The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-14 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, DECEMBER, 14, 185 _4•

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE EMPEROR
NAPOLEON I.
The ilondeur of yesterday contains the follow-
ing articles :-- ,
- - -

1-` The appeal made by the commission charged with
' the publication of the 'Correspondence of the Emperor
Napoleon I.' has been responded to, The archive,
libraries, and other public establishments, as well in
France as in foreign countries, have already furnished
valuable documents.
" A great number of families and individuals, ama-
teurs and collectors of autographs-, who possess portions
of this correspondence, have also evinced a desire to
communicate them to the commission. There is no
doubt that their example will be shortly followed by
every person who has it in his power to contribute
towards the completion of this great publication.
" The ' Correspondence of Napoleon comprises, not
only his autograph or dictated letters, but also his pro-
clamations, instructions, bulletins, reports, various
orders, and even the important notes with which he
often accompanied the projects which were submitted
to him.

" The commissinn immediately acknowledges the re-
ceipt of documients which are entrusted to it, and sends
them back as soon as copies have been made from them.
"Persons who cannot, or who do not wish to transmit
to the commission the original documents, may content
themselves by sending authenticated copies of them, en-
closed to its president, his Eitc:llency Marshal Vaillan'6,
Minister of War."

THE LATE LOSS OF THE TIGER, AND
TEE TREATMENT OF HER OFFICERS
AS PRISONERS OF WAR.

The following are copies of a correspondence relative
to the prisoners of war in Russia. We give the corres-
pondence without note or comment :
"H.M.S. Victory, 24th Oct., 1854.
" Sir,—l have the honour very respectfully to request
you .will be pleased to lay before my Lord Commis-
sioners of the Admiralty the following statement, rela-
tive to my treatment as a prisoner of war at Odessa.
"A few days after the destruction of the. Tiger, and
during our detention in quarantine, the Russian autho-
rities required to know our respective ranks, which the
first lieutenant, Alfred Royer, undertook to explain.
" When a sufficient time had elapsed to communicate
with St. Petersburg, we were assembled and told by
the interpreter that the superior officers of the ship were
to be classed and receive rations equal to 2s. 6d. ; the
midshipmen were also to be classed together and receive
a similar ration ; and the remainder of the officers were
to be classed together and have rations equal to is. Bd.
daily. That the authorities had considered the three

lieutenants and the surgeon only as the superior officers
of the ship, to the exclusion of myself (the paymaster),
the master, and the marine officers. To this we made
a demur, and considering there must be some misunder-
standing or misrepresentation, and that this degradation,
im all probability, might affect my position as a prisoner
of war in obtaining 'parole,' in addition to the diffe-
ence of treatment and rations I should receive, I wrote
the enclosed letter to the Baron Osten Sackee, but
Lieutenant A. Royer objected to forward it, observirg
he had given me my proper rank.

"On our endeavour to explain. to the interpreter that
we had not our proper position, Lieutenant Alexander
Hamilton and Webb E. Stone both denied the assertion
relative to my rank being equal to a lieutenant, and this
altercation, anything but creditable to officers situated
as we then were, was not checked or corrected by
Lieutenant Royer.

"It app:ared to me that the clear intention of the
Emperor was that the superior officers of the ship, as
denominated by our service, should have superior treat-
ment • but that the authorities at Odessa, from some
unexplained cause, treated us after the manner of their
service, and having no paymaaters or masters, and our
positions being placed before them as ranking with but
after lieutenants, we were not considered their equals,
and therefore treated as inferiors, the surgeon being an
exception, because in Russia he ranks with a major.
" I beg leave to submit very retpectfully for their
lordships' consideration that Lieutenant Royer, by re-
fusing to forward my letter to Baron Osten Saciten, and
not confirming my assertion nude to the interpreter,
but allowing the other lieutenants to deny it, put it out
of my power to obtain the treatment I was entitled to
as prisoner of war of my rank, as established by her
Majesty's Order in Council.
"On my passage to England I, lost my personal
effects, through the unexpected sailing of the Treat,
transport ; and I have only recently recovered them and
the enclosed letter, which prevented me from writing
before on this subject.
"I have the honour to be, Sir, &c.,
(Signed) " G. A. LANCR, Paymaster,
luta of her Majesty's ship Tiger.
"To Sir Thomas Cochrane, Vice-Admiral,
Commander-in-o,lnel, Portsmouth."

(Enclosure in the above.)

"Odessa, June 4, 1854.

" TOHIS EXCELLENCY THE BARON OSTEN BACKEN, &C.

" Sir,--I have the honour very respectfully to submit
for your excellency's consideration my position in her
Britannic Majesty's nary, because a distinction has
been made between myself and some (f the officers of
equal rank, which it seems affects my allowance and my
position as a prisoner of war.
"In her Britannic Majesty's navy, my rank as pay-
master is a commissioned wardroom officer, living with
the lieutenants, surgeon, master, marine officers, &c. I
am by her Majesty's Order in Council to rank with the

lieutenants [of the navy—a fact which I imagine your
excellency is unacquainted with, as I am, I understand,
to receive different allowance and different treatment
than the lieutenants and surgeon, who are my equals in
my own country's service.

."
Availing myself of this opportunity of thanking your
excellency for your kind treatment and cousideratiou to-
wards me with others during our detention at Odessa,
" I have the honour to be, &c.,
(Signed) "G. A. LANCE, Paymaster,
Her Britannic Majesty's Navy, and Prisoner of War."

Lieutenant Alfred Royer's letter in answer to the
bregoing

" 31st October, 1854.
" Sir,—l have the honour to acknowledge the receipt,
this day of the documents named in the margin.
" While at Odessa the interpreter brought from the
general a paper which he requested me to enable hini to
fill up. It related to the rank of the officers.
" He inquired and marked down the order in which
the officers took command of the ship ; and with respect
to those officers who do not take command, I most dis-
tinctly explained to him their position as ranking with
lieutenants, but after, that they line with lieutenants.
•' After a lapse of sufficient time for this to be sent to
St. Petersburg, and for an answer to be returned, it
was announced to us that the lieutenants and surgeon
were to be considered as superior officers, a term used
by them and not by me.
"I refused to forward any letters to Baron Osten
Saoken as I could not in any way alter iwbat I had
stated to the interpreter, all of which had been noted
and laid before the general previous to being sent to the
Emperor. lat the same time maici I would forward to
the admiral or to tlieir lordships any letter the officers
might think proper to write. I had adhered to the in-
structions.

" As to any altercation between the ether lieutenants
and the paymaster, it may have taken place because my
first intimation of their being the subject of discontent
was from Lieutenant Hamilton, who met me outside our
house and:informed me of the discussion, anden its being
renewed in my presence I stated I would not enter into
any argument ou the subject.—l have, &c.,
(Signed) " A. ROM, Lieutenant.
" To Capt. J. C. D. Hay, her Majesty's ship Victory.

Copy of a meraorandnm front Vice-Admiral Cochrane
to Captain Hay, dated 4th November, 1854 :
" Captain Hay is to inform Mr. George A. Lance,
paymaster, late of the Tiger, that their lordships having
referred to Lieutenant Royer to report the steps taken
by him to make known to the Russian authorities the
rank of the several officers under his orders, their lord-
ships are perfectly satisfied with his explanation on the
subject ; and they cannot obviate inconveniences which
appear to have arisen from tho decisions of the Russian
Government in their disposal of prisoners who had fallen
into the hands of the enemy.
(Signed) " THOMAS J. COCHIU.NE."
" Captain J. C. D. Hay."

AUbTRIA, RUSSIA, AND TEE FOUR

POINTS.

We have already published Count Buol's note of
November 9th, addressed to Counoi Esterhazy,
Austrian Minister at Berlin and forming part of a
correspondence between the two Courts as to the
particular propositions to be made by
mon at the Germanic Diet. This note was
both in
accom-
paniedcom-
mon
by. .a
Confidential communication., in which
the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs exposes
more openly the views of his Court respecting the
four points and th© manner in which Austria
will
deal with them in ir
the documents iven cases. The following is
Your Excellenc; (commences Count Buol) is aware
that the official communication from the Prussian Court,
to which
we this day reply, was accompanied by a
confidential note to Count Arnim, the contents of which
this ambassador had the
goodness' also to impart to itie.
The Baron von IVlanteuffel declares therein that the
Oabinet of Berlin fully pp areciates the reasons that pre-
vent
our entering into any definite engagements with
respect to our line of conduct in case Russia accepts the
four peints. As Austria and Prussia are on the point of
extendingtheir mutual responsibilities beyond the limits
of the April treaty, the Kin,'s Cabinet, considering this
closer position to be based t'on confidence, wishes to be
informed as clearly as wissible whether Russia, by her
declaration of being willing to accept the basis of peace,
will have her anxiety removed concerning Austria's par-
ticipation. in an offensive war, and how far Austria would
in this case make known and adequately support her
dissentient eonvictious in opposition to any ulterior
demands that might be made by the Cabinets of Paris
and London.

From this confidential communication of Baron Man-
teuffel we venture to hope that the cabinet of Berlin will
on the receipt of our official despatch, sent off this day,
will feel quite assured on the subject of our entering
into any fresh formal engagements. We feel no reluc-
tance on this head, but on the contrary take pleasure in
regarding it as a duty imposed on us by the close fede-
ral compact and the relationship of common descent
existing between the two states, to give on our side the
readiest and most confidential exposition of our inten-
tions. In doing so, we first of all venture to recall to
mind, en peasant, the declarations your Excellency was
empowered to make by my note dated A.ugust 28. Even
at that period we intimated to the court of Berlin that
Russia—if she seriously wished to prepare a foundation
for peace by unequivocally accepting the four points—
so long as she persisted in this resolution need enter-
tain no apprehension of seeing us ranged with her anta-
gonists. Our views in this respect have not been modi-
fied. We still wish to see the way prepared for negotia-
tions, and the conditions of peace agreed upon, taking
the four points as a basis, and having them equitably in-
terpreted in a manner calculated to obtain the equili-
brium of Europe. Should Russia declare her willing-
ness, at Prussia's request peradventure, to negotiate en
the basis of these four points, we should most warmly
advocate their acceptance by the maritime powers and
the simultaneous suspension of hostilities. Pending the
negotiations themselves, our constant efforts would be
directed in causing a loyal and reasonable Construction
tq, be put by all the parties concerned on any point
mooted while discussing these preliminary points, and
during the stage of their transition to formal articles of
peace. To come forward with additional demands
while negotiations were in progress does not enter into
our views. Should any ono of the belligerent powers
make use of its privilege and propose fresh condi-
tions, a privilege we have reserved to ourselves in
a public document, and which consequently we could
not gainsay in others, we should, it is true, let every
party freely decide for himself ; but at the same time
should endeavour to maintain a spirit of moderation
and conciliation. Had Russia declared herself willing
to negotiate on the bade of the four pointos and 'should

' the Western Powers then decide on their part to con.
tinue the war, Austria would not bind herself to support
any fresh demand. Yet Austria can only declare her-
self satisfied when .Russia formally and solemnly stipu-
.lates with us to accept the four points, no matter_what
event may take place, and no matter what the duration
of the war may be. Did we but roceive the promise of
this satisfaction, we would at once, in due consideration
of our European duties, anticipate its fulfilment by con-
ferring with the maritime powers, and by then endea-
coming to induce even them to accede to and ac-
cept our satisfaction. Should the renewed application
of Prussia to Russia be not followed by the wished-fur
result, Austria would decide on taking a further step,
and this time in common, for effecting the acceptance of
the four points. But a refusal would in this case occa-
sion the interruption of diplomatic relations. The par-
ties so joining in taking that step would have to submit
to the same consequences. Assuredly, however, it will
be looked upon as only fair that we, Wore making a
final proposal of this nature, should previously inform
the courts of Paris and London of our intention, and at
the same time should endeavour tb obtain the assurance,
that a successful issue of the stop to be taken by us
at St. Petersburg would also meet with corresponding
success in both these cabinets. So long as Russia shall
have not accepted the four points, Austria must reserve
to herself the right of taking independent steps
for enforcing their adoption. And here the question
may opportunely be asked, whether Prussia and the
German Diet aro ready to make common cause with us.
For the rest, we should come to no final decision, until
we had confidently debated the matter with our federal
allies. In no case should we form with any foreign power
engagements in consisten t with the spirit of the April treaty,
with our own duties as a member of the Bund, or with the
interests of Germany. We must, however, retain our
right of entering into whatever engagements may seem
to us indispensably requisite for attaining the common
object, but which we should undoubtedly duly commu-
nicate to our German Allies.

Supposing the outbreak of war with Russia, Austria
could not engage to be contented with the four points.
Respecting all these cases, your Excellency way explain
yourself in the sense of the foregoing to Baron Man-
telffel ; but your language must have the character of a
confidential communication. Should you find that the
Prussian Court receives our explanation with that satis-
faction which we desire, you may go further, and make
a confidential communication of this despatch ; inas-
much as we are confident that the Royal Cabinet would
take the strictest earn not to allow any interpretation of
our intentions other than is exactly conformable to this
note to transpire.—Receive, &c., Buoa,

1 1711 E REINFORCEMENTS.

Yet iterday two hundred and fifty recruits and volun•
veers i 'rem the militia to regiments of the line arrived at
the St aff-office, Delahay-street, Westminster, and having
pat sed,, -were forwarded to the regimental depot. Forty-
six a 100 arrived at the Horse Guards for service in the
house d brigade.

The vc duntecring into the line from the regiments of
militia ationed in Dublin is very frequent, and each
new eve n t connected with the war only increases the de-
sire to g or on active service. For the last three weeks
the num. ',er that have joined the line have proved so
considers be as fully to meet, if even not to exceed, the
exigencie t of the service, and the volunteers are a fine
and soldn iriy body of men. In the vicinity of Kilmain-
hank and the Royal Hospital an animated scene may
often be n. o.:v observed, in the crowds of young men who
have just) o: fined the ranks, animated with desire to take
their share.: n the campaign ; and an experienced officer
connected va ith the recruiting staff states, that whatever
may have bs en the doubts entertained in the first in-
stance, there • will be no want of men for the army.
Yesterday ai id the previous day several parties were sent
to the dep i for recruits.

The Mo m ited Staff Corps, under the command of
Major Wal to r Grant (formerly in the Scots Greys), ar-
rived at I ta: aklava on the 21st of November, in the
transports E.,hepherd and Blundell. The horses were
received o, t board at Gibraltar, and only two of them
were lost o a the passage.

On Toes, h ty morning a large number of volunteers for
ships statio n ed in the Black Sea, the screw steam cor-
vettes Esk, Curlew, and Tartar, and for the steam
troop-ship IN 'rseverance, fitting out for the Mediterranean
a t Woolwich, Chatham, and Portsmouth, were draughted
from her IVlc.j esty's ship Crocodile, receiving-ship, eff the
Tower, to iitt above-mentioned ports.

The Wilria m Hutt, steam collier, laden with huts for
the Crimea, left Portsmouth on Tuesday for her desti-
nation.

The stean ie r Whitehaven has been taken up by Govern-
ment to con r ey troops and stores to the Crimea.
Too acre steamers building and just launched by
Mare and Co,, at Blackwall, for the Sardinian and
Mexican G, n 'ernsnents, have been taken up for the con-
veyance of French troops to the Crimea.
The Briti sit transport Caudia sailed from Malta on the
3d of Decen ib er with 1,150 rank and file for the Crimea.
The Cambria left Gibraltar the same day with a con-
siderable rein forceruent for the Crimea.

Yesterdayr her Majesty's steamer Malacca passed
Deal for the 'Crimea. She takes out a large quantity of
shot, shell, a rid ammunition, and Captain Child's com-
pany of Roy al Artillery.
The B slg ravia transport, 1,000 tons, belonging to
Soines Br others, of Blackwall, Lieutenant Wm. Hay,
agent, arri va d at Constantinople on the 20th of Nov.,
16 days aft er leaving Plymouth. She sailed at once
with 2,00 G. trusses of hay for the cavalry horses at
Balaklava.

Yesterday advices were received that the St. Louis
bad sailed with 1,000 more French troops for the
Crimea, as also the New York steamer, with 75 ambu-
lance cars, hospital stores, provisions, and portable
forges from .Havre for the Crimea.
The Im peratrice, South American screw steamer,
Captain Cc •x, will try her engines to•morrow, before pro-
ceeding to Portsmouth to embark troops and stores for
the Crimes,.. The ship Lilydale, loading in the Victoria•
dock with hay and stores, is expected to sail this week
for Balaklax a, with a. sergeant, corporal, and 12 privates
of the 97th :Regiment, at present stationed in Preston.

The screw steam-transport Firefly, No. 153, Captain
Brewn, whildth left Woolwich on Friday last, met with
strong westf.x ray gales in the Channel, and, having strained
her decks, pat into Plymouth yesterday afternoon. She
is deeply lad on with mortars, guns, gun-carriages, shot,
shell, atnntui iition, and bale goods.
Three p osrerful iron steamers, just built by Messrs.
Marshall, of the Tyne, called the Earl of Durham, Hes-
perus, and :Baron Von Humboldt, have been taken up
to convey ;he railway plane of Brassey and Peto for the
•onstructie..a of the proposed line at Balaklava ; the
number of navvies to go out in these vessels is 120.

The Sir John lEasthope, William Hutt, and Cosmo-
politau paaved down the British Channel on Tuesday
from Porta-mouth and Southampton, laden with the
wooden huts and 04nadas stoves fur the troops in the
Crimea. The total number of stoves soot out is about
2,000; groat many have already reached their desti-
nation.
'mined istely on the disasters to her Majesty's trans-
ports in t he Black Sea becoming known at Malta, the
Priscilla Auld Surinam were despatched to Balaklava
laden with. 1,000 tons of shot, shell, and ammunition,
and s.everi a other ♦essels freighted to convey previsions.
The shipn sent of coals and stores from Malta to Balak-
lava conti. aces unremittingly.

We regr ert to have to announce the death of Lieutenant
Arthur H, nary Thistlethwayte, of the Scots Fusilier
Guards, fr OM fatigue, at Constantinople.' This promising
young offit :er distinguished himself by his bravery at the
battles of :11 e Alma and Inkerman. He was the young-
est son of the late Mr. Thomas Thistlethwayte, of South-
wick-park,. Hants.
Captain. Martin, 'of the 4th. Foot, who is invalided
homo by th e Cambria from Scutari, served with the 18th
Royal Irish throughout the China expedition, for which
he received a medal, and was present at the storming of
Amoy, the attack and capture of Chapoo, Woosung,
Shanghai, and Chin-keang-foo (where he commanded the
Light Com pany), and investment of Nankin.
Lieuteur..nt-Colonel Mauleverer of the 30th Regiment,
who was rounded at Inkerman, served with the 17th
Regiment. throughout the campaign in Affghanistan and
Beloochistam, under Lord Keane, and was present at
the storm and capture of Ghuznee and of Khelat. H.
has received a medal for Ghuznee.

Lieutei hint-Colonel Coarles Seymour, who was severely
woundei at Inkerman, served as senior aide•de-casip to
Lieut. Ge tner4l Sir George Berkeley, during the success-
ful operations af,Tainst the Caffres in 1547.

MISS IC:IGFITINGALVS NURSIKS AT SCUTARI—At the
monthly ,''December) meeting of the Society for Promot-
ing Christian Knowledge, Mr. T. B. Murray read a
letter he had received from Mr. C. H. Bracebridge, who
reached ;3cutari towards the close of last month. He
pays—" They (the nurses) are well lodged in an angle
of this groat building (Scutari Hospital), one of two
noble barracks, a quarter of a mile apart, on a fine
eminence at the end' of the Scutari suburb. The
soldiers, by the united testimony of doctors, chap-
lains, commandant, and from what I could see myself
in the ward, want for nothing. But the place will
be cold. Stoves, with pipes out of window, seem
the only remedy. We cannot get boilers and hot
water pipes. The water, . bread, and meat, and air
are excellent. 1,400 are here, and from 1,000 to 1,100
in the other hospital. The chaplain has applied'to you
for books, which are much wanted, both for religious
and general instruction and amusement. I beg to re-
peat this re quest. If any more clergymen are sent out,
they should get an order fro:n Mr. G. R. Gleig, the
Chaplain-General, to act. I intend to stay here with
Mrs. Brn.oebridge at least two months, to assist and
support Miss Nightingale. All the expenses out for her
party have been paid by Government." Mr. Murray
informed the society that since the receipt of Mr. Brace-
bridge's letter, the board had sent out a large supply
of such books as he required.