The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-24 00:00:00

THE VIENNA CONFERENCE:

(From. the Tidies of this day.)
the outset
the uncertainty and destroys the hopes raised at t
TvhieenparaocheaevedinagLofrtehaeehPeleanaippoeteierittiawrihieseohf
at
eaGaraeeat Powers
at
and in the progress of these negotiations.
We have not, in-
deed, confidence in
negotiation itself
their successful result ; but as long as the wahnieyhtiimmpeliendsedthelaueguage
in speaking o f
ttihaer:e e stomrua
iergsehealterthei saa
nv ates
satisfy
the
just demands of the Allied Powers, or that some decisive in reserve some concession to
lasted there was a possibility that the Russian
oc-
currencePlenipoten-
at Sebastopol might alter the present aspect of
affairs. These faint chances of success have both failed. The
Conference has now terminated its sittings by an adjournment
sine die ; the Plenipotentiaries have separated with assurances
of mutual regret ; Lord J. Russell and M. Drouyn de
are already on their way to London and Paris ; and it is
probable that a negotiation for peace with Russia will not
issue of this great
an
whicht
It will, of course, be the duty of Lord John Russell
contest. bey resumedhuanytielyeevteenetesuonf.eadfadretmeromreiadeecthiseive character than
and to the nation a
proposed to the enemy, and the cause of
the terms of peace
and of the British. Government othve.rnomo.ie.inilttoim,carlLeaktnhoovepnretoi3Petit=tf
failure of this negotiation. This course was followed thawhenLord Malmesbury broke off the negotiation at Lille in
1797, and when Lord Lauderdale returned from Paris in
1806. Lord Palmerston has, however, already informed the
Sea, foraa n
a limitation
likewise
the of tahle.
House of
on
Commons Saturday thatlast, in the
Prince final
G interviewerth ehalteofff
andthe
M . Pleni-
potentiariesde
tentative of the neutralisation of those waters, nor did they
offer any counter proposition to the Conference, although
naval Tit ff
forceswholly
o rejected
Russia
were expressly invited to a° so. This answer brought
the negotiation to a close.
The position of Russia iu this negotiation may therefore now
ussi a inth at
proposal
ack
be clearly defined. She professed to give her assent to a
document based upon the notes of the Bth of August, and the
Four Points as the basis of a definitive arrangement, well
knowing that the diminution or abatement of her own
power in the • Black Sea formed an essential part of
those terms. The mode in which this abatement of her
power in the Black Sea was to be effected depended chiefly
era the results of our military and naval operations while the
negotiation was going on ; but, as Sebastopol was still un-
taken, and a part of the Russian fleet undestroyed, the pro-
position itself assumed the mildest form ; nothing was said
of the destruction of Sebastopol, and tho Allies professed
their willingness to make peace on condition that Russia
should no longer maintain in the Black Sea a naval power
fatal
this
RuConference
to
s point,a n the existenceaarfrtieviMinisterse. o
d aia.
refused
ufe
ass
heTdui.
et. Turkey. N
reference
ee
positivereane
ce
aeeap
det ve
to
distincta isnttyh. elpe
terms
ts
e, r
s wh
discussion
b involvingu ar ng the
the f
rlle last
a shoe:
either a surrender of territory or a diminution of their own
naval power, and they offered no other expedient for attain-
Ilel.These proposedor
factsthe
end,h e Cwr
havingohwicnh,
beentish et oe
conduct
statedencduurc in
o tote pits Parliament independence
einetthhy
TiFiaugirektthemye
a
stage of this negotiation affords us demonstrative evidence
that she never intended to submit to the diminution of her
preponderance in the Black Sea, unless the military
events occurring iu the Interval should 16,ave her no
option ; but, as the progress of the siege of Sebastopol
has been, and still is, undecisive, she would not lend
herself to any arrangement which might give effect
to that essential condition. lied the time which has been
spent in these negotiations been employed with vigour by the
allied commanders, it is quite possible that the language of
the Russian Ministers would have undergone a considerablet
change ; but during the inaction of the allied forces in the
Crimea the Russians appear to have thought that our demands
were not yet justified by our success. The effect produced
upon the enemy by these discussions is therefore null and
void, and we must even doubt whether Russia had acceded
with sincerity to any part of the proposed • compromise. It
remains for us to consider what will be the effect of these
Conferences and their termination on our relations with the
other Powers of Europe, and especially with Austria.
rib Rinualint; tam itionsias nolvaa Doak Witte.