time and reflection before being accepted. The presence of those troops has for its object the preservation of peace beyond the Pyrenees. It remains to be seen whether their retirement will not be the signal of war between Spain and Portugal, accompanied by intestine dissensions in the two countries. This prospect appears to be so evident, that it cannot have escaped those even who put forward the abovementioned proposal, and who probably only do so in the expectation of such a result, indulging in the hope that it will turn to the advantage of their own views and passions.

As M. d'Ofalia has not yet arrived, one cannot send any further details on this important

tendue exigera beaucoup de tems et de réflexion avant d'être acceptée. La présence de ces troupes à pour but la conservation de la paix au-delà des Pyrenées: reste à savoir si leur retraite ne sera pas le signal de guerre entre l'Espagne et le Portugal, accompagnée de dissensions intestines dans les deux pays. Cette perspective semble si évidente qu'elle n'a pu échapper a ceux même qui mettent en avant la proposition sus-mentionnée et qui ne la font probablement, que dans l'attente de ce résultat, se berçant de l'espoir qu'il tournera au gré de leurs vues et de leurs passions.

M. d'Ofalia n'etant pas encore arrivé, on ne saurait dans ce moment mander plus de détails sur cette importante affaire. Je

affair. I shall not fail to devote to it all the diligence and interest which it merits. It will be essential to know also in what manner the offer of Spain will be received in London.

A Spanish Courier, who is believed to be the bearer of this new plan, passed three days ago through Paris, on his way to Vienna, whence he will proceed to Berlin, and then to St. Petersburg. I hope, in my next communication, to furnish the Imperial Cabinet with more information than I can offer at present, and to enable it to form its opinion on an entire knowledge of the subject.

Lord Granville is still in London. I have received nothing from Prince Lieven.

The

ne manquerai pas de la suivre avec toute la diligence et l'intérêt qu'elle merite. "Il sera essentiel de connoître également de qu'elle manière l'offre de l'Espagne sera reçue à Londres.

Un Courier Espagnol, porteur, à ce qu'on croit, de ce nouveau plan, a passé il y a trois jours par Paris, pour aller à Vienne, de là il se rendra à Berlin et ensuite à St. Petersbourg. J'espère par ma première expédition de fournir au Cabinet Impérial plus de renseignemens que je ne puis lui offrir actuellement, et de la mettre en état de former son opinion avec entière connaissance de cause.

Lord Granville est encore à Londres: je n'ai rien reçu de M. le P. de Lieven. L'Ambassadeur Anglais a invité le Corps Di

English Ambassador has invited the Diplomatic Body for the 11-23d April, the anniversary of the King's birth-day, which announces that his arrival will take place before that period.

The Minister of Marine has just received by telegraph the report that his Imperial Majesty's ship the "Czar Constantine," and the frigate

66

Helena," sailed from Toulon the 17-29th March; the former for Portsmouth, and the latter for Cherbourg.

I have the honour to be,

&c. &c.

(Signed)

Pozzo DI BORGO.

plomatique pour le 11-23 Avril, jour anniversaire de la naissance du Roi, ce qui annonce que son arrivée aura lieu avant cette époque.

Le Ministre de la Marine vient de recevoir par le Télégraphe le rapport que le vaisseau de sa Majesté Impériale le Czar Constantin et la frégate l'Héléne, ont mis à la voile de Toulon le 17-29 Mars, le premier pour Portsmouth ct la seconde pour Cherbourg.

J'ai l'honneur, &c.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRECEDING DESPATCH.

The preceding Despatch illustrates the importance of Paris, as a central point of diplomatic information, and shows the advantage which an able diplomatist at that Court possesses in having under his view, at the same moment, the latest intelligence from the Embassies in London, Naples, Rome, Turin, Switzerland, Lisbon, and Madrid.

Our readers will remember the paragraphs which appeared last year in various journals, describing the interest publicly expressed by the Emperor Nicholas, in the establishment of a line of steam packets between Havre and Hamburgh, which diminished the period required for communication between Paris and St. Petersburg to little more than a week.

Universality and simultaneousness of action are two of the leading features of Russian diplomacy, and a main cause of her moral influence; but there is an expression in the preceding Despatch which throws new light on the extent of her diplomatic power. We allude to the fact of the Russian Am

bassador at Paris obtaining a knowledge of the movements of the Russian Navy in the Mediterranean by means of the French telegraph. The inference to be drawn from this circumstance is not unimportant, since it is evident that in the event of a renewal of that collusion between Russia and France which existed from 1815 to 1830, the Emperor may acquire at St. Petersburg a knowledge of the movements of our own ships of war in the Mediterranean, before those movements are even known at the Admiralty in London; and the Russian Ambassadors at Paris and at London may receive such information actually a fortnight before the British Government.

This power, in the event of hostility between Russia and England, would go far to neutralize the advantages we possess in our superior maritime force. But it is only a fraction of the numerous benefits which Russia may derive from diplomatic influence at Paris, to secure the recovery of which she exerts every effort to re-awaken those feelings of national jealousy which she fostered during a quarter of a century of warfare between England and France, and to excite which she unceasingly propagates throughout the world, as a political