The Press. — London, England, 1854-03-11 00:00:00

MARCH 11, 1854. me. It was calculated to encourage the Turks, and to pa ralyse beforehand the success of the negotiations, by exhi biting France and England as ready to aid their cause at all events. In the same manner your Majesty attributes to the explanatory commentaries on the Vienna note the impossibility in which France and England found them selves to recommend its adoption to the Porte. But your Majesty may remember that our comments followed, and did not precede, the pure and simple non-acceptance of the note ; and I think the powers, if they had seriously desired peace, were bound to insist on this adoption, purely and simply, instead - of permitting the Porte to modify what we had adopted without change. " Besides, if any portion of our commentaries had given rise to difficulties, 1 offered at Olmutz a satisfactory solu tion, and one which appeared so to Austria and Prussia. Unfortunately in the interval a part of the Anglo-French fleet had already entered the Dardanelles, under the pre tence of protecting the life and property of French and English subjects, and, to enable the whole of the fleets to enter without a violation of the treaty of Itt4l, it was ne cessary for the Ottoman Government to declare war against us. My opinion is, that, if France and England had wished for peace as much as I do, they ought at any price to have prevented this declaration of war, or, when war was once declared, they ought at least so to have acted as to confine it within the narrow limits which I desired to trace for it on the Danube, so that I might not have been torn by force from the purely defensive system which I wished to pur sue. But from the moment when they allowed the Turks to attack our Asiatic territory, to take one of our frontier posts (even before the time fixed for the commencement of hostilities), to blockade Akhaltsykh, and to ravage the Ar• menian provinces, from the moment when they left the Turkish fleet free to convey troops, arms, and ammunition to our coasts, could it be reasonably expected that we should patiently await the result of such designs ? Was it not to be supposed that we should do somethingto prevent their execution? The affair of Sinope occurred: it was the forced consequence of the attitude adopted by the two powers, and the event certainly could not have appeared to them unexpected. I had declared that I wished to remain on the defensive, but that was before the explosion of the war, while my honour and interests allowed me to do so, and while the war was restrained within certain bounds. • * • • • • " I learn from your Majesty, for the first time (for the verbal declarations made to me here have hitherto said no thing of the kind), that, while protecting the revictualling of the Turkish troops in their own territory,the two powers have resolved to interdict us from the navigation of the Black Sea—that is to say, apparently the right to revictual our own forts. I leave it to your Majesty to judge whether that is, as your Majesty says, to facilitate the conclusion of peace, and if in the alternative presented it is permissible for me to discuss—to examine even for a moment—your Majesty's propositions for an armistice for the immediate evacuation of the principalities, and for the negotiation with the Porte of a convention to be submitted to the four Courts. Would you, sire, in my place accept such a pro. posal ? Would your national feeling allow you to do so ? I boldly answer, No, you would not. Grant me, then, on my part, the right to think as you would do yourself. What ever your Majesty may decide, it is not to threats that you will see me give way. My confidence is in God and my right, and Russia, I will answer for her, will show herself in 18.54 what she was in 1812. " If, however, your Majesty, with less indifference to my honour, will frankly return to our programme—if your Majesty will extend to me a cordial hand, as I now at this last moment offer you will willingly forget everthing insulting (blessante) to 'me in the past. Then, sire, but then only, we may discuss, and come to an understanding. Let your Majesty's fleet confine itself to preventing the Turks from carrying further reinforcements to the theatre of war. I promise willingly that they shall have nothing to fear from me. Let them send a negotiator. I will re ceive him in a befitting manner. My conditions are known at Vienna. It is upon that basis alone that I can treat. I pray your Majesty to believe in the sincerity of the senti ment with which I am, sire, your Majesty's b NICHO on ami, LAS." The Moniteur of Monday published an official cir cular from M. Drouyn de l'Huys to the French diplo matic agents, commenting upon the letter of the Czar and his Russian manifesto. " The publication of those documents," it says, " destroys the last hopes in the wisdom of the Cabinet of St. Peters burg; and that hand which had become honoured by the firmness with which it had offered a support to Europe, shaken in its foundations, opens now a course to passions and chances. The French Go vernment, afflicted at the inutility of its efforts and moderation, declines the responsibility, which must rest with Russia, which will have to render an account to history and to God." A loan of 25 million francs (10 millions sterling) was on Monday agreed to by the Legislative Assembly in a unanimous vote. 23t members were present, and it was also determined that the A ssem bly should go up in a body to present the pro jet du Int to the Emperor. This ceremony took place accordingly next day, with no little parade. The procession of senators was headed by M. Billault, President of the Assembly. They were received by the Emperor and Empress in full state. The presentation of this vote of credit was then made, an daccompanied by an interchange of com plimentarya speeches between his Majesty and the President. On Sunday the Emperor, accomp an ied by the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha and Lord De Ros, re viewed 10,000 troops on the Place du Carrousel. THE PRESS. The first division of the French expeditionary army is to embark at Toulon, and at the different ports of Algeria, on the 20th of March, and to sail on the same day for the Dardanelles. The second division will sail on the 15th of April. 18,(XX) men are under orders to leave Algeria for Constantinople. The second expedition will bring up the French army of the East to 50,000 men, of which it is calculated that, making allowance for sickness and other casualties, 40,000 may be put into line. Twelve steamers are in course of armament at Toalon, and in a few days will be ready to sail with the troops destined for the East. It is said that Prince Napoleon will not go first to to Constantinople, but to the Greek frontiers. He will take with him a numerous corps of Chasseurs of Vincennes. Count Branicki, a Polish nobleman of great wealth, who has long been resident as an entigri in France, where he possesses extensive property, has been appointed aide-de-camp to Prince Napo leon, and will accompany the Prince to Constanti nople. Count Branicki was formerly a colonel of cavalry in the service of the Emperor of Rus-ia. He is to be raised to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, in the service of France. Orders have been received at Marseilles by tele graph to charter one hundred vessels to carry troops, stores, and ammunition to Constantinople. The Government agents are now taking steps to obtain the requisite number of vessels. A petition is in course of signature at Mar seilles praying for the suppression of letters of marque, and that corsairs may be treated as pirates. A great number of the leading merchants of the city have signed. The Marquis de Turgot, the Minister at Madrid, has been recalled. M. de Lacour, the late Minister at Constantinople, has been appointed Minister at Naples, in place of M. de Maupas, recalled. The last of the Russian agents in Paris (the Count de Tolstoi) has left that city. Three Russian vessels have been sold at Trieste. Their crews return overland. General Moore and forty English officers arrived on the sth at Marseilles. General de Castelbajac left St. Petersburg on the 21st ult., on his way to France. The Princess Lieven, on leaving Paris, has taken up her residence at Brussels. One of her first enterprises there in favour of the Czar was to try to gain over the three French exiled generals, namely, Gene . als Changarnier, Bedeau, and de Lamoriciere. She accordingly sent an intimation to them that they would be welcome guests at her house. To the honour of these officers, they simultaneously declined the invitation, intimating that, though they were in enmity with the existing ruler of France, they were still Frenchmen, and French soldiers ; and that they could not visit any Russians as long as Russia was at war with France, as the enemies of France would always be theirs. The Assemblie Nationale has been suspended for two months. That journal has from the beginning advocated a Russian policy, as being somehow asso ciated with the cause of the Legitimists. In the decree of suspension the Minister of the Interior assigns as the reason for the proceeding—that, in spite of the warnings and non-official recommendations lately given it, the journal persists in the anti national system of polemics, which it has indulged in since the commencement of the Eastern question. The gerant has given notice to the subscribers that the publication will be resumed on the expiring of the period of suspension. It is probable, however, that the itasemblie way be definitively suppressed meanwhile. DENMARK. The Cologne Gazette states that a courier bad arrived at Copenhagen from St. Petersburg with des patches, in which the Russian Government demands from that of Denmark that it shall refuse to supply the English and French squadrons with provisions and coals. HAMBURG. The owners of Russian vessels take every opportu nity of selling them. The house of Salomon Heine haw bought several. Hungarian and Polish con tractors have negotiated for large quantities of pro visions for the British fleet. SWEDEN. . . Orders have been issued to the Marine Department for the immediate supply of large quantities of sea men's clothing and provisions, as well as :10,000 barrels of coals—half to be sent to Stockholm, and half to Carlskrona. The telegraph lines are to be expedited as much as possible, especially that between Stockholm and Grisslehamn, over Upsala. PRUSSIA. The present position of Prussia, according to a Berlin letter, is most singular. Austria has trans mitted to the Prussian Cabinet modifications of the treaty of alliance which she has thought fit to exact before accepting the treaty: she moreover counsels 223 Prussia to associate herself with the measures she herself has engaged to adopt. If it was Prussia that urged Austria to refuse the offers of Count Orloff, and by so doing to separate from Russia, it is now Austria that urges Prussia to make the second move, and to join the Western powers. The more critical the question becomes the more doubts and hesitations arise. In any case I'russia cau hardly separate from Austria, nor re main passive if Austria takes an active part. There still exists much distrust of Austria; but under actual circumstances this mistrust is entirely out of place. It is feared that Austria will draw in Prussia, to abandon her afterwards to return to a Russian alliance, and, with the aid of Russia, to assume the first place in Germany. This calculation is most erroneous. In that case Prussia would have nothing to tear from Austria, and all that Austria still pos sesses of influence and authority would be lost at once and for ever. AUSTRIA. The Emperor Francis Joseph left on Monday night for Munich. The Austrian Government has published an offi cial document, in which it makes known its views in. regard to the differences between Russia and Turkey. In this document the Government expresses regret that the communication sent by the West, m powers to Russia is of such a nature as to leave hardly any hope of a favourable reply. It proceeds to say that " it was never doubted by the Imperial Government that the demands of those powers were just, and in accordance with the interests of Europe. Tin the very last the Imperial Government has obeyed the calls of duty to Europe, and those of friendship to its imperial ally. Should war take place, the sole duty of the Austrian Go vernment is to maintain the interests of the nations under the sceptre of his Majesty, which interests are not in con flict with those of any other nation. Austria is prepared to meet the dangers which may accrue from a great war in an adjoining country, and from the subversive tenden cies which may manifest themselves on the frontiers of the empire during the continuance of that war." New propositions have arrived in Vienna from St. Petersburg, and were forwarded to Paris and London. The proposals consist in counter-propositions to the peace project of the 13th of January. Russia has sent a draft of preliminaries of peace, offering to evacuate the principalities the moment these are signed. The Conference at Vienna considers these terms unacceptable, as the concessions now made do not comprise all that the last project demanded. Captain Blackwood, Queen's messenger, conse quently left for St. Petersburg with the ultimatis simum from the Western powers, after two days' detention at Vienna. The Austrian Government has opened a subscrip tion for a lottery loan of 50,000,000 florins, at 90. The bonds are to be of 250 florins each, with coupons at ten florins (that is, four per cent. interest per annum). The amortisation of this loan is to take place within fifty years, by equal annuities of about five and a half per cent. for the capital and interest. This annuity is to be divided in the earlier periods into larger prizes, and in the later period in more comprehensive amortisations of the capital. During the first ten years the great prize will remain fixed at 200,000 florins, whilst in the later periods this prize is to be gradually reduced to 100,000 florins. In the same proportion, the larger prizes of the second half-yearly _drawing s ill begin with tio,ooo florins, and be gradually reduced to 40,000 florins. On the other hand, the number of the lottery bonds to be drawn half-yearly will be gradually augmented, beginning with six hundred, until they somewhat exceed four thousand. The smallest prize remains fixed throughout at 300 florins for a lottery bond of '250 florins. The drawings will take place twice in the year throughout the whole period fixed for the repayment of the loan. If the loan were taken at par, it would guarantee a sure prize of fifty florins, or twenty per cent. per lottery bond, besides the running interest at four per cent. per annum. The first instalment will consist in a deposit of ten per cent. The remaining instalments will be payable within a twelvemonth. ITALY. A despatch of the 4th from Turin states that France and England have come to an understanding for the repression of any revolutionary movement in Italy. SPAIN. The latest dates from Madrid convey some vague reports of a difference having arisen between Eng land and Spain, and of the expected recal of M. Istuntz to Madrid. The persons expelled from Spain and sent to Cadiz are to be transported to the Canary Islands. An insurrectional movement is reported to have taken place at Barcelona. The battalion of insur gents which left Saragossa succeeded, to the number of six hundred men, in finding its way into France, and is now at Pau, where it arrived on the 28th of February. The whole of the men are to be interne till it. shall be determined how they shall be dis posed of.