Surtigu futI[ eutouirtl.

FRANCB.—Although Paris is the scene of great excitement on the Turkish question, and the journals arc full of criticisms on the events passing at Constantinople, we have no definite news. It is reported that despatches announcing the proximate departure of the British fleet from Malta were read in the Council of Ministers on Tuesday ; and it is stated that the question of- raising further troops and of preparing for war was discussed; that the Ministers were divided; the Emperor, as usual, silent ; and the subject adjourned.

The Pays of Sunday contained an interesting article on the Turkish

question, signed by the ' pliant pen of " Laguerroniere " but supposed to have been mainly inspired by Louis Napoleon himself. After criticizing the conduct of M. Thkrs in 1840, the article proceeds as follows.

" Our national pride is much flattered, no doubt, at hearing it constantly said that the Mediterranean is a French lake. Unfortunately, the treaties of 1815 have changed into a dream that expression of a great man. In consequence of these treaties, the Mediterranean is not and cannot hence- forth be other than an European and international lake. It is to maintain for it that character that Egypt ought not to be either English or French ; and that Turkey cannot be Russian. Let us speak in good faith ;—could we permit England, for instance, to establish herself in the Balearic Isles, to intercept our route to Algeria, which is henceforth united to France by indissoluble bonds ? And could England suffer that by making Egypt French we should take from her the bay of Suez, which is for her the gate of the Indies? M. Thiers threw himself rashly into the question of the East in 1840. He could only end in an impossibility. He completely disregarded the interests of France in that question. The Restoration did not commit such a fault, and its flag floated at Navarino side by side with that of Russia and of England. The inde- pendence of Greece was won and settled by Europe. It was also the whole of Europe which intervened to settle the interests at stake between Egypt and Turkey. The day that the Eastern question loses this European cha- racter, the peace of the world would be disturbed for a long time ; let this be believed : and it is not France that would have to suffer from that attack on the equilibrium of Europe, for she is perhaps the Most disinterested of all in the question of the East. There are three powers who have a vital interest in the East—Russia, England, and Austria. For Russia, it is the interest of her religious ideas, which points out to her the attainment of a political sovereignty where she has the pretension to exercise—a sovereignty of dogma and of faith. For Austria, it is the interest of her security and of her defence on the Danube against the immense weight of the empire of Russia, which already presses on her. For England, it is the interest of the freedom and security of her communications with India, where she has im- mense possessions, which are the source of her prosperity and the absolute condition of her rank as a power of the first order. But France has only the interest of all—that is to say, the balance of Europe and the freedom of the seas. France would not be menaced in her vital interests, like Eng- land and Austria, were Russia at Constantinople. Her expansion towards Africa and America would not be less free. It may even be said that she would find it a counterpoise to the excess of the maritime force of England, if that force could occasion umbrage to us. France would remain then what she is, and what she will always be, a Power of the first order. But that rank, of which she is proud, of which she is jealous, and which she will no more lose for herself than she will take from others, Austria and England would infallibly lose, the day that the Ottoman empire became the vassal of the Russian empire. " The Government of the Emperor Napoleon III. has not committed the fault of that of Louis Philippe. It has not sought in the question of the East a pretext for bad and false popularity—an. occasion for the revolutionary din of propagandism. It has not isolated France from Europe. No; it has taken a firm, dignified, and calm position on the ground of European rights. It is for that the Government of France negotiates ; it is for that it would fight if necessary—if it was necessary to fight—not alone, but with all and for all. France cannot, ought not, to be alone in the question of the East. The simple supposition of her isolation is so absurd that it is impossible to dwell on it for a moment. France is with England—she is with Austria— she is with Prussia—she will also be, we must still hope, with Russia. There is between the five Great Powers, as between her and all those of Europe, a common, a general interest, more intimate with some of them—more remote for us—but obligatory for all. If Russia, through pride or ambition, were capable of disregarding it, is it with France isolated she would have to do ? Ought France, alone, to feel for an interest more European than French ? Could she cover with her fine fleet England and Austria before these had presented themselves on the scene of this great contest ? Would she from the extremity of the West, separated from Russia by Germany, and from Turkey by the Mediterranean, the Archipelago, and the Dardanelles, have to fire the first cannon-shot for a cause which is only hers because it is that of all the world ? Honour would not command such precipitation ; policy would not counsel it. What honour commands and what policy counsels is pre- cisely what has been done by our Government. At the first signal of com- plications it caused the fleet to depart. It has taken a position near the theatre of events. It has placed itself in a situation to answer all exi- gencies and to fulfil all duties. But ins unfurling her flag in front of the Dardanelles, France has shown her right to all Europe, and her right is that of all—that which she could not defend alone without temerity, and that which the other Governments could not abandon without weakness and without defection to their own interest and to their own honour. We cannot imagine a finer position for France. We know of none more ho- nourable for her Government, and which more remarkably contradicts the mistrust with which its accession was received. The Emperor Na- poleon III. has too much sagacity, patriotism, and political genius, to play with that terrible word war ! That word, which is a portion of his glory, has not dazzled him. Twice only has he pronounced it since he began to govern,—three years since, as a reparation to the chief of Christ- ianity, the illustrious Pius LX. replaced in the chair of St. Peter by a French army ; today, as a precaution against the fear of an invasion, and of a violation of treaties. The foreign policy of the Emperor is sufficiently characterized by this comparison. After having had the honour to save re- ligion with the applause of Europe, Napoleon III. today defends European law, the respect of treaties, order, peace, equity. It is not he who is the conqueror that is dreaded. The nation which is trembling for its tranquillity is not on our frontier. No ; he does not render any coalition possible against France, but he renders impossible the partition of another Poland, as well as the conspiracy or the treachery of another treaty of Pilnitz ; and he. is ready to take his place in the great European coalition, to cause the integrity of a nation and the inviolability of a law to be respected. It must be re- peated, moreover, that war, not probable but possible, would in no respect re- semble that which has been seen. It would not be with our frontiers uncovered. It would not be with our nationality at stake. The Rhine, that natural barrier, would not be menaced by any enemy, and it is not at our door that

the quarrel would be settled. France at the utmost would have only to ap- pear on a distant theatre, not to attack, but to cause treaties to be respected. Such is her armed mission. She would advance to her object without shaking the soil of Europe under her feet. She would leave behind her flag armies and fleets, which could not fail in the cause of the right of all against the ambition of one alone. War has its conditions : war, if it were possible, would no doubt be a misfortune ; but, let interested parties be reassured, it could never be a peril or a convulsion. Thus, then, whether France fights or whether she negotiates, her position is as glorious as it is strong ; for war would merely be an act of European defence in common, and peace a treaty of alliance, of which the indissolubility would be sanctioned by the per- manent interest of all states."

The Emperor and the Empress went to the Hippodrome on Tuesday, to witness a balloon ascent and an attempt at flying by M. Letur. A, mis- hap occurred : the balloon went up ; M. Letur disengaged himself and trusted to his wings and his parachute ; but neither acted, and he came down to the ground with fearful speed : he was not killed, however.

The Senate broke up on Tuesday : this doses the session of 1853. Marshal St. Arnaud returned to Paris on Monday, after inspecting the troops encamped at St. Omer.

Arazam.:-The Paris Aroniteur reports several small encounters of the French and the Kabyles, between the 19th and 23d May. The offending tribe is the Beni-Tisi. General Bandon and General M'Mahon com- manded the French. Generally, the ifoniteur reports decided success on the part of the French ; but in one case the Kabyles drove back their assailants with considerable loss. Next day, however, the French got in their rear, and " chastised " them with effect.

TURKEY.—The intelligence of the week has been decidedly warlike.

When Prince Menschikoff left Constantinople on the 22d May, his last act was to send in his former demand, altered in form but in substance the same. He required the concession to Russia of the protectorate, with a civil jurisdiction over the Greek subjects of the Sultan; but he de- manded that the concession should be made in the form of the " capitu- lations" accorded to France by the Porte in the last century. The answer was to be " Yes " or " No " ; and " No" was the sturdy reply. Prince Menschikoff reached St. Petersburg with this reply on the 30th May. It is stated that the Emperor Nicholas approved of the conduct of his envoy, and indignantly expressed his displeasure at the conduct of the Porte ; instantly despatching a courier with a real ultimatum to Con- stantinople, insisting that the Sultan should accept the last proposal of Prince Menschikoff within eight days. In the event of a refusal, the same courier carried orders to the fourth and fifth army corps, stationed on the Turkish frontier, and numbering 120,000 men, at once to enfer the provinces of the Danube.

Every mail now places Russia in a worse position as regards the casus belli. It appears that just before Prince Menschikoff finally steamed off, and after his last proposal had been rejected, he heard that the Sultan intended to issue a proclamation confirming all the religious privileges granted ab antique to the Greek clergy, and thus to show that hostile feelings toward the Christians did not determine his rejection of the Russian demand. Upon this Prince Menschikoff sent the following note to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministers of England, France, Austria, and Prussia. "Bujukdere, Afar 9 (21). " At the moment of departure from Constantinople, the undersigned, Am- bassador of Russia, has learned that the Sublime Porte manifested its inten- tion to proclaim a guarantee for the exercise of the spiritual rights vested in the clergy of the Eastern Church, which in fact renders doubtful the main- tenance of the other privileges which that Church enjoys. " Whatever may be the motive of this determination, the undersigned is under the necessity of informing his Highness the Minister of Foreign Af- fairs, that a declaration, or any other act which, although it may preserve the integrity of the purely spiritual rights of the orthodox Eastern Church, tends to invalidate the other rights, privileges, and immunities accorded to her religion and clergy from the most ancient times, and which they enjoy at the present moment, will be considered by the Imperial Cabinet as an act of hostility to Russia and to her religion.

" The undersigned begs, &c. Mmmenmorr."

However, before he finally set off, Prince Menschikoff went ashore and had an interview with M. de la Cour. What passed is not known ; but it excited general remark. It is stated that Lord Stratford had not visited the Prince, on account of a sharp altercation which had taken place between them.

Meanwhile, the Emperor of Russia has peremptorily rejected the of- fered mediation of England, Austria, Prussia, and France ; declaring that he will not alter a word of the last proposal. On the other hand, the Turks are arming with great energy, to meet the Russian forces the moment they cross the Pruth. The force which the Turks can bring into the field is a subject on which there are conflicting opinions. Those who insist on the extreme feebleness of Turkey put forward statements representing her armies as composed of unwilling soldiers, badly disci- plined and badly armed. Those, on the contrary, who look more hope- fully on Turkey, reckon her hosts by the hundred thousand, her artillery by the thousand, and the readiness and courage of her soldiers as above the average.

It turns out, after all, that the Greek population supports the Sultan; that the Patriarch of Constantinople has received the strongest assurances from his clergy ; and that generally the Greeks express a fear of Russian domination. The Albanians, the Khoords, and other fierce tribes, will, it is expected, be called into the field ; and the papers mention that a Khoord- ish chief, long confined in Candia, for having massacred the Nestorian Christian; had been released with a view to his rousing his people. While a fanatical courage and love of independence animate the Mussul- mans, the Russian soldiers are described as burning to fulfil their long- cherished hopes, and to "hear mass" in the mosque of St. Sophia.

JAMAICA.—By the Baltic, bringing papers from New York to the 28th

May, we have some news from Jamaica. The Governor had in- tervened in the standing quarrel between the Council and the As- sembly, and had opened the new session on the 17th with a speech to both Houses. He pointed out, that by the lapse of the revenue bills, and the want of provision for the expenses of government, the demands on the Treasury, if the present state of things con- tinue to the 10th October, will amount to 100,000/. ; that only some 20,0001. would be forthcoming to meet legitimate demands ; and that therefore the remaining 80,0001. would form an augmentation of the debt of the island. But as some of the creditors could not wait for the satisfaction of their claims, he intended to discharge the female convicts —then the male convicts—and dismiss the police ; as it was a delusion to suppose that the Governor has authority to resort to the Commissariat or the Imperial Government for assistance. He stated, that in one week not less than 11,000/. had been lost to the revenue by the lapse of the Import and Rum Duties Act; and he strongly reprobated the conduct of the Assembly in attempting, under cover of providing for the principal supplies, so to appropriate its grants as to defeat former permanent ap- propriations. Sir Charles concluded with these recommendations- " Therefore, whensoever and in whatsoever manner opportunity and leisure

may be found or created, I recommend that your attention should be given, first, to a regulation of the civil and ecclesiastical establishments, by reduc- tions which shall either be prospective or shall be made upon the basis of a fair and moderate compensation for existing interests ; secondly, to the pro- vision of a permanent fund for the payment of the reduced establishments ; thirdly, to the enabling of the Governor for the time being to employ minis- terial officers, holding seats in the Assembly, to bring forward Government measures in that House." According to the New York Herald, the House of Assembly had declared Kingston alive port. A reply to the Governor's speech was to be moved on the 18th, by -Mr. Bourke, Member of Assembly for St. James's.