Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11

would assuredly overtake it in war against Eng
land and France Is it not, therefore, reasonable
to suppose that, in his turn, he will deyour his
wrath for awhile That in his turn he will dis
play the magnanimous moderation and "love
Of peace /" Of which Turkey and the allies set him
the example in the matter of the Danubian pro
yinces There is reason to hope that he will, and
that Europe will thus be spared the calamties and
most fearful trials OF general war.
admit, however at the same time, that there IS
reason to apprehend that the proud temper of the
Czar, naughty and confident in his strength, as the
most powerful absolute monarch Of the earth, will
not brook the restrictions imposed upon him by the
conditions of the presence of the allied fleets in the
Black Sea- that he will respond to the hostile atti
tude and threats of France and England by de-
caraton of war; trusting that his fleets, in port and
under cover Of guns in the forts on shore, Will at
least be able to protect themselves, and knowing
that the vials of his empire at last beyond the
reach of the hostility and Of the utmost power ef
his enemies IN trrth-and this is an important
fact to be sconsidered whe4 weighing the rfobabili-
Ftcs ID favor of and agaknb bis taking the pacific
view of the question, msfsyor Of and against the
general war which is now menaeing Europe-hus-
sia is more ready, better prepared just now for a
general European war than any State IN Europe.
The Gar has less to fear and more to hope from
general conhagration than any other sovereign
Assured that his own house was in no danger, he
would be in fine position to seize and appropriate
the property of his trembling, terrorstricken, and
suffering neighbors. Why then, you may ask, why
then do think that he will not 60 ahead and pro-
yoke now, by declaration of war upon England and
France the conhagration from which he has so much
to hope and SO little to fear :? Simply because ne
Justly apprehends that it would cost him at any rate
,oc 4ba ohaoE 10 mar mo
power as mentioned above, if he lights the torch of
general war under actual circumstances; whereas he
hopes, and it seems to me with much reason that If
he have the patience to wait year or two, this con-
Aagration will take place without his assuming the
responsibility and the odum of provoking it, and his
ends of enlargement and ambition may then be pur-
sued and probably attained without the cost that
would now inevitably attend their pursuit. Let
England and France be no longer allies; let them
be enemies, as they inevitably would be before a
general European war had ragged two years, and the
Gar will find nothing but the Balkans between him
self and Constantinople that it would give him any
trouble to pass. Such are the grounds of my hope
that the warcloud now hanging over Europe will
not burst upon it in wrath. The Emperor OF Rus
sia will doubtless protest against this hostile occu
patton of the Black Sea he will probably declare
a rupture of diplomatic relations, and recall his
Ambassadors from London and Paris; he will not
forget, he will not forgive; but he will, hope
and believe, adjourn to more convenient season
a full exhibition of the wrath excited by the late
movement Of the allied fleets on the Black Sea
His reply to the French Minister'S circular Of the
30th November has not yet been received IN Paris.
1t is well understood however, that in consequence
of the increasingly hostile attitude Of the allied
Powers during the last two months, and the doubt
ful success of his arms in the East and upon the
Danube, his disposition to accept pacific oyertures
! from or in behalf Of the Porte has become much
less strong. 1t is asserted IN the German papers
that he considers himself already absolved from
the promise SO often given, and repeated last at
Omutz, to abstain from aggressive operations in Eu
rope and not to attempt to cross the Danube. 1t
is reported that serious preparations now being
made by him to cross the Danube and march upon
the Turkish line of defences at the foot of the Bal
kans From the 9th to the 10th of this month
continued serious engagements have taken place
near Kalafat, on the left bank of the Danube. The
Russians have certainly failed as yet to drive the
Turks across the river. In the recent engagements
both parties would seem to be about equally worsted
deemit unnecessary to notice the progress OF the
recent renewed attempts of diplomacy to settle this
question It is admitted that the Czar will certainly
refuse to send Plenipotentary to the proposed con-
ference and even if he were disposed to do so, it is
W --Ao
own acceptance of the propositions of the diplomatic
gentlemen are of nature utterly unacceptable by
the Emperor of Russia Arms must progress yet a
little further toward the adjustment Of the dispute
ere there will be occasion for the Intervention OF
functienaries who wear only the toga.
The course Of Austria in the late events has been
exactly that which your correspondent has all along
Indicated as that she was certain to pursue. Her
representative at Constantinope was not consulted
in the matter of the occupation of the Black Sea.
The intention to adopt this measure seems to have
been even studiously concealed from him. He has
taken offence at this proceeding, and has even en-
tered sort of protest against this more energetic
attitude assumed by England and France. She has
expressly reserved to herself complete liberty of ac
ton in case the measure should result in ayowed
hostilities between Russia and the two Western
Powers Austria earnestly desires to remain neu-
trail but, if there is general war, my conviction is
more assured than ever that she will find it impossi
BILE to resist the predominant influence of Russia in
her councils, and she will declare against England
and France A little later Prussia will be compel
led to do the same for it is only by the help of Rus
sia and Austria that she has any hope of prevent
ing the seizure and incorporation into the French
monarchy of all her possessions on this side of the
Rhine.
FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT
ToNnoN I.NuApy 10 1874