Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-11-17
EVENING STAR.
THE w AR.
ISsr JrIsHT,s TsLBaslxs,
THE RUSSIAN QUESTION.
Critical Situation of the Germans I'm
France
The following important items of war news
y-re received here last night:

l. IL
At The cabinet council to-day, it was resolved
to act 2eCisiyely in regard to the Russian com
EicatiOn- War is imminent. Great popular
.1d.-rstiou exists agaihst Russia.
Tie Cologne Castle OF the 18th says that
BarCu Won Beust, after an interview with the
Russian AMBASSADOR At Vienna, stated to Lord
near the Turkish frontier, and that Austria was
perfectly prepared 10 take the field If England
would give her consent.
LORD GRASvILLE's NOTE.
IoSDON, Nov. i6--I Ny. Tribune Special
There was great excitement but no panic over
the Russian news in the stock exchange and
elsewhere Some such Russian step has been so
long expected that the public was partly pre-
pared for II. It is the form and the peremptO-
TlneSs OF Russia's declaration which have Gre
ated surprise, rather than the demand itself.
There j. nothing Vet like talk about war, but the
English cabinet Is in no mood 10 be deferred by
the prospect OF a collision, in which, however II
does not believe. There is nobody who says that
England Will not in any care go to war. Both
nets. a sense Of the impossibility of permitting
open dictation by Russia is uppermost. The fol-
lowing correspondence has passed:
Earl GTaRriIIe 70 Sir A. Buchanan, British An
bdSsddOr % Russia.
FOREIGN OFFICE, Nov. l0.-Sir: Baron Bru.
now made TO me yesterday a communication re-
speStns the convention between the Emperor
of Russia and the Sultan, limiting their naval
forces in the Black sea. signed at Paris on the
5Oth Of March 1856, TO which you allude in your
telegram of yesterday afternoon. In my dis
what passed between Us, and now propose to
observe upon Prince Gortschakoff's dispatches
III ~, me E Paa am IN al..; sommaneated 70 me
Prince GOrtschakof declared, on the part of his
Imperial Majesty, that the treaty of 1856 had
been infringed upon in various respects to the
prejudice of Russia, and more especially in the
case Of the municipalities, against the explicit
protest of bis representative, and that IN conse.
IueRce OF these infractiOns, Russia Is entitled
10 Tencusce those stipulatIons of the treaty
which directly touch her interests.
IL II then announced that she will no longer
tie bound by treaties which restrict her right of
sovereignty in the Black sea- We have here the
allegation that certain facts have occurred
which. IN the judgment OF Russia, are at va
rance with certain stipulations OF the treaty,
and the assumption made that Russia, on the
strength of her own judgment to the charac-
ter OF these facts IL entitled to Release herself
from certain other stipulations OF that instru-
1neUt. This assumption Is limited in its prac-
uCal application to some of the provisions OF
the treaty, but the assumption of the rixht 10
TeDounce any one of its terms involves an as
>umPtiOn OF a right to renOunce the whole
This statement Is wholly independent of the
Teasonableness or unreasonableness, on its own
merits. OF the desire Of Russia to be released
from the observation of the stipulatiOns OF the
treaty OF lcJ0 respecting the Black sea for the
question Is, % In whose nands lies the power of
releasing one or more OF the parties from all
or any OF these Stipulations ." 1t has always
been held that that right belongs ONLY to the
governments who have been parties to the orr
ginal instrument
The dispatches of Prince Gortschakof ap-
rear 10 assume that any one of the powers who
have signed AN engagement Mt NAV alIege thai o.
cUTreECrs have taken place which, in its opin-
iOn, are az variance with the provisions OF a
treaty, and although this view Is not shared nor
cand 1pon t that aispstioS S"sr. we may
these governments for consideration of the
case, but an announcement TO them that il has
emancip4ted itself, or holds itself emancipated
from any stpulatiOns OF treaty which II thinks
IT to disaPprOye. Yet il is quite evident that
The effect OF such doctrine, or of any proceeding
which, with or without such svowal, Is founded
uron II Is TO bring the entire authority and
ethcacy OF treaties under discretionary control
~ any one OF the powers who may have signed
The result Of which would be the entire destruc-
ton OF treaties In their essence for where
As their whole object is to bind powers
70 one another, and for this purpose each
= It's Tree agency. By the doctrise and
proceedings now In question, one OF the PARTIES
m is special and individual capacity, brings
TACK the entire subject into its own control and
IemalnS bound only 10 itself. Accordingly
Prince GOrtschakor has announced in those
Dispatches the intention Of Russia to continue 10
observe certain of the provisions OF the treaty.
However satisfactory this may be in itself 1t is
obviously expression of free will OF that
poTeT, " hich u might az any time alter or with
draw, and in this II is open to the same ob;ec-
tons as the other portions OF the communica-
ion, because IL implies the right OF Russia to
annul the treaty on the ground of allegations OF
" hich she constitutes herself the only Judge
The question therefore arises not whether any
desire expressed by Russia ought to be Carefully
examined IN friendly spirit by the consignAtory
powers, but whether they are to accept from
her the announcement that by her own act
without any consent from them, she has re-
leased herself from the solemn covenant
need scarcely say her Majestyis government
have received this communication with deep
regret, because 10 opens q discussion which
might rnsettle the cordial understanding il has
been their earnest endeavor to maintain with
the Russian empire; and for the above men
toned reasons IL II impossible for her Maiesty's
government To give any sanction on their part
The annnnnraI Inv
LOT. IL, instead OF such declaration, the Rus
sian government had addressed her Majesty,s
government and the other poxers who are par
ties 10 the treaty of 1856, and had proposed for
consideration with them whether anything has
occurred which could be held to amount 10 an
Infractlon Of the treaty, or where there is any
thing in the terms which, from altered circuIn-
stances, presses with undue severity upon Rus
"a, or which, in the course of events had be-
Sone unnecessary Tor the due protection of
Turkey. her M2jesty's government would not
have refused to examine the question IN concert
With the cOsignatures 10 the treaty. Whatever
might have been the result OF such communica-
ton, risk OF future complications and very
dangerous precedent a. 10 the validity OF inter
Ea''Onal Obligations would have been avoided
GRANVILLE.
p S.-You viii read this dispatch and give a
CCIy CT 10 20 Prince GOTtschakOf.
THE EXCITEMENT IN LONDON.
LONDONs Nov l6--t y. Y. Worif's s. ecial l.
: he whole London press to morrow morning
VIII open cry against Russia, appealing 10
the government TO declare war if she persists in
her de msnds- The feeling in the city l. intense.
and the excitement almost unprecedented, and
the government finds itself pressed forward to
an attitude which II al not signed at first to
assume The feeling Il so strong III at the gov
eTEfnent l. convinced that 10 is unsafe TO resist
IL Extraordinary ac-Ivity prevails at the ad-
uIalty. and orders have been given to nan and
TrepaTe the entire fleet, the work 20 90 on aay
and hight at POrtsmo attn, Davenport, SpitLead
and SherI4sss.
CRITICAL SITUATION OF THE GER.
private letters received tonight from Yer
-suies say tho position of the Germans has
become extremely critical, and alarm pre- walls
sufODg all who understand the situation. The
h.Dg would depart i'm medistely for Berlin hut
~ Vas nos considered safe TO permit him to
depart ;thOHt a very large escort which could
not be spared, A. he would be CAPTURED or shot
by the Franc-ttreurs, who are swarmiug Ali
over the country 80 great are Motke's appre-
tensions OF the consequences OF an attack by
the forces OF Trochu and a simultaneous assault
on the part OF the army OF the Loire that an
neDcbmens are now being thrown up in the
rear and tanks Of the German posi tons around
Paris. UfIcers high in rank AZ Versailles declare
that the Germans ind the mseives bessie ged and