The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-04-25 00:00:00

TIE WAR.

Accounts from Omar Pasha's head quarters, prove the I
urgent necessity of the prompt arrival of the allied armies.
The Turkish army on the Danube does not number more
than 90,000 men, opposed to 200,000 Russians, now in the
principalities and Bessarabia. These reports, confiirmed
by the evidence of the French Colonel Dieu, may have
hastened the resolution of the French goVernment to send
at once 100,000 men to Turkey instead of 50,000. It is
believed that arrangements are already making for the
despatch of the required increase.
An Austrian paper states that the important frontier
town of Fokshani, in Wallachia which had just been for-
tified, has been destroyed by fire. All the Russian stores,
provisions, arms, clothing, ammunition, and all the
military hospitals, have fallen a p-ey to the flames. Fok-
shani is on the boundary line between Moldavia and
Wallachia—at least 150 miles distant from any of the
Turkish army, so that the fire was probably accidental.
A communication from Orsova of the 16th, states that
on the 14th the Russians ocupied Turnu.Severin, in the
Servian territory.
Kostendje was set on fire by the irregular Turkish
troops on evacuatinc, the town.
Under date of Constantinople, April 10, we are informed
that a very large number of the subjects of King Otho,
resident in Turkey, have acknowledged allegiance to the
Sultan, and will remain in the country. Three hundred
Greeks, who had landed at Volo, in Thessaly, have been
put to the sword, with the exception of a few who were
saved by going on board the Austrian corvette, Caroline.
A Greek ship with ammunition has been captured at
Entrea, off the Island of Negropont. On the 14th " an
Anglo-French note of a menacing character" was received
at Athens.
There are now fitting in the basin at Sheerness, for
immediate service, the Formidable, 84 guns ; the Tartarus,
4, paddlewheel steam-sloop ; the Cuckoo, 3, paddlewheel
steam vessel ; and the Miranda, 15 guns, screw steam-
ship. The Siren, 16-gun sloop, is also undergoing altera-
tions, and preparing for immediate service.
The main body of the British infantry have now left
Malta and other ports of rendezvous for the seat of war,
and, with the exception of the cavalry, will have arrived
in Turkey before their commander-in-chief. The 77th,
49th, 33rd, 41st, 4th, 47th, and 50th Regiments, had left
Malta between the 9th and 12th, in the Himalaya, the
Indus, the Cambria, the Emu, and various transports,
some of which were towed by the larger steamers. The
French land force of 46,000 men is rapidly hastening to
Gallipoli, not a day elapsing without its French transport
passing Malta.
Odessa letters of the Bth state that most of the opulent
families there were leaving town, and removing, to their
more distant country seats, in order to be out of the im-
mediate vicinity of the casualties of war. The funds of the
Odessa Commercial Bank were already packed, so that
the hard cash might be removed to Jekaterinoslaw with-
out delay, as soon as the combined fleets should make
their appearance. The actual garrison is computed. at
30,000 men.
The Constitutionnel states that the Turkish Govern-
ment has received information from Haireddin Pasha, the
Commandant at Kars, that a certain number of Polish
deserters had arrived in that town, who stated that more
than 12,000 of their fellow-countrymen would quit the
ranks of the Russian army the moment they should see a
Polish flag flying in the Ottoman army. It is well known
that for some time past the Russian Government has
been sending the Polish recruits into the army of the
Caucasus, in order to remove them as far as possible from
their native country.

REPLY OF RUSSIA. TO THE DECLAMATION OF WAIL:
The Russian manifesto, replying to the English and
French declaration of war, which is published in the St.
Petersburvh Journal of April 13th, is a specious worded
document, defending Russia's injured innocence, and
throwing the responsibility of hostilities upon England
and France. The same paper of the 12th contains some
remarks respecting the " confidential correspondence."
It states that the subject was brought confidentially to the
knowledge of the Sovereigns of Prussia and Austria, but
not to that of the Emperor of the French; because, at
that moment, the French Envoy at Constantinople was
employed in actively supplanting Russian influence there.
The article defends the Emperor's motive as correct and
honourable, and concludes as follows :—" These short
observations will suffice to reduce, to its just value, all
that falsehood, exaggeration, and malevolence has at-
tributed to the language of his Majesty. In the eyes of
impartial men, the publication which has just been made
will prove only one thing, the abuse of a generous confi-
dence, which has not been appreciated, and the injustice
of suspicions, which have been made the pretence of a dis-
astrous war, for which, had it not been for them, there

would have been no cause."
PRIVATEERS IN DUTCH PORTS.—The official journal of

the Hague has published the following very satisfactory
notice :—" According to orders from the King, the Minis-
ters of Foreign Affairs, Justice, and the Marine, make
known to those whom it may concern, that, in order to
observe a strict neutrality in the war which has just bro-
ken out, no privateers, having commissions or letters of
marque, either alone or with any prizes which they may
have made, shall be admitted to enter our ports, or the
mouths of our rivers, except in case of actual stress of
weather ; in consequence, orders have been sent to keep a
strict watch over such privateers and their prizes, and to
compel them to put to sea again as soon as possible. The
above ministers, with the authorization of the King, warn
all the inhabitants of the kingdom not to engage in any

way in the present war, by means of armaments, as no
letters of marque, issued by the belligerent powers to
Dutch citizens, without the authorization of the King's
government, will have legal value. The ministers hereby
make known to the public, that the Dutch government,
in observing the most absolute neutrality, will not sanc-
tion any commission or letter of marque; therefore, the
subjects of the King, and all those who are subjected to
the laws of the kingdom, would, by taking any part in the
war, by fitting out vessels, run the risk of being treated
as pirates by other nations, and expose themselves to pro-
secutions before the Dutch tribunals, as well for making
an attack on the safety of the state as for piracy."
PREPARI3G FOR VICTORY.—Within the past week,
the dies for three medals have been sunk in London, (and
by an English artist,) intended as decorations for the
Russian army of the East, and proof-medals have been,
we are informed, struck in copper. The largest of these
medals, which is to be of gold, is to have a circlet of
diamonds ; there is a group of figures in the foreground,
with a view of the Holy Places" in the background,
and a diamond inserted in the sky, valued at £4O, to re-
present the " Star in the East," which, it is conjectured,
is to be the name of a new order. In the larger and most
valuable medal the part representing the sky is to be
formed of torquoise stones, and in the two smaller ones
of a blue enamel : the design is the same for all three. In
the model we understand the torquoise stones were so
beautifully set as to appear all one stone, and altogether
so supeebly executed as to produce a most exquisite effect.
The dies are now in the' hands of the Russian agents in
London. The order, we are told, came through the terri-
tory of our good ally Prussia. The reverse of the medal is
of course left blank till the victories are achieved.—United
Service Gazette.
A PRIZR.—On Friday evening, between six and seven
o'clock, no small commotion was caused in Portsmouth,
by the appearance in the roadstead of one of her Majesty's
steam-vessels, having a sailing' ship in tow, and making
for the harbour with all speed. Her Majesty's steam-
cruiser Argus, Commander M. W. S. Grandy, which left
Southead on Thursday, fell in with the Froya, for Abo,
440 tons, 15 men, Wickmann, master, between the Owers
and Beaci3y Head, (about 18 miles from the latter point,)
and boarded her, ultimately making prize of her. She is
a fine ship, four years old, and apparently in gold condition.
She left Lisbon on the 28th ult., with about 600 tons of salt
as cargo, and was bound for Abo, although her master (who
speaks very good English) says Elsinore. No opposition
was offered' to her detention, and Commander Grandy
accordingly took her. She carries two nine-pound carro-
nades, together with small arms for her crew, and a little
ammunition..
Tun BALTIC FLEET.—Very gratifying (says the United
Service Gazette) are the accounts which reach us from
correspondents in the Baltic Fleet. Everything seems
progressing favourably. There is an absence of unneces-
sary evolutions and worrying orders, but in all essentials
due attention is given to the service the ships are likely to'
be called upon to perform. Theprevailing opinion in the
fleet is that the-Russians will not come out to fight. Their
plan of operations appears to be concentration, for what
ultimate purpose cannot now be divined. The inference
is, that the Czar is aware of the incompetency of his naval
commanders and weakness of his ships. On paper the
Russian fleet is' overpowering. Thirty large sail of the
line, besides frigates and sloops ; yet with all this show
we find the Czar abandoning the important position of
Aland, and endeavouring to collect his ships at his prin-
cipal stronghold in Helsingfors. The approaches to Cron-
stadt are being rendered impassable ; blocks of granite
and other impediments are sunk in the narrow and only
available deep water channel. Practical men are averse
to any expedition against Helsingfors or Cronstadt. The
latter, indeed, is out of the question. The pilots consider
that ships drawing more than twelve feet water could not
be brought into a position to bombard Cronstadt with
any effect, and as- we are destitute of ships of suffiet.nt
force drawing so little water that idea must be abandoned.
Helsingfors is again defended by Sveaborg, a fortification,
or, rather, series of fortifications, comprising tremendous
batteries, calcukted to deal destruction upon any ship
approaching within their deadly range. Copenhagen and
Algiers have been, mentioned as proofs of the vast powers
of ships' batteries, but we think the comparison is not to
be sustained. The fleet under Lord Nelson, at the former
place, as well as under Exmouth, at Algiers, were per-
mitted to go into action and take up their• positions with
little molestation. Had the Danes resisted the approach
of the British in 1801, a different result might have en-
sued ; and, moreover, had it not been for Nelson's master-
piece in negotiation, it is barely doubtful whether one of
his ships would ever have left their anchorage. At
Algiers, also, had the Dey opened fire upon the Queen
Charlotte and other ships as they advanced to take up
their allotted stations, they would all have been very
roughly handled, as the Impregnable was. The Russians
would not forego that advantage. Our ships would be
exposed to a terrific raking fire, to which no return
could possibly be made; hence the inexpediency of
attacking such places as Sveaborg. At Port Baltic or
Revel our chance would be better; and it seems pro-
bable that one or other of those places will be captured.
Port Baltic, which is a capacious harbour, might be found
particularly useful. The number of prizes taken by the
British steam-frigates Conflict and Tribune, in the Baltic,
amount to 14. The report that the frigate Amphion had
got ashore off Dago was incorrect ; it should have been
the steam-sloop Alban. She is now again afloat. An
officer on board H.M.S. Leopard, which was dispatched in
company with the Imperieuse to reconnoitre Revel, writes,
on the 11th of April, from opposite that port :—" We met
very rough weather going by the Island of Gotland, and
yesterday it blew a heavy gale of wind, and oh ! the cold—
every rope in the ship was enveloped in the ice an inch
thick, and long icicles hung from all the bowsprit rigging.
There was scarcely any walking the deck ; every sea that
fell aboard of us was instantly frozen into a sheet of ice,
and this, with the pitching and sending of the ship, made
walking a work of no small nicety. We overhauled a num-
ber of ships, but none with contraband goods on board.
This morning we came up with the ice in large floes
knocking about, and in some places very extensive fields.
We steamed full speed through it, passed Revel on the
right, and, faith, the look of it at ten miles off was not such
as to make any of us wish to go nearer. It appeared
bristling with cannon, but we could see no ships ; we then
crossed the Gulf, and, at one p.m., at twelve miles off, we
sighted the formidable fort of Swieborg, full of men-of-war
of all sizes. Having satisfied ourselves of the fact that the
ice was sufficiently broken to go up to it, we very prudently
turned about and steamed away as hard as we could back
to rejoin the fleet, before any of the ships at Swieborg chase
us, for if they do they will either sink or make prisoners
of us. We are keeping a sharp look-out astern, and very
few will sleep on board to-night ; the men will be at the
guns most of the night, and probably sleep at quarters.
Instantly on our rejoining the fleet, I fancy, we shall dash
at both these places, and that before this day week. Such
have been our movements. What will happen before I
get another chance to write, God only knows ! I could
count eight line-of-battle ships lying at Swieborg !" A
late letter from the Baltic announces that Sir Charles
Napier has ascertained that the Russian fleet in that sea
consists of 30 sail of the line, and a corresponding number
of steamers, &c., and also that there are 800 gun-boats.

A PICTURE OF RUSSIAN LIPS.—The picture of Rus
sian manners varies little with reference to the prince or
the peasant. The first nobleman in the empire, when
dismissed by his sovereign from attendance upon his
person, or withdrawing to his estate in consequence of
dissipation and debt, betakes himself to a mode of life
little superior to that of brutes. You will then find him
throughout the day with his neck bare, his beard
lengthened, his body wrapped in a sheep's skin, eating raw
turnips and drinking quass, sleeping one-half of the day,
and growling with his wife and family the other. The
same feelings, the same wants, wishes, and gratifications,
then characterise the nobleman and the peasant ; and the
same system of tyranny, extending from the throne down-
wards, through all the bearings and ramifications of
society, even to the cottage of the lowest boor, has entirely
extinguished every spark of liberality in the breasts of a
people composed entirely of slaves. They are all, high and
low, rich and poor, alike servile to superiors ; haughty and
cruel to their dependants; ignorant, superstitious,
cunning, brutal, barbarous, dirty, mean. The Emperor
canes the first of his grandees ; princes and nobles cane
their slaves ; and the slaves their wives and daughters.
Ere the sun dawns in Russia, flagellation begins ; and
throughout its vast empire, cudgels are going in every
department of its population, from morning until night.
—Dr. .E. D. Clarke's Travels.
FIRST VIEW OF CONSTANTINOPLE.—There stood the
swelling domes, the arrowy minarets, the shining palaces
and towers of Constantinople gleaming in the morning
sun. At first view a mass of temples and human habita-
tions were crowded on a mountain side, and the gardens,
cypresses, and pinnacles appeared to be thrown in the
midst of them without regard to arrangement ; but we
soon distinguished Stamboul and Scutari, and then we
rushed by the Seraglio Palace into the mouth of the Golden
Horn. Pera rose from the water's edge with the new
marble image of the Sultan on the Bosphorus, and there
we came to anchor, having Scutari behind us, Stamboul
on our right, with St. Sophia, the St. Peter's of the Moslem,
and a score of mosques with their surrounding minarets in
full view ; and Pera surmounted by the Russian Palace on
our left. The Golden Horn, an arm of the sea, was
stretched out before us, clasped by a bridge, and filled with
the shipping of every clime ; a sight, in all its parts, of
such extraordinary elements of beauty and grandeur, as
the approach to no other city i . n the world presents. No
wonder that it has been besieged twenty-six times ! No
wonder that every conqueror who comes in sight of it
covets it and resolves to have it. No wonder that Nicholas
longs to transfer his palace &con the frozen borders of
Finland to this encha4tiOU zone 1---Letters of Immo.

THE "REFORM* ASSOCIATION.