The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-08-05 00:00:00

TILE WEATHER.

A letter from Paris states that the prolonged drought
has had an extraordinary effect upon the productions of
the earth, so much so, that the Most common objects of
consumption, such as vegetables (which in France are of
the greatest consequence to the poor), were scarcely to be
' obtained by those possessing only moderate incomes. DI
haricots (French beans) of the most in&rior quality, which
commonly sell at from 231 r. to 25fr. the hectolitre and a
half, fetched last week from 401 r. to 43fr. ; and those of
a superior kind were as high as 80fr. In fact, such is the
' scarcity, that haricots twelve years old have been brought
to market ; other dry vegetables have risen in the same
i proportion, and green ones are at an excessively high price.
As to potatoes the augmentation is enormous. The mea-
sure which sold not long ago for 15 sous to a franc, was
last week at from 3fr. to 4fr. The corn reaped has been
, in abundance and of good quality ; but the price of flour
had risen 12 and 13fr. per sick, which augmentation, it is
stated, is caused by the drying up of the water which
served to work the mills.
Duct ix, Ara.
In consequence of the continued intense heat of the 'eea•
tiler, the prices of all kinds of provisions have risen con-
siderably. Potatoes, the most essential of all articles, as
f.mming unfortunately the sole support of the peasantry,
sold a week ago fur 4s. per cwt. brought yesterday from ;s
.to Bs. Rutter has also advanced 3d. per lb. The after-
grass is so parched up that the cattle can scarcely subsist,
and the cows are running nearly dry. New hay was sold
on Saturday last in Smithfield for 4s. per cwt. a thing al-
' most without precedent, the price in ordinary seasons not
being above one-third of that sum. New oats opened on
Friday at 16s. per barrel.
The wheat crop is understood to be safe and abundant
but great fears continue to be entertained for the late po-
tatoes, and, as might lie expected, the public anxiety for
their fate is very intense.
There were some expectations of rain on Sunday morn•
ing, and considerable appearances of a favourable ehsnev
on the following (yesterday) morning, between ten and
' eleven o'clock ; by t write, however, the weather settled
again, the heat set in as fiercely as ever, but about *guard
before one this morning, the rain commenced descending
in torrents, and has colititioed, without intermission, to
the titne of putting this Journal to press (four o'clock).

The venerable Bishop of Durham, now fast approach*
to his hundredth year, has presented to the different
Mechanics Institute within his diocese no itlS9 a "al
than 10001. !

There was extracted on Friday, by Surgeon Dickson. of
Lisburn, Ireland, from the left aide of Mr. Samuel So:lth,
of that town, a ball, which had remained there upward* of
ten yenta; and which wan received by him at ab•sen:'
Table battle of Waterloo, when a S:rjeant in Mt POPO°
6th (or Enniskillen) Dragoon (;wards. The ball had
verified three or four broiler; from where it had first todgeki.
rand caused the veteran great pain.

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Till: CREEKS.

NOTE 317 R LA our.cE,
FAR X LE VISCOMPTE DC ettere.tuisurisn,
Xeurbre trine Sixlite en fi►eur deg 4;reec—Pens, Le Norraene
pere, Libruire. Rue de Seine.

The late events in Greece have attracted towards that
iinfortuutee country the earnest attention of Europe. Bands
eegro slaves. transported from the centre of Attica, has-
ten to a 7comtbsli at Athens the work of the sable eunuchs
a the Sersg 'o. The former come in their strength to
pfirtbrair ruins which the latter, from their impotency,
suffer ta subsist.
the age we live in contentedly look cn and see
hordes of savages smother reviving civilisation in the tomb
of, people who hare civilised the earth ? It'd! Christen-
dom tranquilly permit Christians to he ..teangleil by Turks?
Awl will European legitimacy, without indignation, stiffer
its 'scrod name to give sanction to a tyranny that would j
have crimsoned the cheek of Tiberius
It is not here attempted to trace the origin and history
of the Greek troubles ; for this mournful detail other
works may be consultel. All that is purposed in the
present note is, to recal the public attention to a struggle
whiob ought to terminate ; establish a few leading prin-
•
or lee •to resolve three or four questions; to throw out
sores ideas which may he matured by the reflection of j
some other minds ; to show that there is no result more;
practicable, and which would cost less effort, than the de-
,iverance of Greece; to influence by opinion if it be pos-
sible, the inclinations of seen iu power. Although we
have only one prayers to offer in the cause of religion and I
of suieriog humanity, it is still a duty to let them lc
beard.
There is no one who.doss not desire the emancfbation
of the Greeks ; at least there is no one who would dare
publicly take the part of- the- oppressors against the op-
peoess,l. This feeling of shame is at the outset a presnmp..
tom, a favourable symptom in the cause we are about to
examine. But the publicists who have treated on the affairs !
of Greece, without being enemies to the Greeks, have
nreteoded *home enttlex'net se interpose in her affairs,
!ler four prihcipal reason,.
tat. The 'Parka Emplre was acknowledged as an in-
tegral part of Europe at Congress of Vienna.
bd. The Gybed Seignior is the legitimate Sovereign of
the Greeks; from whence it follows that the Greek, are re-
bel subjects.
bd. The mediation of the interposing powers might give
rise to political difficulties.
4th. I Els not expedient that a popular government should
be established in the East of' Enrcpe.
We will begin with examining theetwo•first reasons :
The Turkish empire was acknowledged as an integral part
of Europe at the Congress of Vienna." Would the Con-
grew of Vienna, then, have guaranteed the Grand Signior
the integrity of his states? What! would they have'
minced them even against- war ? Did the ambassadors of
the Porte assist at the Congress? llas the Grand Vizier
signed the protocol? Has the Mufti promised to protect
the Sovereign Pontiff, and the Sovereign Pontiff the Mufti ? j
We should risk a departure from that gravity which the
subject demands, were we to pause over-assertions at once
so singular and so unwarranted.
'rite Porte, moreover, would be much attprieed at this
cur offer of surety ! Such guarantee would appear to it
as insult. The Sultan reigns in virtue of the Koran and
the cimeter ; to recognise his rights is to throw a doubt on
their validley ; it seems to assume that there is some right
of empire other than his own self-originating and indefea-
sible will !

But do the writers who affirm that the Stet.•: of the
Grata Seigelor were placed anticr the protectorate of the
Congress of Vienna, do they remember that the possessions
of the Christian princes, including their colonies, were ac-
tually guaranteed by the sets of that Congress ? Do they
'unitive to where this question, here raised en passant, might
lad? When the Spanish colonies are in question, do
they maks mention of this Congress of Vienna, which is so
strangely introduced when Greece is under discussion?
Let us be permitted at least to implore for the victims of
Ilessulman despotism that liberty which it is thought
right to ask for the subjects of his Catholic Majesty. The
melts of a treat) signed by all the contracting parties are
departed from, in order to secure what is deemed of higher
irspoet to the great interest of nations. Be it so ; but do
'sot tbstt itoroltelbat tame way to perpetuate misery, and
nOsedoier

Came to the second reason :—" The Grand Seignior is
legitimate Sovereign of the Greeks, from whence it
follows that the Greet+, an rebel and • .
Is the first place the Grand Seignior does not aspire to
the bonnie of legitimacy thus gratuitously decreed to him,
betwouhr Ise even extremely offended at the investiture ,
bethought* have nn leaning that way ; he does not elevate
Christiana to the rank of legitimate subjects—the legiti-
mate subjects Of the successor of M a hornet are Mahometaes.
tee Greeks, as
•Christians, are neither legitimate nor
spurious subjecte--they are :Ivrea, they aredegs—born t
die under the scourge of the true believer*. As the
eek nation hes not been incorporated with the Turk-
ish by being admitted to an inter communion of civil
and political rights, it is not bound by any of the
conditions which bind subjects to their sovereigns
and rivereigns to their subjects. Reduced to submission
originally br conqueet, they still obtained privileges from
the conqueror in exchenge for a tribute which they con-
anted fo pay. They reed and obeyed whilst their pri-
eCtees were respected; and they even continued to do so
after they had been violated. But when their priests
wre strangled and their temples defiled—when
thousands upon thousands of Greeks were massa-
cre!, burnt, and drowned—when their wives were
as al away for prostitution, and their children caught
sexy and sold in the public markets of Asia ; then
it Wei that the spirit which was yet unquenched in the
tams ofehisiti-fated people rose within them. These tote
tired slaves rose in their wrath, and began to defend them-
sieve: with their irons. The Greek, who before was no
ieleeet by virtue of political law, has become free by the
Ise of nature: he hes trampled on his east-off yoke with-
ont beeig a rebel ; he has torn his chains asunder without'
violatirg any legitimate tie, for none hail been contracted
with him. The Museulman and the Christian in the
Moen are two nemies who had concluded a truce on cer-
taieconditions. -The Muuniman has broken those condi-
don' ; the-Chrktien has again recourse to arms, and both
ire in the same position in which they stood when
Owl began the combat, three hundred and sixty years ago.
bet du point which it most behoves us at present to
ascertain is, whether Europe can and will stop the effusion
of blood. But here the two latter of the above-mentioned
four reasons present themselves for consideration :-
1. " The mediation of the interposing Powers might
give rice to political obetaeles.
it. " It wonhl not be expedient that a popular govern-
ment should establish itself in the East of Europe.'
The retuning on both these objections may be com-
pletely refitted by facts. The politinl situation of 'dein
is greatly 'hanged since the first movements were made in
the Mores. The Divan and the Cabinet of St. Peters-
burg') have beeun to renew their ancient relations ; the
Heepodars have been appainted the Turks have nearly
evacuated Moldavia and Wallachia; and if there is still
'ay question pending respecting threes rincipalitiee, it can-
not be pretended that the concerns of L.reece are any longer
in:emit:seed with those of Russia.
A perfectly new bsais has been raised for negotiation ;
tea by the litter of the treaties, particularly those of Jassy
end of Boeharest, Russia has an undeniable tight to in.
Laid, in the religious affairs of Greece. On the other
etud, Europe is no longer, either with regard to the
'mare of its institutions—or the virtues of its Sovereigns_
er the eolightesied policy of its Cabinets—or the information
of the Me body of its people—it is no longer with respect
to either of those in the same position as when it dreamt
of the partition of Turkey. A more impressive and
abiding sense of justice has governed the policy of states
net' they have given increased publicity to their acts.
Who now thinks of dismembering the states of the
t,',llhtt S.lrsoe? ho contemplates a war with the Porte?
n*lio now covets an extension of territory anti commercial
when they have already more of the former
tote t ey can manage, and as to the latter, when the
equality of rights and the freedom of commerce are gra-
un•it:y becoming the common wish of all, and the ground-
eerk of the code of nations ?
liaeueatltken requisite, as a preliminary t 3 the inde-
Pelerfect of Gteece, to attack Turkey in a body, and
et"trartie to fight for the spoils; is is only tweesury to
nt1:11illy upon the Porte to treat with the Greeks, era
1 10 daing, to pet an end to a war of extermination,