EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 315, 7 November 1855, Page 6

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

KESIGNVriOX OF LOUD JOHN RUSSELL. Lon ion, July 195.1 i, 1855. Friday week, Lord John R ; ,ssell ,i, a <ie some asMjiiiidiujr violations in ihe Mouse of Commniis. In answer w, ,-, question put by Mr. M Crsbsr.i, Li.r.l John declared ti..,t, when Amh.sSituor lixtraurdiiiary at Vienna, he privately conc.irivu wnii Austria, ihai |, er proposal of c,,i»pr.,,,_,i.e „„ the third point was satisfactory t» »is inmil. i : ,e proposals of Austria, to' which L.-n> John personally assented, and of which he ye: -aunruveif, «'er«, thai Fra»«. s England, and au,:.:;», should alone he entitled to send ships of war into the 81.-.ck Se», r,,,, n which lluvsia w»ii.,i !, e excluded, s>, i.,i,- as she held estah»s!Miie..ts in thai s-a ; that these powers should ite Uio.ved : »lu;.vs to l,:.ve a r«,v, ?< /o prep.mder-an-e in -hips of war, and ,h:it ,i,e V should enter ni:., a j,,,,^ i !ei ,ty to pjrserv L - U ie intc^riiv of liir.c-v „v | :i ,,d. !,.„„ J.,| (i , "dues an- hdieve tn»i Uussia would nave t-i^ented to these terms; „,,r u.»e.s he h ay they xv, m !d, if uccen.ed, Ji.-ive ensured a ceruiuiy »f p K;u .,. ; i, IK lhev w«.ii,d iiaie»iv«na wry i\h prospect of the onrauon oi p^ee." Weil! J.., r .i J ; ,h.i 1t..5 5 ,.|l can!- h-. !m% and laid hi., viyvs !,-.f ( ,rc thu C.hinei. E^ryshiiifr l, e staled ha,! «iue wt-i-hi "iveii to it, jtv! w;;s f.iirly b.-.J•#n,-,-<! a^Jiiii^t tii<; Mi-ad-Vantage, ui'siicha peace; uud huving deiibera-

ted, the Cabinet came to the conclusion that the terms proposed did not hold out any safe basis for the termination of hostilities, and they were consequently rejected. It will he remembered that the French Plenipotentiary returned to Paris holding precisely the same favourable views of the Austrian propositions with which Lord John Russell'came back to London. They boih recommended peace on the basis proposed by Count Buol. The Emperor of the French, like the British Cabinet, differed from his plenipotentiary, and M\ Drouhyn de Llhuvs at once retired, like an honourable man. What does Lord John ? When his colleagues reject his advice, does he quit their councils, and refuse to act against his conscience f Nothing of the sort. He retains his place, and not only that— when pressed by Parliament to give some account of his mission, he conceals the true state of the case, and launches forth into some highflr.vn declamation against the over weening ambition of Russia, urging the country to prosecute " with the utmost vigour" that murderous warfare, the justice of which heprivnte.lv deprecates. Well might Mr. Cobden and Mr. Roebuck condemn his exhibition of political immorrality, and well might Mr. Disraeli ask what hope there was of obtaining either a satisfactory peace or prosecuting a successful war, if in the recesses of the Cabinet such contending elements prevailed. We can no longer look to Austria for aid. Count Buol already claims exemption from any further interference in the Eastern question, on the ground that his Government had submitted a plan for the honourable settlement of the dispute with Russia, which had received the full approbation of the British plenipotentiary. She can turn upon us, and point to Lord John Russell as a proof of untenability of our position; she can point to her last proposition as a lost opportunity for the solution of the difficulty—a proposition, it is true, agreed to by our envoy, but one which would have sown dissensions among the allies, aud compromised the honor of this country, and yet not have bound Austria to regard its infraction as a casus belli. Tt is high time that the country put an end to the ambiguous language aud uncertain conduct of our Government; and, in truth, ti crisis seems approaching which threatens the downfall of the Palmerston cabinet. Immediately after Lord John's explanation, Sir E. Buhvev Lyttou jrave notice of the following- vote of censure:—" That the conduct of our Minister at the recent negotiations at Vienna, in the opinion of this House, has shaken the confidence of the country in those to whom its affairs are entrusted. 1' In anticipation of the certain decision of the House of Commons, Lord John Russell resigned on the 14th instant At first, Lord Palmerston declined to accept his resignation, but nearly all the members of the Government not in the Cabinet having made known to the Premier their inability to vote against Sir E. B. Lytiou's motion, all doubts as to the result of the impending division were removed, and Lord John Russell's resignation accepted. T/ie Colonial Secretaryship is again vacant—for the sixth time, we believe, in three years; and Sir Wiiliarn'Moleswurth is mentioned as likely to succeed to the office. The obituary includes the names of the Marquis of rhotnond ; Sir Robert Abercromby, Bart.; Mr. Phillip Pusey, the eminent agrioulturist, and formerly M.P. for Berks ; and^RearAdmiral Sir Edward Perry, the celebrated Arctic navigator. Sir E. B. Lytlon has withdrawn his resolution, which, in fact, could not have been pressed with propriety after Lord John Russell's resignation. Lord John's defence was of the most weak and puerile nature, and such as to prove that his degradation is final, and that he can never hold office again. FURTHER PROGRESS OF THE WAR. The news from Seb.istopol latterly is meagre, and not very satisfactory. The English commenced a bombardment "of the Redan on the K'tli instant, which (according to General Pelissier) was most successful. We have been taught however, to take little account of this •ren-ml's I'.-Vgnirmio despatches. He sent last week a »!e«pafeh announcing a great slaughter of the Russians in remising a sortie, which proved to be only a mere feint. And as to our bavin? " silenced" th■• guns of the Redan, we cannot for get how fatal Russian guns which we have '• silenced" have proved when the time cainc f.>r lii.-ir use. Tie fact that the British bombardment of the R-dan was unsupported by any French bombardment of the

I Malakoff is another cause of suspicion. Has the damage done to the railway by the rain been so serious thai, sufficient ammunition can only be provided for a partial attack? And even if we '* silence" the Redan, can we occupy it in 'the face of the concentrated lire of the Malakoff? The worst news from Sebastopol is, that all accounts agree in declaring it an absolute impossibility for our army to take the field. Men and means are alike wanting, and have not been supplied by the Government at home. Nothing remains possible, therefore, but to fight for the fortifications inch by inch.—ln the Baltic, a correspondence has taken place between Admiral Dondas and tlu* Russian Minister of War, upon the subject of flags of truce. The latter, in reply to a former communication from (he British admiral, intimates, upon the part of the Imperial Government, that flags of truce will only be received on three points, viz., Croustadt, Sweaborg, and Revel. Vessels bearing such fligs are also required to hoist a white flag of large dimensions, and cast anchor beyond long rang:*, and wait until a boat goes alongside to receive a written message from them. The Russian minister, in introducing these unusually suspicious regulations, insinuates that the English have made unfair use of flags of truce, —the same 'plea upon which his Government attempts to vindicate the atrocity at Hanaro. Admiral Dundas, in replying, expresses his ignorance of the circumstances in the conduct of his officers which have given rise to these restrictions, and intimates that the whole responsibility of any evils winch may occur from them must fall upon the Russian authorities. The whole of the Russian Baltic coast continues closely blockaded by the allied fleets; but, with the exception of the bombardment by some English vessels of a town bearing the euphonious name of Krasnoja Gorka, resulting in the destruction of the telegraph station and barracks, no hostilities of a more active character have taken place ie that direction.— From the English Correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald. Incidents of the late Attack. Among other illustrations of character which came out during the recent struggle, it may be told that one of our sailor artillerymen being told to keep under cover, and not to put his. head out to tempt a rifle bullet, grumbled at the prohibition, saying to his comrades loud enough to he overheard, and meaning to be overheard, " I say, Jack, they won't let a fellow go and look where his own shot is : we ain't afraid, we ain't 'that's what I call hard lines." —There has been a vague fiction among the men that Sir George Brown, having disposed of Keitch some days ago, was on the other side of the Tchernaya, ever such a little way off, and ready to eat up the relieving army.—An extraordinary accident has befallen Captain Mortimer Adye, of the artillery. A man in the trenches "was firing a shell very clumsily with powder, and the officer observing him took it from him in order to give him a lesson. While engaged in the operation a shell from the enemy came over, burst, and iirniled the powder which Captain Adye had been pouring into its receptacle. He had the shell between his knees at the lime ; there the powder caught fire, yet wonderful to say, he escaped with the loss of all the hair on his face, and a good scorching.—lt is dne to Lancecurporal Quin, of the 47th, to make public the bravery which he last night exhibited, and which has already brought him under t!;e notice of General Pennol'ather. In one of the attacks made by the enemy on the Quarries, after they were in our possession, the Russians experienced some difficulty in bringing their men again to the scratch. At iengtli one officer succeeded in bringing on four men, which Corporal Quin perceiving, made a dash out of the work, and with the butt-end of his musket brained one, hayonetted a second, and, the two taking to their heels, brought in the officer as prisoner, having administered to him a gentle prick by way .if quickening his movements. After delivering him up, he suggested to his comrades that there were plenty more to be had.—Last night a group of gazers were on the Piekeihmise hill, when v shell came among them ; it passed so close to one man as to paralyse his arm, and carried off the head of a navvy who stood behind. While the attack on the Mamelon was going on, an English lady, the wile of one of the officers, was present, and displayed great coolness and courage. General Pennefather observing this, went up and cut off a medal from the coat of a dead Russian officer, and in the most gal-

lant manner, and with a pretty compliment, pinned it on her shawl, saying she had fairly earned it. The General is a great favourite with the army; and the lady, who has great personal attractions, and is the daughter of an old general officer, highly prizes the medals which she literally obtained on the field of battle. Russian Accounts ov thk Operations inthk Sb\ op Azov. —A supplement to the Invalide Russa publishes the following : —" Aide-dc-Ciunp General Prince Gortschakoff has sent by telegraph, from Nicholaioff, the following despatch, dated Sebastopol, 20th May, (Ist June): —' On the loth (27th) of May, the enemy was at Benlianslc, and burned two houses th-re, some coasting vessels, and a large portion of the grain stores. On the 17th (29th) May, a squadron of sixteen vessels of war appeared in the vicinity of the Straits of Genitchi. The enemy sent 4 a flag of truce on shore, to demand all vessels and stores belonging to the Crown ; this having been refused, the squadron opened fire, and set fire to some ships and the stores of grain situate on the beach. A round of grape from two of our field pieces, placed near the straits by the Enperor's Aide-dc Camp, Prince LebanofF Rosiovsky, forced the enemy's gunboats, which were setting fire to the ships, to move away from the coast. Ou the following day, the 18th (30il>), ihe enemy did not attempt anything auainst Genitchi. From 17th to the 20th May (29th of May to Ist of June), nothing of importance took place before Sebastopol or upon the different points of the Crimea occupied by our troops.' " Orders have been issued for the embarkation of reinforcements, amounting in all to 2,260 men, from Dublin and Cork, within a day or two, for the seat of war. Other arrangements have also been made, by which it is calculated 13,000 troops of all arms will proceed to join the army before the 20th July, viz., Guards, 750 men; Rnyal Artillery, 800 ; Cavalry, 1,400 ; drafts from depots, 400 : Infantry, live regiments from England, 6,000; four regiments from the Meditteranean, 4,800 ; drafts from depots in England, 2.000 ; and drafts from the reserve at Malta-, 2,000; two companies of the 'Royal Sappers and Miners, 240 men ; and it is expected that about 500 of the New Army Works Corps will be ready to proceed about that time. Riots ry Htde Park.— Lord Robert Grosvenor recently introduced into the House of Commons a bill further to restrict Sunday trading. The object was to prevent the traffic in provisions on the Sunday morning. Although special exceptions were made to legalize the sale of the necessaries of life in extraordinary cases, and the public amusements were no.t interfered with, the bill was pronounced to be an attempt on the part of the aristocracy to tyrannise over the people. The mob irnmedi ately fired up. Extraordinary assemblies were beld on three successive Sundays in Hyde Park—one, according to the Times, numbering over 150,000 people, halloing and hooting at the aristocracy as they passed in their carriages, and assaulting the p dice when they interfered. This led to a violent and indiscriminate attack on the assemblage by the police, in which several persons were seriously injured. A portion of the military appear to h.ive fraternized with the m<>b, " murmuring," as a correspondent of I the Tiffins says, " at the sight of men, women, and children, being brutally beaten about the bead and shoulders l>y a cowardly "police." The excitement became so intense, that the bill was withdrawn. The law had since been appealed to by both parties, several of the rioters having been imprisoned, and others fined, while summonses have been served upon some of the members of the force by individual recipients of too liberal a dose of police truncheons. A full and seaiching enquiry into the allegations made in regard to the conduct of the Police force was to be made before a commission specially appointed for that purpose. The Right Hon. Viscount Canning has been appointed Governor-General of India by the Court of Directors. The appointment has been coufinnml by fJer Majesty the Queen. The New York correspondent of the Times states that part of the allied fleet stationed around the Sandwich islands had sailed from Honolulu northward, with the design, it was rumoured, of taking another look at Petropaulovskv. Curious Birth. — An emigrant train went over the suspension bridge at Niagara Falls, a short lime since. The cars moved very slowly. A German woman, in the transit-ovortue bridge '

J between the United States and her Majesty's dominions, gave birth to a pair of twins. One was named ' 'Suspension Bridge," and the other " Niagara Falls."— American Paper.