The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-20 00:00:00

ON THE GREEK AFFAIR.

FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE
___ _

NO. I.
THE MARQUIS OFNORMANBY TO VISCOUNT PALMERSTON.
Paris, June 13, 1850.
My Lord,—l this morning communicated to General
de Lshitte your Lordship's dispatch of yesterday's date,
and read to him the inclosure from Mr. W'ysis. I pointed
out to him the importance of the facts here,
detail©d upon
those results of which the French Government had com-
plained, and which we had ourselves regretted. Mr.
Wyse objects that Baron. Gros concealed from him the
intelligence which he had received by the Vauban, in-
forming him that a convention respecting the Greek
question had been agreed to in Paris and London.
In order to bring this matter, in which there had
been so much confusion on all sides, distinctly to
point, I directed the General's attention specially to
the fact that the complaint of Mr. Wyse against
Baron Gros was founded on the statement he had,
himself made in his letter to M. Drouyn de Lhuys 01
the 14th of May, afterwards read to the Assembly, to
the effect that this had been done at a moment when
convention negotiated directly and definitively agreed
upon in London was on the point of arriving at Athens,
where already the essential bases of it were known. I
said that Mr. Wyse had read this with extreme surprise,
as certainly, if all this had been known at Athens, it had
never, up to the arrival of the Solon, been in any respect
communicated to him; and inasmuch as it was in hie
(Mr. Wyse's) estimation a serious imputation that, in
the possession of such knowledge, he had refused, as had
been supposed, to await the short necessary time for its
confirmation, on the other hand it must bo considered •
grave charge against M. Gros that he had concealed
such a fact from the person with whom he was in
official relation, and with whom he also assumed to be
in confidential communication; and if this was really so,
upon him and him alone should fall all the responsibi-
lity of the consequences which had followed.
The general said that it was impossible to read Baron
Gros's report of what had occurred without seeing that
he could not have been actuated by any such feeling.
What could be his motive? It was as much his desire
as it was his duty to bring these matters to a termina-
tion by the good offices of France. Could anybody sup-
pose there was concealment behind that letter which be
wrote upon the receipt of the Vauban? Did be not
ask Mr. Wyse to come and read his dispatches? This
had been declined, and the mischief had arisen from 1115
never having been met in the same spirit by Mr. WY"'
I observed that the offer to come and look at his dis-
patches was of value according as, in alluding to their
contents, he had accurately stated what they were; but
how could any one suppose, in reading this letter, that
he had any knowledge of a proposed convention !lege'
hated in London, when such a most important fact was
never alluded to from one end of the letter to the other.
I began to think that the best mode of clearing up this
matter with General de Lahitte was to go over with him
all the dispatches which had been carried out by the
Vauban, which could bear upon this part of the subject.
This the General readily agreed to do, and having
finished their perusal, I told the General candidly, that
I could see nothing in them to justify the expression
used in his dispatch to M. Drouyn de Lhuys, that the
essential bases of a convention negotiated in London
were at that time known at Athens. I entreated his
serious attention to the bearing this point must have
upon all future discussions. It was evident now, that
the blame imputed to Mr. Wyse for having acted in the
face of such knowledge could not be sustained; either
that knowledge had been concealed from him at Athena,
or it had not been in the power of Baron Gros to coin-
municate it; and if so, I was sure he would, with the
candour which I had always experienced on his part, be
ready to admit that he had put some very incautions
expressions into a very grave document.
The General said that it was easy to explain what bet,
had meant, that the alterations in the original project 01
Mr. Wyse and M. Gros had formed the bases of the con'
vention of London, and this had been in the progress of
negotiation. I begged the General to remark that if be
would read carefully this letter of Baron Gros, be
would find that he had not succeeded in conveying ant
such idea to the mind of Baron Gros, or if (as it novr
ap-
peared certain) there had been no wilful concealment 00
the Baron's part, had he derived the same impression
from the dispatches by the Vauban, which had been con-
veyed to M. Drouyn de Lhuys in the dispatch of the 14th
May, which I now membered with increased regret .1301
been read from them ibune of the Assembly, an unusual
proceeding, which demanded peculiar care in the pc'
curacy of the expressions used. In that dispatch it was
stated that the convention, "of which the essential
bases were already known," was then on the point of
arriving at Athens. But what says Baron Gros on this
head? What does he propose to Mr. Wyse? That be
should submit M. Gros's proposititions to the British
Cabinet, and await his instructions, and he adds, that
he will send off the Vauban with one and the other
project. How is this reconcileable with the assertion
that the convention of London was known to be on the
point of arriving ? If Baron Gros was sincere, the
General then must admit that that assertion was
in-
accurate. I was sure I might trust to the General I
known good faith to allow that he had been in error
here.

The General said that he would examine careftilli,
into the question; that even if he had not expressea
himself very correctly in this respect, the complaio
which the French Government had against that of En'
gland remained still in full fore., and was pointed out in.,
this very letter of M. Gros, where he alludes, as I had
quoted, to the reference home, and the suspension in the
interval of coercive measuros; that four times at differ-
ent intervals your Lordship had promised M. Drouyo
de Lhuys that such instructions should be sent out to
Mr. Wyse; that from the Ist of March they had been
acting on the faith that these promises had been ex.):
cuted, and it was to the omission in that respect tial,
these results were to be attributed. I told the General that I thought what had Paigea
upon the principal subject of our conversation this
morning would show him that it was better on ueither
side to impute supposed omissions or mistakes in the
conduct of complicated affairs of this nature to want of
,
good faith ; that if the question was still approacheLit
in a different spirit, as I had always wished to treat it,
hoped in consideration of the great interests at stoke'
this matter might be brought to a satisfactory conch'.
sion.—l have, &c.,

(Signed)
No. 2.
THE MARQUIS OF NORMANBY TO TISCOUNT PALMERBTOrr.
Paris, June 14, 1850* g
My Lord,—l have again seen General de Lahitte, ed
wished to have some conversation with me after be Lae'
had an opportunity of considering the contents of Dr.;
Wyse's dispatch of the 31st of May. He began
stating that the phrase quoted by Mr. Wyse, end 70
which I had so specially called his attention yesterdsio,
was not the part of that dispatch of the 14th of MO, °
which the French Government had founded their co®'
plaint of the conduct in this affair of her Majesty's q°,-,
vernment. It was to be found in the earlier Pertl°o
of that dispatch, and consisted in the fact that, ilto
instructions to carry out the promises given, en"
of
,' ci
prevent the renewal of coercive measures in the even,
a difference of opinion between the negotiators, it.' f
ever been sent to Athens in time to avert the reienahet
which had occurred. As to the next paragraph, I rnig'
observe that it stated what had been the consequence de
such an omission. With respect to the statement relloif
by him, and by which Mr. Wyse had supposed hins-1,,,
aggrieved, that the essential bases of the proposed en d
vention of London were then known at Athens, he bit
meant that all the essential changes which had been
made in the projects sent home, on which changes VIO
founded•the subsequent convention, were detailed 11:;,•
Drouyn tie l'Huys' dispatch of the 9th of April, Wlr,
had been sent out by the Vauban, and therefore. it bt
Wyso was left in atiy error as to what was really hougre,
out by the Vauban, it was his own fault, as he bad,„ to
fused the candid and friendly offer made by M. urft-bst
show him all his ;dispatches. Had be accepted
offer, he would have been in full possession of the entat
state of the case. I told the General that I wa° at I
obliged to repeat what I had said yesterday, ql_teci
thought the phrase he had • himself timed was celled Isd
to lead Mr. Wyse into the error into which he the
fallen; that the general impression derived frorteen,
phrase must have -been, -and indeed I knew bad heieg
that the bases of • the convention of Lendoll algal
then and there known, and its proximate .a,b dee
being at the same time spoken' of, it was Iv"
meal
the
cognizance of these facts that the coercive reetlof tee
were resumed. Now, this was directly
truth; not only Mr. Wyse did not, but Gr0.0;1.
not, know of the proximate arrival of any further had
ligence of a convention agreed to in London,
heardoied
shown yesterday; because, on the contrary, h Mr•
to send their projects to London. Yet I had weited
Wyse attacked in many quarters for not havin.g.
sous
the two or three days necessary for receiving the
ere theri
convention, the essential provisions of which wGsuersra
the reverse 9 did
known. This accusation was founded on the so bear
Tao—
words. I was convinced he did not mean th.eonarad
any such signification, but this was an additl_bliorty to
of the disadvantage of giving premature filse e%pres-
documents of that grave character, when all,:
sions might not have been very well weigh!" supposing
The General said I was certainly right e ant °
he had no such intention. He could not b dates known
say anything so obviously inconsistent with state, when-
to everybody. He was perfectly read,' °thought, as an
ever be had occasion, that ho had never wre
aggravation of their complaint, to impute I%'_", baying
that he had refused to wait two or three naY°
of th°_, °°°-
at the time any knowledge of the existence
tereu into
vention of London. The General then se_isted
some criticisms of the reasoning which he a`positionso
Wyse to have founded upon the erroneous su
I doPnot thiel‘
but as this has now no practical bearing,Tßy,
it necessary to trouble your Lordship with
&c. (Signed)
ORMAI4I3Ir.

NORMANDY•

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT•-•.-:YeSterdaY
was held at the Kings' Arms Hotel, Bridge street, Wfsgi
minster, of the Society for Maintaining and Extending tees,
Self-Government in opposition to Centralization; Mr.
ja ally
of Birmingham, in the chair. The proceedings princip
the
related to the progress of the Public Health Act,
,and to
resolutions come to at a late meeting in the same place pct.
for the special purpose of considering the clauses of that
ed
Mr. Toulmin Smith, who was one of a committee notnin° t
"trt*
at that
meeting, spoke at considerable length a rneetivr.
upon the t
1 to
portance of opposing the alleged tendency of Governnien
great
centralization, and showed that the society had in a .0.0
measure been the means of preventing the towns of w'qci
and Wolverhampton being included among the towns the
by by the Bill. He concluded by moving a resolution to I,' s
effect that it was highly important that some united stg,
of should be taken to oppose the course by which, in viing
the constitutional protection afforded by the steno
order of both houses of Parliament, the. Public Healtb,„o3
was now being attempted to be introduced into many Pilbe
in England and Wales. Other resolutions referring thick
internal organization of the society and the weans by w"hlii,,,
the funds necessary to carry on its'opposition to the Pau
Health or other Acts were to be obtained, were then 1.,..,ni1ar1i.,
mously carried, and after a vote of thanks to the chit'an
the meeting dispersed.

The Q
tttencled
Lord Pre
of the 'Fri
Foreign,
of the
Control,
the Mac
Stole to l

The
Lord I
Chancellc
Were swo
ceived the
custody c
The GI
Lord Lar

Council is

n The M
Queen.

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At the
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Royal 114
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