Latest English News.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume XII, Issue 1230, 16 May 1857, Page 3

Latest English News.

I t’roni the Daily Post and the Northern Times, February 11.] The cold shade of the aristocracy is over Jo| ln M’Ncill and Colonel Tulloch. The services that the nation at large feel a pride in c’nowledging are treated by the Government s < eserving cf no special recognition; last l B >t, Lord Palmerston, in reply toMr. Ewart, 11 a the distinct avowal that such was the

opinion of Ministers. It was not to be supposed that the metits of gentlemen who had performed unpleasant duties with impartial honesty would meet with much favour from the ranks of the “ Take care of Dowb ’’ class; but, nevertheless, we had expected that, even for appearance sake’ the Premier would have accorded a different answer to the interrogatory. ° The most conflicting statements are in circulation in Paris with reference to the progress of the negotiations for the settlement of the Neufchatel question. The Globe correspondent gives the following as the actual position of afiairs:— ' Dr. Kern, though furnished with the most ex tensive powers by the Federal Council, has naturally started in the negotiations with a display of unwillingness to concede any important point, the instructions of Count de llatzfeld, less extensive, it is true, authorized him to grant concessions it absolutely necessary, to obtain, if possible the recognition of the claims of a personal nature, advanced by bis sovereign. The negotiations opened, consequently, with an utter divergency of views between the two diplomatists, and, bef'ote the matters had attained any satisfactory shape the I russian minister was attacked with the illness from which he is still suffering. This indisposition favours, however, the personal views of the Prussian prime minister, who has found the opportunity of advancing the diplomatic prosperity of his brother, the Aide-de-Camp to King Frederick. In all probability Colonel do Manteuffel will arrive in this capital in the course of the present week, to renew and bring to a termination the negotiations winch have been temporarily suspended in consequence of the illnesss of the Count de llatzfeld. It is not impossible that Colonel de Manteuffel will be charged by his sovereign with secret instructions relating to the newly born alliance of France and Russia, which lias imposed on the Court of Berlin a line of policy hostile to the ideas of the cabinet, and to the inclinations of the army and people.”

The article in the Moniieur, on the Union of the Danubian Principalities, has excited much attention on the Comment. It is said that the day after its appearance the Austrian Minister was informed by Count Walewski, that it was not lr, be considered in the light of an official declaration of the views o! France, though certainly the opinions of the French Government nene in favour of a union of the Danubian Provinces on certain conditions and dynastical considerations. The Vienna Pressc, observing on the subject, says that the recent policy of France on the Eastern question cannot excite sstonisbment if it is considered that Count Moray is to para the whole winter at St. Petersburg, and the Giand Duke Constantine to visit the Emperor Napoleon in the spring. The most remarkable passage in the article is the following:—

The mask has now been laid aside, and the question of the Principalities is to be made an affair of the highest importance. The declaration of the Moniteur will give fresh vigour and courage to Russia, for the union of the Danubian Principalities will be the first great step towards the breaking up of Turkey,—it will be a positive encroachment on the sovereign rights of the Sultan, and an act of hostility towards the Powers which closed up the laud and sea routes from Russia to Constantinople. We have news from St. Petersburg to the 30th January. It is stated tbut an animated intercourse was being carried on between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the English Legation. Three questions were under discussion, namely, ihe recall ol the English fleet from the Black Sea, the evacuation of Greece, aud the Anglo-Persian difference. Lord V.’odebeose displayed much more moderation in tiiese negotiations than had been expected. He announced to Prince Gortschakoff, two days before his departure for Torbiash, that the English fleet would have evacuated the interior waters cf Turkey at the time fixed by the protocol of January 6, namely, the 30:11 of March. As this declaration was given without any reserve, and in a way which could leave no doubt as to the sincerity of the promise, Piince Gortschakoff declared on his part that Russia was ready to admit English consuls to the ports of the Black Sea. Lord Wodehouse Las undoubtedly, it is said, convinced himself that Russsia is bent on other things than conquests, and that she now considers as her most urgent task the development of her internal resources.

We learn from Madrid that the Conservatives have triumphed in the municipal elections. Private letters from Athens to the 28th ult. mention that the proteciing powers had made certain propositions to King Otho relative io his finances, and which have been accepted by bis majssty ; that the powers further require that the King should change his ministers and appoint others more disposed towards (he Western Governments, and that the King has consented to that arrangement, but on condition that the foreign troops shall first evacuate the I’iiseus. The Royal Mail steamer America, from Boston, has been anxiously looked (or since Monday. Up to the hour of going to ptess there is no account of her arrival, and the supposilion is entertained that the severe weather prevalent, at the last accounts from the other side (lie Atlantic, may in some way have retarded her depar-

Austrian Amnesties.—The Emperor and Empress of Austria, according to letters from Vienna, are expected at Tiieste on the Gilt, and al Vienna on the 10th instant, shortly thereafter to visit Peslh. No one in the Austrian political circles doubts but that the Emperor will signalise Iris presence in the capital of Hungary byagenera] amnesty, similar to that which has been granted in the Lombardo-Venetian kingdom. The King of Bavaria arrived at Milan on the Ist. The day fixed for the promulgation of the Imperial decree re-organising the government of the Lombardo-Venetian provincesis the 12th inst. On that occasion an extensive distribution ol crosses and other personal favours will be made among (lie inhabitants. Il is stated, among other things, that letters of nobility will be granted to a certain number of the richest manufacturers ol Lombardy and Venetie.

The Attempt on the Life of the Archbishop of Matera.— Under date, Naples, February 3. the Gazette du Midi, a Catholic paper published at Lyons, contains die following letter : ■ —" I ptomised to give you some details concerning the priest who made the attempt on the life of the Archbishop of Matera. The man is named Salvator! Ancona, and is a lay-priest, residing at Matera, where he held a good situation. It seems that the reading of certain Protestant and rationalistic works had excited him, and troubled his mind about the presumed tyranny ol rhe episcopacy, the illegal power of lhe bishops, and the neerssily of reforming the Church. So greatly hud be become excited by tin so ideas, tint it hud been thought necessary, in order to '•alm his mind, to send him to the country. Alter returning to Matera, lived there in tranquillity

for n considerable time ; but when he heard of the murder of the Archbishop of Paris, he suddenly took it into his head that he, too, bad a lesson to »ive to the episcopacy, by a crime. He is now in the hands of justice. A great number of works, attacking lhe hierarchy of the Church, mid even the dogmas of Catholicism, were found at his lioiTse, These books, and a Protestant version of the Bible, formed his regular read, ing.” Our intelligence from the Continent is unimportant this morning. We have news from Teheran to rhe 10th inst. It confirms the news of the proclamation of a holy war by the Shah. He had issued a proclamation promising to his people 'hat he would not yield lo the threat of England. In fact there is to be complete war to the knife ; so Cowley and F-roukh Khan at Paris come very opportunely for the British Government. It would appear that the Russian prot- st against the •lemands of England on Persia is an established fact. It has been followed, as we learn from S’. Petersburg, by instructions to the Russian commanders in the Caucasus, on the Caspian, and in Western Siberia, how to oct should it be necessary to march Russian troops into Persia—whether to assist the Shah or to secure part of the booty.

The article in the Moniieur a few Jays ago, in favour of the union of the Danubian Principalities, has elicited a storm of attacks from the Austrian press. Il seems that it was written four weeks ago, and communicated to I,ord Cowley, who insisted upon its not been published before ‘.he closing of the conference at Constantinople. This demand, being just in form, was com plied with, though, after al. 1 , lhe article does noi contain anything but what Lord Clarendon himself took a part in expressing ns lhe wish of Europe at the time of lhe Paris Congress. We have Constantinople dales lo January 30. Tht-y slate that Admiral Lyons bad given orders to all the ships in the Black to join him before the 10ih at Constantinople. Some of them had already arrived in the Bosphorus. When the whole squadron shall have assembled, it was stated to be Lord Stratford’s desire that it should be once more paraded all round the coasts of the Black Sen, immediately before taking leave, and as close to the 30:h of March as possible. But it was considered doubtful whether Admiral Lyons would lend himself io so foolish a display in lhe face of the equinoxial gales. The relations between Lord Stratford and Sir H. Bclwer bad not improved, ahhough no further collision had taken place. Sir H. Bulwer does not avail himself of the holidays which the Principalities Commission enjoys until the 23rd March, by which date the Ausiriaos shall have withdrawn their troops. He and the French commissioner, M. <le Talleyrand, remain at Constantinople. All the other commissioners are off for their respective homes. The Porte has at length resolved vigorously to execute its share of the treaty with Greece for the suppression of brigandage on the Turko-Gretk froniier. A battalion cf infantry and a regiment of cavalry had been despatched for this purpose to the Greek frontier.

Ihe Vacant Garter.—The disposal of the Garter, vacant by the decease of the Duke of Rutland, has already become a subject of discussion iu the minis erial circles. Even if the Premier himself has determined on the fortunate peer to recommend to lhe sovereign for this much-coveted honour, he has not jet suffered the secret lo transpire ; and the personal fiiebih of the Dakes of Newcas le and Somerset, high >n office, will bring all their influence to bear in the proper quarter to obtain this most noble decorsGon for the noblem.in whose claims they espouse, Other candidates are also named, including the Duke of Hemihon end the Marquis of Westminster; buttheir claims are expected to yield to those of the two dukes first named.-— Court Journal,

FRANCE. The tradesmen and manufacturers of Paris are still complaining. The daily c- usumption of the city is merely sufficient to give employment to a certain number of hands, and to enable the shopkeepers to keep their houses open. Speculation is at a stand in consequence of the high price of the raw material, and the same cause has paralysed the export trade. The accounts from Alsace and the manufacturing towns in Normandy are not more encouraging ; they represent a general stagnation of trade among the spinnsrs, and a cons qnent reduction of funds in the mills. The millowners find that, in order to effect sales, they must reduce their prices below the cost of production. The accounts from Lyons, however, are less discouraging. The manufacturers of that city have received large orders from the United Sta’es, and a good quantity of superior silks and velvets has found a ready market in Paris from persons who are not deterred by high prices from purchasing, ami it must not be forgotten that we are new in the season of ballsand soirees, No further movement, however, is expected until the spring sets in, when it is hoped that a demand for lighter stuffs will arise, The Russians and Germans still purchase articles of Paris manufacture, such as jewellery, and gilt bronze ornaments, and the wealthy Boyar Is of the Principalities are acquiring a taste for French produce. The commercial relations between France and the Ottoman empire have contidtrably increased since the peace, and a large portion of lhe gold exported during that period has found its way back, and paid for French goods. A letter from S*. Petersburg, of ’.he 31st nil., states that the affairs of Persia appear to assume a serious appearance. Several generals who command the troops stationed on the frontiers of Russ'a and Persia on the coast of the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus, have been summoned to St. Petersburg, lo attend a council of war. Several courtiers have been despatched to Count PeroflLki at Orenburg, to the Caucasus, and to General Prince Orbelian, who commands on the Caspian Sea. General Kappher, chief of the stuff of ihe right wing of the line of the Caucasus, and ike chief of lhe staff of the corps detached from Siberia, have left to resume their command, having received instructions for every eventuality which may arise. The writer then denies that there is any truth in the assertions of some of lhe Austrian newspapers, that the Russian Government is occupied in. re-establish-ing its military ports in the Black Sen, or rebuilding the towns of Kcrlch and Sebastopol, or raising the ships of war sunk in the harbour. Go the contrary, according to tlie writer, the Russian Government is gradually reducing its militaiy establishments in the Crimea, and the denomination Russian fleet in t' e Biack Sea is erased from ihe Imperial almanac, and replaced by flotilla of ihe Black Sen. Admiral Zebrikoff, appointed to the command of the flotilla, left Si. Petersburg on lhe 30ih uh., fur Nicolaieff.