EUROPEAN NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 102, 12 July 1854, Page 2

EUROPEAN NEWS.

We copy trom the Southern Cross the following summary ot European News, which will be lound interesting. " Although we have London papers to

the tweith of March, being eight days later than those last received, we can scarcely say that we have much later intelligence. " The first division of the English fleet aiiled for the Baltic, from Portsmouth, on Saturday the eleventh of March, at 2 p.m. Previons to its departure, Admiral Sir Charles Napier received a highly complementary address from the Mayor and Council of Portsmouth assembled to meet him in' the Guildhall, which was densely crowded on the occanion. The address spoke in terms of confident reliance of the gallant admiral being enabled to lead the mighty armament he was about to command, to some great and glorious victory against the common enemy of Europe. Sir Charles begged to be excused for being brief in his reply. He returned his most heartfelt and sincere thanks. He must bo afloat and away to sea. He begged of them not to expect too much. All that could, wpuld'be done. Much was expected from this fleet, and he thought it would do something. He would do Ins best to prevent the British flag from being tarnished, But they were going to meet no common enemy ; they were going to meet one well prepared. The fleet under his command was well equipped and efficient, but it was newly formed, steam had materially changed the tactics of war ; still he was sure that every officer nnd man would do his duty well and thoroughly Almost immediately upon leaving the Guildhall, Sir Charles walked down the Highstreet, and, like Lord Nelson in 1805, embarked amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the surrounding thousands. At the Victoria Pier, he was greeted with the enlivened music of the beautiful band of the 42nd Highlanders, and encouragely addressed by the chairman and directors, who bid his watchword ever be " England and Victory." Arrived at Spithead, with his flag at the Duke of Wellington's mast head, her Majesty and Prince Albert passed through the fleet, the ships manning their yards, thun» dering forth their royal salutes, and rending the air with their cheers. The captains of the ships, by signal to that effect, paid a brief visit to her Majesty's yncht. At half past one p m., the signal to weigh was made. The St. Jean d'Acre and the Tribune were the first to get away ; and by 4 p.m., the whole fleet were out of sight, her Majesty having kept them companj as far as the Nsb. The first division which had thus sailed, mounts 1,047 guns, is propelled by a steam power of 6,970 horses, with a force of 10.25 1 men, It was to be followed immediately by a succession of powerful ships. — Other splendid ships were preparing to be launched ; and nineteen ships were ordered to be brought forward for the pendant with the utmost expedition at Portsmouth. Nor were the French remiss in their preparations. At Toulon 10000 men were at work night and day fitting out eight sail of the line and three steamers to increase the Baltic fleet. Five sail of the line, two steam-frigates, and a corvetle under the command of Admiral Bruat, passed Gibraltar on the 15th February, bound for Ton'on and Algiers, to embark 3 portion of the French Auxilliary Army, which is stated •will exceed 100,000 men. The first divi* Bion of 36,000 men was teady for embarkation. " The embarkation of the British troops wa3 proceeding actively. In addition to those we formerly mentioned, the 4th regt., embarked at Leith on the Bth March, on board the Golden Fleece, and sailed for Malta next day. The 19th regt. was to embark at Southampton on the 14th. The Ist (Royals) from Plymouth on the 20th, and the 7th company of the Royal Sappers and Miners had embarked at Woolwich on the 13th. On the 10th the 77th regt., 800 strong, embarked for Malta: The following regts. were under orders for the East : —7th, 21st, 23rd, 20th, 42nd, 471h, 55th, 63rd. 79th, 88th, and 97th. It was considered that there was not the slightest prospect of preserving peace. The messenger conveying to the Czar the nltirnatum of France and England, passed through Vienna on the 7th of March. — Austria was increasing her armaments, but whi/st acknowledging the justice of the views of France and England in maintaining the integrity of the Turkish Empire, she was not disposed to break with the Prussia was exhibiting a strong determination to remain neutral. The King of Denmark was strongly inclined to ally himself with Russia, but the nation were for neutrality. The Czar had intimated to Sweden and Norway that he would not permit them to remain neutral ; 10,000 land-wehr had in consequence been sent to strengthen the ,

garrison of Gothland, whilst 4 Swedish line of battle ships, 6 frigates, and 4 steamers, in addition (o the Norwegian contingent, would be ready for action, at the breaking up of the ice. Such is the antipathy of the Norwegians to Russia, that according to the report of the ' Hecla,' surveying .steamer, they had expressed their willingness to man fifteen British liue-of-battle-ships with their finest seamen. In London the Russo-Fin seamen were deserting the Russian merchant ships en masse. Sardinia also is arming ; and it is significantly stated that a member of the French cabinet would be pleased at the defection of Austria and Prussia from the Western alliance ; as from that defection he could discover some good for Italy and ' other oppressed stales. There ctin, we conceive, bo no doubt that such a course upon the part of the German states, would be materially instrumental to the revolutionizing of Europe, and the bursting the bonds under which Poland, Hungary, and Italy, have so long and so deplorably languished. Active aggression was, on all sides, for the moment suspended. The lull preceding the outburnt of the tempest had ensued The Russian fleets lay ice-bound in the Baltic, and blockaded in the ports of the Black Sea. The Russian armies instead of storming, were reiiring from Kalafat. The French and English fleets were ready to sweep the Euxine, and the Circassians, on the alert to descend from their mountain fastnesses. Europe was in short, one vast atore-house of combustibles. And many weeks cannot elapse without the comTienceinent of an appalling struggle.

We have been requested to call the attention of our readers to the description of the newly invented Conical Flour mill, republished from the Quarterly Journal of Agriculture for January of this year, in our last and present numbers ; in addition to its all but triple power of efficiency as regards both quantity and quality of flour, it is said to have the additional recommendation of being much less costly, both in construction and erection, than the old form of mill. We trust soon to see one or more at work in the settlement. - We understand that the unfortunate man Simon Crawley, on whom an inquest was held on the 3rd instant, and a verdict returned of " Found Dead," escaped in a fit of delirium from the hospital by one of the windows during the preceding night, and is supposed to have been drowned in the attempt to ford the Henui liver. We learn that the Jury has recommended iron bars to be put to all the windows of the above institution so as to prevent a recur* rence of such a catastrophe. We have to thank the Crown Land Commissioner for a statement of the recent land sales, which, although in type, must be postponed till our next.