lartigu Ruh Colonial.

inuur.—The Emperor and Empreis have been joined at Biar- ritz by the Imperial prince. This step was not taken without precau- tion. The Mayor and the principal physicians of Biarritz and Bayonne were summoned to the "residence." The books of the registrar were carefully examined by the Emperor himself, and the number of children's deaths for the last three years computed. It was found that the present year showed no increase over ordinary seasons, that the rumours of great mortality among infants were unfounded, and consequently that the Prince might visit Biarritz without risk. The little fellow started from St Cloud on Saturday in a travelling carriage, accompanied by one of his governesses, his physician and General Bolin, the Adjutant-General of the Palace of St. Cloud. Preceded by a piqueur and escorted by a strong detachment of cavalry, the heir apparent to the Empire passed rapidly over the pretty bridge of St. Cloud, dashed through the Ibis de Boulogne, and along the Boulevard, and as the shades of evening were Closing in, went to sleep in a special train to travel, at the age of two years and a half, almost from one extremity of France to another in the course of a single night! Count Walewski and Prince .Stirbey, late Hospodar of Wallachia, have found theik way to Bianitz: All Prance is troubled by a new miracle. A little girl at Lourdes, Bantea Pyrenees, has seen the Virgin robed in white and blue in a cave. A holy well has since bubbled up there, the water of which works mira- culous cures. A commission has actually been sent to decide upon the truth of the story.

In the same department Count Segur d'Aguesseau has resigned the office of Vice-President of the Council-General. " The Hotel of the Prefecture of Tarbes was formerly the palace of the Bishop of that city, and adjoins the cathedral. In a small wood belonging to the hotel, and standing at the back of the church, are some old chapels, now in ruins, but containing in their vaults the mortal remains of the oldest families of the Bigorre (the Gmmmonts, Navailless, Ossunes, Montesquieus, artaLen... tins, 8cc.) The wood itself is the old cemetery of the cathedral. M. massy, the Prefect, has cleared away the place, and applied to it a very dif- ferent purpose. The Bishop wrote on the subject to the Prefect, who replied that he would not yield any of his privileges. The Bishop then laid the matter before the Government, and the Prefect was summoned to Paris. The result of his journey is not known,. but it is believed that the Prefect gained hie point. The matter was brought before the Council-General when pre- sided over by Count Sigur d'Aguesseau, in the absence of M. Fould. A violent altercation took place between the Prefect and the Count on the sub- ject of the works which had been executed. M. Segur, finding that the ma- jority took the side of the Prefect, designated them as " moutons de Pa- nurge " and a vile flock, and left the sitting, giving in his resignation as member of the Council. That body being then without a chairman, was obliged to suspend its operations. Petitions are in course of signature, ap- proving of the conduct of the Count, but the Council-General persists in upholding the Prefect."

In the report of Prince Napoleon to the Emperor on the modification required in the forms of administration in Algeria, he suggests the substitution of civil for military government wherever practicable. The beginning has been made by suppressing the office of a military Governor- General.

" The situation of Algeria may be summed up as follows—Much good has been done, and immense results have been obtained, but it cannot but be admitted that there are abuses to put an end to, to effect which much strength and unity of will are necessary. The conquest and security of the country are, thanks to the glorious efforts of our army, complete ; crimes are rare, the roads and property are safe, and the taxes are regularly paid. Yet colonization is nearly dull ; there are barely 200,000 Europeans, half of whom are French ; less than 100,000 agriculturists ; capital scarce ; the spirit of initiative and of enterprise stifled ; discouragement among the co- lonists anti capitalists who present themselves to fertilize the soil of Algeria;

such is the real situation Algeria is divided into three provinces, themselves subdivided into military and civil districts. The first, the in- habitants of which are almost exclusively Arab, are administered by gene- rals, because it is found that military authority is best adapted to the habits and traditions of the natives. The second, where the European element preponderates where our laws, our habits, and a more advanced civilization claim and admit the preponderance of civil institutions, are placed under the direction of prefects. In the military territories Arab chiefs exercise, under the superior authority of the generals, an influence which we ought to lessen and do away with. Our aim should be to develop individual ac- tion, and to substitute for the aggregation of the tribe, individual responsi- bility, property, and taxation, in order efficaciously to prepare the popula- tion for passing under the civil regimen. In the civil districts it is neces- sary to put an end to the close tutelage exercised by Government over inte- rests and persons; the moment is come for allowing the local authorities a freer aud more direct action, by permitting them to administer with more independence, and, as a natural consequence, with greater responsibility. It is proper, in a word, that the Minister should leave to the administra- tors, generals or prefects, greater latitude, and should interfere only in af- fairs of a certain importance and of general interest."

SI ale .—The Paris correspondent of the Globe tells an extraordinary story about a Russian success in the Mediterranean. "It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of what has just taken place between Russia and the Government at Turin. All the complimen- tary interchanges of diplomatic and courtly demonstrations have ended in a solid and substantial fact. Russia has got a lease for twenty-two years to come, at the fixed rate of four millions of francs annual payment into the Sardinian Exchequer, of all that capital messuago called the town of Villafranc ,a with water privileges, comprising a capacious and well shel- tered harbour capable of acconmeating thirty ships of the line, within ten miles of France, two miles from Nice, and in the most favourite position for becoming a small Sebastopol in the heart of the Mediterranean. General La Marmora has just notified to the Piedmonteee troops occupying the barracks round that harbour, that they must forwith evacuate the same, and retire on Nice ; which town taking alarm lest a quarantine or lazaretto establishment should be set up at Villafranca, so near their watering place, the worthy general tranquillized them by announcing officially that the seaport of Villafranea is now part and portion of all the Russias, and that the new proprietors are the steam company for trade by steamers to and from Odessa.' The residence and repeated visits of the Grand Duchess Helena are now intelligible."

Queen of Spain has not yet returned to Madrid, but she has signed a decree dissolving the Coates. She had visited the tomb of Pelayo in the rock chapel at Infiesto, and had caused the Prince of the Asturias to be confirmed there by the Patriarch of the Indies. "The bishop of the diocese was chosen by the Queen to stand godfather to the future monarch, and the Duchess of Alva was chosen as godmother of the Infanta Isabella, who likewise received the sacrament of confirmation. At that moment the mountains echoed the enthusiastic cry, Long live the Prince of Asturias.' Never had oath such solemnity conferred upon it by traditional and local associations. The image of the virgin was then carried in procession to the summit of one of the mountains, where pontifical mass was to be celebrated by the bishop of the diocess. At the head of the pro- cession walked the governor of the province with the banner. The image of the Virgin was carried on the shoulders of the Marquis of Campo-Sagrado and the Marquis d'Espeja, MM. Navia Osorio, et Antonio Arguelle. Their Majesties followed with the clergy, carrying tapers in their hands." The liberals of Catalonia have presented an address, full of hopeful views, to Espartero, and he has replied in the same strain. "The genius of the country will still cry " forward! " "The idea still survives which is symbolized by the banner of Liberty and of Progress."

Df from Copenhagen gives some reason to be-

lieve that a satisfactory arrangement of the pending difficulties between Denmark and the German Diet will be made. Baron Bulow had arrived at Copenhagen to explain the situation of affairs to his Government, and to communicate to it verbally the demands of the Diet. A council had been held, the King presiding. It was stated positively that the Danish Government was disposed to do all in its power to meet the German Diet in its disposition to settle matters by negotiation.

11115ei a.—A letter from Astrakhan, dated 12th August, gives the following account of the fire which caused such fearful destruction in that city— "The fire first showed itself among a quantity of timber lying on one of the quays of the Volga, and shortly afterwards spread to another quay filled with casks. Notwithstanding the exertions of the firemen the flames fanned by a violent wind, quickly destroyed a number of houses. At three in the morning, some burning beams having been carried by the wind into a boat laden with wood in one of the docks of the Volga, the fire communicated to a number of other boats. It was a terrific sight. Shortly afterwards a burn- ing boat communicated the fire to a barge laden with gunpowder. Before it could be scuttled it blew up with a loud explosion. The burning timber was cast by the force of the explosion to a distance of four versts, where a corn- store was set on fire. The following day seventeen other boats, all with cargoes on board, took fire. Four of these boats were laden with stores for the army. One hundred and twenty-one houses, and eleven quays covered with various objects, but principally with timber, fell a prey to the flames. The number of victims as well as the number of boats destroyed has not yet been ascertained." Accounts from St. Petersburg, September 1, state that another powder magazine has exploded seven miles from the capital: 1200 ponds (near 40,000 pounds) of that combustible killed 100 workmen and shattered all the vicinity. This occurred at Okhte.. Paulouski, a village and villa of Due Constantine, had taken fire, and all was in ashes. Hun- dreds of houses had been burnt at Moscow by clandestine fabricators of lncifer matches, that industry having been so highly taxed that contra- band factories had been set up with this result. Forests were still in flames, and the smoke was intolerable in the streets of Petersburg. The common peat or turf bogs were set on fire by the unusual heat of the sun.

SurItt4.—Many rumours arrive touching the disturbed state of Tur- key. Some are manifestly false, such as that the Sheik-ul-Islam has been arrested for instigating the Turks against the Christians, that five consuls have been slain at Cos, and that a plot has been discovered in Egypt to take the life of the Sultan. These stories have a Russian and French origin. The Presse d' Orient states that for three days a perfect panic prevailed at Aleppo. The Mussulmans bought arms and closed the bazaars. The city was deserted, and it was only in consequence of the measures taken by the authorities that the general apprehensions were calmed. Nevertheless, the Mussulmans continued to arm them- selves, and to offer provocation to the Christians. The second irade or decree from the Sultan respecting expenditure has been issued. These are its chief passages- " Considerable sums, wastefully expended or swallowed up in remunera- tions and pensions of all kinds, have taken the place of useful and profitable expenses; the persons employed by the state, blindly giving way to a style of living beyond their means, have gravely prejudiced the interests of the Treasury. And, nevertheless, we take nothing so seriously to heart as to secure the progress of the power and glory of our empire, and to consolidate the repose and the welfare of all our subjects, who are in our hands a sacred deposit, of which we must render an account to God in our quality of High Caliph, and to increase their prosperity by the development of commerce and agriculture. It is for this reason that, only a few days since, we insti- tuted a special commission, composed of some of our Ministers, who have been already deliberating on the amelioration of the financial situation of our empire, on the means of preventing the funds necessary- for the general expenses becoming the prey of waste and dissipation, and on the measures to be adopted, in order that the revenues of the state shall be devoted to their proper purpose ; that is to say, to procure a good government, and the welfare, security, and contentment of the people from whom the revenue is drawn in the shape of taxes, and to complete other ameliorations which are considered as useful to the country. It has been also by my orders, officially notified to the purveyors of my Imperial palace, to those of the Sultanas, as well as to speculators who advance money to them that whether they be- long to foreign nations or to corporations or trades of our empire, from the day that the Seraskier Paeha iwas placed at the head of that commission, none of their demands would be admitted. I have thus manifested my firm and unchangeable resolution to devote for the future a special attention and solicitude in order that the funds of my civil list and of my privy purse shall be managed with order and economy. I will have my Ministers and others employed under the Government act in the same manner ; they shall labour energetically to introduce perfect regularity and economy in all the branches of the public and private expenses in general. Such is my decided deter- mination."

The commission mentioned has, we are gravely told, countermanded a number of orders for Paris knicknaeks, and has returned a number of articles not paid for!

t if ill /I .—In its leading columns on Tuesday, the Times gave a con- nected narrative of recent proceedings at Tien-sin based on "private let- ters written from the Peiho to persons in London." The narrative is so interesting that we transfer it to our columns entire.

" Our readers were previously informed that on the 4th of June two Chi- nese Ministers of high rank had arrived at Tien-sin. One of these was a Chinaman, the other a Tartar. The senior, Kwei-liang, is described to be about seventy-three years of age, a benevolent-looking old man, not over- bearing in speech or manner, and evidently a 'Soother of Barbarians.' The Tartar is a quiet Tartar, thoughtful and intelligent, and in the possession of

feature unusual in a Chinaman's face—a very large nose. One of the let- ters from which we quote describes him as not unlike our Oliver Cromwell. These people declared themselves upon their cards to be Plenipotentiaries,' and upon the faith of this declaration the English and French Ministers consented to meet them. An isolated joss-house on the steppe south of Tien- sin was the appointed rendezvous. It was arranged that Lord Elgin should have his interview first, and then Baron Ores; the Russian was to come third, and the American last. All this took place according to the pro- gramme. On the 5th of June, while the thermometer in the sun stood at 137, Lord Elgin and his entire suite, with not a few naval officers as spec- tators, and with a guard of 150 marines, proceeded in long procession of palanquins to the Hall of Conference. The Chinese were civil and ceremo- nious, and after tea and compliments Kwei-liano-' opened the Durbar by saying. that his Imperial Master had received Lord Elgin's letter, and had, instead of answering it, deputed his servants to arrange matters speedily. Lord Elgin replied that he was glad to see the Imperial Ministers, and that his Queen had granted him certain powers to arrange all matters on a safe and proper footing. He added that he was prepared to show his credentials publicly if the Imperial Commissioners would do likewise. The Mandarins assenting, Lord Elgin's powers were produced, and a Chinese translation was read aloud by Mr. Wade. The scene is described to us to have been at this moment very interesting. The Ministers were eager in their attention, and a troop of secretaries and clerks who had been taking notes in the back- ground pressed forward to the table. There was evidently more surprise than pleasure in the effect produced by the ample terms of the document It was now Kwei-liang's turn to show the commission under which he and his brother Commissioner were to act. A piece of yellow waxed cloth was first produced by a very intelligent-looking young Mandarin called Pien,' sub-prefect of sonic district in Chi-li. Kwei-liang received it most reve- rentially, held it above his head for a moment, then opened it, and took from it a very scrubby but of paper, which he handed to Mr. Wade. While Mr. Wade read off in English the contents of this paper we are told the scene was as dramatic as a Chinese sing-song. Every Mandarin's eye was slily watching the expression of Lord Elgin's face, and as that expres- sion grew inure and more severe as the reading progressed, exclamations were interjected by Kwei-liang, 'Such powers as Lord Elgin possesses are unknown in China;' ' Seals are never attached to commissions in China,' and so on. There was good reason for Lord Elgin's grave displeasure, for the edict ran somewhat as follows : Kwei-liang and Hwa-shana, &c., were directed to proceed to meet the strangers of England and France, and to inquire into their purpose in ascending the Peiho. If they found them sincerely desirous of putting an end to the war, the Commissioners were to grant them their demands, provided such demands did not infringe the customs of the Celestial Empire, the dignity of the Emperor, or the will of the people ; and in the event of the demands being of such character they were to refer them to the Emperor for his pleasure to he made knowiS When this document had been read to an end Lord Elgin arose, mei ordered his chair to be brought, saying to Kwei-liang, in a curt manner that the powers of the Imperial Commissioners were unsatisfactory. Te Earl's chair was hurried up, the guard presented arms, the band pima God save the Queen,' the staff entered their chairs, and the Mandolins wereleft making speeches to demonstrate that it was quite impossible that they could ever receive larger powers than those they had just opened. " Thus ended the first act of this comedy. The circumstances are wore recounting., for they show the character of the people with whom we hays

to deal—their impudence and their duplicity. No falsehood is too bold, no

subterfuge too transparent for them. They obtained the interview upon the solemn assurance that they had full powers ; they then exhibit a Diem-- commission to receive demands, and there can be no doubt that they sad behind fuller sets of powers increasing in degree up to any necessary Point. The next act was of a very similar kind. On the 8th of June it became

known that Keying, our old friend of 1842, who deceived Sir Henry Pat.

finger into a belief that he (Keying) entertained a friendship for all els barbarian race, and a private and personal friendship for Sir Henry aims

self,—it beeame known that this Keying had arrived at Tien-sin. Kepi' g

had been degraded on account of the Treaty of Nankin; he was now sent down to redeem his credit by confounding the barbarian councils. poor Keying's tactics were only an imitation of those which he had seen suc- ceed for a while at Canton. He intrigued to get himself appointed a co. commissioner, and succeeded. He tried through the Americans to indium the English to move their ships ever so little way" down the river, pro_ mising that upon that he should obtain mastery of the negotiations, and would settle all things. At the same time he ordered the populace to meal.

feat ill-will to the strangers, and, as at Canton so at Tien-sin, quiet Euro-

peans were insulted and stoned. But Keying was not so fortunate as Hwang in having a Straubenzee to deal with. Lord Elgin and Sir Michael Seymour were equal to the occasion. Captain Sherard Osborn, with his galley's crew and with Captain Dew and Mr. Oliphant helping him as volunteers, scaled the great gate of Tien-sin, kicked the Tartar post before there

and let in a hundred marines who were in march upon the city. Ili; force marched through the city with a band and a couple of howitzers,

administered a good fright to six delinquent householders who had encouraged the mob, and quieted Tien-sin for the rest of the English Reis pation. Keying's industry was not confined to this imitation of the great

Yeh and his successor Hwang. He entered into strict relations with the Americans and the Russians. Some of the letters before us speak confi- dently to the truth of reports current in the expedition that the Ameri- cans had offered to guarantee that if Lord Elgin would not insist on open-

ing the Yang-tze, and would give up the demand for a Minister at Pam, a treaty should be at once arranged. The Russians, on the contrary, were said to be doing the utmost to prevent any Europeans but themselves being tolerated at Pekin; and the Americans, who, to do them justice, have not much secrecy in their diplomacy, were loud in their expressions of a

virtuous horror of the opium trade, and urged the Commissioners to stick to that as their point of conflict. Keying was becoming embarrassing. For- tunately, however, Mr. Wade had found among Yek's papers a report from

Keying to his master, urging him to make no account of the Treaty of Nan-

kin, and describing it as a mere snare to delude the barbarians. The next move in this plot and counterplot was to send Mr. Wade and Me Lay to the two Ministers to read this document in their presence, and to declare

that Lord Elgin and Baron Gros could hold no communion with a man who had officially put forth these disgraceful counsels. This coup was decisive.

The two Commissioners, who had their own reasons for hating their new colleague, communicated this intelligence to Pekin, with the further in- formation that the confidence of the barbarians in Chinese Commissions was

now so much shaken that there was much danger they would soon believe in nothing but the sign manual of Hien-fung himself, affixed in their pre- sence. This opened up the difficulty of the Row-tow, which is still said to be so strong a point with the Emperor that he would rather lose his Throne

than waive it. We shall probably see how far this is true. We have heard these tales of Chinese obstinacy and devotion too often now to be much

guided by them. However, the terror was great enough to induce the Em- peror to recall Keying to Pekin and to authorize his Commissioners to sign a letter promising a treaty in the terms of Lord Elgin's demands, and couch- ed in language dictated by Mr. Lay. "This letter forms the next important step in these negotiations, and marks the term of their progress when our last news left. It is not now, we hope, the most important document ever signed in China, for its importance has now been superseded by the treaty, but up to the evening of the 11th of June, when that letter was written no such concessions had ever been dreamed of by a Chinese minister. written, correspondent's knowledge of this official document is necessarily not exact, but we believe it will be found that the conditions which this letter promises as the basis of a treaty are as follows—

First. The residence of a British Minister at Tien-sin, with access to Court, and direct communication with the Ministers. An official yaronn

for him during his visits to Pekin. All official documents to be written by him in the English language (to be accompanied by Chinese translations until the Court of Pekin has procured interpreters). An English college similar to that kept up by Russia to be allowed at Pekin. "Second. China to be opened to all the 'world; persons to go whither they please and do what they please under a passport system. "Third. The Yang-tze to be opened to its commerce from its mouth to its source.

"Fourth. Christianity to be tolerated.

"Fifth. Indemnity for the war and losses at Canton to be paid for by the two Quangs, the amount to be agreed on by special Commissioners at Canton. The tariff to be corrected, the Customhouse system resised, and the English, to aid the Chinese in the suppression of piracy. "Sixth. In proof of the friendship and goodwill of the Emperor of China towards the Queen of England a special embassy shall be sent to England forthwith."

II strati 1.—We have received files of Melbourne and Sydney papers to the 15th and lath July. They do not contain any political informa- tion of any general interest on this side of the world. Trade is said to be dull, but it is also remarked that there is not much to warrant the com- plaint. The revenues of the colony are in a very satisfactory state. the year ending the 8th of June 1858, there is an increase as compsred. with the previous year of half-a-million, the figures being respectivel 3,423,6421. and 2,923,3051. The increase on the last quarter is 21,6201 the figures being respectively 787,3281. and 765,707/. This increase is in the face of a considerable falling off in the consumption of spirits-

A dinner had been given to Mr. 'Smith the Mayor of Melbourne, and a testimonial had been presented to him on his departure for England. At Sydney the Ministry still held office and had substantially carried out its policy. The Chinese, excluded from Western Australia and Vic-

toria had poured into New South Wales. A tax of 10/. per head is im- pied by a new law upon every Chinese who lands in the colony.