The Sun.
London, England, 1854-11-08 00:00:00

BLOCKADE IN THE BLACK SEA.

The following further correspondence between a City
merchant and the Foreign-office, with regard to the
prospects of an efficient blockade being established in
the Black Sea, has been received for publication :--
"6, Great Winchester-street, Oct. 30.
"My Lord,—Mere than a month has expired since r
was induced to address your lordship with a view to ascer-
tain whether the expectation might still be entertained of
an effectual blockade of the Russian ports in the Black
Sea and Sea of Azoff which the prior declarations of Go-
vernment ho.:1 encouraged, and which has consequently
formed the basis of commercial operations to a considerable
extent. _ _ _

"Although the reply elicited by me was by no means
so conclusive as could have been desired for the future gui-
dance of parties interested in this important question, its
tenonr might be presumed to favour the inference that the
original design of Government, which on more than one
occasion assumed the positive character of an official an-
nouncement of an existing blockade, would at length be
realised.

" The disposition of the British merchant would there-
fore lead him to persevere in developing other and more
congenial sources of supply in our own colonies and depen-
dencies of such articles of produce as the war with Russia
might otherwise render comparatively unavailable.
" To prove to your lordship that the impulse already
imparted has not been without result, the fact may be
mentioned that of linseed alone shipments to this market
have been made at Calcutta, during four months after the
declaration of war with Russia became known there, of no
less than- 107,50 cpurrter=„ against only KISCO quarters
exported in the corresponding period of the preceding
year.
" While such energy and enterprise are being legiti-
mately employed, it does seem rather discouraging that
the still suspended blockade should impair the interests of
the British merchant and shipowner, by permitting a par-
ticulax class of alien and (as regards the policy of the war)
inimically disposed merchants located here to compete on
unequal and unusually favourable terms, by the unre-
strained importation of Russian produce in neutral vessels
from the Black Sea.
"It would, however, yield some satisfaction if your
lordship were at least to indicate the intentions of Govern-
ment as regards the blockade, so that contingent mercan-
tile operations may no longer be pursued at haphazard.—
I am, my lord, your most obedient humble servant,
"J. JOHNSON.
" The Right Hon. the Earl of Clarendon,
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs."

" Foreign-office, Nov. 6.

" Sir,—With reference to your letter of the 30th ult.,
in which you request information as to the intentions of
her Majesty's Government with respect to the blockade of
the Russian ports in the Black Sea and Sea of Azoff, I am
directed by the Earl of Clarendon to state to you that it is
the intention of her Majesty's Government to institute
rigorous blockade ; but, pending the operations in the
Crimea, no distinct assurance can be given as to the period
when it will be effective.

"I am, sir,
" Your most obedient humble servant,
" John Juhnson, Eiq." " WODEHOUSE."

THE GREEKS IN LONDON.

It has been represented to us that many of the
Greek merchantsresident in London, who probably
owe their lives and certainly their fortunes to the
protection they have enjoyed under the British
flag, have so far forgotten themselves and their
true position as to give vent to their satisfaction at
the result of the late foray of the Russians in a
most indecent manner. We have no desire that
these gentlemen should be exposed to any injury
in consequence of their political opinions ;
Queen
ouecasent
Victoria
niettehreiiar
;lobtuziitfhetnheehNicholas
are
aass withfree
Czarbtheir reso-
lution, let them at once betake 6
themselves
to the
territories of their friends, and evacuate the capital
of their enemies. They would do well to draw a
comparison between th • eir present position and
what it would have
been had they been enrolled in
the merchant guilds of Muscovy. They have, 110
doubt, as perfect a right as we
have ourselves to
political sympathies and opinions. One thing how-
ever, let them remember. England will tolerate no
avowed enemy in her capital at the moment she is
spending her life's blood in contest with her inve-
terate foe. The sea is open to them, if they would
I be gone from our shores. They may depart without
let or hindrance from us ; but, if they remain, they
must remain as sojourners in the land, and occupy
themselves with theirown private matters, not with
the public affairs of the British nation, save in a,
friendly spirit. They would do well to reflect with
themselves upon what the conduct ofthe Russian Au-
tocrat would have been had he caught themat MOscow
or Nishni Novgorod expressing publicly their satis-
faction at the result of the battle fought
on the
Alma's banks. Now, if we English not
doresemble
the Russian Czar in any other particular, at least
we equal, perhaps surpass, him in our jealousy for
our country's honour. We Will
not bear to hear a
scream of triumph in our own
over the bloody fate of our bravest
city raised
ur
hybrid rabble who are indebtedbravest sons by a
to us for the wealth
and security they enjoy. all ideas of de-
cency and propriety out Setting
of
their own sakes, it would the question, at least for
the Greeks waited to have been as well had
upon which their ex ascertain the real foundation
We feel a very sure confidence
of satisfaction reposed.
have elapsed the e conadence that ere many days
men who rejoice sympathizers with the Czar—the
Englishmen have iat some two or three hundred
—Will
find been slaughtered in the Crimea,
that their joy was not a little prema-
ture. This
• , however, is not the point. Whether
one Englishman 10 0 •
or 00 Englishmen have been
killed, it matters '
not • the Greeks hero n London
cannot be permitted to' triumph in the destruction
of a single British soldier, though he be but one.
If any Quaker gentleman—Mr. John Bright, for
example—thinks the moment a well-chosen one for
blaming the policy of his countrymen and writing
up the Muscovite, at least he is an Englishman ;
but let no foreign merchant attempt to follow suit
With Englishmen the country can settle its qu.ar-
rels another way, but to the foreigners who enjoy
the protection of our laws—who, of their own
choice, have settled in our country., there can be
but one of two courses open, if they disapprove the
policy or action of ,the British nation,—let them
keep silence, or begone.—Times.