The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-10 00:00:00

A ItAIL TVA Y CLUB-HOUSE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—The question of a Railway Club-house in Lon-
don has been under notice on more than one occasion.
The subject is one of so great interest to those concerned
that I am surprised no action has been attempted,
although some discussion has taken place.
There is no doubt such an establiahrnent would be of
groat use, not only to railway officials in London but to
those in the country whose duties frequently require
their presance in town, and vcgio would thus be provided
with good accommodation at reasonable charges. As re•
garde the London officials, they would have the advan-
tage of a good reading-room, &c., with dinners at mo-
derate cost, to say nothing of the society of their co-
temporaries in the service—an association in itself cal-
culated to prove beneficial to all parties.
It nrpears to me that railway officials would generally
be Blau to join in such an establishment, the subscrip•
tions to which must necessarily be made to come within
the MEADS of the majority.
The situation of the club must be central, in order to
accommodate the greatest possible number. The most
convenient site for all the metropolitan lines, except the
Great Western, would be in Farringdon-street, either
at the corner of Skinner•street or Holborn-hill.
I trust some practical movement in this matter will
soon take place, as I feel assured it is a subject well
worthy the consideration of railway managers.
If you can aid the cause by giving insertion to this
in your next publicati9n, you will confer a favour on
your obedient tervant,
Bth March, 1856.

A RAILWAY OFFICIAL.

The Queen and Prince Albert will honour the Duchess
of Cambridge with their presence at dinner this evening,
at her Royal Highness's residence in St. James's Palace.
A select circle of the nobility have been commanded to
meet .the Queen.
The Marquis and Marchioness of Abercorn and the
Ladies Hamilton have arrived in town for the season.
The Countess of Malmesbury continues, we regret to
learn, in somewhat impaired health.
The Earl Granville, Lord President of the C,,uncil, is
nearly recovered from his recent severe attack of gout.
Viscountess Palmerston has recovered from her recent
indisposition.
NEW ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL AT PLYMOUTH.—The
small chapel in sit. Mary-street, Stonehouse, having
been long found too limited for the accommodation of
the Roman Catholics of these towns and neighbourhood,
numbering about three thousand souls, a suitable site
has been purchased for the erection of a commodious
chapel, near Eldad. Some sensation has been caused
among the various Protestant sects by the announce-
ment of this circumstance, as indicating an increase of
Roman Catholics in this neighbourhood, but when it is
seen that this sect numbers about three per cent. only of
the population, there is not any just ground for alarm.—
Devonport Telegraph
NEW ZEALAND.—We have received a few papers of a
later date—to the 9th of November—these contain,
however, but scanty_ intelligence. lit Auckland the
elections, both general and provincial, were over, and
are regarded as satisfactory. Mr. Brown has been
elected Superintendent of Auckland. A new and simple
code of land regulations is said to have been prepared,
and, within two months from our last dates, it was ex-
pected that a considerable quantity of land which had
been survered and lotted, would be brought into the
market in large quantities.—Australian and New Zea-
land Gazette.

STATE OF CRIME IN LIVERPOOL.—The annual report
of Capt. Greig, head constable, was lately presented
to the Liverpool Town Council. It stated that there
was nothing in the state of crime to afford ground for
congratulation. There was an increase of 578 in the
number of apprehensions, chiefly in miscellaneous offences.
The higher class of offences against the person remained
much the same. Twelve persons had been committed
upon charges of murder on the coroner's warrant.
There was a marked increase in the number of appre-
hensions for drunkenness, which were 2,041 more than
in 1854 ; 103 boys and girls under 10 years of age
had been taken into custody by the police ; and 756
boys between the ages of 10 and 15. More than half
of the work of the police was caused by drunkenness.
Capt. Greig, in his report, paid a high tribute to the
efficiency and generally excellent conduct and temper
of the police.
DEATH OF MR. CHARLES SWAIN.—We have to record,
with much regret, the death of Mr. Charles Swain, which
took place at the early age of thirty, at his father's
house, in Tottenham-court-road, on Thursday last. The
writings of Mr. Swain were well known to the readers
of this journal, though they were published anony-
mously. None of them, we are sure, have forgotten the
able series of articles which appeared from Hi pen, up-
wards of twelve months ago, under the heading of " A
Glances at the War." These papers were written, not
only xvitl great ability, but with a vividness which could
scarcely have been surpassed bad Mr. Swain been an
eye-witness of all he described. Like his father, he
identified himself earnestly with the cause of popular
progrebs, in all its varied forms, and contributed much
by his articles in the journals of the day to promote the
oauee of civil and religious liberty. He was a man of
great integrity and kindness of heart, as well as of a
superior order of intellect, and his early death, through
that fell disease, consumption—which did iti work in
six months—will be greatly regretted by a large num-
ber of persons beyond the confines of the sorrowing'
family ciroie.-2,l9rning Advertiser. .

LATEST NEWS.

MARSEILLES, SATURDAY, 4.30 P.M.

The ..A.leiandre has arrived, with advices from
Constantinople of the 28th, and from the Crimea
of the 26th of February.

There was a financial crisis at Constantinople.
The Exchange on London had risen to 137.

piastres the pound sterling.
An order to suspend hostilities had been sent
to Omer Pacha and Selim Pacha.

The mouths of the Danube were free from ice,
and the boats of the Austrian Lloyd's had recom-

menced their service.

The construction of barracks continued on both
banks of the Bosphorus at Constantinople.
The Falcon, an English steamer, chartered by
the French Government, has sunk on her way to
Smyrna. The crew were saved.

The English were planning an encampment in

Asia.

News from Trebizond, up to the 20th ult., had
been. received. Omer Pasha had arrived in that

city, and Selina Pasha was recalled.

BERLIN, MARCH 8.

The last accounts from St. Petersburg state
that General Williams had left Tiflis for Moscow

in recovered health.

Beside the steamors that have got out of Cron-
stadt, it is stated here that three or four Russian

cruisers have left Revel and steered towards the
coast of Sweden.

Various changes have been made in the distri-
bution of the Russian Baltic fleet, so as to equalise
the strength of the various squadrons.

The last accounts from the Sea of Azoff state
that the ice still extended a considerable distance
from tlae land, though English gun-boats had
made their appearance in those waters.

Letters havo been received from Norway an-
nouncing that the Russians have made good use

of the winter in adding to the defences of the

White Sea.

The bar at the entrance to the Biy of Arch-
angel has been rendered impracticable for vessels

of large size ; and gun and mortar boats of a
small draught of water would be exposed to a

cross fire from batteries on both shores.

FRANCE
PARIS, SUNDAY EVENING.
The Congress 'met on Saturday for the sixth
time.

The despatches brought by the couriers to Count
Orloff on Friday are reported to be entirely favour-
able to peace.
They are said to refer principally to the rectifi-
cation of the frontier between Turkey and Russia.
The Moniteur of to-day contains the following
announcement :

" The expectation of peace gives rise to nume-
rous projects of enterprise. New companies are
in course of formation, and every day send in pe-
titions to the Government. It is the duty of the
Government to resist exaggerated hopes and
views, which might endanger affairs already un-
dertaken and injuriously affect credit. The Em-
peror has decidedithat whatever may be the issue
of the negotiations now pending the Government
will maintain the reserve it has imposed on itself,
and that no enterprise entailing any issue of fresh
scrip or shares will be authorised during this cur-
rent year."

The Moniteur also publishes bulletins respecting
the health of the ex-King of Westphalia. The fol-
lowiEG is the latest :

" March 8, 8 o'clock P. M.
"The state of the Prince Jerome is very satis•
factory ; the improvement is progressive and decided.
" RAYER, LE HELLOCO, BoreL"
Marshal Valliant, Minister of War, has received
the following letter from the Emperor :
" Monsieur le Mareohal,—My attention having been
directed to the labours of the Councils of Revision,
which have such great influence on the good constitu-
tion of the 'army, I charged General Niel, one of my
aides-de-camp, to make researches from the data fur-
nished to me
,by the report on the recruiting of the
army sent in every year. It results from this examina
tion that even when the annual contingent was only
80,000 men, there were some departments rich in able-
bodied men, but which, nevertheless, admitted into
their contingent as much as 9 per cent, of young men
set down as either infirm or too weak to be admitted
into the various corps ; that is to say, that the Councils
of Revision, by receiving a great number of young men
for service, and who were for that reason refused at
ehe moment of their incorporation, sacrificed for a local
interest which it is difficult to explain the interest of
the army and of the country, for if these corps accept
theta they encumber the army with unserviceable men
and fill the hospitals, or if they are refused the annual
contingent is diminished, and in both ca,es the Govern-
is compelled to increase the number of the following
year's contingent, and thus render the charge more
heavy on the population. It may, moreover, be cal-
culated that each man who is refused on reaching the
corps and sent back to his family costs the State 250 f.
The table annexed to this letter applies to 1854, when
the contingent was carried up to 140,000 men ;
therefore, the ,number of men refused having been
5,694, the Treasury suffered a dead loss of nearly
1,500,0001.. In order to prevent a recurrence of similar
abuses, I desire that in the annual report which you will
make to me on the recruiting of the army you will specify
the departments which have half the fewest men of their
contingent refused by the corps and those which have
had the most. The classification will stimulate the zeal
of the prefects and of the members of the councils of re-
vision; for it is evident that they will deserve the greater
praise as the number of men refused is lese. From the
returns of 1854 there are most striking differences be-
t Ween several departments. In the Orne, for instance,
the number of young men not examined was only 4 per
cent., and, although the department is very poor in re
cruitable population, only one out of 100 was afterwards
refused. The council of revision, therefore, did its duty
conscientiously. In the Nerd, on the contrary, 25 cut
of 100 were left unexamined ; and such a gre at number
of weak or infirm men were passed that those afterwards
refused =crated to 11 per cent., and among them were
nine substitutes, which is still more inexcusable. In
the Moselle the operations of the recruitment prance 1
results still more to be regretted. The number of young
men unfit for the service comprised in the contingent
amounted to more than 14 per cent., and 21 substitutes
were passed by the council of revision, although their
infirmities were snob that they were refused a few days
after, on reaching their corps. According to the annexed
table, it was in the departments of the Allier, the Creuse,
the Orne, the Saone-et-Loire, and the Haute-Vienne,
that she operations were best carried out ; the contrary
being the case in those of the Gironde, the Herault, the
Moselle, the Nord, and the Seine-et-Oise. I request
you to have this letter and the annexed table inserted in
the Mon,:teur, in order that the .prefects may be warned
that henceforward I shall pay particular attention to the
report which you make to me every year on the opera
tions of each council of revision.

"I pray God, M. le Mareohal, to have you in His
holy keeping.
"Given at the Palace of the Tuileries this 7th of
March.

" NAPOLEON."

The following is the letter of the Times' Paris
correspondent, dated yesterday, 6 p.m. :
I reported in my letter of Friday the improve-
ment that had taken place in the progress of the
Conferences, and that the result of the sittings of
Tuesday and Thursday was far more satisfactory
than any during the previoug week. Such was the
opinion entertained in quarters that ought to be
well informed, and which was equally expressed by
those who desire that peace should be the conclusion
of the negotiations as by those to whom a different
issue would be more acceptable. A military man of
the highest rank, happening to find himself near
Count Orloff at one of the many convivial gather-
ings that have taken place since the commence-
ment of the Conferences, two days ago, expressed
the hope that the Russian Plenipotentiary and his
compeers had gone through a good deal of business
the day previous. The reply was in the affirmative ;
and it was added that matters looked so well at
that moment as to justify the expectation
that at the next meeting they would attain a
complete and satisfactory termination. The next
meeting to which the Russian Plenipotentiary re-
ferred was that of yesterday ; but I much doubt
whether his hopes were realised so entirely as he
anticipated. Indeed it was affirmed last night
that the meeting of ye: terday had not proved so de-
cidedly satisfactory as the two previous ones, and
certainly not so comple .e as was predicted. Anxious
as AM tC4 inform you of the particular topiogi on

,_~~

which a difference of opinion was perceptible, or to
relate the incidents which marked the discussion,
I frankly admit that it out of my power at this
moment to do so on any authority which would
give weight to my words. The only thing which
I can. say is, that yesterday was less satisfactory
than the previous days of the week which has
just expired. I might, to be sure, say that the
question of the Christian populations in the Otto-
man empire, the new institutions proposed to be
given to the Danubian Principalities, the demands
of England with reference to Asia, and some other
interesting, but perhaps secondary questions, have
somewhat interfered with the even flow of thedis-
cussion which characterised the first two sittings ;
but, in this case, I should only repeat either
the on Bits of the Paris salons, or merely echo
the opinions of persons who are not better ac-
quainted with the subject than the generality of the
public, and who may have reasons of their own for
circulating particular versions of what passes. I
think, however, I may -very safely inform you that
on the whole the state of the negotiations has not
materially varied from the commencement to the
present moment. The chances in favour of a pacific
solution have in no wise diminished, nor have those
Of a contrary nature increased. lam also enabled
to add that henceforth matters will go on more
speedily than was at first supposed, and that very
probably towards the close of the present week we
shall be able to form a reasonable opinion as to the
definitive re,ult.

It is a part of the policy of the Russians to speak
of peace as being certainly the issue of the confe-
rences, and the object evidently is to raise expecta-
tion so high as to render any other conclusion
difficult. Indeed, as it is, the public can hardly
think of any other ; and of the many persons with
whom one converses on this all-engrossing topic,
there are few,indeed who do not confidently expect
that a treaty of peace will speedily terminate the
labours of the Congress.
As to the Emperor of the French himself, it is
easy to understand how pleased he would feel if
the interesting event of the Empress's accouchement
should be preceded by the announcement of peace.
His Majesty is naturally sensitive on every question
relating to his dynasty, and he would feel keenly
any symptom of coldness at the tidings of the birth
of a Prince. All the signs of external rejoicing
that could be imagined would be no compensation;
and he may apprehend that an event on which he
sets so much importance as -the birth of an heir
might be received with indifference while uncer-
tainty still hung oper the result of the Conferences.
That the proclamation of a treaty of peace should
immediately precede, or be concurrent, with the
other announcement, would be a triumph indeed ;
but it is equally for the interest of England and
France that this state of uncertainty should be put an
end to, and the. wish of this Government to do so is
shared, m I have reason to believe, by its allies. At all
events, I have the best authority for stating that
the progress of the negotiations will, from this day
forward, be more rapid than was at first supposed,
and it may :therefore be fairly inferred that some
important questions have already been decided.
In the meantime the Plenipotentiaries appear in
every society where they are invited, and Count
Orloff continues to be, I will not say the admired of
all admirers, but certainly the observed of all ob-
servers. The moment he make his appearance in
a salon he is sure to be the centre of a numerous
group of both sexes, who scan every feature and
watch every expression of his countenance. Com-
manding in person,he stands without swerving the
artillery of the many eyes, many of them brilliant
ones, that are pointed at him, and so watchful is
the curiosity of the beholders that many of the re-
ports one finds floating the following day may be
traced to inference hastily formed after such a
scrutiny. The hero of the moment, whose name
awakes associations of so peculiar a kind, bears him-
self well through the ordeal. His high forehead,
from which the iron-gray hair is only half pushed
aside, but not carelessly ; the regular and marked
features of which sternness seems to be the most
prominent characteristic, the long and thick mous-
tache, and last, not least, the costly diamonds
which compose the three stars which decorate his
left breast, and which might make the Duke of
Brunswick himself grow pale (if anything could
produce such an effect), all mark him as the
object of curiosity. He seldom smiles, or if be
does, his smiles; the moment they appear, hide
themselves in the hair of his upper lip, as it
ashamed to be seen at play on a countenance
cast in so stern a mould. He is perfectly easy
in his manner, and, whether his' interlocutor
be man or woman, is still grimly polite with
all. In a certain . salon last night it was ob-
served ,that he and Count Buol, who always
looks inaussade, were more than once near each
other, but did not speak. I cannot say whether it
occurred by design or not, but I know that they
had dined together the same evening with the Mi-
nister of War. At the banquet OU guests were pre-
sent, comprising all the Ministers, most of the
Diplomatic Corps, and many of the high function-
aries of the army, and I am not aware that any
estrangement was observed then between them.