The Sun.
London, England, 1855-04-09 00:00:00

THE CONFERENCE AT VIENNA.

A. letter from Vienna of the 3d, in the Constitic.
onatel, says :

"The eighth sitting of the Conference which took
place -yesterday was closed by the verbal adoption on
the part of the plenipotentiaries of Russia of the 'inter-
pretation attached to the fourth point of guarantee by
the notes of the Bth August and amplified by the pro-
tocol of the 28th December. It is only the minutes of
the sittings hitherto -held which have been signed by
the representatives, and not the protocol, the signing of
which will decide peace. This protocol cannot be drawn
up until an understanding has been come on the third
po4t, which, at the present, is being decided before
Sebastopol. The question as to whether that fortress
can be taken does not come within the competency
of diplomacy, and must be settled by the jsword. It is
hoped that before the next sitting of the Conference
(on the 10th instant) something decisive may have
aken place on this point, for the report of General Can-
robert on the military operations of the Anglo-French
army in the Crimea, and announcing the general assault
is every day expected. According to the last accounts
received via Odom, it was not only in contemplation
to open the fire on Sebastopol, but more particularly to
attack the main body of the Muscovite army, and, if
possible, fight a decisive. battle. In presence of these
facts it is easy to comprehend why the plenTpotentiaries
of the allied Powers have preferred to let the discussion
on the third point remain open. If the result of the
operations of the allied army comes up to the expecta-
tion of General Canrobert, and to the desire of the allied
Powers, Russia will certainly accept the faits acconiplis.
In the event of the - result not being decisive, the
Conference will have to examine the question as to
whether the taking of Sebastopol, a place which the
Western Powers have never had any intention of
permanently occupying, so far interests their mili-
tary honour, that all other interests of Europe must
be made subordinate to that consideration. It is
only M. Drouyn de Lhuys and Lord J. Russell who
can, in the name of their respective Governments, reply.
in a positive manner to such a question. I must not,
however, conceal from you that, according to accounts
worthy of credit, the Cabinet of Vienna is in possession
of sure information that a great part of the town of Se-
bastopol has been mined by the Russians, who intend to
blow it up rather than allow it to fall into the hands of
the allied army. ('This is most probably a threat held
out by the Russians, as the nature of the soil on
which Sebastopol is built would render such a work
nearly impossible.') I may add, that the Cabinet of
Vienna, from a motive, which every one in France
will appreciate, has eagerly communicated to the French
Government everything which has come to its know-
' ledge relative to the means of defence prepared by the
Russians in Sebastopol. Between this time and a
week we shall probably know something definitive,
since it appears certain that Lord John Russell has
fixed his departure from Vienna for the evening of the
10th, as he is compelled to be in London for the reopen-
ing of the English Parliament after the Easter holidays,
which takes place on the 16th. I cannot too strongly
call your attention to the fact that by the pure and sim-
ple adoption of the fourth guarantee such as it was in-
terpreted by the protocol of the 28th Dec., Russia has
made two very important concessions to the Western
Powers. By annulling all the treaties previously made
with the Porte, Russia abandons at a single blow the
results of a long series of wars, and of the efforts which
she has been carrying on for ages. This is a result of
which the allied Powers have a right to be proud. Per-
sons who reflect and measure causes and effects cannot
fail to admit that this concession in its legal and moral
consequences is much more valuable than the taking of
Sebastopol. The Russian Plenipotentiaries, moreover,
. have been compelled to renounce all hope of re-
viving, in the practical interpretation of the fourth
guarantee any of the demands of the famous ultimatum
of Prince Menschikoff. This is another diplomatic
check to which Russia has been forced to consent, al-
though, in the despatch of the Baron de Budberg, of the
6th Nov., 1854, the ambassador of the Czar at Berlin
bad laid down the common guarantee by the five powers
of the religious and civil rights of the Christian popula-
tions of the Ottoman Empire as one of the sine qua non
conditions of the regulations of peace. In the interpre-
tation decided on in the sitting of the Conferences yes-
terday the fourth guarantee not only makes no mention
of the civil rights by the aid of which Russia could in-
cessantly interfere in the affairs of Turkey, but the con-
dition of the Christian subjects of the Porte is to be re-
gulated without the'religious protectorate of the Czar.
This is precisely the contrary of what Prince Menschi;
koff demanded from the Sultan. For,the exclusive pro-
tectorate which Russia wished to exercise over her core-
ligionists in Turkey, the Conference has substituted the
plenitude of the sovereign authority of the Sultan.

The S. Petersburg advices of the 30th of March quote
the rate of exchange 36d. The next advices from
Vienna were looked for with great anxiety. The weathet
had become fine, but was cold at night, although the
0110 W was fad disappearing.