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at an understanding in a becoming and honourable manner . - It ib thus manifest that a right for Russia to interfere in the ordinary relations of Turkish subjects to their Sovereign , and not the happiness of Christian communities in Turkey ; was the object sought for by the Russian Government ; to such a demand the Sultan would not submit , and his Highness , in selfdefence , declared war upon Russia ; but her Majesty
nevertheless , in conjunction -with her Allies , has not ceased her endeavours to restore peace between the contending parties . The time has , however , now arrived when , the advice and remonstrances of the Four Powers having proved wholly ineffectual , and the military preparations of Russia becoming- daily more extended , it is but too obvious that the Emperor of Russia has entered upon a course of policy which , if unchecked , must lead to the destruction of the Ottoman Empire .
In tMa conjuncture her Majestj feels called upon , by regard for an ally , the integrity and independence of whose empire have been recognised as essential to the peace of Europe , by the sympathies of her people with right against wrong , by a desire to avert from her * dominions most injurious consequences , and to save Europe from , the preponderance of a Power which baa violated the faith of treaties , and defies the opinion of the civilised world , to take up arms in conjunction with the Emperor of the Frenck , for the defence of the Sultan .
Her Majesty is jnersuaded that in so acting she will have the cordial support of her people ; and that tie pretext of zeal for the Christian religion will be used , in vain to cover an aggression undertaken in disregard of its holy precepts , and of its pure and beneficent spirit . Her Majesty humbly trusts that her efforts may be successful , and that , by the blessing of Providence , peace may be re-established on safe and solid foundations . Westminster , March 28 , 1854 .
The following Declaration is also published in the Supplemental Gazette : — Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , having been compelled to take up arms in support , of an ally , is desirous of rendering the war as little onerous as possible to the Powers with whom she remains at peace . To preserve the commerce of neutrals from all unnecessary obstruction , her Majesty is willing , for the
present , to waive a part of the belligerent rights appertaining to her by the law of nations . ® It 3 s impossible for her Majesty to forego the exercise of her right of seizing articles contrat > and of war , and of preventing neutrals from bearing the enemy's despatches , and she must maintain the right of a belligerent to prevent neutrals from breaking any effective blockade which may be established with an adequate force against the enemy ' s forts , harbours , or coasts .
But her Majesty will waive the right of seizing enemy ' s property laden on board a neutral vessel , unless it be contraband of war . It is not her Majesty ' s intention to claim the confiscation of neutral property , not being contraband of war , found on board enemy's ships , and her Majesty further declares that , being anxious to lessen as much as possible the evils of war , and to restrict its operations to the regularly organised forces of the country , it is not her present intention to issue letters of marque for the commissioning of privateers . Westminster . March 28 , 1854 .
Three Orders in Council , and a Proclamation , were issued on Wednesday , relating to the conduct of the war , and considerably relaxing the harsh rules which it has been hitherto customary to enforce against an enemy . The first order authorises general reprisals against the ships , 'vessels , and goods of the Emperor of Bussia , and empowers the Court of Admiralty to adjudge and condemn prizes . The second prohibits British ships to enter or clear oat of British , ports for Russian ports . The third orders that Russian merchant vessels shall be allowed six weeks , from
the 28 th March , to load and depart from British ports ; and that such vessels met at sea , shall , on showing that they sailed prior to the date of the order , be permitted to go without molestation ; and that such ships , which prior to the 28 th of March , sailed from a foreign port for a British port , shall be permitted to land their cargoes and depart without molestation for any port not blockaded . The Proclamation regulates the distribution of prize-money , and provides that the ships of allies , acting in conjunction with a British squadron , and ships in siglit , shall share in the prizes .
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WAR ARMAMENTS AND PREPARATIONS . Galxipojli appears to be the point on tho Turkish coast which has been selected for the landing both of tlio French and British contingents . As "will be seen on reference to the map , it is very conveniently situated for that purpose . It can be easily defended against any land attack , and troops stationed there
could with great facility be marched to Adrianople , or embarked on the Sea of Marmora and landed at any part of the Black Sea coast where their presence miglit be required . The regiments belonging to the expeditionary army still in England will now , of course , proceed direcf to Gallipoli without stopping at Malta . The Moniteur has the following paragraph : —
" 1 he English Government has just given orders to the English troops assembled at Malta to depart for Gallipoli . The French Government sent 4000 men there a few days since , and they probably arrived on the 27 th . Vessels having on board 15 , 000 men have , within tb « se few days , sailed from the coasts of France and Algeria . Other vessels will lie despatched immediately with the rest of the army , which , to the number of mote than 50 , 000 men , will be assembled in Turkey by the commencement of May . " The Minister « i War-has taken such steps as will enable this army to be increased as * circumstances may require . "
It is said that Sir D . L . Evans will command the 5000 men destined fora" special service . The cavalry regiments proceeding to the East through France are each expected to occupy about nine days after crossing the Channel in proceeding to Marseilles . As the railway communication between Chalons and Avignon is incomplete , about seven days will be spent on the march , and it is believed that this wijl be found a useful preparatory
training both for men and horses before'they enter upon active service . The large number of transports that would be required in conveying the force entirely by sea is , we understand , the chief reason for ihe selection of this route . Those who are anticipating a military display on the occasion of the English cavalry passing through Paris will probably be disappointed , as , according to present arrangements , the troops will proceed on their journey by squadrons ,
It is rumoured that , in addition to the late augmentation of the army , there is to be a further increase of 30 , 000 men , and that the first division of the expeditionary force at Malta is now being rapidly moved en to Constantinople . The latest accounts from . Malta state that the force there assembled amounted to upwards of 10 , 000 men . Everyday the Guards were exercised with the Minie ' rifle ; paraded , drilled , and kept well disciplined . The French General Canrobert had arrived witli 800 men , who were loudly cheered by the British troops .
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When Sir Cliarles Napier landed at Copenhagen he was not received by the King , but by the Foreign Minister . He returned to Warigo Sound on the 21 * 1 ; 5 on -the 27 th the fleet anchored at Nyborg ; on th « 28 tfc . it was at Kiel ; and the next day sailed for Kjoge Bay , near Copenhagen . The latest news is tha-t ' < the fleet of Sir Charles Napier is again under weigh , and there is no doubt but the first point of attack will be the island of Aland . The on dit in the fleet affirms that an officer high in command ventured , in a conference with Sir Charles Napier , to argue against attacking Aland , saying that great carnage must occur in such an attack byBhips without troops , there being about seven thousand Russian
soldiers in garrison on the island . The answer of Admiral Napier is stated to have been very characteristic . 'If you think so , you had better go home again . ' The impression in the fleet is that Aland will be ihe scene of their first operations . It is stated tha-t the Russian squadron has left Bevel , but it is not known where they have gone . The current opinion in Stockholm is that the Russians will not meet Sir C . Napier ' s fleet . It is added that the Russian force of shipping is much over-rated . All the crews of our ships go to general quarters daily , and are practised , at the great gun exercise in firing at targets , and in ricochet firing at any small rocks or islands they may be near . "
The sailing ships , St . George , 120 , and Prince Regent , 90 , the Hirta , 6 , the C&sar , 91 , and the Coi \ flict 8 , have left this week for the Baltic . The French screw , Austerlilz , 100 , passed the Downs on Monday . The James Watt , 91 , left on Thursday morning for the Baltic-, but was compelled to put back , her bilge injection pump being useless . < The entry of landsmen ,, befwe " en 19 a . nd 24 years of n . ge , standing 5 ft . 6 in . in height , for service in tlie nary , is resumed .
On Thursday the Admiralty gave notice at Lloyd ' s thait transports were required for the conveyance of 113 pieces of ordnance to Constantinople , the guns weighing 342 tons . Upwards of 59 tons of anchors and chain cable , for the uae of the Black Sea fleet , arc to be transmitted at the same time .
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Our readers know already the nature of the propositions made by Count Orloff to the Emperor of Austria , and their rejection by Austria and the Conference . The interest of that transaction has be « n eclipsed l > y the subsequent and decisive steps of the Western . Powers ; and we shall only quote so nm-eh of these papers as shovs distinctly the origin , text , and rejection of the summons . But first it may be as well to show how Count Orloff ' s designs were met at Vienna , and frustrated by the Emperor .
The Earl of Westmorland to the Earl of Clarendon . ( Received February . 4 . ) ( Telegraphic . ) " Vienna , Feb . 4 , 1854 . ' " Count Bool has announced to the Trench ambassador and to me that Count Orloff ' s proposition to the Emperoi of Austria was , that his Majesty should engage himself to a strict neutrality in the event of the war between Turkey and Russia , in which it appeared that England , and France Were about to take a part . Tlie Emperor of Austria replied to " Count Orloff , asking if the Emperor of Russia would confirm * his Majesty ' s engagements not to pass the Danube ; to * evacuate the Principalities after the war ; and not to disturb the general arrangement at present existing of the Turkish provinces . Count Orloff repued that the Emperor of BuMa could take no engagement . ¦ ' ¦' - ' . : :. ¦ -
" The Emperor of Austria answered , that in that cise ' ne could take no engagement as was proposed to him . 1 T « should remain faithful to the principles * he had adopted In concert with the other three Powers , and should be gui&ed in bis conduct by the interests and the dignity of his eifipll *;*' Count Orloff ' s propositions having been rejectad , once when he preferred them personally , anclf » , second time when they were submitted in a iniOie formal manner , and diplomatic relations between Russia and England and France having beenwutpended , it became necessary to take another step . This step seems to ha ^ e been suggested by Austria ^ as will be seen from th « following despatch : —
Lord Cowley to the Earl of Clarendon . ( Received February 22 . ) . . ( Telegraphic . ) "Paris , Feb . 2 % , U&L " ! " Count Buol assures M . de Bpurqueney . that if England " and Franc * will fix a delay for the evacuationof tfie * Friacipalitiies , tlie expiration of which shaUl >» the signmlfo ^^ itM- ^ tilities , the Cabinet of Vienna wiU . support the sntnoidjiu ^ M . Drouynde Lhuys is of opinion that this shonld be done immediately , and that the two Goverhraenta ah <^ wtita to Count Nesselrode to demand the immediate cbrnmencemiit of that evacuation— -the whole to be concluded by a i ^^ oi time , say the end of March . Silence or refusal to ib ^ Noo sidered a declaration of w / aron the part of RuoBia . W 3 uwbever a decision is taken , &L Orouyri de LKu ^ beim tbit ifOtL will into * ** bjr i ^ &j hV ^ . . . ., < J ^^^ H ^ L On tha 23 rd , Lord Clarendon telegraphed to the British . Minister * at Vienna and Berlin ¦ ¦ 'JkfcMjgjiB&er whether -Austria and Prussia would join in the 1 ^ quisition , or support it . From Vienna he reared this resTOn 8 $ t- ~ :
The Earl of Westmorland to the Earl of Clarendon . ( Heeetad February 2 » . > ( Extract . ) ( Telegraphic . ) " Vienna , February 25 , 1864 . " Count Buol approves your proposal of a summ ' ons to evacuate the Principalities within a grven tune , wlii ^ he will direct Count Esterhazy to support on t ^ e folloiribg grounds : —1 st . His original representations to Riiaiua . against tlie occupation « T the Principalities : 2 ndlyv The , disastrous consequences resulting from , refusal &evaiaato themj Sdly . TBe responsibility of -the . , * # * ynfa ] which Russia will charge herself by such refusal ; 4 tbly . v , Citing the reply of the Austrian Government to Count OrlofiTs proposals , by which th « y reserve tbeir entire liberty of action . "
The official reply did not come so rapidly from Berlin . Baron Manteuffel told Iiord Bloomfleld that he thought the King would join in the requuBl » tion , but not take hostile steps in case of a refusal . This was unsatisfactory ; and the Queen's messenger was sent on to Vienna without waiting for'the Prussian despatch in support of the summons . ' Our readers have seen that Austria had made up its mind to support the summons on the 25 th February . Prussia was several days behind .
Lord BloomfieM to the Earl qf Clarendon . ( neceived March 7 . ) ( Extract . ) ^ Berlin March 4 , 1854 . u Baron Manteuffel has just informed me that he had not failed to submit to the King the copies of your lordship ' s despatch of the 27 th ultimo , and of tlie letter thereia inclosed which you have addressed to Count Nesselrode , requiring the evacuation of the Danubtan principalities , and that his Majesty immediately ordered him to address an instruction to General Rochow in tho sense desired by her Majesty ' s Government . ' This instruction , lie said , was sent to St . Petersburg last night by tho post , and was drawn up in very pressing language . It urged the Russian Government to consider the dangers to which the peace of tae world would be exposed by a refusal , and dcclured that the responsibility of thftWM which might be the consequence of that refusal would rest with the Lmperor .
M O RE P AP ERS A BOUT TU R KEY AND RUSSIA . MjNiSTKns presented , on Tuesday , additional documents to Parliament , showing the recent negotiations with Russia , leading to the summons to evacuate tlie Pxincipalitics , and terminating with the answer given to that summons by Count Nesselrode to tho English Consul .
" Bnron Manteuffel added that the Kinjj , in approving th < draft of tho despatch wliich had been laid before him , observed tliat lie felt it to bo hia duty to give all the support ii his power to any moaeuro which might Still hold out a hope over so elight , of the maintenance 01 peace . " It was while Captain Blackwood , the Queen ' messeng-er , was at Vienna , that the last proposals o Russia for peace arrived ; and he -was detained whii the Conference went through the formality of reject ing what they knew was inadmissible .
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April 1 , 1854 . ] THE LEADER . 293
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Leader (1850-1860), April 1, 1854, page 293, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2032/page/5/
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