The Principality

FKANCE. The Electoral Bill having been read a second time on "Wednesday, will be read a third time on Tuesday, and will therefore be passed before the end of the week. It will be published on the 17th inst., after which forty days are allowed for the registration and the settlement of objections. The election will therefore take place about the 1st of May, and the new Assembly will meet somewhere between the 20th and the 25th. 01 The approaching trial at Bourges of the parties accused of exciting the insurrection of the 15th May, begins to occupy much attention. The number of witnesses are said to be 2,193.. The marriage of General Cavaignac with Madame Bauden, widow of the former Receiver-General and banker of that name, is talked of in the fashionable circles of Paris. Ma- dame Bauden possesses a private fortune of 3,000,000 francs ( £ 120,000), -.iii il the hotel in the Rue de Varennee, which the Goneral occupied when he was chief of the Executive power, belongs to that lady.

RESTORATION OF THE POPE. It is said that the President of the Republic has come to the conclusion that France should take a decided initiative in the restoration of the Pope to his spiritual and temporal authority. In a council held on Saturday evening, it was decided that France should intervene directly, with the con- currence of the other Catholic Powers, on the first appeal of the Sovereign Pontiff. Orders had been given to concentrate troops about Tonlon and Marseilles, to be ready.

PRUSSIA. OPENING OF THE PRUSSIAN CHAMBERS. BERLIN, FEB. 26.—The new Chambers were opened this morning by the King in person. The Patriot says, that the speech of the King, on opening the new Legislative Chambers, is chiefly remarkable for the emphatic reference to the confidence which he reposes in the organisation, bravery, and devotion of the army. His Majesty signifies the willingness of Prussia to make all necessary sacrifices" for "a closer union of the States of Germany irt one federal State;" adding: "The path to- wards an agreement between all the German Princes and the National Assembly at Frankfort has already been en- tered upon, and the efforts of my Government will continue to b8 directed to insure it." A hope is likewise expressed, of a speedy and satisfactory adjustment of the disputes be- tween the Central Government of Germany and Denmark. On the subject of strictly domestic affairs, the royal speech is not communicativc, because, perhaps, there is little certain to communicate but we are told, that the preparatory measures for realising the independence of various religious congregations, as provided by the draught of the Constitu- tion, have been taken, and will be proceeded with as rapidly a the importance of the question will permit." The Cham- bers are scarcely yet in order of battle.

ROME. The Constitntionnel announces as official, that the Pope lias claimed the collective intervention of Austria, Spain, -i-, and France to re-establish the former Government at Home. Count Martini, the Sardinian Minister at Gaeta, has received an official notification of this demand of inter- vention from the Cardinal Secretary of State. The King of Sardinia has been painfully affected at the exclusion of which lie has been the object on the part of the Pope, particularly as he was the first amongst the Catholic powers to off or his mediation, or even his army, to restore the Sovereign Pon- tiu before the proclamation of the Republic at Rome. The Sardinian Cabinet, however, had addressed to all the mem- bers of the corps diplomatique present at Turin a protest against such an intervention. The news of the protest tendered by the Cabinet of Turin to all the European powers, against the intervention of Austria, Sjxain, Naples, and France, for the purpose of rein- suiting the Pope, to the exclusion of the King of Sardinia, is fully confirmed. The Pope took the resolution on the unani- mous and frequently reiterated advice of the members of the Slici-ed College, united in a secret consistory at Gaeta. In that consistory the Cardinals, after submitting to the Pope the imperious necessity of having recourse to foreign inter- vention to put an end to the anarchy existing at Rome, and to the pillage which the revolutionists were committing on the patrimony of the Church, as well as to the pillage of the ga icric-s of the Belvidere and other collections of the works of the ancient masters, laid down as a principle that the po ;e ought to call in the aid of the Catholic powers who exorcise the right of veto on the election of the Sovereign Pontiff, and who are therefore considered as the natural protectors of the Holy See. These powers are France, Austria, Spain, and Portugal; but on account of the great distance of the last of these powers, and the natural commo- tions of which it is the victim, Portugal was omitted, and Names, which has been always considered by the Roman Court as a fief of the Pope's, taken in its stead. Besides these motives, the offer of King Ciiarles Albert was looked upon with the greater jealousy by the Sacred College, because the Sardinian Cabinet only proposed an amicable mediation between the Pope and the Revolutionists of Rome, while the Sacred College demanded assistance with arms. In the sitting of the Assembly of the 18th, the last protes- tation of the Pope was read, and received with a unanimous cry of Iiivc the Republic A deputation of the clubs and secret societies of Paris have left for Rome, together with a certain number of retired oiBeers, who are going to drill the new Republican militias of Central Italy.

THE UNITED STATES. LIVERPOOL, SATURDAY.—The ship Wisconsin, Captain Muuford, which arrived to-day, has put us in possession of accounts from Now York to t:ie 14th uit. The accounts from California are exciting, but deplorable. The dates from San Francisco are to the 25th of December. The following extracts contain the pith of the intelligence :— Since I last wrote to you, affairs have been getting worse. We have no government, either civil or military, and the country is full of lawless men, who are committing the most shocking outrages. Murders and robberies are of daily, and I might almost say, of hourly occurrence. Not an account occurs from the north, south, or the interior, but notifies the commu- nity of new acts of villany which go unpunished. Within six weeks more than twenty murders have occurred in a white population of less than 15,000 souls. The people are now acting in self-defence; and four or live days since three men were hung by Lynch law, sixty miles from this place; The United States revenue laws are now in force here, and will yield an income of say 450,000 dollars the ensuing year, and perhaps more, and four-fifths of this amount will be collected at this port. Much dissatisfaction exists at the payment of such a tax on the part of the inhabitants without either a Government or a representation. This feeling is gaining ground from day to day." 0 Z, The gold mines continue to be as rich as before, although the rainy season has caused many to suspend their work. There can be no doubt that at least 4,000,000 dollars of gold, at sixteen dollars per ounce troy, has been taken from the mines."

SURRENDER OF MOULTAN". BLOODY BATTLE ON THE JHELUM. The siege of Moulta is at an end, and rhe Dewan Moolraj surrendered unconditionally, with his whole force, on the 22nd of January, as stated in the official notification. Prac- ticable breaches having been effected, the troops were about to storm the citadel of Monltan. From the banks of the Jhelum intelligence is less satis- factory. A most sanguinary battle had been fought by the army under Lord Gough but though victory ultimately crowned the valour of our troops, the results were so unde- cisive that the Sikhs were encamped in greater force than ever within four miles of the British camp. Attock, also, has been surrendered to the Affghans, and its gallant de- fender, Lieutenant Herbert, is in the hands of Cliuttur Singh. Captain Abbott is still at large. Major and Mrs. Law- rence continue in the power of the rebels. An account of an expedition against a strong stockaded position in the Baree Doab, by the force under Brigadier Wheeler, is con- tained in Indian papers. The British took the place, but lost one officer (Lieutenant Christie, of the 7th Light Cavalry) killed, and two or three wounded. Ram Sing and his Sikhs escaped. The Bombay Telegraph and Courier gives an account of the carnage at Russool:—"Another murderous conflict has occurred on the left bank of the Jhelum, near, or, as some say, on, the identical spot which two thousand years ago formed the battle of Alexander and Porus. The British have to deplore the loss of at least 93 officers and 2,500 men killed and wounded, four guns captured, and four or five regimental colours taken by the enemy. The struggle ter- minated in victory, but was disgraced by the flight of a Bengal cavalry regiment, and the retreat of two British corps of dragoons-a struggle which left both the contending hosts so weak and shattered that it was doubtful which had sustained the greater injury from the conflict, and which had so few of the badges of triumph for the victors, that their opponents took up a new position, and fired a salute in honour of its termination. Two more such victories would be virtual ruin. Lord Gough, with his army, was encamped at Janiki, waiting the fall or surrender of Moultan. The siege opera- tions, however, proceeding more slowly than was antici- pated, and circumstances appearing to lender further delay inadvisable, the Commander-in-Chief determined on attack- ing Shere Singh's position. The long inaction of his lord- ship's army was beginning to exercise a prejudicial influence on the minds of the natives in the Jetch Doab, and it was also expected Chutter Singh would shortly join his son with a strong force, so that it became important, if fighting Was the resolve, to fight without delay. The British troops moved from their position on the 9th January, and took up jiew ground at a place {;aUodLn"o(wpp, nhout five miles to the right, and two miles to the front, of their former, camp. Having been joined on the 11th by Brigadier Penny, with the 6th Brigade of Infantry, and having on the same day- undergone an inspection by the Commander-in-Chief, the whole force moved, on the morning of the 12th, from Lu- sooree to Dinghee. Next morning orders were issued for a further advance, which it was clear must bring our troops in contact with the enemy. About eleven a.m. the force came upon one of the out- posts of the enemy, and were fired upon from a slight emi- nence above the rest of the jungle, which, though there in dense small patches, admitted of an easy passage between the masses. Heavy guns (ten, we believe,) with three horse batteries, were ordered to the front to clear the ground, an operation of not more than five or ten minutes, the enemy retreating with their guns, but lr>< tents The column again advanced ovt.. lip Sikh picquet had been posted b.J 'V* the direction of Russool, the commander changed the plan, brought up the right, uep- t t d bL infantry line in front generally of the position ay ^ioong, thus-showing the Sikhs their strong post at as no n longer threatened. No enemy being in sight, though their camp was in full view, distant between two or three miles, the order was given for marling out the British camp for the dav, and the colour-men were actually engaged in this duty, when about two p.m. a round shot or two from the enemy, which flew over the line of demarkation of the camp, fell close to the Commander-in-Chief, showing that the place was by no means eligible for a halt. Lord Gough deter- mined at once on attacking, without a reconnoissance where the strength of the enemy actually lay, and without making the smallest preliminary arrangements for the advance. After a cannonade of between one and two hours, the left, or Brigadier-General Campbell's division, were directed to make a flank movement, and in obeying exposed their own flank to a dreadful cross fire from Sikh batteries on their left, which had not been observed, and on the 3rd and 4th Brigades, the latter being considerably in advance on the occasion, ultimately reaching the guns, they were met by such a tremendous fire that they were obliged to retire with a loss, in her Majesty's 24th Foot, more severe than any it has ever fallen to the lot of a regiment in India to suffer in the field (we do not, of course, include the Kabul massacre). As soon as it was known that these two brigades were en- gaged, the 5th was sent against the centre of what was sup- posed to be the enemy's line, and advanced, under Brigadier Mountain, in the most undaunted manner, through the jungle in the face of a fire (a storm), first of round shot, then grape, and lastly musketry, which mowed down officers and men by dozens. Still they advanced, and on reaching the guns spiked every one in front, and two others on the left, which had subsequently opened a flank fire on them; but the Sikhs no sooner saw they were deprived of the use of their guns, r 9 than they renewed such a fire with musketry, not only on the flank, but in the rear of the brigade, that common pru- dence dictated a retreat, and it was effected with the same determination that had distinguished the three brigades on the left throughout. The European and Native Infantry were not supported by artillery or cavalry, for want of due and proper arrangements. Meantime, Brigadier Godby, with Major-Gencral Sir W. Gilbert as a leader, who was on the extreme right of the Infantry line, moved forward, and, after marching through dense jungle for some minutes, came upon the enemy's Infantry; the brigade opened their fire, but the enemy were in such numbers that they easily out- flanked them. Two companies of the 2nd European Regi- ment were wheeled up, showed front, and the whole charged, but had not gone far when they found they were surrounded. They immediately faced right about, kept up some file- firing, and charged, rear rank in front. At this juncture Dawes' battery came to the rescue, and having beaten off the enemy, their guns were taken. W liile the Infantry were tlius'highly distinguishing themselves, the Cavalry on the extreme left, under Brigadier White, had made a dash- ing charge, and contributed much to the defeat of the enemy, while the cavalry on the extreme right were directed to charge a body of the enemy's cavalry, variously estimated at from 1,000 to 5,000. Instead of orders, they faced about, and in spite of the energetic endeavours of then own and other officers, left the field (with the exception of a body of the 9th Lancers, who were rallied), and made direct for the artillery, on coming up to which, instead of pulling up, they dashed through Huisli's and Christie's troops, upsetting a waggon and some horses, and directing their course to the field-hospital. The enemy, seeing the advantage, followed our cavalry, got among the horse artillery, cut down no less than seventy-three gunners, who had, by the flight of the cavalry through their ranks, been deprived of the means of defending themselves, and carried of six of the guns, two of which were subsequently reco- vered, and would have done much more harm had not Col. Lane been fortunately enabled to draw his troop out of the melee, and pour in grape so energetically that the Goor- churras thought they had done enough and fled. When the whole was over, the Commander-in-Chief rode in among the troops and was received with every demonstration of joy. Night supervened, and the Sikhs were enabled to re- cover many of their guns, from which they extracted the spikes. The loss of the Sikhs must have been very great, as in one spot above 250 dead bodies were counted. In their night excursion to recover their guns, they killed many of our wounded, and plundered all the bodies within their reach." Thirteen officers of the 24th were killed and wounded, and some 500 men of the same regiment likewise bit the dust. The 14th dragoons, it is said, mistook an order to move to the right or left for an order to retire. The Horse Artillery have called for a Court of Inquiry. Brigadier Pope, who gave the order, is now no more. The conduct of the 5th Bengal light cavalry is scarcely likely to meet with an apologist. Brigadier White protected the left of the in- fantry, Colonel Brind's guns being posted between White and Campbell's division. Bodies of Sikh cavalry made de- monstrations on our left. General Thackwell directed a squadron of the 3d dragoons and 5th light cavalry to charge them. The dragoons willingly obeyed the order, dashed through the Sikh wedge, and cut their way back. The 5th cavalry, in spite of their efforts, came back in confusion. In the 3rd squadron Unett and Stisted were wounded, and the loss among the men amounted to 46 killed and wounded. The return of killed and wounded is- OFFICEKS. Infantry officers killed and wounded 76 Staff 3 Cavalry 10 Artillery 4 93 MEN. Infantry 2,1(37 Artillery 63 Cavalry and Penny's Brigade, about 270 2,500 During the night of the 13th the British force bivouacked a little in rear of the battle-field. Next morning their camp was formed. Rain now came on and lasted without inter- mission till the evening of the 15th. During these wet and dreary days the wounded were brought in, and the dead in- terred. Lord Gough continued to occupy the same posi- tion, though it was an unfavourable place for supplies, as well as in other respects. The enemy were seen encamped at Russool (they had abandoned Moong), on a low range of hills on the right flank, and to the front of the British force. The river was behind the hills, and the Sikhs had a bridge over it. The Commander-in-Chief had directed Brigadier Wheeler's force to join him, as well as to order up the 53rd regiment from Lahore. It was not thought there would be any renewal of hostilities until reinforcements arrived for Lord Gough's army. A letter of the 19th contains the fol- lowing I hasten to tell you that the great Sikh General of Ar- tillery, Elanu Box, sent a message into our camp this morn- ing to say that he wished to surrender himself to Lord Gough, and about half an hour ago the general himself came in. Two of the 9th Lancers, taken prisoners, have been sent back with a letter from the Shere to Lord Gough, say- ing he was not the aggressor. Lord Gough returned a let- ter of thanks to the Shere for his kind treatment of the prisoners, and here the matter ends. Lord Gough's general- ship in attacking the Sikhs so late in the day, with such precipitation, and in a manner so disorderly, has been very DC CI elj \.J\UOlç:-a.n. Dost Mahomed Khan, of Cabool, has received, at the hands of a general assembly of Mohammedan chiefs at Peshawur, the title of Ameer il- Momen een, signifying Chief of the Mohammedans, or Defender of the Mohammedan Faith. Lord Gough is described as being quite at a loss, but ulti- 0 mately he resolved to intrench himself where he was. It is said that lie wrote a brief notification to the Governor- General, stating that the troops under Shere Singh had been entirely defeated, and driven back at every point with the loss of many of their guns, and had relinquished all the positions in which they had been intrenched. For three day.i "11 despatch of letters from the camp was prevented; was then a burst" of them.

REPORT OF THE DIRECTORS. The Directors have been steadily occupied during the last half- year in giving effect to the determination adopted at the August meeting to proceed with the construction of the South Wales Rail- way by successive portions, beginning in the first instance with the section which lies between Newport and Swansea, so that that part of the line may be brought into operation a.t the earliest practicable period. c, With that view the Directors 1 ave entered into engagements with ',me the several contractors employed to the west of Swansea, in the manner recommended by the engineer, by which they have con- sented entirely to suspend their works for the present, placing them, however, in such a condition that they may suffer very little injury from the delay, and that they may be again resumed when such a course shall be considered expedient. They hope also that the landholders with whom agreements have been made will be induced to afford every facility for postponing the completion of the pur- chase of their land as the most certain means of enabling the Com- pany to complete an important portion of their line in the first in- stance, and afterwards to carry forward the works, as soon as prac- ticable, to the western extremity of the Principality. The Directors have thus concentrated for the present all their exertions and resources on the works between Newport and Swan- sea and though the pressure of the times has prevented their pro- secuting them with all the rapidity that could be desired, the pro- prietors will perceive by the Report of Mr. Brunei that not only considerable progress has been made in all the heavier works, but that various detached portions, amounting in the whole to about twenty miles out of the entire distance of sixty miles, are ready for the reception of the permanent way and the rails, the laying at which will be commenced without delay. Simultaneously with these operations, the works on this side of Newport are proceeding satisfactorily, and a communication -has been held with the Directors of the Gloucester and Forest of Dean Railway respecting the eight miles of the line between Gloucester and Grange Court, which are to be executed by that Company. It would be obviously unnecessary, as far as the interests of the South Wales Company are concerned, to complete this part of the line till the portion beyond it is ready, and Mr. Brunei, who is also the engineer of the Gloucester and Forest of Dean Railway Company, is regulating his progress on their line by the progress he is able to make on our own works. The Directors look to the opening of the line to Swansea as an object of the deepest importance, because, though they have been gratified to observe the great improvement which has recently taken place in the value of the shares, demonstrating as it does conclu- sively that the depression proceeded from general and not from peculiar causes, yet they feel satisfied that nothing can so effectually restore the public confidence, and can so certainly and permanently improve the just value of your property, as the incontrovertible proof which will be afforded by actual experience of that traffic which you are justified in expecting on your line. The Directors did not think it just or reasonable to the Proprie- tors who had embarked their property in the undertaking, but who, under the recent pressure, have found a difficulty in paying up their calls, to exercise against them the powers conferred by the Act, while that course could by possibility be avoided; but they think the time is now arrived to carry into effect the determination p-vnressed in their last Report, by forfeiting those shares at least on whicll tilC su i and L1I1l'll liifaaluivjuto Ku-vo *\ot bvtrii paIet. They therefore proceeded to forfeit them at a Board of Directors held on the 24th of January, and a resolution will be submitted to you, in conformity with the provisions of the Act, for confirming that forfeiture. Their number is 1,261, and the amount which has been received on them is Z4,137 10s. The Directors propose that those shares should not be re-issued until the improvement in the money-market shall be so confirmed that they may either submit some general scheme for re-allotting them among the shareholders at an advantage to them, or that they may be then gradually absorbed, so as not to produce any sensible effect on the value of your property. The forfeiture of these shares does not involve the consequent abandonments the claim which the Company possesses over the proprietors to whom they belonged, for the calls previously in ar- rear. On the contrary, it is the fixed purpose of the Directors to proceed to the recovery of these sums in every case which affords prospect of success, and now that an improvement has taken place in the money market, they feel that the performance of their duty to those proprietors who have paid with regularity prescribes the adoption of active measures againstt hose who may be in arrear on more recent calls. The half of the South Wales Capital having now been called up and received, the Directors recommended that at the present meet- ing, an authority should be given to borrow money on bond or mortgage. They hope that in the improved state of the money market, they shall find no difficulty in obtaining sufficient resour- ces by loans, in which case they will be enabled not only to suspend for a time further calls on the proprietors, but to proceed with greater rapidity with their works, during the summer months which are now approaching. The Directors consider that they have been fortunate in inducing C. R. M. TALBOT, Esq., M. P., of Margam Park, to accept a seat at the Board, in the place of Colonel Owen, who resigned, as they feel that his large interest in the undertaking, and his great local knowledge and influence, will render him a most important and valuable acquisition in the management of your affairs. The following Directors retire by rotation on the present occasion, but oflerthemselves for re-election JAJIES ALSTON, Esq. Sir J. J. GUEST, Bart., M.P. STEPHEN LEWIS, Esq. C. R. M. TALBOT, Esq., M.P. B. Dobree, Esq., has, to the regret of the Directors, tendered his resignation as one of the Auditors of the Company. It therefore becomes the duty of the Proprietors to appoint another gentleman as Auditor in his place. CHARLES RUSSELL, Chairman. The Chairman then moved that the report be adopted, printed, and circulated among the proprietors. Mr. Chapman had heard with much pleasure the lucid state- ment of the chairman, and thought the directors deserved the thanks of the proprietors for the manner in which they had conducted the affairs of the company under circumstances of very great difficulty. But he wished to know whether the work hitherto executed had been so within the estimates ? Mr. Brunei stated that the works had been continued on the original sums in the estimates, and nothing had occurred to increase the cost of consuuuilun (Hear, how). The delays in construction involved some payments to enable them to sus- pend the works. In reply to Mr. Chapman, Mr. Ridgway, and Mr. Turner, The Chairman said that hitherto the proprietors of the South Wales Railway had never contemplated the abandonment of the line beyond Swansea. There were obligations of public faith which required them to accomplish that line. The ques- tion was left open by their present mode of proceeding but his conviction was that they were bound to complete it. The time was not yet come to move for having Miltord-haven the station for foreign packets; they must first have the railway completed. The directors contemplated the forfeiture of shares on which the fourth, fifth, and sixth instalments had not been paid. Mr. Turner inquired why Mr. Brunei, who had stated in the report of August that the works between Newport and Swan- sea would be finished in 12 months, now said it would be 12 months at least before they were completed ? Mr. Brunei referred to the context as explaining his mean- ing. In August he had said if the works were prosecuted as speedily as such woiks could be prosecuted, they might be completed within 12 months. They were moving on more ra- pidly now than before, yet not so rapidly as they might if the means at disposal were not limited. The works were prose- cuted at the rate at which the directors informed him they were able to give the money to carry them on. Mr. Field observed that no mention was made of any com- munication between the directors and the Great Western Rail- way Company with respect to the money which the South Wales Company was about to raise. It w&s the interest of the Great Western Company to bring the South Wales line into

AUSTRIA. A correspondent of the Christian Times expresses a fear that there will be before long a general rising, as the aris- tocratic party now in power demand that the redemption of the feudal burdens shall be paid with twenty years', pur- chase. Another great source of present discontent is the re- cruiting. In many places, the people will not give their children to become soldiers, and they are then taken by mi- litary force from the houses of their parents. The Austrian army numbers, at present, 550,000, and 80,000 more are now to be called to keep down every public movement in favour of liberty. There is naturally no quieter people than the Austrians, but a great change is taking place. They see that the promises made them are not kept; instead of the liberty of the press, its editors are imprisoned, and, in opposition to all law, they are put in regiments as common soldiers. The German Catholics are prohibited, and the old laws against them put in force. The decrees of the Austrian Parliament are not regarded; they may determine a point but the of- ficers of the Government refuse to execute it. The Ministry is nearly powerless, for the military act as they please. The Jesuits are the rulers. The young Emperor had the Jesuit Bombelles as tutor, and as he is under the influence of his mother, the Archduchess Sophia, the worst of all women, and the tool of the Jesuits. Scarcely a tenth part is true of what the German newspapers write on Hungary.

HUNGARY. The Russians, whose force, conformable to the official Ga- zette, numbered but 10,000 men, have already increased it to 20,000, and 20,000 more are about to enter in case of need. Established and married men, under twenty-nine years of age, are now forced to march against the Magyars and the Italians. In Brunn, the inhabitants, by force of arms, have refused to give recruits. The day before yesterday, a man was sentenced and shot for having one old sword in his pos- session. General Schlick has joined the main Austrian army. On the other hand, the insurgent general, Gorgey, has effected a junction with General Dembinsky, who has arrived at Hat- van, about thirty English miles from Pesth. The troops under Gorgey are 9,000 strong, with 30 pieces of cannon and 12 howitzers. The insurgents are now stronger than ever, z5 cl and are flushed with their recent successes at Siebenbergen —sucesses which compelled the Austrian generals to invoke the aid of the Russians. Windischgratz was preparing, ac- cording to the latest accounts, to march against Hatvan. On the 10th, there were further arrivals of Russian troops (Uhlans) at Cronstadt. The Szeklers (partisans of the Mag- yars) had retreated to Marienburg.