The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-08 00:00:00

BEWARE OF DANGER AND DEBT.

From the (Russian Gazette at) Times.
By way of set-off against the novelty, the excitement,
the enterprise. the popularity, and the possible glory
of a war with Russia, let us just sit down and count the
cost. We would shut up the naval power of Russia in
the Black Sea and the Baltic by costly fleets at both
stations—steam always up, wind and water having their
way. We could easily enable Turkey to make a despe-
rate fight by enormous subsidies. We could protect
our commerce from Yankee privateers and other free
and easy gentlemen who would take out letters of
marque from Russia, by a recurrence to the old system
• of merchantmen sailing like two wild geese in flights,
with a frigate or two leading the way. We could
suspend the whole foreign commerce of Russia, by a
process which would double the price of our corn,
hemp, and tallow. We could engage half the Conti-
nent on our side of the quarrel, by surrendering every
other question of honour, duty, or interest we happen to
have with each separate State. We could prolong the war
indefinitely by another national debt. We could stop
it at our pleasure by allowing Russia to take all she
wants, with a little over for demurrage. With propor-
tionate bribes we could secure the concurrence of other
nations. On the other hand, all the nations of Europe
would be bankrupt, their principal creditors being in this
metropolis. Their manufactUres and commerce would
be ruined, to the injury of those who consume what
they make and make for them in return. We are all so
bound together that it is hard to say whether in mate-
rial consequences we should suffer more by victory or
by defeat. It is our unhappiness to have the largest
stake in peace of all nations on the face of the earth ;
and so long as we stick to that game we are sure to
wlin. The most orthodox war ever fought is only an
Irishman's row, a game of cracked skulls and bloody
nosey ; very amusing to those whose clothing is of little
value, and whose natural integument is rather hard, but
far from amusing to a gentleman who has paid five guineas
for his coat and whose face is susceptible of contusions.
There is not a point in which that immense glass house
which we call the British empire is not liable to damage.
"A man that bath children," says Bacon, " bath given
pledges to fortune." We have children • we have colo-
nies ; we have dependencies ; we have ships • we have
investments, loans, railways, private debts, all over the
world. By dint of hard peace-making we manage to
keep our creditors in tolerable order. They pay, as an
omnibus horse does its work, by the momentum of its
rsery, by being kept in harness, well up, and con-
tm
inually flogged. Once give them the opportunity of
war and that general dissolution of morals that is
sure to ensue, and every quarter day will add
to your defaulters. All this, of course, is very
extraneous to the real merits of the present question.
Those merits we do not here discuss. But we have
known people who in private life went to law, or, rather,
resisted actions, when the right was most clearly on
their side, and when the verdict was given accordingly ;
but who, nevertheless, lost thereby both in purse and in
fame, having to suffer much annoyance, to pay large
costs, and to incur also the reputation of being litigious
and troublesome fellows. That which happens in the
regular and genial atmosphere of English society, and
ender the pure and impeccable administration of Eng-
lish justice, may easily happen in the society and forum
and arena of nations--viz., that the prosecution of the
Justest quarrel may entail a martyr's obloquy and cross.
This is no reply to the rights of the question, nor is it
a reply to any sober investigation or calculation what-
ever. Then, what and whom do we address ourselves
to ? To those who take a cheerful, a humorous, or an
enthusiastic view of this very grave question ; who
seem to think that the work may be done simply by
England and France putting themselves into a hostile
attitude by the side of the hapless and helpless Mussul-
man. Certainly we have the money and the ships, the
sea, and a great deal more on our side ; but all the
money, all the ships, and all the sea in the world, can-
not prevent Russia from doing what she is now
doing—taking military occupation of the Danubian pro-
vinces. If we proceed to hostilities now, it must be to
stop this process, and we might as well attempt to
stop the north wind in its passage from Russia
to the Mediterranean. It is a confessed fact that those
remote and semi-barbarous provinces are at the mercy of
Russia, and their occupation is as much at her will as
the issue of an edict or the assumption of a title. When
this absolute Power can pretend a colourable right by
treaty, though only a colour, and when it appears to be
assumed that the military occupation of these provinces is
only the preliminary of a negotiation, we may see that
our immediate interference would only give a questionable
argument an inevitable triumph, though the argument
were only in words and the triumph in deeds. When Russia
has taken this offensive and costlystep then begins the tussle
both of words and of deeds, when Turkey will be able
to interpret treaties at the Balkan, and we at the Hel-
lespont. Long ere that, if we mistake not—long before
actual collision—matters will be arranged between these.
two unequal neighbours, if not on the footing of equality,
at least without an utter wreck of credit and power to
the weaker party. Russia would consult her interests
as little as her honour by pressing onwards in the face
of a people as military and as fanatic as herself, and in
the face of the public opinion of Europe. Russia can-
not, indeed, be "crumpled up" by an angry threat or
an idle brag ; but, on the other hand, she can do but
little beyond her own soil, except in co-operation with
other Powers.

We are not unaware that some other rather audacious
speculations have been permitted to attach themselves
to this sufficiently disagreeable subject. Should things
come to that pass that England and France, having
backed up Turkey so far, were bound to prove their
honour by arms • in a word, should there be a general war
between Russia'and we know not what powers on one
side, and England, France, Turkey, and we know not
what powers on the other side, then, it is confidently
anticipated that Poland and Hungary, true to their na-
ture and traditions, would throw themselves into the
711616 e, and England would find herself in alliance offen-
-Bive and defensive with the Turk, Louis Napoleon,
and—must we add ?—Louis Kossuth, against our old
allies, the Absolutist Powers. All this is intelligible,
and by no means improbable, if we once rushed into war
With that love for the sport which seems to animate some
bosoms. The whole sequence of events is as plain, even
Plainer, than one is likely to read in the perplexed and
sophisticated page of history. We should have to pay
enormous and repeated subsidies to the Turk, the Mag-
yar, and the Pole. A British war steamer—the Styx,
the Cerberus, or the Pluto—would take the Hungarian
Governor, fresh from a visit to Windsor Castle, to some
Port or other, if there is one, within a thousand miles of
his country. Whether a party of marines would escort
him into the interior, or whether the Magyar Chief
would make the attempt with that force, we will not
venture to anticipate. Doubtless, with such materials
to work upon, and with the British Treasury and
Mr. Gladstone's financial Hobgoblin to assist, the
work would be hot and the example very catching. Italy
would once more form the carcase that the Russian, the
Austrian, and the French Eagle contend for, with the
British Lion to standby. Happily for the cause of hu-
manity, there are nations that would keep out of the
scrape—e. rj., the United States. But thero is not a
State of the Old World that we could answer for in the
neighbourhood of such a conflagration as would then be
raised. If the war be necessary for safety or for honour,
we do not shrink from the awful prospect. Why else
our vast standing armaments ? But if our interest is so
doubtful that posterity, especially a suffering posterity,
might deny it altogether, we do recoil from these terrible

consequences, and-ask from our own countrymen some
(t that calm consideration which we have been preach-
ing to others.

INVERNESS AND PERTH RAILWAY.

It will be observed from the resolutions published in
another-to.lumn that two excellent and most gratifying
meetings in support of this scheme were held last week
athWeem and Kingussie on the 29th and 30th ult.
ese meetings were attended by E. W. Mackintosh,
of the
o Raigmore and Peter Anderson, Esq., on behalf
promoters of the line, by whom ample dtails as to
the cost of construction ande probabilities of success were
submitted. At the
prietor in the district eera meeting almost every attended,pro-
thatC and. it was remarked
when the Scotch
much greater doubt of its Central
Railway was started,
success was expressed. than
what seemed to be entertailni regards. the projected
line. Among those present wereas
Ballechini•
;_Sir Robert
.Men-
zies of Menzies, Bart., who presided Menzies of
; Mr.
Robertson
Menzies of
Chesthill ; Mr. Stewart of
Commissioner for
men
in For.
Kildares ; Strowan Robertson
zieG
of Dercullich ; Mr. Wylie, Bolfracks,
the Marquis of Brendalbane ; Mr.
Mr. Macdonald, Lassintulloch i Mr. Archibald Canaen!
bell, Carrisemaey ; Mr. Cunningham, Perth, for sir
William D. D. Stewart of Murthly, Bart., and for R.
S. Fleming, of Nillichassie ; Mr. Macgilliewie, banker,
Pitlochry ; Mr. Stewart, Farlayere ; Mr. Connachar,
distiller, Pitlochry ; Mr. Peter and Mr. Rankin, bankers,
Aberfeldy; Mr. Kennedy, distiller and farmer, Ballechm.
A subscription towards preliminary expenses was opened,
and several handsome contributions were made. At the
Kingussie meeting, Cluny Macpherson presided, and spoke
at considerable length in support of the project, as did
also Major Macpherson, Falls of Truim and the Rey.
Mr. Grant There were present besides :—Captain
Evan Duncan Macpherson, Breakachy ; Mr. Fleming,
factor for Sir George Macpherson Grant, and his tutor ;
Mr. Robertson, tacksman of Banchor ; Mr. Malcolm
Macpherson, Killihuntly ; Mr, Donald Macdonald,
Shirramore ; Mr. James Macpherson, Nuid ; Mr. Dun-
can Macnab, Shirrabeg ; Mr. Duncan Macpherson, jun.,
banker ; Mr. William Mackintosh, merchant ; Dr.
Kennedy ; Mr. Neil Kennedy ; Mr. Hobb, innkeeper ;
Mr. Macrae, writer, Kingussie ; Mr. Gordon, Lyn •
vulig ; Mr. Mackintosh, • Dell of Rothiemurchus ; and
Mr. Goodsir, Doune of Rothiemurchus, besides a num-
ber of the villagers. The attendance would have been
more numerous but for the arrangements in the country
for sheep-spearing, &c. The presence of so many, not-
withstanding this important avocation, shows the in-
terest which is so generally felt along the proposed line.
The gentlemen present put down their names for local
subscriptions, and what is still more important, all the
tenants signed an agreement in so far as they are con- '
certed to accept the annual value of the land required
for the works without any charge for severance, due pro-
vision being made for communication by crossings, all
relative questions to be determined by arbitration, the
expense thereof to be paid by the promoters or company.
It is to be hoped this excellent example will be generally
followed by the tenantry along the line ; and it would
be well also were the plan taken up with equal spirit
and enthusiasm in other places.—lnverness Advertiser.

.HATHAM 4LECTION.--A petition against the last re-
turn for Chatham has been prepared, and will be pre-
sented this evening. From circumstances that have
come to the knowledge of the Liberal party, there is no
doubt that bribery of the grossest character was carried
on at the last election, and its exposure is believed to be
certain and complete. _