The Press. — London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

152 The arrival of the Prince of Saxe Coburg, Regent of Portugal, is shortly expected. He will be accom panied by his son Dom Pedro, King of Portugal : they are going to Brussels on a visit to their relative King Leopold. It is said that a marriage is likely to take place between the youthful King and the Princess Charlotte of Belgium. The picture drawn of New Caledonia by the French papers, and the announcement that this territory has been taken possession of by order of the Emperor, with a view of using it as a penitential settlement, have struck terror into the hearts of many a bold demagogue. The tall stature and abominable ugli ness of the natives, joined to the accomplishment of cannibalism, render an obligatory residence among them anything but tempting. At the bat costume to be given at the Tuileries the Emperor will appear in the costume of Henri Deux. FRANCE. The following is the text of the autograph letter from the Emperor Napoleon to the Czar, which is stated to have been delivered by M. Castelbajac be fore quitting St. Petersburg. The letter was pub lished in extenso by the Moniteur on Tuesday last " Palace of the Tuileiles, Jan. 29, 18.54. " Sire,—The aifference which has arisen between your Majesty and the Ottoman Porte has assumed such a grave aspect that I thick it right myself to explain directly to your Majesty the part which France has taken in this question, and the means which suggest themselves to me in order to avoid the dangers which menace the tranquillity of Europe. " The note which your Majesty has just sent to my Go vernment, and to that of Queen Victoria, endeavours to prove that it was the system of pressure adopted from the commencement by the two maritime powers which alone involved the question in bitterness. On the contrary, ac cording to my view, the matter would have continued a Cabinet question if the occupation of the two principalities had not suddenly transferred it from the region of discus sion to that of fact. Nevertheless, although your Majesty's troops had entered Wallachia, we advised the Porte not to consider that occupation as a warlike act, thus proving our extreme desire for conciliation. After I had consulted with England, Austria, and Prussia, I proposed to your Majesty a note, designed to give satisfaction to all. Your Majesty accepted it. We had hardly, however, been in formed of this good news when your Minister, by explana tory commentaries, destroyed all the conciliatory effects of it, and thus prevented us from insisting at Constanti nople upon its pure and simple adoption. The Porte, for its own part, suggested some modifications in the note, to which the representatives of the four powers at Vienna were not indisposed to agree. They were not, however, agreed to by your Majesty. It was then that the Porte, wounded in its dignity, its independence threatened, and being compelled to raise an army to oppose that of your Majesty, preferred to declare war rather than remain in a state of uncertainty and humility. The Porte had claimed our support ; the cause of the Porte appeared to us to be a just one, and the English and French squadrons were therefore ordered to the Bosphorus. " Our attitude in reference to Turkey was that of a pro tector, bat it was passive. We did not incite her to war. We unceasingly addressed to the ears of the Sultan the ad vice of peace and moderation, persuaded that this was the best mode of coming to an agreement, and the four powers consulted together again, and submitted to your Majesty some other propositions. Your Majesty, on your part, ex hibiting the calmness which arises from the consciousness of strength, contented yourself with repulsing from the left bank of the Danube, as in Asia, the attacks of the Turks ; and, with the moderation worthy of the chief of a great empire, your Majesty declared that you would act on the defensive. Up to that period, then, we were, I may say, interested spectators, butsimply spectators, of the dispute, when the affair of Sinope compelled us to take a more de cisive part. France and England had not thought it ne cessary to send troops to the assistance of Turkey Their flag, thertilbre, was not engaged in the conflicts which took place upon land. But at sea it was very different. There were at the entrance to the Bosphorus 3,000 guns, the ex istence of which proclaimed loudly enough to Turkey that the two leading maritime powers would not allow her to be attacked by sea. " The affair at Sinope was for us as painful as it was unexpected ; for it matters little to us whether or not the Turks wished to convey munitions of war to the Russian territory. In fact, Russian ships attacked Turkish vessels in the waters of Turkey, while those vessels were riding quietly at anchor in a Turkish port. The Turkish vessels were destroyed, in spite of the assurance that there was no wish to commence an aggressive war, and in spite of the vicinity of our squadrons. It was no longer our policy which received a check, it was our military honour. The Round of the cannon-shot at Sinope reverberated painfully in the hearts of all those who in England and in France respect national dignity. There was a general partici pation in the sentiment that wherever our cannon can reach our allies ought to be respected. Out of this feeling arose the order given to our squadrons to enter the Black Sea, and to prevent by force, if necessary, the recurrence of a similar event. Thence arose the collective notification sent to the Cabinet of St. Petersburg, announcing that, if we prevented the Turks from making an aggressive war upon the coasts of Russia, we would also protect the Turks upon their own territory. As to the Russian fleet, in prohibiting eta navigation of the Black Sea, we placed it upon a different condition, because it was important during the war to preserve a guarantee equivalent in force to the occupation of the Turkish territory, and thus facili tate the conclusion of peace by having the power of looking a desirable exchange. THE PRESS. " Such, sire, is the real result and a statement of the facts. It is clear that, having arrived at this point, they must either bring about a definitive understanding ur a decided rupture. " Your Majesty has given so many proofs of your solici tude for the tranquillity of Europe, and by your beneficent influence has so poweitilly arrested the spirit of disorder, ' that I cannot doubt as to the course you will take in the alternative which presents itself to your choice. Should your Majesty be as desirous as myself of a pacific conclu sion, what would be more simple than to declare that an armistice shall now be signed, that things shall resume their diplomatic course, that all hostilities shall cease, and that the belligerent forces shall return from the places to which motives of war haves would abandon the p led them ? " Thus the Russian trooprinci palities and our squadrons the Black Sea. Your Majesty, preferring to treat directly with Turkey, might appoint an ambassador, who could negotiate with a plenipotentiary of the Sultan a convention which might be submitted to a conference of the four powers. Let your Majesty adopt this plan, upon which the Queen of England and myself are perfectly agreed, and tranquillity will be re-established and the world satisfied. There is nothing in the plan which is unworthy of your Majesty,—nothing which can wound your honour ; but if, from a motive difficult to un derstand, your Majesty should refuse this proposal, then France, as well as England, will be compelled to leave to the fate of arms and the chances of war that which might now be decided by reason and justice. " Let not your Majesty think that the least animosity can enter my heart. I feel no other sentiments than those expressed by your Majesty yourself iu your letter of the 17th of January, 1853, in which you write, ' Our relations ought to be sincerely amicable, based, as they are, upon the same intentions—the maintenance of order, the love of peace, respect for treaties, and reciprocal good feel ing.' This programme is worthy of the Sovereign who traced it, and I do not hesitate to declare that I remain faithful to it. " 1 beg your Majesty to believe in the sincerity of my sentiments, and it is with these sentiments that " I am, sire, your Majesty's good friend, NAPOLEON." The semi-official Patrie, of the 14th, adds, con cerning this despatch :—" We await the reply of the Czar. If we are rightly informed, it has already been received by the Government. It is even announced that it deceives the hopes of the friends of peace. France will then be compelled to leave to the chance of arms what might have been settled by reason." On the following day an angry contradic tion to this statement appeared in the Moniteur, which announced that no answer had arrived or was ex pected for some days. The Patrie at the same time received an official avertissement (the second) for having promulgated false intelligence. It is stated very positively, nevertheless, that although the formal reply of the Emperor Nicholas may not have reached Paris, its tenor has been already communicated by the telegraph. The publication of the Imperial letter was inter preted by the Bourse as an announcement that war is inevitable. The Rentes fell lf. 30c. Bank of France shares declined 20f., and credit mobilier 23f. 75c. The fall in railways was also very heavy. It is said that a telegraphic despatch had arrived from General Castelbajac, informing the Govern ment that not the least hope can be entertained of a favourable answer to the Emperor's letter. This does but confirm the current belief. Indeed, it is considered hardly probable that the letter would have appeared in the Moniteur while the result remained doubtful. The Princess Lieven does not leave Paris until Monday next, the 20th. She is then expected in Brussels, where appartments have been secured for her. The French ocean squadron, under the orders of Admire. Bruat, has arrived at Algiers. The discovery of a Greek conspiracy in the dominions of the Sultan has induced the French Government to address a note, couched in strong and energetic terms, to the Government of King Otho. The Moniteur gives the following account of the new French colony just founded in the Pacific :—" In virtue of the orders of the Emperor, the Minister of Marine and Colonies directed, on the Ist of May last, Admiral Febvrier-Despointes, Commander-in- Chief of the French naval forces in the Pacific, to proceed to New Caledonia. The Government had been long desirous of possessing in these distant latitudes some localities which might receive, on occasion, its penal establishments. New Caledonia offered all the conditions that were to be desired. In conformity with the instructions sent to him, Admiral Febvrier-Despointes, afterhaving ascertained that the flag of no other nation floated over New Caledonia, took solemn possession of that island and its dependencies, including Pine Island, in the name of Napoleon 111., Emperor of the French. The prods-verbal of the taking possession is dated September 24 and 29, 1859." BELGIUM. Baron de Brunow, late Russian Ambassador at Lon don, arrived at Ghent on the evening of the oth inst., and left the next morning for Germany. AL de Kisseleff is indisposed at Brussels, and has not been able to leave his chamber since his arrival in that SATURDAY, city. These two Ministers obtained permission from the Prussian Government for twenty-five cases of baggage to enter the Zollverien without being ex amined by the customs officers. General Jomini, who has had to leave Paris in consequence of the rupture of diplomatic relations with Russia, has arrived at Brussels, and intends to reside there for some time. DENMARK. The Danish Folksthing passed the bill for aug menting the naval service on the Bth inst. by a majo rity of 71 to 3. The naval force that the Scandinavian powers are capable of bringing to the protection and maintenance of their neutrality is by no means inconsiderable. It may be summed up thus : Denmark. Sweden. Norway. Ships of the Line 5 .. 10 Frigates Corvettes and brigs • Schooners Cutters Gunboats Steamers Screw ditto Transports For the manning of this fleet there are no less than 30,000 seafaring men registered in Sweden, and as many in Norway; about one tenth of these only are in active service. The additional number now called out is 1,150. - Major-General von Oxbolm has been appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary for Denmark at the CoUrt of St. James. • • -• . . 2 1:0; HOLLAND. The Governments of France and England have informed the Government of Holland that the com mercial flag of neutral states will be considered as that of a friendly power. GERMANY. A despatch dated Wednesday night., from Vienna, gives the following rather startling intelligence:— " The circular forwarded to the diplomatic agents of Austria hi in the following sense : " Austria considers the armed intervention of the Western powers in Turkey extremely dangerous. "Austria has full confidence in the loyalty and rectitude of the Emperor Nicholas, and will take the necessary measures for securing her own frontier." The authenticity of this statement was questioned, though not positively denied, by Lord John Russell in the House of Commons on Thursday night. Prior advices also bore a widely different import. The Paris Constitutionnel stated positively that Austria has declared that she shall consider it. a casus belli either if Russia keep permanent possession of the principalities, or if the Russian troops pass the Danube. The Constitutionnel added that Count Orloff was the bearer of an autograph letter from the Emperor of Austria to the Czar Nicholas. It is also remarked that the recent article of (the Austrian Lloyd against Russia had sold off two editions of the paper, and bar' been separately printed. On the 14th the Lloyd published another, the sum of which was that Central Europe must unite to resist Russia, whether on the Oder or the Danube, if it would not experience the fate of Poland. It is now stated that the marriage of the Emperor of Austria, which had been fixed for April, has been postponed till the end of May. His Majesty was expected to visit Munich in a few days. The approaching visit of King Pedro V. of Por tugal to Berlin is officially announced. The Prussian Cabinet has demanded explanations from Denmark relative to the large anntuneuts she is preparing. Lord Napier passed through Berlin on the Oth on his way to St. Petersburg, for the purpose of taking Sir Hamilton Seymour his orders of recal. The following curious incident is reported in a letter from Vienna of the 11th : "The Turko•Egyptian officers who were made prisoners at Sinope, and who lately arrived here, having been set at liberty on giving their word of honour that they would not serve against Russia, were to hale taken their departure to-day ; but at the hour named for leasing they caught the Russian o;; cers who escorted them unawares, throttled them, and locked them up in a room in the hotel. The Turks then went to the Ottoman Ambassador and placed themselves under his protection. He was only too happy to give them au asylum, and advised them to remain quiet, and to await the result of the remonstrances from the Rus sian Ambassador to which their conduct would infallibly give rise." The Turin Chambers have voted the postage treaty with Austria and with the German postal-union. PORTUGAL. Lisbon news comes down to the 9th. The address in reply to the speech from the throne was still the subject of debate in the Chamber of Peers. Senlior Fontes, the Minister of Finance and Public Works, MIA the principal object of attack from the Opposition. His abilities will he highly taxed to meet the finan cial difficulties of the country. According to the last published returns there was a falling oil of upwards ~~