24 JUNE 1854, Page 8

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FRANCE.—The Moniteur of Wednesday filled ten of its columns with a report from M. de Persigny to the Emperor, reviewing the conduct of his own office, the Ministry of the Interior, since January 1852. M. de Persigny states that he was appointed to that office because the Emperor desired an officer who was not so much an experienced administrator as a man devoted to his person and system ; and he takes credit for the fact, that he was that man. He also plumes himself on the invention of the law and practice of elections, by which the Government abandoned the roundabout system of procuring the election of its candidates by intrigue,. and substituted that of naming the candidate it desired should be elected. Another strong point in his administration, he thinks, is the law reducing the press to its present condition. "Never," he says, "has the press held language so moderate, so sage, or so conformable to the dignity of the writers. Never did it show more patriotic sentiments." He also takes credit for a vast number of measures; among which are those for "administrative decentralization," the law of book-hawking, public works, baths and washhouses, reformatory establishments, and agriculture and commerce. This report, it is considered, is a prelude to the retirement of M. de Persigny from office. It is said M. Baroche will succeed him as Minister of the Interior ; that M. Billault will succeed Baroche as Pre- sident of the Council of State; and that Count Morny will take the place of the latter as President of the Legislative Body.

TURICEY.—The Russian forces besieging Silistria would appear to have met with a severe defeat. From the meagre accounts of the siege which have reached the journals, we are not able to frame anything like a con- nected narrative of the operations; but sufficient is reported to show that the Russians have made repeated attacks, and that the Turks have baf- fled them. On the night of the 28th May, the besiegers made an attack upon two of the redoubts, Bilanli and Arab Tabia forming part of the outworks of the fortress. The first assault was defeated by the combined fire of the fortress, and such of the other redoubts as commanded the Russian advance ; but, without delay, the storming columns, each 10,000 strong, were again brought to the assault. This time the impetus and bravery of the enemy carried the forlorn hope into the very embrasures of the redoubt. For three hours the fight continued, both aides, accord- ing to the manly statement of Mussa Pasha himself, emulating each other in bravery ; but in the end the Turks proved victorious—the ditch was heaped with killed and wounded, and the Russians fled in disorder. The loss of the Turks is estimated at 100 killed and wounded ; of the Russians, 1500 killed, and triple that quantity wounded. Arms, one colour, musical instruments, and equipments, were gathered as trophies by the Turks from the field. So great was the slaughter that a truce was agreed on to bury the dead. Again on the 241, 5th, and 9th, the assault was renewed, but with a like result. By the 13th, it would appear, the gahenRussians sprang three abortive mines, and the Turks, anticipating an attack, made a sortie in force and assailing the Russians on three sides, inflicted on them a signal defeat So severe was the action, and so much did the Russian generals expose themselves in urging on their troops, that General Schilders was wounded in the leg, and General Gortschakoff suffered a contusion. It is not quite clear from the subsequent accounts whether another action was fought on the 15th or not ; but the despatches speak of a sortie made on that day, which ended in a total rout of the Russians, and the raising of the siege. Turkish batteries were established on the North bank of the Danube ; and the Russian battalions on the East and West of the fortress recrossed the Danube, destroying their bridges as they retreated. The siege works were destroyed, and even the island of the Danube was seised. It was found necessary to amputate the leg of General Schilders ; and his life was in danger. General Liiders also was wounded. It is now understood that Massa Pasha was really killed, on the 2d June, by a whiclisUuck him, it is said, while he was offering a prayer for vie- . The Journal of Constantinople deeply laments his death.

t is stated that the garrison of Rustschuck attacked Giurgevo, on the 13th, and inflicted upon the enemy a loss of 400 men. General Liprandi had retreated from the Aluta to Buseschti, a town on the Bucharest road, some thirty miles from Slatina. Another account names Piteschti, a town on the road to the Carpathians, as his point of retreat.

Although detailed accounts of the arrival of the Anglo-French at Varna have reached us, they are of old date, as they only record the encamp- ment of the troops near to Yarns; a fact recorded last week. The tele- graph vaguely describes the British and French troops as on the road to Silistria. Another council of war had been held at Varna, and on the 12th June Marshal St. Arnaud had again returned to Constantinople. It is now stated that General Bosquet, with 20,000 troops, is marching to Adrianople • and that the division of Prince Napoleon was to go to Bourgas. All the British troops had not left Scutari on the 12th June; but on that day the division of the Duke of Cambridge was embarking for Varna.

,Prince Paskiewitch is said to have arrived at Jassy on the 14th, suffer- ing greatly from his wound.

Before leaving Lesser Wallachia, the Russians appear to have stripped the Greek churches, plundered the inhabitants, and levied heavy contri- butions. Beside this, they have wasted the supplies of food, feeding their horses on wheat and barley ; and have burned and destroyed the wretched buts of the peasantry, and the dwellings of the Boyards. The property of the latter has been put up to auction, and bought by the Russian offi- cers themselves. This is the way the armies of the Orthodox Emperor "protect" the Orthodox Greek Christians.

If we may believe the Turkish reports, the retreating garrisons of the Russian posts on the Circassian coast have been assailed by the Cireas- sians, in the pass of Dariel, and cut off from the main body of the Rus- sians in Georgia. A number of Mingrelian tribes, hitherto submissive to Russia have gone over to the lieutenant of Sehamyl.

The Terrible and Retribution were sent to Sebastopol on the 28th May : as they neared the harbour, on the 30th, they spied two line-of-battle ships, two frigates, a brig, and a war-steamer, cruising four miles from the port. At the first sight of the steamers, they set out for the harbour ; but seeing no others arrive, they signalled four more steamers to come out of the harbour. One of the small steamers and the brig then ran into the harbour ; the rest, eight in number, stood out to attack the two British steamers. But the British were not to be caught in that way ; the odds were too great,—so they steamed gently off, and having led the Russians eighteen miles from port, had the satisfaction of seeing them hasten back again.

Russrs.—The ill results which have attended the Russian campaign in Wallachia appear to have produced great dissatisfaction at St. Peters- burg. According to advices from that city dated the 13th June, the Em- peror had ordered Prince Dolgorouki, Minister of War, to set out for the Danubian Principalities, and to draw up an accurate report of the position of affairs from a military point of view : the operations before Silistria were especially recommended to his notice. The measure produced a deep sensation, because the Minister at War is never sent on such a mis- sion unless matters are very serious indeed. Orders had been forwarded to Prince Paskiewitch to tae Silistria at any cost. The Emperor is also said to be irritated by the summons from Austria, and still more so by the imminent armed action of Austria.

The vast movements of Russian troops are held to indicate offensive, or at least precautionary operations as regards Austria. The line of the Sereth has been minutely surveyed, as well as the frontiers of the Bu- kovina.

GERNANY.—The great movement of Austrian troops, ammunition, stores, and carriages, towards the Eastern frontier, is held to be a sign that Prussia has undertaken to watch Russia on the side of Poland. All the Austrian garrisons are receiving reinforcements, and a reserve is to be established at Vienna.

The journals speculate on the recent royal meeting at Teschen, vaguely guessing that it was held for the purpose of deciding how to carry out the treaty, what to say to the Bambergers, and, according to the latest ru- mour, what course to take in the event of the abdication of Nicholas. A statement, assumed to be authentic, asserts that the answer to the Ram- bergers simply renews the invitation to join the Austro-Prussian treaty ; and intimates that on no account will Austria and Prussia permit any in- terference with the course they have determined on.

GREECE.—According to the Vienna Lloyd, the Emperor Nicholas has informed King Otho, that "Russia only accredits her representatives to independent Courts" ; and he "reserves to himself the right of taking measures serviceable for the future." The Russian Minister is recalled.

Detailed accounts of the proceedings of the Greek insurgents in Epirus state that the last remnant of the bands, commanded by the brigand Tac- kas, was driven out of the stronghold of Spike, in the Grewena district, en the 29th May, by Abdi Pasha. Taekas had carried off a number of women and children ; and, fearing the consequences of a storm to these, Abdi Pasha resolved upon a blockade ; while Mr. Longwortb, British Consul, went up to the place to induce the insurgents if possible to sub- mit. He found them 500 in number, not at all inclined to do so, buoyed up as they were by such absurd delusions as that some of their best friends were in the English Cabinet ; that the Emperor of the French had

;sou had been succoured by a division from Shumla ; for on that day sent the Greeks thousands of muskets: that they were everywhere vie-

tonous - and that the whole male population of 6reece had nothing to do but march straight to Constantinople and " save " it from the Russians. There were also 2000 wretched, helpless half-despairing villagers in the place, driven there by the patriots. Mr. I:ongworth's representations were made in vain ; and it was only after an attack of three days that the Hal- lenes took to flight, by a road purposely left unguarded to facilitate the escape of the women and children. The insurrection is now suppressed in Epirus; and only Kakbacca, in Thessaly, was occupied by them ; Iladji Petros still refusing to submit.

ITALT.—The King of Naples seems determined to be very impartial in his neutrality. He has prohibited the exportation of sulphur from Sicily. Although, says the Mon iteur, the Government of the Emperor has received the most formal assurances of the sympathy and approbation of the Court of Naples, and has no reason to believe in any change, yet the French Minister at Naples had asked the meaning of this decree. From the ex- planations he received, it appears that the prohibition extends to Neapo- litan vessels, which are forbidden to export sulphur to the ports of the belligerent powers; and that neutral vessels are at liberty to export that articles, but only to a neutral country.

The following telegraphic despatch was published yesterday by the Daily News.

"Naples, Tune 14.—A French agent had arrived in Naples, and proceeded to the provinces for the purpose of purchasing cattle, to supply the army in the East. The Government having learnt this fact, has published a decree, which forbids the exportation of cattle from the Two Sicilies. This is an offensive act towards France and England. "The King has provisioned Gates, and retired there for the summer. The fortifications are increased daily." The Government of Piedmont has called out 12,000 men by royal decree, pursuant to the law of April 14th last.

The Austrians are about to establish a camp of 40,000 men at Volta on the Mind°.

Gabbri, an advocate intrusted with the inquiry into the assassination of the late Duke of Parma, with the view to a prosecution, was found dead in the streets, on the 12th instant, stabbed in three places with a poniard.

BELGIUM.—By the Belgian constitution, a certain number of represen- tatives, on the rotation principle, present themselves every year for the suffrages of the electors. This year 54 went out, 44 were reelected, and 10 new men. This has been unfavourable to the present Ministers : but, on consultation with the King, they have resolved' to retain office.

Spersr.—Two generals, Orlando and Messina, were arrested at Madrid, on the 15th instant, on a charge of harbouring the contumacious General O'Donnell. Messina managed to escape, but Orlando has been forwarded to Galicia,

UNITED STATE.9.—The America arrived at Liverpool on Monday, with advices from New York to the 7th, and from Halifax to the 8th June.

Lord Elgin has signed a commercial treaty with the United States Go- vernment, of an important character. It is stipulated that the citizens of the Union shall have the same rights of filling as the British colonists ; that our protecting naval force shall be removed; and that, in exchange, there shall be complete reciprocity and free trade between the United States and the British North American Provinces in all articles the pro- duct of each, with the exception of sugar and tobacco. Coming from the United States, these are to pay the same duties as are levied on these articles when arriving from British colonies or other parts of the world. Manufactured articles, although manufactured from products of either country, are not to be admitted under the terms of the treaty. An effort was made by Lord Elgin to obtain American registers for vessels built at Quebec, St. John's, and the other shipbuilding ports of the Province; but the American Government declined to concede this.

On his return to Canada, Lord Elgin was to visit the' Mayor of Port- land, in Maine.

New York seems greatly at the mercy of the Irish. Judge Phillips, of the Marine Court, entered pale and trembling on the 1st instant, and postponed the sitting until the following day ; stating as a reason that six ruffians had beaten him on his way to court that day,—probably in revenge for a judgment which he had given. Before leaving the court he armed himself with a revolver.

A number of street-preaching Primitive Methodists, parading the streets of Brooklyn on Sunday the 4th instant, were attacked while marching in procession through an Irish quarter. The procession, 200 strong, went in military order, three abreast ; when half through the crowd, cries of "Hiss, boys, hiss !" followed by "Now, go in'" were raised, and stones were quickly flying in all directions. The New Yorkers remained unbroken, and gave and received a fire of pistol-shots. The military were called out. The Irish peace-breakers failed to rout the procession, which went on its way. About forty people were hurt.