The explanations given by Lord Clarendon are still the clearest
and most intelligible that we have had of recent overtures from St. Petersburg to Vienna and their results; but the additions supplied by "the ordinary channels of information" are not incon- sistent with tlfat authentic statement. The Emperor of Russia, then, treating as of no effect or import the latest proposal to be made to him by the Conference at Vienna, sent a despatch with an independent project, of such a nature that it was at once re- jected by the Conference as inadmissible. The Foreign Minister of Austria anticipated that rejection. Count Orloff came, and lin- gered in Vienna—why, Lord Clarendon could not tell ; but various reports concur in averring that he not only pressed upon Austria new forms of " negotiation, ' but offered to buy the alliance of Aus- tria and Prussia with shares in the partition of Turkey. If so, the proposal is likely to have strengthened the reluctance of Aus- tria to join so dangerous a projector. From Turkey itself we have reports of incidents which excite speculation, but do not materially affect the actual state of affairs. Omar Pasha has been ill, but he is convalescent. The return of the combined fleet to the Bosphorus is partly explained by the setting out of the same fleet afresh to convoy a Turkish fleet of stores and reinforcements. And the " change of Ministry " at Constantinople must not be understood to imply what a change of Ministry means in London—a change of policy ; Turkey is not so constitutional yet. Mohammed Ali Pasha, a zealous but not an able man, is re- placed by Riza Pasha, not so well-known for Anti-Russian zeal as for personal vigour ; a substitution which is far from implying that Turkey has abandoned the Western alliance, at a time when that alliance is gaining strength and support. For such appears to be the fact. If Russia may be suspected of gaining by her intrigues, the steady advance of theWestern alliance is more obvious and self-supporting. The Russo-Greek conspiracy detected in the Turkish provinces is no doubt Russian ; but there is no proof that it had obtained any hold upon the actual govern- ments of any of the chief provinces ; and where the Russians ac- tually appear, there the population is Anti-Russian. Suspicions have been suggested, against the sincerity of the Swedish neu- trality, on the ground that her selection of ports from which war- ships of the Western Powers are excluded is such as to shut them out from all those which would afford shelter to a fleet of observation : but neither Sweden nor Austria dares take sides with Russia. Austria, indeed, in common with all neutrals, is open to be suspected of only deferring her choice of sides, in the hope of seeing who may win ; but at present she evi- dently regards Russia as dangerous, and every access to strength on the other side is a guarantee for Austrian fidelity : for none are sure of their allies save the powerful. The Western allies, while increasing their own powers, are evidently gaining the inclination of other states. The rapprochement between Belgium and France is probable ; and it would, coupled with the English and Austrian connexions of King Leopold, point out Belgium as an additional link in that alliance—an alliance the fact of which would secure Prussia. France is making great additions to her own military strength, and is expected to send forty thousand men to Turkey. England also is expected to send a contingent, less numerous, but still powerful; and all the preparations at home,—the orders to a score and more of regiments for foreign service, the raising of men for Army and Navy, the formation of the North Sea fleet under a Napier, with that officer for second in command who is regarded as the accomplished master of gunnery and steam-navigation,—indi- oate a settled purpose of beginning, with the season of fair wea- ther, a vigorous course by sea and land against that restless po- tentate whom no thwarting can turn from his intrigues, no array of strength drive back from his fixed resolve to accept from Europe only dominion or death.
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