VIENNA PROTOCOLS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 297, 5 September 1855, Page 3

VIENNA PROTOCOLS.

(From the " Sydney Morning Herald.")

The whole papers relating to tbe negotiations at Vienna ou the Eastern Question are now before the public, but their very great length forbids us giving more than a summary of their contents. They consist of the memorandum communicated by the three Powers to Prince Gortschakoff on the 28th December, 1854, and fourteen protocols, which professed to give the substance of what took place at each conference. The memorandum contained a definition of the four points, viz.—The abolition of the Russian Protectorate over the Danubian Principalities,—The Free Navigation of tbe Danube, — The Revision of the Treaty of 1841, with a view to connect tbe existence of the Ottoman Empire more completely with the European equilibrium, aud put an end to the preponderance of Russia in tbe Black Sea, —and, lastly, The abrogation of all tbe treaties under which Russia has claimed an official protectorate over the Christian subjects of the Sultan, the latter guaranteeing tbe religious privileges of the different Christian communities of Turkey. On the 21st April a long discussion took place regarding the means of connecting the existence of tbe Ottoman Empire with the European equilibrium to effect this arrangement, a clause was drawn by De Lhuys, which hound the powers to respect tbe independence and territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire, and guarantee in common the strict observance of this engagement. On this point Prince Gortschakoff refused to to attach the guarantee the signification of a positive or active guarantee of the Turkish territories. De Lhuys showed that Russia was unwilling lo give a real guarantee

to the Ottoman Empire. What he pretended to give was a mere sham, because even in case of Turkish provinces being invaded by one of tbe contracting powers, according to Cortschakoffs interpretation, would confine herself merely to the employment of her good offices: while, on the other hand, she admits of no limitation to a fleet which, in the judgment of all the powers, is disproportionate to the forces of the other river-bordering power, to such an extent as to form a permanent menace against her. On being pressed to explain fully the views of the Court of St. Petersburg since it had rejected the means proposed for tbe attainment of the third point, Prince Gortschakoff read a paper to the Conference, and attempted to show that Turkey was exposed to no danger from the naval forces of Russia; and ended by declaring that Russia would not object to the revision of the treaty of 1841, for the opening to military flags of all nations tbe passage of the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, literally tbe only concession Russia announced their intention to make on the subject; this concession to be made at the expense of Turkey rather than at her own. Tbis was followed by another suggestion of closing tbe Straits at the pleasure of the Porte. These schemes being so obviously worthless and impracticable, nothing- remained for the British and French Plenipotentiaries but to refuse to discuss them and to declare their powers and instructious exhausted. The Russian Envoy continued to insist that he had redeemed the pledges of his Government by making: several propositions for the solution of the difficulty, but the only value of those propositions, in our eyes, and in the eyes of Europe, is the demonstration they contained that Russia will not, until she be compelled, consent to give any guarantee for tbe territorial independence of Turkey, tbe breach of which would constitute an immediate casus belli between herself and all the other great powers, and that Russia will maintain, as long as she is physically able to do so, that aggressive position on the Black Sea which has been tbe cause of tbe present war. Count Buhl terminated the conference as he had opened it, by declaring that, in the opinion of the Court of Vienna, the plan proposed by Drouyn de Lbnys, and rejected by Russia, was complete and effectual, but that the counterpropositions of Russia would only tend to augment the chances of a misunderstanding, and could not be considered as embodying principles proper to be introduced into a complete and general system of policy.