ies in
dealing with the present Ministers than he had with him.

March 14th, 1834

[Page Head: RUSSIA AND TURKEY.]

There is a fresh _demele_ with Russia on account of a new treaty
concluded by Achmet Pacha at St. Petersburg. By this Russia
agrees to remit six millions of the ten which Turkey owes her,
and to give up the Principalities, but she keeps the fortress of
Silistria and the military road, which gives her complete command
over them. The Sultan, 'not to be outdone in generosity,' in
return for so much, kindly cedes to Russia a slip of sea-coast on
the Black Sea, adjoining another portion already ceded by the
Treaty of Adrianople as far south as Poti. This territorial
acquisition is not considerable in itself, but it embraces the
line of communication with Persia, by which we have a vast
traffic, and which Russia will be able at any time to interrupt.
This new transaction, so quietly and plausibly effected, has
thrown our Government into a great rage, and especially his
Majesty King William, who insisted upon a dozen ships being sent
off forthwith to the Mediterranean. Nothing vigorous, however,
has been done, and Palmerston has contented himself with writing
to Lord Ponsonby, desiring him to exhort the Sultan not to ratify
this treaty, and rather to pay (or more properly, continue to
owe) the whole ten millions than accede to the wily proposal.
This advice will probably seem more friendly than disinterested,
and I have not the slightest idea of the Sultan's listening to
it. He has, in fact, become the vassal of Russia, and his lot is
settled in this respect, for from Russia he has most to fear and
most to hope. The conduct of our Government in this question, has
been marked by nothing but negligence and indecision, vainly
blustering and threatening at one moment and tamely submitting
and acquiescing at another, 'willing to wound and yet afraid to
strike,' treating Russia as if she was the formidable foe of
Turkey, and allowing her so to act as to make Turkey think her an
ally and protectress, and finally to throw herself into Russia's
arms.

I went yesterday morning to Peel's house, to see his pictures;
since we met at Buckenham we have got rather intimate. The fact
is that, though I have never been a great admirer of his
character, and probably he is not improved in high-mindedness, I
am so sensible of his capacity, and of the need in which we stand
of him, that I wish to see him again in power, and h