Karl Marx 
Progress of the War 
September 8, 1854 

Progress of the War. 

The reply of the Czar was sent in duplicate to Austria and Prussia. Each of 
the points insisted on by the western powers is duly set forth, refused, and 
reasons given for the refusal. Further, the Czar says that he has withdrawn 
his troops from the Principalities in deference to the interests of the German 
powers; that he will recall his forces across the Pruth, and then await other 
hostile attacks, or pacific overtures, as may be. 

It is stated that at a Cabinet Council held at Vienna on the 6th inst., the 
Emperor Francis Joseph presiding, it was decided that the rejection of the 
guarantees required by Austria and the western powers does not amount to 
a casus belli against Russia, but that Austria will persevere in supporting 
these conditions, and will maintain her neutral position while she awaits the 
result of the attack by the allied powers upon Sevastopol. 

The following is published from Vienna. It, however, rests on no better 
authority than a newspaper letter: 

"Since the receipt of the answer of the Emperor Nicholas to the western 
powers, Prussia appears anxious to reenter the European concert from which 
it had to a certain degree withdrawn. With that view she is said to have 
offered to sign a new protocol, in which the note of Vienna of the 8th of 
August should be embodied, as was the treaty of Aprilin aformer document, 
drawn up and signed by the Conference." 

The following is the text of the Prussian note to Russia: 

"Berlin, Aug. 13. 
To the Baron von Werther in St. Petersburg 

In my dispatch of the 5th inst. I had the honor of forwarding you a copy 
of that one which I had addressed to his Majesty's representatives in Paris 
and in London, instructing them to communicate to those Cabinets the 
impressions produced on us by the Russian answers of the 29th and 30th of 

June, and to express to them our hopes that they would, with us, recognize 

in them some germs of an understanding and elements of accommodation. 
Although no direct answer to those overtures has reached us either from 
Paris or London, we have, from confidential and oral communications made 
to us, and which have in part crossed the démarches we ourselves were 
making, not been able to conceal from ourselves, that the views taken by 
France and England with reference to the Russian explanations are essen- 
tially different from our own, and by no means of a nature to afford a 
common point de départ. It has been more particularly the prolonged stay 
of the Russian troops in the Principalities that, according to the views of the 
western powers, prevented them from attaching any practical value to the 
pacific professions of the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. Its accession to the 
principles laid down in the protocol of April 9 seemed to them, moreover, 
not carried out sufficiently far, inasmuch as it did not contain any mention 
of the guarantees which, according to the protocol alluded to, were to be 
sought out for the purpose of connecting the further existence of Turkey still 
closer with the general balance of power in Europe. The Cabinets of Paris 
and London have not left us in ignorance that, according to their views, 
these guarantees must necessarily include several cardinal points which, 
under reservation, of course, of any modifications called for by the progress 
of events, should serve as the indispensable basis of any negotiations for a 
peace or a suspension of hostilities. These points were subsequently defined 
in identical Notes, which the representatives of France and England de- 
livered to the Cabinet of Vienna, and which the latter has in its answer 
adopted. The Austrian Cabinet, while advising us of this step, informs us that 
it looks on them as the natural consequences of the principles laid down in 
the protocol of April 9, and believes, therefore, that it cannot recommend 
them warmly enough to the unreserved acceptance of the Cabinet of St. Pe- 
tersburg. I have itincommand from the King to engage you, Baron, to second 
this step of the Austrian Cabinet by every possible endeavor. Our august 
master looks upon it as inspired by the sincere desire to pave the way for 
negotiations and a cessation of hostilities on both sides. His Majesty also 
considers it of anature calculated to facilitate this result. After having made 
himself master of the ensemble of the four points contained in the above- 
mentioned Notes, and compared them with the spirit of the last explanations 
on the part of Russia, his Majesty finds himself unable to find anything not 
reconcilable with all that his august brother-in-law has already declared 
himself as ready to adopt as the point de départior an amicable arrangement. 
The Emperor, also, will doubtless have already convinced himself of the 
necessity of preventing for the future the unpleasantnesses and dangers 
which for Russia, as well as the rest of Europe, were involved in institutions 
which composed the public law of the Principalities and Servia; and his 

Imperial Majesty's enlightened solicitude for these countries will not fail to 
acknowledge the advantages which a collective guarantee of their privileges, 
on the part of the European powers would confer on them. The free naviga- 
tion of the Danube could not fail of falling in with the interests of Russian 
commerce, and, although the impediments to it at the mouth of this river are 
not yet quite removed, the lofty sentiments of the Emperor and the repeated 
declarations of his Cabinet leave no room for doubting of his determined 
intention speedily to put an end to them. With reference to the privileges of 
the Christian subjects of the Sultan, not only has his Majesty the Emperor, 
in acceding to the protocol of April 9, declared his agreement with the 
principle of an identical and collective solicitude on the part of the powers 
for the condition of our co-religionists, but also the same thought was promi- 
nent in the declarations made on this subject some time back by the Cabinet 
of St. Petersburg to that of Berlin; and, as the independence and sovereignty 
of the Sultan have been so often and so openly proclaimed to be in conformity 
with the political views of the Emperor, his Majesty will not withhold from 
the joint endeavors of the powers the bringing of the improvement of the 
position of the Christian Rayahs into harmony with the interests of the 
Ottoman Government by securing to this latter the initiative which is a 
necessary condition of its independence and dignity. Finally, the treaty of 
July 13, 1841, was the result of such peculiar circumstances that its revision 
by all the contracting parties would probably, in principle, meet with no 
difficulty; and Russia, as a littoral power of the Black Sea, seems even 
especially called to take part in the examination of the important questions 
connected therewith. These are, Baron, the general considerations which 
impel the King, our august master, urgently to desire the acceptance on the 
part of the Court of St. Petersburg of the points above indicated as the basis 
of afurther negotiation, as Austria has drawn them up, in conjunction with 
the Cabinets of London and Paris. Avail yourself, therefore, of the extreme 
bienveillance with which the Emperor deigned to honor you immediately on 
your arrival in St. Petersburg, and the confidence which Count Nesselrode 
has bestowed upon you, to convince the Imperial Cabinet of the im- 
measurable range of results that will probably spring from its resolutions on 
the present occasion; of the unbounded prospects of peace which they may 
open up to Europe; and of the victory which they would necessarily achieve 
over the calumniators of Russian policy, when they clearly prove to its 
bitterest backbiters on what side the really pacific sentiments are. I need not 
tell you, Baron, with what impatience we shall look forward to news from 
you of the reception and operation of the present dispatch, which you will, 
without loss of time, bring to the knowledge of Count Nesselrode. 

Receive the assurances, etc., ManteuffeV 

An additional article, of which the contents are as yet secret, is proposed 
to be added to the Austro-Prussian treaty of the 20th April. The proposed 
alterations and additions to the treaty will be made with the cognizance of 
the Germanic Diet. At all events, the first paragraph of the convention, 
mutually guaranteeing the territories of the contracting parties, will remain 
unchanged. 

A surmise, formed on the above circumstance, has exerted some attention. 
The Bund, it is supposed, will, on meeting after its short recess, proceed, 
at the invitation of Austria and Prussia, to pronounce the treaty of April 20 
lapsed as regards its additional articles. Then, taking underconsiderationthe 
engagement that Austria has made with the western powers, anew scheme 
will be drawn up on this basis for a peace, which it is believed that Russia 
will accept. 

Active secret negotiations have been going on for some time between 
Nicholas and the Pope. It now transpires thatthe Czar holds a prospect of 
a change toward the Roman Catholics in Poland and of concessions to the 
Latins at Jerusalem. He is thus intriguing against the French. According to 
the Corriere Italiano the Czar has the intention to declare his third son, 
Nicholas, King of Poland, and as he is amember of the Greek Church, it 
was considered necessary to give the Pope some tranquillizing assurances 
respecting the Polish Catholics. 

All the Bomarsund forts have been destroyed and the troops reembarked. 
A few steam-frigates remain cruising among the islands. Gens. Baraguay 
d'Hilliers and Niel were at Dantzic on the 7th. There is nothing else in the 
shape of news. 

Constantinople letters of August 30 mention that the British guards, and 
28th, 42d, 44th, 79th and 93d regiments had embarked at Varna, and the light 
division and Lord Cardigan's [are] under orders. Lord Raglan was to embark 
on board the Caradoc on September 2, at Varna. The expedition is to rendez- 
vous at Baltshik, at which place, and at Bourgas, the French are to take ship. 
The strength for land service of the expedition is 25,000 English, 
26,000 French, and 20,000 Turks. Gen. Sir John Burgoyne has arrived to take 
command. Prince Napoleon and the Duke of Cambridge have gone to Varna 
to join their regiments. The troops are described as animated with much 
enthusiasm. Cholera has almost disappeared. 

Accounts from Rustchuk September 3, state that all the vessels with troops 
left Varna on the 2d for Baltschik. From the Ist instant provisions for the 
army are to be sent to the Crimea. Marshal St. Arnaud has issued an order 
stating that Sevastopol will be taken and held as a guarantee of peace. 
Supposing the siege begun by the middle of September, it is hoped the place 
will be taken by the end of November. 

The Russian Embassy at Vienna has received notice that the greater part 
of the Russian army will have quitted Moldavia by the 20th of September, 
and the remainder by the beginning of October, unless hostile operations 
shall render a new concentration necessary. The Austrians entered the 
Principalities at four points, namely Rothenthurm, Prediala, and Boitza for 
Wallachia, and Bistritz for Moldavia. Omer Pasha continues to concentrate 
his main army along the bank of the River Karasu, below Buseo, whence 
he menaced Brailow and Galatz. 

On Ist August a strong force of English and French gunboats entered the 
Sulina channel of the Danube, and another is to enter by the Kilia mouth, 
with the view of keeping the navigation open. 

The Russians are making preparations to burn the cities of Odessa, Reni, 
Brailow, Galatz and Ismail, should they be forced to abandon them. They 
have prepared combustibles, and have cut offthe supply of waterand burned 
the fire engines. Orders are issued that wherever the enemy appears in 
superior strength towns and villages are to be reduced to ashes. Unceasing 
preparations are being made in Sevastopol for defense. All criminal prisoners 
are liberated and enrolled in companies to work the port batteries. A gang 
of 200 of the worst convicts are still in irons, to be employed in carrying 
ammunition. 

The Governor of Sevastopol, taking advantage of the inefficiency of the 
blockade, took the masts out of some steamers to render them less easily 
discovered, and has been sending them to and from Nicolaieff, at the mouth 
of the River Bug, whence they have brought considerable quantities of 
stores, ammunition, artillery and even troops. One of the new inner forts of 
Sevastopol is mounted with guns conveyed in this manner. 

The bashi-bozouks, including those in the pay of the allies, have been 
disbanded by a general order from Omer Pasha, the rascals being quite 
incorrigible. 

Two Paixhans guns, taken from the Tiger frigate, were tried at Odessa the 
other day in [the] presence of Governor Annenkoff. At the fourth shot one 
of the guns burst, killing one artilleryman and wounding several others. 

On Sept. 2 the British steamer Shearwater and the French steamer Promé- 
thée entered the port of Cattaro. The reason given by the commanders for 
their visit was a desire to obtain information respecting a projected razzia 
of the Montenegrins. 

A Russian steamer from Sevastopol had captured a Wallachian vessel and 
taken her into that port. They had sent to Constantinople the Captains of 
the three Turkish merchantmen which they had recently burned at Hera- 
clea. 

Kurschid Pasha (Gen. Guyon) is at length appointed, on the representa- 

tions of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, to the chief commandin Asia, inroom 
of Mustapha Pasha. Guyon would long ere this have been appointed to 
command, but he refused, and still refuses, to apostatize from the Christian 
form of religion. Ismael Pasha, a Turkish officer who greatly distinguished 
himself in the defense of Kalefat, is also appointed to a high command in 
the army of Asia. The British Government has sent as Commissioners 
Col. Williams of the Royal Engineers, and France will accredit an officer 
in a similar capacity. Col. Williams spent three years under canvas in making 
a topographical survey of these provinces, as British Commissioner charged 
to run the boundary line between Turkey and Persia. 

According to the Paris Presse, the Russian forces in Asia had fallen back 
as far as Erivan, after having sacked Bajasid. 

Russian agents, disguised as Bedouins, have been arrested atDamascus. 

From Athens we learn that King Otho positively refuses any indemnity 
to Turkey.