The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-10 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 1855.

The rumours respecting the mode in which the
" Third Point" is to be carried into practical
operation are assuming greater consistency and
verisimilitude. ViiIiDUS propositions have been
earnestly canvassed, by which it was asserted the
great desideratum could be achieved. We confess,
however, that the only tangible solution of the
doubtful problem is that offered by the demoli-
tion of Sebastopol, and the other Russian fortifi-
cations in the Euxine, together with the with-
drawal of the whole, or by far the greater por-
tion, of her navy from these waters. Anything else
that has been suggested seems pregnant with future
evils, and utterly inconsistent with the permanent
and lasting peace which it should be the great
object of the assembled diplomatists to secure.

The best of these suggestions is that which
would totally exclude everything appertaining to
war from the illauk sea, ana it. merely
into a commercial lake, rendering it a mare
clauston in the widest signification of the phrase.
This course, which it is said was supported by the
French Government, would, of course, involve
the demolition of Sebastopol, together with all
other fortifications in its vicinity, and the exclu-
sion of armed vessels of any nation. The only
objection thereto is the universality of its charac-
ter, and that it would also imply the demolition
of the Turkish fortifications and fleet, as well as
those of her assailant. Now, in the first place,
Turkey has done nothing to warrant any such de-
mand. She has committed no act of aggression
on any of her neighbours ; on the contrary, she
spared no exertion to obtain an honourable peace.
She did not for a considerable time even treat the
invasion and occupation of her territories as a
casus belli, but tried negotiation and mediation
until it was too clearly manifest that both were
futile. Besides, the Turkish fortifications are of
a purely defensive character, while the Russian
are as entirely the reverse. The Ottoman forts
are requisite for the protection of the capital, the
most vital spot in the nation, while the Russian are
only useful as " standing menaces " against her
neighbours. It would, indeed, be absurd to de-
mand that the teeth of the lamb should be ex-
tracted as well as those of the wolf. Not only
might the former rely on its antecedents, and
plead its invariable peaceful character, but it
might also show the utter impossibility of turning
the tables on its quondam assailant, or making an
onslaught on the lupine family, even though the
bead of the house had been deprived of its for- 1
midable fangs, and its claws had been closely
clipped. Besides, the armies of Russia would
still remain in formidable proximity to Constan-
tinople, for which there would be no real security
if Varna and the other impedimenta to Russian,
aye, or Austrian progress, were removed. There
is a wide difference between offensive and defen-
sive weapons, which should not be lost sight of by
the diplomatists assembled at Vienna.
Another suggestion, but one wholly impracti-
cable, is that which proposes that Russia should
maintain her forts and fleet intact, while
France and England should be at liberty—.
if they thought proper to bear the enor-
mous outlay---t° maintain an equivalent naval
fore'';) and to construct equally impregnable forti-
ficati,, .118 Pt the Turkish territory. Incidental to
reoolitaon was the modest proposition that
the 11/44Pla'erua and Dardanelles should be thrown
open to tili
vessels of war sailing under the Rus-
sian:" well as the French ,
English or even the
Turkish flags, SO that,
fit by her aggression, in fa'et,ll-ussia would pro-
in obtainin the coveted op-
portunity of free access to the Mgediterranean, and
what would be almost tantem
nable naval station on its sho:ells. ilt
to
It s anneedless
inPreB.-
to say that such a result could
not f
rampoimeteenlyt
be sanctioned—a result wh•°- or a
1 would CO
annihilate the independence of the
place it at the mercy of its unscru Porte, and
Plll°lls °l3Pressor
whenever it seemed desirable to consummate its
long-continued course of persecution. 33esidz
as we have recently stated, supposingthat
Western Powers were willing to sustain the eno,_
mous and ruinous Outlay, there could be no surety
during the interval while the new fortifications
were in course of construction. " Rome was
not built in a day." For a quarter of a
century the workmen were never idle at Sebasto-
pol. We have all seen how easily Bomarsund was
captured, in consequence of the non-completion
of the place, when another year might have
changed it into a Baltic Sebastopol, and rendered
it completely impregnable. We do not want a.