The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-01 00:00:00

NEUTRALITY OF THE NORTI1?

Sir James Graham said, in reply to Sir J. Walsh, on
Friday night, that 2,259 horses had already been sent
out to the East ; and, on a second occasion, that "in
general steam-vessels were not available for the transport
of cavalry." In the naval news of the day the Admiralty
is said to have given notice that they still want two or
three sailing transports for the conveyance of cavalry for
four months certain. Now we have made inquiries, and
the result of the information we have acquired is this—
first, that steam-vessels are better vessels for carrying
horses than sailing-vessels; second, that had the Govern-
ment set as actively about arranging for the horses as
they did for the troops, all our cavalry horses, all our
artillery horses, and all horses required for the staff or
baggage, might long ago have been disembarked at or
near Constantinople, and by this time (before half of
them have started) have recovered the effects of the
voyage ; and now for the reasons on which we form
these opinions.
First,—The probable length of the voyage ; six weeks
being a quickish passage for a sailing-vessel to Constan-
tinople ; 15 days a fair one only for a first-class steamer.
Secondly,—A steamer goes best when upright, whether
screw or paddle propelled, but particularly the latter, and
chain-boxes are carried to keep her in that position, as
much as possible, and horses like best an even position.
Thirdly,—Screw-steamers, not being fully masted, do not
incline in the same degree as fully masted sailing ships,
which are obliged to strain every effort to beat to wind-
ward against foul wind. Fourthly,—The leaning over
position is very detrimental to the well-doing of the
horses, particularly when their heads are to leeward ;
the tacking often is also most annoying to them when
there is any sea up ; and on side, unless in a calm, half
their beads must be to leeward. The number that can
be carried in such a ship as the Himalya or the Great
Britain, with comparatively little motion, far exceeds the
proportions carried in small detachments in sailing ships
with every chance of a great deal of motion. These
reasons, we think, will be admitted to be conclusive.
The Admiralty, notwithstanding the sayings of the
First Lord, we maintain, are of this opinion ; however,
though cross purposes or real difficulties, such as not
having the large class steamers to spare, they have, until
the time we write, been unable to put the plan in prac-
tice, and now to the proof. The Jason, of nearly 3,000
tons, a screw steam-ship, may be seen at Blackwall,
preparing to carry 240 or 250 horses, 2 feet 8 inches,
including the dividing plank between each, being the
space allowed fore and aft for each horse. There are
rather over 80 stalls on each aide of her main deck, from
which all the bulkheads of the sleeping berths have been

Sir Charles Napier has paid a visit to King Oscar
at Stockholm, and that potentate must before long
choose his side in the war. Neutral he cannot long
be. Will he follow the view of the people of Sweden
and Denmark, or will he not ? This is now the
question. The feelings of the populations of both
countries have been shown often enough. What
exact greeting Sir Charles got in the Swedish
capital itself the telegraph does not say ; but our
correspondent's letter speaks very confidently on
the point of Swedish sympathies, though written
before the impression sure to be created by the
arrival of the fleet itself off Stockholm. Turning
from Sweden to her neighbour, a may say the re-
ception given to our sailors anti the greeting to
our fleet by the citizens of Copenhagen, Kiel, and
other towns are incidents of interest in every
view, but especially in the eyes of those who are
thoughtful and experienced enough to know that,
if the war lasts, the neutrality of the Baltic nations
cannot last. Our relations with Denmark have
been of deep interest since the days of the depar-
ture of the Romans from Britain, and never have
they been more truly important than since the
beginning of this century. Our mutual under-
standing during the coming struggle is one of the
salient points of interest in the near future ; and
there can be no doubt that many more minds are
-TA

peculating than thefe are tonguesheard to be talking
about it. If any one of the Scandinavian countries
is more deeply involved in the issue of this war
than another, it is Denmark. Denmark has keener
feelings in .regard to England than Sweden and
Norway can possibly have ' - and, as matters have
been recently settled about the succession to her
throne, only three heads stand between the Czar
and her crown. Denmark knows, as well as the
rest of the world, that the Czar is very tall,
and has a strong hand ; and that whenever he has
a fancy for that crown he is just the man to put out
his hand and take it. These are incidents which
involve Denmark peculiarly in the existing contro-
versy, while she shares the liability of Sweden and
Norway to be drawn into the quarrel on more gene-
ral grounds. The three countries cannot be really
separated for any length of time in any such war as
the present, though they have had their own little
wars with one another. They have had their family
bickerings when they had nothing else to do with
their combative energies ; but they make an ex-
cellent clan when any enemy presses from without.
Margaret, the northern Semiramis had a world of
trouble to keep the three fractious children from
fighting ;_ and, good as was the Government of Nor-
Arav by Denmnrl.- at. a latar- ,garrlA
teal grievances in it which 'caused muc murmuring;
and now, again, the Bernadotte family find it no
easy matter to satisfy Norway white gratifying
Sweden, different as the two are in nationality,
though under one Government ; but, let Russia
but lay a violent finger on the smallest interest of
and we shall soon see what the other two will do.
any one of the three, now that all are on the watch,
In anticipating the alliance of one, then, we make
sure of that of all. The fact is, we have not the
slightest doubt of enjoying that alliance, if the war
is of any duration, and especially if, as we also an-
ticipate, Austria and Prussia declare themselves
on the side of the Czar.
The fact which is the most germane to the mat-
ter is that Russia has been the direct cause of the
painful ruptures that have divided England and
Denmark more than once since the beginning of the
century. Paul 1., and then Alexander, set us at
variance, and compelled England to do what it re-
quires all the magnanimity of Denmark to forgive.
And if Nicholas now drives them into each other's
arms, it will be with an opposite intention. It is of
the utmost importance that both nations should bear
this in mind, that the game of Russia should not, as
on former occasions, be played by the weakness of
Denmark. It is not, in fact, going too far back to
revert to Peter the Great as the first of the line of
Denmark's Russian foes. The confidential answer
to people who still wonder at St. Petersburg being
built in a shaking bog is that " St. Petersburg was
built more against Sweden than for Russia ;" and
if so, against Denmark, which, as a barrier between
Russia and the open sea, was sure to be destined to
conquest, though it might be the last victim of the
series. Catherine instigated the Danish Govern-
ment to peevish complaints of us, whenever her ca-
pricious likings went against us. It was Paul's tyran-
nical influence over the Northern Courts that
effected the confederacy of which Denmark paid
the penalty. In the very heat of the battle of
Copenhagen, there was no genuine enmity between
the Danes and the English. When Nelson went
ashore, during the 24 hours' truce, to confer with
the Crown Prince, the people received him with
acclamations and blessings, on account of his
humanity to the vanquished ; and he, the most
straightforward of diplomatists, set the matter on
the true basis the moment lie entered the presence
of the Prince. Being asked what he meant by
coming up in this manner, with battle in his hand,
he pointed to Count Bern,dorf, the Minister, who
was standing by, saying that lie was the cause of the
war by forming, as the creature of Russia, the
Northern Confederacy, which the British fleet had
come to break up. Paul was then actually dead,
though the event was not known. But how did his
successor act ? While our fleet was in the Baltic,
and when Nelson had taken the little Swedish fleet
and beaten Denmark, Alexander declared. himself
in a most pious frame of peace. He was as Quaker-
like as the King of Prussia when breakfasting with
Mrs. Fry ; or as his brother Nicholas, the other
day, when impressing Messrs. Peaso and Sturge
with the immaculate character of his morality ; yet
it was Alexander who compelled that tremendous
breach between us and Denmark which it is now,
and ever will be, the world's wonder that any na-
tion could ever forgive. There never could again
have been peace between the two countries after
the bombardment of Copenhagen and our seizure
of the Danish fleet but for the thorough under-
standing on both sides that it was the work of a
common enemy.
By the secret articles of the treaty of Tilsit,
Napoleon bound himself to give up Turkey to
the complete disposal of Alexander ; and Alex-
ander bound himself to compel Sweden and Den-
mark to fight against England by sea and land.
Alexander took heaven and earth to witness, in
public and in diplomatic intercourse, that the
treaty contained nothing disadvantageous to Eng-
land : and the Crown Prince of Denmark (nePhew
of our old King) seems to have sincerely belie,ved
him. His indignation, when required by our En-
voy to deposit his fleet with us for a time, was
what any Prince must feel at so extraordinary and
unaccountable a requisition. Our old King abruptly
asked our Envoy, when receiving his account of the
interview, whether it took place upstairs or on the
said George 111. ; "for ~ if he had my spirit, he
gyraouurnmdflaojeosrt.y.,," H,rlwa'ams ognlatdh
oe
fgirto,tflonrdflyooohrl,.
spaleakef7,
would certainly have kicked you downstairs."
It was only because he knew his nephew and
t
the Danish nation to be under coercion, that
our King would consent to our taking the fleet
which Denmark refused to lend. It was a dread-
ful necessity on both
ensides—theiiagen i nen 7
having
; but to inflict
and the other to suffer so much as in that terrible
bombardment of Cop
the doing of Alexander of Russia ; and the fact
olwas ca
ought to be eternally remembered. When he
found that the Danish navy was gone to England,