The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-02-05
FOREIGN NEWS.

A short time since, some of our cotemporaries
came to the conclusion that Europe was about
TO be involved in general war. The Paris
Conference was regarded "a humiiiating to Eng
land-a rupture of the Anglo-French Alliance
was confidently predicted-France was put at
the head, and England at the tail, of civilization
generally-Brtish power was soon to be pros
trated-Russian Influence in the East was to
prevail, aud British dominion in the East In
dies was to be endangered. Prussia and Swift,
zerland also were embroiled, and it was hard to
find peaceful solution of that difficulty.
\ few weeks have passed. and the horizon is
clear. The Paris Conference has been held
there was neither head nor tail-nobody
was huunilia:ea, nobody exalted--the Treaty
was explained and defined to suit all parties
and still later, under the joint counsels of Eng
land and France, Switzerland has surrendered
the Neufehatel prisoners, thus conceding the
point Of honor to tho King Of Prussia, who is to
surrender his claim TO sovereignty over Neuf
chatel, thus conceding the point of interest to
the Swiss. The Persian difficulty, too, is in a
fair way of adjustment, for it is not at all prob
able that Russia, who is gamer by it's East
diplomacy, viii encourage It's ally to persist
ence in war with England, whose naval power
in the Indies viii give her immense advantages
over both Powers combined.
The only war Of special interest is thai with
the Celestials, in which John Bull has suddenly
found himself involved, with Brother Jona-
than rather reluctant associate.
The letter of our Macao correspondent. in
this weeks Ere, furnishes an account of the
preliminaries and the provoc&tions 1t is very
difficult to see how controversies are to be avoid
ed with such folly and concet IS preside over
tie Celestial Empire. 1t would seem as If in
tercourse with it must be given up, or be car
ried on On very unequal terms, harassing and
insulting to all foreigners.
The Swiss Question Settled.
= Ne,c York. Jan. 23.-The steamship Arago
has arrived, from Havse and Southampton 18th
inst. Liverpool dates are TO the l3th-
Hostiiies continue at Canton, in which the
Americans have been again engaged. The ex-
planation or he part of the Americans is, that
the Chinese having offered a price for heads Of
EnglishIneD, some American heads were sent
in by mistake.
The Russians have met with disastrous de-
feat in Circassia. They were attacked near
Bayuk by ten thousand Ciroassians and forced
20 retreat with the loss of two thousand men
ard their artillery.
The Portuguese CorteS met on January LIST.
Don Pedro expressed his thanks to the Govern
,nents of England and the United States, for
the succor offered to tie inhabitants of Cape
Verde.
Teiegraphic adv;ces, via Trieste, are from
Canton, November "a. The French Admiral
ct Macao had sent orders to all the French yes.
sells belonging on the station to join him imne-
Giateiy.
1t is rumored that Russia has further remon-
strsted against the Anglo French Occupation OF
Greece.
The difficulty between Spain and the Pope
IS settled.
There had been terrible snow storms in the
Asturias. The mails and all other communi
cstions were stopped for several days.
The West India Nail Company's steamer
Tyne was stranded on the 18th inst. in the Brit
ish Channel.
The Liverpool cotton market was more quiet
end all qualities had declined. The circulars