The Sun.
London, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

RUSSIA.

A letter from St. Petersburg of the 19th
instant, in the Debats, says :—" Since the
departure of the allied squadrons, all the
gun-boats which were built during last year at
Biorneborg have been able to cross over to Abo,
and nearly 200 of them are now there. After the
loss of Bomarsund, it has been found neer ssary to
give more attention to Abo, which is thought to be
in a state to replace that fortress: Since the pre-
sent war such new experiments have been made in
the art of fortifications, and the prompt fall of Bo-
marsund has raised such serious doubts as to the
resistance which an isolated fortress can offer to
the present moans of attack, that the old plan of
establishing an advanced post ou the islands of
Aland has, it is said, been given up, and a fortress
will be built in its stead on the coast of Finland.
Abo would doubtless be the best point for that ob-
ject, particularly if there be comprised in the for-
tified line the small islands close to the shore, and
which prevent the approach to it at the same time
' as they bar the passage into the Gulf of Bothnia.
It would be a great error to suppose that Russia
has renounced the idea of making herself one of
Ithe great maritime Powers. The construction of
vessels is going on with great activity at Arch-
angel and at Nicolaieff, and if the present war
should completely close the Black Sea to Russia,
the greatest efforts .would be made to create a for-
midable navy in the north."
Another letter from St. Petersburg of the same
date, iu the Constitutionmel, says :—" I have al-
ready given you a correct version of what took
place on the 16th at the winter palace. Others may
perhaps embellish the recital and tell you that the
Emperor Alexander 11. summoned to him on that
day his privy councillors Prince Menschikoff, Or-
loff, Count do IN esselrode, and the Grand Dukes,
but any statement of that kind you may consider
as apocryphal ; the Emperor sent for no one, ex-
cept the Count de Nesselrode, M. de Semawine,
and M. de Fenton, and he only sent for them to
make known hia irrevocable decision, and to order
them to transmit it to Vienna and to Count Valen-
tine Esterhazy. In such circumstances, it may be
well understood that there was no advice to be
given and still less any discussion to enter into.
The Sovereign gave a formal order ; the great dig-
nitaries of his empire bowed the head and obeyed,
and that was all they had to do. As to the
members of the Imperial family, they knew
nothing of the affair before the personages I have
just mentioned. But lam wrong to say so, as one
alone, the Empress Maria, knew beforehand of the
decision of her august consort, and that was very
natural, since it was owing in a great measure to
her influence that the decision was come to. In
addition to the recommendations of her Majesty,
Prince Gortschakoff was constantly sending de-
spatches of the most alarming character, and which
invariably terminated with such phrases as this :
I foresee the most serious complications for us if
we continue the war ; I entreat your Majesty to
adhere to the conditions proposed ; the whole of
Europe declares against Russia.' What could the
Czar do in the face of such manifestations ? Russia
has, doubtless, too long entertained a belief that
Germany, without being ostensibly with her, would
remain in a state .of neutrality propitious to her
designs. The speech of the Emperor of the French,
however, soon dissipated that illusion, and placed
the real state of affairs in its proper point of view.
Germany had nothing to gain by the continuance of
the war, but on the contrary had much to lose, for
the war disturbed the balance of power in Europe,
checked commerce, and might from the very fore of
circumstances suddenly change its scene of action,
and, becoming general, advance towards the centre
of Europe. Hanover, Saxony, Bavaria, and A ustres,
either together or separately, appealed to the gene-
rous sentiments of the Emperor of Russia, and the
latter was able to comprehend that his refusal
would put au end to all the sympathy of those
nations for him, would isolate Russia, and compel
her to return within her natural limits. The pre-
sent Czar is a u intelligent man, and he cJtnpre
headed this immense danger. Besides—and I
cannot too often repeat this fact—he has, in ad, i-
tion to the political tact which is one of the d s-
tinctions of his character, a most excellent heart.
All reasonable men are unanimous in the conviction
that his humaue feelings strongly influenced his late
decision. You will find the traces of this kindness
in all the acts of the Ruperur, whether public or
private. Tin) Czar has always been badly informed
on affairs touching the internal interests of his em-
pire ; and as to his ignorance of external matter,,,
I can give you the following as a. proof of it, vouch-
ing for the authenticity of what 1 write :—Baron do
Seebach, as I have already told yogi, is oh the best
terms with all the members of the Imperial family.
lle was much liked by the late Emperor, and was, I
believe, a schoolfellow of the present possessor of
the throne ; at • all events the latter has always
shown him the most marked attention. As soon,
therefore, as M. de Seebach arrived here in Decem-
ber last, the Emperor received him, and expressed
to him his gratitude for the friendly attention
which lie had paid to I useaninterests at Paris.
After an iuterchange of the' most affectionate senti-
ments, the Czar naturally brought on the tapis the
question of the conflict between Russia and the
Western Powers, and said in the moat serious man-
ner, The war is popular in Russia ; the nobility,
the clergy, and the people desire it, and I therefore
cannot discontinue it,. however strongly I may feel
in favour of peace. Besides, I know that France
and England have been compelled to make so many
sacrifices to support the war that their resources
are exhausted, and neither one nor the other of
those Powers can, next spring, furnish an army and
a fleet sufficiently strong to force me to submit to
peace on the conditions which are now proposed
to me.' Ido not guarantee the exact words made
use of by the Emperor, but such certainly was his
deep-rooted conviction, and so strongly was he im-
pressed with the idea that it required all the elo-
quence of M. do Seebach, and two or three long
conferences in which the most indisputable facts
were brought forward by him, to make the Czar
comprehend that in this particular he was corer
pletely in error—that France and Eigl .n 1, far
from being exhausted, were at this moment pre-
paring the most formidable armaments, that. their
sacrifices had barely commenced, and that if th .7
wanted money the people of those two countries
were ready to offer their wealth and all their able-
bodied men, so strong is the feeling of patriotism
in both countries. It may be thus, seen how truly
the Restowzoffs, the Orloffs, and their satellites
have represented matters to their Sovereign." The
same letter adds :—" The cholera, which has never
entirely left us, has again, I regret to say, increased
in violence, and a number of fatal cases have lately
occurred here."