The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-11-13 00:00:00

SUPPLEMENT TO
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AND GENERAL COMMERCIAL ADVERTISER.

the Transcaucasian states, he proceeds to consider
the gradual interference of Russia. The jealousies
of the two Eastern States were carefully stimu-
lated by the intrigues of the Russian court, whose
rulers were deeply sensible of the value of the
truthful injunction, acted on by more than one
despot, divide et impera, and ceaselessly held in
operation by the Muscovite. Always at peace with
one, while warring with the other, Russia, even at
this moment, is successful in holding Persia aloof
from Turkey, and, by the steady exercise of this
policy, she has crept, foot by foot, and mile by
mile, stealthily, upon the territory of both. Ever
watchful of her own interests, she has, through
the operation of diplomacy and the agency of
arms, acquired such a frontier on the mountain
range of the Caucasus, as, in the estimation of
Baron Haxthausen, " but for natural obstacles;
would lay Persia, as well as Asiatic Turkey, de-
fenceless, and entirely in the power of a suffi-
ciently large Russian army." Such a position of
affairs is one for very grave consideration by the
British Government. Many years ago it was
proclaimed—and the impression is as yet far,
very far, from being obliterated—that Russia had
a robber's eye upon our Indian territory, and was
looking out for a highway by which she might
rush upon it as a prey. If it be true that she
has, as stated by our author, obtained such a
frontier as places Persia " entirely in the power
of a sufficiently Russian army," she has indeed
opened a large portion of the highway which she
courts the possession of. True, the movements
of " a sufficiently large army" in the direction
indicated, if started from Moscow, or any other
portion of central Russia in Europe, would be a
difficult, if not an impossible task. If she be
successful in transferring her centre of action,
and her seat of Government, to the sea-board of
the Euxine, the difficulty must almost vanish.
With a powerful fleet, such as that she held at
Sebastopol—and that, large as it was, would, no
doubt, be speedily augmented—the transport of
an army to the Persian frontier would be an
object of comparatively easy attainment. The
purpose once fairly embarked in, though often
baffled, would be persevered in till absolute suc-
cess had crowned the nefarious enterprise. Thou-
sands upon thousands of her scarcely-naturalised
children would, no doubt, be sacrificed in the
attempt ; but Russia has never been economical
of human life ; on the contrary, she has ever
been prodigal to recklessness in pushinc, her
legions forward to combat against foes, and the
yet more fatal conflict with climate and the ele-
ments. Such considerations are of vital im-
portance in the present crisis of affairs. The first
endeavour to impose upon Russia a retrogressive
action has commenced in they Crimea ; and the
safety of our Indian empire, not less than the
integrity of Turkey, imposes on us the necessity
of for ever -expelling Russian prows from the
Black Sea—and, if we are politic and wise, a
similar expulsion from the comparatively unim-
portant Caspian. The Baron looks with a steady
eye upon the
CONSEQUENCES OP THE PRESENT STRUGGLE.
Two obstacles indeed there are, and only two, to this
advance of Russia,—England and the mountain races of
the Caucasus. But for these impediments, Russia would
unquestionably be able, by a great effort, to advance her