The Press.
London, England, 1855-06-30 00:00:00

JUNE 30, 1855.

Vrocabings in Vadiament.

AUSTRIA.
Lord LYNDHURST on Tuesday brought the proceed-
ings of this power before the attention of the House
of Lords and of the 'ountry. After declaring that
from Prussia he expected nothing whatever—con-
vinced, from her conduct in the last war between

Russia and Turkey, of her utter subserviency to Rus-
sia—he said that from the great military power of

Austria—governed by a young and h-iihspirited
monarch, impressed with Russian injustice and a

sense of his own interests—he had looked for active

co-operation. The position of Austria was one of
humiliation, which might be traced to the effect of
the partition of Poland. Russia had by that means
advanced into the centre of Germany, to which country
her fortresses on the Vistula were as much a standing
menace, as those in the Crimea were to Turkey.
Austria, he contended, could never hope for a better
opportunity of repelling Russia than the present.
He then traced the history of our dealings with
Austria throughout the contest, observing on the
treaty of the 2nd of December that, while it pledged
the Western powers to a definite line of conduct
towards Austria, the obligations imposed on Austria
were vague, indistinct, and almost unintelligible. He
eulogised her conduct during the late negotiations,
in which Count Buol had expressed decided opinions
in favour of our propositions and against those of
Russia. It would have been expected after this
that Austria would have taken active measures ; in•
stead of which she made other and evidently useless
propositions, of which it might now be said—though
he himself did not believe it—that It was made for
the purpose of enabling Austria to slide out of the
obligations into which she had entered. He com-
pared her to the phantom ship, which the mariner
pursues till he finds himself entangled in rocks and
shoals. Russia, he argued, had derived exclusive
advantage from the negotiations, as by her ready
acceptance of the first two points she hail done much
is persuade the German powers that she had already
conceded all that in any way affected their special
interests. He rejoiced that the terms offered by the
allies were not accepted, believing them to have been
useless for the purposes for which they wete pro•
posed. After some sarcastic remarks on the seceding
members of the Cabinet, he urged the Government
to persevere in the destruction of Sebastopol, which
was erected solely to subjugate Turkey, and criti-
cised over again the Crimean campaign and the
misfortunes attending it.
Lord CLARENDON observed that in all this Lord
Lyndhurst was travelling beyond his subject. He
complained that the tone we had adopted towards
foreign countries had materially damaged their
sympathies in our behalf, that the small consideration
we had observed towards them, and our aptness to
call those enemies who were not entirely with us,
had generated a feeling of resentment very different
from the favour with which we were regarded at the
commencement of the contest. Admitting that
Austria would have stood higher if she had adopted
a firmer tone from the first, he reminded the
house that she was an independent power, guided by
her own interest, and whose opinions in respect of
which we had not the means of controlling. Policy
required us to be especially mindful of the difficulties
of her position, otherwise we might have forced her
into a direct assumption of that neutrality which
Russia so especially desired. He argued, from the
• history of the Austrian proceedings, that she was
sincerely attached to our cause, and that if she had
intendeu to deceive us she had proceeded in a very
ill-advised manner, which would only have brought
out her own bad faith in the most conspicuous
manner. She had expressed her undisguised plea-
sure at the reported successes of the allies last year.
That she really intended to act when she increased
her army was evident from the sum she had spent
on it, a sum which she could ill afford, and much of
which might have been spared had she intended that
increase for a blind. But she expected the direct
co-operation of France and England, a co-operation
which we had it not in our power to afford. Her
occupation of the principalities was a direct act of
hostility to Russia. Our present position with
Austria comprised her engagement to occupy these
States to the close of the war. As to the four points,
we were now entirely free from any terms connected
with them, hut he declined further to discuss that
subjest.
The Earl of ELLENBOROUGH thought that the
position of Austria fully justified her in the caution
she had exercised. He urged the various reasons
connected with her dependencies which would pre-
vent her from engaging in war with Russia unless
sure of support, and instead of supporting her we
had removed 50,000 good Turkish troops from her
vicinity and sent them to the Crimea. If Prussia
and Austria had joined us, and Russia had obtained

THE PRESS.

successes against them, it would have seriously em-
barrassed our position. He did not wish to see the
war extended to central Germany, and would advise

Austria to be strong and prepared, but to hold her
hand till the extremity arose which would insure
success. He cared little for her diplomacy, but

looked with alarm upon any reduction of her
and if that took place urged the Government to

consider seriously how our own military means were
to be increased and a safe and honourable termina-

tion to hostilities secured.

The subject dropped, after a few words from one
or two other peers.

THE HANGO MASSACRE.
Captain Duwows' on Monday having inquired
whether any further despatches had been received by
the Government with reference to the outrage at
Hango, the First Lord of the Admiralty recapitulated
the tenor of ailvices which had just previously arrived
. . _ . . .