LATEST EUROPEAN INTLELICENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 265, 16 May 1855, Page 7

LATEST EUROPEAN INTLELICENCE.

[From the " Guardian," and " Home Newß" of Jan. Bth.] ENGLAND. The obituary for the-month of December contains the name of Dr. Eouth, the venerable president of Magdalen College, Oxford. The Home Neu-s says, " The death of this gentleman will recal many old scenes and recollections to the thousands who, duriricr the last half century, have issued out of the University into public life. The name of that venerable man takes us back to other times, and forms a link with past generations. Dr. Kouth had known Dr. Leieh, a contemporary of Addison ; had seen Dr. Johnson in his brown wig, scrambling up the University steps, and was acquainted with a lady whose aunt had seen Charles 11., walking round the parks of Oxford with his dogs. Daring his presidency of Magdalen, he had admitted 183 fellows, 234 demies, and 162 choristers. He was born in the county of Suffolk in 1755. In 1770 he matriculated*as a Batler at Queen's College. His subsequent collegiate honours and distinctions grew rapidly upon him up to his election in 1791 as president of Magdalen. In 1810 he became rector of Tylehurst, near Reading, at which place he used "to enjoy the vacations allowed him by the statutes of'his college. In 1820 he married Eliza Agnes, daughter of John Balgraves, Esq., of Calcotpark, near Tylehurst. Dr. Eouth belonged to no political party, but united the high strong churchman with the neutral politician. The fruits of his learned life bear no proportion to the inimense extent of his reading ; and with the exception of a few theological tracts, and an edition of Burnet's " Reign of James II.," with notes, his only great work is his laborious compilation, (he Reliquice Sacrce. Parr, Porsen, and Sir Francis Burdett, were his intimate friends. The kindness and urbanity of his manners have left a deep impression on those who knew him in his private life ; and his loss is deplored as the last of a race who may be said to have been the transitional links between the literature of the last century and the present." The hist " sunset of the old year" in England seems to have attracted general attention from its unusual brilliancy. The Guardian remarks, —"A superstitious [or a fanciful age might have seen in the grand effects of light and colour which adorned the last sunset of the old year— in the ragged clouds which seemed to shower down fire, the very rainbow bathed in crimson, and ihe delicate watery tints of the far west — in there, and afterwards in the calm moonlight through which the bells rang out announcing the birth of 1855, and the grey and stormy morning—tokens of the mysterious sympathies of inanimate nature with events present and to come. The new Year comes in, indeed, heavy with anxieties and care. Let us greet it hopefully." The Millennium.—A very crowded and somewhat sinpuhir meeting was held on Monday evening in St.Martin's Hall, Long-acre. It was convened by Mr. Robert Owen, who has undertaken that his long promised millennium shall commence this year, and that it. shall be inaugurated on' Monday, May 14, by :t great aggregate meeting in the metropolis of delegates from nil governments, countries, religions, sects, parties, and classes. Several speeches were made, of a very mystical and somewhat prosy chnracter, and the meeting was adjourned to the Ist of May. Crimean ArjiyFiind.—The Crtnfnn Army Fund Committee despsitched on Chiistinns-eve from the Tower, tht Zarnia ■ steiiiu-\me), laden

with 270 tons of valuable goods of all descriptions for the use of the troops. The Earl of Ellesmere's yacht Ermtnla, carrying 100 additional tons of goods, sailed on New Year's Day from Southampton. The committee have now chartered the large and powerful steam-vessel Pioneer, which they intend to despatch as soon as she can be loaded, with 700 tons of goods. With the sailing of this vessel the committee propose to close their operations. The various shipments of the committee have, up to the present time, cost upwards off£lo,ooo. The Zarnia took out 300 quarter casks of stout from Truman, Hanbury, & Co.; 200 quarter casks from Wood and Co., Westminster Brewery ; 90 casks from Nevilles', Windsor; 4 pipes of port, 2 butts of sherry, and 24 doz. presented by Tarqueray and Co.; 150 gridirons, 150 frying pans,and 500 spoons, from A. Arcedeene, Esq.; J2,ooOlbs. of candles, 2,400 boxes night-lamps, 1,200 boxes Child's night-lamps, 500 Albert glasses, 2,000 candlesticks, 125 ship lanterns, 3,600 lanterns, 271 coffee warmers, horn Price and Co., Vauxhall; 1 cask Cavendish tobacco, from Mr. Benson ; 1 cask cigars, from Mr. Hudson ; and the 10,000 volumes of books collected by Mr. Albert Smith. The Navy.—According to a return made up to the 2nd of January, England had 142 vessels of war propelled by steam power afloat, and in commission, and 104 sailing ships—total 246. The Cavalry.—By the recent augmentation of the cavalryeach cavalry, regiment will be stronger than it was at Waterloo. Each corps then did not exceed 400 men; now they will equal 720 men. It is a singular fact that the Bays, Carbineers, and 7th Dragoon Guards, now on home service, have never been in action since their formation ; and, until the other day, so glorious, the 17th Lnncers emblazoned no victory on their standards, being in India during the Peninsular wars aiid Waterloo. New Workbt Sik Walter Scott-—A respectable Parisian publisher has announced a translation of an unpublished tale by the author of Waverley. The subject of the fiction is said to be taken from Scottish history; the title Moredun. The Daily 2Vet/;shas requested a correspondent at Paris to make full inquiries into the matter, and-. " on the whole, though not altogetl er satisfied, leans to the belief that Moredun may be from the pen of Scott." " One thing, however," the editor observes, " seems pretty certain ; that it is likely to give rise to a controversy as interminable as that respecting the authenticity of Ossian's poems, or the authorship of Junius." The story of the discovery is, that a certain wealthy German bibliomaniac conceived the idea of forming a library to be composed exclusively of all the editions of all the works of Scott and Goethe that had ever been published; and he employed the father of the present Paris publisher to execute his plan, adding a desire to have some manuscript of Sir W. Scott:— For some time the publisher saw no means of gratifying his wish, but it happened that while he was delibeiating how to compass his client's object, Walter Scott, accompanied hy his daughter Anne, came to Paris to collect materials for the History of Napoleon. Through the mediation of a Mr. William Spencer, an intimate friend of the great novelist, Miss Anne Scott was induced to take an interest in the quaint fancy of the bibliomaniac. Her father had long before given to her a manuscript story, called Moredun. which bad never been published. She prevailed upon Sir Walter Scott to allow her to give Moredun to William Spencer, who sold it lc the German merchant. The latter locked up the treasure as long as he lived in an ebony casket, and, lately dying, bequeathed it as a legacy to the author of the pamphlet, M. E. de Saint Maurice Cabany, bookseller, No. 91, Boulevard Beaumarehais, at Paris." FRANCE. A shock of earthquake was felt at Marseilles on Friday, the 29'.h of December. There were three oscillations from east to west. No accident was mentioned. The French aTe imitating the efforts made in England to alleviate the sufferings of their troops engaged in the Crimea. The Paris correspondent of the Guardian, writing on the Ist of January, says —^" Every effort has been made by charitable persons in this country to turn " the compliments of the season" in ihe direction of the Crimea, to show mesbraves soldats that they are not forgotten in the, no dmiin, well-renienibered obseivanees of the day, i\\u\

send out to them itrennes suited for all constitutions —lint, blanket, warm clothing, and vieux yin for the sick; pipes and tobacco, sabots <vnd eau-de-vie for the strong. What plum-pudding is to the Englishman, bon yin is to the French ; and thus -Bordeaux-appropriately set the exam--1 pie in her own staple produce. Upwards of a thousand pounds indeed, has been collected in money in that city for the use of the army ; but the Archbishop, Cardinal Bonnet, as you are^no doubt aware, has headed a list of gifts in kind with 600 bottles of wine, to which, by the care, of a committee, the whole department of the Giroude is invited to become -subscribers. At Nantes a committee -of-ladies is busily employed in collecting dressings. At Lyons, the Salut Public informs us it has received the'first day 2,000 francs. At Toulouse the corporation has formed itself into a committee for the same purpose. At Lille the Veriti tells us that, "at the express desire of the working classes, lists are being circulated through the manufactories-for the purchase of etrennes for our brave soldiers.' The same feeling is spreading through many other departments; the Minister of War has addressed a circular to the Prefects, informing them that the Government receives with gratitude the objects sent to them, and forwards them to Constantinople. In Paris etrennes for the army is becotnins., if nothing better, at least la mode: and the Messager de la Charite announces that, at a recent soiree at Madame la Comtesse de-J.'s., all the world, children included, were at work on the same task ; while her Majesty the Empress herself passes a portion of each day en faisant de la charpie— -in pulling lint." ITALY. A great insurrectionary movement is not only at this time contemplated in Italy, but the leaders of it are fearless (and foolish) enough to announce it publicly. The Italian republicans in London, Paris, and Genoa, have been unusually active in passing resolutions and addressing their countrymen ; and at Turin and other places a proclamation from the National' Assembly of Action, accompanied by an "invitation" from -M. Mazzini, have been published, invoking the people to rise, laying down regular plans for organization, and, above all things, urging the collection of a national fund for the purpose of carrying out the insurrection. These documents are written with extraordinary force and eloquence; but they do not appear to have produced as yet any very palpable effect. Perhaps the people of Italy have become more dull to "invitations" like that of M. Mazzini than formerly, and are inclined to calculate the probable profit or loss before subscribing to speculations like those he proposes; but certain it is they have become'more than doubtful of the practicability of any purely popular movement effecting the object which they, in common with their compatriots, have most at heart, viz., the freedom oi' Italy from foreign rule. It is a fact that the number of Russian agents in Italy is very great, and they are exceedingly active. Count Orloff recently passed through 1 Turin under an assumed name on his way "to Florence, which of course has given rise to endless speculation as to the object of his journey, i Of him or his further movements nothing is | known ; but there are others whose contradictory acts, and language are deserving of note. For instance, atfGenoa there is a Count Skariatine, Secretary of the Ru«sianjlegation at Rome, and formerly charge d'affaires at Turin in 1848, who has come to Genoa on the plea of his wife's health, where he excites the hopes of the Republican party by speaking of his master being the " natural friend of all rising nationalities," while he assures his ancient friends among the retrogrades in this country, that " the Emperor will never play the game of either Kossuth or Mazzini." In Lombardy the same double-facedness is the distinguishing characteristic of Muscovite intrigue. There Russian propagandism has been carried to the officers of the Sclavonic regiments, anil the agents talk loudly of the old alliance of Austria and Russia, but sotto voce to those whom it suits of the contempt with which their Emperor regards Francis Joseph. In Tu-icany it is the same. There the Barone.ss Mayeiulorff. (a relative of the late Russian minister at Vienna,) and Count Orsini, of Alexandria, are the recognised agents of Russia ; and at Naples, Count Kakkoschine, the Russian minister, who bas been long resident in Italy, •»ares no exertions for the diffusion of similar principles. Between these two great

bodies of agitators—the exiled demagogues and the agents of Russia—the Italian people have naturally been much excited latterly ;but the sense of the country will'prevent anything like a serious insurrection arising from all these intrigues. It is a recognised fact, by all who can bear to look at the state of Italy withont being swayed by their own crotchets, that the only hope of unity in a land where every parish almost has its traditions of independence, is by bringing them under some established government which would give them solidity and insure order. Such a government is that of Piedmont, which is, consequently, the object of the greatest detestation to the absolutists, because it promises to lead to such an event, while it is equally objectionable to ultra-republicans, because it has constantly thwarted their attempted insurrections by open and legitimate means. With the extreme parties it might be expected that the extended influence of Piedmont would he excessively unpopular, but with tlnse who desire the extension of commerce, real liberty, and religious tolerance, she will always be the leading star of Italy. RUSSIA. An imperial ukase was issued on the 13th nit., ordering a levy of 10 men in every 1000 throughout the eastern (or Asiatic) half of the Russian empire. This levy will commence on the loth of February, and must be finished by the 15th of March. The Jews are not exempt. We learn that these conscripts (who are enumerated at a million of men), will be themselves oblisred to pay for their uniforms and outfit out of their own pockets, and the sum charged to each recruit are not to exceed the value paid by the commissariat department to the contractor*, viz., 10 silver roubles, and 30 copecks, (about £l 10s.) per head. The Ost. Deutshse Post, of Vienna, has the following from Odessa, 12th nit.:—" The great event of the day is the recal of the Grand Dukes Michael and Nicholas, which has been decided on, because Prince Menschikoff complained at St. Petersburg that his plans were thwarted by other influence. It is said that Prince Menschikoff has received an autograph letter from the Emperor, in which the latter thanks the army for the fidelity and devoted ness which H has hitherto shown, and expresses a conviction that Russia, protected by so brave an army, need not fear the whole world. By the side of these congratulations, which have been made public in an order of the day, the autograph letter contained remonstrances of a nature to prevent the recurrence of events similar to those of the sth Nov. The tone of the letter is so severe, that i t is very clear that the result of that defeat has produced a very deep impression on the Czar." An Imperial ukase has since been made public, which ordains, that whoever, after a battle, commits acts of cruelty on the wounded or unresisting, shall suffer the punishment of death. The Czah's New European Monarchy. —There is a serious schism in the Imperial family. The Grand Duke Constantine disputes the risrht of his elder brother, the Grand Duke Alexander, to succeed to the Imperial throne the order of succession laid down by Peter the Great being in the eldest sou of the reigning Emperor. When the Gnuid Duke Alexander was born, bis father was not emperor, nor did he even stand in direct succession to the throne. The eldest son. after Nicholas became emperor, is Constantine, and he, therefore, claims to be the rightful heir to the throne of Russia. It is in consequence of this dissension (says Galignani) that the Emperor Nicholas resolved to wait no longer for the accomplishment of his views in the East. Dreading a civil war between the two brothers after his death, he was anxious to find the means of inducing his son Constantine to withdraw pretensions which have for partisans a large portion of the Russian nobility, and nothing presented itself but the chance of creating a new empire of sufficient magnitude and importance to gratify his ambition. Hence the determination to prepare measures for the conquest of Constantinople, and, consequently, hence the difficulty of concessions to the Western Powers, which would amount to the abandonment of the designs of the Czar on Turkey. TURKEY. On the 23rd nit., a warning example was made to the army at Constantinople, which cannot fail to exert a profound influence on the Sultan's troops in all future campaigns. Solimnu Pacha, who commanded the Turkish division at Balaklava, and Halet Bay, commander

of the 2nd brigade of that division, on the memorable 2nd of October, when the Turks fled at the approach, and abandoned two redoubts, which fell into the hands of the Russians, were put upon their trial for the panic among the men, but being, in fact, themselves the first to run away. By order of the Sultan, a special military commission minutely investigated the charges directed against the two generals, and having found them to be well gronndjd, sentenced Soliman Pacha and Halet Bay to degradation and seven years' hard labour. The first part of the sentence was carried into execution on the square of the Seraskierat, in presence of the garrison of Constantinople and of an immense concourse of people. After a reprimand from the Minister of War, who upbraided them with cowardice, the insignia of their Tanks and their decorations were torn from their breasts. Our correspondent remarked, that the soldiers charged with the execution of the sentence performed their mission with brutal satisfaction, which was applauded by the crowd. After the troops had defiled before them, the two prisoners were transferred to the steamer which was to convey them to Cyprus, where they are to undergo the penalty, of seven years'hard labour. This example produced the best effect on the MusKiilman population ; and it was hoped that it would inspire the chiefs of the army with a sense of the responsibility which their high station imposes upon them. The Grekks at Balaclava. —Isabel and Isidore. —An Knglish gentleman attached to the Turkish contingent, who had been wounded h / a shell at Inkermann, writes home to a friend " I (rot very comfortable quarters in the house of a Greek family who did-everything to make me comfortable. They had be-n very well off before our troops landed in the Crimea, but when we took Balaklava they fled in haste from Kadikoi, which is near there, leaving all their property behind them, and everything was carried off or burnt. They at Karani with the little they could carry away, and, being within our lines of canlravallation, they found themselves cut off from their friends and confined to°the village, without the means of procuring "provisions. There were about 150 inhabitants in the village, and in a short time whatever store of provisions they might have had began to fail, and there was nothing to be mil but corn, from which they made a kind of bread, black as coal, and tasting like sawdust, and they had not even enough of that. Being entitled to four rations for myself and servants,, and having none of the latter but soldiers, who get their own from Government, I was enabled to help the family in whose house I was very considerably, as did also several other officers, but it was a'pitiful sight to see women and children reduced from affluence to such a condition. By my advice, they, with several others in the village, petitioned General Canrohert to allow them to join tbeir friends, stating their distress, which he very kindly did, and a few days ago sixty women and four men were embarked on hoard a steamer for a Russian port eastward of Balaclava. It was a cold, raw, rainy night they left, and I pitied the poor creatures trudging through the mud in such weather; women, sometimes with children at their breasts, and two above ninety years of age. I tried to console them with the idea of meeting their friends, but they were entirely overcome with the thoughts of leaving their homes in the hands of the strangers, and having to seek others, where they knew not, for they were poor, and ' the poor make no new friends.' One young girl, the youngest of four sisters, of whom three were married to soldiers in the Russian army, was the only one who tried to keep up ihe spirits of the rest. The whole family were very beautiful, but she was of that transcendant beauty which one rarely sees, except in statues or paintings. She led an old creature past ninety almost imbecile, who followed from instinct as it were, and walked along, trying to sing some of the songs ol her country to cheer up the rest. Poor girl! had I belonged to any profession other than my own, my dear , I would have had a wile as beautiful as the iiist flowers of spring, with eyes like a gazelle, and a face and figure resembling that of Hero, or Helen of old. I pressed what coin I bud into her hand as I put her into tlse boat, so that she and her sisters at least might not want for bread on landing, and I rode back to my tent, well contented with what I had done, and ' 1 know the good God who takes care of little fishes will not forget it, and will give me a lift in rough places, when 1 may require it, us the saying is in India.