THE POSITION OF THE EASTERN QUESTION,

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 99, 21 June 1854, Page 3

THE POSITION OF THE EASTERN QUESTION,

[From the Times, Feb. 28.]

The time is now oomo when tho near approaoh of tho season for naval and military operations, and tho establishment of a complete understanding between the four groat Powers of Europe opposed to tho aggressive policy of Russia, rondor it expedient that prompt and effectual measures should be taken to bring the question of peaco and war to a apcedy issue. The Governments of England and Frauee have thereforo resolved to address to tho Emperor of Russia a formal summons, exiling upon him to give within six days from tho receipt of that communication a solemn promise .and engagement that he will cause his troops to evacuate the Principalities of the Danube on or before the 30ih of April. The couriers who are the bearer* of this donpatch from London nnd Paris sturtod on their journey yesterday morning. They will p»B8 through Berlin and Vienna, whence it is understood that similar domands will be forwarded at iho same time by the cabinets of Prussia and Austria. Tho refusal on the part of Russia to comply with this just demand or to return a fitting answer will be regaidcd by the Powerß as a declaration of war. It is calculated that this communication will reach St. Petersburg in nine or ten days. Very possibly the Em. peror Nicholas will not avail himself of the formal term of six days which hat been extended to him, as there can be no doubt of the purport of his answer; but, at any rato, in less than three weeks that annwer will be known, and tho forces uf the allied Powers, which arc in fact already on their way to their respective destinations, will by that time bo in a position to commence immediate hostilities.

Upon tho arrival from the Tngus of Admiral Corry's Bquadron, which was seen yesterday evening outside the Isle of Wight, and has now cast anchor at Spithcad, Sir Charles Napier, the Commander of tho ficet, transfers his flag to the Duke of Wellington. That portion of tho naval forces which is already completely ready lor activo service will shortly assemble in the Downs, and proceed curly in March to tho Kattegat, where it will await the opening of the Baltic, which la seldom accesaible for maritime operations before tho latter part of (he month of Match, so that tho presence of tho fleet off tho tliorcs of the Baltic will coincide in point of timo with the period at which tbe definitive answer of the Emperor of Russia to tho ultimatum of Europe oan be received. The Ruisiun Baltic fleet consists of three divisions of about nine linoof b*ttlo ships each, which are now lying in the three naval ports of Revel in Esthonia, Hclsingfors in Finland, and Cronstadt,— all within tho Gulf of Finland. Of these three stations Revel is commonly free from ice ten days or a fortnight before the upper part of Iho gulf, and it is of course important that tho divisions of the Russian fleet which are thus separated should not be enabled to rounite under the guns of Cronstadt' Helsingfors is protected by the fortifications of Sweaborg, built on three islands opposite tha mouth of the harbour, and mounting oight hundred guns, with barracks and catecnotea for twelve thousand men. The isles of Aland, which were seized by Russia when she effected the conquest and annexation of Finland m 1 809, are also an important naval station, as they command tho Gulf of Bothnia, and threutcti even the capital of Sweden, to which kingdom they ought rightfully to belong. It would bo a wiao

~~ T rv;;T<~'-TTtil,V!UJ'.iy, '..;;.' i"i'"pi?:xf ■ ?nwi- '< ™""-~i?~}t-7ZXT7 and politic measure, well c.ilcuhrod to check the immoderate ascendancy of Rmsii,lf the events of the war enabled the allied Powers to restore these islands to the Scandinavian monarchies, with which they are intimately connected by race, religion, past traditions, and national spirit; and wo cannot but hope tint the pillnnt people of Swo'len mny takondvantiijo of tins conjuncture in nff.urs to rfenver tho pr vinc.f which was so shamefully wrested from them nearly half a century ego.

Tho arrival of the forces alroady on their way to ibo East will prcceilc by my little the peiiod which mny vow l>c assigned for the ccssuiion of all susponiui The firat two French columns, of about eight ihouianil men each, will cmnaik rimultiiiii'ously at Toulon and Algiers, while the British divisiou is inuking its way up the Mcdllf irunonii. We loam at the same time, by telegraphic despatches from Constantinople uf tin: thiitccnth instant, that the Porte has acceded to the convention proffered to it by England and France ; so that on their arrival in* the Turkish territories tbe troops will be received under tho provisions of a specific engagement with tho Turkuh Government. As a further proof of the excellent understanding and cordial union which, exist helween tho French nnd English Governments, we cannot omit referring with great satisfaction to the circular addnsscd by tho Ministers of these two great empire.) to all their agents and officers abroad, directing them to use their utmost endeavours, in all parts of the world, to protect the property and interests of each other as (hey would those of their own countrymen' Thii is a most striking proof of the united policy and common intention of the two States, and in nil tbe varioui emergencies to which a state of war may give rise in different parts of tho globe it is alike honourable ond useful to both nations that they should afford a joint protection to the interests of their subjects abroad. ' Tho Emperor of Russia is driven to very different expedients to express the annoyance and irritation which he feels towards his former allies. The regiments in his mmy which bore the mimes of the Austrian and Prussian Sovereigns have been commanded to change their designations. The Military Commisminer or Ei> voy of Russia who has hubiluillv ic-iJcil at Berlin if ordered to join his rcgininii <m duty, and Russian officers are nor to wenr Austrian and Prussian decorations. This Ifl<l hint is not undeserving of imitation in Germany and elsowhere, whore the badges of Bomlity to Russia are but 100 common. Within the last few weeks the chief Ministers of Bavaria and Saxony havo actually received and accepted the Russian Order of St. Alexandor Newsky; and, what is still more extraordinary, General Castelbajac, late French Minister at St. Petersburg, who has just beon recalled In consequence o{ the impending rupture, thought himself justified in accepting the lame decoration from the Emperor whoso Court he was about to leave- The nomination of Prince Paskieiritsch to the command of the Russian army on the Danube is a measure which gives us no very high idea of tho resources of Russia in ho'r superior officers. Prince Paskicwiisch was at no time a general of great eminence ; his military reputation was gained by beating the Persians; and in the Hungarian campaign he displayed neither activity nor fertility of > resource. He is now, moreover, considerably above seventy, and Infirm for his years. We do not take Prince Paskiewltsch to be the man to extricate tho Russian army from the great difli» culty in which it is placed, with an enemy in strung positions behind a great river all along; its front, and the probability that it will shortly be menaced on both flanks by an European army composed of the best troopi in the world. It is, in fact, difficult to conceive what operations can- be attempted with tuoceis by any army in such a position, threatened an it is on all sides nnd on its line of operations ; and. although we certainly do not anticipate that the Emperor of Russia will engage to evacuate the Principalities in deference to the summons of the other Powers, we have yet to learu how lie can continue to hold thorn against thoir will.