The Sun.
London, England, 1854-03-06 00:00:00

• a part of the Anglo-French fleet had already entered the
Dardanelles, under the pretence of protecting the life
and property of English and French subjects, and to
enable the whole of the fleets to enter without a viola-
tion of the treaty of 1841, it was-necessary for the Otto-
mon Government to declare war against us. My opinion
is that if France and England had wished for peace as
much as I do, they ought at any price to have prevented
this declaration of war, or when war was once declared
they ought at least so to have acted as to confine it
within the narrow limits which I desired to trace for it
on the Danube, so that I might not have been torn 11
force from the purely defensive system which I wished
to pursue. But from the moment when they allowed
the Turks to attack our Asiatic territory, to take one of
our frontier posts (even before the time fixed for the
commencement of hostilities), to blockade Akhaltsykb,
and to ravage the Armenian provinces, from the moment
when they left the Turkish fleet free to convey troops,
arms, and ammunition to our coasts—could it be reason-
ably expected that we should patiently await the result
of such designs ? Was it not to be supposed that we
shouid do something to prevent their execution ? The
affair of Sinope occurred ; it was the forced consequence
of the attitude adopted by the two powers, and the
event certainly could not have appeared to them un-
expected. I had declared that I wished to remain 012
the defensive, but that was before the explosion of the
war, while my honour and interests allowed me to d°
so, and while the was was restrained within certain
bounds. Was that done which ought to have been done
to prevent these bounds from being passed ? If the part
of a spectator, or of that of a mediator even, was net
enough for your Majesty, and you desired to make yew.-
self the auxiliary of my armed enemies, it would hare
been more loyal, sire, and more worthy of yourself, W
have told me so frankly at first, and to have declared
war against me. Every one would then have know]
what part he bad to play. But to impute to us as
crime apPes coup, an event which you did nothing to
avert, is that an equitable proceeding ? If the cannon 01
Sinope echoed painfully in the hearts of all those who in
France and England have an intense sentiment 01
national dignity, does your Majesty think that the me-
nacing presence at the mouth of the Bosphorus of the
three thousand cannon's mouths, of which your Majesty
speaks, and the report of their entrance into the Black
Sea, are facts which remain without an echo in the heart
of the nation whose honour I have to defend ! I learn
from your Majesty, for the first time (for the verbal
declarations made to me have hitherto said nothing
of the kind), that while protecting the re-victual-
ling of the Turkish troops in their own territory,
the two Powers have resolved to interdict us from
the navigation of the Black Sea—that is to say, 1,1?;
pa.rently the right to re-victual our own forts-
leave it to ,your Majesty to judge whether that is,
as your Majesty says, .to facilitate the conclusion of
peace, and if in the alternative presented it is permissible
for me to discuss—to examine even for a moment your
Majesty's propositions for an armistice for the immediate
evacuation of the Principalities, and for the negotiation
with the Porte of a convention to be submitted to the
four Courts. Would you, sire, in my place accept such
a proposal ? Would your national feeling allow .you to
do so ? I boldly answer, No, you would not. Grant
me then, on my part, the right to think as you would
do yourself. Whatever your Majesty may decide, it ig
not to threats that you will see me give way, My con-
fidence is in God and my right, and Russia, I will
answer for her, will shuw herself in 1854 what she vral
in 1812.

" If, however, your Majesty, with less indifference to
my honour, will frankly return to our programme—if
your Majesty will extend to me a cordial hand, as I noir
at this last moment offer you mine, I will willingly for
get everything insulting (blessante) to me in the past.
Then, sire, but then only, we may discuss, and come to
an understanding. Let your Majesty's fleet confine it'
self to preventing the Turks from carrying further rein•
forcements to the theatre of war. I promise willingly
that they shall have nothing to fear from me. Let theta
send a negotiator. I will receive him in a befitting row'
ner. My conditions are known at Vienna. It is upo°
that basis alone that I can treat. I pray your Majesty
to believe in the sincerity of the sentiment with which
am, site, your Majesty's bon anti,

" `NICHOLAS."

FRANCE.

On Saturday, at ten o'clock, a Council E xtraor4
dinary of Ministers was held at the Palace of the
Tuileries, at which the Emperor presided, and
which, besides the members of the Cabinet, was
attended by M. Baroche and M. Billault. It is
understood that at this Council the instructions,
both military and political, to be given to Marshal
de St. Arnaud, were communicated by the Minis-
ters of War and Foreign Affairs, and agreed to by
the Council.
After the Council the Emperor drove out to the
Avenue from Paris to Versailles, accompanied b 7
the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, to review a body of
cavalry collected there for the purpose. The Em-
peror was dressed in the uniform of a general of
division, and the Duke in a white uniform, with $
silver helmit. The troops reviewed consisted of
the 12th Dragoons, the 9th and 10th Cuirassiers,
and the Ist and 2d Carbineers. The fine and sol-
dier-like bearing of these troops appeared to strike
the Duke with admiration. The review lasted
about three-quarters of an hour.
The Emperor also reviewed yesterday, in the
Carrousel, the 6th regiment of infantry, the sth
and 9th battalions of Casseurs de Vincennes, who
are to form part of the expeditionary army in the
East, and will quit Paris to day for Marseilles;
the two battalions of Gendarmerie d'Elite, the
regiment of Guides, and the 4th regiment of Chas-
sours. Those troops were under the orders of
General Levasseur, Commander of the 3rd divi-
sion of the army of Paris. The Emperor, having
by his side the Duke of Saxe Coburg, and fol-
lowed by a brilliant Rat major, in which
figured several German and other foreign officers,
rode in front of the lines, and afterwards took
his station at the Pavillon de l'Herloge, when
the troops defiled before him, cheering hint
with loud cries of Vive l'Empereur I The Empress
witnessed the review from the balcony of that
pavilion. An immense concourse of people filled
the place. On the arrival of the Emperor thou-
sands of cries wore heard on every side, from
soldiers as well as civilians. Louis Napoleon re-
sponded with much courtesy to the salutations of
the crowd, and he never appeared more pleased
and happy. He entered the palace after the troops
had defiled, and the cheering was still continued
by the soldiers and the people. The Eastern
question has done a great deal for the popularity
of the Emperor. The most complete order pre-
vailed everywhere, and all passed off with the
greatest decorum.
It was reported in Paris on Saturday evening
that Queen Isabella 11. had taken to flight, and
that the republic had been proclaimed at Madrid.
It had also been rumoured that the Duke of Saxe-
Oobourg had undertaken to broach the subject, to
the Emperor, of the re-establishment of the king-
dom of Poland.
It is believed that by the 20th inst. 25,000
French troops will have embarked at Toulon for
Oonstantinople ; and it is calculated that by the
20th of May the first collision will have taken
place between the auxiliary armies and the Rue sians.
The circulation of the Assemblee Nationale has
been prohibited for two months, because, in spite
of two warnings, it persists in advocating the anti
national policy which it has maintained ever since
the commencement of the Oriental question.
The first division of the French expeditionary
army is to embark at Toulon, and at the different
ports of Algeria, on the 20th of March, and to sail
on the same day for the Dardanelles. The second
division will sail on the 15th of April.
The generals who are to command the different
divisions are also preparing to leave Paris for their
respective posts. All of them will be at the dif-
ferent ports of embarkation in time to superintend
the embarking of the troops, with the exception of
tho Commander-in-Chief, the Marshal de St. Ar-
naud, and the Prince Napoleon. Marshal de St.
Arnaud will leave Paris, should the state of his
health (which is very precarious) permit him, on
the 15th of March. The Prince Napoleon and his
staff will not leave Paris till the Ist of April. Two
battalions of the Chasseurs de Vincennes will leave
Paris for the East, at the same time as the Prince
Napoleon.

The Russians who have broken up their residence
are in a state of great excitement. It appears that
the Emperor Nicholas has intimated to them that
they will not be permitted to remain in any part of
Europe excepting Russia. They have all been re-
called, and are now preparing to bring themselves
within the jurisdiction of the Czar. The inconve-
nience felt is very great, as many of these person-
ages resided in the different capitals of Europe, not
for pleasure only, but on account of their health.
It appears, however, that the measure applies to all
—the highest as well as the lowest, and that an ex-
ception is not made even in favour of princesses.
All the letters from St. Petersburg concur in say-
ing that the Emperor of Russia will not make any
concessions, and that the preparations for war are
on an immense scale.
On Saturday took place the funeral obsequies of
the Baroness Salvage do Faveroles, so remarkable
for her devotedness to Queen Hortense mother of
the present Emperor of the French, and who had
been appointed by her royal mistress to act as her
testamentary executrix. An imperial carriage ac'
compauied the funeral cortege, the Emperor being
represented by Count d'Arjuzon, one of his chain'
berlains, and Baron de Berkeim, one of his aides:
de-camp. Prince Jerome, Prince Napoleon, and:
Prince Murat also sent their aides-de-camp.
great number of high personages, known for their
attachment to the Bonaparte family, attended on
_
the occasion. The body was deposited in a vault
at the cemetery of Mont-Parnasse.
The Bourse was firm on Saturday, without much
business doing, except in railway shares, wcu
were in good demand. hi