The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-19 00:00:00

THE TURKISH CONTINGENT.

KERTCH, Jan. 29.—The arrival of her Majesty's
steamer Stromboli on the 24th inst.. with Lieut.-
Col. Adye, C. 8., on board, raised the thermometer
of Kertch life from zero almost to boiling. With him
arrived two very opposite reports—one of peace ;
the other of an attack on Kertch by 60,000 Rus-
sians, who were actually on the march.

Opinion was soon divided in the garrison—and
while some believed peace impossible and the
threatened attack equally fallacious, others were
found to believe both ; others again accredited the
rumours of peace, but totally disregarded all such
of the advancing hosts of the enemy. Each theory
had numerous followers, and yet none had decided
partisans ; so the reports are still viewed in the
light of " shaves."
There are some who say (without giving decided
faith to the statement) that the sources from which
the rumour of an attack originated are to be relied
on, as they come from a quarter that "never failed."
Others dis pute the likelihood of the Russian Generals
hazarding the loss of a number of men in thAtta.in-
ment (which at best is only possible) of an object
unproductive of final result. Be the truth as it
may, our reports here are very much in favour of
peace, and to-day some Tartars came in from the
Russian encampment, where, they said, the ru-
mour had also reached, so that the believers in
peace are rather on the increase.

- Lieutenant-Colonel Adye's opinion of our fortifi-
cations is of course a secret, though people are not
wanting to attribute words to the Colonel which
he may or may not have used ; however, a
strong reinforcement of English troops is daily ex-
pected, and preparations are being made for their
reception. Active measures to increase the strength
of the place are in motion.

TERRIFIC SNOW STORM IN ASIA.
We read in the Moniteur de la Flotte :—" Our
private correspondence, received via Constanti-
nople, brings accounts from the coast of Asia of
the 3,1 instant. A snow storm had continued dur-
ing ten hours with frightful intensity, and proved
fatal to a Russian convoy on its way to carry provi-
sions to the small garrison loft at Kars by General
Mouravieff. A detachment of 75 men perished in
the snow, which accumulated as high as the walls
of the place. It was said that the divisions of the
Russian army encamped iu the mountains had
also greatly suffered, that their communications
were interrupted with the remainder of the country,
and that their supplies were nearly cut off. The
English steam-corvette Miranda was within sight
of the coast, coming from Sebastopol. She was
said to have been placed at the disposal of General
Williams, whose exchange was demanded by his
Goverment. The health of the General and of the
other English and Turkish officers, taken prisoners
at Kars, was excellent. The situation of the Ot-
toman army, commanded by Omer Pacha, and
encamped at Batoum and Redout Kaleh, was all
that could be desired. These troops were abun-
dantly supplied with provisions, and had satisfac-
torily got over the winter."

FRANCE.
PARIS, MONDAY EVENING.
The Emperor yesterday received the Earl of
Clarendon, English Minister of- Foreign Affairs,
and Plenipotentiary to the Conferences which are
about to he opened at Paris. The Earl of Claren-
don was introduced to his Imperial Majesty by the
Grand Master of the Ceremonies, and presented
by Lord Cowley, the British Ambassador. Count
Walewski, Minister of Foreign Affairs, was in at-
tendance at the presentation. In the course of the
day, the Emperor-also received at a public audience
Baron de Grancy, who has heretofore exercised the
functions of resident Minister of the Grand Duke
of Hesse, and the Baron had the honour of pre•
senting letters accrediting him to the French Court
as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipoten-
tiary of the Grand Duke of Hesse.
We read in the Constitutionnel—cc For an ob-
ject which may be readily understood, some foreign
journals, in announcing the arrival in Paris of
Baron de Brunow, have related that ou entering
the railway. terminus the Russian Plenipotentiary
was the object of a kind of ovation, and that the
police were oven obliged to interfere for the pur-
pose of dispersing the numerous assemblages which
had collected there, and in front of the hotel whore
M. do Brunow alighted. It is needless to insist
on the absurdity of these recitals, which are com-
pletely untrue. M. de Brunow arrived in Paris
at ten o'clock at night, when the terminus was
deserted, and immediately, without being in any
way remarked, entered the carriaae of M. de See-
°
bath, the Saxon Minister."
BOURSE, Feb. 18.—The following were the last
quotations

Cash. fr. e. End of Month.
4i per Cents
3 per Cents 73 20 73 80
NOW Loan 74 15
Bank Shares — Roman
Credit Mobilier 1,590 Austrian
Belgian Fives. ..... .. Spanish Threes
Piedmontese (5) B9 Home Debt

RAILWAYS—FOR CASH..
fr. e. fr. c.
Chlgans ' 1,270 -- Western 875 --
Northern -
Lyons- ...,... 1,240 New Ditto B4O
Mediterranean 1,100 Grand Central 650
Lyons Geneva 765 Testo
Cetto