tiated immediately, following the example given us by another European power.

Some members of this society have, at different times, taken a deep and active interest in commercial questions, there are none more important than this one; and if, through the Chamber of Commerce, a memorial was presented to the Foreign Office, we feel assured that our commercial relations with Turkey would be materially benefited. But this must be done soon or not at all; the quarantine stations Russia has erected on the mouths of the Danube against the stipulations of the treaty of Vienna, and against the recognized rights of every people, are placing obstacles in the navigation of that river so vexatious as to render any attempts at commercial intercourse unprofitable. It will scarcely be credited, that Russia interposes sanitory regulations between two portions of a foreign country, and that subjects, strangers, and merchandize are subjected to detention in navigating a river, one bank of which only is claimed by her, and which river is, besides, declared free by the public law of Europe.

Macculloch, in the supplement to his Commercial Dictionary, announces that the junction of the Danube and Rhine is near its completion, and he adds,

"When this is accomplished, an internal communica"tion by water will be established throughout all the vast "country, stretching from the shores of the Netherlands "to the Black Sea; so that produce shipped at Rotterdam,

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or at Galatz, may be conveyed from the one to the “other in the same vessel.”

The power, therefore, which possesses the Dardanelles must control the commerce of every country that finds a vent by the Danube, and the more the resources of these countries are developed, the greater will their subjection be to that control. The commerce of Persia also will be

extinguished when the trade ceases to be free in Turkey. The Austrian treaty of navigation and commerce concluded in 1838, has been rendered nugatory, by that concluded with Turkey in the same year, yet the remark is often made, "why does not Austria, who is so materially interested, insist on the free navigation of the Danube?”

It was ostensibly for this end that our treaty with Austria was concluded in 1838, but Austrian produce has to be shipped in Turkish ports on the Danube, and becomes subject, by so doing, to an extra duty of 12 per cent. over and above her own rates. It need scarcely be remarked, that this much vaunted treaty has all along been a dead letter.

It is the acknowledged interest of England to defend from a hostile and dangerous enemy, the independence of Turkey; this England has attempted to do by expensive armaments and warlike interventions, while the simple and peaceful effects of a commercial convention would have accomplished all that was required to be done.

A knowledge of the interests of the two nations must suggest to those who are the friends of their country, of humanity, and civilization, the means of attaining this end; but every year that passes away renders the accomplishment more difficult, and the benefits to be obtained less; we, therefore, trust British merchants will not neglect this matter, as it is one not only of vast importance to the country, but one in which their interests as merchants are particularly involved.

J. W. D.

OF GREECE AND TURKEY.

"Par quel art le Cabinet Russe, ce Gouvernement révolutionnaire par essence, est-il parvenu à persuader à tous les Cabinets de l'Europe qu'il représente le principe anti-révolutionaire dans le

monde entier."-Custine.

THE following Letter, containing Reports of Interviews with a distinguished Greek Statesman, on the Relations of Greece and Turkey, cannot fail to be read with the deepest Interest by those who have in any Degree followed this Subject.

These Conversations occurred, indeed, above three Years ago, but what Light do they not throw on the recent Occurrences in Greece-when Russia, after producing the Revolution, (as avowed by the Disgrace of her Agent,) denounces it, (as proved by the Disgrace of her Agent,) permits the European Powers to take the exclusive Patronage of it,-alarms the Turks with its insurrectionizing Tendency throughout the Ottoman Dominions,-exhibits England and France as Parties to this insidious Design,then makes herself (Russia) the Confidante and Counsellor of the Porte, thereby leading it to violence against Greece? All this practically executed through the Revolution of September, is found developed in the Diplomatic Relations of Greece and Turkey, for many previous Years, and seriatim exposed, at the Close of 1841, by a Greek. Chief, as below recorded.

(Extract)

Dec. 6th, 1841.

entered into the State of Affairs between Greece and the Porte. He denied the Reports in the Papers, that any Addition of Territory in Thessaly, or elsewhere, had been asked. He remarked that a singular Fatality seemed to belong to every thing that had Relation to the Porte, which was utterly blind and misguided. The Questions at Issue were three:-1st. The Property claimed by Subjects of the Porte. Greece had done and continued

to do everything towards the Adjustment of those Difficulties. 2nd. The Treaty of Commerce that had been settled some Years previously, but by an Agent (Zographos) who consented to Clauses manifestly injurious to Greece, in Ignorance of their Bearing and Tendency,that it was obvious, unless acquainted with the peculiar Institutions and Position of a State, the Effect of any proposed Measure could not be estimated ;-that the Greek Government, perceiving the Treaty had been drawn up under such Circumstances, required its Modification, being bound in Duty to its own Subjects, to decline to recognize it. The 3rd, which was the immediate Cause of present Irritation, referred to the Disturbances in Thessaly, which the Greek Government was accused of having fomented, and even excited. It was not so. Mehemet Ali possessed great Influence in Albania and the Provinces immediately adjacent to Greece, where there are many Mussulman Chiefs, almost independent of the Porte. Mehemet Ali, when he was threatened by the Sultan, and about to be coerced by the European Powers, sent Agents to those Parts to foment Disturbances, and to invite a Rising to embarrass the Porte. Under this Influence, the Mussulmans incited the Greeks, declaring now was the Time to strike for Freedom; that they, the Mussulmans, were Children of the same Soil, and like them would gladly acquire their Liberty. This caused considerable public Ferment and Commotion among the Greeks. Better and wiser Men checked this Disposition to a Rising. While Men's Minds were upset, and there were great and constant Agitations among the Greeks, as each Counsel alternately swayed them, Intelligence of what was passing reached Greece. Upon this, Colonel Valentza, who distinguished himself in the Greek War of Independence, but was then, and had been for a considerable Time, under the Ban of his own (Greek) Government, collected about fifty Followers, and threw himself into Thessaly, raising the Standard of Revolt, to which he expected the Thessalian Greeks would flock; but in vain; a very few only did so, and he was forced to abandon the Enterprize. Instantly on hearing what was going on, the Greek Government sent to guard the whole length of the Frontiers to prevent further Encroachments.

The Mussulman Chiefs, alarmed lest they should bring down on themselves the Vengeance of the Porte, and at the very Time

vernor.

they were themselves preparing to revolt, communicated to their Government what was passing among the Greeks. The Revolt in Candia occurring also, aided by numbers of Greeks, who embarked to aid their co-Religionists, the Porte accused the Greek Government of inciting its Subjects to Rebellion, and being the Author of all these Evils. As to Candia, on Mehemet Ali being attacked by the Sultan, and learning that he was to be deprived of Candia, the Governor of that Island began to encourage the Candiotes with a Dream of Independence, he distributed Arms amongst them, and promised to aid them when the Struggle came. But the Porte offered to continue him as GoThis he kept to himself till the Rebellion broke out, which occurred in the Belief that the Governor and Mussulman Authority. were with them; but the Governor then turned upon them, declaring for the Porte. The Greek Government could not entirely prevent its Subjects from embarking for Candia, from obtaining Passports, and professing to sail for one place, and going to another; but instead of sending Expeditions from its Shores to Candia, it had, on the contrary made every Effort to prevent them. admitted that, conceiving that Candia ought to have been included in the Kingdom of Greece, and Numbers of Candiotes being Subjects of King Otho, and having borne arms in the War of Independencethe Greek Government did, when the Candiotes appeared successful in their Revolt, hint at its Desire to have the Island annexed to its Territory. But this was to the European Powers, and not to the Porte. If the Efforts of the Moslem Chiefs in Albania and Thessaly to insurrectionize the Greeks, was to be attributed to a Desire to throw off the Dominion of the Porte, he remarked that they were wrong; that the Porte left them alone; that it was the Chief of the Village who governed; that as to Revenue, the Porte got very little from them; that such Dissensions, within Turkey, as now existed, and had for some Time, could only be attributed to foreign Mancuvres. He said he had often talked with you on the State of Affairs, and that you saw and understood what was passing. He observed that he had now known you very many Years, and that he had been struck from the first with the perfect Justness of your Views. He lamented that you stood alone thus. Then dwelling on the