The Press.
London, England, 1855-11-24 00:00:00

LORD NAAS ON THE WAR.

LORD NAAS, at COLERLINE, last week, delivered to
his constituents his opinion upon the war. his
lordship having briefly disposed of minor topics,
proceeded at once to state his views upon the war
with Russia:—

Whatever (said Lord Naas) may be said of the origin of
the war, there can be but one opinion now—that as long
as it lasts it should be conducted with vigour and
determination. I, in common with many, have always be-
lieved that this contest might have been avoided at first;
that more vigour in our warlike preparations, and more
frankness and plain•speaking in our diplomacy, might
have saved us from all the horrors and misery that have
occurred ; but I am not the less sure that our quarrel is
just; I am not the less willing to give every support to her
Majesty's Government in their laudable efforts to sustain
the honour and procure the safety of this country.
He thought it essential to a durable peace that
Russia should be dispossessed of a portion of her
enormous seaboard on the Euxine

-----
Thus it is in my opinion right to continue this contest,
as we have it now in our power, till Russia is deprived of
that maritime supremacy in the Black Sea which has been
the cause of all this trouble. I cannot think that as long
as she retains that enormous seaboard in the Euxine, with
those almost unassailable strongholds, that object has
been attained.
Yet, while supporting the war, the noble lord de-
clared that he was not inimical to peace :
But, while I would support this war now, I would be
far from saying that circumstances might not arise when
I would with equal ardour support the cause of peace. I
look not to the destruction of Russia as a European
power. Much as I dislike her system—much as I abhor
despotism, 1 do not want to see anarchy established over
one-seventh of the habitable world, which would be the
inevitable result of the overthrow of the Government of
the Czar at this moment. The very instant that our
rulers see an opportunity of concluding such a peace AS
would appear likely to be lasting and honourable they
should leave no effort untried to complete it. Should
Russia appear disposed to treat we should show every
disposition to meet her fairly. Guilty as a Minister
would be who should conclude a dishonourable peace, still
more criminal would he be if, for mere military glory or
to satisfy national ambition, he should continue an un-
necessary contest.

A POLISH LEGION is to be immediately formed, to
be attached to the Turkish Contingent, and to be
paid by this country. A public announcement of the
fact was made at a meeting of the Polish emigrants,
at. the Sussex Chambers, St. James's, on Saturday
last. General Count ZAMOYSKI, addressing the meet-
ing, which had ostensibly assembled to commemorate
the death of Lord Dudley Stuart, said :
This very day, gentlemen, I have received the official
communication by which I am authorised by the British
Government to form a distinct body of Poles, to be called,
" Division of Cossacks of the Sultan," not ceasing to be
part of the army of the Sultan, who was the first to call and
organise us, but attached to the Turkish Contingent, under
British military authority, and maintained by Great Bri-
tain. That division is to be, in the first instance, composed
of two regiments of infantry, one battalion of rifles, and
two regiments of cavalry. You will, I am sure, applaud
me when I inform you that, among the arrangements made,
I suggested to her Majesty's Government that to the men
whom I expect to join our division no bounty should be
proffered, " as the Poles are expected to volunteer," and
that those very words have been recorded in the official
document. . . . We know that all Poles in the ranks
of Itussia will seize the first and every opportunity to join
our ranks, and now that there will be a distinct Polish
force they will not hesitate to break through every obstacle
to join it.
The meeting ended with an appeal for a subscription
to aid the Poles now serving in the corps known as
6‘the Cossacks of the Sultan."
SCOTCH HERRINGS go to Russia quite as much as
St. Petersburg tallow comes to London. Up to the
30th ult. it is stated that 52,000 barrels of Scotch
herrings had passed the Sound for Dantsic en route
through Russian Poland to Russia Proper. Nine
thousand five hundred more were going via Konings-
berg. One great inducement to the Russian popula-
tion to purchase the herrings is, it is said, the
quantity of undissolved salt the barrels are found to
contain.