The Sun.
London, England, 1829-10-15 00:00:00

traordinary manner from the view exhibited by
Peyssonel for the information of Europe and the
whole world, when this sea was under the dominion
of the Kahn of the Crimea and the paramount so-
vereignty of the Porte. Peyssonel, who wrote two
volumes to give some account of the trade of these
countries, after detailing a multitude of conditions,
cautions, and limitations, obtains at last a glimpse
of the bare possibility of establishing one or two
French commercial houses on the coast of the Black
Sea; and even then it was still to be apprehended
that the Porte might refuse its sanction to the ma-
dcrtaking. Brilliant, however, and rich in results
and hopes as is the present aspect of things, the
picture, nevertheless, has a dark side, from which
the eye turns away with regret. Commerce and
civilization retreat with dismay at the voice of the
Sultan, who can by a single word place the industry
of Europe and Africa under an interdict, At any
moment he can paralyze all the speculations, de-
pending on maritime conveyance, of every part of
Europe for the Black Sea, and completely frustrate
the most extensive and judiciously formed combina-
tions. In vain do the south of Russia, all Europe,
and part of Asia, study to create reciprocal advan-
tages, and establish durable connexions, which would
confer the greatest benefit on the Turks themselves'
As soon as the awful non plus ultra results from the
walls of the Seraglio, the flags of Europe must with
all humility be hauled down. A thousand ships
may be collected; their voyage is interrupted,—
ended. All engagements are broken, and the funds
transmitted to Constantinople are driven out of cir-
culation and lost. The Porte takes at pleasure tiny
part of the cargoes, fixes arbitrarily the price to be
allowed for merchandise, which is often not one half
of its real value, and even never pays that.
Trade thus checked and harassed in ',muses and
speculations, sustains serious losses which propagate
and spread in every direction--from the counting-
house of the merchant to the workshop of the ar-
tisan and the hut of the labourer. The treaties,
according to their letter, stipulate freedom to trade
and navigation, and protection against the arbitrary
domination of the Turks in both Straits,—the're-
storation of property, and indemnification far what
may have been spoliated. But in vain are all these
securities provided. The Sultan is Lord of both
Straits, can do what he pleases in them, and ever,
completely close them in the face of the most formal
compacts to tilt contrary. I will not dwell on this
discouraging and degrading part of the picture; com-
mercial Europe well knows it, and can bear witness
to its truth. With pain has commerce submitted
during several years past to this mischievous ep-
pression, for the Porte has, at different times within
these seven years, repeated the same odious acts of
caprice; and having committed those aggressions
unpunished, will again repeat them more frequently
in future if not prevented by force. I say by force,
for a government which places itself out of the com-
mon law of nations, and publicly recognises that po-
sition,—a government which openly avows an inter:-
tional disregard of treaties,—possesses no feeling of
right and wrong, and that feeling can be impressed
upon it only by force. Russia, which had suffered
the greatest offence, which was profoundly wounded
in her dignity as well as in her dearest interests, has
been compelled, after all means of conciliation were
exhausted, to resort to force. The aggressions and
defiances of every kind which she had experienced
were too irritating, too insulting, to be longer en-
dured, in spite of all the forbearance which naturally
accompanies the consciousness of superior power.
Besides the individual losses of Russian subjects,
southern Russia is, in every respect to its maritime
trade with the rest of Europe, placed in a state of
sequestration; its commercial communications cut
asunder, and, consequently, the sale of its produc-
tions impeded; all improvements in internal trade,
manufactures, and agriculture, are suspended. In
fine, the progress of civilization is retarded, and a
century of efforts and labours for the developement
and welfare of Russia, whose welfare is so intimately
connected with all the rest of Europe, may be re-
garded as having been made, if not entirely, at least
to a great extent in vain. Under such circumstances
•it Was unquestionably necessary that we should be
extricated from this injurious and unjustifiably pro-
duced situation, and there is clearly .an equal neces-
sity for exercising a similar power of protection with
regard to the future ; for the sword of the Sultan
will hereafter—as hitherto it has been—be waved
with menaces over our heads; and who can require
that any state shall go so far as to submit the whole
of its economical existence to a third party, especially
when that third party is a Turk ? Force has be-
come, indeed, indispensable to rescue us from a su-
zerainty which was founded on nothing but the par-
tial advantage of local circumstances. It is necessary
that it should be exercised in the interest of all that
is most dear to Russia—in the interest even of all
Europe, which, though silent, suffers not the less
severely. In vain would it be supposed that Eu-
rope can be deceived on this question. The facts
are palpable and speak loudly. All the ports and
coasts of the Mediterranean have been considerably
injured since the commencement of this war, and
are placed by it in a strikingly disadvantageous situ-
ation. About 300 sail of Austrian ships are laid up,
unrigged, in the harbour of Trieste, in consequence
of want of employment. Fortunate must those con-
sider themselves which, having remained in the
Black Sea, are freighted by the Russian Government
for transports. More than 400 Genoese vessels are
thrown idle, and upwards of 100 English ships are
excluded from a trade which they must have ex-
pected to turn to their advantage, since they prose-
cuted it with with great industry. The French,
who in consequence of the ancient relations and
great pecuniary sacrifices of their Government alined
their attention at an early period to the navigation
of this sea, have, for some incomprehensible reason,
as yet played no part in it, certainly lose nothing by
the present state of things; but were it to continue
much longer, France might abandon the hope of as-
suming the attitude which becomes her in this sea.
During the whole of last winter the greater part
of Europe was in a state of anxiety respecting the
first necessary of life ; but that anxiety would have
been completely removed if supplies could have been
obtained from the immense masses of produce col-
lected on the coast of the Black Sea. England,
Holland, and the north of France, purchased Rus-
sian corn in the Baltic for 32 rubles the chetvert,
which might have been had for 12 on the Black
Sea. Tallow, for which they paid at the rate of
10 or 11 rubles, might have been bought in Odessa
for 7or 8. In short, all the trade of Europe is in-
jured, merely 011 account of the circumstance that
there are two straits, net a m le broad, and that the
Porte assumes the right of closing them, solely be-
cause it possesses at any moment 'the power of ag-
gression. The facts, at least, appear to prove that
this view of the case is correct. It is, however, to
be hoped that this state of things will be reviewed,
and that the compulsory introduction of reason and
justice on the banks of the Bosphorus will not be
opposed.

-;` The vengeance of Russia is the vengeance of
the world." Russia requires the fulfilment of con-
cluded treaties, and the free passage of both straits
for the ships of all nations. These demands are, in
respect to national rights, perfectly consistent with
the strictest justice; nay, they even tend more to
favour other European nations than Russia, as the
shipping of the latter is still inconsiderable. Essen-
tially, all that is aimed at is, to secure the 18,000,000
or 20,000,000 of francs which western Europe ob.,
tains for freight in the Black Sea, and therewith to
connect all the other advantages which the common
use of that sea has already afforded, and promises
for the future. Russia, as the Journal des Debuts
of the I 2th of July most truly observed, has also en-
gaged in the contest for " the triumph of civilization
and humanity ; and it remains to be seen whether
vilization and humanity will triumph."
Meanwhile there are Turkish partisans on the
side of commerce as well as politics, and the blockade
of the Dardanelles by Russia has not failed to pro-
voke their declamations. However, the right to
blockade an enemy cannot be questioned, protreiN
the force employed be sufficient to maintain it ; and
none of the many I?lockaties whiel4 bays rocensly