The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-14

The institutions under the control of the Board on
the 10th inst.-an unprecedented number, we be.
lieve.
The Gear and the Four Points.
The explanations given in the House Of Com
mons on the 23d ult., by Lord John Russell, in
reply to an Interpolation by Mr.. Layard, re-
specting the then state of the Vienna negotia-
tons, throw but little further light on the real
motives and intentions Of the Gear, in what is
called his acceptance of the four points. It ap-
pears that at the conference held at Vienna, on
the 28th Of December, between the representa-
tives of the three Powers and the Russian en-
voy, Prince Gortschakoff, it was distinctly init
mated to the latter that the allies proposed in
their Interpretation of the third Of these arti-
cles, to put an end to the preponderance of
Russia in the Black Sea. Prince Gortschakoff
declined to agree to such an Interpretation, but
requested time to communicate with his govern
ment. AT q subsequent meeting, held on the
eth Of January, at the Austrian Foreign Office,
the Prince read a memorandum which he had
received from st. Petersburg in the interim,
and which set forth the views Of his court. The
ministers Of the other Powers refused to receive
the memorandum, and again emphatically de-
clared that "they must require as the basis Of
negotiations, the consent of the Russian pleni-
potehtiary to the Interpretation of which he
had already received information" Prince
Gortschakof, it is stated, then withdrew the
memorandum he had read, and declared the az
ceptance, on the part of his government, Of the
communicated Interpretation as the basis of
negotiations.
1t does not require any very profound know
ledge Of State craft to appreciate the exact
value of this diplomatic juggle. How any one
could be deluded for a moment into the hope
that any thing seriously affecting the question
of peace was to result from it, it is difficult to
conceive. The situation of things must indeed
be desperate when we find people ciinging to
such crumbs of comfort. Only think of the
proudly, and thrashing the allies after approved
Muscovite fashion that is to say, by keeping
shady and letting them use themselves up
now falling on his knees and crying peccapi to
his enemies. The spectacle would certainly be
a Christian one, but notwithstanding his pro.
~fessions Of orthodoxy, it passes our powers of
belief to give Nicholas credit for so much apos-
tolical humility.
Let us see what are his real objects in the
diplomatic lie of which Prince Gortschakoff has
been the medium. We need hardly point out,
in the first place, the absurdity Of the hypothe-
sis that he will ever willingly consent to treat
for peace on q preliminary basis which annihi-
lates forever the supremacy Of Russia in the
Black Sea. What does the Interpretation given
by the allies to the third point literally mean =?
The destruction Of Sebastopol as an indispen-
sable condition, and probably the forfeiture Of
the Crimea itself as q contingent one, in case
the Russian navy is left on its present footing,
which, in the event of the submission Of Rus
sia, would be extremely p~roblematical. With
out the execution of one or other Of the two
first of these stipulations, any treaty whichpro-
fessed to effect the object aimed at by the allies
would be wholly imperative; and they have
shown that they are fully alive to this fact.
In adhering, therefore, to the article objected TO
by Prince Gortschakof, they convey a meaning
which Russia cannot misunderstood, but which,
under no possible state Of circumstances short of
the most calamitous and irretrievable ruin, can
she ever consent to. The very worst position
TO which she might be reduced by o protracted
war, would not impose upon her severer or
more humiliating conditions. What, therefore,
are We to think Of her sincerity in declaring her
acceptance Of the allied construction Of the con-
ditions laid down as the bssis of negotiations!
She evidently does not mean what she express
es, and means what she does not express. In
this, as in every other diplomatic phase Of the
difficulty, she Is endeayoring to foil her enemies
by her Oriental talent for Discrimination, and by
the superior skill of her combinations. II Is
not unlikely she will succeed.
The whole secret Of her pretended return
to moderation in the present instance, lies
in the fact that Austria was driven into q
corner by the stipulations Of the treaty OF
the I'd of December, and tina. she was
obliged TO lose her or come to her re-
lief. Had Russia persisted In refusing 10 ne.
eotiate before the close of last year, Austria
would have been compelled by the treaty to
m active hostilitics against her old ally
and benefactcr, which is about the last thing
she desires to do. Besides, in view Of the Diff
Guilty Of deciding the minor German States to