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CHAP. told to Colonel Rose they did not yet dare to tell

IX.

to the great Eltchi. They did not, perhaps, mean to conceal from him, but they shrank from the terror

of seeing his anger when he came to know of Prince Mentschikoff's demands for a Protectorate of the Greek Church. If they were to confess that they had borne to hear such a proposal, the Eltchi might think that they had dared to listen to it. Lord Stratford, observing their fear, imagined that it was Prince Mentschikoff who had disturbed their equanimity. This combination,' said he, 'of alarm, seeking for advice, and of reluctance to intrust ́me frankly with the whole case, is attributable to 'the threatening language of Prince Mentschikoff, and to the character of his proposals.'

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But his view of the cause of this tendency toward suppression is displaced by observing the frankness of the disclosures which the Turkish Ministers had long before made to Colonel Rose:* the truth is that Lord Stratford was unconscious of exercising the ascendancy which he did, and, imagining that men gave way to him because he was in the right, he never came to understand the awe which he inspired. However, by degrees the Turkish Ministers went so far as to tell him that since the arrival of Prince Mentschikoff, the language held by the Russian Embassy to them had been a mixture of angry complaints and friendly assurances, accompanied with positive requisitions as to the Holy Places in Palestine, in'dications of some ulterior views, and a general tone *Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 107 et seq.

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of insistence bordering at times on intimidation.'* CHA P.

They declared that as to what the ulterior views were,

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there was still some uncertainty in the language

' of Prince Mentschikoff. In the beginning he had 'sounded the sentiments of the Porte as to a defensive · alliance with Russia, but, receiving no encouragement, 'had desisted from the overture. His intentions were now rather directed to a remodelling of the Greek Patriarchate of Constantinople, to a more clear and comprehensive definition of Russian right under treaty to protect the Greek and Armenian subjects of the Porte in religious matters, and to the conclu'sion of a formal agreement comprising those points.' Then, eager to place themselves under Lord Stratford's guidance, but still shrinking from a disclosure of the whole truth, the Turkish Ministers entreated the Ambassador to tell them how to meet the demands which, although they only spoke of them hypothetically, had been already made by Prince Mentschikoff.

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Lord Stratford instantly saw that he must cause the question of the Holy Places to be kept clear of all the other subjects of discussion which Prince Mentschikoff might be intending to raise, for it was plain that the vacillation of the Porte in regard to the sanctuaries (though it had sprung from a desire to avoid giving offence to either of two great Powers) had given Russia fair grounds of complaint on that subject; but the Czar had nothing else to complain of, and it was clear, therefore, that if the one grievance which really existed could be settled, every hostile step which *Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 125.

IX.

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CHAP. Russia might afterwards take would place her more IX. and more in the wrong. 'Endeavour,' said Lord

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Stratford, in charging the Turkish Ministers, 'to keep ‘the affair of the Holy Places separate from the ulte'rior proposals (whatever they may be) of Russia. The 'course which you appear to have taken under the former head was probably the best, and I am glad to find that there is a fair prospect of its success. 'Whenever Prince Mentschikoff comes forward with further propositions, you are at perfect liberty to ' decline entering into negotiation without a full 'statement of their nature, extent, and reasons. Should they be found on examination to carry with them that degree of influence over the Christian subjects of the Porte in favour of a foreign Power 'which might eventually prove dangerous or seriously inconvenient to the exercise of the Sultan's legitimate authority, His Majesty's Ministers cannot 'be doing wrong in declining them.'* But then, added the Ambassador-and his words portended some counsels hard to follow-this 'will not prevent the removal by direct sovereign authority of any existing abuse.'*

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Gradually the Turkish Ministers told more, and on the 9th of April Lord Stratford knew that Russia was demanding a treaty engagement, giving her the protectorate of the Greek Church in Turkey; and being now in communication with Prince Mentschikoff, he succeeded, as he believed, in penetrating the real object which Russia had in view. That object,' he

*Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 125.

IX.

said, was to reinstate Russian influence in Turkey CHAP. on an exclusive basis, and in a commanding and stringent form.' In other words, Prince Mentschikoff, with horse and foot and artillery and the whole Sebastopol fleet at his back, was come to depose the man whom they called in St Petersburg the English 'Sultan.' On the other hand, Lord Stratford was not willing to be deposed. The struggle began.

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The severance of the question of the Holy Places from the ulterior demands of the Czar was not an object to be pursued for the sake of order and conve- gle benience only. On the contrary, it bade fair to govern Prince the result of the diplomatic conflict; for the Monte- koff and negro question having disappeared, and Russia having Stratford. committed herself to the avowal that she had no complaints against the Sultan except in regard to the Holy Places, a settlement of that solitary grievance would leave the ulterior demand so baseless that any attempt to enforce it by arms would be a naked outrage upon the opinion of Europe. Prince Mentschikoff had been a man accustomed to negotiate, he would have taken care to preserve the question of the Holy Places, and keep it blended with the ulterior demand until he saw his way to a successful issue; for he was in the position of having to found two demands upon one grievance," and it was clear, therefore, that he would be stranded if he allowed his one grievance to be disposed of without having good reason for knowing that his further demand would be granted; but he was vain and confident, and perhaps his sagacity was blunted by the

CHAP. thought that he was able to threaten an appeal to IX. force. Moreover, Prince Mentschikoff was in the hands of a practised adversary.

Lord Stratford, knowing the full import of the decision towards which he was leading his opponent, did not fail to deal with him tenderly; and for several days the Prince had the satisfaction of imagining that the imperious and overbearing Englishman of whom they were always talking at St Petersburg was become very gentle in his presence. The two Ambassadors, without being yet in negotiation, began to talk with one another of the matters which were bringing the peace of the world into danger. They spoke of the Holy Places. Far from seeming to be hard or scornful in regard to that matter, Lord Stratford was full of deference to a cause which, whether it were founded on error or on truth, was still the honest heart's desire of fifty millions of pious men. He showed by his language that if by chance he should be called upon to use his good offices in this matter, or to mediate between Russia and France, he would form his judgment with gravity and with care. Where he could do so with justice, he admitted the fairness of the Russian claims.

considerably

Prince Mentschikoff's tone became 'softened.'* Then the Ambassadors ventured upon the subject still more pregnant with danger, for Lord Stratford now disclosed his knowledge of Prince Mentschikoff's 'ulterior propositions relative to the protectorate of the whole Greek Church and the

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*Eastern Papers,' part i. p. 134.

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