the newspapers
published a list.
Mr. Lawrance said it was only an abridgment of what
appeared in the Gazette.
His Honour said he had often urged that the creditors
should advertise the audit meetings, and he would take
the opinion of the other commissioners as to adopting a
general rule on the point ; all he could now do was to
direct an advertisement to be inserted for the earliest
possible day.
An order to that effect was then made.
THE ISLINGTON CATTLE MARKET.-IN RE WESTBROOK.

The bankrupt, who was described as of New-cross,
Deptford and Islington, hay dealer, came up to pass his
last examination.

It will be remembered that the bankrupt was one of
the directors of the New Cattle Market at Islington, and
in consequence of the failure of the speculation from
divers causes, he and others of the directors had been
compelled to come before the court to clear themselves
of their heavy liabilities.
The accounts prepared by Messrs. Hart Brothers
show a very large amount of liabilities, about 45,0001.,
but which will from one source or an other be mate-
rially reduced, as the private property of the parties
will be applied in reduction of the claim.
The examination was adjourned for a month for the
production of vouchers.

MARLBOROUGH-STREET. - (THIS DAY.)

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

From Vienna we learn that, on Saturday, Aus
tria accepted the last propositions of France and
England concerning the Oriental question.
From Orsova, Nov. 2Sth, we learn that the
water in the Danube is lower than ever. The
heavy rains which have lately fallen caused some
hopes of the river becoming navigable near the
Iron Gates, and that the vessels laden with corn
at Turna Severin might be able to continue their
voyage. This hope has been frustrated by the
weather, which at present is cold and dry.
A letter from Bucharest, of Nov. 24, says Gene-
ral Luders, the commander of the sth Russian
corps, is expected there with 3 generals, 50 officers,
and 3,000 men.

The Czar has ordered that 40 officers of his
Guard shall proceed to Wallachia, and do duty in
the various regiments.

A messenger of the British agency at Bucharest,
whose arrest, by order of General Engelhardt, was
telegraphed on to Vienna by the French Consul-
General, has been set at liberty through the exer-
tions of Mr. Cunninghime, her Majesty's Vice-
Consul at Ibraila.

By telegraph up to yesterday (Sunday) we have
two interesting letters from Semlin to the 29th
ult. They state that the Russians had assumed the
offensive, and thrown a bridge across to the island
between Giurgevo and Rutschuk, and directed
several batteries, apparently intending to cross
there.

General Luders had concentrated great forces at
Brailow, to cross there also.
The vanguard of Osten-Sackin )m(1
it is reported that a large division of Russians
had quitted Krajowa to attack the Turks at Kala-
fat. This latter requires confirmation. Credible
letters state that the Turks are firmly established
at Kalafat.

A large corps was being concentrated at Nico-
polls.

- Letters from Constantinople of the 19th re-
ceived via Vienna, communicate some details of
facts which were already known summarily by pre-
ceding despatches ; among others are the first pro-
ceedings of General Baraguay d'Hilliers, on the pre-
sentation of a new diplomatic note to the Divan,
and on the movements which have taken place in
the Black Sea. The General remained nearly an
hour in conference with Lord Redcliffe. At half-
past 1 o'clock the General, in full uniform, went to
the Porte to pay his visits to the Grand Vizier,
Mustapha Pasha, the Minister o:! Foreign Affairs,
and to Rifaat Pasha, the President of the Council
of Justice. These high functionaries, who were
also in full uniform, gave him the most cordial re-
ception. From the Porte the General went to the
Ministry of War, where the Seraskier, Mehemet
Ali Pasha, received him with the greatest honours.
The troops were under arms, and afterwards filed
off before him. The General expressed his appro-
bation of the soldierlike appearance of the troops,
and particularly of the artillery, and addressed the
most flattering praises to the Seraskier on the
subject.

The following is the address of the gallant Gene-
ral to the Sultan :

"Sire—l have the honour of presenting to your Ma-
jesty the letters of his Imperial Majesty, my august
Sovereign, which accredit me as Ambassador to the
Sublime Porte. In the difficult circumstances in which
the Ottoman empire is placed, I am happy to have been
selected by the Emperor Napoleon to renew to your
Majesty the assurance of his friendship. France is the
most ancient and the most disinterested of the allies of
the Sublime Porte ; her sincerity cannot be called in
doubt. France does not fear war. Faithful to the
spirit of his mission, declared by the Emperor Napoleon
himself, France desires peace, but she desires it durable,
loyal, and honourable for herself and her allies.
For that object, the Emperor Napoleon, in concert
with his powerful ally the Queen of Great Britain, has
sent his fleet to the East. Confiding in the reiterated
assurances of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg, he still
hopes that the difference which has arisen between the
Sublime Porte and the Court of Russia may be smoothed
down, and that this temporary trouble in bringing for-
ward clearly the question of the integrity of the Otto-
man Empire, will only serve to confirm an indepen-
dence so precious to all Europe, and so necessary to the
maintenance of the peace of the world. The Sultan may
be certain that the Emperor Napoleon, who compre-
hends so well the wants, sentiments, and dignity of
France, will afford, for that object, his support to your
Majesty ; and I consider myself to be the faithful organ
of my august master's will in giving you this assur-
ance. I seize on this occasion to express to your
Imperial Majesty my ardent desire to contribute,
with all my efforts, to the maintenance of the old
and friendly relations which France has always kept
up with the Sublime Porte, and I place at the feet
of your Majesty the homage of my profound respect."
It is remarked that the Monitcur has not pub-
lished the reply of the Sultan to the address of
General Baraguay d'Hilliers. That reply was, as
might have been expected, most courteous and
dignified. Yet amid the forms of Oriental polite-
ness there were a few expressions which it may
be as well to notice. The Sultan is said to
have expressed his surprise and regret that the
combined fleets have not as yet afforded more
active succour than they could do by remaining in
the Bosphorus ; that the Russians still remained in
the Ottoman territory, and that he could listen to
no arrangement which did not begin by their
complete evacuation ; and that the same neces-
sity still existed for the repression now and here-
after of the pretensions of Russia. These points
were'touched on with courtesy, but at the same time
with a firmness that showed the determination of
His Majesty; and the inference drawn from them
was, that there could be no peace till they were de-
finitively and satisfactorily settled. General Bara-
guay d'Hilliers transmitted the reply to his Go-
vernment, and the first idea was to insert it in the
Moniteur at the same time as the General's address.
On reflection, however, it was considered more pru-
dent to publish the latter only.
One of the accounts respecting a Congress to
meet at London, Paris, or Vienna, with a view to
the settlement of the Eastern question, is that the
Emperor of Russia has positively refused to send a
Plenipotentiary to that Congress, but that he
would have no serious objection to Turkey sending
an Ambassador to St. Petersburg, or to open
direct communications with that Power ; but that
should the four Powers think proper to resume
negotiations between themselves, he will await the
result, as he did in the case of the Vienna Con-
ference.

On the 16th M. de la Cour had his farewell
audience of the Sultan.

It is said the Porte has definitively rejected the
new note which has been non-officially presented to
it by England ; it was a kind of medium between
the note of Vienna and the 'modifications of the
Porte, taking for its basis the note last offered by.
the Porte to Prince Menschikoff. Lord do Red-
cliffe gave proof of much tact on this occasion.
Understanding how delicate it was in the present
state of the question to offer a new note, he did
not present it by one of his employes, but took as
intermediary the old Prince of Samos, Stefanachi
Vogorides, father-in-law of the Ottoman Minister
in London ; but, as the Prince possesses no official
character, the proceeding was merely a non-official
one, and left the Porte full liberty to refuse it
without in any wounding the susceptibility of
England or of her representative. The Ottoman
Ministry and the dignitaries of the Divan, after
holding two night sittings, decided unanimously
that, in the first place, the note did not sufficiently
protect the dignity and sovereign independence of
Turkey ; and, next, that the time for notes and
concessions was past : and, lastly, that the note
had been offered to Prince Menschikoff to avoid
all the sacrifices which have been since made, but
that, as they had now been made, Turkey could no
longer make the same offer.
Selim Pasha, General-in-Chief of the division of
Batoum, had advanced on the Russian territory at
11 leagues from Circassia. His intention was to
assist the Circassians, who were waiting for a
favourable moment to rise, and form a corps
d'armee of 30,000 men. This news had produced
a great sensation at Erzeroum. Zarif Mustapha
Pasha, the governor of the town, had left for Kars,
in order to induce the Muschir Abdi Pasha, Gene-
ral-in-Chief of the army of Anatolia, to commence
hostilities on the frontier of Kars and Ardaban.
Great dissatisfaction is felt at the War Department
at Constantinople at Abdi Pasha not having taken
advantage of the fine weather to commence opera-
tions, and Surry Pasha, an experienced military
officer, was on the point of setting off to take
the command of a part of his army, and it was
hoped that this would stimulate him to more enter-
prising exertions. Fuad Effendi was preparing to
start for the army of the Danube ; a part of his
baggage and his horses had already been sent off
to Adrianople.
The following memorandum, dated the 16th ult.,
has been transmitted by the Porte to the legations
at Constantinople of all the Powers :
" Although the entrance of the ports of the empire is
interdicted during the night to steam and sailing vessels
of all the friendly Powers, this rule has not been hitherto
observed in the port of inope and in some other ports
of the Black Sea. It is useless to tell your Excellency
that it is contrary to maritime rules and usages that in
time of war any vessels should enter ,by night
.ports
which are at the same time fortresses, and the more so
as, in consequence of actual circumstances, it has been
considered that the continuation of this abuse may pre-
sent the greatest inconvenience and the most serious
dangers, It has been therefore decided that henceforth

the steam and sailing vessels of all the friendly Powers
cannot after sunset enter the port of Sinope, or any
other of the ports of the Black Sea where there are
forts, and, this decision having been made known to all
the other legations of the friendly Powers, the present
memorandum is also addressed to your Excellency,
begging you to make it known to all the captains of
vessels navigating in those parts under the flag of your
nation, and to enjoin on them to strictly conform to it."
The last telegraphic despatches from Bucharest
speak of unimportant outpost skirmishes at Giur-
gevo, but this must be understood to mean that
occasional shots are exchanged across the river.
The march of the Russians into Lesser Wallachia
is extremely slow and laborious, the roads, in con-
sequence of incessant rain being almost impassable.
It was generally believed in the city yesterday that
the Russians had crossed the Danube, but recent
events have proved that Prince Gortschakoff has
great reason to congratulate himself that the bad
weather forced the Turks to suspend hostilities.
When the expected reinforcements have arrived,
and the Danube is completely frozen over, the
Russians may attempt to cross to the right bank
of the river, but certainly not before. The reports
are so contradictory that we are still in doubt whether
the Turks are at Kalafat or not. It is rumoured that
Halil Pasha has forced a passage across the river,
between Hirsova and Do'an, but positive intelligence
on the subject we must expect from Constantinople.
A letter of the 17th, received by the vest. Deutsche
Post from Galatz, would almost induce us to sup-
pose that the Russians were afraid lest the Turks
should attempt to cross the Danube near that city.
On the 15th the three battalions which had arrived
on the previous day from Reni left for Wallachia
by way of Brailow, with artillery and baggage. In
the evening of the 15th three other battalions, with
only four guns, marched into Galatz, and followed
the other detachment on the 17th. n the evening
other troops were expected. The Galatz corres-
pondent adds
" Al), the side streets of the city, leading from the
the town on the Danube, were blocked
up, and even in the principal thoroughfares leading to
the river trenches were made, only sufficient room being
left for one carriage to pass, and even this space could
be closed by massive gates."
The same paper also learns from Hermannstadt
that on the 18th, as the Turks fell back on Kalafat
before the advancing troops of General Fischback,
they suffered some loss. Since the 6th of the month
it had snowed and rained without intermission.

The Fronden Blatt, which, however, is often
wrong, has the following, of the 23d, from Monte-
negro :

" A.Turkish spy, who was in connexion with several
of the inhabitants of Cettinyi (the capital of Montenegro)
was arrested, and, in spite of a written application in
his favour on the part of the Pasha of Scutari, was shot.
By way of reprisal, the blocus of the Montenegrin fron-
tier is very severe ; no Montenegrin is permitted to pass
the frontier until he has given up his weapons to the
authorities, and it often happens that on his return he
cannot obtain possession of them again. The Monte-
negrin Prince is in immediate connexion with the Ser-
vian Hospodar, and a mixed commission of Montene-
grins and Servians is about to be held at Priebolie to
take into consideration the articles of a treaty, the
foundation of which is to be an alliance offensive and
defensive. Prince Daniel's uncle, Petrovich (which ?)
goes on the part of Montenegro, and Alexander Kale-
raseh on the part of Servia."

When, on the 4th of August last, instructions
were sent to the British and French agents at
Bucharest and Jassy to take down their flags, and
cease all official relations with the Wallachian and
Moldavian Governments, orders were at the same
time given to the French and English Vice-Consuls
in the Principalities to continue in the exercise of
their functions as heretofore. Mr. Cunninghame,
the Vice-Consul at Galatz is also Vice-Consul at
Ibraila • his principal residence is at the former
town, but he attends at his office at Ibraila three
or four times a week. British and French
agents will not admit the right of the Russian
authorities to administer the affairs of these Prin-
cipalities, they therefore still continue to address
their communications, official and non-official, to the
Moldo-Wallachian authorities. On Mr. Cunning-
ham's arrival at Ibraila, where the English mes-
senger was in prison, he'at once wrote to the Wal-
lachian Governor of the town demanding an expla-
nation of the circumstance, and requesting the
Albanian's release. In his note Mr. Cunningham.
simply states the fact of the arrest and imprison-
ment of a messenger of the British agency at
Bucharest, whilst in charge of despatches from
Lord Clarendon, her Majesty's Principal Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs, to her Majesty's Con-
sul-General in Wallachia. " Fortunately," Mr.
Cunningham observes in his note, "the messenger,at
the time of his arrest, had not the despatches in his
possession, but had left them with the Chancellor of
the Vice-Consulate, and an employe of that officer
was thercfore able to take them on to Bucharest.
The English messenger had not only been put in
prison, but so also was the man from the Vice-
Consul's office, who happened to be in his company
at the moment of his arrest. After the receipt of
Mr. Cunninghame's note, the Governor of Ibralia,
with the permiss ion of the Russian General,
went throught the form of an inquiry into the affair,
but nothing could be proved against either of the
men further than that the messenger wore Turkish
costume. The arrest of a messenger in charge of
her Majesty's despatches was a glaring outrage of the
usages of civilised nations, and a gross insult o the
Sovereign in whose service the messenger is,
and whose arms he wore at the time on a silver
badge upon his breast. It was only after needless
and vexatious delay that the two men who had
been treated with such arbitrary injustice, were at
length set at liberty ; but no satisfaction of any
kind has been given for the insult offered to the
British Government. Mr. Colquhoun's remon-
strances were treated with contempt by M. de
Khatchinsky, the Russian Consul-General ; and
all that Mr. Cunninghame's official exertions could
effect was, after a delay of 24 hours, to obtain the
liberation of the English messenger, and of his
companion, the employe in the Vice-Consul's office.
The Turks are talked of as crossing at Ibraila,
whereas no such movement was apparently thought
of by them. The affair at Giurgevo was not so
serious as has been mentioned. An error has also
been committed respecting the Turkish force at
Oltenitza, which ne .Ter amounted to anything like
12,000 men. The main body of the Russian army
was said to be at Krajova, whereas there are
only 3,000 men at that point, and the main
body of the army has never moved in that
direction. General Dannenberg was the Com-
maDder-in-Chief at Oltenll,-za, and not General
Pawloff. The latter commanded a brigade, and
General Oughterlony, a Scotch Gentleman in the
Russian service, commanded the other brig de in
that action. General Gortschakoff has never
thought of going to Slatina. He is at Bucharest,
from which he has not been absent more than two
days, and that was on the 7th inst., when he joined
General Dannenberg at Boudeschti, and afterwards
visited the site of the combat at Oltenitza, from
whence he returned direct to Bucharest. We had
a fall of snow yesterday ; but though the bad wea-
ther has set in, the cold is not as yet severe. At
Jassy the winter has set in with severe cold. They
have been sledging there for some time past. It
is probable that on the 28th the English Consul-
General will leave this for Galatz and Constanti-
nople.
On Friday last M. de Hubner, the Austrian
Minister, after having had a long interview with
M. Drouyn de Lhuys, sent off a Cabinet courier to
Vienna, announcing that the French Government
accepts the proposition for a conference of the six
Powers on the affairs of the East. The Powers
which will take part in the conference are England,
France, Austria, and Prussia ; Russia and Turkey
being invited parties to the conference. So far
the new arrangement is satisfactory, as it is pro-
bable that Austria had ascertained beforehand that
Russia would consent to the proposition, but still
the difficulties are not at an end.

The last accounts received from Constantinople
give an instance of graceful courtesy on the part of
the Sultan. The French steam frigate, the Fried-
land, having sustained some damage, was repaired
in the Government dockyard at Constantinople, at
an expense of 300,000 f. The Turkish Government
declined to accept payment for the repairs, and
General Baraguay d'Hilliers, the new French am-
bassador, returned the compliment by presenting
the Sultan with 2,500 muskets de Vincennes.

A letter from Bucharest, dated the 22d ultimo,
says the Turks still maintain the island near
Smurda, below Giurgevo, although the Russians
attacked them the day before yesterday, by means
of three barges, on board of which there were several
hundred Russian troops. The latter, however, did
not venture to land on the island. The Turks
peppered their musketry into them in very good
style, and opened a brisk cannonade from the right
bank, making their balls play occasionally even
into the town of Giurgevo, where two houses were
greatly damaged. The ussians, seeing that it
was useless, withdrew again with their barges ;
but it is rumoured that they will make a renewed
attack with greater forces in a few days. The
day heforo yesterday a part of the Wallachian
militia, with their eight field-pieces were obliged
to march for Brailow. The greater portion of
the Russian troops who were at Oltenitza are on
their march to Krajowa, and it is generally be-
lieved that they are to attempt to throw the
Turks out of Kalafat. The new Russian governor
of Wallachia is expected to arrive here this week.
The chief of the. native militia, accompanied by
several officers, left some days ago, and proceeded
to Fockshan, to greet the said governor on his ar-
rival there. The third Russian army corps is on its
march hither, and will probably reach this place in
about three weeks. Yesterday the English and

French le us • the foer
Constantinople viaft Gala z, the latterprocee went Bo'
manstadt.

FRANCE.

From the Moniteur we learn that the following
ships were launched on Friday :
At Cherbourg—The Beaumanoir, brig, first class.
At Brest—The Duquesne, screw-ship, fitted, for
650-horse power.
At Lorient—The Annibal, screw, 100 guns) 65°'

horse power.
At Toulon—The Fleurus, screw, 100 guns, 65°'

horse power.
The Louis XIV., of 120 guns, and the 11103)
screw, of 100 guns, now on the stocks at Recke:
fort are ordered to be launched, the former on WI
28th February, and the latter on the 14th Apri
next. th_Aat
The Monitezo; publishes a decree declaring
the exemption from the navigation duties greet':
to the 31st of December, 1853, by the decree of
the
sth September last on cargoes of grain, flour, rice'
potatoes, and dried vegetables, imported inw
France, is extended to the 31st July, 1854. An-
other decree prolongs to the same period the re-
duction of the carriage of grain, &c., on railways.
Count Walewski, the French ambassador,
left Paris on his way back to London. He is el-
pected to arrive in town to-day.
The Solon arrived at Toulon on the 29th tilt'
from Constantinople. She landed at the Pirol:s_
M. de Lacour and his family, who could not, it le
said, continue the voyage, owing to the stool
weather.
The Duke de Bellune, a senator, died in Paris en
Friday. He was the eldest son of Marshal victor'
who was created Duke de Bellune by the Emperor.
The deceased leaves eight children. The heir
the title holds a diplomatic appointment. nt
Viscount de Chateaubriand, the Governinie
candidate, has been almost unanimously elected
member of the council-general of the Ille-et-Vilerl',
THE FUSION OF THE BOURBONS.—The reconon'e'
tion which has recently been effected between le
princes of the House of Orleans and the head of the
elder branch of the Bourbons continues to create,:
great deal of interest among the adherents of he_':(
families, and in many quarters a degree of PI
litical importance is attached to the event which tl
certainly is not entitled to at the present mono%
and which it may perhaps not have during
_tit'
existence of the present generation. No one c'd;
for a moment doubt that it is of mutual ej,
vantage to both families, whether as regsici
their own comfort or their considerations n,
the world, that they should live on terms of friend
ship becoming members of the same family,sll,
forget differences created by events long gone 1,
and which are now of no interest to any oneqis
cepting as matters of history. But while d
sense the " fusion" must be considered a gratify!
fact by all the friends of the two families, it is lela
doubtful if the manner in which it has been eari:.4
into effect is calculated to meet with the pro,
unanimous applause. It is certain that sonle,,,
the most sincere friends of both branches conga;
the " fusion" as inopportune, and the ostentati.e.„
publicly given to it as injudicious and impalt:d
Much as they wish to see a good understana7B
existing between the two families they would 1114„„
much preferred seeing the " fusion," when stall
plished, represented as simply an act of kindliete.
and good feeling on the part of the members of t'
families than to have it represented, as it noll
as an important political act from which stye
quences may be expected which will change "
aspect of Europe.
It has been remarked that in the elaborate ec,
counts published throughout Europe of the intet
view between the Duke de Nemours and the Card
de Chambord, there has not been one word 0.1%0
the Duchess of Orleans, and that the Duke of
Nemours spoke, not in the name of the wheleao
the members of the family (of which the Counta
Paris is the undoubted head), but merely in the
of his brothers. No doubt the Duchess of Orley
and the Comte de Paris have kept themeePir
aloof from the whole affair, and that they are,f°,o
sequently no parties to the so-called "fusion.
is not correct to say that the Duchess of Orley:lei
has opposed the " fusion," or the interview vtlitij
has taken place between the Duke de Nemours salTi'l
his cousin. She has simply declined givini .0$
opinion on the matter, in order that she might
be considered as a consenting party to any arranric‘
ments which may have taken place at the inter"
between those illustrious personages. Of •
There was a further improvement in the pride
public securities at the Bourse on Saturday. Icaff
Three per Cents. opened at 74f. 70c., fell 4°,,if
65c., rose again to 74f. 85c., and closed at
~'
75c. for the end of the month. The Four-and->a'
Half per Cents. closed at 100 f. 45c. ; Orley:
hallway Shares, 1,166 f. 25c. ; Rouen, 1)05 ,nT
Havre, 496 f. 25c. ; Great Northern, 871 f. u""0:
Paris and Strasburg, 815 f. • Paris and Ili,
906 f. 25c ; Lyons to the Mediterranean) 7"nti
50c. ; Western of France, 700 f. ; IBordean% eo
Cette, 600 f. ; Great Central, 517 f. 500. ; Lea,
and Geneva, 525 f. ; Shares of the Credit Mobil'
735 f.

SPAIN. a the
A telegraphic despatch from Madrid, date a
29th ult., states : The Ministry has press tie
the Budget to the Cortes, and has demanded, tip,
necessary authorisation for the collection
taxes."
Under date of the 27th, we learn that the dePti;
in the Senate terminated in the withdrawal &soil
proposition of Senors Armero, Baldasano,oo
other ex-Ministers of Marine, respecting the ny
offthe naval and military commands under
captains-general of Cuba, Porto Rico, &e.
authors of the proposition protesting against • ty
having had any intention of interfering iv'
slightest degree with the royal prerogative. AO
The Congress adopted with unanimity the r:010:'
of the committee on the case of Senor GO tie
Moron, the Government being in accord wit' tie
same ; thus declaring that the proceeding 0000
Andiencia of Valencia, in committing him to Pcotr
for libel without the previous consent of the 00
gress, was wrong, and directing him to be at
set at liberty.

SWITZERLAND.
The Federal Colonel Bourgeois, Federal. tbe
missioner from the Swiss Confederation 01_,bei
Tessin, arrived at Berne on the 29th of Noiniii
to offer his services to a military commissWibotiv
to give evidence before the Central Superior
mission on the situation of Tessin, and partioh" ,
on the arrest of the Austrian spy Conti

BELGIUM.
)roject of law prohibiting the exportilti. rtY

The

project prohibiting ILL._ u,
farinaceous and other food was voted 7..0!
Chamber on Wednesday last. The discus/co"'
remarkable for the soundness of view end 101
by many of the members on the trade. -1-.5 1)/
however, after much opposition, was pas"-
considerable majority.

PRUSSIA. • 114
From Brussels we learn that the impretole ,-
duced by the speech at the opening of the 007,50,04
a very favourable one. People are well °nil v '
in general, that as regards the Eastern questo tie
speaks so plainly and so firmly. Compototie°':
drawn between this speech and the conalulifge
made by Austria to the Federal Diet. The of
openly says that the fear of beholding the Y.410,,,s-
Europe disturbed is founded upon faet:tostli,
Austria repeats that she believes in the 1706";:v.et
of peace, because the assurances of the 00.1110.0:1,
St. Petersburg give it the certitude •that„ik
has no intention of attacking the inte6`l7
Turkey nor the sovereignty of the Sultan' /ale)
The French journals announce, on thLytlO,
news from Constantinople, by the steamer lag"
that MM. de Bruck and de Wildenbroc 0 coe
nervAo
been recalled. This news is doubtful.
knows anything but the recall of M.d t is'
bruck ; on the contrary, the Governmten
.
satisfied with the services of that miniser

MYSTERIOUS BURGLARY IN CONDUIT-5111i, 061
tween the hour of 12 o'clock on Saturday itio itik.
the same hour on Sunday forenoon, the iseoll4l,
mysterious robbery was committed on the pren4r. sco_.4t
52, Conduit-street, Bond-street, belonging to it apPcp:
carrying on business as a military tailor. _both ,
that Mr. Scott does not reside on the premisesi4.olo.o4.
well as the above house, combine another ine7ted., I:if
adjoining, both of which are at present untelblut on /riot
left everything secure on Saturday nig,ht, v letters, iv ~
there as usual, in the morning, to see if 31/-1 was le op'
been dropped in the letter-box, the Plecer.h ag tilted,
greatest confusion, and on making a se,s1!:;00 effee,oo,,t.
cause, ascertained that an entrance had 0-cictin ci.,'.ob,
and property stolen to the amount of 70/iiesidea ontio; '
and a cash-box containing 31/. in gold ; "1251,, is the
he discovered seven rolls of cloth, valueda front 00
water-closet at the end of the PaSsage lei itals Of
street-door, ready packed up for remov ;p0 ,oarcott
had not been gained by force, as there wet's. gr. .00 of
violence, but, no doubt, by skeleton khe:coniniesto t°
attributes great blame to the police in t iciooo s._ pro'
the robbery, and entertains strong eus?...resent v'
perpetrators thereof, which it would at I, ,
...i.if.,
;cisionnto 1
!nature to disclose. I Con3o.- ,ittorA
TRADE WITH BRAZIL.—The LOTO
r their inw the i of
the Commissioners ofCustorns, fo e
her Majesty's Treasury have caused to h.e t,.1.:T1;t111,4
the ~Preoll a r ¢'
government,
t itfending to .6joris
4°, enahuva ootht4
ganoclvesrhnimppenintg, an
nf
oßrrdaezrilinthec°llbneociOfi
the 15th and 16th Victoria, cap'
b treatY, eli•e_.
jesty to abolish, otherwise than Y ~___,,,,a phipil
of reciprocity, differential dutiee on witun
~.