THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, June 5, 1855.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XII, Issue 828, 5 June 1855, Page 3

THE SOUTHERN CROSS. Tuesday, June 5, 1855.

LUCEO NON URO. "If I have been extinguished, } - et there rise A thousand beacons from the spark I bore

By the arrival of the " Zillah" from Melbourne, and the " Rock City" from London, we have received European news to the 6th March. The following is a summary of the most important items. The Emperor Nicholas of Russia had died, after a short illness, on the 2nd of March. His eldest son, Alexander, had been proclaimed Czar. Sebastopol had not yet fallen, the allied Genhad agree 1 to invest the place, instead of takit by assault. The allied armies were in better condition in consequence of the weather having improved, and their having received supplies of warm clothing. Considerable reinforcements were arriving at the seat of war. Great preparations were m iking in England for the Baltic Campaign, it was to consist of 20 sail of the line, two being three decked vessels, eight two-deckers of from 80 to 90 guns, ten i others Were two-deckers carrying 60 guns, the whole of /which are propelled by steam, 35 steam frigates and covettes, 5 morter boats, carryin two or three guns each, and 5 heavy floating batteries, cased with wrought iron, carrying 12 guns each, these last are so contrived that all the guns can be worked on one side, and they have no rigger aloft. Preparations so vast and deliberate must be supposed to indicate on the part of the allied powers, a campaign in the Baltic of considerable importance and extent. Some alterations had taken place in the Ministry, since its formation by Lord Palmerston ; this was owing to Mr. Roebuck's motion for enquiry into the state of the army before Sebastopol nol having been disposed of previous to the formation of the ministry, Mr Sidney Herbert, Sir J. Graham, and Mr. Gladstone,|who still opposed enquiry having retired, their places being filled by Lord John Russell as Secretary of State for the Colonies, Sir C. Wood as First Lord of the Admiralty, andjSir G. C. Lewis as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Mr. Joseph Hume had died on the 23th Feb., aged 78 years In consequence of Lord John Russell having

accepted office his seat for the City of London was vacant, thenoble Lord was opposed by Admiral Sir Charles Napier, and a keen contest was anticipated. Fifteen thousand Piedmontcse troops were to be sent fb Balaclava under the command of General La Mamora, a contingent of Turks consisting of 20000 men were to be taken intoliritish pay, and i placed under the command of officers from the ' East India Company's Service. General Vivian of the Madras army, has been named General of this ! contingent. Lord Reglan had ordered the utmost secrecy to be observed as to the proceedings of the army before Sebastopol. Artillery and Engineer officers are forbidden to give information respecting the works to any but officers entitled to demand it, and infantry officers are not allowed to get any details concerning the works and armaments. These orders are so stringent that no officer, unless he be known to the sentries is allowed to go through the English lines above Balaclava ; and the restriction applies even to naval officers, and to all officers of .regiments not actually on the spot. New works were being erected and it was thought that 400 pieces of cannon would be ready to open on Sebastopol, allowing for all accidents and delays, by the 20th of March. In the meantime the Russians were not idle, a levy en masse of the whole population had been ordered in several of the provinces, and immense quantities of provisions and stores were being collected. Eupatoria, where the Turkish army in the Crimea was quartered had been attacked by the Russians j the latter were repulsed with the loss of 500 men killed, and a proportionate number wounded, the Turks had 88 men killed and 250 I wounded. During a debate on the army estimates in the House of Commons, Mr. Peel observed, that in the course of last year there had been a considerable reduction in the number of troops maintained by this country in the colonies. He hoped it would be possible to withdraw a portion of the force now in New Zealaud, and also to reduce the force in Van Diemen's Land. Dr. Burke, the new Bishop of Sydney, had sailed for his diocese in the Mermaid. He is the Metropolitan of Australia. Colonele Gore Brown, the new Governor of New Zealand, was in England, and would sail for Auckland some time during the month of April.