Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-11-24
The Eastern ImbrOgli0...GOrtsc
kOff's Circular.

The following is the full text of Gort-
schakoffs circular to Baron Brunow,
which was communicated to Granville,
an abstract of which was published in
last Thursdays HERALD, in connection
with Earl Granville's reply.
PRINCE GoRTsCHAKoFF TO EARL GRAN
VILE.
TzARsKoE SELo, Oct. 10, 1870.
Baron-The successive alterations which
the compromises considered to be the
foundation of the equilibrium of Europe
have in these last years undergone have
obliged the Imperial Cabinet to examine
the influence upon the political position
of Russia resulting therefrom. Among
these compromises that which interests us
most directly ia the treaty of the 18th
ton between the two Powers bordering
on the Black Sea, annexed to this treaty,
contains an engagement on the part of
Russia to limit her naval forces to incon-
siderable dimensions. In return, this
treaty offered her the principle of the
naturalization of the sea.
In the view of the signatory Powers,
this principle was to remove all possibili-
ty of conflict, whether between the Pow
ers bordering on the Black Sea or between
them and the maritime Powers. It was
to increase the number of territories called
by the unanimous agreement of Europe
to enjoy the benefits of neutrality and 30
to protect Russia herself from all danger
of sggressions.
The experience of fifteen years has
proved that this principle, upon which
depends the security of the whole extent
of the frontiers of the Russian Empire in
this direction, rest only on theory. In
fact, while Russia, disarmed in the Black
SEQ, has by declaration recorded
in the protocols of the conferences legally
denied herself the possibility of taking
efficient measures of maritime defence in
the adjacent seas and ports, Turkey pre-
served the right of keeping up unlimited
naval forces in the Archipelago and the
Straits. France and England preserved
the power of concentrating their squad
rons in the Mediterranean.
Moreover, by the terms of the treaty the
entrance to the Black Sea is formally and
forever prohibited to the flag of war,
whether of the Riparian Powers or any
other Power. But by virtue of the con-
vention called the Straits convention the
passage through these Straits is closed to
flags of war only in time of peace. It re-
suits from this contradiction that the
| coasts of the Russian empire remain ex-
posed to all aggressions, even on the part
of less powerful States as soon as they
possess naval forces, to which Russia
would be able to oppose only few yes
sells of small dimensions.
The treaty of 13th-29th March, 1856,
moreover, has not escaped the attractions
to which most of the European compro-
misses have been subject, and in presence
of which it would be difficult to affirm
that written law, founded upon respect
for treaties as base of public law and
rule for the relations between States has
preserved the same moral sanction which
it may have had in other times.
We have seen the Prinoipalities of Mol
davia and Wallachis, the fate of which
had been fixed by the treaty of peace and
by the subsequent protocols under the
guarantee of the great Powers, effect q
series of revolutions as contrary to the
spirit as to the letter of these com promises
and which led them first to union, then to
the summoning of foreign prince. These
events occurred with the consent of the
Porte and the scquiescence of the great
Powers, or at least without the latter hav-
ing thought it necessary to make their
DEGREES respected.
The representative of Russia was the
only one to raise his voice to point out to
the Cabinets that by this liberation they
would put themselves in contradiction to
the explicit stipulations of the treaty.
Beyond doubt, if these concessions, gran
ted to one of the Christian nationalities of
the East, had resulted from a general I'M
Outstanding between the Cabinets and the
Porte, by virtue of principle applicable
to the whole of the Christian population
of Turkey, the imperial Cabinet would
have had nothing to do but applaud. But
they were exclusive.
The imperial cabinet then could not but
be struckwith the fact that it had been DOS
sible to infringe with IMMUNITY the treaty
of 1906, but a few years after it's oonclu-
in one of its essential clauses, in the face
of the great powers assembled in confer
ence at Paris, representing, as whole, the
high collective authority upon which
rested the peace of the East. This in
fraction was not the only one. At several
intervals and under various pretexts, the
entrance to the Straits has been opened
to foreign ships of war, and that of the
Black Sea to whole squadrons, the pres
ence of which was violation of the
character of absolute neutrality asoribed
to these waters, in order to secure the r.
pose of the East and the European er:ni.
librium.
His Majesty is convinced That that
peace and that equilibrium will have a
stronger guarantee when tLey shall have
been placed on a mora lust and sol;d
basis than those resulting from a position
which no great Power could accent as q
normal condition of existence.
You are desired to read this disnatob 70
the Minister of Foreign Affairs and leave
q copy with him.
Receive, etc. GoRTscHAKorF