The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-23 00:00:00

THE'VITN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, DECEMBER 23 185;1.

LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1853.

If this, if that, if the other—England and
France will consent to support Turkey by adopt-
ing active measures against the Russian Govern-
ment. " The allied fleets will enter the Black
Sea if the Russians should land troops on the
Turkish territory." Literally, actually that is
the. latest intelligence received from Constan-
tinople. And observe, the intimation is dated
from that capital on the 12th of this present
month of December. It implies a probability
that, under certain contingencies, the combined
armaments may at length be induced to pass
through the channetof the Bosphorus. There is
a lamentable significance in this future tense and
this conditional conjunctive—" The allied fleets
will enter the Black Sea if the Russians should
land troops on the Turkish territory." An inti-
mation, we repeat, dated from Stamboul, the 12th
December. So that, as far at least as concerns
the date of that notable account from Vienna
there was inaccuracy in the statement that the
combined naval forces of France and England,
acting in conjunction with the Turkish and
Egyptian armaments, had positively entered the
Euxine on the 10th, and steered their course in
the direction of Sebastopol. According to the
latest advices from the Golden Horn, this could
not possibly have occurred on the 10th of De-
cember. The announcement, made by way of
Vienna in reference to the 10th, is contradicted
by the despatches dated up to the 12th inclu-1
sively direct from Constantinople.
Whatever the truth may be among these con-
tradictory fragments of information—we believe
in our heart and in our conscience that it matters
absolutely nothing so long as the destinies of
Great Britain are confided to the ABERDWRN Go-
v ernment. It signifies nothing, whether the fleet
of Admiral DUNDAS entered the Black Sea on the
10th or the 20th, or whether, instead of that, he
remained quietly at anchor in the Bosphorus. It
signifies nothing, so long as the "travelled Thane,
continues at the head of the Administration.
ATithentic advices prove, as far as dates are con-
("aimed, that the combined armaments of France
and England, now in the vicinity of the waters of
Constantinople, had not entered the Black Sea on
the.loth of December. Nevertheless, they may
haye emerged into the Euxine from the en-.
trance of the Bosphorus at some date later
than the 10th of December. It is just pos-
Isible. It is so asserted, in fact, positively
by a " private despatch (without date)" received
yesterday both in Paris and London, rid Vienna,
and which declares distinctly and explicitly, that
the combined fleets have entered the Black Sea—
according to this nameless and dateless advice
frOm Constantinople. Not on the 10th instant.
No—that is settled—but later ! Very well, sup-
posing that later than the 10th instant the com-
bined fleets have entered. the Black Sea—what
then ? Is not the Earl of ABERDEEN still Prime
Minister of England ? And has not Lord PAL-
111:ZRSTON already resigned the Home Secretaryship
'a-11(1er that dear and excellent Statesman's Govern-
ellt`t Is not the Coalition of December—in
or. rather in lack of spirit, the Coalition of
November, of October, of September, of August,
of July, of of Feb June, of May, of April, of March,
ruary ?
Is it not the Cabinet that
bas carried
disgrace to the name of England
70y its toleration of the passage of the Pruth by
tlie AUTOCRAT ? Is it not
the Ministry that has
aenational pride, degraded the e, and disgraced the
zyppUtation of its members
by not striking one
?blow in vindication of the right, of
an unoffend-
ing ally—though those rights have been
more
t
and more flagrantly outraged during the
eleven months, through the perpetration of an
enormous wrong by the Russian AUTOC RA T
raged by a brutal cannonade all along the banks
of the Danube, from Braila to Kalafat, and last,
and most monstrqus of all, by this inhuman mas-
sacre of the Turks in the port of Sinope ? Is
not this _Coalition—the Coalition of Lord
AnEnDEF,N......is not this the Cabinet which has
tolerated, during the principal portion of one de-
plorable year, the continuance of these execrable
crimes on the part of the autocratic power of St.
Petersburgh—is not this the Ministry which has
garnished the fame of England by these miserable
evidences of pusillanimity, after that vapouring
review at Spithead, and the blowing of that pre- I

Tosterous fanfazonacio of the Chobham Encamp-
ment ?

And can energy be really expected from such
an Administration as this—can energy be seri-
ously expected from the Coalition in December,
when we remember the disgrace which has been

'brought by the eight or ten preceding months to
the fly-blown reputation of that unfortunate Go-
vernment ? Energy, quotha !—the energy of
PAROLLES, of BOBADLL, of BOMBASTES. Why, if
additional evidence be required, look at that re-
doubtable intimation already reiterated—the in-
timation dated as recently as the 12th instant
from Constantinople. Examine it carefully—
weigh it well in the balance of an impartial
judgment. How does it rua ? Why, simply to
this effect, that the combined fleets will enter the
Black Sea if—if what ? "IF the Russians land
troops on the Turkish territory." After the
butchery of Sinop° ! After all those numerous
and enormous outrages inflicted by the CZAR upon
the rights of nations and the laws of humanity !
After all this—the allied fleets of France and
England will enter the Black Sea IF the Russians
land troops on the Turkish territory

It signifies, We repeat; absolutely nothing—
supposing the dateless despatch received rid
Vienna to be authentic—supposing that later than
that advice up to the 12th from Constantinople,
the combined armaments of France and England
had at length actually passed into the Euxine,
after their long sojourn in the Bosphorus. Sup-
posing this to be the case, it signifies absolutely
nothing—because the Government of England is
still the Government of Lord ABERDEEN. And so

long as that Minister occupies the post of First
Lord of the Treasury, it would be an utter ab-
surdity to look for the adoption of a bold and
chivalrous policy against the dogged arrogance
and the lawless ambition of the Russian AUTOCRAT.
Wherefore—supposing the allied fleets to have left
the Bosphorus—supposing them to have entered
the Black Sea—supposing them to have steered
onward in the direction of Sebastopol we
shall hear of their cruising about those waters
for the next six months, carrying lint and
salves to the wounded, and picking up from time
to time stray morsels of second-hand information.
We shall hear of all this, and shall be doomed to
listen meanwhile to a continuous babble about re-
newed negotiations, unless England rouse her-
self from her lethargy, and shake off this
deplorable incubus of an eff'dte, and spiritless, and
craven Administration. The CZAR has had the
impiety and audacity to cry out In te Domine
speravi, non confundar in ceternum ! Let Eng-
land and NAPOLEON, relieving themselves of the
weight of weakness by which their energies during
the last ten months have been most lamentably
palsied—respond to that cry by a kindred ejacu-
lation—Exurge! their watchword.

Another husband has been condemned. to suffer
death by the hands of the public executioner for
the murder of his innocent and inoffensive wife.
Another " quiet and sober" woman has been sud-
denly cut off in the prime of life by the man whom
she was entitled to look to for protection, but
from whom she received the most brutal ill-treat-
ment. .In the case under notice, the prisoner had
not, like NATHANIEL MOBBS or PHILIP GURNEY,
resorted to a deadly weapon. The sanguinary act
had not been perpetrated with knife or razor, or
other instrument, calculated to take away life.
He had dragged her out of bed, struck, kicked,
and trampled on her ; his violence was not so
great as that of JAMES HAYES, against whom a
jury, at the Central Criminal Court, returned a
verdict of " manslaughter"'only. And yet, at the
High Court of Justiciary, in Edinburgh, on Mon-
day last, WILLIAM CUMMING was most justly
and properly convicted of murder, and the Lord
Justice-Clerk, for himself and his learned brethren,
Lords COCKBURN and HANDYSIDE, who presided
at the trial, expressed their full assent and unhe-
sitating concurrence in the verdict !
They were well warranted in so doing ; and
we- must say that the Scottish jury, empanelled
for the trial of WILLIAM CUMMING more firmly and
faithfully discharged tbeir painful and onerous
duty than the English jury who merely convicted
JAMES HAYES of the minor charge. In order to
constitute the crime of wilful and deliberate mur-
der, it is by no means necessary that the offender
should have contemplatFd or intended the death of
his victim, or that express malice should be proved
against him. If death results from any unlaw-
ful violence on his part, the law will imply malice,
and lie must encounter the consequences, however
serious, of his own misconduct. Due allowance is
made for the infirmity of human nature, and,
therefore, if great provocation could be shown,
such as would naturally inflame the passions to
the utmost degree, the offence may be reduced to
manslaughter, but that will mainly depend on the
mode in which the fatal violence was inflicted—
whether it was proportioned to, and a natural
and ordinary manner of, resenting such
pro Vocation as had been given, and whether
it was likely to lead to the untoward ter-
mination of the transaction. It may, however, be
laid down, as a general rule, that "no words or
gestures, however opprobrious or provoking,
would be considered sufficient provocation to
reduce homicide to manslaughter 1" It is of the
utmost importance that this principle, which is
laid down in all the standard works on criminal
law,. should be fully known by the truculent mis-
creants who vent their malignant, passions on their
unfortunate partners. The most trivial incident
suffices to stimulate the habitual ill-temper into a
pitch of exasperation that renders the party
uttetly reckless of future consequences, and to
induce him to commit acts of violence that might
easily cause the death of his victim, and his own
appearance on the scaffold as a convicted mur-
derer. Let not those degraded ruffians lay the
flattering unction to their souls that all might be
as fortunate as JAMES Halms, or that other Eng-
lish juries would exhibit such undue leniency as
spared the life of that atrocious wretch--spared
it, however, only that his remaining days may be
passed in perpetual banish ment from his native land,
and in the worst and most hopeless form of slavery.
Many persons may think that there was not any very
great benefit derived from the indulgence, that
JAMES HAYES will endure even a more fearful
punishment than NATHANIEL Moms, but these,'
are not the parties who would commit such acts.
The abject and cowardly wretches, who would be
likely to come within the operation of the law,
would prefer life on - any terms—life spent even
in the cells of a " model prison,"
under the
" energetic and painstaking," or rather pains-
giving, management of a governor like Lieutenant
AUSTIN. Some of this class may be deterred by
the knowledge of the probable termination of their
proceedings if they consider how very similar
was the conduct of WILLIAM CUNNING to that
which they themselves are in the habit of in-
dulging.

The wretched convict, it appears, had been for
several days in a state of partial intoxication.
As one of the witnesses declared he had been
" going about furious with drink 1" That drink
was the cause of the awful position in which he is
now placed. During it he gave vent to all his
evil passions. During Saturday, Sunday, Monday,
and Tuesday, he had been almost unceasingly
beating, or otherwise ill-using her. On Saturday
she had not got out of bed to light a candle on
1
his arrival home. On Tuesday he started from
his sleep in a state of irritation, and, without a
single word, dragged the wretched woman from
her bed, " cursing and swearing that he would do
for her." He next knocked her down, "her head
coining against the floor with the blow." He
next "took her loy the ankles and dragged her
across the floor, and trampled and brizzed (i. e.
pressed) on her breast with his knees." " He
also took a stick and struck her twice on the
shoulder and side !" The girl who witnessed these

heartless proceedings ran from the room lest she
might incur his displeasure and participate in the
effects of his brutality. But she called for no
assistance—and when the miserable woman her-
self subsequently crawled. to the Police-office she
received none. The protection she was entitled
to was withheld, and she returned to her room to
meet her fate.

Let other drunken husbands reflect on the fate
of WILLIAM CUM LING j let them consider on the
results of his drinking bout, combined with his
habitual violence and 'brutality, and determine to
profit by the severe but salutary example. Let
Legislators also ask what would have been the
effect of the interference of the Police when their
aid was invoked, and the administration of a
sound castigation to WILLIAM CUMMING. Had
he been flogged his wife would now be alive, and
the use of the revolting cat-o'-nine tails would
have rendered that of the still more revolting
"gibbet" unnecessary and uncalled for.

Dissenters owe it to Lord STANLEY and other
enlightened supporters of the Church to do their
own part on the subject of Church Rates. We
frankly told them so when his Lordship's states-
manlike and Christian pamphlet appeared, and we
therefore can but wish them success in all their
parish vestry efforts to obtain justice for them-
selves, and in all their appeals to the Government.
On the 9th December, as our readers will have
seen, a deputation of the Protestant Dissenting
Deputies presented through Lord PALMERSTON a
memorial to Lord ABERDEEN, which we gave at
length in The Sun of the 15th. It was signed by
the well-known S. M. PET°, Esq., M.P., as chair-
man ; and as a temperate, business-like, and mat-
ter-of-fact document, challenges_ the attention of
all impartial Churchmen. We need not advert
to all its statements, though we commend them
all to public attention.. Let every fair-minded man,
however, weigh the four following facts :-
Ist. According to the Report of the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners of 1835, the net annual income of
the Anglican Church Clergy, exclusive of fees, is
three millions and a half sterling.
2d. The present dissenting places of worship,
at the lowest estimate, have cost them seven-mil-
lions sterling.
3dly. Dissenters raise for their clergy, at the
low estimate of 801. each, 1,136,0001. annually.
4thly. From a return obtained by Sir R.
'Nous, it appears that out of a population of
6,365,351 persons liable to Church Rates,
3,519,387 refuse to pay them.
Is it then tolerable that this impost, so justly
obnoxious to Dissenters, the amount of which
could be so easily raised by the wealthy members
of our well-endowed Establishment—is it tolerable
that it should continue to be paid for a year longer
by the minority of 2,845,954 ? All high-minded
Churchmen must blush to look at the above four
facts. Their own pockets spared to the amount
of three millions and a half annually, nearly all
their churches built for them at no cost to them-
selves, and yet to have it said that they will not
keep their inherited houses in repair ! Do they
deserve the splendid inheritance ?
Dissenters, on the other hand, paying every na-
tional and municipal burden as well as them-
selves, spending seven millions and more in erect-
ing places of worship, and we have no doubt, at
least, a million and a half, probably much more,
in the support of their own ministers—to be taxed,
wherever not strong to resist—taxed, in addition,
for a worship they never attend, while, at no small
sacrifices, they support the one which their tastes
or their consciences prefer. Such injustice cannot
last. Digsenters must no longer pay for our
expenses of worship, either directly or indirectly ;
and while we are tenants of churches which have
cost us nothing, we grant that we deserve ejec-
tion if we refuse the reasonable terms of keeping
them in tenantable repair. Lord ABERDEEN inti-
mated that his Government had a measure under
consideration, which would be introduced early in
the spring. We only wish it may fully come up
to the proposals of Lord STANLEY. If not, from
all we know of the temper of Dissenters, they
will not be, nor ought they to be, cajoled by any
supplications " not to embatrass a Liberal Govern-
ment ;" they, and others of us on other subjects,
have had too much of that appeal ad miserecor-
diant. Dissenters have it in black and white
that the Earl of DERBY and Lord STANLEY both
consider Church rates an "injustice and a griev-
ance•to Dissenters;" and they will brook no half
measures from those whose liberal professions are
so much louder. Meantithe, we repeat, as before,
that any Government will need all possible aid
from Dissenting agitation without in carrying
an honest measure ; but whatever Government
carries it, we are confident, from all that we have
heard from many quarters, that Lord STANLEY'S
share in their success will not be easily forgotten
by the Nonconformists.

TIIE MINISTRY.

(From the Morning Herald.)

It is positively asserted that Lord Palmerston has
consented to return to the Coalition Cabinet. Should
this be the fact, the noble viscount has, of course, ob-
tained his own terms. If orders have been given to the
British fleet to enter the Black Sea, with a view to ac-
tive operations, and if it be true that Lord Lansdowne
and the Duke of Devonshire have threatened to with-
draw their support from the Ministry if the main provi-
sions of the intended Reform Bill are not given up—
then it is not impossible that Lord Palmerston may have
consented to return to the Home-office. A few hours
will, in all probabillity, place all the facts in connection
with this affair in our possession.

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.

( From the Morning Advertiser.)

The Home Secretaryship, up till a late hour last
night, was still on its begging tour. Lord Panmure,
we are told, has been asked to accept it, and it is added
that his lordship would be nothing loth, but for the state
of his health, which, we are informed, is such as to ren-
der anything like continuous or arduous labour exceed-
ingly dangerous.
Rumours reached us last night, from various quarters,
that I ord Aberdeen would be spared the necessity of
filling up the vacant Home Secretaryship, in consequence
of the immediate dissolution of the Cabinet. It was
even said by some that a break-up had actually taken
place. 'This we believe to be premature. We know,
indeed, that so far from the Cabinet being formally dis-
solved, strenuous efforts were made yesterday to patch
up matters again.

It was last night stated that much of the five hours
and a half sederunt was occupied in this patch-work
attempt. We have the best reasons for believing that
particular influences have been, or will be brought to
bear on Lord Palmerston, to induce him to rejoin the
Administration ; but, of course, no consideration what-
ever— no matter by whom urged—will prevail on th•
noble lord again to sit in a Cabinet of which Lord Aber-
deen is the head.
Lord Palmerston must never more cross the threshold
of Downing-street, except to undertake the duties of the
Premiership. To that office the country now calls him ;
and before many weeks, perhaps many days, have elapsed,
his sovereign will also summon him ; for it is no secret
that the Aberdeen Ministry, if Ministry it can be called,
is in the last throes of dissolution.

THE COURT.—Her Majesty will receive an illus-
trious family circle,
.early in the ensuing week, at Wind-
sor Castle. There will be two more dramatic performances
in the Rubens Room the second week in January, which
will conclude the series.

The Duke and Duchess of Sutherland will enter-
tain a numerous family circle during the approaching holi-
days at Trentham, near Lichfield.
The Duke and Duchess of Grafton are receiving
company at Wakefield Lodge, Stony Stratford.
The Duke and Duchess of Wellington have ar-
rived at Florence, from the south of France. Their graces,
we believe, intend to pass the winter at Rome, where the
Duchess of Northumberland and other English families of
distinction are staying.

The Earl and Countess of Chesterfield are re-
ceiving a fashionable party at Bretby Hall, Ashby-de-la-
Zouche.

Lord de Tabley has left town for Tabley House,
Cheshire.

Miss Burdett Coutts, who has been staying at
Chantilly, has returned to Paris, where, we believe, she
intends to pass the winter.

The tombestone and grave of the daughter of
Thomas Moore, the poet, in Hornsey churchyard, have been
recently repaired, by direction of the rector, the Rev.
Richard liarveY.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

By telegraph from Vienna, under date of the
22d, we have advices from Constantinople, of the
12th inst., which state that the Porte has demanded
the support of the fleets. On the 10th, the Am-
bassadors held a conference on the subject, and re-
solved to await instructions.
The Persian Ambassador has broken off relations
with the Porte, and proceets to Bagdad.
The anniversary of the birth of Mahomed was
celebrated on the 11th.

The Retribution and Mogador brought back 110
wounded from Sinope.
One party is intriguing to get Ali Pasha made
Minister of Marine.

Our despatches from Constantinople inform us
that the dismissal of the Captain Pasha was con-
sidered probable.
The allied fleets, it was said, would enter the
Black Sea if the Russians landed troops on the
Turkish territory.
A great tempest in the Black Sea had taken place.
A firman confirming the privileges of Servia had
been issued.
Some fanatical demonstrations had been made
against the Christians at Smyrna.
It is said that the reason why part of Luders' oorps
went to the Crimea was, that there was an insur-
rection there on the 29th of November in favour of
Turkey.
A letter from Malta of the 15th states that the
commandants of the Russian force's in the Black
Sea had given orders that the foreign merchant
vessels going to ports of the Ottoman Empire shall
be subjected to search.
. Several German journals publish a report, -which
is said to have been current at Vienna, that Russia
has consented to send a plenipotentiary to the new
Conference. The journals, in giving this news,
state their opinion that it is not well founded.

The Dresden Journal contains a letter from
Vienna of the 16th, which says :—" The two
brigades which had received orders to hold them-
selves in readiness to proceed to the Turkish fron-
tier have not as yet quitted the city, and it is gene-
rally supposed that they will remain here unless
some unforeseen events arise." Another letter of
the 18th, in the Cologne Gazette, says :—" For some
days past our journals have given accounts of bat-
tles which are said to have taken place on the 2d,
3d, and 7th of December near Kalafat. All these
accounts from
,Transylvania and the Danube are
without foundation. The only piece of intelligence
is that stating that the Russians have concentrated
their forces at Krajowa to the extent of 30,000
men."

The following is from the Paris correspondent of
the Times, dated last evening, 6 p.m. :
" In the absence of any new incident or reliable
intelligence connected with the state of affairs in the
East, the principal topic of the day is the alleged
difference of opinion between the English and
French representatives at Constantinople. To the
latter, as has been seen, was attributed.the fact of
the combined squadrons not entering the Black Sea
when the tidings of the Sinope disaster reached the
Porte. On this point the accounts are so contradic-
tory that, at such a distance, it would be hazardous
to venture an opinion. I may say, however, that in
one official quarter it was stated, no later than this
morning, that that delay is attributed to the French
Ambassador, in opposition either to Lord Strat-
ford de Redcliffe or to the English Admiral ; and
so far as I can understand, some dissatisfaction is
expressed on that account. The dispatch of the
order to which I referred yesterday looks as if this
version was the correct one ; though it is strange
that General Baraguay d'Hilliers, from whom ex-
cessive discretion was certainly not expected,
should be the timid or the hesitating party. lam
very slow to give credit to rumour of dissensions
between the representatives of England and France
at such a moment as the present, aware as I am
that the partisans of. Russia leave nothing undone
to produce such an impression on the public ; but
it is no less a fact that more than one private letter
from Constantinople alludes to such dissensions.
Rumours of a Ministerial modification perfectly
similar, with one exception, to those which were
rife some months since, and which have been since
then revived, were afloat to-day. It is the same
story about the resignation sby M. de Persigny
of his present office, and the nomination of M.
Billault as his su,-xessor ; the continued dissensions
of the former M. Fould, "&c. The more immediate
cause of the anger of the Home Minister is said to
be publication of the paragraph in the Moniteur
relative to Lord Palmerston's quitting office, and
which offended M. de Persigny, both because it
had been done without his consent or knowledge,
and because the terms in which it was drawn up
were not those lie would prefer."
The following is from the correspondent of the
Morning Chronicle, dated Constantinople, De-
cember 8 :

" The Retribution and Mogador, the two ships
despatched to Sinope by the British and French
Admirals, to investigate the affair that has taken
place there, in which the Turkish squadron sta-
tioned in that port has been the sufferer, have not
yet returned. Until their return the real state of
things cannot be known. According to the state-
ment made by the commander of the Taif (the
Turkish war steamer that made off at the com-
mencement of the engagement), the Turkish fleet
was in flames. This view, however, may be exag-
gerated. Great fears ai o now entertained that the
Christian population of Sinope may have attempted
a rising against the Turkk and the town have be-
come the scene of a massacre.

"The following are the names of the Turkish
ships that were in the port of Sinope when attacked
by the Russian fleet :—Frigates—Nizamie, 60 guns ;
Kaid-Zafer, 54 ; Navik, 54 ; Aon-Illah, 54 ;
Dimiet, 54 ; Nessim, 54 ; Fagel-Illah, 44. Cor-
vettes—Nesmi-Fechan, 22 guns ; Faiza-Maabud,
20 ; Gullu-Zefid, 20 ; Fregli (steamer), 6 ; and the
Taif, the steam-frigate that left during the engage-
ment. All the Turkish line-of-battle ships are
lying in the Bosphorus. Yesterday a council was
held on board the British flag-ship Britannia, at
which the admiral in command of the French fleet
attended. Lord Stratford de Redclifire was like-
wise there.

" No fresh news has reached here of importance,
either from the Danube or Asia. The Turks are
much irritated at the disastrous occurrence of Si-
nope. They cannot comprehend the passive atti-
tude of the combined British and French squad-
rons. There were some violent scenes in the
councils held at the Porte after these bad tidings.
Two members of the Ottoman Cabinet very nearly
came to blows. Far from having a tendency to
calm the Ottomans, the destruction of a portion of
their fleet will, on the contrary, only rouse them
to resentment.

" The news from Persia is very unfavourable to
Turkish interests. I can assure you, upon the most
unquestionable authority, that Ahmet Effendi, the
Turkish ambassador to the Court of Persia, is on
his way back to Constantinople, having broken off
all intercourse with the Shah, in consequence of
the success of Russian intrigues at that Court. Mr.
Thompson, her Britannic Majesty's charge d'affaires
at Teheran, has likewise broken off all relati-ns
with the Persian Court. As already stated, the
Russians have promised Persia support, to raise the
Affghans against British rule. The debt of 50
millions due from Persia to the Russian Govern-
ment will no longer be claimed ; but Persia must
side in the coming struggle against her fellow in
faith, the Ottoman. This may prove an awkward
entremet in the Oriental question, and contribute
largely towards rendering the attitude of Great
Britain more marked and determined.
" The arrival of recruits at Constantinople coif-
tinues unabated. Several thousands have come
from the provinces this week. These men are not
enlisted, but join the army of their own will. The
stock seems inexhaustible. The British steamer
Furious, and the Heron (French), which were de-
spatched to the Black Sea on Sunday last, are lying
at Varna. _ _ _

"The Greek Patriarch and the Metropolitans of
the Greek community of Constantinople have re-
quested permission to accompany the Sultan to
Adrianople in the spring. This is a very impor-
tant step. They have presented the following
address :

" 'His Majesty the Sultan, our august master and
benefactor, has just declared, by an Imperial firman,
that it is his intention to proceed to Adrianople next
spring. We, his servant, and the Metropolitans, mem-
bers of the Synod, prostrate ourselves before the Throne
of the Almighty, making ardent vows day and night ;
and in conformity with our duties of fidelity, we pray
God to mercifully appreciate the courageous intentions,
the laudable will, and the good dispositions which his
Imperial Majesty, our legitimate Sovereign, shows for
the integrity of the glory and honour of his great em-
pire, as also for the welfare and tranquillity of the trust-
ful subjects who are under his beneficent protection.
" As the absence of our august master and benefac-
tor from the capital of his empire will cause the greatest
grief to the inhabitants of Constantinople, and especially
tb his servants, we humbly pray his Imperial Majesty to
accord us, as a mark of special grace, the permission to
follow him wherever he may go.
" 'To solicit this grace of his Imperial Majesty, we
have taken the liberty of presenting this kumble addreSs
to his. Majesty.' "

The Neue Munchner Zeitung, which, as an Ultra-
Conservative paper, probably has genuine and au-
thentic news from St. Petersburg, learns that Rus-
sia is arming with might and main. It is felt in
Russia that the Turks have been under-valued,

and preparations for the spring campaign are
therefore being made on a grand scale. The
order for calling in all the men on furlough has
been given, and this measure will increase the army
by 180,000 veterans. The 6th infantry corps, which
had been placed near Moscow as a reserve, has re-
ceived orders to advance nearer to the seat of war.
The waggon builders of St. Petersburg and Moscow
have been directed to supply the army with 400
waggons by next March. Within the last few
days large sums of money have been sent from St.
Petersburg to the two armies. It is worthy of
mention that trade is unusually brisk here just
now, as very large consignments of all kinds of
manufactured goods have been made to Transyl-
vania, for which remittances are made in Russian
gold imperials.
The Weekly Medical Gazette has a long letter of
the sth from the seat of war. The troops between
Kalafat and Turna are suffering much from ague,
which is endemic, typhus, dysentery, and a spurious
kind of cholera. In consequence of want of shelter,
a great part of the men have been withdrawn to the
right bank of the river. Ophthalmia is very pre-
valent among the Rumeliote and Albanian troops,
and the numerous Italians, Poles, Hungarians, and
Greeks are beginning to be affected by it, "which
is the more to be lamented, as they are the very
soul of the army." We now learn that three
great columns are to cross the river as soon as the
floating ice will permit. The greatest part of
the artillery, cavalry, and baggage trains is directed
towards Silistria. Wounded men are continually
brought in from Rustchuk, as the out-pickets of
both armies persist in firing at each other in spite
of positive commands to the contrary. " Deser-
ters, of all nationalities, who come in great num-
bers from the left bank, keep uq well informed
of the Russo-Wallachian plains." The head-quarters
are at Rustchuk, but the troops are kept in readi-
ness for an advance. The Balkan army has received
a further reinforcement of 15,000 men, who are
principally Asiatics.
The Patric contains the following contradiction
of the Russian. Admiral Nachimoff's account of the
engagement at Sinope

" It is not true that the Turks had in that battle
three frigates of 74 guns, one of which carried the
Admiral's flag. He commanded a frigate of 50 guns.
It is not true that the Greek quarter at Sinope was
spared. Ali the houses without distinction and without
necessity, were burned. The town was not defended,
and nevertheless, after the action ceased at sea, the
Russian ships continued to bombard the town. It is a
positive fact, moreover, that at the conclusion of the
fight the Russians sunk several unarmed transports, and
ill-treated in the most unworthy manner, the brave
Turkish Admiral, who was dangerously wounded."
The Constantinople letter of the Wanderer is
calculated to send the blood into the cheeks of
every Englishman who has the least regard, for the
honour of his country :
" Even the Greek population asserts that there is a
secret understanding between the British and Russian
Governments. Lord Stratford still attempts to force
the mediatory proposals on the Porte, but the Turks
turn from everything English with disgust."
The Triest Zeitung says that the highest func-
tionaries, who speak with great bitterness of France
and England, much fear that the allied fleets are
only intended to act as a check on the" Porte
should it obtain any signal advantage over the
Russians :
" The Sultan must either continue the war with Russia
or make war on his own subieets. The fearful sacrifices
made by great and small, rich and poor, would be per-
fectly inconceivable were it not well known that the
Turks are convinced that it is a question of life and
death for them."

It is still a matter of doubt whether a battle has
been fought near Kalafat, and the probability is
that if any rencontre took place on the 2d and 3d
they were little more than skirmishes between re-
connoitring , parties. No pains have been spared
to get at the truth of the matter, but at present no
one can either confirm or refute the reports of the
Transylvanian papers. Austrian news there is
little or none, excepting Government has at length
resolved on granting concessions for branch rail-
roads to private companies. Had the interests of
the country been properly understood, this would
have been done long since.

The Invalide Russe of the 11th contains a circum-
stantial account of the battle of Sinope, and this
account, compiled from the statements of persons
who were present at the engagement, is to the fol-
lowing effect :
"Vice-Admiral Nachimoff, while cruising off the coast of
Anatolia, saw in the harbour of Sinope a.division of Turkish.
vessels of war, He would have run in on the following day,
but his intentions were frustrated by foul weather. He
despatched the war steamer Bess•trabis. to Sebastopol, to
announce the presence of a Turkish squadron in the her-
bo ur. of Sinope.
" When this news reached Sebastopol, the Vine do Paris,
Grand Duke Constantine, and the Tn. Sviatitelia, of 120
guns each, wore placed under Rear-Admiral Novosilski,
and ordered to proceed: towards Sinope, and effect a junc-
tion with Rear-Admiral Nachimoff's squadron. In the
meantime a favourable breeze had sprung upj and Admiral
Nachimoff went with three men-of-war and due brig to re-
connoitre the harbour of Sinopo. He ascertained the exact'
position of the Turkish Squadron, which consisted of seven
frigates, ono war sloop, two corvettes, two transport ships,
-and two steamers. These ships lay at their moorings in a
semicircle along the coast, but prepared to form in lino at
any moment, no matter from what quarter it might blow.
Five batteries were on the coast ; their position corre-
sponded with the distance between the Turkish vessels.
"The junction of our two squadrons, under Admiral
Nachimoff and Novosilski, was effected in the course of
the night of the 27th of November, and on the 28th Ad-
miral Nachimoff issued an order of the day, in which he
declared his intention, as soon as the weather should allow
it, to attack the enemy in two columns. The column on
the right was to be under Admiral Nachimoff's command,
who hoisted his flag on board the Empress Maria, and who
besides this vessel, had under him the Grand Duke Con-
stantine and the Tchesmo ; while the column on the left,
under Rear-Admiral Novosilski, was composed of the Ville
de Paris, Tri Sviatitelia, and Rostislaff, men-of-war.
"At 9 a.m, on the 30th a favourable breeze spang up.
It blew from east-north-east, and the Admiral signalled to
the fleet to clear for action and run into the harbour of
Sinopo. The vessels of the two columns, with all their
canvass spread to the wind, bore down upon the Turks,
who, owing to a dense fog, saw them only when they had
advanced to within half a mile. Vice-Admiral Nachimoff,
on finding himself at the distance of near 250 sagenes or
toises from the two Turkish fleets, dropped his anchor. The
Ville de Paris anchored at the same time, and the rest of the
squadron, each vessel in turn took the places which had been
assigned to them. The Admiral had scarcely dropped his
anchor, when the Turkish ships and batteries opened upon
them, the firing was terrible, and didmuch execution among
our rigging, but our ships returned the compliment with a
continued and well directed fire. In less than five minutes
the Grand Dake Constantine had demolished the battery
which was next to her guns. The Turkish frigate which
lay off that battery, and which she bombarded with the
Paixhans uns of her lower battery, was blown up. Shortly
afterwards the bombs which were thrown by the Ville de
Paris told on the other Turkish frigate, and blew her up.
The latter had, however, succeeded in cutting the cables
by which the Empress Maria and the Tri-Sviatitelia held
on ; but these vessels had another set of anchors and cables
clear, and anchored again under the fire of the enemy.
" At 2 o'clock p.m. the guns of the Turkish ships were
silenced. Three frigates, one of them of 71 guns, with
the admiral s flag on board, were burning, and of the two
transports nothing could be seen but the masts. We had
sunk thtm. The Turkish quarter of Sinope was in flames,
and at 2.30. p.m. the admiral stopped the firing, and sent
an officer with a flag of truce to tell the authorities of
Sinope that if another gun was fired, either from the town
or the strand batteries, he should certainly bombard and
utterly destroy the town of Sinope. The officer landed,
and stayed above an hour, but he could not find the Turk-
ish authorities. He did not see a single Turk ; they had
all taken refuge in the neighbouring villages.
When the combat commenced, and agreeably to the
admiral's orders the two frigates Kagoul and Koulevtcha
remained under canvass to cut off the retreat of any Turkish
vessels that might seek to escape. They joined the squad-
ron at the close of the engagement, and acted against the
corvette and the sloop which lay in the rear of the Ros
tislaff.

" On the 29th of November, as soon as the war steamers
Odessa, Crimea, and Chersonese could get their steam up,
the Adjutant-General Kornileff steamed them away from
Sebastopol to join Admiral Nachimoff's squadron at
Sinope. On the 31st, at 12 o'clock, the Odessa, com-
manded by Adjutant-General Kornileff, perceived across
the isthmus on which Sinope is situate the commencement
of the engagement, and the steamer made incredible efforts
to hasten up to the rescue. When they made the Cape of
Sinope they saw a Turkish steam-frigate (4.20 guns, the
Taif, which, during the engagement, had got her steam
up, .and sought to escape from the general defeat. Adju-
tant-General Kornileff hoisted his flag on the Odessa, and
ran her down on the line of the Turkish frigate, but his
intention was seen, and the Taif wore round, and pro-
ceeded along the coast. The Odessa, advancing to within
gunshot, opened her fire, but, after an hour's firing, Adju-
tant-General Kornileff, to his great regret, found that the
Taif was faster than the Odessa, and that, although three
times stronger, she would not stay to accept the engage-
ment. Adjutant-General Kornileff abandoned the chase,
and steamed towards Sinope, to join Vice-Admiral Nachi-
moff's squadron. He was followed by the Crimea and the
Chersonese. These two steamers were ordered at once to
tow away the vessels which lay within range of the strand
batteries, in case the enemy should resume the engagement
in the course of the night. The Odessa was ordered to
take the frigate Damietta, of 50 guns, in tow, and to re-
move her from the coast. That vessel had least suffered
from our fire, and yet we found on board of her above 50
wounded. The captain and the officers had abandoned her
at the commencement of the combat. They had taken
all the boats and consulted their safety by an ignominious
flight.
"In the course of the evening the guns of the burning
vessels went off, one after another, as the fire came near
them, and their balls came in our direction without, how-
ever, doing the least damage to our ships. At last those
vessels exploded, and their bu:ning fragments were hurled
upon the Turkish quarter of Sinope, which they set on fire,
and about midnight the whole of that quarter, which is
surrounded by a stone wall, became. a prey to the flames,
while the conflagration respected the Greek quarter of
Sinope. On the following morning nothing was left of the
12 ships of the Turkish squadron but the Damiette frigate,
which had been taken in tow by the Odessa, and the sloop
and the corvette—mere hulls--in the northern portion of
the bay. On being examined, the Damiette was found to
have her hull torn by 17 cannon balls, and her rigging, Sze.,
twoeproel in
sshuechwaasnn on
statei that
sshhcercer
alnddnbotuibmett. akoenrdteorsgewbearse-
also given to burn the sloop and the corvette. The officers
charged wit} the execution of those orders found on board
the sloop Osman Pasha, the commander of the Turkish
squadron, •who had a wound in his right leg. They found.
also two captains and 10 sailors, Me prisoners were at

once removed to our ships. On•that evening not a single
Turkish vessel remained in the harbour of Sinope.
" The combat was scarcely over when our brave crews,
who so well had worked their guns, commenced with a
fresh ardour repairing damages. The Empress Maria, the
Tri Sviatitelia, the Grand Due Constantine, and theT,osti-
sleff, were found to have suffered most from the fire of the
enemy.
_ .

"The whole of Admiral Nachimoff's squadron left the
harbour of Sinope on the 2d of December. The damaged
vessels were taken in tow by the steamers, and on the 4th
the Empress Maria, the Tri Sviatitelia, and the Grand
Duke Constantine anchored in the roads of Sebastopol."