The Sun. — 1856-07-30 (London, England)

SERPENTS' ISLE. Wherefore they bestowed on it that repulsive name we have no means of knowing, but from the name itself. Certainly, had they been prophets, and foreseen the years 1829 and 1856, they could not have selected a better. This uninhabited rock lies at some little distance right off the mouths of the Danube, and seems designed for nature's beacon to those who would enter its shallow estuary. Of course, as the name indicates, such a place as it was, it belonged to Turkey. The Treaty of Adrianople gave Russia tke more northern mouths of the Danube, with the islands formed by them ; but though the island is not mentioned in the treaty, and lies far out to sea, yet her cunning and ambition condescended to claim this little spot as not too mean for her notice. Long it lay neglected, till in 1833 she somewhat condoned her swindling by erecting a lighthouse on the rock, which must have been useful, where otherwise, from the deficiency of sea marks, soundings are almost the only guide. The Treaty of Paris distinctly abrogates, however, the Treaty of Adrianople, and with elaborate pains secures the mouths of the Danube to Turkey again ; it even pushes back the Russian boundary, not to the Dniester, as it ought to have done, but far enough to include all the Islands and Lakes formed by the estuaries of the great river. The Bilssians had put out the light at the commencement of the War, for which none will blame them, but since the peace, the Turks, to their credit, have restored it. Hereupon the Russians send and take possession of it. Now, though by no reasonable construction of the Treaty of Adrianople did the Island belong to Russia, yet she had put that tortuous interpretation upon it ; obviously it never was hers, but by the same- process as she has made so many valuable countries hers. But, taking even her own ground, it of course reverted to Turkey with the other Danubian Islands. The Serpents' Isle, seized by Russia first in virtue of the Treaty of Adrianople, next in virtue of the abolition of that Treaty !—so much for the improvement of Russian notions of morality and honour. War has been to her a sharp teacher, but has she a nature more capable of instruction than the serpents for whose rock she hankers ? We remarked more than once during the War that all we had read of travels in Russia, and the conspicuous parts of her history; alike proved her to be as a nation incapable of appreciating civilised views of faith and honour. Clever, overreaching, and prosperous violence are with her the objects of popular admiration. She looks upon successful international perfidy or burglary as the highest honour of a statesman. Her CATHARINES, ALEXANDER; and NICHOLASES dared not have done so many deeds worthy of the gallows had they not been aware that political crimes, however degrading, brutal, or fiendish, would be received with applause by the people, and with Te Deums by the priests. Sinope and Hango are better relished in Russia than the defence of Sebastopol. Murderous frauds have the element in them which makes a Russian rub his hands with glee. It was something, to be sure, to fight the Allied armies over TODLEBEN'S earthworks for twelve months, but far more to destroy the Turkish navy in violation of a pledge, and to lure into an ambuscade the brave and kind tars who were liberating Russian captives. Here and there a MOURAVIEFF may doubtless be found, as there  was a Nokli in the time of the Flood, and a LOT in Sodom ; but Deceit and Violence are the genii whom Russian politicians invoke, and whose inspiration rarely fails them. Already every movement of Russia verifies the wisdom of those -who counselled not to rely at all  upon her honour. Both in the Lords and Com mons Ministers were abundantly warned that a treaty with Russia was not worth the paper it was  written on unless secured by material guarantees.  The independent Press did not fail to tell them the same truth, -aud they could not- reasonably despise the veteran counsels of a LYNDHURST or  she Eastern knowledge of a