The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 25,

liar significance. It must be recollected then, at
the outset, that it was as far back as the 28th of
February, very nearly eleven months ago, when
Prince MENscsixoFFmade his memorable entrance
into Constantinople. It was on the 16th of March
that he made his first demands on the Sublime
Porte, accompanying them with condem-
natory allusions to the conduct then re-
cently pursued towards his Imperial mas-
ter's authority by the Turkish Government. It
was in consequence of the threatening tone of these
communications to the Divan from the Russian
Envoy Extraordinary, that Colonel ROSE, her Bri-
tannic MAJESTY'S Charge d'Affaires, deemed it
advisable then (ten months since) to summon the
British fleet forthwith into the Dardanelles. It
was at the beginning of April that Lord STRAT-
FORD, the British, and M. DE LA. COUR, the French
Ambassador, arrived in Constantinople. It was
on the 19th of that month that Prince MENSCHI-
KOFF, in a fresh note addressed to the Turkish
Minister of Foreign Affairs,' a note couched in
terms yet more arrogant than • its precursor, de-
manding from the Sublime Porte, besides a firman
relating to the silver star at Bethlehem, and
an order for the repair of the Dome of the Holy
Sepulchre—" A Sened or Convention guarantee-
ing the strict status quo of the privileges of the
Catholic-Greco-Russian faith, of the Eastern Church
and of the sanctuaries which are in the possession
of that faith exclusively, or in participation with
other sects at Jerusalem." It was on the morn-
ing of the .sth May that the reply of - the Porte
agreeing to the demands of the CZA.R, with the
solitary exception of the Sened or Convention,
was delivered into the hands of the Russian Am-
bassador. It was on the evening of that same
day that Prince MENSCR!KOFF responded to this
communication by delivering into the Divan his
memorable ultimatum, giving the Porte until the
10th to pronounce its definitive resolution. It
was on that pre-arranged 10th that RIFAT
PACHA, in a temperate note, replied to this ulti-
matum, by intimating that it was impossible
for Turkey to accede to its requirements. There-
upon, it will be remembered, that it was on the
21st of that same month, after reiterated de-
mands and reiterated refusals, stormy inter-
views, and stormier correspondence, that Prince
MENSCHIKOFF took his departure from Constan-
tinople. Ten days later, namely, on the 31st,
(lame forth that intimidating letter addressed by
Count NESSELRODE to RESOHID PACHA, in which
the former Statesman announced boldly and
explicitly that in a few weeks from that time the
troops of his Imperial Master, the AUTOCRAT,
would receive orders to cross the Ottoman fron-
tiers, and enter upon the formal occupation of the
Principalities. An alternative was held out by
which the evil might be warded off—the accept-
ance of the demands in all their integrity, without
any change (sans variantes), precisely as they
were submitted to the Divan by Prince MEN-
SCHIKOFF. That was the opportunity—that was
perversely and wantonly lost by the British and
French Governments ! Had those Governments
in their capacity as the allies of Turkey responded
to that intimation of Count NESSELRODE by de-
you cross the Pruth we shall im-
mediately cross the sea of Marmora, directly you
venture to despatch your military forces beyond
the boundaries of Bessarabia into Moldavia and
Wallachia, we shall instantly order our maritime
armaments to proceed without delay through the
Dardanelles and the Bosphorus, taking up a power-
ful position in the Black Sea, instead of remain-
ing inactive at such a crisis iu the Mediterranean
—had England and France replied thus in June
last to that Note of the 31st of May, in which
Count NESSELRODE formally announced that the
troops of the CZAR would then in a few weeks
more proceed to the occupation of the Princi-
palities—the Russian frontiers would never have
been passed, and peace would within a brief
interval have been solidly re-established. The
opportunity was lost. On the 11th of June came
forth that specious, but untruthful, explanatory
circular addressed by Count NESSELRODE to the
diplomatic agents of the Russian Govern-
ment. Shortly afterwards, on the 27th, ap-
peared iu the official Gazette of St. Petersburg
the famous Manifesto of the Russian AUTOCRAT
proclaiming the entrance of his forces into the
Danubian Principalities. A second circular, dated
the 2d of July, revealed still more glaringly, in
the name of Count NESSELRODE, the mendacity of
the Muscovite Government. Afterwards (how
soon shall we' forget it ?) took place that no-
torious Vienna Conference—out of which came
the Note that was such a diplomatic abortion !
In the midst of all which negotiations arrived
that monstrous despatch, addressed by Count
NESSELRODB, on the 7th of September, to Baron DE
MEYENDORFF explaining beyond the pos-
sibility of further misapprehension the real
enormity of the demands made upon Tur-
key by the Russian Government. Followed on the
31st of October by that atrocious Manifesto in
which the .CZAR followed up a series of monstrous
untruths with a declaration of war, closing his
document with a versicle from the Royal Psalmist.
Everybody remembers vividly enough what fol-
lowed. The subsequent events need no detailed
recapitulation. There was the advance of the
combined fleets from Besika Bay to their Beycos
anchorage. There was the execrable massacre of
the Turks at Sinope. There were those im-
portant victories at Citale, by which OMER PACHA
followed up so nobly his earlier successes
at Oltenitza. There were the acceptance of the
final proposals of the Four Powers at Constan-
tinople, and. their refusal at St. Petersburgh.
Finally, we have now witnessed the latest events,
which may be said to have brought matters to a
climax—the advance of the Combined Fleets into
the Euxine, and the indignant reception of the
news of that movement at the Russian Capital
and at the port of Sebastopol. And so matters
stand now at this memorable and most critical
juncture, when we are simultaneously on the
verge of an European war, and ou the eve of a
stormy session of the Imperial Legislature.

To Sheffield belongs the honour of opening the
Parliamentary campaign of 1854, and well has it
done its part. A question of far more permanent
consequence than any settled by Mr. GLADSTONE
last session is to be the grand topic of the pre-
sent one ; and it would ill become the English
boroughs to let her MAJESTY'S Coalition and, her
faithful Commons commence the great discussion
without those preliminary instructions which they
have always given on weighty matters to the great
Committee of the nation. We trust the example
will be followed in every borough which some
Lord or Gentleman " of influence" cannot "crum-
ple up and put in his pocket." While the House
of Commons so imperfectly represents the people,
it behoves the people to represent themselves.
Let them not imagine it is of little use. On the
contrary, their own members, if right-minded,
need the support ; if wavering, need a weight to
turn the scale ; and, if quite wrong, will doso much
less harm, for the awkward fact of their own con-
stituencies being in open mutiny against them.
Just at the present time, moreover, silence is being
misconstrued for apathy, and a Premier quite as
indisposed to attack electoral as Imperial tyranny,
will assimilate his domestic to his Russian policy,
unless, to use a Spanish phrase, the country pro-
nounce in time. Up to the hour when Lord JoilN
Rossm4 rises to make his Reform Bill speech

will important concessions be waiting for the yea '
or nay of the country. The public demands and
their hearing on the stability of the Cabinet
will be carefully watched till the last ; and let it
be remembered, that, though it has often not
been very difficult to prevent some • objection-
able -Government proposal, it has always
been next to impossible to gain Cabinet assent to
anything good which Ministers have not them-
selves proposed. We believe this is frequently
due to the simple fact that they had not proposed
it. The credit would be but in small part theirs,
and they know the people will endure better the
continuance of some old evil than the infliction of
a new one. We advise all our constituencies then
to be up and doing. There is, indeed, no time
to be lost. The QUEEN'S Speech we shall very
soon have the honour of laying before them, With
its cautious Reform paragraph ; and it then can-
not be long before we shall present them also with
the Reform Speech of the Leader of the House of
Commons. The substantial propoSitions of that
Speech will depend much on the Public Meetings
held before it is delivered.
Sheffield has, as already observed, set an ex-
cellent example. We indeed, of course, must
think so. The two resolutions of the meeting
comprise the two points which for some months
past we have pressed upon public attention—a
large extension of the cotstituency and the Bal-
lot. The latter too was, as with us, obviously of
primary importance with both the meeting and
the speakers. Though it belonged to Mr. Macau's
resolution, Mr. COBDEN could not refrain from
occupying with it the best and by far the most
earnest part of his speech ; and Mr. BRIGHT
did not fail to do it equal justice. If our readers
have not perused their admirable remarks, we
beg them to turn again to The Sun of Saturday.
With perfect truth Mr. BRIGHT observed, that
"as to the Ballot, he affirmed that no man ever
heard a fair tenable argument against it." It
seems that so early as the time of JAMES I. the
Ballot was enjoined of his free will in the Charter
of Pontefract, "to the intent that the aforesaid
election may be without any contention and ma-
lice in any shape." We have sometimes been
told that Americans are indifferent to the Ballot,
though we never met with the Yankee who avowed
this indifference. The truth seems to be, that the
number of dependent• voters is comparatively
small, as may be expected in a country where
labour is at a premium. Mr. BRIGHT, however,
mentions that "the Attorney-General of the United
States, a man of remarkable intelligence and libe-
rality, and possessing a large fund of information
on all subjects, said to him the other day, speak-
ing of the Aallot—' We consider the basis of
freedom to be representative institutions, and we
Consider the Ballot to be the basis of representative
institutions.' "

There is a weighty truth in this last clause, for
as Mr. B. added, " The Ballot . would give what
the law often failed to afford—it would give the
vote actually, positively, and solely to the man
whose name was on the register ;" that is, the
representation would be real, the representation
not of the voters, masters, creditors, landlords,
or purchasers, but of the voter himself: The
speaker also fully concurs with an opinion we
have more than once expressed, that hard work
as the Government will have to carry any respect-
able measure with the long list of members who
must be consigned to schedule A, the proposal of
the Ballot alone would rouse the people to carry
it for them ; " would create greater enthusiasm
in its behalf than anything else, and would do
more to insure its passing than the introduction
of any other provision which could be placed
in it."

As to Mr. COBDEN, he appeared quite to long
for another organised crusade in the cause of free
voting. It would certainly be a most worthy
supplement to his Free-trade labours, and the
country would have almost as much reason to
thank him for one as for the other. He thinks
hiniself, however, too near fifty for that work.
Ho was most indignant that the very class who
refused them a trial of the Ballot were those who
used it in all clubs and societies of their own ; he
desired especially that all the country should learn
of Oxford, for the University employs the ballot
in their meetings of Convocation —in every-
thing, in fact, but electing members of Par-
liament. He looked upon open voting as
a mere piece of feudalism, as the moans of
keeping retainers and vassals to their duty,
as much A badge of feudalism as had been
the corn laws. It was because everybody thought
he had a hereditary right to control somebody's
else vote. He was confident that if a trial of it
were made in only a few towns it would spread
like wildfire. The good order would be such as
he had witnessed in Spain and America, and all
had heard of in France, a quiet like that of one
of our Sundays, rather than the perfect Satur-
nalia which disgrace English elections ; and yet
Whigs and. Tories alike were doggedly opposed to
even a few trials of it ! It is somewhat singular,
after language like this, heartily applauded by a
meeting of a thousand people, and a resolution
passed accordingly, that the influential morning
journal, whose leader we gave with the report of
the meeting, should speak of the Ballot as some-
thing quite shelved by the public. It is, how-
ever, one thing for the public to despair of real
reform from a Coalition Ministry, and another to
renounce its rights. We perceive that Mr. COB-
DEN, also, has no faith in the extension of the
county franchise being anything more than a
multiplication of dependent votes—that is, under
the present vode of taking them.
Of course, the petty boroughs were shown up
as they deserve. Yorkshire was quite sufficient
for perfect specimens. The boroughs returning
17 members, yet not numbering altogether more
than 80,000 inhabitants, while Sheffield, with
nearly double the number, 140,000, •returned
also but two. The little pets presenting
also some pleasing varieties of absurdity in-
ter se. Richmond, with a population under
5,000, returning two members, while Scar-
borough and other little boroughs, though
having a population and constituency more than
twice as large, also returned but their two each.
The specimens of " influence" are equally normal.
At Richmond the DIINDAS family, for instance,
(the Earl of ZETLAND) " doing what they will
with their own." Earl FITZWILLIAM, of course,
doing the like at Mallon, where no Peterborough
rebellion has yet been known ; " no • contest has
been heard of for half a century," saith the im-
passible DOD. RtroN was bequeathed, according
to the same authority, by the wealthy Miss LAW-
RENCE to Earl DE GREY, and it has worn the
GREY livery. faithfully ever since. We must not
wander farther, however, among these venerable
relics of feudalism, so soon to bo utterly ruined
by Reform Vandalism. We can only express our
hope that some faithful few at least will be found
to call in every independent borough a meeting
which shall vote on the two Sheffield resolutions,
prepared, if needful, to follow it up by petitions
and memorials to their members. 'One demand,
we think, might uniformly be made, that wher-
ever a majority of a fairly-called public meeting
declared in favour of the Ballet, that there at least
it should be tried. It would in all such cases be
clear that the non-electors ' also preferred to in-
trust their cause to the consciences of the electors.

Many years 'must elapse before the cabman's
strike of 1853 will be forgotten by the sojourners
in or visitors to the metropolis during the
glorious (!) days when there was so deplorable a
lack of vehicular accommodation. Mr. FITZROY'S
Bill had just come into operation, and its provi-
sions were singularly distasteful to the irritable
race. It is true that there were many points in
it exceedingly favourable to the body, but they
were unwilling to take the good with the bad.
The extra fare for additional passengers, the pay-
ment for small parcels, the double mileage beyond
the circular line, were all very agreeable to the
heroes of the stands ; but the giving of tickets
with the number of the vehicle, so as to insure
their identification in case some indignant passen-
ger should choose tp haul up the delinquent, the
summary jurisdiction bestowed upon inagistrates,
the enactment which enabled the fare ,to direct the
driver to proceed at once to the nearest police-
station, and, above all, the 6d, fares (!) were re-

garded as perfectly intolerable. The iron entered
deeply into their souls. They determined to teach
the public that they could not be done with-
out, and, as the first lesson, simultaneously
withdrew from their respective stands. Great was
the consternation excited at the moment among
the elderly ladies and gentlemen, who, on busi-
ness or pleasure- intent, arrived at the London
termini of the different railways. Here an " un-
protected female" bewailed her mournful lot, her
trunks, band-boxes, and brown paper parcels being
scattered about in admired confusion. There a
respectable "pater familias" listened to the objur-
gations of his spouse, while he vainly ransacked
his brains as to the most eligible mode of convey-
ing his wife and numerous olive branches to their
remote destination. The enemy, meanwhile, made
the most of their temporary triumph. Crowds
attended at the different places of public resort,
and jeered and bamboozled the unfortunate vic-

tims of the movement to their hearts' content.
At length they condescended to come round. The
movement had taken place at an inconvenient
season. Parliament was actually sitting at the
time, and had the malcontents continued the
war, very formidable results might be antici-
pated. A parley, therefore; took place. Mr. FITZ-
ROY promised to make some slight concessions,
and a truce was patched up, and Cabby re-
turned to his post, having given " a taste of his
finality " to his adversaries, and shown how great
was his power of annoyance.
Since that period he has found that the work-
ing of the new code is by no means so unfavour-
able as he had anticipated—that ho had, in fact,
been frightened rather than hurt at the novel
regulations. He has therefore set himself to make
the best of the job, to exact to the uttermost
farthing for every delay not sanctioned by the
Act. Formerly he could only charge for time or
distance ; now he can do so for both, except under
certain conditions never acted on, and which prac-
tically render the law on that part of the subject
a dead letter. But a sudden shower brings him
in a regular harvest ; when a lady with a nume-
rous family of children are. caught in the rain,
and obliged to pay more for one cab than they
could obtain three for, if so many were forth-
coming, and could be obtained. Great discrimi-
nation is, however, required in the selection of the
best customers in extracting the 6d. fare, and ob-
taining that which will pay nearly three times
the amount. This is rather a difficult

task, but experience has taught the modern
JEHIT many valuable lessons, and amongst them
that of deciding on the value of a fare, at first
sight—deciding literally by the first impression.
Thus, it turns out, that some persons can never
find a vehicle disengaged. The driver has first
been chartered by " a gent. who has stepped over
the way to get refreshment !" or " his hanimal is
vorn out with fatigue, and he is on his vay to

the stable !" These excuses generally answer the
purpose: The applicant, discouraged, wends his
weary way until he finds some more complacent
driver, or an omnibus proceeding in the required
direction. Sometimes a very pertinacious and
stubborn customer is discovered, one who does
not quite approve of the ill-suppressed mirth that
finds its way along the rank, as Cabby asserts most
vehemently his pre-engagement. Such persons
sometimes resort to a summons, and it is, there-
fore, necessary to be prepared with a defence.
For this purpose, a new class has arisen, who are
ready to bear witness on any occasion in favour
of the inculpated JEHU. There are male and
female " mounters" always available, who will
swear anything that may be required, either
as to the fact of a pre-engagement, or
as to the politeness of demeanour and language of
the accused. By, such evidence—for the mounter
generally has a plausible.tale concocted as to his
or her occupation and respectability—the tables
are usually turned—the complainant finds to his
astonishment that ho is altogether in the wrong,
that it was he who displayed the violence of de-
meanour arid of language very unbecoming his
position and station in society, and he finds that
through the fortunate presence of the disinterested
:rid unexceptionable witness his complaint is
dismissed with costs, and that he has also to
make ample compensation. to Cabby for loss of
time, &c. The device was unquestionably in-

genious, and if not testifying very clearly as to
the morality, did so as to the acuteness and cun-
ning of the accused. But now that it is known,
its efficacy will be destroyed.. It will henceforth
be incumbent on the presiding magistrate to insti-
tute a strict inquiry into the antecedents of every
person suspected of being a " mounter," and, if it
can be shown that the tale is untrue, of commit-
ting the party to trial for perjury. By such
means the. trick will be defeated—the deceiver
caught in his own toils, and Cabby will at length
learn that in his trade, as well as in all others,
" honesty is the best policy."

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, JAN. 24.

The dinner party yesterday included her Royal High-
ness the Duchess of Kent, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
the Earl and Countess of Clarendon, Viscount and Vis-
countess Hardinge, Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, the
Lady in Waiting to the Duchess of Kent, and the
Baroness de Speth.
The band of ' the Ist Life Guards attended in the
Castle during dinner, and performed the following
pieces :
Overture, " Sophia Catharina"
Selection, " Mountain Sylph" Barnett.
Walzer, " Narragansett"
Grand Selection, " Rigoletto" • Verdi.
Polka, " Glocken" Herzog.
Schottische, " Edinburgh," on National
Melodies Labitzky.
Her Majesty's private band was afterwards in attend-
ance, and played the following compositions :
Overture, " Pastorale" Kalliwoda.
Duo, " Gustave"
Coro, " Templario"

The Duke and Duchess of Argyll and the Earl and
Countess of Bessborough have been invited, and are ex-
pected this afternoon.

The Earl of Clarendon arrived in town yesterday
morning, to attend the Cabinet Council, from Windsor
Castle. Count Walewski, the. French Ambassador,
paid a visit to the noble earl in the afternoon, at the
Foreign-office, Downing-street.
Mr. Monsell, M.P., had an interview with the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer on Monday, at his official resi-
dence in Downing-street.
The Royal Commission for Inquiring into the state of
the Corporation of the City of London met yesterday, at
the Privy Council-office, Downing-street. The Commis-
sioners present were the Right Hon. H. Labouchere,
the Right Hon, Sir John Patteson, and G. Cornewall
Lewis, Esq.
Bishop Wilson bad an interview with Viscount Pal-
merston on Monday, at the Home-office.
Despatches were received from the Governor of
Canada yesterday, at the Colonial-office.

CABINET COUNCIL.-- A Cabinet Council was held at
the Foreign-office, Downing-street, yesterday afternoon.
The Ministers present were the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord
John Russell, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the
Duke of Argyll. Viscount Palmerston, the Earl of
Clarendon, the Duke of Newcastle, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Sir James Graham, Sir Charles Wood,
the Right Hon. Sidney Herbert, and Sir William
Molesworth. The Council sat four hours.
The Prince and Princess Edward of Saxe Weimar
have arrived in town from visiting the Duke and
Duchess of Richmond, at Goodwood Park. 'His High-
ness is doing duty with his regiment, the 3d battalion
Grenadier Guards quartered at the Tower. •
The Duke of Beaufort, and a party of sporting noble-
men and gentlemen are participating in the pleasures of
the hunt, at Badminton. Park.
_ _ _

Lord John Russell's official banquet, on Monday
next, when the. Queen's Speech will be read to a full
dress dinner party, including the mover and seconder of
the Address, will be given at the Foreign-Office, his
Lordship's mansion in Chesham-place not being. suffi-
ciently capacious for so large a party.
The Lady Elizabeth Cornwallis arrived in Berkeley.
square yesterday, from Linton-place, near Maidstone.
Lord and Lady Alfred Paget and youthful family
arrived in Berkeley-square yesterday, from visiting the
Marquis of Anglesea at Beaudesert, where Viscount
and Viscountess Sydney and a limited circle have been
staying, on a visit to the gallant and venerable field-
marshal during the last week.
The Earl and Countess of Clarendon entertained a
distinguished party at dinner last evening in Grosvenor-
crescent.

¶E Hon, Charles A. Murray, her Majesty's
Minister at Berne and suite, arrived yesterday at
Mivart's Hotel from Switzerland.

THE GRAND OPERA IN PARIS.—The English with
us complain loudly of the time wasted between the acts,
which formed a serious addition to the length of the
opera, the sederunt altogether occupying upwards of five
hours and a half. —Oalignanca Mes;enger.

MONEY MARKET

AND
COM I.IIEBOIA,L INTELLIGENCE.

CITY, TWO O'CLOCK.

The sales of cotton at Liverpool yesterday were
estimated at from 3,000 to 4,000 bales, all to the
trade. The market was heavy, and prices of new
American at 52c1. to 61d. were id. per lb. lower ;
everything else flat. The sales include 100 Egyp-
tian at 6d. to Bd., 300 Surat at lid. to 4d., and the
remainder American. Railway shares were again
lower, with more desire to sell.
Messrs. H. W. Jewesbury and Co. report as
follows :

"There has been decidedly an improved tone in the
foreign and colonial produce markets (hiring the past
fourteen days. A large business has been done for
home use, and also a fair amount for export. The im-
portations have been moderate, and as the deliveries
from the warehouses continue large, the stocks of many
of the leading articles show a further decrease. " The
articles which have most materially improved in value
are rice and saltpetre. Cochineal has been in increased
demand at advanced rates, and dyewoods generally are
also higher. Indigo and lac dye rule about
previous rates, but safflower is rather easier for the
lower qualities. Unfortunately we are unable to
notice any change for the better in the' aspect
of political affairs ; the prospects of a continua..
tion of peace are diminishing daily ; it cannot, therefore,
be expected that confidence in mercantile transactions,
particularly for export, will continue. The strikes in the
manufacturing districts, although partially ended, are
still in a very unsatisfactory state, and large numbers
are out of employment. The further rise which has
taken place in the necessaries of life must be severely
felt by the labouring classes. From the continental
produce markets the late reports notice that prices re-
main firm, but with the exception of some business in
rice, the demand generally was confined to actual re-
quirements. In our cotton manufacturing districts,
there has been more doing in goods suitable for the
India markets, since the receipt of the last advices, but
for cloth generally the demand is only moderate. In
the woollen districts the transactions have been consi-
derable, at firm prices."

Under this head, an interesting extract respect
ing the trade of Russia, and the loss she must sus-
tain by a conflict with Europe, was given a few
days since from the Bankers' Circular. The fol-
lowing remarks from the same source are based
upon data, embracing the whole of the year 1851 :
" Perhaps it may interest our agricultural readers to
know that the exports of grain from the Russian. Em-
pire, exclusive of those from the Kingdom of Poland, in
1851, amounted to no less than 19,393,281 roubles, or
about 3,000,0001. sterling. And it is probable that their
value will greatly exceed this amount for the year just
ended, inasmuch as our imports of wheat alone during
the first nine months of 1853 exceeded those of the total
quantity for the year 1851, by 773,507 quarters against
699,684 quarters.
" And it appears from their official returns that the
proportion of the exterior commerce carried on with
Europe in 1851, amounted to about 79,000,000 roubles
in the exports, or about 81 per cent. of the entire value,
and the imports from the same quarter to 78,000,000
roubles, or about 75 per cent. of the entire value.
" Hence we may infer that, if Russia be determined
to act hostility to the other great Powers of Europe, she
must be prepared to sacrifice a great proportion of her
exterior commerce, in which she will have to play a very
hazardous game. For, to admit the posibility of her
success in a military point of view, would be nothing
less thin giving to despotism the power of triumph over
freedom and civilisation.

BRITISH MlNES.—Transactions in shares this
day were more frequent than yesterday, in conse-
quence of buyers being more numerous. Those
most in favour are Alfred Consols, ,25 ; Tremayne,
10 ; Molland, ; Bedford United, 8i 9 ; Wheal
Buller, 1,100 1,110 ; Sortridge Consols, 225. 6d.,
275. 6d. ; Tamar Marias, Bs., ; Great Tregune
Consols, 3 /; Treleigh, 2 ; East Russells; 61; Comb-
martins, / 6s. ; Poltimores, 1 ; Great Crinnis,
305.; Treweathas, 4 ; Wheal Edward, 2k 3 ; and
So. Cork, 15s. 1.
At the meeting of the Shareholders of the Old
Trewether Consols Company yesterday, some good
samples of antimony, silver-lead and copper ores
were exhibited, which have just been raised on the
setts. Due activity seemed to have been displayed
by the managers of this undertaking, as the engine
only went to work on the 4th inst., to fork the
water out of the old workings, yet many tons of anti-
mony are stated to be now on the surface, and only
a small expense is said to have been incurred to
arrive at this result, which is important to the in-
terests of the shareholders.
Yesterday afternoon, the quotations for bills
were a shade higher upon the principal Continental
cities. Paris, 90 days, was 25 271 to 30 ; Amster-
dam, 11 15i to ; Hamburgh, 13 4/ to 41, and
Trieste, 12 55 to 13.

There is a gratifying change in the English
funds, consequent upon the important fact that
the Emperor of Russia has not acted up to his pre-
vious declaration, and recalled the ambassadors
upon hearing of the entry of the combined fleets.
The speculators for a fall have been buying back,
and as stated frequently under this head, there will
be a great reaction should there ba even the ap-
pearance of a preservation of peace, for the obvious
reasons that the public have large surpluses ready
for investment, and that Bearing always predomi-
nates in periods of doubt and anxiety like the
present, since capitalists and others holding largely
of stocks and shares are compelled, as a matter of
prudence, to sell for time in order to protect them-
selves against loss. Consols have been 90 to
and since 91 to 91k. Exchequer Bills are 7s. to
10s. premium. Bank Stock has been firm at 216.
Foreign Securities participate in the buoyancy
of our own securities. Russian 5 per Cents. have
been up to 105 and 107, and the 4i per Cents. to
861 and 87. Spanish 3 per Cents. bring 40 to
and the Deferred 19 to 4. Mexican Bonds are worth
23, and Grenada Deferred 61. Brazilian Old
Stock is at 96. Belgian 41 per Cents. are 87 z, and
the Dutch 4 per Cents. 91 to 911.
Railways are up 1 to 2 per cent. in many in-
stances, although there is not a large business
doing. Caledonian, Great Western, Lancashire
and Yorkshire, Midland, and North British are
very buoyant. French shares have recovered
nearly 21., and the Belgian lines in proportion.
The current prices for the Jamaica Mines not
officially quoted, are as follows :—Jamaica, par to
premium; Metcalfe, to premium; Sue River,
I discount to par ; Port Royal, to g premium.
The Gold Mine shares are much the same, excep t
Agua Fria, which have advanced.

Joint Stock Bank shares have been nominally
rather firmer.
There is an improvement of 1/. to 2/. in Austra-
lian Agricultural shares.

BRITISH FUNDS THIS DAY.-CLOSING PRICES.

( From the Official List.)

Business done.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Reduced Annuities
3 per Cent. Consols Annuities 2oi 3 lh 901 i 90
New 31 per Cent. Annuities 9li 23 i / 13
India Bonds, £lOOO
Ditto' under £lOOO par
Consols for Account 15th Feb. 94 1i OCR 90
Exchequer Bills, id.
plOOO
X5OO ''9 7 10 8 10 p
710 p
Small 7 10 p
PRICE OF FOREIGN FUNDS THIS DAY.
Brazilian Bonds, 5 per Cent. 96
Milian Bonds, 6 per Cent.
Grenada Bonds, Deferred
texican 3 per Cent.
Peruvian Bonds, 41 per Cent. 661
Portuguese Bonds, 4 per Cent 37
Russian Bonds, 1822, 5 per Cent. £St lO5 7
Ditto 41 per Cent B7 8
Sardinian Bonds, 5 per Cent ... ...... 87 61 1
Spanish Bonds, 3 per Cent 39 401 40
Spanish New Deferred, 3 per Cent. l9 181
Ditto Passive (Converted) 4
Spanish Committee Cert. of Coup. not fun 4l 4 p c
Dividends on the above payable in London.
Belgian ;Bonds 41 per Cent. ex. 25 fr
Dutch Exchange, 21 per Cent. 12 Guil
Ditto 4 per Cent. Certificates

THREE O'CLOCK.
Consols
Ditto February Account

®DETERMINED SUICIDE IN TOWER•STREET POLICE
STATION HOUSE, WATERLOO-ROAD.—This morning, W.
Payne, Esq., the coroner, received information of the
death of Isaac Plank, aged 40 years, No. 41, New-street,
Webber-street, Blackfriars, who committed self-destruc-
tion under the following melancholy circumstances. It
appears the deceased was taken to Tower-street station-
house, Waterloo-road, for making a disturbance, and
locked up. When police-constable Henry Percy, No. 74
L, went to visit him in the cell, he found he had delibe-
rately drawn a razor across his throat, inflicting a fright-
ful gash, by which the windpipe and carotid artery were
divided. He was instantly conveyed
.to St. Thomas's
Hospital, where Mr. Dickinson, house•sur£s an, attended
by the medical staff of that valuable institution, afforded
prompt attention to the sufferer, who gradually sank
and expired shortly on his admission. The razor was
concealed about his person, as it was not found by the
officer on searching.

854.

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

It is stated, says the Paris correspondent of the
Times, writing yesterday evening, that despatches
were received on Monday evening at the Russian
Embassy from St. Petersburg ; and though their
contents are not known with any degree of certainty,
they are supposed to contain the Emperor's reply
to the note of which M. de Reizet was the bearer,
and the notification of the entry of the combined
squadrons into the Black Sea. That reply, though
not described as couched in any very strong lan-
guage, is nevertheless of such a character as leaves
little hope of a change in the Emperor's mind. It
demands, it is said, explanations as to what the
French Government means by making the Black Sea
neutral, and requires that a declaration of such neu-
trality shall be set forth in an official memorandum.
Otherwise the reply is, as usual, evasive. The Czar
makes the old protestations of the purity of his in-
tentions and the harmlessness of his designs, and
though ravaging the Principalities and burning the
Turkish ships at Sitiope, he still declares that war
is not his desire, nor, conquest
.his object. His in-
tentions are pacific; non-aggressive, and though
his troops may be established in the Ottoman terri-
tory, aggrandizement is as far from his mind as
ever. At the order given to the fleets to enter the
Black Sea he is understood to express his surprise
and regret, as the Powers must know that Russia
is not at war with France and England, but only
with Turkey. It is a personal quarrel between him
and the Sultan, with which the Powers have
no concern whatever. If such be the true charac-
ter of the despatches, they would seem to be little
more than a repetition, or rather compendium, of
all that has been already said and written on this
luckless Eastern question. The recall of the Am-
bassadors from London and Paris may be more or
less imminent, according to the refusal of these
Governments to such a demand. The Czar seems
unwilling to abandon to the-last moment the part
he has hitherto assumed—not the wrong-doer, but
the wronged—not the attacker, but the attacked ;
and he evidently prefers leaving to England and
France the initiative in the complete rupture of
diplomatic relations.
The Vienna correspondent of the Morning
Chronicle of Jan. 21, writes :—ln the beginning of
the present week it was intimated to me that the
Czar would most probably answer the notification
of the entry of the combined fleets into the Black
Sea in an angry tone, and order his ambassadors at
London and Paris to leave their posts, at least for
a time. Since then, it would appear that a some-
what less resolute mode of replying to the said no-
tification has been determined upon. The notifi-
cation in question was verbally communicated to
Count Nesselrode on the 12th inst. ; and as "peace
or war" depends upon the answer, it would seem
likely, from the latest information, that the prima
facie casus MU, which the said notification is sup-
posed to involve, will be momentarily ignored; and
that the Russian Cabinet will most probably de-
mand formal explanations thereon, copies of the
special instructions given to the English and
French admirals in the Euxine, and so forth. If
the Czar should determine to frame his preliminary
answer in this manner, of course the immediate
consequence will be that an additional delay of
three or four weeks will ensue before the question
of "peace or war" between Russia and the Western
Powers will be determined. Meanwhile, no doubt,
the Czar's caution may be construed favourably ;
and yet, if I am not greatly mistaken, all these
manoeuvres to gain time will soon be exhausted.
Russia will not tamely submit to be humiliated ;
and as for the last peace project agreed to at Con-
stantinople, the Czar will surely not accept it, un-
less the Porte consents to enter into direct negotia-
tions with the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh.
The passage of the Danube by the Russians ap-
pears to be confirmed by news received in Paris.
It is believed that from 10,000 to 15,000 have
passed in the spot indicated, and it is certain that
that corps will be followed by others ; and we may
expect for a desperate attempt at as complete an
invasion of Bulgaria, for the movement of troops in
Russia is very great. The Emperor has in this, as in
other matters, disappointed all anticipation ; he has
not waited for spring to resume his operations ; and
while receiving and answering protocols and ulti-
matums he has been acting. The passage of the
Danube creates a new embarrassment to the
Powers. By perhaps a strained construction of
,words the passage of the Pruth and the occupation
of the Principalities were pronounced not to be in
strictness a castes ; the exceptional position of
these provinces justifying the doubt, and the benefit
of the doubt was given to' the Czar. The question
may now arise whether the passage of the Danube,
which is regarded as the real answer to the entry
of the combined fleets into the Black Sea, ought

to be regarded by the Powers as a casus belli, or
merely a simple act of intrusion, condeinnable to
be sure, but yet necessitating the applkcation of
the ultima ratio. If the Russians enter the Balkan
passes and invade Roumelia, the same question
may arise. .

In the Journal de St. Petersbourg of the 15th

•
inclusively, there is nothing respecting the move-
ments of the Russians in the Principalities of the
Danube, or any other operations of the Russian

armies.

By a rescript dated the 23d ult. the Emperor of
Russia has conferred the order of the White Eagle
on Vice-Admiral Stantikdviteh; • Corumaniant of
the port of Sebastopol and Military Governor of
the town.
The Trieste Gazette states that the restrictions
imposed by Prince Gortschakoff on neutral vessels
in the Lower Danube have rendered navigation
there impossible, and that Austrian commerce will
suffer more than that of any other nation.
It is affirmed in monetary circles usually well in-
formed that Austria has notified to Russia her
fixed determination to maintain an armed neu-
trality, provided the Czar adheres to his engage-
ment that he aims at no territorial aggrandise-
ment. In the event of this pledge of the Czar be-
ing broken, it is stated Austria would assume an
attitude antagonistic to Russia.
A letter from Hermannstadt, Jan. 20, mentions
that Prince Gortechakoff had left Bucharest with
two regiments of infantry and several squadrons of
hussars and Cossacks, for Krajova, whence ho pro-
ceeds to Radovan, the present centre of General
Aurep's corps. General Jumont is among the
Russian officers severely wounded.
A private letter, dated Sophia, Jan. 12, states
that on the 10th several thousand men of the gar
risan there were marched down towards Widdin.
On the 12th 3,000 irregulars arrived at Sophia.

The announcement of the passage of the'Danube
at Silistria by the Russians, originally made in the
Vienna Frenden Blatt, is not confirmed, but other
despatches from Bucharest state-that the Russians
were very active along the whole line of the Danube,
and it is not improbable that aggressions on the
right bank may have taken place at more than one
point. The statement that Silistria had fallen into
the hands of the Russians is now explained to apply,
not to the celebrated fortress there, which is known
to be capable of resisting a considerable force, but
to a locality in the neighbourhood.
Accounts from Sebastopol of the 10th, received
through Bucharest, state that all the Russian'ships
are kept close in port. Small steamers keep the
Russian Admiral well informed of the Frenah and
English fleets. On the 7th two steamers from the
fleets brought an official message for the Russian
Admiral. Since that date neither the French nor
English flag had been seen. There was a violent
sea storm on the 6th.
Letters from Odessa of the 12th state that no
French or. English war ships had been seen there. •
The British steamer, Prometheus, was at Varna
on the 2nd inst. .The captain, it was said, was
looking in the Gulf of Burgos for a good anchorage
for thfleets. •
The report that the Russians had blockaded

Varna, was incorrect.
A letter from Vienna of the 20th, to the Cologne
Gazelle, says News have arrived here to-day
to the effect that on the morning of, the 13th, the
Russians passed the Danube near Matchin, and
engaged in a very brisk combat with the Turks.
The result was not known at the departure of the
courier at one in the afternoon. Matchin was said
to be in flames, and the carnage terrible."
The first regiment of the Christian Cossacks

formed by Zadik Pasha (Charkowsky) and mostly
composed of Bulgarians, was to leave Constanti-
nople on the 10th for the head-quarters of Omer
Pasha.

It was believed that the Governor of Sebastopol
contented himself with answering to the notifica-
tion of the entry of the fleets into the Black Sea,
that he was astonished at so unforeseen a commu-
nication, that he could not understand what they