The Sun.
London, England, 1861-08-26 00:00:00

CO.RRESPOADENCE UPON FOREIGN

AFFAIRS,

A batch of papers relating to the action of the
Foreign-office, presented to Parliament by her Ma-
jesty, were issued by the Parliamentary printers on
Saturday last,
Despatches relating to administrative and finan
cial reforms in Turkey, 1858-61, occupy 116 pages.
Amongst them is the following from Earl Russell to
Sir H. Bulwer, dated the 4th ult.:-
4 " LORD J. RUSSELL TO SIR H. BULWER.

" Foreign-office, July 4, 1861.
" Sir,—The accession of a new Sultan appears to
her Majesty's Government to furnish a fit occasion
for the Turkish Government to make a vigorous
effort to relieve the empire from that financial em-
barrassment to which all the enemies of the Porte
have pointed as the sure and proximate cause of the
fall of the Ottoman power.
" Yet there are ample means in Turkey for falsi-
fying this prediction.
.The empire has provinces of
great fertility, and is inhabited by races some of
which have industry and a genius for trade, while
others furnish hardy and obedient soldiers, the fit
materials for a strong and faithful army.
"Integrity, order, energy, and impartial justice,
would soon redress the most flagrant evils; eco.
nomy would in a few months furnish a surplus
beyond the ordinary expenditure.
" Upon these means her Majesty's Government
are convinced Sultan Azis ought to rely. Her Ma-
jesty's Government would consider they were faith-
less friends to the Porte if they held out any pro-
spect of the guarantee of a loan. It would be pour-
ing water into a cask with a hole in its bottom.
But when order and economy with publicity of
accounts shall have restored confidence to capita-
lists, the Sultan will find that the credit of his
Government will stand as high as that of any State
on the continent of Europe.

Lord Hobart and Mr. Foster will, I trust, before
long be able to furnish you with an authentic re-
port on the State of the Turkish finances.
" With that report in your hands, your excel-
lency will be abla to give proofs to the Porte of that
sincere friendship which animates her Majesty's Go-
vernment, and which is es far apart from flattery as
it is from hostility or indifference. It is the anxious
desire of her Majesty's Government to see the Otto-
man race combine with its ancient virtues of cou-
rage and fidelity the improvements and the acts
which modern civilisation has spread over Europe.
—I am, &c.,

(Signed) " J. RUSSELL."
Papers relating to the annexation of Eastern
Sin Domingo to Spain include the following expres-
sion of opinion on the part of our Foreign Minister :

" LORD J. RUSSELL TO MR. EDWARDES.

" Foreign-office, May 14, 1861.
" It is for the Spanish Government to weigh in
the balance of their judgment the advantages and
inconveniences which may arise from the annexa-
tion of the territory of the Dominican State to the
dominions of Spain, and any opinion which her
Majesty's Government may form on the subject
can be founded on no other consideration than a
regard for what they may look upon as the real and.
permanent interests of Spain.
" Her Majesty's Government would, no doubt,
have felt a strong and decided dissatisfaction at the
proposed annexation if it had been likely to lead to
the introduction of slavery into a community which
is free from the taint of that pernicious institution ;
but the formal and repeated declarations of Marshal
O'Donnell that under no circumstances will slavery
be introduced into the Dominican territory, have
removed the main cause which would have led her
Majesty's Government to view the proposed annexa-
tion with dislike and repugnance.
" Her Majesty's Government certainly appre-
hended, when first this projected annexation was
talked of, that it might, if carried into execution,
involve Spain in unfriendly discussions, if not in con-
flict, either with France or with the United States,
or with both. With regard to France, her Majesty's
Government have not learnt that the French Govern-
ment has expressed any positive objection to the
proposed arrangement, although she may not think
it advantageous to Spain. It appears also, from
what has been stated to you, that there is no pro-
bability at present of any positive resistance to the
measure, either by the Northern or the Southern.
Confederation of North America. But the Spanish
Government should not too confidently rely on the
permanent continuance of this indifference or
acquiescence on the part of the North Americans ;
and it is not impossible that when the civil war
which is now breaking out shall have been brought
to an end, an event which may happen sooner than
at present appears likely, both the North and the
South might combine to make the occupation of the
Dominican territory by
s
difference between the Spainorth t
Ah em ce ar
iucsaen o fGsoevr
ei or
nn
me,n,
Htsearilmd
at
jheasttyo,fs Spain.
that
Great Britain, as a pGovroveerrnnamtuernatllydoi n
cnloi tn
eddetnoyp
and systematically ad dieted to commerce,must always
view a war between any two powers as an event
not only at variance with her principles, but to
a certain degree injurious to her interests. But
with respect to Spain, the motives of the British
Government spring from far higher scources ; Great
Britain and Spain have for long periods of time,
and in circumstances of high moment to each, been
faithful and active allies ; their alliance has been
greatly useful and eminently honourable to both.
It is a fundamental maxim of British policy to wish
well to Spain, and earnestly to desire her welfare
and prosperity; and therefore" any combination of
events which might at any time involve the possi-
bility of Spain being engaged in a conflict which,
from local circumstances and disadvantages, might
be in the end seriously injurious to her.rule over
her ancient possessions, would be viewed by her
Majesty's Government with lively apprehension
and sincere regret."
We have received, also, Correspondence relating
to the attack on Porto Novo by her Majesty's
naval forces on the West Coast of Africa ; Corres-
pondence with Prince Talleyrand respecting Poland,
1831; Correspondence with the Government of Rus-
sia respecting the affairs of Poland, 1831.32 ; and
Correspondence respecting the affairs of Modena,
1855-58.

TIIE PRIVATEER " JEFFERSON DAVIS."—Th6
American barque California, Captain Hathorne, from St.
Thomas's, with pine, pitch, &-c., consigned to Messrs.
Briggs, Lennard, and Co., has arrived at Hull. Captain
Hathorne reports being boarded by the privateer brig Jef-
ferson Davis, in company with another privateer schooner,
about 150 miles S.E. of Bermuda. The privateer hoisted
the French flag of distress, in consequence of which Capt.
Hathorne at once altered his course, and bore down to her.
W hen within hailing distance of the supposed French ves-
sel it turned out to be the Southern privateer Jefferson
Davis, the commander of which requested the barque to
back her topsails, as he wanted to send a letter on board.
When the brig's boat came alongside, ;
al place of a letter
eing handed in, the boat's crew, eight in number, and
armed to the teeth, boarded the vessel, and the commander
of the party demanded the ship's papers, which were imme-
diately placed in his hands. lie, however, as soon returned
them, with the observation that the cargo was not of
a nature to suit, and they should, therefore, let them go.
Capt. Hathorne states that the commander of the Jefferson
Davis more resembles a South Carolina piOriver than the
captain of a vessel. The brig is an old one, of about 20
tons register, and her average speed is about four huots
aJ
hour.