The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-03 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

BERLIN, Jan. I.—The Emperor's Flugel-Adju-
tant Admiral Prince Menschikoff has been, by an
Imperial order, nominated Military Governor-
General of Cronstadt, with all the rights, power,
and honours due to the Commander-in-Chief of an
army in time of war. All the land and sea
forces in Cronstadt are put under his command,
and he retains all his present offices. The re-
port has been current for some time past in St.
Petersburg that a military command on the shores
of the Baltic would soon be conferred on the
Prince, but !everybody was of opinion that he
would not permit himself to be drawn again from
his retirement. The presence in St. Petersburg of
the various "heroes of Sebastopol," as they are
called there, Generals Todtleben, Wassilstchikoff,
Ourousoff, and Novossilski have given rise to a
variety of ovations.

_
In ad iition to the nomination of Menschikoff,
we find in the Russian papers a letter of thanks
addressed by the Emperor to General Mourasieff,
as follows :

"The immovable firmness, the exemplary fortitude,
and the strategical circumspection which have charac-
terised all your actions in Asiatic Turkey, are now
crowned with perfect success. The proud keep of Asia
Minor, the fortress of Kars, has surendered, with its whole
garrison, its artillery, and its extensive depots of arms.
The Anatolian army, 30,060 men strong, exists no more ;
and its Commander•in-Chief, Mushir Vassif Pasha, is
our prisoner. I thank you heartily for this glorious
achievement, which has covered the Russian flag with
new fame. I give it to you in commission to express
my sincerest thanks to the troops under your command,
whose firmness and courage have overcome the most
obstinate defence of the enemy. In recognition of your
praiseworthy merits I make you herewith Knight of
the Grand Cross of St. George, 2d class, to which you
have earned an indisputable right, and I remain, in all
Imperial favour,—Your well•affected

" ALEXANDER."
The prices of saltpetre continue to rise beyond all
calculation and control ; all restrictions have been
removed from its production in Russia, and the
Government has offered high prices to be paid in
ready money for almost unlimited quantities. The
supply has remained, however, totally insufficient ;
the Government seems not to have been able to
resolve to make any further inroads in the exten-
sive tariff by any diminution of the duty in its
favour, but nevertheless it is now generally under-
stood that the various Custom-houses on the fron-
tiers have received instructions sub rosa to admit
saltpetre from of all duty ; Russian accounts say
that this manoeuvre has already been of consider-
able use.

The Committee that has been appointed by the
Grand Duke Constantine to sit in Nicolaieff to
assess the indemnification to be paid for injury to,
or loss of property in, Sebastopol, finds it no easy
task, the more so as the whole business is required
to be finished within a year. There hare already
been various supplementary instructions issued on
the subject ; as matters stand at present all dis-
puted questions of property are suspended, and all
payments are postponed, until the points in con-
flict have been arranged.