The Express.
London, England, 1855-05-12 00:00:00

THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.

Wa have all been labouring under a mistake. It
is not Russia that threatens Turkey in the Black
Bea, but Turkey that threatens Russia. Prince
0011TCHME017 and M. TITOYF undertook to prove
this to the satisfaction of the members of the
Vienna Conferences on the 21st of April. "The topo-
graphical configuration of the Bosphorus," said
these statesmen, " so favourable to the organisation
of an impregnable system of defence ; the posses-
sion of fortresses and ports such as Varna, Sisopolis,
Bourg's, Trebizond, &c. ; the advantage of
being able to group all her forces round
three contiguous basins—these were, and they
still are, striking advantages which the Porte
pouesod, and still poesesses, over Russia,
who, obliged to maintain naval forcer in four seas
separated by immense distances, could only give its
navy in the Black Sea a limited development." The
only coiclusion that can be logically drawn from this
statement is, that the great European Powers ought
to interfere to limit the exorbitant defensive capa-
bilities of Turkey, and insist upon their being *seed
more on a footing of equality with the "restricted"
aggressive capabilities of Russia. The lamb is is a
conditios to give too mach trouble to the wolf that
would devour it: this must be amended.

" On taking into consideration," added the Russian
lenipotentiaries, " the proximity of the maritime

establishments of Russia, 20,000 men at most can be
reckoned as the number of troops for descent which
the Russian navy of the Black Sea, in its greatest
development, would be in a position to transport, on
any given point of the Ottoman territory, in the
space of three weeks." What harm can poor Russia
do with such limited means of attack ? Prince

GORTCHAHOPF and M. TITOPT triumphantly ask,
whether, in seeking to protect Turkey from such •
trifling force, "a risk is not incurred of sacrificing to
a chimerical danger the true conditions of the secu-
rity of the East and of the European equilibrium ?"
For the information of the uninitiated, it may be as
well to remark that in the language of Russian diplo-
macy the phrase " the security of the East and the
European equilibrium," is used to express the power of
Russia to extend her conquests Westward whenever
it suits her convenience.
The arguments to which we have now drawn
attention will no doubt be expounded and illustrated
by Earl GREY and Mr. MILNER GIBSON, when the
motions, of which these standing counsel for the
CZAR have given notice in their respective home►,
come on. There is one fact, however, which the
noble lord and the right hon. gentleman will find it
necessary to explain before their arguments can pro-
duce their full effect. Less than two centuries ago
the whole of the shores of the Euxine acknow-

ledged the ssuerainete of the SULTAN. At the
present time, from the mouth of the Danube to the
vicinity of Baton= —nearly two-thirds of the eircom-
[ermine of the sea—is claimed by the CzAR. And in
frost of this semicircle is placed the stronghold of
Sebastopol, with its excellent and almost unassailable
ba.i,uur, within so easy distance of Constantinople.
Russia has been incessantly extending its conquests
of Ottoman territory by land, from the mouths of
the Volga and the Don on the east, and
from the Ukraine on the west, and now
threatens the intermediate apace, from both
Banks and from the central Crimea. The land
forces that Russia can concentrate on the Euxine
must be taken into account, as well as its naval force.
Not withstandin g the unbounded capabilities of Turkey
for defence and the limited capabilities of Russia for
attack, the latter has been unintermittently annexing
portions of the former. The wolf may advance se
plausible accusations against the lamb as it pleases,
but the fact is that the wolf is eating up the lamb
nevertheless.—Daily News.

MORE SYMPTOMS.

A GRACEFUL and touching interlude was per-
formed in the House of Commons last night by Lord
PALMERSTON and Major EKED. The noble Viscount
would have preferred Mr. LATAILD as the other in-
terlocutor in these amateur theatricals, but that gen-
tleman gruffly refused, so the Major's offer to supply
his place was accepted. The Major enacted the in-
dignant patriot and interpellent with as much
suavity us Nick Bottom promised to roar the part
of "Lion." True, he used some strong language,
and went so far in his concluding appeal as to sug-
gest the idea, by his adopting the words of
MILTON, " Awake, arise, or be for ever fallen,"
that he meant to call the PREMIER Beelzebub.
But he was full of protestations of his desire
to support Government. Lord PALMERSTON re-
sponded in terms equally dulcet: in short, the
whole affair was as musical as an Eclogue of
Vinon. The Noble Viscount commenced by re-
affirming the principle that Officers of State ought,
to be chosen exclusively from that drawing-room
oligarchy of which he is himself such &distinguished
ornament. Bat to make amends for this he went on

to sketch a Lilliputian plan of Army Reform which
he has in pito. The thing would not be worth
noticing except as an additional symptom that
the pressure from without, which is being brought to
tear upon the Pam= by the Administrative Re-
formers, begins to tell. Only so long as that pres-
sure is continued will the good dispositions of Lord
Pearessroe be kept alive. Perhaps another turn
of the screw might squeeze a little more out of him.
The medicament has wrought so well, it may be worth
while to administer another doss. London gave the
first drench; let Birmingham, or Manchester, or
Leeds take tlie horn in hand next. —Daily News.