The Press. — London, England, 1855-01-06 00:00:00

rity against the recurrence of similar calami ties. But it would appear that the Conference has proceeded as if no event of importance had occurred since the 9th of August. The struggle before Sebastopol, with all its fearful waste of life, counts for nothing in this diplo matic proceeding. Lord WESTMORELAND, Baron BORQUENEY, and Count Buot, resume the game of negotiation as if they had been in a tranquil slumber for the last five months, and were only awakened by Prince GORTSCHAICOFF coming to inform them that the Emperor his master was pleased to consent to treat on the four points they had laid down before their nap commenced. As these terms were absolutely rejected by the Emperor NICHOLAS when originally pro posed, it is extremely questionable whether the option of now accepting them should have been left open to him. But discussion on this point is cut short by his acceptance of them having been received by the Conference as an accomplished fact; and on the 28th of De force, is a standing " empire." It is not unlikely that in the pro tocol of the 28th of December some mention may be made of a limitation of the naval force of Russia in the Euxine,—nor would a stipula tion to that effect be unusual. But it is quite certain that the Emperor NICHOLAS would re ject with disdain any proposal to dismantle Sebastopol ; nor is it probable that the repre sentatives of the three Powers would make a proposal which they must feel would be a violation of diplomatic courtesy, and depart widely front the letter of the terms it was their purpose to interpret. We are assured, indeed, that iu the protocol of the 28th December no mention whatever is made of Sebastopol; and supposing, therefore, that the Emperor NICHOLAS should accede to the four points as now interpreted, that great fortress would be left in his hands with full liberty to maintain or strengthen it as he might think fit. What is said as to the naval strength of Russia I in the Euxine is, we believe, conveyed in such his character and pretensions. could now be answered by his ceptance of the four points; would be gained by it. He is indifferent to the opinion of the conditions he has acceded to moderately interpreted, we . can now reject them without reputation than he could poi frankly taking them as the treaty of peace. Even, however, should the favourable answer to the the consent of one other _ be obtained. In the Conference, no one seems to have thought that Turkey could be in the slightest degree interested in negotiations pro fessedly undertaken to secure the integrity of her empire. No representative of the Sultan was present at the Vienna meetings. We do not learn that it has been thought worth while to communicate to him the terms agreed —.e.Gi 1 .„,...6-4-,--4... , • . e s vi //, - .- ~ ~ , rt ~ , ... ~ ... , 4j . ! r t •, • ... , • . . . 4 . 1 No. 88.—VoL. 111. LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1855. PRICE SIXPENCE. • . . 1 pt S. Vrts cember the representatives of France, Eng - a manner as to save the dignity ; the Czar, '. land, and Austria drew up and signed a memo • and ren der his assent to the. pro con- randum defining the sense in which the four dition perfectly compatible with his lame= points should be understood. This memo- and exalted position. We are further assured randum was communicated to Prince Goers - that the pro tocol declares the minimum of the LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 0, 1854. CIiAROFF, who seems to have been present concessions which the contracting Powers will, during a part or the whole of the discussions ; accept as the interpretation of the four points. and, at his request, a delay of fifteen days was There is a general persuasion among per- ONCE more the world awaits with anxiety the granted, that he might communicate with the sons of high official experience that the terms decision of the Emperor Nietious. Terms of Emperor his master, and learn his pleasure. forwarded to St. Petersburg will be rejected The last intelligence from Vienna is , that a by th e Em p eror, though we are unable to trace- . pac ification have been forwarded from Vienna courier was on his way to St. Petersburg with the belief to any better reason than that, by to St. Petersburg, and the representatives of despatches containing the interpretation placed accepting the conditions, he would renounce • France, England. and Austria have conceded a upon those four points, which the Czar had his mission as Universal Head of the Greek delay of fourteen days, that the pleasure:of the already declared his willingness to accept. Church, and abandon his long-cherished de• Czar may be consulted, and his sanction or On this interpretation, then, or rather on signs against Turkey. The opinion drawn. the Czar's view of it, would seem to depend from such considerations, and even from the refusal of the proposals submitted to him may the question of peace or war. Supposing it to resolved character of the Czar, may, however, be known. be of such a nature as any person versed in prove to be erroneous. Tho policy of the The deliberations of the Conference have diplomatic proceedings, and in the circum- Russian Court has never been of that stub- turned on the four points contaiued in the stances of this particular case, would antici- born character which refuses to bend to Vienna note of the 9th of August. 'Those pate beforehand, there is a reasonable probe- obstacles. It has often yielded its pretensions bility that it will be acceded to by the Em- for the time that it may renew them under points it will be recollected were : peror NICHOLAS, unless, indeed, we suppose more favourable circumstances. It has never 1. The abolition of the protectorate of Rus- that he would voluntarily degrade himself in regarded a check as a humiliation, or shrank sea over the Danubian Principalities, and the the eyes of Europe by declaring that he would from making assertions and concluding privileges of those provinces placed under the agree to terms which he had not the slightest treaties which it was fully resolved to violate collective guarantee of the contracting Powers. real intention of accepting. But, on the other on the earliest convenient opportunity. 2. The free navigation of the mouths of the hand, it is possible that the terms may have As regards the prestige or moral power of Danube secured according to the principles been interpreted in a sense which their obvi- the Emperor in Europe, it appears that he must established by the Congress of Vienna. ous meaning did not warrant, and that the suffer quite as much by conceding the prin. . , 1 - lor---4 N. Tfittatrovtoion of ~the- t reelir_ c og 3)34 , lath east could not consent to this ititation ciple of the four points, as by his bona fide ao- July, 1841, "in the interest of the - balance of ' without confessing himself vanqn. Arid ceptamie -of them as a basis of pacification. power in Europe." without such loss of character as must en- We are inclined to think that he never would 4. The abandonment by Russia of her claim danger the foundations of his throne. have concededforced so on muc him, th, had hat his not the convic• to exercise an o ffi cial protectorate o ver the It is obvious that on the first, second, and tio been position is Christian subjects of the Porte (to whatever fourth conditions of the Vienna note there is le ; nor can we conceive why he sheuld rite they might belong), in consideration of no room for much latitude of interpretation. so far ave given way, unless he really desired the Powers giving their mutual assistance to 'Their meaning is so 'clear and precise as and intended a termination of the wex. A fair obtain from the Sultan a confirmation and oh- scarcely to call for• a commentary. But the consideration of his resources must convince servance of the religious privileges of all third condition is extremely' vague, and the him that even supposing he should be sue- Christian communities. result of the negotiation must, we imagine, cessful in resisting the attacks of his combined The three Powers which signed this note materielly depend upon the sense givcn to it , enemies, yet that he cannot hope to take the did not bind themselves to confine their de- in,the last'pretocol of the three Powers s• ' fo*isive against - them. His fleets are sunk mends to these terms in the event of a con- Our *lrma"; supposed to be ,in. thSartionte' or shut up in their ports, and his armies are tinuance of hostilities; but they declared that dente of Government have generally held that required to defend the integrity of hi ld can s own they would not consent to less than these this condition must be supposed to im p l y a territories. From no State the wor conditions, as, unless they were observed, the strict limitation of the naval strength of Rus- he look for assistance, and the mission of relations of the Porte with Russia could not sia in the Black Sea, and the destruction of Baron USEDOM to this country can hardly bo he established on solid bases. As these terms Sebastopol ; and the language of Lord CLA.. lost Russipa, uo which has aided her progressn his observant mind. The craft more of were laid down before the expedition to the RENDON'S despatch of the 22nd of July, 1854, Crimea was undertaken, it would have been does to some extent favour such a construe- effectually than the power of her arms, is hardly perfectly open to France and England to insist tion. " The privileged frontier of Russia in likely to fail her in this hour of her need. on concessions in some degree commensurate "the Black Sea," it states, "has enabled her There is, besides, nothing in the character with the sacrifices they have made, or which "to establish in those waters a naval power of the Emperor NICHOLAS to lead us to sup- would at least afford them most ample seen- " which, in the absence of any counterbalancing pose that he would be guilty of deceit, rity against the recurrence of similar Wand-is a un likely enace to the Ottoman which could have no other end than to lower ties. But it would appear that the Conference " empire." It is not that in the pro- his character and pretensions. No purpose has proceeded as if no event of importance tocol of the 28th of December some mention could now be answered by his pretended had occurred since the 9th of August. The may be made of a limitation of the naval force ceptance of the four points ; not even delay struggle before Sebastopol, with all its fearful of Russia in the Euxine,—nor would a stipule- would be gained by it. He is certainly not waste (Atha, counts for nothing in this diplo- tion to that effect be unusual. But it is quite indifferent to the opinion of Europe; and it matie proceeding. Lord WESTMORELAND, Baron certain that the Emperor NICHOLAS would re- the conditions he has acceded to are fairly and BORQUENET, and Count Brun, resume the game ject with disdain any proposal to dismantle moderately interpreted, we do not see how he of negotiation as if they had been in a tranquil Sebastopol; nor is it probable that the repre- can now reject them without greater loss of slumber for the last five months, ' and were sentatives of the three Powers would make a reputation than he could possibly incur by only awakened by Prince GORTSCHAICOFF coming proposal which they must feel would be a frankly taking them as the groundwork of a to inform them that the Emperor his master violation of diplomatic courtesy, and depart treaty of peace. was pleased to consent to treat on the four widely front the letter of the terms it was their Even, however, should the Czar return a .....—:..,•,. 41,...., 1...,1 Isaiti down before their nap purpose to interpret. favourable answer to the propossiVrent him, ---..1 :....i.mei Olaf ilrl the nrotocol the consent of one other party wouM have to _ _ _ 11