The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-05-29

the History Of Europe in the shape of several
protocols Of conferences held ct Vienna in the
month O. April last between the plenipoten-
tiaries of Austria, France, Great Britain, Rus
STA and Turkey. The object of those confer
ences and their result have been for some time
notorious here as elsewhere. But the details
OF the proceedings and the arguments used by
the plenipotentiaries are not the less curious
and instructive.
The main point at issue, as is known, was
the power of Russia in the Black Sea. The
plenipotentiaries Of Turkey, Great Britain and
France argued that so long as Russia had the
power to launch therein feet of unlimited
strength which could be filled with an army
equally powerful-Turkey could not be con-
soered as safe. They therefore proposed, by
way Of securing the position of the Sublime
Porte, that the Russian force in the Black Sea
should be restricted to four vessels, and hat
each Of the CONT acting Powers should have
two--of the same force as the Russians-in the
same waters. This proposition, which was ex-
pressed in detail in Annex B to Protocol No.
IL, was warmly urged on Russia by Lord John
Russell, NJ Drouyn de FHuys, and the Turkish
ENJOYS. 1t was not accepted Prince Gorts-
cbakof declaring that no first class Power
would submit to such terms until it had been
weakened by series of defeats. The confer
ence then seemed virtually at an end. The
Russian pleDpotentiaries, however, brought for
ward on two distinct occasions proposals which
in their opinion were sufficient to satisfy the
Western Powers and to reassure Turkey. The
first OF these, which is not couched in diplo-
matte form, unless, indeed, the Russians in
tended to carry out Prince Talleyrand's idea
about the object Of language, is obscure and
not easily understood. The point appears to
be that Russia offered to admit Turkey into the
comfy of European nations; which admission,
according to Prince Gortschakoff, au thorizes
all European Powers to take no arms in her
defence when assailed. The Russian PIenipo-
tentiaries regarded this admission as amply
sufficient for the potection of Turkey, without
regard to the force which the Russians might
have in the Black Sea. By their second pro-
posal the Russians offered to authorize the Sui
tan wbeEever he should feel alarmed for his
dominions, to open the Dardanelles to the fleets
of his allies the Strait being usually in time of
peace, closed to foreign men of war. Neither
of these proposals met the views of the Turkish
or Western ENJOYS, and the conference &C.
cordipgly broke up.
There is plenty of material for reflection in
these proposals and counter proposals.
In the first place, it is to be noted that the
Russians, though they say they are interested
in the preservation Of Turkish independence,
do not disguise very adroitly-if indeed they
seek Disguise at all-their designs on the do
minions of the Porte. Gortschakoff expressly
refused to give any territorial guarantee of the
integrity Of the Porte, insisting on this ex-
PLANTATION being added to his adhesion to Pro-
tocol No. IL. This is as much as to say that
Russia perseveres in the policy she has pursued
since Peter the Great and Catherine and looks
ultimately to the absorption Of Turkey by piece
meal.
On the other hand, though the reasoning of
the Russians to prove that Turkey cannot be
meDaced because Russia cannot conveniently
build large feet in the Black Sea is mani
testify futile and intended to deceive, the argu-
ment that the Mediterranean is as pregnant
with danger to Turkey as the Black Sea, is not
devoid Of weight. AS Gortschakoff says, if
Turkeys safety requires the curtailuent of the
Russian force in the Black Sea-that is to say
at Sebastopol-wby not likewise the curtail-
nent of the French and English force in the
Mediterranean, at Malta, Toulon, Algiers aud
Corfu? The latter are in fact nearer Constan
tipople than the former, and might be as anx-
ious to modest it.
1t is difficult to understand how the Allies if
they sought nothing but the security Of Tur-
key, refused the last proposal which Gortscha-
10 IF made at the final conference on Goth April
1t was-as stated above-to the effect that the
Sultan might throw open the Dardanelles to
his allies fleets whenever he fancied himself in
danger. This agreement appears all that the
Western Powers conld desire. IF they have
sufficient intere in the stdtu quo in Turkey to
fight for its preservation, what more do they
want than the right of placing themselves
without a declaration of warm such q posi-
tion as to defeat any designs that Russia might
entertain, as the experience of the last twelve
months has proved? The inference is strong,
from their rejection Of the offer, that it is the
humiliation of Russia and not the security of
Turkey they seek.
Two remarks in the conference. relating to
Austria, are of interest," In the course of the
discussion on the proposal of the Western Pow
ers-
Prince Gortscbakof inquired of the Minister for For
eien Affairs of Austria, II the limitation of the Russian
forces the Black Sea, which Count Buol had admitted
TO be exception TO senera principle recognized by
himself, in his opinion to be accomplished oy
OF coercion in Russia to to concur in
spontaneously.
II answering this question: Count Buo declares that
ia Tho Al
cusson by recommending it to the adoption OF Russia
bat that other respects he reserve for the EN-
pror his full liberty to the choice of
by which he may consider it expedent eventually TO give
his support TO his proposition
M. de Titof, likewise, the other Russian
nlnninnte ntiarv took occasion To nhaorrn 4hat