Star.
London, England, 1828-05-19 00:00:00

111;.:SIA.

Wsr baring been formally declared by the Noitherts
Autocrat aLsainst die Ottoman Porte, .the following re-
marks meth peculiar attention :
" Constantinople would he to Russia, on which she
has long had an eve, a new nai.l, as it weie, the acqut.
sition or which a ould he worth pin chasing even at the
expense of a considerable portioe -1 who, she alicady
possesses. With a Ike of naarinme tei tinily along the
shores pf the Black Sea, the sea of Marmara, and the
ArChipelago, her commercial and maritime tesources
would be increased tenfold. Now, the question is,
would such a change be injurious or not to the rest of
Europe? As an enemy, she would of course he far
more formidable than at present; but, on the other
hand, as an ally—as offering new marts of commerce
to her neighbours—as identifying her interests with
theirs, Russia, civilized, enlightened, liheral, and pa-
cific, might become as beneficent as powerful, and dis-
tinguish herself not by her conquests, but zeal in the
great, holiest, and noble cause, that of the welfare of
die human race. Perhaps I may be told that all this
is a Utopian scheme, and it is drawing a picture totally
unwarranted by experience and history. Posses:eel of
Turkey, what would she not next aim at? Persia
must also be invaded, and that country overcome, Ix-
DlA:would beckon her onward, and *Britain tremble for
its possessions nor, in fact; would she be contented
until she had extended herself from the Pole to the
Equator 1 Such gigantic conquests on the part of
Russia would be the means of carrying into Asia Fan
ropean civilization; they might for a while lend her a
gorgeous lustre, and but for a while; it avould be merely
the splendid train of an Imperial robe, imposing to the
apt ctator, but fatiguing to its wearer, and those who
were appointed to bear up the costly and teMpting
burden would think themselves justified in lopping off
the cumbersome excrescence, and dividing it among
themselves. It the Sovereigns of R. issia be gifted with
prudes .e, they will, at least for the next century, in-
stead of aiming at conquest and useless domination,
attend to their domestic affairs—to what Catherine used
to term her $ petit menage.' Constantinople, hortver,
in reality lies so temptingly, and perhaps also the merit
of expelling the Infidels from that most beautiful
region of Europe, offers so seductive a pretext, that
the Emperor Nicholas would be glad to avail him-
sel nt it on the very first occasion. The Russian
Government is perfectly aware of its power in this
quarter, nor do their Ambassadors scruple to hold
out threats to the ;forte, and menace it with instant
invasion, or blockade, ,horild their deriands be opposed.
This is no new fact, but has eccu:red fret years. When
I was in the Turkish capital the violence et Count Stro-
gonoff, the Russian Minister, was such as to keep the
Turks in hot water, or a constant state of alarm, form-
ing a truly sulking connast to-that mild and conciliat-
ing conduct of Sir Robert Liston, British Ambassador,
who, while here, was herd in the highest possible esti.
mation, and evinced great diplomatic tact, carrying his:
measures without giving umbrage to the Porte, a point
that required no common address and some firmness of
.purpose.
" Deserted by Britain, theOtromanPorte has, in truth,
little chance of making an eclat resistance against the
forces of Itussia, whenever the latter Power deems it
expedient to come to extremities and strike the blow."
—Rae Wilson's Travels in Ru-sia.