The Press. — London, England, 1855-12-29 00:00:00

DECELBER 29, 1855. But Russia, after a peace of forty years, which has changed the face of the world, softened manners, and brought nations together in amity, enjoyed a better fate. Immediately after the struggle she was able to appreciate and appropriate the results of it; and at the very moment at which she renounces her olii Eastern policy, she sees that that policy does not die, that it is regenerated, and that in civilising herself she triumphs ! What idea animated Peter the Great with respect to Constantinople? An idea as generous and as holy as that which conducted the King Saint Louis, Richard of End. land, and Leopold of Austria to the tomb of Christ. Can we feel surprised that this idea, a living tradition of all reigns, should have been enveloped in mystery, have grown in the dark, and that when it appeared in open day, fully armed, it succumbed and became transformed into a conflict of giants? No; for tho moment it was conceived it-iuul that destiny. It was exclusive and in- complete, for it only aimed at the of the Greek communion; it was aggressive and encroaching, for that enfranchisement implied a territorial rearrange ment of Europe. But Europe, which the creator of Russia had only seen exclusively commercial at London and Amsterdam, irre• ligious and dissolute at the Court of the Regent, and which could not comprehend his great conception, was at that time undergoing a grand transformation. Whilst Catherine and Nicholas Are slowly opening the road to Constantinople for the armies of Russia, the old feudal edifice of the West was crumbling away, and on its ruins Napoleon was founding the base of a new policy and a new society. At a distance of 150 years the ideas of Peter the Great have found before them a regenerated Europe, drawing after it already the Eastern world into its principles of order, justice, and tolerance, by the sole attraction of the wonders of civilisation, and raising aloft the cross iu the metropolis of Islamism. The will of Peter the Great was from that moment ac oomplished. And when, in the nineteenth century, Russia directed her armies and fleets on Constantinople, she committed as grave an error as if England or France had recom menced the crusades. But let her admit that error and renounce her system of isolated propagandism, let her claim her share in the collective protectorate which Chris tian Europe has achieved, and this claim will not be refused. Ts Europe ignorant of the fact that the co- religionists of the Russian people compose three-quarters of the population of Turkey; that the ill-feeling of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg can create there enormous difficulties, and that its sincere co-operation would, on the contrary, become one of the most essential elements of the pacific regeneration of the Ottoman empire. Such is the truth as to the origin, the character, and the results of the struggle. Were Russia to accept these views, and the negotiations of the Cabinets to adopt at once inspirations as liberal; were a congress to meet with such sentiments of frankness and honour, where the conscience of sovereigns would co operate with the talents of diplomatists to reconstruA with solidity and justice the equilibrium of Europe, who would dare to doubt of success ? No person. Prepared to agree, as in a family deliberation before their peers, the belligerent powers would be authorised to conclude an armistice as a proof of the legitimate hopes which would proceed from the new form of negotiations. Soon all the difficulties would be smoothed away ; for it cannot be admitted that a congress of sovereigns, united to regulate, in the name of the common weal, not only the Eastern question, but all the other difficulties which had sprung up since the congress of Vienna, would fail in its efforts. Is there a single interest which would not derive benefit from the immediate pacification of Europe? Are not Prussia and Austria impat ent to recover the share of influence which has become more and more com promised by the unsuccess of their efforts ? Does not Russia aspire to resnme the course of internal prosperity, and to liquidate honourably and grandly the traditions of a policy which was generous at the epoch when it was conceived, but which has been condemned as inadequate by the progress of civilisation, and which she would have been compelled to renounce sooner or later in her own interest, as in that of the world ? The Anglo-French alliance is eternal. It will attain its object amidst the days of misfortune as in those of pro sperity. But would it not be for it a stroke of fortune to triumph at that period of the war when, having nothing further to destroy than the Baltic fleet, the interests and ideas of the two nations might be brought into opposition ? Finally, if the secondary powers of Europe contribute in a direct manner to re-establish peace, if Europe is in debted to them in some degree for the commencement of endless labours, for the reforms and benefits which will ensue from that grand event, will not a similar service ren dered prove a better guarantee for such States from the eventualities of the future than any protectorates? The assembling of a congress will therefore be for the benefit of all. The necessitr tor it results from the five great powers being unable c.. nit to a precise understand ing. Its formation has been tie embryo since the appeal made to the general opinion of Europe by Napoleon 111. The wish for it inspires every breast, and the official pro position which will be made for it will neither meet with an adversary nor a person indifferent to it from the very day when a sovereigi4Court shall have assumed the initia tive. THE PRESS. THE WAR. GENERAL MOURAVIEFF'S report of the surrender of Kars, and the terms of capitulation, have been received this week from St. Petersburg. The Rus sian general appears to have been well served by his spies, and to have been kept informed of everything that was passing in the garrison. Hunger, mortality, and dejection induced frequent desertions; the con dition of the town was frightful; women and children were dying of hunger ; the hospitals were filled with sick, the streets with corpses, provisions were exhausted, and all hope of relief wit.; at an end. On the 22nd of November General Williams received despatches from Erzeroum, assuring him that ho might expect no relief from that quarter, and must henceforth look to himself. On the 23rd A council of war was held, whereat it was determined to offer to capitulate. On the 25th General Williams had an in terview with General Idouravieff, on the 27th the anal conditions of the capitulation were signed, and on the 28th the garrison marched out voluntarily, leaving their arms and ammunition in their camps. The terms of capitulation granted the honours of war to the garrison ; the Redifs, Bashi-Bazouks, and Lazes were allowed to return to their homes, and the right of designating a list of persons to whom permission would be given to return home was reserved to General Williams, subject to the approval of General Mouraveiff. Previously to the surrender Generals Kmety and Coleman, accompanied by an escort of Ave Kinds, gave in their resignations to General Williams, and left Kars on the night of the 24th, when, cleverly passing the Russian outposts, they succeeded on the 27th in reaching Erzeroum. With respect to the movements of Omer Paella, the latest telegraphic despatches from Constantinople assert that the Sirdar still remained in the neigh bourhood of Kutais, but that no serious operations against the town had commenced, though it was not believed that the Russians would contest its posses sion, the Russian garrison having, it is asserted, received orders to evacuate the citadel and to concen trate on the Gori Pass for the defence of Georgia. From the allied camp in the Crimea the intelli gence, up to the 11th, is confined to purely domestic matters. The health of the army is good, and ' drunkenness is on the decrease. The Russians still hold their position, apparently in great strength, and direct from their north forts a continuous and heavy tire on the town, especially against the Karabelnaia suburbs. The whole of the English cavalry had come down from the camp to Scutari and Ismed. The regiments were to be increased to three squadrons each this winter. News from Yertch, up to the sth, was satisfactory. The troops were getting rapidly hutted, and were constructing vast intrenched works. THE WAR IN ASIA. Despatches from Constantinople, Dec. D 4, state the following : General Mouravieff has directed a column on Akbaltsik. A part of the garrison of Kutais has gone to Gori, to defend the passes which command the entrance into Georgia. Bairn Pacha, with 12.000 men, is at Trebizond, waiting the arrival of the Egyptian division. Omer Pacba was on the Siva on the 30th of November. His army was encamped, stopped by heavy ►wins. THE SURRENDER OF KARS. The official report of General Mouravieff to the Government at St. Petersburg, upon the capitulation of Kars, has appeared in the Invalide Busse. The report is dated Quarters of Vieth (fortress), Kars (17th) 29th of November: — After the assault on Kars of the 17th (29th) September, the Turks, momentarily encouraged, expected to see our troops retreat, and were astonished to see, on the contrary, that the blockade became stricter than ever, and that our camp was turned into regular organised quarters, receiving daily provisions of every description. The besieged still founded their hopes on the arrival of aid from Erzeroum. In fact, Vely Pacha, coming from Trebizond. had attempted to advance on Kars, but at each attempt he was met by General Sousloffs detachment, which threatened his rear. Our patrols skirmished with these troops, keeping them in a state of alarm as far as the vicinity of Erzeroum. Meantime the provisions of Kars were diminishing, the cold weather was coming on, snow had fallen on the Saganlong, cases of death from weakness for want of nourishment occurred in the garrison, desertion increased, and despondency became general. All these circumstances decided General Williams, who directed the defence of Kars, to surrender the fortress. On the 12th (24th) of Nov., Major Teesdale, General Williams's aide•de•camp, waited upon General Mouravieff, and handed him a letter, in which General Williams asked leave to proceed on the following day to the camp, to enter into conference, to which General Mouravieff gave a verbal reply to Major Teesdale, telling him that he would be happy to see General Williams the following day, the 13th (24M) November, at noon. 1233 On the 13th (25th) of November, at the appointed hoer, General Williams presented himself to the Commander-in- Chief of the Army of the Calicaaus, as Plenipotentiary, t• negotiate, in the name of the Mushir Vomit* racha, t'om• mander-in-Chief of the Army iu Anatolia. Having settled the conditions for the surrender of the place, those oontli thins were signed by General Williams, and approved by General Mouravietf. General Williams was to return next morning to our camp to bring the definitive reply of the Mushir ; the regu lation, however, of affairs inside, and the announcement to the garrison of the surrender of the fortress, which the leaders received with agitation, rendered his presence no- cessery iu the fortress. "He scut hie aids-de:amp to ex- plain these circumstances. On the evening of the same day Major Teesdale brought the full powers given by the lilualiir to General Williams to draw up the final conditions of the capitulation of Kars, with the list of the paellas of the army of Anatolia shut up in the fortress. On the 15th (27th) of November, in the afternoon, General Williams arrived at our camp with his staff and three pashas, and signed the final condition of the sur render of Kars. On the ltith (28th) of November, conformably to the stipulations agreed upon, the remainder of the army of Anatolia, which had formed the garrison of Kere, were to leave the fortress, carrying their muskets, with flags flying and drums beatiug; but, at the request of the Turkish commanders themselves, the whole army left their arms piled, and placed their ammunition in their camps, leaving only a small Turkish guard until it should be relieved by our men. Although it had been arranged that the Turks should be assembled at ten o'clock in the morning, near the ruins of the village of Oumbel, it was not till two o'clock in the afternoon that the Mushir of the army of Anatolia pre- sented himself to General Mounivieff, accompanied by General Williams and the English o ffi cers. Our troops were drawn up in line of battle on both backs of the Kars tchai. The colours of the Turkish regiments were then brought to the front of our lines by a detachment of Tonle Chasseurs, and received with the bands playing and re peated cheers from our troops. Pi portion of the Turkish army, consisting of the older and most feeble of the men, soldiers on unlimited leave (Redifs), and militiamen (liashißazouks, and Lases) , altogether about 0,000 men, were sent back to their homes after the capitulation, with the obligation not to take up arms against his Imperial Majesty during the whole course of the present war, and were accompanied the first stage by a military escort. After the defile of the Redifs, the commander-in-chief received a deputation consisting of the most notable inhabitants of the town. Raving passed along the front of the line of the Turkish regular troops who surrendered prisoners, to the number of from 7,000 to 8,000 men, General Mouravieff ordered the repast to be given to them which lie bad previously prepared for them in the military kitchens on the Left bank of the Kars•tchai. On the same day (2Ath of November) the fortress wss occupied by our troops under the command of Colonel di Saget, and the Russian standard was hoisted on the citadel, Thus, with the surrender of Kars, the last remnant of the army of Anatolia, which in last June numbered 30,000 men, has vanished. The Mushir Vesta Pacha, commander in-chief of that army, is himself a prisoner of war in our hands, without counting eight paellas, a great number of superiorr and subaltern officers, including the English general Williams, and his whole staff. In the Mitres(' we took 130 cannon and a great stock of arms. ORDER OF THE DAY. On the 28th of November General Mouravielf issued the fallowing to his troops : Camp of Vladi-Kars, Nov. 18 (2R), 1855. Companions in arms, I congratulate you. As lieutenant dour Sovereign I thank you. At the price of your blood and your labour the bulwark of Asia Minor has been placed at the feet of his Majesty the Emperor. The Russian standard floats on the walls cf Kam It proelaims the victory of the Cross Of the Saviour. 'the whole of the army of Anatolia, 3(),000 strong has vanished like a shadow. Its commander•in•chief, with all his paellas and officers, and the English general who directed the defence, with his staff, are our prisoners. Thousands of Turkish prisoners, who return to their limes, will proclaim your deeds of arms. No inventory have as yet been made of the vast stock of arms and Government property at Kars ; but, without counting the cannon and flags captured by us in the course of the campaign, 190 new cannon will enrich our arsenals. Numerous flags will adorn the holy temples of Russia, and recal the memory of your constant warlike virtues. Companions in arms, I thank you again, from the first man to the last. Brave comrades, T also thank you again in my own name. I owe to you the happiness of procuring a joy to the heart of our monarch. You have this year achieved what you prepared to accomplish iu the course of the two preceding years. Unite your thanksgiving with mine to the God of armies who in His impenetrable secrets now gives ns victory in the very hour of trial to which we have recently been put. May taith in Divine Providence maintain the martial spirit within you, and double your strength. We will un- dertake new labours with hope in the protection of the Almighty. Mouttartr.rr, Commanderin-Chief, Aide-de-Camp General. The official act of the surrender of Kars is pub lished in tho Journal de St. Petersbourg of the 18th December. It is preceded by a letter of Vassif Pasha, the Commander in Chief of the Army of Anatolia, dated the 14th (28th) of November, giving full powers to General Williams to negotiate :