The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-19 00:00:00

THE _PEACE CONFERENCES.

(From the Times Correspondent of this day.)
Tbe following is the letter of the Times' Pasts
correspondent, dated yesterday, 6 p.m. :
From all that can he learned in respectable quay"
ters there appears little doubt that peace is all but
decided. There may, we are told, be certain points
still to settle, certain formalities to fulfil, but they
are not of a character to affect the certainty of the
result, or hardly to retard it. The Russians are
described as now presenting no serious difficult'',
whether as regards the " neutralisation" of the
Black Sea, the transformation of Nicholaieff into a
purely ccmmercial port, the neutrality of the Aland
Isles, the rectification of the Moldavian frontier
based on the report of a commission, &c.
There will be several matters to regulate after the
signing of the treaty, but, as I have said, an easy
solution is anticipated. Such, at all events, is the
general feeling. Scme are of opinion that the treat,'
will very soon be made public ; others that it Will
yet be delayed. Whether the peace we are nniv
promised will be durable or not is another question.
It may be doubted if all the Plenipotentiaries ale
as well satisfied with the results as people here are,
or pretend to be. If one could guess what passes
in the mind of M. Cavour, for instance, I hardly.
think that his delight is excessive. If Count Buni
were to speak his thoughts I am pretty sure that •
he is neither over-pleased nor over-flattered at
the results. But if France and England all
united and content, I suppose it is indifferenb
what anybody else likes or dislikes. That the nly
ject which Russia at this moment scorns and hates
the most on earth is Austria I have no doubt
whatever on my mind. When Count Esterhal
last saw the Czar at St. Petersburg, his Ma-
jesty said, " It is Austria that has forced me to se;
cept such hard conditions. Be assured, and tel
your master what I say, I shall never forget
the obligations I ewehim." This is a pretty state of
feeling for peacemakers ! In the meantime, so con'
fident are people here of peace being virtually con:
eluded, 'that at the War-office measures are discussed
for the best and most convenient way of bringing
back the troops from the Crimea. It is said that
111. de Manteuffel, the Prussian Plenipotentiarit
attended the Conferences to-day with M. Hatzfeld.

METROPOLITAN IMPROVEIIENTS.—Not a thought bee
been given to the wretched state of our communicatons
between the north and south, which call loudly for *
p3rtion, at lea't, of the attention which the authorities
nave to bestow on metropolitan improvements. The Most
urgent want of all, and at the same time the most Will,
remedied and at the smallest cost, is a good line ot
street from the broad part of the Strand to Holborn
through Lincoln's-inn-fields. It is,
fact, alrearlf
more than half made. Nothing mere is required tbae'-
the destruction of some worthless old houses in coo'
fined courts between the Strand and Carey-street,
and the setting back of the few houses on one BiCl6
of Great Turnstile, to complete the whole line as far al
Holborn ; and the site of this new street would be ge,
valuable for offices and chambers that the improveu
ground-rents would cover the interest of the outlay three
times over ! The next thing I would urge is so per•
fectly simple and easy of accomplishment, that it is°
positive reproach to the commissioners who bal
hitherto had the control of public improvements that
has not been carried into effect long ago. I mean the
setting back of some four or five houses at the lower
end of St. Martin's-lane to the line of the adjoinieg
buildings. Large sums have been expended to widl
the upper end of St. Martin's-lane, and form a brow
street, crossing Holborn into Bedford-square, and thence
in a direct line to the New-road and Euston-square
station ; but this well-designed plan is entirely spoil"',
present by leaving the street quite narrow at the veq
point where it oueht to be broadest, namely, where',
approaches the National Gallery and the fine portico re
St. Martin's Church. Another great improveineeLt
and at the same time involving but a very modera'e
outlay, would be a short street from the top of Bedford'
street to the corner of Long-acre and St. Martin's-We,'
which would cut through a beggarly neighbourhoooj
and would amply repay its cost. This street we&
lead directly into Cranbourn-street, and would soon be"
come the main thoroughfare from the Strand to Covent*"
street and Piccadilly, instead of the narrow and intricate/
passage by Hemming's-row and Green-street. There
is one other plan, which I have suggested on a forroer
occasion, and which I am sure would be an immense ire;
provement, not only as regalia public convenience, be
also architectural effect—namely, a broad and handsome
'street from Somerset House to the British Museee2,l
falling into the line of Drary-lane just beyond the 01/w;
pic Theatre, with a branch eastward into the south-wee
corner of Lincoln's-inn-fields, and the same branch e%
tended westward into Wellington-street, connecting 'f
with Waterloo-bridge. This scheme, however, i 5
somewhat greater magnitude than the others I hal
pointed out, and is net so immediately pressing.---C°l'
respondent of the Builder.
MILITARY EXECUTION AT BOITLOGNE.—The
Ruchet, of the 6th Regiment of Artillery, condemned
death by court-martial for having, when in garrison
Neuf Brisach, murdered a serjeant-major named EeeV
lon, was executed on Tuesday morning, at Straebour...g'
For a short time after his condemnation the man
very brutal in his language, and threatened several Pe'
sons with death. One evening, when the gaoler entere,d
his cell, lie seized him violently by the head, and criec.4,
"How dare you come to me at such an hour ? Wb,ast
to prevent me from killing you ? But no," he sounse
" I will net kill any one to--day— so go !" After a wbr;
however, the exhortations of the chaplain produced
strong effect on him, and ho became reconciled to re,
legion and to the idea of death. He was on Tueed°ll
conveyed under an escort to the Finckmatt, where I‘.
the troops of the garrison were drawn up under arced
The man, on descending from the prison van, svallgeic
forward calmly to the place destined for him, and toot,
off, without assistance, his stock, cap, and jacket. 11,.
twice refased to allow his eyes to be bandaged, end bt
quested that the platoon who were to fire at him I.
Mged
be brought so close as to be sure to hit him. He kie„,geo
a crucifix, embraced the chaplain, and knelt down. -`"4
judgment condemning him having been read, the sign'.
to fire was given, and he fell struck by several balls.;
but, as he moved after falling, a non-cominissione;
officer discharged a pistol in his ear. The troops ere%
made to march off before the dead body, which Ire
afterwards removed to the hospital.—Galignani. .es
CONVICTION FOR MURDER.—A woman named .A1411t1,.
Burns has been convicted at Down assizes for them 'i
der of Margaret Withers, at Saintfield, on the 201
February last. The facts of the appalling tragedy cv,b,
be found embodied in the following extract from 'id
Northern Whig "Margaret Withers was a poor o f
woman who kept a small huxter's shop in the town c/o
Saintfield. Within three doors of her house lived two
sisters, Agnes Burns and Mary West, who were b,
habit of making purchases at the shop of their liege,
bour, a relation of their own. On the evening of 00
22d of last month the two sisters, having
heard that
small buns of money had come into the old womsas Pfesr
session, took counsel together how they should
and obtain the object of their diabolical avarice.d
determined on a plan, and they deliberately proceeervi,,
to the old woman's shop, and there, while she was Betel
ing them with some articles of her little stock, thel_'o
on her and murdered her. All that they could find "
the
a few pounds of butter, and this they carried el. As
sole fruits of their bloody deed."