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

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.