The Press. — London, England, 1854-04-29 00:00:00

392 FRENCH REPLY TO THE LAST RUSSIAN MANIFESTO. Is publishing the last "circular note " of Count Nesselrode—in which every encouragement is given to the insurrection in Epirus, and a stimulus to revolt afforded to the Greek population in Turkey gene rally—as also the further " declaration " and vindi • cation of Russian policy published in the Journal de St. Petersbourg, and of which we gave an abstract in last week's PRESS, the Moniteur accompanies these Muscovite manifestoes with an official reply from M. Drouyn de l'Huys. Although the dispute has now passed far beyond the range of diplomatic contro versy, there is still much importance to be assigned to this document, which may be viewed as the last attempt to appeal to reason and justice upon a con troversy that has already been referred to a sterner arbitrement. The following are the more important paragraphs of this State paper:— " The Russian Government has just published a deola ration, in answer to the summons addressed to it for the last time by France and England, and to which it has not consented to subscribe. We have not the intention to enter into an examination of the arguments refuted to satiety; we will limit ourselves to some observations on the new en•ors which that declaration is endeavouring to get accredited. " In the first place, the Russian Government demands by what title England and France pretend to exact the evacuation of the principalities of the Danube. There is no one so ignorant as not to be aware how much their summons is founded upon right. The powers who signed the acts of Vienna have themselves recognised it as such. The Cabinets of Paris and London acted on this occasion in virtue of treaties, and their conduct had the approbation of other Governments. " The declaration adds that the Russian armies could not evacuate the principalities in the midst of a war which the Ottoman Government had been the first to declare.' The parts cannot be more strangely inverted. The inva sion of the two provinces of the Turkish empire was, in the eyes of the whole world, an act of war. If the Porte was recommended not to make it a case of war, it was because, in spite of the aggressive character of the acts of Russia, it was still hoped that there would be, on the part of that power, a return to moderation and equity. The initiative of the acts of war, as far as regards the Porte, as well as the provocations in matters touching the maritime powers, belongs exclusively to the power which invaded the prin cipalities of the Danube ; and such is the opinion of all Europe. " The declaration of the Russian Cabinet remarks that the occupation had not prevented the negotiations from being opened, and that they would not have stopped their being followed out if the powers had not suddenly, and without valid reasons, changed the bases which they had themselves given in the first note drawn up at Vienna. The powers had, in fact, laid down principles which, loy ally admitted, might then have solved the difference ; but the commentary which the note in question received from the Count de Nesselrode attested that the Russian Cabinet did not accept them, except by attaching to them a signifi cation very different from the idea of the Conference of Vienna, as was admitted by all the Governments repre sented in that conference. It is, therefore, Russia herself who changed the bases of the negotiations, and compelled the great powers to seek for others. The Russian Govern ment bitterly complains of the demand which the Cabinets of Paris and of London addressed to the Commander-in-Chief of its naval forces at Sebastopol in consequence of the ag gression of Sinope. We admit that that demand was un usual, but it was called for by a state of things which was not less so ; and it was not until after every means of con ciliation which patience, moderation, and a sincere desire for peace could suggest had been exhausted, that France and England had recourse to that extreme measure. Ac cording to the declaration of the Russian Cabinet, we have less respect for the independence of the Porte than it has; and one of the proofs which it adduces for this is,tliat the Ottoman Government has renounced, by treaty, the power of making peace without its allies. In entering into that engagement the Porte only contracts a reciprocal obliga- tion, on the footing of a perfect equality, and moreover in strict conformity to constant and general usage and the law of nations, when several unite together to pursue by arms a common object. " The Porte (adds the Russian Cabinet) is about to be forced to subscribe to an engagement which would extend to all its subjects equality of civil and political rights.' That assertion, far from being well founded, gives us an occasion of showing, in a striking manner, what is the dif ference of acting between Russia and the Western powers in their relations with the Ottoman empire. Russia has insisted on stipulating with the Porte. either in a treaty or by means of a note, for the maintenance of the liberties of the Sultan's subjects. The other powers have not for a single moment thought of requiring from the Porte any such engagement, either in the form of a treaty or of a note. They have not, it is true, neglected any occasion to suggest to the Porte such measures as appeared to them best calculated to ameliorate the condition of the Christians in the Turkish empire ; but they never could have thought of restricting the sovereignty of the Sultan, when, on the contrary, they were taking up arms to defend it against the pretensions which were menacing it. 'lt is for Europe, and not for the two powers ( continues the Russian Go vernment), to decide if the balance of power in Europe really runs any of the dangers which, it is pretended, arise from the excessive preponderance of Russia.' On that point the wish of the Russian Cabinet is already realised. It is the great powers of Europe, and not France and Eng land alone, who have signed the acts of Vienna ; and these a cts declare loudly that the position taken by Russia on the Danube places the general equilibrium in danger. Ac cording to the Cabinet of St. Petersburg, it is, on the con. SATURDAY, emotion at the sight of anything except an English lady ; then gather a noisy, picturesque, and active crowd of fez capped Greeks in baggy, blue breeches, smart jackets sashes, and rich vests—of soberly-dressed Armenians—of intellectual-looking Jews, with keen, flashing eyes—chas beim do Vincennes, Zouaves, British riflemen, vivandieres, sappers and miners, Nubian slaves, camel-drivers, com missaries, officers, and sailors, and direct them in streams through the streets round the little islets in which the smoking Turks are harboured, and you will do much to populate the place. ]twill be observed there are no wo men mentioned, but children are not by any means want ing—on the contrary, there is a glut of them, in the Greek quarter particularly ; and now and then a bundle of clothes, in yellow leather boots, and covered at the top with a piece of white linen, may be seen moving about, which you will do well to believe contains a woman neither young nor pretty. Dogs, so large, savage, tailless, hairy, and curiously shaped, that Wombwell could make a fortune out of them if aided by any clever zoological nomenclator, prowling along the shore and walking through the shallow water, in which stands a herd of bullocks and buffaloes waiting till the araba, or cart, is ready fur them—six French steamers, and three French transports, with the tricolor flying, and the paddle-box boats full of troops on their way to laud —a solitary English steamer, with the red ensign, at anchor in the bay—and some Greek polaccas, with their beautiful white sails and trim rig, flying down the straits, which are here about three and a half miles broad, so that the villages on the rich swelling hills of the Asia Minor side are plainly visible,—all these must be added, and then the picture is tolerably complete. In truth, it is a wretched place--pictureagne to a degree, but, like all picturesque things or places, horribly uncomfortable. The French came first, and, like all first-comers, they are the best served. When the Golden Fleece came in on Thursday night there was no pilot to show her where to anchor, and it was nearly an hour ere she ran out her cable in nineteen fathoms water. No one came off to her, for it was after midnight, and there was something depressing in this silent reception of the first British army that ever landed on the shores of these straits. As we entered the portals of the Dardanelles, and rushed swiftly up between its dark banks, we tried to discern the outline of the villages on its shores. The sentinels on the forts and along the ridges challenged loudly—shouting to each other to be on the alert —the band of the Rifles all the while playing the latest fashionable polkas, or making the rocks acquainted with Rule Britannia' and God save the Queen.' But all these things ceased at Gallipoli, and when morning came we only felt sorry that nature had made it a desirable place for us to land at. The tricolor was floating right and left, and the blue coats of the French were well marked on shore, the long line of bullock carts stealing along the strand towards their camp making it evident that they were taking care of themselves. As it happened, our active, intelligent, and able Consul had gone to the towers of the Dardanelles to look for us, but we had escaped him in the dark. Will it be credited that no instructions what ever were sent to the Consul to prepare for the reception of this force at Gallipoli? And yet lam assured such is the case. The only steps taken by the authorities' were to send two commissary officers, without interpreters or staff, to the town a few days before the troops actually landed to make provision for them. Sir George Brown, commanding the first division of the British expedi tionary army, Colonel Sullivan, Assistant-Adjutant-Gene ral, Dr. Alexander, first-class Staff-Surgeon, Captain V,hit more, Aide-de-Camp, Sae., the Rifle Brigade, and two companies of Sappers and Miners, under Lieutenant- Colonel Victor, arrived on Thursday morning, but it was midday on Saturday ere the troops were landed and sent to their quarters. Why was this? Because nothing was ready for them ! The force consisted of only some thou sand and odd men. and small as it was, owing to the fault of somebody or other,' it had to lie idle for two days and a half watching the seagulls, or with half-averted eye regarding the ceaseless activity of the French, the daily arrival of their steamers, the rapid transmission of their men by the paddle-box boats of their vessels to shore, and the admirable completeness of all their arrangements in every detail—hospitals for the sick, bread and biscuit bakeries, waggon trains for carrying stores and baggage — every necessary and every comfort, indeed, to be had the moment their ships came in ; not a British pendant was afloat in the harbour! Our great naval Stare was repre sented by a single steamer belonging to a private company. It is all very well to talk about the fine moral effect of de veloping the energies of the country and relying on the effects of private enterpi ise, but the thing is not understood abroad (perhaps not much at home either), and ex perience convinces me, as it has convinced every one who has seen the system at work, that it would be far better for the Government, even at an increased expense of time thousands a year, to keep up an efficient steam transport navy in time of peace, than to derange the operations and channels of commerce, and disturb the commnnications and workings of our great mercantile as sociations, by seizing on their ships in times of war. Soldiers suffer by it—sailors complain of it—the officers of the ships don't like it—and the companies grumble inter nally, and talk about the damage and loss they sustain in consequence of their beat vessels being engaged as tram ports. A dandy new ship, all brasswork and paint, with gold and maple and papier attache drawing-rooms, is certain to suffer when employed as a transport for Llital men, with ammunition and arms. If Government dockyard engineers could only build engines that would keep in order now and then, or if the Government would always employ men like Penn. Maudslay, or Napier, they ought to maintain a fleet of twelve good steamers to act as transports. Ther will be plenty to be done with them as long as we have co lonies and distant empires to manage. We have always troops at sea, troops coming home or going out, end a powerful maritime nation like ourselves should take shame to see other nations doing that which we are unwilling to effect. The French, however they manage it, are able to THE PRESS. trary, France and England who are exercising at present on Europe a pressure of a nature to disquiet all the neu tral powers. Every one, however, knows that, fur from manifesting any disquietude, the neutral powers, on the contrary, applaud the attitude assumed by the two mari time powers, and that at the present moment, from every part of the world, they send to thank the two powers forthe recent declaration which has just confirmed the ensemble of the principles under which they had in vain endea wured hitherto to shelter their liberty in time of war. Finally, the Russian Government thinks that the isolation into which it declares it is about to be thrown will only deliver the world up to a more dangerous preponderance than its own could possibly be. That Government forgets that not one of the great powers aims, like it, at exclusive advantages, or wants to act by itself alone. Far from per mitting a preponderance of any kind to be established, a common action exercised by the four powers is fur all the other States a pledge of security and impartiality. The influences which co-operate for the object iu view consti tute a just counterpoise of one to the other, and guarantee in advance to Europe that the general interest which has drawn the four powers together will not cease a single moment to guide their resolutions, and will be alone lis tened to to the end." CONTRABAND EXPORTS. A FURTHER order in council modifying the previous definition as to those articles whose export should be prohibited, as being arms or warlike materials, was prepared at the Privy Council on Monday, and officially proclaimed. This new specification runs as follows : " The Lords of the Council, having taken into consider ation certain applications for leave to export various articles, of which the exportation is prohibited by her Majesty's proclamation of the 18th February, 185 t, are pleased to order, and it is hereby ordered, that the officers of her Majesty's Customs do not hereafter prevent the export of any articles except only— Gunpowder, saltpetre, and brimstone, Arms and ammunition, Marine engines and boilers, and the component parts thereof. And that such last-named articles be prohibited from export only when destined to any place in Europe north of Dunkirk, or to any place in the Mediterranean Sea east of Malta ; and that the officers of her Majesty's Customs do permit the export of the said enumerated articles to any other part of the world, upon taking, from the persons ex porting the same, a bond that they shall be landed and entered at the port of destination. " Whereof the Lords Commissioners of her Majesty's Treasury, and officers of her Majesty's Customs, and all other persons whom it may concern, are to take notice and govern themselves accordingly. " C. C. GREVILLE. " THE TROOPS AT GALLIPOLI. THE following lively description of Gallipoli, and the encampments formed there for the British and French troops, is given by the Times correspondent in a letter dated the 10th instant : " Take dilapidated outhouses of farmers' yards in Eng land—remove ncketty, old, wooden tenements of I lolywell street, Wych-street, and the Borough—catch up, wherever you can, any seedy, cracked, shutterless structuresof planks and tiles that have escaped the ravages of time in our ca thedral towns—carry off sheds and stalls from Billingsgate, and add to them the huts along the shores of the Thames between London-bridge and Greenwich—bring them all to the European side of the Straits of the Dardanelles, and having pitched on the most exposed portion of the coast, on a bare, round hill, sloping away to the water's edge, with scarcely tree or shrub, tumble them higgledy piggledy ' on its declivity, in such wise that the streets may resemble, on a large scale, the devious traces of a bookworm through some old tome—let the roadway be very narrow, of irregu larly varying breadth, according to the bulgings and projec tions of the houses, and filled with large, round, slippery stones, painful and hazardous to walk upon—here and there borrow a dirty gutter from a hack street in Boulogne—let the houses in parts lean across to each other so that the tiles meet, or that a few planks thrown across from over the doorways unite and form a sort of ' passage or arcade'— steal some of our popular monuments, the shafts of various national testimonials, or Irish round towers—surround them with a light gallery about twelve feet from the top, put on a large, extinguisher shaped roof, paint them all white, and, having thus made them into minarets,clap them down into the maze of buildings—then let fall big stones all over the place—plant little windmills with odd-looking sails on the crests of the hill over the town—transport the ruins of a feudal fortress from Northern Italy, and put it in the centre of the town, with a flanking tower extending to the water's edge—erect a few buildings of wood by the waterside to serve as café, Custom-house, and Government stores—and, when you have done this, you have to all ap pearance imitated the process by which the town of Galli poli was created. The receipt, if tried, will be found to answer beyond belief. To fill it up you must, however, catch a number of the biggest-breeched, longest-bearded, dirtiest, and stateliest old Turks to be had at any price in the Ottoman empire ; provide them with pipes, and keep them smoking all day on little wooden stages or platforms about two feet from the ground, by the water's edge or up the main streets, as well as in the shops of the bazaar ( one of the ' passages' or arcades already described): see that they have no slippers on, nothing but stout woollen hose (their feet-gear being left on the ground below), shawl turbans (one or two being green, for the real descendant of the Prophet), fur-lined, flowing coats, and bright-hued sashes round the waist, in which are to be stuck silver sheathed yataghans and ornamented Damascus pistols ; don't let them move more than their eyes, or express any • •