The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-07 00:00:00

Naval and Military Intelligence.

Her Majesty's steam-frigate Dragon, 6, Capt. Stew-
art, C. 8., was unlocked at Portsmouth, after refit, yes-
terday, and the Rosamond, 6, steam-sloop, Commander
Crofton, was put out of commission.
A heavy south-westerly gale blew all day yesterday at
Portsmouth, and nearly stopped communication with
the Spithead fleet. The sea was very rough, and squalls
of rain frequent ; an unusually high tide flooded the lower
parts of the shore last night.
The steam transports Holyrood, No, 77, and Eglinton,
No. 116, arrived at Spithead yesterday from the Crimes.
The report of the loss of her Majesty's steam-sloop
Polyphemus in the Baltic created a very painful sensa-
tion at. Portsmouth (where she fitted out) yesterday.
She was built at Chatham in 1340, was of 800 tons, and
200-horse power.
Commodore Christopher Wyvih, Superintendent of
the Dockyard, Chatham, having been promoted to the
rank of Rear-Admiral, continues to hold his appoint-
ment until the return of his successor, Capt. George
Goldsmith, of her Majesty's ship Sidon.
There are now 5 men-of-war on the Irish station, un-
der Admiral Sir G. Sartorius, a part of the Baltic fleet
sent there to winter, at the requisition of the citizens of
Cork. Their names and stations are as follow :—The
Russell and Hastings, GO gun-ships, at Queenstown ;
Edinburgh, 60, at Dublin ; Meander, 50, is the Shan-
non ; and Hecla frigate, at Waterford.
Long-service and good-conduct medals having been
forwarded to head-quarters of the Royal Marines at
Woolwich, were yesterday presented at parade, in the
barrack-square, by the Commandant, Col. Brown. The
recipients of these medals were Quartermaster-Sergeant
Daniel John Ryan and Privates Jas. Hobbs and Sam.
Jarrard. Quartermaster-Sergeant Ryan was entertained
in the evening by his brother sergeants and his com-
rades in their mess-room.

During the last few days a considerable increase has
been made in the number of labourers employed in the
various departments of the Arsenal at Woolwich. Some
idea of the vast amount of labour performed in that esta-
blishment, where upwards of 9,000 hands are constantly
employed, may be formed by stating that the consump-
tion of powder yesterday in preparing ammunition for
cannon, independent of small-arms cartridges, exceeded
46,000 pounds. Besides the large number of shells cast
in this establishment, contracts with the Scotei, York.
shire, Liverpool, and other foundries are on a very ex-
tensive scale. 2,000 of these shells are loaded and pre-
pared daily, and 200,000 musket cartridges. The build-
ings for the standard foundry and the shell factory are
progressing rapidly ; the spacious area in front of the
carriage department having been cleared, the foundation
walls were commenced yesterday. Twenty more guns
and mortars have been added to the trophies at the en-
trance of the Arsenal grounds ; some of them are heavy
iron guns of large calibre, and of a most singular ap-
pearance. The Dial-square now presents a novel spec-
tacle,
having two spaces enclosed, which contain large
numbers of Russian implements of war.
The following notice has been issued :—" The new
scale of half-pay for Naval Instructors—First entry,
361. 10s. per annum, or 2s. per day; after three years'
service on full pay, 541. 15s. or 3s. per day ; after 10
years' service on full pay, 821. 2s. 6d., or 4s. 6d. per day;
after 15 years' service on full pay, 911. 55., or ss. per
day ; after 20 years' service on full pay, 1271. 155., or
7s. per day, with leave to retire."

Orders have been issued from the Horse Guards for
260 of the Coldstream Guards and 224 of the Scots Fu-
silier Guards, with the customary complement of officers,
to hold themselves in readiness to embark early in the
ensuing week on board the Indus, at Portsmouth, fcr
active service in the Crimea.

Assistant-Surgeon Grant, 70th Regiment, is under
orders to leave the garrison at Chatham, and embark for
India, to join the head-quarters of his regiment.
The following promotions and appointments were
made yesterday at the Admiralty : Second Masters
to be Masters -- George Turpin, William J. Rid-
dell, Wm. Laurie, F. W. Rea, Alfred J. Veitch, Sam.
D. Wayth, D. /I. Speer, Charles F. Cooper, and Gilbert
E. Green. Gilbert E. Green, Master to the Coquette ;
W. H. Faweliner, Second-Master to the Porcupine;
James Warsley, Second Master to the Otter ; John
Palmer, Second-Master to the Arrow ; Wm. Smith,
Acting-Master to the Vulcan ; N. B. Denneye, Assist-
ant-Clerk to the Trusty ; E. Rees, Assistant-Clerk to
the Lightning.

MILITIA.
The Royal North Gloucestershire Regiment last week
gave 96 volunteers. The 54th, 21st Foot, the Marines,
and Artillery seemed on this occasion to be the favou-
rite corps. The regiment is under orders to proceed to-
morrow to Pembroke. Notwithstanding a large number
of men have volunteered during the last few months, the
regiment is still about 500 strong.
The following additional particulars have been pnb-
lished -in connection with the recruiting in the West
York Rifles, now doing duty on the Irish establish-
ment :—" Major Fitzgerald, commanding the Went
York Rifles, having intimated to the Major-General
commanding the Limerick district that he was prepared
to allow any men of that portion of the regiment at C.r-
low to volunteer into the line, Capt. Scott, of the 9th
Regiment ; Mr. Wilson, Royal Artillery, and Staff-Sur-
geon Gore, attended at Carlow on the 28th ult, to re-
ceive any men who wished to volunteer. The men hav-
ing been addressed by Major Fitzgerald, 95 at once
stepped out of the ranks, of whom 52 were finally passed
by the medical officer ; the remainder were rejected for I
very trivial defects. Captain Scott then informed Major

Fitzgerald that his orders were to keep the volunteering
open for a week. Major Fitzgerald informed Captain
Scott that he denied the power of the Government to
issue such an order, and declined having the volunteer.
ing kept open beyond the evening of the 28th, on the
ground that a week's volunteering was in fact turning
the regiment under his command into a drunken rabble
for that period, and that his desire to preserve the disci-
pline of the regiment and the peace of the tows in which
he was quartered alike forbade his giving his sanction to
such proceedings. Major Fitzgerald further informed
Captain Scott that in the event of his persisting in try-
ing to keep the volunteering open for a week he would
refuse to sign the discharge of any man who volunteered,
and would confine his men to barracks until after Cap-
tain Scott's departure. Captain Scott then wrote to
Limerick for fresh instructions, and received orders to
complete the attesting of the men who had already vo-
lunteered and return to Limerick."

THE NEW PROMOTIONS IN THE ARMY

AND NAVY.

In the Gazette of Tuesday appear the names of some
20 or 30 military and naval officers, most of whom have
been promoted for their services, either in the Peninsu-
lar or in the present war, to the second and third divi-
sions of the Order of the Bath. The British public will
recognise among them with satisfaction Major-General
William Feu wick Williams, the gallant defender of Kars.
The following brief account of the services of the most
distinguished of those officers who hare been thus ho-
noured by her Majesty will not be out of place. It will
be observed that some of the honours now bestowed are
rather tardy recognitions of services in the field :
General James Wallace Sleigh, C. 8., attained the
rank of full General in 1855, and is Colonel of the 9th
Lancers. He entered the army in February, 1795, as
Cornet in the 11th Dragoons, became Lieutenant in the
name year,
a Captain in 1798, and obtained his majority
in June, 1805. He bad previously served in Flanders
in Lhe campaigns of 1795 and 1796, and was present at
the actions in Northern Holland and the Helder, on the
10th and 19th of September, and 2d end 6th of October,
1799. Having been promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-
Colonel in 1809, he was again ordered on foreign service,
and served in the Peninsular campaigns of 1811 and
1812. He commanded the 11th Dragoons at Waterloo,
towards the close of which battle the command of the
Fourth Brigade devolved upon hitn. Attaining the rank
of Colonel in 1819, he proceeded with his regiment to
India, and commanded the Cavalry Division at the siege
of 131:urtpore in 1825 and the following year. He ob-
tained the Waterloo medal and the war medal with one
clasp for Salamanca. lie became Major-General in
July, 1830 ; Lieutenant-General in 1841 ; and was ap-
pointed to the Colonelcy of the 9th Lancers in 1839. In
1840 he was nominated a Companion of the Bath for his
services in the Peninsula and India.
Lieutenant. General Richard Goddard Islare•Clarges,
C,8., entered the army in 1796 as Ensign iu the 14th
Foot; became Lieutenant the same year, and Captain
in 1803. He served in Egypt under. Sir Ralph Aber•
cromby, in Hanover under the late General Lord Cath-
cart, and in Spain under Sir John Moore, where he ren-
dered good service during the retreat to Coruat:a. He
was on the staff of Str Thomas Graham (afterwards
better known as Lord Lynedoch) in the Walcheren Ex-
pedition, and Assistant-Adjutant-General of a division
in the Duke of Wellington's army in the Peninsula.
He received the gold medal and one clasp for Neville
and Nive, and the silver war medal, with nine clasps,
for Egypt, Corunna, Busaco, Barossa, Ciudad Rodrigo,
Badajoz, Salamanca, the Pyrenees, and San Sebastian.
In 1813 he attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel,
and that of full Colonel in 1830, became a field officer in
1841, was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General
in 1831, and succeeded the -Hon. General Meade in the
following year as Colonel of the 12th Foot.
Bri..adier-General William Fenwick Williams, whose
name is so familiar to our readers for his gallant defence
of Kars, was born about the year 1309, and educated,
we believe, at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich,
from which he entered the Artillery as Second Lieute-
cant in 1825. Two years later he was promoted to the
rank of First Lieutenant, and to that of Captain in
1840. Youne'as he is, comparatively, in the service,
he has considerable military and diplomatic experience,
having been employed in Turkey from 1840 to 1813 in
the latter capacity, when he was sent as British Com-
missioner to meet the Turkish and Persian Phinipoten
tearies at Erzeroum, and took part in the conferences
preceding the treaty signed at that place in May,
1847. In the June of the following year he was
appointed British Commissioner for the settlement
of the Turco-Persian boundary. In May, 1846,
he received the brevet rank of Major for his
military and diplomatic services in Turkey, and the
brevet rank of Colonel in March, 1843, for his political
services at Erzeroum. In December, 1152, he was
honoured with the Companionship of the Order of the
Bath. In Augu,t, 1354, while the British Army was at
Varna, he was appointed her Majesty's Commissioner
with the Turkish forces in those parts, with the local
rank of Colonel in the army, and while so occupied he
was raised to the local rank of Brigadier. General on the
19th of December last.
Rear-Admiral the Hon. Richard S. Dundas, C. 8., is
the next brother and heir presumptive to Major-General
Viscount Melville, K.C.8., who is at present General in
command of the Scottish district. He is second son of
the late Viscount, by his wife, the daughter and co heir
of Richard H. Saunders, Esq., M.D. He was born at
'Melville Castle in 1302, and entered the naval service
in 1815 ; he acted as private secretary to his father when
First Lord of the Admiralty from 1828 to 1830. He was
engaged in the early part of the Chinese war of 1841,
and received the Companionship of the Bath for his ser-
vices on the coast of China. He held the post of Super-
intendent of the Deptford Dockyard for a short time in
1851.2, and in December, 1852, was appointed a Lord
of the Admiralty by Lord Aberdeen, a post which he
continued to hold under Lord Palmerston, until he was
anpointed to the command of the Balticfleet in the spring
of last year.
Sir U. Maclean, Commissary-General, is also of Scot-
tish extraction, being the son of one of the magistrates of
Dysart, North Britain, and captain in the local militia.
He entered the Commissariat service in 1812, and served
in the Peninsula and South of France till the close of
the campaigns of 1813 and 1814 ; thence he proceeded to
America, but, returning to France, was present with the
army of occupation from 1815 to 1818. He was subse-
quently employed in the same capacity on the West Coast
of Africa, in Canada, and the West Indies, and while
stationed at Sierra Leone became a member of the Exe-
cutive Council there. He afterwards served in Van
Diemen's Land (now called Tasmania), and was made a
Commissary-General for his services there. In the same
capacity he afterwards served at the head-quarters of the
forces in the field during the Kafir war of 1852-3, and
accompanied the expedition across the Orange River to
Platsberg. He received the honour of knighthood early
in 1854, for his African services, immediately upon his
return to England.
Sir John Eox Burgoyne, G.C.8., whose elevation to a
baronetcy for his services in the siege of Sebastopol we
briefly mentioned yesterday, entered the Royal Engineers
in 1798, and served in the blockade of Malta and sur-
render of Valetta in 1800, and also in the campaign in
Egypt of liol, tinder Sir R. Abercromby, including the
capture of Alexandria and the attack on Rosetta. He
also took part in the Peninsular campaigns, including
the retreat to Corunna, the passage of the Nitro, and
the affair of Salamonde, when he blew up Fort Concep-
tion in the presence of the enemy. He was also present
at the battle of Busaco, the retreat to and occupation of
the lines of Lisbon, and the siege of Badajoz in 1811,
the action of Elbodon, the siege and storm of Ciudad
Rodrigo, the second siege and storming of Badajoz, the
siege and capture of the forts at Salamanca, the battle
of Salamanca, the advance to Madrid and capture of
the Retire. He was also wounded at the siege of Bur-
gos. lie was present at the battle of Vittoria and the
siege and storming of San Sebastian, where he was again
wounded. He also took an active part in the liege of
the Castle of Sebastian in September, 1813, as well as
in the passage of Bislassoa,
the battles of Nivelle and
Nive, the passage of the Adour, the blockade of Bay-
onne, and repulse of the sortie. He afterwards served
in the American war, and was present at the attack
on the lines before New Orleans in January, 1815,
and at the capture of Fort Jlowyer. Sir John has re-
ceived the gold cross and one clasp for Badajoz, Sala.
manta, and the other Peninsular victories, and the
silver war medal with three clasps for Buse's°, Ciudad
Rodrigo, and Nivelle. When the war broke out in
1854 Sir John Burgoyne accompanied the forces sent
out is aid of Turkey; and jwhen the British army
landed in the Crimea and _sat down before Sebastopol,
it was to Sir John Burgoyne that Lord Raglan in-
trusted the conduct of the siege. In April of last year
he was superseded by Sir Harry Jones, and soon after-
wards returned to England. The University of Oxford
conferred jupon him last year the honorary degree of
D.C.L., and at the same time he received from the
Sultan the Order of the Medjidie of the first class, and
was also appointed to the Colonelcy of the Royal Ea-
gineers. Sir John Burgoyne's services, however, are
not entirely of a military character ; in 1849 he was
appointed Inspector-General to the Metropolitan Com-
missioners of Sewers, having for several years previously
held the post of Chairman of the Board of Public
Works in Ireland. He has, also, since 184$ held the
appointment of Inspector-General of Military Fortifl.ca•
times.

A very large sailing ship, called Arthur the Great, is
appointed to leav6 Southampton, on the 18th, with Go-
vernment emigrants for Geelong. She is 1,389 tons
burden. No ship is allowed to take more than 400
Government emigrants.
[AnvEsrisEmssr.] The most inveterate liver com-
plaint and diarrhoea, which had resisted all medicines
for years, yielded to Du Barry's delicious Revalenta
Arabica Food, which removes indigestion (dyspepsia),
flatulency, constipation, nervous, bilious, and liver com-
plaints, cough, asthma, consumption, and debility. Our old
friend the great Indian traveller, Major Edie, writes
as follows : " London, 20th March, 1852.—Dear Sir,
—Ha v:ng suffered fearfully for two years from an enlargement
of the liver and an inveterate diarrheea, brought on in India
and China, and having tried the advice of the most eminent
professional men in China, India, and at home, without any
other result than gradual decay, I was on the brink of the
grave—unable to lift my arms from perfect exhaustion, when
Capt. Wraughton, of the Hon. E. I. C. Service, recommended
Inc to try Du Barry's excellent Revalenta Arabica Food, and
to discard the drugs I was then taking. The result of eatin:
this delicious Fool is the perfect restoration of my health
within amonth ; and I take a peculiarplea,snre in recommending
all ufferers to follow my example. I shall be happy to answer
any inquiries. I am, &c. ,W. Ems, 3laj or, H.M.S., Unattached.
In canisters, 51bs. Ils. ; 121b5., 2:25. The 121bs. carriage
free,. on receipt of ~ost-ofliee order. Barry du Barry and
Co., 77, Regent•strs.'„ London; Fortnum, Mason, and Co.,
Purveyors to her Majesty, Piccadilly; also at 60, Grace-
chutch.streot ; 33J and 451, Strand; 4, Chcapside ; 68
Cornhill ; 49, Bishopsgate-street ; 55, Charing-eros 04,
Upper Baker-etreet; 63 and 150, Oxford-street,

WHAT IS AN ARMIST IC B ?

(Front the Morning _Herald.)
England may be proud of her representatives, and of
her representative institutions. Among the first, in both
Houses of Parliament, only one man, Colonel Dunne,
has been found sufficiently clear-sighted to see, and suf-
ficiently honest to call attention to, the most monstrous
of all the political iniquities which have disgraced our
diplomacy since the ill-omened hour when the first Coa-
lition overthrew Lord Derby, and brought on, as an in-
evitable consequence, that war which we have conducted
in disaster and are about to close in disgrace.
Such are our representatives. As for the institutions
—what are we to say ? Simply this : that having found
a man to bring forward a matter of first-rate importance,
the forms of the house prevent any more efficient mode
of proceeding than asking a question. We all know
what that is. In the prevent instance, however, we
have certainly learned from Lord Palmerston that we
are to have an armistice—with the additional informa-
tion that it will be postponed to a period of the year
which will afford the greatest possible advantage to
Russia—viz., the spring months. The working of our
institutions may be further illustrated by the fact, that
with a dishonourable peace staring us in the face the
legislative wisdom must hold their tongues, and leave
the arrangements on which almost the futura existence
of the institutions in question depend in the hands of
men whom no one thoroughly trusts, while their own
power is limited to the privilege of pronouncing a futile
opinion, as soon as all the mischief is complete and utterly
without a remedy.

Said we not right when we alleged that England
might be proud of her institutions ? Let L3puta show a
parallel to this elaborate system of sitting looking
stolidly on while the steed is stolen, and then gravely
shutting the door,

Colonel Dunne's question referred to the proposed
armistice. As we pointed out some days since, it has
been announced in the Moniteur that this Austrian
dodge—attempted once before—at the time of that
sapient arrangement, the occupation of the Principalities
—is to precede the opening of the conferences for peace.
Lord Palmerston has confirmed the disgraceful intelli-
gence.
The Augsburg Gazette announced a few days since the
opinion of that well-informed journal—an opinion which
we gave to our readers three weeks ago—that Russia has
no object in entering into negotiations except for the
purpose of sowing dissensions among the allies ; and
adds that the probability is that the conference will ex-
tend to the end of April.
Of course the armistice will endure as long as the con-
ferences, if not some weeks longer.
Do our readers know what an armistice is ? We be-
lieve not.

Not only do hostilities cease, but blockades are raised,
and everything is restored as if t' a state of profound
peace. An armistice, therefore, signifies to those who
will observe it a suspension of all movements necessary
for future operations of war. It signifies a gain of two
mouths to Russia in Asia, where General Mouravieff's
army is at present without the possibility of receiving
assistance, but which, with the aid of the time provided
for that purpose by this precious armistice, will receive
reinforcements the. moment the passes are open, and be-
fore we can operate effectually against him.
Were we at once to make our preparations at BatOnlll
or Trebizonde—according to the direction in which we
intend to operate--we might he on the Russian cee-
ueral's communications, and the campaign might be
decided before his expected reinforcements could leave
the mouth of the Wolga. But if we cease or suspend
our arrangements during the armistice, we shall not be in
a condition to leave the coast of the Black Sea until the
middle of summer, when the unhealthy season will have
set in in the deep valleys of the Phasis, and when,
thanks to our delay, and the warnings w)oioh we have
given—aa we did at Kin bourn--the Russians may have
converted Kutais and Tiflis into fortresses on the model
of Sebastopol and Nicolaieff. This, indeed, would be
following up the betrayal of Kari to a useful purpose
for the Czar ; and who doubts that it will be done ?
Will the people of England never see that Russia is
not to be effectually attacked ; and that feeble as may
be the pretended assaults on her, she is always fore-
warned in time, so as to give her the opportunity of
making that impossible which before was only difficult ?
Such are some of the evils which this yielding to
foreign interests must inevitably create ; but there are
others of a different nature, and fully as injurious, to be
considered.

Among the many pressures which have been brought
to bear upon the people of this country, in order to cow•.
pel a Russo-Austrian peace, we have often mentioned,
in addition to the dear food and the cloverly-got-up
American difficulty, as the most efficacious of all, the
money pressure. Now, we would beg our readers to
look closely into this matter.
The armistico will probably commence in a month,
or say six weeks, previous to the breaking►-up of the ice
in the Baltic, but affording ample time for foreign mer-
chants and patriotic English traders to prepare every
vessel they c'iu lay their hands on for a rapid speculation
in Russian produce fur the English market.
Every harbour on the ca-tern and southern coast of
the Baltic will be crowded with shipping to take off all
produce which may be there accumulated, and every
pound of that produce will be sold in England for gold
—in reality, if .not ostensibly.
The abstraction of this gold —all of which will ulti-
mately go to Russia, and be employed in preparing ar-
maments against ourselves should the war continue—
will of necessity entail the diminution of our paper cir-
culation, and equally of necessity increase the pressure
in the money market, under which some great houses
have already sunk; and many more are tottering. Here
is a palpable advantage to our enemy, and an injury to
ourselves, which of itself should be sufficient to expose
any Minister who may sign an armistice to a just im-
peachment.

- But what can we expect? England is content to
allow her monetary laws to be concocted, and her cur-
rency to be arranged, by " Mercator" and others, who
are at this moment gaining from 7 to 10 per cent, by
discounting b.llB in consequence of the money pressure
which those very laws have called into existence.
One more sign of the times and we have done.
We have heard that a neutralisation of the Baltic is
in contemplation, as a supplement, we suppose, to that
of the Black Sca.

In the first this will of course involve the destruction
of the Swedish fleet—her only security against aggres•
sion, and so pave the way for her future subjugation.
While in the second, Russia has no fleet, and Turkey
has a very powerful one.
Is the latter to be destroyed because the ships of the
Czar are rotting at the bottom of the harbour of Sebas-
topol? This is worth consideration.
We must.not sneer at the Turks as a maritime power,
when we remember that, except for the direct inter-
ference of our own ambassador, acting by order of the
Foreign Secretary, who prevented Admiral Slade from
entering the Black Sea, that foul blot upon modern
civilisation, the massacre of Sinop°, would, we verily
believe, have never been attempted, or, if attempted,
would have resulted in a destruction of the ships of the
aggressor, as complete as that which, by English agency,
befell the frigates and transports of our unfortunate ally.

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

CALEDONIAN.

A meeting of the shareholders in this company was
held at two o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, at the
Clarendon Rooms, Liverpool, to consider the position of
the company in reference to the Edinburgh and Glas-
gow Company, and the steps which should be taken to
bring about a pacific policy, and put a final stop to the
existing competition, which was alike injurious to both
companies. There were fifteen shareholders present,
and one of the Edinburgh and Glasgow line.
Mr. GILLOW took the chair, and, having stated the ob-
ject of the meeting, proceeded to read his own address.
It, was a lengthened document, and went to show that
at the preient time the competition between the two rival
companies had arrived at a ruinous extent, the result of
which was that the Edinburgh and Glasgow were for-
warding passengers, first class, at one half-penny per
nide, and third-class passengers at one farthing per mile—
a tariff, which the Caledonian was also adopting, and,
consequently, no dividend could be expected ; and he
had reason to believe that for the past eighteen months
the dividend had been paid—out of the capital of the
company. Corresponding reductions is the cost o
transit had also taken place in the contracts, one of
which he instanced. Where pig-iron had been conveyed
over 31 miles for 4s. 41 per ton the charge was now
only 2s. 2d. per ton,-and the directors had entered into
the contract for five years. He thought a searching in-
quiry ought to be made into the matter, and that the
shareholders should express their feelings whether they
had confidence in the direction. He exhorted them to
bestir themselves, as there would be matters before
Parliament affecting the Caledonian which would require
their consideration before further capital was sunk.
Alter readi:,g several extracts from newspapers, having
reference to the competition, the chairman proposed
that at Committee be appointed to address a circular to
the shareholders soliciting their support to the following
tesoliesion to be proposed at. the next half•yearly meet-
ing :—" That a committee of gentlemen, in whose sound
judgment and principles the shareholders might have
confidence, be appointed to examine into the present
position and management of the company, and through
whose intervention an attempt may be made to conclude
a fair and mutually benefiical joint-working agreement
with the Edinburgh and Glasgow Company, similar
to that lately entered into between the Scottish Central,
and Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee Companies, and in
effecting this, it should also be aimed at, that the best
understanding should be maintained with the last-named
companies."
This resolution was carried unanimously, and after a
vote of thanks bad been passed to the chairman the
meeting separated.

LIBEL.—TfIE PRESS.—On Tuesday the proprietor of
the Roscommon Journal obtained a verdict for 251,
against the proprietor of a rival paper, the .Roscommon
Reporter, for stating that the Journal had died.
AMERICAN WHEAT FOR FRANCE.—The New York.
Journal of Commerce, of Jan. 16, quotes the following
from. the Chicago Daily Press, without giving date.
Some days ago we noticed the shipment of 20,000
bushels of wheat from this city, via the Illinois Central
Railroad and Cairo for. France. From the Lasalle Press
we observe that similar shipments are being made from
other points for the same destination. On Saturday
I set 8,000 bushels wer received at that place from Io
over the Rock Island road, which was transferred to the
Illinois Central to go to the Cairo and then to France.
The Press says :—" A still larger quautity is to arrive
from the same State this week for the same destination.
This, IN e believe, is the first instance- in which grain has-
been shipped from lowa to New Orleans via Lasalle,
and is perhaps but the forerunner of more shipments.",

TRE AUSTRIAN PROPOSITIONS.

The following letter, dated the 24th, has been
received from Constantinople :
"The sensation produced by the news of the accept.
ance by Russia of the Austrian propositions has by no
means subsided here. The speedy conchision of peace is
fully believed, and a day or two ago it was rumoured-
that an armistice would be proclaimed forthwith.
"There is reason to fear that the unlocked-for change
in the policy of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg may pro-
duce a certain degree of perturbation in the trade of
Constantinople. Immense quantities of provisions bad
been purchased on the certainty of the Continuation of
the campaign, and if, as there is reason to believe, peace
be made, great losses will accrue to houses that deeply
engaged in the provision trade in the expectation of the
energetic resumption of hostilities.
"Conferences are held daily at the Seraskierate on the
question of the situation of the Christian subjects of the
Ottoman Empire. The Grand Vizier takes part in them,
as also the French and English Ambassadors, and Prince
Callimaki. The Turkish Government seems most favour-
able to reform, and the most satisfactory results are ex-
pected. The French Ambassador has received from the
Sultan the decoration of the Medjidie of the first class.
" The 3d Regiment of the Auglo-German Contingent
bas lately arrived at Constantinople. It has established
its encampment on the plain contiguous to Kululee, and
which contains already 4,000 men. Gen. Shirley has ar-
rived at Constantinople, and leaves to-day for Varna ;
the outrages committed lately by the Bashi-Bazouks ren-
der the presence of the General in that place necessary.
Apropos of Varna, I have to mention that after various
operations it has been discovered that the submarine
telegraph was broken about 25 miles from Cape St.
George. A portion of the wire has been found, but the
weather is not yet favourable to the operations necessary
for searching for the other portion.
Baron Tecco, the Sardinian Minister, leaves Constan-
tinople on Monday next for Turin. The First Secretary
will take charge during his absence. Mr. James Brant,
English Consul at Erzeroum, has been appointed to the
same post at Damascus. My last letters from the Crimea
are of the 19th, but they mention no fact of impor-
tance. The weather was still fine. The north forts
had almost entirely ceased their fire, though it was not
believed that the Russians were aware of the accept-
ance of the Austrian prepositions. General Lebeenf,
who bad been sent by Marshal Pelissier to Kinbourn,
in anticipation of an attack from the Russians, has re-
turned to the Crimea. General Vivian has node the
greatest efforts to complete the fortifications of Kerteh
and its environs. The Circassian deputation, whose
arrival from Anapa I announced in my last letter, left
the day before yesterday for Trebizond, whence it nro-
cceds directly to the head-quarters of Omer Paella."

VIENNA, Feb. 2.—lt is necessary to make the
following slight alteration in the text of the Vienna
protocol of the Ist of February :—lnstead of
" Plenipotentiaires, qui, munis des pleins pou-
voirs necessaires pour proceder a la signature
des preliminaires de paix formels, conclure uu
armistice," etc., it should be, " Plenipotentiaires
munis des pleins pouvoirs necessaires pour pro-
ceder a la signature des preliminaires do paix
formels, conelure nu armistice," etc. In con-
sequence of the omission of the words " et pour "
(and to) before the word " conclure," the sen-
tence is heavy, but its sense is, that the five Mi-
nisters agreed " their respective Governments
should appoint Plenipotentiaries furnished with
full powers necessary for proceeding to the signa-
ture of formal preliminaries of peace, and for con-
cluding an armistice and -a definitive treaty of
peace." The Vienna protocol was signed yester-
day at a few minutes after 12. The first person who
put his name to the document was Isaan Bey ; the
second, Count Buol ; the third, Sir Harnilton Sey-
mour ; the fourth, Baron do Bourqueney; and the
fifth, Prince Gortschakoff. It is said to be evident
from Prince Gortschakoff's signature that his hand
was less steady yesterday than it was when he
signed the various conference protocols some ten
months ago. There are many persons in this city
who have no great confidence in the sincerity of
the Russian Court, and they one and all express
a hope that the 'Western Powers will not grant
a long armistice. The term proposed by Rus-
sia is four months, and this fact is calculated
to excite some little suspicion, that her object
is to gain time rather than to make peace.
If the armistice were concluded for a month from
the date of the signature of the preliminaries of
peace, it might be prolonged should it appear ad-
visable. It is stated that the allies do not intend
to insist on the neutralisation of the Sea of Azoff ;
but the newspaper, Germany, contains au article
on the subject, which is well worth attention. The
following is a brief summary of it
"The Sea of Azoff is likely to give the diplomatic
world some trouble. Is it, like the Euxine, to he closed
against all ships of war? if it is considered a mere
gulf in the Black Sea, the reply must be in the affirma-
tive. If it i 4 viewed in the light of an inland sea, it is
not underthe interdict contained in the third article, and
Russia can keep as many ships of war in it as she
pleases. The Sea of Azoff is extremely shallow, but the
events of the present war have clearly shown that ves-
sels drawing but little water may effect much."
" Russia will probably, by the conditions of the ex-
pected treaty of peace, be entirely separated from Tor- key in Europe, but her Asiatic frontiers will remain un-.
changed ; she will retain her trans-Caucasian possessions,
and with them all the passes into Asia Minor. If Russia
ever wishes to go to war with Turkey, she can, without
anything being known in Europe of what she is about,
send great numbers of troops by way of the Caspian to
her trans-Caucasian provinces, and suddenly make such
a tremendous inroad into Asia Minor that she will
carry all before her."

7, 1856.