The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-08 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

common, doubtless, with thousands of
your country readers, I have been looking, as each
morning's Sun has appeared, for the dawn of some
light on the Russian question. I have looked in
vain. Blue books may reveal a little more verbal
boldness than we had expected ; and the husband
of our beloved Sovereign may be quite cleared of
all overt and unconstitutional interference with
foreign matters ; and we may believe that the evil
does not exceed the inevitable consequences of our
throne being connected by family ties with Conti-
nental despots, courts, and armies. Prussia and
Austria may now present a phase of greater self-
respect to wane but too soon into the darkness of
Russian influence ; and this seems to be all. Even
our fleets, which were to be so polite to the Rus-
sian flag in the Black Sea, while they protected
that of the Turks, have quite posed us by their
return to B6ycos. But worst of all, sir, is the
unpardonable folly, or cowardice, if it be not
mere Coutineirtalism, which has made to Russia
the offer of "renewing the old treaties"—that is,
of the status qao ante Lenin; and which, having
done this, does not even demand of the Czar a
prompt categorical answer to this shamefully indul-
gent offer as Prince Menschikoff did of the Sultan
to his shanelessly insulting and rapacious ultima-
tum. I quite agree with your remark on Monday,
that "the time for diplomatic negotiation has gone
by, and that the period of action has arrived."

Mr. Cobden is fond of extolling the civilisation
of Russia and the barbarism of Turkey. If super-
stition be civilisation, no doubt the believers in
God and the Czar (or in the Czar and God) can
successfully contend for the palm with the simple
believers in God and the Prophet. It manufac-
tories managed by foreigners, and upheld by tariffs
alone, be Mr. Cobden's Russian civilisation--
although his political life has been spent in
convincing Englishmen that it was feudalism
and barbarism in his native land why,
Russia can beat Turkey in that too. If also it
be civilisation to decrease imports and to
block up the mouths of ti,e finest rivers in Europe,
there again Russia has decidedly the upper hand ;
since our trade with her has diminished, and that
of Turkey almost doubled in the last few years.
And while the Turks did rake away the mud from
the mouths of the Danube and kept open traffic for
ships of all nations with some of the most produc-
tive countries in Europe, Russia was only civil
enough to promise to do it, but, as usual, civilised
enough to bresk her promise ; and all to compel
ships to go to Odessa, a port which land produce
can only reach in carts, instead of loading direct
from the granaries of the Danube and its numerous
tributaries.

But this reainds me, sir, of one of the most
villanous conditions of the status quo ante bellum,
as it is termed. One of your weekly contempora-
ries, pretty well disposed to bepraise the Ministry
too, published, cn the 24th of December, an article
headed "Russian hostility to Commerce," " the
Navigation of the Danube." But for its length
I should be tempted to ask insertion for
it in your columns. The cream of its
" extracts from recent travellers," &c., is this.
By the treaty of 1829, Russia obtained possession
of the three mouths of the Danube ; by a treaty
with Austria, in 1810, in defiance of the treaty of
Vienna (1815), sle ob!ained power to levy a tax on
all vessels enteriig by the Sulina mouth, in consi-
deration of whiih tax she was to keep it open.
Also by the treaty of 1829 she obtained power to
establish a quarantine, not only at the mouth of
the river, but between the northern and southern
shores of the Turkish portion of it, i.e, between
Bulgaria and Moldo-Wallachia. English, or rather
European, apathy and Tarkish weakness, at that
time, enabled this fraudulent power to succeed in
these highly civilised demands. The purpose soon
became manifest, The Sulina mouth was yearly
more and more blocked up with the mud of Rus-
sian cililisation, the Turks having been so bar-
barous as to clear it away easily. But the mud of
Russian quarantine appears to be infinitely worse
than the river mud. Travellers are stopped for
several days together, and merchandise taxed again
and again by Russia in passing from the north to
the south side, and, vice versa, of the river, where
it flows through the Turkish dominions. Vessels
clearing at Liverpool or London for the Danubian
ports have to pay enormous fees to the Russian
consul here, often amounting to 1001. a cargo, if
they wished to be saved a 40 days' quarantine at
Odessa, or a sixty-five days' one at Galatz.
The quarantine regulations are so barbarous as
almost to surpass belief—and what with mud
and quarantine together, Russian civilisation has
made it needful to tranship cargoes into lighters,
exclusively Russian, at a cost frequently of 3001. a
cargo, and made the freight from Galatz at the
entrance of the Danube more than double that
from Odessa. What with harassing vexations,
fees, charges, and mud, Russia is doing her utter-
most to destroy the trade of the great Austrian,
Hungarian, and Turkish river, and to transfer it
all to Odessa. Very properly did the Ministerialist
journal demand, on the 24th of December, that no
renewal of treaties shall take place which does not
deprive Russia, " not only of her right to establish
a quarantine on the mouth of the Danube, but of
all control over its mouth." Probably Mr. Cobden
sees, in all we have just adverted to, the zeal of
Russia for commerce. I can see in it only Russian
cunning in robbing other countries of their trade,
and their free trade too. In my judgment, sir,
the Cabinets of England and France will be dis-
graced, while commerce has a history, if they do not
secure the Danube for the world, and the adjoin-
ing provinces for the free trade of the Turkish
tariff. I cannot comprehend how free trade be-
comes barbarism because of the difference of lati-
tude and longitude between the Thames and the
Danube.

One word more. As you have justly said, action,
is now the thing. We have sent Russia an ulti-
matum ; one in which we hope the Danube is meant
to be included. Now, Russia has taught us how
she thinks ultimatums are best enforced. She has
adopted her old plan of taking a " material guaran-
tee ;" why should we not do the same ? Odessa
would be some use ; Sebastopol, I suppose, in a
military sense, more. We have made a demand on
the great Robber, in the name of European inde-
pendence, to quit the provinces and to let the
Danube alone. He delays an answer. He sends
questions and Orloffs to gain time. Let us give him
the answer ; let French and English fleets, and
troops also if necessary, seize and occupy his Black
Sea fortresses, with the .ntimation, too, that, if all
be not settled before, we shall want a little further
guarantee in the Baltic when the ice melts. He
cannot complain of this as war. " Oh, no !" we
should loudly reply, we hold these places
only as ' material guarantees,' till you accept
our most righteous ultimatum, that of restor-
ing the stolen territories. You have your-
self announced that. taking material guarantees is
not war ; and, further, if we enlist a few Russian
gunners, and make them work the guns against
your own troops, it will be nothing more belli-
gerent than your forcing the Wallachian militia to
serve against their masters." Really, sir, I can-
not see why we have not better right to take a
guarantee that a thief shall restore stolen goods
than Nicholas has to take one that he ihay be
allowed to steal them with impunity.—l am, Sir,
yours respectfully, C.

SUPPOSED ATTEMPT TO BREAK INTO WINDSOR CASTLE.
Next to setting the Thames on fire, a burglarious en-. trance into Windsor Castle would appear to be the most
impossible thing to effehcat,sand yet there is every reason
to believe the atagtetem,thpet
reliable authority, that Col. been made. It is stated, on
\vin(s tothr e
terminus Hon. AA. ON.
the. H ood,
South-
Western o f
Albert, Cumberland
arr
iv•
el oddClerk-marshalhasvve to H.R.H. Prince
thesou
South Western
:egs toe
train about midnight on
monday. Railwaywr herl
some
at
the thr ef
foot
yearsot
o f na Railway station
private carriage-
thbye
rwoaasd erected,w as made
Slopes to the Castle.
the entrance being immediately
waiting room. This road is used only site
membersthe Queen's
Re3al family and by gentlemen attaychedt of the
to the Royal
household. On leaving the train last Monday
Col. Hood proceeded by the Slopes, as the nearest night,
to the castle, and was not a little surprised etaorest way
ter in his walk seven or eight men with theirfblackened and their feet snuffled, if he !night judge byater
noiseless character of their movements. The ft - e
au ans fled
at the approach of the hon. and gallant gentleman, and
have not since been heard of. On inquiry, it appeared
that the suspected burglars were observed by the sen-
tinel on duty at the corner of the Prince of Wales's
Tower (on the basement of which is the gold pantry),
and that be, looking down from the Terrace, threatened
to fire upon them. To this they replied, that if he at-
tempted to fire, or give the alarm, they would blow his
brains out. The hostile parley had proceeded thus far,
when Colonel Hood entered by the lodge-gate in Rat-
chet-lane, and the burglars doubtless supposed that he
was at the head of a party sent to capture them. This
will account for their precipitate flight and subsequent
escape. On the arrival of Colonel Hood at the castle
the police were ordered to patrol the Slopes for the re-
mainder of the night, but they could detect nothing
likely to excite suspicion, or serve as a clue to the ap-
prehension of the guilty parties. The affair has created
a great sensation in Windsor, and will cause the palace
to be guarded more strictly than ever, especially after
nightfall.

CONVEYANCE Or TROOPS.—It is understood that four
vessels originally taken up by the Government to con-
vey troops from Ireland.to Malta, and thence to the
West Indies, have since been taken up on monthly char-
ters, so that they may be available to proceed to any
Poiat on the shorteatnOtice.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING.-(THIS DAY.)

LONDON, Feb. S.—Wind this day at Noon, W. ; fresh
breeze, and cloudy. It has been extremely fine weather
all the morning, but there is now rather a change for the
worse.

RAMSGATE, Fob. 7.—The Norna, of Uloaberg, from Lis-
bon to Doobeck, with salt was totally lost on the Gocktwin
Sands this morning during thick weather ; crew saved.=
Arrived—Fier de Maria, from London, for Bilboa ; An-
netta Catherina, Grimsby, for St. John's, Porto Rico.

CowEs, Feb. S.W., strong breeze, and
squally. Arrived—Doctor liarrip, from Newcastle, for
New York.

PLYMOUTH, Feb. 7.—Arrived—Orynthia, from Middles-
borough, for Cape de Verds—crew mutinous ; Sea Adven-
ture, Buenos Ayres, for Falmouth, with decks swept,
boats, bulwarks, stauncheons, foremast, bowsprit, &c.,
carried away, having been struck by heavy seas on the
20th Jan. Sailed—Taymouth Castle, for Adelaide, S.A. ;
Jane, Azores. •
PORTSMOUTH, Feb. 7.—Wind, W. to N.W. A::ived—
Ithone, from Antwerp, for New York. Sailed—H.M.'s
it. Cyclops, for the Mediterranean. Off Port—Margaret,
from Sunderland, for Rio.
FALMOUTH, Feb. 6.-- - A cask of rum, marked on one
end " L'Uniono," and on the other "Randor," was picked
up 4th Feb., nine miles S.S.E. of the Lizard ; another,
without mark or number, was picked up yesterday nine
miles S.S.S. of the, Manacles. 7. Wind west. Arrived.—
Ambrosius, Rio Janeiro for Hamburg; Bertha, Pernam-
buco ; .I)ionysia, Mayaguez ; Favourite, Taganrog for
Limerick ; Mary Young, Taganrog ; Ramon, Havana ;
Sultana, Oran. The Jenny Lind (schooner), of Jersey,
from Lagima to Liverpool, was abandoned in a damaged
state on the 17th Jan., in lat. 44. N., long. 20. W.; crew
saved, by the St. John (barque), of Slasgow, from hence
to Savannah, and subsequently transferred to the Ramon,
from Havana, arrived here.

DUNBAR, Feb. 6.—The William (brig), of London, from
Claektuannan, having sprung a leak, lost sails, and other-
wise became unmanageable, came on shore this morning,
about four miles to the eastward of this port—subsequently
got off, and is now at anchor close to the shore, very leaky,
with assistance at the pumps.
BEAUMARIS, Feb. 6.—Arrived—Gulnare, from Liver-
pool, fur Africa ; Penningham, do., for Rio Janeiro.
STORNAWAY, Feb. 3.—The Bligh, from Limerick, was
totally lost on the west side of of Harris, on the 30th Jan.
—crew saved. A ship's name-board, marked " Maddocks,
of Liverpool," with several pieces of wreck and a quantity
of deals have been cast ashore on the west side of this
island within the last few days.
SCILLY, Feb. 6.—Arrived—Minerva, from London, for
St. Michael's'
VirrGToN, Feb. 6.—The William (smack), of Wigton,
from Whitehaven, grounded on the 4th, in this bay, and
when getting under weigh next tide broke her chain, and
beat on to high water-mark, where she remains.
BOSTON, Jan. 23.—The Singapore (ship), of and from
New York to Antwerp, which was abandoned 30th Dec.,
vfrH'itulidsfoorne,
awnads
in ni passedn:o pig?, 15th
nJt an.
mastsi lgaot
n.
04, Nb
y. ,
the .
1166 a
nWd
i.k,
arrived at New York, which vessel also passed 16th Jan.,
in lat. 4I N., lon. 68 W., a wreck, apparently a brig water-
logged, with foremast and bowsprit standing, and top of
house above water.

(BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.)
LIVERPOOI., Wednesday, 10 A.M.

Wind, W.N.W. ; moderato gale.
Arrived. Virgo, from Catania.; Winchester, from
Mobile, with loss of rudder, having been ashore in
Bottle Bay.
Off the Port.— John Barbour, ship.
The Manhattan, frym New York, dragged her anchors
in the river and went ashore off the King's pier-head, but
was afterwards assisted off by steam-tugs.
QUEENSTOWN, Feb. 6.

Wind W.
Arrived—Alert, from St. Domingo, with loss of spars,
sails, &c. ; Malzonio, Alexandria ; Salama, Jaffa, Tralee.
Sailed —Jenny, Liverpool.

(BY SUBMARINE AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH.)
GRAVESEND, Wednesday, 9.47 a.m.

Wind N.W., fine, and fresh.; tide high water.
Arrived—Baron Martin, from Havre; Peter Frau, Ud-
derwall ; Vivid, Ostend ; Crescent, Guernsey ; Rhine, (s.),
Antwerp ; Vesta, (s.), Oporto.
Sailed—Lotus, for Barbadoes ; Quito, Sydney ; Point,
Jamaica.

DEAL, Wednesday, 9.35 a.m.

Wind N.W., fresh.
Passed—Lady Louise, from Callao, for London ; Balla-
rat, from westward, for London; Eva, St. Kitt% for
London.
At Anchor—Nymph (schooner).
The disinasted schooner Rock Scorpion has proceeded to
Rye harbour in tow of a steamer.

MARKET NEWS-(THIS DAY.)