The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-08 00:00:00

THE NEGOTIATIONS.

(From the Press of this day.)
The information which the Press was the first to com-
municate to the public, that a pacific negotiation,
directly sanctioned by the Emperor of the French, was
in progress, is now universally known to be correct.
After four weeks of mysterious silence, occasionally
broken by impertinent doubts and equivocal denials,
the truth is admitted by the organs of Government.
But they are careful to leave the transaction in obscu-
rity. We are not told what the proposals transmitted
by the Emperor of the French were, nor in what spirit
they have been considered by our Cabinet—nor -what
has actually been done with respect to them—nor what
probability there is that they will lead to a satisfactory
result. These dark oracles only inform us that a nego-
tiation is in progress, and that Austria is the mediating
Power ; they leave us to guess the rest.
We believe we may affirm that the proposals have in
substance been sanctioned by Lord Palmerston's Cabi-
net ; that they have been returned to the Emperor of
the French ; and that direct communication upon theca
is now opened between the Courts of Vienna and St.
Petersburg.
It is hinted by the Ministerial journals that Russia
has not yet been in any way a party to the negotiation.
If they intend by this to discredit its sincerity, and to
make it unpopular, they perform an ill office f,r their
patron. Are we to suppose that Lord Palmerston
would lend a willing ear to proposals which came from
Austria only, and that he would consent to the Allies
making the first advances for peace ? What becomes,
then, of the ':.oasts of his partisans—that he would make
Russia sue for peace on her knees, and that he would
nerer incre recognise Austria as a mediator in the
quarrel ?
Bat, altogether apart from the previous declarations
of Lord Palmerston, to which we admit no great import-
ance should be attached, we have in the character of the
Emper.x of the French a guarantee that the negotiation
opened under his auspices is bona fide. Re is too politic
to commit himself to proposals of peace without some
firm assurance that Russia is disposed to accept them.
Another abortive negotiation would cover the courts of
France and England with disgrace. It is not to be cre-
dited that they should expose themselves to the humilia-
tion of soliciting peace from St. Petersburg, and of
soliciting it in vain.

Aga:n-st the vague statements of the Ministerial
organs our readers may set our positive assertion that
the first overtures proceeded from Russia, and that the
Emperor of the French is satisfied of their sincerity.
Hence we are disposed to augur favourably of the nego-
tiation, and to believe that with judicious management
it may be brought to a successful conclusion.
The failure of the last effort affords no ground for dis-
couragement. The time was unreasonable and the cir-
cumstanceg adverse. The persons principally concerned
in originating the negotiation were removed from its
conduct—the Emperor Nicholas by death, and Lord
Aberdeen by the dissolution of his Government. By
the Emperor of the French it could never have been
regarded with favour, as it would not have been possible
for the Allies to have withdrawn their forces from
before Sebastopol without grievous injury to their m►li-
tary reputation. It is questionable whether negotia-
tion should have ever been entered on while an enter-
prise undertaken with so much pomp remained in sus-
pense. The abrupt ending of the Vienna Conferences
may be attributed to other causes than the impossibility
of solving the third point in a satisfactory manner.
The great difficulty which then existed to the establish-
ment of peace is now removed. The negotiation will be
opened on new ground, and in all probability with a
clear understanding between the Powers concerned of
the points which must be enforced on one side and con-
ceded on the other. The Emperor of the French will
feel his honour concerned to bring to a successful issue
an arrangement which he has taken a leading part in
originating ; and under his firm and skilful guidance, we
may reasonably hope that in the discussion of the pro-
posed terms whatever difficulties occur they will be
overcome.

To save Europe from a grave scandal, it is above all
things necessary that now, at the very commencement
of the negotiation, the several Powers should declare
their sentiment. with perfect sincerity, and prevent, a• 3
far as in them lies, all chance of future inisraidkretand-
jog. We desire negotiation,—not for the sake of nego-
tiation, bet fur the sake of Peace. It is not to be
tolerated that any Government should take part in it
with the view of creating obstacles, or of watching for
opportunities of dissension. Bitter, a thousand times,
that no pacific discussion should take place than that it
should he conducted with duplicity and marred by chi-
cane. If, in the opinion of the belligerent States,
the time for. Peace has not yet come, and, in the
present state of affairs, it is impossible to arrange
their pretensions, of what avail will it fie to
amuse their people with idle hopes of a cessa-
tion of hostilities ? Each failure of the kind will tend
to weaken public faith in future negotiation, and thus
bring into disrepute the only means which exist of ter-
minating the calamities of war.
The Allies on one side, and Russia on the other,
now thoroughly understand each other's position, can
compute their respective forces, and know with tolerable
precision what are the objects in dispute. If the desire
for peace be mutual, and the outlines of a settlement be
arranged, ordinary good faith with ordinary prudence on
the part of the negotiators can scarcely fail of being at.
tended with success. They will play a perilous game for
themselves and their countries should they venture on
falsehood, for no punishment would be too great, and no
execration too loud for the diplomacy which sacrificed
the peace of the world to the attainment of its own
sinister ends.

ItU;33IAN VERSION OF THE _PASSAGE

OF THE INGOUB.

Wo have received the St. Petersburg journals of
the 29th of November.
The Invalids Russe publishes the following,
under the heading " News from the Eastern Coast
of the Black Sea" :
"In the second half of the month of October the
Turkish troops landed at Soukum Kaleh, under the
command of Omer Pasha, commenced an offensive move-
ment against Mingrelia, advancing in two columns, the
one onAnaklia, by the sea coast, and the other towards
the lower course of the river Ingonr, following the
Roukleroad by Otsartsa The total force of these troops
amounted to about 28,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry
with 26 pieces of artillery.
" On the 17th (29th) of'October flying detachments of
the enemy showed themselves on different points of the
right bank of the Ingour, but received by the fire of our
pickets placed along the left bank, they withdrew.
" Meantime, Major-General Prince Bagration-Moukh-
rausky, leader of the Gouriel detachment, concentrated
the main body of his forces in the Roukh position to
await the enemy as soon as he had crossed the river and
give him battle, turning to account the advantages of
the ground, which were favourable to defensive operations.
"On the 25th of October (November 6), about noon,
the Turks near Otsartsa opened a violent cannonade
against our position at Roukb, and, after two hours
violent firing, advanced a portion of their infantry to-
' wards the river. Our well-directed fire forced them to
withdraw hastily.
"Simultaneously with this demonstration 25 hostile
battalions, which had crossed the river below Roukh
(at from 15 to 20 Torts) near the village of Koki, at-
tacked two battalions of the line of Georgia, which were
stationed at that point. At the very commencement of
the combat the two commanders of those battalions,
Colonel Josselian and Lieutenant-Colonel Zvanboi, were
killed. Our reserve, on arriving on the ground, con-
tinued the combat for some time, but, after an obstinate
struggle of FIX hours duration, in which 'the enemy
had four times been driven back into the river,
the Turks, eight times their number, and, as some of the
artillery horses had been killed, 'our detachment was
under the necessity of sacrificing three guns. Accord.
ingly, after three murderous rounds of grape fired into
the dense columns of the enemy, our gunners, according
to order given beforehand, dismounted the guns, and,
having rendered them unserviceable, abandoned them.
"To cool the ardour of the enemy's attack, Prince
Rigration-Monklira.usky (who bad arrived on the field
of battle) ordered the 11th battalion of the Black Sea
division to advance once more ; the Turks were driven
back; they, however, maintained their footing on the
left bank of the Ingour in the intrenchments which they
had erected. Darkness put an end to the combat.
" Our loss, an exact return of which has not yet been
made, was considerable ; that of the enemy must also
have been heavy, for, as already observed, their troops
were four times driven hack into the river.
"Oa the 26th of October (7th of November) the
Turks occupied the village of Zougdidy, having pushed
on their advanced posts to the river Djouma ; our forces
are concentrated on the river Tsiva, which falls from
the tight side ii to the Rion, at about 40 versts from the
mouth of the latter.

THE MARCO PoLo.--Liverpool, Dec. 7.—The Marco
Polo floated off safely with last night's tide, and, having
fortunately sustained no damage, she proceeded on her
voyage this morning.