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The Duke of Wellington has issued cards of invitation for a grand banquet at Apsley House, on the 25th, to his supporters in the House of Lords.

• Sir Robert Peel and Lady Peel receive a numerous party next week at Drayton Manor. The Duke of Cambridge is expected to honour Sir Robert with his company for a few days.

- Lord John Russell left town on Monday. on a visit to Viscount and Viscountess Palmerston, at Broadlands. He returned yesterday.

A splendid ball and entertainment was given at Cashiobury Park, the residence of Lord Essex, on Tuesday evening, to the nobility and gentry of the surrounding neighbourhood, and such members of the aristocracy as are now resident in or near the Metropolis.

• The Christmas festivities at the country-seats of the aristocracy have this year equalled the enjoyments of preceding seasons. The reports of social gatherings, in the daily papers, are far too numerous to be par- ticularized. The poor, we are glad to perceive, have not been forgotten in this time of merrymaking.

They have beets performing at the British Embassy at Paris a pretty little play, called The Wreck Ashore, from the Adelphi ; where the fol- lowing gentlemen and ladies received much applause : Mr. Howard, Lord F. Leveson, Miss Raikes, Misses Ellis, Lord Howden, Mr. Plan- ket, Miss Pellew, and Mademoiselle de Flahault.— By the recent demise of Lord Bruce, the eldest son of Lord Elgin, his sister, Lady Mary Christopher, the lady of the Member for North Lin- colnshire, has become the next in succession to a fortune approaching to 30,000/. a year.

Mr. Beckford has determined to dismantle Lansdowne tower, and sell by auction all the articles of verta it contains. The reason assigned for this circumstance is, that the tower has been several times attempted to be broken open by expert thieves, who he fears will mutilate what they cannot take away.—Both Herald.

Sir George Crewe, MT., has given a donation of 1,000/. towards the erection of the intended new church at Ticknall, Derbyshire. Lady Crewe has subscribed 1001.

We have learned that Lord Francis Egerton, on being given to un- derstand that by purchasing the original drawings of M. Agasiz's great work, his " Poissons Fossiles," he would enable that distinguished natu- ralist to extend his researches, has offered to give him 500/. for them, and to leave them with him at Neufchatel as long as he requires them. This liberal and truly noble act entitles his Lordship to the gratitude of all the friends of science.—Scotsman.

It is announced that Thomas Henry Lister, Esq., the Honourable Edmund Phipps, and Thomas Vardon, Esq., are Commissioners for taking account of the population of Great Britain, in July next, pur- suant to the Act of 3 and 4 Vie. c. 99. The first-named gentleman, in his capacity of Registrar-General, is specially constituted a Commis- sioner by the terms of the act ; the others have been recently associated with him by her Majesty. Mr. Mann, of the General Register-office, has received the appointment of Secretary.

The Commissioners of Woods and Forests have made arrangements for taking the deer in the Royal Parks under their especial care. Com- plaints having been made as to the quality and supply of the venison from the Royal forests, investigations were instituted, which induced the Commissioners to undertake the distribution of the venison. Some of the old keepers are to be discharged on superannuation allowances, and the number of live-stock admitted into the parks is to be limited. Among other regulations, it is ordered that parties supplied with venison are to pay for it, at the rate of 26s. for a buck and 13s. for a doe. These fees are to be applied towards the payment of the keepers' sala- ries; who are not, in future, to be allowed to receive fees and per- quisites.

Prince Louis Napoleon has written to Lord Dudley Stuart, to desire him to act on his behalf for the relief of the Pole, now living in London, whose leg was amputated in consequence of wounds received during the Prince's mad attempt on Boulogne. The Prince says he sent him 1,000 francs provisionally, but he wishes to grant him a small pension until he can find employment, and requests Lord Dudley Stuart to mention the sum that ought to be given. The Prince adds in a postscript- " Vous pouvez in'ecrire a mom addre,sse I Ham."

Baron Mounier, respecting the object of whose visit to England there have been various reports, left London on Sunday, for Paris. The Morning Herald, which professes to be well informed in all matters of diplomatic arrangement between France and England, learns "from a good source in Paris, that the French Government are much satisfied with the result of Baron Mounier's exertions to establish a better under- standing between the two nations. His mission, which is a strictly confidential one, and of a very delicate nature, seems principally to be directed to make France a party in the final settlement of the Oriental question ; and to substitute, if possible, for the treaty of July, a treaty between the Five Powers and the Sultan. At the same time, he is also directed by the French Government to urge on that of England the necessity and opportunity for ameliorating the political and social con- dition of the Christian populations in Syria, in order to protect them against the arbitrary rule of the new Turkish Pashas."

The Anti-Corn-law Circular announces that the Council of the League have determined to hold their great annual banquet in London during the ensuing session of Parliament.

In a letter from Mr. O'Connell to the Leeds Times, in reference to a proposed " convention" for the advancement of radical reforms, he answers objections raised on the ground of such a convention being illegal. He says he has carefully examined the statutes in force in England respecting meetings rendered thereby illegal ; and he asserts distinctly, that there is no law in England to prevent, or to punish, a convention of delegates elected by the people. To this opinion he pledges all his professional reputation. In reference to the merits of the plan of a convention, be observes- " I do not pretend to say that the convention such as I suggest, would be the best mode of proceeding to forward the cause of Reform. All I say of it is, that it certainly would not be an illegal proceeding; that it certainly stands clear of the meshes of the law; and finally, that I think it would be an ex- ceedingly useful, and therefore a very advisable plan. Centralization seems to me to be absolutely necessary to the success of any efforts to obtain further • form. For that purpose, it appears to be absolutely necessary, or at all events eminently useful, to have a permanent body placed in London, possess- ing the confidence of and authorized by as many Reformers as possible."

The brother of Captain W. Hewett, commander of her Majesty's ship Fairy, supposed to be lost at sea, has contradicted the report that the valuable charts, drawings, &c. taken daring the last ten years on board the Fairy, have been lost. He says "the whole of Captain Hewett's valuable and laborious work is now on copper at the Admi- ralty, and no charts or drawings of any great value are lost."

The Portsmouth correspondent of the Brighton Gazette gives the latest account of naval preparations. "The steam-vessel Avon, Lieu- tenant Pritchard, has passed on to go to Sheerness from Plymouth, with men for the Monarch, 84, and Vernon, 50, at Sheerness. The In- . constant, 36, Captain Pring, has arrived at Plymouth from Cork, with

volunteer seamen for general service. The Vindictive, a fine frigate, to mount upwards of 50 galas, is preparing here with every despatch for commission ; and at Plymouth also are two more of the same class bringing forward—namely, the Portland, 50, and America, 50. The greatest despatch is used here in the equipment of the St. Vincent, 120, a three-decker of the largest class : she is getting rigged, and other- wise fitting for sea. The pendant will be hoisted in about a month. The Vengeance, 84, is in the basin, rigged and masted, and only waiting orders for commission. The Driver, a new steam-ship recently launched here, is in dock, preparing for immediate commission. She is intended for the Mediterranean."

Reports that the British expedition against China had taken Pekin, the capital of the Celestial Empire, were current in London at the date of our last publication. They were founded on letters received from St. Petersburg, via Holland ; and but little attention was paid to them. They have, however, been this week repeated, with increased confi- dence. The Manchester Guardian gives the following, dated St. Peters- burg, 11th December, addressed to "an eminent foreign house" at Manchester, and was received on Tuesday-

.. At the beginning of this week, a Tatar arrived here from Kiachta, with the news that the English had taken the capital of China, after having bom- barded it, and destroyed all the forts near the river. The Emperor, the Son of the Sun,fiad fled with all his Mandarins. The consequence of this event will he a good treaty, which will completely change the commercial dealings with that empire."

Biachta is geographically the nearest, and moreover the most con- venient point from which news might be expected overland. It is a frontier town, in which there are stationed customhouse-officers, Chinese as well as Russian, to see to the regulation and payment of duties on the part of the respective Governments.

Admiral Stopford has disallowed the convention concluded between Mehemet All and Commodore Napier. Intelligence of the fact reached London on Monday, by an extraordinary express from Toulon, 'with copies of several communications which had passed between Admiral Stopford and the Pasha of Egypt.

On the 7th instant, the Stromboli steamer, which had carried out the messenger sent by Mehemet All to Ibrahim Pasha, in pursuance of the convention with Commodore Napier, returned to Alexandria with the messenger on board. He had not been allowed to land in Syria ; and he was the bearer or a letter from Admiral Stopford to Mehemet Ali, explaining why be had not been allowed to land. That letter, which is dated Beyrout, December 2d, is in the following terms- " Highness—I am very sorry to find that Commodore Napier should have entered into a convention with your Highness for the evacuation of Syria by the Egyptian troops ; which be had no authority to do, and which I cannot approve of or ratify.

"Your Highness's Envoy, Abdel Amin Bey, has consulted with the General commanding the troops, as to his best manner for proceeding to Ibrahim Pasha. The General having good reason to suppose that Ibrahim Pasha had left Da- mascus, (a great part of his army having left it several days since, going to the southward upon the Mecca road,) could not guarantee a safe conduct for your Highness's Envoy further than Damascus. He therefore returns to Alexan- dria, having done all in his power to execute your Highness's instructions.

" I hope this letter will reach your Highness in time to stop the transports which Commodore Napier writes me are coming from Alexandria to the coast of Syria, for the purpose of embarking part of the Egyptian army. Should any of them arrive here they will be ordered to return to Alexandr is. " I hope this hasty and unauthorized convention will not occasion any em- barrassment to your Highness. It was, no doubt, done from an amicable intention, although under a limited view of the state of affairs in Syria ; but it will not lessen my earnest desire most readily to adopt any measure which may tend to a renewal of that amity and good feeling which, I trust, will hereafter subsist between England and your Highness ; the terms of which, I am happy to say, are now in a state of progress with the Allied Powers. "1 have the honour to be your Highness's most obedient servant,

(Signed) "ROBERT STOPPORD, Admiral.

"His Highness Mehemet Ali Pasha, &c. Alexandria."

In a second letter, dated " At sea, off Cyprus, 6th December 1840," Admiral Stopford transmits to the Pasha the official authority from the British Government upon which the Admiral acted. A copy of this authority, a retranslation into English from an Italian version, is published. It is in the form of a note from Lord Palmerston to the Lords of the Admiralty, stating the terms which the Four Powers had determined to offer to Mehemet Ali, and intimating that they would be offered through the Admiral commanding in the Mediterranean. The Lords of the Admiralty are requested to instruct Sir Robert Stopford to send a competent officer to Alexandria, to confer with Boghos Bey- " When admitted, he shall make known to Mehemet All that the British Government has ordered him to inform him, that if Ile submits immediately to the Sultan, and delivers into the hands of the officer encharged with the above a written obligation to restore, without further delay, the Turkish fleet, and to recall immediately his troops from Syria, from the district of Adana, from the island of Candia, from Arabia, and from the Holy Cities, the Four Powers will recommend the Sultan to reestablish Mehemet Ali in the Pashalie of Egypt. The officer will further explain, that this recommendation on the part of the Four Powers will only be given in case of Mehemet Ali's submit- ting promptly, and that the officer has received orders to remain three days in Alexandria to receive the decision of Mehemet Ali and convey it to Constan- tinople. The officer in charge must put in writing the preceding communica- tion, and after having read it to Mehemet Ali, must deliver to him the sheet upon which it is written. If at the expiration of the three days, Mehemet All should consign to the officer the above-mentioned written obligation, the officer will immediately leave for Constantinople, taking it with him. But the officer must demand that the document in writing on the part of Mehemet All be de- livered to him open, in order that he may inform himself of its contents, and must refuse to take it to Constantinople should he find that it does not con- tain the said obligation."

Captain Fanshawe, the bearer of the second letter, reached Alex- andria on the 8th. In reply, Mehemet Afi says to Admiral Stopford, "I am charmed with the kindness you have evinced for me ; and I am anxious to act in the manner you point out to me in your official des- patch." Accordingly, he encloses a despatch from himself to the Grand Vizier ; in which, after briefly recapitulating the course of the negotia- tions with Commodore Napier and Admiral Stopford, he says- " Always disposed to make the sacrifice of all that I possess, and of my life itself, in order that I may obtain the good graces of his Highness ; and recog- nizingthat, by the intervention of the Allied Powers, the favour of my sove- reign is restored to me, I have made the necessary dispositions in order that the Ottoman fleet may be given up to such person and in such manner as it will please his Highness to order. The troops that were in Candle, in Arabia, and In the Holy Cities, are ready to retire ; and their evacuation will take place without delay, as soon as the order of my Sovereign shall have reached me. As to Syria and Adana, I have learned, by a letter from Ibrahim Pasha, dated the last days of the Ramadan, and which came to my hands overland, that he had quitted Damascus on the 3d or 4th of Cheval, with all the army, for the purpose of returning into Egypt. Syria is consequently wholly evacuated, and consequently my act of obedience is accomplished. These facts coming to the knowledge of your Excellency, I hope that in communicating them to our Sove- reign and master you will intercede with his Highness, that he will restore to his confidence the oldest and most faithful of his servants."

Captain Fanshawe left Alexandria with this note and despatch on the morning of the 11th. Mehemet All is said to be much hurt at the diplomatic trifling to which he has been subjected. The Phaeton French steamer had arrived on the 6th, bearing despatches, to the effect that he had nothing further to expect from the intervention of France.

It was understood in Alexandria on the 11th, that Ibrahim Pasha was at Gaza, with his army, on his way to Cairo ; where he was ex- pected to arrive about the 15th instant.

Commodore Napier had left Alexandria ; and it was supposed that he had gone to Marmorica, and possibly to Constantinople. The Stromboli steamer left Alexandria on the 9th in quest of him, with orders that he should join the Admiral at Marmoriea ; for which port Sir Robert Stop- ford was to set sail on the 12th.

The Bedouins of the Desert of Suez had begun to plunder, and the Pasha had declared he would send a force to guard the next Indian mails. He had been enforcing a rigid and extensive conscription for the National Guard in Alexandria, taking eveu the household servants of the Franks, obliging them to work sometimes all night as well as all day in the forts and magazines. The Franks expected to see their houses plundered if hostilities commenced, and were preparing to de- fend themselves.

The Thu/annals of the 25th December publishes letters from Alex= andria of the 12th, stating that orders had been given to the Ottoman fleet to hold itself in readiness to put to sea. The Turks sent into the interior of Egypt, or stationed in the fortresses, had arrived in Alexan- ia, and were then occupied in rearming their vessels. The fleet was to be delivered up to the English in the course of a month, in order to be brought to Constantinople, "if they did not deem it more expedient to bring it to Malta." Only one English corvette remained before Alexandria after the conclusion of the treaty.

A rumour that the Allied Powers had called upon France to account for her proceeding with warlike preparations, has received partial con- firmation. It is said that the Austrian Ambassador had verbally inti- mated to the French Government, that their continued preparations for war had produced alarm in Germany ; and that the increase of the French army, or even its maintenance at its present enormous amount, tended to keep alive in all countries an expectation of war, which, with such a force on foot, rendered the occurrence of that cala- mity possible even from accidental collision. The Austrian Am- bassador expressed a belief that the French Government, when it should admit the correctness of his representations, would order such a dimi- nution of the existing forces as would relieve the Continental neighbours of France from those feelings of alarm. To these representations the French Government replied, that no increase or extension of the force ordered or contemplated to be raised by the late Administration of France had yet taken place ; but that the present Ministry felt it as im- possible as it would be dangerous for them to decline carrying out the measures of the Thiers Ministry in that respect. In point of fact, however, the exttnt to which the measures in process of execution would raise the existing army of France had nothing in it that should alarm the neighbouring Powers ; the numerical amount of the actual French army was not more than 460,000 men, and of these 75,000 were in Africa. The assurance thus conveyed terminated by a profession of the unchanged pacific disposition of the French Government.

The Courrier Francais says, that "a despatch from M. de -1,.Zesselrode) the Foreign Minister of Russia, has been officially communicated by M. Pahlen. the Russian Ambassador in Paris, to M. Guizot. It is said to be extremely friendly towards France ; but what is still more signifi- cant than the tone of the despatch, is the fact of its being communicated to the French Cabinet. It is now nearly twelve years since the two Governments had exchanged such evident preliminaries of conciliation." The Times says that its private letters confirm this report ; and state on the best authority, that unless some untoward accident occur, a general disarmament will speedily be agreed to by the Great Powers.

The Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday passed the bill for regulating the labour of children in mattufactories ; which had undergone a cussion of many days. The first clause provides that " children shall not hereafter be obliged to work in factories employing more than twenty operatives collected in one workshop." The second clause enacts, that children shall not be admitted in manufactories under eight years of age; that from eight to twelve years they shall not be kept at work for more than eight hours out of the twenty-four ; that from twelve to sixteen they shall not be employed more than twelve hours per day ; and that iu both cases they shall be allowed some time for repose. The tenth article of the law, relative to the powers of the inspectors, was much debated, and many amendments were proposed. This question was referred again to the Committee ; and on Tuesday they announced the following as the modification they had adopted-

" The Government shall establish inspectors to watch over and secure the execution of the present law. The inspectors are to have the power of com- pelling the production of all registers, regulations, &c., connected with the execution of the law, and of examining the certificates of the children and the children themselves ; they are to have the power to appoint to them a physi- cian, to be chosen by the prefect."

This and the other clauses of the bill were carried. The vote on the bill as a whole was then taken ; 'when there appeared for it, 185; against it, 50. The bill was then passed.

M. Humann, the Minister of Finance, presented the budget of 1842

to the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday. The Minister announced that the ordinary budget for that year would exceed the last by 190,000,000 francs, and that the deficit in the extraordinary budget would be still more considerable. Hitherto it had amounted to 500,000,000 francs ; . and could not, he said, be covered by the surplus of the receipts, which had been absorbed by unforeseen expenses. M. Humann accordingly applied to the Chamber for an authorization to negotiate a loan of 460,000,000 francs to meet the extraordinary expenses of the depart- ments of War, of Marine, and Public Works. The Minister an- nounced that a reserve of 200,000,000 francs still existed in the Trea- sury, and, after reading a general expose of the finances, expenditure, and resources of the country, he concluded by observing, that, thanks to the loan, it would be possible to reestablish a balance between the

• receipts and expenditure without being obliged to have recourse to new taxes.

The Committee of the Chamber of Deputies on the fortification of Paris had selected M. Thiers for its reporter.

The Constitutionnel announces, that M. de Barante is to be replaced as Ambassador of France at St. Petersburg by Count de Flahault ; that he is to succeed Count de St. Aulaire in Vienna ; and that the latter is to be appointed Ambassador to London.

On Monday, the Abbe de Lamennais was convicted of a seditious libel, on account of a pamphlet entitled "The Country and the Govern- ment," in which he incited the people to revolt. He was sentenced to pay a fine of 2,000 francs, and to undergo one year's imprisonment.

The Moniteur of Monday contained the following announcement-

" The King received on Sunday from the Archdutchess Maria Louisa of Parma, (the widow of Napoleon,) a reply to the notification of the birth of the Duke de Chartres, which was presented to his Majesty by Count d'Appony, the Austrian Ambassador and Chargé d'Affaires at Parma.'

Plots against the life of Louis Philippe are again spoken of. In the pocket of the driver of a Paris omnibus, who committed suicide last week, a raper is said to have been found setting forth, that being the member of a secret society, his turn had come by lot to kill the King ; but, finding himself unable to commit the crime, he had determined to hang himself.

The King has remitted to Madame Laffarge that part of her sentence which condemns her to "exposition publique."

A trunk containing a quantity of M. Guizot's valuable property, lost in the Phcenix, was recently found by the crew of a Boulogne fishing- smack. The contents were distributed among the parties who made the discovery ; but a quarrel having arisen as to the distribution of the property, the police heard of the matter, and the entire crew have been lodged in prison.

A melancholy accident happened at Agen on the 22d instant, by the breaking of a suspension-bridge. The construction, which was intended only for foot-passengers, and was to unite the suburb with Agen, had been executed a year ago, and was on that day to undergo its final trial of weight. A considerable number of persons were occupied in car- rying stones and gravel on to the platform of the bridge to load it, as is usual in such cases ; when the vertical chains gave way, and twenty men, women, and children were precipitated into the stream ; which was, unfortunately, deep. They were all drowned ; and two children, who were standing on the bank under the bridge, were killed by the fall of' the materials.

The Indicateur of Bordeaux relates—" In the Paris mail, which ar- rived here on the night of the 19th instant, was a young man who had obtained an appointment of mail-guard, and was travelling for the purpose of making himself acquainted with the routine of his business. When the coach arrived at Angouleme, he had become so affected with the cold that he 10 his reason. On arriving at Bordeaux, and while the courier was delivering his bags at the Post office, the unfortunate man got out unobserved by him, and disappeared. On the following evening, he was found a corpse on the shore of the river, near Begles ; having, in his delirium, thrown himself into the water."

Three persons of respectability, who were anxious to be in the chapel of the Livalides during the funeral rites of Napoleon, being unable to procure tickets, dressed themselves as abbes, and readily gained admit- tance. But the Archbishop detected them, by their want of attention to some of the ecclesiastical observances, and caused them to be re- moved by the police.

The frost in Paris has continued very severe during the past week. On Saturday night the thermometer was at 22 degrees Fahrenheit : on the preceding Thursday it was 14 degrees below the freezing-point. The weather has since become more mild. On Saturday, there was a London fog in Paris, which rendered the streets impassable for carriages.

A strange account appears in the papers of the abduction of one of the Judges of the Tribunal at Lyons. A reputed smuggler, named Poncet, having had a cause decided against him by M. Million, the judge, owing, as he supposed, to private influence, contrived, with the assistance of three men, to seize M. Million, and carry him off in a boat down the river to Ternay. He was there made to land, and taken into a vineyard, where he was compelled to write to his wife, desiring her not to send the police in search of him, as his life depended on her re- maining quiet. Between eleven and twelve o'clock the same night, the four confederates arrived at a public-house in a lonely situation near Ternay, much frequented by smugglers and other persons of bad repute. Here M. Million was taken down into the cellar, and kept bound to a stake, while Poncet stood over him with a hatchet, another being near him. In this cellar, and under threats of instant death, M. Million wrote a letter to his wife, desiring her to send 10,000 francs for his ransom. This was to be transmitted by a man belonging to Vaise, who was described; and who was to wait near the Pont de Givors, when the obscurity of the night would admit of the exchange of the prisoner for the money without discovery. In the mean time, the master of the public-house, having heard of the disappearance of AL Million, and suspecting his guests, became alarmed, and contrived to give informa- tion to a Garde Champetre, who immediately conveyed it to the Gendarmerie at Givors. The Quartermaster immediately hastened with his men to the house, and, having completely surrounded it, broke open the door of the cellar, and found Poncet still standing over his

Million, who was lying bound hand and foot on a miserable bed, was of course released. The three accomplices of Poncet contrived to effect their escape.

A letter from Madrid, of the 20th December, states that the courier despatched to Lisbon by the Marquis de Saldanha to M. de Lima, the Portuguese Minister, in the beginning of the month, had returned to Madrid with the reply of the Cabinet of Lisbon, and despatches from Lord Howard de Walden, our Ambassador. The former announced its readiness to leave the adjustment of the differences between the two countries to the mediation of Great Britain ; and added, that in no case could the Portuguese Government think of ratifying the treaty of 1835, without previously subinitting it to the approbation of the Cortes. It accordingly invited the Spanish Cabinet to have patience for some some weeks longer, pledging itself to lay it before the Cortes in the course of January, and give it its entire support. The Spanish Re- gency, on the other hand, contended that, as the treaty had been con- cluded under the charter of Don Pedro, which did not require the inter- vention of the Cortes in diplomatic matters, their sanction of a treaty signed and ratified five years ago might be legally dispensed with. Lord Howard de Walden fully concurred in the views expressed by Portugal ; and the Regency had resolved on waiting until the meeting of the Portuguese Parliament. Espartero is represented to be the only member of the Regency who appeared at all interested in the question.

The Regency, in transmitting to the Commander of Guipuscoa a decree for the suppression of the convent of Loyola, recommends him to adopt such steps as he may deem expedient to prevent the Jesuits from "continuing to give the youth an education contrary to the en- lightened principles of the age and of the representitive Government." This functionary was accordingly instructed to encourage the inhabit- ants, as much as possible, to send their children to the seminary of Bergara, and to the Universities of Onate and Vittoria, which were placed under the special protection of the Government, and to open, if necessary, establishments of education at St. Sebastian, Irma, and else- where.

A civic and religious ceremony, at which the Ayuntamiento pre- sided, was celebrated at Malaga on the 13th, in honour of Torrijos and his fellow-sufferers.

The Manheim Gazette publishes a letter from Upper Italy, an- nouncing that the Sardinian Government had adopted rigorous mea- sures to check the progress of the French propaganda, which had been of late very active in Savoy ; and that none but the Legitimist jour- nals were now suffered to enter the country. Savoy had been secured against a surprise by the concentration of a large force along the French frontier ; and the King, ever since his return from Genoa on the 4th instant, had devoted his attention to the army.

The Diet of the German Confederation has published a decree against trades unions.

Some German papers have lately given obscure hints of the existence of a pretender to the throne of Prusssia ; and a strange story on that subject has appeared in the Courtier de la Moselle. In a letter under the convenient date of "Frontiers of Prussia," it is alleged that an elder brother of the present King, having been assassinated, left a son, who is now a major, in garrison in Mentz. He is said to be—as pre- tenders always are—highly accomplished ; and it is asserted that several of the first families in Prussia have determined to support him. This conspiracy, we are assured, will soon astonish Europe by its results.

The Augsburg Gazette says, the Duke of Bordeaux has gone to study naval science in the arsenal of Venice.

A mixed Commission, consisting of two Neapolitans and two British Commissioners, was appointed to investigate and decide upon claims to compensation under the settlement of the recent Sulphur question, with power to choose an umpire, who was to be a Frenchman, in compliment to the mediation of France. The Times, on the authority of a private letter, dated from Paris on Thursday last, says that the umpire chosen by the Commissioners is a devoted friend of M. Thiers, and a notorious enemy of Great Britain ; and that Lord Granville has made a vety strong representation to the British Government on the subject.

The commercial city of Leghorn is in the most melancholy condi- tion, owing to the failure of several first-rate houses; those of Messrs. Perrachin, Guerre, Fouch and Perfetti, Biliotti, Pinetti, and Regini. The liabilities of the last-named firm amount to a million and a half of francs ; and its failure will no doubt occasion other misfortunes, because all its debts are in the place.—Gazette de Midi, Dec. 22.

The cold, in St Petersburg has been most intense. On the 15th December, Fahrenheit's thermometer was at 45 to 49i degrees below freezing-point.

A fearful tempest has lately swept over the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmora, and incalculable damage has been done. The Russian steamer from Odessa to Constantinople was wrecked on the coast of Khili. The engine became injured during the storm ; and the vessel, no longer obeying her helm, was thrown on the rocks, and nineteen men and passengers perished : the captain, however, was saved. The Trebisonde steamer had six hundred men on board; five of whom were swept away by a wave ; three others have gone raving mad from fright and cold, and were obliged to be lashed to the masts; twenty more, who were taken at Constantinople, have their limbs completely frozen.

By advices received from Buenos Ayres and Montevideo, to the 5th and 13th of October respectively, it seems that the town of Buenos Ayres was suffering a perfect reign of terror, under the despotic rule of Rosas, the Governor. Political assassinations were taking place daily ; and in the turmoil, the lives and property of the French and British residents were placed in the utmost jeopardy.

Throughout these frightful scenes, the British Minister, Mr. Mande- ville, had been active in remonstrating with the Government, as well in behalf of the native residents as of his own countrymen. A more effectual protection, however, would be afforded to the latter by the presence of a British frigate, the Stag, which left Montevideo for Buenos on the station left Montevideo for the same place, and promised to do his best to put a stop to the atrocities which were in perpetration. On the 10th also, sailed Admiral Makau, the French commander, on the same destination. He was making preparations on board his vessels for active service ; it being understood that he was about to treat with Rosas in a very peremptorA manner.