The Express.
London, England, 1854-01-10 00:00:00

THE WAR.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

CONSTANTINOPLE, Die. 23.
Thanks to the energetic measures adopted by the
rcernment, that is to say, by Mehemet Ali, to-
tber with Riza Puha, the general terror, or
father panic. has been succeeded for the last two
days by • c.ilm in men's, minds. The arrest of ISO
JI, or students in th:ology, has compelled the
ot
otheis to keep order. I will relate to you how the
wolfs:station began, and how it terminated.
List Tuesday evening the rumour was spread
among the sacerdotal body that the government had
accepted peace. The next morning, exasperated by
this news, from 14 to 13 hundred young men belong-
iog to the clergy repaired in arms to the house of
the Sheik-al-Islam, chief of the Nlussulman priest-
hood, and there they solemnly protested against the
conclusion of peace. The Sheik-al-Islam repled to
them that they need not make any protestation,
since there was no truth whatever in the report
that peace had been made; that Russia being
di, oseel to treat for peace, the friendly Powers
had asked, ~it the Sublime Porte would consent to it,
in case the peace proposed should be concluded in a
saner honourable for Turkey —that is to say,
conditioning the full and entire independence of her
sovereign rights, and the preservation both for the
present and the future of the territorial limits of the
empire; he declared that that was the only exact
version of what had been submitted to the National
Assembly, and that the government, seeing in it
nothing contrary either to the interests of the coun-
try or to those of its religion, had given its consent,
out of coosideration far the friendly Powers. This
declaration satisfied the greater part of the students,
who withdrew to their quarters; but the moat ex-
cited of the body, about 400, wishing also to have
other txplanetions, went away to the square of
Sultan Bayezid, where the ministers, with the ex-
ception of Itesehid, were assembled. Reschid hud
prudently retired to the Seraglio. An aide-de-camp of
the Nlibister of War came out and invited them to
enter his abode ; about 150 went it), when 100 Lancers
previously dispersed in one of the neighbouring
streets, at a given signal, occupied the two gates of
the ministry in inch a manner that the wallas:just
admitted were caught as in a trap. They were forth-
with installed in one of the barracks situated in the
interior of the enclosed area, where they are snail
confined. The other softas repaired to their com-
rades, and acquainted them with this arrest. It
was then that they came in a body to the Square of
Sultan Achmet, and it was hence that they branched
off into the different quarters of the city and strove
to raise the people. The next day they attempted
to post op on the minarets of the great mosques pla-
cards, on which these words were written in large
characters, " Here they will henceforth read the Gos-
pel and not the Koran ; ' but the soldiers who guarded
all the avenues to the mosques, arrested the saftas who
wanted to effect this in sight even of their comrades,
and they were taken to prison. Thou who resisted
were treated by the soldiers by blows from the butt-
ends of their muskets. These acts sufficiently proved
the feeling entertained by the Turkish soldiers
towards the priest. From that moment the govern-
ment no longer hesitated, and bra Thursday evening
it published a manifesto nearly identical with the
explanation of the Shiek-al-Islam. It mentioned,
however, that this act had been done by the National
Assembly—that is, by the congress of the entire
nation—that a few isolated individuals had no right
to criticise it; and if, notwithstanding this animiser
meat, certain people did nut chose to accept it
peaceably, they should be severely punished as dis-
turbers on the, spot. This piece of advice has pro-
duced the best effect, for every group immediately
dispersed, and by Friday morning order was com-
pletely re-established.
Yesterday (Saturday) all the effervescence was Tee
duced to a mutineering on the part of the collegians.l
The government wiphed the softas—those not ar-
rested—to resume their studies, but these would nat
do so unless their comrades were released from plasm
The government, in order to release them, required
bail from the professors, who were not disposed be
give it. Negotiations ensued, and lasted till yester.l
day evening. There is no donbt of their submissions
since the government has shown itself resolved to
proceed rigourously against them, if necessary.
While this ebullition was going on, produced by
the manifestation of the softas, a counter movement I
was going on at Pets calculated to increase the
general panic. Lord de Redone es Wawa*
convoked, in all baste, all his seines to me at
his house, informed them that an resurreetion bad
broken out at Constantinople which was air
sliming a formidable aspect, and was the more
to be dreaded inasmuch as one of the
ministers was the ringleader (meaning no
doubt by this allusion Mehemet Ali). He declared
it was requisite to place in safety the subjects appm,
taining to each embassy, that for his part he placed
the palace of England and the men of war of the
saradwrx at the The dispo
ose osfaltohfe alflootreitannicestute.bjecro,
point of fact all the English were informed
of this decision. No other minister stirred in the
matter, except M. Von Bruck, who sent for some
Plaines from Austrian men of war, and some armed
Croats, posting them as sentinels at the Internuncio's
palace. General Baragnay d'Hilliers was at Thera-
pia, they despatched a message to him, and he area
back to the city in post haste, and afterwarde ordered
three steam frigates to be brought down the harbour.
To sum up this movement that has just been termi-
nated, has given rise to two results well ascertained.
The body of ulemas has been judged, and hence-
forth it will no longer be regarded as that formidable
and dreaded body once able to keep the government
in check upon all questions and in all places. The
popularity of Mehemet Ali and of Ries, who have
alone maintained order in spite of the slanders bruited
about against them at Pen, has surpassed that which
Reschid bad recently acquired, but which be has cer-
tainly lost. In my opinion, Reschid will be die.
missed ere long, and be replaced probably by Ali
Pscba or Sarim Pacha.
Another correspondent writes:
CONSTANTINOPLE, Die. 22.
l'olitical affairs appear to be assuming a new com-
plexion. You will have learned by the telegraph
that two meetings of the grand council were held at
the Porte towards the end of last week, for the pur-
pose of examining the new collective proposition of
the Four Powers, for the restoration of peace. The
debate was long and stormy ; the majority of the
members of the council manifesting the strongest
disinclination to sanction negotiations, except on the
express condition of the immediate evacuation of
the Principalities by the troops of the Czar, and
the maintenance of the sovereign rights and ter-
ritorial possessions of Turkey. Ultimately it was
agreed to accept the proposition of the Powers in its
leading principles.
The following are proposed as bases of n
tiationa fora peace :—An armistice; ay
of the Principalities; annulment of all forme
international conventions between Russia and
Turkey, and their replacement by a single
treaty, to be made in a congress which shall
meet on a neutral territory; an undertaking to be
given by Turkey for the immediate execution of the
Tanximat, and the amelioration of the condition'
of the Christians throughout the empire; opening of
the Black Sea to the war ships of the Western
Powers ; resumption of relations with Russia as
before the arrival of Prince Menshikofi at Constan-
tinople.
I have lemon to believe in the accuracy of these
statements, having received them from a source cal-
culated to inspire the fullest confidence; but the con-
ditions, I must say, do not appear to be such as
Russia is likely to accept. lam sorry to say thdit
little confidence in us or in FMnce is felt in Today.
People believe that we ardently desire peace, homes
we fear the Case, not beams we wish to elmek as
audacious aggressor, or to emu Turkey hue Mop
ten This opinion, I may asp is that at the Mila
who govern the country, as well as that of the
masses, who believe that France and &glass' see'
cowards, and have a secret understanding with the
Czar.
Yesterday there was a demonstration of the ulemany
who met in front of Sultan Achniet's mosque, to the
number of 1,500. They protested against the pro-
Codpea, and demanded the dismissal of the
peace,
er Puha (Reschid, Minister of Foreign Affairs).
Alifrward, they dispersed to the event quarters
f the capital, exciting the people to revolt. lam