THE TREATY OF PEACE AND THE RESERVED QUESTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 393, 9 August 1856, Page 8

THE TREATY OF PEACE AND THE RESERVED QUESTIONS.

The Journal dcs Debatsh-AS a long article indicating the provisions of the Treaty of Paris, and more especially relating to the way in which the Congress has filled up the fifth article of the Austrian propositions—the article which, it will be remembered, conceded to the belligerent powers, the 'right to advance special conditions "in the general interest of Europe." The article slates that the Russian plenipotentiaries did not defend the retention of the military arsenal of ■ Nicholaieff, nor any of the military establishments in the Black Sea or the S?a of Azuff. Sevastopol will not be rebuilt The Black Sea and the Spa of Azoff are to be neutral seas, and no ships of war, except li«-ht ones, for police purposes, will be allowed. "a! 1 the Russian forts in the Black Sea, from the Caucasus to the limit of the Russian territory not far from Batoum, will be destroyer! iie^er to be re-established. With regard-to the Ru,sian fortresses upon the Northern side of \ the Caucasus, from tbe Black-Sea to the Caspian, the Allies have given way, but the treaty provides that the frontier which separate's llussia Irlim Turkey at this part shall be rectified, and that the Russians shall abandon their conquests, and return from Kars into their otvn territory. Russia preserves its possession of the Aland isles, but only on condition'never'to foitify them or maintain, there a military position.

This stipulation is considered very favourable to Sweden, Stockholm being but three or-four hours' distance byj steamer from those islands. The treaty pronounces the suppression of the Russian protectorate in the Oanubiau principalities, but the* conference still hesitates between the different systems of political and administrative organisation which have been proposed. Three of its members are lobe sent to the spot in order to ascertain the feeling of the people. The choice of these plenipotentiaries is now under consideration. Whether the withdrawal of the Austrian troops should be immediate or should] be postponed until peace and order in those countries -shall be secured (!), has not, as yet, been decided. Turkey has demanded an idenmity for the expenses of the war,.and revived old claims for compensation for the. repeated occupations .of the Principalities by theßussians. The Russian Plenipotentiaries have opposed this claim, and the Congress has not yet come to a decision upon it.