42 THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE. 
[JAN. 2], 
respectful ; but the offence was considered so serious by 
the Government, that they have prohibited the circula- 
tion of the Paper in every part of the Prussian States, and 
have thus virtually crushed~it. The affair has caused 
great excitement throughout Germany ; more particularly 
as so harsh a measure was not expected from a Govern- 
ment which had apparently identified itself with the pro- 
gress of free institutions.—The affairs of the Levant are 
again unsettled. The amicable relations between Turkey 
and Greece have sustained another check, and the inter- 
ference of Russia is likely to produce additional complica- 
tions in the Servian question. The election of the new 
Hospodar of Wallachia has terminated in the triumph of 
the Russian candidate, and thus one of the most 
important provinces of the Danube will continue subject 
to her control. 
At home, we have received from all parts of the country 
distressing accounts of the recent storms. The great ex- 
tent over which they prevailed had in some measure pre- 
pared the public for this intelligence, but the disasters on 
the coast, which every day of the past week has made 
public, have perhaps been unparalleled in their amount. 
Our Paper contains the particulars of many of these 
calamities, and there is, unhappily, no doubt that a great 
number have occurred of which we have received no 
tidings. The shipping-interest has not for many years 
sustained so severe an injury, and the unusual loss of life 
has added to the general depression which these disasters 
have produced in all classes of society. 
Wome News. 
Courr.—Her Majesty, Prince Albert, and the Princess 
Royal returned to Windsor Castle from Claremont on 
Monduy last, and are quite well. The health of the Prince 
of Wales has considerably improved within the last few 
days. Prince Albert, attended by the Duke of Buc- 
cleuch and the gentlemen of his suite, came to town yes- 
terday, and transacted business at the office of the Duchy 
of Cornwall.—The Earl of Morton has succeeded Lord 
Rivers as the Lord in Waiting; and Colonel Drummond, 
of the Scots Fusileer Guards, has succeeded Mr. R. Ormsby 
Gore as the Groom in Waiting on her Majesty. The 
Duchess of Norfolk, who has been in attendance on her 
Majesty as Lady in Waiting, left the Castle on Thursday 
for Town, in consequence of the continued indisposition 
of the Duke of Norfolk, who had for several days been 
expected at the Castle. The Viscountess Canning has 
arrived at Windsor to take the duties of the Duchess of 
Norfolk as Lady in Waiting on her Majesty. 
Parliamentary Movemenis.—Lord Clive was on Mon- 
day elected without opposition member for North Shrop- 
shire, in the room of the present Lord Hill, elevat@® to 
the Peerage by the death of the late Commander-in-Chief. 
The sudden death of Col. Clements creates a vacancy for 
the County of Cavan; the Hon. Somerset Maxwell has 
issued an address to the electors, soliciting their votes in 
favour of the Hon. Capt. James Maxwell, of the 59th 
Regiment, and third brother of Lord Farnham, who is at 
present at Jersey with the depot of his regiment—An 
official summons has been issued by Lord John Russell, as 
leader of the Opposition, informing the Members of Oppo- 
sition that questions of importance affecting the state of 
the country will be brought forward at the commencement 
of the session.—Sir R. Peel gave his first Cabinet dinner 
on Tuesday, and has issued cards for the usual full-dress 
Parliamentary dinner on the Ist Feb., the day previous to 
the meeting of Parliament. 
FForeiqn. 
Francz.—The news from Paris is almost exclusively 
‘devoted to the discussion of the Right of Search, and to 
speculations both on the address and on the divisions to 
which it will give rise hereafter. The debates introductory 
to the Commission on the address, the members of which 
were nominated favourably to Ministers, are peculiarly 
interesting to English readers, since it is generally con- 
sidered that the abrogation of the Slave-trade treaties of 
1831.and 1833 would be a declaration of war between 
France and England. The arguments employed against 
the maintenance of the treaties of 1831 and 1833 are 
various. The extreme party would abolish them, from 
pure hostility to England. Others, like the members for 
the great seaports, oppose them, because they are the 
pretexts by which England secures her domination of the 
seas ; and the mildest foes of the treaties would abrogate 
them, because they threaten to produce collisions. The 
chief speakers against the treaties in the debate on the 
Commission were M. Barrot and M. Dupin. M. Barrot 
denied that the refusal to sign the treaty of 1841 was 
enough. The amendment voted by the last Chamber 
complained of the principle of the treaties of 1831 and 
1833, and the present Chamber could not sanction those 
treaties. He did not want to abrogate those treaties at 
once, or break with England: he merely wished for 
negotiation.. M. Dupin held the same language, and 
advised the Government to imitate the United States. 
M. Lanyer, a follower of Count Molé, went farther, and 
argued that England had broken the treaty of 1831. The 
9th article of that treaty obliged her to make efforts to 
induce all countries to join in the right of search. Instead 
of acting up to this article, Lord Ashburton abandoned it, 
and waived all such pretensions in his treaty with America. 
France was, therefore, doubly entitled to imitate not 
merely the United States, but England herself, which 
abandoned the principle of the treaty whenever she found it 
impracticable. M. Lacave Laplagne, Finance Minister, 
declared he had been against the treaty of 1841, and 
would gladly see that of 1831 repealed. But it could not 
be done unconstitutionally or unfairly. France herself 
had pressed the negotiation of the treaties. They had been 
ten years in course of execution before she complained, 
although the acts complained of had long taken place. 
There were seven instances of abuse complained of, and 
the way in which the English Government listened to and 
received those complaints, left no cause for saying that 
the spirit of the treaties would not be respected. M, 
Duchatel pleaded that the Government had done much 
in refusing to ratify the treaty of 1841, without bringing 
about any interruption of harmony between the powers. 
Their exertions had been confined to this. They had entered 
upon no negotiation with regard to the treaties of 1831 and 
1833. M. Guizot said that the treaties existed. They were 
not. perpetual in their nature, as they related to what was 
temporary, viz.) the Slave trade, When this has been 
suppressed, the treaties will cease of themselves. At pre- 
sent ‘they exist, and ought to be legally executed. He 
admitted that certain regulations, tending to prevent abuse, 
had been neglected. One of these was the annual con- 
vention, fixing the number of cruisers. This regulation 
would again be put in force. It was the subject of pending 
negotiation, which would prevent any abuse of the right 
of search.—This debate will show what is the prominent 
topic of French politics at this moment. There is no 
doubt that the Commission will introduce a paragraph, 
either suggesting an increased vigilance in the execution of 
the treaties, or expressive of the wish of the Chamber that 
the abrogation of the right of search principle may be 
accomplished by the means of negotiations. All the leading 
parties, however, disavow the notion of wishing a rupture 
with England by a demand for annulling the treaties of 
1831 and 1833 ; but the feeling is strong and universal for 
some arrangement similar to that concluded with the United 
States. Count Molé has declared that he is intimately 
convinced of the value and importance of the alliance 
between England and France ; and that, although opposed 
in principle to the right of search, as he was when for- 
merly Minister of Marine, still that he would religiously 
observe and execute all existing treaties. M. Thiers, 
also, although cautious in his language, manifests the 
desire that no attempt may be made to come into contact 
with European diplomacy by the attempt to break up 
solemn treaties by the expression of a legislative vote. 
—It appears that the Sugar Duties Bill will be the field of 
a serious attack upon the Government. The Chamber of 
Commerce of Paris has declared against the ministerial 
project, and adopted a report against the subject. It 
deprecates, as does the Journal des Débats, the sup- 
pression of the beet-root article, and insists on the 
equalization of duties at 40 francs on both sugars. M, 
Thiers will be the opponent of Ministers on this ques- 
tion, which, when the Right of Search is got rid of, 
will be the prominent topic of the ensuing session,— 
The Minister of Finance has laid before the Chamber of 
Deputies a comparative statement, showing the difference 
existing between the estimates of 1843 and the last 
budget voted under the restoration. According to that 
document, the increase in the receipts rose during the 
last 12 years to 361,576,999f., and the diminution to 
60,190,774f., leaving an augmentation of 301,386,225f. 
The augmentation in the expenditure, during the same 
period, has been 498,638,012f., and the diminution 
116,216,514f., which leaves a net increase of upwards of 
380,421,498f. The administration of Customs has also 
presented to the Chambers the general returns of the 
coasting trade during the year 1841. This trade occupied 
79,483 vessels, nayigated by 315,809 men, and measuring 
2,424,246 tons. The returns of the Excise taxes for 
1842 amounted to 751,257,000f. (30,000,000/.) As com- 
pared with those of 1840, they exhibit gn increase of 
68,622,000f. (2,720,000/.), and exceed those of 1841 by 
35,584, 000f, (1,440,000/.)—The Miscellaneous news may 
almost be disposed of ina single paragraph, Itis ru- 
moured that M, Lacave Laplagne, Minister of Finance, 
intends to retire because he is hostile to the treaties of 
1831 and 1833, and that the Minister of Marine has been 
authorized to establish armed factories on the coast of the 
Gambia. The Toulon papers state that the crew of 
H.M.’s {frigate Belvidera, Hon, Capt. Grey, were beaten 
in a rowing match in that harbour a few days since by the 
crew of the French line-of-battle ship Friedland. The 
statue voted by the Council-General of the Tarn to the 
memory of La Perouse has been cast at the foundry of 
M. St. Denis, with complete success. It is to be erected 
at Alby, the birthplace of the celebrated navigator. The 
struggle between Calais and Boulogne, as to which of the 
two towns should form the point of communication of the 
coast with the north line of rail-road, is said to have been 
decided by the Ponts et Chanssés in favour of Boulogne. 
_ SPAIN.—We have accounts from Madrid to the 9th 
inst. They state that the deputies of different political 
opinions had held frequent meetings in that capital for 
the purpose, no doubt, of preparing for the electoral 
contests which were to commence on the 10th March. 
The solemnity of Twelfth-day had attracted a large con- 
course of the nobility, ambassadors, and visitors to the 
Palace of Buena Vista, where the Regent received them 
on that day. Since the time of Ferdinand VII. no re- 
ception at.Court had been attended with so much éclat. 
The Regent replied to the address presented to him on the 
occasion by General Ferras, in the name of the National 
Guard, that his only desire was to promote the well-being 
of the nation, and that he had no other interest than that 
of defending liberty, the constitution of 1837, the throne 
of the Queen, and the independence of his country, After 
praising the patriotism displayed by the militia of Madrid 
in October, 1841, the Regent added :—‘‘ I am the chief 
of the State, the Regent of the kingdom, during the 
minority of our august Queen. In the course of twenty- 
two months her Majesty will have attained her majority, 
and my heart tells me that I shall then be able to say, 
‘Madam, on me devolves the glorious mission of com- 
mitting to your hands the destinies of a great and inde- 
pendent nation; so great, Madam, that not only is it 
respected, but dreaded, by foreign nations.’ My heart, 
I am sure, will not deceive me. This object once achieved, 
I will retire into private life, amidst my fellow-country- 
men: I have no other ambition. But if, when seated by 
my family fireside, I see the throne shaken, and the con- 
stitution we have sworn to maintain exposed to danger, 
I will again fly to their defence, offer my breast once more 
to our enemies, and sacrifice my life, if necessary, in order 
to save liberty, the throne of Isabel II., and the constitu- 
tion.” The Regent was interrupted here by the enthu- 
siastic applause of the National Guards. He then re- 
sumed :—'‘ Nationals ! Such are the sentiments of a true 
Spaniard. Should the enemies of our glory and our 
liberty attempt to tarnish the honour of that soldier, of 
the Spaniard who now addresses you, I authorize you to 
tell them that they are vi//anos and traitors, and that you 
have read the heart of a man who knows no deceit. Time 
passes over rapidly: time will show the sincerity of that 
citizen-soldier, of that old Spaniard, who desires nothing 
beyond the glory of his country.” ‘This speech was re- 
ceived with the most deafening vivas, and the chief of 
battalion of the artillery of the National Guard, 
M. Villabriga, having stepped forward, protested, in 
the name of his comrades, that if there existed men 
so insane as to meditate projects against his life, 
he might depend on all the National Guards of 
Madrid sacrificing their lives in defence of his person. 
Since this took place, the officers of the National Guard 
have presented an address to Government, praying for the 
adoption of measures against the calumnies of the daily 
press against the Regent. The National Guard of Madrid 
are its citizens ; its officers are elected by those citizens, 
and hence this document is virtually a protest of all the 
citizens of the capital against the journalsof the same 
city. In State affairs there is nothing new, except the 
daily increasing conviction that the French Court is 
busily engaged in secret negotiations respecting Spain. 
It is believed that Louis Philippe and Queen Christina 
are at this moment negotiating, at Vienna, the marriage 
of Queen Isabella with the eldest son of Don Carlos, and 
that Prince Metternich is disposed to give his sanction to 
the scheme.—Letters from Barcelona of the 8th inst. 
state, that the greatest effervescence prevailed in that city 
in consequence of the bundo issued by the municipality at 
the desire of the new Captain-General. Not more than 
27 citizens had, in compliance with the General’s injunc- 
tion, presented themselves to pay their quota of the 
extraordinary contribution, of which only about 8,000/. 
had as yet been collected, leaving no less than 112,0000. 
to be paid up. Many of the inhabitants were determined 
to leave the city rather than obey the orders of the autho- 
rities; and others had resolved on opposing passive 
resistance, and allowing their property to be seized, sooner 
than submit to the exaction. The rebuilding of the 
citadel was proceeding very rapidly, and so desirous were 
the military authorities to accelerate its completion, that 
the works were not even interrupted on Sundays and 
other holydays, which is very unusual in Spain, where the 
Sabbath is strictly observed. 
PorruGaL.—We have advices from Lisbon to the 9th 
January, and letters and journals from Madeira by the 
same packet to the 23d December. The Chambers at 
Lisbon had been occupied with routine business and the 
verification of the late elections. The Ministers were 
submitting to the Chambers a statement of the various 
measures adopted by them during the recess, preparatory 
to the proposition of a bill of indemnity, and the Queen’s 
speech had not yet been taken into consideration. The 
French and English line-of-battle ships still remained 
watching each other, Commodore Sir Charles Napier 
returned to England by this packet.—The _brig-of-war 
Don Pedro had arrived from Madeira at Lisbon with the 
report of the commission on the subject of tariff reduc- 
tions, which the Government was expected to adopt. 
Were it not for the unusually large number of 400 English 
invalids and strangers now wintering at Funchal, and 
spending large sums of money, the shops, and even the 
Custom-house, would be closed, and the island literally 
ruined, The weather had fortunately continued fine. 
GrrmMany.—From Berlin we learn that the King of 
Hanover arrived there on the 10th, from Dessau. On the 
previous day the Crown Prince set out for Altenburg to 
spend a short time with his bride; and it is expected that 
the King will join him there before his. return to 
Hanover, The Prussian Government lately issued an 
ordinance against the Leipsic Allgemeine Zeitung, not 
only prohibiting its circulation in Prussia, but at the 
same time prohibiting the forwarding of the Paper 
through any Prussian post-office. The number of sub- 
scribers in Prussia is estimated at 2,400, in addition to 
which all the subscribers in Mecklenburg, Hambargh, 
Hanover, Frankfort, &c., who were accustomed to receive 
the paper through the Prussian Post-office, will hence- 
forth be prevented from receiving it. Under these cir- 
cumstances the decree will have the effect of completely 
extinguishing the paper. The reason which drew down 
upon it so severe a measure of anger, was the publication of 
a letter from the poet Herwegh to the King of Prussia, a let- 
ter which is spoken of on all sides as having been couched 
in highly indecorous language, but which Herr Herwegh 
himself declares was published without his consent, and 
contrary to his wish. Itseems that he is a young man, a 
