The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-09 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

A telegraphic dispatch, via Trieste, dated Constanti-
nople, 27th ult., says :
" The representatives of the Powers continue to pur-
sue the path of mediation. The demands of Russia will
probably be accepted as to the groundwork, but not in
the form they have been made. All the propositions
made for the formation of foreign auxiliary legions have
been rejected by the Porte. The French and English
fleets are still at Besika. Tho Circassians are concen-
trating their forces under the command of Schamyl."
Private letters from Constantinople, dated the 25th,
have been received in Paris. If the intelligence they
communicate be relied on, the prospect of maintaining
peace, unless Turkey make up her mind to submit to
anything Russia chose to demand of her, is becoming
less each day. They announce the arrival at Constanti-
nople of an envoy from the Bey of Tunis, for the pur-
pose of offering his master's condolence to the Sultan on
the death of his Majesty's mother, the Sultana Validd ;
of expressing his regret at the " most unjust pretensions
of the Emperor of Russia ;" and of tendering his ser-
vices to his imperial master, and claiming to rally round
the banner of the Prophet.
The Pasha of Egypt has written a kind and respectful
letter to the Grand Vizier, Mustapha Pasha, father of
Veloy Pasha, Ambassador in Paris, with whom he is on
the most friendly terms, announcing that the Egyptian
fleet was ready to sail to transport the contingent de-
manded by the Sultan. The soldiers of the garrisons on
the sea coast were embarking, and those from the in-
terior of the country were on their way. It was calcu-
lated that in about 15 or 20 days the fleet and troops
would arrive in the Bosphorus. The Turks were, in the
meantime, taking the most active measures for defence,
and preparing themselves for every emergency. Foreign
officers at Aleppo had tendered their services to the
Porte ; among them were Poles, Hungarians, and even
English. The letter announces the arrival from Galatz
of " three English Generals." This, we suspect, is an
error, as among the " Generals" is mentioned Lord

The same letters announce the arrival on the 24th of
a steamer from Odessa. It brought the supplement to
the Odessa Gazette, which contains an article of a very
warlike character, and which was looked upon at Con-
stantinople as a regular declaration of war. The steamer
also brought the grave intelligence that Prince Men-
schikoff had left for Sebastopol, and had embarked
30,000 men on board the Russian fleet. It was said
that the French and English Ambassadors had ordered
their respective Consuls to proceed from Varna to Tour-
nova—for what object is not stated. One letter alludes
particularly to M. de Bruck, the Austrian Envoy, and
says that his propositions were so totally different
from what the Turkish Government could grant
that there was no chance of his interference being
successful. The question as to whether the occupation
of the Danubian provinces would be considered as a case
of war, and be followed by the entry of the fleet into the
Dardanelles, principally occupied attention at Constan-
tinople, but the writer is of opinion that it is not there,
but either at Paris or London, that it has to be solved.
If the facts communicated in a third letter be correct
they would show that there is but little hope of co-ope-
ration from Austria ; and that as respects her, the plan
alluded to more than three months ago, for the partition
of Turkey, was not entirely devoid of foundation. At
all events, the conduct attributed now to Austria would
show that nothing less than the utter ruin of unfortunate
Turkey is in contemplation. If it be true, it is certainly
an iniquitous act.
The Ost. Deutsche Poste has a letter of the 27th of
June from Bucharest, in which it is said, that as soon
as the Russians have entered the Principalities, " the
British Consul, will, agreeably to instructions re-
ceived, quit the Wallachian capital." The
lilt
com-
mercial men who arrive at Bucharest report that
the garrison of the Turkish fortresses
Danube have received no reinforcements. " Ththee re-
lations between the Hungarian Christians and the
Turks are very peaceable." The
Jassy, June 27, that M. ChaltschinPr e learns from
ske;:
the
General-
Consul
in Wallachia, and M. Giers, the Consul in Mol-
davia, have returned from Russia. . Official
communica-
tions respecting the intended occupaon have been made,i
to the Government of the two tPrincipalities, ,T
Cabinet of St. Petersburg formally declares that the
Emperor does not send his troops to wage war, and that
the occupation will be no invasion. It is therefore
ordered, that no change shall be made in the adminis-
tration. The employes aro to remain at their posts, and
the taxes and customs are to be levied as usual."
What
is now being talked of here as the most pro-
bable issue of this difference with Turkey will really be
brought to bear, viz., that the Porte will be prevailed
upon by Austrian intervention to sign the last note, of
which Count Nesselrode sent the draught, on Russia
giving an undertaking, in the shape of a contre-note,
never to meddle with the interior political affairs of the
Porte. It seems almost the only way of loosing this
Gordian knot, and almost any way this
of doing tl • would
be preferable to cutting it.
Letters from Warsaw state the preparations that have
been made for war during the whole of the past winter
are greater than those made in anticipation of the late
Hungarian campaign. The army is now on the complete
war footing, the reserves and the rear•guard fully or-
ganized; the military colonies of the guard at Novgorod,
and of the cavalry in Southern Russia, have been made
mobile. Prince Paskiewitsch, it appears, will remain
stationary at Warsaw, in the neighbourhood of which, at
POSTODS, a camp of 70,000 men is to be brought together.

Amongst the various preparations for war one cm vogue
in this country will astonish the United Services, viz.,
numbers of officers travel to Czenstochow, (a place on
the Russian and Prussian frontier, not far from Cracow)
where there is a miraculous picture of the Blessed Virgin,
and there offer up to her their prayers for a successful
campaign, and a happy return to their families.
A letter from Berlin of the 4th says :—" A report
has been current to-day that the Emperor Nicholas has
appointed the Grand Duke Constantine, his son, to the
command-in-chief of all the army operations against
Turkey. This morning, all the Ambassadors of the
Great Powers were convoked at the house of the Pre-
sident of the Council. The discussion, it is said, turned
on the Eastern question."
We gave yesterday, from a German journal, a Con-
stantinople letter, stating that the commander of the
squadron of the United States in the Mediterranean had,
in a private audience of the Sultan, made an offer of the
aid of his squadron in the event of a war with Russia.
This statement, which had great improbability on the
face of it, appears to have been without foundation. The
American commander did not go farther than to declare
the profound spmpathy of his nation for the Sultan. The
Journal de Constantinople of the 19th gives the following
account of the audience :—Commodore Stringham, com-
mander of the American station in the Mediterranean,
and the principal officers under him, accompanied by Mr.
Brown, Charg6 d'Affaires of the United States at Con-
stantinople, were received on the 15th by the Sultan at
the palace of Schdragan. The Commodore made the
following address to his Majesty :
" Sire,—l consider myself highly favoured in being re-
ceived by a Sovereign whose noble character and enlight-
ened views have rendered his name illustrious in the new
world as in the old. The continual efforts made by your
Majesty for the advancement of your empire and to insure
the prosperity of your people, have obtained the sympathy
and admiration of the whole world. Your Majesty has
not gained in any other country in a more eminent degree,
the respeet of the Government and the best wishes of the
people than in the United States of America ; and I pray
your Majesty to believe that I express the sentiments of
the President and of the American people, when I offer
the respectful assurances of their profound sympathies for
everything that relates to the personal happiness of your
Majesty and the prosperity and independence of your pru-
dent and straightforward Government. I have to request
your Majesty; to allow me to present to you the officers of
my squadron."
The Sultan made a most gracious reply, expressing
the pleasure which he felt at seeing the Commodore at
Constantinople, and his satisfaction at beholding the
friendly relations which exist between the Sublime Porte
and the Government of the United States every day be-
coming strengthened. His Majesty concluded by re-
questing Commodore Stringham to present his felicita-
tions to General Pierce, the new President, on his elec-
tion to the highest post in his native country. Reschid-
Pacha, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nourredhin-Bey,
dragoman of the Imperial Divan, and Klamil-Bey, in-
troducer of ambassadors, were present at this audience.
Commodore Stringham left the same evening to join the
American squadron at the Piroaus. Mahrnout-Pacha,
Minister of Marine, visited Commodore Stringham, on
the 15th, on board the Cumberland frigate, and was re-
ceived with all the honours due to his rank. The Otto-
man schooner, stationed in the port, returned the salute
of 19 guns, which the Cumberland made to the Captain-
Pacha on her departure.