DETAILS OF THE ILLNESS AND DEATH OF THE CZAR OF RUSSIA.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 281, 11 July 1855, Page 4

DETAILS OF THE ILLNESS AND DEATH OF THE CZAR OF RUSSIA.

The Prussian Moniteur publishes the following details respecting the death of the late Emperor Nicholas; the despatches which follow were addressed to Berlin by Lieutenant-Colonel Count Miinster, adjutant in the service of the King of Prussia :— " St. Petersburg, March 1,1. 25 a.m. "The state of ? the Emperor became much worse yesterday evening. The following is the medical bulletin :— ' "Yesterday violent fever manifested itself, with inflammation of the lungs. The fever lasted during the whole night, and prevented sleep. The ejections continue without obstacle. A slight attack of gout is observable.' " I must add that the debility of the august invalid has greatly increased, and that, at least in the opinion of the physicians, the state of his Majesty is most critical. [ will forward another despatch to-day, and beg of you to communicate the present to Duke George at Strelitz.'' March 1, 4.40 a.m. '- The state of his Majesty has not improved in any respect this morning. I will send a third despatch. Her Majesty the Empress has had some palpitations of the heart, but is otherwise well. I beg of you to send this intelligence to Sehwerin, Strelitz, and the Hague." March 1, 9 30 p.m. " Ths state of His Majesty the Emperor grew considerably worse during the day. The ejections take place with difficulty, and gave indications that the lungs also were touched. Atrophy of the lungs is feared Dr. Carell is very much al lined. At the request of the physicians the Grand Duke heir apparent has requested the Emperor to receive the sacraments, -the Empress is well.- I will scud another despatch today." March 1, ID p.m. " The Emperor has declined receiving the last sacraments at present. The ceremony is adjourned till to-morrow morning. The Emperor only sees the Empress and the Grand Duke heir-apparent. The Empress is aware of the danger, and begs me to inform His Majesty the King thereof, and to communicate it also to hey august relations, and to Strelitz. March 2,6 a.m. "The Emperor has calmly received the communication from Dr. Mandt*that atrophy of the lungs is possible. He simply observed—' When shall I be paralysed ?' The physician could not give a precise answer. The Emperor then said to Dr.; Carell—' When shall I choke ?' The Emperor has taken the last sacraments ; he has taken leave of his wife and children, whom he blessed separately, as also his grandchildren, in a firm voice, in full possession of his intellects, perfectly calm, and with great presence of mind. The pulse is still strong, but musk has already been administered. The Empress keeps up, and shows resignation.

The following rumours appear in the " Times" of March 14, from the Prussian correspondent of that paper : — It is rumoured here, that the Grand Duke Constantine will soon pay a visit to the Court of ■Berl'n: and since I have commenced the chapter of rumours I may as well add, that I have heard very circumstantial accounts of the appearance presented by the Imperial corpse at about three to-four days from the time of death ; how the features were hardly to be recognised, and how decomposition had commenced prematurely early for one who had died a perfectly,, natuiai.'deaih; that decomposition had prt> V pressed so rapidly that they were obliged to depart from the custom of allowing the corpse to lie in stale, but had been compelled to screw it down at once; how great agitation is observable throughout the population of St. Petersburg, knots of whom beleauger the Winter Palace, with a more or less strong conviction that the late Emperor was poisoned, &c. It will be my business to ascertain if there is any truth in

these rumours ; for the moment I hold them to be of very dubious credibility, from the simple reflection that they are just of the kind that the most ordinary mind can concoct for itself out of known antecedents of llussian history.