The latest accounts from the East, received through the some
what suspicious channel of the German papers, state that perfect tranquillity reigns in Constantinople. Every thing, wo are told, has returned to its former course. The British and French fleets have retired, the first to Malta, the second to Toulon ; the Sultan employs himself in his old amusement of drilling his troops; and Turkey once more breathes with apparent freedom.
The present interval of rest, which may prove a very hriofpne,1 seems the roper time for casting a restrospective4Anee on
A •
proceedings of the late contest; and for speculating on the conse- quences likely to result to the Ottoman empire from its disastrous termination. We have been favoured with a perusal of an article in the forthcoming Number of the Foreign Quarterly Review, on this subject, which the writer handles with a thorough mastery. He gives an account, nowhere else to be met with, of the origin and progress of the war with MEHEMET AL!, which may be consi- dered as the proximate cause of the ruin of the Turkish power. Never, it would seem, were victory and defeat more richly merited by those to whose lot one and the other fell, than in this eventful contest. Skill and vigour marked all the opera- tions of the Egyptian, improvidence and ignorance those of the Turkish commanders. One point seems to be clearly established —that the regular troops of the Sultan, though much worse officered, and altogether inferior to those of MEHENIET Am, were ueverffieless decidedly better than the old irregular forces, upon whom the former Sovereigns of Turkey were wont to place reli- ance.
After giving an account of Admiral ROUSSIN.S fruitless attempt to stop the progress of IBRAHIM PACHA, and effect an accommo- dation between the Sultan and MEtissiET ALI without the inter- vention of Russia, the Reviewer supplies the fellowing sketch of the treaty of J uly 8th; which, before the departure of the Russian troops, Count ORLOFF had compelled the unhappy Also:tom) to ign.
" The basis of this treaty (of July Hth) is declared to be that of reciprocal de- fence ' • its object being the protection of the two contracting parties against all attaeks, whether foreign or domestic ; and each engages to give to the other such effective aid and assistance as will insure that object ; and that the auxilimy forces, whether by sea or land, which cireurnstauces may compel either party to require by virtue of this treaty, shall not be at the expense of the party %rho asks for the assistance, except in the supply of provisions. By a separate article, the Porte, 'acting in the spirit of this treaty, and to promote its ()Idea,' en- gages to close, in case of need, the straits of the Dm dandles. The intention of the contracting parties is' that this treaty should last for ever, but for the pre- sent its duration is limited to eight years. All preceding treaties are confirmed, e,pecially, amongst others, the treaty of Adrianople; and the parties pledge themselves to everlasting peace and amity. "Looking at the state of the relations between Turkey and Russia previously to this treaty, we shall find that the latter power had secured too firm and solid a footing in the other to be easily shaken. By the ninth article of the treaty of Adrianople, Turkey acknowledged a deht of nearly five millions sterling, as an indemnity for the war. It was subsequently agreed that this sum should be paid by regular instalments in ten yea rs, during which time Russia was to huh) the principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia as seem it', for the payment. We med hardly add, that Turkey never will, never can discharge this debt ; and she has the less inducement to do so, since Russia has, by other regolations of the same treaty, so far taken the principalities under her protection, and deprived the Tulks of all advantage from them, that the nominal suzeraineti, of the Porte, and the equally nominal tribute cannot be worth possessi mm u, rertainly less so than the large sum which must be paid to recover them. By the same treaty, it is agreed, that the commerce of Russian subjects is not to be checked in any case, or under any pretence, by any prohibition, restriction, regulation, or mea- sure, whether of administration or legislation. Russian vessels are never, under any pretext, to be visited or spoken to or interfered with in any way by the Ot- toman authorities; and Russian subjects who, be it mentioned, have of late greatly Me:teased in Turkey, are placed tl■oughout that country under the exclu- sive jurisdiction and pelice of the Ministers and Consuls of Russia. By this last treaty of Constantinople, the Porte not only binds itself to have the same ft iends DISI enemies as Russia, hut to close the Dardanelles against the vessels of every other country in case of need, which means, if it have any meaning, at her re- quest. Is it not little else than a delusion, under these circumstances, to call
urkey an independent country ? "
This treaty was signed while the alarmed Ambassadors of other Countries, "who, innocent themselves, thinking no ill where no ill seemed," had been chuckling over the termination of their em- barrassments, the moment they saw the Russian squadron sailing up the Bosphorus. Russia, then, at last has driven in one end of her fatal wedge; and, as the Reviewer justly observes, the crisis may arrive at any moment which will require her interference, and when her troops will again be called to occupy Constantinople.
The policy which Russia has adopted in increasing her empire is thus described.
" The mighty growth of Russia has beet: effected in a far different manner. 'With her, appropriation is incorporation ; she has depended upon the power and chatacter of no one individual ; she has raised up no Alexander the Creat nor NapiNon, men who pursue through blood and devastation their own selfish ends —w ho blaze, indeed, as meteors on an astonished world, but, as it' their course had really been through space, leave nothing but their fame behind them. From l'eter the Great to Nicholas the course of Russia has ever been slow but stile; so slow as to have met with scarcely any interference ; yet so sure as to have within a hundred years nearly doubled her territory, and more than trebled her power and resources; none of her rulers have ever been hurried too fast, or for- got the show of moderation. In war, they have always stopped short at that point at which they would have alarmed the jealousies of other powers ; and after victory their demands have been small, or have been 'educed down to that hich it was not worth a war to refuse. They have never sought by violence xi. hat they could gain by intrigue. Though they boast a million of men enrolled Its their army, though all savours of military ardour,—rank and distinction, for whatever service, being expressed in military terms, even priests and bishops ranking among the men of blooth—they have no recourse to their military prowess until their crafty diplomacy has failed. In the arts of chicane and in- trigue, Russia surpasses all the nations of the earth. Her emissaries down to the lowest agent, have all the same character, and the basis of that character is conning. With apparent simplicity and openness of manner, they are perfect wasters of flattery and all the arts of deceit ; they pass into the confidence of those with whom they are associated, and gain, without deserving, their sympa- thies and affection."
No effectual resistance to Russian aggrandizement is to be ex- pected, we are told, from Austria, or Prussia. The Reviewer thinks better of French alliance; which the advance of liberal opinions on commercial matters is likely to strengthen. He does not believe that, were France and England cordially to unite in resisting Russia, the latter power would be mad enough to provoke them to war. The article concludes with the expression of a de-
cided opinion that the dissolution of the empire of the Turks is near at hand ; and with the suggestion that the means of supply. jug their place in the European system may be found in the in- habitants of Roumelia.
" Several countries have been detached from their dominion, are now growing in strength and independence, and closing in upon the remaining portiou of their territory from every side. This we consider as the most favourable circumstance that could have occurred ; and if we believe, with Mr. Urquhart, in the im- proved condition of the rayas of Rounielia, and the cheering prospect which is opened to them of becoming thriving and prosperous ; if we acknowledge with lum the great resources of their country, and the ready means which they possess of indefinitely extending their comnierce and augmenting their wealth ; we rejoice at the facts, not as presenting the means of regenerating the Turks, but of supply- ing their place. It will be the duty of all Governments who are opposed to the aggrandizement of Russia, to support and bring forward those countries, to re- joice in every step which they make in improvement, and to recognize them as free states, so soon as they have shown themselves substantially capable of main- taining art independent existence. 'rids process of substitution will necessarily require time ; and should the course of events proceed too rapidly, and the Tut kish Government become too weak and helpless to maintain a struggle with its external as well as internal foes, recourse may be had to other schemes, ac- cording to the exigencies of the circumstances. 'f he passage of the Dardanelles, which should IWITT be Russian, may be placed under the guarantee of the Eu- ropean powers, and a confederation formed, under the same protection, of the towns of Rounielia, the commercial population of which, be It remembered, is entirely Christian. Soine such constitution might be allowed them as was ob- tained by Russia, at the beginning of this century, for the Ionian Islands, when she insisted upon their being formed into an ieulepentlent state ; a precedent which, as being afforded by herself, she would perhaps be less likely to object to."
Previous page
