EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 318, 17 November 1855, Page 5

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.

THE WAE. It has been generally remarked by those who have studied the physiology of human nature, that ihe weak and the slavish portion of our species are habitually false and treacherous. A race in bondage, whether mental or physical, is essentially untruthful, and the representative! of ihat race, the rulers aud the diplomatists, are invariably tainted with the same vice. This law of our nature will explain nearly the entire course of proceedings on the parts -f the Russian and German Courts previous to and during the present war. The whole conduct of Russia as has over and over again been proved in the face of the world, has been cunning, deceitful, aud overreaching. On this point it is only necessary to call to mlTirt rlie no-orlous talselitjod with which she commenced operations, in the allegation that the.invasion of the Principalities was in consequence of the advance of the Allied fleets into Turkish waters ; whereas it was proved by the dates that her armies had crossed the frontier of Moldavia before orders to move were sent to the fleets. But our remarks at present are particularly directed to Prussia and Austria. Equally with, the rest of Europe, they are threatened by tbe aggressions of Russia, —nay, their danger is m re imminent, for already they are almost Russian Provinces. Weak from divisions, from misgovern meut, or from the character of their rulers, they border, on either side, on powerful empires, of which they are nearly equally afraid ; but, unfortunately, their relations with one of these empires is complicated.by being partners in a gigantic iniquity, —the robbery and partition of a great kingdom. We believe that they thoroughly dislike and fear Kussia their partner in this robbery, but they are afraid ol the just punishment which, by the laws of Providence, sooner or later awaits them. They are in continual dread of an insurrection, not only by the people of the oppressed race, but by their own natural subjects; and it is to Russia alone that they can look for assistance in such an emergency. This danger they imagine is nearer and more pressing than that of territorial aggression by Russia, and, therefore, they do not wish to see the latter humbled. We believe this to be the secret reason of the vacillation and gross duplicity all along displayed by Prussia and Austria. .Prussia, indeed, did not su much display duplicity as an abject paralysis,—a weakness so contemptible as to induce the allies to exclude her from the deliberations of the Great Powers. She has consequently been degraded from her former rank as a leading power in Europe, and her interests will not be considered in any treaties or arrangement consequent on the conclusion of a general peace. But hetter'thingsjwere expected from Austria. Tbe Government of that country professed cordially to unite wish Engl md and France in their determination to resist the aggressions of Russia. The Austrail armies were placed on a war footing, and, on the understanding that they would take an active part against Russia, they were allowed to occupy the Wallaohian provinces. Now mark the duplicity and the treachery of Austria. While she was miking the most cordial professions of co-operation with the Western Powers, aud thereby obtaining a most important advantage, she diligently avoided any positive engagement to declare war against Russia. On the contrary, she kept up a diplomatic intercourse with the common enemy. Nay more, she seduced the Western Powers into delusive conferences, and managed to be appointed a sort of umpire in the quarrel. Further, at the Conferences, she induced Russia to concede the abandonment of her protectorate over the Witllachian provinces, and of restrictions on the navigation of the Danube; and, having secured what was suffeient for her own selfish purposes, she determined to desert the other powers with wh-.-m she lias pretended to cooperate, and have them to light the battles of Europe and of the civilised world. But this she does with a. consummate cunning whi-h shows a masierv in art to be acquired only by lung and constant practice. She was bound by treaty to unite in arms with the Western Powers to curb the Rus-dan predominance in the Black Sea. To evade this she proposed a plan at the conferences which she was well aware could not be accepted as a sufficient guarantee, as it tv no respect restricted Russia from increasing her naval powers. Upon this proposal being rejected by the W stem Powers she considers herselt neutral, but still keeps possesnan of the Pnn~

cipalities. Tne most extraordinary portion of this remarkable transaction is the seduction of the ministers of France and England, M. Drouyn de Lhuys and Lord Johu Russell, who weredeluded into the belief of Austrian sincerity —a delusion which, considering the antecedents of that power, is the greatest tiiumph of modern diplomacy. But that is an. episode into which we shall not at present enter. To show, however, how much they were deceived, it is stated, on tlie authority of Count Buol, that Austria had no intention of declaring war against Russia, even if that power had rejeeied her last preposition; and she has since applied for and obtained the permission of Russia to occupy the Danubian Provinces. It will be observed from the above that there _is_no.w_not„tlia_sliirh test, chance.oil the German Powers undertaking active hostilities against Russia. On the contrary, it is stated that sooner or later Austria, at least, must be involved in hostilities with the Porte and Western Powers, ou account of her occupation of the Principalities, which she obtained, as before stated, "under false pretences." It will thus be perceived that the war has now assumed an entirely new aspect. Russia no longer looks with dread to her German frontier. Ou the contrary she considers it sufficiently protected, aud is hurrying to the south large masses of the great army which she had collected in Poland. Should she be able to transport them to the Crimea, and to maintain them, the contest there will again be rendered doubtful: and as an attack on the Russian empire in any other direction seems to be attended with almost insuperable difficulties, the Crimea would become the chief, ii not the only battle-field. The strife in the Crimea, however, is of a nature sufficiently exhausting to require the utmost resources even of Russia. Already the contest has been most disastrous to that country. Of the magnificent Black Sea fleet, which numbered 108 sail, and *2,200 guns, only six or seven ships now remain. The fortress of Sebastopol is now euclosed in a circle of impregnable batteries, so that it is rendered useless to Russia— and her in the Black Sea can never be regained, except %y permission of the allies. The Sea of Azoff is likewise no longer Russian ; the communications with Circassia, Georgia, and Asia Minor are seriously menaced, and the whole southern coast of the empire is effectually blockaded. Iv the north the blockade of the Baltic is almost equally effectual, and equally disastrous. The drain of men foi the armies is likewise beginning to be severely felt. Cholera and the want of provisions are decimating the troops in the southern provinces. On this subject we quote the following extracts from papers recently received. Tbe first extract is from a communication in the Morning Chronicle : — " The condition of the troops on the south of Russia is said to be miserable. The cholera is raging to that extent at Nikolaieff aud Perekop that there are thoughts of dissolving the reserve camp established in the first of those towns, and of distributing the corps in the surrounding districts. The transport of troops and supplies is effected under immense difficulties, and these steppes are likely to become a second D.ibrudscha for the Russians. A very bad character is given of the militia of southern Russia, as badly armed and entirely indisposed to discipline, and ready for any excess. It was hoped that the miiitia would enable the garrisons of the smaller towns to be dispensed with ; but these garrisons have h id to be recalled to keep the militia in order." The following is from a leading article in the Times .- " As far as facts can be ascertained in such a c_se, there is every reason to believe that the Russian Government, which began the contest with powerful and well-organised forces, amassed and arrayed for this very contingency, has already felt the pressure and exhaustion of war. The limits of age within which in Russia uiilitaty service could be exacted have been considerably extended, exemptions formerly existing have been revoked, and the burden arising both from the diminution of laborers and the increasing number of tb.se thrown upon them for sustenance, iv the absence of their own protectors, has becnne serious in the extreme. We, on the other band, after starting from a peace establishment, and weathering all the dangers and difficulties arising from imperfect preparations, are gradually developing our resou-ces with such success that no less than 30,000 recruits—all, of course, by voluntary enlistment

—have been added to the army since the beginning of the year. We have gained upon Russia in her own territories, and in front of her strongest fortress. We have now in the Crimea a more numerous and effective army, a more powerful artillery, and a stronger force in every respect, than we bad when we began the war, while Russia, with all her legions, is driven to evacuate position after position from sheer inability to maintain them.

It is a very significant fact, with reference to the effect of the Austrian policy, as stated by the Morning Chronicle, that" the latest accounts from various parts of Italy represent the whole peninsula as a prey to banditti and revolutionists." It is also mentioned that Hungary, Poland, and Little Russia, as well as the Ukraine,_areripe for iusuneetion. From the accounts received by the " James Baines" it would further appear that the close blockade of tlie Russian seaboard is producing a stronger effect on that country than even the active operations in the Crimea, and the monster power is beginning to show symptoms of distress from the closing up of her springs of commerce and industry. The enthusiasm in France, so remarkably exhibited in the subscription hy the people of upwards of one hundred millions starling more than was recently asked by the Government, forms a strong and encouraging contrast to the state of paralysis, distress, and dismay, which appears to pervade Russia. If anything were required to show that even now the despots find they are likely to lose in the perilous game they have commenced, it is amply supplied by the fact of an attempted renewal of negotiations through the svidow of Nicholas and the mother of tbe Austrian emperor. For our own part, however, we do not believe that any negotiations for peace at this period can be successful. Nay, more, we are strongly of opinion that the various nationalities that have so long been trodden upon will ere long rise against their oppressors, and that, before the war is ended, these latter will receive a retributive punishment in some measure commensurate with the magnitude of their crimes against mankind.— Argus, Oct. 27.