The Press.
London, England, 1855-03-31 00:00:00

BLOCKADE OF THE BALTIC AND WHITE

SEAS.
Sir C. WOOD, in reply to a question, stated on Mon-
day that, as soon as the season permitted, it was in-
ended to establish a rigorous blockade of these seas;
which should be from the first effective.

THE PRESS.

POLAND.

Mr. Priori, on Tuesday, moved an address to the
Queen, setting forth that in the event of negotiations
for peace, her Majesty's envoys should use their
best exertions for the reconstruction of Poland, as
just in itself, in accordance with our policy, and
necessary for the balance of power. The hon.
member admitted that the notion might appear
Quixotic, but contended that neither foreign states-
men, nor our own Premier, to judge by his declara-
tions, appear to consider it as such. If Sebastopol
was a standing menace to Turkey, Warsaw was not
less a standing menace to Germany. He entered at
some length into the historical documents bearing on
the subject, and which set forth the repugnance of
Austria to the partition, her repentance atter it was
effected, and the confession of Prince Metternich, as
late as 1814, that the partition was in great part the
cause of the commotions of Eurooe. He referred to
the opinions of British statesmen at the time, the
testimony of Lord Castlereagh, and the invariable
policy of France throughout all her negotiations. He
appealed to Lord Palmerston, as a great king maker,
the successor of Burleigh, to whom England looked
for a peace which would secure for years the tran-
quillity of Europe, to treat this question as one of
European law, involving the best interests of this
country and of the world.
Mr. M. MILNES said that Poland in former times
had been regarded with jealousy by the German
powers; how much more reason had they to be
jealous now that it was a Russian dependency? It
was one enormous fortification, which could not be
wrested from Russia unless this country was pre-
pared to conduct the war with military and official
aptitude.
Lord R. Cecrt. thought that Austria, who had been
so largely connected with the partition of Poland,
was not likely now to consent to its reconstruction,
and argued that England had acquired territories in
every quarter of the globe by similar means—the op.
pression of nationalities, and severities almost equal
to those practised by Russia.
This latter statement Lord PALMERSTON denied;
colonies conquered from France or Holland were
certainly not oppressed nationalities; and as for
India, instead of oppressing the country, we relieved
it from the oppression and tyranny of the native
princes. For the Polish question, he expressed, in
the usual formula, his opinion of the injustice of the
course which bad been pursued towards her; but if
it was to be treated practically, every one would see
the consequence of such a motion. The house
would dictate to the executive on a matter respectiug
which it was not in possession of the nicely-
balanced considerations upon which the negotiations
. .

depended. Even were this right on principle, was
the house prepared, after sanctioning such an
address, to take the farther steps which would be
necessary ? In the points now debated as necessary
to peace Poland did not enter ; the present war had
been undertaken for different objects. The question
of Poland was not a new one, and there was nothing
in it which would justify a present appeal to arms.
Re trusted that the house would not, by being
pressed to a division, be compelled to negative the
proposition, as the negative might he miscon-
strued into a negative of the abstract principle of
justice.
Mr. PHINN, upon this appeal, withdrew his motion.