The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-15 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONMINTS.

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teette, yoblmbed elegy Tomei., sad frail s pct tc .ase
toe wet.

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UiGll WATER AT LONDON DItIP(,E
T.. l• We-deny, lb. Afternwn. 1010.
To4goaseir —Morays, ft. 27e. Atteroouc, :t. 15z.

LONDON, THURSDAY, DECE3IDER 13.

ADDITIONAL details respecting the naval fight
between the Turks and Russians, in the roads of
Sinope, continue to ooze out slowly. It seems now
tolerably certain that the Russians, if they have not
exaggerated the Turkish loss, have at least preserved
• discreet silence respecting very considerable da-
mage suffered by their own ships ; acd, from all
that can be learned of the state of the coast defences
at Sinope, this damage would seem to have bees
inflicts d by the comparatively weak Turkish con-
voy and transports. On these points, however, it is
useless to speculate, seeing that a very short time
mast bring precise information. What is of more
importance is the corroboration which intelligence
brings of the hint thrown out by us respecting the
great importance of Sinope in any war between
Russia and Turkey. The Black Sea, which, from the
entry of the Bosphorus to the Circassian coast, is
between 600 and 700 sea miles in length, is there
narrowed by the jutting out of the Crimea from the
European shore to somewhat less than 200 sea
miles. At the south-west corner of the Crimea is
Sebastopol, the great naval station of the Russians.
The Muscovites can wait there in security to pounce
upon all Turkish convoys of store and troopships
from Constantinople to Batoum and the adjacent
coast. This being the case, it is clearly important
that strong coast defences should exist at Sinope
(the bay of that name bring well adapted for the
anchorage of considerable fleets) under the guns
of which over-matched squadrons of Turkish ves-
sels might find security. There is another conside-
ration. Favourably circumstanced as the Russians
are with regard to naval matters by their possession
of Sebastopol, it would be no difficult matter for them
to seise upon Sinope, and, by fortifying it, to
make themselves masters of what may be called
the Crimean strait, midway between the extremities
of the Black Sea. The language, it is true, of cer-
tain military speculators, who speak of the possibility
of making Sinope " a kind of Gibraltar," is exagge-
rated. Gibraltar is a unassailable from the land ae
from the sea, whichis not the cue with Sinope : but
still Sinope might easily be made by the Russians,
and for a considerable time, a sore thorn in the side
of Turkey. It would be a pity if the brilliant suc-
cesses which the gallantry of the Turkish troops--
aided by the hardy Georgians and Lesghis, and the
indomitable Circassians—is achieving in Asia should

be neutralised or arrested by any neglect that might
enable the Russians to intercept the communications
between Constantinople and that theatre of war.
All such reflections serve only to bring us back to
the ever-recurring question, what are the French and
English fleets doing in the Bosphorus? The latest
accounts from Constantinople state that the British
and French Ambassadors had sent out two steam
frigates to Sinope and two to Varna for the purpose
of procuring precise information. The faith of
France and England is pledged to protect the
SULTAN, and when the SULTAN receives a serious
blow and discouragement, his trusty allies send out
scouts to maks curious inquiries into the facts of the
case instead of lending him aid. This is exactly
the way that the English Government and
Legislature proceed in most cases of complaints of
abuses in the managemert of domestic affairs : they
appoint • commission or committee of inquiry to
make a report which—is not acted upon. English-
men have got accustomed to this strange mode of
procedure, but it may be questioned whether the
Turks are " sufficiently civilised" to be satisfied with
it. But we shall be told that the French and
English Ambassadors at Constantinople are not going
to rest satisfied with collecting information: when
they have ascertained how matters stand, the com-
bined fleets are to enter the Black See, to prevent, if
possible, any furthercollision between the Russian and
Turkish naval forces. If that be a desirable object, why
waste time in sending out scout steamers ? Why
not despatch the combined fleets to the Black Sea at
once ? No one doubts that a serious collision has
taken place between the Turks and Russians at sea,
and if to prevent the repetition of such a collision be
a thing to be wished for, the time spent by the
steamers (the naval conunimion of inquiry) is just so
much time lost. But will the ends of justice be
sufficiently attained by the mere interposition of the
combined fleets to prevent further collisions ? The
latest accounts represent that the Russian mennf-
war engaged in the destruction of the Turkish convoy
-of Sinope have suffered so severely in the action as to
be usable to keep the sea. The far greater
pert of the Turkish lint has in the mean-
time been riding snugly at anchor within the Boa.
phones. According to our most recent information,
therefore, the Porte would seem to be in a condition
to pay back the injuries deceit at sea by the Russians
with interest ; and this (if all tales be true) is the
moment selected by the egregious representatives of
France and England to interfere to prevent further
collisions between the Turkish and Russian fleets.
The SULTAN having received a severe blow, but
being in excellent condition to retaliate, his faithful
friends interfere to—hold his arm and thus protect his
whammy.

The unaccountable contradiction between the
words and the actions of France and England—the
reiterated professions made by these Powers of their
de-ire to serve the SULTAN, combined wi'h the good
offices they are ever and anon rendering the:pax—
lend probability to all the annoying and irritating
stories of their bad faith which jealousy, or a desire
of making mischief, is constantly setting in circu-
lation. There is, for example, the version of the
new project of mediation pot forth by the Prussian
Correspondence. Notwithstanding the semi-official
character attributed to that publication, no one
mould have taken that communication for anything

more then au expression of the wishes of the King

between fears of Russian agires.

►ion from the Polish frontier, and of the constitutional
spirit of his subjects, should he throw himself upon
them for support,—had it not been for the procrastina-
tion and temporising of the French and English
Governments. But into such bad odour are these
Governments bringing themselves by their inexpli-
cable half-hearted dawdling, that it is impossible to
suppress uneasy misgivings that any shabbiness im-
puted to them may be true. And hence a fear that
t here may be truth in the averments of the Prussian
Correspondence that the basis of
,the new mediation
the maintenance of the treaties of Kutechuk.
Kainardji and Adrianople; that any proposals
of peace Turkey may be induced to make may be
modified to meet the pleasure of Russia; and that
this degrading submission to Russia and desertion of
Turkey is motived by consideration for Russia—" the
dignity and position of which as a State, re-
pitsented by a distinguished Sovereign, and
he patriotism of a powerful nation, form

an essential basis of European equilibrium
and social order." But if the French and English
Governments could be imagined to have become
parties to such an agreement to coerce Turkey to
stoop to Russia, what language would be too strong
for their condemnation ? The treaties of Kutschuk-

Kainardji and Adrianople no longer exist: they
have been cancelled by the passage of hlstile forces
over the Pruth, by the land battles on the
Dlnube and the sea-fight off Sinope ; yet we are
gravely told that France and England will co-operate
to resuscitate these insidious encroachments on the
independent sovereignty of an ally. Again, the free
access of the ships of war of all nations trading by
sea to the Euxine is an indispensable article of any
permanent and satisfactory settlement of the great
Eastern question, yet we are asked to believe that a
Government like that of England,with 'Parliamentary
responsibility, and a Government like that of Louts
NAPOLEON, new and seeking all means of imparting
to itself cousolidatioa and stability by winning
golden opinions of its subjects, would venture to
forego so favourable an opportunity of having thts
vital right solemnly recognised and established-
To such monstrous imputations have the vacillation
and infirmity of the French and English Govern-
ments rendered them liable.

It is not in the Continental journals alone that
the mischievous intriguers who, with or without
remuneration, are anxious to do the dirty work of
Russia, are making themselves busy. All sorts of
absurd propositions are being launched to distrust and
mislead the public mind. As we anticipated, the
virtuous indignation of the Times, its valorous denun-
ciations of Russia, have had but a brief existence.
Yesterday it discovered that the Russian attack upon
the Turkish squadron at Sinope may, after all, not be
so blameable u it at first imagined. The question
is not worth arguing. The conduct of Russia is ad-
mitted from the beginning and throughout to have
bcea lawless, insolent, rapacious; what matters
whether, in respect of the technicalities of law, this
lust outrage boa little meteor a little lees nefarious?
The only really important question is, why France
and England, having promised to rapport Turkey,
and having superior naval forces within a few hun-
dred miles of the scene of action, have, by their irre-
solution or treachery, allowed Russia to deal such a
blow to their ally? But upon the assumption that
Russia's last crime may be a shade less black than at
first appeared, the Times has run up the most extra-
ordinary project and theory that can be conceived. The
fault of Russia, Recording to our contemporary, con-
slats, not in its unwarrantable interference with the
domestic affairs of the Ottoman Empire, but in its
having attempted to interfere without the co-opera-
tion of the other Powers. "Let us all go snacks,"
says the Times, "in robbing the SULTAN of his
rights of independent Sovereignty." The morality
of the Times strongly resembles that of the Cornish
parson, who, after pathetically imploring the wreckers
of his congregation not to plunder a vessel that was
drifting rudderless and dismuted on their rocks, and
findicg all his adjurations vain, contrived to get be-
tween them and the church door, then, buttoning his
coat, exclaimed, "At least let us all start fair." As
to the assertions of the Times that the Christian sub-
jects of Turkey are systematically persecuted and
ground down, their mendacity has been often
exposed ; as to its dreams of another Greek
revolution, or a confederation of Sclavonian states,
they are neither more nor less than schemes for par-
celling out Turkey, in order that Russia may swallow
in succession the portions of what, as a whole, might
have defied its powers of deglutition. The provinces
which compose the Ottoman Empire, marshalled
under one head, can resist the encroachments of Rus-
sia;--erected into a number of minor states, one after
another would be subdued by that leviathan. The
Times is are true to its Russian subserviency as the
needle to the pole. It may vibrate when shaken by
the breath of public opinion to many other points,
but always reverts, when the impulse ceases, to its
normal direction.

Oxest upon • time there was a saying in London
"It's aii right as the Horse Guards clock!" Old
gentlemen might in those days be seen standing by
Whitehall, watch in one hand and key in the other,
setting their repeaters and " hunters" by the famous
timepiece. Now and then there would be also close
by • curious street crowd, staring in mute wonder
at the wooden telegraph on the top of a neighbouring
building. From an upright post oat flew side arms
that stood now straight out like finger-posts, now
pointed upwards, now downwards, now at an angle of
forty-five. Up and down moved the mysterious planks,
and every gazer believed that the Telegraph was the
most wonderful thing in the world,—always except.
ing the Horse Guards clock. The wooden telegraph
was known to have brought to London the news of
Nxusost's victories. That wu a great deal, and
enough to immortalise—as far as wood may be im-
mortal—any such clumsy machine. But then the
Hone Guards clock was held to be the very outer
image, reflector, representative of that exact relia-
bility and punctuality which made the soul of the
English army under the Iron Duke. The clock
belonged to the Horse Guards, the Hone Guards
meant the Duke of WELLINGTON, and WELLINGTON
won Waterloo. Could any reasoning be better for
hose same elderly practical gentlemen who used to
set their watches at Whitehall, or for those curious
idlers who looked on ?

All this now belongs to the past. The wooden
telegraph we. long ago beaten hollow and out of the
field by Electricity. Oar Beets have no victories to
tell about. Big enough and brave enough, no doubt,
our fleets seem, nevertheless, just lazy hulks at
anchor whilst friends and allies are being
beaten. Surely this is a serious case. And, if
true, little less serious is the 1101/15 that the
Hone Guards people are pooh-pushing mach that
was good in its old punctualities and exactitudes,
and are inclined to be far too " fast," both
for what was good in their ancient character
and what is best for our future public weal.
Of all these alleged backsliding., the sin
is laid (we do not say how justly) at Lord ILut-
DINGO! door. If the nation—the public—for whose
welfare the army is theoretically kept up, were per-
mitted to have more knowledge of its position, and
more information about its Government, there would
be some power of saying how far recent squabbles,
heartburnings, resignations, and intrigues, were the
consequences of ill management in high quarters:
i how far the COMM tNDER-IN-CUIEF is blameable.
I But all that the public are permitted to know with
certainty relative to the latest Horse Guards " affair"
are the patent facts that Lord HARDINOZ is Com-
mander-in-Chief, and that the ADJUTANT-GENERAL has
resigned. Such vacation of military place being
very unusual, and the public being very unwilling
to remain ignorant on such a matter, people
naturally ask—What does it mean? There-
upon Rumour (the only witnees permitted by
military usage)whispers that the ADJUTANT-GENERAL
wanted strict adherence to regulations, whilst other
people preferred laxity, and that, being unable to
do what he thought it his duty to do, he resigned
his post. But rumour does not stop there. An offi-
cer standing next to the soldier who is said to have
resigned rather than do what he felt he should not
do, has, it is alleged, refused to take the vacant poet.
Will this latter officer be promoted to some command
abroad? If so, his junior wouid doubtiess Adju-
taut-General, and then a Deputy Adjutancy would