The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

FRANCB.—A very brilliant ball, the first of the season,
took place on Wednesday at the Tuileries. The men were
either in uniform or in court dress. About 5,000 persons
received invitations. Count de Peyronnet, the well known
minister of the Restoration, has just died at his estate of
Montferrand, near Bordeaux, aged 77 years. The Empe-
ror, it is stated, has intimated in plain terms to the
Austrian Cabinet, that any further secession from the
intervention to which it had become a party, will be re-
garded as an indication of meditated hostility, and, that in
case of war becoming general through its conduct, the
French will not decline the alliance of either Hungarians,
Italians, or Poles, but that the recognition of those
nationalities will become the settled policy of France, and
will receive her support. The Moniteur contains a cir-
cular, dated December 30th, addressed' by the Minister of
Foreign Affitirs to the legations of the Emperor in-foreign
countries, on the Eastern question. This document;which
is very moderate, but firm, after narrating the different
phases of the question, declares that France, England,
Austria, and Prussia, have recently, by their agreement
concerted at Vienna, solemnly recognised that the terri-
torial integrity of the Ottoman Empire was one of the
conditions of their political equilibriums. The affair of
Sinope took place against all provisions, Russia having
deelared that she only desired a material guarantee for the
fulfilment of what she demanded. To prevent the Ottoman
territory or the Ottoman flag from being the object of a
new attack on the part of the naval force of Russia, the
French and English fleets have received the order to enter
the Black Sea. The circular terminates by expressing the
hope that Russia will not expose Europe to new convulsions.
SPAT/C.—Her Majesty gave birth to a daughter on the
sth of January. Both the Queen and the young Princess
are doing well.
SWBDEN.—The Diet, through its secret committee is
much occupied with the propositions submitted to it for
an increase of the military force and the means required
for the defence of the country. The King presides over
a special committee, which deliberates on the question of
neutrality. The Swedish army, in time of war, comprises
85,000 foot, 5,564 horse, 4,416 artillery—in all 94,000
men, to whom muit be added 8,000 militia from Gothland ;
the force being ten times greater than what it is in time
of peace. King Oscar has imparted to the secret com-
mittee of the Diet the treaty concluded with Denmark,
for assuring the co-operation of the two countries in
maintaining their common independence.
Apatea.—The steam-ship Forerunner arrived at Ply-
mouth on Sunday, with mails from the West Coast of Africa.
She left Lagos, December 6; Sierra Leone, 20; and Madeira,
Jan. 1. She brings 2,000 ounces of gold and two boxes of
specie. Admiral Bruce had received a visit from the new
King of Lagos, accompanied by several chiefs. Affitirs are
still very unsettled there. Jasako was making a resolute
resistance. • Liberia was in a flourishing condition. The
second master of the Myrmidon had been ,murdered at
one of the Biioinga Islands. The Antelope, 3tyrinidon, and
Britomart were despatched to demand satisfaction. A
large village, thirty miles east of Cape Palmas, had been
destroyed by the Penelope, the captain and crew of the
Heroine having been murdered there last July. The
Mermaid sailed for Liverpool, from Fernando Po, two days
before the mail steamer.

Mrmico.—Private letters state that the speedy assump-
tion of monarchical power by Santa Anna is regarded as
certain. At the same time, it appears that the step is
likely to be welcomed by all classes, the general cry being
"No more Congress." Within the past few weeks the
issue of a decree for the re-establishment of the order
founded by Yturbide during his short rule, and called
" The distinguished order of Guadalupe," had been ac-
cepted as a distinct step towards the approaching change,
anti all the subsequent movements of the government had
been in keeping with the idea of a decided extinction of
republicanism. Nevertheless, their progress towards the
new order of affairs seemed scarcely quick enough for the
people, by whom the extent to which the last legislative
assembly rendered itself odious from its incapacity and
corruption is cited on all sides as a sufficient argument
against any continuance of popular institutions. Hence a
succession'of pronunciamentos had taken place all over the
country, with a view to put off the period fixed for the
assembling of a new Congress, and to leave it to the Pre-
sident's pleasure to choose the time when his dictatorial
authority shall cease. Some of these demonstrations,
moreover, had embraced a demand that he should be de-
clared dictator for life, with power to name his successor,
others that he shall be styled Grand Elector, Captain-
General, &c., and that he shall be addressed as "Serene
Highness." Meanwhile Santa Anna himself was vigilantly
using means to strengthen his material power, and had
raised the army to 30,000 men, sending, at the same time,
a young general to Europe to purchase arms, cannon, and
other warlike stores. The chief drawback to the effect
created by this display of energy was found in the con-
tinuance of the old rumours regarding the gross manner
in which the public funds are squandered through dis-
reputable agents. It is also asserted that the multitude
of young officers lately appointed are all is.7,norant of their
profession and unfit for real service. In the face of these
things, however, even the most sober citizens and mer-
chants are evidently pleased at the existing prospect, from
the impression that no government, however capricious,
prodigal, or despotic, can be so bad as the anarchy from
which the country has .emerged. It is likewise observed
that almost all the former enemies of Santa Anna are now
figuring as his active partizans, and that thus, with the
commercial public, the political adventurers, the church,
and the masses all on his side, his position is one in which
it merely depends on his own will to define its name.