On this page

• Text (3)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    . London , Brighton , and South Coast . —This line was completely blocked up between London and Newcross , and had to be dug ojfi before trains could travel in the morning , the ' mail and other trains arrived somewhat behind time , but no serious delay occurred . 3 % e down trains were despatched as usuaL < - Londai ana . South-Western . —The mail train on this line ( from Southampton ) was about four hours late . No material obstruction was experienced until it arriyed atFarnborough , where the line was found to be completely blocked . A telegraphic message was ' Mint to , the superintendent at the Waterloo station .

    whoimmediaUAj despatched assistance to clear the Jujapld ^ e other up-trains were rattier late in arrival , ti ^; dowi tiains being despatched according to the J ^ e table . ; So vast was : the * accumulation of-snow . upon the roof of Jlie Waterloo station that grave fears we ^ entertained for its safety , and precautions were according ly taken to remove the weight from the ^ building . ^ limiy al ^ o be mentioned that the glass roof at the South Eastern , station , X * 6 ndon-bridge , . was cohwderably injured by the weight of snow lying ' upon it , and a hurge _ number of men , and trucks were employed dwing the day in its removal . - of tbe

    balls . The ringleaders who had been taken in to custody were liberated—their names had been booked . The matter at' one time bad a somewhat serious aspect , several windows in the police-office being broken , and the crowd assuming a threatening attitude . . Scotland felt the severity of winter earlier than England . Last Tuesday week snow fell heavily in the north ; and the mails were some days behind timer In Ireland the weather has been also sharp . From the continent we have no accounts later than Monday ..- Then there had been several snow storms , and the communications were much impeded . The Emperor and Empress of the French drove about in a sledge at the end of last week . The rivers were frozen . * .

    f Su ^ jreire . 1 ^ official reports railways on 'Tb xa ^ as ^^^ x ^ pg ^ ir' - \^ i ., ? . ' ; , - : - ¦ Fr tm Birmingham , Soathampton , and Manchester , y brief accmrats -toiithesamepurport were received . i ^ aU ^ dwwfid ^ of mail ^ minumrations ; ^ aiid it ; was not until late on Wed-^^ aajCm ^^ l ^ some mails reached London . r > S ^ M&lS ?® t JW »; . « P »« -f « 0 nai on Tuesday , ja ^ 0 ^ J ^ j ^^ yn ^ JmMfea over . Several ships lad MSSM !^^> ^ i . j . ^ S ^^ i ^ P _¦ - - : - , ¦ -. „ , ¦ v . ^ . ¦^^ 4 ^ eon « aaa ^| D |^( Ef ; there was another fall of fctfoiira&inj ^ there was little ^ wina it o |«^^ yiled itself upon ^^^ lbe $ ||^ i ^ pipjibe palisadoes with tall balls , pyraialdi ^ and domes ; and fledged the branches of V / pajiie ^' Tflwjrayiacilitiesof Thursday were a little better than ^ those of the previous day ; the Great Northern was partially _ openi as fur as York ; the jMm tp ^ l fe ^ ^ m $$ mi , m $ & $ gu . iihern lines from x ^ ndjoji-there ^ wasliUle .-pbstructipn ;; but the Great tlfoi ^ ern ^ rputes j ^ ere © iiwihe -main snowed up . P ^ P ^ SM P& * N £ te * M ** ft ^ rd , Jthejine belowibeirig blocked up hopelessly . North of Stafford , w ^ Norjnant ^ n'cutting defied the utnaoat exertiousfi ^ erengn ^ being at pee time employed . Generally jspe ^ Bng ^ th ^ railways were impervious in many

    ;_; The state of the river has been such that all navigation , except for sea-going vessels , was suspended early in the week . " Large' masses of ice floating down formed into impenetrable ridges in the pool . " It is currently stated that any longer continuance of the present , inclement weather will entail the alarming probabilityof a total failure in the supply of gas for tbetnetropolis . The condition of the river below London-bridge is now stitch , that , the colliers cannot discharge their cargoes—the barges bein g , in

    almost every instance , ' frozen , in , or so jammed up by masses of ice , as to render it impossible to carry on the ordinary operation ^ . The directors of several of "the leading gas companies met for the purpose of determining what was best to be done under the circumstances . No decision was arrived at , and the only nope seems , to be' that the severity of the weather may moderate . The price of coals is almost fabulous .

    At Liverpool , in tbe absence of the Times , the merchants on 'phange have had recourse to a snowballing match , which ended in a riot on a small scale . They were ranged in two sides—cottonbrokers versu 8 share-brokers , the latter section being marshalled by a Leader of prodigious proportions . The imeUe ragedjthickly and furiously , and a dense crowd assembled to witness the encounter .

    Ultimately , the head constable , Captain Greig , entered ' on the scene of action , accompanied by a section of police , and attempted to put the "belligerents to flight . They were , however , upon their private property , and asserted their right to do as they liked with . their own . They renewed the match in ~ the captain ' s presence . He ordered arrests to be made . An indescribable scene

    followed . Several merchants were taken into custody , and marched off to Bridewell , amid the yells and groans of the infuriated " merchant princes , " who wreaked their vengeance upon Captain Greig and the " Blue coats , " by hurling at them showers of well-aimed snowballs . The head constable ' s hat was repeatedly displaced ; he was several times thrown down , while he was

    picturesquely bespattered with snow . The snowballing was renewed , and tbe head constable returned with a larger force , who attempted to take pos-. ^ -ee ssion and clear the flags . They were vigorously # ^| pqp | l ^ d t- however , and speedily broken up into ^ p Kjbe captain then walked into the news-Toora , ^ , r ^™ a'j . ^ j jntention probably of addressing the mer-^ fi d ^ tll j pit he was uurrounded , by a crowd of me-, vlnaclng faCC 8 , and literally hustled from the room . He ;• ¦¦ .. ? JT *» ^ wJnately compelled to withdraw hia men , who wftTthe *^ round followed by a smart shower of enow-« i

    Untitled Article

    LETTEBS FROM PARIS . Letter CVi . - i Paris , Thursday Evening , Jan . 5 , 1854 . Never has the New Tear dawned on France more gloomily . Famine , ' pestilence , financial crisis , commercial crisis , war , revolution—such are the prospects of' 54 . New Year's-day felt these sinister previsions . Most of us are sad at heart ; even those who do not despair in soul . Many stayed at home Last Sunday ; few were tie visits of congratulation . I do not , of course , speak of family \ visit ^ The falling-off in

    ready for the invasion of Asia , are not neglecting preparations on the Danube . From Bucharest to the Jalomniza they have thrown up vast entrenchments to secure their centre from attack . They have . fortified their whole line of retreat . Secure on that point , they have changed their plan of opera * tions , and instead of advancing their teft or their centre , they will debouch to their righjb on Kalafat or Widdin . A sham passage may be . attempted at Matschin or Isatcha , on the Lower Danube , and at Qltenitza in their - centre , to keep the Turks in suspense ; while the main army , falling back on Lesser Wallachia , forces the passage of the Danube between Widdin and Nicopolis . Then , marching

    upon Sophia , they will turn the Balkans in this direction , and render utterly useless tbe fortifications of Schumla . If these operations should succeed , if the Russians should finally . plant their standards at Scutari on tbe Asian hank , the hist hour of the Turkish Empire , and with it of Western civilisation , Way' be said to liave arrived . Yet , there are not wanting * fools who believe that the Czar , with all this perspective before him , will be stopped short by the Note of the Vienna Conference . He declares that to accept that Note would be " to plead guilty of wrong , and to sign his own dishonour . " This reply . of the Czar sent our funds down to the lowest point they have yet reached—to 71 . 25 .

    The situation at home generally is , as I set out by saying , by no means brilliant . The Fusionist party is stirring heaven and earth from one end of France to the other . It is debauching generals , colonels , and regiments . At a recent banquet giving by the officers of a- regiment in the garrison , of Lyons to their colonel , the health of Henry V . ' was drunk , and his " speedy return . " Bonaparte heard of this , and telegraphed for General de Castellans , of whom he demanded explanations . The General simply replied that the facts had not come to his knowledge , and that consequently lie had not had to take measures against any persons . Since

    then General de Castellane has been in disgrace at the Tuileries , and his successor is already named—General Pelissier . A mas » s of Legitimist proclamations , printed no one knows where , are inundating the departments . One of them , after stating that Bonaparte will be obliged to execute , another coup cTJtat , concludes : " Frenchmen , beware : the tyrant is about to strike a coup de police " . The visit of Henry V . to England is still talked of . The apparent object is the -complete reconciliation " with the House of Orleans . He would go to Claremont direct ; stay some time in that residence ; to let all . the world know for certain that the past is completely

    obliterated . But the real object is the proxiniity to Paris : only twelve hours from Claremont to the Tuileries . As for the Republicans , Bonaparte is retraniporting them to Cayenne . All the prisoners sentenced to transportation , who have remained in . France , says the new decree of January 1 st , " are to be transported to Lambessa ; and those condemned to the same punishment who are now undergoing in France the punishment of hard labour at the hulks , are to be transported to Cayenne . " Bonaparte chose New Year ' s-day for this decree . This is what he colls a New Year ' s gift ( Mrennes ) to the Republicans . Perhaps his pleasantry is ill-timed . S . T

    etrennes ( new year ' s gifts } was a , serious toss to trade . Numbers of poor stallkeepers * rho had braved the snow and the frost to expose' their humble stock of nick-nacs . upon the Boulevards , sold next to nothing . The usual reception took pWe at tlie Tuileries ; and not a reception only , but almost an emeute . The Great Bodies of the State , offended at taking rank after the Household of tbe Emperor , vented audible murmurs . Some individuals even went away without haying been presented . The 1 st of , January , 1854 , was distinguished "by a burlesque revival of the manners and fashions of the old Court of the Bourbons . The ladies Cab many as had rehearsed the

    deportment ) wore by order the , Couxt mantle ( manteau de cow ) . Now yon must not run away with the notion that this manteau falls gracefully from the shoulders . It does nothing ^ of the kind : it starts from the small of the backhand terminates in the tail of a comet : with the tovrnures en crenoline , it lias a horrible effect * So these mantle-bearing ladies liave already been christened ^ the hochequeues . The mantle of the Empress was remarkable , above all others , for its tail , som ' e twelve feet long . All the constituted Corps delivered addresses , as usual . VSome allusion to Eastern affairs was anxiously looked fox ; but Bonaparte maintained his habitual reserve , and held his peace most absolutely on the subject of the day .

    It is not true , as it has been affirmed , that he has sent an ultimatum to . St . 'Petersburg , threatening the occupation of the Black Sea * by the combined fleets , if Kus 8 ia should not at once relinquish every hostile tentative . Instead of so bold a decision , England and France have , there is reason to believe , perpetrated a fresh folly . The two Governments , it is understood , have simply and merely intimated to Nicholas a demand for the free navigation of tbe Black Sea . If Russia demanded of England free commercial intercourse with India , what would be the reply ? Judge , then , what

    reply the Emperor of Russia will make to this saucy proposal . It is a false step , and one all the more miserable that it implies a confession on the part of France and England , -that they do not claim the right of entering the Black Sea , or , at least , that they shrink from the responsibility of Asserting such a right , in spite of all rumours of decisive action to the contrary . Up to tliis moment , Knssia has obtained and preserved every advantage in these interminable negotiations . The Anglo - French alliance -which , in the belief of all political quidnuncs , was to arrest the march of the

    Russian armies , has only helped them on a stage or two . In the very teeth of the two fleets Russia has burnt a Turkish squadron , destroyed a Turkish town and arsenal , and by a skilful feint she has withdrawn the mass of her forces from the Danube to the Caucasus , where sh « is preparing sTich a formidable irruption into Asia as will ultimately give her possession of all Asia Minor . The troops of the Czar will not take Constantinople in the springy it may be said . Suppose they do worse : suppose they plant their standards at Scutari , in fac-e of Constantinople . Then will the imbecile diplomacy which

    rules the destinies of the world be forced to give to Russia all she demands in Europe , if only to take from her all she has seized in Asia . Something yet more shameful nnd yet more significant may then be witnessed . Russia may disdain the mediation of a discomfited diplomacy , and insist on treating directly with Turkey , at the last extremity , the conditions of peace . To save Constantinople and Asia Minor , the Porto may bo glad enough to abandon , not only Moldo-Wallachia ., but the Danube , Bulgaria , the Balkans , and a part of Boumelia . Meanwhile , the Russians , - ^ hile making

    Untitled Article

    CONTINENTAL NOTES . With reference to tbe emeute of the Softas , the following telegraphic despatch from Constantinople lias been published la the Moniteur : " PeTa , 22 nd Dec . " The general assembly having authorised the minister to negotiate , the students of the Mosques , excited by some

    Ulemas , met yesterday to petition aguinst that resolution ; disturbances -were at one moment feared ; but the measures taken by the Cabinet , assembled in tbe palace , prevented any disorder . From three to four hundred Btuaents have been arrested . Everything is tranquil . A proclamation just issued makes known the true object of tho deliberation of tho general assembly , and announces that measures will be taken against tho perturb&tord , if necessary . "

    The proclamation appears in a supplement to the Turkubt journal the Djeride- Ilawadis ^ und bears date tho 21 st of December : — " The powerful allies have made known to the Sublime Porte the pacific intentions wliich the Court of Russia never ceases to testify , ami also in impelling the Imperial Government in that path they ha \^ p demanded what its intentions were on thesubject . In consequence , on th « 17 th and 18 th of tho present month the affair was submitted to the delibcx-ations of the Grand Council , convoked Immediately for the purpose , and composed of all tho Ministers , Viziers , Ulemas , military Pashas of the army and navy , and other di ¦

    gnitsiries of the Empire . It unanimously decided on replying that , since the Sublime Porte bus commenced hostilities to protect its rights and the integrity of its States , it will not reject a peace calculated to guarantee them both for tho present and the future . A yitoa confirmative of this decision has just beon drawn up by the Chcik-ul-Ialiun , and an Imperial order haa been published to thut effect . Communication of what precedes lias been made to tho representatives of the Four Powers . Tho affair at thin moment only refits on a simple demand and nnswer . Tho question is not now of peace , and even an armistice has not been declared . Tbe state of war continues ,

    Untitled Article

    ^ 4 . THrE ; LEADER . [ Saturday ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 7, 1854, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2020/page/4/