The Sun.
London, England, 1853-12-21 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, DECR-MBER 21, ,1853.

ment. Never mind the battle of Sinope, the
seizure of the Principalities, the insults to the
English flag, the injury done to British merchant-
men—never mind all these, outrages, all this
fcrocity, all this lawless and shameless audacity
on the part of the AUTOORAT—everything is
going to be happily settled by the Aberdeenites:
for the chivalrous and sagacious Coalition is again
prepared to—negotiate.
Parliament being still closed, there is necessa-
rily a continued silence, very irksome, if not also
very calamitous, under existing circumstances.
Yet, may we inquire—What at this juncture are
the thoughts and feelings of the masses of our
fellow-countrymen ? Are they in heart and spirit
still Englishmen—or are they irredeemably Ger-
manised

Never was our National Church in a more effi-
cient state than at the present time. We are
assured of it from every quarter. The charges of
the Right Reverend and the sermons of the
Reverend Clergy proclaim it, both ad clerum and
ad populum. Archdeacon DENrsoN and Arch-
deacon HARE, Mr. MACNEILE at Liverpool, and
Mr. BANNET at Frome, tell the comforting truth
to their equally zealous, though antagonistically
disciplined, flocks. The Record assures us that
never were there more godly clergymen in the
Church since SIM:EON arose to purify it by the
godly purchase of livings ; and the Morning Post
has equal faith with the Morning Chronicle in the
aroused energy of eccleSiastical zeal. What, too,
means this lowing of Convocation in our ears, and
this bleating of Exeter Synods—what the de-
parture of Anglican bishops to our colonies—
what these prosperous Pastoral Aid and
_Church
Building Societies, unless they mean that the
Church is awake and doing ? That WHITFIELD
and WESLEY awoke Dissenters, and that Dissenters
have awaked their common mother, and that she
bids fair soon to outvie her most blooming daugh-
ters, and to add the charms of renewed youth to
the more valuable qualities of matronly dignity
and experience.
Thus we were musing, when our eye turned
accidentally upon one of our National Church ad-
vertisements. It was not of a sermon, or of a
confirmation, or of a public meeting, but of an
"advowson," and another of "next presentation,"
and so forth, for there were several of them together.
Howappropriate I Here, we thought, we shall cer-
tainly meet with matter-of-fact confirmation of
our thinkings ; for Englishmen as we are, we
me must be forgiven what Germans would deem
an excessive tendency to check fancy by sober
fact. Where, it occurred to us, should We find
the spiritual improvement of our clergy tested if
not in the inducements held forth to the pur-
chase of a living. No persons know better than
sellers what will take with the buyers. Mr.
RosiNs et hoc genus omne—well do they know
what raises the bidding's most rapidly; 'cute gen-
tlemen in that line, as JONATHAN would say, are
they. The Bishops' examinations of the presen-
tees to livings we only come at now then in a
GORHAM case or so ; else, doubtless, we should be
delighted with the increasing and holy fervour of
the about-to-be rectors, vicars, &c. Failing these,
however, we turn to the auctioneer and estate
agent, and, odd as it may seem at first sight, to
consult them on the qualities of the clergy, it is
not so out of the way as it seems. Bishops' ex-
aminations could only tell us the words of the can-
didates, but the gentlemen at GARRAWAY'S can
tell us their deeds; and we have rather high autho-
rity in regard to our " prophets" for believing
" that by their fruits we shall know them."
Here, then, in the advertisements, we shall,
doubtless, find careful descriptions of the spiritual
nvessities of the flocks, of the kind of instruction
they will need, of the mental and moral qualities
best adapted for usefulness among them, of the
extent of spiritual destitution, of the desire for
instruction claiming kind consideration, of the
heathenish and giddy indifference or vice which
need a LUTHER or a Wicrm to compel the atten-
tion of the most obdurate, or of the liability to
seduction, demanding the bland, yet
convincing and dignified, reasoner. Here, in fact,
we shall have a sample of the sacred baits by
which the awakened and ' purified zeal of the
clergy of the i.resent half century are allured to
t k-e, or to change, the care of souls.

Ems having mused again, we examined the
advertisements. We were completely puzzled.
We thought there must be some misprint, some
transposition from adjoining advertisements of
estates ; yet it did not appear to be so on closer
inspection. Had the great spiritual enemy of the
clergy—well known to be so busy at printing
offices, as well as other chapels—had he in pure
mischief concocted and slipped in such secular
advertisements about spiritual men and spiritual
things ? We determined to test it ; we got down
a whole file of newspapers—we looked over similar
advertisements. One and all, can our readers believe
it, they spoke of the same things—good incomes,
large gardens ; pleasant situations, light duties,
old incumbents ! Imagine our surprise ;it was.
much like FRANKLIN'S when his servant having left
his window shutter open, he found it broad day-.
light at six o'clock a.m., and having referred in-
credulously to the almanack, found it was even
so, and that the sun would actually rise earlier
and earlier till the middle of June, and give light'
as soon as he rose ! Well, like him, we were
necessitated to believe our eyes and our news-
papers. The imps of the printing office might
have caught Mr. Editor napping for once, but
they could never have repeated their wicked wag-
gery.

The main point being settled, we naturally ex-
amined a little more deliberately ; still, not one
line, no, not one single stray line, could we find
appealing to the motives indicated in the solemn
service which -converts the layman into a deacon
and a
priest. Quite sure and clear, negatively, as
the old divines in folio say, we looked on the mat-
ter positively ; and here there was much. The
incomes, of course, figured prominently, 2001.,
2751., 500/., 5561., 6001., 6501., 8001. Thus they
rose one above another, like the biddings at the
auction,- from the bare competency for a respectable
person, to hard upon the incomes of the humbler
squires. Population was mostly carefully noted.
The last Census sometimes quoted ; sometimes it
was "moderate," sometimes " not exceeeding" a
specified amount. This, of course, we should have
regarded as indicating a general wish amongst the
rectorial and vicarial class not to have more work
than they could do well. We were struck, how-
ever, with probabilities of another kind, by the
description given of the "duty." It was 4, light,
iu out; case, "extremely light" ; but then the latter
was for the 275/. income. In mother, " after
deducting a liberal sum for duty," i.e., for putting
it on other shoulders, "a clear income of 6001.
was left." We suppose because the Incumbent of
a living of 6001. a year and upwards is not ex-
pected to do duty except by proxy. "Good houses"
appear to
,be liked, and " good gardens" to be
graatly in demand--of course they are favourable
to devout meditation. One was 18 acres in ex-
tent, rather large even for the annexed " clear in-
come of 6001. per annum, after paying, liberally
for duty." Situation was naturally adverted to.
Here the advertisements boxed the compass—the
Northern, Southern, Western, Eastern Counties,
and South Western, were d istinctly specified. It was
" excellent," "pleasant," " charming," "healthy"
—all very reasonable for those who must keep to
one place, as MEnEA says a poor wife having but
one face to look at, need to have that place one
pleasant to the sight : only though woman may
do without a husband, we suppose the most un-
attractive parish must have a parson. Locality
is plainly a consideration. One who "wants" an.
advowson, requires not only " a most excellent
house and grounds, dry soil, neighbourhood good,
and population
not
exceeding 600," but that it
be as " • a . sine qua non, not more than three miles
from a market town ;", suggesting, of course, that
fish daily, and a hot
joint, game, &c., are " sine
qua nons" also. It may be, however, that the
lady has influence here, and being
a good house-
wife does not like to dispense with
the economical
advantages
iof " unrestricted competition." The
age of the incumbent appears as a melancholy
item--the attraction obviously being his proximity

to the grave. Sometimes euphemistically " pro-
spect "of early possession" indicates the near pro-
spects of the actual possessor. More frequently
the age is recorded as precisely as on the grave-
stones in'the incumbent's churchyard. One is but
40 yet. Another 46.:--he, too, of the 6001.
a-year, after " a liberal deduction" for having his
duty done for him. With such an easy life, .the
cc 18 acre garden" too, and " a charming zesi-.
dente,"--alas ! he may live to 80 or 90 ; gout is
not a mortal disease. Another is 55, others 66,
70, and so forth. One, the rev. gentleman of 66,
must be of great value to his living, since he
" resides abroad," but this suggests to the intend-
ing buyer, " that an arrangement could probably
be made for the appointment of the purchaser's
nominee as resident curate." Half possession
during the life of the trans-marine shepherd of the
flock !

We have said that the spiritual state of the
congregations is quite unnoticed. That of the
Bishop is, however, most delicately adverted to in
one instance ; "a small agricultural parish in one
of the western counties in the diocese of EXETER,"
i.e.—No Evangelical need apply. It occurred to
us whether population was estimated " with a
liberal deduction" for Dissenters, as there are
hundreds of them in many parishes who, in their
own opinion at least, need no clerical duty. As
they are never mentioned, neither their absence
nor their presence held forth as an allurement, we
suppose the Church of England repays herself on
Dissenters for Papal aggressions. Rome " ignores"
the Church of England, and she, in turn, "ignores"
her rebel offspring.

LATEST FOR NEWS

RUSSIA AND TURKEY

A despatch from Vienna has been received
stating, appa'rently in a positive manner; that the
combined fleets have entered the Black Sea.

A Paris correspondent states that it is expected
that in the course of this day accounts from Vienna
will be received as to the reception given by the
Turkish Government to the Vienna note.

Our information from Vienna, by electric tele-
graph, brings advices from Bucharest up the 17th.
It appears that an action had taken place at Mate.
chin (opposite Ibraila). The Russians made -a re..
connoisance with two steamers, five gun-boats, and
four battalions of riflemen. They destroyed the
Turkish batteries below Matschin. The island be.
tween Ibraila and Matschin was occupied by the
Russians. The firing was sharp. The Russians
ost ten killed and several cart-loads of wounded.
The cannonade lasted twenty hours. Twelve hun-
dred riflemen were landed, and were opposed by
the Dobrudscha cavalry.

Anuthes account states that the Russian attack
on the fortress of Matschin was a complete failure.
The Oest Correspoadenz states, under date Bu-
charest, Dec. 17 :—" The Persian Government
has offered Prince Woronzoff 30,000 auxiliaries,
and demanded a Russian commander for them."

From Berlin, we learn that on the 2d of Decem-
ber Prince Beboutoff, in Asia, gained a victory
over the Turks ; 24 guns were taken at the point
of the bayonet, and the Turks lost 1,500 men.
From Malta, we have advices up to the 14th
inst. The Agamemnon has entered the port. Two
British merchantmen, the property of a Maltese
house, which sailed with cargoes of coals to the
Black Sea, were very roughly dealt with in the
battle of Sinope.
Under date, Jassy, •Dec. 9, 4,000 men of Osten-
Sa" cken's corps passed through the town that day.
Therefore, it is stated that General Osten-Sacken
lies still at Kishaneff.

The garrisons of Galatz and Brailow are being
reinforced.

Mr. Gardner, the British Consul at Jassy, has
received Lord -Redcliffe's instructions to leave the
Principality.
Letters from Constantinople, of the Bth inst.
state that the Porte has refused to accede to a
armistice, but was willing to join the conference.
The following are the points agreed upon between
the four Powers :-Ist. Maintenance of the terri-
torial integrity and independence of Turkey. 2d.
The Olmutz concessions and the modified Vienna
Note to be the basis of the negotiations for a new
treaty of peace. 3d. All former treaties between
the belligerent powers to be re-established. 4th.
Evacuation of the Danubian Principalities after the
conclusion of peace.
The declaration of war by Persia against Turkey
is still doubted.

There is no later 'intelligence of importance from
Kalafat.

From Semlin, under date of the 10th, we learn
that at present there prevails a political calm in
Servia.

Prince Alexander left on the sth of December,
for Kragujevatz. This journey into the interior is
supposed to have connection with the present ener-
getical armaments, as from thence measures can be
taken without exciting attention, which it would
be impossible to conduct secretly at Belgrade. The
Woiwode, the Servian General Knicsanin, and all
the officers of high rank, are to be found there.
Steps to be taken under all possible emergencies
are there arranged, and necessary orders despatched
in all directions. Guns are being cast and proved.
The Swiss Major Orelli, at present commandant of
the Servian artillery, displays unusual activity ;
he has laid before the prince a plan for the defence
of the country, which is universally well spoken of.
The artillery are constant at their exercises.

Omer Pacha has sent 300 well practised artillery-
men into the fortress at Belgrade. They arrived
on the 4th of December. They were sent at the
express wish of Izzet Pacha, who puts no great
confidence in the Turkish inhabitants of Belgrade,
who till now have done duty in the fortress as
artillerymen, they having common interests with
th 4 Servians, with whom they share the town.
The arrival of these artillerymen was viewed with
general distrust.
Commerce is completely paralysed, and the Go-
vernment seem to have come to the determination
to centralise upon Kragujevatz. The Russian
Consul-General de Muchin still lives at Semlin,
often, however, travelling incognito to Belgrade,
where he holds conferences with Prince Alexander's
representative.
At the orders of Kurschid Pacha, the Vizier of
Bosnia, 12,000 men have concentrated upon the
Bosnian-Servian • frontier, where they have en-
trenched themselves : this demonstration is chiefly
at Visigrad and Mokrogora. Corps of observation
are also forming upon the Montenegro frontier, at
Onagaschte, Kalasehin, and Gatzko. From this
we may conclude that the Turks wish to prevent a
junction of the Servians and Montenegrins, the
Servian quarantine being only about 30 miles from
the Montenegro frontier.
An aggressive movement of the Turks into Ser-
via is not to be thought of at present, as such an
act would be the signal for a war between Christian
and Turk, the detrimental effects of which upon
Turkey would be incalculable. Doubtless thegood
sense of the Turkish Minister will induce him to
avoid such a conflict. Servia, Bulgaria, Montene-
gro, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, and Greece, wait
but for the opportunity to shake off the yoke borne
for four centuries, and to pay their debt of venge-
anoe so long accumulating. Notwithstanding that
the Porte views with displeasure the armed neu-
trality of Servia, she will still endeavour to respect
I it, and assurances to that effect are said to have ar-
rived in Belgrade. The future will show whether
the Servian Government, in the course of warlike
events, can, through a moderation and a prudence
which they have hitherto exhibited, prevent a rup-
ture with the Porte.
The Turks have, thrown up immense fortifications
at Kalafat, and courageously await the attack of
the Russians. Selim Pacha and six other pachas
command the troops there, which number from
20,000 to 25,000. Above 100 pieces of artillery
are said to have been placed upon the walls. The
discipline among the Turks is excellent.
SEMLIN, DEC. I.l.—Well-authenticated news has
just been received from Constantinople, at all the
consulates in Belgrade, that the united Turkish:
Egyptian fleet in the Black Sea has been totally
destroyed by the Russians; upwards of 7,000 men,
it is said, have thereby found a grave beneath the
waves. Great excitement prevails in Constantinople.
The Servians in Belgrade this day celebrate, with
salvos of artillery, the holiday of St. Andreas, as
the day on which, in 1806, Belgrade was stormed.
by Kara-Giorgewitch, and in 1851 the glorious
hattischerif, which guarantees the present political
existence of Servia, was publicly read in Belgrade.
News has also been received in Belgrade from
the Wallachian frontier, that the Turkish en-
trenchments at Kalafat have been attacked by the
Russians, and from whence, for three days, a con-
tinuous cannonade was heard. The result has not
transpired. In any case a determined resistance
may be expected from the Turks in this, to them,
so advantageous a position.
The communications on the Danube are totally
suspended.
A correspondent well remarks upon the contest
now going on between Turkey and Russia, that
either England cannot fight Russia, even on a
question of life and death, as being far inferior
already to her grasping rival, or she dare not, as
being held back by invisible but well-known influ-
ences. In either case, the prestige of England is
gone. In either case, Russia is de facto the stronger
power, and will every day enlarge her physical and
diplomatical resources. In either case, the minor
States, even those whom she has cruelly plundered'
and is daily threatening to swallow up, are cowed
and fascinated, and will continue to cling to her for
a flagitious support.
lip to this moment, the influence of Russia has
by no means decreased in the north of Europe.
She still holds her own.

If the peace juggle is to be carried out, with or
without the compulsion of Turkey, it must be based
on—

1. The instant evacuation of the principalities.
2. The abrogation of all treaties between Russia
and Turkey.
3. The fullest compensation by Russia to Turkey
for all the expenses of the war incurred by the
latter, and for the occupation of the principalitieS.
If any one of these stipulations is omitted, Rus-
sia will have gained what she fought for, and may
ruin Turkey by the exhaustion of an armed peace
at any moment, as she will England when her time
comes.

Among the vessels which assisted in the work of
destruction at Sinope was the Ordinazez, which on
the 23d of October was under the fire of the guns
of the fort of Isaktschi. It is calculated that the
Turco7Egyptian fleet is one-fourth weaker than it
was on the 29th of last month. The fortifications
of Vyrna are still being strengthened and improved,
as it is considered highly probable that the Rus-
sians may make an attack from the sea side.

Prawadz, a town lying between Varna and Shumla,
which is considered the key to the road to Ad-
rianople' is also being fortified. Ismail Pasha has
received orders to act strictly on the defensive.
Sophia, which formerly had only a wall flanked by
towers, and a tumble-down kind of citadel, is now
being strengthened by means of trenches, 12 in-
trenced batteries, and block-houses. 28,000
posts have also been brought for palisades, and
even the tradesmen assist in digging the trenches.
It is calculated that the messenger, who left Vienna
on the 7th for Constantinople, must have reached
that city. According to the latest advices from
Tiflis, Prince Woronzoff is in perfect health.
About one-third of the third army corps, under
General Osten Sacken, which is said not to be more
'than 20,000 or 25,000 strong, has already entered
Moldavia. The troops crossed the Pruth in three
; places : from Kilia to Hirlau, and thence to Jassy ;
from Lenscheni to Husch, and thence to Fok-
schani. It is supposed that the head-quarters of
Osten-Sacken will be at Tirgowischt, which is just
in the centre 'of Wallachia. General Budberg's
the new Commissioner) speech to the Moldavian
notabl,_!s at Jassy met with au exceedingly frosty
reception.
The Lloyd legns from the Turkish frontiers that
a heavy storm is brewing in the Principalities.
Various symptoms announce the approach of impor-
tant events, but the most striking of them is the
conduct of the Russian officers, who have suddenly
ceased to visit in the houses where they had before
been constant guests. It appears that y they are
afraid of being accused, of betraying the in-
tended operations. The soldiers imitate their
superiors, and the consequence is that a great cool-
ness has arisen between the protectors and the
protected. The unusual interruption in the' com-
munications is another proof that considerable
military operations are going, on. For some days
all communication has been cut off between the
Capital and the places in the south and west of the
country, and the peasants in Lesser Wallachia are
prohibited to quit their villages under pain of
death. Sudden landings and surprises ou the part
of the Turs are still the order of the day along the
whole line of the Danube. " The Turks fight with
such fanatical enthusiasm that hardly any pri-
soners are ' made ; in Bucharest none have !been
seen." On the anniversary of the accession of the
Emperor Nicholas, " the Protector of the Danu-
bian--Principalities," there was a solemn service
in the principal church of Bucharest, at which
Wallachians as well as Russians were present.
A correspondent from Berlin, under date of the
17th, says, relative to the disaster at Sinope. :
The news of the successful engagement by the
Russians at Sinope reached Warsaw by telegraph,
and was published in the public journals there pre-
vious to the 15th inst. Now that hostilities have
of themselves come to a temporary close in the
Principalities, there is less chance than before that
Prinoe Paskiewitsch will leave his seat of Govern-
ment to take the military command in the south.
The second armee corps is quietly stationed in can-
tonments there (Warsaw), and the Guards have as
yet received no marching orders.
The division of the fleet under the command of
Naohimoff at Sinope consisted of four ships of the
line, 120 guns each, Tri Swiatitela, Grossfurst Con-
stantin (admiral's ship), Paris, and Zwolf Apostel ;
two ships of 84 guns, Rostislaw and Swiatoslaw,
and the two steamers tiVladimir and Odessa. Ad-
miral Kornileff arrived in another steamer just
after the close of the engagement. The Russian

squadron was bound on a cruise, and had already,
as far back as the middle of November, been in
chase of these Turkish vessels, and had hoped to
come up with them in either Sinape, Varna, or
Baltschik. Three Turkish ships were sunk, the
rest burnt ; 400 guns were on this occasion lost to
the Turkish fleet. The troops and small arms, mo-
ney, ammunition, &c., seem to have been landed in
safety. The news of Naghimoff's naval success
reached St. Petersburg by the 9th inst„ and pro-
duced a tone of feeling there describedto be little fa-
vourable to any projects of arrangement which in
any wayshould reckon on concession on the part of
Russia. If this is a correct description of the state of
feeling there, what must it be after the receipt of the
news of General Andronikoff's victory over the Turks
at Akhalzik (Akizka) ? According to the Russian
despatch, dated St. Petersburg, the 10th instant,
but which does not give the date of the action, the
Turks lost 5,000 killed ; twelve cannon at the
point of the bayonet, seven stand of colours, the
whole baggage of the besieging force, and large
stores of ammunition. The despatch from Vienna,
bringing the same news, stated the Turkish loss at
4,000, and also left the date of the action unmen-
tioned. The Turks appear to have had possession
of the town of Akhalzik, but to have been driven
out of it subsequently by a sortie of the garrison
from the citadel or fortress, which the Turks had
not been able to take. The victory at Azur, or
Atzkur, seems to be the same as the affair at Akhal-
zik, as the two places are not far apart. The want
of dates prevents identktication. The confusion
arising out of the double names, Russian and
Turkish, for these places in Asia, ,and the use of
tile old and new styles of reckoning, is rendered
still greater by the high colouring of the Russian
reports, which makes the identity of two accounts
of the same event very difficult.
The Post Ampt Gazette of Frankfort, under date
of 16th, says :—" According to the last accounts
from Buchareit, General Aurep is appointed Cotu-
mander-in-Chief in Lesser Wallachia. He has
brought considerble reinforcements from Krajowa,
but it does not appear that he has received any
orders to attack the Turks near Kalafat, as had
been stated, although it is true that the Russians
have latterly made considerable preparations for
offensive operations. It is even possible that the
position of Kalafat may be turned, and that Gene-
ral Aurep may pass the Danube near Radujevatz,
and occupy Nissa and Sophia. The corps of General
Osten Sackeu is concentrated at Frigourit. The Rus-
sian garrisons of Galatz and Ibrail have been con-
siderably increased. 2,000 men and 12 pieces of
artillery belonging to the above corps remain at
Jassy. The main body of the army of Gen. Luders
is, it is said, at Hirsova."
The Dresden Journal contains a letter from
Vienna of the 14th, which says :—" The Turks
have made from Kalafat an excursion within three
leagues of Krajowa, and took away the forage
which the Russians had in store there. They re-
turned home with the Russians in their custody,
who had been placed as guards over the forage. It
was only two days after that General Fischback
heard of the matter."

The Journal de Francfort, in a letter from Con-
stantinople, says :—" M. Baltazzi, who some time
since made an advance to the Porte of 35 millions
of piastres on the tributo to be received from Egypt,
has also furnished 10,000 pieces of cloth, and all
the wires of the employes in the war department
have been set to work to convert it into cloaks for
the troops. A large building has been converted
into a workshop for the purpose. The females of
the Harems are similarly occupied, although they
are not very expert at needlework."
The following is from the Austrian correspondent
of the Times, dated Vienna, Dec. 17 :
" The subjoined telegraphic despatch from Her-
manstadt was communicated to we last night, but
there was more than one reason for not forwarding
it by electric telegraph. It was known at Berlin,
and besides it bears the stamp of having been
composed for the express behoof of the Russian
army iu the principalities. The statement that the
Turks, who were in an intrenched position, lost
1,000 men, and their assailants but 40, is so absurd,
that even the staunchest believers in the superiority
of the Russians are inclined to fancy that Prince
Woronzoff's original report must have been garbled
at Bucharest or St. Petersburg. It is not to be
expected that newspaper readers should follow up
the course of events so exactly as professional
writers, and therefore it may be well to remark
that it is probable a different version of the two
affairs mentioned in the dispatch has already been
given to the public.
" Victory of the Russian troops near Achalzich and
at Alexandropel (Gumri). On the 26th November,
Lieutenant-General Prince Andronikoff, with 9,000
men, attacked from 10,000 to 15,000 Turks who had
advanced against Achalzich, in their entrenched position
near Suplis, and stormed it after a very fierce battle,
which lasted 11 hours. The Turks had above 1,000
killed, 200 prisoners, and 13 guns, two artillery parks,
(this is literally rendered,) material of war, and the
whole camp fell into the hands of the Russians, who only
lost 40 men of their regular troops, nine officers, one of
whom was General Freitag ; 80 men were wounded.
The Muschir Ali Pasha, (Abdi Pasha, more probably),
who had advanced with the main army against Alexan-
dropel, was repulsed by a few battalions and guns
brought against him by Lieutenant-General Prince
Bebutoff." _

"If the date of the Russian bulletin is correct,
it is possible that the Russians have really obtained
some advantage der the Turks, as the Journol de
Constantinople, which is of the 4th December, has
no news of a later date from Asia than the.l4th,
16th, and 19th November."
Letters from St. Petersburg state that the pre-
parations making by the Emperor of Russia for the
prosecution of the war in spring, are on an unpre-
cedented scale of magnitude. In Poland the levy
is no less than 1 in 30 of the male population—and
that not (as is ordinarily the case) of the grown-up
population, but of all males, whatever their age.
In Russia, where the levies were hitherto never
more than 12 per 1,000 of the male population, the
levy for the present year has been doubled. On a
recent occasion, the Czar, havingremarked that the
number of men raised among the serfs in the
neighbourhood of St. Petersburg was smaller than
in any part of his dominions, asked the reason.
Ile was informed that the landowners round St.
Petersburg were in the habit of permitting their

serfs to take service in the capital, on paying a
portion of their wages to their masters ; so that
in point of fact, the Majority of those rc
the neighbourhood were actually in tin capital
Two days after, the gates of the city were closed,
and a regular razzia was made on all the coachmen,
footmen, sic., of St. Petersburg, a large proportion
of whom were forthwith removed from their good
places, and sent off to the army to.fight the Turks.
It is said that the Emperor Louis Napoleon feels
deeply the sad catastrope of Sinope, and, though
generally reserved in his manner and guarded in
his language, that words have occasionally escaped
him in conversation expressive of what it is said
he feels. Notwithstading the assurance received
from Lord Stratford de Redcliffe of the favour-
, able disposition of the Turkish Government to ne-
gotiate, much doubt exists on the point unless, as
has been so often stated, the Principalities are
previously evacuated, and the pretensions of Rus-
sia withdrawn. If this be the condition that
will be required by Turkey, previous to treaty,
there are but small hopes of an arrangement.
Private letter* from Constantinople speak of the
great excitement existing in that city, and go
so far as to assert that the intention to attack
Sinope had been previously known, and was
allowed to be executed for the sole purpose of
intimidating the Turks' and forcing them to
submit to any conditions, however degrading,
imposed by Russia. It is believed that if the
combined fleets really hate entered the Black
Sea, it is not for the purpose of fighting the
Russians, but simply to prevent them from attack-
ing the Turks ; and even this will irritate the Empe-
ror Nicholas quite as much as if they actually fired
into his ships. Lord Stratford has no doubt good
reasons for the belief he is said to have expressed,
but people are rather incredulous ; they say that the
conduct of the Czar has been consistent throughout.
He declared through Prince Gortzchakoff that he
should ,hold the Danubian Principalities "as "mate-
rial pledges" till his demands were complied with.
He has done so, he still holds them, and in propor-
tion as he makes protestations of his desire for peace
he sends his armies and his naval squadrons to
prove their insincerity. A private letter of
the 15th from Vienna says—" The Sultan can-
not treat before the evacuation of the Principa-
lities ; it is impossible for the Czar to submit
now without falling under the very feet of his
people. The Emperor of Russia cannot, without
destroying the very principle of his Government,
separate from Russia in this decisive conjuncture."
A few days will decide who are in the right—the
sanguine or the desponding.

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