Although the subject of Turkey and peace, or Russia and
war, fills a large space in the public attention, that which remains substantially to be reported is not much. Throughout the week the newspapers have been victims to ic series of rumours, so con- flicting that today almost always contradicted yesterday, the evening the morning, the latest edition the edition before it. The eight days which the Autocrat had granted for the Porte to a* acceptance or refusal of his ultimatum would expire on the 16
instant ; yet it has been reported that the Russians had actually crossed the Pruth to occupy "the Principalities" of the Danube, on the 14th ; and per contra, that Russia has accepted the mediation of Austria. This last report had been repeated several times before.
Meanwhile, the broad facts about which there is no dispute are these : Russia has sent representations to foreign courts, that her occupation of the Principalities does not constitute a casus belli ; the Sultan has made a temperate statement to foreign courts of his actual position; and the French and English fleets are waiting at the entrance of the Dardanelles, ready to support the Sultan in his defence. To this last fact the Morning Post—a leading authority on these matters at present—adds the statement, that the Govern- ments of France and England regard the occupation of the Prin- cipalities, for purposes extraneous to the control of those particular provinces, as being in fact a cams belli. Hitherto the allied powers have proceeded firmly and unfalteringly in their course ; and if at the eleventh hour Russia really has accepted the mediation of her great protege, the doing so on her part is an act of submission.
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