The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-08 00:00:00

THE PEACE PROPOSITIONS.

Private advices from St. Petersburg reach to the 29th
of December, and are of considerable interest. They
mention the arrival of Prince Esterhazy, and state that
the question of an ultimatum, was the subject of universal
talk and of all kinds of rumours. It had been reported
in high quarters that his propositions, both the maxi-•
mum and minimum, were at once rejected, but this was
positively erroneous, and it had been ascertained that he
had not yet even seen the Chancellor (Count Nesselrode),
and was not to see him till the following afternoon. It
was also understood that no answer was to be given
for 15 days, and it is added that a Council of the Em-
pire was to be appointed to examine and discuss the
propositions. Hence it is said, "it may be taken for
granted that all reports in the meantime will be totally
destitute of foundation." These letters confirm the dis-
favour with which Austria at the present time is pro-
fessedly regarded. The members of the Austrian Lega-
tion, it is observed, not having instructions from their
Government, declined attending the Te Deum at the
Palace for the fall of Kars, " and are, consequently, not
received into Russian society." All classes, even includ-
ing the peasants, are represented as indulging in invec-
tives and sarcasms against them. With regard to trade,
the activity of the overland transit is said to have in-
creased, and it appears that, owing to the extraordinary
number of horses employed to bring imports from the
Prussian frontier, the rate of carriage back from St.
Petersburg to Knowno had fallen to 6/. per ton for
hemp, flax, and tallow. In consequence of the expecta-
tion that the land traffic in the spring would be enormous,
and that much higher rates will prevail when the present
large importation of sugar, cotton, dyewoods, &c., shall
have ended, the English houses and capitalists in gene-
ral were taking advantage of the opportunity to forward
their goods as fast as possible. The Government have
contracted for 3,000 tones of lead to be delivered in
the spring and throughout the summer. Its price
had greatly fallen, and sulphur, which was last year
501 per ton, could now be had for 301. This was
owing to the undisguised facilities afforded by Prussia,
ami an expectation is mentioned that such articles will
very soon be at nearly peace prices, "as they continue
to be imported without any apparent interruption."
Even the Russians, it is said, express great astonishment
at this state of things, and are fearful that, being so fla-
grant, it may lead to a suppression of the entire traffic
next season. Indeed among some of the principal mer-
chants the conviction is that there will be peace, or a
total stoppage of the overland trade this year. These
persoas, therefore, think it best to enter into no specula-
tion in Russian goods for next spring, for delivery at
which time a great deal of German, although not much
British capita! has been advanced to the Russians for
the supply of the English markets throughout the sum-
mer. The rate of exchange, in consequence of the ex-
tent of trade, was well supported at 35 11-16 d., which
it is remarked, is very little lower than that at which it
has often stood in ordinary times, when, as is now also
the case, the import market has been brisk. The wea-
ther was very mild, the thermometer being three degrees
above the freezing point, and great quantities of goods
were being forwarded to Archangel in the expectatiou of
getting them off before the arrival of the blockading
squadron. Subsequently to its departure last autumn
33 vessels got in and afterwards cleared with cargoes.
Among these were some American vessels, which bad
brought large supplies of arms and other munitions of
war. Oue ship under the American flag, it is said, re-
mains frozen in fully laden with flax and linseed, ready
to sail on the breaking up of the ice for London, clearing
out for Holland. In the Baltic, it appears that owing
to the present mildness of the temperature navigation
has been resumed at some points, since the steamer
Hobe was to leave Travemuude for Revel on the
30th of December, and would take goods thence for
Lubeck.