The Press.
London, England, 1854-06-03 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

heights upon the gunners. There are certainty two or
three redoubts which must be bombarded by the gunboats
and carried at the point of the bayonet. The only difficulty
that I apprehend is that the Admiralty will send us gun-
boats totally unfitted for the service, as they ought not to
draw more than six feet of water, and should be built of
sufficient scantling to bear the concussion of heavy artil-
lery."

THE VIENNA CONFERENCE.
(From the Morning Herald.)

TEN days have elapsed since we, following our weekly
contemporary the PEase, have preferred against
Ministers a charge which is one of the most serious
character. We have already disclaimed any know
ledge, except that which we, in common with the
public, derived from the columns of that well. informed
journal ; but, on the authority of that journal, we
repeated the accusation, and demanded that Minis-
ters should at least reply to it. From that hour to
this no denial had been hazarded, either in Parlia-
ment or in the press. Let us now earnestly recal
the attention of Englishmen to what the accusa-
tion is.

On Saturday week it was stated in the PRESS that
asqurances had been given by the British Govern-
ment, both to Austria and Prussia, that in no result
of the war would England disturb the present tern-
tonal extent of the Russian empire. That is, our
Ministers have promised that, no matter what may
be the successes of the allied arms, those successes
shall not damage the position of the Czar. Before
we comment on the effect of such a stipulation, let
us refer to the corroboration it receives.

A joint memorandum has been prepared by the
Cabinets of Vienna and Berlin, and transmitted to
their envoy at the Germanic "‘iet. From the
translation of this document we extract the following
remarkable passage :

" Both Cabinets have agreed with (rich begeguetan) those
of Paris and London in the conviction that the conflict
between Russia and Turkey could not be prolonged without
affecting (berukres) the general interests of Europe, and
those also of their own states. They acknowledged in
common that the maintenance of the integrity of the Otto-
man empire, and the independence of the Sultan'sGoveru-
went, is a necessary condition of the political balance, and
that the war should, under no circumstances, have for result

any change in existing territorial positions. The respective
declarations and assurances of the belligerent parties
offered a prospect of success to the mediatory activity of
the four powers represented in conference at Vienna. The
particulars of these negotiations, and the grounds of their
failure, are apparent from the five protocols of this Con-
ference, which are herewith laid before the High Diet.
The last of these shows that, albeit France and Great
Britain have, meanwhile, entered into the war against
Russia, the four Cabinets invariably adhere to the principle
proclaimed heretofore by them in common, and have united
in regard to the basis (princip ) on winch to deliberate in
common as relates to the appropriate (geeigneten) means
for attaining the object of their endeavours (rinverneh-
mens )."
Here it is plainly stated that there is an agreement
in common betweeu the four powers " that the war
should under no circumstances have for result any
change in existing territorial arrangements." This
agreement extends plainly to the territories of Rus-
sia. There is a common agreement that the terri-
torial arrangements of Russia are not under any cir-
cumstances to be disturbed. No matter what may
be her crimes or her defeats, Russia is not to lose a
single province. With this engagement we are en-
tering on the war. This is not all ; we are further
assured that, "albeit France and England have mean-
while entered into war against Russia," we are at
this moment united with Austria and Prussia, that
we have agreed upon the basis of not disturbing Rus-
sia in any of her acquisitions, and that upon this
agreement " the mediator• activity of the four powers
represented in conference at Vienna" is revived—the
result of that activity being shown in no less than
" five protocols."
We take breath to understand this astounding
revelation. It is little to say that it confirms to the
letter the statement in the PRESS—England has
entered into an engagement that no result of the
war shall take from Russia any one of her pos-
sessions. England is at this moment disgracing and
compromising herself by entering into new negotia-
tions with the Czar. The infamies of the Vienna
note are multiplied in five protocols ; and as this
memorandum, with killing candour, declares the
war which is now amusing England is but an "ad
interim" war, negotiations, say the despotic powers,
are going on, "albeit that France and England
have IN THE MEANWHILE declared war against

Russia."
If this document means anything it means that the
war in which we are supposed to be engaged against
Russia is carried on in concert with, and in subser-
vience to, negotiations of Austria and Prussia with
the Czar. That England has assented to these nego-
tiations we are plainly told; that our Ministers have
furthermore agreed that under no circumstances
shall the status quo be disturbed ; and a little further
on we are told that both Prussia and Austria are
convinced

513

" that the prolongation of the development of military
force on the Lower Dantibe is inconsistent (imerreiribar)
with the most important neighbouring interests of Austria,
and also with those of Germany. Not only will existing
political state relations mark rerhalimiaseri) be menaced
in a manner detrimental to Germany, but will most
acutely prejudice the development of its material welfare."
For what, let us ask, is this a preparation ? It is
a declaration that the German powers are anxious to
end the war upon any terms. It is also a declaration
that those terms shall not include the alteration of
existing territorial arrangements. No territory is to
be taken from Russia. None, we admit, from Tur-
key ; but, short of a cession of territory, the Ottoman
Porte may be compelled to submit to any conditions
of humiliation. The Conference that framed the
Vienna note is to be revived. What if the same Con-
ference, from blunder or treachery, frame another
note to which Russia will accede, and which Turkey
will reject? Is this impossible ? Is this improbaole ?
U so, Russian intrigues will have triumphed. The
whole result it is not possible to predict ; but this
much is plain, that those who believe the prolonga-
tion of military operations on the Danube inconsis-
tent with the interests of Europe will turn their arms
to force those conditions upon the l'orte.
These are dangers neither imaginary nor distant.
In these renewed negotiations at Vienna we see
nothing but the triumphs of Russian intrigue and
the success of Russian gold. One thing they incon-
testably prove, that up to this hour we are not ho-
nestly at war. Underhand negotiations are going on
which are retarding the movements of our armies
and paralysing the operations of our fleets.