The Sun.
London, England, 1854-01-05 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 5, 1854

LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

views. The rumour of the nomination of Aali Pacha.
(late Governor of Smyrna) to the post of Minister
of Foreign Affairs is daily gaining more consis-
tency ; and in that case, it is thought that Reschid.
Pacha will be raised to the dignity of Grand Vizir.
As long as Mehemet Ali Pacha maintains himself
as Minister of War, the peace party cannot gain
the upper hand. Riza Pacha, who has just been
named Minister of Mariae, is looked upon as the
probable successor to this post.
The four Powers have demanded an armistice,
in order to enter upon fresh negotiations, tending
to a peaceable arrangement of the Oriental ques-
tion. The Porte replied to this demand at first
negatively, and then declared that no such demand
could be submitted to a council unless accompanied
by a clear and definite declaration of the basis upon
which the new negotiations would be entered upon,
as otherwise an armistice would not be compatible
with the honour of the country, especially after the
late naval defeat at Sinope. On this the British
and French ambassadors held several councils, and
have drawn up a note embodying the points which
will principally be treated in the new negotiations,
and demanding an armistice in order to bring the
actual differences to a solution. It was presented
on the 15th. lam informed that one of the prin-
cipal points referred to in this document is full and
equal protection on the part of the Sultan to his
Christian subjects generally, and the return of
Russia to the position occupied by that Power
before the arrival of Prince Menschikoff. The
Porte engages to extend, at the demand of the four
Powers, to all its Christian subjects, the privileges
which Russia was desirous of obtaining for the
Turkish subjects of the Greek profession at its de-
mand exclusively. The last week has been passed
in meetings of the ambassadors of the great Powers,
and councils at the Porte. On Saturday a grand
council was convened, at which the Ulemas also
attended, likewise Riza Pacha, the new Minister
of Marine.
Since the disaster of Sinope, events seem to be
taking a more peaceable turn. It will, however,
require very great ability to disentangle them from
their present complications. As things at present
stand, one great and distinct fact presents itself.
The Russians have the command of the Black Sea,
and the Turkish army in Asia is cut off from the
source of its supplies. Varna and the European
coast of the Black Sea are menaced likewise, and
in fact, unless Britain and France interfere, the
Russians can lord it in every part of the Euxine,
and not a Turkish ship dare leave the Bosphorus.
Under such circumstances, peace-making, one
might reasonably expect, ought not to meet very
great difficulties. When we, however, see Walla-
chia and Moldavia occupied by Russian armies, and
consider the stout position taken up by Omer
Pacha on the Danube, and Kalafat garrisoned by
20,000 Turks, well entrenched, and determined to
keep their hold upon 'Little Wallachia, and begin
to consider the origin and progress of this great
question, its final settlement to the satisfaction of
all parties has a very distant aspect. Will the
Russians evacuate the Principalities ? Prince
Gortschakoff, the Russian general in command
there, has just made General Budberg governor of
the two Principalities, in the place of the Princes
Ghika and Stirbey, who have left the country.
A recent letter from Ibraila says :—" The little
snow that has fallen the last few days has cleared
the atmosphere, leaving a hard dry frost (6 to 7 de-
gxess below freezing point Reaumur). This renders
it very difficult to finish tha great ditch near the
great battery at Triboli. If the cold gradually in-
creases as it has done hitherto, accompanied by a
strong north wind, the Danube will be frozen over
before Christmas, and the Turks may cross and get
round the fortifications. The people of the country
say that two more nights like those we have already
had, with the north wind, are sufficient to totally
freeze tfie river, so as to permit the passage of
troops, baggage, and artillery, and that once the
Danube is well frozen, it will remain so for some
time, though the temperature becomes milder.
Under such circumstances the Turks might attack
this place with good hope of success. It is a
curious coincidence—at least, Veople say so—that
the Danube has always frozen the years in which
the Russians occupied the Principalities. They
bring cold with them it would seem."
The Queen and another man-of-war, forming
part of the squadron under Sir Edmund Lyons,
have just arrived. The French Consul-General of
Bucharest has come here. Colonel Colquhoun, the
consular representative of her Britannic Majesty in
the Danubian Principalities, is likewise shortly
expected.
On Thursday Lord Stratford de Redcliffe gave
a grand entertainment to the whole of the corps
diplomatique, and on Saturday the British resi-
dents of Constantinople wore invited there to an
entertainment on a large scale. Umards of 40
covers were laid, and the Queen's hAth was pro-
posed by the ambassador, and drunk with accla-
mations, the band playing " God save the Queen."
In my last letter I mentioned the capture of a
Russian war schooner at the entrance of the Bos-
phorus, coming from the Black Sea. This oc-
curred on the night of the 14th. The captain
and crew are at present in the fort of Anadoli-
Kayak as prisoners. Mustafa Bey, the commander
of this fort (in the Bosphorus), on seeing the
schooner, put out in a boat, and pulled for her.
He called to them to surrender, which they were
obliged to do immediately, as the batteries of the
forts were turned towards them. The schooner's
name is Aloupka ; she carries six guns, has a cap-
tain (Davidoff), one sergeant, five corporals, and
fourteen seamen ; there was also an engineer officer
of the name of Sarakine on board. The Aloupka
has been drawn under the batteries of fort Anadoli-
Kayak, and the Turkish flag hoisted in her. Be,
fore surrendering the Russians threw a great many
things into the water, which are supposed to have
been combustible matters. Hence the belief that
they had come to burn the fleets. A great many
papers and letters in the Russian language were
found on board ; until they are translated the truth
cannot transpire.
Vecent letter from Adrianople says :—" On the
7th of this month, at Adrianople, a Mihomedan
was beheaded, who had declared that Christ was
the true prophet and not Mahomed. Before sen-
tencing him to death, the authorities tried in vain
to make him renounce his faith ; he persisted in his
professions, and did not renounce—not even at the
last. A great many other persons have been dis-
covered professing the same ideas, and it is believed
that they are a secret association with a chief, and
hold private meetings. Our Government does all
it can for the families of the Redifs (nationalguards),
who have left for the war. Mehemet Pacha, the
governor, has himself taken fifty under his care and
provides for them. The chief of each quarter of
the town has orders to distribute small sums amongst
these people, in order to keep them from want.
Last week 72 cannons and 50 waggons arrived here
with ammunition ; the whole, as also a supply of
cannon balls, have left for either Shumla or
Widdin. The other day an officer arrived here
from Constantinople, with two soldiers, all dressed
a la Cosaque, to raise volunteers for that force,
which is just being formed. He succeeded in get-
ting some 200 young men to join, mostly Greek
stablemen. He has since left for the Danube. A
person has, however, remained here to continue
the enlistment."
I have just received the following letter from
Trebizond, which, though it contains much matter
already well known, nevertheless mentions a few
novel circumstances about the action at Sinope.
The news from the army in Asia is very bad :
" TREBIZOND, DEC. 10, 1853.
" The British courier from Persia and Erzeroum
has just arrived, bringing news that ten days ago
abody of 3,000 Russian troops attacked the Turkish
force stationed at Asdrakan, consisting of 20,000
men, under the command of Veli Pacha,. The
outposts of this force were destroyed by the Rus-
sians. On the first attack of the Russians the ir-
regular Turkish militia took to flight, and the rest
of the army followed their example. Veli Pacha
was struck by a bullet in the chest. Ali Pacha
was obliged with his own hand to kill five men to
make the troops stand ; it was, however, all of no
avail ; they were seized with panic, and could not
be brought to face the enemy.
" Though you have, no doubt, been made ac-
quainted with the particulars of the disastrous
action at Sinope, nevertheless I feel sure that the
following account of that affair, which has been
given me by persons who were there at the time,
will much interest you. In one of my preceding
communications, I told you that a Russian squad-
ron was cruising in the waters of Sinope. On last
Tuesday a frigate detached itself from the, rest,
and after having reconnoitred the position of the
Turkish squadron at anchor there, in number ten
frigates and two steamers, and after having well
observed them, returned to the other Russian

100 Aberdeen
100 Do., No. 2,7 p. c I
30 Blyth k Tyne 10 per
ct. prof. (iss. at£so)
100 !Bristol & Exeter 4 pr
cent., stock....

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.
The English steamer Caradoc, which we stated
yesterday arrived at Marseilles on the Ist, from
Constantinople, which she left on the 25th of De-
cember, brings despatches for . the French and
English Governments, but nothing certain had
transpired at Marseilles as to their contents.
The despatches from Constantinople brought by
the Caradoc are of the 25th. That steamer had a
very favourable passage notwithstanding the wea-
ther, having left on the 25th and arrived at Mar-
seilles on the Ist. These despatches confirm the
intelligence already received by the telegraph with
reference to the acceptance by the Porte of the
Vienna note, on the conditions already specified,
and the most important of which concern the eva-
cuation of the Danubian Principalities and the
abrogation of the old treaties ; the movement of
the Softas or students, at the instigation of the
fanatic section of the Ulemas, and its speedy sup-
pression ; and the presence of the combined fleets
in the Bosphorus up to the 25th.
The fleets were still moored in the Bosphorus.
The steam corvette Caton had sailed from Toulon
on the Ist to join the squadron in the Levant under
Admiral Hamelin.

5 Do. Do., shares
100 Caledonian £lO
all Chester & Holyhead
Guar. 5i per cent
64 Cork&Bandon 5 p.c
all Dundee PerthezAber-

6 : 101

1001

deen Junction
all EastAnglian (£3los)
6 per cent.
all Do. (25) 7 per cent..
2 Do. (t 7 17s) 7 p. ct..
all Eastern Counties Ex-
tension, 5 p. c. No.l
all Do., No. 2 .......
all Do., New 6p. c. St
all Eastern Union, Scrip
Guar. 6 per cent
all Do. £lO Deben. Sh
100 EastLancash. 6 p.cts
all East & West Yorksh
Junction Fifths
all Ediub.Prth.&Dundee
4 per cent.
100 Glasgow & S.Western
'guar. 5 per cent.
100 Great Northr 5 P.C.
100 Do. sp. c.,Redeem.,
at 10 p. c. prom
10 Do. 4i percent. Scrip
4 Gt.N. of Scot. ,lst Prof
all Gt. Southn. &Westn.
(Ireland) Eighths
2 Do. 4 per ct. pref. St
6 Gt. Westn. (Berks
Rants Ex. 5 c.) '

6i - 61
ti ---- ti

#-- 1p
li -- l
li -- 1 p
)
131 -- 14ip
201 -- 211

21 - .?i.

1.19 - 121

108 -
i -

A despatches received via Semlin from Constan-
tinople of the 26th ult. says, that the Porte had
not definitively resolved upon its formal answer to
the last Vienna note.

'lOO Do. con. It rod: 4i p.c
100 Do. do. 4 per cent...
100 Do. irredeem. 4 p. c.
6 Lan. di York. F. £2O,
100 Do., 6 p. c., Stock...
13 Leeds Nn. 6p. c. No. 1
9 Do. Quarters,lB4B...
100 London ancrßrighton
Guaranteed 5 IN c...
100 Do. Pref., sp. c. St.
all Do. Convertible, sp.

A certain number of the individuals arrested on
the occasion of the recent disturbance at Constan-
tinople, had been exiled to Candia.

T.he defeat experienced by the Turks in Georgia
is much less serious than was reported.
The Siècle says :—"
We are informed that the
Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin have announced to
the Governments of France and England that the
sending of the fleets into the Black Sea, at the mo-
ment when new negotiations had been opened, had
led Austria and Prussia to withdraw from the con-
ference, and to reserve their liberty of action. We,
however, give this news only under reservation,
and as one of the thousand rumours which are in
circulation."
Letters from Persia, of the 30th Nov., declare
that the Persian Government was said to have given
way to the energy displayed by the English Charge
d'Affaires, and to have given full satisfaction ; and,
for the moment at least, all the projects of Russia
are reported to have failed.
• '

c., 1852
100 Do. New Guar. 6 p.c
100 Loud. & N. W., Coy
& Nun., 5 per cent

5 London it S. Western,
Con. Thirds
12i Londonderry& Coler
5hare5........ .....
all Londy. & Ennis. Sh
all Manch. ,Shef., &Lin.,

i Shares, No. 1
all Do. New, £lO
3 Do., £6.
all Marypt.&•Carl. 4p. c
all Do. 4. per cent
10i Do
100 Mid. Consol. 6p.c. St
1.00 Do. Consol. Bristol &
Birm. 6 per cent
5 Do. Pref. 4i per cent
6 Norfolk Debent. Sh
100 Norfolk Extension
top Do. Pref. 5? per et
IA Do. Way. Val. 5 p c
100 North British
all ' North Staffordshire
100 Oxford Worcester &
Wolvcrh. £15,6 p. c.

Private letters state that if the weather permit
it was expected that the Black Sea would be en-
tered about the 3d or 4th of the present month.
In the telegraphic despatch which arrived in
Parris on Monday, speaking of disturbances at
Constantinople, mention was made of an armistice
being thought probable. In the despatch from
Pera on the same subject, published on Tuesday
morning by the Moniteur, not one word is said of
an armistice ; and in addition, the Turkish Em-
, babsy at Paris not only has not received any in-
formation on that point, but looks on it as abso-
lutely impossible at present.
It is plain, from the terms employed by the
Moniteur, that the statement that the erneute was
likely to lead to an armistice is a mere coinage of
a mint notorious for its persevering issue of false
currency. The intention of the concoctors of that
despatch was to make it appear that the Porte,
unable to control its own subjects, had been con-
strained by its patronising allies to consent to a
disgraceful peace in exchange for an onerous pro-
tection. But it is, on the contrary, clear, from the
official intimation of the French Government, that
the Sultan had been advised to demonstrate in a
proclamation that the terms on which he was ready
to negotiate were not incompatible with his honour
and dignity, or with the vigorous prosecution of
the war ad interim. Had an armistice been in ques-
tion the Moniteur would not have failed to allude
to it. _ .

15 Do
all cot. Cen., New Pref
all 'hrews& Birm. N. G
all hrewsby. & Chester
(Nor.W.Min),B p. c.
10 Do. 5 per cent
all South Devon
li Do. New
all S. Eastern (Reading
Ann.,) of £1 05.6(1.
all S.Yorksit.4p.c.G'ear.
3 Waterfd. &Kilk. 6p. c.
100 York Newcastle and
Berwick, 4 p.c.Pref.

5 Do 1
10 York& N. Midland II '
& S. Purch

all Agua Fria .......
all Anglo Austrin. Gold
all Anglo Californian
2 Australasian •
6 Australian
all. Australian Cordillera
all Australian Freehold
all Ave Maria
all Baden (Gcl.Duchy of)
all Blaanarvon Iron and

Coal
all British Austria. Gold
13.5 British Iron
24i Brazilianlmp.(issued
at pm
all Do. Cocaes & Cuiada
15 Do. St. John Del Rey
Carson's Creek
all Cobrs Copper
1 Colonial Gold
16 Copiapo
all Copper Min. of Eng
all Do. Pref. 7i p. cent
all English and Austin

The German journals notice the passage of Count
de Reiset, on his way to St. Petersburg with the
official announcement that the Black Sea is to be
entered by the combined fleets. The severity of
the season will prevent that gentleman from ar-
riving in the Russian capital before the Sth or 9th,
so that the reply of Russia to the announcement
cannot well be known, even by telegraph, before
the 15th or 16th.
M. de Brunow at London, and M. de Kisseleff,
at Paris, have already received their instructions,
it is reported in the latter capital, as to their con-
duct in case the united fleets are to enter the
Black Sea. As soon as that event is officially de-
clared, both, it is said, are to take their departure.
On the other hand, a circumstance has taken
place at Paris which does not look very warlike.
The Minister of War has sent to all the colonels
of the French army, authorisation to deliver leaves
of absence and furloughs for the first quarter of
1854.

Copper Smeltg. Co
all General
all Gt.NuggetVeinScrp
2 Do. Registered
all Great Polgooth
all Lake Bathurst
all Liberty
all Livares
all Loud. &Californ. Gold

Quartz Crush. Co
all Mariquita
9 Mexicau&S.Americn
all New Granada
all New Linares Mining
and Smelting Co
all Nouveau Monde
all Pontgiband Silver
Lead Min. & Smelt
1 Port Philip
all Quartz Rock
all Rhymney Iron
15 Do. New
11 Santiago do Cuba
all South Australian
7 Tin Croft
all United Mexican
all Waller
all West Granada
all West Mariposa ,
12s. Worthing Mining of

A letter from Odessa of the 14th ult., announce
that the camp formed towards the end of the sum-
mer at Vosnocensk, at about five leagues from that
town, had been raised, on account of the extreme
severity of the season. The troops which compose
it, and the reinforcements newly arrived, have
bees divided between the garrisons of Ismael, Se-
bastopol, and Odessa, where the corn warehouses
have been converted into barracks.
Since the affair of Sinope there are no longer any
Russian vessels of war remaining in the Black
Sea, and they appear not to be inclined to quit
Sebastopol, where they have taken refuge.
A letter of the 21st ult., from Christiania,
announces that three Russian officers had just
arrived at that place charged with a particular
mission. They are, it is said, to visit the different
ports of Norway.
A private letter from St. Petersburg gives the
following reasons for the choice made by the Em-
peror of General Yermoloff for the command of the
Persian army. The writer says that the General,
who has been on the unemployed list since the year
1834, is the best officer in the entire Russian army.
He is the chief and idol of the old Muscovite party,
and the most determined enemy of the German
party. The Czar, in choosing General Yermoloff,
wished to impress a character radically Muscovite
on Russian influence in Persia, and to render the
war more national. He was moreover preferred to
Prince Woronoff on account of the English sym-
pathies of the latter, and for that reason a mission
against British India could not be confided to him.
It is reported that Prince Woronzoff will shortly be
replaced by General Yermoloff.
A correspondent of the Independanee Beige says :
The fact of an ultimatum having lately been
sent to the Czar is confirmed. It appears, how-
ever, that this ultimatum is in no way calculated
to hurt his feelings. It was sent to the Czar by the
Emperor Napoleon, in accord with the English
Cabinet, between which and Napoleon 111. Lord
pahnorston acted as a mediator."
• We read in a Vienna letter of the 28th' ult., in
the Post Ampt Gazette of Frankfort :—" Letters
from Bucharest state that General Aurep had re-
turned to that place from his mission at Krajowa.
It is stated that he had conveyed to General
Fischbach new instructions to maintain the defen-
sive.added
It is that Prince Gortschakoff will
not make any offensive movement, and that he
will retire with his troops behind the Altflys in the
event of
the Turks advancing. The news is con-
firmed that a part of the Turkish troops who had
a positino
taken up Kalafat have returned to
Widdin. That place has now a garrison of 50,000
men under Sami Pacha. The troops concen-
trated at Kalafat are commanded by Achmet
Pacha. Omer Pacha is now at Widdin. On
the 17th he was at Rustjouck, the garrison of
which has been doubled. On the 16th, a report
was current at Widdin, that the Turks proposed to
eross the Danube at Rustjouck."
The New
Prussian Gazette of the 29th ult., con-
firms alrea
the accoun dy given of the Emperor of
ordered that all the forces in his
Russia having
empire shall be placed on a war footing. This
measure, says the New Prussian Gazette, will
bring up the nominal strength of the Russian
army to 2,226,000 men, with 1,000 pieces of ar-
tillery. This statement, however, is evidently an
exaggeration.

Australia
all Yuba

The following is from the correspondent of the
Morning Chronic/6, dated Constantinople, De-
cember 19 :

ships.
" On the same day the whole Russian squadron,
composed of seven line•of-battle ships, and three
steamers, under the command of Admiral Nachi-
moff, sailed for Sinope, and cast anchor near the
harbour. On Wednesday, the 30th of November,
the Russian fleet weighed anchor, and taking ad-
vantage of a favourable wind presented itself be-
fore the port.
"The Russian admiral sent forward three line-
of-battle ships, all three-deckers, and one frigate,
and the rest of the squadron stood back in two
lines. Before commencing the engagement, the
Russian admiral sent a parlamentary to the Turk-
ish admiral, Osman Pacha. He, however, did
not give him an answer, but ordered the ports
to be opened, and firing commenced.
" Immediately, the three Russian line-of-battle
hips, and the frigate, the only ships that took part
, in the action, opened their fire, and in less than

You will see by the enclosed letter, from Trebi-
zond
that the Turkish army in Asia, under the
command of Veil Pasha, has suffered a defeat. The
sieges of Akiska and Gumri have been raised. This
is very bad news,for the Porte, after the disastrous
naval engagement at Sinope.
Abdi Pacha, one of the two supreme comman-
ders in Asia, has been superseded, and Ahmet
Pacha, the head of the Rat major, named as his
successor. I have, however, to report a much
more importantchange than this. Riza Pacha has
been named Minister of Marine (Capitan Pacha),
in the place of Mahmoud Pacha. This change is
looked upon as precursory to many more. Riza
Pacha's entry into the Ministry will, it is believed,
entail the withdrawal of Mehemet Ali Pacha, the
Grand Seraskier, as they are of downright opposite

three hours the whole Turkish squadron was com-
pletely burnt and destroyed.
" Only one, a steamer, the Taif, succeeded in
making its escape, starting off at the commence-
ment of the battle, and reaching Constantinople,
as we since learn. Osman Pacha had a leg broken,
and was made prisoner • his leg was afterwards
amputated on board the Russian vessel. Hussein
Pacha, the second in command, is amongst the
killed. More than half the town of Sinop° is de-
stroyed. The loss of the Russians is not very
important. Their ships were principally damaged
in the rigging.
" After the battle the Russian Admiral ad-
dressed a letter to the Austrian Consular Agent,
deploring the damage done to the town, and stating
the orders of his Sovereign, the Emperor, to have
commanded him to destroy this fleet wherever he
should meet with it, because it had carried ammu-
nition to the coast of Circassia, in order to provoke
the populations of those countries to revolt against
the Russian Government. The Russian squadron
after the battle cast anchor again outside the port.
The next morning a steamer joined them there.
It is thought that the Archduke Constantine was
on board, for on its arrival it was saluted by the
whole squadron, and by acclamation. The same
day they all left.

" This place is quiet, principally owing to the
energy displayed by the governor. The Mahome-
dan population is, however, much exasperated
against the Christians, and especially the Euro-
peans, and if some ussian ships were to show
themselves in these waters, the consequences might
be very serious."

FRANCE.
The formal ''answer of the Emperor of Russia to
the Vienna propositions has not been as yet re-
ceived in Paris ; it is expected from day to day.
Few venture to hope that it will be anything but
a peremptory refusal. The decision of the Emperor
appears already to be known; having turned every
day to account for his vast preparations in all parts
of the empire, it is not likely that he will allow so
much cost and trouble to go for nothing. A pri-
vate letter from St. Petersburg, dated the 25th,
contains some interesting details, which there is no
time to-day to transcribe. The first paragraph,

however, is as follows :
" There reigns here at this moment, in all branches of
the public service, a movement and activity, of which
there has been no example since the preparations of the
army in 1812. On seeing how the minds and the efforts
of the entire nation are turned towards war, one would

say that Russia thinks herself on the eve of a new inva-
sion. Each day numerous fddtingues (couriers) leave
for every part of the empire to hasten on the armaments.
Agents are sent about everywhere to wake up the fana-
ticism and ferocity of the Orthodox population, and to
rouse from the very depths of Asia the hordes of Kirghese,
Mongols, and Tartars, and precipitate them fon the
Indus, with the hope of the sack and pillage of the Bri-
tish Presidencies."

When things are in such a state, it is probable
that the Czar will be as deaf to the charms, the
eloquence, and the wiles of diplomacy, as he is
now to generosity, common justice, or humanity.
In the official-circles of Paris it is believed that war
is inevitable. The decision of the Emperor

Nicholas with respect to the Vienna proposition,
as we have already said, was known, though not
officially. If we can credit what is said, His Ma-
jesty's remark when he heard of his being asked to
send an Envoy to the Conferende was, that he
never would send any General of his to sign hii

own condemnation—his own dishonour.

It is not doubted that a corps d'armee will be
despatched at the proper time to Turkey. It will
amount, it is said, to 70,000 men. Two consider-
able camps will be formed ; one, the most impor-
tant, at Adrianople, and the other probably close
to Constantinople. The former to be under the
command of General Canrobet, the other under the

immediate direction of the Minister of War, who

will, in fact, command the whole expeditionary
army. The combined fleets will be commanded by
Admiral Dundas. It is said that Candia would
probably be the general depot of the army. It is
stoutly maintained by the Russian party here that
Austria will be found side by side with Russia
whenever the struggle comes ; and that she has no
idea of realising the menace of Schwartzenberg,
and of astonishing Europe by her " immense in-
gratitude."
At the reception on Sunday at the Tuileries the
Emperor, it was remarked, showed marked atten-
tion to M. de Kißseleff. His Majesty made a point
of saying something gracious or polite. to each
member of the diplomatic corps, and his phrase to
the representative of Russia was, "J'espere, Mon-
sieur l'Ambassadeur, que l'anntse 1854 sera bonne

pour nous tons." The evening before there was a
grand ball at the Princess Mathilde's, to usher in
the new year. The Emperor and the Empress, who
were present, showed great attention to the minis-
ters of Russia and Austria, and the Empress was
graciously pleased to dance with both M. Hubner
and M. de Kisseleff. This latter also had the
honour of waltzing with the Princess Mathilde.
Who would ever suppose that such a display of
imperial civilities could be the prelude to a terrible
war ? •
The levee held on Monday evening at the Palace
of the Tuileries was the most brilliant remembered
since the Restoration. The Court " mantle" made
its appearance for the first time on this occasion,
and added greatly to the effect. The gentlemen
were permitted to escort their ladies as far as the
entrance of the Hall of the Marshals, where they
were received by the chamberlains, who conducted
them to the Hall of the Throne and presented
them to their Majesties. This ceremony being ter-
minated the gentlemen were admitted into the
Hall of the Marshals, which they completely filled.
There were at least 2,000 present, belonging to
various Rations, and exhibiting a great variety of
the richest uniforms and costumes. Shortly
afterwards theapresentation of the gentlemen com-
menced. The first ushered into the Hall of the
Throne were the dignitaries of State, the senators,
deputies, &c. Next came the foreigners, and after
them the public functionaries and authorities of
high rank. The chamberlains took down the
names of each, and announced them as they pre-
sented them, first to the Empress, and next to the
Emperor. They afterwards retired to the Hall of
the Marshals, where the Emperor joined them
when the ceremony was over, and walked through
the crowd, addressing familiarly all persons known

to him.
The train of the Empress measured at least ten
feet in length, and was borne by two ladies richly
dressed.
It is stated positively, says the Paris correspon-
dent of the Times, in some political circles that the
most flattering offers have been again urged by
Russia on France, or rather the Emperor of the
French, to induce him to break off the alliance
with England. It is known that the • fusion"
owes the sort of success it has met with to the in-
fluence of the Emperor of Russia ; and, seeing that
his Majesty is reported to have on many occasions
expressed no very flattering opinion of the Bour-
bons in general, and that the Orleanist branch
had the honour of his special dislike, no one
doubted that it was effected for the purpose of
annoying the present ruler of France. If what
is now said can be depended upon, the Emperor
of Russia, fresh from his successful essay at ebn-
ciliation, is ready to throw the Bourbons, older
and younger, overboard, and whistle the " fusion"
and all its anticipated consequences to the
winds, if Louis Napoleon will consent, not to co-
operate• actively with him, but to become neutral
in his quarrel with Turkey, and, above all, to leave
England in the lurch. This, it appears, is not the
only temptation that has been held out ; promises
of aggrandisement on the continent of Europe and
out of it have been lavished; but, it is added, with-
out effect. It is very probable that the Emperor
Nicholas has not the cause of the Bourbons so much
at heart as to prevent him from undoing his own
work if there was any chance of advantage to him.
The mention of the " fusion " reminds me of
some absurdly false stories which circulate among
some of the Legitimists, and which, though they
are scarcely worth recording, I may mention,
to
show how far the gossip of political society in
Paris goes. It is gravely asserted that agents are
very busy at work in the army, since the " fusion,"
to create a spirit of insubordination against the
actual Government, and in favour of the Princes of
Orleans ; that frequent reports are addressed by
those agents to the family in England, and by
them transmitted to an illustrious person who
communicates them to the Government ; that the
health of the Prince of Orleans was given at an
assemblage of officers of a regiment in the division
commanded by a well-known General in France ;
that the General in question has been asked by
his superiors as to the truth of such a fact having
taken place, but of which he declared he had no
knowledge ; that he is accordingly to be removed
from his post. To this are added other details still
more absurd, but all pretending to show the
existence of an extensive plot to gain over the
army. It is also stated that circulars, printed in
large type, have been distributed in the departments
by unseen and mysterious hands, with the words
"Le Tyran va faire un coup de police."
It is affirmed in well-informed circles that the
Hungarian refugees are quietly making prepara-
tions to take part in the coming struggle, should
it so happen that Austria should declare openly
in favour of Russia, or even manifest any symp-
toms of connivance with that power. General
Klapka is already at Constantinople, and is to be
shortly joined by several officers of his nation.
Colonel Count Zamoyski, nephew of Prince Czar-
toriski, will leave Paris on the sth instant for Con-
atantinople. it is generally considered that