THE WAR.—It appears that the hostilities against Russia are to be carried out on a much larger and grander scale by the Allied Powers, and the Paris Moniteur of the 6th inst. announces that the French and British Governments have agreed in the adoption of all the measures of precaution which the present war may render necessary. With this object the Emperor has decided on the formation of two camps. The first of 100,000 men, will be established between Montreuil and St. Omer, and the second of 50,000, near Marseilles.
The English Government, on its side, says the Moniteur, are preparing troops and a fleet capable of transporting, in case of necessity, the forces necessary in the Baltic or Black seas. The Times hints that both Revel and Helsingfors are to be occupied, and the Gulf of Finland completely closed, till an attack on Cronstadt can be organized. In the Black Sea a descent upon the Crimea, and the capture of Sebastopol, will be effected, and the Crimea held by the allied armies. There is scarcely a doubt that this is a correct programme of the intended operations. The formation of the northern camp is supposed to be also a demonstration against Prussia.
A telegraphic dispatch from Constantinople of the 27th April, states that the French Ambassador having insisted that the united Greek Catholics should be permitted to remain in Turkey, a serious misunderstanding arose and Gen. Baraguay d'Hilliers prepared to leave Constantinople when the Porte yielded. The Sultan was seriously indisposed.
The Turks are about to blockade Greece.
The policy of the Shah of Persia appears to have become hostile to Russia. He claims the restoration of the ancient provinces, and was putting in force an army of 50,000 men.
THE BALTIC FLEETS.—COPENHAGEN, Monday Evening, May 8.—The British fleet has been re-inforced by Prince Regent 90, and Cumberland 70, both just arrived from England, with French liner Austerlitz, 100, in company. They sailed from Elfsnabben on Thursday morning. The French squadron did not anchor in Wingo Sound, but proceeded immediately up the Baltic to join the British fleet.
By the arrival at Halifax of the Cunard steamship America on Wednesday we have three days later intelligence from Europe. The news is interesting. An alliance, offensive and defensive, between Sweden and the allied powers, was on the point of being concluded, and it is reported that Spain, Portugal and Piedmont were about to join the western powers. The British frigate Amphion got ashore off Revel, and it was reported that the captain and crew were made prisoners. Particulars of the bombardment of Odessa are given. Fourteen Russian merchantmen had been captured in the Black Sea.
The bombardment of Odessa seems to have been more serious than it was believed from the first Vienna telegraph. Though no great damage has been done to the city, it is still of the most serious significance; it is a hard blow upon the Russian prestige, and makes any further negotiation impossible. Vienna was seriously alarmed at the news, since it now cannot be doubted that the western powers are indeed seriously at war with Russia, and Austria will soon be forced to declare either for the Czar, or for the Anglo-French Alliance, though Francis Joseph is well aware that in either case he is lost; it is as Prince Metternich said, the choice between death by apoplexy and death by consumption.
Turkey is on the verge of destruction, either by war or by diplomacy, either by Russia or by the allies.
Sweden seems inclined to take part in the war, and may soon declare against the Czar. Under such circumstances it is quite astonishing that there are yet people who do not believe that we have arrived at the threshold of the great European conflagration.
The new proposal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to raise the income tax once more, is sure to create considerable ill feeling in England, but the increase of the duty on spirits and malt, which has a tendency to diminish drunkenness, is less objectionable. On the whole, the public is not satisfied with these measures, since they thought that the war would be short, and that therefore the pressure would not be lasting, but now they begin to see that we are only at the commencement of a long series of sacrifices.
Austria is said to have succeeded in contracting a loan in Frankfurt by transferring her rail-roads to the contractors, Messrs. Rothschild, as a security for the loan amounting to $17,000,000.
From Panama, we have intelligence of a revolutionary movement in Bogota, which has created great excitement throughout the country. President Obando and his ministers were arrested by Gen. Melo on the 17th ult., and a new Provincial Government established.