fforeign anb Fuarree.—An episode in the long debate of the

Deputies on the address was the discussion on M. Berryer's amendment, which took place On Saturday. M. Berryer proposed to add a paragraph, declaring that, in the event of a conflict between two great nations, France would reserve to herself the privilege of protecting the principles of public law, the liberty. of the seas, and, the dipaity of international relations. He blamed Minis- ters for cultivating the English alliance: England having extended her in- fluence throughout the world, he contended, France ought rather to seek alliance with some country whose power would counteract that which is predominant. On such a ground he particularly condemned the alliance with England in protesting against the annexation of Texas. He inter- preted the declaration of neutrality in the case of Oregon to be virtually a declaration of hostility against the United States; though none but a madman would recommend actual war with that country. If a great nation desires to maintain neutrality, it ought not to do so passively, bat reserve to itself the faculty of protecting against belligerent parties the grand principles and rights which are the safeguards of all nations. He predicted that England, taught by her past experiences, would avoid war at any sacrifice, and would ultimately yield in the Oregon dispute to Americas and he asked why France also did not know how to resist England? To this speech 3L Guizot replied with comparative brevity, and with a calm emphasis. The resolution he treated as a declaration founded on a baseless hypothesis, as England would not go to war. Reservations on that point therefore were useless-- His reasons for proclaiming beforehand the neutrality of France were twofold. The first was, that he thought that if a war broke out the policy of neutrality would be more difficult to establish in the midst of the excited feelings which might have been raised. He had acted beforehand in order to be sure of his fact. His second reason was still more serious; it was, that a declaration of neutrality thus made beforehand was a means of _preserving peace7a means of weighing on the deliberations of the two people. There were people in both countries who en- deavoured to keep up illusions with regard to France. For instance, he knew there were some who say to the United States," What do you fear? Let the war once break out, France will range herself on your side." He was very certain there were some who used such language as that; and there were also others who said to England, "Do not be uneasy: France is weak, and complaisant to aid you; when war breaks out she will unite herself to you." He was anxious beforehand to give a contradiction to these two statements. He wished to say that France would neither take part with England nor with the United States. lie was sure that this declaration would have a weight in the balance, particularly with the United States; and the reason was this—England wished to preserve peace, and she would make every possible concession. There was, therefore, no occasion for anything to weigh with that power: but it was not the same with America. There was in that country a very powerful party who wished for war, and another in favour of peace; and he was anxious that the declaration of neutrality he had made should give Ltrength to the peace party in America.

• The amendment was negatived, by 234 to 156; Ministerial majority, 78: On Monday, M. Remusat moved another amendment, of much the same hind; and then there was the same dispute all over again; M. Thiers coming out strongly as an Anti-Ministerial and Anti-flritish orator. The debate resulted in the rejection of the amendment, by 233 to 165.

SPersz.—In the Chamber of Deputies, on the 26th January, General Narvaez gave some so-called explanations on the subject of Queen Isa- bella's marriage. He said that Ministers had resolved not to exclude the pretensions of any Prince—not even though he should come from the centre of Africa; much less of any one connected with the Queen by ties of blood and amity. But in fact, the question of the marriage had never come be- fore the Government; her Majesty not having expressed any wish to con- tract matrimony. This explanation is interpreted as negatively favouring Queen Christina's projeat of marrying her daughter to the Neapolitan Count Trapani.

ITatar.—Letters from Leghorn, of the 25th January, state that the Pontifical Government apprehended another movement in Romagna. The political prisoners confined at Civita Castellana having attempted to escape, the-guards were obliged to make use of their arms, and killed and wounded several of them. At Imola, a detachment of Carabineers and Swiss sol- diers having met in the streets a hand of young men singing patriotic songs, fired upon them, and killed two and wounded some others. Much agitation had prevailed at Forli since the murder of a Commissary of Police in that town.

Imam—Intelligence hasbeen received from Bombay to the 3d January. The regular mail was detained for one day, in order to allow further time for the receipt of despatches from the Governor-General; but it left Bom- bay on the 2& On the 3d, the expected despatches were received, and they were specially forwarded by the Victoria steamer. We have already mentioned that war had begun on the frontiers of the Punjaub: we now narrate what had occurred, so fax as it is known, in a consecutive form.

To elucidate the narrative, the Times meals some traits of the Sikh character. "-The-Sikhs follow the tenets ef Nun*, wlio four eenturies ago formed a reli- gion.from. I:Ueda:ism and Mahomedaniam, which salted the taste of the men of Lahore. Guided by their Gooroos; or priests, they fought and gained consi- derable territories in the Punjaub or Country of • the Five Rivers. Some of the troops, and especially those of Rajpoot descent, assumed the appellation of Sisgbs, or Lions. Ranjeet Singh, by his abilities, sueeeeded in placing himself at their head. He died in June 1839; since which time, theta of his successors have been assassinated. Dhuleep Singh is but a boy, and the troops refuse to obey his feeble sceptre. The Singlis resemble in a great measure the Janis- saries at Constantinople; and they too assume the right of selecting their own rulers. The Akhalees are a tribe of the wildest fanatica, who look upon all men as objects of hatred, unless those who profess the Sikh faith. The Sikh troops are stated to amount in number to about 70,000 men, collected from the bravest of the land; for, like the Janissaries, they admit recruits of all classes, on those recruits adopting their tenets."

Such were the troops that, towards the end of 1845, had marched in consider- able numbers from Lahore to the banks of the Sutlej, so as to menace the British territory. They forced Lal Singh, the Queen Mother's paramour, to march with them as a hostage for her behaviour. She had openly refused to sanction the i movement of the troops. The army was guided n its proceedings by a pant, or council of officers.

The British army was also concentrated in the neighbourhood of Ferozepore. It was composed of eleven complete troops of horse artillery, eleven companies of foot artillery, with four light field batteries, a twelve-pounder elephant battery of thirteen guns, fourteen twenty-four pounders, eight howitzers, and mortars pre- ring ; three European with seven Native light cavalry regiments, including the y guard; four complete corps, and a wing of the Fifth Irregular Cavalry; nine European and twenty-five Native regiments of infantry, and almost the whole corps of Bengal Sappers and Miners. There were other corps in movement to reinforce the army; including part of the forces in Scinde under Sir Charles Napier, who was himself on the way to the scene of action. The Governor- General arrived at Umballah on the 2d December. On the 9th it became known that the Sikh army had determined to cross the river; and every prepara- tion was made to receive them.

On the 12th, ten thousand Sikhs, with twenty-seven guns, did cross the river, by a ford about twelve miles above Ferozepore; and on the 13th they were about seven miles from it, men and guns still crossing by a bridge of boats; probably including the same boats that had been delivered to them bythe treachery of a Native British subject. By the 14th, it is reckoned, thirty thousand Sikhs had crossed the river, with seventy-five guns. Meanwhile, the Governor-General issued a proelsniation, addressed to the Sikhs, and dated on the 13th December. He began by declaring that the British Government had ever been on terms of friendship with that of the Punjaub, down to the present time; the treaty of amity with Runjeet Singh, in 1809, having been scrupulously observed on our side. On the death of that Maharajah, the disor- ganized state of the Lahore Government rendered it incumbent on the British Government to adopt precautionary measures for the protection of the frontier; measures which were fully explained at the time to the Durbar at Lahore. Sub- sequently, notwithstanding the most unfriendly proceedings of the Durbar, the Governor-General has continued to evince his desire to maintain relations of amity, and has exercised the utmost forbearance, on account of the helpless state of the infant Maharajah, Dhnleep Singh. The recent march of the Sikh army towards the Sutlej, however, obliged the Governor-General to demand an explana- tion. No reply was given; and a second demand was equally disregarded. " When no reply," continues Sir Henry Hardinge, "was given to the repeated demand for explanation, and while active military preparations were continued at

Lahore, the Governor-General considered it necessary to order the advance of troops towards the frontier to reinforce the frontier posts. The Sikh army haa now, without a shadow of provocation, invaded the British territories. The Go- vernor-General must therefore take measures for effectually protecting the British provinees, for vindicating the authority of the British Government, and for punishing the violators of treaties and the disturbers of Rublie peace. The Go- vernor-General hereby declares the possessions of Maharajah Dhuleep Singh on the left or British banks of the Sutlej confiscated and annexed to the British territories. The Governor-General will respect the existing rights of all Jagheer- dare, Zamindars, and tenants in the said possessions, who by the course they now pursue evince their fidelity to the British Government." The Governor- General therefore " calls upon all the chiefs and Sirclare in the protected terri- tories to cooperate cordially with the British Government for the punishment of the common enemy, and for the maintenance of order in these states"; promising protection and indemnity to the faithful, chastisement to those who should fail in their new allegiance. On the 17th' the main body of the British army was advancing from Umballah to Ferozepore; the Commander-in-chief being close by, and the Sikhs at a die- tame of thirty-five miles.

Such was the posture of affiiirs when the regular accounts left that quarter; but just as the Victoria was about to leave Bombay, on the 3d January, intelli- gence arrived that hostilities had commenced. In an extraordinary edition, the Bombay Times published the following brief announcement, which appears to comprise all that is known; premising that the despatch on which it was founded was dated at Umballah, on the 26th December- " Ekren o'clock—The news is, that the battle took place at Ferozepore: the Governor-General led the centre, the Commander-in-chief the right, and Sir John' Littler the left. The centre and right held their ground well; the left was hard pressed. The troops had stormed one position, and were preparing to attack the other, when the despatch left. The slaughter was very great. The Sikhs lost sixty-five guns. The fighting was for three days, day and night. The British occupied the Sikh camp.

" Noon.—Another report is, that the Sikh force, of more.than 50,000 and 150- pieces of artillery, invaded the British possessions on the 21st December. A. battle was the immediate result, which lasted till the 23d, and was not over when the express left. The loss was great on both sides, but the enemy suffered most, and lost sixty-five pieces of cannon. It is also said that Sir john Littler was forced to retire on the first attack, and that the enemy were only routed on the advance of the Governor-General and the Commander-in-chief. No doubts were entertained that the enemy would shortly be driven across the Sutlej."

Cant—The China Mail of the 27th November reports a visit paid by Keying, the Imperial Commissioner, with his suite, to Hongkong: he ar- rived on the 20th November, and remained four days. Suitable accommo-- dation was provided for him in the Queen's Road; Messrs. D. and M. Rus- tonjee having placed their residence at the service of the Government. Besides a grave and private conference, banquets were given by the Go- vernor and Major-General D'Aguilar; and a return was made by the Com- missioner. At the dinner given by the Major-General, the most notable thing was Keying's behaviour, which made a very favourable impression- " Nothing could exceed the affability and good-humour of Keying, accompanied by the highest tact and good breeding. He was jovial at dinner, but without excess; and, after having volunteered a Mantchow Tartar song, which he gave- with great spirit, the company adjournedto the drawingroom; where a party, con- slating of the ladies of the garrison, with most of the naval and military officers and civil residents, had assembled. Keying went the round of the room with the - utmost blandness; offering his hand to each of the ladies' and distinguishing one or two of them by little presents of purses or rosaries taken from his

There was one little girl in particular, about seven years of age, in whom Keying seemed much interested; and it was delightful to witness the good-nature.sind- benevolence of his manner when he took her upon his knee to caress her, and then-

placed an ornament about her neck. His fine Tartar head and person, grouped' with the infant beauty of the little stranger, formed quite a picture. Keying, retired shortly after eleven o'clock; but not till he had asked the General, with characteristic good-nature, if he wished him to remain any longer,—evidently desirous not to disappoint the guests, who crowded round him with a mingled feel- ing of respect and curiosity. There was another instance of high 'breeding worthy of being recorded. A married lady who was sitting near him attracted a. good deal of his attention; and having desired one of his attendants to bring hint a silk handkerchief, he presented it to her, and begged he might retain her own in exchange for it. The lady was momentarily embarrassed; and Keying seeing said, 'he hoped he had done nothing contrary to our usages of propriety'; an apology which was immediately appreciated and understood.

The Commissioner's banquet was full of strange incidents for the Eng- lish. The succession of soups alone occupied nearly three hours, the whole dinner more than four hours. Toasts were given, and duly soaked in vast quantities of wine-

" The first was The Queen of England and the Emperor of China '; which was drunk with tremendous applause the Chinese being. especially vociferous, huzzeing, clapping their hands, and beating the table in the most approved English public-dinner fashion; the band in the adjoining room striking up what we presume was an appropriate air, but which sounded to our ears not unlike a Highland pibroch. A few other toasts followed; among the rest, the King of the French and the rmg of Sweden, each of whom had a subject among the guests: and Keying then called upon the Governor for a song., as a condition to giving one himself; which he afterwards aid, and very, well too, and joined lustily in the applause with which it was received. Twang-tsye.shing gave us two songs; the Emperor's son-in-law excused himself on account of a hoarseness, brought on doubtless by the unwonted exercise of his lungs dazing the visit; and an attendant Tartar, a descendant of Genghis-Khan, we were told chanted a wild lilt, having many of the characteristics of an old Scottish or told, air. On the part of the English guests, besides the Governor,. songs were sung by the Major-General, the Chief Justice, the Honourable Fre- derick Bruce, and Mr. Shortrede." [According to an account which recently ap- peared in the same paper, the Chinese musical scale resembles our diatonic seak, except that it omits the third and seventh notes.] UNITED STATES.—There have been three arrivals within the week from New York; the last being the packet-ship Yorkshire, which brings intelli2. gence to the 18th January. The Oregon question had been undergoing clisoussion in various forms in the Senate; and when the accounts were despatched, the House of Representatives had not concluded a debate on a resolution from the Committee of Foreign Affairs requiring the President to give notice to Great Britain of the termination of the joint occupancy. In the Senate, the resolutions proposed by Mr. Hannegan, asserting the right of the United States to the territory in dispute—which had been met. by resolutions from Mr. Calhoun recognizing the conflicting claim of Great Britain, and approving of the principle of settling the dispute 'by negotia- tion and compromise—had been debated ; and-the discussion terminated in laying both sets of resolutions on the table.

A resolution from the Committee on Foreign Relations, calling for the termination of the joint occupancy at the end of twelve months, was ordered to lie over till the 10th February.

On the 14th, Mr. Allen asked leave to introduce resolutions adopting Mr. Monroe's policy, denying the right of foreign countries to any kind of political interference on the American continent. Mr. Calhoun opposed the motion-

It afforded matter for consideration how far this resolution could be efficiently acted upon if adopted. No man could view with stronger feelings of opposition all impertinent interference of the Powers of Europe in the affairs of this continent than himself. And he would now take occasion to say, that the late extraordi- nary interference of Great Britain and France in the political domestic relations of Buenos Ayres was an outrage unprecedented in its character. But the great question here suggested was, were they now prepared to take this whole conti- nent under their protection? Had they readied that state of maturity to admit of this wide and exclusive guardianship? Were they prepared to take all the consequences that must grow out of the assumption of such a policy as was there indicated? If they were determined to take the course indicated by the resole- lions, if they indicated anything, they might as well at once call into action the whole energies of the country. They wanted time. Mr. Calhoun was of the firm opinion that at this moment the proposed resolutions could have no good result-no good effect upon the nations of the world. The President had announced the prin- ciple-why not be content to stand upon that declaration? The concurrent decla- ration of Mr. Monroe had at the time been regarded as unwise, and really mischievous in its effects. What good had resulted from it? There had been frequent inter- ferences since, on the part of the European Powers, in the affairs of the indepen- dent nations of that continent, of which they had taken no notice whatever. They were rapidly approaching to great events. These demanded their most solemn con- sideration. They were approaching, s it were, to that point where the broad plain highway parted into two roads, one to the right and the other to the left. Between the two they were left to decide. The exigency required their most solemn deliberation. For himself, he would rather not push the principle, at least for the present, but would prefer to let it remain where the President had put it.

After discussion, the resolutions were ordered to be introduced, by a majority of 28 to 23. The whole question, however, was to be opened on the 10th February. The announcement of the Times respecting the new commercial policy of Ministers reached New York on the 14th January, and excited great interest. The contradiction by the Standard was puzzling, but credence was generally attached to the statement of the Leading Journal. Great anxiety continued to prevail for fuller accounts. The New York Herald, in speculating upon the chances that a fixed duty would be imposed in lieu of the sliding scale, says-

"A repeal of the Corn-laws of England, and the adoption of a low fixed duty on foreign grain, will lead to a complete revolution in the commercial systems of this and other nations. We learn that our Minister in London is engaged in nego- tiations in relation to this matter; and we are prepared to receive at any time the announcement that a treaty between the United States and Great Britain has been concluded, entirely of a commercial character, opening the ports of each for the products and manufactures of the other upon more liberal and advantageous terms than any yet proposed. The closer these two nations can be brought to each other in the pursuits of commerce, the danger of any rupture becomes re- duced, and the greater the interest each has in maintaining peaceful relations. The Conservative or middle party in the Senate has this in view; and as they hold the balance of power, they will, without doubt, accomplish their object. The course Mr. Calhoun is pursuing has this end in view; and he will make every honourable sacrifice to bring about such a desirable result."