The Sun.
London, England, 1839-09-27 00:00:00

CONSTANTINOPLE.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)
SEPT. 6, 1839.
The death of the Sultan, the defeat of the
Turkish army, and the defection of the fleet, have
so completely changed the features of the affairs
of the East that it is well to examine what ought
to be done to preserve the Turkish empire.
It is. said the affairs of Turkey are to be settled
by the Ministers of the Five Great Powers at
Vienna, and as a preliminary step nineteen sail of
the line, French and English, are collected in
Basicha Bay, at the entrance of the Dardanelles,
and a proposition has been made to Mehemet Ali,
to guarantee to his family the Pachalick of Egypt,
on his giving up the Government of Syria, and
restoring the Turkish fleet. To this proposition
Mehemet Ali demurs, and demands the hereditary
Government of Egypt, Syria, and Arabia, the
dismissal of the present Ministers, and a full
amnesty to the Capitan Pacha and the Turkish
officers ; and threatens, in the event of any attempt
being made on Alexandria, to march his army on
Constantinople. It is supposed these demands
will not be admitted ; Mehemet Ali is already in
possession of what he demands. The question is
how is he to be dispossessed. The combined
fleets, without troops, cannot get possession of
Alexandria, unless the Five Powers send a
military
force there—if so, who is to furnish it ? England
has no troops now. Will Parliament lay on taxes
to raise them ? We will certainly not allow
France to occupy Egypt. Russia is, I presumes
out of the question ; and Prussia is too distant-
We must then look to Austria ; and supposing the'
Five Powers consent to this arrangement, how 13
it to be executed ?—to be successful it must be
secret ; and secrecy is totally impossible. Meh"
met Ali has declared he will march on the I30s"
phorus, and block up the harbour of Alexandria,
if we move, and we have no right to doubt his
word ; his character for decision is well known. He
is now twenty days' march from Scutari, and it is
clear he could arrive there (if Russia remained
quiet) long before an Austrian expedition could
leave the Adriatic. Russia is bound by treaty t°
assist the Porte if attacked, and no doubt would d°
so ; and, a secret article in the treaty of Gnkiar
Skelessi obliges the Porte to prevent foreigu.shiPs'
of war passing the Dardanelles on any preleLl
whatsoever. Russia could bring a fleet and 10,0
Si°',ll
men to Constantinople in less than a week, ant."
would most certainly enfOrce the treaty..
would save Constantinople from Ibrahim Pacli,2,°
doubt ; but would she save it from herself ? We
cannot suppose for one moment that Russia low'
consent to strengthen the Turkish empire without
being amply rewarded for her trouble. If we are
quite satisfied that Russia merely wishes to presel
the integrity of the Turkish empire, a fleet of 19 sal
of the line in Basicha Bay is quite unnecessary'
and if we aro not satisfied, a fleet in Basicha Bay
is quite useless. •
The current runs down the Dardanelles in Iraq
places at the rate of three or four miles an hour,
and nine months in the year the wind blows down.
also ; it is therefore evident that a Russian fleet!,
from the northward can arrive at Constantinople
when they please, but the combined fleets esim°t
get there without a strong southerly wind, and if
bßussia holds up her finger, it is doubtful whether
„
they can get there at all ; and, if we may judge, _
the manner the Turks are at this moment strength"
ening their batteries, Russia has already been
work. The fortifications cannot be against INlehee.
met Ali, because we are here ; they must the!'
fore be against us, at the instigation of Russia',;
It may be asked what ought to be done ?
question is difficult, and before I answer it I will
show what ought to have been done. For mail
, have
years past a French and English squadr° have
been kept every summer in the neighbourh"
slit
y
the Dardanelles, I presume to prevent the 11--- th'e
of Russia again interfering in Turkish affairs;
squadrons were, however, never p be recollected
to enter
the Dardanelles. But it must
that a vigorous Sultan then reigned, possessing
both a fleet and an army. That Sultan is dead,
and a boy reigns in his stead ; that boy,
governed
by Ministers supposed to be under Russian Witt;
ence, the army destroyed, the fleet in possession at
Mehemet Ali, and the Porte in consequence e%O
posed to attacks both within and without. These
events were quite unforeseen, and neither Arobas'
sadors nor Admirals had instructions to act under
the change of circumstances ; but they ought Oa'
nimously to have taken the responsibility on.the!r
own shoulders, and brought the fleet to Constants;
nople. Turkey might have been frightened.; bv%
would not have dared to fire ; Russia would.,ha
stormed, and the Ambassador would probablY nave
would have
departed; but the Turkish empire w -
been safe, and the remaining Ambassadors .0011;d
e.
have settled the affairs of the East at their !eon s
Such a measure would have been dangerou
ains
_
some years ago, because Russia had a strong fleet
in the Baltic, and might have instantly acted -
England : and there is no doubt but that fleet was
kept for the express purpose of preventing us acting
with vigour in the affairs of the East. Things,
are now changed ; thanks to the force 0'
public opinion, the English Government were
forced to increase the Navy, and we have now
sail of the line on the home station amply sufficient
to keep Russia in check. Besides which the sea-
son is now far advanced, and Russia would not
trust her fleet out of the Baltic all winter.

To bring the fleet to Constantinople now is more
difficult ; the Ambassadors having so long delayed
it will not take the responsibility on their own
shoulders ; and the French and English Govern-
ments will not take that step without consulting the
other Powers.
It appears to me clear that the combined fleet:
have a right to he placed in the same sitii2tlo
towards Constantinople that the Russians :h.?:
they can get there when they please—we cannot'
it ought, therefore, to be notified to the Turkish
Government, that during the time negociations s
alrae
going on, an equal number of English, French,
Russian ships should take up a position off Co°;
stantinople, and if they attempted to fire nnt.lla
"
;
they must take the consequences. If the
Powers have, with the consent of Turkey, °gret,
to settle the affairs of the East, they ought to tg'''to
their own method of doing it. If Russia refuses,er
consent she cannot be sincere, and the sooner "
Ambassador takes his departure the better ;`actor
step would at once bring the question of peace d,
war to a point ; and she dare not meet Engle°
France, and Austria combined. to
The Turkish Government wish half the fleet
go to Alexandria and the other half to reell°1!:,;
this would be absurd ; MehemetAli would not gt
way ; and if he marched, Russia would most e.elet
dediy be called in, and would most decidedly ohiel
to our coming up, and our squadron would return
from Egypt disgraced.
Since writing the above, it is said that the Earn
lish Government pro
Alexandria
to demand the Turu
,-11,sat
squadron. This they very properly declined. 11'7-to
sticie ue
atpreservesdrhoen
otordered
etpeace,rileed
mw
toeo mouth
:Lot
Constantino
tactat
nh
tel
is next to be done is yet unknown. If we ";i6:l I e
tshhee
eh ai) mustt e dr i
os with wnali
vigour, the
Russia ships there are now in France, and thep t•eh
of Russia, and sooner or later she will plant
f
flag on the tower of St. Sophia.
rmac.cidlenf accidents will bneotinals:7°ll"jerr
otHhp
Humber,
evm, ghaoeiuri the jel
o et

THE MEDIiEIiitANEAN FLEET•

(From the Devon port Independent.)
We have received letters from H.M.S. Powerful, 64,'
Captain Napier, up to the 27th of August, at whine
date she was off the Dardanelles, having arrived tl!eei,
and joined the Admiral on the sth. The Powerful I.le'
Cork on the 30th of June, arrived at Gibraltar Malta
12th of July, sailed on the 13th, and arrived at ~.
on the 24th, remained there till the 29th, when
asbei;
sailed for the Dardanelles. She bad a very fu"uril
passage throughout. On arriving at the Dardane' files
they found a splendid united fleet of seven Fret ch
liners, together with ten English sail of the line,
and small craft. The Powerful made a distinguished
addition to the English force. The prospect of he
,ef
fairs of the East being pacifically arranged, although 13;
vourable in a national point of view, has, it aPPea:rs,
Produced some disappointment in the fleet, the set's"
spirits of both officers and men being aroused by, the
preparations for hostilities, and sonic regret is el-
pressed that all should at last " end in smoke" oolY•
Though things at present appear to be pretty cairn!
et it is considered not at all improbable tha
t tifferences will yet break out, it being scarcely
Bible that the Ambassadors at Constantinople can be
accord, while their interests are so conflicting. Mahornet
Ali keeps safe possession of the Turkish fleet at Alexe,,,
dria, and threatens to burn it if any attempt is made
wrest it from him. Whatever may be the result of his