POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
Without attaching too much importance to the views of "'our own correspondent," whose vocation inclines him to survey all things through artificial glasses often of great magnifying power, no one can fail to re- gard the relations of France towards Turkey with suspicion, and the Paris correspondent of the Daily New reports certain occurrences of an ugly aspect. We have already related the dispute at Tri- poli, originating in the double desertion of two French soldiers, blacksmiths ; who deserted from the army of Algiers, and then from the Tripolitan service, eleireing protection of the French Con- auL They were recovered by the local Government, and the Consul demanded their surrender, under threat of bombarding the town. In the absence of the Pacha, the acting Governor of Tripoli took the advice of the other Foreign Consuls. The Consul of the United States acted as spokesman, the English and Dutch Consuls agreeing with him through- out. He declared that, happen what might, he should stick to his post, and should not accept the asylum offered to him on board the French squadron ; but, having regard to the wishes and welfare of the unoffend- ing, population, he did not oppose the opinion of the acting Governor, that the men might be given up ; advising -him, however, to make the sur- render under a declaratory protest setting forth the compulsion. This was done ; and so stood matters at Tripoli on the 1st of August.
In the mean time, instructions have been received by the Marquis de Lavalette, the French Minister at Constantinople, to demand an apology from the Government of Tripoli, and "satisfaction" for the French Go- vernment on several matters in dispute with the Porte, including the guardianship of the "Holy Places," and the assassination of Father Basil, a Capuchin missionary, at Antioch. M. de Lavalette urged these de- mands in a most peremptory style ; and has thus caused great agitation in the Turkish capital, with a Ministerial crisis. All Pacha, the Foreign Minister, replaces Reshid Puha as Premier, and Fund Effendi, a friend to Russia, takes the Foreign Office ; the new Cabinet differing little from the last, and being not less firm against France. The other Foreign Ministers are understood to support the Sultan. Thus stood af- fairs at Constantinople on the 6th instant. "It seems," says the cor- respondent of the Daily News, "as if France wanted to pick a quarrel with Turkey merely for the purpose of seizing her provinces in North Africa, and annexing the new conquest to Algeria."
Previous page
