NEWS BY THE MAIL,

Thames Star, Issue 2519, 1 February 1877, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL,

(compiled' fbom the homb news.)

The Golos has a vehement article against Lord Beaconsfield and the British Cabinet, whom it charges, with directing the most unworthy attacks against' the Russian Emperor, and purposely conceal; ing the Yalta despatches of Lord Augustus Loftus, containing, His Majesty's engagement that he would act disinterestedly. , - The Cologne Gazette hears that the Russian Government painfully realises its wants of good officers. The corps of Guards is, indeed, exceedingly well officered, but in the Line there is a great scarcity of good officers. It is cot very long since majors, captains, and lieutenants were wont to engage freely in fisticuffs on slight provocation. .The Gazette understands the Russian Government to be endeavoring to secure the services of German officers for the coming war.

In an article in the Golos, M. Martens, Professor of International Law, refutes the argument of foreign papers that war between Ilussia and England would destroy the Treaty of Paris, and also the Convention abolishing privateering. Eussia, moreover, has no interest either in the abrogation of the Treaty- of Paris or the revival of privateering-, the latter of which is demanded by. a number of English publicists, politicians, and Chambers of Commerce. . The Journal de St., Petersbourg repablishes this article, adding that it represents the personal opinion of the writer, and that its opportuneness isi unquestionable. It is asserted in Pussia, that, in accordance with an understanding recently arrived at, England, in the event -of Eussia attacking Turkey,.will support the' latter. with 100,000 men; within four weeks of the beginning of the war! , If the duration of the war exceeds six months, England, it is likewise said, will be disposed to lend Turkey a "portion of; the funds required for the continuation of hostilities! '

A. despatch of Prince Gortschakoff to Count Schouvaloff, dated Tsarkoe-Selo, 7th inst. has been officially published. The Prince expresses his satisfaction, that Lord Derby, in his despatch of October 30 to Lord A. Loftus, acknowledged the, endeavours of the Imperial Cabinet to act in harmony with England. The Prince next points out the necessity which arose from the.diplomacy of subordinating the integrity of Turkey to the gaurantees, demanded alike by the interests of humanity and the peace of Europe.. In conclusion the Prince repels the idea that Russia entertains secret designs upon Constantinople. A second despatch of Prince Gortschakoff to Count Schouvaloff, dated October 22, expresses Russia's regret that England has yielded to groundless apprehensions. . ' . The Berlin Post publishes a statement affirming that several gentlemen have arrived at Sfc Petersburg from the United States, and have applied to the Government of the Czar for letters of marque to be employed against English shipping in the event of war.

The military preparations of Russia are considered in political circles as depriving the Czar's professions to Lord Loftus of their pacific significance. The laying down of torpedoes to block the entrance to the Black Sea ports is a practical elucidation of the Imperial speech at Livadia. The removal of the Russian squadron from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, if confirmed, is held to be prompted by the desire to avoid a naval conflict if jfc should come to war. But there is as yet no positive confirmation of this report, so that it must be received with caution.

British officers have very recently surveyed Constantinople and its' vicinity, ; preparatory to the construction of redoubts, and Admiral Hay has been in--1 specting the barracks evacuated by the Turkish troops, the occupation of Constantinople by the English troops being considered probable. The Ottoman Government has refused to grant permission to Mr Schuyler to go to Philippopolis to attend the trial about to be commenced against Chevket Pasha on account of the. atrocities in Bulgaria, but Mr Schuyler has gone thither not: withstanding. . „ About thirty-eight years ago a terrible fire broke out at a convent for young ladies in the. town of Limoges. At the last moment it was perceived that one of the pensionnaires had been left in her room.; There appeared to be no hopeof saving her, when a fine young girl with dishevelled locks and with her nightdress floating round her, pierced the crowd, crying "Let me do it." . And she rushed into the midst of the flames, and shortly afterwards appeared, carrying the unhappy infant in her arms. A few days afterwards Louis Philippe sent the heroine a gold medal, and a captain in the French army who had witnessed her courage asked to be presented to her. That captain is, now President of the French Republic, and the heroine is the Duche3se de Magenta. A case pending in the Irish Matrimonial Court raises a point -never before pronounced on* in Ireland. It ia sought

to dissolve a marriage contracted in 1874 between minors of respectable position— Maria Courtnay and John Miles—on the ground of improper publication of banns, ; Miles having induced her to falsify her 1 Christian name, and sign so, and set down j also a wrong address in order to baffle her mother, who was kept in ignorance of the marriage. The parties separated at the church door and never lived together, Miles awaiting a public appointment. The lady apparently at last tired of the delay, and appeared in court to make the i application. j The prohibition of Prince,.Bismarck against marriage of German diplomatists with .foreign ladies is now stated to be correct. This strange ukase, disclosing a particular distrust of the Imperial Chancellor against a whole class of honourable officials, even goes so far that a request for permission to marry a foreign lady is considered the cause for placing any gentleman on the retired list. This Draconic measure was for the first time executed against Baron Bunsen, late ConsulGeneral in Alexandra, a son of the celebrated scholar and Prussian Miniiterin London, who,, on notifying his proposed^ engagement with a Russian lady of GerS man parentage in Riga, received brieE^ notice of his-being relieved of his official functions and placed on the retired list. ' The death of Chief Justice Whiteside has called forth a very general manifestation of regret in the Dublin Courts of Law, and in the city generally. The judges adjourned their sittings, and cor-' dial testimony was borne on the part of the Bench and the Bar to the character of the lamented judge. In the Queen's Bench, Mr Justice O'Brien, after eulo-: gising Mr Justice Whiteside's varied and brilliant abilities, his uniform courtesy, and his solicitude for the privileges and dignities of his profession, said his brethren and himself deplored the loss of a sincere and valued fried, .whose unvarying kindness of manner /rendered their intercourse with him so agreeable. In adjourning the court they felt .that they paid but, a small tribute 6f respect and regard to his memory. Mr Butt said it .was.the wisjh of, all his brethren that he, as the senior member of the Bar present, should express their entire concurrence in all that had fallen from his lordship. They were all under the solemnising influence of the feeling that a great man had passed away. He entirely concurred in the' eulogium which his lordship had pronounced,: and, in common with all. his countrymen; of every class and persuasion, sympathised with the feelings of mournful; respect and admiration to which his lordship had so well given expression. The Lord Chief Justice of Common Pleas observed that, as one of the judicial brethren of Mr Justice Whiteside for nearly ten years,'he could safely say that never did a judge preside in whom they felt a greater pride or for whom they had a stronger personal regard. .His conscientious" impartially was conspicuous, and he chanced to hear a most remarkable tribute paid to it in the House of Commons by no ordinary man—the late Mr J. F. Maguire, of Cork, a short time before his own death. Among his great characteristics the one which most forcibly impressed itself on the. speaker was the generous impulse which' always led him >to forget atictforgive any. slight jars which must necessarily occur in the course of business. He was too big a man to cherish any resentment. He had, too, a proper a^nse of .the dignity of his position, which he emphatically. vindicated on all. necessary occasions. Mr Heron, Q.C., pn the part .of the Bar, concurred in the remarks of the Lord Chief Justice. ■■'-■■•'! .•■■'..-