The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-12 00:00:00

PEACE RUMOURS

( From the Press of this day.)

The Court of St. Petersburg has transmitted
by Count Stackelberg to the Court of Vienna
Propositions for Peace expressed in a frank and
conciliatory spirit. We are assured that they do
not differ so much in principles from the Propo-
sitions of the Western Powers as in details of
practical application, and that the Russian form
is likely to be more agreeable in several points to
the Sublime Porte than the original method.
There is no foundation whatever for the ac-
counts of interviews and conversations between
various Ministers and Envoys which have ap-
peared in the public journals.
The prospects of peace are favourable.

LETTER FROM THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA

The Journal de St. Peterebourg of the 3d inst. pub,
lishes the following letter from the Empress Marie Alex.
androvna to Count Michel Wielhorski :

_ .
" Count Michel Yourivitch,—Appreciating the gener-
ous sentiment which led your son to express the desire
to go to the aid of the suffering among our brave sol-
diers wounded in the army of the Crimea, I intrusted to
him, in this sacred work, the accomplisinent of my views
and intentions.

"Count Wielhorski-Matuschkine completely justified
my choice and my confidence by wise measures and an
indefatigable activity, which were joined in the midst of
incessant labours to his feelings of humanity and ardent
zeal. Thousands of wounded men, thousands of mourn-
ing families have blessed and still bless the attentions so
fall of humanity and Christian sentiment which your son
lavished upon them. It gave me pleasure to think that
on his return to St. Petersburg I should have the heart-
felt joy of expressing to him my sincere gratitude for his
assiduous labours and for having so well divined my
wishes, and carried them out with so much success.
He had already worthily received a testimony of the
high satisfaction of his Majesty the Emperor at the
period of his visit to the Crimea.

" The Most High has otherwise ordained. It is with
keen sorrow that I have learned the premature and un-
expected death of your son. I appreciate the extent of
your grief, and I am unable to express the interest and
sympathy with which it inspires me. One consolation
remains to your sorrow—it is the sweet thought that
your son, in his short career, has known how to distin-
guish himself by a useful activity in the performance of
his professional duties, and that Divine grace has granted
him an end that every Christian may envy.
"Deprived of the satisfaction of expressing my thank-
fulness to your son himself, it is in his name and in
remembrance of him that I address myself to you. It
was in the paternal house and in the example of the
family that he imbibed the principles which formed the
rule of his life, and which after his death will assure
an imperishable fame.
to his memory
" I remain, ever yours, very affectionately,
" MARIE.

" St. Petersburg, Dec. 26."

COURT CIRCULAR.

WINDSOR, JAN. 11.
Prince Albert went out shooting this morning, accom-
panied by the Count of Flanders, Earl Granville, the
Speaker of the House of Commons, and Rear-Admiral
Hamilton.

The following visitors left the Castle to-day :—The
Earl and Countess Granville, the Austrian Minister
(Count Colloredo), the Marchioness of Hastings, and
Capt. Yelverton, Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood, Sir,
Benjamin Hall, and the Right Hon. Spencer and Mrs.
Walpole.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday afternoon at
the Foreign-office. It was attended by Viscount Pal-
merston, the Lord Chancellor, Earl Granville, the Earl
of Harrowby, Sir George Grey, Mr. Secretary Labou-
chere, Sir Charles Wood, Lord Stanley of Alderley, the
Right Hon. M. T. Baines, and the Duke of Argyll. The
Council sat three hours.
A deputation from the Woolwich Local Board of
Health had an interview yesterday with the Right on.
W. Couper, M.P., President of the General Board of
Health, at his office, Whitehall. The deputation con-
sisted of the Rev. Henry Brown, Chairman of the
Local Board, Mr. Samuel Dixon, Mr. Bernays, and Mr.
Pideod, attended by Mr. Edward Sargent, Clerk to the
Board.
Earl Granville arrived in London yesterday, from a
visit to the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Meetings of the Oxford University Commission were
held at No. 17, Great Queen-street, Westminster, on
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday last. The Coin-
missioners present were the Earl of Ellesmere, Earl of
Harrowby, Mr. Justice Coleridge, the Hon. Edward
Twisleton, the Dean of Wells, and Sir John W. Awdry,
with the Secretaries.
Viscount Palmerston arrived in town yesterday, from
his seat, Broadlands, Hants.
Sir Charles Wood returned to town yesterday, from
Windsor Castle.
Despatches for the Governor of Canada were son+
yesterday from the Colonial-office.
MEANING OP MR. COBDEN'S PAMPHLET,
Nex; l"—Next to nothing.—The Press.
The Kreutz Zeilling affirms that on the 27th of Decem
ber the Emperor Napoleon knew the Austrian proposi,
tions would he rejected.
The shipbuilders in Portsmouth Dockyard have put
in their claim for an increase of wages.
The Princess de Leignitz, the morganatic widow of
the last King of Prussia, who has resided in Switzerland
for several years, is about to build a summer villa at
Vevey.
The sentence of fcur years penal service passed upon
Askhasa Eyre Tennant for an alleged assault upon Sarah
Warrington has been remitted. A free pardon was re-
ceived by Mr. Wheeler, the solicitor, from the Home-
offioe on the Bth inst.
Mr. Justice Bramwell is the second member of the
Garrack Club that has within a few months been elevated
to the bench.
It is stated that the only tale in " The Holly Tree
Inn,' by Charles Dickens is the "Juvenile Elopement."
Liszt is about to visit Vienna, to conduct a grand
musical solemnity in honour of the centenary of Mozart.
According to the Helsingor Avis, 580 vessels traversed
the Sound der:ng the month of December last. The
number of vessels which passed during last year was
15,800, being 560 less than in 1854.
The elevation of Sir James Parke to the peerage is at
length gazetted. His title is Baron Wensleydale of
Wensleydale, Yorkshire. Mr. Baron Bramwell has en-
tered on his judicial duties.
DEATH OF GEORGE HEADMAN, ESQ., OF SION HILL,
STRABANE.—It is with much regret that we have to an-
nounce the death of this highly estimable gentleman,
which took place, after a short but severe illness, on
Saturday last. He was the head of one of the largest
manufacturing establishments in the north of Ireland.
He has lett a numerous family to mourn his loss.—Ban-
ner of Ulster.
INCREASE OF DISCOUNT AT HALIFAX.—The two Hali•
fax banks have just issued a circular informing their
customers that henceforward and until further notice
they shall charge interest at the rate of 6 per cent.
They allege that they have for some time laboured under
considerable disadvantages by charging a lower rate of
interest than that adopted by the Bank of England ;
and the present tightness of the money market has de-
cided theca to adopt the above rate.
TORTURE IN INDIA.—A gross instance of torture has
occurred under the eyes of Calcutta and Mr. Theobald,
yet it has received scarcely any attention. The punish-
tnent was too swift and too severe for a plausible accu-
sation. The case occurred at Kidderpore, within the
shadow, as it were, of government house. On Saturday.
the 27th of October, the magistrate of the 24 Pergun-
nahs was informed that a man had been brought into
Alipore gaol complaining of the injuries he had received.
The man's name was Muntoo. He had been arrested
as he left the Calcutta gaol on a charge of theft, which
he denied, but which ho subsequently was induced
by the torture to confess. It was late in the even-
ing when the report reached the magistrate, and, as
the man's life was in no danger, nothing could be
done that night. The next day was Sunday, but in
such cases promptitude is humanity, and Mr. Fes,
gusson commenced his investigation. The man had
been tortured severely. According to his own ac-
esunt, he had been hung to the rafters by the wrists,
severely beaten, and squeezed with a bamboo. His
shoulders and loins bore marks of the treatment, and the
medical testimony proved that he had sustained severe
internal injury. He charged the thannadar of Kidder-
pore and his policemen with the crime. It was commit-
ted, he said, in the thannadar's own house, and thither
the magistrate proceeded. The bamboo rafter was in-
stantly pointed out, and, on examination, appeared to
bear the marks which a heavy rope always leaves on a
bamboo. The neighbours testified to screams proceed-
ing from the room. The jemadar of the Calcutta
gaol proved that the victim had left that establishment
uninjured, and the local police proved that Muntoo
appeared agitated on his return from the mohurrir's
house. The fact of torture appeared demonstrated. It
remained to ascertain the criminal. Fortunately, direct
evidence was not wanting. Two servants of the mo-
hurrir, who bad been passive spectators, testified most
unwillingly against their master. Some of the burkint-
dazes implicated confessed, and the case was clear. The
mohurrir had inquired into the charge of theft. He had
directed the accused to be taken to his house. He
bad there ordered the torture, which was inflicted in his
presence. The case was fully proved, and on the follow.
ing morning, not 36 hours after the crime had been com-
mitted, the mohurrir and his acoomplicos were committed
for trial. Ten days after they were working in chains in
the Alipore gaol. The chief delinquent bad been sen-
tenced to hard labour in irons for seven years, and his
accomplices to a somewhat shorter period. He could
not even :n England have been punished with morn
swiftness or severity. The darogab, against whom there
was no direct evidence, was recommended for dismissal.
The case, moreover, is illustrative of another obstacle in
the way of Indian reform. In no European country
would the magistrate have first beard of this case from
the gaoler. The indignant neighbourhood would have
performed his functions. The man's screams were
clearly heard, yet no one interfered, or, as far as it ap-
pears, even inquired. There was no horror, no excitement,
and no sympathy. The witnesses gave their evidence re-
luctantly, and we question whether the mohurrir is not
still considered in his own neighbourhood, and among
his own class, an injured man. No Bengalee cares one
jot for human suffering, and the fact is at once the true
explanation of the practice and the greatest obstacle to
Its in ppression.--Zund of India,

" Wha!