The Press. — London, England, 1853-09-03 00:00:00

g . 4e Vrtss. perceived that the praises of their recent per formance must abate. "So much that was sub stantially important to Turkey was left unpro vided for "—so the cont millet ions of the present reflect their light on the incapacity displayed iu the past. If we look for intimations as to the course which England is to pursue iu the contin gency which has arisen, here again we meet with evidences of an indecision which is in credible. Peace, of course, is to be main tained at any price. But, at One moment, it is pursued by directly commending the un qualified submission of the Porte to Russia; at another, by the adoption of the modifica tions proposed, and their urgent commenda tion by the four Great Powers. While the leading organ of the Ministry announces that the latter have given instructions to their Ministers at St. Petersburg to afford the strongest support to these modifications in their communications with the Russian Go vermnent, the organ of a section of the Minis try simultaneously on their withdrawal ; , firm attitude is of authoritieo, posals. One thing alone is clear—that amid confusion the question of peace or war more than ever at the mercy of accidents. is admitted that the popular feeling in Tur key would not have permitted the advisers of the Sultan to stipulate for one condition less stringently precise ; and there is a growing indignation even against those who appear to espouse her interests to propitiate her foes, and interpose their protection to prejudice her defence. The recent additions to her fleet, the ambition of her military chief, the ardour of her soldiery, or the passions of her people, may either of them prompt escape from the diplomatic tangle by a sudden out burst of which the consequences are im measurable. Should this be the issue of Lord ABERDEEN'S gestation, here, for instance, is one of the contingencies impending, if we may credit the Augsburg Gazette : When the Times asserts that Austria has taken the lead against Russia, it either deceives itself or attempts to de ceive its readers. Austria is so far from being in oppo sition to Russia, that if things had come to the worst, if her honest, well-meant, and impartial counsels had not proved sufficient to prevent a general appeal to arms, no doubt would have arisen as to where her place was, and that place would certainly not have been ut the side of England. Granting that the opportunity may not arise, it will be a small consolation to think how fortuitously it was averted, or that a forced Coalition was approaching its term, while a palsied hand was fumbling with the reins of empire. LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER THE Vienna note is now before the public, and there is no longer any doubt of its phraseology or purport. - - This note, upon which its authors so con fidingly relied for the settlement of all differ ences between Russia and the Porte, in its form, at least, involved these absurdities. It gave Russia credit for an active solicitude for the maintenance of the immunities and privileges of the Greek Church in the Ottoman Empire ; and, pro tanto, it recognised the right of Russia to interpose between the Porte and its subjects. It further required the Sultan to declare that he regarded it " as a point of honour to allow the Greek worship to participate, in a spirit of high justice, in the advantages Con ceded to other Christians by convention or special agreement." The advantages, that is to say, that were conceded as a matter of course to foreign merchants and .foreign tourists, to foreign ambassadors and their foreign suites, were thus extended by the terms of the note to two-thirds of the natural-born subjects of the Sultan. The solicitude of the Czar being recognised in a preliminary sense as devoted rightfully to this proportion of the Ottomans, the extent to which this solicitude might be indulged hereafter was thus generously but gravely discriminated. On such terms Minis tern could congratulate the House that the differences between Russia and Turkey were arranged, and that the evacuation of the provinces might be fully relied on (no ha probable inference we are bound to say), as a result of this considerate intervention. This note was exhibited intermediately to Russia, and her assent to it procured. With this cheering information the Ministry were happy to dismiss the House of Commons, and to congratulate themselves on the rise of public securities. But the common sense of the Divan made utter havoc of this fool's paradise before it could present us with a single partridge. With the addition of two or three verbal modifications of minor consequence, the Porte has insisted on the expurgation of every word which is susceptible of a construction favour able to the claim of Russia to intermeddle between itself and its subjects, Its just requirements on this head are con tained in the first and fifth modifications pro posed by the Divan, and communicated to the four Powers as the conditions of its ac quiescence. So far we may perfectly rely on our intelligence, but beyond this stage we are lost in contradictions and the shifts of an in competence apparently self-conscious, but dog gedly endeavouring to hide its perplexities. At one moment we are told that the modifi cations of the Porte are of no substantial im portance. At the same instant their possible rejection by Russia, unimportant as they are said to be, is so far contemplated that the Porte is threatened with a perilous responsi bility. A day or two later their importance is admitted, and then the imputations against Turkey are softened. To the extent to whieh the Ministerial censure is thus mitigated it. is not ri.ATFRT FMTION.I er 7Cj , eou7 l xisrova z " I ; I ;.'e I^ rts , 4 bt 18.—VoL. I. LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 3 , 1833. PRICE E BIN unprecedented , the floating debt _ not float, but is steadily sinking. In his excuse,—for it is telt hi' needs excuse,--it is said that unforeseen accidents alone defeated his schemes. We fully admit that many circumstances have changed fur the worse in our social as well as our political state since the Coalition came into taw, bat yet it must be admitted that in all whielt relates to the management and conversion of the public debt Mr. LADSTONS—to are the mildest phrase—has been especially unfur tunate. THE LATE SIR CHARLES NAPIER. ON the death-roll of our heroes, so lately aug mented with the names of SALTOUN and Cock BURN, must now be inscribed that of NAPIER His death took place in the fulness of his years, and was therefore iu the ordinary course of nature; but it has left a void in the national regard which cannot easily be filled, because it has broken one of the remaining links that connected the present generation with the most brilliant period of our later history. It is creditable to the people of this country that with discerning gratitude they should have recognised in the late Sir CHARLES NA- Pint the man who stood next in the hierarchy of honour to the Duke of WELLINGTON. 0110 n looking the great claims of some living officers, they fixed on his marked individuality of chi• meter, his versatility, and his rough soldier like qualities, with a tenacious admiration, which was evinced also by more discriminating minds in respect to his higher merit% as a effintilatilder and au administrator. A the praises of their recent per- believe that England was never less prepared st abate. "So much that was sub- to meet a deficiency in her harvest than at the portant to Turkey was left unpro- present time. There is now no huge stock in .nthe contradictions of the present bond to be set free when prices should rise to light on the incapacity displayed a point indicating real scarcity ; and thatithere will he a very serious deficiency iu our home for intimations as to the course growth, as compared with past years, is now a • ad is to inmate iu the contin- point settled past doubt. For several seasons. has arisen, here again we meet the farmers, owing to the low rates of corn, es of an indecision which is in- have paid more attention to grazing than to !ace, of course, is to be main- cereal produce ; but, independently of that, price. But, at one . moment, it the lust autumn was peculiarly uulivounible by directly commending the MI• to getting seed in the ground. In some eases mission of the Porte to Russia ; the sowing was deterred until too late in the • by the adoption of the modifies- spring ; and in others, owing to the continuous ed, and their urgent eommenda- rains, the seed perished in the earth. Gene -1 four Great Powers. While the rally throughout England the wheat huaproved • aof the Ministry announces that thin, while the rain at. harvest time must .eve given instructions to their damage the quality of the yield. t St. Petersburg to attbrd the The rise by the Bank in the rate of discount • pport to these modifications in to 4 per cent. is a significant feet, and, in spite • inications with the Russian Oo of the continued arrivals of gull from e organ of a section of the Minis- !Australia. the return of the Bank bullion thin 3ously comments on their averred !week shows a decline of LOVAS. ou the pre- and public criticism ou our iu- •vious statement. is thus precluded in the *lndict It is a fact —amount for it as we =ye— s) end representation*, and pro- Id*. the MOW, _market has never recovered tom the WI whit& took . plael on Mr. GUI• alone is clear—that amid this worts announcing his scheme for the mat*. re question of peace or war is sion of that portion of the Three per Gents. ver at the mercy of accidents. It with which be proposed to deal. that the popular feeling in Tur- When he assumed the Exchequer .die Bank A have permitted the advisers of discounted at the rate of 2 per cent: • It new ) stipulate for one condition less requires double that rate ,-- a rise, us le Tip* , precise) ; and •there is a growing admits, unprecedented within the same space ' even against those who appear to of time ; the fl oating debt of the country will' . . ita tdeittillV ECONOMICAL PROSPECTS. THE Ministers in the speech at the proroga tion took credit to themselves for every favour able circumstance in our condition. Are they prepared equally to assume the reeponsi Linty of every adverse incident? There is a cloud hanging over the Stock Exchange, and the (ti its made by continental Govern ments to keep down the price of earn warn ns that a time of trial, if not of scarcity, may be at hand. It is not our wish to exeite Marin, but it would be folly to disguise the truth. Wt. NO. P ,*''rte