The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-22 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

r A letter from St. Petersburg, in the Cologne
Gazette, states that the fact of Count Orloff being
sent to Paris is considered there not only as a
manifestation of the Emperor's desire for peace,
but likewise as a proof of his wish to effect a com-
plete reconciliation with France.
A letter from St. Petersburg of the 12th, in the
Debats, says :
" An Imperial ukase, addressed to the Senate,
regulates the position of certain assistants ap-
pointed under the Grand Dukes in the inspection
of the engineers and of the artillery. The business
of these officers will be to receive the reports from
the chiefs of service, and to call the attention of
the Grand Dukes to the defects which may exist
in the administration, and in the event of the ab-
sence or illness of the Grand Dukes, these deputies
will replace them. M. Tchefkin, the present head
of the department of buildings and roads, has re-
cently published different regulations intended to
prevent certain abuses which formerly existed,
ono of which was that contractors who were about
to make tenders were informed beforehand of the
price that would be accepted. According to ac-
counts from Libau, only 23 vessels entered that
port during 1855, and about the same number left.
The value of the imports was 32,000 silver roubles
(4f. each), and that of the experts 140,000."
A letter from St. Petersburg of the 12th in the
Constitutionnel says :
"Prince Augustus of Wurtemberg, a member, by
marriage, of the Imperial family, and who has ja,t re-
turned from a military mission to Berlin and Hanover,
had a private audience of the Emperor yesterday, and
expressed the great satisfaction felt by the Court of
Prussia at the adhesion of Russia to the propositions of
Austria. The Emperor again expressed his desire to see
peace concluded in the interest of the general tranquil.
lity of the world, and in that of the ameliorations which
he has in contemplation for Russia. It is said that the
Czar intends to completely reform the customs regime,
and to replace the present system, which is nearly pro-
hibitive, by one framed with more liberal views. People
who pretend to be well informed on those intended re-
forms say that foreign commerce will hereafter find all
the frontiers open. They go even further, and affirm
that the commercial treaty between Russia, France,
and England is already drawn up and will be signed
immediately after the conclusion of peace and the
recognition of Alexander 11. by the Ceurts of Paris and
London. At Odessa, the mere hopes of peace have com-
pletely transformed the appearance of the }lace in a fow
days. Unfortunately the decisbu of the 16th January
as want expected, and certain supplies were wanting to

meet the sudden demand. Wheat and oats have ob-
tained fabulous prices—the former is worth 24fr. the
hectolitre, and the latter 20 paper roubles. Flour also
has not been found in sufficient quantity to meet the de-
mand of purchasers, and the arrival of corn at this place
from the interior is anxiously expected, although it is
feared that the last harvest was not sufficiently produc-
tive to furnish as much as will be required. A gill
greater rise in the price of corn has taken place A zoff.
It is, however, hoped that a general fall will take place
as soon as further supplies reach the different markets.
Great difficulty is still felt at Odessa in procuring cash,
and in getting bills discounted, and this difficulty will
continue until the bank is enabled to resume cash pay-
ments,"

FRANCE.

, PARIS, TIltiltSDIY EVENING.

It is now certain that the first sitting of the
Congress will take place on Monday next, the 25th
inst., at the Hotel of the Minister for Foreign
Affairs.

A Council of Ministers was held yesterday at
the Tuilleries, at which the Emperor presided.
A grand diplomatic dinner was given yesterday
by Count Walewski to the foreign plenipoten-
tiaries who have arrived in Paris for the Con-
ferences.

It is officially stated that the Constitutionnel is in
error in attributing the appearance of the article
from the Siecle in the columns of the Moniteur to a
mistake. The itioniteur, it is oberved, is the only
Government journal, and if it commits a mistake
will not leave others to correct it.

Count Buol, accompanied by Baron de Hubner;
yesterday commenced paying their visits of cere-
mony to the Ministers and high functionaries of
the state, and to the members of the Corps Diplo-
matique. The evening before last the Count, ac-
companied by the members of the Chancelleries
who came from Vienna with him, were present at
the representation of " Lucie," the new piece of
Georga Sand, at the Gymnase. Yesterday evening
they were at the Grand Opera at the representation
of "Robert le Diable, where they occupied the
box of Baron de Rothschild.

BOURSE, Feb. 21.—Large sales were effected at
the end of the market, and all securities were
heavy. The following were the closing quota-
tions:—

Cash. fr. e. End of Month.
per Cents 96 —f. --c.
3 per Cents 72 65 73 25

New Loan

73 5)

Bank Shares 3,465 Roman
Credit Mobilier 3,550 Austrian
Belgian Fives 97 Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5). B9 50 Home Debt , ..... „ 38