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

(From, the Morning Chronicle.)

Mr. Layard has given notice that he will to-morrow
call the attention of the House of Commons to the pre-
sent embarrassed state of the relations between the
Governments of Russia and Turkey. He had made a
similar announcement some time back, but he was in-
duced to forego his purpose—in compliance, we pre-
sume with the very natural wish of the Government to
avoid a Parliamentary discussion of the Eastern ques-
tion in the then state of the negotiations. Yet the
reasons for deprecating a debate on this subject are not
less strong now than they were a month ago ; and it
can scarcely be denied that, at the present juncture, Mr.
Layard's motion is very inopportune, whilst it may
prove extremely embarrassing. Any statement which
he may make will neceesarily carry with it great weight,
not only on account of his personal abilities and the
knowledge and experience of the Eest which he pos-
sesses, but also from the fact of his having recently held an
office in the Foreign Department, and from his having
accompanied Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to Constanti-
nople. Though Mr. Layard is, strictly speaking, an
independent member of the house, his views, whatever
they may be, will be thought elsewhere to represent
those of the Government. It ought, however, to be
known that he held no official appointment when he
went to Constantinople, but that he proceeded thither
simply as the friend of Lord Stratford. He has never
held office, of any kind, under the present Adminis-
tration ; and whatever, therefore, may be the opinions
which ho may express, or the views which he may
take, they are to be regarded entirely as his own, and
in no way as those of the Government. Apart, how-
ever, from any misconception which may exist with
reference to the position of the mover, a debate upon
the matter, under present circumstances, must, in
any case, be most unsatisfactory. It is impossible to
expect that Ministers, in the existing posture of affairs,
will enter into an explanation of their policy with re-
gard to the Eastern question ; and consequently, any
disclosures which may be made will necessarily be im-
perfect, and of little value either to the house or to the
country. Nor, on the other hand, is it likely that a
Parliamentary discussion will facilitate the endeavours of
our negotiators to obtain a pacific solution of the pending
difficulties.

It cannot be said that, in this matter, the uncertainty
and indecision of public opinion require to be corrected
by a Parliamentary elucidation of the merits of the
question. There have of late years been few instances
of so remarkable a unanimity of national sentiment as
that which prevails on this subject ; nor would it be dif-
ficult to show that the universal popular feeling is jus-
tified by the facts of the case. Even if we consider the
course pursued by Russia towards Turkey solely with
reference to British interests, it will at once be obvious
that it is the bounden duty of this country to prevent
the designs of the Court of St. Petersburg from being
carried out. To maintain the independence of the Otto-
man Empire has ever been recognised as one of the
first objects of the foreign policy of Great Britain. It
has always been felt that the possession of the European
dominions of the Porte by the Czar would give the latter
a dangerous political preponderance ; and the events
of the last few years have not tended to abate the ap-
prehensions felt on this score. The power and resources
of Russia have rapidly increased, and the helpless
condition of Austria prevents that Power from serv-
ing as a counterpoise to her strength. Nor must
it be forgotten that, while our communications
with India would be seriously endangered by the
extension of Russian influence in the East, we
have vast commercial interests which are directly
involved in this question. Of late years, there has been
an almost unexampled development of trade between
Great Britain and Turkey. The Ottoman Empire, with
its liberal tariffs, has become a most valuable customer
to our manufacturing towns, whilst the removal of the
restrictions on the importation of grain has stimulated
the industry of the vast corn-producing countries watered
by the Danube, and all the conditions exist for a profit-
able and increasing interchange of products. Our trade
with the Sultan's subjects if far more important than
that which we carry on with Russia, and we should sus-
tain a most serious loss if the countries which are now
open markets were placed under the exclusive system of
the latter Power. Material and political interests alike
render it an object of importance to prevent the terri-
tories of the Porte from being incorporated with the
dominions of the Czar.
Thus, even if we were only to regard the maintenance
of the Turkish Empire as it affects the immediate inte-
rests of Great Britain, there could be little doubt as to
the policy which prudence would require us to pursue.
But it must also be remembered that England has, in
common with the other Governments of Europe, en-
tered into treaties to preserve the integrity of Turkey ;
and the measures adopted by Russia are in direct con-
travention of the settlement agreed upon by the great
Powers. We do not see how France and Great Britain
can permit these engagements to be set aside at the plea-
sure of the Czar. 1f such acts of wanton aggression are to
be perpetrated with impunity, there is an end to all ques-
tions of right in dealings between one nation and another.
Russia has, without any colourable pretext, proceeded to
employ force against the Porte, and she has done this
in direct opposition to the express desires of the West-
ern Powers. Every attempt has been made to effect an
arrangement of the dispute by friendly mediation ; but
all such overtures have been contemptuously rejected,
and Russia has persevered to the last in making de-
mands to which it was impossible for an independent
State to accede. And now, unable to obtain compliance
by menace and intimidation, she has invaded the Sul-
tan's territories. If ever there was a case of flagrant
injustice, it is in the present Russian occupation of the
Danubian Principalities. That proceeding is a gross
outrage inflicted upon Turkey, and an insult to the rest
of Europe, which it will be impossible for other Powers
to permit.

On all these points there is little difference of opinion.
There may, indeed, be some persons who find satisfac-
tion in the belief that the whole difficulty might have
been averted by the adoption of a different attitude on
the part of the English Government. On the general
question, however, politicians of all parties have only
one feeling ; and they are anxious to follow up the po-
licy which has been pursued by several generations of
English statesmen, in dealing with the affairs of the
East. That policy has been to maintain the independence
of the Porte against the attacks of any of the great
Powers—to preserve a State the existence of which is
essential to the balance of power in Europe. Should it
become the duty of France and Great Britain to support
their ally by force of arms, the quarrel will certainly not
have been sought by this country—it will be entirely
due to the selfish and aggressive conduct of the Court
of St. Petersburg. We trust, however, that the ad-
visers of the Czar will even yet reflect upon
the risk of confronting an alliance so powerful
as that which may be arrayed against him, and that
they will perceive that they are already condemned by
the opinion of the civilized world. In England, no one
has been found to excuse or defend the conduct of
Russia ; and even with the possibility before us of a con-
flict which all must deeply deplore, we hear nothing of
those agitators who are accustomed to denounce all in-
terventions in the affairs of Foreign States as the worst
kind of unprofitable and dangerous meddling. The
Peace Society is silent ; and it is only in the manifesto
of certain politicians of provincial obscurity that we are
advised to let Russia seize Constantinople if she will—a
step from which it is argued that the Czar would,
strange to say, lose in power. But, with the single ex-
ception of the Liverpool Financial Reform Association,
we have heard of no class or party that is prepared to
view with indifference the consequences of the unchecked
advance of the Russian arms in Turkey. We more than
doubt whether a debate in the House of Commons will
show any diversity of opinion on that point, or whether
the Court of St. Petersburg will find any unwillingness
on the part of Parliament to support, if necessary, the
Ottoman Government.