The Sun.
London, England, 1854-10-12 00:00:00

PRUSSIA.

AUSTRIA.

VIENN'A, OCT. Augsburg Allomeine
Zeitung has just published an interesting article,
euttled ‘.‘ The Thunderstorm on the Gallieiau
Horizon." We extract the following passage
"Oar mental vision is attracted to Cracow and
to Warsaw ; it accompanies General von Hess to
Bucharest ; and a report of his return appears to
us at present much inure important than if
Prince Menschikoff had blown up all his ships."
The writer considers the expedition against Sebas•
topol but as an episode, from which an almost in-
evitably long war between Austria and Russia will
most probably date. From the very first, Russia
has acted in a manner which indubitably proves
that she desired to provoke and to continue a con-
test that otherwise might easily have been avoided
altogether. War had not yet been declared, when
Russia marched her troops into the principalities.
The Vienna note was intentionally rendered abor-
tive by the timely expositions of Count Nesselrode.
In like manner Russia answered the proposition's
of the Vienna Conference by ordering her troops
to cross the Danube, and to march into the
Dobrudscha.

BERLIN, Oct. 9.—The Cabinet of Berlin is much
irritated at the Austrian reply, and is preparing a
retort, which will doubtless be a sharp one.
This morning at nine o'clock his Majesty the
King arrived at Potsdam, and attended a council
of Ministers, held at the palace of Bellevue. From
thence he proceeded to Sehorfheide, accompanied
by the royal princes, to attend a grand chasso,
which will last till Thursday. The President of
the Council is also invited to attend.
The loss attending the great fire which has just
devastated Memel is calculated at six millions of
dollars. Only eight streets of the town remain un-
touched.

The Journal de Francfort of the 9th, says :
"The New Gazette of Prussia recently contained a pane-
gyric of Prussian policy. We are far from placing in
doubt the penetration of the present chief of that policy,
but on the other hand we cannot deny that precisely
the contrary of what he wished to obtain has happened.
He wished, as we take pleasure in believing, to dimi-
nish the European crisis, but unfortunately it became

more complicated and more menacinz. If Prussia co-operation of the Ottoman GoTerninent and the
had acted as ,eli,iu,dy eiii,r,elieAlly as Ali F,euoh co_ll),lssv. iLres'ght of the miAtary
in order to the !_7l-e3t Po',er,, a:d ad.liinistration has provldA for t=.ll tl< Wa itS of
the r,st ~f the Cohted:rati,,., it the serviv wi ii asolicijule deserving of the highest
closely mkt(' whole, with regard to the Eastern qies- praise. The principal members of the Ottoman
tion, such a union would Lave taken place at the end of
Cabinet and the first aide-de-camp of the Sultan
MAy, or at the latest the vommencement of June. Things •
. visited our hospitals, nu:/ have expressed their
ration at the devotedness
would then necessarily have taken a different turn.
e and skill which pre-
the voice of all Central Europe, and the Confederation side over the attentions with which our wounded
would have' acquired in all the great questions of our are surrounded."
Gmtinerit the influence it has so long desired."—The A letter from Pesth, of the sth, states that cove-
letter writer then passes in review the different acts of ral priests, lawyers, and landowners, have been
Prussia, and shows that they have made matters worse arrested there, and taken to Vienna. Amongst the
instead of better. Moreover, another consequence of its lawyers arrested are MM. Theis, Lombay, and
policy is, he says, that " Austria must either make a Graffel, who occupied posts under the revolution-
proposition
to the Germanic Diet without Prussia, or ary government of Kossuth. Amongst the rumours
refrain from bringing forward the Eastern question be- • to which these arre&s had given rise at Pesth, was
fore the Diet at ail." one that some of the persons arrested had secret
relations with Russian emissaries."
" We read in a letter from Pera of the 30th
ult.," says the Constitutionnel, " that a Polish
colonel came over to our ranks when his regimeno
was opposite our troops. Many of his men who
fell as it dead on the field of battle, got up as soon
as the Russians had beaten a retreat."
We read iu the Moititettr:—" Several journals
have mentioned a report of the cession of the prin-
cipality of Monaco to the United States. We are
authorised to declare that no negotiation of the
kind has exisited between the Prince of Monaco
and the Cabinet of Washington."
Rtrbes arrived in Paris.

THE OVERLAND MAIL.

(By Submarine and European Telegraph.)
TRIESTE, THURSDAY MORNING.
The steamer Calcutta arrived on the 12th, at
half-past three o'clock a.m., in 112 hours, from
Alexandria, 7th October.
The Indus leaves Alexandria this day, with
dates from Calcutta, Gth S.eptember ; Madras;
10th September ; Shanghai, 7th August ; Amoy,
18th August ; Canton, 21st August • Hong Kong,
22d August ; Bombay, 11th September.
India was perfectly tranquil.
At Calcutta trade was depressed. Exchange
1.11.
From China we learn that Shanghai is still in
the hands of the rebels.
Canton continues in a state of siege.
Ningpo, Fuhchan, and Amoy were quiet. The
Lancastrian, Langley, has been lost near Fou-chow-
foo. No tea has arrived at Canton, and business
is quite suspended there.
Much tea will be exported from Fuhchan. Ex-
change at Shanghai, Gs. ; Canton, 4s. Bd. In TAW
silk little doing.

THE SUNKEN VESSELS OFF SEB. (S-

TOPOL.

TO TILE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

----
Sit,—As the clearance of the entrance to Sebastopol,
the instant the reduction of the north and south outer
forts may render that operation practicable, is of the
greatest importance, I venture to give you my ideas how
the matter may be promptly and effectually ac•
com plished.

Tile absence of all tide in the Euxine renders the ope-
ration, perhaps, somewhat difficult. Our engineers will,
however, no doubt, resort to the usual course of con-
structing a diving-bell, in order to. yace powder under .
the ships, and thus blow them up, or they might try to
raise them by means of submerged empty tanks and
gutta percha bags. All this, hoWever, it is clear will
occupy much valuable time—days, perhaps weeks--
during which our fleet may be exposed 'to the risks of
the seas, and, at all events be unable to refit and repair
in those capacious naval arsenals and docks which are,
I trust, ere this in our possession. I suggest a simpler
means—new, it is true, but which I have every convic-
tion will be found effectual and speedy.
The strength of our iron ships has been much spoken
of, but is, I believe, fully understood only by those who
have owned them or been engaged in their coni•truction•
There is now au iron ship oft Sebastopol, built by Nattier,
of G'asgow, for her Majesty's Government, and origt-
, nally destined fora ship-of war—consequently, of stro ,ger
build than the common run of iron merchant steamers.
I well remember the talented builder of this vessel in•
viting me to inspect ber while in the course of construc-
tion, and directing my special attention to the careful
manner in which her bows were strengthened. rbese,
to use his own expression, would be found just as strong
as if they were actually filled in with solid iron. 110
at the same time reminded me that the weight of the
ship, ready for sea, would be fully 4,000 tons, and added
that if so solid and weighty a mass were impelled at her
lull speed-12 knots—against the broadside of the
stouteit line.of-battle-ship she must cut her down and
go through her or over her..
I have that confidence in the strength of the Simoorn
that, if time prove an object in clearing the port, I would
strongly recommend that she be tried against one of the
submerged Russians. Her bows are so sharp and so
strong that I believe her keel will go through the hull
like a knife, and that her superincumbent weight in set-
tling down upon it will crush it like an eggshell, At
the same time, I am not apprehensive that the shock
will injure either her hull or machinery, although I
would not say as much for many other iron ships among
the transport fleet in the Euxine.
To give the experiment I suggest a fair chance, the
hull should be heeled over—which, if the topmasts are
above water, can easily be done, unless the bot,om be
very soft, and the ships have settled down—by laying
out an anchor, and bearing upon a chain fixed to the
lower mainmast of the Russian.

In trarsmittiog you these remarks I feel they may
perhaps be of use, and can a: all events do no harm.
Possibly the builder of the Simoom, or Mr. Scott Rus-
sell, should this meet their notice, will favour us with
their views on the subject.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
IRONSIDES.

TO TSB EDITOR OF THE SUN.

vant, HENRY D. JONES.
23, Soho•square, Oct. 11.

THE NEW STAMP ACT.

" A foreign bill due on or before the 10th of October,
but not presented for payment until after that day.
"A foreign bill due on or before the 10th of October,
presented and dishonoured, but taken up after the 10th."
And the following is the answer received :
"The duty is payable in both instances. The words Of
the sth section, 17th and 18th of Victoria, o. 83, are, 'lf
any person shall present for payment or shall pay any such
bill, &c.' The act of presentation or the act of payment
after the 10th requires that the stamp should be at the
time affixed."

SIR,—I find by your police report in your paper of
yesterday that a person describing himself as Henri
Jones, of 23, Soho square, was convicted in a penalty of
51. for an assault on an omnibus conductor. I have re'
sided here for 15 years, and have practised in the imnw
diate neighbourhood fur nearly 40 years ; and I wilds
confined to my house by indisposition during the whole
of Sunday. It was impossible, therefore, for me to have
been the guilty party. As the report is calculated to
prejudice me, may I beg the favour of your inserting this :'e`,
in contradiction.—l am, Sir, your very obedient Seri '"'

A question having arisen in connection with the New
Stamp Act, which came into operation today, whether
bills due before the 11th of October, and either not pre-
sented for payment until the 11th or dishonoured and
taken up after the 10th, would come under its operation,
the points were brought before the Secretary of Inland
Revenue in the following form :
" Are the following brought within the operation of tbe
act?