The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-28 00:00:00

THE Sr RIAN QUESTION.

The following is the Russian despatch on the
evacuation of Syria, already indicated by tele-

gram :

" To HIS EXCELLENCY COUNT KISSELEFF.

" St. Petersburg, May 14.
" Count,—ln proportion as the term fixed for
the evacuation of Syria approaches its expiration,
e cannot but view that eventuality with increas-
ing apprehensi3n. Your Excellency was requested
at the last conference at Paris to express the con-
viction of his Majesty the Emperor that the prema-
ture cessation of the occupation, before a definitive
organisation and the instalment of a regular power
had replaced the guarantees acquired for the Chris-
tians by the presence of the European troops, would
entail calamities which the great Powers ought
seriously to take into consideration in the interest
of humanity and in that of their own dignity.
We state with regret that none of the events
which have since happened, or the accounts which
have reached us, are of a nature to dissipate
those fears. We see them even shared by foreigners
of all countries resident in Syria, whose interest
and whose very existence are at stake, and who have
attested the unanimity of their wishes by a petition
addressed, in the most pressing terms, to the great
Powers of Europe. Be so good, Count, as to discuss
this subject with the representatives of the Cabinets
who shared in the last deliberations. We believe
we should be wanting in duty if we did not call
their attention to the dangers which would fol-
low a recall of the troops if it were to take place
precisely on the day
.fixed without any regard
s
and
to t h
lee ea rviitni cga l
u int
funaltfii situatione
dm
all w hi
thee h Spyr re
no ua would
ry bee left,
n nd
tions, which, in our opinion, should have supplied
the place of the guarantees of which the Christian
populations will see themselves suddenly deprived
by the departure of the troops which received from
Europe the mission of providing for their safety.
In such a case it only remains to us formally to de-
cline, as we have already done, all responsibility as
to the results of a determination, the consequences
of which we have foreseen and indicated. Your Ex-
cellency is invited by order of our august master to
allow no doubt to exist on this head in the minds of
your colleagues.

" Receive, Count, &c.,
" GORTSCHAKOFF."

LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.—The
directors of this railway hs,ye just issued a report, to be sub-
mitted to a special meeting of the proprietors on the 30th
inst., relating to the measures which they propose with
reference to the branch lines to Epsom and Chard. They
recommend that the proprietors should authorise them to
effect the entire absorption of this branch into the com-
pany's system. After stating that they had for some time
been desirous of buying up the remaining stock in the
Epsom Company, and thus ending all differences by an
amalgamation, and that they have made a provisional ar-
rangement for this purpose with the Epsom board, they
say, " The general features of the arrangement are, that
this company is to pay off the holders of the £40,000 origi-
nal ordinary capital of the Epsom Company by issuing to
them so much of the 4} per-cent. preferential stock of this
company as will produce to those holders 31 per cent. per
annum for the first four years, and afterwards 4 per cent.
per annum on their stock ; and is also to provide, not ex-
ceeding £25,000, for the liquidation of the expenditure and
liabilities of the Epsom Company beyond its original share
and loan capital of £93,000. This company will thus be-
come owners of all the stock of the Epsom Company and
liable also for its debenture debt of £23,000, and will, iX
fact, be pArchapere et the entire widertakipg."