The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-07-17 00:00:00

THE AUSTRIAN PROPOSAL

THE diplomatic papers laid on Thursday everting on the
table of the House of Commons, refer almost exclusively to the
solution of the third point formally proposed by Austria (after
Russia had rejected the solution proposed by the Allie 4, and
consented to by Austria). Lord John Russell's letter to the
Earl of Clarendon, recommending the Austrian proposal, is,
of course, a leading feature of the correspondence. The letter
in question is dated Vienna,. April 18th, and his Lordship
says :

Yesterday, atter the Conference, the Plenipotentiaries of
France, Great Britain, and Turkey, met in Count Buol's apart-
ment. There had been an anxious feeling at the result of our
former meeting. The position on both sides appeared to be
uneasy, though much more on the side of Austria than on
ours. The war would, indeed, in all probability continue to
he a glorious struggle to England and to'France, and calculated
to maintain the reputation of those two great Powers. But
the waste of life and money would be enormous. On the other
hand, the-fact of Austria's declining to join, in the war would
have roused a very angry feeling in France and in Great
Britain. Withthe Western Powers alienated, Prussia triumph-
ing over her in Germany, and Russia bent on' her humiliation,
hersituation would have been almost intolerable: These con-
siderations on both sides led to the prevalenceof a-conciliatory
spirit in the meeting of yesterday.
After much discussion; his Lordship proceeds to'state, Count
Buol proposed a general understanding, with the' terms of
which the public areacquainted. Lord John Russell] having
stated the propositions of Count Buol, says :
I reserved my opinion for further consideration. Snell' was
the general result .of this important meeting. M.- Dtottyn
die Lhuys called upon me in the evening, and we drew up
together a rough outline'of the proposals to be made. It will
be seen, that supposing the proposition to be rejected as 'well
as the first, the value ofthe third- depends on three things
Guarantee by all the contracting Powers of the territory
of Turkey.
2, A system of counterpoise Inithe Black Sea.
3. The limitation of the-Riissian force in the Black Sea to
the number of ships maintained -before the war, under pain,of.
war with the Allies.
The ratite of this last article•consiits in the maintenance-of.
.the alliance directed against Russia.. I renters it appears to
me; that if aiis third system can be made an ultimatum by•
Austria, it ought to be accepted by the Western Powers.. at,
saying-this; I: may appear to contradict• my former opinions.
But in fact I do• not retract these' opinions. The system or
limitation I believe to be far better-than that of counterpoise.-
But the question is between an imperfect security for Turkey
and for Europe-, end the continuance of the war. Should the
Government of her Majesty, in concert with that of France,
be of opinion that such a peace can be accepted, they will
instruct Lord Wcetmoreland accordingly. If not, I hope to
be allowed to be heard personally before the final decision is
made.-

la the Earl of Ciarendon's despatchegto the Earl of West-
moreland, on this question, the absence -Of any practical in-
ducement, on Austria's part, for the Allen to, concur in the
proposal, is dwelt upon.. Lord Clarendim-Bays :
If we had brought our minds to despair 'of success in war,
and were ready thereibre to make peace-en. any terms which
will at once put an end to hostilities, then the proposal which
Austria offers to make on our behalf to Russia would be in-
expedient, because it contains the principle of limitation to
which Russia has already objected, and her objections to which
she has r_ow publicly announced in her circular of May 10 ;
and, if such were the hopeless state of our affairs, it would be
necessary to make some proposal that Russia would be likely
to accept,nstead of one which, in the opiaion. of Count Buol,
Russia is almost ocrtain to rojoot.

But if, on, the other hand, ;ve still think thefuture prospects
of the war sufficiently favourable to entitle us to persevere in
demanding:the conditions which we have put forward as afford-
ing a foundation for future security, then - the proposal of
Austria is open to serious objections, becassec though it con-
tains the principle of a limitation of the naval foreesof Russia
in the Black Sea, the principle is not applied in a manner that
would be effectual for its purpose ; and it does not contain the
principle of- consular appointments and supervision, which is
the best security that the limit which may ba agreed upon
might not be exceeded without the knowledge of the Sultan
and his Allies-,