The Express.
London, England, 1853-11-25 00:00:00

The attempt has not only been an utter failure, but
has resulted in the formation of what the moun-
taineers never before possessed—a national character.
Formsrly they were isolated families or clans ; now
they are a united nation. The physical boundary is
fortiSed by a moral one. It is not only a chain of
rocke, but a gallant nation which opposes Russia in
its lust of Asiatic dominion. Even in their disunited
state they have been able to maintain
their independence from time immemorial.
Their complete union renders their subjection
by direct force nearly impoiribie. Never-
theless, a possibility exists of gaining by other meana
that which could never be obtained by violence.
Russia is in possession of territory both north and
south of the Caucasus. She has the command of the
Caspian Sea, and had until lately that of the Black
Sea. Supposing, then, that her dominion in Asia to
the south of the Caucasus were extended, and
strengthened so as to enable her to pre-
vent all communication between the moon-

taineers and the provinces on the south of them, the
latter would have been hemmed in on four sides,
and might have been starved into submission in the
coarse of time. Now, the Asiatic war which is
taking place at various points not many miles south
of the Caucasian range, must have the effect, if the
Turks are successful, of breaking through the southern
boundary ; while the appearance of a Turkish fleet
on the Circassian coasts of the Black Bea will place
the mountaineers again in commercial communication
with Europe. This is not all: the communication

between the north and south of the Caucasus will be
hermetically sealed by the Circassians and other
tribes roused into action by the new hopes that are
dawning upon them, and the Russian army in the
south will then be blockaded on three sides. The
Turks will oppose them with their armies on the
south and with a fleet on the eut, while on the north
they will have an impregnable chain of mountains
swarming with a race which has never been subdued.
It will be almost impossible to convey supplies
to an army thus situated, and,:upon the supposition
that the war will be carried on by the Turks with
the same spirit in which it has been begun, the fate
of the Russian troops could not be doubtful. Should
the result be that the Russians were permanently
driven to their position to the north of the Caucasus,
the effect upon the peace and civilisation and
happiness of the world would be incalcu-
lable. For Russia, in her dealings with
nation., is not content with subduing them.
She not only annexes, but paralyses and demoralises.
The instant she takes possession of a country, she
commences the process of denationalising it, by
altering every form and custom by a Russian stan-
dard. "Every national development," says one of
the latest travellers in the provinces annexed to 11
Russia, " that deviates from the Russian catechism,
is a thorn in her eye." "If the Armenians will
be civilised, let them learn Russian ; and if they
will pray, let them pray in Russian," said a Muscovite
general in answer to an appeal in favour of Armenia.
New names are affixed to districts, and towns, and
rivers, and everything is done to mould a conquered
province into a Russian form. This process has been
for years going on in Georgia, and all travellers re-
peanut the effect upon the national character u in-
conceivably bad. It will be fatal to all hopes of
Asiatic civilisation if Russia is allowed to creep gra-
dually southwards, paralysing and .Ruesianising the
nations in her way.

If the issue of this contest be that which all good
men desire, it will be a curious iustance:of a retribu-
tion falling upon a criminal through the very
means he took to perpetrate his crime.
All that was needed to make the Circas-
sian. powerful enough to resist the forces
of the CZAR was a national unity. This they had
not ; but it has been accomplished by the necessity
which existed to oppose the Russians. The pressure
from without has welded them into a solid uniform

Lass. In the same way those elements of the Otto-

man character which had made the nation formidable
in times put, but which had become torpid, being
roused into action by the injustice of Russia, have
again come into action, and show that whether Turkey
is capable or not of future wars of conquest, she is
amply: powerful enough for defence. These are
great results; and, although circumstances may
occur to neutralise some of the good effects they may
produce, they are in themselves sufficiently valuable
to enable us to congratulate ourselves that something
is gained even from a source from which nothing
but evil was to be apprehended.

We understand that no letters or newspapers to
Australia will be sent by the Golden Age, American
steam-ship, by the Post-office, in consequence of the
owners of that vessel having objected to carry
them for the payment made to British vessels under
similar circumstances; that is, when the ship is not
bound to start on a particular day, or to make the
voyage within a certain time. It was quite open to
the proprietors of the Golden Age to make a tender
for the eonvemce of the ordinary mail, to be de-
spatchedon 4th of next month—indeed we an-
that they were specially invited to do so—
and if, as is probable, they had been able to undertake
to perform the voyage in less time than the sailing
vessel which has obtained the contract, they would
have received the 1,00 W., which will now be paid to
the Matilda Wattenbach ; bat they stated, we under-
stand, that the loss they should sustain by delaying
the departure of the Golden Age till the day for the
regular mail would eat up the greater part of the
specified remuneration, and they therefore declined to
make a tender. When no such obligations as those re-
ferred to are imposed, the mail is paid for at the rate of
twopence for each letter and a penny for each news-
paper. And surely any demand beyond this is exor-
bitant when the mail bag is mere freight, and carries
with it no obligation except that it shall be sent
ashore when the vessel arrives at her destination.
The demand is in this case clearly an ungracious
return for the privilege now conceded by our liberal
commercial law, by virtue of which this American
ship is allowed to enter our ports and trade with our
colonies. We willingly offer to other nations terms
of equality in such commerce, but the proprietors of
the Golden Age demand more. They claim at one
and the same time to he both English and foreign :
in one capacity assuming all privileges and in the
other rejecting all duties.

OT EAST

Yesterday • meeting of theliberaielecto----re;roloncentes.-
shire resident in the neighbourhood of Cheltenham wee
hold, when it was decided to get up a requisition calling
upon Edward Holland, Esq. of Dambleton, to offer him-
self me a candidate. Mr. Holland is very popular among
the liberal party in the county, and as a practical
twist is well known to the farmers. He representeM.
costenhire a short time, at the period of the Reform Rill
agitation. The conservatives held • preliminary meeting
on the previous evening at Gloucester, when steps were
taken to obtain signatures to a requisition about to be pro-
minted to Sir M. Hicks Beach, Bart., of Williamstrip•park,
calling upon him to allow himself to be put in acumination.;
THE Noncom hit;EHEE.—The inquest on the
body of Loren: Bella, who was murdered near Tittleehall
on Friday last, was held at the Gran Inn, Tittleshall, be.
fore W. Pilgrim, Esq., Bonner, on Monday. The jury,
without hesitation, found a verdict of wilful murder against
tth primacy, William Thompson. He will be tried at the
nest Norwich assizes._

LAUNCU OF A LARGE SHIP AT GREENOCK.—
Mean. John Scott sad Son launched, on Saturday,
from their building yard, the largest sailing ship which has
been constructed at this port. She is built for the inn of
Maim. Henry Moore and Co., of Liverpool, after the heed
of which firm she was named, and is designed for the Aus-
tralian trade. Her length over all is about 231 fort, and
her tonnage is 1,307, new memurement.—Grensoc4 Ad-

THE FOG was so dense at Wordsley on Monday
night that it was the muss of many persons walking into
the Nina Leeks and Sixteen Locks. We regret to add that
' five persons lost their lives—them females, a mm, and a
boy; the rest were happily extricated. The greatest con-
sternation prevailed in tins neighbourhood, and hundreds
of people were seen about the highways, with lanterns,
seeking their children and relatives.—WoleerAmisplort
Chrvakk.