The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-06 00:00:00

AUSTRIA.

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 preliminairee de paix formels, conclure un
armistice," etc., it should be, " Plenipotentiaires
munis des pleins pouvoirs necessaires pour pro-
ceder a la signature des preliminaires do paix
formels, conclure un 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 Isam Bey ; the
second, Count Buol ; the third, Sir Hamilton Sey-
mour ; the fourth, Baron de 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 an 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 be 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 is 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 be entirely separated from Tur-
e,f peace,butber 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 iu 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."

LAW INTELLIGENCE—(This Day.)

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS.

(Before Lord Chief Justice .Tervis and a Special Jury.)

HOPPEU V. DIXON.

This was an action for false imprisonment arising out
of the late fire at Mr. Scott Russell's ship-yard, Mill-
wall, Poplar. The plaintiff is a ship's carpenter, and the
defendant manager of the above yard ; and it appeared
that in Oct. last a floating battery in the course of con-
struction in the above yard was destroyed by fire, which
there was reason to believe had been wilfully done.
The plaintiff was apprehended on the charge, and during
the examination was in the Clerkenwell House of Deten-
tion 14 days. Ultimately he was discharged, and hence
the present action had been brought.
After hearing the plaintiff's case the Lord Chief
Justice directed a nonsuit.
The plaintiff was accordingly nonsuited.