The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-18 00:00:00

country that Turkey should be maintained. Our commerce
'with that country was increasing to an enormous extent,
and it was no answer to say that it was a commerce of
transit. If Russia had possession of the country no such
commerce of transit would be allowed, because, instead of
the liberal policy of the Sultan, they would have the pro-
hibitory tariff of the Czar. Then, if Russia once got to
Constantinople, and held possession of the Dardanelles, she
would become a maritime power of such strength sad im-
portance that the whole independence of Europe would be
threatened. Russia had progressed since the d hewn a
of Per
the Great to an enormous extent, as was amply own in a
pamphlet entitled, " The Progress and Present Position of
RUMS in the East," written 20 years ago by one of the
greatest diplomatists this country ever possessed, the work
being ascribed to Sir John Macneil, formerly Ambassador
in Persia. He believed there was not a. statesman who
better understood the question of Turkey, or who was more
anxious to defend the interests of England as connected
with it, than Lord Stratford, and he stated that " Turkey
had exhibited a spirit of self-devotion, unaccompanied by
any fanatical demonstration ;" and that the Sultan " ap-
pealed with perfect success to the zeal of the Mussulman,
and the loyalty of her Christian population." What he (Lord
D. Stuart) saw in the country agreed entirely with this de-
scription. The Turks were accused of fanaticism, but he
maintained they were showing the greatest patriotism. If
any attempt were made by a foreign power to interfere with
the internal affairs of this country, especially upon any sub-
ject connected with religion, would not the Protestants of
this country rise np as one man to repel the intruder? And
would they then be told that all their zeal and desire to de-
fend their right and honour was nothing but fanaticism.
(Hear.) Though the "lurks had come forward to defend
their Sovereign, they had exhibited no fanatical conduct.
There had been no insolence offered to the Christians, nor
any disturbances whatever that could be referred to reli-
gious feeling. When he was at Constantinople, in Decem
ber last, there was a series of emeutes, but they were occa-
sioned by a number of the younger portion of the popula-
tion, the students of law, as they might be called—the
aoftas—who had got the notion that the Government was
going' to make concessions to Russia, and sign an inglorious
and dishonourable peace. But there was no disturbance
whatever. They declared at once that they had no desire
to interfere with the Christians or their privileges, and no
person was molested. He had himself been walking about
and had passed the greater part of the day in the bazaars
in that part of Constantinople which was more particularly
inhabited by the Mussulmans. He wore a French dress.
and he met with no annoyance, and he did not believe that
a single Christian had been injured upon that occasion. He
was glad to state that the Turkish army was in extremel
good order. The troops were fine men, who were well
formed well equipped, and well cared for, both in barracks
and in hospital. Under Omer Pasha, at all events, they
were also well commanded, and he trusted that they would
be able to give such a good account of theb enemy as would
continue to.do them honour and would suffice to defend
their territory until they should receive the succour of this
country and France, to which they were entitled by their
valour, the nature of their cause,. and the con.lutt, which
had been pursued by their Government. (Hear hear.) He
could not Altogether omit making an observation with re-
gard to that most disastrous affair of Sinope, which would
never be forgotten, and which, he feared, reflected no credit
upon the arms of the allies of Turkey. Our Ambassador had
stated that, if our fleet had been in the Black Sea, this dis-
aster never would have occurred ; but the right hon. gen-
-, - tleman said that the Turks were alone responsible for it,
because they alone were aware of the defenceless state of
_ Sinope.
_For himself he could not reconcile the fact of our
fleets not being in the Black Sea with the instructions
in the blue books, because it appeared to be clear that they
had been ordered to protect the Turkish territory. The
disaster of Sinope was, indeed, Is most melancholy and most
barbarous affair, and it had been well described by the
hon. member for Ayleiliury. Russia had declared that she
would commit no aggressive act upon Turkey, and then she
attacked that Turkish fleet, lying peaceably in Turkish
waters, and attacked it with a force so superior that it
would have been no disgrace to the Turkish commanders
to have struck to them at once. In a very short time the
Turkish fleet was put completely hors de combat ; but not
satisfied with that, the Russians continued, with excessive
barbarity, to fire upon them until they were utterly de-
stroyed. He had heard the Turks speak of this matter,
and he found that, like himself, they did not exactly un-
derstand the kind of limited war that was going on.
He had heard them say that there was no dishonour on ac
count of those proceeding either upon Russia or Turkey,
for they had done their duty ; but they considered that
the dishonour rested with other flags. The noble earl at
the head of the Government had said that we, too, had
had our Sinope. We had had our battle of Navarino, it
was true, to which we could never look back with satisfac-
tion. It had been described as an untoward event,,And so
it was ; but he was not aware that in that action we vio-
lated any agreement into which we had entered, or any
proclamation which we had made, or committed any of
those barbarities, or occasioned those useless murders and
unnecessary bloodshed, which had disgraced the affair at
Sinope. In fact, the two cases were in no respect upon a
par. (Cries of " Divide.") He contended than the Go-
vernment were not justified in putting their hands into
the pockets of the British people if they were not going to
do something better than to establish the status quo before
the war. Were they going to drive the Russians out of
the Principalities ? Were they going to make her relinquish
her demands ? Were they going to compel her to pay an
bdemnity to Turkey ? And, above all, were they going
to place things upon such a footing that this country,
Europe, and the world should not again be exposed to
danger arising from unscrupulous Russian ambition ? If
they, were about to do that, and to obtain from Russia
solid guarantees that she would not disturb the peace of
_Europe, then they would be justified in their proceedings,
and the end for which they strived would be worthy of