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September 17, 1853.] T H E LEA D E R, 89...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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columns of the Ohservateur d'Athbnes , m . the midst of a series of diplomatic papers on the Eastern question , and . ^ as thence translated into the Sunday Times , to the considerable astonishment of the general public , who seemed to learn for the first time that an excellent sporting and theatrical Sunday paper was the official , organ of our Foreign OSice . The Observateur d'Atlthies had reached ' other offices besides those of the Sunday Times , but :, from ft modesty or discretion which may appear to many people incomprehensible , all the other journals declined to give a despatch of the Foreign Minister in other words than jiisown . The singular lameness and absolute nullity of the despatch in question may perhaps account in some
degree for this journalistic . continence . Our readers will soon be in a condition to discover how much they have lost by the delay . -We . print this almost posthumous despatch as a document in the history of the Eastern question , certainly not that it possesses any merit of any description to atone for the ludicrous want of apropos in the time and manner of its appearance . We need not remind our readers , whom it has been our endeavour to keep punctually and faithfully in possession of the latest successive phases of the Eastern question , how vastly the posture
of affairs is changed since the date of Lord Clarendon ' 3 despatch ( July 16 ) in reply to the second Circular of M . de Nesselrode . We have not now to discuss the right of Franco and England to send their combined fleets to Besika Bay , or of Russia to occupy the Principalities . The sole question that now calls for decision , for instant decision , is , ^ ehat is to be the attitude of the Four Towers , now that the Czar refuses to assent to the modifications of the Note of tho Vienna Conference , while Turkey persists in resistance to the naked demands of Russia , and considers these variations essential to its own assent to the
Note , which was not submitted to its preliminary approval , as it toas to Russia through the Russian ambassador at Vienna , who , it may be remembered , sent a rough draft of the Note to the Emperor , at the request by the Four Powers to sound his Imperial master as to tlio probability of his acceptance of the terms proposed . The Earl of Clarendon ' s despatch is as follows . We take the correct copy , supplied to the morning journals of Monday last by the Foreign Office itself , when it had become necessary to authenticaie the language of our Government . The whole story of this despatch is a sorry illustration of our secret diplomacy . It is addressed to Sir G . H . Seymour , the English Minister at St . Petersburgh : — ' - " Foreign Office , July 16 . 1853 .
Sir , —Baron Brunnow has communicated to me the circular despatch dated the 20 th of June ( 2 nd of July ) , which Count Ifesselrode has addressed to the Russian Missions . - - "It 13 difficult to express the astonishment and regret with which Her Majesty ' s Government have read in this despatch tho declaration that the Principalities have been invaded and occupied in consequence of England and Franco having disregarded the recommendations of the Russian Government , and having sent their fleets to the waters of Turkey . " The passages of the despatch which contain thia extraordinary statement arc tho following : —•
En posant cet ultimatum a la Porte , nous avions plus pfirticulierement inform ^ les grands Cabinets do nos intentions . Noua avions engage" nommdment la Franco et la Grand Bretngno a no pas compliquer par leur attitude les dillicultes do la situation , a no pas prendre trop tot do mesures qui , d ' un cote " , auraiont pour diet d ' encouragor l ' opposition do la Porte ; do l ' autre , engageraicnt plus avant qu'ils no lYitaient doja dans la question 1 'honnour etla digiiilo do 1 'Einpereur . ' "' D ' autre part , lea deux Puissaneoa maritimes n'ont pos era devoir deTorcr aux considerations quo nous avions I'ecominandties a leur serieuse attention . Prenant avant
nous 1 'initiative , elles out juge" indispensable de de " vancor imme'diatemont pur un mosuro effectivo , cellos quo nous no leur avions . annoncdes quo comrne purement oventuelloif , puisque nous en subordonnions la mise a offet aux resolu ions finales do la Porte ; et q ' u'au moment memo oil j ' oYris J execution n ' en a pas oncoro commence ' . Elles on ' t surl « -filminp envoy /; loursllol les dans les pnragos do Constantinople . . ICiloM oeeupent doji \ les oaux et ports de la domination Ottoinano i \ porl ' , 6 e des ' Dardanelles . Par eetto 'tUitudo avnnee ' s les deux Puissances noun out place" soils 1 " poids d ' uno demonstration comminatoire , qui , comino j iouh le lour avions fait pressontir , dovaifc ajoutcr a In criae ilo noiivolles complications .
' Un prilsoneo < lu rofus de la Porte , nppuyo" par la 'jianilo . sl . ntion < lo la Franco et do rAngletorro , il nous Jltivient plus quo jamnis impossible do mo < Iifier low resolull () »« quon avail ; l ' aifc depend ™ riOmpereur . 'I ' -n consequence , Sa Majesto Imperialo vient d ' envoyor " ¦» corps de nos troupes station no" on eo moment en Hes ' saifiDio Iordro do passer la frontitVo pour occupor lea Prin' ¦ ipiuil / is . ' l " Wdli respect to tlio first , passage , I havn to observe ¦•"»¦ t-ounl , Nessolrode ' s despatch of Juno Jot , to Huron , „ , " . 'w wn * llo ( ' communicated ( o Her Majesty ' s Governl «» i ( in j
, , lim , > nm ] > Ul 01 . f 01 . Oj f /] u , oni ;( 1 . f ;( m (; a W ( wk of n 1 A < lniil > al Ou'iduH to proceed to the neighbourhood 'Mo Dardanelles waH not issued in din regard , ns Count iliT'T '< M i " ' ir occupy the IVincipalitififi would be , 1 , , ? '" ! . " l by ( he IWl . o accepting tho terms which a Cow <> l J , i !? ''' ha < 1 unlu > Hilll ( ii > gly rojnciUMl ; und on Mm 8 U 1 Hell I ? ' tJl ( M ' "' ' ° > H « fr Majasty ' H (' lovernmoiit were (; om-< vi / 11 ° C () 11 H 1 < I < "" the ) oeeuimtion of tho Prineipalition inburl a " ' . V on < r ! u , fo dial , tho ( ! iiliii » ol ; of Kfc . 1 ' otor . i .-. h im Mol , now projinnid < o admit that ; tho note of Count i . lin ,, . ? . ° ¦ ltoiIw > 1 »» 1 •*«« ' »« < 'oi » taii . e ( l an omply iuhiiiuic , itut ( ' - X Unli ; N «« " <» l « nl « H note of Miiy . 'ilNl , , noinimi"" i "/? tho lioatUo iutontiojitt of liuosin , would of ituolf
have been sufficient to justify Her Majesty ' s Government in taking measures for the protection of Turkey . " I shall now proceed to place on record at what time and for what reasons the British fleet was sent to tho Turkish waters . " Prince Menschikoff , acting , it must' be assumed , ' the , orders of his Government , stated in his note of the 5 th of May , of which a copy was received in-London onthe 18 th of May , that any further delay in answering his proposals respecting tho Greek Church could only be considered by him as ' un manque do proct'des envers son Gouverncment , co qui lui imposcrait le plus penibles obligations . '
" Again , m his . note of tho 11 th of May , a copy of which was received in London on the 30 th of May , Prince Mensehikolf says , that in case of an unsatisfactory decision on . the part of the Porte—' si les principes qui en forment la base ( of the articles he was negotiating ) sont rejetes , si par une opposition systematique la Sublime Porte persiste a lui fermer jusqu'aux voies d ' une entento intime et directe , il devra considerer sa mission comme terminde , interrompre les relations ayec le Cabinet de Sa Majeste" lo Sultan , et rejeter sur la responsabilite de ses Ministres toutes les consequences qui pourraient en resulter . ' And lastly , in liis note of the 15 th of May , received in London , Juno 1 , Prince Menschikoif concludes : — ' II appartient a , la sagacite de vofcre Altesse de pi 5 ser les suites incalculables et les grandes calamites qui pourraient en resulter , et qui retomberaient de tout leur poids sur la responsabilito' des Ministres de Sa Majeste * le Sultan . '
" This succession of menaces , addressed to a Power whoso independence Russia had declared her determination to uphold , and in support of claims so much at variance with the assurances given to Her Majesty ' s Government , together with the vast military and naval armaments which for months had been preparing on the very confines of Turkey , left no doubt on the mind of Her Majesty ' s Government of the imminent danger in which the Sultan was about to he placed . They deeply lamented that this danirer should arise from acts of the Russian
Government , which was a party to the treaty of 1841 ; but , as Her Majesty's Government adhere now , as firmly as in 1841 , to the principles which that treaty records , and believe that the maintenance of European peace is involved in . the maintenance of the Ottoman Empire , they felt that the time had arrived when , in the interests of peace , they must be prepared to protect the Sultan ; and , upon learning the abrupt departure of Prince Menschikoff , it was determined that the British fleet , which lip to that time had not quitted Malta , should be placed at the disposal of Her Majesty ' s Ambassador at Constantinople .
" On the 1 st of June , a despatch was forwarded to Lord Stratford de Rcdcliffe , authorizing him , in certain specified contingencies , to send for the fleet , which would then repair to such place as he might point out . On the 2 nd of June , instructions were sent to Admiral Dundas to proceed at once to the neighbourhood of tho Dardanelles , and there to placo himself in communication with Her Majesty ' s Ambassador . " On the previous day , we received a copy of Prince MenschikofFs note of May 18 , announcing the termination of his mission , and that the refusal of the guarantee demanded , ' devra ddsormais imposer au Gouvernemont Imperial la necessity de lachercher dans sa propro puissance . '
"On tho 2 nd of Juno , I communicated to Baron Brunnow the measure taken by Her Majesty ' s Government ; it could not have boon made- known by him at St . Petersburg before the 7 th or 8 th , and , consequently , it could in no way influence tho decision taken by tho Russian Government ; for Count Nesselrode's note to Redsehid Pasha , announcing that , ' dans quelques semnincs ses troupes recevront l'ordre de passer les frontieres de l ' empire , ' wns dated tho 31 st of May ; and his despatch to Baron Brunnow , in which he said , that if the Porto did not nign Prince Mon . schikoir ' fl note within a week after tho arrival of tho note to Rwlaehid Pasha , tho Emperor ' ordonncra i \ ses troupoa d'oecuper les PrineipaulAs , ' wus dated the 1 st of June .
"It is thus clearly established that tho British fleet was not sent to the waters of Turkey in disregard of eonniderivtions submitted to her MujoHty ' a Government by tho Cabinot of St . Petersburg , and that ; on ( he day beforo tho instructions to Lord Stratford do Redclim , ! left London the decision to occupy tho Principalities wan taken by tho Russian Government ; and I nay that ; decision wa . s taken , because the Russian Government could never for one moment seriously have expected the submission of the Porto
to tho terniH , scum variant ? ., Mint a regard for il ; s own dignity and Hecurit . y had a few days before compelled it to decline . Yet Count . IVosselrodo , in his circular despatch of July ' 2 , amriiiH that the pri'HOnco of tho English and French fleets in the Bay of Hosika has mainly provoked and fully justifies the occupation of tho Principalilien ; ho insists that they are in Night of the capital , from which they aro nearly ' 200 miles distant , and that their maritime occupation of tho Turkiuli wator / s mid ports can only bo bnlaneed by a military position on tho part of Russia .
"But her . Majesty ' h Government muni ; , in the ( strongest forms , prol , ont nguiiiHt thi . t asHorlion ; and they deny that nny roHomblance oxi . sl . s between tho prfcition of tho combined fleot . M in Bonika Bay and that of tho RuNsinn armies in tho l ' rincipulitif ^ H . Tho . fleei . H have l , lio Hauw ; riglit to anchor in Bosiku Hay as iii aiiyj > ort in the Mfuliterraimah . Their presence there violates no treaty and 11 (> territory ; il . iiilringou no iulernational law ; it in no luonaco toTurkudi indepiiiidonce , and it u . ssuroclly ought to bo no cauHO of ollenco to Ru . s . sia ; whoreiiH l ^ y oi'fiupying tho Principalities Russia does violate tho territory of tho Sultan and M 10 npocial treaty \ vliich rognrdn thnt portion of Inn dominion . It is an infraction of M 10 law of nations , und au act of " direct hostility against tho Sultan , which ho would be junliliod in mooting by a declaration ( jf war , and by a roquinil . iim to Mm allied HqundronH to como ii [> to OoiiHtautinopIo for his defence ; and , lastly , it in un act ho dangoroiiH an a in'ooodont , and ho violent on tho part of a powerful State
towards one whose very weakness should be its protection , that throughout Europe it has created feelings of alarm and reprobation . To admit that any similarity exists , or that any comparison can with truth be established , between the position of the English and French fleets outside the Dardanelles and that of the Russian armies within the Principalities , is manifestly impossible . "It \ a with deep regret that her Majesty ' s Government thus find themselves compelled to record their opinions upon the recent invasion of the Turkish territory ; but they consider that the withholding of those opinions would he an abandonment of duty on their part , and might render it difficult for them hereafter to interfere in defence and support of treaties which constituto the international law of Europe , and which are the only effectual guarantees of general peace and of the rights of nations .
"The sufferings which the occupation of the Principalities must entail upon the inhabitants will , doubtless , be much alleviated by the Russian Government taking upon itself tho entire charge of that occupation . " As I have so _ often , and at such length , discussed tho demands of Russia upon the Porte , it is hardly necessary for me to remark upon the other portions of Co ' unt Nesselrode ' s circular despatch , which , in fact , adduces no new fact or argument in support of those demands . I must , however , express the conviction of Her Majesty ' s Government that the Cabinet of St . Petersburg is altogether mistaken when it affirms that the Porte is indisposed to satisfy the just claims of Russia , or desires to shrink from its existing engagements with Russia . If this were correct such influence as her Majesty's Government may possess would be exercised to bring tho Porte to a proper sense of its obligations ; but they are as unaware of such breach of
engagement on the part of the Porte as they are of those numerous arbitrary acts of tho Ottoman Government , which , it is said , recently infringed the rights of the Greek Church , and threatened utterly to annihilate tho order of things sanctioned by ages , and so dear to the orthodox faith . " Russia claims for her ' co-religionnaires' in the East the strict status quo , and the maintenance of the privileges they have enjoyed under the protection of their Sovereign ; but Count JNesselrode- entirely omits to show how that
status quo has been disturbed , how those privileges have been curtailed , what complaints have been made , what grievances remain without redress . Her Majesty ' s Government know only of one offence committed by the Turkish Government against Russia , which , by the admission of Prince Menschikofly was satisfactorily atoned for ; while , on the other hand , the recent firman of the Sultan , confirming the privileges and immunities of the Greek Church , has been gratefully acknowledged by the Patriarch of Constantinople .
" Where , then , arc the causes which Count Wesselrodo , appealing to impartial Europe , assumes will justify the position now taken by Russia ? " Count Nesselrode further sa }' s that Russia , by her position and by her treaties , virtually enjoys tho right of protecting the Greek Church in the East . If such be tho case , and if that right , whatever its nature and extent maybe , is undisturbed , it is Russia that throws doubt upon its existence or validity by endeavouring to force the Porte into fresh engagements . If ancient rights exist , and aro observed by Turkey , Russia has no cause of complaint ngainst Turkey . But , if she seeks to extend those rights , then is Turkey justified in closely examining the nature of such fresh demands , and in refusing those from which her independence and dignity would suffer .
" Hor Majesty ' s Government receivo with sincore satisfaction tho renewed assurance that it in tho policy of his Imperial Majesty and the interest of Russia to maintain the existing order of things in the East ; and , aa tho interests of Turkey impose upon her the necessity of observing her engagement ^ with Russia , hor Majesty's Government trust that Russia will not , by seeking at tho present time to exact what tho l ' orte ought ; not to yield , prolong a crisis that may render inevitable consequences which Europe iis so deeply concerned in averting , " You will read thia despatch to Count Nosselrode and furnish hi « Excellency with a copy of it . " I am , & c . Cr , A itKNOOff . " The telegraphic despatch , which represents the latest position of tho Jiusso-Turkish question was as follows : — A courier from St . Petersburg has arrived .
The Czar rejects the Turkish modifications , but abides by the Vienna note ; and promises to evacuate tho principalities if tho Porto accepts it pure and simple . Private telegraphic despatches from Vienna add , that a now memorandum from Russia , addressed , wo conclude , to tho Four Powers , in expected . Optimists , who will have peace at any print , derive encouragement for their hopes from the approaching conference of Sovereigns at the (' amp of Olmutz . The Czar is expected at Warmiw on the 20 l , h inst ., und at Ohnutfl on the 2 . ' ) rd . lie will be accompanied by ]\ 1 . do WchsoIroclo , Chancellor of M 10 Empire , M . do Jlleyeudor / r , bin Ambassador at'Vienna , and probably , says tho ( Jazotta
tto Color / Hi ' , by 0110 or two I ' riuccH o ! " the Imperial Family , with ' a suilo of two hundred noliles ! Thia meeting of sovereigns , for it is fiiiid Mint the King of > l riiHflia will join the two . lOniperor . s at OlinuU , may well excite , tho jealousy of those who ' prefer tho honour of E ( U'op <> , an ' d the security of Turkey , to peace at any price . The Times ' , for all its leanings to Russia , and although it has on alternate dny . s recommended tho desertion of Turkey , sounds Mm note of alarm , and nppoalH to the young Km ' poror of Austria lo resist , the seductions of WiohohiN , lo remember M 10 tradilions of hio House , and to discharge I ho weight of obligation jo hi .-i great benefactor by that " supremo ingratitude ! , " which Prmco Soliwammborg recommended . # ft flit tt +
I ¦ ' r-m . _ Wo do nut find any guurnnleo lor the 1 ' eneo Society in t . ho reported determination "'* tho Austrian Government to reduce its effective military forco in tho provinces released from the atalo of nioge . Thin reduction is probubly but tho rumour which invnriubly horaldu u loan ,
September 17, 1853.] T H E Lea D E R, 89...
September 17 , 1853 . ] T H E LEA D E R , 893
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 17, 1853, page 5, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_17091853/page/5/
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