The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-04-05 00:00:00

FOREIGN NEWS.

FRANCE.—The Eastern question has ceased to be any
longer regarded at Paris in the light of a serious political
complication. The interest it now excites is confined to
two points—to the fact of the French fleet having sailed
from Toulon, and to the effect which the negotiations at
Constantinople between Russia, France, and the Porte,
as well as, it is supposed, Austria, if turning exclusively
upon religious questions, are likely to have upon the
Pope's determination to come to Paris. With regard to
the fleet, the opinion is now general that the mere fact of
its having sailed is no longer to be considered as of itself
alarming, and that it will either be speedily recalled, or
the most pacific instructions be transmitted to its com-
mander.
On Easter Monday the long-talked of ball was given by
the Legislative Corps to the Emperor and Empress, at
the Palace of the Luxembourg. Four thousand were
present, and the crush tremendous, but all passed off
with the greatest eclat. The Empress looked beautiful,
though rather pale. Her Majesty danced with M.
Billault, President of the Legislative body, and the
Emperor with Millie. Billault, daughter of that func-
tionary. The other persons in the quadrille were the
Princess Mathilde, who had M. Fould, the Minister of
State, fot her partner, their vis it-vis being 31. Rogier,
the Minister of Belgium, and the Countess de Hatzfeldt,
wife of the Prussian Minister. The Emperor, who was
suffering from headache, left with her Majesty at a little
after twelve, but dancing was kept up to an advanced
hour. Among the company there were two personages
who attracted particular attention—the Duke of Bruns-
wick, and a Highland chief, who appeared in his full
costume. Nothing was wanting—the knife at the garter,
the hunting-horn thrown round the shoulder, the plaid,
the kilt, the bonnet, the sporran—all complete as
Roderick Dhu, or Fergus Maclvor. The personage who
excited the curiosity of the spectators was, it is said,
Lord Orkney, and he certainly had more than an equal
share of public admiration. His Highness of Brunswick
has long accustomed us to the splendour of his toilet ;
he was in full blaze that night, and never were grim
beauty and rich adornment more conspi9uous. But the
Highland chief bore off the palm. With some of the
provincials who were present, most of whom beheld the
picturesque costume for the first time, or had never read
Walter Scott, an idea seemed to prevail that his lordship's
dress was the State costume of the House of Peers ;
while others, who had heard much of the civic magnifi-
cence of the London Corporation, rather suspected it was
the holiday toilet of the chief magistrate, his aldermanic
brethren, or the Common Council.
On Easter Monday the Emperor of the French re-
ceived at the Tuileries a deputation' of merchants from
London. The Ministers of State, of Foreign Affairs, and
of the Interior were present. The deputation was com-
posed of Sir James Duke, Bart, M.P., Sir Edward N.
13Rxton, Bart., Mr, Samuel Gurney, Mr. W. Gladstone,

Mr. J. D. Powles, Mr. Glyn, Mr. Dent, Mr. Barclay,
and Mr. Masterman. Sir J. Duke having read an address
expressive of the cordial feeling which those who signed
it entertained towards the people of France, and their de-
sire to maintain peace between the two nations,
His Majesty replied in English :—" I am extremely
touched by this manifestation. It confirms me in the
confidence with which the good sense of the English
nation has always inspired me. During the long stay I
made in England I admired the liberty she enjoys,—
thanks to the perfection of her institutions. Nevertheless,
at one period last year I feared that public opinion was
misled with regard to the true state of France and her
sentiments towards Great Britain. But the good faith of
a great people cannot be long deceived, and the step
which you now take is a striking proof of this. Ever
since- I have held power my efforts constantly tend to de-
velope the prosperity of France. I know her interests ;
they are not different from those of all other civilised
nations. Like you, I desire peace ; and, to make it
sure, I wish, like you, to draw closer the bonds which
unite our two countries.

On Tuesday the Emperor granted an audience to a
deputation of the English company who propose joining
the Atlantic with the Pacific Ocean. The ambassadors
from Peru and New Granada joined the deputation, and
were also received by the Emperor, who assured them
that he would give them all the support which their noble
effort so richly deserved.
The Pontiff's visit seems to excite interest and curiosity
n proportion to the mystery which envelopes it. That
preparations of various kinds for the coronation are in
pro,ress is no longer doubtful, any more than that it will
take place probably in May, should the Pope either
definitively refuse his presence, or consent to come at
that season.

SPAIN.—The labours of Lord Howden in the anti.
slavery cause are said to have been crowned with success
at Madrid, the Spanish Government having agreed to
emancipate the slaves of Cuba. All who have served five
years are to be liberated at the end of the present year,
and the rest as their term of apprenticeship expires. It
is supposed that a liberated slave population will hardly
be a desirable acquisition for the United States.
All senators holding public office have been deprived
that voted the other day in support of the recal of General
Narvaez.

DENMARK.—The Prince of Schleswig-Holstein Noer,
writing from London, has addressed a letter to the Spanish
Diet, in which he repudiates being a consenting party to
the document by which his brother the Duke of Schleswig-
Holstein Augustenburg surrenders for himself and his
family all claims of succession to the throne of Denmark.

TURKEY.—lntelligence from Constantinople to the
15th ult. states that the armaments in the south of
Russia continued. Stores for an army of 130,000 men
are said to be collecting at Odessa. Several Russian
officers have left Constantinople for the Archipelago, for
Greece, and Montenegro. The Se'maphore of Marseilles
states that Russia demands not only the revocation of the
firman on the Holy Places, but also that the Greek Patri-
arch shall receive his investiture at St. Petersburgh, and
that the Greek Church and clergy shall be placed under the
immediate protection of the Czar.

RUSSlA.—Letters from St. Petersburgh mention a
disastrous fire at the port of Cronstadt. All the principal
timber wharfs had been burnt, and the loss is estimated
at between 500,000 and 600,000 silver roubles. It
happened that the quantity remaining in stock in con-
sequence of the want of shipping last autumn was
unusually large, and hence the evil is more serious than
would otherwise have been the case. Most of the houses
engaged in the deal trade, Russian as well as foreign,
will, it is said, be sufferers, although many of the latter
are protected by insurances. The quantity of deals
destroyed is supposed to be 50,000 dozens of the first sort,
besides the wood of minor dealers, and a very large stock
of lathwood. These advices are to the 22d inst., and the
rate of exchange at that date was again rather more
favourable for England, the quotation being 38 7-16 d.
Intelligence has also been received of a fire at Narva,
in the Gulf of Finland, by which about 100,000 roubles
of Russian produce is said to have been destroyed.

Despatches received from Poland mention that there
is great activity at present in the Russian army. All
soldiers on furlough have received orders to join their
respective regiments. The Russian fleet in the Black
Sea, composed of forty-four vessels, has been placed under
the command of the Grand Duke Constantine.

MOROCCO.—lntelligence has been received at Madrid
of the deplorable state of the Emperor's health. His
death, it is feared, will be the signal for a terrible crisis.

WEST INDIES.—By the Royal Mail steam-ship La
Plata, which arrived at Southampton on Saturday, we
have advices from Vera Cruz to the Bth; Tampico, 6th;
Havana, 13th ; Jamaica, 13th ; Demerara, 11th ; Trinidad,
11th ; Barbadoes, 13th ; Chagres, 10th ; and St. Thomas,
20th. She brings specie value =5914,569.
The Royal Mail steamer Trent arrived at St. Thomas
on the 17th of March, having on board General Santa
Anna and suite. He was about to proceed to Vera Cruz
by the next British mail steamer.
The Jamaica House of Assembly had sanctioned the
abolition of tonnage-dues, with the exception of 3d. per
ton, retained as a lighthouse tax. The produce market
was quiet, without being firm, especially as regards sugar
and rum. There was no pimento at market, and coffee
came in slowly. The import markets were heavy. The
island was healthy. In St. Lucia the weather had been
unsettled, and a good deal of rain had fallen. Two smart
shocks of an; earthquake had been experienced. The
island was healthy. The sugar crop had fairly commen-
ced, but labour was scarce. Gold was reported to have
been discovered on the windward side of the island of St.
Lucia. The yellow fever had abated at St. Vincent : at
Tobago, also, the scourge was disappearing. Barbados
papers contain no news. A gale of wind had done some
damage to several plantations in the Christ Church dis-
trict. From British Guiana our accounts are to the 10th
ult. The weather had been very dry, and was likely to
continue so, but the crops do not appear to suffer ma-
terially. An extraordinary plague has, however, made
its appearance in swarms of rats, which were doing an
immense amount of injury to the standing canes. Pro.
visions of every kind were scarce and dear. The fever
had disappeared on shore, but still lingered amongst the
shipping.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.—A mail, not only without
fresh hostilities, but with promise of a reduction of forces,
induces belief that we do begin to see something like
peace dawning on Caffreland. By the Calcutta screw
steam-ship, whose praise for sea worthiness, as proved
in a hurricane encountered on her way home, is in the
mouths of all her passengers—a fact to be Doted after
recent occurrences—brings news to the 22d of Feb., that
General Cathcart has closed accounts with Mosesh so as
to leave no point to raise a wrangle upon, and that
Sandilli had abandoned his hopeless contest with the
British power, and, agreeably to the requirements of the
Governor, retired from Caffraria. Ile announced the
fact, acknowledging his defeat, and signified submission.
By the last advices he was beyond the Kei, together with
Macomo, Anta, and Tola, so that the Caffre war to all
appearance was closed. The Governor, on Feb. 14, pro-
claimed that " peace and amity" had been restored be-
tween Her Majesty and her faithful friend Kreili, who on
his part promises to be true and faithful to all his engage.
ments, and to regard the rivers Indwe and Kei as the
boundary between Her Majesty's territories and his own.
A less satisfactory announcement, though perhaps a
necessary one, is that General Cathcart was making pre-
parations for holding the Amatolas as a settlement, with
military posts in strong positions, within the distance of
a mile, besides offering to resident settlers allotments of
arable ground on the condition of residence and readiness
to act with the military for the general defence. This
involves the exclusion of natives and Caffres, and the
maintenance of a considerable and watchful force among
the mountains. Settlers are to be reimbursed should the
Home Government disapprove of the project. Reductions
in the various forces hitherto engaged were immediately
to take place. The following corps, &c., were to be dis-
continued at the end of February :—The Albany Rangers ;
the Ist and 2d European Levy, with its officers; the
Shiloh Fingo Levy and its officers ; the junior captain and
junior subaltern of the Ist European Corps ; the command,
pay, and allowances to Captain Stevenson as commanding
the Mancazana district; and the Garrison Sergeant-
, Major at Whittlesea.