The Sun.
London, England, 1854-12-08 00:00:00

,IDLE ALLIANCE

THE TR

We extract the following remarks from letters
received this morning from Paris and Berlin, and
published in a second edition by

The Times.

The surprise caused here, says a letter from Berlin of
the sth, by the Moniteur's news of Austria's having con-
chided an alliance with the Western Powers was exces-
sive. With some it amounted to consternation, tha
Austria should again have duped and overreached Prus-
sia, after the latter had taken such great pains to pre-
vent it, and had gone so much further in the addi-
tional article than she had any call to do, for the
specific purpose of restraining Austria from any such
wild act ; with others it took the form of rage, to think
that it was Austria again that had taken the initia-
tive, whilst Prussia was still content to be lugged step
by step unwillingly along, instead of taking up her own
independent ground, and advancing Prussian interests
and honour in Germany on the north and east, just as
though there were no other German interests than those
on its south-east frontier.
While all the rest of the little world of Berlin is in
doubt and uncertainty about the nature of the new Aus-
trian alliance, the Vossische Zeitung is in a position to
throw a light upon the subject of its rise, progress, and
conclusion. It is one of the consequences of Lord
Palmerston's visit to Paris. It was there that the noble
lord discussed with the Emperor and M. Drouyn de
Lhuys the exact tenor of the demands to be made now
upon Russia by the 'Western Powers ; and this took
place in consequence of Austria having communicated
to the two Courts the Russian proposals, and asked
how far they might still be disposed to negotiate for
peace on that basis. This accession of Austria to an
alliance with the Western Powers would necessitate a
speedy decision on the part of Prussia, either to join
also, or to fall into a state of isolation. This case is
provided for, inasmuch as the accession of Prussia is
expressly kept opus.

The Morning Chronicle.
I have sent to you this morning by telegraph the es-
sential clauses of the great treaty, offensive and defen-
sive, concluded at Vienna on the 2d of December,
between Austria, France, and England. lam now en-
abled to give, if not the text itself, at least an exact and
complete summary of the contents of that important
convention.

The treaty commences by repeating and recording the
declarations and the principal acts of the conference of
Vienna, as well as the declarations and engagements
centained in the notes exchanged on the Bth of August,
1854, between the high contracting parties.
It maintains the four points of guarantee as the neces-
sary basis of peace, at the same time that it reserves
and recognises to each of the powers the faculty of ex-
tending them by additinal conditions.
Austria binds herself to France and England, as she
had already done to Turkey by the treaty of the 14th of
June, 1854, to occupy the principalities for the purpose
of repulsing the Russian troops, if they attempted to re-
enter them. _ _ _

Austria proclaims the right, as justly belonging to
Turkey and to the Allies, of making all the movements
which may suit them for the purpose of attacking either
the Russian troops or the Russian territory.
If, in consequence of her attitude in the principalities,
or from any other cause, Austria should find herself at
war with Russia, the alliance, offensive and defensive,
between her, France, and England, shall be establish°
by the fact of the war.
If, before the end of the present year, 1854, Russia
should not have made propositions which are considered
acceptable, and which insure good and durable peace,
the three Powers will advise as to the means of ob-
taining that peace.
The three high contracting Powers bind themselves
not to accept any proposition for the re-establishment
of peace without having delib grated upon it in common.
Such are the terms of this important treaty.
It is currently reported in Paris to-day that Prussia is
at her old tricks again. She is to adhere to the treaty
of alliance signed by Austria. It will be remembered
-that when the four guarantees were first proposed she
' opposed therm all. Finding that she had no chance
against all, she conceded two, and made a stand against
the other; but ultimately, having ascertained that
Austria was determined to carry all, whether she con-
sented or not, she at length intimated her acceptance of
the whole four. So it is now ; Prussia has done all she
could to prevent the conclusion of the treaty. Finding
that to be impossible, she will very probably adhere to
it in the hope of acting as a drag upon Austria. The
Hanover iazette says that a copy of the treaty was sent
to the Berlin Cabinet on Nov. 28, and infers from that
fact that Prussia will join in it.

THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE.

A letter from Vienna of the 3d, in the Constitu-
ionnel, says :

. -
"The high contracting parties having reciprocally en-
gaged to keep secret the text of the treaty of alliance,
which was signed on the 2d, until after the exchange of
the ratifications, a precaution which, in presence of the
redoubled intrigues of Russian agents in all Germany,
is justified of itself, we must receive with the great-
est reserve all that the newspapers may publish in
the meantime as to the contents of the treaty. But
if I cannot make known the principal provisions
of it, I can at least state to you, from an authentic
source, the object and bearing of it, which are the es-
sential points. Everybody desires peace. To listen to
Russia and certain newspapers of Berlin, which act as her
organs, she demands nothing better than to replace in
the sheath the sword which the provocations of the Wes-
tern Powers alone forced her to draw. The last roya
speech delivered at the opening of the Prussian Cham-
bers breathes only peace. Austria, which is spending
every day nearly a million florins for her army, in order
to be prepared for Eastern complications, is more inter-
ested than any one in wishing for the end of a war which
touches her so closely. Lastly, two great Powers like
France and England, which march at the head of modern
civilisation, must appreciate too highly the benefits of
peace not to grant it with joy if it were honestly demanded.
Whence comes it then that, amidst this general need of
peace war becomes envenomed every day, and takes more
and more alarming proportions ? It is because the word
peace has a certain signification for Russia, another for
the dominating coterie in Prussia, and a third for Aus-
tria and the Western Powers. The Czar would sign
peace with both hands, if the Porte, in an underhand
way, should adhere to the exigencies of the Menschikoff
note. The coterie of the Junkers, as the Russian party
is called in Prussia, will not here speak of peace from the
moment it implies the slightest weakening of Musco-
vite preponderance. The protocol of the Bth August
indicates sufficiently on what conditions Austria, Eng-
land, and France are disposed to negotiate peace
with Russia. To cut short sterile negotiations,
which turn on such a difference of views and inte-
rests, it was necessary fir Austria, France, and England
to fix by a common accord the maximum and the mini-
mum within which the negotiation should be inexor-
ably confined, assuming Russia to be animated with the
sincere desire of entering into a serious negotiation, and
not spreading a snare to gain more time, and fortify
himself for the next spring. In order that no doubt
should remain on this point, it was necessary to decide
the form in which Russia would have to pronounce in
positive terms, without restrictions or reserves,
whether she accepts, yes or no, the ultimatum of
the Allied Powers. In the event of this last attempt
failing, and the period allowed having expired, the
field of negotiations will be deliberately abandoned,
recourse will be had to coercive measures, and the
three powers will not lay aside their arms until they
shall have imposed on the Czar the peace, which, in order
to display their moderation, they consent to offer him for
the last time. You see then that the treaty signed yes-
terday at Vienna by the plenipotentiaries of Austria,
France, and England is an alliance in the full accepta-
tion of the word, with the consequences ascribed to it in
international law. It is easy to see that such an un-
dertaking destined to change the political face of Europe
could not be improvised, but that it was necessary, in
order to establish it on solid bases, to display great
patience and perseverance, the indispensable conditions
of all undertakings destined to last long."

WATERLOO-BRlDGE.—Yesteriay a general meeting of
the company of proprietors of the Waterloo-bridge was
held at the Freemasons' Tavern, Great Queen-street.
The report of the committee stated that the tolls received
for the half-year, ended August last, amounted to
10,5251. 16s. id., being 6731. Bs. 6d. more than those
received for the corresponding period of the preceding
d
yftoaeotaittr
poatfshsweerhnegi increase,
octterohnoerttsmaalloanidandnssdb
4257417.1.
1108ss.,
fromd. was
carriages derived from
an
horses. At the last meeting there remained a balance
of 2,9531. 6s. 9d., and the committee new had to report
that, after paying the current disbursements, itc , and
making a dividend of 4s. 4d. in the pound to the a.nnui-
a balance, in August last, of
3,0991.
dBds
h.
wTehdi stlast
progressivedividend sv
avalue
the o
fhi
theg h highest yet
attained, 3asn.
under-
taking.asnd and
d interestT
thehe
utincomeors
disbursements,
oleu2xnsc.tl euidsdi to 11,1951.
leaving
v, lidn9i
gvsilad.
dividends
plus of 1461. 6s. lid., and making a reserve balance of
3,099/. 13s. Bd. In the course of a short discussion it
was stated that the bridge was as firm and in as good a
state of repair as when first built, and that although
there was at present little probability of its being pur-
chased loy Government, yet that it would be so even-
tually was beyond a doubt. Four directors (including
Sir J. Rennie and B. Oliveira, Esq., M.P.) were re-
elected for the three years ensuing.
SALVAGE OF THE SHIP KENTUCKY BY HER MAJESTY'S
STEAM-SHIP DEVASTATION.—The ship Kentucky, of
13oston, which was loading guano at Bird Island, struck
the ground, knocked off false keel, and was compelled
to put away for St. Thomas. The Devastation went in
search of her, and fell in with her making her way to St.
Thomas, quite disabled and leaking. On reaching port
her cargo was put on board the brig Malaga, and the
Kentucy was repairing for the prosecution of her
voyage.
TESTIMONIAL TO A CLERGYMAN.—A purse, containing
upwards of fifty sovereigns, was presented to the Rev.
Alfred Wm. Snape, M.A., curate of St. John the Evan-
gelist, Waterloo-road, Lambeth, on Wednesday last, by
a deputation from the congregation of that church, as a
mark of their high esteem for his personal character, and
their louse of obligation for his faithful, zealous, and un-
remitting exertions in hie ministry amongst them for a
period of abont fifte‘m months.
..oitaticAN orrioN of Ihili.LES.—bpeaking of badiei-r
did you ever think, when you saw a very little on,
dressed in its very lone- Sunday clothe.., thatvit was
corner of a ocke handlier•
achsiiexfp.—enAcenitefieidcg pianpt:h re.

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