The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-22 00:00:00

THE POLICY OF RUSSIA.

(From the Neu, York Herald.)
The lizralide Plisse, received by the Africa, con-
tains a significant article pressing the necessity of
a general congress for the settlement of European
affairs, but more especially for the winding-up of
those of " the sick man." The existence of Turkey
in its actual form in the bosom of Christianity it
contends is impossible, inasmuch as it will prove
periodically an apple of discord among the Euro-

pean Powers.
There is no mistaking the meaning of this inti-
mation. At a moment when all Europe is waiting
with anxious suspense the results of the. Zurich
Conference, and when almost every ono has arrived
at the conclusion that its action in regard to Italy

cannot be final, this tenacious urging of the propo-
sition originally made by Russia, and its avowed
connexion with the future of Turkey, prove that a
change of sovereigns has made no alteration in the
traditional policy of the cabinet of St. Petersburg.
In its concurrence of the schemes of Louis Napo-
leon, in the unqualified sympathy which it expressed
for the cause of Italy, in its equally unqualified de-
nunciations of Austrian misrule, it is now evident
that it had less in view the merits of the questions

:o which it lent its countenance than the advance-

ment of its own particular interests, which it hoped
to promote through the political arrangements
which the expulsion of the Austrians from Italy
might be expected to lead to.
In taking a retrospective glance at the events of
the last half-dozen years, one is struck with the fixed-
ness of purpose and steady determination with which
in despite of all discouragements and repulses, Rus-
sia has been advancing towards the ,realisation of '
the cherished policy of Catherine 11. The conver-
sations of the Emperor Nicholas with Sir flamilton,
Seymour, if they did not disclose the full extent to,
which the designs of the Czar were pushed, at least'
established the fact that no obstacles could divert
the attention of Russian rulers from the accom-

plishment of that policy. After forty years of
peace, with resources and energies mimed and
multiplied, all that Nicholas felt that he required
was the consent of England to ensure it. When
the English Government, jealously watchful of its
own interests in the future, refused to listen to the
persuasions of the Czar, it did not the less prevent
him from making an energetic movement towards
the execution of his projects. He required but a
pretext to enable him to act independently of Eng•
land, and that was afforded him by the question
raised in reference to the custody of the,
Holy Places. The Eastern war is, therefore,
to be regarded rather as one of a long series of
consistent steps towards the fulfilment of an ancient
and well-considered policy, than as a plan origina-
ting with Nicholas and destined to die with him.
When, after the death of the Czar, a termination
was suddenly put to the war by France, greatly to
the annoyance and mortification of England, the
world was puzzled as to the motives by which the
French Emperor was influenced in acting thus in-
dependently of his ally. The interview at Stutt-
gard between Louis Napoleon and Alexander con;
tributcd to mystify men's minds still more as to the
nature of the understanding which had sprung
up between the two monarchs. From the fact
that since that time they have acted cordially
together on all questions of European policy, and,
that in regard to the Italian campaign they entered
into an agreement amounting almost to an offensive
and defensive alliance, we must conclude that
Alexander has been guaranteed a quid pro quo for
the countenance which he lent to French projects
in
Italy.
What the exact nature of the compensa-
tion is we can of course only infer. It will be re-
collected that when the proposition of a Congress
for the settlement of the Italian question was first
made by Russia, we stated that the Court of St.
Petersburg made that suggestion less in the inte-
rest of the Italians than of its own. It was evident
that the revision of the treaties of 1815 must lead
to the reconsideration of those subsequently made,
and this in itself was sufficient to account for the
eagerness which Russia manifested to another Con-
gress convened. The unexpected termination of the
war, without the interference of the neutral
Powers, caused her, if we may judge from the tone
of her organs, the greatest disappointment and
chagrin. The treaty of Villafranca seemed for the
moment to be a deathblow to her hopes, and the
effect was immediately visible in a sudden coldness
towards France and a disposition to renew with
England the old ties of friendship that had for-
merly existed between them.
The obstacles that have since presented them-
selves to the satisfactory settlement of the Italian
question, in the position taken by the populations
of the Duchies, have imparted fresh vitality to the
Russian project of a congress, and we accordingly
find the St. Petersburg organs urging it with an ear-
nestness and vehemency that prove the deep stake
they have in it. It is plain that, pacifically disposed
as he is Alexander is bent upon carrying out the
traditional policy of his predecessors through the
aid of this body. What his father failed to effect
by argument with Sir Hamilton Seymour, he him-
self hopes to carry by discussion with the combined
representatives of his brother sovereigns. To make
Constantinople the southern commercial capital of
his empire, and to increase the already vast area of
his dominions by the European territories of Turkey,
appear to him, no doubt, to be within the possi-
bilities of a skilful diplomacy, fortified by the con-
currence of France. He would do well, however,
to recollect the prudent advice of Prince Metternich,
who used to say that the acquisition of Constan-
tinople would add a fresh thorn to the Crown of
Russia by arraying against the throne all the old
Muscovite nobles, who would look with displeasure
on the transference of the capital to the south.
Russia, however, would not probably attempt this ;
she would strive to make it a great commercial
emporium. There
iis but One disposition of Con-
stantinople which, n our oyinion, would defeat the
ambitious designs of Russia, and at the same time
reconcile the various interests that claim a share in
it, and that is by guaranteeing its independence and
making it a free city, like the Hanse Towns.

At a meeting of the Commercial Bank of Sydney,
at Sydney, on the 12th of July a dividend for the half-year
was declared at the rate of 18 per cent. per annum, absorb-
ing £23,511, an addition of £4,000 was made to the reserve
fund (thus raised to £54,000); and £4,908 was carried for-
ward,

RU-SsIA AND CHI:,
In the section/et Geology and
Michell reacra paper on the Russia,
tral Asia, and
Sir JOHN Bost3raxG said, as this ihiper* 'tad
partly reference to a coiii-iffy—srvit-h—iVhich he had *
been associated. for 10 or 11 years, he would make
an observation or two c the Russian trade with
China. That ;trade Wu. sw about to undergo s-
great change. It has fle,' lied, as as any trade
cculd flourish, under ttr icful influence of trititio-
1301Y- Whether from commercial, political, or other
motives he did pot know, but in view of the great
prospective change alluded to, it was perhaps not
undesirable that the British merchant should anti-
cipate the-state-of things which_ was coming on in
consequence of the late treaties which Russia has
made with China. It should be made known that
Russia, formerly having a monopoly of the inland
trade with-China, was not permitted to tarry on
commerce: with. what were called the -five treaty
ports opened to British trade by Sir H. Pottinger.
Their trade was Confined to a single locality in the
north-western part of China, and the whole of that
trade was in the hands of certain monopolists, who
enjoyed special privileges from the Russian Govern-
ment—enormously to the prejudice of the Chinese
people. It was important to remark that he (Sir J.)
found that Russian manufactures had made their
way peculiarly in China—there were many towns
in which he did not find any English woollens, in
which he found there was a considerable sale for
the weolleus of Muscovy. Now, the section knew
that the cost of woollens in Russia was much-greater
than in Central Europe—Rassia imposing duties,
some of them very elevated. How, then, was the
effect stated produced ? By an extraordinary ukase
of the Russian Emperor, who absolutely prohibited
the sale of Russian goods for Chinese money, or the
purchase of,Chlhese goods in silver; the only instru-
ment of exchange 'in China. Thus.the svhole trade
was, carried on ,by...a system of barter. Therefore, all
that the monopolist had to take care of was to get
an, enormous price for goods introduced by this
vexatious overland communication. Russia fur-
ther protected herself by the prohibition of cheapei
goods' from China. Sea-borne tea was absolutely
prohibited in Russia. It'had been stated that the
tea drunk in Russia was much superior to what :we
find in England ; the simple fact, however, being
that the Russians-paid-about treble as much for tea
in China as British pay. Some years ago, in
the province of Fokein, which produced the 'finest
tea, he got not only a sample, but the priCes at which
the contracts were entered into. From 30 to 40
taels—a tael is an ounce ofsilver—atekcl,ar 13311 b.,
of tea could be bought ; for this quantity the Rus-
siaus paid 100 taels. The reasons were obvious—
the tea had to be transmitted overland several thou-
sand milesand, as -observed before, in order •to
enable the Russians to keep up the high price for
manufactures in China, it was necessary to put
enormously high prices on goods coming. from
thence • hence that tea which could be bought in
England for about- 7s. or Bs. a pound, was abso-
lutely selling
in Russia for 15s. to 255. A pound.
That these facts might excite the attention of his
Imperial Majesty, and also the question which had
been often mooted in Russia, namely, that tea con-
veyed overland lost none of the qualities that re-
commended it, while sea-borne tea does necessarily
lose some of its qualities, he (Sir John) made a
suggestion some years ago of -this character—
that a purchase should be made in the locality
which produced that excellent tea, that half of
it should beeent overlandtheough the monopolists,
giving them all the advantages they possess
from monopoly, and thaetlfeothtr half should be
carried hyf British ships, by which the results as to
the effects of the different modes would be estab-
lished—what the tea'cost which is brought by sea
and by land,'arid what the period in which the tea
can be delivered after going from port to port, and
what the time occupied by this caravan carriage ;
and thirdly, was it true that tea lest anything of
its excellent and sanitary qualities by conveyance
by sea. 'He believed that the , result -would have
shown that the tea loses nothing of its excellent
qualities, but that the delay—au immense delay—
of land cartiage would be prevented, and that Rus-
sian consumers-would have the privilege of drinking
tea for about the third of the present cost. In fact,
there were English houses' disposed to deliver the
tea in Russia at 7s. or Bs. a pound, which in Peters-
burgh and Moscow now cost 20s. per pound. . The
Russians, however, with admirable sagacity, were
using the elements which' have been presented to
them in China with a foresight and anticipation of
future benefits of which by and byo there would be
seen the development. Representing only the in-
terests of peace, they had obtained possession of vast
tracts in Chinese Tartary, and the time was at hand
in which we should have to anticipate the, new
position of Russia. Russia at present was excluded
from the Atlantic and Pacific by.the Dardanelles or
Bosphorus,"and- the -Belt.: Lt. is, impossible that
Russia can make her way there unless on amicable
terms with Turkey, and with the maritime powers.
And descending from the Baltic, the winter came
on and compelled the return of her ships, so that
they cannot go :long voyages, and can only re-
main at sea for a few months until their seas were
closed in by frosts. But now a state of things
was going on which must be regarded with
great interest, though he had no doubt that
matters will be so overruled that the progress of
Russia would be foetid advantageous to British in-
terests. But it.was no less true that we must not
lose sight of what was going on. Russia had
found an outlet for her fleets into the Great
Southern ocean, and possessed, in the Western
Indian region, sonic of the most remarkable and
most secure harbours in the world. It was also
true that Russia was passing down that remarkable
river, the Amoor, towards the south, where large
cities were being established and considerable com-
merce springing up ; and here, he would venture to
say, was a far more promising object for Russia
than Turkey was. He had no wish to enter into
the political bearings of the subject, but in Con-
stantinople, he might say, the views of Russia
might be checked. She was surrounded there by
the representatives of great and jealous nations, and
whatever her plans and purposes might be, they
would be thwarted by greater power and greater
sagacity than her own. But as regarded tie action
of Russia upon China he did not see what was to
stop hor course. Already large cities existed on
the Amoor with thousands and thousands armed
men there, and hundreds and hundreds of settlers,
encouraged by the Government, were drawn " to-
wards the sun," from the less hospitable climate of
Siberia down to the attractive region of the flowery
land. We would have to meet Russia there. When
he was in China, the prohibition and jealousy of
Russia were very strong. Several traders arrived
under the Russian flag, and hoped they should be
able to land their cargoes;: but though the Chinese
were very willing to admit the cargoes, the Ger-
mans, the Panes, the Swedes, the Belgians, and
traders of other countries not having treaties, said
to the Russians, " You shall not come. You have
the privilege of monopolising the caravan trade."
Now, however, Russia was in the field ; but he was
of opinion that, with the knowledge we should soon
acquire, Russia has no chance of competing with
England in the ( hinese market. In the woollen
market, for instance, he did not believe the wool-
lens of Russia could stand for an hour against the
competition of British goods. When the Russian
merchant shall say—You are to pay for these in the
currency of the country, one consequence would be
that the sea-borne tea would get into Russia, and
the result will be that the Russian consumer would
get tea on much lower terms, and the Chinese con-
sumer would get Russian commodities at a much
Lower. rate.

TIIE RIVER PETIT°.
Col. James having exhibited a small plan, prepared
by him, showing the features of the locality where
the late disaster in China took place, and the posi-
tion of the 12 vessels forming the squadron that
attempted to enter the river.
Sir John Bowring said that, in maps and corre-
spondence, the river wa% called the Peiho. No
Chinaman would know it by that name. Peiho
means simply " the river in the north"—any river
to the north of the locality where you may then be.
Tiheensriena. Ho
l namewiosuTldeinliskie ton-h seoa,
ethatis,
correspondence riverthe
nd
of
T
maps corrected on this point.