The Sun.
London, England, 1858-06-24 00:00:00

AFFAIRS OF THE LEVANT.

(From the Daily Aces.)
Eastern difficulties spring up as fast, and even
faster, than negotiation can settle them. The affairs
of Montenegro and of Candia have scarcely been
smoothed and put in a way of arrangement, than
another and a more serious event startles Diplo-
macy, and promises to interrupt the Conferences
of Paris. These Conferences were actually taking
place for the desired and avowed purpose of plac-
ing On dominious of the Sultan under a general
European guarantee, and yet at such a moment and .
with such a negotiation pending in Paris, Turkey
and Austria have concluded a separate agreement
and alliance, by which the latter Power engages to
send forces to Bosnia in case of any insurrection in
that province.
This is the old case of Russia and the Principali-
ties. On the score of contiguity, and of the danger
arising to absolute Governments from turbulence or
agitation on their fro utiers, Russia not only marched
armies, whenever it pleased, over the Pruth, but
obtained the forced consent of the Porte to its doing
so. It was this which produced the war ; and the
war, if it have any result, must have that of finally
putting an end to such agreements. The Powers
undertake to supersede Russian action upon Turkey
by a general and preconcerted action ; and yet in
the very teeth of this law, which it sought to esta-
blish, Austria has concluded a separate agreement
with Turkey for the contingent occupation of
Bc snia.
The fact is that Austria is now very openly play-
ing the same game which Russia did of old.
Austria guides the acts, and directs the councils of
the Porte ; demands and obtains the liberty of
interfering in its name in those provinces, which it
finally hopes to appropriate. Bosnia is just as
much an object of Austrian ambition as Moldavia
is of Russian ; and catering to the one is just as
impolitic and unjust as catering to the other.
Austria is as menacing a neighbour to Turkey as
Russia could be. Up t )1857, indeed, the power of
Russia was so preponderant, owing to her fleet in the
Black Sea, and to the prestige accruing to her from
having recovered Hungary for the Court of Vienna,
that Austria, as the weaker Power, rallied to the
Porte, and carried on its resistance to Russia under
Turkish ensigns, as it were, and in the Turkish
cause. But since the war Russia has ceased to be a
naval Power in the Euxine. Austria not only
considers herself the exclusive patron of Bosnia and
Servia, but dictates her will in Bucharest itself.
The agents of Austria predominate, England
having put herself under the wing of Count Buol.
All this is but a mere shifting of danger, a change
of preponderance, a substitution of one despotism
and military power for another in the affairs of the
Levant.
England and France have one interest in their
dealings with Turkey, and that is to prevent that
empire or its provinces from becoming the prey of
either of its great neighbours. Austria and Russia
have precisely contrary interests. Both wish to
encroach ; both wish to extend their empire and
influence, and both further their views, now by
intrigues with the Christian, now by ascendancy
h.vo the interest of keepinr,
as far as they are able, the Western Powers truul
meddling with the provinces and the people they
hope to influence and annex ; and they gave ad-
mirably attained this end by the clause of the
Treaty which prevents all armed vessels from en-
tering the Black Sea. England has thus been in-
duced to trust to Austria as the guardian of those
provinces against Russia, forgetting that such
Powers can agree at any moment for their own
mutual profit, and for the discomfiture and exclu-
sion of the States of the West.
What is most suspicious in the conduct of Austria
is its throwing obstructions in the way of the Paris
Conference comingito any conclusion respecting the
Danubian Principalities. Austria has evidently as
little desire as Russia to see Danubian questions
settled under the common conserat of Europe. Count
Buol has acted all along with England in this
question. But England, although opposing the
Union and insisting on Hospoders, cannot, with
any degree of consistency, propose the abolition of
conststueional government. Austria opposes the
thing and the name, and is not satisfied until Moldo-
Wallachia be assimilated to Hungary. Owing to
this, as well as for other reasons, the Congress of
Paris has made no progress ; and this last affair of
Bosnia, for which Sir Henry Bulwer has been
hastened to Vienna, has, we may say, given the
coup de grace to the Conferences.
It was whispered some fortnight bask that the
Diplomatists of the Conferences had taken a great
step towards the settlement Of what they were en-
, gaged in. Embroidering, or exaggerating, or leap-
ing to a conclusion upon this theme, the Patric,
Count Waleweki's paper, announced that the ques-
tion of the union was decided in the negative.
The Conference, however, has not even yet gone
so far. For as the affirmation of the Union could
not take place without considering what prince
would be chosen, so th 3 HO3P odora4e cannot be
re-established without deciding the constitution
and the mode of election that are to accompany it.
The discussion in the Conference ou these ques-
tions assumed at one said,time,iirtoirsttd
by
Ai
a ttia and
verys serious
form. When England, supported
Turkey, proposed its plans, the reply of France was,
that this experiment had already been madeofolrl
and had produced its results; and that if it was
now proposed to repeat the experiment, France
would not oppose, but at the same time it would
not approve, or by so approving take upon itself
the responsibility of a system which it knew must
fail, and lead to great disastere. If France and
Russia persisted iu holding this language, it would
we need not say, amount to a complete abrogation
of the Treaty of Paris, two of the chef powers
withdrawing, from its principal stipulation. Had
Lord Palmerston remained in power such proliab'y
would hive teen the issue cf the C arferences— a
total breaeh—England and Austria guaranteeeig
the integrity of Turkey, and France and Russia
altogether withdrawing from that engagement.
The present admiuist ation is, however, not so
unreservedly Austrian as the last, and evPently
aims at bringing the Courts of the Tuileries
and Vienna to something of an accord. This is
a difficult, and, we believe, an impossible
task. And, indeed, it is apparently under
the idea that she is losing the unqualified adhesicn
of England that Austria has gone upon her own
hook to conclude these unfortunate hole-and-corner
treaties with Turkey for the military occupation o'
Bosnia.

Into such an inextricable labyrinth has our policy
been lea by want of A atmightforwatd, resolute