The Press. — London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

THE WEEK. THE retirement of M. DROUYN DE LHUYB from the Foreign Ministry of France marks the commencement of a new phase in the Eastern Question. The Minister's views appear to have been more pacific than those of his Court. He received the proposals of Austria favorably, and, finding that he was discountenanced by the Tuilieries, he instantly withdrew from the Government. The proceedings of the Vienna Conference after the last meeting, of which an account is given in the papers presented to Parliament, require explanation. We cannot understand why M. DROUYN DE LHUYS remained after Lord JOHN RusszLL withdrew, nor are we yet informed whether the French Minister in the course he took acted in concert with the views expressed or implied of Lord JOHN RUSSELL, of whose ideas it is to be supposed that he was thoroughly cognisant. The frequent Cabinet Councils held within the *at few days point to the conclusion that the Russian and Austrian proposals have been debated by the Cabinet. The papers published give as full and apparently as fair a view of the proceedings at the Conferences as could be desired up to the close of the 26th of April. For authentic details of what subsequently occurred, leading to the retirement of the French Minister, we are still left to conjecture. The first two points—one abandoning the exclusive protectorate of Russia over the Danubian principalities (certainly au important concession in itself), the other, securing by new provisions the free navigation of the Danube—were agreed to without difficulty. The third point embraced two distinct objects—the first to admit Turkey more completely into the family of European nations, and to guarantee the integrity of her territory by a common arrangement; the second, to put an end to the preponderance of Russia in the Black Sea. When the third point was first opened at the sitting of the Conference on the 26th of March, the Russian Plenipotentiaries • - demanded a period of delay to receive further instructions from their Court. Meantime M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and AALI PACHA arrived at Vienna. The Conferences were renewed on the 17th of April, when the Russian Ministers declined to take the initiative in submitting any proposals to the Conference. In answer, however, to a direct question from M. DROUYN DE LHUYS, Prince GOTSCHAKOFF stated positively that Russia would not consent to the ships of her navy being limited to any fixed number either by treaty or otherwise. At the meeting of the 19th April, AALI PACHA submitted that the first object of the third point might be attained by a stipulation, declaring that the Ottoman empire should form henceforward an integral part of the uropean system, and that the contracting Powers should " mutually undertake to respect its territorial integrity and ." independence." This stipulation was in substance adopted in the articles drawn up by M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and COUNT BUOL. The question of the limitation of the Russian fleet was then again brought forward. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS read his project, which was to the effect that Russia and Turkey should each limit its fleet in the Black Sea to five ships of war and four frigates, with a proportionate number of light vessels, the Dardanelles to remain closed as before, the Sultan reserving to himself the right, in case of war, of opening them,and of calling the fleets of his allies to his assistance. Count Bum. expressed himself favourable to the terms proposed, but on being asked by Prince:CroasseHattoFF whether, if Russia refused to concur spow. taneously in the proposed limitation, coercion should be employed to compel her assent, the Count replied : That Austria, for the present, supports the project under discussion, by recommend ing it to the adoption of Russia, but that in other respects he must reserve for the Em peror his master full liberty as to the choice of means by which he may consider it ex pedient eventually to give his support to his proposition. For the consideration of this proposal the Russian Ministers re quired forty-eight days' delay. Prince GORTSCHAKOFF then said that the proposed conditions were, in the opinion of himself and his col _ league, incompatible with the dignity of the Russian empire, and proposed that the Dardanelles should be open to the ships of war of all nations, giving to the Porte liberty to close the Strait to the ships of any Power with which she might be at war. In making this proposi tion he insisted that Russia had redeemed her word by having proposed means to re-establish the equilibrium of forces in the Black Sea. The British, French, and Turkish Plenipotentiaries instantly declared that they had uo powers to treat on such a basis, and Lord JOHN RUSSELL left Vienna. At a subsequent Conference held on the 26th of April, at the request of the Russian Minister, Prince GORTSCHAKOFF submitted a new proposal ; first, that the Dardanelles should remain closed as at present ; secondly, that the Sultan should Reserve to himself the power to open, by way of temporary exception, the Straits of the Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus to the fleets of foreign Powers which the Sublime Porte should think it necessary to summon, whenever she should consider her security menaced. M. DROUYN DE LHUYS and Lord WESTMORLAND still held that their instructions were exhausted, and the last Conference of which account is given in these papers broke up with an expression of opinion by Count BUOL that the proposals of the Allies contained a complete and efficacious system, while those of the Russian Plenipotentiaries only indicated principles which might be included in a system. From this analysis of the official protocals it appears, then, that as far as the Conferences proceeded the Protectorate of Russia over the principalities was abandoned, the free navigation of the Danube was insured, and Turkey was admitted iitg the family of uropeah SATURDAY, nations, the contracting Powers guaranteeing the integrity of her ternary. It now remains to be seen what view our public men will take of these conditions—whether they will conceive that in themselves they afforded a fair basis of pacification, and whether the limitation of the Russian fleet is alone an object worth a continuance of the war. Lord GREY in one House, and Mr. MILNER GIBBON in the other, have given notice of resolutions that peace might have been concluded on these terms. The protocols are remarkable as evincing the keen, cool, practised diplomatic art of the Russian Ministers, and their vast superiority in intellectual sleight over their opponents. On one point our public will expect explanation. As the whole matter of peace or war turned on this proposed limitation of the Russian fleet, why was not the question asked by M. DROUYN DE LIMO on the 17th of April, addressed to the Russian Plenipotentiaries, in some shape or other before the Conference met? Had this been done we should at least have been spared the pain of witnessing the fruitless return of Lord JOHN RUSSELL after it was supposed that conditions of peace had been prac tically settled. We have now almost daily bulletins from the seat of war. In the evening papers of yesterday a despatch was published from Lord RAGLAN, announcing that, on the morning of Thursday last, a sortie of the Russians had been successfully repulsed, with great loss to the enemy We are thus enabled to read on one day reports of what took place in the Crimea the day previous ! Science has never previously achieved so signal and astonishing a result. The War-office system, we are sorry to hear, is literally breaking down through the incompetency of Lord PANMURE either to transact the business himself or to agree with his subordinates. The facts of the disgraceful state of this now all important Ministry cannot much longer be kept from the public. That there is " something rotten in the state"—not of " Den mark," but of the "Liberal party "—appears to be acknowledged by some of its most distinguished supporters. The Examiner of last week pathetically deplored how, in " pulling up the tares at the time " of the Reform Bill, we also plucked up some wheat," and it alludes with retrospective regret to the facility with which men of talent entered the House of Commons in the days of rotten boroughs. It calls for a " Reform of the Reform Bill," and actually suggests that the Crown should have a certain number of nominative seats! The geniuses returned by the ten-pounders do not seem to have particu larly dazzled our contemporary. In other literary quarters we see signs of an altered tone in discussing the public character of some distinguished ornaments of the Conservative cause. The star of Whiggery is evidently beginning t 9 `pale its,inelectual fires." Debating in the House of Commons has been much abbreviated this week by the accident, so rare as to appear almost phenomenal, of the Sneaker's illness. Mr. HEYWOOD'S Bill for legalising unions with a deceased wife's sister passed its second reading by a majority so small—only 8, in a house of 320—as to secure its rejection at a. future stage by the Peers. Last night the Newspaper-Stamp Bill went through its last stage in the Commons, and the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER afterwards resigned another 200,0001. of income by abandoning his projected measure for stamps on bankers' drafts. The most interesting incidents in the Parliamentary proceedings have, however, consisted not so much in the business done as the notices given for future debates. Lord ELLENBOROUGH'S motion will lead to a great debate on Monday. Lord PALMERSTON, with much display of generosity, offered to give up Monday night in the Commons to Mr. LAYARD. The Member for Aylesbury was, however, wise enough to decline bringing forward his motion at a moment when interest would be absorbed " elsewhere" in the discussion of Lord ELLEssoaouott's resolutions, and will accordingly take his chance of finding a day for himself. The Royal Academy opened on Monday with an average quantity of good works, but the only one which has excited great attention is Mr. LEIGHTON'S picture of " Cimabue's Procession." It is quite an event in She artistic season. The youth of the artist, the absence of any special antecedents, the popular admiration of the picture, and the manifest patronage of her Majesty, invest so sudden a burst into distinction with much peculiarity. BYRON said, after he read the reviews on " Childe Harold," and the private letters recording opinions on it : 7 " I woke one morning and found myself famous." But in his case his personal notoriety in London, and the proofs of abilities in " English " Bards and Scotch Reviewers," to some extent paved the way for the effect of " Childe Harolde." But nothing has heralded the instanta neous reputation of Mr. LEIGHTON, whose name has suddenly flashed forth upon the world with electric power. The amateur performance at Drury-lane Theatre last night attracted even a more brilliant and crowded audience than was pre sent at the Italian Opera on the occasion of the Imperial visit. The Queen and Royal Family honoured tho performance with their pre sence. The first piece, A Romantic Idea, went off flatly, nor did the prologue to the Pantomime, in spite of the effective elocution and admirable make-up of the Spirit of Shakespeare, improve on a second hearing. But the Pantomime was really glorious. So much wit and humour, both in speech and gesture, has not been witnessed on the stage for many a long year. The amateurs were more perfect than on their first performance, and to the very close of the piece the crowded audience were kept in a transport of inittn and ecetacy of delight, THE PRESS. 448