FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 871, 7 December 1853, Page 4

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

•FRANCE. The Moniteur contains a decree by the Emperor, authorising the formation of the Grand Central of France Railway Company. It is calculated that the trade and industry of France have, owing to the Turkish question, already sustained a loss more than equal to the cost of a year's campaign. The French judges have again vindicated their independence by an important and courageous judgment of the Court of Cassation. A medical man in the department of the Avyron is now in prison charged with a political offence. The Provincial Procureur-General applied for and ob1 taincd from the local court a change of venue for the trial, upon the ground that demagogic principles were so prevalent in the Avyron that a jury there was likely to be prejudiced -in the prisoner* favour. The Court of Cassation has quashed the order to change the venue, and declared that whether the reason alleged by the Procareur be true or false, the law docs not admit that the political principles of the inhabitants of any de- , partraent disqualify them from trying a criminal charge. , The passport system, which some people toped at one time Napoleon 111. would abolish altogether, continues to be enforced with more rigour than ever. It was till lately most unnsual for ' travellers of respectable appearance to be asked for their passports in the interior of France, much less to arrest them in default. It appears from a paragraph in the Courrier de I'Eure, that' it is now " usual " for a commissary of police to : demand passports from travellers by diligence, and that two eminent personages, <M.M. Carnot and Go dchaux, were actually subjected to the indignity and inconvenience of an arresr, because ■ they were unprovided with those useless pieces of papi v The Emperor, by an Imperial decree, elevates M. Drouyn de L'Huys, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the dignity of Grand Cross of the ' Legion of Honour, in consideration of his eminent services in the direction 'of diplomatic affairs. , - " The Echo\Agricole publishes details of the state of the harvest throughout France, and ■ turns them up in these terms :— -" On the whole, we may say that tbe 'harvest is below tbe usual average) *tod that tbe importation of foreign corn will be necessary/ The deficiency 'is estimated as "fully one-tbird below' the average crop. " > Tbe Ere Imperials, journal of the' Hautes Pyrenees, says :—": — " Orders have been deceived at tbe Castle of Pau to suspend the' preparations, as the journey of the - Espe'rdr and the Empress to tbe'south of France wilKde'cidedly not tike place thisyewr." ' ' ' . Jt is stated that the French' r Cabiriet does not rely on a favourable answer to the propositions ' which have been sent from' Vienna 'to the Emperor of Russia. An immediate and positive rejection is not' anticipated, but " an : evasive and temporising reply is considered most probable. ! The Bourse on Thursday was heavy, and declined somewhat. A few forced sales', tb any amount', would have sufficed to cause a far more considerable depression thin actually occurred. Several young Wallachs have arrived in Paris, having fled from their native country at the commencement of the Russian' invasion. It is reported that, after' the dep'Srttfre u of these young men, passports were denied

of the pine ptlitie.*, who likewise desired to go abroad. The Moniteur has published an article on the great advantages conferred upon French vessels entering the British ports since the repeal of the English navigation laws. The Emperor has received a notification from the Grand Duke of Saxe Weimar, of the marriage of the Princess Amelia of Saxe Weimar, with Prince William Frederick Henry of the Netherlands.

DENMARK, &C. The law regulating the order of succession to the Danish throne has been published. It is dated from the -Palace of the Hermitage, July 31, and calls to the throne the Prince of Glucksburg and his male descendants, to the exclusion of the female line, in the order of primogeniture and agnatic succession. The Prince assumes the title of Prince of Denmark. Should his descendants also become extinct, the reigning sovereign will be obliged to submit to the European powers the arrangement or the succession. The Cologne Gazette states that the SwedoDanish squadron bad returned before the time fixed for the determination of its evolutions, in consequence of its hiving received an order torepair immediately to the Baltic. A letter from Copenhagen, of the 29th ult., states that the cholera was then increasing in intensity, 346 new cases being announced, and 184 deaths. There has been in all 4759 cases, and 2508 deaths. The accounts from Coburg respecting the health of the Duke and Duchess are highly satisfactory. The cholera having appeared on board several vessels from Copenhagen, all such are kept strictly in quarantine.

SPAIN. With the exception of Mr. Moyano, the Minister of Public Works, all tbe members of the cabinet have tendered tbeir resignation. This resolution appears to have been caused by the question relative to the concession of railways. From Spain, we find accounts from Madrid of tbe 4th AugUßt, which state that tbe crops . throughout the country hare been abundant, and the harvest has been saved with excellent weather.

PORTUGAL. The grape disease continued to spread, and was likely to become a serious affair to a country like Portugal, which depends so much upon its vines. A public meeting had been called upon tbe subject for the Ist of August, at the Lisbon Commercial Association.

ITALT. In Italy, political punishments in the Austrian provinces continue very severe. The Venice Gazette publishes a sentence by the Court martial of Udine, of the 21st ult,, condemning a gentleman named Locatelli, aged fifty, having a wife and a family, and, as the sentence says, a good reputation in a political point of view., to two years' imprivonment in irons, for having been found in possession of an unserviceable firelock, and a good sword. This sentence has been commuted into one year's imprisonment without irons. The Papal government has, by decree, prohibited the exportation of corn from the ports of the Mediterranean, as Monsignor Grasselini had previously done from those of the Adriatic. The King of Sardinia, in returning to Turin from bis journey and gratifying visit to Spezia, had an accident at sea. The vessel struck on a reef, but happily no life was lost-, nor any injury sustained 'by crew or passengers. His Majesty was conveyed ashore by & boat, and arrived at Turin in perfect safety.

PRUSSIA. The Queen left Berlin on Monday for "Vienna and Ischl. On the King going to join her Majesty an interview will take place between him and the Emperor of Austria.

RUSSIA. The fortifications of the Russian troops are being carried out on the most complete principle* throughout the provinces vf Moldavia and Wallachia. Works of defence are established in all the strong paints of the -country, and daily arrivals of artillery reinforce these positions. The troops ore besides forming three intrenched camps, which are intended to protect the lines, and will be rendered impregnable. But beyond this information is tbeslartHng news that the Russians have actually thrown several bridges of boats across the Danube, to connect Ismail with the Isle of Tehetal. The Russian troops in the principalities suffer much on their march, from the heat, which is very great. The number of the sick is enormous, and private houses have been engaged at Bucharest and Jfassy, for military hospitals. ' Russia also appears to be seeking a pretext for hostilities with Persia. 'Prince Dolgoruki, Russian Envoy at Teheran, demands the cessiou of the Province of Azerbaijan, one of the richest in the monarchy, as compensation for the nonpayment of an immense sum of money which he pretends is' owing from the Schali to the Czar.

TURKEY. We copy the r following from the Liverpoo Standard of' August 9th r — Riots - have occurred in various parts of Turkey, being caused by'the fanaticism of certain portions of the population. The 'Hospodars of Moldavia and Wallachia, acting under superior orders — Prince Gorischakoff's, 'of course-— bad suspended provisionally all relations .with the Sulian. The accounts more recently received state that the Hospodars, in consequence ef their compelled refusal to pay tribute to ' the Porte, 'hare been summoned to Constantinople,' and the Consuls of England and France in the Principalities have had "orders to lower their flags. the-'Porto/olio Maltese of the I6th' ultimo, announces' 'the arrival at' Malta of the French steamer 'Ajaccio,, with 52 French .superior officers on board,; Arho are to .enter the Ottoman service. It also states that the' French steamer Lconidas left Malta on the'lsih for 'Constantinople., with 120 chests of muskets on board. A squadron of five Tunisian ships are on ttfeir'w'ay to 'Constatotinople. The ' English steamers Retribution ' and Fury are at [anchor in the Golden Horn. The Inflexible, in crossing the Dardanelles, ran ashore, and is now under repairs in' the port of Constantinople. Intelligence, dated Jassy' 20th nit., states that information has just been received from ' St. Petersburgb, . that 'the "Russian Government, while leiring' to the reigning Trincei of "Mbiaa-

via and Wallachia their titles and tbeir nominal power, has decided that there shall be joined tc ihera a Council of Government, compose* of three members, appointed by the Czar, Alh affairs are to be submitted to this Council, whose decisions will be sovereign, IndepemJenrly of this fact; the coontiy ha? just beeu subjected to a contribution in kind, Several young Boyardfr having manifested tbeir discontent at the exactions commuted by the troops wbo occupy lbs country, were immediately incorporated with the' Russian array, where they will be compelled to serve for three years. Engineers have been for several days past taking a plan of the* towns of Jassy and Bucharest, which are, it is sard, to be fortified in such a mariner as to be able to- support the operations of the Russian Army. The bulk of the Russian array of occupation is spread through Wallacbiay 6000 troops only remaining in Moldavia. The Grand DukeConstatitine, lately named Grand Admiral of Russia, has arrived at Odessa. He was to pro* ceed to Sebastopol, to inspect two naval divisions in the Black Sea. The enthusiasm of the capital is- emuTattcFirr most of the Produces. The Egyptian sqmdron,. consisting of two ships of the line, four frigates,. two sloops, one brig and two war steamers, left for - Constantinople on the 18tb July,; with 950X> soldiers on board ; the remaining 10,500 naeir will be sent in detachments on board two other war steamers. The other liners, now in dock at Alexandria, will soon join the fleets off Constantinople. The Egyptian contingent consists entirely of men who served under Ibrahim Pasha, in Syria, Anatolia, and Arabia,

HOLLAND. The Dutch Government has answered the objectiom raised in the Second Chamber against the project of law regulating the control over public creeds. The Government maintains its constitutional right of legislating in the matter, but introduces several important modifications in the bill. The answer is accompanied by a note of the Papal internuncio, agreeing to the modification required by the Dutch Government in the form of the oath to be taken by the prelates.

AUSTRIA. The financial statement for 1852 has beenpublished at Vienna. The receipts amounted to224,896,208 florins ; the expenditure to274,587,121 florins, showing a diminution compared with the previous year of -8,776,299 florins of the yearly deficiency. Letters from Tabriz state that Mr. Thompson,. Charge d' Affaires of the British Government, has obtained a signal victory over the Russian Diplomatist. Prince Dolgouriki, the Russian Minister, was on the point of quitting the Court of Persia.

AMERICA. The news from New York extends to 27th July. The opening of the Great Exhibition by the President, and the public proceedings by which it was followed, were engrossing public attention. No event had created so general and so profound ao interest in the public mind as this ceremonial. The whole city was alive with the interest and excitement which theevent occasioned. At an eaily hour the Palace was besieged by applicants for admission, and when the hour of opening arrived it filled rapidly. At the intersection of the naves, and all beneath the dome, the floor was soon particoloured as a garden with brilliant bonnets and silks. The platform in the nonb nave, which was to be the great scene of interest for the day, began about this time to be animated. Members of the Senate, guests mvi ed by special request, militia officers, and the President of the Crystal Palace with his official staff, and a host of other persons too distinguished not to be well known, made their appearance on the boards. The Exhibition was attended by men of all parties, classes, and creeds. Bishop Wainwright, who offered up the opening; prayer, being supported by the Roman Catholic Archbishop Hughes. Mr. Prescott, the historian, Sir Charles Lyelf, and Lady Ellesmere and daughter, occupied positions near the platform. After the prayer, a choral, composed for the occasion, was sung to the tune of " Old Hundred/ by the NewYork Sacred Harmonic Society, accompaoied by the National, Guard Band, and members of other Societies, and the organ. . Complaints having been made of the indelicacy of nude statuary at the Nevr York Exhibition, the Directors had been compelled partially to screen it. Yellow fever continued to prevail at New Orleans, but it was confined principally to the lowej orders, the deaths averaging from thirtyto forty per diem. Lieutenant Ottinger had arrived at Nevr York with specimens of coal from the Puget Sound Coal Mines. The coal lies very near the surface, and it is said that a wharf could be constructed for 6000 dollars, which would enable steamers to load directly from the pit's mouth. _' A slave belonging to H. France, of Pettis County, Missouri, was publicly burnt on the 18th ultimo, for murdering the wife of John Bains : his master was ordered out of the State for conniving at the crime. The 'following circular respecting imported merchandise has been issued from the Treasury department : — " Treasury Department, July 20, 1853. Your special attention is called to the i following instructions in relation to the appraisement of merchandise, under the Act : of 3rd of March, 1851, "additional to, or in modification of, the circular instructions from this- department, dated 27th March, 1851: the invoice cost of foreign merchandise, supported by the oath required by law, will be held and taken as the importer's declaration of value at the port and time of shipment, and conclusive against the importer ; unless, before entering th« same, the said impifter/his consignee, or agent, shall declare in' Writing, under uatb, on the r invoice, a decline in -value between the time r of such parchase and the dateof shipment, and the amount thereof \' in which case such declared value shall be conclusive' against' the importer, c but in either case the appraiser! will determine arid fix such additional value as the law and the facts may warrant. — James Guthrie, Secretary to the Treasury." ' ' ' <