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text of these had been carefully compared , the Plenipotentiaries pi-oceeded to affix their signatures to the end of the treaty . Count Walewski , as President of the Congress , signed first , and the other Plenipotentiaries in the alphabetical order of their respective countries . Although the mere act of affixing their signatures occupied the Plenipotentiaries but a very brief portion of time , the whole of the formality of signing lasted nearly two hours , as the Plenipotentiaries , in addition to their signatures at the bottom of each protocol , had
to affix their initials to the different paragraphs , the whole number of such minor signatures being , it is said , 'thirty-eight . The Plenipotentiaries of each contracting Power signed first the copy reserved for tlieir Government , and then the other Plenipotentiaries signed in alphabetical order . In this manner , each contracting Power figuring at the head of the signatures of the copy which it is to ratify , all difficulties as to etiquette or precedency were set aside . To each signature was immediately attached the private seal of each Plenipotentiary . " Some particulars of the final act of the Plenipotentiaries are given by the Times Paris correspondent : — " A council of ministers was held at the Tuileries at half-past eleven o'clock on Sunday , and remained sittingtill aquarter-past twelve . The Emperor presided , and gave his last instructions , and Count Walewski returned to his official residence to receive the Plenipotentiaries . They appeared in full uniform , and wore all their orders and decorations . They assembled iu the Salle des Conferences before half-past twelve , and , after the treaty was read over , proceeded
the Sardinian Government , at the request of the Emperor Napoleon , and presented to bis Majesty . He made some further remarks in the same sense , and again entreated the Congress to talce the question into consideration , as , if they did not , he feared that , before two years have passed away , the Italian question would force itself on the attention of Europe . These particulars cannot , of course , be absolutely depended on , and it is doubtful whether , even if the conversation took place , it will be recorded in the minutes of the sittings . It is thought that the rather warm discussion which ensued on the introduction of the Prussian Plenipotentiaries will be omitted . We read in the Mcniteur : — " The Emperor has just decided that the soldiers of the class of 1848 who have hitherto been kept in service , in virtue of the Army Recruitiug Bill of the 21 st of March , 1832 , shall be sent back to their homes . The Minister of War has given orders for this liberation to be immediately carried out . "
to sign it in the same alphabetical order in which they have been wont to take their places during the conferences . Crowds of people had been out from an early hour , as it was known that something important was to ' occur , and numerous groups of speetatoi'a gathered on the quays opposite and close to the Foreign-office to see the Plenipotentiaries pass . These "were received , both on going and returning , Avith marks of great ; respect from the people . The moment the signatures were completed , the expected signal was given , and the cannon from the esplanade of the Invalides proclaimed the news before the Plenipotentiaries had quitted the hall .
' The so-imich , discussed treaty of peace , then , is signed at last , and signed on the anniversary of a great event . On the same day forty-two years ago , was fought the battle of Paris , the last act of the great drama of which Europe was the theatre ; and on the following clay the Russians entered the capital , and dictated terms of peace where now their Ambassadors have eoine to ask for it . The next day , which many still remember as cold , sombre , and cheerless , the allies entered Paris . That France is now able , in concert with her Allies , to dictate peace to Russia may bo considered as full satisfaction for the past ; and I am not quite sure that it was without design that the 30 th of March was selected for the occasion .
• ' Orders have been sent to the transport squadron at Toulon to be ready to proceed to the Black Sea to bring home the troops . "I alluded some time since to au idea long familiar to the Emperor , of a Congress in Paris on the general state of Europe , with a view to certain modifications . The real object , perhaps , is to efface in some measxire the Congress of Vienna . I believe it has been comnumionted to the English Government , but has been coldly received . The Einpei-or ' s tenacity in such matters is well known , and , though the plan may bo postponed , I doubt whether it is entirely abandoned . "
By the same authority we are told that Count Cavour , backed by England and France , and even by Russia , hus obtained ( at least such is the current story ) the concession that Sardinian vessels , on entering or quitting the Danube , shall suffer no impediment . This demand wns resisted by Count Buol ; but he was obliged to accede . 'Vhe Sardinian Plenipotentiary also , it is stated , drew attention to the state of Italy , and insisted on the danger of lctvving so important a question open . He complained more especially of the occupation of part of Italy by foreign troops , stationed there for the purpose of repressing reforms . Count Buol disputed , the propriety of introducing such a
subject before a Congress " intended for the discussion , not of the Italian , but of the Eastern question . Ho also denied the right of Count Cavour to speak iu the numo of Italy , since ho was only the representative of Sardinia ; and to Count Oavour ' s argument that ho had us much right to speak in the name of Ital y as Count Buol had to answer for the whole of Germany , the latter replied that tho instances were not parallel , since there ia a confederation among tho German , states , of which Austria is tho principal , while such does not exist in Italy . The Sardinian Minister remarked that the observations which , ho contended , he had a ri ^ ht to make , wore nothing more than the development of a memorandum which had been drown i * p by
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THE WIND-UP OF THE WAR . Tereible Fihe jnd Loss of Life near Sebastoroi ,. —William Russell has again resumed his post in the Crimea ; and one of the first things he has had to chronicle has been a dreadful . catastrophe on the slope above Kadikoi . Some huis there are occupied loy men of the Commissariat Works Corps . On the night of the 17 th of . March , an alarm of fire was given , and assistance . lmrried . to the spot . " Several huts , " writes Mr . Russell , " were in flame 3 , and , notwithstanding the utmost exertions of English and Sardinian troops , they were entirely consumed . Sixteen bodies were taken from among the ashes , and lay . side . by side in horrible array during the whole of the following- , afternoon . Recognition was out of the question . Had one of the corpses been met lying by the roadside , it would probably have been . passed . unheeded as a charred log-. Most effectually , indeed , had the fire done its terrible work . The massive frames of these strong men were shrunk and shrivelled into mere cinders . None exceeded two feet in length , * the limbs had disappeared , or , at most , in same cases , did stumps , mere vestiges of legs and arms , remain . The entrails , hearts , and lungs were , in some of the bodies , exposed ; but they were bxirut as black as coals . Onlyliere aud ( . here a red tinge appeared . On the left of the ghastly line , a few fragments of burnt bones were heaped together ( they might have
belonging to the 89 th Regiment , staying with her children at South Shields , not having heard from her husband for many months , and hearing of Miss Nightingale , was induced to write to that excellent lady , begging of her to communicate , if possible , some information of her husband . She received a reply , commencing " Dear Mrs . Lawrence , " and communicating , in terms of great sympathy and kindness , the fact of the poor man's death , as far back as February 20 th , 1855 , about the time when the mortality at Scutari reached it 3 height . On that day , eighty men were buried . Some directions to the widow for obtaining her pension are annexed . The Health of the French Army is rapidly improving . Several well-ventilated huts are being erected on elevated spots .
been contained in a handkerchief ) , and at first it was supposed that these were the remnants of a seventeenth body ; but it is now believed that they were merely detached bones aud morsels of limbs belonging to the sixteen sufferers . OF course " Accidental death" was the verdict of the inquest held . Fourteen of the victims belonged to the Commissariat Works Corps ; it has not been ascertained positively who the other two were , but it is said that they were men of the Army Works Corps , who had been passing the evening with their friends . It is not easy to ascertain with anything like certainty the origin of the misfortune . The first report concerning it was that the men were intoxicated ( it was St . Patrick ' s night , and there- was not a little drinking going ou ) , and that tho smoke had suffocated without awakening them . Contradictory accounts have since been spread , and probably the exact truth will nover bo known ; but men who were iu the huts , aud escaped , declare that thoir unfortunate comrades wore certainly not under tho influence of liquor . " fini fJEonciE M , voi . eax has left the Crimea for England , owing to ill health . In Honour or the Iiu'eiuax Phinoe , tho French , Engliah , and Sardinian armies , and tho fleeta , fired salutes of 101 guns each on the morning of tho 23 rd ult . "During tho day , " says Marshal PeliaBior , "tho Commanclorfl-in-Chiof of the English and Sardinian armies enmo officially to offer mo thoir congratulations . There have boon illuminations in tho camps ; and the Russians illuminated their liuo at Inkcrmunn . " The AnausnciK . — Tho officora of tho two arcniioa ,
who wore present at tho interview for signing the armistice , brought wino , and drank to tho reconciliation , ia tho mid Hi of loud ohcorf ) , tho signal for which was given by a Russian ofHoor , who drank to tho health of tho Zonavo who hud wounded him , Tun Emiusu Mudai , to tiiis Fiusnoii Soldikus . — Murwhal 1 'olinaier ban issued tho nubjoinod arltlroan to hihj army : — "Soldiors , —A modal hu » boon instituted by tho Quoen of England in commemoration of the Avar in tho Crimea , That auguut ally of our Emperor Iiixb awarded this to you iib a proof ' of tho vuluo uho placos upon tho many hardships and diuigora you have tthurod in common with her own floldiorn . You arc about to rcooivo thin noble dintinctiou—a murk on your broawtwof tho glorious and fraternal uohiuvomonts of twenty fights and an ovar-momomblo aiogo . Return to your homes . Thin uiodul will bo a rooord , in tho most occluded parifahoH , of tho alliimooof two yroat nations . " Miss ISriawriNQALifl . —Tho wife of a private eoldior ,
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Monday , Mcorc 7 t 31 st . The House of Commons resumed its sittings , after the Easter recess , on Monday . The House op Lobds did not meet . The Daily News records that " considerable excitement prevailed , and an unwonted gathering of members was presented shortly after the commencement of the sitting , some Ministerial statement respecting the just-concluded treaty of peace being anxiously anticipated After the usual transaction of private business , aud the presentation , of some petitions , the first order of the clay , for going into Committee of Supply , was pxit from the chair , and agreed to without a word of comment or explanation , to the evident disappointment of the crowded house . Lord Palmerston , who had previously been absent , entered shortly aftei- the Speaker had left the chair , and 3 iis entrance caused some slight commotion . " ¦ ' . . .
COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY . A discussion arose on the Civil Service Estimates . The first vote submitted was . £ 195 , 141 for the royal palaces and public buildings . To this , Mr . W . Wiir ijams objected , on the ground of the large increase in the amount as-compared : with , former years—an increase which was denied by Sir Benjamin Haix . Ia the discussion on that part of the vote which had reference to the repair of Glasgow Cathedral , Mr . Gladstone complained of the . charge for admission levied at that cathedral , as well as at others . He thought such charges should be abolished . After some further discussion , the vote was agreed to , with a reduction of £ 5 . 50 , The second vote , which was for £ 7 , 868 , for works , gas , lighting , and warming the south front of Buckingham Palace , was agreed to without discussion .
Some resistance , on the ground of extravagance , was offered by Sir Henry WjxlotJghby ; and others to the third vote , £ 91 , 684 , for royal parks , pleasure grounds , &c . Mr . Bowyer moved that the sum do not exceed . £ 69 , 514 ; bat , on a division , this was negatived by 119 to 35 . Some other attempts at reduction were also successfully resisted ; and the vote was finally adopted , with a reduction of £ 2 , 570 , for making a road from Hotyrood to Duddiugstone , which was postponed On the vote for £ 52 , 540 for works , -it the new Houses of Parliament , some particulars wore elicited with respect to the further expenses of that building . Sir Benjamin Hau , said that his predecessor , tho late Sir William Molesworth , made a report to the House
on January 9 , 1855 , m which it was stated that the sum required to complete the building from that date would bo £ 280 , 272 . He ( Sir Benjamin Hall ) had every reason to believe that that sum would be sufficient ; but ho afterwards added that it would only suffice fur the works in actual propjresis . At the beginning of tho session , Mr . Spoonor had asked him if he ( Sir Bonjainiu ) had given any sanction to tho further plann of ( Sir Charles Barry . His reply to that ; question was , that ho had not , and that ho should not until the works which had boon commenced woro completed . The now plans were of a very olabomto character * ami it would coat £ 500 , 000 or , £ 800 , 000 to carry them into effect . {( J / icenu )—Mr . Wilson' gavo some details of tho terms whioh have boon odorori to Sir
Gluu'lod Carry . Whou tho osLimnUvs for tho now Houses woro first taken they woro for about . C 700 , 000 , and Lord Bensborough , Mjou tho Fhvjfc CoininiaHioiior of AVorkw , sofctlod thai ; tho arohitool ; ( should receive £ 25 , 000 . It soon boouiuo appurout , howover , that tho buildings would coat nearer throe times the original estimate , and Sir Chariot ) Barry had gmio on from timo to tiiuo receiving payments on account . The Bum Lord BosHborouyh proponed to allow tho iirohUoofc was about throe poroonl ; . ; and tho Tronsury , to allow Sir
therefore , proposed Chariots Barry three per cent , upon tho whole cost ; of tho building , whatever that lni ^ ht bo . Sir Churl ob , however , had rofiiatoil that proposal , au . l ho continued to resist itto > thi » day . Thou < v quoiitiou had ariuoa with regard to payment , for mciuiuremont . That wiva not a very Kaltafaotory mode of payment ; but tho Troiusury hadl eventually propoNuu U allow Sir CltarloH one per cent , upon tho whole coat of thowo portions of the work wujch woro capable of measurement . Tho Bums which h « d been tulvimoed to Sir Charles Barry to
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April 5 . 1856 . 1 THE LEADER . 315
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IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT .
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Leader (1850-1860), April 5, 1856, page 315, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2135/page/3/
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