ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 167, 18 March 1854, Page 5

ENGLISH EXTRACTS.

The Sydney papers publish intelligence to the 14th of November from England, brought thither by the " Hellespont." The "strikes",still continue, though signs are visible of the ultimate defeat of the working classes, owing to the* failure of the sinews of war. The Sydney Empire, alluding to the circumstance of many of these people having to exist upon 2s. a week during the strike, counsels the adopting of some energetic measure to induce them to emigrate to Australia. The price of wool has somewhat advanced, arising from the increase of buyers appearing in the markets. The prices current on the 14th of November, were as follows:—New South Wales: scoured fine, 2s. to 2s. 6d. per lb.; middling, Is. 7d. to Is. 9d.; inferior, Is. 6d. to Is. 7d. ; lambs, Is. lOd. to 2s. 4d.; skin, Is. 4d. to Is. Bd.; pieces and locks, Is. 2d. to Is. 6d. grease, lOd. to Is. 2d. The Cholera in Dublin.—We regret to say that cholera, of the real Asiatic type, has made its appearance in Dublin. No official reports of deaths, or the causes of death, are published, bo that it is not easy to learn the facts in such matters ; but there is no doubt that four or live cases of cholera of the very worst description made their appearance in that locality on Sunday evening, and that before next morning three of them terminated in death. Progress of the Cholera.—ln the week ending Saturday last, 102 deaths from cholera took place in London, being an increase of three over the preceding week. In the fourteen weeks ending Nov. 5, 559 deaths from cholera have occurred in the metropolis, against 328 in the corresponding period of 1848. In' the last four weeks the mortality from cholera progressed as follows—4s, 83, 98, 102 ; whilst in the same periods diarrhsea and dysentery were fatal in 55, 48, 43, and 42 cases, showing a constant decrease.— Liverpool limes, Nov. 14. Lord Palmerslon has given great scandal to the good people, or rather the Presbytery of Edinburgh, by what they conceive to be a very indecorous reply to a very grave memorial. The Presbytery proposed that a public fast should be appointed in consequence of the visitation of the Cholera. Lord Palmerston in effect tells them to drain and purify their towns first, and then to think of fasting when they please.— Sydney 3£. Herald. Abolition of Transportation.—The first experiment under the new Act passed for the abolition of transportation to penal settlements abroad, commenced last week, four convicts having been liberated on Friday, and four on Saturday, from the Warrior convict ship, stationed off Woolwich dockyard. These convicts hare each served between three and four years of the period named in their sentence, and return to their friends, or to any employment they may obtain, unfettered by any restrictions save those of avoiding the haunts of thieves, and associating with bad cinvracters; in which case they may be again apprehended, and sent to the hulks without any further trial. They will then be kept at the hulks until the full period of their original sentence. Other convicts will be liberated during the week, and in subsequent weeks, upon the same terms, until room is made in the Warrior for a number of convicts recently sentenced to undergo penal servitude ; and they in their turn, after three or four years' hard labour in the dockyards, will be afforded another opportunity of retrieving their character, and returning to the paths of honest industry. It is stated that Cap. Denham is now in the South Seas, with the view of reporting upon some new and suitable place of transportation to which the Government may send convicts, if the experiments about to be made should not answer, and if the leniency of the Crown should be abused. At present the liberty which the convicts just set free have obtained will be equal in every respect to a free pardon, as they may now engage in any enterprise for their own benefit, and have every advantage which a free pardon would have given them. — Times, Nov. 14. THE WAR. The Czar has issued a counter proclamation of war against Turkey, attributing to the latter country all the causes that have mudded the political waters, and reparation is spoken of. The document has excited considerable indignation, as resembling too closely the well-

known fable. The Times condemns it with a warmth rather unexpected. It thus concludes a lengthy article: "We have a grave resolution of an offender to punish an offence, and we have the whole of these unscrupulous declarations concluded with a verse from the Psalms I Surely the verdict of the world upon such a proceeding may be safely anticipated." It is reported that an American fleet, larger than the combined fleets of England and France, has been quietly concentrated at Smyrna. Little positive information seems to have been received in England since that published in our paper of the 25th ult., but we extract the following additional rumours from the Sydney Empire : — " At Paris, on the 12th November, a report was current in political circles that the Turks had been compelled to recross the Danube, with immense loss, after having been defeated under the walls of Bucharest by Prince. Gortchakoff, with whom General Dannenberg had formed a junction. The report, however, was not well authenticated. "A letter from Berlin, November 13, says,— 1 The Journal de St. Petersburg contains an announcement of the Minister of Finance, from which it appears that an embargo will be laid on all Turkish vessels in Russian harbours, on the 22nd November. After that Turkish merchant vessels will be declared lawful prizes. Neutrals will enjoy complete freedom, even after the commencement of" hostilities.' " The Pqtrie has a letter from Constantinople of the 29th ultimo, stating that the Turkish fleet has chased some Russian vessels, and driven them into Sebastopol. "The Vienna correspondent of the Times, dating November 10, says,—' Accounts from Constantinople of the 3rd instant, received by telegraph, state that the Turks have taken the Russian fortress on the Shefkatil by storm. A private letter from Vienna of the Bth, states that further particulars relative to the engagement which had taken place between the Turks and Russians at Oltenitza had reached Vienna by telegraph. It is said that during the action General Perlof was badly wounded in the thigh, and that Lieutenant-Colonel Chereskoff was killed ; the names of the other officers killed are not known. A letter from Belgrade announces that the Austrian corps of observation on the frontiers of Servia, consists of 40,000 men." The principal events of the war, as far as at present known, is well summed up in the Liverpool Times of the 14th November:— " The dry facts seem to be, that the passage of the Danube, by Omer Pacha, at Widdin is confirmed: General Prim having led the advanced guard. It seems that the Turks have I crossed the river at Widdin, Rustchuk, Turtukai.and Silistria.and after more or less fighting with the Russians at each spot, have obtained a footing at the towns opposite these respective fortresses ; having raised intrenchments at Kalefat, Giurgevo, Oltenitza, and Kalarach, all on the left bank of the river. Whilst we write, it is yet doubtful how far they have succeeded at Guirgevo; although, we believe they have completely succeeded, thereby commanding the road to Bucharest. Both at Kale fat and Oltenitza the Russians suffered severely ; indeed, at the latter place the Russians admit the loss of fourteen superior officers, and one hundred and thirty-six killed; besides six superior officers, eighteen subalterns, and four hundred and seventy nine privates wounded. The combat lasted three hours, and was fought at the point pf the bayonet." The same writer adds: — « But little" credit can be given to the news which comes from Bucharest; however, it is certain that martial law, in all its terrors, has been proclaimed by the Russian general, whilst the two Hospodars, not daring to face Omer Pacha, have retired to Vienna to wait the issue of events. The Russians are, therefore, undisputed masters of Moldavia, and of such portions of Wallachia as Omer Pacha dues not occupy. Of course the English and French Consuls will now be withdrawn. A Cabinet Council was held in Downiug-street on Tuesday, which was attended by all the ministers, ami lasted four hours. As'the Sultan has given his consent to allow foreign officers to enter his service, we have no doubt that the question of relaxing the provisions of the Foreign Enlistment Act was brought under consideration.

We learn that Count Lamoyski, son-in-law of Prince Czartorynski, an<l Count Chrzanowski, who commanded the Piedmontese army at the battle of Novara, are soliciting the sanction of the English and French Governments to unsheath their swords, which it is very likely will be at once granted. These are the men of the right stamp, at whose call every Pole will rush to arms. The tone of the French ministerial journals has become much more decisive as regards the necessity of French intervention, and Louis Napoleon, who some time ago we were told " would not fight," seems to have decided upon sending a military man to Vienna to supersede M. de Bourqueny, thus following up the nomination of General Barguey d'Hilliers, and we have no doubt that Louis Napoleon has appealed to the English cabiuet to join France in some more decisive step, to show the Czar the utter futility of his proceedings, all of which ought to have been done months ago. The position of M. de Kisseleff and Baron Brunow, at the French and English courts, is not the most comfortable at this critical juncture. Lord Aberdeen, at the civic feast, on Wednesday, after the approved common places about the expediency and righteousness of a " policy of peace," added, " But emphatic as these words are, they are not to be understood as signifying the impossibility of war; they signify, as far as 1 am concerned, that war will never be undertaken by me without reluctance, and never but when demanded—plainly demanded—by a due sense of the honor and interests oi this country."