The Sun.
London, England, 1855-06-01 00:00:00

THE PLANS OF PETER AND NICHOLAS

TO CONQUER TURKI Y.

The plan followed by Russia under Peter to
facilitate the conquest of Turkey differs only in
date, and in the names of the actors, from that of
the Emperor Nicholas. " Peter the Great," says
Lavallee, in his Histoire de l'Empire Ottoman,
" Appeared at first astonished at the energetic resolu-
tion of the Ottoman. He had fully counted on the craft
and cunning of Tolstoi, his envoy ; on the corruption of
the Viziers ; on the slowness of the Divan, and on the
weakness of character of Achmet 111. But in reality,
be was only forestalled, as for a considerable time before
he bad taken measures to commence war and to gain
partisans in the States of the Sultan, his emissaries had
secretly traversed Moldavia and Wallachia, and excited
everywhere the inhabitants to revolt. The Hospodars
whom the Porte had named to administer those provinces
were sold to Russia. Immediately after the rupture a
proclamation appeared from the Czar which guaranteed
to the Moldo-Wellachians the exclusive exercise of the
Greek religion, and their emancipation from Turki,h
domination. A Bishop of Jerusalem, who was the
principal agent in these intrigues, circulated a story that
a prophesy had been found in the tomb of Constar),
tine which announced, that the Turks would be driven
from Europe by the Russian nation. Peter, counting
upon the rising of all who professed.tbe Greek religion,
flattered himself with the idea of soon planting the Rus-
sian Eagle on the minarets of the Seraglio."
We have only to put " Nicholas" for " Peter, "
"Menschikciff" for " Tolstoi," and " 1851" for
1711," and the analogy is complete. The
result of the campaign of 1711 was, as that of
1851, disastrous to the hypocritical and unscru-
pulous invader, and was followed by the treaty
of Falksen. Pursuant to that treaty, imposed
by ,Turkey, and which sufficiently avenged the
humiliation of Carlowitz, Russia bound herself
to restore Azoff to the Porte, to destroy the port
of Taganrog, and to raze the fortresses which she
had erected on the frontiers of Turkey. She,
moreover, bound herself never again to have any-
thing to do with the-Poles or the Cossacks subject
to Poland, or with the Khan of the Tartars, and
to withdraw her army from their country. After
having lost by the treaty of Falksen her fortresses
in the Palus Mmotis she was forced to renounce
her empire in the Black Sear, " Therefore," adds
Lavallee,

" The vessels which Peter had begun to construct
there rotted in the docks, and their remains were trans-
ported to St. Petersburg. It was in vain that Peter
tried to delay the restitution of Azoff; he was not suffi-
ciently strong to disrega'u his promise with impunity.
His bad faith only served to bring disgrace on the Vizier
who had granted him peace (purchased by bribes), and
he was forced to fulfil all its conditions."
The policy of Russia respecting the Sea of Azoff
was not different from that by which she gradually
'established her preponderance in theas signedßlac under
tho The treaty of Belgrade, in 1739, was
tho guarantee of France :--
"By the treaty of perpetual peace with Russia it was
stipulated that the fortress of Azoff should be demolished,
and that its abandoned territory should serve as the
limit between the two empires. The Russians, how-
ever, were permitted to build a • new fortress on the
banks of the Don; near Azoff, and the Turks were to
construct one near. Kuban. Commerce was declared
free on both sides, but on condition that the Russians
should not employ in the Black Sea •any but Turkish
vessels."—(Laval lee).

THE FOREIGN LEGION.--The Messager de Genave
says :—" Colonel Funck, Major Von Ad, and Captain
Baumgartner, of the Federal army, having accepted
service in the Anglo-Helvetic Legion, have just sent in
their resignation to the Federal Council, which body has
refused to accept it, so that these officers will render
themselves liable, in case of persistance, to being pro-
ceeded against for disobedience to orders." The Tieinese
Gazette states that the recruiting for the Anglo-Swiss
Legion is proceeding with great success. It is believed
the legion will consist of 3,000.