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

AFFAIRS OF THE LEVANT.

(From the Daily ems.)
Eas!ern difficulties spring up as fast, and even
faster, than negotiation can settle them. The affairs
of Montenegro and of Canclia have scarcely been
smoothed and put in a way of arrangement, than
another and a more serious event otartles 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 the dominions of the Sultan under a general
European guarantee, and yet at such a moment and
with such a negotiat on 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-
tia4. On the score of contiguity, and of the danger
arising to absolute Governments from turbulence or
agitation on their frontiers, Russia not only marched
armies, whenever it pleased, over the Piuth, but
obtained the forced consent of the Porte to its doing
so. It was this which produced the war ; and thei
war, if it have any remit, must have that of finally
putting an end to such agreements. The Powers
undertake to supersede Russian action upan Turkey
by a genet al 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 ject 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 menacinc, a neighbour to Turkey as
Russia could be. Up to 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 Cana of Vienna,
that Austria, as the weaker Power, rillied 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

Mr. WARREN considered the legi-lature ought not I naval Power in the Euxine. Austria 'not only
' to interfere in matters of this kind. Lord Mansfield was considers herself the exclusive patron of Bosnia and
the illustrious f ennderof the mercantile law in one of its Servia, but dictates her will in Bucharest itself.
great aspects, and that learned authority said the neer- The agents of Austria predominate England
cantile law fl iurished most when it was not interfered er
with by the State, but whenit was leis alone to deal having put herself under the wing of Count Buol.
Ail this is but a m!re shifting of danger, a change
with matters connected with its own welfare. He had
,
a fundamental objection to the principle of the bill. He of preponderance, a substitution of one de potism
believed the unexpected but sure effect of the bill would and military power for another in the affairs of the
be to drive capital outof trade. Money was advanced by Levant.
. capisalists to a great ex ent to traders fer the double o' ject England and France have one interest in their
of increasing the means and furthering the interests of dealings with Turkey, and that is to prevent that
those to whom the capital was advanced, but this bill empire or its provinces from becoming the prey of
would prevent its continuance, and the effect would be either of its great neighbours. Austria and Russia
to cripple trade by diverting the salubrious
stream of capital from the channels of corn-have precisely contrary interests. Both wish to
merce. This bill, if carried, would d:sturb exist- 'encroach; both wish to extend their empire and
ing partnerships. It would inflict loss on the influence, and both further their views, now by
mist sober and small enterprising traders, and prevent intrigues wi.h the Christian, now by ascendancy
their becoming legitimately large traders, at the Porte. Both have the interest of keeping,
Mr. M. T. BAINE3 supported the bill. The objet- as far as they are able, the Western Powers from
tions that bad been made to it were more of detail than meddling with the provinces and the people they
of principle. He considered one of the leading effects el hope to influence and annex ; and they save ad-
the bill would be to check fictitious trading and fal4e mirably attained this end by the clause of the
credit, and these were the persons who mostly Treaty which prevents all armed vessels from en-
' dreaded the passing of this measure. There could be taring the Black Sea. England has thus been in-
no harm in empelling firms to give in formation under duced to trust to Austria as the guerdien of those
this bill they were compelled to give on pleas of abate- provinces against Russia, forgetting that such
=ant, after putting the creditor a great and unnecessary Powers can agree at any moment for their own
expense, mutual profit, and for the discomfiture and exclu-
Mr. WEGUELLIN bad a strong objection to the sion of the Status of the West.
principle and, the details of the bill. Parliament
might. not to re ul t o ere' l transactions What is most suspicious in the conduct of Austria
but it should beg a eenti e rel • remlefcla to individual; is its throwing obstructions in the way of the Paris
themselves to pertly!). He t'oyougAt it was impossible Conference comingto any conclusion respecting the
to separate the details of the bill from its principle. He Danubian Principalities. Austria has evidently as
• denied that business was carried on under false pre- little desire as Russia to see Danubian questions
tents,,
for tradesmen trusted only those they settled under the common consent of Europe. Cotnit
know. (Hear, hear.) The public were mostly Buol has acted all along with England in this
interested in knowing who left a firm, and not question. But England, although opposing the
who joined it because the former generally' took their
Union and insisting on Hospodare, cannot, with
capital with them, ard that information spr ividei
for by its announcement in the Gaeate under the head of any degree of consistency, propose the abolition of
dissolations of partnership. conststutional government. Austria opposes the
Mr. SPOONER concurred with much that had been thing and the name, and is not satisfied until Molele-
said sabout the details and machinery of the bill, but the Wallachia be assimilated to Hungary. Owing to
question before the house was whether or not they this, as well as for other reasons, the Congress of
should recognise the principle that a person who gave Paris has made no progress ; and this last affair of
credit should have the means of ascertaining to whom Bosnia, for which Sir Henry Believer has been
he wag giving credit. He agreed with the principle of- hastened to Vienna, -has, we may-say, given the
the bill, but he disagreed with many of its details. He coup de grace to the Conferences.
suggested to the noble lord not to press his bill th's It was whispered some fortnight back that the
session, for no one would be disposed to go into a corn- Diplomatists of the Conferences had taken a great
inittee.room, in the present state of the Thames—(hear) step towards the settlement of what they were en-
-and hear evidence, and enter into a discussion that gaged in. Embroidering, or exaggerating, or leap-
must last for weeks or months—(Lear, hear)—before they
i bto a conclusionie , upon this theme, the Patric,
could get sufficient practical information on which to
Countn W ws 1. saper, announced that the ques-
fcnud a practical bill. : : l„f tion of the union_ was decided in the negative.
Mr. CARD WELL said publicity was the principle The_ Conference,_ however, has not even yet gone
the bill. Secrecy was no part of free-trade, and was no
ornament to commerce. The objections that had been so far. For as the affirmation of the Union could
railed to the bill ought not to find favour in that house. not take place without considering what prince
He, however, concurred in the suggestion that it was would be chosen, so the Hospodorare cannot be
desirable there should be delay in order to ascertain rd-established without deciding the constitution
whether the commercial community of the country were and the mode cf election that are to accempany it.
ready to adopt or reject the principle and details of the The discussion in the Conference on these ques-
measure. He should support the second reading of the tions assumed at one time, it is said, a very serious
bill if his noble friend passed his motion. f amt. When England, supported by Austria and
Mr. HENLEY considered the house and the country Turkey, proposed its plans, the reply of France was,
bad not sufficient information on which to deal with the
that this experiment had already been made of old,
measure before them. He was not prepared to ask the
and ,hadepro' duced its results; and that if it was
house to affirm or repeal it until they had had an hives-
tlgation into the subject by a geramittee of the house. noel arropoeed to repeat the experiment, France
Mr. GURNEY opposed the bill. would' not oppose, but at the same time it would
Mr. HORSFALL agreed to the principle of the bill, not approve, or by so approving take upon itself
but objected altogether to the details. the responsibility of a system which it knew must
Colonel PATTEN said that though his name was on fed, and lead to great disasters. If France and
the back of the bill he hoped. the second reading would
not be passed at
of
late a period of the session, as thereabrogation
Russia persisted in holding this language, it wo!.ild
we need not say, amount to a complete
W4B no chaeee
After some reoe!aoraksenfergomit this year. of the Treaty of Paris,. two of the chef powers
The bill was
a sweiltehe,tl reaow , Lord GonsaicH. .
next year by
.with a view to inquiry early
committee. withdrawing from its priucipal stipulation. Had
The motion and amenadmenti were witUrawn, and the Lord Palmerston kemained in
order for the second reading would have Len the issue of powerthe e Enuf:lrtepureo.6bs_ab'ya
the bill was discharged.total.
ELECTION COMMITT o
EES SCRUTINY BILL, breath—England and Austria guaranteeing
the integrity of Turkey, and .France and Russia
On the motion for the second reading cf this bill
Mr. S. WARREN moved the
second time this day six months. The present administ. ation is, however, not so
Mr. LOCKE supported the bill, unreservedly Austrian as the last, and evidently
After some remarks from Mr. Barrow,aims at bringing the Courts of the Tuileries
Mr.Steuart, and Vienna to something Steoa of an accord. This is
and Mr, Walpole, z.,
Mr. COLLINS, who introSuced the bill, asked the a , difficult, and, we believe, an impossible
t
house to affirm its principle this session, and send it to And, indeed, it is apparently under
a select-committee as early next session as possible,
tla:ekidea that shs is losing the unqualifi d adhesic n
• Mr. WMAHON said the object of the bill was to of England that Austria has gone upon her own
hook. r
to conclude these unfortunate hole-and-corn e
prevent scrutiny, or a break of residence after the, 3let
July, and as that-was the law of Ireland, be saw no oh tiic
ra°;,:ieas. with Turkey for the military occupation o'
jeotion to its being applied in England. As bit by bit 1
reform legislation was the object cf the day, he saw no Ira? such an inextricable labyrinth has our policy
reason why the bill should not be passed this-session. lc _b -en led -by want of a straightforward, resolute