The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-30 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

The following is given as an extract of a letter
addressed by the Emperor of Russia to Prince
Menschikoff, after receiving the report of the bat-
tle of Inkerman

" Most inward thanks to my brave army in my name
for their immutalele fidelity. Tell them that the eye of
their Sovereign, and of all Russia, looks upon them with
admiration. They are the pillars and foremost cham-
pions of right. Russia's honour will, through them,
come forth untarnished from this war."

POST-OFFICE NOTICES.

REDUCTION OF POSTAGE ON LETTERS TO
EGYPT.

General Post-office, Deo., 1854.
On and from the Ist Jan. next, the postageupon letters
addie,;sed to Alexandria or any other place in Egypt,
and forwarded by British Packet via Marseilles will be
reduced as follows :

For a fetter not exceeding oz,
Exceeding toz and not exceeding !Joz.,
„ oz loz., 3s.
29 loz., 4s.
and so on increasing Is. for each quarter of an ounce.
Oa and from the same date, the postage on a letter not
exceeding half an ounce in weight addressed to Egypt,
and forwarded by the direct packet via Southampton,
will be reduced from ls. 6d. to ls., heavier letters being
chargel in proportion according to the scale for charg-
ing inland letters.

The prepayment of postage is optional in the case of
letters addressed to Alexandria, but upon letters fer any
other part of Egypt the postage must be paid in advance
or the letters cannot be forwarded.

PERIODICAL WORKS, &o.
On and from the Ist January next, periodical works,
not strictly newspapers, published in the United King-
dom and addressed to Holland, may be sent in the closed
mails, vits Belgium, under the following regulations :
let. The British postage must be paid irradiance.
2d. They must be sent in covers open at th• sides.
The rates of postage on such works will be as follows :
Not exceeding 2 ounces in weight ld.
Exceeding 2 ounces, and not exceeding 3 ounces 6d.
Exceeding 3 ounces, and not exceeding 4 ounces Bd.
Twopence being chargeable for every additional •unc•,
up to th• weight of 16 ounces, beyond which weight ao
publication can be forwarded.

From the same date, newspapers brought to this
country in the mails from Holland will not be liable to
any charge on delivery, as the postage paid by the sen-
der will defray the whole charge to destination. In like
manner, newspapers forwarded from the United King-
dom to Holland, will not be liable to any charge on de-
livery, but a postage of one penny must continue to be
paid on each newspaper,, when posted.
•

ESTABLISHMENT OF OPTIONAL PRE-PAY-
MENT OF POSTAGE TO ST. HELENA AND
THE GOLD COAST.
On and from the Ist January next, the postage upon
letters between the United Kingdom and the Island of
St. Helena, and between the United Kingdom and the
British Settlements on the Gold- Coast, whether con-
veyed by paoket or private ship, may either be paid in
advance or left to be collected on the delivery of the
letters, at the option of the sender.
The postage upon letters to and from the above -men-
tioned Colonies is,
Not exceeding ioz. in weight, 6d.
Exceeding ioz. and not exceeding loz., is.
Exceeding loz, and not exceeding 2ozs., 21.
and so on, increasing one shilling for every additional
ounce or fraction of an ounce.

THE GERMAN STATES AND Tag WAR.

A Prussian ministerial paper gives the text of
the documents by which Bavaria, Wurtemberg,
and Denmark effected their adhesion to the supple-
mentary article of the Austro-Prussian treaty of
April 20th. The language held ia the name of
these states is instructive :

BAVARIAN VOTB.—Considering the dangers of the
political situation of Europe, guided bylthe earnest wish
to guarantee the interests of Germany by strict unity,
and looking to the intentions of Austria and Prussia as
great European powers, intentions known by means of
the confidential reports we have received from them, the
royal Government of Bavaria votes for the proposed
resolution of the Diet.

WURTIMEERIit'S VOTE.—In consequence of the state
of European relations becoming more and more threaten.
ing, and guided by the conviction that the guarantee of
German interests is endangered fur the future, and that
the union of all the Germanic federal states is indispen-
sable, Wurtemberg votes for the proposition.
DENMARK'S VOTE.—His Majesty the King, ardently
desiring the speedy re-establishment of European peace,
has deigned to order his ambassador, in so far as the ad-
ditional article agreed upon on tits _26th ult. between
the most high courts of -Vienna and Berlin is concerned,
to express aga;n how highly his Majesty apprebiates the
joint and uninterrupted efforts made by the two great
powers for guaranteeing the common interest of Ger-
many and for opening to the belligerent powers the
avenues to peace. The ambassador is further authorised
by order of the King, referring to the declaration made
during the sitting of August 3, 1854, to vote in the name
of Holstein-Lauenburg, for the adhesion of the Diet to
the new additional article, as also for acc?pting the pro-
posed resolution respecting which an understanding has
been come to.