The Press. — London, England, 1856-01-05 00:00:00

JANIIiRY 5, 1856. (Ori totyettas front tip Crimea. CAMP, CRIMEA, Dec. 22, 1855. I nEscuEn this place quite safe, about a fortnight or three weeks ago, and I redeem my promise of send ing you a few lines. The weather, which since my arrival has been very wet anti cold, does not present the camp to my " civilian," alias u T.G.," eyes in a very cheery aspect. Although, of course, matters are not what they were last winter, they certainly are very far from what they should be, after such fearful expe rience. Every Jay gives examples of the most childish and puerile mismanagement. Iltutting is by no means general, and where huts do exist they appear admirably fitted for any purpose but keeping out wind or rain. This may be partly the fault of the authorities at Constantinople, where the huts, of twelve or fourteen different shapes and models, were all unloaded at one time and place. I need not tell you what followed, because you are not a Govern ment official, and common sense would foretel the hopeless and, as it appears, inextricable confusion which occured. Would you believe that, after all that has taken place, things would not be better managed? The other day the glass arrived for the but windows, but the diamond glass cutter had been left in England, so the glass remains uncut anti the huts windowless. Then the clever fellows packed off the huts, the iron in one ship and the wood in another; so that, had either met with accident or delay, the whole cargo of the other would have been rendered useless. Not the least extraor dinary part of the matter is the childlike simplicity anti credulity displayed in many of the arrangements. Little or no felt covering was sent out, because the huts were warranted waterproof. They arrive in the Crimea, are put together, and found to be about as much waterproof as a very old sieve. Let us cover them ; but no cover is there ! lam assured that in many instances the huts were never once put together before they were despatched from England. Would anyone believe it possible ? Some time in the course of the month a ship-load of officers' tents is expected to arrive; but the general expecta tion seems to be that, when they do come, they will probably not fit; and no wonder, if they wore sent off without trial. The preparations for destroying the docks are still going on, or rather, I should say, have been re sumed. Soon after the work of mining had been begun, orders came per telegraph to stop, and operations were suspended for a month. Now they have begun again, but no one knows what the delay has been about, unless to allow the rains to make the job four times as long, and give the poor fellows the opportunity of working in deep water. A child could have managed things better ; not that the commander-in-chief is ti blame—every one likes and thinks well of General Codrington—but a Wellington would be of no avail if lie is to obey the ridiculous orders perpetually tele graphed to him by Lord Panuiere. The latter, lam told, interferes in everything ; but really some of his lordship's notions are quite droll. There is a general intpression and hope that when Codrington gets well into his saddle lie will show a bold front, and make a , stand against Lord Panmure's red-tape pedantries. lou may fancy how vexed people are that the general should be interfered with. What would Field- Marshal his Grace of Wellington have done hail he received from the Cabinet in London an order that the fatigue parties on their return from road-making should be received by another fatigue party and sur geon, and forthwith be put through evolutions very like those prescribed after a shampooing bath, each man being Ist of all stripped naked, then scrubbed down, doubled in blankets, anti drenched with coffee ! poi any one ever hear such nonsense? One thing strikes me forcibly, and that is that some divisions ate so much worse off than others. The first divi !u.on is one of the worst supplied—why, I know not. They do say about here that it is partly the fault of the general commanding. Lord Itokeby is certainly not popular here. He is said to he always quarrel. ling, and upon these occasions not to be too choice in his language. But I have no idea of entering into the camp squabbles, or of doing more than trying to give you some general idea of the state of things out here. But, to return, from what cause I know not, but certain it is Lord Rokeby's division appears to be in a worse case than the others. Very few of these men have huts, but are still sleeping on the ground in the tents. I heard a wag of the second division the other day consoling a guardsman for this by telling him that the hut, when it came, would have more the effect of a shower-bath than a shelter to him. I daresay you will have heard ere this of the tremendous mortality among the beasts of burden ; they die off like rotten sheep. It is very much to be regretted, as they were collected at enormous trouble and expense, and will form so very impor- PRESS. tent an item in the campaign of next spring. Tile mortality and sickness amongst the poor brutes is so bad that transport fer forage, &c., is for the time stopped, and is done by reserves of divisions instead. Did I tell you that all will (unless the water rise rapidly) be ready in about three weeks for the blow• ing up the docks? I hope they will not again be respited by the inscrutable Secretary of War. I should like to see the sight, and intend staying for about that time. The Russians are most liberal with their powder ; they constantly treat us to a platoon, but it does no harm ; it is generally directed towards Inkermann and the ruined south side of Sebastopol. ' So much for the camp and its management. One word about the north side, and I must conclude. It is, or at least seems to be, a very strong position, literally bristling with batteries. The Russians seem to be wonderful engineers, and doubtless they are daily strengthening it with the same admirable skill which they displayed in the south side this time last year. It is cheering to find General Codrington is a general favorite. It seems chiefly owing to an im pression that he will stand none of Lord Panmure's non sense. Perhaps he has already shown this ;at least, the camp gossips declare that he treated with de served contempt certain orders which ho received from the War-office, and which seemed to intimate that relationship to Lord Panniure was the best qua lification for a staff appointment. It is astonishing how much he is disliked and mistrusted out here. I have heard several persons well qualified to speak on the subject regretting the loss of the Duke of New castle in comparison with the present Secretary of War. Sortign eurrogontence. FRANKFORT, Jan. 1, 1850. THE Berlin telegraph publishes the consent of the Emperor Alexander to the third point of the Vienna Conferences, according to the following interpre tation : _ . 1. Le principe de la fermeture des detroits sera maintenu. 2 Aucun pavilion militaire no sera wlmis dans la Mer Noire exeepte celui des forces navales que la Russie et la Turquie jugeront convenable d'y entretenir, de commun a3cord. 3. La quotite de cea forces sera &zee par une entente directe entre la Russie et la Turquie, sans participation ostensible des autres puissances. Such a proposition hardly differs from a simple re currence to the " statu in quo ante." Russia is far too well versed in diplomacy to imagine seriously, after the vast sacrifices of men and money by the allies, that she will be permitted to make her own terms with Turkey in regard to the Black Sea, "sans participation ostensible des mitres puissances." This expression would infer the allies to have been wrong from the first in their interference in Ottoman affairs—a mode of putting the question not acceptable to England and France, and incapable of making an impression on their respective Governments. The mission of Count Esterhazy to St. Petersburg is a matter of general anxiety. In reality it is of less importance than the more unobtrusive visit of Baron Seebach, the Saxon Minister at Paris. The Gazette de la Bourse de Pruasie says : Le voyage de M. de Seebach reste toujours l'evenement du jour. M. de Seebach a en jeudi une audience de l'Empereur, apres avoir confere longtenaps avec le Comte Walewski. S'il n'y avail que la moitte de vrai de tout ce qu'on rapporte, la paix serait certaine. In reply to this the Gazette d'Elberfeld remarks : On ne peut assez se rnettre en garde contre les mani. festations et les nouvelles ollicielles, semi-officielles, et confidentielles ecloses it Paris et presentant les negocia• tions pacifiques comma etant sur le point d'aboutir. Je sais pertinemment quit a'agit dune manoeuvre le bourse combinee sur une vaste echelle afin de produire la hausse a la prochaine liquidation dont depend l'existence de grandes fortunes et vela pas seulement parmi les speculateurs de Paris. There is much awkward truth in this statement. The Journal de Frankfort observes: — M. de Seebach u'est pea charge de transmettre des pro positions modifiees, mats d'etre l'urgane dune aerie de declarations destinees a Wafter la Russie sun la sincerite des dispositions pacifiques de la France. In due season, and in echo to the spirit that gave the tone to the Seebach communication, the official organ of Russia thus significantly expresses itself : Quoi qu'on en dise, noire vceu le plus oher est que la pail se fuse et, en exprimant ce vceu, nous sonimes persuades d'etre l'urgane des sentiments de la nation Russie. And it must be understood that such peace should be honourable to all parties. M. de Seebach wended his way from Paris. Like Lord John Russell, in his Abigail expedition to Vienna, Brussels was a promi nent station in his route. After a rapid consultation with M. de Creptowitch, the emissary continued his journey. On the result of this private errand the question of peace and war will depend. The terms conveyed by the Count Esterhazy are said by Russia to have been already in great measure disposed of by pre vious refusal, and what slight changes there may be, do not obliterate " l'esprit humiliant pour la Rus sie." But the indignation of the Court of St. Peters burg againA that of Vienna is moulding itself in a form, and publicly announced in a temper, that ad mits of no qualification. When the revised and accepted propositions of the allies were sent back to 'Vienna, they were not corn - municated to M. de Gortschakoff. They were, how - ever, disclosed to other Ministers, and with a certain journalised publicity. The indignation of the Rus sian Minister was extreme ; but no notice was taken of the " eux," above mentioned, by M. de l3uol, until a few hours before the departure of the Count Esterhazy, and then in a manner frigidly diplomatic, and without any desire for the benefit of " sages conseils." Nuns creyons pour notre part qno des evimeraents prochains se cluirgeront de repondre u ces questions, eu demontrant par l'evidence des faits que si n'a pas voulu des moyens qui sont une garantir de succ6s pour les negociations de pain, c'est parce qu'elle ne voulait pas le but. These words, penned advisedly and published by a Russian organ with Russian authority, go directly to reproach Austria with insincerity, subterfuge, and disloyalty, and of being guilty of that which is com monly called " mauvaises procedes." Really, per haps never in . history has there been a similar ex ample of crunination launched by one country against another without open rupture. Austria challenged the animadversion of Russia, and the Gazette Autrichienne did not wait long for the reply. It was gentlemanly and dignified : La Gazette Autrichienne insinue que les propositions que le Comte Esterhazy aura a faire au Cabinet de St. Peters• bourg seront les derrieres, et que si elle, ne sont pas acceptees, ce dernier retournera a Vienne, et les relations entre les deux pays seront rompues. Nous reservons d'apprecier cette eventualite, lorsqu'elle sera it retat de fait accompli. Nous pourrona alors recondre avec plus de liberte la question de savoir si les relations qu'on menace sans cease de rompre valent raieux que des relations rompues. In flinging back with contempt the menace of Austria, and accepting with alacrity and determina tion the " relations rompues," Russia reads a sage and sarcastic lesson to the allies. After placing before Germany the treasonable laches of Austria against the confederated States, Russia points to the remedy of grievance L'Autriche n'oublie jewels d'être tine puissance Enro peene pour tenir le haut bout des transactions (Belo inatiques, mais on ditait qu'elle ne se souvient d'être puissance Allemande que pour eviter de courir lea chances de la guerre on pour recueillir les avantages de celle-ci. Anything more insulting by insinuation could not be written ; and after having exhibited the flagrant proof of Austrian perfidy towards Germany, and after the hissing charge of pusillanimity, " flanque au visage," the Russian organ asks disdainfully : Pourquoi la Gazelle Autrichienne vent elle nous effrayer en none representant l'Antriche comme l'epee de Damo cles suspendue la tete de la Russie ?" A qui done croft elle imposer par cette fanfaronnade ? This is a challenge outright to do more than threaten. Again : Abordant la question de savoir si is Ruasie accepters les conditions de l'Autriche on si celleci sera obligee d'avoir recours aux tames pour l'y foreer, la Gazette As- Irichienne repond par cette ainguliere phrase, " Oa espire la premiere erentualite ; on s'atlend d la seconde." To which Russia may reply in the word as she does nobly in the spirit Qu'eile se soucie peu de la premiere et elle se moque Bien de la seconde." This proud yet forbearing manifesto of Russia against Austria, this temperate and dignified appeal to Europe, exclusive of her enemies—" honorables toujours quoiqu'ennemis "—by a simple relation of fact against a faithless associate, has had an instan taneous and electrical effect throughout Germany, and it need not be said in the highest degree preju dicial to Austria. Bavaria alone is prepared to make a common cause with the house of Hapsburg Lorraine, in the sense of Southern against Northern, Catholic against Protestant, Germany, without the examina tion of right or wrong in the political abstract. But after the Imperial and Russian elucidation of the private object of Austria in asserting a Germanic protectorate, and after the revealed wish of the latter to possess herself of the mouths of the Danube, in order to extort [confederated}f terms of a Judaic complacency, the States, if possessed of honour and common sense, will be disposed to look elsewhere, and farther north, fore more faith ful guardian. One word to Austria. Italy clings to her historic independence, Hungary cherishes the memory of her slaughtered Magyars, Bohemia re pudiates the ancient motto, "Ich Dien," and remem bers what time she conferred the title of king upon a petty duke of Austria; Gallicia belongs to Poland, Dalmatia is Greek, and Sehlavonia sym