The Press.
London, England, 1856-02-02 00:00:00

r'

100

The temptation of indulging in a little fine
writing is sometimes, we suppose, too great
to be resisted. IVe sincerely hope that Lord
CAMPBELL'S suggestion may have the effect of
arousing our contemporaries to a sense of their
error ; and that those fierce and hasty denu n-
ciatious we have had occasion to condemn
may become things of the past.

RUSSIAN OFFECEAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF

THE ACCEPTANCE.
THE Journal de St. Petersbourg of the 20th contains
a leading article announcing the acceptance by Russia
of the Austrian proposals :
Public opinion in Europe has been strongly excited by
the intelligence that propositions of peace concerted be-
tween the allied powers and Austria had been transmitted
to St. Petersburg through the intervention of the Cabinet
of Vienna.

Already the Imperial Cabinet, upon its side, had made
a step in the path of conciliation, by pointing out, in a
despatch bearing date the llth (33rd) of December, pub-
lished in all the foreign journals, the sacrifices which it
was prepared to make, with a view to the restoration of
peace.

This twofold proceeding proved the existence on either
side of a desire to profit by the compulsory cessation im-
posed by the rigour of the season on the military opera-
tions, in order to respond to the unanimous wishes which
were everywhere manifested iu favour of a speedy peace.
In the despatch cited above the Imperial Government
had taken for basis the four points of guarantee admitted
by the conferences at Vienna, and had proposed, with
regard to the third point,—which had alone led to the
rupture of the conferences,—a solution which differed
rather in form than in substance from the one put forward
at that epoch by the alli-d powers.
The propositions transmitted to-day by the Austrian
Government set out from the same fundamental proposition
—that is to say, the neutralisation of the Black Sea by a
direct treaty between Russia and the Porte, to regulate by
common agreement the number of ships of war which each
of the adjacent powers reserves the right of maintaining
for the security of its coasts. They do not differ appreciably
from those contained in the despatch of the I Ith (23rd) of
December except in the proposed rectification of the fron-
tier between Moldavia and Bessarabia, in exchange for the
places on the Russian territory occupied by the enemy.
This is not the place to inquire if these propositions
better unite the conditions necessary for insuring the re•
pose of the East and the security of Europe than those of
the Russian Government. It is sufficient to establish
the point, that at last an agreement has been actually
arrived at on many of the fundamental bases for peace.
In presence of this agreement of the wishes manifested
by the whole of Europe, and in the face of a coalition the
tendency of which was to assume larger proportions, and
considering the sacrifices which a protraction of the war
imposes upon Russia, the Imperial Government has deemed
it Ls ditty not to delay by accessory discussions a work
the success of which would respond to its heartfelt wishes.
It has, in consequence, just given its adhesion to the
propositions transmitted by the Austrian Government as a
project of preliminaries for negotiations for peace.
By the energy of its attitude in the face of a formidable
coalition, Russia has given a measure of the sacrifices
which she is prepared to make to defend her honour and
dignity; by this net of moderation the Imperial Govern-
ment gives at the same time a new proof of its sincere
desire to arrest the effusion of blood, to conclude a struggle
so grievous to civilisation and humanity, and to restore
to Russia and to Europe the blessings of peace.
It has a right to expect that the opinion of all civilised
nations will appreciate the act.
The five last paragraphs of the above are of so
important a nature, that we add the original French
from the Journal de St. Petersbourg :
Ce nest point ici le lien d'examiner si ces propositions
reunissaient mieux que cellos du Gouvernement
lea conditions necessaires pour assurer le repos de I.oiient
et la security de l'Europe. II auffit de constater qu'en
definitive un accord se trouvait itabli de fait rnr plusieurs
des bases fondament ales de Is pair.

En pre,ence de cet accord, en presence des vceux mani-
festes par l'Europe entiere, en face d'une coalition qui ten
dait a prendre de plus grandea proportions, et des sacrifices
que la prolongation de la guerre impose a la Russie, le
Gouvernement Imperial n'a pus crudevoir ajourner par des
discussions accessoires une mune de conciliation dont 1e
succes repondrait a ses vosux les plus chars.
11 vient, en consequence, de dormer son adhesion aux
propositions transmises par Ic Gouvernement Autrichien
comma projet tie preliminaires pour des negociations
de paix.
Par son attitude energique en presence d'une coalition
formidable, la Russie a donne la mesare des sacrifices
qu'elle est prate a faire pour tlefendre son honneur et sa
dignite ; par cet acts de moderation le Gouvernement
Imperial donne en mettle temps une nouvelle preuve
de son sincere desk d'arreter l'etfusion du sang. de faire
cesser sine lutte douloureuse pour la civilisation et
Phumanite, de rendre i la Rustle, a l'Europe, les bienfaits

droit d'attendre que l'opinion de toes les pays
tiendra compte.

TIIE PRESS.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE
NIGHTINGALE FUND.

The committee beg to report, that, in pursuance of the
resolutions adopted at the public meeting held on the 29th
of November last, at Willis's Rooms, a copy of the proceed•
ings was sent to Miss Nightingale, and she was requested
—if the offer to place at her disposal a fund to enable her
to establish an institution for the training, sustenance, and
protection of nurses and hospital attendants, met with her
approval—to name a council to cooperate with her for
that object.
We have the satisfaction to announce that Miss
Nightingale has signified her cordial acceptance of
the proposals made to her, and has selected from the
list of the committee the names of the gentlemen whom
she wishes to act as her council. We think it will be
gratifying to the subscribers to the Fund. and to the public
generally,—and but just Ito Miss Nightingale herself—to
give publicity to her acknowledgment of the sympathy
which has been expressed, and the confidence which has
been reposed in her, by persons representing every class
and every opinion in the country. She writes as follows :

Scutari Barrack Hospital, Jan. 6, MO.
Dear Mr. Herhert,—lii answer to your letter (which followed
me to the Crimea and back to Scutari) proposing to me the un-
dertaking of &Training School for Nurses. I will first beg to say
that it is impossible to me to express what I have felt iu regard
to the sympathy and the confidence shown to me by the origins•
tors and supporters of this scheme. Exposed as lamto be
misinterpreted and misunderstood, in a field of action in which
the work is new, complicated, distant from many who sit in
judgment upon it,—it is indeed an abiding support to have such
sympathy and suoh appreciation brought home to me in the
midst of labour and difficulties all but overpowering.
I must add, however, that my present work is such as I would
never desert for any other, so long as I see room to believe that
what I may do here is unfinished.
May I, then, beg you to express to the committee that I
accept their proposal, provided I may do so on their under-
standing of this great uncertainty, as to when it will be possible
to me to carry it out
I beg to name the following to act as my council, in conjunc-
tion with yourself and Mr. Bracebridge :—Lord Ellesinere,
Colonel Jebb, Sir James Clark, Mr. Bowman, the Dean of Here-
ford. Sir John McNeil, and Dr. Bence Jones.
With regard to the general committee, I thank my friends for
the offer of making any additions to it which I might suggest,
but I am perfectly satisfied with it as it stands.—Believe me to
be, yours very truly,
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE.
All doubt, therefore, which may have existed in the
minds of any as to Miss Nightingale's acceptance of the
proposals is now at an end. The object to which the Fund
is to be applied—and which has met with such strong
support from all classes—has received the sanction of Miss
Nightingale herself.
We may therefore congratulate the public that the crea-
tion of an institution, by means of which a careful and
systematic training, with constant practice in our hospitals,
will bring to the tending of the sick throughout the country
that skill, tact, and devotion, which is necessary to the
success of all medical treatment, is undertaken by one
pre-eininently qualified for the task.
As regards the subordinate and detailed regulations to
be adopted in the proposed institution, and which the con-
fidence of the subscribers wisely left to the " experience,
energy, and judgment" of Miss Nightingale, some re-
marks made by her, in a letter which accompanied that in
whielt she accepted the scheme itself, appear to the com-
mittee so replete with sound common sense, that they
cannot forbear using the permission they have rue aired to
quote them. They are as follows :

The confidence which the subscribers to this Fund have shown
me has been so generous and extraordinary, that it is perhaps
hardly necessary for me to allude to a very natural letter, which
I am told has been printed, to the etlect that I must furnish a
prospectus of what I am going to do, before I can expect to have
money subscribed to do it. I think this perfectly reasonable if
I originally had asked for the money, which, of course I did not.
But to furnish a cut-and-dried prospectus of my plans, situated
as I am here, when I cannot look forward a month,* much less
a year, is what I would not if I could, and I could not if I would.
I would not if I could, because everything which succeeds is
not the production of a scheme of rules and regulations made
beforehand, but of a mind observing and adapting itself to wants
and events.

I could not if I would, because it is simply impossible to find
time in the midst of one overpowering work to digest and con-
coct another; and if it could be done it would be simply bad,
and to be hereafter altered or destroyed.

These words augur well for the practical spirit in which
this task is about to be undertaken.

That Miss Nightingale should postpone its commence-
ment until her presence shall no longer be required in the
East, and those labours shall be completed which have
conferred so much benefit on her country, is in strict
accordance with that sense of duty by which she has shown
herself to be always animated; but the course of public
events justifies the sanguine hope that before long she
may be relieved from those labours, and that life and
health may be vouchsafed to her to undertake in another
field a work not less important than that she has accom-
plished, and which has endeared her name to the hearts of
the English people.
• Tlits was written on the 6th of January, when there was no
expectation of peace.

de la pain.
11 eat en droi
eiviliais lui en
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