The Sun.
London, England, 1860-06-13 00:00:00

211 E EASTERN QUESTION.

The IVord of yesterday publishes the following
circular, which has been addressed by Prince Gorts-
chakoff to the Russian Legations abroad :

" St. Petersburg, May 20.
" The attention which the discussions upon the
condition of the East have excited throughout
Europe make us desirous of freeing from all error
and false or exaggerated interpretationu the part
which the Imperial Cabinet has taken, and the
object which it proposes to itself in this matter.,
"For more than a year the official reptes of our
agents in Turkey have made us acquainted with
the increasingly serious condition of the Christian
provinces under the rule of the Porte, and espe-
cially of Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Bulgaria. This
condition does not date from to-day ' • but far from
getting better, as we hoped, it has become worse
during the last few years. The Christian subjects
of his Majesty the Sultan received with confidence
and gratitude the positive promises of reforms, but
they are yet waiting the practical realisation of a
hope which the solet.on action of the Sovereign and
the adhesion of Europe had doubly consecrated.
Popular passions and hatreds, far from becoming
appeased, have acqUired new animosity ; acts of
violence, the sufferings of the populations, and
finally the events which liave occurred in the 'west
of Europe and which have resounded throughout
the East as an encouragement and a hope, have
ended in producing agitation. It is clear that such
a state of things cannot be prolonged without peril
to the Ottoman empire and to the general peace.
" In this conviction, after having, on the one
hand, vainly sought to enlighten the _Turkish Go-
vernment on the gravity of the circumstances, by
communicating to it successively all the accounts
which have made known to us the abuses commit-
ted by local authorities, and after having, on the
other hand, exhausted all moans of persuasion that
we could use among the Christians in order to in-
duce them to patience, we have frankly and loyally
addressed ourselves to the Cabinets of the great
Powers of Europe. We have explained to them
the circumstances, as described in the reports of
our agents ; the imminence of a crisis ; our convic
tion that isolated representations, sterile or pallia-
tive promises, will no longer suffice as a preventive;
and also the necessity of an understanding of the
great Powers amongst themselves and with the
Porte, that they will consult together as to the
measures which can alone put an end to this dan-
gerous state of things. We have not made absolute
propositions as to the course to be adopted. We
have confined ourselves to showing the urgency and
indicating the object. As to the first, we have not
concealed the fact that it appears to us to admit of
no doubt and allow of no delay. As to the second,
it seems to us to present two distinct phases;
" First of all, an immediate local inquiry, with
the participation of Imperial delegates, in order to
verify the reality of the facts ; next, an understand-
ing Which it is reserved for the great Powers to
establish with each other and with the Porte, in
order to engage it to adopt the necessary organic
measures for bringing about, in its relations with
the Christian populations of the empire, a real,
serious, and durable amelioration.

" There is nothing here, then, in the shape of an
interference wounding to the dignity of the Porte.
We do not suspect its intentions ; it is the power
most interested in a departure from the present
situation. Be it the result of blindness, tolerance,
or feebleness, the concurrence of Europe cannot but
be useful to the Porte, whether to enlighten its
judgment or to fortify its action. There can no
longer be a question of an attack on its rights, which
we desire to see respected, or of creating complica-
tions wnicn It Is our wish to prevent. The under-
standing which we wished to see established between
the great powers and the Turkish Government
must be to the Christians a proof that their fate is
taken into consideration, and that we are seriously
occupied in ameliorating it. At the same time it will
be to the Porte a certain pledge of the friendly in-
tentions of the powers which have placed the con•
servation of the Ottoman empire amongst the
essential conditions of the European equilibrium.
Thus both sides ought to see in it a motive, the
Turkish Government for confidence and security,
the Christians for patienee and hope. Europe, on
its part, after past experience, will not, in our
opinion, find elsewhere than in this moral action
the guarantees which a question of first rank demands,
with which its tranquillity is indissolubly con-
nected, and in which the interests of humanity mingle
with those of policy. Our august master has never
disavowed the strong sympathy with which the
former inspired him. His Majesty desires not to
burden his conscience with the reproach of having
remained silent in the face of such sufferings, when
so many voices are raised elsewhere, under cir-
cumstances much less imperious. We are, more-
over, profoundly convinced that this order of ideas
is .inseparable from the political interest which
Russia, like all the other Powers, has in the main-
tenance of the Ottoman empire.
" We trust that these views are shared by all
the cabinets. But we are also convinced that the
time for illusions is past, that any hesitation—any
adjournment—will have grave consequences. In
combining with all our efforts to place the Ottoman
Government in a course which may avert these
eventualities, we believe that we are giving it a
proof of our solicitude, while at the same time we
fulfil a duty to humanity.
" By inviting the great Powers to associate them-
selves with us for this object, we are, we believe,
removing all possibility of exclusive views or exclu-
sive interference. Such is the nature of the over-
tures which we have addressed to the Courts of
Berlin, London, Paris, and Vienna. Whatever may
be the result, we are desirous that the motives
which have actuated us in this matter should be
thoroughly understood. You are, therefore, authq-
rised by the order of his Majesty the Emperor to
read this despatch to the Minister of Foreign
Affairs.—Receive, &c.,
(Signed)

ig OORTSCHAKoFF."

WSPAPI.''R
1?./L iL4
7:10x FLOW '
F lolal Hali adjolskii4;
Opeire-,
r-,samed
eery respekit
contains an exhi?:fition flo-.vet as. effective- in its
coup-trout as it is ,noi-;,,!` pleasing in its arraegr
meut. Mr. GFe. ba3 noL L4ing ht the aid of flowers
cultivated at etionuoiLi oA,:pen,;, solelyfur the pun.
pose of competition, but has striven to show Low
much may be done in the we of producing great
effeets with flowers of au everyday description, and
such - reach_ of even. the hunablert
.o.lqsses. as t he public have been
accustometTl. ~er son years past have been foriadd
of the most expensive products oft he horticulturist ;
the feeling excited by them is that of surprise at
the marvels of blossoms, and, except to those who
possess extraordinaryappliances, a conviction of the
utter hopelessness of producing similar result. Tthe
flower shows of Chisi,vick and of the Crystal Palace
were elegant Inxuries, grand fetes, worthy of the
high feast days of the goddess Flora. The ticks-
Floral Hall is intended to keep More the public a
coUstant, supply of flowers of all descr;ptions—to be
a central mart where rich and poor may admire and
purchase, from the humble put of odorous musk,
fragrant mignionette, or flowering geranium, to the
most recherche of plants, and the most elegant and
luxurious of exotics. The only spot in London for
the sale of flowers is a portion of Covent-garden
market, without the slightest pretension to orna-
ment or decoration, and exposed to all weathers—a
few irregular stands jostling with waggon loads of
cabbages,_ where huge bags of potatoes contrast wit h
elegant bouquets, and eauliflowcrs divide the atten-
tion with roses and myrtles. It is high time that
something better than this were done for the
hitherto neglected flowers. Pads can boast its
"Salles" in various parts of the city, and Londoners
are under great obligations, which we hope they
will not forget to repay, to Mr. Gye for giving them
a hall which it is somewhat consolatory to knew is
not surpassed by anything which the Parisians
possess.

The new Floral Hall has alr3ady been inaugu-
.ratcd by the Volunteer fete to Mars, by several
codeigts.ito Thalia, and to Flora it was eedicatpd
list night; the Queen and the Prince Consort, the
IC.ing of the Belgians, and the Princess Alice assist-
ing at the ceremony. A more charming sight has not
been seen for years past than was afforded by this ex-
hibition of flowers. At the Bow-street end of the hall
there is a stage rising to the height of some 40 feet,
extending nearly the whole width of the hall, bor-
dered with light drapery and gold moulding, and
the whole covered with small-size pots of white and
crimson stocks, mignionette, and musk. They are
arranged in broad alternate rows extending from
the top to the bottom; presenting the appearance of
stripes of colour, each contrasting with the other—
a carpet of flowers. There is a broad stripe of
crimson stocks in the centre, a somewhat narrower
one on each side of pale yellowish green of the
musk, again stripes of crimson, and then the
COQI green of the mignionette, and so on to each
side, and the whole has a delicate border of
white stocks. The perfume from this surface of
flowers "is exquisite. In the centre of the hall there
is a towering circular pyramidical stand, forty feet
high, filled with flowers, arranged in a similar
manner. The pots here are the yellow calceolarii
and rose-pink geraniums. The roses gradually di-
minish in width to the summit of this striped mass
of flowers, where they centre in a single plant. At
the extreme end, and resting against the wall, are
similar graduated stands, but semicircular in their
form.. The larger and central one is a conical
mountain of scarlet geraniums the flowers and leaves
contrasting beautifully together, producing a mag-
nificent effect. On each side are smaller mountains
Of hydrangeas, the delicate pink and peach colour of
the blossoms of which are thrown up by dark green
drapery on the walls. In front of these there is a
circular mound, formed entirely of bouquets of cut
flowers, several hundreds being required to fill the
various stages. On each side of the hall are placed
rhododendrons, azaleas, roses, fuchsias, heaths, and
a variety of flowers in blossom, and in stands along
the centre a fine collection of orchids ann plants of
rare and curious foliage. There are nearly twenty
thousand pots of geraniums,_ mignionette, musk,
and stocks, employed in constructing the pyramid
and carpet of flowers, the 'greater proportion of
which have been purchased by Mr. Gye. The
other flowers are sent by exhibitors. Mr.
Noble and Mr. Standish, of Box-hill, and Mr.
Baker, of Bagshot, have sent in a fine collec-
tion of American plants and azaleas ; Mr. Jack-
son, of Kingston, some. extremely beautiful
azaleas ; Lady Bathurst and several others of the
nobility have in the kindest manner directed their
gardeners to send from their conservatories some
"contributions to the exhibition ; Mr. Lane, of Hert-
ford, supplies seine of his charming roses ; Mr.
Rawlinson a miscellaneous collection of plants ;
Messrs. Veitch ana Son have sent, among other
things. some magnificent bay trees in boxes ; Mr.
Henderson, of Norwood, has some very fine plants
of foliage. -There are numerous other contributors
who have lent valuable assistance by contributing
to this most successful exhibition of flowers.
'rho decorations of the hall are the same as at the
time of the Volunteer Ball. Garlands of roses cross
and recross each other from the vaulted roof, and
swing from the columns and girders in profusion.
The exhibition will be open to the public to-day
and to-morrow, and a similar private view to that
of last night will be afforded on Thursday evening,
visitors to the opera having the privilege of entree
after the close of the performance of Fra
Diavola. We trust that Mr. Gye will have one or
two shilling days after Thursday. There are thou-
sands who will appreciate his tasteful arrangements,
and be gratified by the exhibition, who are not fre-
quenters of the Opera, and who would regard the
higher rate of admission as beyond their means.
Her Majesty and the Royal party, who were pre-
sent at the opera, expressed themselves highly
pleased with the arrangements of the Floral Hall,
and complimented Mr. Gye on the taste which had
been displayed in the arrangement.