fortigu mar (Colonial.

FnAncz.—Since his last return to Paris, General Wedell had been only once in communication with the French Government ; ho was invited to

be present at the review of the Imperial Guard. But on the 30th March, we are told, the Emperor sent for him to the Tuileries, and handed him a letter to the King of Prussia, as his answer to the last three letters from that Sovereign. "The letter was of course a sealed one ; but the

Emperor is said to have informed the General, that it was couched in terms which were not otherwise than agreeable to his Sovereign • and to

have added that he considered it highly important that it should reach his Majesty safely, and as speedily as possible ; and he heard with appa- rent satisfaction that the General himself would be the bearer. The Ge-

neral left the Emperor at four o'clock, and in the course of the same evening left for Berlin." General Wedell is expected bad in Paris to- day or tomorrow.

Great preparations are now in progress by the lodging-house-keepers of Paris for the reception of foreign visitors of the Exposition. Occupants

of rooms have received notice to quit unless they will pay exorbitant rents. Cost of living has increased in proportion to house-rent. Visitors of limited means are therefore warned in time.

The Ifoniteur of Wednesday published the following statement-

" At the request of his Imperial Highness Prince Napoleon, and conform- ably to the instructions of the Government of the Emperor, the Minister of France placed on the 22d of last month in the hands of the Minister of

Foreign Affairs of Belgium an official complaint against the editor of the pamphlet published at Brussels on the expedition to the Crimea, and calum- niously entitled ifentoire adresse au Gouvernenient de Sa Majesty T.Empe- reur Napoleon III., par un Wider General. This complaint was imme- diately brought before the judicial authorities."

GERMANY.—The Conference at Vienna, declining to proceed with the fourth point, or to go back to the first or second, adjourned on Monday

until Monday the 9th of April ; by which time Prince Gortschakoff will have received, it is hoped, full instructions from St. Petersburg, and M. Drouyn de Lhuys will be fully prepared to take his share in the discus- sions.

It is stated that Lord John Russell and M. Drouyn de Lhuys were invited to pay a visit to Berlin during the suspension of the Conference ; but that they declined the King's invitation.

Russte.—Great preparations are reported in Finland, which has been recently inspected by the Grand Duke Constantine. The approaches to Abo, Helsingfors, and every town on the coast from Wyborg up to Tomes, have been rendered impassable by the sinking of vessels in the sailing- channel : in Abo, Bjorneborg, and other towns, the inhabitants have formed themselves into sharpshooter corps, and armed themselves with double-barrelled rifles. At Riga, where an early attack is apprehended, vessels and large blocks of stone have been sunk at the entrance of the bay, so that nothing will be able to pass the Dunamunde. Forts have been erected at the inner end of the bay, and a fortified camp is rising in the neighbourhood. In Poland, the last nocturnal levy—the fourth within fifteen months— produced 18,800 men ; but, it is alleged, some who were above the legal age, and others who had chopped one hand off to render them incapable, were nevertheless included in the seizure.

It is stated that a plan for the abolition of villenage is about to be in- troduced in Poland— "It seems to consist in the establishment of an Imperial commutation bank, where landowners entitled to the compulsory services of their peasants

can receive in scrip issued by the Government the capital value of these ser- vices ; whilst on the other hand the peasant binds himself to pay off the sum by a yearly supply of the products of the soil up to the amount, in cases

where he is not able to discharge it at once. In addition to this measure for the improvement of the condition of the peasants, and thus removing the chances of insurrections against the privileged nobility, a plan is spoken of as about to be introduced for a kind of militia, to be formed by these self: redeemed peasants."

Recent reports from Poland represent that 150,000 men will be arrayed in the Baltic provinces ; that a large number of regiments have been sent from Poland to join the " army of the' South" - and that the places of these regulars will be filled by the advance of Asiatic troops, Mongols and Bashkirs.

In a circular addressed to the Danish Minister at St. Petersburg, who is the protector of private British interests in Russia, the Russian Go- vernment meets the charge of barbarity to the wounded at the battle of Inkerman, by admitting the fact, but making a counter-charge,—namely, that wounded English soldiers fired on the Russian rear, and thereby pro- voked a bloody revenge. A special instance is mentioned, on hearsay evidence, with "great regret" : it is, that an " English officer, after giving up his sword, with one hand, to a Russian sub-officer, shot hint with a pistol, aimed quite close to him, with the other hand" Much

parade is made of the maxim that " an unarmed enemy is and always will be under the protection of the Russian flag" ; and a confident hope is expressed that the laws of humanity will be strictly observed on both sides. [It will be seen that the Russian Government now puts in a plea of provocation, never advanced before. When Prince Menschikoff was told of the atrocities of his soldiers, immediately after the battle, he excused them on the ground that the Allies had desecrated a church ; and shortly afterwards the Czar, without reference to the provocation now alleged, issued an ukase ordering all soldiers guilty of cruelty to wounded enemies to be put to death. The plea of provocation is evidently an afterthought.]

THE CILLMEA.—Accounts from the seat of war reach to the 23d March, through the usual channels.

Active siege operations have now been fairly resumed. The bold ad- vance of the Russians towards the lines of the Allies has caused a great deal of lighting, and has concentrated attention upon that particular por- tion of the siege. These advanced works are, as we have explained, near the Malakoff round tower ; and they enfilade the trenches of the British right attack, as well as the position of the French at Inkerman. On their front, right and left, the enemy has sunk and covered many "rifle- pits,"—that is, deep holes protected by sand-bags and embankments, which serve as cover for the sharpshooters. It has been the object of the French to work their way up to the mamelon on which are the main works of offence; the rifle-pits, besides standing in their way, of course enable the enemy to keep up a galling fire; hence the fierce battles fought for their possession. Lord Raglan, in a despatch of March 20th, says- " The contest of the French with the enemy for the possession of the rifle-pits in their immediate front was renewed after dark on that night, [the 17th March,] and was continued for several hours, the fire being exces- sively heavy, particularly of musketry ; and considerable loss must have been sustained by our allies, I fear, as well as by the enemy, who continue to hold the ambuscades : but the French persevere, notwithstanding, in working forward, and are approaching the mamelon on which the Russians are busily engaged in building a formidable work, though frequently interrupted by our batteries and those of the French. On the night of the 17th the English parallels were not attacked ; but the fire to which I have above alluded was so continuous that the whole force was either under arms or ready to turn out." This contest was fierce and bloody. The French force consisted of 700 men ; and as soon as it was dark they advanced upon the pits, creep- ing along the ground when discovered, and firing and dashing on with the bayonet when sufficiently near to use that weapon with effect. In this way, but losing men fast, the French drove the enemy from bis first line of pits upon the second. Unable to hold the ground, however, they fell back fighting ; and meeting on their way 800 fresh men sent to aid the attack, they returned to the charge. By this time the whole of the British and the French divisions, alarmed by the rolling fire of musketry, were all under arm; and in readiness for a general attack. The firing and onset of the French were so steady that they carried the first and part of the second line ; but once more the heavy vollies of the Russian infantry compelled the French to give ground : the Russians twice fol- lowed them in their retreat up to the French line; and were twice driven back ; the whole affair winding up with a cannonade. On the succeeding nights the French kept up a heavy fire of shells on the spot where it was supposed the Russians were constructing works; and dur- ing the days a British mortar made splendid practice among the rifle-pits in advance of Malakoff, sweeping them down and driving out their occu- pants. The contest took a new turn on the 22d. In the interval between that day and the 18th a regular and extremely accurate fire was kept up on the mamelon by two guns, one in the British right attack, and one in the French attack. The shells exploded on the parapets, or within the work itself; and the enemy must have suffered severely—deserters say he lost 100 a day. Whether emboldened by the result of previous fights, or whether desirous of overawing the Allies, the Russians resolved to make a sortie. They carried out their intention on the night of the 22d. The French had begun about eight o'clock to shell the town and works, and kept up a beautiful fire. But about ten they were suddenly assailed in their line; opposite Malakoff: a portion of the British in the trenches nearest went to their aid; but while they were absent, the Russians turned the flank of the advanced parallel, and the Light Division regi- ments fought their way back through the enemy. On the left attack, that is "Chapman's battery," the sentries reported the advance, and the British regiments were better prepared at this point. Yet the Russians turned the third and reached the second parallel before the detach- ments of the Fourth Division in the trenches could oppose a success- ful resistance. The combat raged fiercely from ten until past mid- night ; but the Allies drove back the enemy at all points, following them up to the abattis of Malakoff itself, and retaining possession of three of the coveted rifle-pits in advance of the mamelon.

The loss on the side of the Allies has not been reported. In a de- spatch dated March 29 [supposed in Paris to be a misprint for 26] Gene- ral Canrobert estimates the loss of the French at 600, and of the enemy at 2000. On our side some officers have fallen—

"Colonel Kelly, 34th Regiment, killed ; Lieutenant Jardan, 97th Regi- ment, killed; Captain Cavendish Browne, 7th, killed ; Lieutenant 'Vicars, 97th Regiment, wounded; Captain Montague, Royal Engineers, missing ; and Major Gordon, Royal Engineers, wounded." Major Gordon particularly distinguished himself- " With a little switch in his hand, ' writes the Times correspondent, "he encouraged the men to defend the trenches; and, standing up on the top of the parapet, all unarmed as he was, he hurled down stones on the Russians. He was struck by a ball which passed through the lower part of his arm, and from the same or from a different musket at the same time he received a bullet through the shoulder. We are all rejoiced that he is not danger- ously wounded, and that the army will not long be deprived of his services."

A despatch has been received from Lord Raglan, dated March 24, giving a partial account of the sortie; and in this despatch Colonel Kelly is mentioned as " mining."

General Simpson has issued a series of questions to the regiments, to which replies must be sent in twice a month. They inquire whether the men get their rations, how often fresh meat and vegetables are issued; and whether the troops are hutted, if not, why not, and so on. Dr. Hall and a commission of medical officers make a periodical inspection of the sick and the sanitary state of the camp. Colonel M'Murdo is rapidly advancing in the organization of the Land Transport service. Sir George Brown has signalized his return to the command of the Light Division by orders aimed at the restoration of some degree of smart- ness and cleanliness.

Sir John Burgoyne left the camp on the 21st, for England. In an order of the day, General Simpson, on the part of Lord Raglan, " begs the Lieutenant-General to accept his warmest acknowledgments ; and takes this opportunity of assuring him that his exertions are universally appreciated, and that he is received by all with the highest respect and regard."

Lord Raglan mentions several reports- " It was currently reported yesterday [19th] that Prince Menschikoff had died on his way to Moscow. I have not been able to ascertain if this report be founded ; but it was so fully credited as to have been despatched to Con- stantinople. Prince Gortschakoff is stated to have arrived at Baktchi-Serai, and to have assumed the command of the army. Reinforcements are re- ported to be on their way from Russia, and the Ninth Division to have reached the neighbourhood of Eupatoria. The position of the Russian troops in the vicinity of the Tchernaya remains unaltered."

Dr. Leblanc, the surgeon of the Ninth Regiment, wandered out on the night of the 17th ; and it is supposed, as he was near-sighted, that he lost his way. He reached the French camp, and not answering the thrice- repeated " qui vive" of a sentinel, he was shot dead. Lord Raglan has institnted an inquiry into the cause of his death ; but there is no doubt it was caused by the unfortunate gentleman's own error.

Dr. Hall's report on the health of the troops, for the week ending March 17, does not show any diminution of the number of sick. " Though sickness," Dr. Hall says, still amounts to 14.31 per cent, the mortality does not exceed 0.51 per cent ; which is a proof that the diseases are milder in character." The prevailing type is low fever ; scurvy was also prevalent, but many of the cases were of a trifling character. On the whole, "the health and appearance of the men are greatly improved."

The British loss, from the 16th to the 18th March inclusive, was— Lieutenant Mitchell, Fifty-seventh Foot, dangerously wounded ; one sergeant, and ten rank and file wounded ; and one rank and file missing.

The casualties between the 19th and 22d March inclusive were—three officers, 18 men, killed ; two officers, 48 men, wounded; two officers, 11 rank and file, missing.

There were races in the camp of the Fourth Division on St. Patrick's Day ; the "course" being almost within range of the long guns of Se- bastopol. Most of the men present wore some sort of apology for the shamrock, a few sorry specimens of which had been fetched from the downs of Sinope. The races were run with all the forms and ceremonies of the old country, and afforded good sport. Two contests were won by a little midshipman named Molyneux ; and a hurdle race, of three jumps, by Captain Wilkins. Men and officers enjoyed themselves exceedingly.

ITALY.—A striking incident has preceded the departure of the Sar- dinian contingent to the Crimea. The members of the Chamber of De- puties, with its President, Boncompagni, in the chair, gave a banquet, on the 29th March, to those of their colleagues who hold commands in the contingent. The guests were General Alphonse de La Marmora, General Giacomo Durando, Colonel Petitti, Major Cadorna, and Major Casanova. The peculiar characteristic of the entertainment was unanimity of senti- ment. Men of every shade of opinion were present, some who had op- posed alike the treaty and the expedition ; but all, including Brofferio, the leader of the Republican Deputies, spoke in high terms of General La Marmora, and expressed the warmest wishes for the glory of the Ita- lian flag and the success of the expedition. In proposing the health 91 the King, Boncompagni said, they doved the King not only from a senti- ment of reverence for the Monarch, common to all, but because

- - - - "in him lives the remembrance of that august dynasty to which it is owing that this alone among the provinces of Italy has been preserved free from the dominations, the protections, and the influences of strangers. We love our King, because in him lives the memory of that great prince who gave us that liberty, by him maintained with a loyalty rather singular than rare. We love our King, because he fought bravely on the field of battle for the noble cause of Italian independence."

In proposing "Success to the Expedition to the East," the President said—

"Our voice will be a salute that will accompany our soldiers when they leave the shores of Italy, for whose independence they fought gallantly, as they will fight with fresh valour whenever foitune may offer the oppor- tunity. Our voice will be a cheer to welcome them in the land of the East ; where they will find themselves again surrounded by the glorious remem- brances left there by the flag of Savoy."

SPAIN.—The National Guard of Madrid seem inclined to be turbulent. On the 28th, the commanders assembled in the Town-hall " to make a demonstration against the Government "; but there arose a doubt among them as to how far, as officers of the National Guard, they had a right to do anything of the kind. In the mean time, the rank and file turned into the streets, and an attempt was made to beat the rappel. Sagaati, the Governor of Madrid, instantly went among the men, and succeeded, by persuasion in quieting them, and sending them home. They demanded the dismissal of the Ministers, Santa Cruz, Aguene, Lujan, and Luzuriaga ; and these gentlemen proposed to resign, but kept their seats at the request of their colleagues. Questioned next day in the Corte; the Minister for Foreign Affairs begged for delay, in order that the other Ministers then in attendance on the Queen, who was about to depart for Aranjuez, might be present. " But," said he, " I do not hesitate to de- clare that 1,10 events which occurred last evening were exceedingly grave, and that the moment has arrived at which no power will be permitted to interpose between the Government and the Cortes, or to place itself above the Cortes."

The telegraph reports that "the Spanish Government has demanded the recall of Lord Howden." The Constitutionnel publishes this despatch—

"Madrid,. April 3.—Lord Howden has addressed to the newspapers a communication contradicting the Ministerial account of the measures taken against the Protestants of Seville. The Spanish Government has addressed a remonstrance to the English Government on the subject."

CANADA.--According to one of the more respectable of the New York journals, a battalion for service in the East is about to be raised in Ca- nada, under the superintendence of Colonel Prince, a prominent actor in the rebellion, and Mr. Rankin, a member of the Legislature. " There will at course," says the Hew York Tribune, "be no difficulty in enlisting swarms of adventurous spirits oven for such a fatal service as that of the Crimea. Indeed, were a tolerable bounty to be paid for re- emits in Canada, the British Government might easily draw 20,000 men from the unemployed population of the United States. It is rather sin- gular that so obvious a resource is not adopted in the present scarcity of recruits. It would have every advantage possible over the foreign mer- cenary system, with none of the practical difficulties which have rendered that experiment abortive."

It is also stated that the Governor of Nova Scotia has been authorized to raise "a foreign legion for British service, with a couple of regiments totmed of born subjects of the English Crown." _