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Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 186, 2 August 1854, Page 2

TtruKEY.—lt appears that about 30.000 Russian troops have forced the passage of tbe Danube, while some accounts stale that only the wings of the army under General Luders had succeeded in crossing, and that the main body had been compelled to retire. On the 29th of March the Russians attacked the fortress at Kalafat, and took three redoubts. Omar Pasha had issued an address to the Moslem troops defending the fortress, pointing out the importance of the post, and urging them to defend it to the last drop of their blood. Some severe fighting had taken place, and many lives lost on both sides. Several towns had been taken by the Russians.

Letters from the north state that the Gulfs of Finland and Bothnia are still firmly frozen over; the re-opening of the navigation at Cronstadt last year took place towards the end of April: in 185 lJ on the 12th of May: in 1851 on April 20: and in 1850 on April 30. It is said that there is little probability of the ice breaking- up this year any earlier. At Revel it is forbidden to light the lamps of the lighthouses, and the destruction of all buoys and other helps to navigation is commanded. Between Riga, Revel, and St. Petersburg!}" a regular estafette service has been established, and a courier passes at least once a day. In the Gulf of Finland, which is so difficult of navigation ■for deep drawing vessels, large masses of rock are being conveyed along the ice to the site of the usual sailing channel, so that, when the ice melts, these masses will sink and choke up the channel, which was difficult enough before.

Italy.—On the 20th of March, at a quarter to five in the evening-, the Duke of Parma was stabbed with" a dagger, and shortly after expired. The Duchess, of Parma has proclaimed her son Duke. He is still in his minority, being bora on the 9th of July, 1846. The duchess in the interval will be Regent. A letter which has been received by an Italian refugee, at present residing in Paris, gives some curious details of the manner in which the duk«. was stabbed. It was, the letter states, in a sort of low wineshop, frequented by the lowest people, that the event occurred. He entered the common room, and was recognised by a soldier who was reading, and who immediately rose and saluted him, and, then sitting down again, continued the perusal of the journal he was engaged with. The duke then, it appears, went up to him, and said, "What, you go on reading before your prince, and seated !" The soldier replied in a low tone, " In seeing your royal highness enter such a place, I thought you desired to remain incognito; and I feared to shew you too much respect, as that would attract notice." The duke then got into a violent passion, and, after using most abusive language, struck the soldier a dreadful blow with his whip across the face. The soldier then, in a fit of exasperation, drew out his short sword and plunged it into the lower part of the duke's stomach. In the tumult he succeeded in effecting his escape.

The publication of the secret correspondence between the Russian Emperor and the English Ministers, confirms much that was previously expected in the conduct of the Czar; adds considerably to the positive knowledge of his criminal purposes; and gives connection and entirety to ail his proceedings. We have not only a key to the Avhole of very complicated actions, but we have the statement in his own words and under his own hand. It is now shewn clearly that his ultimate object was the partition of Turkey; for he proposed that England should take to herself constituent parts of the empire; mrl while he affected to dis-

claim possession of Constantinople and of certain provinces as " proprietor," he did not shut out the probability of his occupation as trustee, and he avowed his resolution to prevent the approach of any power, or the growth of any independent government, within that part of Turkish Europe over which he was endeavouring to extend a virtual sovereignty by influence and protection. Inferred before by the elements of the Russian orbit in the past, this ultimate aim i s now established by the tongue and hand of the reigning Czar.

The bad faith with which this policy was carried forward—a spirit as subversive of all existing compacts as the action of Russia was subversive of any power but its own is also exposed. While Russia was joining with England in reprobrating the pressure of any peremptory demands on the Turkish Government, and engaging England not to make any active advance towards Turkey, the Czar was actually busied in arranging those peremptory demands which Prince Blenschikoff urged with threats, and those forces which were to back such demands by actual occupation of the Principalities. While thus carrying on one of the most g-igantic frauds recorded in history, the same potentate was engaged in several auxiliary frauds; as in the attempts to create mistrust and aversion between the courts of Austria, France, and England. Such conduct, in ordinary life, would stamp the person guilty of it as a sharper. It throws some discredit upon those statesmen of other countries, whose readiness to draw a veil over the depravity of crowned heads is contrasted with their refusal in private life to tolerate or recognise pcx-sons far less culpable. The English Government, for a time at least, believing that they had securities for his forbearance in the East, —securities vouched by his own autograph, and his imperial word given " et ami et en gentleman," —-were actually incited to expose their own policy to him, and thus to give him freedom or facilities for his own nefarious career. Sir Hamilton Seymour perfectly understood his man. The way in which the real gentleman preserved his self-possession while repelling the unblushing approaches of the false " gentleman" with formal courtesy—the contrast between his studied phrases to the Emperor, and his direct interpretation in more privileged communications, the tact with which he translates the Czar's circumlocution into the plain language of knavery, and his warning comments thereon, are instructive specimens of history teaching by example how to know a knave even under an imperial diadem. The exposure raises the question, whether it is safe for respectable statesmen who are incapacitated from competing in the arts of the sharper, ever to shut themselves up secretly in protracted communications with men of such character. That lesson perhaps will not be lost.

It is still more certain that the influence of Russia in European politics is destroyed by her own acts thus exposed. There is not a Government that can henceforward believe the Russian Emperor on his word ; not a statesman that can fail to understand the organized conspiracy which Russia has been carrying on, and is still carrying on, against the established order of things in Europe. Any powers which shall henceforward consent to compromise and palaver "with the conspirator, under the name of " neutrality," must be insincere in their professed desire to sustain law and established governments. Under cover of that profession, they must be contemplating the pet'.y interests and aggrandizement of particular families. A test is now supplied to the Western Governments for trying the g-ood faith of the German Powers, amongst whom Prussia is still preaching a " neutral policy."— Spectator.