furtigu ott/I Culotta'.

FRANCE. —Whenever the Emperor quits Paris for any length of time, numberless rumours float about in "society," of accidents that have be- fallen and attempts at assassination that have been made upon him. Now a sword. is thrust through his side, then a ball in his thorax, or a limb fractured by a bullet. Such reports circulated freely during the last few days of the sojourn at Fontainebleau. Nobody believed them/ but still they were current. However, the faithful Parisians saw their-Emperor

and his wife return on Wednesday, and take up their abode in the Tuile- ries. The origin of the latest alarming reports is imputed to another ru- mour, that in riding through the forest the Emperor struck his shoulder slightly against the branch of a tree.

The .Archbishop of Paris has established a new fete, called the F8te des Ecoles, the object of which is to bring together religion and science, To this end, the prelate issued invitations to the men of letters and science in Paris, to attend the inauguration of the fete in the Church of St. Genevieve, late Pantheon, on Monday, and to listen to mass and an eloge of St. Augustin by the Archbishop himself. A goodly number attended ; among whom only the names of N. Fortoul, the Minister of Public Instruction, and M. Dupin, have found their way into the papers. The church was richly adorned with flowers and gilding ; and when the great gates opened, and the Archbishop, followed by a train of priests, all in full costume, swept up the aisle, the effect is said to have been " very dramatic."

The Poles were partially permitted to assemble in Paris on the anni- versary of their revolution. Two services were performed for the souls of the dead. This is most unusual under the present regime. lathe department of the Aisne, the Prefect has given orders that the Municipal Councils shall not hold meetings on Sundays.

GER.M.kNY.—The Prussian Parliament was opened on the 28th No- vember, by the Minister-President, M. de Manteuffel ; who read a speech on behalf of the King. This document contains only one paragraph of other than local importance. After speaking of the internal state of the king- dom, the speech treats of the Eastern question. "Gentlemen, your deliberations commence at a moment in which appre- hensions are felt that the peace, which has so happily and so long been pre- served in Europe, might be disturbed in consequence of complications that have sprung up in the East. His Majesty's Government will not and can- not conceal from you that these apprehensions have actual grounds. The Government, however, looks forward with confidence. Prussia, relying on and fully conscious of her own strength, will continue to prosecute -the sin- cere and active endeavours she has hitherto made in evezy direction to plead the cause of peace and moderation in this eventful question with independ- ent and impartial language. Whatever turn events may take, Providence has placed the King, our most gracious master, at the head of a martial, patriotic, and united people ; and his Majesty's Government—be assured of this, gentlemen—will, in every step that it may be called upon to take in this matter, adopt the true interest of the country, which is inseparable from that of the Crown, as the sole criterion of their efforts and their actions."

A formal sitting of the Lower House at once took place ; but a quorum of the Upper Chamber had not reached Berlin.

While the ceremony was going on, the circus, a building for equestrian performances, took fire and was consumed. Within fifty yards of it was the fully-charged gasometer of the Berlin GAR Company : fortunately, there was no wind, and the fire brigade prevented the extension of the flames,

The Princes of South Germany, including the Grand Duchy of Baden, the Kingdom of Wurtemberg, the Hessen, Nassau, Frankfort, and Hohen- zollern, are at feud with the Roman Catholic hierarchy. It is a quarrel of old standing, dating as far back as the peace of Westphalia in 1648, and embracing the vexed question of State supremacy over the Church. Various attempts have been made to define and settle the rights and pri- vileges of the Roman Catholic hierarchy in the ecclesiastical province of the Upper Rhine, but with little fruit. In 1830, the various Sovereigns of the states in question issued an edict, which while it secured to the Church of Rome the free exercise of its religion and the public exercise of its worship on a footing of equality with other recognized confessions, 'contained provisions for state supremacy, irksome to the hierarchy, and protested against by them. In 1851 the Bishops of the Upper Rhine called for a repeal of these provisions, and in the March of 1853 the Go- vernments made some concessions. Dissatisfied with these, some of the Bishops declared that they were bound to obey Divine rather than human laws ; and the diocese of the Archbishop of Freiburg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, has been selected for the first scene of the contest between the spiritual and the temporal power. The Archbishop is said to be an old man of eighty, in the hands of an Ultramontanist clique. His act of in- subordination is the appointment of persons to livings without the pre- vious sanction of the State ; excommunicating the Supreme Synod, ap- pointed by the Government, and refusing to permit a lay coadjutor to the Archbishop, without whose signature no archiepiscopal act is valid, to sit with the Chapter. In reply to this, the Government has arrested and imprisoned the two chaplains who read the sentence of excommunication in Freiburg and Carlsruhe ; and has ordered all Jesuits to quit its terri- tories within ten days. Br' as two-thirds of the population of Baden are Roman Catholics, in more ti one instance the villagers have either pre- vented the gendarmes from arresting the excommunicating curates, r have rescued them when arrested. The Archbishop is supported with money by the Archbishop of Posen, a " Princess " not named, and "all the Austrian Bishops."

We have now before us an account of the ceremony observed on the reconciliation of the Bourbon Princes : it is given as authentic by the Paris correspondent of the Times.

"On Wednesday the 16th November, a major of cavalry, formerly aide-de- camp to the Duke de Nemours, and the Duke de Levis, met, according to appointment, at Vienna, for the purpose of deciding on the form in which the interview between the Princes was to take place. On Thursday the 17th, the Count de Chambord sent to Vienner-Neustadt one of his carriages with the Count de Monti to meet the Duke de Nemours. When the carriage ar- rived at the chateau, the Duke de Levis stood at the door, received the Duke de Nemours as he alighted, and conducted him to the apartments of the Prince. In the principal saloon, the members of the household were drawn up; and so soon as the Duke de Nemours was heard advancing towards the door, which was half open, the Count de Chambord advanced fifteen paces, (another account says more, and a third states that he advanced to the door of the saloon,) the last of which was completed when the Duke entered. He took the hand of the Count de Chambord, and bent as if to kiss it. The Count took him by both hands, and in a very friendly though very dignified tone said—' lay cousin, I am happy to receive your good. visit.' The Duke de Nemours replied—' It is I, my cousin, who am delighted to be able to do now what I have so ardently desired to do long since. I declare to you, in my own name and in the name of my brothers, that we recognize only one royalty in France, and that that royalty is yours; but one throne, Slid that the one on which we hope soon to see seated the eldest of our house aini de noire million.). These words were pronounced with a firm voice, and in the presenoe of the numerous persons who were at the moment as witnesses in the saloons of the Prince. The Couut de Chambord, accom- panied by the Duke de Nemoms, then entered the cabinet of the former, where they remained for three-quarters of an hour. It is supposed that during their short interview they touched on the questions most important to both. They appeared completely agreed. On Laing hie leave, the Duke de Nemours seemed flattered, indeed overjoyed, at the re. eeption be met with. He is reported to have said—'This day is the bright- est of my life t 1 remember that it is precisely the anniversary of the day / was named Colonel by his Majesty Charles the Tenth.' Perceiving the Baron de Montbel, the Duke said—'! am delighted to be able to congratulate you, 11.1e Baron, on your constancy and fidelity to the Royal Family,' Duke having requested permission to pay his respects to the Countesa de Chambord, he was conducted to her apartment by the Count Be also asked permission to present the Duchess de Nemours and her children to the Count de Chambord. The Count said—' We shall arrange all about that visit at Vienna, and we will decide on the time that you are to return to pass with us at Frohsdorf.' The Duke is also reported to have said—' I have just laid a bridge over the abyss that separated us : that bridge will lead us all back to France.' "

The report that the Duchess of Orleans has consented to the reconcilia- tion is said, on the same authority, to be unfounded ; but it was " expected that she would give in before lang."

TURHEY.—Brief, meagre, and fragmentary, have been the reports froth the scene of war this week. It would appear that the main body of the Turkish army has marched from the banks of the Danube to Schumla; leaving behind them strong divisions in possession of the chief forts on the right bank. Kalafat, on the left bank, is still occupied by Turks; but the number there, the strength of their intrenebraents, and the num- ber opposed to them, are matters of conjecture. Although the army has retired, almost every despatch through Germany mentions skirmishes which have occurred at different points from Widin to Hirsova. A series of these petty conflicts are mentioned as having been fought for the island in front of Giurgevo. Five times the Russians, under Soimonoff, at. tacked the island, both by day and night ; but without success. At length, however, they drove out the Turks, and remained masters of the island. At the other points, such as Hirsova and Turtukai, the Turks keep the islands.

A medical man, said to write from the Turkish camp, alleges that the Turks are as badly off for clothing and provisions as the Russians ; that they get very little medical assistance, having no perambulating hospitals; and that they have already lost 3000 from illness and war, while 8000 are sick and missing.

As a mark of distinction, the Sultan, after reading the news of the battle at Oltenitza, sent Omer Paella his favourite horse richly capari- soned.

With respect to the fleets, all the ships safely arrived in the Bos- phorus; and on the 16th November four war-steamers—the Retribution, Niger, Sampson, and Tiger—were to sail into the Black Sea, and explore the coaet as far as Varna : one report says they will sail to the Sulina mouth of the Danube, and protect British ships there. Another squadron of French steamers was at the same time to explore the Asiatic coast as far as Trebizond. Two divisions of the Turkish fleet, under Captain Slade, whose Eastern title is Mushaver Pacha, bad previously entered the Black Sea, in order to fight the Russian fleet wherever it could be found, and to operate on the coast North of Batoum. It is reported that one Russian frigate has been captured. But another version of the re- port says the Russian ship Wlatlimir captured an Egyptian war-steamer, and a passenger-steamer. [The Wiadimir is a fine London-built vessel.] The Porte had given public notice that all Russian ships in its ports after the 20th instant would be seized. The Russians have lost two ships from wreck : one went down in smooth water, between Odessa and Sebastopol.

The Asian successes of the Turks have proceeded without cheek hitherto. They have recently repulsed all attacks on St. Nicholas, and have cap- tured two more forts ; one is Souchum Kale, North-west of Batoum, set down as of the first-class. Schamyl is reported to have dealt a severe blow at the Russians in the pass of Dariel ; and it becomes dally more obvious that if the Russians be prevented from sending supplies by sea to Georgia, the position of Prince Woronzoff at Tiflis will be hazardous in- deed.

General Baraguay d'Hilliers was ostentatiously received by the Divan on the 16th November. M. de la Cour is now on his way home. Perhaps the most important intelligence is that concerning Servia. Applied to specially by the Ottoman Porte to declare his intentions, the Prince of Servia has addressed a letter to the Porte, expressing a fer- vent wish that the Sultan may triumph, but stating that Servia "can only adopt a policy of neutrality and impartiality," and that he cannot "permit a body of troops to cross its frontiers.' This last reference is to the Bosniae contingent, which desired to join Omer Pacha. We have no specific intelligence upon the subject. A battle between the Servians and the Bosniacs has been reported, but not confirmed ; and again it is reported that the contingent has been allowed to pass. This, however, is of minor interest compared to the proceedings at Belgrade. Russia sent thither, early in November, a M. de Moukhine as Consul. He was not recognized by the Consuls of France and England; he had not the exequatur of the Porte, and therefore the Servian Government could not receive him. Izzet Pacha, the commander of the fortress, de- manded his instant dismissal from Servian territory, and threatened that if he did not depart in two days, expiring on the 14th November, the town should be bombarded. Apparently out of bravado the Consul hoisted his flag, on the 14th, at the Consulate ; and the wall; of the for- tress were prepared for action on the same night. But here the Austrian Consul stepped in, and begged the Pacha not to carry out his threat ; and the Servian Government told M. de Moukhine be must go. Accordingly, that gentleman crossed the Danube on the 15th, to Semlin, and on the 24th arrived at Vienna.

Russia.—We know very little of the disposition of the Russian force since the battle of Oltenitza. Unvouched report speaks of reinforcements joining Prince Gortachakoff from beyond the Prnth. The latest rumour is to the effect that the whole of the army of Poland is on the march to the Principalities ; and that their places will be supplied by invalids out of the fortresses and a part of the Imperial Guard.

The following statement respecting the Russian army appears in the letter of the Bucharest correspondent of the Morning Chronicle-

" It appears that for some timepast an active propaganda is going on in the Russian army, the effect of which is already remarkable. The report is spread that Russia is going to war with the two great Western Powers, and that the hour has struck when its factitious power will fall and its despotic government be changed. These assertions are said to have made a deep impression upon the dews, whose sojourn in the Principalities has initiated them to an order of ideas to which they were hitherto strangers, and who learn from the jour- nals, which are prohibited in Russia, many things they were ignorant of. They °how much annoyance at the severity of the censorship. Prince Gort- schskoff, who is aware of this turn of opinion, dares not lift the transparent veil under which the evil is sheltered, which he will not see, and which a public avowal might aggravate."

Poirrcom--Lefters from Madrid, of the 24th November, state that news of an insurrection at Oporto had arrived in that town from Orense on the frontiers of Gallicia. The Clamor Publivo has a letter from Bade- dated the 21st November, asserting that the Thirteenth Regiment of Infantry had risen in insurrection on the Douro, and proclaimed Don Miguel.

ITALY.—The return of Count Gyulai to Milan has been followed by a display of unusual military precautions. Guards are placed in parts of the town where guards were never placed before : the ordinary posts are doubled, and " stockaded" as a defence against the mob ; even in the theatre the officers have a separate " pen ' and they enter and depart by a private door. No citizen is permitted to enter the theatre: without showing his passport or "paper of security."

The opening of the Genoa and Turin Railway, and the National Exhi- bition of Industry, have been deferred in consequence of the illness of the young Duke de Chablis, the King's son. It is stated in the Turin papers that the Jesuits are again attempting to obtain a footing in Piedmont. By the connivance of the Bishops, it is stated, numbers have been appointed to chairs in episcopal seminaries, and even to curacies. The Opinione calls the attention of the Government to these proceedings, and demands that they be put an end to.

Eover.—The question of the exportation of corn has caused no small agitation among the mercantile interest at Alexandria. It appears that, by the treaty of 1846 between Russia and Turkey, Turkey bound herself to give due notice of any intention to prohibit the exportation of corn. Abbas Pacha, Viceroy of Egypt, in recently prohibiting the exportation of grain, disregarded tbis stipulation, and only gave twelve days' notice ; fixing at the same time upon 250,000 quarters as the limit of exportation. The Consuls protested against this ; aud M. Sabatier, the French Con- sul, so warmly pressed the Viceroy,—threatening, it is said, to leave the country,—that the prohibition was taken off. The Viceroy yielded ; and the merchants at Alexandria have presented the Frenchman with a sword of honour.

It is remarked that the transit of goods for India through Egypt is rapidly increasing, but that the arrangements to meet it are quite in- adequate.

CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. —The overland mail brings news from the Cape to the 24th September. According to the South African Commercial Advertiser, there will be a probable deficit in the revenue for 1854.

"The Colonial estimates presented to the Legislative Council exhibit for 1854 a serious probable decrease of revenue and increase of expenditure. The revenue is estimated at 228,8111. 158., and the expenditure at 275,091/. 98. 6d.; difference against the revenue, 46,2791. 14s. 6d. In former years the re- venue received has generally greatly exceeded the estimated revenue. In 1852, the revenue received amounted to 281,1461. 168. 3d. ; exceeding the estimates by about a fourth of the whole. But that year, and some others, brought into action many temporary sources of revenue, on which it would be imprudent to calculate for 1854. There is, therefore' every chance of a deficient revenue for next year—a deficiency not likely to fall short of 40,000/. or 50,0001." As the customs have steadily increased, from 48,058/. in 1841 to 143,9461. in 1852, it is thought the deficiency would be met by a rise of 4 per cent on the import-duties.

The feeling of mutual confidence between the Government and the colo- nists continued to prevail.

AYSTRALLL—The clipper ship Indian Queen arrived at Liverpool on Monday, bringing papers from Melbourne to the 30th August. The Indian Queen made the voyage out and home in six months and eleven days, including a stoppage of twenty-three days at Melbourne. The intelligence she brings is of little moment ; perhaps the most im- portant item being that coal has been discovered at Geelong. The speci- mens are said to be "exceedingly rich," and to "bear a very close re- semblance to the celebrated cannel coal."

The news from Sydney is to the 20th August. A resolution, proposed by Mr. Wentworth, had been carried, to the effect that a further sum of 100,000/. should be raised by the sale of debentures secured on territorial revenues, and remitted to the Land and Emigration Commissioners, "to keep up that continuous stream of immigration which is necessary to supply the large and increasing demand for labour in every branch of colonial industry." The proposed constitution was exciting a good deal of opposition at Sydney. At a public meeting, a committee had been appointed to frame a petition to the Legislative Council, demanding "an elective House of Assembly and an elective Legislative Council" ; a revision of the present electoral system, and a rearrangement of electoral districts, "so as to afford a fair and equitable representation of the numbers, intelligence, and property of the community"; ; and an extension of the franchise, so as to include many classes, excluded by the technicalities of household suffrage.