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

RAILWAYS-POR CA.BII.

ft. c. fr. 0.
Orleans 1,247 50 Western B5O
Northern
Lyons -......1,235 New Ditto Bl5
Mediterranean 1,380 Grand Central 636 25
Lyons Geneva 750 Teste
Cette 735 Austrian C0ra....... 856 25

The despatch announcing the acceptance of the
proposals by Russia arrived at Munich on the 16th
by a courier direct from St. Petersburg. There
was a Court ball going on, and the sensation was
extreme. The writer immediately fell into a train
of reflection as to the guarantees for the freedom
of the Danube, and the profits to accrue to Ger-
many by all sorts of railroads and governmental
dues and tolls. It is clear that Germany looks
upon the whole war as one made for her exclusive
profit and ulterior advantages. England is not
viioo iiimitiollud In the whole letter, nor du we find
her name in the two following correspondences—one
from Stuttgardt, the other from Carlsruhe.

The New Prussian Gazette announces from St.
Petersburg that, after the peace is signed, the Czar
will probably proceed to Moscow, for the ceremony
of his coronation.

Letters from Athens of the 31st ult. state tha
eight brigands had been arrested and executed,
The Greek consul at Smyrna has been dismissed.

The Chambers of Turin hare suspended their
sittings for ten days from the 2d inst.

After a discussion, which occupied four long
sittings, the Swiss National Council has at
length decided on the direction to be taken by
the line of railway which is to unite Western and
Central Switzerland. It has decided, by a majo-
rity of 78 to 31, in favour of the town of Fribourg,
to the exclusion of the lies pat coniurl by the Go-
vernment of the cantos of Vaud. It is probable
that the Council of the States will come to a simi-
lar decision.

The last number of the official Gazette of Ma-
drid contains two rather curiously-worded para-
graphs. The first is—" The Countess de Montijo
has given a ball in honour of the anniversary of
the marriage of her august daughter with the
Emperor Napoleon 111., and of the birthday of her
elder daughter, the Duchess de Alba ; it was like
a fete of the Arabian Nights' Entertainment, and
was worthy of the proverbial grandeur of the
mother of those two jewels of the Spanish aristo-
cracy." The second paragraph is as follows
Mr. Drummond, attac,ite to the English embassy,
gave, in his saloons a few nights ago, a very curious
fete,'which was attended by the elite of the society
of Madrid. Mr. Drummond himself danced some
boleros with Senorita Piga, and the grace and
facility with which he executzd our national dances
were greatly admired. His agility, in particular,
was really remarkable for a sou of cloudy Albion."

DESTRUCTION OF DOCKS AT
SEBASTOPOL.

(Prom the Daily N'ows Correspondent.)
CAMP BEFORE SEBASTOPOL, JAN. 22.
On Friday afternoon, at about 5 o'clock, our engineers
blew up most successfully the bottom of the west dock,
which was one foot under water, by means of eight
charges of 161 lbs. of powder each. Unfortunately they
were not so successful the following day, for out of the
seven charges placed in the east pier between the en-
trances to the east and centre docks only four went off ;
Mr. Deane's electric wires having got disarranged by the
French explosion of half the entrance or lock just pre-
viously. The seven charges in the pier consisted of
three on each side of 4001bs. of powder each and one at
the knob of 8001bs. The three charges that missed were
the last mentioned, and two on the right side of the pier.
The French demolition of one-half the entrance, both
sides and bottom, was most complete and perfect. In
the sides were twelve charges of,soolbs. of powder, and
at bottom, under 18 feet of water, one charge of 2,0001b5.
When this last exploded, it cast a volume of water 30
feet up into the air.
To-morrow our allies are to complete the demolition
of their half portion of the docks, by blowing up the
fro t half of the entrance and the right half side of the
basin. The English are going to have two more explo-
sions, if everything is successful, to complete their half
portion. The first is to consist of the right side of the
east dock and basin as far as the shears to meet the
French, and the second to be made up of the two sides
of the west dock, with entrance, pier, and the left side of
centre dock. The 8001 b. charge and two 4001bs. charges
that missed fire on Saturday may be fired at any mo-
ment. The Commander-in-Chief was present on Satur-
day, but was too. late on Friday to witness the de-
structions. There can be no doubt that we run the
powder much more fine for masonry than the French.
Our head engineers consider no science is displayed
if a single stone is hurled to any slight distance. The
French engineers appear to be of opinion, that as the
old Russian powder is not of much value, it may just as
well be used as not. The consequence is that their de.
molitions are much more violent, and appear to the
ignorant much more' complete. It may be a fault on
their part, but it is a good fault. The whole of our
three docks are 40ft. wide at bottom and 29ft. deep.
The west dock is the shortest of the three, being only
233 feet long at top, whilst the centre dock is 236 feet,
and the east dock 238 feet. The entrance gate to this
last dock, which with immense labour was taken to
pieces, still lies inside the dockyard wall. If England is
proud of this trophy, which happens to have been the
only gate of our three not riddled by our round shot or
shell, no time should be lost in getting it conveyed to
Balaklava and shipped home, for its weight is about 60
tons. The French have at last succeeded in getting up
their dock gate, and they 'will of 'course convey it, like
their portion of the shot and gungi, to within the strong
lines of Suakih.