The Sun.
London, England, 1858-05-26 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

We take the following extracts from a letter in
the Nord : " ST. PETERSBURG, May 14.
" For some days the navigation of our port has
been open, and various foreign vessels have already
arrived at Cronstadt. Carts of merchandise of
foreign importation enliven the streets which lead
from the port to the interior of the city. The navi-
gation has not, however, as yet quite restored life
and animation to our city. The export trade is
very slack ; the contracts made for the export of
raw material are very small, so that unless new and
large orders are received we shall continue in a
state of stagnation.
" A new measure is spoken of as likely shortly
to be introduced. Well-informed persons state that
the reports of the Ministers, after having been ex-
amined by the Emperor, will then be handed over
to a Council of Ministers, This measure is dictated
by the same idea which formed the Council of
Ministers itself. The Emperor, owing to the im-
mense mass and diversity of business laid before
him, finds it impossible to examine it all in detail,
and desiring, nevertheless, that everything shall be
carefully examined, has res _dyed that the minis-
terial reports shall be submitted to the Council of
Ministers after first passing through his hands.
"A new impulse is also shortly to be given to
our statistical department. A central committee
on statistics is to be formed at the Ministry of the
' Interior. This committee, which will receive the
statistical reports from every portion of the empire,
will be divided into two sections—statistics and rural
economy. The latter will be exclusively devoted to
the study of questions concerning the rural economy
of the empire and to the examination of informa-
tion beating upon this chief branch of our social
wealth. In addition to the members of the com-
mittee, all of whom are to receive good salaries,
all the Ministers have to designate some of their
employes, who may be consulted relative to the
labours of the committee. These Ministerial em-
ployes will have to express au opinion whenever
they are consulted on subjects relating to the said
labours as connected with their departments.
" Our season may be said to be over. Balls are
at an end, and so are private theatrical and even
marriages ; for there is a superstition here that it
is unlucky to marry when the lilacs are in blos,,om.
After a grand review of the Imperial Guard, held
on the 3d, the Court left for Tsarkoe-Selo.

"Ica froth the lake of Ladoga still flo&ts down
the Neva, but not in sufficient quantity to impede
navigation. The fist steamer from Lubeck cast
anchor yesterday.
The first ihree volumes of " The History of Peter
the Great," by Oustrialoff, have just appeared.
The work is not remarkable for eloquence of lan-
guage, but abounds in rich materials and hitherto
unknown information, which the author has col-
lec;ed from the State archives, to which ha was
allowed free access for his work."

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.

PLYMOUTH, MAY 25.

The Royal Mail screw steamship Dane, Com-
mander William Strutt, left the Cape April 20,
St. Helena, 29 ; and Ascension, May 3, arrived
this afternoon, 10 days before her mail time.
She has 1,7851. in specie, 50 pipes, 3 auras, and
2 hhds. wine, 2,421 elephant,' teeth, 3,050 horns,
251 b, ostrichfeathers,l2 bales wool, and 204 bales
sheep and goat skins.
She brings 23 passengers, including Professor
Dale and family.
S:r G. Grey seems unwilling to avail himself of
the leave of absence granted by Lord Stanley, in
consequence of the hostilities between the Free
States and Moshesh, which had resulted in a slight
advantage on the side of the Boers, who have killed
30 natives. The colonists are forbidden to interfere,

Great regret is expressed that his Excellency's
health will not allow him to remain and watch over
the Caffre policy he is endeavouring to carry out.
The Commercial Advertiser is doubtful of the capa-
city of those who would have to take the reins in
his absence. The Cape Parliament has been in ses-
sion 40 days, and was likely to continue for an
equal period. Everything is quiet in Caffrelancl.
Most of the Caffres, who recently escaped from-Am-
sterdam Fort, have been retaken ; one had travelled
800 miles to his old s'ation, near Fort Murray.
Land is advancing in value, and labourers are in re-
quest. Wool, first quality, Is. 6d. to ls. Bd.; second,
9d. to Is. per lh. Wine, Pontac 201. ; whi.e ditto,
121. per pipe ; Constautia, 141. to 22/. Four, 375.
6d. per barrel. Newport coal, 535. ; Newcastle,
484. per tan.
Freights continue depressed. Wines, 15s. per
pipe, nominal. Wool, id. per lb. Horns, 255. per
1,001 Exchange unaltered. Private bills, 30 days.
2 per cent. di-count.
.Her Majesty's ships Castor
&
and Hennes wore in moil's Bay. The Persiaa
continues in the Moz imbique. The Comus sailed
for England April 1. The colonists gave a farewell
ball to the officers of the Penelope, from India and
she left for England o n the 14th of April. The
Himalaya, with invalids, left on the 18th, and the
Eleanor same day as the Dane.

The screw steamship Indians, which arrived from
England on the 16th of April,
left again on the 19th. with 700 draughts,
The Ces!nt.ick has also arrived with 200 to 300.
Tho' screw steamship United Kingdom sailed
from East London on the 6th of April, with the
60th Rifles, for India. The Lighlning sailed from
the Cape with 200 horses for India, and was to be
folowed by the Belgravia and Liverpool with 200
ouch ; total numbers shipped, 3,000 ; average cost,
201. to 301.

The royal-mail steamship Celt arrived April 14,
and was appointed to bring home the May mails.
Five Russian vessels of war are in Simon's Bay
en route to China.- The merchant ships Success,
Franklyn, Francis B ►nfield, and Tyne had arrived
from England. The screw steamship Adelaide
sailed April 2, and Southampton on the 20th. The
Onward, with convalescents, was appointed to
leave on the 20th—all for England.
At St. -Helena.—The Napoleon 111., the Clon-
tard, the Royal Sixon, the Guiding Star, the Ful-
wood, the Hop3well, the Onward, and the French
ship Rou• inais.
At Ascension.--Her Majesty's ship Tortoise, and
the merchant ships Laconic and Sharon.
Her Majesty's ship Boscawen, with Admiral Sir

!ape

F. Grey, sailed on the 20th of April for the
of Good Hope.
Spoke, May 2, the Dutch barque West Keppel,
steering north-west ; May 72, the Idas, for
Shanghai.