The War.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 362, 23 April 1856, Page 6

The War.

PROPOSALS FOR I'KACE The Times of the 7th January, in a letter from itn own correspondent, gises the i'ollowing :—

" Paius. Friday. January 4, 6 p.m.—A. good deal has been said about the propositions presented by the Emperor Francis Joseph to Russia, and accepted by France and England. Until they are o 'dally known. I may as well give you what is stated in the German Chancelleries in Paris, already alluded to, and I have reason to suspect that it. is nearer the truth than anything as yet published on the subject. With respect to the Dauubian Principalities, I am assured that, as already stated, the complete abolition of the Russian protectorate is insisted upon. Russia is to have no exclusive right of protection, nor intervention in the domestic affairs of the Principalities. It is demanded that the Principalities shall ret.*jj£-: their priv leges and immunities under Ut^ suzwainette of the Sultan, and that the Ottoman Porte, in concert with the contracting powers, shall grant to the principalities an internal organization accord ug to the necessities and fre«ly expressed wishes of the population. In concert with the Sultan also, as their suzerain, the Principalities will adopt a permanent defensive system, such as is required by their geographical position, and no obstacle and no impedimentsrnll be offered to them in their adoption of any extraordinary measures of defence they may require to enable them to resist aggression on the part of a foreign power. In exehan<re*i'ur the fortified places and territory occupied by the allied armies, Russia will be required to assent to a modification of her own frontier with Turkey in Europe. Tht? frontier thus modified, conformably to the general interest, will commence, from the neighbourhood of Chotym, following the line of the mountains which extend in a south-easterly direction, and terminating in the Lake Sasik. The line will be definitively regulated by the trea'y of peace, and the ceded territ'iry will he restored to the Principalities, and consequently to the suzerair.elle of the Porte.

Will) respect to the Danube, the opening of that river and its mouths will be effectually secured by regulations in which Europe will have an interest, .tud in which the contracting' Powers will be duly represented, excepting' the portions belonging- to the Powers who have teiritory on its-bunks, which will be iv^-ulated according to the principle established by the Congress of 'Vienna in matters relating to river navigation. Each of the contracting Powers will have the vg'ht to maintain one or luo small vessels of war at ti»^ mouths of the river, wilh the object of injuring the execution of regulations relative to the freedom of the Danube.

Tin: Black will be made completely neutral. Its waters will be open to the merchant shipping of a!! nations, but will be interdicted to war navies, and in order to make that neutralization n hona. fide neutralization, the present military arsenals will he destroyed.and no new ones hereafter created. The complete protection of the commercial and mnrit'iin' 1 interests of all nations will he secured in the various ports of the J3l;fy'V Sea by regulations bused on and in confot' linity with intei-naiional right. The two powers possessing territory on the BiaciC Sea will accept the engagement reciprocally to maintain therein no more than the number of light vessel*, the force of . which, shall he dcteriniofd previously, nec.*ASK J'V for the sr-rviee of their co.ists respectively. It is also provided that. such, stipulation of convention as shall have been agreed to fin" ! that object shall h" appended to the general treaty. It wilt be previously submitted to.

the approval of the powers who sign that trea'.v. and will have the same force, and be in every respect considered as forming an integral part of that instrument. Those or conventions fo. mirjg part of the general treaty, and secured in the same manner, shall not be altered, modified, or cancelled without the previous assent of all the powers who sign the said general treaty. With respect to the closing of the Straits the exception will he admitted as applicable to the powers that possess territory on the, shores of the Black Sea, as alluded to in the preceding article. The privileges, immunities, and rights of the non-Mussulman subjects of the Porte will be confirmed, but without affecting the dignity and th c independence of His JMuj'JSty the Sultan ; and, as I informed you yesterday, Russia will, after the p^-ace, be invited to take part with France, England, and Austria, in all such deliberations as have for their object to secure to the nonMussulman subjects of the Sultan their religious and political rights In addition to the above the belligerent powers reserve to themselves the right to propose in the general interest of Kurope, special conditions besides the four guarantees. i he representatives in Paris of some of the States of Germany, and one or two Russian residents, are snid to be cognizant of the above. The same may perh.-ips be affirmed of the Belgian Government. A'; all events, it is believed that the foregoing is a fair summary of the famous Austrian propositions. I understand that the assurance was again given to day in an official quarter of the resolution of this Government to carry on the war in the most vigorous manner in the event of Russia not acceding Jo the propositions adopted by the allies. It was repeated at the same time that the Kmperor Napoleon had no insatiable desire for war; on the contrary, he would feel as much satisfaction as any one that the Avar should cease, but. that he and the Knglish Government were determined not to abate one iota of the terms on which peace should be accepted, and that if Russia still held out, she would soon see how two such powers make war in the Baltic. It was not denied that there was still a irlimmer of hope of peace, hul it was admitted that the glimmer wa« very faint indeed. This does not differ in any respect from what I havemoie than once described as the disposition of the French Government, but it is no harm to repeat it each time that counter statements appear in the Russian press of Belgium and Germany.

Of tlit; result of Count Esterhazy's mission to Si. Petersburti'h, we know nothing ]>ositive as yet, nor do I believe we can know anything before the 10sli or 12th inst. There art: many rumours, lv.it it is not worth while, indeed it woidd be waste of time, to occupy you with thtrin, as they can only be founded on the merest conjee tines. In some of'he German ■' hancelleries in Paris, it is said lb;>t the despatch sent, by Count George Ksl'-rhazy of the disposition of the Kiiiir of Prussia to support the Austrian propositions at. St. Petersburg led to conclusions far too favourable and exasperated ; and that the Count disappeared soon after from Berlin, and it is supposed proceeded to Vienna and set hi"s Govcrnine/if. ritrht on the matter, and it is f"ared to considerably reduce the importance which had unintentionally or otherwise been attached to the promise or engagement of the Kinir-

I mentioned in a former letter that the intrigues of Russia had produced a certain o/icct on some of" the fiertnan States notover pleasing to ihe allies. I am now informed that the Kinii-of Bavaria continues,

»s before, anxious for peace, but with re Ktrictious, and Unit lie does nut go beyond

the acceptance by Russia of the four guarantees. M. de Beust remains failliful, however, to the impressions with which he left Paris ou his return to Germany, and to those wro reproach him with his change of opinion he alleges the military advantages the belligerent Powers have already obtained, and the satisfactory explanations given to him by tin; Kinperor and the French Minister of Foreign Affairs.