The Press.
London, England, 1853-08-06 00:00:00

V rattebings in V arlianunt.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

Some further interpellatiuns took place with regard
to the Russo Turkish question, in both houses of the
Legislature, on Tuesday, and a little additional infor-
mation was elicited from the Ministry as to the state of
the negotiations, and the determination of the British
Government under the influence or in the prospect
of various contingencies. The interpellator in the
Peers was the Marquis of CLANntcmum, who dwelt
upon the positive acts of invasion which Russia had
committed in the Danubian principalities, where, by
taking possession of the post-office, by undertaking
the administration of internal affairs, and by for-
bidding the Hospodars to pay their customary tribute
to the Porte, she had not merely accomplished a
military occupation of the territory, but had assumed
a virtual and real sovereignty over the principalities.
This, said the noble marquis,

" is a matter of the gravest and deepest importance, and
I hold it to be impossible for not only Europe, but France
and England, to submit to such an extension of territory
in that direction by Russia, or such a diminution of the
Turkish empire, without the gravest and most fearful con-
sequences. The matter is of the greatest importance, nut
merely as regards the political balance of Europe and the
honour of those countries who have guaranteed by treaty
the integrity of the Turkish empire, but as regards the
►material interests of all persons ►n France, Germany, and
especially in England. (Hear.) It is therefore a matter
on which all must be desirous of having the fullest infor-
mation that, with propriety, can be given, and I hope my
noble friend will not think me indiscreet if I ask if any
such reports have reached him officially, and whether he
can inform the house how far it is true that the assump-
tion of the sovereignty of the Danubian provinces by
Russia has taken place ?"
_ _

The Earl of CLARENDON concurred in the opinion
that serious results would follow to Europe generally,
and England in particular, if they allowed the
alienation of the Danubian provinces from the
Turkish empire to be now consummated. lie pro-
ceeded to detail the official information which had
been received on the subject, and the official recog-
nition which had been taken of the occurrences :

" By a despatch, dated the 17th of last month, I learned
from Lord Stratford de Retieldle that a communication
had been made by the conaubgenend of Russia to the
Hospodar of Moldavia, informing him that his relations
with the Turkish Government were to cease, and that the
tribute tumidly transmitted to Constantinople must be
placed at the disposal of the. Russian tiovennuent, on the
ground, as stated, that although there existed no intention
to modify the internal institutions of Moldavia, or of alter-
ing the existing order of things, yet, during the military
occupation of the provinces, acts of sovereign power on the
part of Turkey must be necessarily, though temporarily,
suspended. 1 may state also, that the Turkish Govern-
ment have received similar information relative to the
Hospodar of Wallachia; but a despatch has been received
from Mr. Combe, the consul-general at Bucharest, dated
the tt!nd of last th, in which it MIDI stated, up to that
time no such communication had been made to the
Hospotbir of Wallachia. Such a communication to Wal-
lachia was, however, naturally expected by the Porte as
that which had been made to Moldavia- These acts had
determined the Porte to order the Hospodars to withdraw
from the provinces and to cease their offices. Mr. Combe's
despatch added, that in such an event he should consider
it highly improper for the British consuls in the princi-
palities to continue to exercise their functions there. My
lords, on the receipt of this despatch I lost no time in
communicating to Lord Stratford (le Itedcliflit the entire
approval of her Majesty's Government of his intentions.
( Hear, hear.) I can only, for the further information of
your lordships, say that I shall this evening forward advises
by special messenger to Sir Hamilton Seymour to demand
from the Russian Government that explanation to which
we are entitled with respect to proceedings which I
look at in the same light as my noble friend. (Hear,
hear.)"
In the Commons Lord Duni.Ey STUART played the
part of questioner. He alluded but vaguely, however,
to the rumours " that negotiations had been going on
between this country and the great powers of Eu-
rope with relation to the differences that had taken
place between the Courts of St. Petersburg and Con-
stantinople," and simply asked whether before the
not-distant prorogation of the house the Government
could set apart a day for discussing the subject
Lord JOHN Russ Eu. replied :
" Upon the last occasion when this important subject
was mentioned within these walls, the house concurred
with her Majesty's Government in thinking that it was not
desirable to enter into any discussion with respect to it in
the present position of the negotiations now pending. I
am, however, quite ready to give all the information iu re-
ference to the progress of those negotiations which it is in
my power to afford. When the ambassador of his Majesty
the Emperor of Russia left Constantinople, it appeared to
her Majesty's Ministers desirable that a conference of the
representatives of all the great powers of Europe should be
held in order to ascertain the terms by which an amicable
termination to the differences existing between Russia and
the Sublime Porte might be secured. It was the opinion
of the Government of Austria that it was not advisable to
hold any conference of the nature of that to which I have
just referred while the two powers remained iii a state of