The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-09 00:00:00

THE CONFERENCES AT VIENNA.

IT appears impossible to doubt that Prince
00111TCHAKOFT has been authorised to enter into
negotiations at Vienna on the basis of the four points,
as the 3 have been interpreted by the Allies. The
telegraphic messages of our own correspondents coin-
cide, in their announcement of this news, with the
telegraphic intimations on the same subject received
by our principal morning contemporaries, and a
number of the first firms in the City. And yet there
is something quite unaccountable in the promptitude
with which the CZAR has consented to negotiate on
this basis. On the 26th of last August, Count
NESSELRODV., in a despatch to Prince OORICIIAXOFF,
eharacterieed the four points as "conditions which,
if they were to remain as they have been actually sub-
mitted to as, suppose Russia to be already enfeebled
by the exhaustion of a long war, and which, it the force
of temporary circumstances forced us to submit to
them, so far from assuring to Europe a solid, and
especially a durable peace, such es the Austrian
Government appears to expect, would only expose
that peace to complications without end." And yet
on the 7th of January—seven days earlier than
was required of it—the Russian Government is
said to have profaned its readiness to negotiate on
the basis of these conditions. Are we to understand
!rem this that Russia is "already enfeebled by the
exhaustion of war"? or that it submits to the sew
ditions because its acceptance of them cannot lend to
48 a solid and durable peace"? Some recent demon-
strations in the Court of Prussia may throw a little
light on these dark questions.
The Austrian Cabinet, we are given to understand,
has, within the last few days, forwarded a note to
Berlin, calling upon the Prussian Government to
mobilise its army, according to the terms of the treaty
of the loth of April. This request the Prussian
Government has declined to comply with, on the
ground that the terms of the treaty do not warrant
ft. At the same time orders have been Weld ill
strengthen the artillery regiments by the WNW of
a new battery of eight guns to each. The KM hes
also been heard to declare that he will abide by his
neutrality as long as be can; but that, if events shall

render it advisable to mobilise hie arpy, he will taut
that step solely and exclusively with the view of
enabling himself more effeetaally to urge moderation
upon both parties. By eoneinting to negotiate on
the basis of the four points, the Czas obtains the
advantage of confirming the King of Patteets'e
faith in his moderation, and renders it probable that •
the Prussian army, when mobilised, may be rendered
serviceable to Russia. By consenting to enter into
nego is ions, which may be broken off at any time,
the Czsn gains the advantage of engendering and
perpetuating discord between the two great Powers
of central Europe.
There are circumstances connected with the rela-
tions between Russia and Austria which rather tend
to add probability to this interpretation of the ready
consent of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg to negotiate.
On the side of Austria there is the well-grounded
conviction that it will be exposed, in the event of a
breach with Russia, to the most inveterate hostility
of the CZAR. What NICHOLAS regards as simple
hostility on the part of France and Eng.
laid, he would consider defection and revolt
en the part of Austria. On the side of
Ruda, at least in the army, there exists the greatest
contempt for the military force of Austria. It is
their custom to call the Austrians "men in uniform,"
and not "soldiers." With perhaps the solitary ex-
ceptions of RIIDIGIR and Ds BERG, there is not a
Russian general who does justice to the Austrian
army. Here, then, we have great fear on the side
of Austria opposed to overweening confidence on the
part of Russia. There remains one important point to
be noticed in connexion with the two which have
just been adverted to. Some ten or twelve months
ego Russian agents are known to have been engaged
in sounding some of the Magnates of Hungary, with
a view to ascertain whether they would be prepared,
if the Cz tie were ready to guarantee the indepen-
dence of their country, to take the Grand Duke Cox-

srANTINE for their King.
Looking to the relative positions of Russia and
Austria, and to the attitude assumed by Prauia, it is
evident that Russia will enter upon the renewed
negotiations with no inconsiderable advantages. It
will require the sternest decision, the most peremp-
tory language, on the part of France and England, to
keep the courage of Austria up to the sticking points
and prevent its sneaking out of its half-promises.
Kew what guarantee have we that the French and
ifiglish Governments will show themselves animated
by a spirit of stern decision, and that they will use
peremptory language ? There has never been any
explicit, official announcement of the interpreta-
tion put by the Three Powers, parties to the
treaty of the tad of December, on the four
points. The four points, as at first announced,
embrace the discontinuance of Russia's exclu-
sive protectorate of the Principalities ; the
establishment of the free navigation of the Danube ;
the revision of the treaty of the 13th July, 1841; and
the relinquishment by Russia of its claim to pro-
tect the SULTAN'S subjects of the Greek rite. Sub-
sequently France and England have declared that thi
revision of the treaty of Kutehuk•Kainardji must be
"in the sense of a limitation of the naval power Of
Russia in the Black Sea." In this intimation there
is an approach to precise and definite meaning which
elsewhere we look for in vain. This—the limitation
of the naval power of Russia in the Black Sea—is
the sheet-anchor of the hopes of the nations of
Europe in the present squally and uncertain weather.
If the Allied Governments part from it—if conces-
sions are made to the sensitive vanity of the CzAR on
this point—it will be utterly vain to hope for an
honourable and lasting peace.
Were we sure that the Allies would stand firm on
this point, we would regard with utter indifference
the renewal of negotiations at Yienna, provided the
war continued to be carried on with vigour while
they were in progress. We feel convinced that the
CZAR has not yet been sufficiently beaten to induce
him to accept of this, to him, mortifying condition.
But there is something about the language attri-
buted to the English Cabinet which necessarily in-
spires misgivings. The readiness of the CZAR to re-
new negotiations on the very terms which leas than
six months ago he pronounced inadmissible throws
light oa the confidence with which an approaching
peace was talked of in certain City circles on Friday
last—a confidence expressly attributed to expressions
used by Ministers. Can Ministers expect that the
Emperor of Russu will consent to an equalisation
of the naval forces of France, England, and Russia in
the Euxine ? Or are' they prepared to purchase a
peace by departing from that demand P Do they
imagine that the lugubrious articles in the Times
have intimidated the nation, and rendered it dis-
gusted with the war, to an extent that will render
it happy to have a peace pAcked up on any terms P
The present is, perhaps, the most anxious crisis
through which we have had to pus since the com-
mencement of the war; for never before have we ap-
peared to be drifting so close to the shoals of national
Nests.

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY

THE

'AR.

tinder date of Dee. 30 Prince Mentoldkoff writes
that nothing important had taken place before Sebas-
topol. The fire of the allies was feeble, causing the
Russians but little damage.
The movements of Russian troop ire not rendered
less active by anything that is taking place at Vienna.
Russian infantry, cavalry, and artillery are steadily
advancing towards the Austrian frontier, as well as
through Odessa to the Crimea. The whole of the Ist
corps of infantry and a division of Grenadiers have
been concentrated these ten days on the right bank
of the Vistula. The landed proprietors have been
called upon to provide immediately provision, and
provender. On Saturday it was calculated at
Vienna that by the 15th inst. the Austrian army
would be in a condition to take the field if required.
_ _ .

Direct accounts from Warsaw of the lit inst.
confirm the hasty departure of Marshal Paskie-
witsch for St. Petersburg during the night of the
30th ult., and add that the next day the whole per-
sonnel of his military chancery left for that capital.
It was believed at Warsaw that the generalissimo
would remain near the Emperor until the question of
peace or war was finally decided. In the mean time
the military governor, General Count de Rndiger,
had been invested with the powers exercised by the
marshal in Poland, and assumed the chief command
of the first and second corps d'armee, and of the
division of grenadiers now stationed in the kingdom.

ODESSA, Dsc. 21.

General Schabelski, who command; the 2nd
cavalry reserve corps, returned here on the 18th, and
attended the divine service and ceremonial on St.
Nicholas's day, in honour of the Emperor. The
service way held in the Preobrascheneki cathedral, at
10 in the morning. The archbishop delivered a die.
course, which he concluded with a prayer for the
long life of the monarch. As he ceased pray-
ing, the guns were heard booming from the
coast batteries. The prelate observed that all true
subjects saw in their master the elect of God, in
whose hands are placed the destinies not merely of
Russia, but of the whole world. He also reminded
his hearers that Russia once stood as a barrier to
shield the West from the inundation of the East, and
would now prove the same firm barrier against the
flood coining from an opposite direction. The Russian
almanackw, he said, would have now to insert the
names of Sebastopol and the Crimea by the side of
Borodino and Moscow. Such, throughout, was the
character of the prelate's sermon. On the same day
General Annenkov gave a full-dress banquet at
Madame Narischkin's, and in the evening there was
a ball in the Exchange Hall.
Trade is paralysed. The enemy's steamers are
every now and then visible from the town, and we
all know what is going on in the Crimea, but
rejoicings are ordered. Thus the theatre is opened
this evening, and we have an illumination.

According to the Vienna Sokleen Freund, all the
Turkish troops are to be at Eupatoria by the 6th of
this month; and as soon es they have had time to
get into order the operations against Simpheropol
will commence. In the same paper we also read th►t
the Russians intended to make a grand attack on
the 18th on the new redoubt which the English had
constructed . and armed with twenty four 32-
pounders. The guns of this redoubt or block-house
completely command the Sailors' Suburb and the
harbour. A Russian corps of 8,000 men still occu-
pies ► strong position near Traktir. On the 20th of
December Admirals Lyons and Bruit took the
command of the allied fleets. Achmet Puha, the
Turkish admiral, gives great satisfaction to his
government.
The Press of Vienna of the 4th says that the
Prussian ambassador, after the receipt of a despatch
from Berlin yesterday, had two confidential inter-
views with Count Buol and the ambassadors of the
Western Powers. The object of these interviews is
said to be the accession of Prussia to the treaty of the
tad December, but they have not yet led to any
decisive results. _ _ _

The same journal adds: "A letter from Bucharest
states that 2,000 Turks of the garrison of that place
left on the 2nd for Ibrail, and only a small detach-
ment of Turkish troops now remtin in that city.
Prince Stirbey is now equiping an auxiliary corps
of 10,000 Wallachians to support the Turks in their
operations against the Russians. Count Coronini
has left Bucharest for Jassy."

You are doubtless aware, writes a esrrespondent of the
Independence Beige, that after the withdrawal of the two
allied fleets from the Baltic in November last, and when all
danger of an attack on their part had disappeared, the two
divisions of troops, with the two regiments of the Imperial
Guard, concentrated, dying the campaign, under the com-
mand of General de Berg, between Riga and Revel, had
re-entered Poland, on en order from St. Petersburg, thus
leaving those two important cities in a completely defence-
less position. We learn to-day that another and more
numerous corps than the first will be shortly formed with
the reserve battalions, and usembled in spring, on the
same point, to preterit Revel and Riga against au attack cf
the allied fleets, should they re-appear in the Bottle. Gene.
nide Berg having been since appointed Governor. General
and Commander of the army in Finland, the Emperor, by
a rescript of the 26th of December last, has invested with
the command of the Baltic army the Lieutenant General
of Cavalry BIOWTA 1., who will thus have under his orders
the different divisions of troops quartered in Livonia and
, Courland. By the same rescript, General Grabbe I. was
named Military Governor of the province of Etiolia and
Revel, and General Manikin Neustrijeff Commander of this
last tows. The Infantry General Petkul is to resume his
former post in the Department of War: