The Sun.
London, England, 1856-03-11 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

"We persist," says Le Nord, "in believing that
the negotiations are nearly at an end ; France and
Russia sincerely desire peace ; Turkey and Pied-
mont are not opposed to it ; the subtleties of Austria
and the obstinacy of England may somewhat re-
tard, but will not prevent it."
We read in the Gazette de Silesie—" It will be
remembered that the noblesse of Silesia lately pre-
sented an address to the Emperor Alexander 11.,
thanking him for the readiness he had manifested
to effect a peace. Each of the signers of this docu-
ment has received a copy of the following letter :
"I thank you, gentlemen, for the sentiments and
kind wishes that you express to me in your address, not
only in your own name, but in that of all Prussians in
whose hearts the Christian and pacific spirit of their
Royal Master is dear and sacred. I, too, desire the
speedy restoration and the pe-mlnent assurance of
peace, and trust that the God of Grace will hear the
prayers that I and others who think and feel with ree
put up to Him. I beg all of you, gentlemen, whose
honoured names I have with sincere pleasure read at
the foot of the address, to receive the assurance of my
special esteem. "ALEXANDER.
" St. Petersburg, Feb. 4,185 g."
A Government journal contains an invitation to
contractors to bid for the carriage of several mil-
lions of poods (1 pood equals 401b5.) of copper,
iron, lead, tin, and other raw produce, from the
Siberian mines on the Don, the Wolga, and the
Dnieper to Nicolaieff, " for the use of the superin-
tendent of the Black Sea fleet." The preparations
making everywhere for a fresh campaign are car-
ried on with a degree of energy and spirit hitherto
unknown in Russia.

Our readers will doubtless not hare forgotten a
very remarkable letter of admonition, issued by the
Grand Duke Constantine, as High Admiral, to the
various officials connected with the administration
of the Marine, in which the necessity of sincerity
and a love of truth in their connections with the Go-
vernment were inculcated. Some further particulars
will doubtless be interesting. The letter is addressed
to Vice-Admiral von Wrangel, and is dated Nov.
25 (Dec. 7), 1855. After alluding to the circum-
stances of difficulty in which Russia found herself
at the time, and pointing out the causes that had
led to them, the Grand Duke proceeds :
" The immense variety of forms with us paralyses the
elasticity of administrative action, and serves as a cloak
of impunity for the official lie so common with us. Cast
a glance at the annual reports and accounts, and you
will find that every where the greatest possible amount
of work has been executed, in every direction progress
has been made, everywhere have the prescribed works
advanced, if not with excessive haste, yet at least in due
relation to the exigencies of the case.
" But when you come to look closer at the actual state
of things, to examine into them, to divest them of all
false colouring, to separate what really is from what
only appears to be, to distinguish the true from the
false, or the only half true, and there will seldom any
positive and beneficial result be left. On the surface
speciousness ; beneath it, corruption. Among the
products of our official phrageology the truth finds
no place ; it is concealed and stifled under the diction,
and where is the official reader that knows how to ex-
tract it!

" I beg your Excellenei to communicate these truth-
ful words to all the bureaux and all the employes
of the Ministry of Marine, from whom we have to
expect at the beginning of the new year their annual
reports of what has taken place in the past, and re-
peat to them that in the aforesaid reports I do not
I.lnlr u.O zne truth, and above all, a
frank statement that goes to the pith of the matter,
both as regards what may be inadequate in any branch of
the administration, and of the errors that may have
been committed in it. Tell them further, that all the
reports in which I shall have to read between the lines
I shall most certainly return. I request your excellency
to communicate copies of this letter to all the bureaux
and afore-mentioned employes.
" CONSTANTIN, High Admiral.,,