The Sun.
London, England, 1853-03-21 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

(From the Times.)

Some inconvenience is naturally attached to the
use of the marvellous instrument which enables the
purveyors of public intelligence to conquer and
annihilate space and time, and to convey the infor-
mation which has just reached the confines of
Europe, at Trieste or Marseilles, to the breakfast-
table of every citizen •of London, Paris, and Berlin,
for it is not always possible, when these flashes
of news are first seen en the horizon, to pronounce
with certainty on the accuracy of such intelligence.
In these days assertion flies along the telegraphic
wire, while proof still travels in the post-bag, or by
far less nimble messengers. An instance of this
kind has just occurred. On Thursday evening last
a telegraphic message was circulated through
Europe to the effect that Prince Mentsehikoff had
at once presented his ultimatum to the Porte ;
that the Minister of War had been dismissed to
appease the wrath of the Russian Envoy, but in
vain ; and that on the entreaty of the Turkish Go-
vernment the British Charge d'Affaires had dis-
patched the steamer Caradoe to Malta, in order to
summon the British fleet to the Dardanelles, while
the fleet at Sebastopol was ready to start for the
Bosphorus. This message produced a considerable
effect last Friday on the Bourse at Paris ; but, al-
though it was not unknown to us, we thought it too
vague and improbable to deserve publicity here and
we may now state with confidence that nothing is
known in this country to warrant the belief that
our fleet can have sailed from Malta at all. This
message, however, haS been followed by one of a
more positive character, proceeding, not from Tou-
lon or Marseilles, but from Paris, and stating in
official terms that " the French fleet is ordered to
the Greek waters." The authority of the Moniteur
does not allow us to doubt the truth of this asser-
tion, but it is unquestionably one of a most extra-
ordinary character. If it be indeed true that the
French fleet is ordered to the Greek Seas, that de-
termination has been abruptly taken by Louis Na-
poleon on his own responsibility, and it is entirely
unconnected with the policy that may be pursued
by this country. Yet for several weeks past the
attention of all Europe has been directed to the
state of the Turkish empire. Amicable communi-
cations have passed on the subject between the
French and English Cabinets, insomuch that our
Ambassador at Constantinople has commenced his
mission by a somewhat protracted visit to Paris.
The Austrian mission of Count Leiningen has been
begun, carried on, and terminated, while that of
Prince Mentschikoff proceeded from St. Petersburg
to Constantinople in the slowest and most delibe-
rate manner. The progress might be traced as re-
gularly as the hands upon a dial, and at the ap •
pointed time it reached its destination. It was
therefore perfectly easy for the Governments of
Western Europe to determine beforehand the
course they intended to pursue, separately or
jointly, in the event of their assistance being in-
voked by the Porte to enable it to resist the de-
mands of the Russian Envoy. Yet we are per-
suaded that no such understanding as one of our
contemporaries had alluded to is in existence.
In point of fact, the views taken by the French
and English Governments on the question of the
Holy Places in Palestine, which is the principal
subject of Prince Mentschikoff's mission, have no-
thing in common. The late French Ambassador
at Constantinople, had unfortunately, committed
himself to a rash and impracticable line of policy,
involving topics nearly affecting the religious and
popular feelings of a great community. He has
been recalled, and the French Government have
since shown a great desire to settle the dispute by
a fair and moderate arrangement. The English
Government has only interposed in the affair to
recommend the maintenance of peace and charity,
emtssileperveeneaetia;oaynndid.itniwoTneaheomnreassttutederepwenhasichonderives its interest
from the most sacred local associations of Chris-
tianity. Nor can there be the slightest ground or
motive for interference on our part to assist by any
means the pretensions of France on behalf of the
Church in the East—pretensions which are
equally indefensible on
rgresopimonsdsibilioftyrigfhttboansedpro_on
Lgreeaeotdillninilnis.-iesLts° ex-cce.l.rta.usigy
cwiannthotthei,uFprpeonsceh
tGboavte
the
rnbe-
lity of a communication to the
the previous forma
Cabinet of the TwieriebsYians proecpareiodntowiteurta
ehvoesn-
the French fleet sails
other States of Europe.
at
ailAt
wperessbeat,
dhouowbtelvesesr,
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kssouirmsee attitude of ob-
the character and
teoffledettshaotf
pitriisncoerdmereendtsteohia
mission.
bthasatbe the
been
overbearing There is considerablenaiire of
the
Russian reason to
exaggerated. Prince Mentschikoff arrived at Con-
stantinople
the a suitefleet
ostfatnwteinlvoeplpeersenonsth,ein2cBltuhdinofg an February, with
0H
mission
in the Black Sea and a General of Division]; the
was received with great solemnity, not only y e
whole Russian Legation in full uniform, but bya
long procession of the Greek clergy, heading the
Greek population of the suburbs of Constantinople
and the villages on the Bosphorus. On the follow-
ing day he received the visits of the great Turkish
officers of State, and on the 2d of March he called
on the Grand Vizier. But he seems to have been
expressly precluded by his instructions from return-
ing the visit of Fuad Effendi, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, on the ground that Fuad had deceived the
Emperor in some ,of his communications with re-
ference to the Holy Places. We further learn, on
the authority of a private letter, which we believe
to be correct, that Prince Mentschikoff and all his
suite have since been received with the usual for-
malities by the Sultan, and that the messages lie
was charged to deliver at this audience were of
a very friendly character, There is, in fact, no