The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-16 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

The Russian embassy at Constantinople has just
published, by order of its government, the follow-
ing notice, which has been communicated to all the
embassies : _

" Since the re-establishment of peace, some doubts
have arisen relative to the navigation and commerce of
foreign nations in the Black Sea. It is in order to put
an end to all uneasiness on that subject that the imperial
government of Russia thinks it its duty to make known
as follows to the public, and particularly to foreign
traders :—As the treaty of Paris has solemnly pro-
claimed, the Black Sea and its ports are open to the
merchant vessels of all nations. Free from any impedi-
ments, commerce in the ports and waters of the Black
Sea is only subjected to the quarantine, customs, and
police regulations, which are drawn up in a spirit favour-
able to the development of commercial traneactione. Such
are the express provisions of the treaty of Paris. The
;roper:al government, as far as it is concerned, intends to
scrupulously adhere to them. But quarantine, customs,
and police regulations, however liberal may be the
spirit in which they are drawn up, require measures
of surveillance, and along the eastern coast of the
Black Sea they are doubly necessary' in consequence of
the internal state of the provinces of the Caucasus.
Quarantine and customs establishments exist at Arapa,
Soukoum Kale, and Redout Kale. These three points,
therefore, alone aro for the present open to foreign ves-
sels. If, hereafter, circumstances shall permit the
establishment of customs and quarantine authorities at
other points of the coast, where foreign vessels can be
admitted, due notice will be given of the fact. In the
meantime the approach to the ports, bays, and harbours,
with the exception of the three above mentioned, is
interdicted to foreign vessels. In order to verify the
regularity of their place of destination, foreign vet s ,ls
will be bound to have their papers signed by the Russian
consular agente The imperial government does not in
any way wish to throw obstacles of any kind in the way
of lawful and regular commercial transactions. It is for
the interest of the sanitary state of the coast, more than
for that of the revenue, and also for the interest of public
order, that the imperial government should watch over
the maintenance of the above mentioned restrictions.
Any attempt therefore on the part of foreign navi•
gators to communicate with the coast except at the
above named points of Anapa, Soukoum Kale, and Re-
dout-Kale will lead on the part of the Russian authori-
ties to the application of the measures of repression
established against smuggling and contraventions of
quarantine regulatiotr. Those who expose themselves
to them will only have to thank themselves for the con-
sequences of their conduct."
A letter from St. Petersburg of the sth states
that a grand fete took place a few days before at
Riga on the occasion of commencing the demolition
of the fortifications of that place :
"The fortress of Riga, which, with all its dependencies
WAS given up in 1811 to the military administration, was
last month again restored to the municipal authorities,
who decided on demolishing it, and appropriating the
ground to the .enlargement and improvement of the
town. On the day alluded to above, this resolution
was begun to be carried into effect. A procession,
composed of the burgomaster and other civil authori-
ties, headed 'by a band of music proceeded in great
state to the ramparts. The ceremony commenced
by the singing of hymns composed for the occasion,
after which the burgomaster took a shovel, and gave
the first mark of demolition, each of the members of
the municipality following his example. The procession
then returned to the place from which it had started,
aid the crowd dispersed. The shovel used bears the
effigy of the Emperor Alexander 11., and has been
placed in the archives of the place in commemoration of
the event. In the evening the town was brilliantly
illuminated, and on the following morning a numerous
body of men were set to work to complete the demoli-
tion."
The Czas yf Cracow says :—" Somo journals
have affirmed that, in virtue of the decree of am-
nesty, their confiscated property has been restored
to 27 Poles who have returned from exile, but that
assertion is altogether erroneous. The decree
merely stipulates that any property which they
purchase or obtain possession of will not be confis-
cated for the future. In fact they are merely re•
stored to their civil rights."