The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-31 00:00:00

ing. The Turkish steamers immediately commenced
discharging part of their ammunition. A miserable
Turkish town • hardly a decent house in it, with
the exception of the British Consul's. Here they are
very indifferently prepared to resist any attack from
sea or land, having only a couple of miserable forts,
and those scantily supplied with cannon. We sailed
from this place in the evening for Batoum, the
nearest anchorage to the Turkish frontier, the whole
squadron having loaded and shotted all their guns in
readiness for action, having heard at Trebizond that a
Russian squadron of four line of battle ships and four
steamers had been seen off the place.
" Jan. 11.—Arrived at Batoum. Saw nothing of
the Russian squadron, which disappointed a good
many, who were ready in hope of having something
to do.' Assisted the Turkish steamers in landing all
their ammunition for the army, which was encamped
about fifteen miles from this, on the frontier,
which we succeeded in doing by two p.m. Batoum is
a mere village, with a single fort on a point. We weigh-
ed at 2 p.m. and all steamed together towards the Turk-
ish frontier (12 miles), where we got a distant peep at
the Turkish encampment. We then turned about, and
made the best of our way to Sinope under steam, where
we have just arrived, Jan. 13th, and found the fleets of
Vice-Admirals Dundas and Hamelin here as we left
them. The Terrible and the Fury leave this evening
(13th) for Constantinople, to convoy the six Turkish
steamers there, I believe, accompanied by two French
steamers also.
"We remain-here (Sinope) for a short time, and shall
all, after the arrival of the Caradoc with despatches,
return to Constantinople, unless anything new turns up.
"The Turks have commenced getting up guns, stores,
&c., from the ships sunk by the Russians in the late

massacre.
"Three Russian steamers were on this frontier three
days previous to our arrival, trying the range of their
guns at some of the Turkish forts.

FRANCE.
S.
The following is another account of the inter- sStt..
view between M. de Kisseleff and M. Drouyn de st.
Lhuys, on the subject of the answer to be made to 12
the Czar :—" The despatches reached M. de 50
Kisseleff and the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the 16'
same time. M. de Kisseleff immediately after-
wards went to M. Drouyn de Lhuys to demand
14
explanations relative to the entry of the two 50
fleets. On the reply of the French Minister 20
of Foreign Affairs, that the order was given 1.1
as a measure of protection to Turkey, but !-0
not as an aggression upon Russia M. de 3tKisseleff demanded that this explanation should 20
be put in writing. The two diplomatists sepa- 10
rated without concluding anything, in order 12
that M. Drouyn de Lhuys might consult his St
colleagues, and take the orders of the Emperor on
the subject, and it was agreed that the two Minis- 25
ters should meet again some hours later. The 25
second interview accordingly took place, and M. st
Drouyn de Lhuys informed the Russian diplomatist „E
that the Government did not mean to give the ex- st
planation in writing. M. de Kisseleff was, how- 5(
ever, at the same same given to understand that 21
the refusal was only provisional, as it was neces- 10(
sary that in the first instance the French Govern •
ment should come to an understanding on the 21
subject with that of England. It is said that in 5
the course of the interview, M. de Kisseleff said to 21
the French Minister, You suppose that you em-
barass us greatly in the Black Sea ; but you may $
remain there for three years, if you like.'
It is asserted that the French Government will 7
to-day give M. de Kisseleff the reply to the ques- 1
tions of the Czar.
Prince Napoleon, the son of Jerome, left Paris
on Saturday for Brussels, on a special mission from ;
the Emperor to the King of the Belgians. It is
understood that this mission was specially re- 2
quested by King Leopold Leopold, it being the 2
wish of his Majesty to make a public demonstra-
tion of the good footing upon which he stands with
France, and of the falsehood of the reports which E
attributed to him the character of an agent and
partisan of Russia. Prince Napoleon is instructed ‘,
to enforce upon his Majesty the necessity of show
ing to the world that he gives his cordial and un-
suspected support to -the allied Powers in the Rus- ;
sian affair.
It is thought that the Duke and Duchess de :
Brabant will soon visit Paris.
The Moniteur contains a decree granting the
Emperor's permission to a very large number of
persons to wear foreign orders. The most distin-
guished in this list in point of decorations is Clot
Bey, formerly physician to the Pacha of Egypt,
who is, it appears, a Knight of the Order of
Grace of the Two Sicilies, a Commander of the
Spanish Order of Isabella the Catholic, a Knight
of the Red Eagle of Prussia, of the rder of St.
Maurice and St. Lazarus of Sardinia, and of the '
Order of St. Stanislas of Poland. M. Drouyn de
Lhuys is gazetted as a Grand Cross of the Lion
of the Netherlands. MM. Fould. and Abbatucci
are Grand Crosses of the Order of our Lady of the
Conception of Villa Vicosa. M. Baroche is a
Knight of the Turkish Order of Medjidie. M.
Alphonse Mayer James Rothschild figures as a
Knight of the Order of -Leopold of Belguim, and
M. Gustave Samuel James Rothschild is a Knight
of the same Order, and also of the Tuscan Order
of St. Joseph.
A contract las just been taken at Rochefort for
the equipment of 15,000 men ; they are to be fur-
nished within one month, independent of 20,000
more, which number is nearly complete.
The Emperor has addressed the following letter
to M. Achille Fould, Minister of State and of the
Household of his Majesty :
" Palace of the Tuileries, Jan. 29.
" Monsieur le Ministre—l have just nominated you
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, to express to you
my satisfaction at the manner in which you have directed
two important services--my Civil List and the termina-
tion of the Louvre. Thanks to your care, the most ri-
gorous order is established in my household; all accounts
are paid with exactitude, and the great national enter-
prise of the termination of the Louvre will soon be rea-
lised. I have been anxious to give you this mark of es-
teem on the anniversary of my marriage. On this I pray
God to have you in his holy keeping. " NAPOLEON: