The Sun.
London, England, 1814-02-07 00:00:00

STATE OF THE RIVER THAMES.

The ice between i3lacktriars and London Bridges.
gave way yesterday, as we on Saturday predicted
it would, in consequence of the-high tides. On
Saturday thousands of people walked on the ice
fronecnie bridge to the other, notwithstanding
there were evident signs of its speedily breakiag
np ; and even early yesterday morning some-fool-
hardy persons passed over from Bank-side to Queen-
h idle. About an hour atter th is, the whole mass gave
way, and swept with a tremendous range through-
the noble arches of Blackfriars-bridge, carrying
along with it all within its course, including about
forty barges. The new erections for the. Strand
bridge impeded its progress, and a vast quantity
of the ice was *ere collected, but the strong cur-
rent on the Somerset-house side carried every
thing before it, and the passage of the river be-
came at last free. Numbers of boats were then •
busily employed, saving rafts of, timber, and tow-
ing the drifted barges to the shore.
On Saturday morning, lir. Laurence, of the
Feathers, in Timber-street, Queenhithe, erected .a
booth on the Thames, opposite Brook's Wharf, for
the accommodation of the curious. At nine o'clock
at night he left it to the care of two men, taking
away\all the spirits and liquors except a pint of
gin, which he gave to the two men for their
own use. 'At two o'clock 'yesterday morn,
in; the tide began to flow at London Bridge
with great rapidity, nd being occasionally re-
strained in its impetuosity by the obstructions of
the vas pieces of ice, it is impossible _to conceive
its fury when that restraint was beoken down.
Time thaw assisted the efforts of, the tide, and the
booth was hurried along with the quickness, of
lightning towards Blackfriars - Bridge. 1 There
were seven men in the booth, and in their alarm
at the violence of their progress, they ne-
glected the fire and candles, which- communi-
cating with the covering, set it instantly.' in a
flame. They succeeded in getting into a lighter,
which had been broken from its moorings.; but
immediately after this protection left them, being
dashed to pieces against the arches of Blackfriars
Bridge. The poor fellows, most of whom were
exhausted, however, got hold of the balustrades,
and having rested alittle, reached (five(;of them)
Puddle Dock, and the other two a barge.
We are concerned to state, that a considerable
number of persons were lost in imprudently ad-
venturing upon the ice on the Thames on Satur-
day, above Battersea Bridge.

FRENCH PAPERS.

THE BCPPRESSED MONITEUR; OR THE DOUBT.

MONITEUR OP 20, 1814

/ ADVERTISEMENT.

There has appeared in.circulation a small num-
ber of copies of The Moniteui, No. 20, dated Jan.
20, the contents of which are almost, entirely diffe-
rentlront those of The Illimikar published and
distributed on the same day. This phenomenon
of the appearance'. of , a double Newspaper, with _
the same number, and the same date, has eY-tited
the more curiosity, as those ‘Nrio were in posrs-
sion of it, spewed it only in a secret manner,.as if
it .had been illegally obtained. We have taker'
all possible means to obtain it, and to learn how
this Paper escaped from the printing-office of The
Moniteur, auia we have succeeded._ It Contains
the papers relative to the negociations for peace.
We have learnt that this number was printed, and
that the delivery.of it was begun, when the prin-•
ter received orders to suppress the impression, and
take back all the copies that had been distributed.
It should seem that this order having been given late,
it was not possible to get back more than a small
part of the copies already distributed; we know not
whether some subscribers more cunning or less do-
cile than the others, refused to give them back, or
whether the order was negligently executed. Be it
as it may, the persons in whose hands these copies
remained have shewn them; and some bare ,even
sed them' for money. It was in this latter. man-
we obtained that which we reprint. We have
asked ourselves, what motives could have led to
the suppression of thiS paper, and we have disco-
vered nothing certain on this head ; but in read-
ing in The Moniteur, No. 20, of the 20th January
which was published, and which the Editor ac-
knowledges, the article " Park," which ari-
nounces, that the 'Duke of Vicence was- to re-
ceive his passports at Chatillon-sur-Seine, we con-
jecture that the courier who brought this informa-
tion arriving in the night of the-19th, this news
was supposed to be of such a nature, as would
satisfy the public; and make it 'unnecessary to
give it the satisfaction of learning by the state-
ment of the negociation, the point at which it•
had arrived. In our 0pi,.i0,1 this reasoning was
false, and in
_whatever manner the indiscretion
has taken place, we profit of it, and will let the
public benefit of it likewise.
t Here follow the Declarations at Frankfort.;
Prince Schwartzenberg's Proclamation to the
French, dated Lorracho Dec.2l ; arid Field-Mar-
shal Blucher's Proclamation to the inhabitants of
the left hank of the Rhine, dated January 1,1814.,
which have been already before the Public ]

NOTE OF COUNT METTERNICH INANS'VER TO-THAT

OF THE DUKE OF BASSANO, DATED DRESDEN,

AUG. 11

PRAGUE, AUG. 18, 1813.!--The undersigned
Minister of State and for Foreign Affairs, receiv-
ed yesterday tlte official note which his Excellency
the Duke of Bassano did hint the honour to ad-
dress to him on the 18th inst.

• It is not now that war has broken out between
Austria, and France, that the. Austrian Cabinet

thinks itself ealled.Upon to reply to the gratuitour
exculpation contained in the note of the. of
Bassano. Supported by the general opinion,
Austria.calmly awaits the judgment of Europe,
and that of posterity.„
The Proposal of his Majesty the Emperor of the
French, still offering to the Emperor a glimmer-
ing of hope to attain a general pacification, his
Majesty has thought it his duty to lay hold of it.
In consequence, he has ordered the undersigned
to acquaint the Russian and- Prussian Cabinets
with the desire for the opening of a Congress,
which should employ itself during the war with
the means of bringing about a general pacifica-
tion. Their Majesties the
.Emperor AlexanAer
and the King of Prussia, animated by the same
sentiments as their august Ally, has authorised
-the undcrs4gned to declare to the Duke of Bas-
sano, that being unable.to decide on, a point in
which all seem equally interested, without having
previously conferred upon it with the other Allies,
the three Courts will, without delay, make them
acquainted with the proposal of France.
The undersigned is charged to transmit, with
as little delay as possible, to the French Cabinet,
the overtures of all the Allied Courts in an an-
swer to the above proposal.
• lie has the honour to offer to his: Excellency
the Duke of Bassanc, the renewed assurances of
his high considet ation.
(Signed) The Count of ;METTERNICH.