Year: 1877

CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN THE ENGLISH AND


RUSSIAN GOVERNMENTS.


The following correspondence has passed


between the English and Russian Govern
ments, respecting the war between Russia
and Turkey:


FoREIGE OFFICE May 6. iS71-M F4n,-
bGSudsar, have the honor 10 acknowledge
the receipt Of your Excellency's letter of the
9th instant, IN wsieh You inform me that
you are about to proceed 70 Russia on a
shorS leave OF absence.


As Your Exceliency VIII then doubtless
have al opportunity Of personal y conferring
with your Government, | take chs occasion
Of placing before them some considerations
of Importance 10 the future good understand
ing between Great Britain and Russia


Her Majesty's Government do not propose
again to enter on the question of the justice
or necessity Of the present war; they have
/ already expressed their views with regard to
It, ana further discussion would be unavaIl-
ing. They have accepted the obligations
which 4 state Of war imposed upon them,
and have lost no time IN issuing proclama-
ton OF neutrality. They from the first warn
ed the Porte that it must not look to them
Tor assistance, and they are determined to
carry lmpartIally Intl effect the policy thus
announced 50 long as Turkish interests alone
are involved


At the same time, they think it is right
that there should be no misunderstanding as
to their position and intentions Should the
war now m progress unfortunately spread,
interests NAV be inpetiled which they axe
I > -
and 1t Is desirable that they should make 1t
clear, so far As At the outset of the war can
be done, what the most prominent of those
interests are.


Foremost among them is the necessity OF
keeping open, uGiniurcd and uninterrupted,
the communication between Europe and the
East By the Suez Canal An attempt to
blockade OF otherwise interfere with the ca
nal or Its approaches would be regarded by
them IS a menace to India, and rs a grave
injury to the commerce of the world On
both these grounds any such step-which
they hope and fully believe there Is no ipten,
ton on the part OF either belhgerent TO take
would be inconsistent with the maintenance
by them OF an attitude OF passive neutrality.
The mercantile and financial interests ot
European nations are also so largely involved
IN Egypt that an attack On that country, or
its occupation, even temporarily, for pur-
poses OF war, could scarcely be regarded with
uneoncern by the neutral powers, certainly
not by England


The vast importance of Constantinople,
whether IN a military, political, or a COM
mercial point of view, IS too well understood
TO require explanation. 1t is, therefore,
scarcely necessary to point ont that Her
witness with indifference the passing h.59 Z"
other hands than those of its present posses
s0rs Of a capital holding so peculiar and CON-
manding a position.


The existing arrangements, made under
European sanction which regulate the navl-
CATION of the Bcsphorus and Dardanelles ap-
pear TO them wise and salutary, and there
would be, in their Judgment, serious Objec-
tons to their alteration IN any material par
ticular


Her Nsjesty's Government have thought
it right thus frankly to indicate their views.
The coarse OF events might show that there
were still other interests, for instance,
On the Persian guif-whieh It would be their
duty to protect; but they do not doubt that
they VIII have sufficiently pointed out to
Ftu4 l4AIIll-ltN N4iN 444liAoo hAliAAAA "AiAN-A
they hope that the war may be confined, or,
at all events, those within which they them
selves wcnld be prepared, so far as present
circumstances allow of an opinion being
formed, to maintain a po!:cy Of abstention
and neutrality.


They feel confident that the Emperor q
Russia viii appreciate their desire to make
their policy understood az the outset OF the
war, and thus to respond to the assurance
gwen by his Imperial Majesty, at Livadia,
and published at your Excellencys request
when he. pledged his word of honor that he
had no intention OF acquiring Constantine
PIE, aud that if necessity should ohlige hlm
to occupy Il portion Of Bulgaria 1t would only
be Professionally and until the peace and
safety of the Christian population were Sc
cured


Her Majesty's Government cannot better
show their confidence in these declarations
of his Imperial Majesty than by requesting
your Excellency 10 be so good as TO convey
to the Emperor and the Russian government
the frank explanations OF British policy
which have had the honor OF thus offering
TO you. have, etc, DERBY.