The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-17 00:00:00

THE EASTERN QUESTION.

Wednesday being the day on which the Czar's reply
to the last peremptory intimation of the British Go-
vernment was understood to be due an inundation of
more or less accredited rumours was to be looked for.
One of these was banded about with especial industry,
to the effect that a pacific settlement of the differences
between Russia and Turkey was again on the tapis.
There is nothing impossible in this world, but this often-
resuscitated report does appear to verge as close on the
impossible as can well be imagined. The latest intelli-
gence from St. Petersburg certainly lends it no counte-
nance. The Baltic provinces of Russia have—like the
provinces on the Black Sea—Bessarabia, Kherson, and
Taurus—been declared " in a state of war," or in other
words have been subjected to martial law, with a view
to facilitating defensive arrangements. This, it will
scarcely be denied, looks as if the Czar were
resolute to " abide the blow" that is impending over
him. Again, it is reported from Portsmouth that Ad-
miral Corry will sail immediately with four ships of the
line and a paddle-steamer to join Sir Charles Napier in
Wingo Sound. That does not look as if the British
Cabinet saw any signs in the political horizon to induce
them to expect that the storm which seems about to
burst over Eastern Europe may clear up and disperse
harmlessly.
The truth is, that the inventors and propagators of
such pacific rumours leave entirely out of account the
peculiar position and character of the Russian Emperor.
He is not a man who has been brought up amid the social
influences of countries like the France and England of the
19th century. His motives of action are akin to those of
autocrats and conquerors of earlier ages and remoter re-
gions of the earth. In Russia there are two nations, alto-
gether apart from the numerous tribes mixed up with
the predominant race. These are the real Russians—
an uneducated, priest-ridden race, who have no share in
the Government ; but who, rude and bigoted though
they be, have for centuries evinced a vigorous and per-
severing spirit of peaceful industrious enterprise. These
men of Russia have many features in common with/the
American pioneers of the backwoods and the prairies ;
they have carried Russian commerce to the icy ocean,
the frontiers of Independent Tartary, and China, and
the north-west coast of America. Their exploring
expeditions and settlements have always been in advance
of their Government's territorial usurpations. In Russia
Proper they have a world of their own in their
town, village, and household circles, within which
the influence of Government is scarcely felt ; in the
northern and eastern acquisitions of Russia they are
still less sensible of its pressure. They pay their tribute,
and submit to have conscripts for the army torn from
among them, and so long as Government abstains from
meddling with their religion, their industrial pursuits,
and their domestic habits, they trouble their heads little
about it. The other nation is composed of the army and
the almost equally numerous locust host of civil employes
of all grades. These two form a nation apart with its
own organisation, its own peculiar moral and intellec-
tual development. The Emperor is the head of this na-
tion ; he is in virtue of this the leader of a numerous
and disciplined horde encamped among the true Rus-
sians, exacting tribute from them— partly in money,
partly in slaves—to recruit the ranks of his Janis-
saries. Since he mounted the throne in 1825, he has
known no opposition to his will among the na-
tion of which he is the head ; he has had every
reason to regard it as the implicit instrument of his de-
signs, whether to extract from the subordinate Russian
nation the wealth he needs to carry his purpose into
effect, or to extend his sway over weaker neighbours. He
has thus come, like Attila, or Tamerlane, or Nadir Shah,
to regard himself as a God upon earth, to whose " iron
will," his own favourite expression, all who come in
contact with him must bend. The unexpected opposition
he has encountered in his last demonstration against
Turkey has irritated him, but only confirmed his stubborn
resolution to carry his point. The traditions of 1812 have
persuaded him that within his own dominions he is no-
assailable. The struggles between the democratic
and monarchical principles throughout Europe have led
him to believe that from that quarter he has no vigorous
or persistant opposition to expect. Such a man is little
likely to agree to any terms of pacific accommodation
that France and England can accept with honour, or
Turkey either, until he is compelled by force of arms.
Were he a prime minister, holding his vicarial power by
the tenure of a parliamentary majority—were he nomi-
nally absolute sovereign, ruling an enlightened and ex-
cited people, and occupying his throne in virtue of a
popular vote, given only a few years ago—were he even
king of a nation which cherishes traditions of 1813 and
the Tugend-bund— many considerations might be pressed
upon him to induce him to accept of peace on equitab e
terms ; but being what he is, he can no more understand
such arguments than a Xerxes or Darius of old classical
story. He has what he deems an irresistible army, and
all Russia for an exchequer.

Incredible, however, though the rumour to which we
have been adverting is, it has not been without its use.
Its dissemination has elicited a most unequivocal ex-
pression of the public feeling of England with reference
to the approaching struggle. Among all the numerous
circles to which the rumour of a pacific termination of
the Turco-Russian difficulties penetrated yesterday there
was but one opinion—one voice ; and that was, that no
peace would be acceptable that was not consistent with
the honour of Turkey and her allies, and that did not
give security for national independence throughout
Europe. A patchwork treaty or convention, in virtue
of which Russia was to withdraw its troops from the Da-
nubian provinces, and all the old, vague, and insidious
treaties between Russia and Turkey to be left in full
force, would be repudiated by the universal English
nation with disgust and disdain. The passage through
the Dardanelles and Bosphorus to the Black Sea must
be made as patent to the Western nations as the passage
through the Sound to the Belt. The navigation of the
Danube must be placed under trustworthy and careful
management. All those arrogant and dishonest treaty
stipulations, by which Russia has brought Turkey to the
very verge of vassaldom, must be annulled. The inde-
pendence of the Circassian tribes must be solemnly re-
cognised. These are the only terms on which Russia
can be allowed to escape from the unequal conflict it
has provoked. If the war goes on, the restoration of
peace must be purchased by Russia by still more ample
concessions—by disgorging some of its plunder of former
times.—Daily News.

SUSPICIOUS DEATH ON BOARD A STEAMER.—Late on
Tuesday night, as the officer on duty at the Sandon
Graving Dock, Liverpool, Was passing the City of
Dublin Company's steam-ship Trafalgar, he heard a
strange noise, and, going on board, he saw the cabin
bey, a lad 14 years old, named William Hare, lying on
the quarterdeck dead, but warm. The steward was
found in the cabin in a state of intoxication, and, to all
appearance, had had a quarrel with deceased. When
the deceased was conveyed to the Northern Hospital,
the surgeon found that the back of his skull was frac-
tured, and a contused wound on the forehead, as if he
had been struck there and had fallen backwards. There
were marks of blood in the cabin and on the deck. The
steward accounts for the marks by stating that the de-
ceased had been sick on the pevious afternoon, butt
others contradicted the statement
TERRIFIC GALE IN THE FRITHr CLYDE.—The Craig-
Dish Castle steamer, which saile from Greenock at four
p.m. to-day (Monday), on opening out the Cloch Light-
house, encountered a most terrific gale from the south,
and was at length obliged to put about and return to
Greenock. The sea was more tremendous than has been
seen for the last five years in that quarter, the squalls
lifting the waves close on 30 feet above the gunwale of the
vessel. The Craignish stood it out most beautifully ; and
in the absence of Captain King, C,ptain Ewing officiated,
ably assisted by Captain Buchanan, of the Eagle ; Mr.
Orme, Mr. Shearer, and others. Having ran in to the
shelter of the Cloch,i the Cygnet, bound for the north,
was snug at anchor. The Lady Brisbane, bound for
Largs, took shelter at Gourock. The Victoria,
steamer, for Helensburgh, took refuge under the lee
of the Columba. The entire channel is one sheet
of spray. One of the sappers and miners bound for Helens-
burgh, was picked up after falling over the quay. The
Islay sailed at half-past 5, but it is feared will not proceed
far. N.B,—The gale down channel this forenoon was also
terrific. The Duke of Cornwall encountered it. The
Regalia, screw steamer, is at anchor in Campbelton, and
is making water. The pumps were kept going all yeater-
day,—Botheacy