whose tranquillity depends upon her stability, to desist from a contest, not only wholly unprovoked on the part of the Circassians, but maintained by them for the preservation of that independence, which is the inalienable birthright inherited from their forefathers?

Looking at the armaments of Russia under the simple point of view of their being intended to act against Circassia, is not England called upon, if not on grounds of humanity, on those of self-interest, and essentially with interests of peace, which are those of commerce, to place herself in a position to render good offices to either of the belligerents, in the event of their being required? So long as the war continues, it not only keeps up alarm in Europe, and is detrimental to the interests of Russia herself, but all the populations bordering on the Euxine, the Marmora, the Sea of Azof, and the Caspian, comprising many millions, of different creeds, languages, habits, and resources, are kept in continual ferment. The industry of man throughout those extensive regions is necessarily held in check by the insecurity arising from the general apprehension of war, and from the in

stability of their Governments, under the evervarying aspect of affairs, and the multifarious action of Russian diplomacy, sowing everywhere the seeds of dissension, revolution, rebellion, distraction, and anarchy.

It is evident from all accounts that the entire military talent of the empire is at this moment put in requisition. All the most distinguished generals of the staff have been ordered to attend the Emperor in the south: General Jomini, the eminent writer on the campaigns of Buonaparte, Marshal Paskewitsch, Prince of Warsaw, General Rosniecki, the best general of cavalry in the Russian service, and celebrated for his military skill and experience, Count de Witt, &c.

We have, however, already shown, in the declaration of Circassian independence, that no forces which the Emperor of Russia can bring into the field will be able to effect any thing against the indomitable tribes of the Caucasus.

*

"If Russia conquers us," the Circassians say, "it will not be by arms, but by cutting off our communications, and making use of Turkey and

* See Portfolio, Vol. I. p. 194.

Persia as if they were already her's; by rendering the sea impassable, as if it were her own; by blockading our coast; by destroying not only our vessels, but those of other states which approach us; by depriving us of a market for our produce; by preventing us from obtaining salt, gunpowder, and other necessaries of war, which to us are necessaries of life-by depriving us of hope."

To succeed, therefore, in her unprincipled ambition, Russia must of necessity not only continue to stop the transit trade through Georgia, but the traffic of Austria, Persia, Turkey, and every other power, with the eastern shores of the Euxine. She must make herself absolute mistress of that sea, in order to intercept the commerce of all Europe; and she must recognize her antagonist as a belligerent power, in order to be able to exercise the right of blockade, because, without such blockade being officially announced and acknowledged by England, she can have no right whatever to stop an English merchant-ship bound for the Circassian coast.

Those of our readers who have followed our reasoning from the commencement of this pub

lication will not have been entirely unprepared for the present movements on the part of Russia.

In our Number of May the 20th we pointed out the real value to be attached to her promise to evacuate Silistria in September. We felt that the assurance was only made in order to soothe the public excitement in England, and to flatter the nation with the belief that the concession had been extorted by the unanimous expression of parliamentary feeling. We stated that the military frontiers which Russia intended to secure were not the Danube but the Egean, not Silistria but the Dardanelles.

Dantzig, August 18, 1836. The Russian government has made a contract with the proprietors of the iron foundries in Sweden, in consequence of which a certain number of cannon is annually to be supplied for its use. They are to be sent to Poland, via Dantzig. In the course of this summer, three Swedish vessels have arrived here, with about one hundred and fifty cannon, which were forthwith forwarded in the boats called Berlinka up the Vistula.

Positions in Poland which are being fortified on a more extended plan:

The Citadel of Warsaw.

Modlin. This was formerly only a Tête du Pont, but now it is erected into a large fortification. It is situated at the confluence of the Bug and the Vistula.

Demblin. A new fortress erecting at the junction of the Wiepez and the Vistula.

Brcz-Litewski. A new fortress is erecting here, on the Bug. Zamosc. An old fortress is being repaired.

Lowicz. A new fortress is in contemplation.

Frontiers of Poland, September 1, 1836. The Russian army in the southern provinces is to consist of four corps of infantry, two reserve corps of cavalry, and one reserve of artillery; and of eighteen regiments of the Cossacks, organized in 1832, and taken from the population of Little Russia. Its effective force is to be ninety-six battalions, one hundred and twenty squadrons, nine thousand Cossacks, and two hundred and sixteen cannon.

"The ambition of the Autocrat of Russia is the empire of Sclavonia."-Portfolio, Vol. I., p. 504.

Extract of a letter from Lemberg, in Galicia, dated the 26th August, "A misunderstanding has taken place between the Austrian and Russian Residents at Cracow. The latter, in the name of his Sovereign, became the protector of a Sclavonion Literary Society, which entered into researches as to the different tribes of Sclavonia, and even presented to it from the Emperor, and the principal