The Express.
London, England, 1853-12-05 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

A telegraphic despatch, dated Vienna, Sunday
evening, has been received in London, which states
that on the previous day Austria accepted the last
propositions of France and England concerning the
Oriental question.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Nov. 19.

The Nil steamer brought in from Trebizonde St
prisoners on the lath instant, with intelligence of the
Russians having attacked five times successively the
fortress of Chetketil, and being repulsed with loss.
Their flotilla however is blockading the coast from
Sinope to Trebizonde, but has as yet done no damage.
In consequence of this the government demanded
officially the opinion of the French and English
ambassadors as to the necessity of sending out the
fleet in that direction ; and the answer it is
understood will be in the affirmative, not-
withstanding the advanced season. At all
events, some French stcan-ships, it appears, are
about to proceed to the Black Sea, and vizirial
letters have been sent to the embassy addressed to
the governors of the ports where they are likely to
station.

The Russian steamer sunk with 1,500 men, as
mentioned in my last, near Batouo, is said to be the
ill-omened Foudroyant—the " phantom ship"—which
was continually roaming about, you recollect, during
Menchikors memorable visit to Constantinople. It
is reported that after the first shot from the battery,
the ill-fated troops and crew of the vessel doffing
their cape, as a ruse de irterre, bad put on the fess,
—but in the confusion it was forgotten to hoist the
Turkish flag. The Russian forces on the Georgian
frontier are said to be comparatively few in number,
and inferior in every other respect to the army of the
Danube. Besides, provisions, ammunition, and all
other necessaries required for their maintenance must
be conveyed from the ports of the Black Sea. Sup-
plies overland are totally out of the question—it
would require whole months, and to escort them a
whole army. The only route is the Mosdok—
through a defile whose heights bristle with the spears
and matchlocks of their brave and implacable moun-
tain foes.

The Russian navy of the Black;Sea consists only of
16 decrepit old ships, if lam rightly informed; and
hence a comparatively small force of any really ma-
ritime power would soon suffice to destroy them.l
Under these circumstances, it is a matter of general
surprise and regret that Abdi Pacha has not as yet
taken any decisive step. He was brought up at
the military academy of Vienna, and has acquired,
no doubt, the knowledge requisite for his profession,
but is said, at the same time, to be destitute of that
energy and activity necessary for his present im-
portant functions. It is rumoured that he has been
superseded.
M. Baraguay d'Hilliers, shortly after his arrival
on the 15th inst., as mentioned in my last, (knitted
the Promethee iotev., and proceeded to the }tench
Palace at Pen, where he had a long conference with
M. de la Cour. It was not, however, till the fol-
lowing day at 10 a.m. that he entered officially on
his new functions, and repaired to the hotel of the
French embassy, accompanied by his suite and by
all the French residents. He made, I understand, a
short military speech, declaring in the exordium
"that France was for peace if it could be obtained
on honourable terms."

On the same day the ambassador visited the dif-
ferent ministers at the Porte, and was received by
the Seraskier with military honours. During the
interview, the general perceived piled up in a corner
of the room some few trophies from Chefketil, mus-
kets (en liege), mule trappings, &c., and a cannon
ball of the Foudroyant. His audience with the
Sultan will not take place before Saturday. The
general's staff consists at present of three officers,
and two others, MM. Foy and Dieu, ore expected by
next steamer.

A letter from Bucharest of the 20th ult. sa
"We still hear of overwhelming Russian farces
which are to sweep down on our country and purify
the soil from every Turk, but this has been the tale

PARIS, SUNDAY EVINISO. these last six months, and people are beginning to
The Moniteur contains a decree, prolonging until think that the Czar, after all, has not so many
July 31,18.14, the exemption from navigation dues, soldiers as he boasts of. However, it would seem
upon grain, flour, and rice, which, by the decree of that we shall see new faces here before many days.
Sept. sth last, was decreed until the 31st of I)ecem- Osten Sacken's is now announced from Bessarabia ;
ber in the present year. By another decree the rail- weeks ago it was said to be at Braila; perhaps, after
way companies which were authorized to raise their all, it is in the Caucasus, and half consumed by this
tariffs before the expiration of the legal period, in time. But we shall see. We know nothing of what
proportion to any reductions they might make upon goes on 10 miles out of the town, and unhappy is the
the carriage of grain, flour, and potatoes, until the individual who is too curious for the humour of the
31st of Dec. 1853, have the like privilege extended Russian."
in respect to any such diminution made before July The Post A mpt Gazette of Frankfort publishes,
31, 1834. The last-mentioned decree further ex- under date of Vienna, 2Sth ult., a letter remarkable
tends the operation of the measure to dry vegetables by its variation from the prevalent eastern intelli-
as well as farinaceous substances. geace. The writer says: "The day before yesterday
The Duke de Bellune, senator, the eldest son of despatches were received from St. Petersburgh,
/Waal Victor, created Duke de Bellune by Napo- which were communicated to the Minister of Foreign
bea 1., died at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. He Affairs by M. de Meyendorff. Although their con-
leaves eight children, of whom the eldest, who suc- tents have not transpired, it is nevertheless known
coeds to the title, has a past in the Ministry for that the Court of Russia manifests very conciliatory
Foreign Affairs. feelings. No accounts have yet been received of the
The newly appointed Pope's nuncio, Monsignore result of the negotiations opened between Foul
Bannon, Archbishop of Nicea, has arrived in Paris. Effendi and M. de Kotzebue ; there is, however, no
From the lit to the 30th of November 341 vessels doubt that an armistice will be concluded, as both the
laden with 804,270 hectolitres of wheat entered the belligerent parties must desire a suspension of hostili-
port of Marseilles. These cargoes came partly from ties during the bad weather.
Algeria and the Levant, but principally from the The same writer says: "Despatches have been sent
Black Sea. The whole quantity imported at Mar- from Vienna to M. de Bruck at Constantinople rela-
bales since the duties were taken off is 2,102,467 five to the attitude of Servia in the Russo-'forkish
hectolitres, brought in 714 ships. It is calculated SuarreL The Austrian cabinet supports the declare-
that the arrivals during the month of' December will non of the neutrality of Servia. The Ottoman
swell the total to 3,000,000. It will be recollected Porte, on the contrary, persists in not recognising it ;
that the Moniteur lately estimated the deficiency in and has already announced to the Servian ;govern-
the barred at 10,000,000 hectolitres, and inasmuch ment that, if necessary, it would use its sovereign
as the imports are comparatively small at all other right, and march troops through Servia. It is to the
prat but Marseilles, it will be very long before the interest of our government that neither Beni* nor
deficiency is made up. Bosnia should take part in any military operations.
The steady progress of the revenue in the face of l'rince Stirbey has had on that point conferences with
a bad harvest and the prospect of war, is a very en- the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and M. de Bruck
rious as well as cheering fact. The customs' receipts has received instructions."
at Havre during the last month exceeded by 20 per Supposing now that Servia had been a tributary
sent. those of November, 1832, and the premiums of Russia instead of a tributary of Turkey, would
paid for exportations have doubled. The cotton Austria have approved of its neutrality?
motet at Havre is extremely animated. The sales The Nest of Vienna announces that on the 17th
tar the week amounted to 8,000 bales, while the ar- ult., the Turkish population burnt a villa at Ardoe be-
rivals were but 3.775. The stock on hand, which a lenging to, the Russian Embassy. This act much
year ago was 33,300 bales, is now reduced to 12,000. irritated the Turkish government, which had given
Prices for second and inferior qualities are from lfr. orders for the offenders to be sought for, and an-
to Ur. higher. nounced that if the guilty parties were not disco.
The Mott it,,,r publishes the address of General vered, the whole of the inhabitants would be pu-
, Count Baraguay d'Hillieri to the Sultan on present- niched.
ing his credentials. The general said in the course A letter from Malta of the 28th says Sir E. Lyons
of his speech : has arrived at Constantinople.
" France does not fear war. Faithful to the spirit Letters from Constantinople of the 19th in the
of his mission declared by the Emperor Napoleon Damets state that General Baragusy d'Hilliers had
, himself, France desires peace, but she desires it been nearly an hour in conference with Lord Red-
! durable, loyal. and honourabie for herself and her cliffe. On the 16th, at half-past one, the general
allies. For that object the Emperor Napoleon, in in full uniform went to the Porte to pay his visits to
' concert with his powerful ally the Queen of Great the Grand Vizir Moustapha Pasha, the Minister of
Britain, has sent his fleet to the East. Confiding in Foreign Affairs, and to Rifaat Pasha, the President
the reiterated assurances of the Cabinet of St. Peter- of the Council of Justice. The Porte has defini-
, burg, he still hopes that the difference which has ively rejected the new note which had been
arisen between the Sublime Porte and the Court of non-officially presented to it by England; it
I Russia may be smoothed down ; and that was a kind of medium between the note
this temporary trouble in bringing forward of Vienna and the modifications of the Porte,
clearly the question of the integrity of the taking fur its basis the note last offered
Ottoman Empire, will only serve to confirm an by the Porto to Prince Menschikoff. Lord de Red-
independence so precious to all Europe, and so cliffe gave proof of much tact on this occasion. Un-
necessary to the maintenance of the peace of derstanding how delicate it was in the present state
the world. The Sultan may be certain that the ,of the question to offer a new note, he did not pre-
Emperor Napoleon, who comprehends so well the sent it by one of his employes, but took as interme-