The Cunard steamship Europa arrived at New York about 7 o'clock on Saturday morning. She left Liverpool on Saturday, Feb. 11, at about 10 o'clock in the forenoon. She brings advices from London (by telegraph) and Liverpool of that date.
OPERATIONS ON THE DANUBE.—Two or three Americans (names not mentioned,) a Wallachian General, and several Swedish and French officers, had arrived at head-quarters to take service with the Porte. Considerable re-enforcements were on march from Sophia for Kalafat, where there is already assembled an army of 25,000 men, provided with a numerous and excellent train of artillery. Total Russian force at the present moment, both in the Principalities and in Bessarabia, 156,328 men, with 520 cannon, of which 72 are of large caliber. The allied fleets having taken on board fresh provisions, were to re-enter the Black Sea on the 28th January.
FRANCE.—From Vienna it is said that the Emperor Napoleon has, in an autograph letter, made a last appeal to the good sense of the Czar. Prince Napoleon, is said to be enthusiastically in favor of active land operations to support the Turks, in which event he would probably receive a command.
In every department of the public service warlike preparations go on unceasingly. At the military schools the troops are exercised in operations of attack, passage of rivers, &c. The recently enrolled recruits have extra drills twice a day, and the officers are put under examination by their superiors. The corps of artillery and cavalry are undergoing similar preparations. At L'Orient all the artificers of the arsenal, and carpenters are employed in making wooden cases for the new description of projectile called boulets asphyxiants,—hollow balls filled with a composition that stifles those among whom it falls. Admiral Bruat's squadron sailed from Brest, 6th instant, toward the coast of Africa. Letters state that he has orders to embark from Algeria a first division of 10,000 men who have already been organized by Gen. Pelissier.
The British contingent for the defense of Turkey will amount to 20,000 men with 40 guns; 250 picked men in each battalion are to be armed with Minie rifles, and brigade commands will be conferred on young colonels. The naval preparations are carried on with the greatest vigilance.
The period of forty days allotted by the Porte for the acceptance, by Russia, of the terms of adjustment proposed by the Four Powers and assented to by the Turkish Cabinet, expired on Thursday, Feb 8, and the Porte or its allies are fully justified in taking, without further notice, such measures as they may deem necessary in opposition to the Czar.
Advices from Constantinople state that the French and English Admirals had fixed the period of 15 days from the 27th of January, for the Russian vessels to return to their harbors in the Black Sea.
A camp for 40,000 men is being prepared at a place six miles from Constantinople, on the banks of the Sea of Marmora.
In Asia, Gen. Guyon had resumed offensive operations against the Russians.
Dates from Bucharest of Feb. 1, state that the Russians have 60,000 men before Kalafat, and that the Emperor has given orders to drive the Turks out of Lesser Wallachia without loss of time.
St. Petersburg, 3d.—Since Count Orloff's departure, great animation has prevailed, but matters wear a sombre and warlike aspect.
LONDON, Feb. 13.—It is confidently announced that a manifesto, signed by Nesselrode, is shortly expected at Vienna, in which Russia will announce to the world her final intentions.
THE EASTERN WAR.—A letter from Trebizond of the 14th, states that Shamyl, at the head of 10,000 Circassians was marching against Zakatila, an important military position of the Russians.
It is reported that Lord Raglan is to have the chief command of the allied forces, and that the duke of Cambridge, Earl of Cardigan, Generals Evans and Brotherton are to have appointments.
According to letters from Krajova, the bad weather has alone prevented the Russians from attacking Kalafat. The investing army has made a movement in advance, but active operations will not begin before March, when the fordage for crossing the Danube will be ready.
Three Russian regiments one of which is the Chasseurs of Odessa, have been so cut up that they must be completely reorganized before they can again take the field.
Up to the 27th the Russian corps had formed a semicircle, the extent of which was about 36 English miles, around the Turkish position at Kalafat.
The French Government continues its preparations with great activity, and orders have been dispatched from Paris for the Brest fleet to put to sea at once, and it is understood that the Admiral in command was under orders from the Minister of Marine to proceed to Toulon, Algiers, and Civita, Vecchia, for the purpose of embarking the troops which are to form the French expeditionary force to Turkey.
THE NEBRASKA BILL.—At the last session of Congress, a bill for the organization of the territory of Nebraska, passed the House of Representatives with an overwhelming majority. This bill was based on the principle of excluding Slavery from the new territory. It was not taken up for consideration in the Senate, and consequently failed to become a law.
At the present session a new Nebraska bill has been reported by the Senate Committee on Territories, which, should it unhappily receive the sanction of Congress, will open all the unorganized territory of the Union to the ingress of Slavery.'
There was an act passed in 1820, called the Missouri Compromise, which forever prohibited Slavery from all the territory acquired from France north of 36 deg. 30 min. This bill declares that act repealed, and thus exposes the country to the admission of Slavery. It was thought that by the compromise of 1850, known as the 'Fugitive Slave Law,' the agitation of the slavery question was settled; but it is now revived again in its worst form. The greatest excitement prevails in regard to it, throughout the country. Politicians speak of it as an act which 'menaces the freedom of our institutions and the permanency of our Union.' They speak of it as 'well calculated to awaken the worst apprehensions, and the most fearful forbodings of future calamity.' They warn the people 'that the dearest interests of Freedom and the Union are in imminent peril.' Certain it is, that it is a question which will not be easily settled.