Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1854-01-03
The Destruction Of the Turkish Nary-The French and
English Fleets In the Black Sea
From the London Times Dec. ls,b

English Fleets In the Black Sea-
| From the London Times, Dec. 18th
The immediate result Of the destruction of the Turkish
squadron at sinope when tho intelligence Of that event
reached oons'an'nopc seems to have been that the Am
basadors called upon take decided measures and
that they did accordingly dispatch steamers of each
na'op' with joint instructions into the Black Sea- The
entry oil the combined fleets expected take place
within few days We still left to conjecture what
was the precise and character of the Turkish
fore" destroyed at Snope The excitement produced in
Constannope by the news precudes the idea that Il
mere convoy OF transports the huks in the port and II
IS described by the Turks "a otilla" Yet il does
appear that more than two three Turkish gaes
on that station at the time. 1t is remarkable too that
with the exception Of 0sman Pashas own shin which
foundered on the passage to Sebasopo no mention il
made of captures All the other vessels are stated IN
have been destroyed and added that he carnage was
irghtui IL 1t should turn that six ships Of the line
uected Their hire On transports crowded with troops and
wholly incapable Of defence and thus these
fortunate wretces whom il would been easy TO
prisoners of war; the Russians would stand of NJ,
act OF singular atrociy aud the victory of which
boast would them with dsgra e. The news or ,,
battle was brought TO Constantinople the 3rd by
Turkish steamer, which succeeded cectng i,s ec,ne
According To her report the Russians began the attack Inv
an attempt To cut out the Turkish nola with tho ho,,
OF admiral N"chimohs squadron; but not having accom-
pshcd tins operation, they brough the line battle sips
into action. The Turkish vessels il Is also stated wr.
unable To return the fire Of battery recently
for the protection of the harbor This account would
To confirm our Impression that the vessels attacked were
chiefly transports, wholly unable fight actiot with
ne oil battle ships but whether they chased a sea
and pursued into tue harbor or whether they were nj
lacked when at anchor there stll remains seem
IL appears that the Russians terminated the
by burning the vessels they had not already sunk by
fire.
In the meantime another step has been taken Ly the
Allied Powers; and we may shortly expect to hear tina,
fleets OF England and France for the rs cruising
in the Black Sela change in the state affairs ~hch
considerably outw' Ghs any advantage Russia derive
from her success at SinOps. Ii seen what
notice the Cabinet OF ST. Petersburg will think tit To take
of this demonstration Russia has times raised the
strange pretcson that She has grounds for Directing 10
the presence OF foreign naval flag in that inland track of
water and she affects TO lose sight fact that the
Black Sea has been regarded as ckauSun not uu.
der the control Of Russia but OF Turkey which command,
the only approach TO it. The Convention of 1911 was
formal recognition by the Five Great Powers the ancient
rule OF the Ottoman Empire, by which the straits of the
Dardancrs and the Bosphoru- ought constantly to be
closed against foreign Ships OF long the Poc
at peace. But the very of this exclusion denote
that when the Porte is peace rule fails ard
that 1t is then competent the Porte 10 deliver rmaus
to foreign vessels OF wa" as II is OF foreign vessels
themselves OF such rmans without foreng their neutral
character With the assent of the Porte our ship.
OF have at this time much right to lie
in roads OF Sin0pe the liay OF kayarna a thpy
have occupy the anchorage of the Bosphorus There
is, therefore, ground in international law for any re-
monsirance Russia think lit address To the mari
would ony demonstrate more clearly the exaggerated
prctensions she has put forward exclusive rights in
that sea, where We may venture to AFFIRM tina, our mcr.
camille flag Is at least often her own Ii has
however been more than Indirectly intima.d tb,,
Russia would consider the of foreign fleets into
that sea as declaration OF hcsIiics. We shall be- curl
GUS To learn what grounds she il prepared contend
for such proposition. The position hitherto assumed by
Great Britain and France in this quarrel Is not that al
hegcrcns but OF medators and peace makers Our OBJ.
ect not tG rFoon" this but put an end to it, and
Russia is already aware tai the movements of our fleets
whether in the Black Sea the Archipelago ay, had no
object but proven. the Occurrence of events still more
lta To the general peace. In that capacity We have n
much reason to enter the Black Sea the Russian Baltic
fleet, under Admiral lleyden had enter the Medt.rr,
during the between Greece and Turkey The
condition oil the mouths o! the pLnNbc under Russian
protection is also become of universal interest TO
the mercantile world and, since the Black Sea has ceased
to be closed by Turkey and uuopO.Lei ky her own II ,r
her interest that il should be requented by all maritime
nations. The which vessels OF war NAV be
compelled to adopt the cruise depends entirely on that
of the Russian fleet for it is certain that the attitude OF
the mcdiains Powers will be OF strictly protective cha
racer, though, if any opposition should offered to the
progress OF vessels they have instructions meet it.
Some Of cotcmporati.s who animated by great
conlGuce in the military Of Turkey appear TO
imagine that ,iic success OF the Ottoman arms on the
Asiatc frontier more than compenaies for the disaster
they have just met what SinOpc. We fear the AZ.
rivals will check this favorable view the case for we
have already received intelligence which makes us isut
the partial advantage which the Turks have obained-
The condition OF ,ha ain, III Asia IL by .vnra
BILE and though tits said that the Of Akhasch has
ilca the Russians still hold the citadel Of that border
fortress. Prince W0ronz"n has recovered from the
illness which bad Interrupted his operations, and while
the Turkish reports describe the army of Georgia and the
Caucasus to he in critical position the Russians an
nonncc that the Russian Genl IS about OIL
SUE gnd march on kns and ErrrOun Tnc result alone
prove ~hich OF uc- contradictory is the more
correct but our last accounts from Oonslnnople inspire
us with little confidence in the alleged successes of the
Turks They have undoubtedly taken small forts on
the coast but the Of their having gained any ,lcci
sVe advantage was at least premature. 1t i said that
there IS want OF unity aud authority in the command OF
these forces, and the division Of the Russian army TO
thigh they opposed in Georgia has always passed for
corps Oi pct ed Troops Tue conduct of the Psr.i,-
in this emergency Ersoise what we to be cSpeced
from that peridous Poaer. IL was understood at Con-
stlntnoplr that the Turkish Ambassador had already left
Ieher"n, and tina; army marching . the frontier
ihe5e circumstance are 7aid to have led Envoy
there TO suspend his relations with tie Shah, ani it i
not improbable that they will give To still further COM
| p!ications IN he politics Of Asn.
CONTRADICTIONS oFThE ALLIANCE WITH AUS
TRiA.
From the London Times
NTFSNN, Monday Dec. IL Is52
For some time the Austrian papers IN imitation Of the
Augsburg Gazette gave the public understand that
puiirUpr Alliance had been concluded between the -Four
fow"rS, but the recent Diplomatic negotiations nOw
reduced To their just dimensions aud ali parties agree in
siyng that nothing more has been effected than that
collective note has been orw irdcd to CDnsannnpc in
which the Porte l. urged directly with the Russian
cabinet The Sultan is assured that il he will consent TO
appoint PlenpotentiIy, the Powers will undertake to
|
further proposed that the o the So lowers
shall meet on neutral ground and that willie the negotin
tons pending there shall be cessation Of hO-ttia-
The Ncue Preussschr I,itung which is very likely to he
eel informed this matter, thus confirms the inIormn.
ton forwarded ten days since relative to Aistrns being
no pledged to France aud England than she was be
Tore ho'tlles commenced "In the project OF pacifca
ton there is nothing calculated change the position OF
the tao Herman POweIs, to lead suppose that
they have made front against Russia, for not even moral
support IL promised to the Porte IL Is further affirmed
that IN London has not been resolved undertake any
hostile naval operations against Russia IL would be
woae than useless to speculate what likely - take
place. until We learn what impression the destruction Of
hall the Tuki. fleet has produced in COnsi1nnOplr aud
in the Of Europe; but tho has not been nyor
ably received in the highest Austrian circles.
PERSIA DECLARES WAR AGAINST THE TURKS
Although official continuation Of the Declaration Of