The Sun.
London, England, 1853-08-08 00:00:00

TURKEY AND RUSSIA.

The two following telegraphic dispatches have
been received from Vienna :

" VIENNA, AUG. 6.

" Russia accepts the project of mediation pre-
sented collectively by Austria, France, England,
and Prussia."

" Accounts have been received here, to-day,
from St. Petersburg to the 3d. ' Russia accepts
the propositions of the Powers, on condition that
the Porte shall adhere to them without any modi-
fication.' "

General Castelbajac had previously been in-
structed to forward at once by the telegraph the
answer of the Emperor of Russia. It cannot be
denied that the fact mentioned in it is an impor-
tant step towards the pacific settlement of the
question which has so long kept the world in
suspense. But it would be imprudent to rush
all at once from a state of alarm into one of
complete security. The acceptance of the pro-
positions transmitted in the name of the four
Powers—as those only can be meant—is indeed
a fact of importance, but it is not all ; there
re-
mains the equally important one of the evacuation
of the Danubian Principalities. To all reasonable
men the withdrawal of the Russian army behind
the Pruth ought to be the necessary consequence
of the satisfaction given to the Czar ; but the fact
is, Russian policy has been throughout all this
affair, from
.its very commencement, so character-
ised by duplicity, that when there are such motives
to doubt her faith—when her acts have so belied
her promises—until Russia actually withdraws her
troops to the very last man, one can scarcely believe
her.

It is believed in some quarters, that it is in pur-
suance of a previous agreement between Austria
and Russia, that the mediation of the former has
been offered to, and accepted by, the latter ; that
that agreement was come to when the Emperor of
Russia saw clearly that he had been deceived with
reference to England and France, between whose
Governments he believed that no agreement could
possibly exist on any question ; and that it had
been arranged that this door should be left open by
which to retreat without dishonour.

It is thought improbable that a demand for a
money indemnity will be made by Russia : at least
those who well know the character of the Emperor
Nicholas when such matters are in question do not
believe it. It is also stated that the Emperor has
been so much harassed by this question, that he
would willingly get rid of it ; but one of the
strongest reasons may be found in the united atti-
tude of the four great Powers, and against which
it would be madness to contend. On a review of
the whole affair, there is no serious obstacle to a
pacific solution except in an insurrection at Con-
stantinople.
Letters from Jerusalem of the 16th ult. announce
that the country is tranquil, notwithstanding the
intrigues of the Russian agents, who had endea-
voured to spread alarming reports as to the safety
of the Greek population. The Turkish Government
continued a moderate course, and was well sup-
ported by the French Consul, who used his best
exertions to maintain peace between the various
religious sects.
Letters from the Black Sea of the 18th state that
the Russian flotilla in the Danube consists of 150
gunboats and 50 lighter boats, well armed. It
commands the entire river.

The news that proposals for a treaty of peace
have been sent to St. Petersburg has been hailed
with joy throughout Moldavia.
The commerce of the Principalities has suffered
much since the Russian invasion.

While diplomatic notes, ultimatums, and such
like things are being exchanged, the Greek popu-
lation of Bulgaria, Roumelia, Albania, Macedonia,
and Thessaly is being got into " proper order" by
Russian agents. A writer from Czernovitz is of
opinion that the want of arms is a serious evil,
" but axes, scythes, &c., will do very well to begin
with." There is bad news from the Turkish army
assembled in the neighbourhood of Trebizond. and
Batoum. There is a sad want of provisions, and
many of the men are suffering severely from dysen-
tery. This complaint is supposed to arise from the
Pontine honey, which is mentioned by Xenophon
in his Anabasis, although, if my memory serve
me, the military historian tells us that it af-
fected the brain of his men. The Constanti-
nople correspondent of the Augsburg Gazette
writes, that almost the whole of the Turkish fleet
is in the Black Sea, and the Egyptian fleet still
absent. The condition of the latter is represented
as deplorable. Hassan Pasha, the admiral, hoisted
his flag on board the ship of the line No. 8, but
when the usual salute was fired the vessel became
so leaky that she was got into dock as speedily as
possible. This being the best ship of the line,
Hassan Pasha has considered it advisable to trans-
fer himself and flag to a frigate. The excitement
at Alexandria is very great, and every evening the
schoolboys and their teachers promenade the streets
of the Turkish quarter of the city, shouting " Vic-
tory to the Sultan, and death to the unbelievers."