THE RUSSIAN WAR.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 7, 1 August 1855, Page 1

THE RUSSIAN WAR.

In the 'Maori Messenger,' for the month of June, we gave some account of the sad war into which the people of Europe have been forced, on account of the unehristian spirit of ambition which led the late Emperor of Russia to covet the possessions of bis weaker neighbours. We promised that we would continue the narrative of this sanguinary contest, as the progress of events in Europe became known. We stated, in our former number, that the Emperor Nicholas was efead, and that he had been succeeded by his eldest son, who has since beeD proclaimed Emperor, under the title of Alexander the Second. The new Sovereign is said to be a man of peace, but his brother Constantiue is known to be the head of the Russian war party and as that is a very powerful party, it is supposed that Alexander feels himself compelled to follow out its views, or run the risk of losing the Rus sian Crown. Whether this supposition be correct or not, it is impossible to tell. One thing alone is certain, that the war still continues with unabated vigour on both sides, and that every effort was being made for its most active prosecution, at the time of the sailing of the last English ships for NewZealand. The late Emperor Nicholas, was hurried at St Petersburg, with the utmost pomp and solemnity, on the 11th of March. People were drawn from all parts of the "Empire to witness this great and imposing ceremony; and, as the tomb closed over the mortal remains of t % .e dead oppressor of the nations, the living subjects of his son were exhorted to carry on the war to the last extremity. and to submit to the severest penalties rather than abandon that course of injustice and rapine which, since the time of Peter the Great, has led Russia

easily constructed and equipped, and where they can find a safe and easy shelter under the protection of the guns of this stupendous fortress. It is also a Military post, where large armies can •be .garrisoned j and it is in the immediate neighbourhood of the most fertil-e grain and food producing districts of the Russian Empire. It h j ■situated on the shores of the Black Sea, an' ocean remote from any of the other sovereignties of Europe, but in immediate contiguity to that of Turkey. With the conquest of Turkey steadfastly I in view Russia has hitherto contrived to exclude the ships of war of every nation, except Turkey from the Black Sea, which was thus rendered as 1 little known as any of the inland lakes of New Zealand. From Sebastopol to Constantinople, the capital City of Turkey, it is but three or four days sail. Sebastopol is as strong as Constantinople is weak—so that with a very superior fleet, <ail an immensely more powerful army, Russia might have been able to have seized upon Constantinople, and, once there, to have destroyed the Turkish Empire, and obtained the supremacy over every European nation. Towards the accomplishment of this object, Russia has long worked stealthily and craftily. She has plundered all her neighbours of their possessions piecemeal; and, until this last great effort of her late sovereign to swallow up Turkey, with the sanction of France and England, the other powers of Europe have looked or, and offered no practical opposition to the spoliations of Russia. The present war, however, has opened the eyes of the world to the dangers to be apprehended from the existence of Sebastopol, and the presence of a powerful Russian fleet in the Black Sea. With such a means of aggression in the hands of Russia, Turkey v would be in perpetual danger, and the peace of every state of Europe at the disposal of the Russian Emperor. It is the feeling, thercf jre, of the nations now allied agaiDst Russia, that Sebastopol must be dismantled—that the Russian fleet in the Black Sea must be reduced to a few ships—that that sea shall henceforward be opened to the fleets of every nation—and that the power of Russia for mischief shall be so circumscribed, that without wrong to her, she shall be precluded from doing wrong to others. It is with the honest, honourable, Christian desire of insuring a just, permanent, and general peace that France, England, Austria, Sardinia, Turkey and other states are allied against Russia. For that purpose the murderous victories of Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, Eupatoria, and others have been won. To compel peace, the bones of thousands of the best and bravest soldiers of France and England are bleaching before Sebastopol, and for the destruction of Sebastopol millions of Freuch and English gold have already been expended.

Such was the state of affairs when the last •tidings left "England. The armies for the attack and defence were drawing closer and closer to each other. At the same time, the groat statesmen of the nations were endeavouring to negotiate a peace. Russia, it was generally believed, never w >uld content to the razing of Sevastopol, and the limitation of her Black Sea Fleet. And, even if statesmen should be content to abate from these demands, it seems very doubtful whether the people of France and England would be satisfied with less. The probability is that by the next arrivals, we shall hear of battles and bombardments such as have never been equalled since the creation of the world. The second battle field, is in the Baltic Sea This Sea, by means of the river Neva, leads to St. Petersburg, the capital of Russia"; and at the mouth ofthe Wera, Cronstadt, another Sebaatopol, is placed. But the Black Sea is deep, and always navigable, whilst the Baltic abounds with rocks, sands, and shallows, and is ice-bound from Ocober to April or May. In such a sea, an attacking fleet, has to contend not only with strong natural, but exceedingly powerful artificial defences. Last summer, with the exception of blocking up the Russian fl e , and taking a very strong fortress Bomarsund, by storm, the fleets of France and England accomplished but little. This year, on the 4th of April, an English fleet of 98 ships, all of them steamers, mounting 1200 cannons, o' prodigious weight and range, sailed for the Baltic, which was just becoming free of ice. Many of these vessels were of light draught of water, but of great power, and completely "plated with iron. It is expected that they will be able to get into positions that the large ships of last year dared not attempt. But to oppose these, Russia has army upon army, and battery upon battery. The struggle will consequently be aa appalling one But French and English valour, combined with English wealth and English nautical skill, will no doubt prove more than a match for the numerou.hordes, and barbarous despotisms of Russia.