The treaty between Russia and Turkey has at length been
made public. It is dated the 8th July, and consists of six articles and a supplementary one. The suj/stance of the six has , already been correctly guessed at by 'the correspondents of the London and Parisian Newspapers. They form a treaty on the basis of reciprocal defence. The Emperor of Russia engages to furnish the Sultan with all the auxiliary forces by sea and land which he may require; "his Imperial Majesty being desirous of maintaining the independence and complete preservation of the Ottoman empire." Turkey is to do as much for Russia ; and the party requiring the aid is to be charged with the expense of pro- visioning the troops.
But the following supplementary article is the one which is by far the most important to foreign powers.
" The Sublime Porte, in pursuance of the said principles, will close, in case of need, the Straits of the Dardanelles; that is to say, it will not permit the en- trance of any foreign vessel, even under any pretext whatsoever. The present separate article shall be regarded as if inserted word by word, and comprised in the said treaty of alliance offensive and defensive, and shall as such be equally maintained and observed."
It cannot be supposed that England, France, or the United States, will permit the execution of this article ; which proves, more than any of the others, the perfect subserviency of the Ottoman Government to Russia. This latter power may find that she has gone a step too far in requiring it from her vassal.
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