The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-12 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

BERLIN, Dec. 10.—The following intelligence
from Russia will, if true, be found important. A
St. Petersburg correspondent of the Konigsberg
Journal states that it is understood in St. Peters-
burg that General Birjuloff, who commands the
troops on the Russo-Persian frontier, has received
orders to enter Persia with 50,000 men at the first
requisition made to him by the Shah of Persia.
At the same time it is said that, two corps d'arnice
have been set in motion towards the Austrian
frontier. The correspondent then says, as a com-
ment of his own on this statement, that Russia
cannot look on a passive spectator of the bold
steps the British Government is taking towards
Persia, or or the teigivciabioLia
and that it will not be Russia's fault if new
warlike complications arise. The conviction
that the Anglo-Gallic alliance is at its last
extremities gains, ho says, additional strength
from observing the trouble the English press
takes to be friendly with Austria ; as a military
power on land is necessary for England to fall
back on to enable her to act boldly in the Eas ,
she is now seeking on the Danube what she
has lost on the Seine. Of the Russian army,
however, it is added, qu'elle ne demancic pus
snieux than to measure its strength with the
Austrians, whom it saved in 1849. As an
indication of how far the ideas of the Russians
are changed towards France, he mentions that
it is generally believed that Prince Napoleon
is about to marry a daughter of the Grand
Duchess Marie, the widow of the Duke
of Leuchtenberg. If the press and comm on
report had not already given Prince.t
NaPbhi"bne
in marriage to so many Princesses, imigf t
worth while to inquire which daughter o th.e
Grand Duchess Marie is to be honoured on. this
occasion—whether it is the one of her children
that is allowed to bear their reputed father's
name, or one of the three that are only allowed
to be called Romanoff. The Emperor Alexatickr,
on the occasion. of his
when at Moscow lately
coronation, proclaimed the marriage of his
sister with Prince Gregor Stroganoff, but it was
not made clear whether that marriage had taken
place recently or during the lifetime of the late
Emperor : however that may be there is no con-
trivance by which those children can be made
legitimate. The late Emperor Nicholas would
not only never hear of the Ines alliance being
effected between his daughter and the Russian
Prince, but also upbraided his daughter with the
notorious laison that she had contracted With
him, telling her that she was a disgrace to the
Imperial Family. To this the Grand Duchess
answered that she was in this respect quite
worthy of her father, and especially of her an-
cestress the Empress Catharine, in whose steps she
followed. The lady and her present husband
have, as it appears, now received permission to
travel, and are on their way to Switzerland.

The Augsburger Al'genuine Zeitulpg co 2 tains a
communication, dated from the Polish frontier,
which in some degree corroborates the statement
of the movement of the Russian forces southward
and eastward. It states that the entire Russian
army, which has hitherto been stationed in the
south, is not only to remain there during the winter,
but also a considerable portion of it is to be moved
further southward to the frontier of Bessarabia
and the coast of the Black Sea. There is also a
considerable movement of troops going on across
the Don, for the purposes of strengthening the
corps d'armee in Orenburg, which, it is generally
understood, is destined to cross the Caspian Sea
to Persia, for the purpose of protecting the Shah
against European as well as Asiatic foes. Tra-
vellers coming from Astrakhan mention that the
flotilla of the Caspian Sea is so numerous and so
well appointed, that it could, in a very short space
of time, transport a whole corps d'armee to the
close vicinity of Teheran.
General Mouravieff, who bas been almost lost
from view, so long has he been on his journey
from Kars northward, arrived in Moscow not
many days back ; he appears to be in very bad
health, and to be very anxious of avoiding the
ovations that popular enthusiasm is desirous of
treating him to.
According to a long article in the Invalide, it
is the intention of the Government to collect a
flotilla of steamers in the Balkasch Lake (in the
interior of Asia, on the China frontier).

FORTIFICATIONS IN THE BALTIC.
The conviction which the late campaigns in the
Baltic have produced of the openness of the
Finland coast, and more particularly of the Gulf of
Bothnia, has led to extensive plans being formed
for its future protection. General von Berg has
already commenced strengthening the old fortresses
and selecting advantageous spots for the construc-
tion of fresh ones. In the place of Bomarsund a
marine fortress is being built on the Island of
Kaskoe, in the Gulf of Bothnia, which enjoys the
advantage of a deep and commodious harbour, and
five other fortresses are, it is said, to be erected on
the Bothnian coast. Hitherto there has been no