The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-04 00:00:00

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

The following is the text of the note addressed
by Redschid Pasha to M. de Nesselrode, in reply
to the Russian ultimatum :
" SUBLIME PORTE—DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
"To HIS EXCELLENCY THE COUNT DE NESSELRODE,—
" Sir, I lost no time in laying before His Majesty the
Sultan, my august master, the despatch which your
Excellency has done me the honour to address to me on
the 19th (31st) May last.
" His Majesty the Sultan has always shown, and
on all occasion, the greatest regard for his Majesty
the Emperor of Russia, whom he has ever looked upon
as his sincere ally and well-disposed neighbour. The
Sublime Porte, while entertaining no doubt of the
generous intentions of the Emperor, has been deeply
grieved at the interruption of relations between
them which has unfortunately occurred, and which
arises perhaps from the Emperor not understand-
ing the real impossibility in which the Porte has
found itself placed on the question raised by Prince
Menschikoff with reference to embodying in a diplomatic
engagement the relig:ous privileges accorded to the Greek
religion. Nevertheless, it is consoled by knowing that for
its part it has in nowise contributed to produce such a
state of things. In truth, the Ottoman Government has
shown, from the beginning, the best disposition, and
every facility relative to the questions which Prince Men-
schikoff was commmissioned to settle in pursuance with
the orders of the Emperor. And even in questions so
delicate as that of the religious privileges of the Greek
Church it was still i-aspired by pacific sentiments, and
not refusing the assurances which tehded to remove and
reduce to nothing all the doubts which might have been
excited in that respect, the Sublime Porte hoped, espe-
cially f. om the well-known, wisdom of Prince Menschi-
koff, J.:2a that Ambassador would be satisfied with the
project of a note which had been communicated to him
in the last instance, and which contained all the
assurances that had been demanded.
" It is true that his Highness Prince Menschikoff has,
the second time, abridged the minute of the Sened which
he had at first given, and in communicating at the last a
project of a note he has made certain changes as well in the
terms as in the form and title of the document ; but the
sense of an engagement being still found there, and as that
diplomatic engagement cannot accord either with the inde-
pendence of the-Ottoman Government or with the rights of
its sovereign authority, it is impossible to give to the
motives of utter hop osibili ty presented on that point by the
Porte the term of refusal, and to make of that a ques-
tion of honour for his Majesty the Emperor of Russia.
Moreover, cif complaints have been made of that im-
possibility by attributing it to a sentiment of mistrust,
Russia. by paying no regard to all the assurances
offered in the most solemn manner by the Sublime
Porte, and by declaring that it was indispensable
to embody them in an instillment having the force of
an engagement, does she not rather give a patent proof
of her want of confidence towards the Ottoman Govern-
ment, and has not the Ottoman Government on its
part a right to complain ? Nevertheless, in answering
on these two points, it refers itself to the high and known
justice of the Emperor of Russia, as well as to the high
reasons and the eminently pacific sentiments of your
Excellency, which, moreover, each has been able to re-
cognise and appreciate.
" His Majesty the Sultan, by an imperial firman
bearing his august hatti-scheriff, has just confirmed anew
the privileges, rights, and immunities enjoyed by the
members and the churches of the. Greek rite abantiquo.

"The Sublime Porte will never hesitate to maintain
and to give the assurances contained and promised in
the project of the note transmitted to Prince Menschi-
koff a short time before his departure. The dispatch re-
ceived on the part of your Excellency speaks of causing
the Russian troops to pass the frontiers. That declara-
tion is incompatible with the assurances of peace and
of the friendly disposition of his Majesty the Em-
peror. It is, in truth, so much opposed to what one
is justified in expecting from a friendly power that the
Porte knows not how it can accept it ; the military
preparations and the works of defence ordered by the
Porte, as it declares officially to the Powers, are only
those rendered necessary by the considerable armaments
of Russia. They constitute a measure purely defensive.
The Governme it of the Sultan having no hostile inten-
tions against Russia expresses the desire that the an-
cient reations which his Majesty moreover regards as so
precious, and of which the numerous advantages are
manifest for both parties, may be re-established in their
primitive state. •
" I entertain the hope that the Court of Russia will
appreciate, with a feeling of confident consideration,
the sincere and loyal intentions of the Sublime Porte,
and will take into account the utter impossibility
in which it finds itself to defer to the desires which have
been expressed. Let that impossibility be appreciated
as it merits to be, and the Sublime Porte I can
assure your Excellency, will not hesitate to instruct an
Ambassador-Extraordinary to proceed to St. Peters-
burg to re-open there the negotiations, and to seek,
in concert with the Government of His Majesty
the Emperor of Russia, an arrangement which, while it
may be agreeable to his Majesty, shall be also such as
the. Porte can accept without affecting either the basis
of its tindependence or the sovereign authority of his
Majesty the Sultan.
" Your Excellency may regard it as certain that for
my part I most earnestly desire such a result, and I in-
dulge in the hope that such is also the desire of your
Excellency. _

" I pray your Excellency, &c.,
(Signed) "REDSCHID.

,
Of the extreme moderation of the foregoing note
there can scarcely be more than one opinion ; in-
deed, it may be thought by some tha-:; that modera-
tion is carried so far that it cannot well go farther.
In this respect it presents a striking contrast with
the haughty tone of Prince Menschikoff's verbal
and written communications, as with the ill-con-
cealed arrogance of the note to which it is a reply.
The Porte would seem desirous, by the very mild-
ness of its language, of keeping Russia in the difficult
position she is now in before the world, and of
proving beyond the remotest doubt the unreason-
ableness and injustice of her demands. It seems,
moreover, resolved, neither by act nor by word, to
afford Russia the slightest pretext for the iniquities
she is perpetrating. It
.is probable that this ex-
treme prudence is anything but pleasing to Russia,
who would earnestly desire to see the Sultan re-
turn haughtiness for haughtiness, and insult for
insult ; but in that it has been disappointed.
After the despatch of Redschid Pasha's reply
to Count Nesselrode, M. Balabine, Secretary to
the Russian Mission, left last Friday for Odessa,
carrying with him, it is said, the archives of the
legation and all the members of the mission.
M. Argyropulo is now the only diplomatic
functionary remaining in Constantinople. r It
is most difficult to estimate the real force that
Turkey is able to place under arms. It is said,
however, that the disciplined force will consist of
260,000 men, about half of which are in Europe, and
half in Asia. This estimate may possibly or even
probably be exaggerated ; certain it is, however,
that should a war break out the number of irre-
gular warriors would be immense, and these mostly
(in Asia at least), composed of cavalry, well mounted
and being principally nomad tribes, already born
and bred to an irregular military life.
A dispatch from • Bt. Petersburg, dated June
27, announces that the order to occupy the princi-
palities has been givem by the Russian Govern-
ment. A telegraphic dispatch announces that Ad-
miral Hamelin, commander of the French squadron,
left Toulon yesterday to take his post.
It is also rumoured that intelligence has been re-

ceived of the success of Russian agency in exciting
great fermentation among the Christian population
of Servia, and Montenegro, and directed against
Turkey, and which, it is calculated, will be still
further encouraged by the passage of the Pruth by
the Russians. It is considered that, if such really
be the case, it has been done to complicate still
more the Eastern question, and to excite greater
difficulty in the way of English and French inter-
vention.

The Russian vessels of war are continually coming
out of Sebastopol for the purpose of keeping a strict
watch all along the shore.
On the 20th a Russian frigate, the Kalumna,
advanced on a reconnoitering expedition, and pro-
ceeded to within three miles of the entrance of the
Bosphorus: _ _

It is said that in case the Russian troops enter
the Danubian Principalities, Austria will defini-
tively unite with (s'approchera) England and
France.

A telegraphic dispatch from Vienna, announcing
that, on the 25th ult., 12,000 Russians had marched
into Jassy, has been contradicted.

The note addressed to the authorities of Wal-
lachia and Moldavia by the Cabinet at St. Peters-
burgh, announcing the speedy entrance of the Rus-
sian troops, states that the measure was impera-
tively demanded, for the purpose of assuring the
protection of persons professing the religion of the
Greek Church, who were reported to be in danger.
By intelligence from St. Petersburg we are in-
formed that the regiments of artillery of the guards
were reviewed by the Emperor on the 21st ult.
Such displays have been of frequent occurrence
lately, and a grand review of cavalry regiments was
appointed to take place on the 25th.
The squadron under the command of the Em-
peror's brother had arrived at Ourlac.
A letter from Constantinople of the 21st ult. an-
nounces that the greatest activity prevails amongst
the Russian ships in the Black Sea. Ships of war
are constantly leaving Sebastopol to maintain strict
watch along the coast. The Columna Russian fri-
gate had on the preceding day advanced and tacked
within three miles of the entrance to the Bosphorus,
the wind having perinitted her to fall into the eddy
of the current.

A letter from Saint Petersburgh of the 23d ult.,
announces that the Emperor, in full uniform, sur-
rounded by his staff, proceeded on the 22d to the
Church of Saint Isaac. He wore the grand Greek
cross on his breast. This cross is one of the, dis-
tinctive signs of the head of the church.
A letter from Jassy of the 20th ult. states that it
appears from the preparations made by the Rus-
sian authorities that the Russian troops are to
remain for the winter in the Danubian Principali-
ties. Engineers and staff-officers are already ex-
ploring the country to discover the most advan-
tageous positions for encamping and feeding the
various corps of the invading army.
A gentleman, who has just arrived from the
Danube, affirms positively that the Russians are
building a fort at Sulina. He states that all com-
merce is suffering severely from the present circum-
stances.
On the occasion of the presentation to the Sul-
tan of the newly arrived Austrian internuncio,
the Baron de Bruck, it is said that his Majesty
showed unusual feeling in welcoming him,
saying he had never doubted for a moment the
good feelings of the Emperor of Austria towards
himself, and that, in appointing an ambassador,
whose talents had gained him a European re-
nown, the Emperor had given another proof of
that good feeling which was so warmly recipro-
cated.