The Press.
London, England, 1857-04-18 00:00:00

TURKEY AND THE EAST.

The British fleet having passed the Dardanelles,
and arrived at Smyrna, the Government of the
Porte hes closed the Straits henceforth to %ll ships
of war not specially provided with a firman of
admission, thus re-establishing in its integrity the
rule in existence before the war.

The first experiment in European colonisation has
been made in Turkey. A party of 150 Poles a fort-
night since embarked for Peneus in Thessaly, an
estate of Redschid Pacha.

Accounts from Bucharest of the oth state that two
days before a deputation of landed proprietors,
advocates, and several young boyards of higher
station, paid visits to the commissioners of the
European powers. On the occasion an address was
presented to Sir Henry Lytton Bulwer, G.C.8.,
praying that liberty of action might be secured to
them in the approaching elections :

We have too long lived without liberty for abuses not to
be rife, particularly at a distance from the capital. We
solicit the attention of your Excellency to this point. We
take great pleasure in reminding you that at the Congress
in Paris the representative of her Britannic Majesty was
the first to strongly insist on the necessity of taking into
account the free wishes of the country ; and from what
power can we expect this electoral independence, which is
RIO necessary for us, if not from one which has had the happy
privilege of enjoying for ages the benefits of free institu-
tions ?

Sir Henry Bulwer replied
With regard to the question to which you particularly
call my attention, namely, the elections which are shortly
to take place, the Ottoman Government has declared its
intentions in the most solemn and precise manner, and,
arriving direct from Constantinople, I am able to assure
you that the Sublime Porte desires with sincerity what
it has declared without hesitation. I must also believe
that the Government of this principality, at the head of
which is placed a prince whose family is ono of the illus-
trations of your annals, and who, from his reputation of
frankness and straightforward conduct, was pointed out
to the confidence of the Sultan, will, in such a critical
moment, execute the instructions it has received with
scrupulous fidelity. Such is certainly its duty. On the
other hand, it is for the Wallachian people, and especi-
ally for you, gentlemen, whose position in the centre of
society should maintain a proper equilibrium in it, to
render, by the prudent ability of your conduct, the task
imposed on the authorities easier. Employ then, I beg of
you, all your efforts to make yourselves remarkable by
these virtues and these civic talents, which perhaps are
what is the least expected from you, but which will confer

SATURbAIf,

on )ou the greatest amount of honour, and which will
unite the esteem and confidence of Europe to the sym-
pathy with which you have already known how to inspire
her.

A letter from Jassy of the 30th March gives the
manifesto published by the electoral committee of
the capital of Moldavia. It advocates :-1. The
union of the provinces in a single State, reserving
the rights of the Sublime Porte according to the
spirit and the letter of the ancient capitulations. 2.
The neutrality of the territory of the Principalities.
3. Respect of the rights of the Principalities accord-
ing to the spirit and letter of the same treaties. 4.
Heredity of the chief of the State. The hospodariate
has served its time—a European system ought to
succeed it. 5. The legislative power confided to a
single general Assembly, which will represent the
interests of the entire nation. 6. Submission of
foreigners inhabiting the Principalities to all the
laws of the country. 7. The acknowledgment of
the right of the Principalities to establish commercial
relations according to their interests. 8. All these
under the collective guarantee of the powers who
signed the Treaty of Paris.