The Express.
London, England, 1854-01-16 00:00:00

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TO CORRESPONDENTS.
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LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 16.

A BRIEF notice of the Victories just gained by the
Turks in the vicinity of Kalafat appeared on Saturday
in the Paris ifoniteor, and may be taken as an offi-
cial recognition of the troth of the accounts which had
previously been published in the Daily News and other
English journals. The tardy and incomplete transmis-
sion of this news by the Vienna telegraph has naturally
given rise to some remark. The intelligence was
kept back by the Austrian Governnient as long es
possible, and when allowed to transpire the final re.
salt of the three or four days' fighting was still kept
back. Like Hadibrais story of the bear and
fiddle, the Austrian narrative of Turkish victory
"broke off in the middle." The conjecture that
the promulgation of the news was deferred
in the hope that the current of the fight
might change, and the Austrian Government
be enabled to announce a Russian instead
of &Turkish victory, is plausible enough. The Prus-
sian Government has undertaken to prevent Prussian
journals from publishing any news relating to the
armies of the CZAR which has not received his impri-
matur; whilst the Austrian Government is laboodng
to intercept all unauthorised news on its way le Sol
journals of Western Europe. Austria and Paoli
are acting as mufflers to the Cus—non-cominifilled
the noise he makes, to prevent its reaching Frame
and England. This is not a say dignified employ-
meat for " independent" Sovereigns; but the truth
is, neither the Austrian nor the Prussian dynasty is
independent of Russia. They subjected themselves
to Russia when they consented to accept shares of
partitioned Poland. From that moment Russia has
had both of them as thoroughly under control as ever
Mr. HVDSON had any jobbing M.P. on • railway
committee who had taken scrip issued at a premium
and transferred his shares, receiving the difference
between par and the market price ; or as ever Fal-
staff had Pistol after he had received his eighteen-
pence out of the proceeds of the stolen fan. The
CZAR needs only to say to the King of PRUSSIA mad
the Emperor of AUSTRIA—" If you countenance each
or such proceedings against me there will be an in-
surrection in Poland, and when that happens will the
Poeeners or Gallicians remain quiet ?" Thereupon
both potentates take fright and resolve to back Russia,
although in so doing they act not only against
their consciences, but against their inclinations.
When dealing with Austria and Prussia in
the matter of the great Turco-Russian con-
troversy, the Western Powers ought never to
forget that these Powers are bound to Russia by ties
similar to those which bind the receiver to the thief;
they must be watched as carefully as the receiver
who has turned king's evidence against the thief, is
by the police or by the solicitor for the prosecution.
This consideration lends more importance than it
would otherwise possess to the report circulated in
Paris that the Austrian and Prussian Governments
have addressed a joint note to the Cabinets of Paris
and London, intimating that, if the combined fleets
which have been instructed to enter the Black Sea are
to eommence hostilities against Russia, they (Austria
and Prussia) will not be parties to that mode of pro-
ceeding. France and England ought to be pre-
pared at any moment to see the two great German
Powers openly donning the Russian uniform. Such a
wheel ought neither to astonish them or find them
unprepared to meet it ; since such an energetic step
as active operations by the French and English
squadrons in the Black Sea would very likely give
occasion to it.
For the same reason the dealings of Prussia with
the courts of Sweden and Denmark ought to be
carefully watched. It has become the fashion to
talk of the " armed neutrality" of the Baltic
Powers. Denmark and Sweden are understood to
have taken counsel together as to the rights
which they will claim for neutrals in the event
of a war; and what has transpired of their
intentions on this score is equitable and rea-
sonable enough. It would be wise on the pert of
the belligerents frankly and explicitly to acquiesce
in the claims of these Powers: on the part of France
and England to leene a joint declaration that they
will issue no letters of marque and recognise none
issued by the enemy; that they will limit the invi-
dious and harassing right of search by recognising
the principle that " free flag makes free goods, and
that they will not attempt to institute any " paper
blockades." But for Sweden and Denmark to claim
these concessions is one thing, and for Sweden and
Denmark to enter into a league offensive and defen-
sive, and fit out fleets to enforce them, would be
another. These principles have not yet been aniver
sally recognised as part and parcel of the law
of nations, and, although it is desirable
that they should be so recognised, it could
not be tolerated that two Powers should
combine to force their adoption by arms upon
all the rest. A league offensive and defensive con-
tracted, and naval armaments prepared for this put-
pose—in other words, the establishment of an armed
neutrality, before France and England have declared
their intentions would be equivalent to an attempt
to coerce them into the recognition of these prin-
ciples--would in fact be a hostile demonstration.
No disposition to take such an unwise and unjust
step has been as yet manifested by Sweden and
Denmark, but there can be no doubt that now, as
on former occasions, Ramia would gladly compro-
mise them by inducing them to take it. And as
it is understood that Prussia has been asked, or has
volunteered, to take part in the neutral councils of
Sweden and Denmark, the notorious subserviency of
the Prussian Court to Russia renders watchfulness
necessary. This is said simply on the ground of its
being one of those precautions which teas miter
never considers superfluous ; not from any übbraii
of the good faith of Sweden and Denmark, or of the
power of the Prussian Government to play false.
The subserviency of the latter power to Rassia ie
counterpoised by the rooted hatred of Russian influ-
ence that pervades its subjects ; and the good faith
of Sweden and Denmark have a similar guarantee.
It is indeed whispered by makebates that with the
court and aristocracy of Sweden, England and Eng-
lishmen are the reverse of favourites. True ; bat,
though Sweden has a cumbrous and unworkable repre-
sentative legislature, Sweden has a free press by
which the Government has been too often defeated
to wish to engage in new struggles with it, and the
intelligence and industrial interests of the country
are on the side of England. no Danes, it is al-
leged in like manner, have not yet forgotten some
painful collisions with England. This also is true;
and bad we been unlucky enough to have had a
carrel with France it may be admitted that we
would probably have had Denmark arrayed against
:as; hot we do not believe the people of Denmark
would side with Basra against England, and we
know they would not aide with Ramis against