The Sun.
London, England, 1854-02-21 00:00:00

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LATEST FOREIGN NEWS.

RUSSIA AND TURKEY.

FRENCH OFFICIAL STATEMENT ON THE
EASTERN QUESTION.

The subjoined is a translation'of the official.announce-
ment in the goniteurnof yesterday, respecting the refusal
of the Czar to the last proposals :--
"We informed our readers; in Our publication of yes-,
terday, that the Emperor Napoleon had teeeived from
the Czar of Russia a reply to the letter which theFrencb
Emperor had sent to him, containing the conditions of
an arrangement which the Emperor _of France had
thought might prove acceptable to his Russian Majesty.
" The Czar discusses these proposed conditions, but,
at the same time, declares that he is unable to enter
upoti any negotiation, except upon those bases which he
has already made known.

"This decisive negative reply leaves no further
chance of a pacific solution of existing differences ; and,
therefore, France must prepare herself for maintaining,
by more efficacious means, that cause which the per-
severing efforts of diplomacy has been unable to sustain.
"In more energetically defending the rights of
Turkey,the Emperor relies upon the patriotism Of the
country, the close alliance of England, and the sympa-
thies of the Gerioan Governments ; for these Govern-
ments have continually declared that they, as resolutely
as ourselves, would preserve the European balance of
power by respecting the integrity and independence of
the Ottoman empire. That is the only question in
dispute.
" Attention is, therefore, turned towards Austria;
who, by her position, is called to play an active and im-
portant part. Austria has always _with great firmness,
pronounced herself to be in favour_of those points which
were agreed upon in the protocol of the Vienna con-
ference of the sth of December last.

" We have every confidence in the loyalty and chival-
rous character of the young Emperor of Austria ;
besides which we have a guarantee of the disposition of
his government in the interests of his people, which are
identically the same as our own. In the general cir-
cumstances of European policy, France,, strong in her
loyal and disinterested intentions, has nothing to fear
from the result of the struggle which is impending ;
besides which, she knows that she can repose upon the
energy, as well as upon the wisdom, of the Emperor."
Some of the Paris journals of yesterday publish the
following private telegraph despatch, frit, in doing so,
throw doubt on the correctness of the information. It
came from Marseilles on Sunday :
" The Russian fleet has made its appearance before
Batoum and bombarded it, but afterwards thought
proper to retire after an attack which was not attended
with any success."
There are several versions of the manner in which the
letter of the Emperor of the French was presented to
the Czar. The following communication gives some
details which are not uninteresting

"The reply of the Emperor of the French arrived at
St. Petersburgh on the 6th inst. M. de Castelbajac im-
mediately apprised Count Nesselrode that he wished to
present a letter to the Czar from the Emperor of the
French. Although it is contrary to Russian Court eti-
quette to speak to the Emperor of Russia on public
business after 4 o'clock in the afternoon, Count Nesselrode
apprised M. de Castelbajac that he might present him-
self at the Palace, although the Emperor was
suffering from the gout. M. de Castelbajac conse-
quently delivered the letter on the afternoon of the
6th. The Czar appeared to be painfully affected on
reading it. He then spoke a few words, in a low tone,
in Russian, which M. de Castelbajac did not under-
stand. He recovered his composure almost immediately,
and told M. de Castelbajac that he would return an an-
swer in a few days."

Telegraphic intelligence received at Vienna yesterday
states that Russia rejects the Austrian proposition for
further intervention communicated to Count Orloff.

The Emperor Nicholas is said to be seriously ill.
On the 14th Prince Paskiewitsch left Warsaw for
St. Petersburg.
Another communication from Bucharest, dated Feb.
12, says, in the skirmishes on the left bank of the
Danube since the 3d the Russians had 800 killed and
1,600 wounded.
The Lloyd learns from Odessa, under date Feb. 2,
that the Russian fleet continually keeps the sea. The
first and second divisions cruise from Kaffa along the
Circassian coast, and observe Batoum. The third divi-
sion left on the 29th, in the direction of the Bulgarian
coast, and, as it was thought, for Varna.. The Russian
captains state that for years they have not known the
weather in the Black Sea so favourable as at this season,

The Cologne Gazette publishes the following telegraphic
despatch, dated Constantinople, Feb. 6

"The united fleets have saved Shefkatil from an at-
OA by the Russians."
According to a communication from Berlin the Prus-
sian flotilla, which was in the neighbourhood of the
theatre of war in Turkey, has received orders to return.
Advices from Bucharest, received at Vienna yester-
day, state that the Russians have destroyed seven Turk-
ish vessels.

Rutschuk is being bombarded from Giurgevo.
A revolt has taken place on the borders of Albania,
Macedonia, and Thessaly. The insurgents are nearly
40,000 strong, Arnauts and Greeks. Janina has risen,
and has been joined by the inhabitants of Merzowa and
Agraffa.
The Turkish troops from the Montenegrin frontier
are marching thither.
Advices from Krajova of the 11th say—Russian troops
are still marched on in the direction of Kalafat, and
placed in the second and third line, so that it willbe next
to impossible for the Turks to break through the Rus-
sian position. On the 6th the Russians took possession
of an island above Moglavid, where they have since es•
tablished a battery.
The letters just received from the Danubian provinces
(says the Patric) inform us that Rifaat Pacha, who com-
mands the army of reserve, had just left his head-quar-
ters at Sophia, and gone to the right bank of the Dan-
ube, at the point which commands Oltenitza. He was at
the head of 35,000 troops, and the regiments making up

this were all picked men. • This movement clearly indi-
cates that some important operation is being prepared.
The same letters affirm that the condition of the Otto-
man army continued to be excellent, that the generalis-
simo had made all his arrangements for driving the Rus-
sians back from Kalafat, in case they should make their
attack in front ; and that he had taken the most ener-
getic military measures for stopping the Russians, in
case they endeavoured to force a passage through Servia

in order to turn the Turkish posit,ion.
News from Shumla of the 411 inst. say that Omar
Pasha was there atthat dite. The change at the Turkish
war-office was known there, and orders had been re-
ceived from Riza Pasha for carrying on the operations
with all energy. The camp at Sophia is broken up, and
the troops have been marched in the direction of Widdin.
The reserves at Shumla have been divided into four
corps, and sent to Rasgrad, Turtukai, Silistria, and
Sistow. _ _ _

The Russian General Schilder has established a bat-
tery of 12 guns on the Isle of Ra,mudan, opposite
Rutschuk. _ _ _

A reinforcement of five thousand men arrived on the
6th and 7th at Widdin. New fortifications were in
course of construction on the island between that town
and Kalafat.

On the 3d inst. an order of the day from Omer Pacha
was read in Kalafat to the army. The conduct of the
troops, especial y of the Egyptians, was warmly praised
in it, and the promise given to lead them soon against
the enemy. A similar order was read in Rustchuk.
A letter from Vienna, 18th, says :—" Baron de Mey-
endorff, the Russian Ambassador, has had a conference
with the Minister of Foreign ffairs on the subject of
Servia. It is stated that M.. de Meyendorff had in-
structions for the eventuality of the firman of the Sultan
being publicly read, and he is, it is said, to use all his
influence to bring about an understanding with Austria,
that is to say, a common action of the two powers. The
Servian, Senator Jankowies has not been received by
Baron de Meyendorff."
A letter from Bucharest of the 13th expresses surprise_
at a statement which has appeared in the English, Ger-
man, and French newspapers, to the effect that the hos-
podars of Moldavia and Wallachia have refused the pen-
sion of a thousand ducats a month offered them by the
Russian Government, and have protested against the
administration in the principalities ; and asserts, on the
contrary, that the pension was only granted on the reite-
rated demand of the hospodars, that they receive it
regularly every month, and that they have addressed
their hearty thanks to the Russian Government for it.