The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-30 00:00:00

TURKEY.

The Paris Moniteur says—" The French Govern-
ment has received news from Constantinople, dated
20th of May. The French and British Ambas-
sadors, the Prussian Minister; and the Austrian
Charge d'Affaires, had united to make conjointly
an attempt to effect a conciliation, but this step
bad led to no result, as Prince Menschikoff still
demanded the guarantee of the immunities of the
Greek Church. It was rumoured that this ambas-
sador intended to leave Constantinople on the night
of 21st May. Another message from Vienna re-
ports that Prince Menschikoff started on the 22d
for Odessa. Notwithstanding such information,
we would hardly believe that hostilities would be
commenced in consequence of the rupture of diplo-
matic relations between Russia and the Porte.
And our opinion is grounded both on the wisdom
of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg, and the assurances
given but recently by the latter to all the Courts of
Europe, founded on the law of nations, which does
not make a cams belli of the refusal by a power of
acceding to a demand of concessions and advantages
not stipulated by previous engagements."
Although the news received by telegraph from
Vienna had prepared the Paris public for the rup-
ture of the negotiations between Prince Menschi-
koff and the Porte, as well as for the departure of
Prince Menschikoff from Constantinople, the alarm-
ing note which appears in the Moniteur of yester-
day morning has certainly taken the public by sur-
prise. It cannot be concealed that if the object of
the French Government was to allay alarm, the
plan it has taken in order to accomplish its object
is anything but a good one. It was no longer ago
than Saturday that the Government denied having
received any account of Prince Menschikoff's
departure ; that the organs of the Government
were using every means in their power to
impress the public with the belief that there
was no danger of a rupture of negotiations ;
and that the directors of the Paris press were
informed that if they published the accounts re-
ceived from Vienna, of Prince Menschikoff's de•
parture for Odessa, they would be punished under
the law which prohibits the circulation of false
intelligence ; and yet at that very time the French
Government must have been in possession of full
details of the rupture of the negotiations—must
have known that Prince Menschikoff had embarked
with the whole of his suite—and, in short, must
have known, as admitted by the Moniteur of yes-
terday, that the only guarattnietlteelevcic\ Russia have
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wisdom a coef
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Petersburg ;" " the assurances which the Czar has
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nations, which " does not considerted fo
h
accede concessions not - •
engagements" as a casms bclli.
Among the Russian
tamed that the affai
peace will be preserved
confidence amongand. the law of
stipulated the eby refusal
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party in Paris it is still main-
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; but it is observed that
French politicians is daily dinii-

I nishing. Indeed, the RusTsianTs7-----ie themselves have
e
some misgiving, and they seem to think a sudden
attack by the Odessa fleet on Constantinople by no
means an improbable event. It is by no means a
favourable symptom, too, that the Russian politi-
cians in Paris (and they are numerous) no longer
admit that the pretensions put forward by Prince
Menschikoff to the protectorship over the members
of the Greek Church new. On the other hand, they
maintain, contrary to the assertion of the Aroniteur,
that the whole of the demands made by that diplo-
matist are of ancient date; and that even the claim
of protection over the Greeks is not only old, but
that it is founded on concessions made years ago
by Turkey; though never carried out.

The Paris papers are in general very reserved on
the question of Constantinople. The only one of
them which ventures to announce Prince Menschi-
koff s departure is the Assemblee Nationale, which
merely says : _

"Accounts have been received from Constantinople
via the Danube and Vienna. The last delay fixed by.
Prince Menschikoff having expired without any under-
standing being come to between him and the Divan, the
Prince embarked on the evening of the 20th, and de-
finitively quitted Constantinople. The news of this de-
parture, which was in some measure foreseen, in no way
shakes our confidence in the maintenance of peace. It
is not Prince Menschikoff who is the arbiter of the
situation ; it is his Sovereign the Emperor Nicholas ;
and all the assurances received from St. Petersburgh are
essentially pacific."
The Presse of Vienna has the following article
on the Eastern question :-
1 "The Lloyd steamer, which arrived the day before
yesterday, brought intelligence from Constantinople of
the 16th inst. Three important facts are made known
—the change of Ministry, the settlement of the Holy
Sepulchre question, and the last audience of Prince
Menschikoff with the Sultan. The negotiations had
accordingly not been. broken off, and it appears that
great hopes of an undisturbed peace were entertained at
Stamboul. It seems, also, that Russia participates in
the wish, for the Journal de Franefort contained the fol-
lowing passage a few days ago The Emperor of
Russia asks for nothing in the Orient which could expose
the honesty of his conservative efforts to a doubtful in-
terpretation. The power of circumstances is the mightiest
power, and it enjoins the maintenance of the Turkish
Empire. The latter can be endangered by the revolu-
tion, but not by the Cabinets.' On the other hand, the
appointment of Reschid Pasha appears to be nothing
less than a concession to Russia. We shall shortly see
in what manner England has assumed the part of a quiet
spectator, and France has indemnified itself for its plia-
bility in the question of the Holy Places."
The general belief in Vienna is that we shall
soon hear of the Russian army having entered the
Danubian principalites; that then the Porte would
probably acquiesce in the demands of Russia ; and
that thus the difficulties of the present position of
affairs would be removed, without disturbing the
peace of Europe. However far these conjectures
will prove true cannot be at present determined ;
but much probability seems to be attached thereto.