The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-12 00:00:00

LATEST NEWS.

THE WAR.

REMARKABLE PRUSSIAN CIRCULAR.

BERLIN, September 7.—The Prussian Govern-
ment has addressed a circular to all its

envoys at the secondary German courts. The lat-
ter will shortly be called to come to a resolution

respecting the attitude of the Confederation towards

Russia. The Prussian Government tells its en-

voys that although for the sake of peaco it sup-
ported at St. Petersburg the four points insisted on
by the Western Powers, it does not think they are
indispensable in a German point of view. The
common protectorate would be attended with diffi-
culty, and may bring harm to Germany.
The King of Prussia cannot then recommend his
German allies to accede to the four conditions in
11 such a manner as to incur on their account cx-

penses and obligations not commanded by the
spirit and end of the Austro-Prussian convention.
The King hopes that the Emperor of Austria will

take this view of the case, and adhere to it, as be-

comes a German prince.

He hopes, moreover, that the Emperor, seeing his
own states are guaranteed against attack from the
side of Russia, will abstain from every act of aggres-
sion against Russia, and avoid all complication not
necessary for the protection of German interests,
and to which the convention does not apply.
The following analysis of the document, pub-
lished by the _lndependence Beige, will enable
your readers to form a more exact idea of the views
of Prussia in this matter :
" This circular," says the Independence, "refers at first
to that of A ug. 5, and mentions that the Eastern question
had been submitted to the discussion of the Diet a little be-
fore the adjournment of its sittings, and that no resolution
had been come to on that question, because the rcpye-
sentatives of the different States had not yet received the
necessary instructions, and because, after the re-opening
of the sittings, the united committees will again have to
examine the matter. The Prussian Government thinks

fit to give explanations as to the principles which it has
adopted in the matter, after having received a copy of
the despatch of Count de Nesselrode to Prince Gorts•

chakoff, of August 26, with a letter of introduction in
reply to the Prussian note of August 13. It expresses
its regret that Russia has rejected the four conditions,
the acceptance of which could have put an end to the
war. However, it finds, after an impartial examination,
in the reply of Russia, two points which appear to it
very important in a political and military point of view
for Prussia and Aus ria, as well as for the other German
States :-Ist, the reiterated assurance of the complete
evacuation of the principalities ;and 2,11 y, the promise of
Russia to remain henceforward on the defensive. It comes
to the conclusion-Ist, that Austria has nothing to fear
from any attack on the part of Russia ; and 2dly, that
Russia has abandoned the theory according to which she
Pretended to a right to occupy the principalities as a
pledge, whilst at present she represents their prolonged
occupation as a military position, which she renounces
for strategical reasons. As to the question of knowing
whether, in admitting the complete evacuation of the
principalities, the mere refusal of Russia to accede to
the four conditions authorises, in the point of view
of right, the German States to declare war on her,
the Prussian Government thinks it necessary to
reply negatively, and cannot admit, after the evacuation
of the principalities, a cases beUi, and particularly as at the
commencement the Western Powers themselves did not
regard the occupation of the principalities as immediately
implying a cases belli. In consequence, Prussia is of
opinion that by the late concessions of Russia, full satis-
faction has been given to the additional article of the
convention of April 20, and she does not admit any for-
mal obligation o❑ the German States, in consequence of
that treaty, to proceed to military measures. As to the
question of knowing whether, independently of ,the cases
foreseen in the additional article, German interests,
really menaced, require particular protection, Prussia
believes that, according to Art. 2 of the convention,
that question ought to be decided at a common delibera-
tion of all the contracting parties. In addition, the cir-
cular discusses the question of ascertaining if the four
conditions are so completely in conformity with
German interests that the German States are
obliged to make them also the indispensable basis
of future • negotiations. Prussia, although she has
supported these conditions at St: Petersburg,
in the hope of contributing to the re-establish-
ment of peace, does not consider them as indispensable
in the point of view of German interests. She finds
great difficulties in realising the project of a common
protectorate over the principalities, and believes that that
protectorate might even lead to a state of things but
little in conformity with German interests. Although
the occupation of the principalities by Austrian troops
offers a guarantee—seeing that the Turks have likewise
entered them, and that perhaps also the Anglo-French
troops will enter, and that these various elements will be
established there for some time—Prussia, independently
of the military complications which these circumstances
may lead to, beholds in them a state of things but little
favourable to German interests. She cannot, therefore,
recommend to her German allies to accede to the four
conditions in a manner which might have for consequence
that they should take on themselves charges and obliga-
tions which are not commanded by the spirit and object
of the convention. The King will maintain it without
variation as a guarantee of a development independent of
the German Power; but on that account he considers it
his duty to remove from it all that (lees not emanate
from German interests well understood. He hopes that
the Emperor of Austria will appreciate, i❑ following the
inspirations of his mind and of his heart, that manner of
seeing the matter, and that be will adhere to it as a Ger-
man prince. He hopes, besides, that the Emperor of
Austria, admitting that his States are now guaranteed
against every attack on the part of Russia, will abstain
from every aggressive act against Russia, and will avoid
all the complications which would not be necessitated by
the protection of German interests, and to which conse-
quently Art. 2 of the convention would not he appli-
cable."

The same journal also publishes a summary of
the circular addressed by Austria on the same occa-
sion to her diplomatic agents, from which it appears
hat some very essential differences exist in the
- •s of the two great German Cabinets on the new
phase of the Eastern question.
It is asserted from Vienna that the Austrian
note, dated the 3d, and announcing officially the
Russian negative answer, was forwarded on the 4th
to London and Paris. This Government, having
received no reply to its last recommendations at
London and Paris, will remain silent.
In consequence of the melancholy inundations
in Silesia, the Vienna trains have been repeatedly
delayed during the last fortnight. Captain Black-
wood, Queen's messenger, was unable to arrive
there yesterday at the usual time, in consequence of
interruptions on the road.

THE ATTACK ON SEBA.STOPOL.
The Moniteur publishes a letter from Constanti-
nople, from which we extract the following :
" The expedition to the Crimea is at length de-
cided on, and Sebastopol will be attacked. This
great decision has been announced to the combined
armies, to the East, and to all Europe, by an or-
der of the day of Marshal St. Arnaud, in which
the noble ardour of the heroic struggle which is
about to be entered on, and the patriotic affirma-
tion of a speedy
victory are expre?sed with elo-
quent energy. Russia is to be struck in the very
heart of all her ambitious hopes which she nou-
rishes on the East, and which have for a long time
threatened the equilibrium of the world. Sebas-
topol is the citadel which shelters a fleet always
ready to threaten the Bosphorus, a floating bridge
which, in the idea of the Czai, has long united St.
Petersburg to Constantinople. It is necessary that
this fleet should be taken from Russia in order that
that power shall no longer have anything but im-
possibilities in the East, and that the chances even
of treason shall be definitively taken from her.
As soon as the troops shall have been landed,
they will be led on to battle either against the Rus-
sian troops if they should endeavour to defend
the positions which surround Sebastopol, or
against the place itself if the Russians content
themselves with waiting for their formidable
visitors under shelter of the walls. If Sebas-
topol be taken, the combined armies will have
accomplished a striking feat of arms which
will complete the demoralisation of Russia, and
materially facilitate the re-establishment of peace.
If, on the contrary, the number of Russians present
iu the Crimea should be more considerable than
was supposed ; if the town should prolong its de-
fence, and if obstacles should arise in a few weeks
from the se:ison ; if, in short, a strong Rusiiau
army should succeed in reinforcing the Crimea, the
troops would have to re-embark, and the attackl on
Sebastopol would be resumed at the commence-
ment of next spring under different conditions.
To attack the Crimea is, on the part of France and
England,
to take an engagement to conquer, and
no one can doubt but that the engagement will
be kept.. To conquer the Crimea at any cost, or
to abandon to the Russians the empire of the East
—such is the alternative in which Russia has placed
the Western powers. Whatever may be the ob.