The Press.
London, England, 1854-02-25 00:00:00

THE PRESS,

" This reply leaves no chance open for a pacific solution,
and France must be prepared to maintain by the most
effective measures the cause for which the persevering
exirtions of diplomacy have been unable to secure the
victory. While, theretOre, he undertakes to defend with
greater energy the rights of Turkey, the Emperor reckons
on the patriotism of the country, on the close alliance with
England, and on the sympathies of the Governments of
Germany.
" Those Governments have constantly declared that
they wished as resolutely as ourselves to maintain the
balance of European power, and to cause the integrity
and independence of the Ottoman empiic to be respected.
Nor has any other question ever entered into this dis-
cussion.
" Our attention is directed towards Austria, whose
position calls on her to play an active mid important part
on the present occasion. hut Austria Las always declared
herself with great firmness in favour of those points which
were laid down in the protocol of the Vienna Conference
dated December the nth.
"We have every confidence in the trustworthiness and
chivalrous character of the young Emperor of Austria, and
we find, besides, a guarantee for the disposition of his
ov ern ni et t in the interests of his people—interests which
are identical with our own.
" Under the general circumstances of European politics,
France, strong in her loyal and disinterested intentions,
has nothing to fear from the impending struggle. She
knows, besides, that she may rely on the energy as well as
on the wisdom of the Emperor."

Respecting the terms in which the Russian answer
was couched nothing definite is known, except that
it contained this sentence:—" I have the firm confi-
dence that my troops will reply in the same manner
as they replied iu 1612." This, insinuation conveyed
in this vaunt has deeply wounded the susceptibilities
of the French people. The following details have
been puhlished of the manner in which the French
Emperor's letter was conveyed to the Czar:—
" The reply of the Emperorof the French arrived at St.
Petersburg on the oth inst. N. de Castelbajac immediately
apprised Count Nesselrode that he wished to present a
letter to the Czar from the Emperor of the French. Al-
though it is contrary to Russian Court etiquette to speak
to the Emperor of Russia on public business after four
o'clock in the afternoon, Count Nesselrode apprised M. de
Castelbajac that he might present himself at the Palace,
although the Emperorwas suffering from the gout. M. de
Castelbajac consequently delivered the letter on the after-
noon of the oth. The Czar appeared to be painfully
affected on reading it. He then spoke a few words, in a
low tone, in Russian, which M. de Castelhajac did not
understand. He recovered his composure almost imme-
diately, and told M. Castelbajas that he would return an
answer in a few days."
A later number of the official journal contains a
second article on the Eastern question, takinr, great
credit to the Government forthe straightforward con-
duct shown in publishing the diplomatic correspon-
dence relating thereto. Frazee, it adds, seeks not to
pursue its policy by intrigues and mystery, but by
frankness and sincerity; and therefore there is no
motive for concealment. In allusion to the revolu-
tionary feelings in Italy and Greece, it declares
plainly that if any persons take advantage of the
present disturbances in the East they will do so in
direct opposition to the interest of France. " The
French Government will never adopt a doublelated
policy, and thus, while defending the integrity of the
Ottoman empire at Constantinople, it cannot suffer
that integrity to be violated by aggressive acts from
Greece, nor can it, while the flags of France and
Austria are united in the East, allow any attempt to
be made to separate them upon the Alps."
It is said that an order has been issued from the
French Minister of Marine to have five ships of the
line added to the squadrons in the Black Sea. The
third battalion of Chassetirs of Vincennes, now
quar:ered at Lyons, has been ordered to march to
Toulon, and the 6th of March is stated as the day
of embarkation for the expeditionary army. It is
now believed that that force will amount to nearly
70,000 men. Though Prince Napoleon will not
have the command-ita chief, it is yet reported that
he will proceed to Turkey with a division of the
army under his orders. Letters from the depart•
ments speak of numerous detachments as constantly
on the move toward the south.
It is reported that a loan of 200 millions of francs,
in Three-per-Cent. Stock, at 64f. 10c., has been con-
cluded between the french Government and Baron
de Rothschild, the Bank of France, and the Re-
ceivers-General.
Several arrests were effected in Paris on Tuesday
from the ranks of the Republican party.
It is said that the Minister of the Interior
threatens to suppress the Assemblie Nationale, whose
Russian tendencies have excited some remark of late.
General de Castelbajac whose return from St.
Peterburg was annuinceS in several journals, has
not yet arrived in Paris.
BELGIUM.
M. Drouyn d'Lhnyt has addressed a letter to the
French Charge d'Afleires at Dresden, with reference
to the late visit of Prince Napoleon to Belgium,
which the French Ilinister says had no Political
object, but was merely to respond to the overtures
of King Leopold that relations of friendship and

175

good neighbourhood might be maintained between
the two countries.
The authorities of Brussels have of late shown
great st►ictness in enforcing the police regulations
respecting foreigners, and in part►cular that which
obliges all parties on arriving in that city to transmit
at once to the police notice of their arrival and their
address. Several French political refugees, who had
succeeded in eluding that obligation, have been
lately discovered and expelled from the Belgian
territory.
M. do Kisseleff is still at Brussels, and has been
entertained at several grand banque►.s. Lent Howard
de Walden, the British Minister at Brussels, gave a
grand soirke yesterday week. No Russian diplomatist
was present at it.

DENMARK.
The Minister of War has ordered the fortress of
Kronberg, at F.lsinear, to be disarmed, and the can-
non to be sent to Frederica and Nyborg.